A Preparative to Contention, Book · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
VVe may not dreame of better euents of our ſtudies, then others hauehave dona before vsus. Againſt innouations.
King. 3.12.AS the Lord himſelfe ſaid and teſtified of King Salomon: Lo, I hauehave giuen thee a wiſe and vnderſtanding heart: ſo that, there was none like vntounto thee before thee: nor after thee ſhall any riſe like vntounto thee. So eueryevery man is contented to grant, that Salomon in wiſedome and vnderſtanding, was worthily preferred to all other Kings, Princes, and Magiſtrates. Howbeit,Salomon was neuer able to conforme all things to the rule of the Law. Salomon confeſſed of himſelfe, that hee was by ſo much the more fooliſh, by how much he ſought to eſtabliſh wiſedome, and to expell follie, and to perfect al things within his kingdome according to the law: yea, and the more wiſe he thought himſelfe to be in this deuiſe, the more he bewrayed his owne weakneſſe and infirmities.
Neither can wee be certified by the report of any hoſtorie, either humane or diuine, that euer any magiſtrate in the Common wealth, or Biſhop in the Church (notwithſtanding there hauehave beene moſt good and perfect Lawes prouided for the aduancement of vertues, and the aboliſhing of vices) hath been able to purge and expell all manner of corruption, blots, blemiſhes, wrinckles, maladies, and imperfections from either ſtate, and ſo reduce the ſame into perfect beautie and puritie: but that the beſt of them all were contented onelyonly to amend that which was curable, and could by their miniſtery be amended, and to leaue and commit the reſt vntounto that Supreme King, that ſeeth and ruleth all after his will, both in heauen and earth. And that ſuch of them as hauehave vrged further, hauehave purchaſed the torment of themſelues, and the hurt of many others, as in the Chapter before it hath beene declared.
2 Almightie God himſelfe,God himſelfe ſuffereth many imperfections heere among men, not that hee wanteth power to correct, but in that he will ſo ſuffer them. notwithſtanding his diuine lawes (which no man was euer able to empeach of imperfection) looking downe from heauen vppon the children of men, hee findeth them faultie in many things, They do daily runne out of the way, and are become abhominable in his ſight, there is none that doth good, no, not one of them in this ſinfull world. And he is iuſtly moued to complaine of the ingratitude of his own people the children of Iſrael, vnderunder the ſimilitude of the vineyard, and in the parable of the perfidious huſband men: yea,Iſay 5.1. Mat. 12. he hath bin ſometimes moued to repentance, that he hath made man on the earth: & hath bin right ſorie in his hart (as the ſcriptures teſtifie.) Though al theſe defects the lord God is well able (when he will) to correct and amende: yet lo, ſo many of mans faults and imperfections, as he ſeeth moſt meete to be puniſhed and corrected, doth he puniſh and correct accordingly: and theſe are the ſame onelyonly, which hee hath made curable, and to be amended, according to his prouidence and wiſedome; the reſt hee permitteth and ſuffereth (through his great merciemercy and goodneſſe) for many cauſes, whereof ſome be concealed from vsus, and ſome are reuealed and made knowne vntounto men in his holy word.
