A Continuation of an Appeal to Calvin's Tribunal, &c.

Calvin's Opinion of Juch as pretend to be great Inftruments of edifying the Church of God, and to have extraordinary Gifts of God's Spirit in Preaching and Praying.

T

HERE were a Sort of Preachers in my Days, that had the Word of Edification perpetually in their Mouths, and they did so please themselves, that they thought the Art of Edifying was known to none befide themselves, but they did rather edify their own Houses than the Church of God, and made Chrift a Caterer to furnish their Kitchen: Many fuch were among the Anabaptifts, who used a strange and obfcure Speech, prating fo about Spiritual Things, that they could not be understood; all their Talk was of the Spirit, but in fuch a Language as would amaze fome Men at their first Hearing.

And as for their Pretences to the Infpirations and Impulfes of the Spirit of God, which the People fo believe, that they often leave the plain Truths and Precepts of the Word to follow fuch Pretenders, my Judgment is, That

They who forfaking the Scriptures do imagine, I know not what Way of Communion with God, may be thought poffeffed, not fo much with Error as with Madness. There are rifen up a Sort of Brainfick Perfons, that proudly pretending the Teaching of the Spirit, neglect to read them, and esteem them as a dead Letter; which Neglect very ridiculous, for they will all grant, That the Apoftles and primitive Christians had the Spirit of Chrift, and yet neglected not the Word. S. Paul, that was rapt into the Third Heavens, did not cease to make Proficiency in the Law and Prophets; and enjoineth Timothy to attend to Reading. If the Spirit which they boaft of be the fame, that Spirit was promised not to produce new and unheard of Revelations, or to coin new Doctrines to feduce us from the Gospel,but to imprint on our Minds the Doctrine of the Gospel. But they fay, It is unworthy of the Holy Spirit, to whom all Things are fubject, to be in Subjection to the Word. As if it were an ignominious Thing to be unchangeable, always conftant to it felf. Should the Spirit of God be reduced to any Human or Angelical Rule, this were to debase it, and bring it into Servitude; but while it is compared and confidered only by it felf, no Injury is offered to it. And left the Spirit of Satan fhould deceive us under this Pretence, he hath given us his Image in the Scriptures, by which we may know Him; fuch as he did once difcover himself to be there, fuch he will ever remain. The Apoftle makes the defpifing of the Word to be a Means of quenching the Spirit: What fay the Enthufiafts to this? Who cannot but perceive, that the Word is the Inftrument by which the Spirit difpenfeth His Illumination to the Faithful, who know no other Spirit than that which Ipake by the Apoftles, by whofe Oracles we are required conftantly to attend to the Hearing of the Word.

The fame may be applied to those that neglect the Lord's Prayer, and other wholefome Forms confonant to the Word, to advance their own Conceptions, under Pretence of immediate Inspirations of the Spirit. Now as to the Abilities of Minifters,

I fhall not enquire into them, they are best known to their Superiors; but I would have them to know, that this hath been the conftant Practice of the Church, which was decreed in the Ancient Synods, That he that would not fubmit himself to the Laws of the common Difcipline, fhould be deprived of his Office: And let them not ask by what Authority, feeing the Holy Ghoft hath pronounced concerning fuch, that the Church hath no Custom of Contending; they may therefore give them a Farewell, that despise the Laws of common Society: Tell them that God is not the Author of Sedition but of Peace, 1 Cor. 14. 33. And remember me to them in this Sen

tence

tence of S. Auguftine, When Schifm is wilful, and maintained with Obftinacy,neither Murther nor Adultery is more hateful.

Calv. ad Pfeudo-Nicodemitas. Calv. adverfus Anabapt. Calv. Infl. L. 1. Č. 9. per totum. Epift. 397. contra Donat,

L. 2. C.6.

Calvin's Indication on what Scripture the forementioned Practice is grounded, and of what Efficacy it is?

You may fee both in these Two Scriptures, the one in the Old, the other in the New Teftament. Deut. 17. 12. The Man that will do prefumptuously, and will not hearken unto the Priest that standeth to minifter before the Lord thy God, or unto the Judge, even that Man fhall die. And our Saviour hath put his Seal to the Church's Cenfures, when he fays. Matth. 18. 18. Verily Ifay unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven. I advise you therefore to confider those dreadful Curfes which your Mother the Church denounceth to be the Defert of Rebellious Children, which you may find among her Canons.

