A Trial of Subscription, Title page – Preface
A TRIALL OF SVBSCRIPTION, BY WAY OF A PREFACE VNTOUNTO CERTAINE SVBSCRIBERS; AND, Reaſons for leſſe rigour againſt non-ſubſcribers. Both modeſtly written; that Neither ſhould offend.
ESAY. 44. 5.
One ſhall ſay, I am the Lordes: another ſhalbee called by the name of Iaacob: and another ſhall ſubſcribe with his hande vntounto the Lorde, and name himſelfe by the name of Iſraell.
1599.
To ſuch Miniſters of the Goſpell as would ſeeme deſirous of reformation; and yet hauehave ſubſcribed to the Arch-Biſhop of Canterburie his Articles.
REVEREND Fathers, The reaſons following were writen (as I am perſwaded) vponupon occaſion of that godlie, wiſe, and peaceable motion, which was made in the laſt Parliament for convenient fauour to be ſhewed to godlie & profitable Miniſters, touching ſubſcription and vſe of ceremonies. Whether the author be a Miniſter or no, or what he is, I am not for my part, any whit inquiſitiue; and doe wiſh, That all they who doe louelove peace and trueth, would diligentlie and charitablie conſider the reaſons without hearkening after the reaſoner, Leaſt they occaſion trouble to him, who ſeemeth to deſire the good of our Church. But whoſoeuer he bee, I preſume on his patience to publiſh his labours, For that (in the iudgement of ſundry wiſe, and learned both Preachers & other, they be thought worthy (for their pith and modeſtie) ſuch publication, and may prooue (through Gods bleſsing) an happie meane ſomewhat to calme that tempest, which (too long) hath toſſed the little Arke of Chriſte his Church. And therfore, I hope, that none will be offended, if I help forward that good which (no doubt) the author intended. If none: Then why ſhould I feare that any of you will be offended with mee? Matth. 26. 41.And yet I knowe the weaknes of the fleſh, bee the ſpirit neuer ſo willing, to doe well. Rom. 8. 7.For the wiſedome of the fleſh (which is enemitie againſt God) will readilie ſuggeſt; That theſe apologeticall reaſons will cauſe you to be worſe thought of; except yee either diſclaime your ſubſcription, or publickly iuſtifie the ſame with ſound reaſons from Gods worde. One of which I pray God ye may hauehave grace to doe, That ſincere teachers of the ſame trueth, may either bee conformable togither, or ſeeke reformacion togither. I will not preiudice your iudgement, much leſſe with Aquila preſume to expound vntounto Apollos the waye of God more perfectlie:Act. 18. 24. 25 26. 2. 3. Yet, ſeeing Apollos humbled himſelfe to the informacion of a tentmaker; I perſuade my ſelfe, That miniſters of the Goſpell will giuegive me leaue (being none of the greateſt clearks) to ſeeke reſolutiō of this my doubt. For I freelie confeſſe, That as yet I cannot ſee, but that ye hauehave ſinned againste the trueth by your conformitie. Yet ſo, That I reuerence you as Fathers for your worke ſake; and regard you as brethren for your profeſsion ſake, your ſinne of conformitie (if it be a ſinn) notwithſtanding. For we are taught, to conſider one another,Heb. 10. 24, 25. to prouoke vntounto louelove, and good workes; and not to forſake the fellowſhippe which we hauehave among our ſelues, as the manner of ſome is.
The groundes (if I may ſo ſpeake) of my doubting be two: Firſt, The euidence (ſo ſeeming to mee) of certaine ſcriptures. Secondlie, The weakneſſe (in my poore opinion) of your excuſes. I meane not to quote manie places for my purpoſe; and I cannot knowe all, you pretend for your ſelues. I muſt and will therefore content my ſelfe with ſome fewe: yet the moſt pregnant (as I iudge) of either.
