The Unreasonableness of Separation, Part 1 · Section 3
Sect. 3. Thus matters stood as to Communion with our Church in the days of Edward VI. but as soon as the Persecution began in Queen Mary's time, great numbers were forced to betake themselves to foreign parts,Letters of the Martyrs, p. 50. whereof some went to Zurick, others to Basil, others to Strasburg, and others to Frankford. Grindal in a Letter to B. Ridley, saith they were nigh 100 Students and Ministers then in Exile: These, with the people in all other places, Geneva excepted, kept to the Orders established in our Church; but at Frankford some began to be very busie in Reforming our Liturgy, leaving out many things, and adding others; which occasioned the following Troubles of Frankford. The true ground whereof is commonly much mis-represented.Plea for Peace, p. 1…0. Mr. Baxter saith, The difference was between those which strove for the English Liturgy, and others that were for a free-way of praying, i.e. as he explains it, from the present sense and habit of the Speaker: but that this is a great mistake, will appear from the account published of them, A. D. 1575. by one that was a Friend to the Dissenting Party. From which it appears, That no sooner were the English arriv'd at Frankford, but the Minister of the French Congregation there, came to them and told them, he had obtained from the Magistrates the freedom of a Church for those who came out of England, but especially for the French; they thanked him and the Magistrates for so much kindness, but withal let them understand this would be little benefit to the English, unless they might have the liberty of performing all the Offices of Religion in their own Tongue Upon an Address made to the Senate, this request was granted them; and they were to make use of the French Church at different times, as the French and they could agree, but with this express Proviso, that they should not dissent from the French in Doctrine, or Ceremonies, lest they should thereby Minister occasion of offence. But afterwards, it seems, the Magistrates did not require them to be strictly tied up to the French Ceremonies, so they did mutually agree. Upon this, they perused the English Order, and endeavour'd to bring it as near as they could to the French Model, by leaving out the Responses, the Letany, Surplice, and many other things; and adding a larger Confession, more suitable to the State and Time; after which a Psalm was Sung; then the Minister, after a short Prayer for Divine Assistance (according to Calvins Custom) was to proceed to the Sermon; which being ended, then followed a General Prayer for all Estates, particularly for England, ending with the Lords Prayer; and so repeating the Articles of the Creed, and another Psalm Sung, the People were dismissed with the Blessing. By which we see, here was not the least controversie, whether a Liturgy or not; but whether the Order of Service was not to be accommodated, as much as might be, to the French Model. However, when they sent to the English in other places to resort thither, by reason of the great Conveniencies they enjoy'd, and acquainted them with what they had done; it gave great offence to them, which they expressed in their Letters. Those of Zurick sent them word, They determined to use no other Order, than that which was last established in England; and in another Letter, They desire to be assured from them, that if they removed thither, they should all joyn in the same Order of Service concerning Religion, which was in England last set forth by King Edward. To this the Congregation of Frankford returned Answer, That they could not, in all points, warrant the Full Vse of the Book of Service, which they impute to their present Circumstances, in which they suppose such Alterations would be allowed; but they intended not hereby to deface the worthy Lawes and Ordinances of King Edward. These Learned Men of Strasburg, understanding their resolutions, send Grindall to them with a Letter subscribed by 16; wherein they intreat them, To reduce the English Church there, as much as possible, to the Order lately set forth in England, lest, say they, by much altering of the same, they should seem to condemn the chief Authors thereof, who, as they now suffer, so are they most ready to confirm that fact with the price of their Bloods; and should also both give occasion to our Adversaries to accuse our Doctrine of Imperfection, and us of Mutability; and the Godly to Doubt of that Truth wherein before they were perswaded, and to hinder their coming thither, which before they had purposed. And to obtain their desire, they tell them, They had sent Persons for that end to Negotiate this Affair with the Magistrates, and, in case they obtained their Request, they promised to come and joyn with them; and they did not question the English in other places would do the same. Notwithstanding the