Against Human Ceremonies in Gods Worship, Part 1 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Sect. 2. Concerning the good and evill, which our Convocations have done.
AMong the Objections mentioned against our Convocations, one appendix was, that in memory of man they never concluded any thing for the com…on good of the Church, more than by others was better done … their hands: but much evill hath come from them, and more …ould, if their commission had served thereto. Now because …his is a weighty charge, and enough to sleight all their …uthority, if it be true, tis worthy to be severally, and di…igently considered, what their Advocate can alledge to the contrary. If in this point he be brought to a nihil di…it, then let him for ever holde his peace about such Convocations.
1. The first answer is, that the accusation is not true, un…esse the Agreement of the Articles of Faith, and Religion were not good. But 1. this being graunted to be good, yet the accusation may be true, because this Act of An. 1571. can hardly be sayd to have beene concluded within the memory of man. 2. It may well be quaestioned whether in this, our Convocation hath done that which was not better done to their hands. To which purpose it shall not be extravagant, nor unprofitable, to compare a little the Articles as they were set forth in King Edwards dayes, Anno 1552. with the edition which the Convocation of Anno 1571. hath left us. In the former we find this Article De Gratia. Gratia Christi, seu Spiritus Sanctus qui per eundem datur, cor lapideum ausert, & dat cor carneum: ex nolentibus qua recta sunt, volentes facit, & ex volentibus prava, nolentes reddit.The Grace of Christ, or the Holy Spirit which is given by him, takes away the heart of stone, and gives an heart of flesh; such as were unwilling to things lawfull, he makes willing; and such as willed things unlawfull, he makes unwilling. Which Article is, I know not wherefore, left out in the later edition. This I am sure of, that if the sayd Article had beene renued in the same manner as it was first set downe, it had beene one barre more than now is found against those among us which follow Arminius, and his Remonstrants, & one warrant for publique preaching against them, Secondly, in the Ar…i…le of Iustification, it was before sayd, that the doctrine by sole faith in that sense in which it is explained in the Homily of Iustif…cation, E… sensu quo in Homilia de Iustif…catione explicatur.is most certaine; Now in the later edition this most certaine is left out, and for co sensu is putt in an ambiguous terme ut. Whatsoever was the occasion or meaning of this change, the former words were more full against those that broach new doctrines about Iustification, such as Dr. Iackson doeth in his booke of Iustifying Faith. Thirdly, in the Article o… Sacraments, the former editiō had, that the efficacy of thē is not from the worke done, Ex opere operato, qu… vox ut per…ira est, & … lite is … minime …um, … adn…d…m superstitusum.which expression (in their Latine) as it is strange, and not knowne in holy writt, so it carrieth w…th it a sense savouring little of piety, but much of superstition. Which words, if they had beene still retained, (as they are not) some superstitious conceites about the Sacramē …s might by them have beene suppressed. Fourthly, In the Article De Coena Domini, the olde edition had theis words: Seing it is required to the true being of humaine nature, Q…m naturae hu…anae veri…as requirat, ut umus etusdem, a… homi…is corpus in multis locis simul esse non possit, sed in uno aliquo, & definit… loco esse operteat, ideirco Christi corpus in multis, & diversis locis, eodem tempore praesens esse non potest. Et quontam (ut tradunt sacrae literae) Christus in coelum fuit sublatus, & ibi usque ad finem seculi est permansurus, non debet quisguam fidelium carnis eius, & sanguinis realem, & corporalem (ut l…quūtur) praesentiam in Eucharistiâ vel credere, vel profiteri.that the body of one, and the same man cannot be in many places at …ce, but must be in some one definite place, therefore the body … Christ cannot be present in many, and diverse places at the …me time. And because (as holy Scriptures deliver to us) …hrist was taken up into heaven, and is there to remaine unto …he end of the world, none of the faithfull ought to believe, or …rofesse any reall, and (as they speake) corporall presence of his …esh and bloud in the Sacrament. In the new edition all …his is blotted out: which yet had good use against the …utheran errour of Consubstantiatiō. Fiftly, In the Ar…cle of Traditions, theis words (not found in the former …dition) are conveyed into the later. Every particular, or …ational church hath authority of instituting, chāging, or abro…ating Cere. or Ecclesiasticall rites instituted onelyonly by humaine …uthority, so that all be done to aedification. This addition …emeth to be added for the better advauncing of hu…aine Ceremonies. Sixtly; The Article about the books …f forme, is very much transformed to the wronging of …ubscribers.Quaelibet Ecclesia particularis, sive nationalis, authoritatem habet instituendi, mutandi, aut abrogandi Ceremonias, aut …itus Ecclesiasticos, humanâ tā tùm authoritate institutes; modo omnia ad aedificationem fiant. For formerly it affirmed onelyonly that the …ooke of service, and that of Ordination of Ministers … farr as c…ncerned trueth of d…ctrine are good &c. but …ow in the later, this limitation (quoad doctrinae verita…m) is left out, and in stead thereof is added,Quoad doctrina veritatem. that the …ooke of Consecration, and Or…ination containeth …l things necessary thereunto, and that it hath no…hing in it of it selfe either superstitious or impious, and …hat all that be consecrated, and ordained according …o it, are orderly, and lawfully consecrated, and or…eined.
