The New Query and Determination Upon It, Section 16
SECT. XVI. The Objection of eager conteſtation for Church Diſcipline, and Cenſures anſwered.
HAving done with Mr. Colemans Interim, (which came in as a parentheſis to the Diſcourſe we were in, though it be pertinent to it) I returne to Mr. Saltm. his exception, taken out of Mr. Prinnes Vindication, where he aggravates the matter againſt the Presbyterie, in that, though by the ſufficiencie of other Remedies it be needleſſe, (ſo it hath beene ſaid, and thereto we have replied) it is yet very eagerly contended for.
The Anſwer is, if he meant it concerning admiſſion to, or rejection from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, (which is that which hath beene moſt agitated betwixt him and ſome of our Tribe) the conteſtation on the Miniſters part is but for the libertie of their conſcience, the puritie of Gods Ordinance, the preventing of Scandall, which cauſeth and confirmeth Schiſme; and in ſuch caſes it becomes them not to be remiſſe, or to manage ſuch a Cauſe with a Laodicean luke warmeneſſe, but with ſervencie of ſpirit; and yet I doubt not, but their zeale therein, for the chiefeſt of them, is, and will be guided with knowledge, and both tempered with humility, modeſty, and meekneſſe of ſpirit.
And that it hath none affinitie with an affectation of power, or liberty to reject men from the Sacrament at their pleaſure, I beleeve (becauſe I am confident it is the mind of moſt of thoſe Miniſters who are competently qualified with knowledge, and grace for their holy function) that it is matter of great griefe of heart unto them to have any occaſion of ſending any of their Congregations ſad from the Sacrament, or (as it may be likely to prove in moſt caſes) with wrath, and heart-burning againſt themſelves. For my part I ever tooke it for one of the great aggrievances which many godly Miniſters (who were conformiſts in the geſture of receiving the Lords Supper) ſuffered under the domination of the Biſhops, that they put it upon them to put ſuch from the Sacrament as out of ſcruple of conſcience durſt not kneele at the receit of it; and that ſuch were threatned with ſuſpenſion (and ſome actually ſuſpended from the Miniſtery) as admitted Communicants either ſtanding, or ſitting, though never ſo well inſtructed and well affected in matter of Religion, and never ſo religious in life and converſation; and if I might make mine owne choice, I had rather ſubmit my ſelfe to the meaneſt man within my Paſtorall charge, in the moſt ſervile offices belonging to his perſon, for a weeke together, then for one time onelyonly returne him from the Lords Table, as unworthy to be admitted to partake of the proviſion thereof; or as Coenam proximo die dominico ſinnus celebraturi. Hinc cogita quibus anguſtiis nunc constringar; utinon me abſente poſſet celebrari, bac conditione, ut ad vos uſque vel manibus reptarem. Calvin. Epiſt. Farello, data Calend. Septemb. 1546. Ep. p. 64. in fol. excuſ. Genev. anno 1575.Calvin once ſaid on the like occaſion, I had rather abſent my ſelfe from the Sacrament for that turne, when there is cauſe to turne any from the Sacrament, though I went away ſomewhither upon mine hands, then to make any diſtinguiſhing diſturbance in the celebration of the Supper. And if I know mine owne heart in this point, I thinke it would be as great a trouble to me to be an agent, as to any man to be a patient in ſuch a repulſe; and as great a joy if any were able to cleare it unto my conſcience, that no part of that Government ought to be committed to my charge, which I ever apprehended as a burden, (and that an heavy one) rather then a priviledge.
Secondly, for the hope that he hath that the Parliament will conſider of, and take care that our Miniſters, (like the Biſhops formerly) may not be taken up too much with ruling and governing.
Anſwer.
I hope ſo too, and I have more then hope alſo; for I am well aſſured the Parliament is ſo wiſe, that their Reformation will have ſo much of the ſpirit of ſound judgement, ſo little of pangs of exceſſive antipathy, that they will not runne ſo farre from one extreme, as to arrive at the other. There is a golden medium betwixt ſo much as the Biſhops had, and none at all, as ſome would now have it.
Thirdly, for the Reaſon of that hope, it is becauſe preaching and inſtructing is worke enough wholly to engroſſe their time, and thoughts.
Anſwer.
