The Lawfulness of the Oath of Supremacy, Postscript
POSTSCRIPT.
HAving ſatisfied divers Friends that were ſcrupled about the Oath of Supremacy, I was deſired by my Brethren in the Miniſtry, and others, (knowing my unhappy leiſure) to publiſh ſomething this way, wherein accordingly I made entrance, but finding this Oath not ſo much preſſed, and the Subject ſuch as is capable (from me eſpecially) of a various reception, I laid it long aſide, with purpoſe to make no further progreſs; afterwards underſtanding ſome Perſons of Honour judged ſuch a Work to be uſeful and ſeaſonable, it was re-aſſumed.
In the Proſecution hereof, I have ſtated ſomething of Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction, as claimed by Churches and Churchmen of each perſwaſion, and how it ſtands in habitude and relation to His Majeſties Supremacy in theſe Affairs. Not with any purpoſe to reflect upon the judgment or practice of others, whom for their Learning and Holineſs I ſhall ever greatly reverence; but that I might the more fully and diſtinctly, lay down what is aſſerted by thoſe of the Congregational way: And upon theſe Conſiderations.
1. It being now a ſeaſon for us, humbly to apply for the Liberty of our Conſciences in the Worſhip and Service of God, upon the encouragement of His Majeſties moſt Gracious Declaration, exhibited on that behalf, wherein we underſtand our ſelves to be fully comprehended. And finding our Way and Principles, repreſented by ſome in Print, (though we fully agree with this, and other Reformed Churches, in all the Articles of Religion, concerning the true Chriſtian Faith and Doctrine of Sacraments, Printed Anno 1658.which is evident by our Confeſſion of Faith) as inconſiſtent with, and deſtructive to the Peace of Civil Government. This, if believed, cannot but be a ſufficient Block in the way of our Liberty; I thought it neceſſary, for the removing all Prejudices in order to the obtaining of our aforeſaid Liberty, to give ſome further account of our Way, and to repreſent more diſtinctly and particularly our Principles; that it may appear, whatſoever hath been ſaid to the contrary, that there is nothing in them, but what is conſiſtent with, and moſt agreeable to the Civil Government; or that ſhould render us in any ſort uncapable of receiving the fruit and benefit of the King's Majeſties Favor and Indulgence promiſed to Tender Conſciences.
2. We find Eccleſiaſtical Power where claimed Jure Divino, Secret. Walſingham's Letters to Critoy.and immediately from the Lord, by their Churches or Officers, hath always been a matter of Jealouſie, as derogating from the King's Supremacy.
I. The Juriſdiction we pretend to (as appears in this Diſcourſe) and avouch as the appointment of Chriſt, is the loweſt for kind, and of narroweſt extention, exerciſed about the concernment only of a particular Congregation; and therefore we may well aſſert with that learned Biſhop,B. Sanderſon of Epiſcopacy, pag. 24. It's very hard to give a ſatisfactory difference betwixt ſuch an Eccleſiaſtical Power, and the Oeconomical (both claiming by Divine Right) why the one ſhould be more injurious to Regal Power than the other. We can further ſay, the Power we claim is no other but ſuch alſo, as hath been always owned by our Laws and Writers of Note, to be immediately from God, and peculiar to his Holy Service, and the Sacred Function of the Miniſtery, with thoſe other Parochial Duties; as to Preach the Word, Adminiſter Sacraments, and the like: The word Sacraments, and the uſe of the Keys, (ſaith B. Bilſon) are things compriſed in the Church, (lie not open with other State-matters) and by God commanded to the Church, Of Supremacy, p. 170. & 227. Againſt Harding, p. 6. c. 9. D. 1, 2. Alſo D. Field of the Church, lib. 5. c. 53.and are ſubject to no mortal Creature, Pope or Prince. We teach not Princes, (ſaith Biſhop Jewel) to offer up Incenſe or Sacrifice as Ʋzziah did, or to preach or adminiſter Sacraments, or to bind or to looſe. Each of theſe Duties are ſuch and ſo ſpiritual, as our Princes openly and in their Laws diſown them, as not depending upon their Adminiſtration, or Authority. In the 37th. Article of the Engliſh Confeſſion, it is thus: We give not to our Princes the Miniſtring either of God's Word, or the Sacrament: And in the Admonition, &c. Kings and Queens of this Realm, Poſſeſſors of the Crown, challenge not Authority and Power of Miniſtery of Divine Offices in the Church.
II. The Power or Juriſdiction exerciſed over theſe particular Aſſemblies, or their Officers, hath its ſtation in a higher Region, and ſuch, as in which all Chriſtian Magiſtrates in the world judge themſelves intereſſed; and that what is done in this kind by any Perſon or Aſſembly, be by a Power derived from them, and ſubordinate to them. So our Law, 27 H. 8. c. 17. The Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Archdeacons, and other Eccleſiaſtical Perſons, have no manner of Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction, but by, from, and under the King's Royal Majeſty. And in the Statute of 1 Edw. 6. c. 2. All Courts Eccleſiaſtical within the Realms of England and Ireland, ought to be kept by no other Authority either Foreign, or IN THE REALM, but by the Authority of His moſt Excellent Majeſty. It is evident therefore, that thoſe Superior Powers (of what Form or Denomination ſoever they be) that are over theſe Congregations, have their motions in Caeſar's walk: But the holy and ſpiritual Duties peculiar to particular Congregations, are expreſly remitted to them and their Miniſters, as the things of God, and not of Caeſar.
