Truth Maintained, Commentary · Part 3
SERMON Paragraffe 11.
Againe, we freely confeſſe that there may be ſome faults in our Church in matters of practiſe and Ceremonies, and no wonder if there be, it would be a miracle if there were not. Beſides, there be ſome Innovations rather in the Church then of the Church as not chargeable on the publike Account, but on private mens ſcores, who are old enough, let them anſwer for themſelves.
EXAMINER.
Theſe are but ſubtill W Apologies and diſtinctions, for the X ſuperſtitions in the Church, and to take off the eyes of the Reformers, and entertaine them into changeable diſcourſes as if they were faults and no faults, and thoſe that were, were irreformable, and could not be made better. And thus while the errours of our Church ſhould call them to reforme, your difficulties Y and impoſſibilities would call them off. You ſay it were a Miracle to have none: This is ſuch Sophiſtry as the malignity of your Clergy would caſt in the way of our Reformation. And for theAInnovations they have beene made by your moſt learned the immediate iſſues of our Church, our Rubrick and practiſe have beene called to witneſſe it; therefore goe not on to perſwade ſuch a B Fundamentall Integrity and Eſſentiall Purity. You know in what a caſe that C Church was when ſhe thought her ſelfe rich; and full, and glorious. He is no leſſe an enemy to the Patient then to the Phyſitian that would perſwade him that all is well or at the leſt incurable.
TREATISE.
W. Theſe are but ſubtill Apologies.) Truly no ſuch matter; they are even plaine and downeright confeſſions from the ſimplicity of my heart.
X. For the ſuperſtitions in the Church.) Sir, lay not your Enditement higher then you are ſure your proof will reach. You might have done well to have inſiſted on ſome particulars, whilſt now your generals accuſe much, convict nothing.
Y. Your difficulties and impoſſibilities would call them off.) Not ſo; for to ſhew wiſe Reformers the true difficulties of their worke will quicken not quench their endeavours. Thus the Carpenter being truly told that the wood is hard, he is to hew, will therefore not throw away his Axe, but ſtrike with the greater force. And that the Doctrine of the impoſſibility of a Churches perfect Reformation on earth well underſtood, is no hinderer to mens Labours to Reforme, hath been largely proved before.
Z. You ſay it were a Miracle for a Church to have no faults: This is ſuch ſophistry as the Malignity of your Clergy would caſt in the way of our Reformation.) This ſophiſtry will at laſt prove good Logick, and whatſoever you pretend of Malignity, this is a truth to be confided in: Namely, That no Church in this world can be ſo compleat, but it will have faults. For the Church being a body conſiſting of imperfect men the Members thereof, the body muſt needs be imperfect alſo. This appeares by the conſtant neceſſity of Preaching, which otherwiſe might well be ſpared, and all our Sermons turned into Pſalmes, as alſo by the power of the Keyes, which will never ruſt in the Church for want of imployment. Yea that Petition in the Prayer of Chriſts providing for us (and forgive us our Trespaſſes, as we forgive them that Trespaſſe againſt us) were both needleſſe and falſe if men might be perfect in this world. This perchance is the reaſon why the Perfection-mongers of this Age quarrell with this Prayer, as having too much pride to confeſſe their owne faults, and too little Charity to forgive other mens, ſo ill doth a Publicans prayer fit a Phariſees mouth.
A. As for Innovations they have beene made by your moſt learned.) Concerning Innovations I muſt inlarge my ſelfe. That the Church of England cannot juſtly be taxed with ſuperſtitious inporations.In mixt Actions wherein good and bad are blended together, we can neither chuſe nor refuſe all, but may pick out ſome, and muſt leave the reſt.
Firſt, they may better be tearmed Renovations then Innovations, as lately not new forged, but new furbiſhed. Secondly, they were not ſo many as ſome complaine. The ſuſpitious old man cryes out in the Comedy, that 600. Cooks were let into his houſe, when they were but two. Jealouſie hath her hyper boles as well as her flattery. Thirdly, ſome of theſe Innovations may eaſier be rayled on then juſtly reproved; namely, ſuch as concerned the adorning of Churches, and the comlineſſe of mens behaviour in Gods ſervice, where outward decency (if not gariſh, coſtly above the Eſtates of the pariſh, mimicall affected or ſuperſtitious) is the Harbinger to provide the lodging for inward holineſſe. For ſome bodily diſtance brings our ſouls the neerer to God, with whom ſome have ſuch clowniſh familiarity, they have the leſſe friendſhip. Fourthly, if theſe gave offence, it was not for any thing in themſelves but either becauſe;
Firſt, they were challenged to be brought in without law. This often makes good matters to be ill reliſhed, honeſt men if wiſe withall, being loath to pay their obedience, before it becomes legally due.