The Canons fay, That, whofoever fhall affirm that the Church of England, by Law established under the King's Majefty, is not a true and Apoftolical Church, teaching the Doctrine of the Apoftles, let him be excommunicated, ipfo facto.

Whosoever shall affirm, that the Form of God's Worship in the Church of England established by Law, and contained in the Book of Common Prayer and Adminiftration of Sacraments, is a corrupt, fuperftitious, or unlawful Worship of God, or containeth any thing in it repugnant to the Scriptures, let him be excommunicated, ipfo facto.

Whofoever shall affirm, That any of the XXXIX. Articles, agreed upon by the Arch-Bishops of both Provinces, and the whole Clergy in the Convocation. An. 1562. for the avoiding of Diversities of Opinions, and for the establishing of Consent touching true Religion, are in any Part fuperftitious or erroneous, or fuch as with a good Confcience he may not fubfcribe unto, let him be excommunicated, ipfo facto.

Whoever shall affirm, That the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England by Law established, are wicked, Antichriftian, or fuperftitious, or fuch as being commanded by lawful Authority, Men who are zealously and godlily affected, may not with a good Confcience approve them, use them, or as Occafion requireth, fubfcribe unto them, let him be excommunicated, ipfo facto.

Whosoever shall separate themselves from the Communion of Saints, as it is approved by the Apostles Rules in the Church of England, and combine themselves in a new Brotherhood, accounting the Chriftians who are conformable to the Doctrine, Government, Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England to be Frofane, and unmeet for them to join with in Chriftian Profeffion, let them be Excommunicated, ipfo facto. And the Law of God fays. Deut. 27. 16. Cursed be he that fetteth light by his Father or Mother.

And fo fay I---- Now that the Keys were given only to the Apoftles, fo that none but their Succeffors did ufe them, may appear by the Primitive Practice. S. Cyprian, recording by whom this Difcipline was exercifed, mentioneth the Bishop and his Clergy, that is, the Presbytery his Affeffors. And S. Ambrofe fays, That in his Age only the Clergy had Cognizance of Ecclefiaftical Causes. And the Effect of it was not for the perpetual Ruin and Defpair of the Offender, but to condemn his wicked Life and Manners, and to admonish him, That unless he repented he fhould perifh. And left any should contemn the Judgment of the Church, God Himself teftifieth, that that Sentence is nothing else but the Declaration of His own Law, and that he will confirm in Heaven what they decree on Earth; and they cannot err nor diffent from the Word of God, because they judge by no other Rule but His Word. However, I never thought it profitable to commit this Power to fingle Pastors, for it is a thing that begets Hatred, and there is no probable Example of it, and there is an easy Laple into Tyranny. But the Church cannot be fafe without it; he therefore that being admonished despiseth the moderate Use of it, bewrayeth himself to be none of Chrift's Flock.

And this Difcipline was feverely practifed in the Jewish Church under the Law, by God's own Command, Deut. 17. 12. The Man that will do presumptuously, and will not.

hearken

hearken unto the Prieft that ftandeth there to minifter unto the Lord thy God, or unto the Judge, even that Man fhall die. (Ainsworth fays, It is to be understood expecially of the Rebellious Elder, that doth this prefumptuous Act, or teacheth others to do it.)

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Printed 1603. Canon 3. Canon 4. Canon 5. Canon 6. Canon 9. Calvin. Inftit. L. 4. C. 11. S. 6. Plebs eft Teftis & Cuftos. Epift. Gafparo Lyfero. Epift. 370.

Thomas Long concludes with Calvin's Epiftle ad N. N. and a Part of Beza's Twelfth Epiftle, thus.

IF

F thefe Arguments do not fatisfy my Brethren, who being carried on with Zeal, are too much addicted to their own Opinions; I befeech them, for the Lord's Sake, that they would confider again and again, into what Danger they bring the Church, (you have a Toleration for the prefent) and when it fhall be noted how refractory you are in many things, will not your Rigidnefs beget in thofe good and pious Senators, who have granted you this Indulgence, a certain Difdain and Alienation of Affection. I beseech them alfo to confider my Advice to the Duke of Somerset, That it cannot be otherwife, but the Papifts will grow more infolently proud, unless the Differences about Ceremonies be fpeedily compofed. And as I have often commended the Judgment of S. Auguftite, concerning the obferving of the Rites and Ceremonies of divers Churches, fo I fhall now commend it again, and conclude with it.

