Brotherly Persuasion to Unity and Uniformity, Tract · Chapter 15
CHAP. 15. Anſwering certaine obiections, out of the booke of Ordination
THus then we are come at the laſt to the other booke of ordinatiō of Biſhops, Prieſts, & Deacons, againſt which (as it is in vſe with vsus now & long hath been) I muſt cōfeſſe I ſee or find nothing euer alleaged of any moment to this purpoſe, but I finde the ſame ſo fully anſwered by our late moſt reuerend Archbiſhop in his foreſaid book againſt Cartwright, ſo oft before named, & ſince by the right reuerend and learned now Biſhop of Wincheſter in his booke written long ſince of the perpetuall gouernment of Chriſts Church, as that I cannot but maruaile (eſpecially ſeeing I could neuer ſee the latter of theſe books by any, once euer yet attempted to be anſwered) that any for all this ſhould ſet a foot againe, any old obiections (and new I finde none of any moment) againſt the ſaid booke, whereunto there they hauehave beene and are, and that alſo long ago, ſo throughly anſwerd. And therefore for this point (Chriſtian Reader) both to ſpare thy further labour and mine, thereunto I referre thee. OnelyOnly this in the meane time I ſay for my owne part, that there I finde all that hath beene ſaid of any waight againſt the ſaid booke (in my iudgement) ſo ſatisfied, that in reſpect thereof onelyonly, whoſoeuer refuſeth to ſubſcribe, he doth ſo without any iuſt cauſe at all. For concerning the diſtinction of degrees by that booke (for the better ordering of the Church in her eccleſiaſticall policy) allowed to be amongſt vsus the miniſters of the Goſpell, I muſt needs ſay and proteſt, though as ſeriouſly and diligently as I could, I hauehave read and conſidered all that hath beene written to or from, with or againſt, of that queſtion for theſe thirtie yeares and more, and alſo of purpoſe for the ſame, hauehave ſearched all antient writers, and all monuments of antiquity, that I could come by, yet I could neuer find any thing of any ſound moment or force brought againſt the ſame: yea (that more is) beſides hatred to popery, & too great an admiration of ſome other Churches I neuer by all this could finde, that the impugners thereof, and the ſeekers in the ſteed thereof to bring in a gouernment of the Church by a parity of Miniſters and their Presbiteries, hauehave indeed and truth any thing of ſound moment, or of any waight at all to iuſtifie or to countenance their ſo doing. In ſo much that before the late reformation of Geneua, for all the fore ſaid points, and ſearch that I hauehave vſed for this point, I could thereby yet neuer finde, any one Church of Chriſt, ſo big as that of Geneua and the appurtenances thereof, any where, or at any time for the ſpace of one ten yeares poſſeſt of that their kinde of gouernment: whereas of the contrarie, through the whole courſe of the Scriptures euer ſince Moſes, and through all Eccleſiaſtical ſtories and monuments of antiquitie. I obſerue it hath bin the lords pleaſure in his good prouidence, alwaies to hauehave his church ſince it had but outward viſibility in one nation, perpetually gouerned by diſtinct degrees of miniſters, proportionable to this of ours, for through the old Teſtament from Moſes to Chriſt, it had by Gods ordinance an high prieſt, Prieſts and Leuites to that end: and Chriſt enlarging the bounds therof, we find by the playne teſtimony of the new teſtament, he left for the orderly gouernment therof, vntill his ſecond comming. Epheſ. 4. ſome Apoſtles, ſome Prophets, ſome Euangeliſts, & ſome Paſtors & Teachers In that therfore in that golden age of the Apoſtles, when the gifts of the ſpirit, both vponupon the ordinary Paſtours, & chriſtian people, were as they were often extraordinary, we yet find when particular Churches were furniſhed & ſetled with all their ordinary neceſſary officers, they ſtood need beſides the helpe they then had of Synods, the ouerſight of euangeliſts & the viſitation againe, and againe, both by their letters & perſonall preſence, of the apoſtles, whiles they liued; what reaſon can any man hauehave to thinke, that in the times ſince, far worſe then thoſe, the churches of Chriſt ſhould not likewiſe need ſome in the roome of thoſe, to hauehave a ſuperintendency ouer the particular miniſters, to viſit, and to keepe them in order from time to time? And therfore doubtleſſe the Apoſtles Prophets & Euangeliſts, in that which they had extraordinaly, ceaſing euer ſince we find, by the teſtimony of eccleſiaſticall ſtories, by light & warrāt from theſe former proportions, & experience for the better ordering therof in peace and vnitie, the church of Chriſt poſſeſt of Biſhops, miniſters & Deacons. All which neither could nor would hauehave beene ſo, if this other fancyed forme of Church gouernmēt had been ſo eſſentiall thereunto, & this of ours ſo bad & vnfit for the ſame, as the admirers of that other would beare the world in hand, both this and the other hath been & is, for who can or wil be perſwaded that God being of that powre that he is, & louing his church as he doth, that euer he could or would ſuffer her for 15 or 16 hundred yeares to be deſtituted & bereued of her proper and eſſentiall outward forme of church gouernment, or that he would hauehave continued & bleſſed the other, as he hath both in the ancient churches & ſince, if it had beene or were ſo diſpleaſing vntounto him, & antichriſtian, as they now charge it to be?