Yet not ſo wholly, but that there may be a competent time allowed for aſſiſtance in Diſcipline; there have beene many Diſciplinarians who have beene frequent Preachers, and great Writers alſo; as Calviu, Beza, Moulin, and divers others; and there are many Divines at this preſent, who beſtow many howres daily at the debates, and other buſineſſe of the Aſſembly at Weſtminſter, and yet are not wanting to their Pulpits on the Sabbath, and who preach many times on the weeke dayes beſides; and (in modeſty to omit the account of mine owne time, ſtudies and taskes for above fourtie yeares together, and I beleeve divers of my Brethren have much to ſay for themſelves to the ſame purpoſe) I ſhall inſtance onelyonly in the great abilities, and diligence of my very learned and religious friend, and Brother, Dr. Hoyle, who had occaſion by way of Apologie, to plead for himſelfe, before his Rejoynder to the leſuite Malone, in this manner.
The Booke indeed is preſented to the world farre later then my expectation; which hath beene ready, as it now comes forth, theſe many yeares: But the Preſſe was ſtill employed, and occupied with other things, by them that had command. He that herein imputes ſloth or negligence to me, knows me not. For if I ſhould give but an Indiculus of my ſtudies, Et vacet annales noſtrorum audire laborum; I might make the Jeſuite, and a thouſand more aſhamed of their idleneſſe. Farre be it from me to brag and beaſt, who have ever abhorred all ſhadow of vain-glory: remembring Solomons words, Let another man praiſe thee and not thine owne mouth, Prov. 27. And therefore leaving it to the diſpoſer, and proſperer of all mine endevours, I content, and feaſt my ſelfe with the ſuffrage of my conſcience, as deſirous for mine owne part to have ſomething more then the world knows. Though I might appeale (if need were) to the grand Reader of Europe, as beſt acquainted from the very firſt with me, and my ſtudies. But what the world knows give me leave to ſpeake: that it may appeare that this worke could never fall into fuller hands, or to a man more imployed; who could allot no more time to it then what muſt be gained ſucciſivis horis. Pro Archia.Never could Tully ſpeake more truly of his abſtracted life, and importunate lucubrations. I expounded the whole Bible through in the Colledge, in dayly Lectures, and in the chiefeſt bookes ordinarily a verſe a day; we need not Origens foreign: this work we held almoſt fifteene yeares. A few yeares before this was ended I beganne likewiſe the ſecond Expoſition of the whole Bible in the Church: and within tenne yeares have ended all the New Teſtament, excepting one booke and a piece, all the Prophets, all Solomon and Iob; ſo that my Anſwer to the Ieſuite did in part concurre with both theſe labours. What preaching, what expounding, this is my conſtant practiſe, (neither ſickneſſe nor any thing elſe withdrawing me) thrice every Sabbath for the farre greater part of the yeare; once every Holy-day, often twice, beſides many other extraordinary ſudden occaſions. Adde to theſe my weekely Lectures (as Profeſſor) in the Controverſies, and my Anſwers to all Bellarmine in word and writing. Where in above eight yeares I finiſhed his Tome of the ſeven Sacraments, for there we beganne; his laſt Tome in ſixe yeares, and now ſundry years in the Tome or Tomes remaining. What breathing time had I in all theſe imployments? or how could this worke be committed to fuller hands?
And though there be but a few who are ſo eminent in parts, and in performances ſo laborious, yet the moſt of thoſe Miniſters who are to beare a part in the Diſcipline of the Church, either are, or (if the Refomation proceed) will be ſo well qualified, that they may give due attendance upon preaching, and yet have competent time for other duties, whereto as men, as Chriſtians, or as Miniſters, whether in the Church, or Conſiſtory, they are engaged. And Mr. Pr. knowes by experience in his owne profeſſion, that many are able (being habituated in Book-learning, and Law-caſes, and pleading of Cauſes) upon a little warning to ſpeake more, and better to the purpoſe, then many others by long preparation; and he himſelfe, we ſee, hath time enough, not onelyonly to plead his Clients cauſes, but to write ſo many books, as were they bound up together, would make divers very competent Volumes: and while a good Miniſter, (and I hope we ſhall have more ſtore of ſuch then in former times) is exerciſed in Church Government, he is not quite out of office for preaching, and inſtructing, for he may have juſt occaſion and faire opportunitie, miniſterially to admoniſh thoſe that are convened, either as parties to be cenſured, or as witneſſes to be examined, in the Eccleſiaſticall Conſiſtorie.