Short Treatise Against the Donatists of England, Brownist position 4
The Brow. The firſt tranſgreſſion we charge your aſſemblies with, is that you worſhip God after a falſe manner, your worſhip being made of the inuention of man, euen of the man of ſinne, erronious, and impoſed vponupon you. You anſwer, your worſhip is the imbracing of the holy Bible. Thus begging the queſtion, you neither prooue your worſhip by the Bible, nor anſwer one of the foure apparant reaſons, which we bring in our article, where it is falſe and contrary to the Bible, &c.
G. G. To the intent that mine anſwer and your accuſation may ſtand the cléerer to be ſéene into, and the better to be iudged of, I draw your words into a ſyllogiſme thus.
Whatſoeuer aſſemblies worſhip the true God after a falſe manner, their worſhip being made of the inuention of man, euen of the man of ſinne, &c. the ſame are not the true Churches of God.
But the aſſemblies as they generally ſtand in England, doo worſhip the true God after a falſe manner, their worſhip being made of the inuention of man, &c.
Therefore the aſſemblies in England be not the true churches of God.
I did not, nor doo not deny the firſt part of this argument, the propoſition, ſo that we vnderſtand by falſe maner of worſhip, and the ſame made of the inuention of man, ſuch a falſe manner as dooth ouerthrow the very ground and foundation of faith, and make an vtter ſeperation from the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Such as the worſhip is in popery, where they teach and doo many things contrary to the principles of faith, placing holineſſe and the worſhip of God in their owne inuentions, and ſéeking remiſſion of ſinnes, and the merite of eternall life, in eueryevery beggerly ſuperſticious obſeruation and ceremony. But if by falſe manner of worſhip, yée vnderſtand eueryevery error, fault & corruption, in matters of religion, which though they be euill and to be condemned, yet ouerthrow not the faith nor the very eſſence of Gods true worſhip, but be in circumſtances, or in parts that may be maimed, and yet the life remaine: then I deny the propoſition as moſt erronious, falſe, and hereticall For king Dauid with the princes, the Préeſts, the Leuites, and people, erred, and that groſly, contrary to the expreſſe law of God, Numb. 7. verſ. 9. when they carried the Arke vponupon a Cart: yet were they euen then the true Church of God. It was a great offence, that in the dayes of ſome good Kings of Iuda, the people ſacrificed in the high places, but only to the Lord▪ 2. Kings. 11. &. 14. 15. They ſhould by Gods appointment hauehave doone it at Ieruſalem onelyonly: yet were they neuertheleſſe Gods people. The Paſſouer was a principall part of Gods worſhip, but they kept it not ſo preciſely according to the law, of a long time, as they did in the 18. yeare of Ioſias. 2. King. 23. 2. Chron. 35. The Preachers at Corinth did very euill in building Timber, Straw, and Hay, vponupon the foundation: and ſo did the people which ſorted themſelues as it were by ſeuerall companies to follow them. But yet becauſe they held Chriſt the foundation in the true doctrine, S. Paul ſaith, their workes ſhould burne, they ſhould ſuffer loſſe, neuertheleſſe they themſelues ſhould be ſaued as it were by fier. 1. Cor. 3.
