Common Places, Letters · Letter 35
This Epiſtle ſeemes to bee vvritten to the reuerend Father, Iohn Hooper Biſhop of Gloceſter, although in the Authors owne copie there is no name put thereto. 37.
RIght reuerend and welbeloued in Chriſt Ieſus, the letters which you ſent vntounto mée a fewe dayes ſince, I determined before this time to hauehave aunſwered, but I hauehave bin hindred by ſo great and manifolde buſineſſe, that til this preſent, I could neither ſatiſfie mine owne will nor perhaps your deſire. Wherefore it is in your good nature and wiſedome to take this delay in good part. Thoſe things which you hauehave put in writing touching the controuerſie riſen betwéene you and the reuerend Lord Biſhop of London, concerning the garmentes of the Miniſters of the Church, I hauehave both read them as you deſired, and according to the ſhortneſſe of time hauehave conſidered of them as héedefully as I could. Which I therefore ſay, becauſe I could not kéepe your writing any longer than one night. For the meſſenger, by whom I receiued the ſame, departed vntounto Cambridge the next day verie earelie in the morning whither you wiſhed that by the ſame mā I ſhould ſend that I had read vntounto Maiſter Bucer. Which I did with diligence and without delay. In that ſhort ſpace of time which then was giuen, I ſo comprehended with myſelf the whole cauſe, as firſt I was not a little delighted with your ſingular and ardent zeale, whereby you indeuour that Chriſtian Religion may againe aſpire to the vncorrupt and plaine pureneſſe. For what ought to bee more deſired of all godlie men, than that all things may by litle and litle be cut off which hauehave but litle or nothing at all that can be referred vntounto ſounde edifying, and which of godlie mindes are iudged to bee ouerchargeable and ſuperfluous? Verilie to ſaie, as touching mine owne ſelfe, I take it grieuouſlie to bee plucked awaie from that plaine and pure cuſtome, which you knowe all we vſed a great while together at Argentine, where the varietie of garments about holie ſeruices were taken awaie. That cuſtome hauehave I alwayes moſt allowed of all other, as that which is the purer & moſt ſauoreth of the Apoſtles Church. And I beſéeche the immortall God, that both in that place it may euermore be preſerued, and that at the length it may bee receiued whereſoeuer the church of Chriſt is reſtored. You ſée therefore that in the chiefe and principall point I doe not diſagrée from you, but doe earneſtly deſire, that the ſame which you indeuour to bring to paſſe, may take place. My deſire is kindled partly for that in Ceremonies I would come as néere as might be vntounto the holie Scriptures, and would continue in the imitation of the better times of the Church: and partly that I perceiue the Popes followers indeuour ſtill by theſe reliques to renew at the leaſt wiſe ſome ſhewe of the Maſſe: and doe more cleaue vntounto theſe things than the nature of things indifferent can require.
But yet neither theſe things nor yet the reaſons alleaged by you doe bring me to that paſſe, that I ſhoulde affirme the vſe of ſuch garments to be verie wicked, or that in their owne nature they be contrarie to the worde of God, which in any wiſe I thinke to bee a matter indifferent, being not ignoraunt that thoſe things which be indifferent, may ſometimes be vſed and ſometimes ought to be remooued. To eate a thing ſtrangled, is an indifferent thing, but yet it behooueth ſometimes to ſet aſide the vſe thereof: and another while it is in the frée choiſe to eate the ſame. And by this meanes although I ſaide, that I thinke a diuerſitie of garments ought not to be retained in holy ſeruices, yet neuertheleſſe woulde I not ſay, that it is a wicked thing, ſo as I would be ſo bold to condemne whomſoeuer I ſhoulde perceiue to vſe the ſame. Certainelie if I were ſo perſwaded I would neuer hauehave communicated with the Church héere in Englande, wherein there is as yet kept ſtill ſuch a diuerſitie. For although (as I hauehave ſaide) I allowe but a litle héereof, yet doe I ſée that ſometimes in theſe things indifferent, ſome things, although they be grieuous and burthenſome, are to bee borne withall ſo long as it cannot otherwiſe bee, leaſt if wee contend for them more bitterly than behooueth it may both be a hindrance to the procéeding of the Goſpel, and thoſe things which in their owne nature be indifferent, may be taught by our vehement contention to be wicked. Which things, vnleſſe I be deceaued, bring with them two moſt grieuous diſcommodities. For if we woulde firſt ſuffer the Goſpell to be ſpread abroade and to take déepe roote, perhaps men woulde better and more eaſilie be perſwaded to remooue awaie theſe outward attires. A ſimilitudeWhile a man is ſicke and is ſome what vppon the mending hande, he grieuouſlie ſuffereth certaine light and vnfit things to bée remooued from him aſwel in meate as in drinke: but yet the very ſame man hauing recouered health, doeth euen of himſelfe reiect them as things vnacceptable and vnprofitable. If England were firſt wel and diligently inſtructed, and confirmed in the chiefe and moſt neceſſarie