A BROTHERLY PERSUASION TO UNITY, AND UNIFORMITY IN JUDGEMENT, AND PRACTICE TOUCHING THE RECEIVED and present Ecclesiastical government, and the authorized rites and ceremonies of the Church of England. Written by Thomas Spark Doctor in Divinity. And seen, allowed, and commanded by public authority to be printed.  ROM. 12.18. 
If it be possible, as much as in you is, have peace with all men.  COR. 11.16. 
If any lust to be contentious, we have no such customs, nor the Churches of God.   printer's device of a pair of compasses, associated with Nicholas Okes (McKerrow 334) 
LABOUR ET CONSTANTIA  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes for Roger jackson, and are to be sold at his shop in Fleetstreet near to the great Conduit. 1607.   

 blazon or coat of arms of the British royal family, encircled by the Order of the Garter, crowned 
HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE    

TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE, JAMES BY THE GRACE OF GOD, OF GREAT BRITAIN, France and Ireland King, and over all persons, and in all causes as well Ecclesiastical as civil, in these his dominions, next and immediately under God, Supreme Governor, and defender of the ancient, Catholic and Apostolic Faith.  
HIgh and mighty Monarch, and my most dread & gracious Sovereign, being one of them, that by your most Honourable Counsels letters, in your majesties name, were called to be before your highness, at the conference at Hampton Court, and receiving there such satisfaction as I did by your excellent Majesties own most ready and apt answers to the doubts and objections there and then proposed: as I could not but then greatly rejoice in my heart, and praise and magnify the Lord for the same, so ever since, though to the better satisfying of all others, I have not only in my practice accordingly yielded universal conformity, but privately by word and writing also have laboured to persuade all whom I have met with, to do likewise: yet seeing and observing so many still to refuse, I could not but think it my bounden duty to God and his Church first, & then to your highness, by writing some short Treatise to do the best that I could, to further your most gracious & christian purpose, resolution, & determination in the said conference, which was (as I conceived it) by your most princely moderation, & resolution, first of all in our home controversies amongst ourselves about our Church's Liturgy or Hierarchy, so to knit us all together in unity, & verity, as that all our forces hereafter might more strongly be bend & employed against our common adversaries, so the better also after to draw them to conformity with us in the exercises, and profession of our true and pure religion. And therefore now well nigh two years ago, having writ this Treatise, and finding that the private use thereof, though it hath done good with some, yet to that purpose could reach but to a few, it having in this time com'd & been in the view of some of the most reverend Bish. & so having also got allowance by authority to be printed, & hereupon having been by them and many others which have seen & read the same, much urged to publish it, I am bound thus to dedicate it to your Majesty, & so to offer it to the sight of all, who shallbe pleased to read it. And the rather I thought justly I might so do, for that the ground of most of that I have said therein to the satisfying of my brethren, arises from the speeches, answers, & determinations that your highness self gave in the foresaid conference. But indeed I must needs confess, I durst not yet thus far have adventured, but upon comfortable remembrance of your Mai. vouchsafing the next morning after the said conference to send for me, & then to give me that most gracious countenance & most princely kind words that you then did, in consideration of a book that your highness understood I had written, & been in some trouble for in her Ma. time that last was, touching succession. Pardon me therefore most gracious sovereign if to testify in some measure my loyalty and thankfulness for the same, I venture now again into your highness presence, with so small a present as this. For you being pleased to accept the same, & to give it passage thus under your most royal patronage and protection, to the end aforesaid, undoubtedly it will & may much the sooner get liking and entertainment withal, & so also give the better satisfaction and contentment to all them wheresoever it finds the same. Thus therefore once again most humbly craving pardon for this my great boldness, & hoping of your majesties favourable acceptance hereof, & most instantly upon the knees of my soul begging of the almighty, that your Highness & your most royal issue may most happily & prosperously reign & rule over us, while the Sun & Moon endure, to his most gracious protection I commend your Majesty now and ever. From Bletchley in Buckinghamshire. 1607.  
Your majesties faithful and humble subject. Thomas Spark.   

The Epistle to the Christian Reader.  
I Am not ignorant (well-beloved in the Lord) that I have and do undergo already the hard censure of many for conforming myself as I have to the orders of our Church, and that I am like to endure harder for the writing and publishing of this Treatise following, to persuade others so to do likewise. And all this the rather, for that either through ignorance what my judgement in former times hath been of these matters now in question, or misconstruction of some of my former actions, many as it seemeth (have conceived) that heretofore I have not been the same man, that now in this my dealing I manifest myself to be. To satisfy therefore all men (if it may be) in this respect; first they are to understand that though there be now, upon occasion of the manner of this new urging the rites and ordinances of our Church as they are, some difference in outward show, betwixt my former courses, and this which I now take, that yet that proves not (circumstances duly considered) any alteration of my mind or judgement at all touching these things: For I always before, as occasion served me, both in Pulpit, and otherwise in private conference with many, manifested myself to be of that opinion, that I always thought they were rather to be yielded unto, being but of the nature they are, and being urged no otherwise then in deed and truth they be, by our Church, then that any minister should for his refusing conformity thereunto, suffer himself to be put from the use of his gifts, place and ministry, for such a necessity is laid upon us that be in the ministry, (I always knew and remembered) to preach the Gospel, that woe is to us if we do not so: 1 Cor. 9.16. And with Archippus I ever understood, that Paul had said to every one of us, take heed to thy ministry that thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it. Coll. 4.17. And therefore I could never think (and so my usual saying hath been always to my friends and fellow ministers talking with me of these things) that at the last day it would or could be taken for a sufficient excuse or reason in any of us, before the great judge of quick & dead, and the chief Bishop of our souls, of and for our surceasing therefrom, to say and plead we could not be suffered to continue and to go on therein unless we conformed ourselves in these things, as this our Church requireth now at our hands. And therefore also howsoever otherwise weak brethren were not wilfully and needlessly in such things to be offended by us, yet if after so many years instruction, they would be so weak still, as that they would rather wish us to leave our ministry, what mischief or inconvenience soever thereby should grow, either to them, or to ourselves and ours, and to the whole Church by our so doing, then to yield to the use of these things, I could never yet persuade myself that we were bound, to prevent the not offending of such, by suffering ourselves to be run upon these so dangerous rocks. But indeed I always rather thought, that that was to redeem the not offending of them in such things, at a far higher and costlier rate and price, then either we were bound to give for it, or it were worth: and therefore that in this case, the only thing that remained for us to do, was, holding on still our ministry, better to instruct them, and to pray for them that God would make them wiser and stronger, and so to leave them to him. And the rather have I been confirmed in this my opinion, because I plainly find, that Master Cartwright himself (as desirous as he was otherwise, that they that are in authority would have rather been pleased to remove sundry of them) was yet in this case of the very same judgement, as any man may see he was in his second part of his second reply, chap. the last. Then secondly, though when I have been called by lawful authority to some conference about these matters (as sometimes I have been; and by the same had leave then freely to say my mind touching these things) I have not refused in dutiful manner to lay down my reasons, why they that were in authority (having questionless thereby power as well to remove or alter such rites and ceremonies, as to continue them, as that plainly is confessed they have, both in our Common Book itself, and in the book of Articles) might well be pleased, for the better encouraging of many, both to enter into the ministery, and the quieter to continue therein, as also thereby the sooner to breed peace, unity and love amongst ourselves, and to remove offence from the weak and tender consciences of many, to use their power and authority, rather to remove, or alter certain of them, then to continue and urge them as they were: yet even then also (as it is well known, as occasion was offered) I sundry times plainly protested, that for my own part, those reasons notwithstanding, I thought it not fit, if authority would not yield therefore so to do, but for other reasons seeming of more force thereunto, should choose rather to continue, and so to urge them still, that any man therefore either should shun the ministery, or suffer himself to be deprived thereof. For I never thought them, but weighed and understood as they are with us, either of themselves simply unlawful, or any way so inconvenient, that any should therefore run upon either of these rocks. Much more therefore I have wondered at those men, and greatly always in my mind have I misliked them, who for things of no other nature than these (about which our domestical controversies have been) have yet even therefore grown unto such a mislike of the state of our Church, as that they both in pulpit and print, have thought they might, not only most bitterly seek the disgrace both of it, and the governors thereof, but also make (as they have too to many of them) a plain and open schism therein, yea and an utter rent & breach therefrom. And (I praise God for it) the fear thereof from the beginning, and the falling of it out so when it did, together with the serious consideration of the nature of the questions themselves, have so always kept me in love and liking of the present government and the orders thereof, that hitherto ever peaceably and quietly, I have lived under, and in the practice thereof, and never yet could be brought (how well soever I have liked of some that have seemed zealous & forward in wishing as they counted it, reformation of and in certain things, for their painfulness in their places, and fruitfulness of their labours otherwise in their ministry) either to be present at any of their meetings and consultations to that end, or to yield them my hand at any time, to any thing concluded therein by them: yea always as I have said, I have not only misliked, (to the disturbance and disquiet of so famous a Church of Christ as this of ours is) all those their exceptions against it notwithstanding, that any should seek either in Pulpit or Print, to deface it and disgrace it, as I saw too many did: but also what credit soever at any time God hath given me with any, especially of any great place, I have used it to the best of my skill, and credit with them, to breed and to nourish in them a good liking of our present Church-government, and so in time and place to be as they might, Patrons for it, rather than any way to suffer themselves to be drawn to join with them that sought the subversion thereof, and to bring in an other. Insomuch that thirdly I may with a safe and good conscience both before GOD and man protest, that I never yet could be brought by any thing that I have ever heard or read to that purpose these four and thirty years that I have been in the ministery (and yet I think I have read most, if not all that hath been since written to that end) either to think that form and plot of Church government so much admired and magnified as the perpetual and only fit government for Christ's Church by a parity of Ministers and their presbyteries, either fitting for such a Monarchye as this is, or any way in deed so answerable or conformable to the perpetual government used by GOD for and in his Church, either since Moses or Christ, during the Story, either of New Testament or Old, as this by Archbishopps, Bishops, and Pastors of ours is. And hereupon it hath been, that being a great part of my time Bishop Cooper's Chaplain, to my good liking, and contentment, I have not only always ever since I was Minister, lived as an ordinary Pastor, ever also discharging the office of such an one, in my own person, in and under this government, without being at any time once, either presented or convented, for the omission or transgression of any of the orders thereof; but also for sundry years was I by the said bishops gift Archdeacon of Stow in Lincolnshire, and so had been still, but that it was so far from me, that I found I could not do that good therein that otherwise I might, and in conscience took myself bound to have done. Likewise hence it hath been, that never to this day was I so much as made privy too, or acquainted with any petition or supplication exhibited to Prince, Parliament, or Convocation tending to any alteration of this present government. And lastly, certain it is, that I never ministered the Communion but I received it kneeling, and as for the surplice I have long ago, and very often worn it, neither ever refused I the wearing of it, where or when I had one to wear, and when it was either by my people, or by the Ordinary of the place required at my hands, or when I myself saw the use of it would open unto me any wider door, or procure me any more opportunity to do good with any: and when I least used it, yet even then also I had a care, when my Text gave me any occasion, so to acquaint my people with the doctrine of Christian liberty, and to teach them the free use of such indifferent things, that it should not any way be justly offensive to any of them, when at any time for order sake, upon occasion they should see me most formally use them. And touching subscription if I would or should deny it, sure I am the Bishop of Lincoln's records would prove it, that twice or thrice I have heretofore upon occasion subscribed, in effect even as now it is required. Finally, I must needs say (whatsoever other men have fancied of me) though with Bucer in his opinion given of our Common Book, I have thought certain things therein so set down, as that Nisi candide intelligantur, that is, unless they be favourably underderstood, they seem to carry some show of contrariety to the word of God, yet in very deed, I never thought any thing therein, or within the compass of the required subscription such, but that the same by such a charitable and favourable construction, and that also but well standing with the professed, and publicly established doctrine of our Church, and with the best and true meaning of the Books themselves whence the objections to the contrary did seem to arise, might with a good conscience for the peace and good of the Church be quietly yielded unto. And in that best sense, as I knew charity did bind us all to take every thing, so I could never be persuaded, but that with a very good liking, and allowance of the state, we freely might. And therefore that is all that ever I desired, if to them that were in authority, in peaceable manner by conference with or before them, when it should or did please themselves to call or admit men thereunto, it could not be persuaded, for the reasons and respects aforesaid, that it were best to alter those things, whereupon some took occasion to shun the ministery or to leave it, that otherwise were likely to be profitable for their gifts therein, that yet they would be pleased, (as by law already established I know they might) to allow every thing within any of the books whereunto that subscription reacheth, to be construed and taken of every one, in the best sense they could, & for the better and more certain direction thereunto, to publish the same as thereby allowed so to be taken. And so to conclude my judgement always hath been and is of this present Church government, and the orders thereof, if they that be in place of government therein, every one of them would do but that good in his place, which by the laws thereof already made he both might an aught, it would be so happy and blessed every way as none should justly have cause either to complain of the old, or to seek to bring in a new. And before the last conference before his majesty at Hampton Court, it is well known in the country where I dwell, that in a public meeting of the ministers before the commissary and many ministers, upon occasion there given me, I made it publicly known that I was, and ever had been of this judgement that I have said, and therefore then further I show (as elsewhere sundry times before others of greater place, and namely to my own Diocesan also, before the said conference had) how unwilling I was, either there, or elsewhere, to be drawn to stand in any opposition or contention with the reverend fathers, about any of these matters: For my judgement is that never that 〈◊〉, but dutiful joining with them is likely any way to be the means to procure the Churches good. Being therefore thus persuaded, and therefore so thinking of the lawfulness of my own course, as also taking the inconveniences of the other to be so many and great sundry ways as I do, (the times now also considered wherein we live) how can I but in Christian charity, in this manner do the best that I can, both thus to make my mind known in these things, and also by this ensuing Treatise, to seek to persuade others to be like minded as I am, and for the reasons therein set down to yield to do as I do. The best and most favourable construction therein, I have given of the things that men use to stick at, and yet with all I trust I have made it appear that the same stands very well with the true meaning of the books themselves whence the doubts arise, and with the publicly received doctrine of this our Church: This Treatise therefore being seen and allowed thus to be printed and published according to the order in that case provided, may the rather I hope draw men to uniformity and conformity, for that even thereby they may see, that thus both in their practice and subscription, they are by public and sufficient authority allowed, to take and construe every thing in the best sense that may be. And the rather that it might so do, (because amongst brethren I thought that the likeliest way to persuade) I have studied to deliver my mind in as loving & brotherly a phrase and manner as I could. Wherefore hoping that all reasonable men herewith will be satisfied, and so be content and willing without any prejudice from my person, to read and consider what I have set down in this Treatise following, I bid thee Christian Reader hearty farewell in the Lord. 1606.  
Your loving brother unfeignedly, Thomas Spark.   

The Contents of the Treatise following.  

