Sermon 17 November 1599, Apology · Part 2 · Answer 1 – Answer 2
Anſvvere.
This accuſation is forged of meere vntruths, and hath no good ground, but is built vponupon the ſands, and with the leaſt puffe of wind, and blaſt of weather is immediatly cō founded. True it is theſe words are not regiſtred in ſcripture by ſo many titles and ſillables;Math. 7. The church of England ſhal obſerue the 17. of November ſuch a celebrity, & ſuch a forme of ſervice, in ſuch manner as the Lord preſcribe…h the feaſtes of the olde Teſtament Memento vt diem Sabbati ſanctifices Remember thou keepe holy the ſabboth day. Ex. 20. Le… 23.The feaſts of the Lord which you ſhall call holy aſſemblies, even theſe are my feaſts &c. yet this is true alſo that there is nothing vſed in the publique ſervice of the church of England that day, which may not be iuſtified and warrantted to be lawfull, religious, and each way grounded vponupon the infallible truth of Gods word either explicitè, or implicitè, (as the ſchool-men ſpeake) eyther expreſſiuely, or by the way of neceſſary illation or conſequence, not doubting but that all that are learned, and indifferent men will yeelde approbation to this kinde of aunſwering, & ſo much the more becauſe Gregory Nazianzene ſyr-named the Divine hath broken the yee to me heerein (as the proverbe is,Greg. Preſ. foreign.) and is the patterne whō I follow. Rerū aliae non ſu…t, ſed dicuntur: aliae, cū ſint, minimè dicuntur: aliae nec ſunt, nec dicuntur: aliae den… que et ſunt, & dicuntur. Of things ſome are not conteined in the ſcripture, and yet are ſaid to be: other-ſome are conteined, and are not ſaide to be: others neyther are conteined, nor are ſaid to bee: other; both are conteined, and alſo are ſaid to be. That there is nothing that day vſed in the church-ſervice of England but what may be warranted by Gods word, it is manifeſt by this manner of demonſtration. In the Liturgie or church-ſervice of the church of England vſed the 17. of November there are two things to be obſerued: 1. What it participateth with other Feſtivities in this office: 2 Ʋ Ʋhat is principally that day and by the waies of particularity performed in the church. For the firſt, the generall office of the church that is vſed vponupon any holy day, is that day alſo according to the manner of other Feſtivities obſerued, this office who…ely conſiſting vponupon an holy confeſſion of ſinnes, diſtinct recitall of certaine Pſalmes, and two Chapters of the olde & new Teſtament ordinarily, which forme is alſo religiouſly obſerued each Sabbaoth day and holy day throughout our Realme, and every day of the yeere particularly in her Maieſties Chappell, & each Cathedrall … this land. This maner of ſervice of God, I thinke … can take iuſt exceptiō againſt. For the patterne of … we hauehave receiued out of the auncient church of the Iewes, out of the actes of the Apoſtles, and from the Primatiue church,…. and al ancient churches Greeke and Latine.
The particular office on the 17. of November now vſed is an expoſition of ſome parte of Scripture, and publique praier. The expoſition of Scripture choſē by the Miniſter that day is ſuch as is ſi…te to perſwade the auditory to due obedience to her Maieſty, and to be thankfull to God for her Maieſties happy and flouriſhing Regiment theſe 43. yeeres: and to excite them to prayer vntounto God long to continue her Grace amongſt vsus (if it be his bleſſed will) & to deliver her Highneſſe from all malice of her enemies. After the ſermon ſolemne prayers are made by the Miniſters, or ſet forth by publique authority imploying matter of this quality. Laſtly if there be Pſalmes ſong, or ſacred Antiphones, either by the whole multitude, or by the Quier, (as it is vſed in her Maieſties Chappell, or in Cathedrall Churches,) they are compoſed according to this forme of prayer in the vvorde going nexte before ſpecified.
Other forme of divine ſervice I doe not Apologize; beſides I know none other, and moreover I am perſwaded, that our adverſaries are able to iuſtifie no other. This being the ſumme and ſubſtance of all the ſacred office in our church that day, very greate reaſon had I to deny the Minor.