points of Religion: ſo farre as mee thinkes I ſée, it wil not at the length take in ill part, that theſe things in ſome ſort ſuperfluous ſhoulde bée remooued. But nowe when there is brought in a change in ye chiefe & neceſſarie points of religion, and that with ſo great diſquietneſſe, if wée ſhoulde alſo declare thoſe things to bée wicked which be things indifferent, al mens mindes in a manner woulde be ſo alienated from vsus, as they woulde no more ſhewe themſelues to be attentiue and pacient hearers of ſounde doctrine and neceſſarie Sermons. Greatly beholding doubtleſſe is your England vntounto you, for ſo much as you hauehave laboured verie earneſtly in teaching and preaching: and on the other ſide you hauehave wun to your ſelfe by ye ſame England great fauour and authoritie, whereby you may profitablie bring many things to paſſe to the glorie of God. Onelie beware of this, leaſt by vnſeaſonable and ouer ſharpe Sermons you be a let vntounto your owne ſelfe. Howbeit doe not gather hereby that I iudge we ſhould neuer contend by the Miniſterie of the Goſpell, for aſſuring the trueth of the ſcriptures and doctrines. This doe not I affirme, who continuallie oppoſe my ſelfe in diſputations both publike and priuate, and in the greateſt controuerſies for Religions ſake: but this I ſay, that theſe things which be of leſſe importance ought not to be a let through our contention. Neither is there any great account to be made of them either if they be brought in, or being brought in, be confirmed. Further if we procéede in diſſwading from theſe indifferent things as being pernicious and wicked, wée condemne manie Churches which are not ſtraunge from the Goſpel, and too earneſtly reprooue innumerable Churches which in times paſt were celebrated with ſingular great praiſe. I am not ignoraunt that the authoritie of Churches whether they be preſent or paſt ought not to be of ſuch force, as by them the trueth of Gods worde ſhoulde be preſſed, for that muſt remaine firme and vnſhaken, although the whole world ſhoulde faile in his foundation: but this I ſtande to prooue, that for thinges indifferent, I holde we may not worke that either they be condemned, or that we ſpeake otherwiſe than well of them. And becauſe I perceiue that you iudge not theſe to be indifferent things, perhaps it will bée profitable to examine the reaſons whereby you perſwade your ſelfe hereof. Wherefore to contriue them in briefe as you doe, I will gather them chiefely into principall pointes. Firſt you ſay that the Prieſthood of Aaron, whereunto this diuerſitie of garments ſéemeth to belong, muſt not be reſtored. For ſince wee hauehave Chriſt for the Prieſt, the ceremonies of Aaron are abrogated, neither ought they with the ſafetie of godlineſſe bee called againe. Another foundation of your reaſons is: that theſe are the inuentions of Antichriſt: and ſince that wee ought to bée ſtraunge not onelie from the Pope, but alſo from all his falſe inuentions, you woulde that the diuers apparellings and attirings of miniſters ſhould be aboliſhed. Since theſe be your two principall Arguments, we will firſt conſider of them, and then will we adde what we ſhall elſe remember to be brought by you for the confirmation of your opinion. In the lawe or Prieſthood of Aaron there were ſacraments by which it pleaſed GOD to ſeale the promiſes of Chriſt to come, A diſtinctiō of the ceremonies of the old Fathers.all which I knowe were abrogated, and wee muſt beléeue that Chriſt is alreadie giuen, not to be giuen: and ſéeing there bee other pledges giuen by the Lorde himſelfe vnderunder the Goſpell, I meane breade, wine and water, we ought not to renewe againe the olde tokens. Neuertheleſſe ſome thinges were there ſo appointed as they cannot properly bee called Sacraments: for they ſerued vntounto comelineſſe, vntounto order, and vntounto ſome commoditie, the which, as things agréeable vntounto the light of nature, & furthering ſome vtilitie of ours, I iudge might both be reſtored & retained. Who ſéeth not that the Apoſtles for quietneſſe ſake and for the better liuing together with the beléeuers, commanded the Gentils to abſtaine from ſtrangled and from bloud? Theſe things vndoubtedlie were of Aarons Prieſthood, Acts. 15. 20if you will hauehave all thinges generallie to bee comprehended which were in the lawe. Alſo no man is ignorant that tythes are inſtituted at this day in infinite places for to maintaine the miniſters of the Church. That Pſalmes and Hymnes ſhould be ſung in the holie congregation, ye cannot eaſilie finde by the Scripture of the new Teſtament, which moſt manifeſtlie appeareth was doone in the olde. I paſſe ouer that Ambroſe while he interpreteth the 14. Verſe. 26.Chapter of the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians moſt manifeſtlie ſaieth that the cuſtome of propheſying taught there by Paul being taken from the ſynagogues, was deriued vntounto our Churches. Further if I ſhould ſomewhat diligently ſearch and examine which the time will not ſuffer, I might finde manie thinges which our Churche hath borrowed of the decrées of Moſes, yea and that from the firſt times.