3 Alac, why then ſhould men in this our time, dreame of bitter euents and effects of their ſingular deuiſes? and why ſhould they vndertake not onelyonly to renew Plato his Common-wealth, but alſo to warrant a full reſolution, and to reſtore a perfect puritie of all things, both in the Church and in the Common-wealth, by theyr deuiſes and practiſes?They that end…uour a perfect puritie in this world, do as if they would purge men from ſin, wherein they derogate from Chriſt, that appertaineth to him. What do they otherwiſe therein, then ſeeme to diſdaine our godly wiſe Princeſſe and her proceedings: to be wiſer then God himſelfe: and to vndertake that mortall men ſhould liue in this world without ſinne, as Adam did in Paradiſe before his fall, and ſo ſhould not ſtande in neede of the merites of Chriſt and free graces of Gods Spirit? then the which deuiſe and practiſe, what can bee more proude, more haughtie, more arrogant? And what elſe may wee deeme of them, but that they bee alſo thus conceyted, that they are able to ſay, not onelyonly as the proude glorious Phariſee ſayde in his prayer: I am not as other men, extortioners, Luke. 18.11.vniuſt, or as this Publican: but alſo, to proteſt that of themſelues and their families (which the Church of Chriſt neuer durſt to ſay of her ſelfe) as thus. VVee are not blacke, nor deformed: wee are not ſpotted, nor blemiſhed: wee are holyer then other men:Cant. 1.4. they are all prophane and abhominable vntounto vsus. VVee goe not aſide at any time, they doo erre moſt egregiouſly: wee are as Angelles and heauenly Spirites without ſinne: for wee be elected, but they bee carnall, all polluted with ſinne, and reprobated: better were it, if they were conformed vntounto vsus, or baniſhed further from vsus, then that thy ſhould ſo liue and teach, to offende vsus. Theſe be their wordes, and ſuch is their zeale and proude conceit▪ how much better were it both for themſelues and many others, that as dutifull ſubiects and right Chriſtians, they do learne to feare God, to honour our noble Princeſſe, and to liue in concord as brethren, then ſo to iudge and condemne their brethren in their malice, and to exalt themſelues in the pride of their hearts, and in their conceited wiſedome, to preſcribe vntounto the Church their phantaſticall opinions and lewd deuiſes, to the diſquiet of the right Chriſtian peace? Surely, of all the nations vnderunder the Sunne,VVee are to ſhew our ſelues thankfull to God for our bleſſings. wee Engliſhmen hauehave worthie cauſes to praiſe and glorifie the Name of God, who (of his great merciemercy and grace vntounto vsus in his Sonne) hath opened vntounto vsus the gates of the Temple, hath vnſealed vntounto vsus the Booke of his holy Miſteries, and hath taught vsus all the wayes and meanes towards the Kingdome of Heauen. Lette vsus therefore reuerently enter into the holy Temple, lette vsus heare Chriſt preached, and embrace his Doctrine, with faythfull and thankfull hearts: Lette vsus edifie one another of vsus in holy LoueLove: lette all our contentions and ſtriuings bee, howe wee may beſt immitate our Lorde Chriſt, and therein runne towardes the happie Goale of eternall life, taking the benefit of good opportunitie: and, lette vsus beware, that wee offer not any iuſt occaſion of offence, either to the Prince and magiſtrates, or to the Paſtours and Miniſters of the Church, or to any other the right Proteſtants.
This no doubt the Lorde himſelfe did reſpect, when he ſaid: I charge you, Cant. 2.8.O yee Daughters of Hieruſalem, by the Roes and Hindes of the fielde, that yee wake not vp my louelove, nor touch her, till ſhe be content her ſelfe.
The opinions of heathen men, againſt innouations of lawes, &c.4 The learned and wiſe men of the heathen, hauehave beene of this minde, that there where eueryevery man had free libertie in a Common-wealth, either to change a law prouided, or to make new lawes, the credit and authoritie of the ſuperiour Lord was contemned as vile, and good order was ſubuerted by them,Plato in Pol. 4. who being diuerſly conceited, abandon al vnitie & peace. And they much blamed ſuch as endeuoured to remedie miſchiefes by the innouation of Lawes, the which practiſe they denied to be, as the cutting off of one of the heades of Hydra, in the the place whereof ſeauen other heades did ſodainely ſpring vp: and therefore they held it much better to beare with ſome ſmal faults and imperfections in lawes and magiſtrates, then to endeuour to alter and correct them to the ruine and decay of the whole ſtate: which is as a great frame made of diuers peeces, ſo conioyned and ſet together, that it is impoſſible to alter or take away the leaſt part thereof, but the whole muſt feele it.Solon. Demoſt. Therefore Demoſthenes reporting the ſentence of Solon againſt innouations of lawes, deemeth them worthie of death. Octauius Caeſar, Octau.in the caſt of Cato the Vticenſian, eſteemed that man onelyonly a good Cittizen, a right member of the Common-wealth, and an honeſt man, which being well pleaſed with the preſent ſtate of his time, was vnwilling to alter or change the ſame.VVith what lawes and wayes men ſhould liue contented. But to teach vsus Chriſtians, wee heare what almightie God (whoſe words and authoritie is preferred to all men, ſayth by his Prophet: Go into the ſtreetes, conſider and make inquiſition for the olde way: and if it bee the good and right way, then go therein: Conſider the ordinaunces of thine Elders, if they bee good, Iere. 6.16. 2. Kin. 17.15.and not contrarie to that lawe of the Lorde, obſerue them, and change them not. 2. Chro. 38.For though wee ſhould not bee ſtiffe-necked and vngodlie like as were ſome of them of yore, whom the Lord in his wrath deſtroyed: yet ſhould wee not refuſe to immitate them that hauehave gone before vsus in holie Religion: and to content our ſelues nowe with ſuch meete Lawes and ordinances as right well pleaſed them in the feare of God: and to knowe, that the honour of the Prince, and the obedience to lawes, and Magiſtrates, is enioyned vsus by the King of all Kinges in his holye worde, by whome (as hee ſayeth) Kinges doo raigne, and Princes prouide iuſte Lawes.
