It is Lawful for Minsters to Wear Apparel Prescribed by the Law of the Realm, Title page – Dedication 2
The Iudgement of the Godly and learned Father, M. Henry Bullinger chiefe Preacher and Paſtor of the Church of Zurich in Swicerlande, declaring it to be lawfull for the Miniſters of the Church of Englande, to weare the Apparell preſcribed by the Lawes and orders of the ſame Realme.
IMPRINTED at London by William Seres, dwelling in Paules Church yarde, at the ſigne of the Hedgehogge.
To the Reader.
SEING THAT Maiſter Bullinger himſelfe of ſpecial good wil and zeale towards the Churche of Englande, and the Miniſters of the ſame, hauing trauayled, and taken payne to write his iudgemēt in this matter, thought it expedient to cōmunicate the ſame, not onelyonly with thoſe two brethren here, at whoſe requeſt he wrote his minde herein: But alſo with certaine Byſhops of this Realme, as by his letter to them directed and herevnto annexed, apeareth: & that for the peace & quietneſſe of this Church of Englande, as he himſelfe affirmeth: And conſidering alſo, that the iudgement of two notable learned men, Maiſter D. Bucer, and maiſter D. Peter Martyr touching this controuerſie, hath alredy bene ſet forth and publiſhed, It is therefore thought good alſo to publiſh in print the ſayde iudgement of Maiſter Bullinger, being a man ſingulerly well learned and Godly, and a worthy Miniſter in Chriſtes Church, not doubting but that muche good ſhall inſue thereof, both to the ſtabliſhing of weake cōſciences troubled about this matter, and alſo to the ſatiſfaction of thoſe which without contention or affection ſeeke only the truth of doctrine in this behalfe.
To the Reuerende Fathers in Chriſt, D. Robert Horne B. of Wincheſter, D. Grindall B. of London, D. Parkhurst B. of Norwitch in England. &c.
REuerende Fathers, Honorable, & dearely beloued brethren. The Lord Ieſus bleſſe you, and kepe you from al euil. We ſend you the copie of our writing concerning the mater of Apparell, ſent by vsus to N. & M. men learned and godly, our worſhipful brethren. And therfore ſend we it vntounto you, that ye maye vnderſtande, howe that we deale not priuately with your brethrē, without the knowledge of you, which are the principall Miniſters, and that we to the vttermoſt of our powers doe ſéeke the peace and quietneſſe of your Churches in all things. And we praye the Lord alwayes to ſaue the ſtate there, and kéepe you in concorde. We alſo exhorte you our right Reuerende, and deareſt brethren, to hauehave good regarde vntounto faythfull Miniſters, and learned men: for ſuch alſo commonly hauehave their affections. Wherfore the Apoſtle alſo warned men to beare one an others burthen. Ye by your authority may do much with the moſt excellēt Princeſſe your Quene, entreate ye hir Maieſtie, that the good brethren may be reconciled and reſtored. And we praye you honorable, and deare brother M. Horne to whome theſe letters may be firſt deliuered, that ye will cauſe them forthwith to be caryed to the Byſhop of Norwich, and ſo communicate them with M. Iewell, M. Sandes, and M. Pilkington, to whom by Gods grace I meane to write the nexte Frankford mart. Theſe letters I wrote in all haſte aſwell in myne owne as in Gualters name, and ſent them to Baſile, thence to be conueighed to Andwerpe. We praye you hartily to ſignifie whether ye hauehave receiued them. Fare ye wel right Reuerend. The Lord bleſſe you & your labors.
At Zurich the thirde of Maij. 1566. Your Bullinger.
¶ The Copie of Maſter Bullingers Letter to N. and M.