And not to omitte this: wee hauehave feaſt dayes in remembrance of ye Lordes reſurrection, of the natiuitie, of Whitſuntide, Feaſt of the Natiuitie. Reſurrection, &c.and of the death of Chriſt. Shoulde all theſe thinges be aboliſhed, becauſe they be ſteppes of the olde lawe? By all theſe thinges I thinke you ſée that all the thinges belonging to Aarons prieſthood are not to be abrogated, as nothing of them may be retayned or vſed. And ſay not vntounto mee that there will bee ſtraightway opened a windowe vntounto all abuſes, vntounto holie water, cenſing, and other infinite thinges of like ſort: for the aduerſaries will aunſwere that there muſt be appointed a meaſure in thoſe thinges which they renue and retaine, that the congregation of the faithful be not burthened with this kinde of thinges nor any woorſhippe or effect of religion placed therein, as wee ſée to be doone in holie water or cenſing. Morouer we muſt beware that Chriſtian religion be not put in hazarde, that although in ſome reſpect they be reſtored, yet that there be no ſuch ſtore made of them as though they ſhould bée neceſſarie to obtaine ſaluation: But ſo ought we to ſuffer ſuch thinges as when they ſhall appeare to profite but a litle they may bee layde a ſide: euen as I hauehave teſtified what I thinke ſhould be doone at this day as touching this diuerſitie of garmentes. For this in verie déede I would to hauehave beene laide aſide: but when it happened not according to my minde, I thought it méete to ſuffer the ſame till better times ſhould be graunted. I would to God that the Churches which be in Germanie with this one loſſe might redéeme their auncient libertie, although I wiſh by all meanes, that no ſuperfluous thing ſhould be obtruded vntounto them. But nowe let vsus weigh the other argument whereby the vſe of theſe garmentes ſéemed not lawefull, becauſe they were inuented by the tyrannie of the Pope. Héere doe not I perceiue howe it can be firmelie prooued, that we may vſe nothing that is accuſtomed to be doone in poperie. Howe farre … we may vſe things that were vſed in ye Popes Church.Doubtleſſe we muſt take héede, that we preſſe not the church of Chriſt with too much bondage, ſo as it may not be lawefull to vſe anie thing that belonged to the Pope. Certainely our forefathers receiued the temples of Idolles, and conuerted them into holie houſes wherein Chriſt ſhould be worſhipped, and the reuenewes conſecrated to the Goddes of the Gentils, to playes of the Theater, and to the veſtall virgins, they tooke to maintaine the miniſters of the Church: whereas theſe thinges did firſt ſerue not onelie Antichriſt but the deuill himſelfe. Yea and the verſes of the Poetes which were dedicated vntounto the Muſes, and vntounto diuerſe Goddes or vntounto fables to be doone in the Theater for pacifying of Goddes: when they be commodious, and excellent and true, the Eccleſiaſticall writers vſe them, and that by the example of the Apoſtle, who diſdained not to cite Menander, Aratus, and Epimenides, and that euen in the holie ſcripture which hee deliuered: and thoſe words which otherwiſe were prophane, hee made agréeable to the diuine ſeruice, vnleſſe perhappes you will ſay, that his wordes deſcribed in the holy ſcriptures, ſerue leſſe to the woorſhipping of God, than the viſible wordes vſed in the ſacramentes. Who moreouer vnderſtandeth not, that wine was conſecrated vntounto Bacchus: bread, vntounto Ceres: water, vntounto Neptune: the Oliue, vntounto Minerua: learning, vntounto Mercurie: ſong, vntounto the Muſes or to Apollo: and verie manie other thinges of this ſort you may find in Tertullian [in his booke] De Coronamilitis, where he treateth in a manner of the ſelfe ſame argument: all which thinges neuertheleſſe wee feare not to vſe at our owne will, aſwell in holie as in prophane vſes, though they were dedicated vntounto deuilles or Idolles? Nor ſtraightway doe I graunt that theſe diuerſities of garmentes had their originall of the Pope, ſéeing wée reade in the Eccleſiaſticall hiſtorie that Iohn the