Now to come vntounto the ſecond part of your argument, the aſſumption, which is, that the Church of England dooth worſhip the true God after a falſe manner, their worſhip being made of, &c. I did deny that, by affirming that the worſhip of our Church, is the imbracing the holy Bible, by the doctrine thereof, &c▪ Ye ſay, I beg the queſtion, and prooue not our worſhip by the Bible. And I ſay (if yée call it begging) you beg the queſtion, & would hauehave that graunted vntounto yée as true, which is moſt falſe. For excepting imperfections, wants, ſpots, blemiſhes, & faults, which deſtroy not the true worſhip of God, our Church dooth worſhip the Lord aright, without hereſie, blaſphemy, or idolatry. The doctrine of our Church is publiſhed: if yée can take exception againſt any point, to be hereſie or blaſphemie, bring it foorth that it may be tried by the Bible. Then next yée complaine further, that I do not anſwer one of thoſe 4. apparant reaſons which yée bring, why it is falſe and contrary to the Bible. Well then they may now be conſidered. Thus yée hauehave noted them with figures ouer the head, our worſhip being made of the 1 inuention of man, euen of the 2 man of ſinne, 3 erronious, and 4 impoſed vponupon vsus. I know not for what cauſe they ſhould be called apparant, vnleſſe by a farre fetched trope of Metonymie, becauſe they manifeſt and make apparant your vanitie, and Anabaptiſticall error. For the firſt thrée be no more but one bare affirmation of that principall tranſgreſſion which yée charge vsus withall. For all falſe worſhip is mans inuention, whether it be the inuention of the man of ſinne, or of any other man, it is all one before God, who reſpecteth not perſons, but the wickedneſſe of the ſinne. Alſo to be mans inuention in Gods worſhip, and to be erronious is all one. For whatſoeuer man inuenteth in Gods worſhip, is erronious: and whatſoeuer in the ſame is erronious, hath béene inuented by man. So that the thrée firſt are all one bare affirmation, and the very ſame with your article. Your Anabaptiſticall error is in the fourth: for yée challenge ſuch a fréedome to the Church, as that nothing may be impoſed vponupon the flockes, no not any thing that the Church gouernours ſhall decrée by the word, which dooth ouerthrow the diſcipline in a great part. Then yée procéed and ſay, for further manifeſtation of our worſhip in particular, let the booke of Common prayer be examined by the word of God: which yée terme a great pregnant idoll full of errors, blaſphemies, and abhominations. If the booke ſtand to be tried by Gods word, there is no doubt, but as all things done by men, euen the beſt, it ſhall be found vnperfect. He that will hauehave it to be no true worſhip of God, in which there be errors and ſpots, holdeth the hereſie of perfection, which is very foule and deteſtable: for it is as farre beyond our power, to bee perfect in Gods worſhip, as to performe perfect obedience in the ſecond table of the lawe. And touching the booke of Common prayer, let the reader conſider, it is not the queſtion betwéene vsus, whether there be faults in it, great faults, or how many: but whether it be a great pregnant idol, full of hereſies, blaſphemies, and abhominations? I confeſſe that all men ought with vtter deteſtation, to ſhunne our worſhip, if it be ſuch as you accuſe it. But indéed your accuſation is falſe, your ſlaunders are foule and impudent. This ſhall appeare by following your words as they be ſet downe, where yée name thoſe blaſphemous abhominations, which yée charge the booke withall, in their ſeueral rankes▪ Yée aſke vsus where we find in the new Teſtament our Romiſh faſts, our Ember daies, Saints éeues, and Lent. I am indéed out of all doubt, and moſt aſſured, that if a man read ouer, not onelyonly the new Teſtament, but alſo both old and new, from the very beginning to the end, he ſhall neuer finde any allowance of Romiſh faſts. I ſay likewiſe of the Booke of Common prayer, that there be no Romiſh faſts in it: and that yée doo moſt iniuriouſly ſlaunder and belie vsus in matching our Church in this point with the blaſphemous ſynagog of Rome. For that Antichriſtian Church, de rogating in all things from the Croſſe of Chriſt, hath vponupon certaine daies, and at certaine times, times, appointed an abſtinence from meates, placing therein the worſhip of God, remiſſion of ſinnes, and the merite of eternall life. The Church of England dooth vtterly condemne this as the doctrine of Diuels, 1. Timoth. 