RIght Worſhypfull and welbeloued brethrē the Lorde Ieſus bleſſe you, and kepe you from all euill. I hauehave receyued your Letters, wherby I perceiued you N. to complaine, that mine anſwere made to your queſtion ſemed ouer ſhort. Albeit I good Brother, then ſaw no cauſe, neyther now do, why I ſhuld write any long letters. For ye required onelyonly my iudgement concerning the matter of Apparell, where aboute there was contention in Englande. To that queſtion I thought good to anſwere you briefly. For I coulde well in fewe wordes declare my minde. Furthermore I knewe that D. Peter Martyr of bleſſed memorie, had often & at large handled the ſame queſtion both at Oxeforde and here with vsus, wherevnto I had not what to adde. And I remember that mē tion was then made of my minde alſo, in the letter which I wrote to you Brother M. And againe to ſay what I think in a worde or two, I can neuer allow it, if ye be commaūded to execute your Miniſterie at an Aultar, burthened rather than garniſhed with the Image of the Crucifixe, and in a Maſſing garment, that is, in an Albe and Veſtment bearing on the backe alſo the Image of the Crucifixe. But as farre as I can perceyue by Letters brought oute of England, there is now no contention for ſuch apparell. But the queſtion is, whether it be lawfull for the miniſters of the goſpell to weare a rounde or ſquare cappe, and the whyte Veſture whiche they call a Surpleſſe, by ye wearing wherof your Miniſters maye be diſcerned from ye people? And whether they ought to forſake the miniſterie, and their ſacred place, rather than weare ſuch apparell? To this queſtion, I anſwered ye right Reuerende D. Robert Horne Biſhoppe of Wincheſter the laſt Mart, and that briefly repeating the wordes of D. Martyr. To him had my fellow Miniſter, and dearely beloued Alliance Rodolph Gualter written a little afore, the copie of whoſe letters I ſend to you, and our other brethren, incloſed in theſe. Therefore if ye wil heare vsus, and yt ye require our iudgement concerning the matter of Apparel, as in your laſte letters ye ſignified vntounto me, beholde, ye hauehave in that Epiſtle our iudgemēt, whervnto if ye can not agree, we truely are moſt hartily ſorie, and hauing no further counſell, we doe hartily and without ceaſing pray vntounto the Lord whom we muſt in all things & alwayes hauehave reſpect vntounto, that he with his grace and might wil eaſe the preſent troubles.
You brother N. hauehave propoūded certaine queſtions, and our brother M. hath gathered moe of the ſame argumēt. And albeit I according to my ſimple rudeneſſe neuer liked to hauehave maters drawē into ſo many queſtions, and intangled in intricate doubtes, whiche otherwiſe being of themſelues more ſimple, might in fewe wordes and plainely ynough be anſwered: yet wil I note ſomewhat vponupon euerye one, that I maye herein alſo gratifie you my worſhipfull and moſte dearely beloued brethren, as farre forth as my poore ſkill and abilitie will giuegive me leaue. And I beſéeche you to receyue theſe of me your brother and harty louer in good parte, and iudge of them with a quiet minde and frée from all affections. I vtterlye abhorre contentions, and nothing doe I more humblie craue at the Lordes hande, than that he will remoue farre from the Churche all contentions, which from the beginning and alwayes hauehave greatly annoyed true Godlineſſe, and rent a ſunder the Churche when it was reaſonablie quiet and in good caſe.
Where ye aſke, whether lawes of apparell ought to be preſcribed to Eccleſiaſticall perſons, that thereby they may be diſcerned from laye men? I anſwere that there is doubtfulneſſe in the worde Ought, for if it be takē for neceſſarie, & pertayning to the obteyning of ſaluation, I do not think the law makers them ſelues to be of this minde. But if it be meant, that this may be done for comelineſſe and beautie, or eſtimatiō and order, to be a certaine ciuill obſeruance, or ſome ſuche thing be vnderſtoode, as that is that the Apoſtle would hauehave a church Miniſter or Biſhop to be Coſmion, yt is comely, I ſée not what he offendeth that vſeth ſuch Apparell, or that commaundeth to vſe ſuch.