Those things which we obferve being not written, but delivered by Tradition, which are obferved in the whole World, may be understood to be commended and appointed to be retained either by the Apoftles themselves, or by frequent Council,whofe Authority in the Church is most fafe, as that the Paffion, the Refurrection, the Afcenfion of our Lord, and the Defcent of the Holy Ghoft from Heaven, are celebrated by yearly Commemoration, and whatever of the like Nature occurreth, which is obferved wherever the Church hath enlarged her felt. But other things which are varied throughout the Parts and Regions of the World, as that fome Faft on the Sabbath, and others do not. Some receive the Body and Blood of Chrift daily, others only upon certain Days, All things of this Kind have free Obfervation. Nor is there any Difcipline in thefe things more commendable to a grave and prudent Chriftian, than that he behave himself conformably to the Church unto which he fhall come; for whatever is enjoined neither contrary to the Faith nor good Manners is to be accounted indifferent, and for the fake of Communion with them among whom we live, ought to be observed. I believe you have fometime heard me relate what I now repeat, That my Mother following me to Millain, found a Church which obferved not the Sabbath-Faft; fhe began to doubt and be troubled what the fhould do; e fhould do; I valued not fuch things, but for her fake I confulted in this Matter with that Man of blessed Memory, Ambrofe, who anfwered, That he could inftruct me in nothing but his own Practice For if he had known any thing better, he would have practifed that. And when as I thought he would only have admonished us by his Authority, without giving Reason that we should not Faft on the Sabbath, he thus informs me: When I am at Rome I faft on the Sabbath; when I am here I faft not: Do you fo. To whatever Church you fhall chance to come, obferve the Cuftoms of it, if you will not give an Occafion of Scandal to any, nor that any fcandalize you. When Ideclared this Advice to my Mother, fhe readily embraced it. And often pondering this Saying, I ftill efteemed it as if it had been received by an Oracle from Heaven; for I often obferved with Grief and Sorrow, That many Perturbations were created to the Infirm, by the contentious Obftinacy, and fuperftitious Fear of fome Brethren,who in Matters of this Kind, which cannot certainly be determined either by the Authority of Holy Scripture, or by the Tradition of the Universal Church, nor are conducing to the Amendment of Life, only having entertained fome Opinions of their own, or having fo accustomed to do in their own Country, or because they fuppofe a Foreign Church more Learned than their own, they become fo litigious that nothing will please them but what they do themselves.

:

Calvin. Epift. ad N. N. Epift. 121. Epift. ad Januar.

Bez.

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Bez. Epift. 12.

MY Brethren (upon whom the Ceremonies were impofed by the Church of Eng land) asked my Advice what they ought to do. I answered by this Diftinction, That the Condition of the Ministers and of the People was not the fame,and that many things may and ought to be tolerated which were not rightly commanded. And though these things were not in my Judgment rightly brought into the Church, yet feeing they are of the Nature of thofe Things which are not in themselves evil, they feem not to me to be of fo great Moment, that for the fake of them the Ministers fhould forfake their Office rather than wear fuch Garments; or the People omit the publick Food of their Souls, rather than they will hear their Paftors fo cloathed. And I exhort, and in Humility and with Tears intreat my good and greatly refpected Brethren of the Church of England, that (the Truth of the Doctrine and a good Confcience being fafe) they would patiently bear with one another, all bitterness of Mind being laid afide, and heartily obey the Royal Majefty, and all the Bishops; and with Minds united in the Lord (though they do not yet think all the fame Things) they would ftedfaftly withstand Satan, who feeks all Occafions of raifing Tumults and infinite

Calamities.

FINI S.

The Judgment of Bucer, Luther and Melanchthon, in favours of the Church of England, extracted out of their Works by W. S. D. D.