From the former (quoted in the margent) I take occaſion (and I thinke vponupon good ground) to ſpeake to your conſciences in theſe wordes: If woe be vntounto them,Eſay. 5. 20. & 445. that ſpeake good of euill, and euill of good; If hee that ſubſcribeth ſhould ſubſcribe to the Lorde, that is, By ſubſcription profeſſe himſelfe to bee the Lordes; If hee, Gal. 2. 18. and 3. 3.that buildeth againe the things, that he hath deſtroyed, maketh him ſelfe a treſpaſſer; If they bee fooliſh that after they hauehave begunne in the Spirite; (that is, inſinceritie of the Goſpell, Reaſon. 1(as the Reaſoner ſpeaketh) would now bee made perfect by the fleſh; and if halting betweene two opinions,1. King. 18. 2…. deſerue a iuſt reproofe: Then I may admoniſh you, 1. Tim 5. 1.as Fathers, to make ſtraight ſteppes vntounto your feete, leaſt that which is halting bee turned out of the way.Heb. 12. 13. For in the wiſedome of the fleſh you ſpeake good (by ſubſcription) of carnall rites; whiche heretofore ye hauehave reprooued in the ſpirite, and yet miſlike in your beſt iudgemente: So that yee build againe the thinges yee hauehave deſtroyed, and ſeeme (with ſome ſcandall) to halt betweene two opinions. But I pray you, let vsus enter with humble heartes into conſideration of your excuſes.
Firſt, It is auowed by ſome, That they hauehave not ſubſcribed ſimplie; but with proteſtations and exceptions, Though they be not recorded. Which (ſay they) is not their fault. And (ſay I vnderunder correction) The Bb. of Canterburie and his aſſociates doe well in not recording ſuch proteſtations and exceptions. For; If they require a lawfull and godlie ſubſcription; Why then ſhould they blemiſh their proceedings with recorded proteſtations? But, Suppoſe their vrged ſubſcription bee vnlawfull, doe ye not perceiue, How the not recording of proteſtations doeth checke the weakeneſſe of ſubſcribers, who (by proteſtation doe ſolemnelie accuſe their preſent ſubſcription? Trulie (me thinkes) you ſhould either ſubſcribe without proteſtation; Or, if you proteſt, you ſhould not ſubſcribe. For, Is not this Proteſting againſte ſome thinges, and Subſcribing to all, to halt betweene two wayes, and to hauehave an heart and an hearte? One hearte for the mouth, and an other for the hande? Eſa. 29. 13. 14If the wiſedome of wiſe mē ſhall periſh, when people come neere vntounto God with their mouth, and remooue their heart farre from him: May not I aduiſe you to repent, That yee hauehave ſuffered your mouth to increaſe the ſinn of your hand;Ecclef. 5. 5. and to take heede, That yee ſay not before the Angell, That it was with proteſtation? For why ſhould God be angry with your voyce, & deſtroy the worke of your handes?Rom. 14. 22. o bleſſed is hee that condemneth not himſelfe in that thing, which he alloweth.