Whether the Ceremoniall obſeruaunce of the Leuitical Prieſthoode be to be called againe into the Church? I anſwere, If a cappe and garment not vncomelye for a Miniſter, and voyde of ſuperſtition, be commaunded to be vſed of Miniſters, no man verely can truelye ſaye, that Iudaiſme is reſtored. Furthermore I repeate here that I ſée D. Martyr to hauehave anſwered to this queſtion, who when he had ſhewed that the Sacramentes of the olde Lawe are aboliſhed, which may not be brought again into the Church of Chriſt hauing baptiſme and the holye Supper, he added: There were neuertheleſſe in the Leuiticall lawe certaine actions of ſuch ſort, as they coulde not properly be called holy, for they ſerued for comelyneſſe and order, & ſome cōmodious vſe, which things as agréeable to the light of nature, and helping ſomewhat to our commoditie, I iudge may both be reſtored and retained. Who ſéeth not that the Apoſtles for the peace and better agréement of the faithful, cōmaunded the Gentiles to abſtaine from bloud & ſtrangled? Theſe things without controuerſie were legall and Leuiticall. And none of vsus is ignorant that Tithes alſo are at this day in many places appointed to finde the Miniſters. It is manifeſt that Pſalmes & Hymnes are ſong in the Church, which thinges yet the Leuites alſo vſed. And not to omit this, we hauehave holy dayes in memory of the Lordes reſurrection, and others. Nowe ſhall all theſe be done away bicauſe they be monuments of ye old law? ye ſée then that all the Leuiticals are not ſo abrogate, but that ſome of them may ſtill be vſed. Thus much he.
Whether it be lawefull to communicate with the Papiſtes in apparell? I anſwere. It is not yet proued that the Pope brought difference of apparell into the Church. Nay, it is certaine that difference of apparell is farre more auncient than the Pope. Neyther doe I ſée why we may not communicate with the Papiſtes, in apparell not ſuperſtitious, but politike and comely. If in nothing we might cōmunicate with them, then muſt we forſake all Churches, receyue no ſtipends, vſe no baptiſme, reade neyther ye Apoſtles, nor Nicene Créede, yea, and then muſt we away with the Lords Prayer. Neyther doe ye borrow of them any ceremonies. Apparell from the beginning of your reformation was neuer remoued, & is ſtill retayned, not by Popiſhe order, but by force of the Princes lawe, as a thing indifferēt and politike. So verely, if ye vſe as a ciuill thing the Cap and diſtinct Apparell, it ſauoureth neither of Iudaiſme, nor Monkerie. For theſe ſéeke to ſéeme ſeparate from ciuill life, and put merite in their peculiar habite. So Euſtachius Biſhop of Sebaſtia was condēpned, not ſimplie for his peculiar habite, but for that he put holineſſe in it. The Cannons of the Councell of Gangra, Laodicea, and of the ſixt Synode are wel knowen. If ſo be that ſome of the common people be perſuaded, that this ſauoureth of Poperie, Iewiſhneſſe and Monkerie, let them be admoniſhed, and better taught concerning theſe matters. And if by the vndiſcrete clamors of ſome, blowen out aboute this matter among the Common people, many are made vnquiet, lette them that doe it beware, they pul not heauier burthens vponupon their owne neckes, and prouoke the Quéenes Maieſtie, & finally bring manye faithfull Miniſters into daunger, whence they ſhall hardelye be able to winde out.
Whether ſuche as hauehave hitherto enioyed their libertie, may with ſafe conſcience wrappe both them ſelues and the Church in this ſeruitude, by force of the Quéenes Iniunctions? I aunſwere. I thinke beſt to prouide that there be no odious diſputations, clamors, and contentions about the matter of Apparell, and ſo by ſuche importunitie occaſion be giuen to the Quenes maieſtie no longer to leaue it free for them ye hitherto hauehave vſed their libertie, but being exaſperated with their outcries be in maner forced to commaunde either to receiue the eccleſiaſticall Apparell, or giuegive ouer their rowmes. Surely me think it a ſtraunge thing (I ſpeake it vnderunder your correction right worſhipfull and welbeloued Brethren) that ye perſuade your ſelues, that ye may not with ſafe conſcience ſubmitte your ſelues and the Churches to the ſeruitude of Apparell, and doe not rather weighe, that if ye will not vſe a thing méere pollitike and indifferent but ſtill contende odiouſly, into what a ſeruitude ye then bring both your ſelues and your Churches, by leauing of your rowmes, and ſetting of the Churches wide open vntounto Wolues, or at the leſt to more vnfit Teachers, which are not ſo furniſhed as ye be to inſtruct the people, hauehave ye then well defended the libertie of the Church, when ye miniſter occaſion to oppreſſe the Church with more and heuier burdens? ye are not ignoraūt what a number ſéeke for, how they be affected towardes the preaching of the Goſpell, what maner of perſons ſhall ſuccéede in your places, and what is to be looked for at their hands.
