Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies, Part 2 · Chapter 5 · Section 17
#Sect. 17. The jus of the law of the land whether comprehenſiue or extenſiue, doth not iustifie our Oppoſites rigour againſt vsus.
FRom the ordinarie ius of a good lawe in generall, whereof heretofore we hauehave often miſſed, we come to the ius of the lawe of the lande, which layeth not on vsus the rigour practized, if the true meaning be well waighed: whether comprehenſiue or extenſiue. The comprehenſiue meaning of it,aStatut. Eliza. prefix. before the commun. booke. bendeth it ſelfe totally againſt the refuſall of the forme of the ſeruice booke, not againſt a bare forbearance of ſome one or two Rubrickes, and it puniſheth no bare omiſſion at all, but only an obſtinate kinde of refuſall, and the ſame ioyned with contempt: of which, if we cannot cleare our ſelues, we craue no fauour. But the meaning extenſiue of the Statute, doeth perchance in all equalitie reach home to vsus: Not it neither. For the extenſion of the lawe, being but identit as rationis non ſcriptae, out of this grounde de ſimilibus ad ſimilia idem eſt iudicium, and this lawe being made againſt popiſh recuſantes, or recuſants of the whole booke, it can not now in any reaſon be extended, vntounto any other then to ſuch as doe recuſe more ſimili. what that wee are free from this lawe, and from the ſentence whether comprehenſiue or extenſiue of it, becauſe it is not the ſame booke, with that of K. Edwards, but is altered in very manie and ſundrie poyntes: yea ſo altered as that whē it was propoſed to be confirmed to the moſt honorable court of Parliament, it was refuſed. Secondly, as we hauehave miſſed of ordinarie ius, in reſpect of our iudgement, ſo in reſpect of our Iudges alſo. we are not to thinke ſo ill of our lawe, as that it hath any purpoſe or meaning, to ouerthrowe the lawe of nature. c Nemo in ſuae canſa iudex & pars, & teſtis eſſe poteſt. Why then are we caſt into the handes of the Biſhopps, who are knowne to be parties againſt vsus. I compare them not to the Arrians, yet when it is ſaide to vsus,dVictor. de perſequut. Vandalic. vade ad Epiſcopos, quiae ipſihabere, huius rei cognoſcuntur, per omniae poteſtatem, we are put out of hope to hauehave any remedie, their bowells are ſo barren towardes vsus. And why ſhould we not claime the priuiledge, which we hauehave by Charta Magna, and ſo be ſhielded from the loſſe of our freehould, vnleſſe it be by the verdict of 12. men? If the Biſhoppes were iudges indifferent, yet were it hard, from the wiſe counſayle and deliberation of …2. men to be turned ouer to the will and luſt of one, which by their canon lawe it ſelfe, can not depoſeeCharta. M…gu. c. 19 alone. But if the lawe put vsus into the handes of ſuch one man, yet doeth it not leaue vsus there, but giueth iſſue out of theſe ſtraites, by the remedie of anfEccleſ. 4.1. appeale, which with what iuſtice it may be barred and ſtopped againſt vsus, it will one day be decided by the great Iudge of the whole earth, when he ſhall ſet up his throne for iudgement. vntill that time we muſt be ſubiect to the ſentence which is paſt, and not be amazed ſeeing our ſufferings hauehave ben fulfilled in our Fathers heretofore, behold the teares of the oppreſſed, and none comforted them, and loe the ſtrength is of the hande of them that oppreſſe them, and none comforteth them. Howbeit, heavier is this yoke of ours then ordinatie,gCapitul. per Adriā. Pap. ex Synod. Collect. concil. tom. 3. pa. 25 5. Dent. 23.15 placuit vt accuſato, ſi indicem ſuſpectum habuerit, liceat appellare quia non oportet negare andientiam roganti: and againe, ſi quis Iudicem aduerſum ſibi ſenſerit, vocem appellationis exhibeat, vt cùm ei conceſſum fuerit integro negotio apud alium Iudicem poſsit audiri. we flie for reſcue from an hard Maiſter, why are we refuſed, and turned backe into his handes againe? We flie to the ſanctuarie of holy iuſtice, why are we drawne backe, to trye the merciemercy of vnmercifulnes, yea of contempt and wroth? But doe I not forget my ſelfe, who now at laſt begin to accuſe againſt my promiſe at the firſt? for this promiſe ſake, I ſtay myſelf, and lay myne hande vponupon my mouth, and commit the whole cauſe to him, that iudgeth righteouſlie. as for that which hath been ſpoken, I deſire the conſideration of three things. Firſt, of the neceſſitie that lyeth vponupon me, to ſpeake for the trueth: in regard whereof,hGelaſius. in epiſt. ad Anaſtaſ. Auguſt. pietatem tuam precor, ne arrogantiam indices divinae rationis officium; abſit (quaſo) à Romano Principe, vt intimatam ſuis ſenſibus veritatem arbitretur iniuriam. Secondly, that the verie Canon it ſelfe, which forbiddeth the ſheepe to accuſe the Paſtor, hath this exception, niſi pro ſua iniuſtitiae, euen when it ſayth of other faultes,lConcil. Roman. 5. tom. 2. pa. 34…. Paſtorum actus gladio oris non ſunt feriendi, quāquam ritè reprahendi aſtimentur. Laſt of all, that what heere is ſpoke, is ſpoken with reuerence, non adcontumeliam tuam, ſed ad defenſionem meam, asmAuguſt. epiſt. 174. Augustin ſpeaketh, yea with greefe, as oncenCyrill. Apolog. in tom. …. Concil. pa. 662. Theodoret, verae lamentis dignaſunt haec quod Sacerdotes cō tra Sacordotes talia dicant: verum hoc dicimus, non quod tantum accuſemus, quantum noſtricuram gerimus. And ſo an ende of the iniuſtice of the Ceremonies, and of the Croſſe.