Defense Doubts Hopes and Reasons for Refusal of the Oath Imposed, Part 4
4. Partic. Their perpetuity not to be changed.
The 17. DOUBT.
How farre this perpetuity propounded is to be applyed to the Diſcipline or Government of the Church.17. Particular Doubt.
THE REASON.
BEcauſe, as before hath been obſerved, Diſcipline and Government ſeeme (at the beginning of the Oath) to be the ſame; and in this part of it, wee find no cauſe to divide them: and then our Doubt is, Why, a great part of the Diſcipline and Government conſiſting in Conſtitutions concerning Ceremonies, and other things of alterable nature (asgThe accidentall points of Government (as the manner of electing Miniſters, the kind of Diſcipline, accidentall Ceremonies, and other ſuch like Rites and Circumſtances, may bee varied according to time, place, and perſons. Archb. Whitgift in a Note of dangerous points of the Doctrine of T.C. preſently after the Preface. nu. 19. The like hath Biſh. Hall in his Apology againſt the Browniſts. p. 595, 596. Archbiſh. Whitgift acknowledgeth) wee ſhould ſweare to a perpetuity: whereby we conceive we ſhall croſſe, at leaſt the intent of the 34. Article (to which the Clergy have ſubſcribed) which ſaith, Every particular, or nationall Church hath authority to ordaine, hThe like we have noted before out of the Preface of our Service Booke.change, and aboliſh Ceremonies or Rites of the Church, ordained onelyonly by mans Authority, ſo that all things bee done to edifying: and withall, ſhall much impeach the freedome of future Synods: for they that are foreſtalled with an Oath againſt change, cannot bee ſo free to change (when juſt occaſion requireth) as they ſhould be.
It is an exception made by the Divines of Aberdene, againſt the Oath of the Covenant in Scotland, iThe generall Demands of the Miniſters and Profeſſors of Aberdene. Deman. 10. p. 26That it taketh away all hope of a free Aſſembly or Parliament, to judge of the matter preſently debated: for how can thoſe (ſay they) vote freely of any matter propounded to deciſion, and deliberation of the Church and State, who have already ſworne to adhere to one part of the Queſtion.
And our dread Soveraigne in his large Declaration ſheweth,kThe Kings Declar. concerning the Tumults in Scotl. p. 330. That points of Diſcipline, Government, and Policy of the Church (even in Scotland) are declared by Act of Parliament, Act. 20.21. to bee alterable at the will of the Church it ſelfe, and ſo repealable by ſucceeding Acts, if the Church ſhall ſee cauſe. And our Church to this day doth profeſſe a purpoſe and deſire of alteration of Diſcipline; for, in the beginning of the Commination in our Service Booke, theſe are her words: Brethren, in the Primitive Church, there was a godly Diſcipline, that at the beginning of Lent, ſuch perſons as were notorious ſinners, were put to open penance, &c. In ſtead whereof, untill the ſaid Diſcipline may be reſtored again (which thing is much to be wiſhed) it is thought good, &c. the ſame deſire appeareth in the Synod atlThe Councell of Challons held an. 813. Can. 25. Sympſ. of the Church. p. 560, 561. Challons, decreeing an intreaty to bee preſented to the Emperour, That the ancient Diſcipline may bee reſtored againe; and that they who ſin publickly, may bee brought to publick repentance, and every man (according as he deſerveth) may either bee excommunicated, or reconciled.