Having debated the Matters in Difference between the Presbyterians and Independents, and the Church of England, upon the Principles of Scripture, Reason, and their own Conceffions, I will fhew how much they act against the Principles of the chiefeft Divines alfo, that first stood up in Oppofition to the Po. pish Corruptions, and were the great Inftruments of fettling that Reformation, which has been called by the Name of the Proteftant Religion, though now fhamefully pretended as a Cloak to cover over the Rebellions, Herefies, Schifms, and all other Extravagancies which the Fanaticifms of our late Times have produced. Now,though in the Heat of Contention with the Papifts, while they oppofe fuperftitious Ufages, and Abuse of ancient Rites, they do not always express themselves with fuch Caution as they might have done, neither were fo careful many Times to diftinguish the pious Ufe which might be made of them, from the intolerable Abuse to which they were perverted; yet they have fufficiently declared themselves, that the Government,Conftitutions and Ceremonies, of the Church of England, are not only lawful, but pious and profitable, for the Chriftian Church, and peaceably to be fubmitted to by all religious Perfons in their feveral Capacities.

And because Mr. B. does fo paffionately defire us to confider the Writings of the Learn'd Bucer, writ in England, and for England, I will begin with him.

Bucer's

Bucer's Judgment in favours of the Church of England.

T

Hefe Orders of Bishops,Priefts and Deacons, were perpetual in the Church,& instituted in the Beginning by the Holy Ghoft---TheChurches ordain'd their Metropolitans in every Province,every one of which was to take Care of the Bishops of the Churches of his own Province- But there was no more Authority granted them, over other Bishops or other Churches, than that they should be concerned and prefide in all Elections,& Ordinations of Bishops,but together with the reft of the Bishops of that Province, with all of them, if it were poffible, or at least ' with the nearest, or as many as could be present----- The Judgments both concerning 'Doctrine and Manners,over all Clergy-men and Lay-Perfons, were in every Church in the Power of the Bishop and Presbyter of each Church, [The Presbyter in his Parish, and the Bishop in his Diocefs.] The Judgments concerning the Bishops, were in the Power of the provincial Council, all the Punishments were Sufpenfion towards those that submit to Penance, and Excommunication towards thofe that did ' reject their Penance.

And again to the fame Purpose. Since it is our Lord's Pleasure, that all his Dif❝ciples should mutually embrace and have a Care one of another, the Fathers did every where, as far as they could, (for all Chriftians are but one Body) appoint, that the Bishops of every Province, fhould meet together with the Presbyters and Dea6 cons, as often as the Occafions of the Church did require, (which is now done at • Vifitations and Epifcopal Synods.) And fhould inquire into the Doctrine and Difcipline of Chrift, that they might be adminiftred, and flourish in all Churches; and that they might amend any Thing that they found amifs, and might confirm and promote what they knew to be well.

But that thefe Synods might be rightly and orderly managed,they would have the Metropolitans, the Bishops of every Metropolis, have the Prefidency in calling and moderating them; and therefore they did lay upon thefe Metropolitans, the Charge and Care of all the Churches throughout their Province. That if they understood 'there was any Thing that was not well inftituted, or done by the Minifters of the Churches, or the People, they fhould admonish them of it in due Time; and if they did not amend by their Admonition, that they fhould call a Synod of Bishops to correct it. For nothing of Judgment was committed to them, which they could 'exercise by their own Authority over the Churches, which had proper Bishops of their own; for all the Judgment over the People and the Clergy, was in the Power of the Bishop and the Presbytery, [that is respectively] but the Synod did judge the Bishops.

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6.

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When Bishops were to be ordained inChurches,it was appointed that the Metropolitan and all the Bishops of the Province fhould meet together at that Church (if it could conveniently be done) and if with fome only,not with less than Two or Three, who were to govern the Election of the Bishop, if it were to be then made, &c. and then at length, to ordain him to the Epifcopal Function. All which Things were instituted, and did prevail, that there might be a Knowledge and mutual Care between the Churches and their Minifters, as much as was poffible, and to drive away and remove all Offences concerning Doctrine and Manners, and to uphold, promote, and render the Edification of Faith, and of a Life worthy the Lord Chrift more effectual. So that if any did recede from their Office, the rest of the Bishops might provide Relief even to the Sufpenfion of those that were obftinate, and alfo to the cafting them out of their Epifcopal Charge.

And then concluding the Order of Government, he fays, 'But because it is al'together neceffary, that all Clergy-men fhould have their Keepers and Curatros, as the Authority and Power of Bishops, and alfo of Arch-Deacons and all others, by 'what Names foever they are called, to whom any Portion of ruling and governing 'the Clergy is committed, is to be restored, fo alfo the Vigilance and Animadverfion, ⚫ that no one in this Order be altogether without a Guard over him.

' But