4 pronouncing them enimies to the croſſe of Chriſt, which maintaine meritorious faſting. We teach that the kingdome of God is not meat and drinke, but righteouſnes and peace, and ioy in the Holy-ghoſt. Rom. 14. And that there is no holineſſe in eating or not eating, but an abſtinence whereby we may humble our ſelues, and be more feruent in prayer. The politike lawes of this land, which appoint that vponupon certaine daies men ſhall not eat fleſh, doo it in reſpect of the common-wealth, as to maintaine Nauigation ſo much the better, by incouraging men to fiſh, and for the ſpare of the bréed of yoong cattle: appointing moreouer a penaltie for ſuch as ſhall take the daies to be obſerued as meritorious Romiſh faſts. Therefore let all men héere at the firſt conſider, how ſophiſtically yée doo argue: that the Church of England dooth abſteine from fleſh vponupon ember dayes, Saints Eues, and in Lent: therefore the Church of England dooth maintaine and obſerue Romiſh faſts. Thus dooth one cracke of your great ordinance, vaniſh onelyonly into ſmoake. Then yée ſay, your idol feaſts, your Alhallowes, Candlemas, ſeuerall Lady dayes, Saints dayes, and dedicating Churches vntounto Saints. Héere alſo yée thunder out terror, as if the Church of England did worſhip idols, and celebrate feaſts in the honour of falſe gods: and yet all is but a ſtarke lie, and a wicked ſlander. And I would wiſh all men to obſerue the boldneſſe and eloquence which yée hauehave in this vaine. For whereas the ſynagog of Antichriſt, denying the onelye mediation of our bleſſed Lord Ieſus, did ſet vp the Saints as mediators, did praye vntounto them, worſhip them, celebrate holy dayes in their honour, and dedicate churches vntounto them: the Church of England for theſe and ſuch like abhominations, hath ſeparate her ſelfe from them, teaching by the holye Scriptures, that there is one God, and one mediator betwéene1. Timoth. God and man, the man Ieſus Chriſt. That the ſame only true God is to be worſhipped alone, and called vppon through the only mediation of his beloued Sonne, in whome…ath. 4. …al. 51. …ath. 3. he is well pleaſed. That Saincts are not to be worſhipped, neyther the bleſſed Virgin, nor any other, nor no dayes to be celebrated in their honour, nor Churches dedicated vntounto thē: how bitterly then do you ſclaunder? Ye will reply, that the Saincts dayes be kept in our Church: yea but ye muſt ſhewe that they be kept in their honour, which ye ſhall not be able to doo, ſéeing the contrary is manifeſt, the Statute expreſſing that our Church doth call thē Holydayes, not for the Saincts ſakes, but for the holy exerciſes vſed vponupon them in publike aſſemblyes. Diuers Churches alſo among vsus are called by the names of thoſe Saincts which they were dedicated vntounto, but to ſay that we do therefore dedicate Churches vntounto them, is very ridiculous. In the City Athens there was a place of Iudgement which bare the name of Mars, S. Luke calleth…s. 17. it by the ſame name, doth he therefore dedicate it alſo vntounto that heathen God of battaile? When we call S. Peters Church, or Paules Churchyard, it is but to diſtinguiſh them by the names by which they are commonly knowne and called. Then follow our Comminations, Rogations, Purifications. Touching Comminations, they be a part of the Canonicall Scripture which is to be read in the Church. Rogations, I take to be the compaſſing in of the limits and bounds of Pariſhes, which is commaunded only to auoide contention and ſtrife that might growe, and there is nothing in the booke of Common Prayer touching theſe, that euer I could finde. Purifications are annexed, only to make vp your riming figure: for neither the booke, nor the doctrine of the Church of England, doth ſpeake of any Purification, but only in the bloud of the Lambe. There is a Thankſgiuing preſcribed for Women after Childbirth, but neyther for Iewiſh Purification, or Popiſh Superſtition, & therefore not in ſuch ſort to be condemned. After comes in our Tithes▪ Offerings, Mortuaries. For the Tithes and Mortuaries, I do not finde them once named in the booke, the Offrings in déede are. But ye will ſay that is no great matter, ſéeing they be in our Church. That is true, but yet they are but for maintenance of the Miniſterie, & not as a matter tyed of neceſſitie vntounto a Prieſthoode, as in the time of the Lawe: and if they were, the error could not be fundamentall. In the next place are brought in, our manner of viſiting the ſicke, and howſling them with the Sacrament, our Abſolution, blaſphemous Dirges, and Funerall Sermons ouer and for the dead. There is preſcribed a manner of viſiting the ſicke, and ſo is there in the leiturgies of ſome other Churches that profeſſe the Goſpell, but where hauehave ye ſéene it practiſed, or the practiſe vrged by thoſe that hauehave