Beams of Former Light, Chapter 10
CHAP. X. The Fifth Argument. It is difficult in Eccleſiaſtical matters, to obtain reformation of what is amiſs. Theſe things are preſſed with greateſt ſeverity upon the moſt conſcientious.
WHen any change happens in Eccleſiaſtical affairs, it is long before wee can come to a ſettlement, as we have formerly ſhewed: This ſettlement being made, and munited with penal Lawes by the Civil Magiſtrate: it is difficult, if not impoſſible, in an ordinary way, to get any thing reformed; though it bee ever ſo inconvenient, and burdenſome to mens Conſciences. Repeals and changes are made frequently of Lawes about Civil affairs, and our evils cured as they come to bee diſcerned: but Church grievances, like diſeaſes in the ſpirits, are in a manner incurable. 1 There are but a few in compariſon, and thoſe more ſtrict and conſcientious (who are ordinarily the worſt beloved, and leaſt regarded) that feel the pain of ſuch diſtempers. 2 By ſuch impoſitions we rid our ſelves of thoſe Miniſters, whom wee eſteem moſt troubleſome; and have great advantage to faſhion, the reſt (I mean the leſs conſcientious) to a ſtate guiſe. The ſad experience we have had formerly, and what great and conſtant endeavours after reformation have been many years proſecuted, with little or no fruit, may be a proof ſufficient hereof.
In the Reformation began with Edward the Sixth, ſuch reliques of Popery were left in the Church, as did much offend divers godly learned, even in thoſe dayes. Theſe Superſtitions coming to a ſettlement, and by penal Lawes fixed in the Worſhip and Service of God, they held their ſtation neer a hundred years, notwithſtanding the teſtimonies at ſeveral times given all along againſt them. In the beginning of Queen Maries dayes, thoſe learned men that left their own Country, and went into Germany, where this reformation, and the ſuperſtitions ſetled in it, being ſtuck to by ſome amongſt them, there was then a very great teſtimony, and in the eye of the Churches of Chriſt, given againſt thoſe evils by others of them, better affected to a thorow reformation, of which more afterwards. Theſe endeavours and witneſſings did not in the leaſt looſen the hold thoſe corruptions had gotten by their firſt eſtabliſhment, but were continued ſtill, as will appear in what followeth.
§. 2.
Thoſe Brethren, and ſuch others as deſired further reformation, conceived great hope to themſelves, upon Queen Elizabeths coming to the Crown, who was a Sufferer with them; SHEE by Impriſonment, as they by Baniſhment. Application was made betimes, and with much zeal, and ſo it was continued all her days. There were Petitions preferred to her Majeſty, to the Parliament, to the Council, to the Biſhops, to the Convocation, Pleas, Admonitions, Advertiſements, Conſiderations, and the like to the Common people. Multitudes of Books daily, and profers of Diſputation againſt thoſe forms, and impoſitions; as alſo Aſſertions & Demonſtrations, wherin a more ſavoury Diſcipline in the Church, and order in the Worſhip of God is held forth; and in ſo much evidence of Scripture light, as they were not able to put it under a buſhel; much out of our Brethrens Writings might bee brought forth to this purpoſe, and of the great actings, and ſufferings, by the godly party all her reign; and yet all this obtained not the leaſt alteration, or to have the lighteſt penalty taken off from ſuch as could not conform, though ſome of them ſealed their teſtimony with their bloud.
Greater hopes by farre were conceived upon King James his coming to the Crown, whoſe breeding ſeemed to ſet him fair for the deſired reformation; as alſo the Oathes, Covenants, and other engagements that were upon him; his ſeeming diſlike alſo of our Biſhops, and Ceremonies, expreſſed frequently.
As a preparation hereunto there were repreſentations, and applications made to him, while in Scotland, and ſpeedily at his firſt comming into England. There were by a diſcreet and moderate Pen, ſome conſiderations put into his hand, about this work of reformation; And to make way hereunto, in the firſt place the Author endeavours to repreſent, the ſlowneſſe and neglect of States, in altering what hath gotten any ſettlement in Eccleſiaſtical affaires; though matters bee ever ſo much amiſſe; his words are theſe, I ask, why the Civil State ſhould be purged and reſtored, by good and wholſome Lawes made in every third or fourth year in Parliament, providing remedies as faſt as time breedeth miſchiefs; and contrariwiſe, the Eccleſiaſtical ſtate ſhould ſtill continue upon the dreggs of time, and receive no alterations, now for this five and forty years and more; It is above five and forty years ſince.Wee have heard (ſaith he) of no offer of Bills in Parliament; Is nothing amiſſe?
