Brotherly Persuasion to Unity and Uniformity, Tract · Chapter 12
CHAP. 12. Anſwering diuerſe obiections againſt the booke touching baptiſme and other things there ordained
ANd ſeeing by Chriſts baptiſme, and his ordaining of this ſacrament, water was alloted to be the outward part therein, why may we not according to the booke, both ſay and thinke that therby the water of the flood Iordan, wherin he and others were baptiſed, and all other water, was indeed ſanctified (meaning as the outward element in a ſacrament by the inſtitution therof, was, and is thereby ſanctified for that vſe) to the myſticall waſhing away of ſin! As for that which is further obiected againſt that which is ſet downe, in the foreſaid parte of the Catechiſme, touching two ſacraments, only generally neceſſary to ſaluation, the meaning onelyonly is, that there are only 2 ſuch, taking a ſacrament properly, as thereafter it is defyned, and that they two are neceſſary ſo to ſaluation, as by no means without danger therof, they may be contemned or neglected, and that for all chriſtians, firſt or laſt, yong or old, and then what iuſt exception can there be made at all againſt that? So alſo by the order that is now takē in the booke, that the lawfull miniſter only ſhall priuately baptiſe the child, the old obiection againſt the conditional baptiſing of it after in the caſe mentioned in the booke, is ſufficiently taken away, for now that will neuer neede to be put in vſe. And as for the ring vſed in mariage, the words with my bodie I the worſhip, or the reſēblance that it is ſaid there to hauehave of the ſpirituall marriage betwixt Chriſt, and his church; I finde not that any ſeeme greatly to ſtand at any or at all of theſe. And if they ſhould, ſurely they could not therin finde any iuſt cauſe; for the ring is but giuen & taken as a ciuill token betwixt the parties that are maried, of the promiſe and couenant that therein they make one to the other: and the word worſhip there vſed, doth but import that worſhip or honor that growes vntounto the woman by marriage, in that thereby man is ſo made her head that ſhe hath in the phraſe and ſenſe of the Apoſtle, thereby alſo ſuch a right of, ouer and in his bodie, that thenceforth it is not his owne, as it was before, which whiles by marying of her, he intitles her vntounto, very truly hee may ſay in that ſenſe, that with his bodie he doth her worſhip, and finding the holy ghoſt, ſo oft hath taken delight vnderunder the ſhadow of marriage betwixt man and woman, to ſet forth vntounto vsus the ſpirituall marriage betwixt Chriſt and his Church, the ſpeech in the booke beeing to bee vnderſtood no otherwiſe, but as hauing reference onelyonly thereunto) as indeed iuſtly it cannot) no iuſt fault can be found thereat. Now as for all the reſt of the obiections alledged againſt preciſe conformity in the practiſe of the booke, from certaine words & phraſes in ſundry prayers and parts thereof, which ſeeme hardly and harſhly to be ſet downe, yea ſo as without ſome alteration they cannot well be ſo vſed, to helpe vsus in that, we are to call to mind againe his Maieſties pleaſure (as I noted in the beginning of this treatiſe) moſt gratiouſly deliuered vsus in the concluſion of the conference, that hee would hauehave vsus to take eueryevery thing in the beſt ſenſe we could, for in that ſenſe only he would hauehave vsus to vnderſtand that he vrged them to be vſed and yeelded vntounto: for in this caſe, we but ſo doing, there is nothing ſo hardly ſet downe, but that taking it and explaining it as the very booke meanes it, and as the publikly profeſſed and authoriſed doctrine of our Church doth lead vsus, the offence thereat will be remoued.