5 The altering of conſtituted Lawes,The Iewes feared the inconueniences of innouations. ſeemed ſo odious to the Iewes, that the high Prieſts (which pretended the maintenaunce and defence of the Lawe of Moſes) was not a little mooued, when the falſe witneſſes had accuſed Stephen, Act. 6.24.that hee had preached, that Ieſus of Nazareth ſhould chaunge the Ordinaunces that Moſes gaue, and this lawe that was deliuered by the miniſterie of Angels. VVhereof (indeede) Stephen was faultleſſe,Act. 7.20.38.35. as his aunſwere plainlie teſtifieth. For Moſes (ſayeth hee) was aceeptable to God, and was learned in all the wiſedome of the Egyptians, and mightie in words and deedes: hee was in the Congregation in the wilderneſſe, with the Angels which ſpake to him and with our fathers. And this was hee, who receiued the liuely Oracles (that is the Lawe and wordes of the Lorde) to giuegive vntounto vsus. And vntounto the Iewes, he ſaid: Ye hauehave receiued the Law by the ordinance of Angels, and hauehave not kept it. As for Chriſt, hee came (as himſelfe ſayth) not to deſtroy the Lawe, Chriſt came to fulfill the Law. See Cap. 12.4.but to fulfill the Law. The true ſence and meaning whereof, hee plainlie openeth in the Goſpell: and therein hee breaketh not, but ratifieth the ſtrength of good Lawes, agaynſt them, that (with the Scribes and Phariſees) inuent and preferre theyr owne Gloſſes and Traditions, to the Lawe of God, which is the ground of all good Lawes. From this Lawe may no man withdrawe anie thing: neither to this ought hee to adde any thing at all: from the rule of this Lawe, we may not erre: betweene the which, and the ſentence of the ciuill Magiſtrate, there ought to be a perpetuall affinitie and conſent.
