precious in the sight of the great God of heaven and earth, appearing with boldness at his throne, and asking any thing he needs; being endued with humility, by acknowledging his great crimes and offences, and that he deserveth nothing but severe punishment. 30. He believes his soul and body shall be as full of glory as them that have more; and no more full than theirs that have less. 31. He lives invisible to those that see him, and those that know him best do but guess at him; yet those many times judge more truly of him than he doth of himself. 32. The world will sometimes account him a saint, when God accounteth him a hypocrite; and afterwards, when the world branded him for a hypocrite, then God owned him for a saint. 33. His death makes not an end of him. His soul which was put into his body, is not to be perfected without his body; yet his soul is more happy when it is separated from his body, than when it was joined unto it and his body, though torn in pieces, burnt to ashes, ground to powder, turned to rottenness, shall be no loser. 34. His Advocate, his Surety shall be his Judge; his mortal part shall become immortal; and what was sown in corruption and defilement shall be raised in incorruption and glory; and a finite creature shall possess an infinite happiness. Glory be to God. AN ADVERTISEMENT TOUCHING THE CONTROVERSIES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. Ir is but ignorance, if any man find it strange, that the state of religion, especially in the days of peace, should be exercised and troubled with controversies for as it is the condition of the church militant to be ever under trials, so it cometh to pass, that when the fiery trial of persecution ceaseth, there succeedeth another trial, which, as it were by contrary blasts of doctrine, doth sift and winnow men's faith, and proveth whether they know God aright; even as that other of afflictions discovereth whether they love him better than the world. Accordingly was it foretold by Christ, saying, " that in the latter times it should be said, Lo here, lo there is Christ:" which is to be understood, not as if the very person of Christ should be assumed and counterfeited, but his authority and pre-eminence, which is to be the truth itself, should be challenged and pretended. Thus have we read and seen to be fulfilled that, which followeth," Ecce in deserto, ecce in penetralibus:" while some have sought the truth in the conventicles and conciliables of heretics and sectaries; others in the external face and representation of the church; and both sorts have been seduced. Were it then that the contro | versies of the church of England were such, as they did divide the unity of the spirit, and not only such as do unswathe her of her bands, the bands of peace, yet could it be no occasion for any pretended catholic to judge us, or for any irreligious person to despise us; or if it be, it shall but happen to us all as it hath used to do; to them to be hardened, and to us to endure the good pleasure of God. But now that our contentions are such as we need not so much that general canon and sentence of Christ pronounced against heretics; "Erratis, nescientes Scripturas, et potestatem Dei;"" you do err, not knowing the Scripture, and the power of God:" as we need the admonition of St. James, "Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;" and that the wound is no way dangerous, except we poison it with our remedies: as the former sort of men have less reason to make themselves music in our discord, so I have good hope that nothing shall displease ourselves, which shall be sincerely and modestly propounded for the appeasing of these dissensions. For if any shall be offended at this voice, "Vos estis fratres ;" "Ye are brethren, why strive ye?" he shall give a great presumption against himself, that he is the party that doth his brethren wrong. The controversies themselves I will not enter into, as judging that the disease requireth rather rest than any other cure. Thus much we all know and confess, that they be not of the highest nature, for they are not touching the high mysteries of faith, such as detained the churches for many years after their first peace, what time the heretics moved curious questions, and made strange anatomies of the natures and person of Christ; and the catholic fathers were compelled to follow them with all subtlety of decisions and determinations to exclude them from their evasions, and to take them in their labyrinths; so as it is rightly said, " illis temporibus, ingeniosa res fuit, esse christianum;"" in those days it was an ingenious and subtle thing to be a christian." Neither are they concerning the great parts of the worship of God, of which it is true, that "non servatur unitas in credendo, nisi eadem adsit in colendo;" there will be kept no unity in believing, except it be entertained in worshipping; such as were the controversies of the east and west churches touching images, and such as are many of those between the