Works of Joseph Hall, Section 11 – Section 12
SECT. XI.
BVT tell vsus then, what ſhould hauehave beene done? The Goſpell ſhould hauehave beene eueryevery where preached; All conuerts ſhould hauehave beene ſingled out,Conſtitution of the Church of England. Barrow and Greenew. paſſim. and hauehave giuen a voluntary and particular confeſſion of their Faith, and Repentance. I anſwer you: The Goſpell was long and worthily preached in the daies of King Edward; enough to yeeld both Martyrs to the ſtake, and Profeſſors to the ſucceeding times. Were their holy Sermons, their learned writings, and their precious bloud (which was no leſſe vocall) of no force? Afterwards, in the beginning of Famous Queene Elizabeths reparation, what confluence was there of zealous Confeſſors returning now from their late exile? How painfully and diuinely did they labour in this Vineyard of God? How did they (with their many holy Partners, which had ſhrowded themſelues during that ſtorme of perſecution, in a dangerous ſecrecie) ſpread themſelues ouer this Land, and each-where drew ſtockes of hearers to them, and with them? Is all this nothing to their ingratefull Poſteritie? If you murmure that there were no more, take heed leſt you forget there were ſo many: for vsus, we doe ſeriouſly bleſſe God for theſe, and triumph in them.
All this premiſed; now comes a Chriſtian Edict from the State, that eueryevery man ſhall yeeld obedience to this Truth, wherein they had beene thus inſtructed: It was performed by the moſt; whoſe ſubmiſſion, what was it but an actuall profeſſion of their faith, and repentance? And ſince ſuch was their face, who dares iudge of their hearts? More than this, if euer can be ſhewed abſolutely neceſſary in ſuch a State of the Church to the very conſtitution, and repaired being thereof, I doe here vow neuer to take the Church of England for my Mother.
Wee know, and grieue to ſee how ſcornfully your whole Sect,H. Anſw. Coū terp. and amongſt the reſt your reſolute Doctor turnes ouer theſe gracious entrances & proceedings of theſe two Royall and bleſſed Reformers; and whom ſhould hee finde to raiſe his ſcoffes vponupon, but that Saint-like Hiſtorian M. Fox? Act. & Monu. Edit. 5. p. 1180.Now (ſaies Maſter Fox) a new face of things began to appeare, as it were in a Stage, new Players comming in, the old thruſt out: Now (ſaith your Doctors Comment) new Biſhops came in,Counterp. 226. as Players vponupon the old ſtage of the Popiſh Church, as if the Church were no whit altered, but the men: Shall we ſay, this is too much malice, or too little wit, and conſcience? Euen in the Lord Protectors daies, that holy man reports, that after the Scriptures reſtored, and Maſſes aboliſhed, greater things followed theſe ſofter beginnings, in the reformation of the Churches:P. Martyr P. Fagius. Bucer, &c. Learned and godly Diuines were called for from forraine parts, a ſeparation was made (though not ſo much willing, as wilfull) of open and manifeſt Aduerſaries from Profeſſors, whether true or diſſembled: Commiſſioners were appointed to viſit eueryevery ſeuerall Dioceſſe. EueryEvery Bench of them had ſeuerall godly and learned Preachers to inſtruct the people in the truth, and to diſſwade them from Idolatry and Superſtition. The Popes Supremacy not thruſt, but taught downe: All wil-worſhip whatſoeuer, oppugned by publike Sermons: Images deſtroyed, Pilgrimages forbidden, the Sacraments inioyned to be reuerently and holily miniſtred, Eccleſiaſticall perſons reformed in life, in Doctrine: Proceſſions laid downe, Preſence and attendance vponupon Gods word commanded, the holy expending of Sabbath daies appointed, due preparation to Gods table called for, ſet times of teaching inioyned to Biſhops and other Miniſters, all Shrines and Monuments of Idolatry required to bee vtterly taken from publike and priuate houſes: All this, before his Parliament: By that,Six Articles. 