3. Our ſituation is low, and quite beneath thoſe Orbs, wherein the tranſactions of a National concernment move, and are managed. How Religion and Reformation thrive in a Nation, and is encouraged by the Governors thereof, we have a ſence, and form our thoughts and moſt effectual prayers and endeavors accordingly. We are engaged hereunto as Members of the Catholick Church, and particularly concerned in the welfare of our Native Countrey; otherwiſe our Principles are to keep within our Congregational Precinct, and not to give Laws, or exerciſe Power over others, or to engage our ſelves (unleſs thereunto by Authority called) in more publick Affairs. Nor do we believe (as we have jointly profeſſed) there is Power given by Chriſt to any Synod or Eccleſiaſtical Aſſemblies to Excommunicate, Confeſſion of Faith, pag. 61. Sect. 22.or by their Publick Edicts to threaten Excommunication, or other Church-Cenſures againſt Churches, Magiſtrates, or their People, upon any ſuch account. And therefore we may be freed from the jealouſie of being Troublers or Retarders of others, in the work of Reformation, or publick Settlement. Or were we (or could we be) ſo, in the Reformation not long ſince attempted, otherwiſe than by not joining to further what our Conſciences were not clear in; or in not putting our neck voluntarily into a Yoke we conceived was not Chriſts, and therefore would not be eaſie in the ſervice of Chriſt.
4. We have been blamed more than once for this Surname INDEPENDENT, (though a title not of our own choice) as an inſolent aſſuming.Epiſt. ad Buch. pag. 91. Miror etiam viris piis—&c. (ſaith Spanhemius) Truly I marvel that holy men (ſo I judge them though diſſenting from us) ſhould not themſelves be diſſatisfied with the very title, an Independent Church, which ſeems to me not to ſtand with the modeſty of Chriſtians. The defects of all men through the blindneſs of their minds, ſince the Fall, is ſo great and obvious, as no Perſon or Society can aſſume to it ſelf an INDEPENDENCY in this reſpect, without intollerable Pride, Independency in reſpect of Power only is another thing; Power ſimply and in it ſelf is no Virtue, though Juſtice, Prudence and Fortitude by which it is managed, are. Not to be in Power, is no Sin nor Moral Defect, more than not to be Rich, or in Honour. It is not ſo much the Praiſe, as the Charge of him that receiveth it, the honour and glory of him that can give it; of him only it hath its proportion, and doth not become greater or leſs from any worth or induſtry found in thoſe that receive it, as Moral Virtues do. Power doth not vary in its kind, though the wiſdom and ability to manage it, be greater or leſs in him that hath it: So that Power, whether abſolute or limited, whether dependent or independent, is a moſt inconſiderable thing in its ſelf, to be proud of, or glory in. If (ſaith the Apoſtle) there be any virtue, if there be any praiſe, Phil. 4.8. It is Virtue, not Power, we ſhould be ambitious of, being an excellency in it ſelf; and without it, Power will be but a lifting us up to our own deſtruction. Whatſoever Virtue or Gift is deſirable for the manage of that Power Chriſt hath intruſted us with, we further ſeek after in conſulting other Churches, and endeavour that all matters difficult, and of common concernment, may be proceeded in with joint conſent. We profeſſedly depend upon Synods for Counſel, which comes forth ordinarily from ſuch Aſſemblies, better digeſted, and in a more perfect maturation, their part being to adviſe and give Councel onelyonly; for men will not eaſdy ſpend much time to untie a knot, if there be a knife at hand to out it.
5. The Apoſtle Paul, amongſt other Reflections, met with this, from the falſe Apoſtles, who gave him out in their reckoning, as one that made ſome carnal advantage the ſcope of his Opinions; 2 Cor. 10.2, 3.with this hard meaſure we have met from firſt to laſt, I am therefore willing to leave ſome account in the hand of my Friends (being now aged, and near my period) of thoſe Principles that have long (through grace) kept me and others ſteady in this perſwaſion: Not only in and through theſe late Changes and Diſputings, but divers years before, and when no ſuch Encouragements were, (as are ſurmiſed to be our aim) but the contrary.
The Apoſtle inſerts in the midſt of his Church-Diſputes, a whole Chapter in the praiſe of Charity, and tells us, in ſeeking our own, (for want hereof) we are eaſily provoked, and behave our ſelves unſeemly, 1 Cor. 13. and apt to think and ſurmiſe evil: As for me (to uſe David's words) the Lord hath upheld me in mine integrity. The reflecting thoughts whereof,Pſal. 45.12. have been as the conſolation of God in my Soul, when I lay many days together by the Graves ſide; Providence hath brought me back into a troubleſom world, where with patience and perſeverance, through Chriſt, I ſhall wait until my Courſe be finiſhed, following peace with all men, in the way of holineſs, without which no man ſhall ſee God.
P. NYE.
FINIS.
End of the text · Philip Nye, The Lawfulness of the Oath of Supremacy (1683)