2 As for the preaching by deacons & miniſtring baptiſme by ſuch, who can read the ſtory of the Acts, touching the Deacon Phillip and what after is ſtoried there in both reſpects, as done lawfully by him, though we read there only of his calling to the office of a deacon, or what to like purpoſe, as the foreſaid two learned fathers hauehave ſhewed out of the monuments of true antiquity, ſuch hauehave don in the primitiue Church, but he will ſee he hath cauſe to ceaſe frō obiecting that as a fault againſt that booke, in that our Deacons are ſaid to bee called to their office according to apoſtolike example.
3 And as for the name Prieſt, it anſwering with vsus as it doth in reſpect of our office, the word presbyter, & not the other Sacerdos, what iuſt offence can any take thereat?
4 And as long as we find Apoſtles directing and commaunding Euangeliſts, as Paul did Timo. and Tytus, witneſſe the epiſtles he wrote to them, & they therby directed to ouerſee, & direct paſtors, as therin & by the ſtorie of the Acts, it appeares they did, & paſtors charged to attend & feed their flocks, though we find not the preciſe names of Archbiſhops, Metropolitans or primats at the firſt, what ſhould wee therfore ſtriue? Strife about words, as long as wee find the matter and ſubſtance that in truth implyeth as much, becomes not the Church of God: but the eccleſiaſticall ſtories, and the records of the ancient councells make it moſt manifeſt to them that read them, that it was not long after the age of the apoſtles, ere theſe very names were taken vp and for order ſake giuen to the Biſhops ouer other.
5 And as for that ſaying, receiue the holy Ghoſt, it beeing vnderſtood either of the holy Ghoſt it ſelfe, or of the gifts thereof, fit for the miniſtry, as ſome take it, it doubtleſſe is vſed and meant as a prayer, that ſo they may, not as a ſpeech of one hauing power & authority to giuegive it, as when Chriſt vſed it, but taking it as very wel, alſo it may for the calling to the miniſtry wherof the holy Ghoſt is the author, they as the ordinary means wherby he calleth them thereunto, may ſay ſo: wherfore to grow to an end, I verily think no one thing more, either hath bred, or yet doth nouriſh more the eccleſiaſticall controuerſies of ours about rites and ceremonies, and the outward pollicy of our Church, as either not reading, or negligent ſtudying of ſound antiquity: & therfore I would wiſh, & do with all my heart, that all my good brethren of the in miniſtry, as far as their ability will ſerue thē would get them the writings of the ancient fathers, & eſpecially the eccleſiaſticall ſtories of Euſebius & his fellows: & the tomes of the ancient councels, & then next after the ſtudy of the ſacred ſcripture, that they would diligently read & conſider of thē. For doubtles euen therby they would learn much to direct them how to cary themſelues in their places, & in all occurrēts that otherwiſe for lack of ſo good preſidēts, to much troble many of thē, & are oftē cauſe alſo why they are more troubleſome vntounto others, for ſuch matters thē otherwiſe they would be, if they were throughly acquainted with the ancient practiſe of Chriſts Church in ſuch caſes. There they ſhould finde it in Auguſt. Epiſt. 86. to Caſulan. & 118. to Ianuari: Euſeb. lib. 5. cap. 23. Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. Zozom. lib. 7. cap. 19. & in Greg. ad Leandrum: and that one Church is not bound in her outward rites & faſhions to anothers and therfore that no one Church is preiudiced by anothers different faſhions in ſuch things: yea, that nihil officit in eadem fide conſpirantium Eccleſiarū conſuetudo diuerſa: yea that rather that ſo being, they holding notwithſtanding vnity of faith, they are the more commendable: for the bonds of the Churches vnitie were alwaies held to be one God, one faith, one baptiſme, and not one rite, or one ceremony, and therefore there alſo ſhall they finde, how peacably & godly the learned in ſuch times conformed themſelues to the orders and faſhions alwaies of the Church wherin they liued in ſuch things; and ſo neither gaue offence to any nor tooke any, and how, the different faſhions or opinions in ſuch things notwithſtanding, they thought it vnfit to breake vnity with others. And to this end I wold eueryevery one would but read the ſaid 86. & 118 epiſtles of S. Auguſtine and his next alſo, the 119, for there they ſhould find, both excellent councell, and examples to this purpoſe.