But as the depriuation of laudable conſtitutions, and well prouided lawes, is a thing vniuſt and pernicious to humane ſocietie: ſo it is moſt certaine, that ſuch perſons doo moſt egregiouſly offend and ſinne againſt God,It is a moſt dangerous thing to go about to alter the Law of God. Apo. 22.18, 19. and the Common-wealth, that excogitate or endeuour to alter good lawes, eſpecially the Lawe diuine. For thereby they blaſpheme God, draw mens mindes from the true knowledge: and caſt ſoules headlong into no ſmall perill and danger of damnation. Therfore ſhall God adde plagues vntounto them, and take away their part out of the booke of life. But what hath occaſioned thoſe diſcontented perſons to condemne our Lawes?They hauehave no reaſon to diſcent from vsus. what hath moued them to diſcent from vsus? what reaſon hauehave they to diſtruſt vsus? why doo they thus contemne vsus? Thinke they, that wee know not good from euill? or that we would not gladly tend to the beſt, and ayme to that right good, as they would? Or are they of the minde, that wee (Chriſtian Proteſtants) doo not wiſh for,Rom. 8.19.23. and would with all our hearts ſee the adoption of the ſonnes of God, and the puritie of gouernment in either ſtate, as all good men do deſire? And are not our lawes made and ratified accordingly? would to God, that in that regard it might be ſayd to vsus: Now bleſſed are your eyes, for they ſee that, which your forefathers (from the beginning of the Creatures of God) hauehave longed to behold, Gen. 3.24. An heartie deſire of contentation. Phil. 2.2.and could not: for that Cherubim ſtande at the doore of Paradice with the bright blade. In the meane time, would to GOD wee coulde bee contented in thankefulneſſe to God, with the preſent graces freelie beſtowed on vsus, that wee may bee like minded, beeing of one accorde, and of one iudgement: that noting bee done amongst vsus through contention, or vaine-glorie: but that in meekeneſſe of minde, euerie man eſteeme other better then himſelfe (as the Apoſtle well aduiſeth vsus) that ſo God may be pleaſed.
6 But nowe let it bee,Eccles. 10.5. VVhat a change we ſhould ſoone ſee, if their conceits were anſwered. Aurelius. that all things leaned to their lure: what ſhoulde wee ſhortlie then ſee? would none of thoſe euils appeare, which Salomon once ſaw vnderunder the Sunne? Surely it is very likely, that wee ſhould hauehave a ſudden Metamorphoſis: but yet (I feare me) this ſorie change, that little learned Aurelius (as one ſayd) ſhall bee in all the haſte made Biſhop of great Carthage, Auguſtine. Arſaſius. Chryſoſtome. Nicepho. li. 3. cap. 28. Iuet.when great learned Saint Auguſtine ſhall be Biſhop in little Hippo: and ignorant Arſaſius ſhall ſucceed eloquent Chryſostome: whereat not onelyonly Simeones may wofullie exclaime, Pro pudor, quis? cui? Fie for ſhame! whom hauehave we heare? what a ſupplie is this? But alſo, Cicero his exclamation will bee therein verefied: O domus antiqua: quam diſpari Domino dominaris? VVhat Lord vnworthie thee poſſeedes, oh auntient houſe? Yea, Eliah the Prophet perceyuing it, will not omit thereupon to expoſtulate agaynſt Achab in the name of the Lorde:1. King. 21.19. VVhat! hast thou killed, and ſo taken poſſeſsion?
The inconſtancie of theſe deuiſes and altring of opinions.Beſides that, how long time would the ſame ſtate be ſuſtained and cōtinued? how conſtant? how contented? what perſeuerance? what ſtabilitie? It is thought, that the rule of Iſocrates, would ſound but prophane in their eares, foreign: Affect the ſtate preſent:Iſocrates. or be wel contented with the preſent things: and that alſo of Syracides woulde ſeeme loathſome: My ſonne (ſaith hee) make much of the time: Ecclus. 4.20.Cleo a buſie headed perſonFor why? the buſie headed Cleo cannot be quiet (as the Greeke Hyſtorie telleth) hee commenceth Orations with ouglie outcries, he renteth his garments, he heateth on his thighes, he ſhuffleth with his feete, and runneth too & fro on the ſtage. So theſe fools that leaue their owne neſts,Ecclus. 27.11. Pro. 27.8. wil not long abide contented, but vntounto them foreign: Euer irkeſome is the preſent ſtate: Thucidides.as ſayde Thucidides touching gouernments: And a verie difficile thing it ſhall be for them (as Ariſtotle ſaieth) to containe themſelues within the compaſſe of their owne decrees.Lib. 3. Eth.