Theis changes well considered, I thinke D. B. himselfe will confesse that there was no great good done in the second edition of the Articles concerning Faith, and Religion: Yet be it so, that this was a good worke of our Convocation, what a poore commendation is one good worke, of a Mother-Church in a whole generation or age of her children?Pauperis est tumerare peous. Tis for the poore to tell their store. But for a shepheard, in numbring of his flock to see them brought to one head, what should he say but bemoane himselfe with Alas! and weel a day?
2. The second answer is, that Convocations doe good sometimes, in confirming what was decreed before. Which is sometime true, viz. If the things decreed before, were of themselves good, and had need of the Convocations confirmation. But sometime such confirmations are onelyonly for fashion-sake; As when the Councell of Trent confirmed the Holy Scripture, the Apostolicall Creed &c. and then there is very little, or no good done, more than was formerly done to their hands. Any other confirmation of good, I doe not know our Convocations to be guilty of, nor can I understand, when, whence, and how the Convocation had Commission to confirme any thing, without making of new Canons. A Law of Confirmation is necessary to Canons: but Canons of confirmation are not necessary to Lawes established. Neither can it be shewed that so much hath beene given or committed to the Convocation. Nor if it were, could that be done without Canons (in some respect) new. And so much (it seemeth) Dr. B. knew, from whence it is that he addeth; Or if they have done nothing, …ecause they have had no commission, to which they are limited …y Act of Parliament, where lyeth the blame? If they have …one nothing! What a miserable supposition is this? To …oe nothing in so long a time, is to be no Synode, no Mother-Church, nor good Milk-nurse, but a dead Car…asse, bearing an empty name of both. If they had no …ommission to doe good, they had no commission to be … Mother-Church. If the Parliament hath limited them …o a commission, it was because they durst not trust …hem without. Yet the blame of not doing good cannot …ye upon the Parliament, because they never sought to …t, or by it, for a commission of doing any good; Nor yet of the Kings Majesty, (where the Rej. seemeth to leave …t) except they have declared what necessity there was …hey should doe some good, and to that intent made petition for a commission; Let it lye therefore upon the convocation it selfe, which repraesenteth, as an Image, or maketh shew of some good but doth none at all.
3. The third answer is; That in the booke of Canons were many good provisions for more plentifull preaching, and …edressing the abuses of Ecclesiasticall Courts, which would have done much good, if they had beene as carefully executed as they were made. But 1. so there was also in the Councell of Trent, many Canons of Reformation, at most of their sessions, nay such, as (without any straining) goe farre beyond those that are found in our Canons. As for example, in the fift Session, under Paulus 3. it was decreed that expounding of the Scripture should be diligently observed in all Cathedrall Churches, and also in other places where any stipend was, or may be had, and that Praebends, for that cause absent from their Chapiter, should enjoy their dividents, as if they were present. And that all Parish Priests should be compelled to teach their people, at the least on the Lords day, and in solemne feasts. In the sixt session, the Auntient Canons are revived which were made against Bishops that buisy themselves in Princes Courts, or other where with secular affaires, and so are either non residents, or non-praedicants. In the seventh, it is ordered that all collations of benefices be upon able men, and such as will be resident upon the same, under great penalties. Pluralities also are abolished, or made nullities. In the fift session under Pius 4. all taking of money for Orders, for letters testimoniall, for seales by Bishops, is condemned as simony: Nay, the Notaries, or Secretaries are forbidden to take any thing except they have no wages▪ (& then also, not above the tenth part of one Crowne) under great penalties. It is also under like penalties decreed, that none be ordeined (except upon necessity, and then with patrimony, or pension sufficient to live on) which have not an Ecclesiasticall Benefice, or special… charge. Moreover, it is decreed, that honest unlearned Parish-Priests should have learned Coadjutors adjoyned to them upon their charges, and that scandalous Priest… should be either reformed, or removed. In the seventh Session, non-residency both of Bishops, and Curates, is againe condemned, as a mortall sinne. And (which D. Bancroft would have called English Scotizing, or Scottish Genevating, if it had beene but mentioned in his Convocation) it was appointed, that the names of those which …esired to be ordeined, should be the monethmonth before, …ubliquely proclaimed in the Church, and diligent in…uisition made concerning their life, and manners. It …so confirmed that none should be ordeined, that is …ot designed to a certaine place of ministery. In the …ight Session it is injoyned to Bishops as their principall …ffice, to preach diligently in their Churches, and that …n all Parishes at least thrice a weeke, there should be prea…hing. And that one man should have but one Benefice …equiring residence &c. With what syncerity theis, and …uch Canons of Reformation were propounded, is to …e seene in the History of that Councell. But in verball provisions it is evident that that Conventicle was not behinde our Convocation, but rather ledde her the way, & taught her how to dissemble as if shee had set downe among other Canons, Who knowes not how to feigne, Qui nosci… simulare, noscit regnare.he knowes not how to reigne.
