More Work for Priests, Answer 18 – Answer 19
I. GREENWOOD.
STil I must put you in minde of the wisedome of that gouernour of his house the builder, beginner and finisher of our Faith Christ Iesus: he forsawe what inconvenience would hauehave growne if either men or Angells should make newe liturgies, or other formes of praier, then he hath prescribed, for the publique assemblies. Here therfore you deeply chardge him, not to have donne all thinges that were needful, in not prescribing you more formes thē he hath donne, or not suffered learned divines to impose their owne writinges vntounto God. But see what the Scripture saith, who hath knowen the mynde of the Lord, that he might instruct him. Againe.1 Cor 2.16. and. 2▪20. wher is the wise, where the Scribe, where the disputer of this world hath not God made the wisedome of this world foolishnes? To put you out of doubt then, that we neede not any newe liturgie, nor anie mens writinges to be brought into the publique assemblies, the Holie Ghost saith, 2. Timot. 3.16. The whole Scripture is Theopneustos, inspired of God, and profitable vntounto doctrine, vntounto reproof, vntounto correction, vntounto erudition which is in righteousnes, that the man of God may be absolute, perfect fully furnished vntounto everie good worcke. Nowe if onelye the Scriptures be Theopnestos, and sufficient to make Gods childrē absolutely perfect, even fully furnished to every good work, what blasphemie is it to say, sundrie inconvenience would growe, if mens writinges were not imposed vponupon the publique assemblies?
And in this your wisedome, let us see what is the chiefest inconveniency that would growe. You say everye franticke spirit (of which sort ther be manie in the ministerie) would not only be unlike themselves, but varie from others. I answered, and still doe, that the Papists have not so weake a reason for their Idolatrous Liturgies, Rubricks, and Canons. You say it appeareth by all my Arguments, how meete a man I am to judge the weight of reasons alleadged by the Papists, and others: well I am weake, and you strong, foolish & you wise, yet might you have shewed me a weaker reason which they alleadge for their constitutions ecclesiasticall, as they cal thē. But my chief answere was (wherby you might have beene satisfied) that if it were but in Parases the ministerie should differ, it is no sufficient cause to ordeine liturgies. And if they offend in matter of doctrine or conversation, the censure of the Church should help that. The first you graunt, the second also you confesse, that the Church should censure such thinges: But you say ther are sundry other differences in administration of publique praiers & Sacraments, as in order and ceremonies which the Ch. is is to have regard of, and not to leave arbitrarie. All other ceremonies in Gods worship then Christ and his Apostles have prescribed us, are diabolicall, and not Apostolicall. Then, for all thinges donne in the Church in those publique actions, the offenders must be admonished, if they trasgresse the rules of the word. And for the others you speake of, you meane circumstances of time, place, kneeling, sitting, standing &c. of them there can be no furder lawes, then Christ hath prescribed, that all things be donnne to edifying, in comelynes and decency &c. of these to set particular lawes, were to breake the lawe of God, which leaveth them in the Churches liberty as neede requireth, to the glorie of God. In these thinges to doe anie thing contrarie to the generall rules of order, edifying, decencye etc. the transgressour is by those rules to be instructed, admonished and censured.
Well, here you have made a faire hand, to make read prayers but a matter of order, which is all the worship you have, to bring in mens writings into the publique assemblies, to make thē ether rules to bind the conscience, and so put them in the place of Gods booke, or to reade them over for praying, is but a matter of order, well then put them in your cornerr Capp, we have enough of rules for the ordering of Christs spouse, without such Babilonish ware. Here you say mine experience is not so great as my boldness. I passe not to be judged of you, it is not like that the enchaunters of Egypt should knowe the beautie of Sion: ther is a cloude betweene you and us: we have (blessed be our God) a pillar of fire before us. An other fault you say in my former reason, is, that because the censure of the Church should redresse defaultes, therfore ther needeth no liturgie. Nay take all with you: No fault can be censured that is not a transgression against the rules of Gods worde, and those to be censured by the doctrine and admonitions of the Church, therfore we neede no liturgies. To the worde of God onelyonly, ought all men to be bounde by covenant, and for the transgressions therof onelyonly, to be censured.
G. GIFFORD.
The Church hath this power, to ordeine according to Gods worde, and to appointe such orders in matters of circumstance &c. as shall most fuly serve to edification. And then these orders being established the Church is to drive men to the observation of them.