Apoſtle, at Epheſus ware an ornament called Petalum or a pontificall plate. Petalus ſeu Lamina.And of Cyprian the Martyr Pontius the Deacon teſtifieth, that when he was within a while to ſuffer death he gaue his *Birrus an ornament that Byſhops vſed.Birrum vntounto the executioners, his garment of dalmatia vntounto the deacons, and ſtoode in his linnen garmentes. Moreouer Chryſoſome maketh mention of the white garments of miniſters of the Church. And the olde writers teſtifie, that the Chriſtians when they came vntounto Chriſt, chaunged their garmentes, and in ſtéede of a gowne put on a cloke. For which, when they were mocked of the Ethnickes, Tertullian wrote a verie learned booke intytuled De Pallio, of the cloke. Neither doe I thinke you to be ignoraunt, that vntounto thoſe which were entered vntounto Baptiſme was giuen a white garment. Wherefore it appeareth that before the tyrannie of the Pope beganne, there was ſome diuerſities of garmentes in the Church. But admitte that theſe thinges were inuented by the Pope, yet doe I not perſwade my ſelfe that the impiety of the popedome is ſuch, that whatſoeuer it toucheth it doth altogether defile and pollute it, whereby godlie men may not be allowed to put it to a holie vſe. Nowe doe I thinke you vnderſtande what my iudgement is for the reuiuing or retayning of the Moſaicall or Papiſticall Rites. Wherefore nowe that we hauehave briefly noted the two chiefeſt points of your reaſons, I come vntounto that which your ſelfe alſo confeſſeth that all mens inuentions muſt not ſtraightwaie be condemned. Otherwiſe it is a deuiſe of man, that we communicate rather in the morning than in the after noone. All mans inuentions muſt not be condemned. Acts. 4. 37.And it was a deuiſe of man, that the prices of thinges that were ſolde in the primitiue church were laide at the Apoſtles féete. I confeſſe, euen as you do, that thoſe garmentes are the deuiſe of man, and that of themſelues they edifie not: but it wilbe thought of ſome, that it is profitable to hauehave them ſuffered for a time, becauſe this perhappes will bring to paſſe, that theſe contentions ſhalbe auoyded, whereby greater fruites and more ample commodities are in danger to be hindred and left, as wee ſée it comes to paſſe, the mindes of men ſhoulde ſtraightway be turned from the goſpell. I paſſe ouer, that they which defende theſe thinges, might pretende ſome honeſt and due ſignification not ſtrange from the ſcriptures. The miniſters of the church be Angels and meſſengers of God as Malachie teſtifieth. Malac. 3. 1.And Angelles hauehave in a manner alwayes ſhewed themſelues cloathed in white garmentes. That not onelie the things, but the ſignes alſo are to be retained.Howe can we depriue the Church of this libertie that it may not ſignifie ſome thing by her actions and rites, the ſame being doone, without placing any woorſhip of God therein, modeſtlie and in fewe thinges, ſo as the people of Chriſt be not burthened with ceremonies, and that better things be not letted. But you will ſay, let them ſhewe themſelues to be Angelles, let them not ſignifie it. I heare what you ſay. But the ſelfe ſame might hauehave béene aunſwered vntounto Paule, 1. Cor. 11. 5when he decréed vntounto the Corinthians, that the woman ſhould hauehave her heade couered, and the man vncouered, for he onelie vrgeth a reaſon of the ſignification. For anie man of the Church of Corinth might hauehave anſwered: let the man ſhewe himſelfe to bee heade of the woman, and let the woman in her déedes and life ſhewe her ſelfe to be ſubiect vntounto the man, let them not contende to ſhew this by ſignes. But the Apoſtle ſawe this alſo to be a profitable thing, that we ſhould not onelyonly liue well, but that alſo wee ſhould by wordes and tokens bee admoniſhed of our duetie. But and if héereby there be giuen an occaſion of errour vntounto the weake, let them bee warned howe they ſhould beléeue theſe indifferent thinges, let them be taught by ſermons that they iudge not the worſhipping of God to conſiſt herein.