Chap. 1. The preamble or preface thereunto.  
Chap. 2. The sum and division of the whole.  
Chap. 3. The main proposition of the whole, and seven grounds thereof.  
Chap. 4. Of kneeling in the receipt of the Communion.  
Chap. 5. Of conformity in apparel, and namely touching the surplice.  
Chap. 6. Of the use of the sign of the cross in baptism, in general  
Chap. 7. Answers to objections against the same, some old, some new.  
Chap. 8. Answers concerning some men specially touching these rites  
Chap. 9 Of the order and practise of the book in reading the scriptures Canonical.  
Chap. 10. Touching the reading as the book appoints of the Apocrypha.  
Chap. 11. Concerning the interrogatories in Baptism.  
Chap. 12. Answers touching divers other objections against the book  
Chap. 13. Touching subscription: and certain objections against the same.  
Chap. 14. Answers to more objections made against the same.  
Chap. 15. Answers to certain objections against the book of ordination.  
Chap. 16. The conclusion, and an exhortation to unity.    

A PERSUASION TO UNIFORMITY Unto his Christian brethren:  

The Preamble, Chap. 1.  
THough I must needs confess (well beloved) that none that with any diligence have read the Ecclesiastical stories, and the monuments of the ancient counsels and fathers, but that therein they must needs see and find, that always there have been diversities of opinions in causes Ecclesiastical, even in the best times sins the Apostles, and that amongst the best and most famous Christians otherwise, especially about the outward orders and customs of the Church: yet no small grief hath it been unto me, to see and behold now for these 34. years (that I have been in the ministery) the original, growth, and continuance, of these our domestical controversies amongst ourselves, about the outward policy and rites of our Church. For whiles men have spent their times and zeal in the pursuit thereof, as of both sides they have very much, so much time, leisure and opportunity hath Satan got, to sow and water his tars of Atheism, Papisme, and of sects and schisms amongst us. Insomuch that the sight and consideration therereof, hath often made me to think and say, as occasion hath served me, to men of both sides, as Moses did to the Israelits, Exod. 2. Why smitest thou thy fellow, being thy brother: and as Paul said to the Galathians: Gal. 5. If ye thus bite one another, take heed, ye be not consumed one of another. For always it hath been, and still is my opinion in such cases: Conferant fratres, sed non contendant: for doubtless in such matters as these especially, S. Paul hath told us, if any list to be contentious that we have no such custom, nor the Church of God, 1. Cor. 11.16. Foreseeing yet what further inconvenience might grow of these controversies in the end, if it were not in time prevented, I have long and much wished and prayed, that God would raise us some one, that both for authority, skill and will, were fit to be a moderator therein, and so an effectual composer thereof. Wherein (his name be blessed for it) at the last he hath granted that my desire, in sending us him to be our sovereign Lord and king whom he hath, who accordingly upon his first entrance into this his kingdom, most religiously, and christianly hath sought by a solemn conference to end and determine the same, by letting both parties therein see, wherein they had gone too far, & what was the Medium in which they were both to meet and agree. Wherein his Majesty so carried himself, that verily I think I may boldly speak it in the name of all that were then present thereat, that never any of his place before, in such variety of questions and matters, showed himself more worthy of admiration and applause of all, either for his indifferency in deciding, or for his judicious kind of examining of every thing that then came in question. Insomuch that without all doubt, if once whatsoever then and there, his Majesty resolved of might take effect, and accordingly be put in execution (witness but the report of the said conference already with allowance published in print) great hope there would be, that the unity that thereby his Highness aimed at, would quickly be attained and happily continued. For even thereby it appears, that an universal learned and preaching Ministry through his dominions, and that also by all good means provision should be made for the same as soon as might be, was then yielded to be fit and very necessary: Pag. 52. 96. The carelessness and negligence of sundry ministers in this Church also was therein by his Majesty inveighed against and condemned: Pag. 52. And that stricter order should be taken for the due sanctifying of the Sabaoth, was then universally approved: Pag. 45. Likewise how and by whom hereafter the censures of the Church might be every way and in all Ecclesiastical courts, most fruitfully and sincerely administered, then and there was so resolved of, as that if accordingly there be proceeding therein, we shall all therefore have great cause to rejoice: Pag. 19 78. 89. 94. And for the better maintenance of the purity of religion amongsts us, then and there by his highness order was taken (which since most carefully and religiously his Majesty hath caused to be gone about) that as pure and perfect a translation should be made of all the scriptures as may be, & that then that only (both to the ending of all quarrels touching translations, as much as possible might be, both amongst ourselves, and also with our adversaries) should after be publicly used in our Churches. Page. 46. Then also it was to the same end agreed that our Catechism should be perfected: Page. 43. which since thereupon as we see hath been enlarged & amended. Thirdly to that end likewise it was yielded unto, that there should be a straighter restraint, for the selling of Papists books then before had been Page. 49. And lastly than also it was granted, that the words in the sixteenth Article of the book of articles touching falling from grace of regeneration, should be explained, by addition of some such words, as whereby plainly it might appear, that it taught not, that the regenerate and justified either totally or finally fall at any time from the same. Page. 30. 41. Further concerning the communion book, to make the use and subscription thereunto the easier to be yielded unto, it was by his Majesty, with the assent of the Bishops concluded, that to the title of absolution should be added (for the better explanation of the meaning thereof) these words or remission of sins. Page. 13. And that to the title of confirmation should be annexed these, laying on of hands upon children baptized, and able to render an account of their faith according to the Catechism following. Page. 36. And that the Rubrics touching private baptism should be so altered, as that thereby it might be evident that the book in no case of necessity, allows any but a lawful minister to baptize any child. Page. 19 86. And that those words his disciples should twice be left out in the gospels Page. 63. all which we see in our new communion books done. And then also certainly (as it is plainly set down. Page. 61, of the said book of the conference) his majesties order was, that none of the Apocrypha should be read at all, wherein there was any error, and therefore his highness willed D Reynolds to note those chapters in the Apocrypha books, wherein such errors were, and to bring the note thereof to the Bishops, as it is further testified. Page. 62. besides than & there it was alleged by the author of the said book, D Barlow then dean of Chester now Lord B. of Rochester when the objection taken from the reading of the Apocrypha was in hand, as a sufficient answer thereunto, and not gainsaid of any that the preface prefixed to the second book of Homiles might have made us to see the needlessness thereof, for that thereby the minister is permitted, at his discretion for any chapter appointed (by the Communion book) of the old testament to be red, to read a chapter of the new, which he thought more fit, for the edification of his people. And yet his Majesty most wisely foreseeing that all these notwithstanding thus amended, it was likely enough that some things in the book, or within the compass of the urged subscription, would still seem unto some so harshly to remain set down, as that they would stick and stay thereat, his highness most graciously signified unto us, that as it was our duties, so he wished every one of us, to construe and take everything in the best sense that we could, and not in the hardest and worst: for so only his intent and pleasure was, that they should be urged. And so much in the foresaid book of Conference also to this end is remembered, as that Pag. 47. it is set down, that his majesty would have things indifferent, rather interpreted and helped by a gloze, then altered. All which things considered, if we could and would once learn to bend our wits as well to make the best construction of every thing hereafter, as some have heretofore, to make the worst, both the practice of the book, & the subscription thereunto, and to the rest, would now be doubtless far easier than heretofore it hath, or yet is, unto many. Indeed the rites & ceremonies prescribed by that book, by no means would either his Majesty or the Bishops be drawn to alter, howsoever it was agreed and then consented unto, that where they had in certain places been long disused, and the men there, otherwise were found peaceable, painful, & fruitful Ministers, a convenient time should be granted them (which since accordingly hath been) both to satisfy themselves and their people in that time, for the using of them again. And certainly his majesties answers to the reasons that were then used to have persuaded him to remove them (which in effect were all that either before or since by any have been urged to that purpose) were such, as also his own reasons for the continuance thereof (being no otherwise urged than they are) as that I am fully persuaded what his Majesty resolveth therein, he doth it with an upright and good conscience in the Lord. For his highness answers to the said objections, I must needs confess, than seemed unto me not only very apt, acute and sufficient, but also even now in this treatise, most of the ground of all my answers to the same objections, or the like, grows thence. The reasons (as I remember) urged by his Majesty, for his resolution of their continuance, were these: that he found them here established by such a state which the Lord had long and wonderfully blest, that being urged but as they were, they were of that nature of things, wherein both he lawfully might command, and we also were bound willingly to obey, and that change unless very necessary, did (as Augustine saith Epist: 118) more hurt by the novelty, than otherwise profit: and that they were used by the primitive and purest churches, & in the ages next the Apostles, and that by holy fathers and renowned christians, before popery began, and so ever since have been continued, and that therefore he would not give the Church of Rome that advantage, as by his now rejecting of them, to say that we were so given to novelty, as that no ancient thing could please us, but rather said he, by our retaining still of them, they should well understand, that neither in doctrine, rite nor ceremony, we despise true antiquity and that indeed, they are they that in both these do so, and not we. And doubtless it was evident that all that pains then his Majesty took to knit us altogether in unity, that so being joined together in one, in uniformity of judgement and practice in these things, as we were otherwise in doctrine, we might all more strongly bend our forces together against our common adversaries, & he be also thereby the stronger to draw them after to conformity of religion with us. Give me therefore leave (good brethren) even of unfeigned love also to you, and of an hearty desire of the peace and good of this our Church, in the best manner that I can, by this my brotherly persuasion, to further his highness royal and holy desire herein. Many have written I confess to this end, both before I writ this and since, and that in good sort, and to very good purpose, & yet I trust there may be also good use of this of mine, but indeed even therefore in most things I have been so brief as I may referring you for the rest that might have been said, to those others in print before this.   

CHAP. 2. Containing the sum and division of the whole Treatise.  
To enter therefore hereinto, though I must needs confess, that so far to justify by subscription as it is urged, as we are content by our practice to allow, or at the least to tolerate, seemeth unto me in effect all one: yet I cannot deny, but that there is great difference betwixt a ministers yielding only so far forth as concerns him and his ministry to conformity, and his yielding universally and simply to the subscription now urged. For by the former, he yields only a toleration, or an allowance at the most, for the peace sake and good of the Church, to so much of the book of Common Prayer, as by the rules thereof, he himself is bound to use and practise and by the other he not only so far also justifies the same, but all the rest thereof, as namely the tract of confirmation, the use & practise whereof only belongs to Bishops, as also the book of ordination the execution whereof appertains likewise only to them, and the reading of Homilies then published and authorized, or to be then after published and authorized, which long since (as I take it) so have been in the second volume of homilies 1563 which being a preacher and preaching always when they should be read, by the order of the book itself, he needs never do. As for the rest within the compass of the said subscription, namely touching his majesties supremacy, & the Articles concerning faith & the sacraments, I mention not, because without gainsaying all of our religion are willing so far to yield it, howbeit for as much as he that hath once learned with a good conscience for the Churches good and his own, to yield to the former will also the easilier be brought in the same respects to yield to the other, and he that cannot be brought to the former, will never be drawn to the latter: first let us consider what may be said to induce men to the former, and then after likewise how best the objections that stay men from the latter, may be answered and removed in both which because I have to deal with men of wisdom and learning I will study to be as brief as I may.   