1547. Pag. 1182. Col. 2.60. all bloody lawes againſt Gods truth were repealed, zealous Preachers encouraged, ſo as (ſaith that worthy Hiſtorian) God was much glorified, and the people in many places greatly edified. What need I goe further than this firſt yeere? Heare this and be aſhamed, and aſſure your ſelues, that no man can euer reade thoſe holy Monuments of the Church, but muſt needs ſpet at your ſeparation. After that ſweet and hopefull Prince, what his Renowned Siſter Queene ELIzABETH did, the preſent times doe ſpeake, and the future ſhall ſpeake, when all theſe Murmurers ſhall ſleepe in the duſt. The publike Diſputations, zealous preachings, reſtaurations of baniſhed Religion and men, Extirpations of Idolatry, Chriſtian Lawes, wiſe and holy proceedings, and renewed couenants with God, are ſtill freſh in the memories of ſome, and in the eares of all; ſo as all the World will iuſtly ſay, you hauehave loſt ſhame with Truth, in denying it: Yea, to fetch the matter yet further, If the Reader ſhall looke backe to the dayes of their puiſſant Father King HENRY the Eighth,Act & Monu. p. 999. & 1000. he cannot but acknowledge (eſpecially during the time of Queene ANNE, and before thoſe ſix bloudie Articles) a true face of a Church (though ouer-ſpred with ſome Morphue of corruptions) and ſome commendable forwardneſſe of Reformation: for both the Popes Supremacie was abrogated, the true Doctrine of Iuſtification commonly taught, confidence in Saints vntaught, the vanity of Pardons declared, worſhip of Images and Pilgrimages forbidden, learned and godly Miniſters required, their abſences & miſ-demeanors inhibited, the Scriptures tranſlated, publikely and priuately inioyned to be read and receiued, the Word of God commanded to be ſincerely and carefully preached:Act. & Monu. Edit. 5. p. 1002. and to all this, Holy Maſter Fox addeth for my concluſion, ſuch a vigilant care was then in the King and his Councell, how by all wayes and meanes to redreſſe Religion, to reforme errours, to correct corrupt cuſtomes, to helpe ignorance, and to reduce the miſ-leading of Chriſts Flocke, drowned in blind Poperie, Superſtitious Cuſtomes, and Idolatry, to ſome better forme of Reformation, whereunto he prouided not onelyonly theſe Articles,Barr. againſt Gyff. Conference with Sperin. and Maſter Egerton. Greenw. & Barr. Arg. to Maſter Cartwr. Maſter Trauers, Maſter Clark. Browne. Reformation without tarrying. Precepts, Iniunctions aboue ſpecified, to informe the rude people, but alſo procured the Biſhops to helpe forward the ſame cauſe of decayed Doctrine, with their diligent preaching, and teaching of the people. Goe now and ſay, that ſuddenly in one day, by Queene Elizabeths Trumpet, or by the ſound of a Bell, in the name of Antichriſt, all were called to the Church: Goe, ſay with your Patriarch, that we erect Religions by Proclamations, and Parliaments.
VponUpon theſe premiſes I dare conclude, and doubt not to maintaine againſt all Separatiſts in the World, that England (to goe no higher) had in the dayes of King Henry the Eighth, a true viſible Church of God: and ſo by conſequent their ſucceeding ſeed was by true Baptiſme iuſtly admitted into the boſome thereof; and therefore that euen of them, without any further profeſſion, Gods Church was truly conſtituted. If you ſhall ſay, that the following idolatry of ſome of them in Queene Maries daies excluded them: Conſider, how hard it wil be to proue, that Gods couenant with any people, is preſently diſanulled by the ſinnes of the moſt, whether of ignorance, or weakneſſe; and if they had herein renounced God, yet that God alſo mutually renounced them. To ſhut vp your Conſtitution then:Maſter Smith againſt R. Clifton. Principl. and Infer. pag. 11. There is no remedie: Either you muſt goe forward to Anabaptiſme, or come backe to vsus. All your Rabbines cannot anſwer that charge of your rebaptized brother: If we be a true Church, you muſt returne; if wee be not (as a falſe Church is no Church of God) you muſt rebaptize: If our Baptiſme bee good, then is our conſtitution good. Thus your owne Principles teach. The outward part of a true viſible Church is a Vow, Promiſe, Oath, or Couenant betwixt God and the Saints: Now I aske, Is this made by vsus in Baptiſme, or no? If it be, then we hauehave, by your confeſſion (for ſo much as is outwardly required) a true viſible Church: ſo your ſeparation is vniuſt: If it be not, then you muſt rebaptize; for the firſt Baptiſme is a nullitie: and (if ours be not) you were neuer thereby as yet entred into any viſible Church.