church of Rome and us: as about the adoration of the sacrament, and the like; but we contend about ceremonies and things indifferent, about the external policy and government of the church; in which kind, if we would but remember that the ancient and true bonds of unity are one faith, one baptism," and not one ceremony, one policy; if we would observe the league amongst christians that is penned by our Saviour, "he that is not against us is with us;" if we could but comprehend that saying, " differentiæ rituum commendant unitatem doctrinæ ;" "the diversities of ceremonies do set forth the unity of doctrine;" and that, "habet religio quæ sunt æternitatis, habet quæ sunt temporis;" "religion hath parts which belong to eternity, and parts which per- . 66 tain to time:" and if we did but know the virtue of silence and slowness to speak, commended by St. James, our controversies of themselves would close up and grow together: but most especially, if we would leave the overweening and turbulent humours of these times, and revive the blessed proceeding of the apostles and fathers of the primitive church, which was, in the like and greater cases, not to enter into assertions and positions, but to deliver counsels and advices, we should need no other remedy at all: "si eadem consulis, frater, quæ affirmas, consulenti debetur reverentia, cum non debeatur fides affirmanti;" | brother, if that which you set down as an assertion, you would deliver by way of advice, there were reverence due to your counsel, whereas faith is not due to your affirmation. St. Paul was content to speak thus," Ego, non Dominus," "I, and not the Lord:""Et, secundum consilium meum;" "according to my counsel." But now men do too lightly say, "Non ego, sed Dominus;" "not I, but the Lord:" yea, and bind it with a heavy denunciation of his judgments, to terrify the simple, which have not sufficiently understood out of Solomon, that "the causeless curse shall not come." Therefore seeing the accidents are they which breed the peril, and not the things themselves in their own nature, it is meet the remedies be applied unto them, by opening what it is on either part, that keepeth the wound green, and formalizeth both sides to a farther opposition, and worketh an indisposition in men's minds to be reunited: wherein no accusation is pretended; but I find in reason, that peace is best built upon a repetition of wrongs; and in example, that the speeches which have been made by the wisest men, "de concordia ordinum," have not abstained from reducing to memory the extremities used on both parts; so as it is true which is said, "Qui pacem tractat non repetitis conditionibus dissidii, is magis animos hominum dulcedine pacis fallit, quam æquitate componit." And first of all, it is more than time that there were an end and surcease made of this immodest and deformed manner of writing lately entertained, whereby matter of religion is handled in the style of the stage. Indeed, bitter and earnest writing must not hastily be condemned; for men cannot contend coldly, and without affection, about things which they hold dear and precious. A politic man may write from his brain without touch and sense of his heart; as in a speculation that appertaineth not unto him; but a feeling christian will express in his words a character of zeal or love. The latter of which, as I could wish rather embraced, being more proper for these times, yet is the former warranted also by great examples. But to leave all reverent and religious compassion towards evils, or indignation towards faults, and to turn religion into a comedy or satire; to search and rip up wounds with a laughing countenance, to intermix scripture and scurrility sometimes in one sentence, is a thing far from the devout reverence of a christian, and scant beseeming the honest regard of a sober man. "Non est major confusio, quam serii et joci." "There is no greater confusion than the confounding of jest and earnest." The majesty of religion, and the contempt and deformity of things ridiculous, are things as distant as things may be. Two principal causes have I ever known of atheism; curious controversies, and profane scoffing: now that these two are joined in one, no doubt that sect will make no small progression. And here I do much esteem the wisdom and religion of that bishop which replied to the first pamphlet of this kind, who remembered that a fool was to be answered, but not by becoming like unto him; and considered the matter which he handled, and not the person with whom he dealt. Job, speaking of the majesty and gravity of a judge in himself, saith, "If I did smile, they believed it not:" as if he should have said, If I diverted, or glanced upon conceit of mirth, yet men's minds were so possessed with a reverence of the action in hand, as they could not receive it. Much more ought not this to be amongst bishops and divines disputing about holy things. And therefore as much do I mislike the invention of him who, as it seemeth, pleased