The pretenſions for not making alterations in Churches ſetled, are mentioned by the ſame Honourable Pen, in page 29. Tares, ſay they, Diſcourſe concerning Church affairs by the L. Bacon.muſt not bee plucked up, leſt you ſupplant the good Corn, but let them grow together; they ſtiffly hold, that nothing may bee innovated, becauſe it would make a breach upon the reſt, which hee reaſoneth againſt thus: Qui mala non permutat, in bonis non perſeverat, Without change of ill a man cannot continue in good; to take away abuſes, ſupplanteth not good orders, but eſtabliſhes them, Moroſa moris retentio, res turbulata aeque ac novitas eſt, Contentious retaining of Cuſtom is a turbulent thing, as well as innovation. pag. 32.
There were ſolicitations by the godly Miniſters and people of both Kingdoms, the ſuffering of good Miniſters all Queen Elizabeths days were repreſented to him, which before hee came to this Crown hee ſeemed much to reſent.
Theſe hopes were ſtrengthned by his Majeſties condeſcenſion to a Conference, which could never bee obtained before, in which hee was preſent in his own perſon. And what was the iſſue of all thoſe hopes and endeavours? It is ſtrange to conſider, 1 Not one grievance, (ſome ſmall things only, explained rather than changed) or impoſition removed, or penalty leſſened, but advantage taken to lay the yoke heavier upon thoſe that deſired reformation, in repreſenting them to the Nation, as perſons Schiſmatical, and troubleſome in the Church. 2 A Proclamation was ſent abroad immediately,March the 5. in 1 Jacobi. to let all men know, that whatſoever was preſumed upon, of his Majeſties intentions, to further reformation, was without cauſe given by him. All former Lawes and penalties are anew enforced (thus the Proclamation concludeth.) And laſt of all, we doe admoniſh all men, that hereafter they ſhall not expect or attempt any further alteration in the common and publick form of Gods ſervice, from this which is now eſtabliſhed; ſuch a reſolution, in reſpect to Lawes and Statutes made about Civil affairs hath not been known.
In King Charls his time the like endeavours continued, yet Miniſters daily ſilenced, and being utterly wearied with expectation, Multitudes, Miniſters and others, (being hopeleſſe) as their laſt teſtimony againſt thoſe evils, ſeparated themſelves from the Congregations here in England, and went to the utmoſt ends of the earth, and into a Wilderneſſe ſome of them, and others into other parts beyond the Seas, that they might enjoy Ordinances in purity. None of all theſe endeavours moved the State to remove the leaſt thing offenſive either in Diſcipline or Worſhip, nor at all to bear with thoſe that could not ſubmit.
§. 3.
Let it be everlaſtingly a Caution to Governours, that they doe not impoſe ſmaller matters, and ſuch as themſelves judge but Circumſtances, under ſuch ruining penalties. It is a wretched policy (and too much practiſed by Stateſ-men) where there is want of light or reaſon to enforce, to ſupply it by the ſeverity of Lawes and penalties. And let not Miniſters, or Churches, which ſhould bee as pillars to hold forth, and as an Army with banners to contend for Truth, Can. 6.4and Liberty, according to Chriſt; I ſay, let not ſuch be wanting, in all humility to uſe indeavours to hinder ſuch ſettlements.
It is not for us to ſay, light is growing, and knowledge in theſe matters increaſeth every day more and more; and therefore, ſuch evils & Law reſtraints will fall off of themſelves. I confeſſe, if any thing doe it, one would think the breaking forth of Scripture light ſhould; it being the property of that light to burn up, and conſume Wood, Hay, 1 Cor. 3.13.Stubble, and the like mixtures with, or additions to, the Doctrine and Worſhip of God. But yet let it be conſidered, where Forms and Ceremonies have once gotten a footing; how long they have been able to keep their ſtations, after their evil and offenſiveneſſe, by moſt evident light and demonſtration on every ſide, have been diſcovered to all men.
It was written by Maſter Udal, Mr. Cartwright, and others in an Epiſtle to the Biſhops, as followeth. Many and moſt evident have our Declarations been, &c. never have any one of you taken in hand to ſay any thing againſt it, but it hath made his eyes to dazle as the cleareſt Sun-ſhine, whereby hee hath been driven hither and thither, groping for evaſions, and yet could not eſcape, but hath fallen into infinite, moſt monſtrous abſurdities, and blaſphemous aſſertions; ſo forceable is the truth to amaze the gain-ſayers thereof: yet ſtill you continue in your courſe, is it becauſe you ſee not what you ſhould do? It cannot bee ſo — unleſſe you have eyes and ſee not: for the cauſe hath been (by the bleſſing of God) ſo managed, that many Plow-men, Artificers, and Children doe ſee it, and know it, and are able by the Word of God to juſtifie it, and condemn you to bee adverſaries to the Goſpel, &c. Doe not perſwade your ſelves therefore, that further light, and a greater ſuffrage hereafter will be able to remove what things for the preſent ſeem not ſo allowable; its true, God can doe any thing; But it is evident there hath been light, light ſealed with ſufferings, ſealed with the eſtates, liberties, and lives of as gracious, holy, learned men as any the World had, and that for the ſpace of near a hundred years, and yet theſe abuſes and impoſitions remained, in as great vigour and freſhneſſe, to run their race, oppreſſe, and deſtroy, for a hundred years more, had not a hand from Heaven prevented it; the Lord did ſhake Heaven and earth, the ſea and dry land, that thoſe ſhaken things might be removed, and ſuch things only that cannot bee ſhaken may remain.