2 Then ſecondly, howſoeuer ſome now (ſo the better to countenance their refuſall to yeeld this conformity (though in ſome ſort they hauehave ſeemed better to like thereof heretofore) perſwade themſelues, & would alſo perſwade others, that now they are more ſtrictly bound to follow in eueryevery thing the preciſe letter of the Booke then before, by the new Canons, and the declared meaning therein of the Church in that reſpect, we are to vnderſtand that both contrarie to his Maieſties foreſaid declared pleaſure in that point, and contrarie indeed both to the meaning of the booke and thoſe Canons, it is ſo conceiued: for if that were ſo, that now vponupon no circumſtance or due conſideration the preciſe letter thereof might be altered at any time, then we ſhould neyther burie, baptize, nor viſite any but males, and though there be but one to be baptiſed, we ſhould yet alwaies vſe the plurall number in ſpeaking thereof, for ſo onelyonly runs the letter of our booke: yea (that more is) if conformitie now vrged bound vsus to ſuch a preciſe and ſtrict following the very letter of our booke in eueryevery thing, then thereby we ſhould be bound to breed the Biſhops and the whole ſtate, more trouble by our exact ſo doing then they breed any by the vrging of it. For by the laſt rubricke in marriage, eueryevery married couple ſhould receiue the Communion that day, and by an other, euen the laſt alſo in the tract of confirmation, it is flatly ſet downe, that none are to be admitted vntounto the holy communion, vntill ſuch time as they can ſay that Cathechiſme, and bee confirmed, for all wiſe men will and may eaſily conceiue, that if our conformity bound vsus ſo ſtrictly to the letter of the book, that by force of theſe two Canons, no Papiſts or Browniſts that refuſe vtterly to communicate with vsus, nor any elſe that cannot both ſay the whole Catechiſme, and were not confirmed alſo, might by any miniſter of this Church lawfully be married, what inconueniences ſoeuer otherwiſe grew thereof, and likewiſe that all vnconfirmed, old and yong, man and woman, noble and ignoble, ſhould be held from the communion, vntill they could all ſay the Catechiſme, and were alſo confirmed; there being therefore ſo few in compariſon of the reſt that are thus qualified, what a ſtirre would this breede? Miniſters in moſt places ſhould hauehave far leſſe to doe, then they hauehave in marrying and in miniſtring of the Communion, and the Biſhops would be driuen to ſpend all their time and liuing in confirming of the vnconfirmed, or the whole land would mightily be diſquieted in running and ſeeking vntounto them for no ſmall ſpace. The makers therefore of the Statute Eliz. 1. Firſt to authoriſe the ſeruice Booke, though thereby as ſtrict order is taken for the vniforme practiſe thereof, as euer was by any Canons ſince, without any alteration thereof, yet moſt wiſely foreſeeing, as well the miſchiefe and inconuenience that might growe in time vponupon ſome circumſtances in following too to preciſely the letter thereof, hath onelyonly made penall the wilfull tranſgreſsing the order thereof, and obſtinate ſtanding therein And therefore alſo in the ſecond Article, whereunto ſubſcription is made touching the vſe and practiſe of the Booke, he that therevnto ſubſcribeth, promiſeth onelyonly to vſe the forme in the ſaid Booke preſcribed in publicke prayer and adminiſtration of the Sacraments and none other. Whereby it ſhould ſeeme to mee, that the edge and force both of the ſtatute law and Canon, is againſt Papiſts and Sectaries, that will vſe new formes or rites quite differing from this Booke, or but little or none of this, and not againſt ſuch as are carefull to vſe the whole form & ſubſtance of this without any alteration thereof at all, but vponupon due circumſtances, & iuſt conſideration, reaſon and occaſion, and that in peace and ſilence alſo anſwering yet alwaies by that their alteration or explanation, the true end and ſenſe therof, as much as any way conueniently may be, and therefore we may be ſure that ſuch alteration onelyonly of ſome occurrents therein, is lawfull and allowable. As for example, when reading the Collectes appointed to bee read on Chriſtmaſſe daye, or Whitſonday, certaine daies follwing, the miniſter quietly and in good diſcretion, chuſes rather to ſay, as about this time, then as the verie letter is, this day, becauſe he knowes that Chriſt was borne but of one day, and the holy Ghoſt likewiſe in that extraordinarie manner came downe but vponupon one: or when in the receit of the communion by himſelfe, or in his owne perſon, he chaunges the words appointed to to be uſed in the deliuerie or receipt thereof; namely the words, giuen for thee, into theſe words giuen for mee: what Biſhop or Ordinarie in the land can or will diſlike him for ſo doing? Likewiſe, in the foreſaid caſes, doubtleſſe the meaning of thoſe rubrickes onelyonly is, that they ſhall communicate that day if there be a Communion then, & they be fit, & that none are to be held to be fit to be admitted thereunto, but they that are confirmed or which for knowledge, age and diſcretion might well hauehave beene. And ſo though the booke preſcribing a common rule and order for the burying of all ſuch as in ſuch a Chriſtian Church as this is, ſhall die (in Chriſtian charity and hope that all would die like Chriſtians) appoints the miniſter to ſay in committing his body to the earth, that he doth ſo, in ſure and certaine hope of reſurrection to eternall life: and therefore after alſo to pray, that they together with that their brother may hauehave their perfect conſummation and bliſſe in Gods eternall and euerlaſting kingdome: yet now without any breach of that order, by the other Canon, Perſons dying excommunicated, Maiore excommunicatione, for ſome grieuous and notorious crime, when no man is able to teſtifie of their repentance, the miniſter is not to burie at all, much leſſe in the preciſe forme, and with thoſe words. And otherwiſe it is well knowne, that murderers of