weight of these Reasons, and the desireableness of their Brethrens company in that time of Exile, they persist in their former resolutions, not to have the Entire English Liturgy; for by this time Knox was come from Geneva, being chosen Minister of the Congregation: However, they returned this Answer to Strasburg, That they made as little Alteration as was possible; Page 19.for, certain Ceremonies the Country would not bear; and they did not dissent from those which lie at the Ransom of their Bloods for the Doctrine, whereof they have made a most worthy Confession. Page 21.About this time, some suggested, that they should take the Order of Geneva, as farthest from Superstition; but Knox declined this, till they had advised with the Learned Men at Strasburg, Zurick, Emden, &c. knowing, that the Odium of it would be thrown upon him. But finding their Zeal and Concernment for the English Liturgy, he, with Whittingham, and some others, drew up an Abstract of it,Calvin, Ep. 164. and sent it to Calvin, desiring his Judgment of it. Who, upon perusal of it, being throughly heated in a Cause, that so nearly concerned him, writes a very sharp Letter, directed to the Brethren at Frankford; gently Rebuking them for their unseasonable Contentions about these matters, but severely Reproving the English Divines who stood up for the English Liturgy, when the Model of Geneva stood in Competition with it. And yet after all his Censures of it, he Confesses. The things he thought most unfit, were Tolerable; but he blames them, if they did not choose a better, when they might choose; but he gives not the least incouragement to Separation if it were continued; and he declares for his own part, how easie he was to yield, in all indifferent things, such as External Rites are. And he was so far, in his Judgment, from being for Free Prayer, or making the constant use of a Liturgy a Ground of Separation, as Dr. O. doth, that when he delivered his Opinion, with the greatest Freedom, to the then Protector, about the best method of Reformation, he declares, That he did mightily approve a Certain Form, from which Men ought not to vary, Ep. 55.both to prevent the inconveniencies which some Mens folly would betray them to, in the free way of Praying; and to manifest the General Consent of the Churches in their Prayers; and to stop the vain affectation of some who love to be shewing some new things. Let Mr. Br. now Judge, Whether it were likely that the Controversie then at Frankford, was, as he saith, between them that were for the English Liturgy, and others that were for a free way of Praying; when Calvin, to whom the Dissenters appealed, was so much, in his Judgment, against the latter. And it appears,Ep. 165. by Calvin's Letter to Cox and his Brethren, that the State of the Case at Frankford had not been truly represented to him; which made him Write with greater sharpness than otherwise he would have done; and he expresses his satisfaction, that the matter was so composed among them, when by Dr. Cox his means, the English Liturgy was brought into use at Frankford. And to excuse himself for his liberal censures before, he mentions Lights, as required by the Book, which were not in the second Liturgy of Edward the Sixth. So that either they deceived him, who sent him the Abstract; or he was put to this miserable shift to defend himself; the matter being ended contrary to his expectation. For, although upon the receipt of Calvin's Letter, the Order of Geneva had like to have been presently voted in,Tr. of Fr. p. 30. yet there being still some Fast Friends to the English Service, they were fain to compromise the matter, and to make use of a Mixt Form for the present. But, Dr. Cox, and others, coming thither from England, and misliking these Alterations, declared. That they were for having the Face of an English Church there;Page 31. and so they began the Letany next Sunday; which put Knox into so great a Rage, that in stead of pursuing his Text (which was directly contrary) he made it his business, to lay open the nakedness of our Church, as far as his Wit and Ill Will would carry him. He charged the Service-Book with Superstition, Impurity, and Imperfection; and the Governors of our Church with slackness in Reformation, want of Discipline, with the business of Hooper, allowing Pluralities; all the ill things he could think on. When Cox and his Party (with whom, at this time, was our excellent Iewel) were admitted among them, they presently forbad Knox having any thing farther to do in that Congregation; who being complained of soon after for Treason against the Emperor, in a Book by him Published, he was forced to leave the City, and to retire to Geneva; whither most of his Party followed him. And thus saith Grindal, in his Letter to Bishop Ridley, The Church at Frankford was well quieted by the Prudence of Mr. Cox, and others, which met there for that purpose.