the gouernment of our Church, at their hands which are able and diligent Paſtors? Whereby your iniurious dealing may appeare, in charging all the aſſemblies as they generally ſtand in England with matters which the greater part do not practiſe, nor yet are required. For if the ſicke man be by the Miniſter of the word inſtructed, exhorted, comforted, and ſtrengthened in faith and repentance, yea eueryevery way prepared to depart ioyfully in the Lord, it is that which the booke aimeth at, neither is there any more required, although he vſe no preſcript forme ſet downe. By your phraſe of howſling with the Sacrament, ye would make the ſimple beleeue, that the Popiſh Howſling is retained among vsus. This is but a falſe kind of packing, ſeeing our Church vtterly condemneth all the wicked blaſphemous corrupt doctrine of the Papiſts touching the Lords Supper: and alſo denyeth that a man is of neceſſitie to receiue this Sacrament at his death. If yes replie, that howſoeuer we teach, yet the booke implyeth a neceſſitie, which appeareth by that it doth appoint a priuate Communion. I anſwer, that euen the booke doth denie it to be a matter of neceſſitie, and doth appoint it but to relieue the trouble which might ariſe in weake conſciences through the want thereof, for theſe be the words of the booke: The Curates ſhall diligently from time to time, but ſpecially in the Plague time, exhort their Pariſhioners to the often receiuing in the Church, of the holy Communion of the bodie and bloud of our Sauiour Chriſt, which if they doo they ſhall hauehave no cauſe in their ſuddaine viſitation, to be diſquieted for lacke of the ſame. And if any ſicke perſon that would receiue this Sacrament, hath any impediment that he can not, the Booke willeth the Miniſter to inſtruct him, that if he do truly repent him of his ſinnes, and ſtedfaſtly beléeue that Ieſus Chriſt hath ſuffered death vppon the Croſſe for him, and ſhead his bloud for his redemption, earneſtly remembring the benefites he hath thereby, and giuing him hartie thanks therefore, he doth eate and drincke the Bodie and Bloud of our Sauiour Chriſt profitably to his ſoules health, although he do not receiue the Sacrament with his mouth. How maliciouſly then do you charge the aſſemblies in England with howſling the ſicke with the Sacrament, when all the learned, faithfull, diligent Paſtors do, as the booke requireth, exhort thoſe that be of their flockes to the often receiuing of this holy Sacrament in the publike aſſemblie, as the due place for publike ſeales, and the people by inſtruction being growen ſo ſtrong, that they do not in their ſickneſſe require it, and ſo in the moſt Congregations which are well taught, the thing is not practiſe…? The Sinagog of Antichriſt deuiſed a purgatorie which is blaſphemous againſt the bloud of Chriſt. They had indéed their Dirges, euen blaſphemous prayers for the dead. That Purgatorie do we vtterly deny as a wicked inuention, we condemne prayer for the dead, and therfore, where ye tearme thoſe prayers which are read at burials blaſphemous Dirges ouer and for the dead, yee are more then impudent in lying. Funerall Sermons I finde not inioyned by the booke, nor commaunded by any Lawe. Ye adde further, our corrupt manner of adminiſtring the Sacraments, the Font, the Croſſe in Baptiſme, Baptiſme by women, Goſſippings, the blaſphemous Collects that we vſe vntounto this Sacrament, Byſhopings, with all the hereticall Collects of the Booke, which, as ye ſay, is a wearines vntounto ye to repeate, though not to vsus both to tollerate and defend. When ye ſhewe ſome reaſon, why the Font is an abhomination, I ſhall knowe what to ſay. Touching the Croſſe, it muſt needes be confeſſed that it was blaſphemouſly and horribly abuſed in Poperie, they aſcribing vntounto it power to driue out and expell Deuils, and worſhipping it with deuine honour. In my iudgement alſo, the holy Church of God, within ſhort time after the bleſſed Apoſtles, and the reuerend godly Paſtors, did offend, in taking ouermuch libertie to ordeine Ceremonies Symbolicall, as that and ſuch like, yet no doubt very reuerend godly learned men, led by the example of thoſe holy Fathers of olde, hauehave iudged it lawfull for the Church to ordeine ſuch Ceremonies. Touching the Baptiſme by women, it is condemned both by the chéefe gouernours in our Church▪ and others, and is not practiſed vnleſſe it be among the popiſh and ſuperſticious ignorant ſort. By Goſſyppings, I ſuppoſe yée meane the witneſſes at baptiſme, a thing vſed in the beſt reformed churches, and thought to be expedient: ſo that yée doo not heerein condemne the Church of England, but all