CHAP. 3. Consisting of the main proposition of the whole and of seven grounds of the discourse following.  
That we are bound to yield the former, the statute made Eliza i: first to authorize the book & the uniform practice & use thereof, and since his majesties proclamation published therewith as it is now, to ratify the same, and the Canons authorized by his highness as they are in my opinion, make it so clear and evident, that we can justly make no doubt thereof. All the question therefore I would think now is, whether being thus by lawful acthority commanded, the nature of the things within the compass of the commandment and the manner of the urging thereof considered, we be bound or no, to yield quietly our obedience thereunto, wherein my opinion is were not the law that requires this at our hands so penal as it is, yet but commanding it (the things commanded, being neither in their own nature, either against faith or good manners, and therefore but things indifferent, nor yet in the use as they are urged otherwise, by the common rules of the word in that case set down, touching the obedience of the inferior, to the superior. Rom. 3.1. etc. 1 Pet. 2.13, etc. we were quietly and willingly (even to discharge our duty & conscience towards such, in respect of those rules, for our own good and the Churches, and to maintain good order & peace in the same) to yield our obedience & conformity thereunto: yea further seemed there to be some inconvenience, and unexpediency in some of the things commanded, yet being by such lawful authority, and under such penalty urged as they are, so long as by any right and charitable construction of our Churches, and her governors intent & meaning therein, they may be so taken, as that there is nothing in the word of God set down in the canonical scriptures contrary thereunto, in my poor judgement, it is the duty of every modest and christian Minister, to yield rather his conformity thereunto, then (he cannot tell how much to the wrong and prejudice of the Church, himself, and his, unto all which he stands so strictly bound as he doth) for his persevering still and refusing so to do, to suffer himself by his ordinary, either to be kept from entering into the ministry, or to be deprived of place or ministry. Now yet before I can come to answer the objections against this required obedience and conformity, by your gentle patience, let us a little consider of a few necessary grounds (I hope confessed of us all) which notwithstanding duly weighed, may well serve, not only to confirm these points, but also to open a way to answer all that is or can be objected against the same.  
1 First therefore (good brethren) I trust we all are resolved, that things neither for their nature, nor use commanded nor forbid by the word of God in the canonical scriptures of the old or new testament, expressly or by any sound deduction from thence, are & may lawfully be held for things indifferent. Of this mind I am sure Augustine shows himself to have been Epist. 118. and Epist 86 ad Casulanum, and so it is noted in the Helvetian confession Sect. 17. of the harmony of the confessions of the reformed Churches: that Hierom writing to Augustine was also of the same judgement: the same also appears most flatly to have been Ambrose opinion in the foresaid Epistle of Augustine. And indeed in all ages, all learned writers amongst christians, for any thing that ever I could read to the contrary (and yet for this cause I may truly say I have taken some pains to read and search as many of them as I could come by) are fully with us in this point.  
2 Now next we know that though christian liberty especially consists in our freedom from the curse of the Law, from sin, & from the wrath of god for the same, & in our freedom from the service of sin, & from the rites & judicials of Moses, & from being tied in all common wealths & churches, to the precise followng either of one outward civil policy, or of one & self same form of rites & ceremonies ecclesiastical, yet one part thereof lieth undoubtedly also, in our freedom & liberty in & concerning things indifferent. For of these things the Apostle spoke, saying I know & am persuaded, through the Lord jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself, but to him that judgeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Rom. 14.14, & again unto the pure all things are pure. Tit. 1.15. And all things are lawful for me, though all things are not expedient. 1. Cor. 10.23. And therefore in respect of such things, it was no small part of his glory as he shows. 1. Cor. 9.19. etc. to become all unto all, so to win the more.  
3 Thirdly therefore we may not deny the christian supreme magistrate, who by God's ordinance is to be Esai. 49.23 as a nurse father unto his churches under him, nor to the Bishops and others of the Clergy by his authority lawfully assembled in a national Synod, authority in such matters as these, for the more orderly government of the Church in their judgements, to prescribe ordinances: always provided that the rites & ceremonies that thereby they impose upon the Churches, be not contrary, but rather consonant to the general rules left them in the word, to direct them therein. For else to what purpose hath the Apostle left that general rule in this case to all churches to the world's end? 1. Cor. 14.40. Let all things be done honestly & by order, this therefore as their very due and right, is with one consent yielded them in the foresaid 17 section of the harmony of the confessions, & Caluin upon the 11 of the first to the Corinth. & Beza in his 8 epistle (as indeed generally always the learned of all ages & the continual practice of Christ's church also have done) grant them the same: Indeed whiles as yet consultation is but by them held, what shall in this kind be ordained or continued, or what shall not. I find that lawfully (so it be done orderly & in quiet sort) they that have lawful calling thereunto, may show the best reasons they can, to direct them therein, to determine & conclude for the best: but when once upon mature deliberation, the conclusion is made & published howsoever then we may not deny the rest of the church that freedom & liberty, because of those general rules given all christians, try all things, and keep that which is good. 1. Thess. 5.21. & try the spirits whether they are of god or no, 1. john. 4.1. to examine conclusions by the word, yet doubtless in things of this nature & kind, all must also remember, that Paul hath given rule, that neither the Apostles nor the churches of God, have any custom to warrant any to be contentious. 1. Cor. 11.16. In case therefore any constitutions at any time by christian Princes, and there national Synods in such matters, shall chance to be made, which some private man or men examining by the word of God, are thereby able to prove the same to be contrary thereunto (which I cannot deny but may be possible, for the truth is, as our Church very sound holdeth. Artic. 21. general counsels may err, & sometimes have erred, even in things appertaining unto God) yet such are then, but in all peaceable and in dutiful manner, to make known those their reasons, for which they so think thereof to those that are in authority, & no way otherwise by press or in pulpit, to seek to trouble or to deface, either then or the church, in other respects commendable, for matters of no greater moment than an aberration or two can be, touching the outward orders only thereof; so leaving in patience the success thereof to God, & to more mature consideration in the next Synod, for so much I think the foresaid rule of the Apostle binds us unto, and certain it is, as Augustine teaches in his second book against Parmenian, Toleranda quaedam sunt, quae non sunt tamen probanda: & therefore as he there saith Cap. 1. as a man of right may quaedam improbare, so & firmitate debet quaedam supportare.  
4 Our fourth ground & principle therefore is, that the Sovereign magistrate and the church, having in things indifferent lawfully once enacted their ecclesiastical orders, and constitutions, howsoever before therein men might use their freedom and liberty to use or not to use them, as charity in not offending their weak brother thereby would best permit them, all men than are only so to use their liberty therein, as that they give no scandal and offence to public authority, nor show any contempt thereof in wilfully not conforming themselves, according to the order thereby prescribed therein. For when the council. Acts. 15. had once decreed that the gentiles should abstain from things offered to Idols, strangled, and blood Verse. 29, we read that Paul & Silas: Acts. 16. gave the Churches of the gentiles the same to observe and keep after, as they traveled. And he himself having prescribed, and further prescribing certain ordinances touching such matters to the Corinthians. Chap. 11. commends them for observing them verse. 2. and condemns those that contentiously refused so to do verse. 16. The frequent and usual practice of the Church, as it appear both in all ecclesiastical stories, and in the decrees of ancient famous counsels, both in making of canons touching such matters, and in obeying the same pregnantly prove, that this is an ancient received truth. Yea even thereby, for the further proof hereof, it appears, that it hath been an usual thing in the Churches of Christ, aswell to censure them for Schismatics, who for a rite or ceremony, not unlawful in itself, neither for nature nor use, would make a rent therein, to the breach and disturbance of the communion & fellowship thereof, as those for heretics, that would set abroach and wilfully defend errors in doctrine of faith or manners, to the disquieting and infecting of the same. And truly not without just cause hath it thus done, for as Caluin writes Lib. 4. Inst. Cap. 10. Sect. 31. what a seed of brawls and confusion of things would that be, if every one might be suffered, as he list to alter things appointed by public order. The consideration whereof, as Beza to his commendation notes in his discourse of his life, caused him to submit himself to the order of Geneva touching their communion bread, when he was admitted thither again, though he then dissembled not, that he liked other bread better.  
5 But then fifthly we are to take this with us, that then rites and ceremonies by public authority commanded are such, as thus we are bound (though not in respect of the things themselves in particular, yet in regard of god's ordinance set down in his word in general, to bind us in all things not contrary to his revealed will in the scriptures, to obey our superiors) to yield unto, when not only in their own nature they are things neither commanded nor forbid by the word, as is aforesaid, but also are neither for multitude nor cost too burdensome to the Church nor are such in respect of the use wherein they are urged, wherein any part or piece of God's proper and immediate worship, outward or inward, or any opinion of holiness, merit or greater perfection, or necessity to enthrall or ensnare the conscience is lodged: And when they are imposed as such things ought to be, only for order, decency, and comeliness, as mutable & changeable upon just occasion by like authority, and therefore as edifying only as such things may, and not justly tending to the offence of any, for that they are urged but to the lawful ends last named, and extra casum scandali and contemptus, lay not an Inevitable necessity upon the conscience of the observer. For so long neither any thing set down or meant in the second commandment, nor any elsewhere in the Scriptures against adding thereto, or against the worshipping of God in vain by the precepts and traditions of men (howsoever some seem to think otherwise) can justly & rightly be drawn against such ordinances: for the second commandment only condemns any worshipping of God, otherwise than he hath appointed himself. And so likewise all the other places against additions, and vain traditions, are only against such wherein any opinion of faith, God's worship, or service is laid. And the opinion touching the sufficiency of the Scriptures, by the godly learned in all ages held and maintained, hath been and is this, that either expressly or by right inference, they are sufficient to determine all truth, concerning faith & gods worship necessary to salvation: whereas still it hath been also held and yet is, for outward accidental and changeable rites and ceremonies, that the Churches of Christ have liberty to ordain touching them, as the governors thereof shall think fittest, and so neither all, nor always, that they are tied to one precise form therein. Always provided that in their ordaining the same they cross not but rather agree as near as they can as is aforesaid, to the general rules left them in the same Scriptures, touching the same: else how can we justify salomon's seven days festivity at the dedication of the temple 1. Kings 8. hester's & Mardocheus yearly holy days Chap. 9 or of judas Machabaeus his brethren? Math. 4.59 All which yet we allow and all this is set down as one of the points agreed on amongst ourselves in this Church. Act. 6.20 and 34, whereunto none refuse to subscribe: and Caluin upon the eleventh of the first to the Corinthians, & Beza in his foresaid eight Epistle, most plainly teach the same: yea even Cartwright himself, as you may see in the 84 Page of the late Archbishop's book against him, confesses, that it is not necessary that every rite and ceremony be expressed therein, but that it is sufficient to make the orders of the Church therein lawful, if they be according to the general rules set down in the Scriptures, concerning such things. They therefore being so, if any yet will be offended, either at the commanders or obeyers therein, it is an offence taken, & not given, and therefore at their own peril only, for both reason and religion teach, and therefore as an undoubted truth it is held and always hath been, and namely of Caluin, 1. Cor. 11. Instit lib. 4. Chap. 10. Sect. 31.32. Chap. 16. of the harmony of the confessions: by August. Epist. 118.119. & 86. by Bucer to Alasco, by Peter Martyr to Hooper, and by Bucer to Cranmer, that the Churches of Christ have freedom and liberty according to these general rules to prescribe orders, rites and ceremonies, and then they having so done, it is not for private men to refuse, for the maintenance of good order and peace therein, to conform themselves thereunto, for that the public judgement of the Church in such matters, is always to be preferred before the private opinion of this man or that, and the Church is not to stay from making any constitutions in such things, until she can be assured that all will be pleased therewith, for then hardly ever should she make any, and so also there would never be any end of brawls, jars, discords, and dissensions thereabout. He therefore that herein would neither give offence nor take any, is according to the council of Ambrose in this case, as Augustine hath reported in two of the former places, modestly and quietly always to conform himself according to the order of the Church wherein he liveth.  
6. And yet though he do so, let not any man think, but for all that he may be fully in possession of his Christian liberty in such matters, and so according to the rule of the Apostle, stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made him free, not suffering himself any whit to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage, Galathians 5.1. For we may sufficiently to that end be possessed thereof, within our consciences, though for not offending of a weak brother, much more for not offending the public estate of a famous Church, we never outwardly possess ourselves thereof: For the same Apostle that gives us that rule, and as we have heard of such things confidently said, that all things were lawful for him: 1. Corinthians 10.23. yet saith also, if meat did offend his brother, he would eat no flesh whiles the world stood, that he might not offend his brother, 1. Corinthians 8.13. For Christian liberty in respect of such outward things, lies in our right judgement thereof, in that we are always persuaded that extra casum scandali & contemptus, both of private persons, and the public state wherein we live, we may without sin, and hurt to our consciences use our liberty therein. The ignorance or forgetfulness but of which point, is the ground and cause of many unbrotherly quarrels and contentions in the Church, about things of this kind; let us therefore take this for the sixth general point needful to be resolved of, for the better directing ourselves and others, how to behave ourselves in matters of this nature. If any doubt whether extra casum scandali & contemptus, one may lawfully without sin or hurt of conscience in such commanded rites and ceremonies, sometimes upon due and just consideration and circumstances, omit, or intermit the using of them, let him consider that the decree of abstaining from things offered to idols, strangled, & blood, mentioned Act. 15. notwithstanding after, the Apostle Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinth's (though he utterly disallow the breach of that ordinance by any of the church in the idols temple to the offence of any weak brother, Chap. 8.10. etc.) yet when in respect of the circumstances, there is no such danger of offence, Chap 10.27. permits them freely to eat thereof, without any scruple of conscience. Neither ought this to seem strange unto any: for as there is a precise keeping of such laws, and as flat a breaking thereof, so is there also a middle or mean betwixt both, which is to do prater legem, and yet not contralegem, because though then the letter of the law be not strictly observed, yet neither the true meaning, nor end of the law is crossed, by doing otherwise then it appoints. Upon which ground, though the foresaid decree of the Apostles and brethren in the council of Jerusalem, was set down, as it appears there, without limitation of time or place, how long and where it should bind the christian gentiles to the observation thereof, yet in due place & time, without sin or hurt of conscience, they grew to the disuse thereof, and now it is universally held not to bind at all any, when there is no danger of offence to any weak brother by doing otherwise. Wherefore it is to be wished that the Church, and they that are in authority therein, would always in the urging, the observation and execution of such their ordinances, not only have a care (as questionless this of ours hath had) first that by all good means they whom the observation thereof concerns, might be taught how with a good conscience they may, and aught to yield thereunto (for doubtless the rule of the Apostle, whatsoever is not of faith is sin, Rom. 14.23. holds not only of things indifferent left at liberty, but also limited by authority, for their use one only way) then also that they be but urged according to the nature of the things themselves, that is, neither as perpetual and unchangeable upon any occasion, nor as simply and absolutely always to bind the conscience, as the things commanded by God himself do. Much less would they be urged more earnestly than the ordinances and commandments of the Lord himself in his word, lest so the reprehension of the Scribes and pharisees should justly be incurred, ye tithe mint and annisse, and leave the greater things of the law undone, or ye make the commandments of God of none effect, for the observing of your own traditions, Math. 23.22. and 15.3. for it is all that the very laws of God himself do, or can do, simply and absolutely to bind the conscience, and therefore human laws and ordinances doubtless bind not simply of themselves, but so far forth only, as they are made by lawful authority, whereunto the word of God requires subjection and obedience, as long as the things commanded thereby are not contrary, but rather consonant to the same word of God. marvelous well therefore saith the late Archbishop in his answer to the admonition (as it is to be seen Pag. 279. of his foresaid answer to M. Cartwright) that a christian magistrate may ordain or retain, any civil, politic, or Ecclesiastical orders and rites, so that first they be not against the word of God, secondly, that justification or remission of sins be not attributed unto them, thirdly, that the Church be not troubled with the multitude of them, four, that they be not decreed as necessary and not to be changed, and last of all that men be not so tied unto them, but that by occasion, they may be omitted, so that it be without offence and contempt.  
7. Hereunto I will add only one general rule more, and that is this, the nature of charity being as it is described, 1 Cor. 13.4. etc. Certainly where it is indeed, it will make the owner always strive to hope and to judge the best that he can of his private neighbour's actions and deeds; how much more than ought it to bind all men to conceive and to construe the best of the laws and orders of the Church of Christ wherein they live? contrary therefore doubtless it is to Christian charity (let men therein pretend never so much zeal) to stretch and bend their wits, to make the worst and hardest construction they can of the laws and ordinances, set forth by lawful authority in the Church whereof they are. Thus questionless whiles men do, they give not unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, as Christ hath commanded, Math. 22.22. neither do they yield unto their superiors that honour and reverence, that both Peter and Paul enjoin all Christians to give them, 1 Pet. 2.17. Rom. 13.7. but rather by thus doing, they make themselves like such as Pet. 2. Epist. 2.10. and Jude vers. 8. describe to be despisers of government, presumptuous, standing in their own conceits, and fearing not to speak evil of them that are in dignity. For they cannot but see that so far as they by their hard conceit, and construction disgrace their laws and ordinances, so far also they deface and discredit them that made and urge them. Remember we therefore that as it is an ancient saying, so it is also in this case a very sound rule, the words of the law may not captiously be taken, nor the law itself slandered. For he that in wresting of the laws would seem to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, therein uses to prove himself commonly to be no better than a Sycophant. These things thus premised, and as I hope by us all yielded unto, as certain truths, I trust I shall be able to justify as much as I have said, namely that with a safe and good conscience we may and aught to yield conformity, so far as by public authority is now required at our hands. Howbeit whiles I go about thìs, understand, my purpose is not to take upon me particularly and expressly to seek to satisfy every objection, that I know hath been or is made, but only those that I judge to be most material, and that also as briefly as I can, for that I hope I have to deal with men of learning and judgement, who therefore being satisfied in the greatest, will never stick (I should think) at the rest.   

