Brotherly Persuasion to Unity and Uniformity, To the reader – Table of contents
The Epiſtle to the Chriſtian Reader.
I Am not ignorant (welbeloued in the Lord) that I hauehave and doe vndergoe already the hard cenſure of many for conforming my ſelfe as I hauehave to the orders of our Church, and that I am like to endure harder for the writing and publiſhing of this Treatiſe following, to perſwade others ſo to doe likewiſe. And all this the rather, for that eyther through ignorance what my iudgement in former times hath beene of theſe matters now in queſtion, or miſconſtruction of ſome of my former actions, many as it ſeemeth (hauehave conceiued) that heretofore I hauehave not beene the ſame man, that now in this my dealing I manifeſt my ſelfe to be. To ſatisfie therefore all men (if it may be) in this reſpect; firſt they are to vnderſtand that though there be now, vponupon occaſion of the manner of this new vrging the rites and ordinances of our Church as they are, ſome difference in outward ſhew, betwixt my former courſes, and this which I now take, that yet that prooues not (circumſtances duely conſidered) any alteration of my minde or iudgement at all touching theſe things: For I alwaies before, as occaſion ſerued me, both in Pulpit, and otherwiſe in priuate conference with many, manifeſted my ſelfe to be of that opinion, that I alwaies thought they were rather to be yealded vntounto, being but of the nature they are, and being vrged no otherwiſe then in deed and truth they be, by our Church, then that any miniſter ſhould for his refuſing conformity therunto, ſuffer himſelf to be put from the vſe of his gifts, place and miniſtery, for ſuch a neceſſity is laid vponupon vsus that be in the miniſtery, (I alwaies knew and remembred) to preach the Goſpell, that woe is to vsus if we do not ſo: 1 Cor. 9.16. And with Archippus I euer vnderſtood, that Paule had ſaid to eueryevery one of vsus, take heed to thy miniſtery that thou haſt receiued in the Lord, that thou fulfill it. Coll. 4.17. And therfore I could neuer think (and ſo my vſuall ſaying hath been alwaies to my friends and felow miniſters talking with me of theſe things) that at the laſt day it would or could be taken for a ſufficient excuſe or reaſon in any of vsus, before the great Iudge of quick & dead, and the chiefe Biſhop of our ſoules, of and for our ſurceaſing therefrom, to ſay and plead we could not be ſuffered to continue and to go on therin vnleſſe we conformed our ſelues in theſe thinges, as this our Church requireth now at our hands. And therefore alſo howſoeuer otherwiſe weake brethren were not wilfully and needleſly in ſuch things to be offended by vsus, yet if after ſo many yeares inſtruction, they would be ſo weake ſtill, as that they would rather wiſh vsus to leaue our miniſtery, what miſchiefe or inconuenience ſoeuer therby ſhould grow, eyther to them, or to our ſelues and ours, and to the whole Church by our ſo doing, then to yeald to the vſe of theſe things, I could neuer yet perſwade my ſelfe that we were bound, to preuent the not offending of ſuch, by ſuffering our ſelues to be run vponupon theſe ſo daungerous rocks. But indeed I alwaies rather thought, that that was to redeeme the not offending of them in ſuch things, at a farre higher and coſtlier rate and price, then eyther wee were bound to giuegive for it, or it were worth: and therefore that in this caſe, the onelyonly thing that remained for vsus to doe, was, holding on ſtill our miniſtery, better to inſtruct them, and to pray for them that God would make them wiſer and ſtronger, and ſo to leaue them to him. And the rather hauehave I beene confirmed in this my opinion, becauſe I plainly find, that Maiſter Cartwright himſelfe (as deſirous as he was otherwiſe, that they that are in authoritie would hauehave rather beene pleaſed to remoue ſundrie of thē) was yet in this caſe of the very ſame iudgment, as any man may ſee he was in his secōd part of his secōd reply, chap. the laſt. Then ſecondly, though when I hauehave beene called by lawfull authoritie to ſome conference about theſe matters (as ſometimes I hauehave beene; and by the ſame had leaue then