himself in it as in no mean policy, that these men are to be dealt withal at their own weapons, and pledged in their own cup. This seemed to him as profound a device, as when the cardinal Sansovino counselled Julius the second to encounter the council of Pisa with the council of Lateran; or as lawful a challenge as Mr. Jewel made to confute the pretended catholics by the fathers: but those things will not excuse the imitation of evil in another. It should be contrariwise with us, as Cæsar said, “Nil malo, quam eos similes esse sui, et me mei." But now, "Dum de bonis contendimus, de malis consentimus;" "while we differ about good things, we resemble in evil." Surely, if I were asked of these men, who were the more to be blamed, I should percase remember the proverb, that the second blow maketh the fray, and the saying of an obscure fellow; "Qui replicat, multiplicat:" he that replieth, multiplieth. But I would determine the question with this sentence; "Alter principium malo dedit, alter modum abstulit;" "By the one means we have a beginning, and by the other we shall have none end." And truly, as I do marvel that some of those preachers which call for reformation, whom I am far from wronging so far as to join them with these scoffers, do not publish some declaration, whereby they may satisfy the world, that they dislike their cause should be thus solicited; so I hope assuredly, that my lords of the clergy have none intelligence with this interlibelling, but do altogether disallow that their credit should be thus defended. For though I observe in one of them many glosses, whereby the man would insinuate himself into their favours, yet I find it to be ordinary, that many pressing and fawning persons do misconjecture of the humours of men in authority, and many times, "Veneri immolant suem," "they seek to gratify them with that which they most dislike:" for I have great reason to satisfy myself touching the judgment of my lords the bishops in this matter, by that which was written by one of them, which I mentioned before with honour. Nevertheless I note, there is not an indifferent hand carried towards these pamphlets as they deserve; for the one sort flieth in the dark, and the other is uttered openly; wherein I might advise that side out of a wise writer, who hath set it down, that "punitis ingeniis gliscit auctoritas." The third is, the passionate and unbrotherly practices and proceedings of both parts towards the persons each of others, for their discredit and suppression. The fourth is, the courses holden and entertained on either side, for the drawing of their partisans to a more strait union within themselves, which ever importeth a farther distraction of the entire body. The last is, the undue and inconvenient propound In which point the most palpable error hath been already spoken of, as that, which through the strangeness and freshness of the abuse first offereth itself to the conceits of all men. And indeed we see it ever falleth out, that the forbidden writing is always thought to be certaining, publishing, and debating of the controversies. sparks of a truth that fly up into the faces of those that seek to choke it, and tread it out; whereas a book authorized is thought to be but temporis voces, the language of the time. But in plain truth I do find, to mine understanding, these pamphlets as meet to be suppressed as the other. First, because as the former sort doth deface the government of the church in the persons of the bishops and prelates, so the other doth lead into contempt the exercises of religion in the persons of sundry preachers; so as it disgraceth a higher matter, though in the meaner person. Now concerning the occasion of the controversies, it cannot be denied, but that the imperfections in the conversation and government of those which have chief place in the church, have ever been principal causes and motives of schisms and divisions. For whilst the bishops and governors of the church continue full of knowledge and good works; whilst they feed the flock indeed; whilst they deal with the secular states in all liberty and resolution, according to the majesty of their calling, and the precious care of souls imposed upon them, so long the church is situated as it were upon a hill; no man maketh question of it, or seeketh to depart from it: but when these virtues in the fathers and leaders of the church have lost their light, and that they wax Next, I find certain indiscreet and dangerous amplifications, as if the civil government itself of this state had near lost the force of her sinews, and were ready to enter into some convulsion, all things being full of faction and disorder; which is as unjustly acknowledged, as untruly affirmed. I know his meaning is to enforce this irreverent and violent impugning of the government of bishops to be a sus-worldly, lovers of themselves, and pleasers of men, pected forerunner of a more general contempt. And I grant there is a sympathy between the estates; but no such matter in