CHAP. 4. Of Conformity, and first in kneeling at the receipt of the Communion.  
TO proceed therefore therein, the things of greatest moment for which I observe this urged conformity is stuck at, are either certain rites or ceremonies, prescribed the Clergy to use, by the service book or Canons, or certain exceptions made against the things thereby appointed in the Church's service to be read. In the first rank three rites or ceremonies are misliked, especially kneeling in the receipt of the Communion, the prescribed apparel, and the making the sign of the cross after Baptism: Their reasons of the dislike of the first of these. I find especially to be three; that it was not used by Christ, nor his Apostles at the first institution of this Sacrament, that it came in and first was taken up after the doctrine of real presence by transubstantiation, and so thereupon adoration of the host crept into the Church of Rome; and now by the Canons it is urged so strictly, as that neither the minister may administer it to any that refuse to take it kneeling, nor they otherwise receive it without incurring the censures of the Church. Touching the first reason, long ago it hath been sufficiently answered, as you may see Pag. 596. etc. of the late Archbishops answer to M. Cartwright, where he shows the Authors of the admonition, that were the first urgers of it, that as the Church of Christ without any wrong offered to Christ, or his institution, have since altered the time and the place, and diverse other circumstances in the administering of this Sacrament, so may it also the gesture of sitting, (then used for that it was instituted after the receipt of the passover, in eating whereof they used that gesture) into this of kneeling. And as for the second, it is grounded rather upon an imagination, then upon any sound ground, for though there I find the admonition saith it came in by the decree of Honorius, yet they quote no author to prove it, which they would not have failed to do, if they had had any worth the citing: And therefore though they were answered by the foresaid author, that he could find no such decree of Honorius for it, yet neither they nor M. Cartwright their defender, once since go about to prove that ever Pope Honorius made any such decree. And there being four of that name Bishops of Rome, and some of them before either transubstantiation or adoration, was heard of in the Church, in fathering such a decree upon Honorius without any addition or proof, argues the weakness and uncertainty of their evidence. But howsoever the Papists since these gross and idolatrous conceits of theirs touching this sacrament came in, have used it superstitiously in adoring their host in the elevation thereof, I cannot find neither in their mass book, or any where else, that either Priest or people with them, were bound to receive it kneeling: and we by our public doctrine having abandoned that elevation and adoration of theirs as we have, we use it only as in the foresaid place the said Archbishop shows to no such end, but for that we think it a fit and seemly gesture, the Sacrament being as it is a Sacrament of thanksgiving, and it being also by the order of our Church always delivered and received with prayer, wherein that gesture is very comely, and for that we know that now amongst us, there is as great danger, if not more, of too base a conceit, and of too much contempt of so excellent a Sacrament, then of any too high an estimation there of. And therefore even, to prevent that the better is it only that the Canon so earnestly urges the use of this gesture of kneeling, as also by urging it so severely, to put an end to the offensive diversity (if it were possible) in the receiving of this sacrament of unity, some sitting, some standing, some walking, and but some keeeling: for that of all these kinds of gestures (these times considered) this of kneeling is judged the fittest. For it was wisely foreseen that such multiplicity and variety of gestures, tending so much as they do, not only to set the people forward in that whereunto they are too forward already, namely in thinking too too irreverently of so high a mystery, but also to the no small occasioning of the Papists more and more to stumble both at our doctrine and doings, would not, nor could not, be reduced to a needful uniformity in this case, without some moderate severity used to that end. Wherefore otherwise to gather thereupon, as though thereby our Church now meant to make it absolutely and simply necessary to the complement of this sacrament, is but directly contrary to our last premised rule, to make the worst construction of the Church's order therein that may be; and therefore thus is their third argument founded upon so bad a ground answered also. Further yet to breed and continue in us (for the reasons aforesaid) the better liking of the Church's order in this behalf, none can say of this gesture of kneeling, as they say of the other, that it is a mere human invention, for we find it often practised with allowance and liking of the Scriptures of the godly in praying, and thanksgiving to God, and therefore howsoever idolaters have, or do, and will still abuse it, in and about their idolatry, I hope for all that we purging it of all such abuse, none will deny the use thereof to be lawful, and very fit also, for true Christians in humbling themselves before God in their prayers and thanksgiving. Sure I am that the consideration of these things hath always so prevailed with me, that without scruple of conscience, I have ever used it myself in the receipt of the Sacrament: and rather am I encouraged to use it still, for that I find that not our Church alone, but the reformed Church of Boeme, as it appears in the harmony of confessions, Sect. the 14. also alloweth and useth it. Let this therefore suffice touching this rite, and now let us go on to consider what is said against, and what may be said for the prescribed apparel.   

CHAP. 5. Of conformity in the prescribed apparel.  
ALl the rest of the prescribed apparel save only the Surplice, for us ordinary Ministers, as namely the Gown, Cloak, Hood, Cap. and Tippet, are in all men's eyes rather civil, scholastical, and academical, then mere Ecclesiastical, appointed rather only for a decent distinction and degree then otherwise; neither are they imposed by law upon any such penalty as the Surplice, and therefore they must needs be without the reach of most, if not of all the objections made against the Surplice: Yea the very surplice also, in that it is, by the order now appointed, not to be worn of any minister that is a graduate, without his hood answerable to his degree, so far forth must needs cease to be mere Ecclesiastical. Somewhat also to the same end it is that we see in Collegiate and Cathedral Churches, the wearing of it, is not appropriate to ministers or deacons only, for that many there wear it, as well as these, which neither are such, nor never mean to be. And as for the Cope appointed by the 24 Canon, by the principal minister to be worn, when he ministers the Communion in Collegiate and Cathedral churches, we need not here trouble ourselves at all, for there is none that I know, or hear of in such places, that refuse therein to conform themselves. The only question therefore touching apparel prescribed us ministers, is in effect about the surplice, so that it being once proved, that we may and ought (it being urged as it is) conform ourselves therein, I doubt not but with all it will be sufficiently cleared, that we may without scruple yield to the use of the other, appointed us for our ordinary civil use; out of the time of our administration. Many have been, and yet are the objections against it, but they are also answered by the late reverend Archbishop in his foresaid book, Pag. 256. etc. that he that will take the pains but to read and mark what is there said thereunto by him (partiality of affection laid aside) cannot but be satisfied I would think. And there further shall you find proved, that distinction of apparel was appointed ministers and used by them, before the Pope's tyranny; and namely that this of wearing a white linen garment was in use in Chrysostome and Hieromes time. Pag. 291, 259. and that he defends it not (howsoever some other have done) for any signification it hath, but for decency, order, and comeliness sake only, nor as most fit and necessary, but as tolerable and quietly to be yielded unto, and used for obedience sake to lawful authority, commanding it for the peace, and good of the Church; so proving agaínst all their said against it, either by the admonition, or by Master Cartwright, as it is urged, and used by our Church, not to be contrary unto any thing set down in the word, but rather to be consonant every way, to the rules thereof touching such matters. And doubtless it is but either the ignorance, or wilful error of men, to refuse and shun it as they do, for that either it was first devised, and brought in by the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, or for that it hath been used, or yet is, idolatrously by the Romish Church. For first it is recorded by Polidor diminuent rerum. Lib. 6. Cap. 12, and by Isidor writing de Stephano, that the said Stephanus (who was Bishop of Rome anno Chri. 256, which was long before ever popery was) first decreed the white linen garment, to be used of ministers in their ministration: and for further proof of this point, let any man read Hieroms first book against the Pelagians. Cap. 9 and upon the 44 of Ezechiell, and Chrisost. hom. 6. ad populum Antiochaum, as also concil. 4. carthaginense. Cap. 41. and he shall find a white linen garment in those times also in use amongst the ministers of the Church, as a distinct apparel to administer in, yea that more is, who so reads Theodoret's 2 book Cap. 27. shall find that Constantine gave unto Macarius' Bishop of jerusalem a precious garment wrought with gold to administer baptism in: all which was before popery that we so much condemn. And as for the other reason drawn from the abuse of it in popery, not only by the testimony of Augustine ad Publicolam Epist. 154 but also by the most clear testimony of sundry other writers, both ancient and modern, and by sundry precedents and examples out of the scripture, in the foresaid tract, in the defence of the appointed apparel. Page. 272. etc. the said Archbishop plentifully proveth, that the good creatures of God never so much abused by Idolaters, purged of that abuse, may be used and that very lawfully about God's worship and service, and so quite overthroweth the ground of this argument, for whereas to revive it again, they would shift off all these proofs, by saying, they hold only when the things so abused, after purged and used, are things needful and profitable; that cannot serve there turn: for many of the things, if not all mentioned in those there alleged testimonies, were not so needful, but that God's service might have been fully done without them, and it is not for private men to judge, so well as the public state, what is profitable and to be used to good end. And in very deed the very Latin word Superpelliceum used to signify a surplice (as some not unprobably have noted) doth show that it was taken up and used by the ministers in their administration, in the primitive and purest times of the Church, when the ministers, and almost all that professed Christ, through the cruel persecutions raised in those times against all such, were feign to hide themselves in Caves, woods, and mountains, and for very poverty and want of better, to go clothed in pellibus, in beasts skynns, even therefore for seemliness and comeliness when they were to execute their ministry, to hide & cover those there base garments of skins. And many of the ministry now in these days, either through poverty, or by some other means, ordinarily going so raggedly and undecently appareled as they do, if it were but in that respect, there is and may be a profitable and necessary use in some sense of the same garment, to cover the deformity of the other, and to preserve them, and their ministry, from contempt & derision, that too easily otherwise therefore with too many, they might run into. But to take away quite all force of this their argument, which yet seems to be the chief and principal that any now stand upon in this case: first I say, suppose a surplice for matter & form altogether like ours, were abused and yet is as they say in in the popish Church, yet ours that we now use being not eadem numero, but only eademspecie, they can no more make idolathites of ours then the Corinthians could of every sheep, because such some amongst them had been. As therefore they without any scruple of conscience of their own & others, might eat of any other sheep that certainly was known never had been offered to an Idol, though it were never so like that which had, so what reason is there, but that we for all this reason, of the abusing of a surplice to Idolatry by the Papists, may use an other surplice made us since the banishment of popery out of our churches, which we are sure they never abused nor yet used? secondly I further add that in very deed, it can never sound be proved that a surplice, as it is prescribed to us with long & large sleeves, hath been at all any of their idolatrous mass garments. An Albe I find was one of them, but that was with straight sleeves & diversly otherwise in their wearing of it differed from ours, as many may see. Lib 3. Durandifol. 25. de rationali divinorum officiorum In deed I cannot deny but that at the first by the statute. 1, Eliza. ministers were to use in their ministration the same ornaments that were in use in the reign of Ed. the sixth, & in the second year of his reign, amongst which this Albe was. But her Majesty by virtue of the said statute, with the consent of the Archbishop, & the high commissioners, in the seventh year of her reign (as it appears by the book of Advertisements then by authority published) belike of purpose to remove the scandal taken by the popish Albe appointed the surplice in this form & manner that we wear it, to beused in stead thereof, hoping that seeing forma dat esse rei, & so thereby this differed from that popish linen mass garment as it doth, that by this change of the form, people would also change their mislike thereof for the former reason, into a liking of this, for that now it was not the same, neither numero nor specie, particularly nor generally, that ever had been used to or about the Idolatry of the mass; for though Gedeons' Ephod particularly abused, was therefore worthy to be defaced, yet that neither caused Samuel nor David to shun the wearing of linen ephods especially differing from his otherwise in form, as they did also, yea (to conclude this point) seeing the Lord in the old testament prescribed such distinct apparel for Aaron & his sons, and all their sons to minister in, as we read he did, Ex. 28. & that not only to be typical (wherein it standeth not with the nature of the times of the new testament to imitate them) but also as it is, there expressly set down) ve. 40. for glory & comeliness: things lawful to be respected even now in the time of the new, what sound reason can be showed utterly to debar the Churches now since Christ, from imitating them at all, in appointing any comely apparel to discern, and distinguish their ministers by? To say it is an human tradition, and therefore to be rejected, as long as it is urged but as it is without any superstitious opinion thereunto annexed, only for comeliness, order and decency, as we have heard by the fift principle before set down, it may lawfully be retained and used. But if it be alleged, that it is offensive to some eye, to many weak brethren, first answer is to be made thereunto, that indeed that were sufficient to stay men from the use thereof, if lawful authority, had set down no order therein, but now that it hath, the case is altered, as that according to the fourth premised ground, the ordinance of he Church must be the rule that we are to follow therein, for fear of offending the public estate thereof whose offence we are rather to shun then the other; yea the case so standing with us, that in respect of our ministry & place, we have all to say with the Apostle. 1. Cor. 9.16. woe be to us if we preach not the Gospel, as Cartwright himself hath written in the second part of his reply page. 264 we are rather by continuance in our ministry, by yielding to the use hereof, to shun this rock of incurring otherwise this woe, than the other. For in this case all we can do for such, is saith he, to seek better to instruct them, and to pray for them, but we may not to prevent not offending of them, leave undone that which God hath not left free unto us, and to the same effect, writeth. Beza Epist. 8. and 12. But indeed to many are the readiest to be offended at our yielding hereunto (though in truth it be of conscience before God, even for their good) not for that they are weak brethren, but for that they take us to be weak in yielding, & themselves to be strong in misliking: and generally whosoever they be, if they be at that point, that whatsoever is said to satisfy them, they yet are so far from being willing so to be, that they seek & search all the corners of their wits to the contrary, and refuse no pains by all means to nourish themselves still in their weakness or error, it surely so appearing, that they would yet rather have us leave all to humour them, what mischief soever grow unto the Church, them and there neighbours, us and ours thereby, then for the good of all these by using hereof, to continue in our places and ministry: verily in my opinion, we make a fond choice, if we so respect them, that we neglect all these. Whatsoever further is or can be said against this (because the objections against it, and the sign of the cross, therein are common) I shall have occasion to answer, in seeking to satisfy that which is objected against that, and therefore for the surplice in the mean time, I will say no more. And yet even hereby it may sufficiently appear, that neither the christian Magistrate, nor the Church are so without all word of faith, as some think, for their appointing it, but as they do with us, for we have heard and seen that both, by God's word have lawful authority to make laws and ordinances, and that the same follows then for decency and good order, and so in general though not in particular expressly to those ends to prescribe this.   