Whether the Apparell of the cleargie be a thing indifferent? Verilie it ſéemeth a thing indifferent, being a ciuill thing, and hauing regarde to comelineſſe, order and beautie, without putting anye Religion in it. Thus much briefly I thought to ſay to your queſtions my right well learned and welbeloued Brother N.
Nowe I come to the queſtions of our brother M. alſo, in declaration whereof I will paraduenture be ſhorter. Whether peculiar Apparell diſtinct from laye men were euer appointed for miniſters of ye Church? Whether at this day ſuch ought to be appointed in reformed Churches alſo? I anſwere: That in the olde Churche there was diſtinct Apparell of prieſtes it appeareth by the eccleſiaſticall hiſtorie of Theodoret lib. 2 cap. 27. and Socrates lib. 6. cap. 22. And yt they vſed Pallium in miniſtratiō, none yt hath but ouer ſéene the monumentes of olde writers, can be ignorant. Therefore I ſignified afore that diuerſitie of apparel had not his beginning of ye Pope. Euſebius at the leaſt recordeth out of ye moſte auncient writers, how that Iohn the Apoſtle wore at Ephaeſus a Biſhops attire vpō his head, terming it: Pelatum ſeu Lamina pontificalis. As touching ſaint Ciprian the holy martyr, Pontius the Deacon writeth, that a little before he ſhoulde be beheaded, he gaue vntounto him that ſhoulde beheade him, his veſture called Birrus, and to his Deacon, his veſture called Dalmatica, and ſo ſtoode himſelfe in linnen. Furthermore Chriſoſtome maketh mention of the whyte veſture of miniſters of the Church. And it is certayne that Chriſtians when they came firſt vntounto Chriſtes religion, and to the Church, for a gowne put on a cloke. For which cauſe when they were mocked of the Gentiles Tertullian wrote a very learned treatiſe de Pallio. I coulde bring forthe manye other things of this ſorte, if theſe were not ſufficient. In deede I had rather hauehave nothing layed vponupon the miniſters againſt their willes, and that they might vſe the maner of the Apoſtles, but for as much as ye Quéenes Maieſtie requireth the Cap only and the Surpleſſe, wherein (as is oftentimes ſayde already) ſhe putteth no Religion, and the ſame things hauehave bene vſed of the auncient Fathers, when the Church was in better caſe, without all ſuperſtition and fault, I woulde wiſh good Miniſters not to put all the going forward of Religion in theſe things, as if they were all, and ſumme, according to the prouerb, but yelde ſomewhat to the time and not odiouſely to ſtriue about a thing indifferent, but iudge ſoberly that theſe things may be borne, but we muſt goe forwarde with the tyme. For that ſuche are nearer to the ſimplicitie of the Apoſtles as knowe no ſuch differences or enforce them not, & yet in the meane whyle abhorre not diſcipline in Apparell.
Whether preſcription of Apparell agréeth with chriſtiā libertie? I anſwere: That things indifferent admitte ſometime preſcription, and enforcement alſo, as I may terme it, as touching the vſe, and not for neceſſitie, ſo as that which is by nature indifferent ſhoulde be thruſt vponupon the conſcience as neceſſarie, and ſo ye mindes driuē into ſcrupoloſitie. Times verilie, and places of holy aſſemblies, are rightely compted among indifferent things, and yet if theſe then be no ſet order, what confuſion I pray you, and diſorder woulde growe therevpon?
Whether any new ceremonies maye be heaped beſide the expreſſe rule of the worde of God? I anſwere, that I lyke not heaping of new ceremonies, and yet I denie not but that ſome may be ordeyned, ſo that the ſeruice of God be not put in them, but appointed for order and diſcipline. Chriſt himſelfe kept the feaſt or ceremonie of the Encoenia or dedication, and yet we finde not this feaſt preſcribed in the lawe. To be ſhorte, the greater part of ye propoſitions or queſtions concerning Apparell, ſtandeth in this, whether lawes for Apparell ought or be lawfull to be made in the Church. And it bringeth the queſtion to a generalitie, to wit, what order may be taken for ceremonies. To theſe propoſitions I anſwere briefely, that I for my parte I had rather hauehave no ceremonies, but ſuch as are neceſſarie, thruſt vpō the Church, yet in the meane ſeaſon I graunt, that lawes concerning ceremonies, paraduē ture not very neceſſarie, and ſometime vnprofitable, may not ſtraight waye be condemned of impietie, and ſo troubles and ſchiſmes rayſed in the Church, ſo long as they be voyde of ſuperſtition, and the things are in their owne nature indifferent.