the civil policy, as deserveth so dishonourable a taxation. To conclude this point: As it were to be wished that these writings had been abortive, and never seen the sun; so the next is, since they be come abroad, that they be censured, by all that have understanding and conscience, as the intemperate extravagances of some light persons. Yea farther, that men beware, except they mean to adventure to deprive themselves of all sense of religion, and to pave their own hearts, and make them as the high way, how they may be conversant in them, and much more how they delight in that vein; but rather to turn their laughing into blushing, and to be ashamed, as of a short madness, that they have in matters of religion taken their disport and solace. But this, perchance, is of these faults which will be soonest acknowledged; though I perceive, nevertheless, that there want not some who seek to blanch and excuse it. But to descend to a sincere view and consideration of the accidents and circumstances of these controversies, wherein either part deserveth blame or imputation, I find generally, in causes of church matters, that men do offend in some or all of these five points. The first is, the giving occasion unto the controversies; and also the inconsiderate and ungrounded taking of occasion. The next is, the extending and multiplying the controversies to a more general opposition or contradiction than appeareth at the first propounding of them, when men's judgments are least partial. then men begin to grope for the church as in the For this is the double policy of the spiritual encmy, either by counterfeit holiness of life to establish and authorize errors; or by corruption of manners to discredit and draw in question truth and things lawful. This concerneth my lords the bishops, unto whom I am witness to myself, that I stand affected as I ought. No contradiction hath supplanted in me the reverence that I owe to their calling; neither hath any detraction or calumny imbased mine opinion of their persons. I know some of them, whose names are most pierced with these accusations, to be men of great virtues; although the indisposition of the times, and the want of correspondence many ways, is enough to frustrate the best endeavours in the edifying of the church. And for the rest, generally, I can condemn none. judge of them that belong to so high a Master; neither have I two witnesses. And I know it is truly said of fame, that 66 I am no -Pariter facta atque infecta canebat." Their taxations arise not all from one coast; they have many and different enemies ready to invent slander, more ready to amplify it, and most ready to believe it. And "Magnes mendacii credulitas;" "Credulity is the adamant of lies." But if any be, against whom the supreme Bishop hath not a few things, but many things; if any have lost his first love; if any be neither hot nor cold; if any have stumbled too fondly at the threshold, in such sort that he cannot sit well, that entered ill; it is time they return whence they are fallen, and confirm the things that remain. Great is the weight of this fault; "et eorum causa abhorrebant homines a sacrificio Domini:" "and for their cause did men abhor the adoration of God." But howsoever it be, those which have sought to deface them, and cast contempt upon them, are not to be excused. It is the precept of Solomon, that the rulers be not reproached; no, not in our thought: but that we draw our very conceit into a modest interpretation of their doings. The holy angel would give no sentence of blasphemy against the common slanderer, but said, "Increpet te Dominus," "The Lord rebuke thee." The apostle St. Paul, though against him that did pollute sacred justice with tyrannous violence, did justly denounce the judgment of God, saying, "Percutiet te Dominus," "The Lord will strike thee;" yet in saying " paries dealbate," he thought he had gone too far, and retracted it: whereupon a learned father said, "ipsum quamvis inane nomen, et umbram sacerdotis expavit." The ancient councils and synods, as is noted by the ecclesiastical story, when they deprived any bishop, never recorded the offence; but buried it in | perpetual silence: only Cham purchased his curse by revealing his father's disgrace; and yet a much greater fault is it to ascend from their person to their calling, and draw that in question. Many good fathers spake rigorously and severely of the unworthiness of bishops; as if presently it did forfeit, and cease their office. One saith, "Sacerdotes nominamur, et non sumus," "We are called priests, but priests we are not." Another saith, "Nisi bonum opus amplectaris, episcopus esse non potes;" "Except thou undertake the good work, thou canst not be a bishop;" yet they meant nothing less than to move doubt of their calling or ordination. The second occasion of controversies, is the nature and humour of some men. The church never wanteth a kind of persons, which love the salutation of Rabbi, master; not in ceremony or compliment, but