CHAP. 6. Of conformity in using the sign of the cross in Baptism.  
BEing now come to the sign of the Cross (howsoever some ignorant persons think to the contrary) the use of it even in baptism, is far ancienter than antichristian popery; for Origen that lived and died before the first three hundred years after Christ were ended hom. 8 in diversos locos Evang: makes express mention of it, as then used in Baptism, and so doth Augustine in his time, in his one hundred & eighteenth tract upon john, and evident it is to all of any reading in the ancient Fathers, that almost infinite are the places, as others plentifully have showed, that have writ hereof, that might be cited out of them that flourished before 400 years after Christ were expired, to prove the frequent use thereof, not only in that sacrament but also otherwise. In deed I must needs confess that very many of their speeches seem to sound as though they too quickly grew to attribute to much unto it. But Master Perkins in his problem lately published, writing of those their sayings, is of opinion, that in so speaking & thinking thereof as they did, they had always an eye and reverence therein, to Christ and his death upon the cross, & that they put no such affiance in the sign, but only used it with reverence to testify thereby, boldly their faith in him that died upon a cross, & to be an admonitory sign unto them, to stir them up so, still to believe. But howsoever either some of them to quickly, or the Church of Rome since, by mistaking their metaphorical, and hyperbolical speeches thereof, have used it superstitiously, and Idolatrously, making it a sign of itself not only significative, but also operative and effective of wonderful things, we therein and therefore condemn them and retain the use thereof only that was most ancient & free, either from superstition or Idolatry, namely to be as a sign or token, neither naturally of itself, nor supernaturally otherwise, either signifying any thing, or working or effecting any thing, in those upon whom we confer it, but it is used indeed by us, and that by the minister in his own name, and the congregations or Churches whereof he is minister, after he hath baptized the child, that it together with his admittance thereof, into the outward visible church, upon the baptism precedent and finished, may always after be an admonitory token unto it, never to be ashamed to profess the faith of Christ that died upon a cross, and manfully to fight under his banner against the world the flesh and the Devil; for after it is fully baptized, & to manifest the same, Amen is said, then by the order of our book, the minister saith, we receive this child into the congregation of Christ's flock, & sign it with the sign of the cross, in token that hereafter it shall never be ashamed to confess the faíth of Christ crucified etc. So that not it alone, but it together with the public admittance thereof into the Church, is made the token unto it, of that which followeth & further any man may see, that neither it alone, nor it together with that admittance or receiving thereof, are made any otherwise to be a sign or token thereof unto the child, then in our intention, & that only it is conferred by the minister & the Church, & so withal they receive it into their fellowship & company, of hope they have, that if it live (as they trust it will) coming to age and discretion, and then seeing others baptized, it will remember, that likewise when it was baptized, it was so received into the Church thereupon and so signed, and that therefore thereby it would take occasion (accordingly as they that baptized it, and so signed it, thereby seemed to hope and expect) not to be ashamed to confess the faith, wherein it was baptized, & to show the fruits and effects thereof in continuing Christ's faithful soldier, & servant to the lives end. No sign therefore at all it is made betwixt God and the child, nor betwixt the child and him, but only as a token together with the outward receipt thereof, upon his baptism premised, betwixt the minister & the people and it, of the christian hope & expectation they have, that it will answer after in time both in belief, and life, that which they then hoped & promised in the name thereof, as much as lay in them, it should. And it rather appears, that this indeed is the only and true use of it with us, for that in private baptism, which is only allowed, when the child is in more danger to die then otherwise, the book doth not prescribe the use of it, for that belike they in that case, fearing rather the present death thereof, than hoping for the life, until it may thus confess the faith of Christ crucified, it was not thought fit they should thus sign it in token of their hope and expectation, that it should & would thus, not be ashamed to confess etc. for the reason aforesaid, well & justly therefore it is protested in the thirtieth canon, that as it is used with us, it is no part of the substance of the sacrament, & that being after used, it doth neither ad any thing to the virtue & perfection of baptism, nor being omitted, doth detract any thing from the effect & substance of it, for doubtless the child privately baptized, by the order of the book without it: though it immediately after die, is thereby & by our church taken and held to be fully & effectually baptized the very name of the cross, as it is said in the beginning of that canon, we find indeed so honoured by the pen of the Apostle S. Paul, as that under that very word, often in his epistles, he comprehends the death of Christ with all the fruits & effects thereof, & therefore the sign after a sort bringing the name of the cross to remembrance, and expressing it, by all likelihood even thereupon grew, as there it is further noted, very early, reverently also to be used in the primitive Church, to make thereby outward and open show, to the astonishment both of jew & Gentile, that Christians were not ashamed to believe in Christ, that died upon a cross. For the use thereof to that end is so ancient indeed, as that the most diligent studier and searcher of ancient writers cannot show the first original and beginning there of, he may show when first he reads it was used, but that will not prove that it was not used before, but rather shows the contrary. Whereupon some think that it is so frequent with the ancient Fathers, as namely with Basil Cap. 27. de spiritu sancto to term it an Apostolic tradition, for that they think it came from them and their times, for that other original sense, they cannot show thereof. For that indeed as Saint Augustine's rule de baptismo contra donatistas. Lib. 4. Cap. 24, namely that which is universally observed in the Church, and whose original we cannot show by councils, and which hath always therein been used, that we are to think certainly to be an Apostolic tradition. I wonder therefore the author of the late book published against the cross, allowing the use & practise hereof in the primitive Church to the same end and use that is in use amongst us, should dissallow it in us, he saith it was civil in them, but it is ecclesiastical amongst us, but what reason hath he to say so, seeing it was used by them in baptism, at the first to the same end that it is amongst us? neither will that serve that some say it was then taken up, and used because christians then lived intermingled with unbelieving jews and Gentiles, for let the testimonies of the Fathers be examined where they mention the use of it, and it will appear, that they used it aswell when none such were by or near, as when they were: and if their living amongst such was a warrant to them for the use thereof; why is not ours likewise, living amongst so many profane Atheists as we do? We use it but (as it is said in the foresaid canon) as a lawful outward ceremony, and as an honourable badge of our Christian profession: Whereunto Peter Martyr writing upon the second commandment, having an eye saith, if it be lawful for us to wear the Cognizance of our own house and family, licet etiam signo crucis Christianam nostram religionem profiteri: And this also was so clear and manifest, that even Beza though elsewhere no great friend or patron hereof, in this answer to Baldwin, speaking of such Churches, that still thus to this end do use it, writeth plainly, let such as it is meet, use their liberty therein, Bucer also in his censure upon the first communion book, doth most plainly allow it, and we know Cranmer and Ridley, and sundry other learned and famous Martyrs, lived and died in the liking and allowance of it, It is not urged, nor used, nor defended by us, as simply necessary, or as immutable, For the late Archbishop, even when and whiles he sought most and best to maintain and defend the use of it, as it is with us, writes plainly of it. Page. 617 of his foresaid book: it was used of the primitive Church, and still may be used, and it may be left; but we choose rather to retain it, and to use it as Paul did imposition of hands, and thereby as by an admonitory token to put the child in mind of the duty, as hereby the other moved Timothy to be mindful of his, 1. Tim. 4.14. All which laid together may make it evident, that not only it is a thing of the own nature indifferent, because it is so, neither commanded nor forbid in the word of God, but also as it is used and urged, for that neither so, any way is it contrary to faith or good manners, but may well stand with the general rules of the word left the Church for her direction in such matters. Howbeit I know for all this, many both godly and learned, will hardly be persuaded so of it: let us therefore consider the reasons they seem to have yet further against it.   