Secondly, becauſe they ſeemed new and unuſuall, and we know how in dangerous times every well-meaning ſtranger may be ſuſpected for a ſpy till he hath given an account of himſelfe. Now few daughter-Churches had ſeen ſuch Ceremonies, though ſome of their Mother-Cathedrals could well remember them.
Thirdly, becauſe they were multiplied without any ſet number; and thoſe Ceremonies which men ſaw were indefinit, they feared would be infinit.
Fourthly, becauſe they were preſſed in ſome places without moderation. And herein ſome young men (I will not ſay ran without ſending, but) ran further then they were ſent, outſtripping them who firſt taught them to goe.
Fifthly, becauſe they were preſſed by men, ſome of whoſe perſons were otherwiſe much diſtaſted; how juſtly? let them ſeek who are concerned.
Laſtly, becauſe men complained that painfull Preaching and pious living, the life of Gods ſervice were not preſſed and practiſed with equall earneſtneſſe, as outward decency the luſtre thereof; whence their feares inferred, that the ſhaddowes would devoure the Subſtance.
Now whereas you ſay that theſe Innovations have been made by our moſt learned, herein I muſt confeſſe that the ſcales of my skill are too little in them to weigh the learning of great Schollers and to conclude who have the moſt. But this I know, that alwayes a diſtinction hath been made and admitted betwixt the opinions and practiſe of the moſt eminent particular Doctors (how great ſoever in place power or parts) and the Reſolutions and Commands of the Church in generall. In which reſpect, what hitherto you alleadge to the contrary, doth no whit diſprove my words, that ſuch Innovations are rather in the Church then of the Church, by which they were never abſolutely enjoyned nor generally received, as alwayes diſclaimed by many, and lately diſeſed by moſt.
Such indeed as uſed them out of Conſcience (I ſhould have no Conſcience to think otherwiſe of ſome) are not to be blamed if they privately practiſe them ſtill, at their own petill, till their judgements are otherwiſe informed. Such as took them up for faſhion ſake, for faſhion ſake have ſince laid them downe. Such as were frighted into them deſiſt, now their feare is removed. Laſtly, thoſe who uſed them in hope of preferment, now diſuſe them in deſpaire thereof, not to ſay ſome of them are as violent on the contrary ſide, and perchance onelyonly wait the Word of command from the prevalent party to turne Faces about againe. In briefe, ſeeing generally theſe Ceremonies are left off, it ſeems neither Manners nor Charity, alwayes to lay that in mens diſhes, which the Voider ſome pretty while ſince hath cleane taken away.
Say not that theſe Innovations are now rather in a ſwound then dead & likly to revive, when cheriſhed with the warmth of Authority, ſeeing His Majeſty hath often and fully proffered, that whatſoever is juſtly offenſive in them ſhall be removed, and pitty it is but that the reſt ſhould by the ſame lawfull power be re-enforced. But enough hereof, and more perchance then will pleaſe the Reader, though leſſe could not have ſatisfied the Writer; If I have contented any, well; If I have diſpleaſed all, I am contented.
B. Therefore goe not on to perſwade ſuch a Fundamentall Integrity and Eſſentiall purity.) Indeed the pains may well be ſpared, for all wiſe men are ſufficiently perſwaded thereof already. For if hereby you meane (and I would faine learne what other ſence your words are capable of) that the Cſturch of England hath not as yet been Entire in the Fundamentals, and Pure in the Eſſentials to Salvation. We all are in a wofull Condition. Have we lived thus long in our Church, now to dye eternally therein? Seeing none can be ſaved therein if it be unſound in the Fundamentals of Religion; muſt the thouſand ſix hundred forty third yeer from Chriſt's birth be the firſt yeer of the nativity of the Church of England, from which ſhe may date her Eſſentiall purity? Sir, I could at the ſame time chide you with anger, bemoane you with pitty, bluſh for you with ſhame, were it not that I conceive this paſſage fell unawares from your pen, and that you intend to gather it up againe.
C. You know in what a caſe that Church was, when ſhee thought her ſelfe rich, and full and glorious.) Good Sir, accept of my ſervice to ſtay you, or elſe run on till you be ſtopt by your owne wearineſſe. Our Church never brag'd thus her ſelfe, nor any other for her; whoſe faults we have already freely confeſſed, yet maintained her to be ſound in all Fundamentals, and pure in all Eſſentials.