The reaſons that I yeeld and build vponupon are two vnremovable grounds, not being willing to trouble the reader with the multitude of them that might for this purpoſe be ſelected out of Gods booke.
The firſt place that ſerueth for my purpoſe herevnto, is a Canon of the Apoſtle contained in the 3. firſt verſes of the 2. Chap. of the 1. to Tymothye: 1. I exhort therefore that firſt of all, ſupplications, praiers, interceſſions, giuing of thankes be made for all men: 2. For kinges and all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life, in all godlineſſe and honeſty: 3. For this is good and acceptable in the ſight of God our Saviour.
The 3. ground that I rely vponupon is the 20. Pſal. according to the holy prophet David, deſiring the adverſaries to examine whether theſe things be ſo or not, or ſerue to that purpoſe that I hauehave alleadged them.
The firſt ground pregnantly prooveth the truth of my aſſertion, and the 20. Pſalme no leſſe manifeſtly,Titleman. Prefat Pſal …at 20. Heb. 21. as learnedly & pithily F. Titlemā hath proued; a mā whoſe authority our Adverſaries neither wil, neither can deny with any equity, neither doe I thinke that any of them will ſtand vponupon it.
For the firſt, namely the place alleadged out of the 2. Chap. of the Ep of S. Paul to Timothy. Some will appeale heere to the Syriack text, affirming that this Canon onelyonly concerneth the private duety of the Miniſter herein, and in no ſort the publique ſervice and office of the church: in regard that in that place,Syriacus context. in their language, the Pronoune Demonſtratiue is inſerted in the 2. perſon. I exhorte Thee, therefore; or I require of Thee therefore; which Pronoune the Greeke and Latine hath omitted.
Chryſoſt. Oecum. Ambr. he vulgar editio. Hycron.To this I anſwere, firſt that all the Greekes and Latines that I hauehave ſeene leaue out the Pronoune; Chryſoſtome, Occumenius, the Comm…nt aſcribed to S. Ambroſe, The vulgar edition, Itala, S. Hyerom, Eraſmus Annotations and Paraphraſe vppon vvhome I rather relye then vponupon the Syriack herein.
Eraſm Annotat. Paraphraſ.Secondly, admit the Pronoune (Te) be inſerted, as Tremelliu… hath done, yet this maketh nothing againſt our poſition. For although but the Biſhop or Miniſter alone be mē tioned, yet ſince this is to bee done in ſolemne and ſacred aſſemblies, in the which the people are taught and bound to ſay Amen; although the Pronoune be applied to the Miniſter yet the Amen of the people heerevnto is not excluded.1. Tim. 3.15 Alſo that this Canon, & many others in this Epiſtle import the publique office of the Church, it may eaſily be proved out of the 15. verſe of the 3. Chapter and in divers other places of this Epiſtle: which ſenſe alſo Saint Chryſoſtome followeth in his expoſitions of theſe wordes given: id eſt in quotidiano objequio, perpetuoq▪ Religionie ritu: & Theophilact: his Abridger hath foreign. I… daily worſhip. Ambroſe.For it behoveth the Biſhop or Min…ſter being a publique interceſſor to God for all manner of men, being alſo as it were a father to the whole world, to pray for all men, for the faithfull & vnfaithfull, for friends, and enemies: for ſuch as re…le and afflict vsus; for Kings. Haec regula eccleſiaſtica tradita a Magiſtro Gentium eſt quae vt …tur Sacerdotes noſtri vt pro omnibus ſupplicent. This Eccleſiaſticall or Church-rule which our Miniſters vſe is delivered by Paule the teacher of the Gentiles, that they pray for all men. I might adioine alſo herevnto the opinion of ſome concerning the nature of the greeke words eſpecially vſed in the …ext by the Apoſtle. foreign, ſupplications, praiers, interceſſions, giving of thanks: but ſince Oecumenius hath not imployed ſo much in his definitions, I voluntarily omit to proſecute it.Occumenius.