Other woulde iuſtiſie themſelues, Becauſe (as they ſay) It is not affirmed by their ſubſcription, That all thinges in the Bookes of Common prayer, and of ordeyning Biſhoppes, Prieſts, and Deacons, be agreeable to the worde of God; but onelie ſaide, That thoſe Bookes conteyne nothing contrarie to the worde of God. I might appeale to your conſciences, Whether you thinke not ſome thinges in thoſe Bookes to bee contrarie to Gods worde? But in my conſcience (as I am yet perſwaded) This diſtinction cannot ſatisfie your conſcience. For, If Chriſt doeth ſay, Luc. 11. 23.He that is not with me, is againſt mee: May it not bee ſaide, That whatſoeuer is not according to the word, in Gods publike worſhip and ſeruice, is contrarie to the ſame? And the rather, becauſe Eſay hath ſet it down for a rule; Eſay. 8. 20.If any ſpeak not according to this word; it is becauſe there is no light in them? I pray ye conſider, That howſoeuer, hee bee a good ſubiect, who doeth nothinge contrarie to the lawes of his Prince, becauſe the poſitiue lawes of men be imperfect, as their makers bee: Yet a good Chriſtian ought to indeauour in t…e obedience of faith, That all his actions in Gods worſhippe (which ſhall be ſurely iudged in the day of Ieſus) bee iuſtifiable by the word: Pſal.19. 7.becauſe The Lawe of the Lorde is perfect: and the Scriptures are ſo ſufficient, That thereby the man of God may bee made abſolutely wiſe vntounto ſaluation.2. Tim. 3. 15. 17. I can hardlie withhold my ſelf from diſputing this caſe; Becauſe I ſee, That this diſtinction openeth a gate to ſinne and ſuperſtition. For, as he who teacheth, That all thinges in Gods worſhip (for which we muſt aunſwere before God) muſt be according to the word: reſtraineth mans inuentiōs, & occaſioneth the godly more throughlie to reley on the ſcriptures: ſo, he, who teacheth, That it is ſufficient that nothing be contrary to the word, giueth too much occaſion of libertie to mans inventions, and cauſeth wiſe men (according to the fleſh) to be leſſe zealous in ſearching and depending on the ſcriptures. But I deſire the humble and godly to conſider, whether ceremonies, and an eccleſiaſticall gouernement may be thruſt vponupon Chriſt his Church (which is his kingedom) without any warrant from Gods word? Exod. 25. 28. 40. and 31.Seeing Moſes (that extraordinarie Lawgiuer) and Bezaleel,1, 2, 6, 7. and 39. 42. 43. & Aholiab (miraculouſlie inſpired with cunning) coulde not make any thing about the Tabernacle (no not a payer of ſnuffers), by their owne invention; but according to the patterne which God himſelfe had ſhewed vponupon the mountaine: and ſeeing our ſtate and Church doeth forbidde ſetting vp of candles,Iniunction 3. Becauſe it is a worke deuiſed by mans phantaſie beſides ſcripture; condemneth Reſeruation of the Sacrament, Becauſe it is not by Chriſte his ordinance, Articles of Religion artic. 2…and is earneſt againſt ſetting vp of Images in temples, though they be not worſhipped, Homil. of perill of Idolat.Becauſe it is not lawfull & agreeable to Gods word, ſo to doe. To come ſomewhat neerer the point: Suppoſe ſuch a diſtinctiō in God his matters may be admitted: yet examine your hearts, whether that figg leafe will couer your nakedneſſe: Sith the Biſhoppes, Prieſts, and Deacons of our Church are ſaide in the Booke of Conſecration to bee called to their ſeuerall miniſtrations according to the will of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt: And by your ſubſcription to the thirde of the ArchBb. Articles ye proſeſſe, That ye beleeue all the articles conteined in the Book of Articles of Religiō ſet forth Anno 1562 (the 36. whereof allowed Biſhopps &c.) to bee agreeable to God: yet notwithſtanding ye hauehave bene & ſtill ſeeme to be perſwaded in your conſcience, That our Biſhops hauehave not their calling from God; but were ſet vp by man, and ſetled by cuſtome for vnities ſake.