in an inward authority which they seek over men's minds, in drawing them to depend upon their opinions, and to seek knowledge at their lips. These men are the true successors of Diotrephes, the lover of pre-eminence, and not lord bishops. Such spirits do light upon another sort of natures, which do adhere to these men; "quorum gloria in obsequio;" stiff followers, and such as zeal marvellously for those whom they have chosen for their masters. This latter sort, for the most part, are men of young years, and superficial understanding, carried away with partial respects of persons, or with the enticing appearance of godly names and pretences; "Pauci res ipsas sequuntur, plures nomina rerum, plurimi nomina magistrorum:""Few follow the things themselves, more the names of the things, and most the names of their masters." About these general affections are wreathed and interlaced accidental and private emulations and discontentments, all which together break forth into contentions; such as either violate truth, sobriety, or peace. These generalities apply themselves. The universities are the seat or the continent of this disease, whence it hath been and is derived into the rest of the realm. There men will no longer be e numero, of the number. There do others side themselves before they know their right hand from their left: so it is true which is said, "transeunt ab ignorantia ad præjudicium," "they skip from ignorance to a prejudicate opinion," and never take a sound judgment in their way. But as it is well noted, "inter juvenile judicium et senile præjudicium, omnis veritas corrumpitur:" through want of years, when men are not indifferent, but partial, then their judgment is weak and unripe; and when it groweth to strength and ripeness, by that time it is forestalled with such a number of prejudicate opinions, as it is made unprofitable: so as between these two all truth is corrupted. In the mean while, the honourable names of sincerity, reformation, and discipline are put in the fore-ward: so as contentions and evil zeals cannot be touched, except these holy things be thought first to be violated. But howsoever they shall infer the solicitation for the peace of the church to proceed from carnal sense, yet I will conclude ever with the apostle Paul, “ Cum sit inter vos zelus et contentio, nonne carnales estis ?" "While there is amongst you zeal and contention, are ye not carnal ?" And howsoever they esteem the compounding of controversies to savour of man's wisdom and human policy, and think themselves led by the wisdom which is from above, yet I say, with St. James, "Non est ista sapientia de sursum descendens, sed terrena, animalis, diabolica: ubi enim zelus et contentio, ibi inconstantia et omne opus pravum." Of this inconstancy it is said by a learned father, "Procedere volunt non ad perfectionem, sed ad permutationem;" "They seek to go forward still, not to perfection, but to change." The third occasion of controversies I observe to be, an extreme and unlimited detestation of some former heresy or corruption of the church already acknowledged and convicted. This was the cause that produced the heresy of Arius, grounded especially upon detestation of Gentilism, lest the christian should seem, by the assertion of the equal divinity of our Saviour Christ, to approach unto the acknowledgment of more gods than one. The detestation of the heresy of Arius produced that of Sabellius; who, holding for execrable the dissimilitude which Arius pretended in the Trinity, fled so far from him, as he fell upon that other extremity, to deny the distinction of persons: and to say, they were but only names of several offices and dispensations. Yea, most of the heresies and schisms of the church have sprung up of this root; while men have made it as it were their scale, by which to measure the bounds of the most perfect religion; taking it by the farthest distance from the error last condemned. These be posthumi hæresium filii;" heresies that arise out of the ashes of other heresies that are extinct and amortised. This manner of apprehension doth in some degree possess many in our times. They think it the true touchstone to try what is good and evil, by measuring what is more or less opposite to the institutions of the church of Rome, be it ceremony, be it policy, or government; yea, be it other institutions of greater weight, that is ever most perfect which is removed most degrees from that church; and that is ever polluted and blemished, which participateth in any appearance with it. This is a subtile and dangerous conceit for men to entertain; apt to delude themselves, more apt to delude the people, and most apt of all to calumniate their adversaries. This surely, but that a notorious condemnation of that position was before our eyes, had long since brought us to the rebaptization of children baptized according to the pretended catholic religion: for I see that which is a matter of much like reason, which is the re-ordaining of priests, is a matter