VVhat a ſtur they make in Church matters. Their choiſe of diets.7 But yet let vsus further heare, what a ſhuffling they make in the church: Apollo is very wel learned, ſayth one: Paule is better then Apollo, ſaieth another: but Peter goeth for my money ſaith the third man. Againe, as for Dauid, he with a ruſticall harpe twangeth Paſtor-like: but Salomon hath a courtlike phraſe. Moſes alſo falleth vnderunder their cenſure, and he ſtutteth without eloquence: and Amos is but a plaine ſot, more meete for the Countrey, then the Court. Michaeas is too eager againſt Achab: ſo is Eliah againſt Ieſabel: ſo is Iohn agaynſt Herod: but the Prophets of Baal pleaſe them both right well.They proceed from cenſures to accuſatiōs, ſlaunders, perſecutions, &c. Pasſhur will not ſticke to bobbe Ieremie on the face: and Paule being in diſlike, anon is brought to the barre to be arraigned, where he is both accuſed by Tartullus, threatned by the Iewes, and ſtriken at the cō maundement of Annanias. Neither may they be diſſwaded from their opinion (ſo full of enuie is the Serpents head) though that Boanarges the ſonnes of thunder, ſhould ſound the worde in their eares. No,Boanarges. Mark. 3.17. nor yet, though that verie Prophet ſhould admoniſh them, whoſe voice not to heare, deſerueth an extirpation frō the people of God. Is not this good diuinitie?
Such ſhaking reeds declare their weake foundations, when no ſtate, no condition, no good order can content or pleaſe them long. Simon Magus may be a dayly hearer of the Sermons,The tree is knowne by the fruites. and words of Peter, and of the other Apoſtles and diſciples of Chriſt, as a moſt feruent louer of the true doctrine: he may alſo come to the baptiſme, and take the externall ſigne of a true Chriſtian, and ſo forth: howbeit, if he be couetous and worldly minded, if he chop and chaunge the diuine Graces for a filthie ſumme of money: if he ſeeke and hunt after the vaine-glorie and praiſe of men: If Simon, notwitſtanding his profeſsion, hauehave an vnquiet ſpirit, and bee not yet well eſtabliſhed in the truth without hypocriſie (which truth as Philemon writeth, hath a more faire beautie then that which anie painter or carrier in the world canfeigne) he ſhall ſoone decipher himſelfe: for nothing feigned can bee of long continuance. So Caine, ſo Saule, ſo Demas, ſo Iudas, ſo Nicholas, ſo Iulian the Apoſtate, are in the end well knowne by their works and endeuours, as the trees are by their fruits. Thus alſo hauehave theſe ſtraunge conceited perſons egregiouſly declared themſelues, notwithſtanding their bombaſed words and angelical ſhew of holy deuotion, that not onelyonly wiſe men, who hauehave their eyes in their heads, but alſo little boyes and yong children may eaſily perceiue their palpable and groſſe infirmities, ſlidings, and fins, beyond many other mens faults, howſoeuer they diſſemble them to themſelues: and wee doo plainlie diſcerne, that they both much diſcent from the pure ſpirite, meeke mindes, godly louelove, humilitie, and ſinceritie of Chriſt, and his Apoſtles, Diſciples and Martyrs; and alſo are farre eſtranged from that ſimple ſpirit, and godly integritie of thoſe gratefull men that liued of yore in that golden age of the worlde,The gratefull men of the old time. the which the moſt antient and beſt Poets and Philoſophers hauehave commended with high praiſes to the people: perſwading them to aſſay to reſemble them therin, as thoſe which are ſet forth and remembred for worthy patterns of immitation to all poſterities.
Arat. Sol. 63.8 The antient Poet Aratus, writing of that golden age, and of them that liued in the ſame, hath among other, theſe verſes:
Men knew not then pernitious brawles.
nor that contentious ſtrife:
Nor yet had broacht ſedition fell,
the foe to quiet life.
But this golden age is paſt, and ſithence that, a copper world hath ſucceeded a ſiluer world. It is true and therfore hauehave men the more cauſe to looke to themſelues. Wel then, let vsus giuegive eare to the doctrine, of our chiefe paſtor Chriſt, and do that which is commanded therein, then ſhall we be builded ſo ſure on the Rocke, that all the noyſome ſtormes and winds in the world ſhall not ſhake vsus downe. They that obſerue not this, ſtande fleeting on the ſand: they be not of any continuance, nor free from great annoyes.