CHAP. 7. Containing answers to certain objections against the same, some new, and some old, generally stood upon by the refusers to use it.  
FIrst some seem now to mislike worse of it, since by the said third canon the use of it hath been explained as it is there, than they did before, and that for two reasons: for that it is there said to be retained for the remembrance of the cross of Christ, whereof the sacrament of the body, and blood of Christ is a sufficient remembrance, until his coming again. 1. Cor. 11.26. and for that therein also it is first said that the christians in the primitive Church signed their children therewith, when they were christened, to dedicate them by that badge to his service, whose benefits bestowed upon them in baptism, the name of the cross did represent and then afer that, we now following therein the primitive and apostolical churches, and accounting it a lawful outward ceremony, thereby also as by an honourable badge dedicate our baptised infants to his service: For this now say they must needs be taken for the sense and meaning of our Church in the use thereof, howsoever before we might have taken it, as I before have set down. But if such would herein put in practise the last of the seven rules laid down for a preamble to this treatise, neither these reasons would prove so strong as otherwise they seem, nor yet hereby would it follow, that they are one whit enforced to take it in a worse, or harder sense than they might before: for first in reason and charity, we are all bound to think, that whereas by that Canon, as it evidently appears thereby, the reverend Bishops and Prelates assembled seriously and carefully, went about by their explaining the meaning of our Church in the use thereof, to draw men to like and allow thereof better than before, that they were not so unconsiderate, as so directly to cross their own intent, in making it harder and worse to be like of then it was before. Then secondly it is certain, if these their words might be so hardly taken, as thereupon now to build such an erroneous and superstitious use of this sign, as they (that thereupon now take occasion more to dislike it then before) persuade themselves they justly may; then these reverend and learned fathers and brethren of ours, should most absurdly contrary themselves, even in the Canon itself; for growing towards the end thereof, as before they had confessed, that always our Church since the abolishing of popery, hath used it with such sufficient cautions and exceptions against all popish superstition and error, as in like cases are fit and convenient, so they conclude that by this their declaration and explanation of the use thereof, they have not only purged it from all superstition and error: but reduced it also in the Church of England to the primary institution of it, upon those true rules of doctrine, concerning things indifferent: and according to the judgement of all the ancient fathers. With what probability therefore can any man think, that so many and such men, could in their foresaid words have any such hard meaning, as thereby not only to make the sign of the cross of itself to serve to the very same end that the Supper of the Lord doth, as to keep in our remembrance his death and passion, but also so plainly to encroach upon a principal use of the other Sacrament, as to be the means whereby the child is substantially and effectually dedicated to Christ and his service? Surely whatsoever other men say or think in this respect, christian charity neither will nor shall ever (I hope) suffer me to admit of so absurd a conceit of all, or of any of their meanings, that either were the penners, makers, or allowers of that Canon: yea the same charity and the dutiful and reverend estimation I have of them all, leads, yea enforces me, even by the consideration of their own words used within the same Canon, to be fully resolved, that that was never their meaning: but that indeed their meaning plainly and simply was only, by the former to signify, as the name of the cross in the phrase of the Apostle did comprehend or represent, the death of Christ with all the fruits and effects thereof, so the sign thereof with the help of our intention and meditation in the using thereof, might be as a token or sign admonitory to put us in remembrance thereof: for by the name of the cross they say expressly the Apostle in his speech comprehended as much, and that by that name or word was represented all the benefits of Christ's death, and so that thereupon the making of the sign thereof was shortly after taken up and used, thereby to make show and profession of their faith in him that died on a cross, which they could not do; without taking occasion thereby in some sort (which is not unlawful) to remember his deaths and by the latter doubtless they meant only, (as these words, immediately in the latter place added, show, as by the words used in the book of common prayer it may appear) such a dedication of the child by that badge to the service of Christ, as formerly the book only meant and intended; which was no otherwise, than I have showed before: that is, a public admittance thereof, with the conferring of that sign, into the congregation of Christ's flock, and so into his service by confession of faith in him, and manfully fight under his banner against all the spiritual enemies: for immediately before the act of the baptizing of it, the minister prayeth that whosoever there shall be dedicated unto God by his office and ministery (meaning in baptizing them) may be endued with heavenly virtues, and everlastingly rewarded through his mercy: and then having baptised it or them, in faith and hope that this prayer is heard, and so that they are by, and in baptism, substantially and effectually dedicated unto God, Amen is said: after follows the ministers and people's admittance of them, and signing of them as aforesaid: which is nothing but an approving of the former dedication as much as lies in them, and a declaring of their hope and expectation by that which they do, that in time they will show and manifest themselves to be dedicated to his service indeed, in faithfully serving of him both in belief and life: so that even the words and order of the book, whereunto they have express conference, in that Canon plainly show, that by them is meant no other dedication of the baptised by that badge, than an approbation by them of the former dedication of them in and by baptism, and so their declaration thereof by that, and the admittance of the baptised, as the book appointeth. Appobatiuè therefore, and declaratiué, and non effectiuè, are they and the Canon to be understood: wherein there is no such danger or alteration of the former good meaning, that might be of this sign.  
2. Now therefore these new objections thus answered, let us go on to weigh what further either of old or else of late is objected against this sign of the Cross, in answering whereof I shall, I hope; yet more lay forth the weakness of these: ●t is still, and long hath been alleged against it, that it is made by us as it is used significative (and that when we have made the best construction thereof we can) of that which is sufficiently signified by baptism before, and that therefore in the urged use it is not indifferent, and so not to be yielded unto. To this argument it is answered first, that it is grounded of that which will not, nor need not be granted, namely that it is not within the power and liberty of the Church of Christ, to ordain rites and ceremonies with signification of spiritual things, especially of any thing signified already by either of the Sacraments, for that were, say they, to obscure them, and as it were to bring in new kind of Sacraments without express warrant from Christ, which is unlawful. For where find they in the word any warrant to debar the Church of this freedom and liberty, to ordain rites with any such spiritual signification? Sure I am Peter Martyr a very godly learned man in an Epistle of his to Hooper, plainly shows, that he had never found any such, for there he saith, how shall we debar the Church of God of this liberty, that it cannot signify some good thing in setting forth her rites & ceremonies? especially being so done that no manner of God's honour is attributed unto them, and that they be in sight comely, and in number few, and that christian people be not with them ouerburthened, and matters of greater importance be not omitted? But indeed though this and the rest of ours be otherwise, thus qualified, as Martyr would have all such to be, and are not dark and dumb ceremonies, as the Popish ceremonies abolished were, but are so set forth (as is said in the tract of ceremonies prefixed before our Communion book) that every man may understand what they mean and to what use they serve, and so consequently (as there also is noted) are the freer from danger of abuse; yet indeed, that book no where, nor any public ordinance of our Church annexeth any signification unto any of them, as I said before, either for that naturally of themselves, they signify any such thing, or that supernaturally any such is tied thereunto: what use soever therefore we make of any of them, by way of signification or resemblance, it is either from our own declared meaning and intention in the use thereof, as in this, or from our voluntary meditation thereof, as in the rest, and therefore they neither darken the nature of the Sacraments, nor no way justly can be said or thought to be as new Sacraments. For all Sacraments by Christ's own ordinance, not only signify the spiritual things whereof they are Sacraments, but also are Gods ordinary means, whereby he doth offer, deliver, and seal the delivery thereof, to all the worthy receivers of the same, in all which these come short of them. And who knoweth not but the Sacraments have significations, some principal and proper, and some less principal and common to them with other things, and that therefore, though the Church may not either in her intention or voluntary meditation, in the use of her own rites and ceremonies, thereby encroach upon the principal and proper use of Christ's Sacraments, yet she may without wronging either of Christ or his Sacraments, reach in her intention and meditation by occasion of her own rites and ceremonies, to those that are less principal and common. As for example, the Supper of the Lord hath two ends and uses, the one principal and proper, to be unto the right receivers the Communion of the body and blood of Christ, as Paul showeth 1. Cor. 10.16. and another less principal, set down in the next verse, namely to knit us in communion amongst ourselves. Now though the Church, never that we read of, ventured by any of her rites and ceremonies to signify the former, yet doubtless both by her love feasts taken up in the Apostles times, as it appears even in that Chapter, and by the use of the holy kiss, mentioned Rom. 16.16. and 1. Cor. 16.20. yea even immediately before the receipt of the Sacrament, by justine Martyrs time, as it appears in his Apology unto Antoninus Pius, it was the Churches use to resemble unto themselves the latter, and thereby as by admonitory signs and tokens the better to put and keep themselves in remembance thereof: what should let therefore, but that the sacrament of baptism principally and properly signifying our remission of sins in the blood of Christ, and our regeneration through his spirit, in being thereby so engrafted into his death and resurrection, as that we are dead to sin, and raised up to righteousness, but that the Church of Christ may use the sign of the Cross as she doth with us, as an admonitory token of our christian hope and expectation that the children of Christians baptised amongst us, shall and will answer the less principal and common end thereof, which is to bring forth the fruits and effects of the former, thereby before bestowed upon them and sealed unto them?  
3. Hereby also we are led to answer another main objection which they make against it, for that whiles it is used as it is, it is charged to be an addition to Christ's Sacrament and ordinance of baptism, which is utterly unlawful, or at least an arguing him in some sort of some imperfection in the ordaining the manner how it should be ministered, in that we never read, he or any of his Apostles made any mention of the use hereof in the administration of this Sacrament. For even hereby we see already by the lawful use of the love feasts, and the holy kiss, together with the receipt of the other Sacrament in the primitive and apostolic Churches, neither of which were any more mentioned by Christ in the institution of that Sacrament, than this was in this other, that every such rite and ceremony taken up by the Church and used, when and where the Sacraments are ministered, though they be also such as serve to betoken and signify unto the people some thing also signified by the Sacraments themselves, as these did, are not strait to be accounted either unlawful additions thereunto, or things arguing Christ of imperfection, in not remembering them in the first institution: They themselves that urge this objection most, do allow diverse things in the administration hereof, and in the other Sacrament also, as here either of godfathers, or godmothers, or of the parents, or of some in their room, and that to answer certain questions, as also in the other of ministering it in the morning, in the public assemblies and to women, none of which are expressed in the first institution of either, and yet they will not grant either of these things to folllow thereupon. But the full answer to this objection is this, that the truth is indeed, that Christ hath left the institution of the Sacraments full and perfect for all the substantial and unchangeable things thereunto appertaining, expressly set down by the direction of his spirit in the Scriptures, wherein he is to be followed without addition or detraction, yea or any alteraon thereof at all; and that he left unto his Church the further ordering of the circumstances, and further what was fit according to variety of times, persons and places, for the most orderly, decent, and comely administration thereof, provided always, that therein she keep herself in a course not contrary, but consonant to rules set down in the same Scriptures for her direction herein: for thus the practice of his true Church ever since hath taught us to understand him therein. Unlawful addition to any of Christ's Sacraments therefore, is only that, that either participates therewith in all, or at the least in the chief and proper ends and uses thereof, or is added for complement thereof, as necessary and so unchangeable, whereas our Church in the last named tract of her ceremonies protesteth of this and of all the rest, that they are retained only for discipline and order, and may upon just causes be altered and changed, & therefore are not to be esteemed equal with God's law, and we have heard that the 30. Canon particularly of this protesteth, that the using of it is neither to add any virtue or perfection to the Sacrament, nor the omitting of it detracts any thing from the effect and substance of it: And therefore not only private baptism, as we have heard, is by our service book judged perfect and effectual without it, but we see that our Church accounteth many thousands that have been, and yet are baptised without it sufficiently baptised: so that even thereby it is evident, that it is used not as a necessary supply to perfect baptism, though it be called the sign of the Cross in baptism, but that it is urged, only upon the minister, to use it as is appointed, as a comely & decent rite in the administration thereof, & therefore he is only censured for his contempt or neglect of the church's authority in omitting it, but the sufficiency of the sacrament therefore, is never by authority for want thereof once called in question. To argue therefore that it is unlawfully added to baptism, because it is called the sign of the cross in baptism, in the title of the 30. Canon, is a gross Paralogism, for the words of the Canon expressly sever it from baptism, in showing how the child by the book is perfectly baptised before it be used; & though the whole tract wherein the form of baptism is prescribed, is called the form of administration of Baptism, yet who knows not that it is so, not for that every thing therein, is to be reckoned as part of the essential form of the administering thereof, but for that the chief part thereof sets down that, & the rest appertains but to the circumstances, & to the comely & decent outward accidental & changeable manner of administering of it.  
4 But say some, yet it cannot be but unlawful in the use, for that being but an human needless tradition, it is placed so near baptism, and is urged as it is. But as long as it is so severed from it, as it is, & is urged & used with the cautions before mentioned, and so no way made either simply necessary, or any way, any part or point of God's immediate and proper worship, and service, it is not, nor cannot be any forbidden addition thereuto: Deuteronomie. 12. or elsewhere, or any vain condemned tradition, in or by the scriptures any where, as is premised in the fift principle agreed on at the first. But they reply confidently as it is urged, that it is made a part of God's service and worship, and therefore that it is no better than a very Idol, and a forbidden likeness of some thing in the second commandment condemned, and therefore by no means to be yielded unto; yet as confident as they are herein this antecedent of theirs, we utterly and wholly deny, for neither make we it, as the similitude of any thing to be worshipped with any divine worship, inward or outward, either in itself, or in that whereof it is made a likeness: the Papists do both, and therefore as they use it, it is with them in their concept a part of God's divine worship, and a gross Idol they make of it, but in all these respects, we condemn them: and doubtless they themselves, howsoever they so esteem of it, as it is used in their manner, & with their intent & mind, yet as it is made & used by us, there is none of any judgement & learning amongst them, that anything regard it, and so much the stranger it is, that any of our own religion quite contrary to our public protestation should bear us, themselves or any other in hand, that we lodge any piece of God's worship in it, or make any Idol of it. Sure I am our hearts, our words, and deeds, clear us both before God and man hereof: and that so being our best armour to bear of the blow, that by this weapon they would give us, is to think & say with S. Paul. 1. Cor. 4. As touching our selue we pass very little to be judged of you or of man's judgement. But seeing they are so confident of the truth of this their antecedent, let us see what they bring to prove it withal: the effect and sum of all their proof is first, that we use it in the worship or service of God, therein that the jews worshipped & served God, with divine worship in the observing of their ceremonies prescribed by God, by the ministry of Moses, also for that thereby in the public worship of God religious duties are taught, and lastly for that it is an outward form devised by man to some use of religion: in that it teacheth him upon whom it is conferred, some religious duty, by the signification thereof. To all this, first I briefly answer, that neither any of these, nor all these together, prove the antecedent before denied, than my reason thereof is this, things may be used in the worship or service of God, either as necessary, essential, and substantial parts thereof only, which are part of God's worship indeed, or but as circumstances, or only as human or ecclesiastical orders appointed but for seemliness & comeliness about the same, of which sort this of ours is: and the jews observing their rites & ceremonies so prescribed with right understanding, and with sound hearts to God, therein might & did immediately serve and worship God, because they therefore had the express warrant and commandment of God in particular, and yet not we in ours, because we want that, having only the general rule that he left us for matters of this kind; and every thing that any way teacheth religious duties in the public worship of God, is not therefore part of his service and worship, but that only is so indeed, that is of his own immediate ordinance, to that end, & when accordingly it is rightly used; of which nature we hold not this rite to be and as for the last which is to prove it to be against the second commandment & so an idol, it proveth it not so to be in this, for though it be an outward form of some thing devised by man, yet that is not sufficient to prove it to be an idol condemned in that commandment, for that it serves to some use of religion, or for that also by our intention, & meditation thereof, it is given by the minister and people as a token betwixt them and the child, of the christian hope and expectation that they have it will answer that which therewith all is added. For as we have heard the love feasts and kiss used, as they were with the supper, and to that end they were also, were all this, and yet were neither condemned by the second commandment, not yet Idols. And who can deny but that the altar, built by the a tribes and a half mentioned josua. 22. was an outward form devised by them, & to a religious use, namely to show an other day to their children, that they belonged to the same God that the other Tribes did, and that therefore in respect of that end, use and signification, it was allowed by their brethren, when they understood thereof, how angry soever they were against them for it, before they understood it, and so for all that, not condemned to be against the second commandment or an idol? That altar in their intention and meditation, when they made it, was to be an admonitory sign unto their posterity of that religious lesson in their hope and expectation, and therein there case and ours in this are like, but herein yet there is some difference that their inention and meaning therein was secret to themselves, and therefore their building thereof, so subject as it was, to offend the rest, and ours is plainly with all expressed and set down in our book of every body to be seen, and therefore the better to prevent all offence, or other construction of our meaning thereby: but indeed neither they, nor we hold; that the altar, or our sign of the Cross of themselves; or any otherwise; then in our intention, signify any such thing at all. And yet this puts me in remembrance of another difference betwixt that of thicks and this of ours, that that was visible and permanent, as the substantial crosses used in popery also are, whereas ours is but as an action transient, and by and by ceased and gone, and therefore neither so subject to further abuse, nor yet to give offence, as either that of theirs, or these of the Papists, which are used without any express notification with all, of the end and use thereof, much more of any lawful and warrantable meaning they have therein, and therefore the more doubtless offensive. Yet if we should thereunto annex the signification imagined, why should that be unlawful in our public estate, when as the writers of the admonition think, that they lawfully may prefer sitting in the receipt of the Lords Supper, before any other gesture, for that it best signifies rest through Christ from sin, and the rites of Moses; yea that more is, read we not joshua 24. that he having pitched a stone under an Oak, told the people that that should be a witness against them, if they at any time after forsook that God, whom they then had chosen to serve? But yet for further and more full answer to these proofs of theirs, we are to understand that God's worship or service, is taken either properly, as it is immediately tendered and done to himself, for that he hath so commanded it: Or it is taken in a large and general sense, for whatsoever is done so with warrant from any rules of his word, as that the doer may do it in faith, without which in nothing he doth he can please God. Rom. 14.23. as it seemeth to be taken. Coloss. 3.17. where the Apostle saith, whatsoever ye shall do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord jesus. In which sense, servants doing at the commandment of their masters according to the flesh, any servile work not forbidden by God, doing it willingly and cheerfully as they ought, for that God hath commanded servants to obey their Masters in such things, the Apostle saith, they therein serve the Lord and not man. Ephes. 6.7. And therefore so also when subjects obey the lawful ordinances and laws of their Princes and Superiors, be they civil or ecclesiastical, because God hath commanded obedience and subjection to such, Rom. 13. and 1. Pet 2. as we have heard, and Hebr. 13.17. and their commandments have warrant from general rules left them in the word, though there they be not particularly specified, they may even therein in this sense be said to serve God himself. But yet then any man may see, that there is great difference betwixt this kind of serving of him and the other, for the other, is so his proper and immediate service, as that men sin, if they yield him it not, because of his own only commanding it and requiring it at their hands. Whereas this grows to be but an inferior kind of service of his, though rightly done very accetable also, by the means of the lawful command of the superior, whom he hath commanded to be obeyed.  
And therefore the late Reverend Archbishop in his foresaid book. Page 269. writing and speaking there of the commanded rites & ceremonies amongst us, and namely of the distinct apparel appointed ministers, saith, that men know we could be without them, & that but for obedience sake, we do not much esteem them: which he neither could nor would have said, of any thing expressly and immediately commanded by God, as a point of his perpetual or necessary service or worship. Now than who is so simple but he may easily conceive, that things of this latter kind, may be used about religion and the service of God in the former sense, and yet for all that, made no part nor piece either of religion or of the worship and service of God in that kind; which as long as they are not, but only keep their own inferior rank and place, that which they say of their so being used, makes nothing to prove their antecedent, or any unlawfulness in them. For the rules against all addition by man to God's service and worship, prescribed by himself in his written word, and against worshipping and serving of him by the precepts or traditions of men, are only to be understood (as it is evident even by that which we heard Paul say of servants serving the Lord Christ in doing their masters lawful commands, in any thing that he hath not forbid) of his service and worship in the first sense: and therefore they are no better than wrested, when they are drawn against such rites and ceremonies, and conformity therein, as we spoke of.  
5 Neither is that any reason of force against them, that they are said to be needless and unprofitable traditions of men, nor that they are made mere ecclesiastical, though they had some signification of some religious duty annexed unto themselves: for the judgement of the public state of a Church, touching the needfulness and profitableness of such things; is to be preferred before the judgement of private men. For they that be in place of authority, and have been long exercised therein, being also Godly and learned, through their better acquaintance, with the mysteries of government, must needs see and judge better what is fit, and meet for order and comeliness, then private men can. And as for their being made mere ecclesiastical, by that which I said before of the surplice, partly appears to be false, and reason I can see none (as I have said also) why the author of the book against the cross should account the use of it in the primitive Church, being the same for which we use it, (namely to show that we are not ashamed to profess faith in Christ crucified, etc.) to have been then civil, and therefore lawful, and ours to be mere Ecclesiastical, and therefore utterly unlawful. If their reason be, because we use it only in the church & that by the minister, & they used it also elsewhere by any of them, surely that is a very weak one. For though marriage be, or were only to be solemnized in the church, and in the time of divine service, and that only by a minister, yet that would not prove it to be mere Ecclesiastical, and the like may be said of the burial of the dead: For notwithstanding burials are in some sort civil, human, and politic things, and therefore neither the using it only in the Church; nor only by the Minister, will prove it so. And I wonder that any should ever imagine, that an Ecclesiastical rite or ceremony, should therefore be thought to be unlawful, because by the end and use thereof it teacheth some good religious duty. For none can be ignorant, that Paul ordered, that in the Church assemblies women should be covered, and men uncovered. 1. Cor. 11. and that, (as well Caluin notes) even from ground sufficient in the words of the text there, thereby to signify the subjection of the one to the other, and the superiority of the other over the other, which are good religious duties and lessons. And a man would think they were so much the more commendable, and the more tending to edification, by how much the more they occasioned men to learn thereby, and to remember good religious duties. But as I have often said we neither maintain nor defend ours, for any signification they have, neither do we hold they signify of themselves any such religious duty only by the help of our meditation, by occasion of them, and by our intention in the use of this in particular, we retain and use it, adding withal as we do, in hope of the child learning and practising that after, so the better also (for that we live amongst such who have abused it otherwise, and would feign so do again) to keep and preserve it from all such abuse, and in this ancient and lawful use; yet all other arguments failing, many think, that because it hath so superstitiously, yea idolatrously been abused of the Church of Rome, even therefore as Ezechias for like abuse of the brazen Serpent commendably defaced and destroyed that, though once commanded to be set up by God himself. Num. 21. So much more should this, being but a mere human ordinance have been abandoned, and that therefore it ought not thus to be urged as it is, or so being, is yet not in any case for the using thereof by us to be yielded unto. Whereunto I answer, first that there is more in the conclusion than the antecedent or premises will bear, for though the idolatrous abuse thereof amongst the Papists, by that example of Ezechias carry never such show of a sufficient reason, to have moved our Ezechias accordingly rather to have quite removed it (as questionless none will or can deny but upon that consideration and others, if it so had seemed good unto his majesty, he might) (for doubtless Princes may as well use their authority to remove such, as to continue them) yet the same reason and considerations whatsoever else, are not therefore straight of sufficient force, to bind us rather to leave ministery and all, then (he choosing rather for other reasons that seemed stronger unto his highness, to retain, & thus to urge it, which otherwise I am fully persuaded he would not have done) to yield our obedience in the using it accordingly. For it is generally held, that joab did lawfully at the last in obeying David's commandment in numbering the people. 2. Sam. 24. having before in dutiful manner sufficiently showed the king his reasons to dissuade him therefrom, howsoever David notwithstanding persisting in his purpose offended. And therefore even Beza writing of these very matters of ours that we have in hand, saith that many things may be well observed, that are not so well commaunmaunded, how much more therefore herein may we lawfully obey, seeing as yet there is not found any unanswerable reason, but that lawfully we may also be commanded as we are? And Master Cartwright after he had said all that he could against the imposing of these rites and ceremonies upon us, yet concludes in his second part of his reply, Pag. 265. in these very words, if the Prince upon declaration of the inconvenience of such ceremonies, and humble suit for the release of them, will lose nothing of the cord of this servitude, for my part, I see no better way for the minister of God, then with a vn●●onition of the weak that they be not offended, & prayer to God to strengthen them thereunto, to keep on the course of feeding the flock committed unto him. But indeed (well-beloved) now the question is not that we have in hand, what the state should have done herein (though even in that respect yet, we in duty, as I have said all are bound to think and judge, that for that they which are in authority have done, and do in this case, they have sufficient warrant and reasons to ground, and justify their consciences upon, both before God and man, though sundry private men, not so acquainted as they with the necessary rules of government conceive them not strait) but the question that we are now to seek to be resolved upon only is this, whether any of the things whereunto our conformity under pain of deprivation is thus required as it is, be so intolerable for unlawfulness or inconueniency, as that rather than, we will be drawn to yield obedience thereunto, we are by our persisting in refusal thereof, to suffer that sentence of deprivation or but of suspension from our ministry to pass upon us. Touching therefore the rest of this objection, (and so that notwithstanding to resolve us, that we may and ought rather by yielding to the use of this, to hold on our ministry, and to keep our places, then for absolute refusal so to do, to lose both,) Again, I would wish every man to take the pains to read what the foresaid Archbishop hath set down touching the lawful retaining in the public service of God, things formerly used to idolatry, in his forenamed tract touching apparel, beginning at Pag. 272, unto 279. for there out of Aug. 154. Epistle ad publicolam, & out of Caluin upon the 23. of Exod. v. 24. Peter martyrs Epist. to Hooper. Bucers to john Alasco, and out of another of his to Cranmer, as also out of Bullinger and Gualters Epist. he shall find in all these men's judgements that things both wickedly invented, and also grossly abused, may yet be so purged of that abuse, as that they may be used to good Ecclesiastical uses. Yea who knows not that Gedeon was commanded to take his father's bullock which he had dedicated to Baal, & the wood which he had likewise appointed to his service, 〈◊〉 therewith to offer and burnt a sacrifice to the Lord? jud. 6.25. that the vessels of the temple abuse, by Belthasar, Dan. 5.3. were restored by Cyrus Ezra. 1.7. and after again without scruple used in the Temple about God's service, by the people of Israel after their captivity, and that sundry things profane before abused by the idolatrous inhabitants of Hiericho, were yet reserved, & consecrated with Gods own liking and allowance to the use of the tabernacle and sanctuary. josua. 6.23. Whereby, what exceptions soever otherwise they make against these examples as unlike to the things with us in question, thus much yet is got, that the gross abusing of a thing to to idolatry, makes it not always after so polluted, as that even therefore simply, it can never be purged of that abuse, & so used again about God's service to a lawful and good end and use. But to urge them with examples nearer & liker to our rites in question: Bells in popery have been & yet be (witness Durand writing of the use of them, de rat. divin. office Folly 7.) as much abused as any of these, and yet we removing the abuse, lawfully I hope retain them to a good use, to call our people together to prayers and sermmons. Again the commemoration of the Saints departed, used to good and holy ends only at the first in the primitive Church (as to the praising of God for them, and to the better encouraging of others to imitate them) grew in time grossly to be abused, in adoring & praying unto them: and yet in the universities in their Colleges, and at Saint Maries in Oxenford as also at Paul's Cross, and else where, the abuse being removed, the is a kind of commemoration of some departed used, and I think none will say unlawfully. They cannot deny both these were first taken up by human ordinance, that the use of them is Ecclesiastical, and that neither of them, are simply necessary, and yet I trust they will not say, that the Church with us doth amiss in retaining them as she doth to a good use, notwithstanding their foresaid abuse by and in the Church of Rome. And kneeling who knoweth not hath been a gesture and yet is, most grossly abused in and of that synagogue; in saying their prayers, and doing their idolatrous devotions to their stocks and stones, and yet who is there that will or may disallow it as an unfit & uncomely gesture to be used in our religious & dutiful service of God I grant for kneeling we have warrant by the commended examples of the godly in the scripture, yet thence it follows not that it is simply always a necessary gesture in praying, which is sufficient in this, for that point. But to press them yet more nearly in this case, howsoever they may say, that some signing with the sign of the cross and some making thereof hath been, and yet is superstitiously and idolatrously abused of Papists, how can they say in particular that ever this of ours hath so been, or is. They know and we know, that we in the use thereof have and do banish all their superstitiousness and idolatry in the use of it. As therefore we use it there never was nor is abuse in it: neither have or do they abuse the same that we use Numero & individuo eodem: but the like only in Genere aut specie: which makes no more to the condemnation of ours, than the abuse of some particular cattle, to the sacrificing of them to idols or devils, could or did make unlawful the sacrificing of any other in the time of the old Testament like thereunto to the Lord, or as I said before, to debar the Corinthians from eating without scruple of all like mutton or meat, to that which had been f●red to Idols. And as for the urged example of Ezechias in demolishing, for the gross abuse thereof, of the brazen serpent, who seethe not that it reacheth no further but to the encouraging by that example of others of like authority, upon like occasion, to do the like, to and with the very particular things so abused, and yet not to deal in like manner with all things that after shall be like the other made and used only to a lawful and good end? And after the use of that particular brazen serpent was ended, for the which GOD commanded it to be set up, as we read. Num. 21.8. the retaining of it so long after, even without any warrant from God, and therefore there being no use thereof, neither by divine ordinance, nor by the churches, when it was so abused, it was the best so to deface it. And yet these things considered, that binds not our King strait of necessity to abolish this, which he found here before imposed by the lawful authority of a famous Church, to a lawful end, 〈◊〉 howsoever other abused the like. But why may we not, to some such good ends as we may imagine, then say some, aswell retain the use of some material crosses, and other images in our churches, as this? I answer that besides that there are many other reasons, why that should not be allowed, though this thus be, there are two evident reasons taken even from the nature of this, and the manner of the use thereof, that put such a difference between this as it is used and them, that no way the toleration of them follows upon the allowance of this. For first as I said before, this is past and gone as soon as it is made, when as those stand and abide still, and this hath the use and end express, and that lawful with the making of it, and so have not the other theirs, neither is their use lawful. And therefore this is, so freed from the danger of superstition and idolatry infinitely better than those.   