themſelues, and ſundrie other notorious offenders, dying in and for thoſe their ſuch crimes, miniſters are not by that order, or by lawe, at all bound to bury: and therefore not in that very manner. Wherefore then, as the very reaſon giuen in the Canon in the foreſaid caſe ſhewes, when both the miniſter and moſt of the pariſh knoweth (as the caſe in my knowledge both hath beene, and therefore may be againe) that one comes to be buried, that liued and dyed moſt profanely, more like a verie Atheiſt, and a groſſe infidell, then like any Chriſtian at all: who doth not ſee, that the diſcreet miniſter (yet therein nothing croſſing eyther the meaning of the booke, or the intent of the authoriſers thereof) may in wiſedome and diſcretion, in ſuch ſort vſe, and alter thoſe words: as that neither he burie his bodie in ſure and certaine hope of the reſurrection thereof to eternall life, as the body of one that died like a Chriſtian indeed, nor that he be inforced to ſay, that he and the reſt there preſent, may hauehave their conſummation with him in Gods euerlaſting bliſſe & kingdome? For we may be ſure that it was neither the meaning either of the book or of the authoriſers therof, firſt or laſt, in thoſe ſet and preciſe words and tearmes, to bind the miniſters to bury any but ſuch whom with a good conſcience they ſo might. And yet who knoweth not that fit it is, that for the maintenance of good order, the rule ſhould be ſo generally ſee downe, becauſe it is not fit (many amongſt ſuch a multitude of miniſters as be in this kingdome, lacking due diſcretion) to leaue all or any in ſuch a caſe ſimply at their owne liberty? And yet againe, who is ſo ſimple but he vnderſtands, that hardly can any rule in ſuch matters, be ſo generally ſet downe, but that euer the equity therof, & the true meaning of the preſcribers therof, will & may admit of ſome inſtances to the contrary. Howbei Gods mercy being ſo infinite as it is, and we in Chriſtian chariritie being bound but as we are, to hope and to iudge the beſt of all that die amongſt vsus, doubtles in this reſpect, the inſtances wil be but few, and very rare: and yet euen then to preuent all inconueniences that might grow by the raſhnes & indiſcretion of ſome miniſters, I would wiſh none to take liberty of thēſelues to alter this form, but by allowance of authority, vponupon due information of the particular occaſion firſt obtaind: which when there is or ſhall be iuſt cauſe, I am fully perſwaded, would eaſily be obtaind; and I wiſh it ſhould. For it cannot ſtand with the rule, wherby the Church is bound in all her orders to hauehave eſpeciall care that they tend to edification alwaies; to tye her miniſters in the buriall of the dead, to equall ſuch, in and by ſuch words, with her beſt and liuelieſt members. As for that which is miſliked in the booke, touching priuate abſolution, in the tract of viſiting the ſicke, in my opinion there is no iuſt cauſe thereof: for doubtleſſe in the caſe there mentioned, ſuch priuate abſolution is very neceſſary and comfortable: and the meaning thereof is no more, but that they ſo repenting and beleeuing as is there ſpecified in the booke, we, as the miniſters of God aſſure them, that he doth abſolue them of their ſinnes ſo repented of. And indeed there is no difference in the true ſenſe and meaning, betweene this and the generall abſolution, or pronouncing of the ſins of the penitent to be forgigiuen, with good allowance vſed after the generall confeſſion of ſins in the beginning of morning and euening praier: but that there it is pronounced generally to all there preſent that are truly penitent, and beleeue in Chriſt according to the Goſpell: and here particularly but to the ſicke party, likewiſe ſo profeſsing both faith and repentance. And why may we not in the Collect of Trinitie ſonday pray as there the booke appoints to be deliuered from all aduerſitie; as well as in the Lords prayer to be deliuered from all euill? For the Church and her members (at the leaſt ſome particular Churches) ſometime may hauehave reſt therefrom; but if not, and ſhe were ſure thereof alſo, why may ſhe not yet ſo pray, to ſhew her deſire that ſhe might; as Chriſt did, that the cup might paſſe from him, which he knew ſhould not? Theſe things duly conſidered, I remember nothing of any moment in the booke, to ſtay any man from yeelding to conformity in the vſe and practiſe therof. For, as for the few ſuppoſed incommodious phraſes in ſome other praiers, they will and may be eaſily remooued, but by taking them in the beſt and faireſt ſenſe, moſt ſtanding with the ſubſtance of ſound doctrine otherwiſe publikly profeſſed, and authoriſed in this Church, which vntil euident cauſe be giuen mē to the contrary, eueryevery one in duty is bound to do. For, what reaſon hath any man to think, but that our profeſſed & authoriſed doctrine, and our praiers and practiſe agree? Our Church therfore diſalowing praier for the dead as it doth, and requiring alwaies ſtedfaſt faith in our praiers, we may be ſure therby, we are only in the Letany ſo taught to pray that God would not remember the ſinnes of our forefathers, as therfore to take vengeance of vsus: and in the two collects, the fift after the offertory, & the ſecond after Trinity, to feare, and to diſtruſt, only in reſpect of our ſelues, but not in reſpect of Gods mercy in Chriſt at all. Wherfore, hauing now thus ſaid, what I hope may be ſufficient to moue my good brethren for the Churches peace & good, and alſo for their owne, and to preuent greater inconueniences, to ſtand forth no longer in their refuſal to conforme themſelues in their practiſe to the orders of our Church, required at their hands: let vsus paſſe on to that which yet ſeemeth to be wanting, to perſwade thē alſo, if and when need ſhalbe; in the ſame reſpects, rather to yeeld to the vrged form of ſubſcription, then either therfore to ſhun to enter into the miniſtry, when otherwiſe they are fit and might, or for the refuſal therof, to be debarred of the vſe of their gifts therin.