But whether the eyes of them that ſtande by be withdrawen through the diuerſitie of garmentes from the cogitation of weightie matters, perhappes all men will not iudge it ſo to be. For firſt our aduerſaries might aunſwere that this would not come to paſſe, if thoſe garmentes which hauehave béene vſed be without exceſſe, and be verie plaine and ſuch as hauehave béene hitherto vſed about holie ſeruices, for vſe and cheapeneſſe taketh awaie admiration. Yea and perhaps they will aunſwere, that it is likely that they béeing throughly mooued by that admiration, will the more attentiuely thinke vponupon the things that be earneſt, vntounto which end the ſignes of the Sacramentes ſéeme to hauehave béene deuiſed, that euen by the verie ſight and ſenſe wee maie bee rauiſhed to thinke of diuine thinges. Neither doe I thinke that tyrannie is ſtraight waie brought in if any indifferent thing be taken in hande to bee doone in the Church, and be conſtantlie kept of manie. At this daie, we ſo adminiſter the Euchariſt in the morning time as in the after noone wée wil not hauehave the communion in the Church: But who wil ſay, that this is tyrannical becauſe we doe it with the like will and conſent of all men? Vndoubtedlie it would like me beſt, as I hauehave alwaies ſaide, that wée ſhoulde doe onelie that which Chriſt did and deliuered to his Apoſtles. But yet if anie things indifferēt be added, I would not now therefore ſharpelie contende, eſpeciallie ſéeing we perceiue that they by whom the light of the Goſpell is greatlie aduanced in Englande, and maie yet be aduaunced more, are againſt vsus. I acknowledge indéede with you That whatſoeuer is not of faith, Ro. 14. 23.is ſinne: but yet that in our actions wée may hauehave a quiet conſcience, that ſéemes ſpeciallie to further which in the Apoſtle is written vntounto Titus: VntoUnto the cleane all thinges are cleane. Titus. 1. 15 1. Tim. 44And vntounto Timothie: Euerie creature of God is good; And it is not neceſſarilie required that we ſhoulde hauehave in the holie Scriptures an expreſſe mention of the particular thinges which we vſe. This generallie is enough to knowe by faith, that thinges indifferent cannot defile them which liue with a pure & ſyncere minde and conſcience. Theſe things hauehave I ſhortlie abridged, as touching the controuerſie which you propounded vntounto me out of which I wiſh with all my heart that you maie happilie vnwinde your ſelfe. And thoſe thinges which I hauehave written I praie you to take in good part: For if I could hauehave writtē either better or more plainly, perhaps I might more hauehave ſatiſfied your requeſt. Howbeit becauſe it is not giuen to all men to writ aptlie and readilie hereof, you muſt pardon me. Further you ſhall finde mee alwaies readie to giuegive place vntounto the trueth, if I ſhall be otherwiſe perſwaded. Neither am I latelie perſwaded in my minde of this opinion which I hauehave nowe declared, but I iudged euen from the firſt that I applyed my minde vntounto the Goſpell, that theſe diuerſities of garmentes ſhoulde not be vſed: but yet thought that the vſe of them, (if other things which are preſcribed vntounto vsus by the worde of God might remaine ſound) are neither vngodlie nor pernitious of them ſelues or of their owne nature. I beſéech almightie God preſerue you ſafe and ſounde with all your houſholde through Ieſus Chriſt our Lorde. My wife and I ſalute you heartilie and your good wife. Fare you well. From Oxforde the 4. of Nouember, 1550.
As touching diuorſe I do not write vntounto you, partlie becauſe you your ſelfe differ the matter vntounto an other time, and partly becauſe I knowe verie well that you vnderſtande of what minde I am together with the Church of Strasborough and all other brethren in Chriſt.