Churches▪ Biſhoping of children is little practiſed, for vnleſſe the people require it by offering their children few Biſhops doo vrge them thervnto, onelyonly this excepted, that they be taught and inſtructed in the Catechiſme. The blaſphemous collects which we vſe in the Sacrament, and all the hereticall collects of the booke, doo trouble yée very ſore, and weary yée to repeat. But if it pleaſed God, I would ye were as weary of lying and ſlaundering, as ye ſhould be in ſéeking in all the collects of the booke, if yée were bound to ſéeke and to finde, I will not ſay ſome faultes, ſéeing all things framed by the beſt men, may hauehave imperfections and faults: but ſome blaſphemies or hereſies. If yée hauehave any regard at all what ye ſay, gather your wits together, conſider what is blaſphemie, and what is hereſie, and then note the collect where it is, and what it is▪ There ſhall neuer any man be able to prooue, that the Church of England dooth tollerate, much leſſe defend, either blaſphemie or hereſie. Yet you, as if your words were true as the Goſpell, clap your wings, and crowe, ſaying, but this candle may not be lighted, leaſt the people ſhould ſée into the abhominabl… ingredients, which you their Antichriſtian miniſters doo giuegive them, or rather ſell them, in the whore of Babilons cuppe. All this is but your foule toong, which is no way ſo eloquent, as in rowling out ſlaunderous accuſation of blaſphemies, hereſies, and abhominations, with ſuch like. Moreouer, whereas the caſe ſtandeth thus in the church of England: that there is controuerſie about the Booke: and that one part dooth approoue all things in the ſame as good and alowable, or at leaſt as tollerable, the other condemne certaine things as corruptions, and ſuch as néede reformation. I would know how ye could abandon all the aſſemblyes? to this ye make a double anſwer, firſt, that vſing a part, they do homage to the whole. This is a fooliſh anſwer, void of all reaſon, for can we not praiſe the good things in a man, but we ſhall allowe his faultes and imperfections? Your ſecond anſwer is this: Neither can the cunningeſt of ye all make the beſt part of it other then a péece of Swines fleſh, an abhomination to the Lord. Who could imagin that ſuch a frenſie might take hold of any, that in mad furie they ſhould not ſpare after a ſort to ſtrike at God, and to blaſpheme that which is moſt holy? for ye knowe right well▪ that there is in the booke of Common Prayer, much of the ſacred Canonicall Scripture, there is the Lords prayer, the tenne Commaundements, with many other partes and ſentences, there be the articles of the Chriſtian faith, are all theſe become Swines fleſh an abhomination to the Lorde? Let not ſimple men wonder that ye are bold to proclaime all the Miniſters of the Goſpell within this land, to be the marked ſeruants of Antichriſt, when ye dare preſume to ſet your ſtincking brand of pitch vponupon the moſt holy things of God. Ye will héere cry out of iniurie, and ſay that ye eſtéeme all thoſe parcels of the ſacred Canonicall Scriptures, in thē ſelues to be holy and pure. What is it then which turneth them into Swines fleſh, and maketh them an abhomination to the Lord? is it becauſe they be bound together, and make one booke with the hereticall Collects? then take you héede, leaſt being in priſon, and fettred with heretikes, ye be turned alſo into Heretikes. If ye ſay, it is our abuſe which turneth ſo holy things into Swines fleſh, I aunſwere, that the abuſe of holy things is abhominable, but the things themſelues remaine vndefiled: and ye muſt remember that we deale touching the partes of the booke, but abuſe is no part thereof. When ye ſay the beſt part thereof is no other then a péece of Swines fleſh, it can not be tranſferred from the partes vntounto the abuſes. If it were graunted vntounto ye, which yet is to be denied as moſt fantaſticall, that all read prayer offred vp vntounto God as a ſacrifice, is Idolatrie: neuertheleſſe your ſaying is wicked and blaſphemous, ſeeing that the reading is not any part of the booke, neither doth it peruert or defile the things themſelues which are read. Thus your firſt accuſation, that we worſhip the true God after a falſe manner, is with falſe ſclaunder, and furious outrage of ſpéech, crying out of Idolatrie, blaſphemies, and abhominations, when as ye can ſhewe no one ground of the holy Religion and worſhip of God, which is not holden ſound and entire among vsus, only ye rippe vp corruptions and ſpots in Ceremonies, orders, and circumſtances, which touch not the foundation, but are ſuch as men may erre in, and yet be Gods déere children, and true woorſhippers.