A thirde ſorte of ſubſcribers would couer their heads with the ſhield (not of faith,) but of humaine pollicie and ſtand to it, That of two euils the leſſe is to be choſen: And therfore ſome things are to be tolerated, rather than the Church ſhould loſe the benefite of their miniſterie. Reaſon. 5.Wherevnto though the Reaſoner hath well aunſwered by oppoſing the wiſedom of the Spirite, which forbiddeth vsus to lye, Howſoeuer thereby the veritie of God might more abounde vntounto his glorie, and by ſhewing, Howe this lye, or politique ſubſcription draweth a curſe, and not a bleſsing vppon the miniſterie of ſubſcribers againſt their owne conſcience: Yet giuegive me leaue to ſpeak ſomewhat to this excuſe. I will not vrge the opiniō of that moſt reuerend, learned, Epiſt.12.and godlie diuine Maiſter Beza; who can giuegive no other coūcel, than that Miniſters hauing teſtified their innocencie, and tried all remedies in the feare of the Lord, ſhould giuegive place to manifeſt violence when they be commaunded not onlie to tollerate the ceremonies, and eccleſiaſticall gouernement of our Church, but alſo to allowe them by their hand writing. For there is great difference betweene toleration, and ſubſcription. But I would learne, whether that ground of pollicie be not to be vnderſtood rather of the euils of payne and puniſhment, than of the euils of ſinne and guiltines: Sith by the doctrine of our Church, No ſinne is veniall or pardenable in it ſelfe. And I make this Quaere, Whether ſilence inforced, or temporizing ſubſcription, be the greater euill? Concerning the former, This is my perſwaſion, That as God,Iob. 13. 7. 9 (who needeth not the lye of politique ſubſcription, but can butide his Church as hee will) doeth not giuegive an ordinarie bleſsing to the miniſterie of ſuch ſubſcribers: ſo the very ſilencing of faithful miniſters that ſtād faſt in the libertie,Gal. 5. 1. Co…l 2. 20. wherewith Chriſte hath made vsus free againſt the bondage of mans inventions,Philip. 1. 12. doeth turne rather (as Paules bands) to the furthering of the Goſpel. For, If an hundred godlie ministers were ſuſpended for not ſubſcribing to all the ArchBiſhoppes Articles, I doubt not but that their ſilencing would preach reformation very effectuallie: Wheras your temporizing ſubſcriptiō doth hurt many wayes. For therby the ArchBb. is ſo hartened in his courſe, that he hath reſolutelie ſaid: That ſith God hath ſo bleſſed him therin, that fewe of any accoumpte withſtand the ſame, hee would not giuegive it ouer now. Is not then your politique ſubſcribing the cauſe, why thoſe few be ſo hardlie dealt with, That no mediation can prevaile in their behalfe? To ſay nothing of proſeſſours, who ſeeing you (who hauehave ſtood in the gappe) to ſubſcribe at the laſt, do thinke thoſe few that now ſtand, more preciſe than wiſe, and become therfore leſſe comfortable to them than they hauehave bin. But anſwer me: Is not this affliction added to their ſufferings by your fault? I ſay more, By your ſubſcripriō ye may ſeeme (in ſome ſort) guilty of preiudicing your brethren, not onelyonly for the time preſent, but for euer hereafter; except by the ſtanding out of ſome, preſcription be interrupted. For as many things enacted by Law, are antiquated by non vſage: ſo many thinges not cōmanded by law are eſtabliſhed by cuſtome and preſcription. This is not all: For as Peters example *Gal. 2. 12, 13.drew not onelyonly the Iewes, but Barnabas alſo into diſſimulation with him: ſo your temporizing ſubſcription hath bene and daily will be an occaſion to many weak ones, if not of falling, yet of ſtumbling; if not of going backe into Egypt, yet of looking backe toward Sodome. So that few be now ſo zealous for reformation, as they hauehave bene. Which muſt needes be a great offence, and that giuen by you, If (in your iudgement) there be neede of reformation. Shall I tell you, That hee who *1. Cor. 8. 12.woundeth weake conſciences, doeth ſinne againſt Chriſt, who pronounceth an heauie iudgment againſt him, Mat. 18. 6. 7.that offendeth any of his litle ones? Nay rather I beſeech you by the mercies of God, That “1. Ioh. 3. 20If your own heart condemne you for ſubſcribing againſt your conſcience: ye would feare him that is greater than you hearte:*Reuel. 2. 5. remember from whence yee be fallen, repent, and doe the firſt workes.