7 Alas how can any ioyne with the browniſts in holding rhis kinde of gouernment by Archbiſhops, and Biſhops to be antichriſtian and that of theirs to be Chriſts Churche, perpetuall & eſſentiall regiment, but he muſt needs ioyne with them in their practiſe, rent, & ſeparation from vsus?
8 Or the premiſes conſidered, what ſound reaſon hath any man to thinke though one of late an enemie thereunto hath vrged it in print that the holding of this gouernment of ours to hauehave warrant from the ſcriptures, ſhould impeach the Kings ſupremacy as though that theſe degrees of miniſters, in this ſort allowed by the booke of ordination of them, could not both ſtand together; wheras indeed therby, it is cōfirmed & ſtrengthened as Solomons was, in that though the high Prieſthood, was expreſly from God, he yet rightly depoſed Abiather and placed Sadok in his roome. 1. Kings. 3.35. For though in reſpect of that which they hauehave frō Prínces, they may be ſaid to be theirs, & of humane conſtitution: yet in reſpect of their miniſtry & ſpiritual iuriſdictiō in the church, they wel may be ſaid to be of Gods own ordinance.
9 Wherfore (to grow towards an end) remember we (my good brethren) this one thing more, that it ſtandeth this our ſtate and Church much vponupon, hauing made ſo many ſeuere lawes as it hath againſt Papiſts, Schiſmaticks, Barowiſts or Browniſts (cal thē as you wil) & hauing alſo ſo executed thē, as they hauehave, & minding as it ſemeth ſo to do ſtil (and we ſee it is moſt neceſſary for the peace of the church they ſhould) let none of vsus, that ſhould ioyne with thē therin, & alſo eueryevery way ſtrengthen thē, what we could (they ſo multiplying as they do both on the right hand, & left) by any means weaken eyther our' ſelues, or thē, againſt them: which once againe I cānot but put you in mind we do, ſo long as eyther for conformity, or this ſubſcribing, (by our refuſal ſtil hereof) we not only make diſtraction, rent & breach amongſt our ſelues, but alſo ſtrengthen them with ſo many arguments as we ſtand vponupon, wilfully to perſiſt in their ſuperſtitious refuſal or recuſancy, on the one ſide, & in their like peuiſh ſhūning of ioining in cō muiō again with vsus of the other. And therby as much doubtles as ether the weight of thoſe reaſons comes to, or the credit of their perſōs is that ſtand therupon, are they & will they, be emboldened to think & ſay, in the opinion of ſo many of our own religion and fellowſhip that they hauehave had wrong, and ſhall hauehave ſtill, in being puniſhed as they hauehave beene, are, or ſhall be for refuſing to ioyne with vsus in vſe of that ſeruice, and for ſubmitting themſelues to that forme of Eccleſiaſtical gouernment, which is in ſo many reſpects, contrary to the word. O therfore, it were to be wiſhed (good brethren) in this caſe, that you would ſeriouſly remember that the Lord requires of all his, Zac, 8.19 that they ſhould louelove truth and peace, ioyning them both together, & therfore that the Apoſtle, Rom. 12.11. had no ſooner wild vsus to be feruēt in ſpirit, but he addeth ſtreight, ſeruing the lord, & ver. 18. vrging vsus al as much as is poſſible to hauehave pe… with al mē. For doubtles they are very much deceiued, that vnderunder pretence of zeale, think they may without offence diſturbe the Churches peace. For who knoweth not that it is as dangerous erring on the right hand, as on the left, and that Chriſt iuſtly checked the ſons of thunder. Luk. 9.55. though their wiſh of fire againſt the Samaritans, came from a fiery zeale, and louelove towards himſelfe? Surely euen the lamentable experiēce we hauehave had already by the original & growth of the opē ſchiſme wherin to many of our brethren hauehave deſperately run of late years, & wherin ſtil wofully and obſtinately