freely to ſay my mind touching theſe things) I hauehave not refuſed in dutifull manner to lay downe my reaſons, why they that were in authoritie (hauing queſtionleſſe thereby power as well to remooue or alter ſuch rites and ceremonies, as to continue them, as that plainely is confeſt they hauehave, both in our Common Booke it ſelfe, and in the booke of Articles) might well be pleaſed, for the better encouraging of many, both to enter into the miniſterie, and the quieter to continue therein, as alſo thereby the ſooner to breed peace, vnitie and louelove amongſt our ſelues, and to remooue offence from the weake and tender conſciences of many, to vſe their power and authoritie, rather to remooue, or alter certaine of them, then to continue and vrge them as they were: yet euen then alſo (as it is well knowne, as occaſion was offered) I sundrie times plainely proteſted, that for my owne part, thoſe reaſons notwithſtanding, I thought it not fitt, if authoritie would not yeelde therefore ſo to do, but for other reaſons ſeeming of more force thereunto, ſhould chuſe rather to continue, and ſo to vrge them ſtill, that any man therefore eyther ſhould ſhunne the miniſterie, or ſuffer himſelfe to be depriued thereof. For I neuer thought them, but waied and vnderſtood as they are with vsus, eyther of themſelues ſimply vnlawfull, or any way ſo inconuenient, that any ſhould therefore runne vponupon eyther of theſe rocks. Much more therefore I hauehave wondred at thoſe men, and greatly alwaies in my minde hauehave I miſliked them, who for things of no other nature then theſe (about which our domeſticall controuerſies hauehave beene) hauehave yet euen therefore growne vntounto ſuch a miſlike of the ſtate of our Church, as that they both in pulpit and print, hauehave thought they might, not onelyonly moſt bitterly ſeeke the diſgrace both of it, and the gouernours thereof, but alſo make (as they hauehave too to many of them) a plaine and open ſchiſme therin, yea and an vtter rent & breach therfrom. And (I praiſe God for it) the feare thereof from the beginning, and the falling of it out ſo when it did, together with the ſerious conſideration of the nature of the queſtions themſelues, hauehave ſo alwaies kept me in louelove and liking of the preſent gouernement and the orders thereof, that hitherto euer peaceably and quietly, I hauehave liued vnderunder, and in the practiſe thereof, and neuer yet could be brought (how well ſoeuer I hauehave liked of ſome that hauehave ſeemed zealous & forward in wiſhing as they counted it, reformation of and in certaine things, for their painfulneſſe in their places, and fruitfulneſſe of their labours otherwiſe in their miniſtery) eyther to be preſent at any of their meetings and conſultations to that end, or to yeald them my hand at any time, to any thing concluded therein by them: yea alwaies as I hauehave ſaid, I hauehave not onelyonly miſliked, (to the diſturbance and diſquiet of ſo famous a Church of Chriſt as this of ours is) all thoſe their exceptions againſt it notwithſtanding, that any ſhould ſeeke eyther in Pulpit or Print, to deface it and diſgrace it, as I ſawe too many did: but alſo what credite ſoeuer at any time God hath giuen mee with any, eſpecially of any great place, I hauehave vſed it to the beſt of my skill, and credite with them, to breede and to nouriſh in them a good liking of our preſent Church-gouernment, and ſo in time and place to bee as they might, Patrons for it, rather then any way to ſuffer themſelues to bee drawne to ioyne with them that ſought the ſubuerſion thereof, and to bring in an other. Inſomuch that thirdly I may with a ſafe and good conſcience both before GOD and man proteſte, that I neuer yet coulde bee brought by any thing that I hauehave euer heard or read to that purpoſe theſe foure and thirtie yeares that I hauehave beene in the Miniſterie (and yet I thinke I hauehave read moſt, if not all that hath beene ſince written to that ende) eyther to thinke that forme and plott of Church gouernement ſo much admired and magnifyed as the perpetuall and onelyonly fit gouernement for Chriſtes Church by a paritie of Miniſters and