The ſeconde cavillation or quarrell which is picked or conceived againſt our practiſe of this Canon, is this. True, …ay our Adverſaries, this place enforceth by plaine proofe, that publique praier is to be made for Princes, and all placed in authority in all aſſemblies of holy Church: to deny that, is an Anabaptiſticall abſurdity, and an vncharitable impiety. But yet for all that, we affirme (ſaith the Adverſary) that it ſavoreth ſomewhat of Superſtition, Iudaiſme, & Gentiliſme, to reſtraine the ſolemne Church-office to one day, and to obſerue it in ſuch ſort as it is nowe performed in the Church of England.
To this I anſwere in this ſort. Firſt I doubt not but each day many faithfull & godly people domeſtically through out al her Maieſties dominions, make fervent praier to almighty God for her Highneſſe ſafety. Secondly it is evident that in all Cathedrall Churches through all this Realme, & in each great Pariſh and Congregation of the Land, where morning and evening the ſacrifice of that divine ſervice is offered vntounto God, publique praiers are in like ſort made for her Graces preſervation. And to this purpoſe divers praiers, and Collects are ordained daily to be read in …he places before ſpecified, as it appeareth by our Cōmuniō book: yet this nothing impeacheth the lawfulnes of the ſacred celebrity yearly performed the 17. of Novēber, no more then the private praiers made by each man at home impaireth the lawfulnes of publique praier in the like caſe vſed in our Churches; no more then the ſacred praiers each weeke generally vſed Feria 4. & 5. impeach the ſacred Service in the ſolemne feaſt of Chriſtes Nativity, Reſurrection, Aſcenſion, &c. or any other holy day nowe ſolemnized in this Realme. This being a ſounde Maxime in Divinity: So that the materiality of a divine precept be obſerved the time and order of the vſe of hundreds of them are, and hauehave beene left to the diſpoſall of the holy Catholique Church, and moſt commonly to every provincial Church & Dioceſſe of every Chriſtian kingdome. This is the cauſe why Wedneſday & Friday rather then Munday or Thurſday are daies appointed for divine ſervice throughout this Realme; This is the reaſō why we reſort to heare divine ſervice, and Sermons at ſuch & ſuch times; why ſuch pſalmes are reputed this day, others another; why holy communions are rather miniſtred at ſuch a time then at other. In which church practiſe wee follovv the heavenly counſel and ſincere light of that Lampe that the Apoſtle hath lighted vntounto vsus in the 14.foreign. to the Romans Verſ. 6. and the 1. to Cor. 14. the laſt verſe. He that obſerveth the day, obſerveth it to the Lord. foreign.Generall Max. Let all things be done honeſtly and in order Theſe places being to be vnderſtoode of obſervations of Rites meere Adiaphorall or indifferent, and according to this forme of celebrity al is don by vsus herein exhibited. Which manner of obſervations S. Auſten hath in theſe words following made approbation of anſwering Ianuarius his Interrogatories according to this forme. Three ſortes of things are to be cōſidered that concerne our action in the church: Ad Ianuarium. Epiſt. 118.1 Thoſe things which the authority of the holy ſcripture preſcribeth to bee done by vsus, (he makes no queſtion of theſe but we are all bounde to performe them, according to the due concernment of place, time, and perſon) The ſecond ſorte of thinges conſiſteth of ſuch actions which the whole church acknowledgeth diſperſed farre and vvide over the face of the world (to doubte to doe any of theſe as farre forth as they concerne place,Diſputare. time, and perſon, is a point of moſt inſolent madneſſe) The third ſort of things are ſuch as are vſed in ſudry ſortes by diverſity of nations, coūtries, & provinces, of which kind theſe may be inſtanced in. Aliqui ieiunant Sahbato, alij non; Alij quotidiè cōmunicant corpori & ſanguim Dominico, alij certis diebus accipeunt; alibi Sabbato tantū & Dominico, alibi tantū Dominico; Totū hoc genus rerū liberas habet obſervationes, nec diſciplina vlla eſt in hic melior Chriſtiano, quā vt eo modo agat quo agere viderit Eccleſiā ad quācun que forte devenerit. Some faſt on Satturſday, & ſome faſt not on Saturſday: Some receiue the Cōmunion every day, ſome on certeine speciall daies: ſome on Saturſday, and on Sunday onelyonly, ſome on ſunday onelyonly &c. All things of this kind hauehave free and arbitrary obſervation, and herein there is no better diſcipline for a Chriſtian, then to conforme himſelfe to doe as he ſeeth that Church doth whereon he lighteth.