Whether it be lawfull to reſtore the aboliſhed rytes of the Iewes, & to tranſlate ceremonies properly dedicate to religion of Idolaters, to the vſe of reformed Churches? To this queſtion I anſwere afore, when I entreated of Leuiticall rytes. And I woulde not hauehave Idolatrous rytes vnpurged of errours, tranſlated into reformed Churches. And agayne, and on the contrarie parte, it might be demaunded, whether receyued Rytes, ſuperſtition being remoued, may not by diſcipline and order be retained without ſinne.
Whether conformitie in ceremonies, be of neceſſitie to be exacted? I anſwere, That conformitie in ceremonies is not paraduenture neceſſarie in al Churches. In the meane ſeaſon if a thing not neceſſarie be commaunded, ſo that the ſame be not vngodly, it ſeemeth not that therfore the Church ſhoulde be forſaken. There was not conformitie in rytes in all the olde Churches. Yet ſuche as kéept not conformitie, reproued not the kéepers of vniforme rites. And I am eaſely perſuaded that pollitike wiſe men vrge this vniformitie of rytes, bicauſe they thinke it maketh vntounto concorde, and bicauſe the Church of al Englande, is one Church, wherein if there be no impietie mixed, I ſée not howe ye can ſo fiercely ſette your ſelues againſte ſuche orders being not euill.
Whether Ceremonies openly offenſiue may be retayned? I aunſwere, that offence ought to be auoyded. In ye meane time, we muſt beware that we couer not our owne affections vnderunder the name of offence. Ye knowe there is an offence giuen, and an offence taken, and as it were ſought of our ſelues. I diſpute not now, whether you can for a thing indifferent without giuing of grieuous offence, forſake the Churches that Chriſt dyed for.
Whether any orders are to be borne in the Church, which in their owne nature in déede are not vngodlie, but yet make nothing for edificatiō? I anſwere, if the orders which the Quenes maieſtie enioyneth you be voyde of impietie, ye ought rather to beare them than forſake your Churches, for if the edifying of the Church is chiefely to be ſought in this matter, verily we ſhall ſoner deſtroy the Church by forſaking it than by putting on the Apparell. And where vngodlyneſſe is not, neyther the conſcience offended, there muſt we not giuegive ouer, though we ſhoulde beare ſome ſeruitude. And here agayne it might be demaunded, whether Apparell may iuſtly be compted ſeruitude, ſo farre forth as it ſerueth to comlyneſſe and order.
Whether ye Prince ought to preſcribe anye thing to the Churches in Ceremonies without the good will and frée conſent of eccleſiaſticall perſons. I anſwere, if the Prince ſhoulde alwayes hauehave ſtayed for the good will of his cleargie, paraduenture the moſte wiſe and godly kings Ioſaphat, Ezechias, Aſa and Ioſias and other good Princes, had neuer brought the Leuites and Miniſters of the Churches into order. Albeit my mind is not at all, that Biſhops ſhoulde be ſhut out of conſultations for the Church. Againe I would not hauehave them chalenge ſuch authoritie to themſelues as they hauehave vſurped againſt Princes and Magiſtrates in Papacie. Neyther woulde I hauehave Biſhops to holde their peace and agrée vntounto vniuſt ordinaunces of Princes.