their Presbiteries, eyther fitting for ſuch a Monarchye as this is, or any way in deede ſo aunſwerable or conformable to the perpetuall gouernement vſed by GOD for and in his Church, eyther ſince Moſes or Chriſt, during the Storie, eyther of Newe Teſtament or Olde, as this by Archbiſhopps, Biſhoppes, and Paſtors of ours is. And heereupon it hath beene, that being a great part of my time Biſhoppe Coopers Chaplaine, to my good liking, and contentment, I hauehave not onelyonly alwaies euer ſince I was Miniſter, liued as an ordinarie Paſtour, euer alſo diſcharging the office of ſuch an one, in my own perſon, in and vnderunder this gouernment, without being at any time once, eyther preſented or conuented, for the omiſſion or tranſgreſſion of any of the orders thereof; but alſo for ſundrie yeares was I by the ſaid Biſhoppes gifte Archdeacon of Stow in Lincolnſhire, and ſo had beene ſtill, but that it was ſo farre from mee, that I found I coulde not do that good therein that otherwiſe I might, and in conſcience tooke my ſelfe bound to hauehave done. Likewiſe hence it hath beene, that neuer to this day was I ſo much as made priuie too, or acquainted with any petition or ſupplication exhibited to Prince, Parliament, or Conuocation tending to any alteration of this preſent gouernement. And laſtly, certaine it is, that I neuer miniſtred the Communion but I receiued it kneeling, and as for the ſurpleſſe I hauehave long agoe, and verie often worne it, neyther euer refuſed I the wearing of it, where or when I had one to weare, and when it was eyther by my people, or by the Ordinarie of the place required at my hands, or when I my ſelfe ſaw the vſe of it would open vntounto me any wider doore, or procure me any more opportunitie to doe good with any: and when I leaſt vſed it, yet euen then alſo I had a care, when my Text gaue mee any occaſion, ſo to acquaint my people with the doctrine of Chriſtian liberty, and to teach them the free vſe of ſuch indifferent things, that it ſhould not any way be iuſtly offenſiue to any of them, when at any time for order ſake, vponupon occaſion they ſhould ſee mee moſt formally vſe them. And touching ſubſcription if I would or ſhould denie it, ſure I am the Biſhoppe of Lincolnes recordes would prooue it, that twice or thrice I hauehave heretofore vponupon occaſion ſubſcribed, in effect euen as now it is required. Finally, I muſt needes ſay (whatſoeuer other men hauehave fancied of mee) though with Bucer in his opinion giuen of our Common Booke, I hauehave thought certayne things therein ſo ſet downe, as that Niſi candide intelligantur, that is, vnleſſe they bee fauourably vnderderſtood, they ſeeme to carrie ſome ſhew of contrarietie to the word of God, yet in verie deede, I neuer thought any thing therein, or within the compaſſe of the required ſubſcription ſuch, but that the ſame by ſuch a charitable and fauourable conſtruction, and that alſo but well ſtanding with the profeſſed, and publikely eſtabliſhed doctrine of our Church, and with the beſt and true meaning of the Bookes themſelues whence the obiections to the contrarie did ſeeme to ariſe, might with a good conſcience for the peace and good of the Church be quietly yealded vntounto. And in that beſt ſenſe, as I knew charitie did binde vsus all to take eueryevery thing, ſo I coulde neuer be perſwaded, but that with a very good liking, and allowance of the ſtate, wee freely might. And therefore that is all that euer I deſired, if to them that were in authoritie, in peaceable manner by conference with or before them, when it ſhould or did pleaſe themſelues to call or admit men thereunto, it could not be perſwaded, for the reaſons and reſpects aforeſaid, that it were beſt to alter thoſe things, whereupon ſome tooke occaſion to ſhunne the miniſterie or to leaue it, that otherwiſe were likely to be profitable for their gifts therein, that yet they would be pleaſed, (as by law alreadie eſtabliſhed I know they might) to allow eueryevery thing within any of the bookes whereunto that ſubſcription reacheth, to be conſtrued and taken of eueryevery one, in the beſt ſenſe they could, & for the better and more certaine