CHAP. 8. Containing answers to objections that concern some men specially, touching these ceremonies or rites.  
THus now their main and chief objections answered, touching the unlawfulness of the urged use of our ceremonies, because as I understand there are some, who though they be brought to confess, that being in nature end use, no otherwise then they are with us, they may of some be yielded lawfully unto, yet for their parts in respect of some particular circumstances arising from their own persons and places, hold it still so unconvenient for them so to do, that they think they were better to suffer deprivation for refusing to yield conformity, herein something further I must add, for the answering of the objections of such: wherefore indeed I must needs confess, that it is most true, that the same Apostle that said speaking of outward indifferent things, that all things were lawful for him, adds strait that all things were not yet expedient for him, all things edify not, 1. Cor. 10.23. And therefore questionless well may it be, that some that are persuaded of the lawfulness of others yielding, yet may doubt of the expediency thereof, both in them and in themselves. But we must withal remember (good brethren) that when Paul so spoke, he spoke of things indifferent left at liberty, and not as then for their use one only way limited by the lawful order of the Church, as now our case in this is, for then as we heard in the fourth general rule set down in the beginning, the same Apostle urges. Act. 16. & 1. Cor. 11. the observation of the Church's orders in such things. For then in respect of their outward use, such things have much altered their nature: for before whereas charity was our rule to direct us, how, where, and when to use our liberty therein, now the public order of the Church, is to be our director in that respect, & both we and others in charity and love to maintain peace, & good order in the Church, are to conform ourselves quietly to her ordinances therein.  
1 But thou wilt say perhaps thou hast so long disused them, & by speaking against them, made them so odious unto thy people, as that it cannot be but much to thy discredit, in that place especially, & to the no small offence of thy people, for thee to yield now unto them, though to keep thy place and ministry, which otherwise thou hast small hope to do. I grant this may be, and is the case of some, and where it is so, I cannot deny, but it is the harder with such, by much, but yet I cannot think but in time, by using good means, if not by thyself, yet by others, these inconveniences, as great as they seem to be, may be removed. For first touching the disusing of them, or at least of most of them, it was and hath been very common and ordinary a long time. But in most places, not for that the parties that so disused them, ever thought it unlawful to use them, especially when they should be urged as they are now, under such a penalty, for I am sure some that have disused some of them as long well nigh as any, yet have always both privately and publicly, when by their text they had just occasion so to do, and otherwise also showed plainly that that was their judgement of them: and haply also would long ago have used the surplice, if they could have had any fit, or any at all to use; And therefore in deed only forbore the use of them, because they saw without danger, & without any public offence they might so do. In these therefore their former disusage of them, being but in his sort, it can be no just cause of discredit, now to use them: for notwithstanding, then & now, their judgement seems to be one and self-same of them, namely that they thought and think them such things, both for nature and use, as that they could and can be content to forbear them, when and as long, as the state will quietly permit them so to do, and they can be content again to use them rather than any way they would scandalise that, or show any contempt of lawful authority. If any yet will condemn such of inconstancy or levity, or that they do so of worldliness to save their livings, they do them the more wrong, and themselves directly in their so rash judging, offend against the nature of true christian charity, 1. Cor. 13.5. and against the rules that flatly condemn all such judging one another in & for things of this kind, as we heard in the beginning of this treatise. Such therefore are by good instruction, privately and publicly to preserve their people from these faults, but if that will not serve against all such rash censures, they are with the Apostle, 1. Cor. 4. comfort themselves with the testimony of a good conscience, that witnesses with them before God, that that which they do, they do first in faith, that so lawfully they may do; and than that even for the good of their flocks, and for the best discharge of their conscience before God (as they think in that respect) they do as they do herein. And therefore to draw them from rash judging, it were to be wished, that they knew and would imitate the modesty of justinus Martyr in his conference with Tripho, and of Cyprian in his epistles to Quirinum and to Iubaiam●: where they may find, that the one wished that Christians might not be condemned in his time, for the bare using then some of the ceremonies of Moses; & that the other persuades that none should judge another, or shun communion one with another, for their diversity of judgements about the thing then in controversy, touching the baptizing again or no of them that before had been baptised of heretics, which counsel as he gave, he himself took; insomuch that Augustine, though therein, dissenting from him in his third book against the Donatists, greatly commends his moderation, & christian courage in that point, etc. Truly for my own part, I must & may with a safe conscience before the Lord say & protest, that I find myself in conscience so bound to attend my flock, & to fulfil my ministery therein, in feeding of it still with knowledge & understanding, that I cannot but say with the Apostle, 1. Cor. 9 Woe is to me if I preach not still the gospel, such a necessity I find laid upon me so to do & therefore I could never persuade myself (as I said before) that if for any or all these things, I should willingly suffer myself to be put therefrom, it would ever serve me at the last day, when I shall appear before the judge of quick & dead, to yield a reason & an account why I so did, then to make answer that I could not be suffered so to do any longer, unless I would conform myself hereunto. And doubtless (my good brethren) considering you have the same outward calling of the church that I have: & most of you as good, if not better gifts, & the Lord hath sealed unto you his approbation of your ministry, b● many excellent fruits & effects thereof amongst his people, why should you not all be of the same mind with me if 〈◊〉 with me, yet with Master Cartwright, who as you have heard would not have you to forego your ministry, for refusing to be conformable in these, notwithstanding the offence of weak brethren, for where offences cannot be redeemed (saith he in that foresaid place) otherwise then by leaving that undone which the Lord himself hath not left free unto us, but cast a yoke of necessary service upon us (meaning thereby our continuance in our ministry to preach the Gospel) there the case is otherwise, then that we should for the not offending of weak brethren, suffer ourselves to be put from that. In deed, when (as he saith a little before) the not offending of private men is laid but in the scales with any thing that God hath left free unto us, as is the choice of meats, and drinks then it will weigh that down, but in no case as he there adds, it will in the scales so counterway the preaching of the Gospel (which is so necessary for him that is called thereunto, as that woe is his if he do it not) as that for the shunning of that, he should let go so necessary a duty. But if neither of our words nor opinions be of sufficient weight, to draw all others to our minds, yet I would think our reasons should.  
2 As for that which is urged in the second place, namely that thou hast preached against them etc., though as I said that make thy case in yielding harder, yet (good brother) both you & your people know I hope, that it is no news to hear famous men, to have their second cogitations (witness but S. Aug. books of retractations in matters of a higher nature than these, and for which yet there is better & more clear light in the word) wiser & better than their first. And always it hath been counted a glorious thing to yield unto the truth, though men have oppugned it never so long before. And what should any man so stand upon his own private credit, as in comparison thereof to forget the maintenance of the credit of so gracious and christian a King, and the public credit of so famous an estate of a Church as this of ours is, that urg us hereunto? we deceive ourselves, if we think we offend men strait in the sense that it is forbid, when they are angry at that we do, & therefore prate & talk their pleasures of us: but then only we so offend God's children & others indeed, when we do or say any thing whereby justly in truth we occasion them either to fall into an error, or into any sin, neither of which we do in this case, in obeying for the good of them, & God's church the lawful ordinances of the same  
3 O that every one would as forcibly bend his wits to take a survey aswell of the inconveniences of their refusal hereof, as it seems they have done of the contrary. For then quickly they would and should find (in my opinion) that the inconveniences this way are far the greater: For doubtless whiles they pretend conscience, as they do, for their so doing, and stand upon so many reasons for that their refusal, as though the things whereunto they are urged were in so many respects contrary to God's word, do they not thereby as far as the credit of their persons, and those their reasons stretch, discredit both his Highness, and all the state of this Church, that join with him in the urging hereof, as urgers of so many things against the word of God, to the weakening of them, 〈◊〉 consequently so much, in their reducing to conformity of religion, and the open practice thereof with us, both Papist and Brownist? for so many reasons they have by this means put into their heads and hands, why they should hold out as Recusants still. And though I must needs confess their cause be ìnfinitly worse than this of these men, yet by this their example doubtless, they take the more encouragement to plead their blind and fond conscience, for the justifying of their said stubbornness and peevishness, and also to think that they may be yet aswell borne withal in their disobedience in greater matters (which as they think more deeply concern their salvation or damnation) as th●s, in these things of lesser moment. And say they in words never so much, that they yield his Majesty his just and full title of supremacy in all causes, and for all persons as well Ecclesiastical as Civil, yet as long as they refuse, as they do in things of this kind, to yield him obedience, hardly can they persuade his Highness (saith the libeler T. W. in his late augmented and printed libel against us, that in earnest they do mean so indeed. For in matters that God hath expressly, or by good consequent from his word commanded, first himself (say they) they would and should obey though he said nothing, and if he should command contrary to that his word, than answer would and might be made, that they were rather to obey God then him, and therefore in such matters as this, which are neither commanded nor forbid by him, are they to show they yield it, or wherein else can they? And by persevering in this refusal, and so occasioning thereby the sentence of their ordinary to pass against them to their deprivation, alas, to what inconveniences (besides the weakening of ourselves and our whole cause) do they expose themselves, their wives and children, and their flocks, whereunto they are so strictly bound as they are, by so many bonds, natural, civil, and Ecclesiastical? Surely, surely (dear brethren in this iron and hard world, men had need be sure that they suffer for an apparent righteous cause indeed, to bear them out cheerfully to endure the manifold unkindnesses thereof. O what a grief can it not choose but be, for many to see as it is much to be feared, it will come to pass by one means or other upon this occasion, they leaving their places, that such shall creep into their rooms, as not only shall want the skill and will that they had to do good in their flocks, but also that shall even in their sights, if not pull down themselves, yet suffer by the common adversary that to be ruinated that they with great labour before had built. But put case Law should not be executed so severely, yet who seethe not, whiles men openly by their refusal of this conformity lay themselves open to the danger thereof, that thereby they so weaken themselves in their places, that they shall no sooner go about to bridle by other laws, any lewd persons in their charge, but that thereby they shall provoke them to urge the execution of this law against them. It may be the mouths of some Papists & foolish protestants also will be opened against them that yield, & surely we see, they will not be stopped against them that refuse. Many will be offended at thy yielding thou sayst, but more and they that are more worthy to be respected, will be offended at thy refusal; by thy yielding thou strengthens thyself, thy Prince, & the whole state so much, by thy unity with thy brethren that do against their common enemy, and thine, to all your rejoicing, by thy continuance in thy refusal, thou weakens all these, to the joy of our common adversaries.  
4 To conclude therefore this point, the best advise and council further that I can give is, that as heretofore thou hast sought to gather all the reasons together thou couldst, to induce thyself still refuse so much thy own harm, and peril, and the Churches, so thou wouldst henceforth study as seriously to satisfy the same, and seek out as carefully, reasons to persuade thyself that with a good conscience thou both mayest and oughst to yield. For this I must needs tell thee, that thou but deceivest thyself, and seekest also to beguile others, as long as thou pretendest that thou refusest only of weakness or tenderness of conscience, and yet wittingly and willingly thou holdest on the former course, and dost not follow this advice. Forecast therefore in time, as well what is or may be said to strengthen thy conscience in the lawful use of these things, as ever thou hast, what tendeth to hold it in weakness still and therefore not to dare to use them, and earnestly with thyself aswell forethink of the scruples and troubles, that thou mayst have in thy conscience, after that by thy standing to long in this refusal, deprivation be pronounced upon thee, for the inconveniences that many ways may grow thereby, as ever thou hast thought of those that may come by thy yielding; lest when it is too late, thou then cry, had I witted; Christ yielded of his right to pay tribute to the officers of heathen Caesar, lest he should offend them. Math. 17.27. And so likewise Paul, though he could truly say he was free from all men. 1. Cor. 9.19, yet withal, even there, he glorieth in it, not as in an infirmity of his, but as a commendable course of his, wherein he was to be imitated of others, that he made himself servant unto all, in such outward things that he might so win the more, in conforming himself both to jew and Gentile, weak and strong (as there he sets down at large) that so by all means, of all sorts he might save some, yea thus he did, when there was no positive law of the Church, to bind him so to do, how much rather would he have so done, if there had been any such to have bound him thereunto, under pain of ceasing else from preaching of the Gospel, which to do he confesseth then such a necessity was laid upon him, that woe was unto him if he preached it not? None of all the Apostles more fervently and frequently taught and urged the doctrine of christian liberty in such things than he, and namely from the rites and ceremonies of Moses' law, Christ being come, and having put an end thereto; and yet we see even he, many years after Christ's ascension coming to Jerusalem, there at the persawsion of james and the brethren, to maintain the peace of the Church, and so to win an opportunity to do the more good amongst them, yielded according to the ceremonial law of Moses, to be purified the next day with four men that had made a vow, and entered into the temple with them, declaring the days of the purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them. Act. 21.23. And to the same end he yielded to the circumcision of Timothy before that Act. 16.3. And yet he could not, nor was not ignorant what a superstitious opinion many of the jews than had of those things, & what a show of a dangerous consequent the retaining of them in use, so long after the coming of Christ might seem to have. Howbeit as long as he knew in his conscience how rightly to use them, and he knew that james and the brethren urged him to yield to the use of them, but to a good and lawful end, he thought it his duty to that end to yield, as you have heard. Wherein though the success answered not their good meaning therein, yet that is no sufficient argument to condemn his so doing, as unlawful, for we know that most lawful and commendable actions through the frowardness of the ungodly have often as hard events as that had; and we have heard, 1. Cor. 9 how he glories in his so doing, and lays his example therein forth at large to be imitated of others. Indeed when these things, and namely circumcision was urged by the false Apostles, as necessary to salvation, and as a thing to merit by, and to tender unto God any part of his proper and immediate worship, than the same Apostle is most stout in the refusal thereof, and therefore in that case by no means, as he writes Galathians 2.3.4. would he yield that Titus should be circumcised, and he most confidently assures the Galathians, that whosoever (meaning with that opinion thereof) should be circumcised, Chap. 5.2. Christ should profit them nothing at all. Otherwise yet when it was used but as an indifferent thing, without any such superstitious opinions tied thereunto, even in the same Epistle twice, he said thereof, that neither circumcision, nor uncircumcision was any thing, but a new creature, or faith that wrought by love, Chapter 5.6. and 6.15. for as he said in another place, the kingdom of God is not meat nor drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Ghost, Romans 14.17. And (God be thanked for it) unless we would wilfully offer the Church of England manifest wrong, we cannot say that any such superstitious opinions are tied by the ordinance or meaning thereof, to any of the rites and ceremonies that it prescribes us: but that they are imposed no otherwise then such things lawfully may be, and therefore I would think that this example of Saint Paul gives us a plain light how to carry ourselves therein, and accordingly to say, the wearing or not wearing of a Surplice, the making or not making the sign of the Cross, is not any thing. For the best and most honourable defender thereof that hath been, and whose sayings thereof for his learning and place, may worthily be taken for the true meaning of our Church therein: hath of the Surplice said in plain words, Pa. 258. of his foresaid book, that he thought none that would communicate with us in the use of the Sacraments, though either the better or the worse thereof for the external habit of the minister, and of the other as much (as we have heard before.) These things therefore duly and without partial or prejudicate opinion weighed and pondered, I hope will be sufficient to persuade that lawfully, & with a good conscience we are rather to conform ourselves to the order of our Church in these ceremonies, then for refusing so to do, to incur the sentence of deprivation of ministry and all. Having therefore thus said what I thought fit, and I hoped might serve the turn for this, let us now proceed to the consideration of the other exceptions, that are made against conformity required, taken from the things that by order ministers are enjoined, by the book to read or use.   