And for Excommunication (in particular) which is a chiefe point of Diſcipline or Government (of whichm1. Whether the name might not be altered: 2. Whether in place of it another coercion might not be invented. Conſer. at Hamp. Court. pag. 19. King James propounded an alteration both for the name and thing, &c. we conceive it not onelyonly alterable from that which is now, but (being more frequently inflicted for non-appearance, then for the fouleneſſe of the offence, when it doth appeare) meet to be altered and reformed, according to thenSee Reform. leg. Eccleſ. à ſol. 80. ad 90. See alſo the form. of the ſent. of Excomm. in certaine Canons of the Synod. 1571. p. 29.30. Conſtitutions and Orders publiſhed by King Henry the eighth, and King Edward the ſixth; and in the laſt Synod the caſe is much altered with Biſhops in their Government: for, whereas formerly they were free to propound what Articles they thought good in their viſitations,oCan. 9. Now (to prevent juſt aggrievances, which may bee laid upon Church-wardens, and other Sworn-men, by impertinent, inconvenient, or illegall inquiries) this laſt Synod hath cauſed a ſummary, or collection of Viſitatory Articles (out of the Rubricke of the Service Booke, and the Canons, and warrantable Rules of the Church) to be made: which Biſhops, and other Ordinaries, are to follow in their Viſitations, and none other. And in divers particulars the Authority of Chancellours ispSee the Confer. at Hampt. Court, how their authority is altered by reſtraint. pag. 77, 78. particularly for Excommunication. altered, as may appeare by the 11, 13, 14, 15, 17. Canons of the late Synod. And why another Synod may not (if there bee cauſe) make other alterations, we know not, and we beleeve they may; and that there may be need they ſhould doe ſo: and therefore that we may not take an Oath that wee will not conſent to alter that, which is of an alterable nature.
Object. If it be ſaid, that Government is here taken as diſtinguiſhed from Diſcipline; and that Diſcipline may bee altered, while the Government is not: wee ſay,
Anſw. 1. That we find no ground in the Oath for that diſtinction; and wee have ſhewed before, that in the former part, they ſignifie (as Synonyma) the ſame things.
Secondly, if wee take the Government for that of the Biſhops preheminence over the Presbyters, though Biſhop Hall averre with a confidence belonging to the Creed,qBiſh. Hall of Epiſcopacy. part. 2 ſect. 2. pag. 129. That the Government by Biſhops is both univerſall and unalterable: and ſo was rIbid. p. 132, 133.intended by the Apoſtles in their ordinance of them; and therefore is ſIbid. p. 135.utterly indiſpenſable, and muſt ſo continue to the worlds end: yet ſome, who have been more exerciſed in the controverſie of Epiſcopall Authority then hee (if we may make our compariſon by what is publiſhed in print) and who thinke ſo well of that Prelation, as to hold it as of Apoſtolicall Inſtitution, confeſſe,tBiſh. Downh. anſw. to the Preface of the Refuter of his Serm. p. 9. That the Government by Biſhops is not generally, perpetually, and immutably neceſſary: and it may be that which the Archbiſhop of Canterbury that now is, hath ſaid of Government in generall, may have an application to this point in particular (though hee meant it not ſo)uArchb. Laud in his Epiſt. De dic. before his Starrechamb. Speech. This (ſaith hee) I ſhall be bold to ſay, and your Majeſty may conſider of it in your wiſedome, that one way of Government is not alwayes fit, or ſafe, when the humours of the people are in a continuall change.
Thirdly, there is an alteration in Government, when they that govern have leſſe Authority then they have had, as by the laſt Canons wee have obſerved, both of Biſhops and Chancellours.
Fourthly, there may be yet a further alteration for the better, without digreſſion from the old way to Novelty, or from the high way (the right road way of ſuch as are truly religious) to Schiſme; which (if the reverend Fathers will give us leave) wee will undertake to ſhew by ſuch evidence, as in this caſe is of greateſt weight.
Wee dare not then take an Oath againſt alteration, leſt therewith wee ſhould forſweare a meet Reformation of the Church; which any Church may need, that hath leſſe aſſiſtance of the Spirit then the Prophets of the Old Teſtament, and the Apoſtles of the New; and of all of them we muſt hold, as thexThe L. Archbiſh. that now is, in his Anſw. to A.C. pag. 91. Archbiſhop hath very well ſaid in his anſwer to the Jeſuit, Such an aſsiſtance of Chriſt and the holy Spirit, the Prophets under the Old Teſtament had, and the Apostles under the New; as neither the high Prieſt with his Clergie in the Old, nor any company of Prelates or Prieſts in the New (ſince the Apoſtles) ever had.