direction thereunto, to publiſh the ſame as therby allowed ſo to be taken. And ſo to conclude my iudgement alwaies hath beene and is of this preſent Church gouernment, and the orders thereof, if they that be in place of gouernment therein, eueryevery one of them would do but that good in his place, which by the lawes thereof alreadie made he both might an ought, it would be ſo happie and bleſſed eueryevery way as none ſhould iuſtly hauehave cauſe eyther to complaine of the old, or to ſeek to bring in a new. And before the laſt conference before his maieſtie at Hampton Court, it is well knowne in the countrey where I dwell, that in a publike meeting of the miniſters before the commiſſarie and many miniſters, vponupon occaſion there giuen mee, I made it publikely knowne that I was, and euer had beene of this iudgement that I hauehave ſaid, and therefore then further I ſhewe (as elſewhere ſundrie times before others of greater place, and namely to my owne Dioceſan alſo, before the ſaid conference had) how vnwilling I was, eyther there, or elſewhere, to be drawne to ſtand in any oppoſition or contention with the reuerend fathers, about any of theſe matters: For my iudgement is that neuer that …, but dutifull ioyning with them is likely any way to be the meanes to procure the Churches good. Being therfore thus perſwaded, and therefore ſo thinking of the lawfulneſſe of my owne courſe, as alſo taking the inconueniences of the other to bee ſo many and great ſundrie waies as I doe, (the times now alſo conſidered wherein wee liue) how can I but in Chriſtian charitie, in this manner doe the beſt that I can, both thus to make my minde knowne in theſe things, and alſo by this inſuing Treatiſe, to ſeeke to perſwade others to be like minded as I am, and for the reaſons therein ſet downe to yealde to doe as I doe. The beſt and moſt fauourable conſtruction therein, I hauehave giuen of the things that men vſe to ſticke at, and yet with all I truſt I hauehave made it appeare that the ſame ſtands verie well with the true meaning of the books themſelues whence the doubts ariſe, and with the publikely receiued doctrine of this our Church: This Treatiſe therefore being ſeene and allowed thus to be printed and publiſhed according to the order in that caſe prouided, may the rather I hope draw men to vniformitie and conformitie, for that euen thereby they may ſee, that thus both in their practiſe and ſubſcription, they are by publicke and ſufficient authoritie allowed, to take and conſtrue euerie thing in the beſt ſenſe that may bee. And the rather that it might ſo doe, (becauſe amongeſt brethren I thought that the likelieſt way to perſwade) I hauehave ſtudied to deliuer my mind in as louing & brotherly a phraſe and manner as I could. Wherefore hoping that all reaſonable men herewith will be ſatisfied, and ſo be content and willing without any preiudice from my perſon, to read and conſider what I hauehave ſet downe in this Treatiſe following, I bid thee Chriſtian Reader heartily farewell in the Lord. 1606.
Your louing brother vnfainedly, Thomas Sparke.
The Contents of the Treatiſe following.
Chap. 1. The preamble or preface thereunto.
Chap. 2. The ſum and diuiſion of the whole.
Chap. 3. The mayne propoſition of the whole, and ſeuen groundes thereof.
Chap. 4. Of kneeling in the receit of the Communion.
Chap. 5. Of conformitie in apparrell, and namely touching the ſurpleſſe.
Chap. 6. Of the vſe of the ſigne of the croſſe in baptiſme, in general
Chap. 7. Anſwers to obiectiōs againſt the ſame, ſome old, ſome new.
Chap. 8. Anſwers cōcerning ſome men ſpecially touching theſe rites
Chap. 9. Of the order and practiſe of the book in reading the ſcriptures Canonicall.
Chap. 10. Touching the reading as the booke appointes of the Apocrypha.
Chap. 11. Concerning the interrogatories in Baptiſme.
Chap. 12. Anſwers touching diuers other obiectiōs againſt the booke
Chap. 13. Touching ſubſcription: and certaine obiections againſt the ſame.
Chap. 14. Anſwers to more obiections made againſt the ſame.
Chap. 15. Anſwers to certaine obiections againſt the booke of ordination.
Chap. 16. The concluſion, and an exhortation to vnitie.