Laſtly if it be demaunded what coherence the 20. Pſal. hath with this place cited out of the 2. of the B. Apoſtle to Timothy, Gloſſe S. Hierom. S. Auſt &c. 2 Sam. 21. Rab. Solomon.and wherein they be proportionable to aver the proofe of the matter controverſied, ſince many expound this Pſalme only of Chriſt our Savior; other ſome (as namely Rab. Solomon) of king David 2. Sam. 1 cap. 21. when Davids men, in regard of the daunger that Iſhi-Benob put the king vntounto, ſware vntounto David ſaying, Thou ſh…lt got no more out with vsus vntounto battell leaſt thou quench the light of Iſrael: I anſwere omitting all expoſition of writers on our ſide, leaſt I ſhould ſeeme partiall in mine owne iudgment, and doe allow and follow herein the opinion of Fr. Titleman, which hee hath delivered in the proheme of his Paraphraſe of that Pſalme, as moſt agreeable to the truth and moſt fitting this purpoſe.Fr Titlemā in Pſal. 19. Moſt of the learned do refer this Pſalme vntounto Chriſt, as making it the praier of the faithfull, wiſhing al happineſſe and prosperity vntounto him; whoſe godly expoſition I may by no meanes diſallow, yet muſt I craue pardon if in this my illuſtration vponupon this Pſalme I ſhall rather aſcribe it to a civill Prince or governour, becauſe indeede it ſeemeth to me to be a praier made by David himſelfe, & delivered vntounto the P…ieſts as a forme of praier and bleſſing for his ſafety, and for his happy ſucceſſe, and victory againſt his enemies. Qua vterentur ad cantandum & ſupplicandum Deo pro regis ſalute pot…ſſimùm eo tempore quo contra hoſtes eſſet prafecturus. Which forme of praier they ſhould vſe vvhen they did either praiſe or pray vntounto God for the ſafety of their king, chiefely when he went forth vntounto battell againſt his enemies. Et quontam B. Paulus do…et Timotheum ſcribens, 1 Tim. 2.1.….Primum omriū fieri obſecrationet, orationes: and ſeeing the B. Apoſtle Paule teacheth Tymothy writing vntounto him that firſt of all ſupplications, praiers, interceſſions, and giving of thankes, bee made for all men. For Princes, and for all that are in authority, Cum que vix alius in vniverſo Pſalmorum libro occurrat quitam commode & apertè per omnia ad hoc propoſitum quadret, viſum fuit nobis expediens hunc pſalmum, …a elucidando, aptare, vt apta forma eſſe poſsit orā li pro Rege, aut etiam alio quolibet ſive in temporal bus, ſiue in ſpiritualib…s praſidente, vt ipſum proferant ſive Sacerdotes, ſiue al… et ſubiecti pro ſalute Regis. And ſeeing in the whole booke of Pſalmes ſcarce may we finde another Pſalme, which ſo fitly and evidently every way ſuiteth this purpoſe; it ſeemed good vntounto me to proportion out this Pſalme, by thus illuſtrating it; to be a fit forme of praier for a king, or any other Temporal or Spirituall Potentate to be vſed either by the Prieſtes, or other his ſubiectes for the ſafety of the king.
The other parts inferred in the Maior of the firſt ſyllogiſme ſince they confine in nature theſe accuſations that appertaine to the ſecōd general head, I differ the hādling of til it pleaſe God I come to that part of the Apology, & vntil I hauehave cōfuted the three maine accuſations that immediatly enſue this firſt.