they continue (being as all men muſt needs ſee from no other ground & occaſion, but from the too much vrging and amplifying vnderunder the ſhew & likenes of zeale of the ſame things that now ſtill in this caſe of refuſall of conformity and ſubſcription are reuiued) I would thinke ſhould hauehave ſounded ſuch a loud retreat in all our eats from euer medling any more therewith, for feare of the like inconuenience to our ſelues, that ere this wee ſhould hauehave beene ſufficiently warned from running any more this courſe: for hardly can any be of the iudgment of the one, but he muſt like of the practiſe of the other. But Nunquam ſera eſt ad bones mores via. Wherfore let not ſtudium partium, or any preiudicate opinion touching louelove of our own priuat credit, or to much deſire too pleaſe a few priuat men make any of vsus ſo to forget our duty, either to God, our church, or our ſelues, and thoſe that depend vponupon vsus, as for a few weake obiections (a thouſand times ſo anſwered, that as Augustine ſpeaketh, Epiſt. 118 might ſatisfie, though not a contentious perſon, yet any modeſt and peaceable minded man) to run our ſelues and ours any longer vponupon theſe ſo dangerous rocks, ſo much to our owne harme, & ſo much alſo to the reioycing and ſtrengthening of our common aduerſaries. And yet this I hauehave not writ, or any thing therein, eyther to condemn any that of weakneſſe and tenderneſſe of conſcience indeed, (all this that I hauehave ſaid notwithſtanding) cannot in faith doe otherwiſe (for I hauehave learned of the Apoſtle, Rom. 14. (as I ſaid in the beginning) that whatſoeuer is not done of faith is ſinne, or any way to ſtay or to withold them that be in authority, eyther from ſhewing what fauour they will or may to ſuch (elſe alſo being peaceable and fruitfull men) or when it ſhal ſeem good vntounto thē is regard of thē to remoue, or better to ſmoth the controuerted changable things, they moſt take offence at, but onelyonly in the meane time, whileſt things ſtand as they do, hereby to perwade my good brethren in the beſt manner I could, how with a good conſcience theſe things may be yeelded vntounto, for the peace of the Church without any iuſt offence, therby either giuen or taken, rather thē that for their not ſo yeelding they ſhold ſuffer themſelues to be kept from entring the miniſtery, or to be depriued thereof againe, or but to be but ſuſpended from the execution thereof, by the ſentence of the Biſhoppes. But in the meane time, whiles we can grow all to be thus minded, & to be at vnity amongſt our ſelues, in theſe things, let no man thinke that therfore he hath any iuſt cauſe giuen him, to call into queſtion the truth of our religion otherwiſe, or the Papiſt at all therefore to inſult ouer vsus. For none of any reading of the monuments of antiquitie can be ignorant, that in the primitiue Church, and in the beſt times thereof ſince the Apoſtles, & that for a long time together, there hath beene amongſt the ancient Chriſtians, otherwiſe very ſound, and at vnitie in the trueth, and ſubſtance of religion amongſt themſelues, as great diuerſities of opinons, and as hot contentions as in theſe reſpects theſe of ours be about Eccleſiaſticall rites and ceremonies. And all the world may know but by the confeſſed differences of opinions by Bellarmine amongſt themſelues, in his bookes of controuerſies in matters of far higher nature: that the Papiſts of all men hauehave leaſt vnitie euen in the chiefe grounds of their religion: and it is as famouſly knowne, that here in England whiles they bare the ſway: for all their great brag of vnitie otherwiſe, that in their church ſeruice there was great diuerſitie: ſome following the vſe of Sarum; ſome Herford vſe, ſome the vſe of Bangor; ſome of Yorke, and ſome of Lincolne.