already resolutely maintained. It is very meet that men beware how they be abused by this opinion; and that they know, that it is a consideration of much greater wisdom and sobriety to be well advised, whether in general demolition of the institutions of the church of Rome, there were not, as men's actions are imperfect, some good purged with the bad, rather than to purge the church, as they pretend, every day anew; which is the way to make a wound in the bowels, as is already begun. verbo Dei ;" "Take counsel of the providence of God, as well as of his word." Neither yet do I admit that their form, although it were possible and convenient, is better than ours, if some abuses were taken away. The parity and equality of ministers is a thing of wonderful great confusion, and so in an ordinary government by synods, which doth necessarily ensue upon the other. It is hard in all causes, but especially in religion, when voices shall be numbered and not weighed : "Equidem," saith a wise father, "ut vere quod res est scribam, prorsus decrevi fugere omnem conventum episcoporum; nullius enim concilii bonum exitum unquam vidi; concilia enim non minuunt mala, sed augent potius :" "To say the truth, I am utterly determined never to come to any council of bishops: for I never yet saw good end of any council; for councils abate not ill things, but rather increase them." Which is to be understood not so much of general councils as of synods, gathered for the ordinary government of the church. As for the deprivation of bishops, and such like causes, this mischief hath taught the use of archbishops, patriarchs, and primates; as the abuses of them since hath taught men to mislike them. But But it will be said, Look to the fruits of the churches abroad and ours. To which I say, that I beseech the Lord to multiply his blessings and graces upon those churches a hundred-fold. yet it is not good, that we fall on the numbering of them; it may be our peace hath made us more wanton it may be also, though I would be loth to derogate from the honour of those churches, were it not to remove scandals, that their fruits are as torches in the dark, which appear greatest afar off. I know they may have some strict orders for the re the censures of some persons, as well upon particular men as upon churches, I think on the saying of a Platonist, who saith, "Certe vitia irascibilis partis animæ sunt gradu praviora, quam concupiscibilis, tametsi occultiora;" a matter that appeared much by the ancient contentions of bishops. God grant that we may contend with other churches, as the vine with the olive, which of us shall bear the best fruit; and not as the brier with the thistle, which of us is most unprofitable. And thus much touching the occasions of these controversies. The fourth and last occasion of these controver-pressing of sundry excesses: but when I consider of sies, a matter which did also trouble the church in former times, is the partial affectation and imitation of foreign churches. For many of our men, during the time of persecution, and since, having been conversant in churches abroad, and received a great impression of the form of government there ordained, have violently sought to intrude the same upon our church. But I answer, "Consentiamus in eo quod convenit, non in eo quod receptum est:" Let us agree in this, that every church do that which is convenient for the state of itself, and not in particular customs. Although their churches had received the better form, yet many times it is to be sought, non quod optimum, sed e bonis quid proximum ;" "not that which is best, but of good things which is the best and readiest to be had." Our church is not now to plant; it is settled and established. It may be, in civil states, a republic is a better policy It may be remembered, that on that part, which than a kingdom: yet, God forbid that lawful king- calls for reformation, was first propounded some disdoms should be tied to innovate and make alterations. like of certain ceremonies supposed to be supersti"Qui mala introducit, voluntatem Dei oppugnat re- tious; some complaint of dumb ministers who possess velatam in verbo; qui nova introducit, voluntatem rich benefices; and some invectives against the idle Dei oppugnat revelatam in rebus;" "He that bring- and monastical continuance within the universities, eth in evil customs, resisteth the will of God reveal- by those who had livings to be resident upon; and ed in his word; he that bringeth in new things, such like abuses. Thence they went on to condemn resisteth the will of God revealed in the things the government of bishops as an hierarchy remainthemselves." "Consule providentiam Dei, cuming to us of the corruptions of the Roman church, Now, briefly to set down the growth and progression of the controversies; whereby will be verified the saying of Solomon, that "the course of contention is to be stopped at the first; being else as the waters, which if they gain a breach, it will hardly ever be recovered." |