If queſtiō be yet made, what reaſons we hauehave why this Church office rather ſhould be celebrated and ſolemnized the 17. of November, then any other day: I anſvvere, we rather performe this office vponupon this day then any other, for that as this day 41. yeeres now expired, God of his infinite goodneſſe gaue to our Queene Elizabeth the Crowne of our Realme by lineal deſcent after the deceaſe of her Siſter Queene Mary. A day regiſtred in all our Chronicles to all happy remembrance,Euſeb lib. 2 cap. 19. de vita Conſt. ſuch a day as Euſebius ſpeaketh of. A day wherein our Nation received a new light after a fearfull and bloudy Eclipſe, and al countries ſubiect to the Engliſh Scepter. A day wherein God gaue a rare Phaenixe to rule this land. A day ſhining graciouſly to many poore priſoners who long had been wearied in cold and heavy yrons, and had beene bound in the ſhadow of death, vntounto whome ſhee came as welcome as the ſweet ſhower commeth to the thirſty land, and as the doue that brought the …ell leafe in her mouth (if it bee lawfull to vſe this ſpeech) came to faithfull Noah, and to his family,Gen. 8. after they had beene long toſſed in the miraculous deluge. I might heerevnto adioine how neceſſarie a thing it is for kingdomes faithfully to obſerue record of daies this condition, in regard of the iuſt Computation of Princes Raignes, but that I am loath to ſpende any more matter in this argument, not ſo directly pertaining to this preſent diſcourſe.
The ſecond Accuſation.
All church-ſervice wherein all glory and honour is not giuen to God alone, and wherein the office of the B. Virgin the mother of God is neglected, brought into contēpt or wilfully omitted, is meere ſcandalous, impious, and intollerable.
But the Eccleſiaſticall ſervice ſome dayes vſed at theſe ſeaſons in the Church of England is of this nature & quality.
Ergo the Eccleſiaſticall ſervice ſome daies vſed at theſe ſeaſons in the Church of Englande is meere ſcandalous, impious, and intollerable.
Anſwere.
The 1. part of the Maior cannot be denied. For true it is that noe church-ſervice can be good, lawfull, true, or ſincere, wherin all honor and glory is not giuen to God. For our Saviour calleth (Math. 21.) the church of God the tē ple of God, Mat. 21 12. Ioh. 12. Mar 11. Iſa. 56. Luke 19. Act. 13. Eſay 2.2.3 Pſal 122. Eccle 4.17.his fathers houſe, mine houſe, the houſe of prayer &c. This alſo may be prooved by the continuall practize of the Synagogue by the preſcriptiō of the Apoſtle 1. Cor. 11. 1. Cor. 14. 1. Tim. 2. and 1. Timoth. 3.15.16. neither needeth it any proofe more then the ſun wanteth light, or the ſea waters.
The ſequele of the Maior firſt I purpoſe to ſtand vpō: nexte I require the proofe of the Minor This Nicol…us Sanders in his book De ſchiſmate ſeeketh to demonſtrate the evidence of this ſequele and the Minor in this ſorte, and in theſe wordes,Pag 302. de Schiſ. Firſt. Proteſtantes vtcun que tenent feſtos penè omnes, quos antiquitus celebravit Eccleſia, … …utores ſolum in feſtum ſacratiſſim: ſacraments, et D. Virginis, cuins Aſſumpt. Nativ. Concept. ſolennes dies abrogarunt, Solemniſlimè O pure Cicetoniā.at que ad matorē eiuſdem ſanctiſſimae Virginis cōtemptum El zabetha Natalem diem ſolemniſſime celebrant &c. The Proteſtantes although they hold & allow almoſt all the feaſts that the ancient church obſerued, yet they are more malicious againſt the feaſt of the Bleſſed Sacramēt and of the B. Virgine; the ſolemne feaſts of whoſe Aſſumption. Nativity, and Conception they hauehave abbrogated, and, to the farther contempt of that B. Virgine, inſteede thereof moſt ſolemnly doe celebrate the birth-day of Q. Elizabeth.