Secondly: That provision which is here added (if those Canons had beene carefully executed) is as bald as any of the Canons. For 1. the quaestion being of doing good, we are tolde they proceeded so farre that they had done some good, if they had come to execution, that is, to doing of good, and not pretending it onelyonly. 2. To whom did it belong to see good Canons executed, but to Archbishops, Bishops, Deanes, Arch-deacons, which were the makers of them? Had they commission both to make badde Canons, and execute them; but to make onelyonly good, and so leave them without execution? 3. This whole Plea is, as if for the cursed figtree, which brought forth no fruite, one should have alleadged that it brought forth leaves, and so made good provision for fruite, if fruite had followed answerable to the leaves. 4. What provision was made for preaching if it were fully …xecu…ed, D. B. in his Apology, in the 67. page of D. Covel, sheweth thus. By the Canons, no piece of the service must give way to a Sermon, or any other respect, which computed with the accessory occasions of Christenings, Burialls, Mariages, and Communions, which fall out all at some times, some at all times in many Congregations, doeth necessarily pretend, if not a purpose, yet a consequence of devouring of preaching, and so not widowes houses, but Gods house, under pretense of long prayers, while neither the time, nor the ministers strength, nor peoples patience can beare that taske of reading and preac…ing too. Of which intention if we be affraid, who can marvell, that either shall observe my L…rd of Londons motion, for a praying ministry as more needfull in a Church planted, than preaching, as his speeches since also have professed: or that shall marke how some Canons are planted against Lectures in Market-townes, whereby the light hath spread to many darke places, and withall how skilfu…y all his Majesties godly purposes against the ignorant, negligent, and scandalous Ministers, have beene not so much delayed, as deluded, and the offenders covered &c. 5. If some little good had come from the Convocation about their Courts, yet that being covered, and overwhelmed with so great evill which came from thence, as the remooving, or excluding of a thousand good preachers, the vexing, and disturbing of tenne thousand good Christians, (I speake within compasse of trueth) should …e no more doing of good, than the leaving or sticking …owne of a feather was by him that stole the goose.
All theis things being will considered, he that should …reach to the Convocation, may well take up, and repeate Mr. Latimers words uttered before the same Assembly in the 28. yeare of Henry 8. The fruite of your consultation shall shew what generation yee be of. What have yee done hitherto, I pray you? What one thing that the people of England hath beene better for of an haire? or you your selves, either more accepted before God, or better discharged toward the people committed unto your cure? For, that the people is better learned, and taught now than they were in time past, to whether of theis ought we to attribute it, to your industry, or to the providence of God, and the foreseeing of the Kings Grace? What did yee, so great Fathers, so many, so long a season, so oft assembled together, wherby Christ is more glorified, or his people made more holy? I appeale to your owne consciences. Mr. Latimer in this charge, excepteth two exploits of that Convocation; One that they burned a dead man, who had withstood their profit; the other, that they went about to rake another in the coales, because he would not subscribe to certaine of their Articles. Such like exceptions may be made for our convocation, and those multiplied to a great number. But he that should make them must looke for no other fee, or thanks, for such allegations, than Latimer was rewarded with, who (not long after this Sermon preached) was driven not only to cease from preaching, but also to take up his lodging in the Tower.