The laſt two queſtions touch the mater nearer. Whether it were better in thys order to ſerue the Churche, or for theſe thinges to be caſt out of eccleſiaſticall function? And whether good Paſtors may for the neglecting of ſuche Ceremonies, iuſtly be put from the miniſterie? I anſwere, if there be no ſuperſtition nor impietie in the rytes, and yet they are enforced, and enioyned good Paſtours, which had rather be diſcharged of them, in déede I will graunt, and that more liberally than néedeth, that a burthen and ſeruitude is layde vponupon them, but I will not graunt, and that for moſt iuſt cauſes, that therefore they ſhoulde forſake their place or miniſterie, and giuegive ouer vntounto Wolues, as it hath bene ſayd already, or to vnfitter Miniſters, ſpecially when libertie to preache is not taken away, and prouiſion may be made that no further ſeruitude creepe in, and many ſuch like things.
I hauehave ſayde what I thought to be ſaide of the matters propounded in queſtion, knowing that other men for their learning coulde hauehave better and more finely diſcuſſed them, but bicauſe it was your mindes, that I ſhoulde anſwere, I hauehave done as I coulde, leauing to others at libertie both pen and iudgemēt. To ende, my minde is not with theſe, to force or entangle any mans conſciēce, but I offer them to be examined, and I aduiſe, that no man in this controuerſie, frame himſelfe a conſcience, of a deſire to contende. And I exhort you al by Ieſus Chriſt our Lord, the Sauiour, Head, and King of his Churche, that euerye one well weighe with him ſelfe, which way he ſhall more edifie the Church of Chriſt, by putting on the Apparell as a thing indifferent, for order and comelyneſſe ſake, and ſo far ſomewhat making to concorde and profite of the Church, or for Apparell to forſake the Church, and leaue it to be poſſeſſed afterwarde if not of manifeſt Wolues, yet of vnfitter and worſſe Miniſters at the leaſt. The Lord Ieſus graunt you to ſee, ſauour, and follow that which maketh to his glory, and the ſafetie and peace of his Church. Fare ye well in the Lorde, together with all the faithfull Miniſters. Wée will heartily praye to the Lorde for, you that ye maye thinke and doe, that is holye and holeſome. D. Gualter hath him moſte heartily commended vntounto you, & wiſheth you all proſperitie. And ſo doe the reſt of the Miniſters alſo.
At Zurich the firſt day of Maij In the yeare of our Lorde. 1566. Henry Bullinger, Miniſter of the Church of Zurich: in his owne, and Gualters name.
¶ Imprinted at London by William Seres, dwelling in Paules Church yarde, at the Signe of the Hedgehogge.
Reuerendis in Chriſto Patribus D. Roberto Horno Winton. D. Grindallo Londonien. & D. Parcurstho Noruicen. Epiſcopis in Anglia, Dominis nostris colendiſsimis, & fratribus chariſsimis.
REVERENDI VIRI, Domini honorandi, & fratres chariſsimi. Dominus Ieſus benedicat vobis & ſeruet ab omni malo. Mittimus ſcriptū nostrum de re vestiaria datum à nobis ad N. & M. viros doctos & pios, fratres nostros colendos. Ideo autem mittimus ad vos, vt intelligatis, inſcijs vobis primarijs ministris, nihil nos priuatim agere cū fratribus, & quod per omnia pacem eccleſiarum veſtrarum, quantum quidem poſsumus, quaerimus. Oramus quoquè dominum, vt rebus vestris ſemper conſulat, & vos ſeruet in concordia. Vos hortamur viri reuerendi, & fratres chariſs. ri rationem habeatis fidelium ministrorum, & doctorum hominum, habent hi ſerè ſuas affectiones: vnde Apostolus quo que monuit, vt alij aliorum onera portent. Veſtra authoritate plurimum potestis apud ſereniſs. D. Reginam, apud eius maiestatem efficite, vt boni fratres reconcilientur et restituantur. Rogamus item vt tu D. Horne obſeruande domine, & frater chariſſime, cui primum hae literae dari poſsunt, ilico cures eas perferri ad D. Noruicenſem, eaſ que cō munes habeatis cum D. Iuello, D. Sando, & D. Pilchinthono, quibus proximis nundinis Frankford. deo volente ſcribam. Has festinatiſsime exaraui, tam meo, quam Gualtheri nomine, & Baſileam miſimus inde tranſportandas Antuerpiam. Vos ſedulo oramus, vt ſignificetis, an receperitis. Optime valete viri reuerendi. Dominus benedicat vobis & vestris laboribus.
Tiguri. 3. Maij. 1566. Bullingerus vester.