§. 4.
The ſharpeſt edge of ſuch Laws while unreformed, verging about from their firſt pious and righteous intentions (if any ſuch were) will bee ſet, and in the greateſt rigour againſt the moſt conſcientious and holy Miniſters, and others. Something, and ſome instances that bear a proportion to this obſervation may bee given, from former actings, not yet quite out of memory.
In Edward the ſixths reformation, Common-Prayers, and the leaving of a Prayer-Book as a help to the Miniſter in officiating, &c. was for a good purpoſe, Preface to C. P.and great advancement of godlineſſe, as is profeſſed by the Compoſers of it. As alſo the Ceremonies to bee obſerved in officiating according to that Book,Of Ceremonies why before the C. Prayer Book. they were of a godly intent and purpoſe formerly deviſed, they are reſerved for a decent order in the Church, for which they were firſt deviſed, and becauſe they appertain to edification, &c. and upon this good meaning, that without ſome Ceremonies it is not poſsible to keep any order, or quiet Diſcipline in the Church. It was farre from the thoughts of thoſe good men, (who afterwards were Martyrs ſome of them,) it would ever have been wrought about, to become a matter of ſuch high contention, and made uſe of (as it was in a few years) to eject from the Miniſtry, ſo many hundreds of the choyceſt perſons that ever had ſtation amongſt us.Dr. Burges Apol. on K. James. This Doctor Burges gives as one reaſon why he could not yield to ſubſcription though he had formerly ſubſcribed; becauſe hee perceived by the Book of Canons, publiſhed in 1603. the intention of the Leitourgy and Ceremonies, was to another purpoſe than what the Church aimed at in the firſt impoſition.
2 The not ſuffering Miniſters to preach without a Licence from the Biſhop had a good riſe in that age,See Injon in 1. Eliz. N. 8 when moſt places were ſupplied with Readers, and thoſe found able to preach, Popiſh and corrupt in their judgements. In proceſſe of time it became a barre only to the moſt holy and eminent Preachers.
3 Three or four men that tender Gods glory, Injunct. of Eliz. N. 46.and his true religion, were to be appointed by the Ordinary, as informers, to obſerve that men kept their own Pariſh Churches, and to preſent ſuch as were negligent, into the Spiritual Court: this was intended againſt the Popiſhly affected; but not long after thoſe Informers appointed by the Ordinary, were the vileſt of men, and few Popiſhly affected, but the holieſt and moſt conſciencious perſons preſented and moleſted by them, and the neglect of Common Prayer became the Character of a Puritan; ſo were they deſcribed to King James in the Conference at Hampton Court, by the Biſhop of London.
4 In the Articles appointed by Queen Elizabeth, Artic. 51.to bee inquired of in the Viſitation, this is one, Item, Whether doe you know any man in your Pariſh, ſecretly, or in unlawful Conventicles, ſay, or hear Maſſe? &c. but in after times, ſuch as met together to faſt and pray, to repeat Sermons, and edifie one another with good conference, were theſe Conventiclers, and puniſhed accordingly.
§. 5.
In ſome Dioceſſes, where the Biſhop (being mindful of that wholſome exhortation to mercy in his Conſecration) was more tender to his Clergie:Book of Ordination, pa. penult. there more indulgence was exerciſed, and not ſuch wreſting former Injunctions, and Articles, or perverting them againſt the godly ſober Miniſters. Hence Viſitation Articles and Inquiries were of different ſtrains, according to the ſpirit of the Dioceſſan: which being obſerved, and that there was more liberty given in one Dioceſs than in another from the inadvertency (as his Majeſty termed it) of ſome in authority: By the ninth Can. of the Synod in the year 1640. It was ordained for the better ſetling of uniformity in the outward government & adminiſtration of the Church as followeth, This Synod, (ſaith the Canon) hath now cauſed a ſummary of Viſitatory Articles — and wee doe Decree and Ordain, that no Biſhop — ſhall cauſe to be printed or publiſhed any other Articles, or forms of enquiry, &c. So that the edge of thoſe former Injunctions, which was intentionally ſet againſt Popery and Prophaneneſs, by this new Book of Articles, and enquiries, is fixedly ſet (and without all hope of indulgence from any better-minded Biſhop) to wound the peace and comfort, of the beſt affected Miniſters and People throughout the Nation, and for all times to come. It being now not left in the power, or to the diſcretion of any Biſhop without hazard of a Months ſuſpenſion ipſo facto from his Biſhoprick, to bee more favourable than another, or leſs ſevere and rigorous than the major part of that Synod; a Synod that mounted their Canons to a greater height againſt the purity and ſimplicity of Goſpel-Worſhip, than any at any time before them ſince the reformation.
FINIS.