SEP.
To the title of a Ring-leader, wherewith it pleaſeth this Piſtler to ſtile me, I anſwer, that if the thing I hauehave done bee good, it is good and commendable to hauehave beene forward in it; if it bee euill, let it be reproued by the light of Gods Word, and that God, to whom I hauehave done that I hauehave done, will (I doubt not) giuegive me both to ſee, and to heale mine errour by ſpeedie Repentance: if I hauehave fled away on foot, I ſhall returne on Horſe-backe: But as I durſt neuer ſet foot into this way, but vponupon a moſt ſound and vnreſiſtable conuiction of Conſcience by the Word of God: (as I was perſwaded) ſo muſt my retiring bee wrought by more ſolid reaſons from the ſame word, than are to be found in a thouſand ſuch prettie Pamphlets, and formall flouriſhes as this is.
SECTION XII.
AS For the title of Ring-leader, wherewith I ſtiled this Pamphleter;The anſwerers title. if I hauehave giuen him too much honor in his Sect, I am ſorry: Perhaps I ſhould hauehave put him (pardon an homely, but in this ſenſe, not vnuſuall word) in the taile of this Traine: Perhaps, I ſhould hauehave endorſed my Letter to Maſter Smith, and his ſhadow; So I perceiue he was: Whatſoeuer, whether he leade or follow, God meets with him. If he leade: Behold, Ier. 13.32.I will come againſt them that propheſie falſe dreames (ſaith the Lord) and doe tell them, and cenſe my people to erre by their lyes. If he come hehinde; Thou ſhalt not follow a multitude in euill (ſaith God.) If either, or both, or neither, If hee will goe alone; Woe vntounto the fooliſh Prophets (ſaith the Lord) which follow their owne Spirits, Ezech. 13.2.and hauehave ſeene nothing. Howſoeuer, your euill ſhall be reproued by the light of Gods word: Your coniunction I cannot promiſe, your reproofe I dare; If thereupon you finde grace to ſee and heale your errours, we ſhould with all brotherly humbleneſſe attend on foot vponupon your returne on Horſe-backe; but if the ſway of your miſ-reſolued conſcience be headie and vnreſiſtable, and your retiring hopeleſſe; theſe not ſolide reaſons, theſe prettie Pamphlets, theſe formall flouriſhes ſhall one day be fearefull and material euidences againſt you before that awefull Iudge, which hath alreadie ſaid,Pro. 19.21. That iudgements are prepared for the Scorners, and ſtripes for the backe of Fooles.
SEP.
Your pittying of vsus and ſorrowing for vsus, eſpecially for the wrong done by vsus, were in you commendable affections, if by vsus iuſtly occaſioned; but if your Church be deeply drencht in Apoſtaſie, and you cry, Peace, Peace, when ſuddaine and certaine deſolation is at hand, it is you that doe wrong, though you make the complaint: and ſo being cruell towards your ſelues, and your own, whom you flatter, you cannot be truly pittifull towards others whom you bewaile. But I will not diſcourage you in this affection, leſt we finde few in the ſame fault: the moſt in ſtead of pittie and compaſsion, affording vsus nothing but furie and indignation.