CHAP. 9 Touching the practice of the orders in the book of reading of the Scriptures Canonical.  
THough by a rubric in the tract of the Communion, we be directed to read Homilies, yet seeing that concerns only such as cannot or will not then preach: and none such (for any thing that I hear) refuse to yield the urged conformity, we may (whiles we are in hand only with this point) omit saying any thing of them, reserving that which we have to say thereof, until we come to the other point, touching subscription, within the compass whereof the allowance of the reading of them indeed comes, not only by means of that rubric, but also by virtue of the 35 article in the book of articles. The things therefore that now only we have to consider, are the exceptions that the refusers of conformity make against the order that the book appoints, first for the reading of the Scriptures Canonical or Apocrypha, and then against other things set down in the same to be read, in the formal use and practise thereof, in all which I will strive by how much I have been longer than I had thought I should, in the former, by so much to be the briefer. In the order appointed by the book touching the reading of the Canonical Scripture, three things are misliked, namely that thereby a great part thereof is not appointed to be read at all, that some portions thereof are appointed to be read at such times as they are, as namely the Epistles and Gospels the first day and Sunday of Lent, the Epistle on Innocents' day, and the Epistles on Easter eve and Michael's day, & lastly that the portions of scripture inserted into the book, and the Psalter annexed thereunto, are so prescribed thereby to be read as they are, wherein yet there are many known faults that by no means can stand with the same Scriptures in the original tongues wherein they were first written. The first, whereof is proved to be a great fault, for that it is a kind or taking from the word, and forbidden, Revel. 22. and a depriving the people of one good means the better to enable them to search them: and so is the second said to be, for that by the precise appointing them at those times, the people are occasioned to mistake and to misunderstand them, and likewise is the third, for that so there is false witness borne both against the scriptures, and the spirit of God the author thereof, as to have said and meant that there, which they never did. But to the first of these, for any thing that I can gather out of the 14 Canon (for by the statute made at the first, Eliz. 1. to establish the book, aswell all addition, detraction, or alteration thereof, in the use and practise of it was forbid as it is now by that Canon) it may as well now as before, and indeed both before and now truly and justly be said that no such inconvenience need arise by that order, for that no minister either by the book, or by any other ordinance of our Church, is 〈◊〉 forbid, over and above those that are appointed (being allowed to be a Preacher) to read any or all of those that are not, at such times as he shall think good, with exposition thereof, and sure I am, I myself have so done, and in full persuasion that therein I have done nothing against order therein taken either before or now. For doubt less any man may justly think that by our Church's order they were only so left out as they are, in that they were not thought so lightsome and easy to be understood as the other, that are appointed to be read, being but barely read without exposition and interpretation: and in the mean time none that can, are forbidden to read, and study them privately: But if they were by the Calendar aswell appointed as the other orderly to be read, yet in that in parish Churches the people come not together, but upon few days in the week, they might miss the hearing of most of them aswell then as now. And as for the second, the inconvenience imagined to arise thereby, every minister that makes scruple at conformity, being a Preacher as commonly and generally he is, that likewise he in reading of those Scriptures at those set times by sound interpreting them, and preaching thereupon, which the book no where nor any other Canon forbids him, may prevent. And touching the last I hope shortly all occasion of that objection will be removed when the new translation by his majesties most Christian and Princely order in hand, shall be finished, and authorized as the only authentical translation to be used in our Churches: and in the mean time I am persuaded that no Bishop in this land, will deny any minister (that can and will in peace and quietness use that his liberty) to read all the foresaid Scriptures, in the book according to the great Bible by order already from themselves appointed to be in Churches, that we may read the Chapters out of it: for though we may find that the Book appoints Epistles & Gospels, Chapters and Psalms to be read, yet no where shall we find there either that they are said to be any part of the Book, (and therefore they were left out in the latin translation thereof) or that it ties or binds us to any one certain translation for the same. But if it expressly did, may we justly think that it is contrary to the word, to read the Scriptures to the common people, in a translation that hath such faults, as the originals thereof rightly understood sometimes will not bear? Doubtless then I fear (in faith and assurance in our consciences that we do always well therein) we shall never allow them to read, or to have read unto them the Scriptures in any translation at all: for when can we be certain that any translation is free from all such faults? unless therefore with the Papists we would debar them from having and hearing the Scriptures at all in the vulgar tongues, we must be contented that they read and have them read unto them in translations that (happily when we have all done) may have some such faults. And this is it, that both they and we must content ourselves withal in this case, first that the faults be such, which though they stand not full with the original, yet they import not any error against any necessary truth elsewhere taught in the scriptures, of which kind (for any thing that I can remember) amongst all the faults noted in the foresaid inserted Scriptures, in the book there is not one: and then that those faults are not so defended by our Church to be no faults, but that always it hath been permitted the godly learned ministers in preaching of any of the said Scriptures, in a wise and discreet manner, notwithstanding, to acquaint the people with the sense most agreeable with the original: yea we see most of the same faults corrected and amended already in the foresaid great Bible, commonly called the Bishop's Bible: and now again, that that whole translation and others are to be examined and so all faults that have passed in any heretofore (as far as the learning and diligence of man can reach unto) are to be reform, all which duly considered I hope may serve to answer these objections.   

CHAP. 10. Touching the reading of the Apocrypha.  
NOw the next is touching the books appointing the Apocrypha to be read as it doth, wherein many faults are found also, as that they are appointed publicly to be read at all, that they are appointed to be read as Chapters of the holy Scripture of the old Testament, and as more edifying then the Canonical omitted to give room for them, and that often there is a special choice of them, for certain solemn feast days or holy days. All which objections (as I said before) the Dean them of Chester, now L. Bishop of Rochester, (no man then or there finding any fault with that his answer, in the conference before his Majesty) showed was needless, because by the preface set before the second volume of homilies (which is by order of our Church allowed & authorized aswell as the book, and indeed published since the books first authorizing in the year 1563. and therefore even by that circumstance more likely and fit to serve in this point to explain the meaning of the book,) the minister is exhorted to weigh and to read his Chapters privately before he come to read them publicly, and thereupon, if in his discretion he think it fit and more to edification, to read a chapter of the new for any that is appointed of the old, then so to do. And indeed this being even so (as any man may see it is in that place) in that thereby he is so left to his discretion to change any chapter appointed to be read of the old, and therefore thereby some times may so do with a canonical chapter, what reason hath any man to think, but that he may so do also with the Apocrypha? or who can truly say that ever yet any minister was troubled for his quietly and peaceably taking and using his liberty herein? you heard also before, what the same reverend man truly reported to have been said by his Majesty in the foresaid conference, touching the omitting the reading of any apocryphas chapter, that justly might be charged with any fault, crossing the canonical, Page. 63. of his report thereof, since in print. Further, certain it is that Doctor Abbot's Dean of Winchester, one called also to the foresaid conference and then vice chancellor of Oxenford, in his answer of late published against Doctor Hill. Page. 317: urgeth again the direction of the said preface, to the second book of Homilies, published by authority 1563, whereas the book was authorized some four years before, to prove that the minister by warrant from thence, may lawfully in stead of any of the Apocryphal Chapters appointed to be read on sundays and holy days, and therefore much more as he saith upon the working days, as he in his wisdom and judgement, shall think fit, using prudence and discretion in that behalf, read other canonical lessons, and so likewise others in print, have answered this objection since (as it should seem with the good liking and allowance of them that be in authority, which being so all the branches of this objection, are even thereby quite cut of, as also all the hard consequents & imputations by reason thereof imposed upon the book, or the order thereof, so far as conformity is use and practise thereunto reach, are utterly removed, especially seeing also in the preface of the book, it is said that nothing is thereby appointed to be read, out either the pure word of god, or that which is evidently grounded thereupon, and the late Archbishop, as plainly refuses to defend any thing allowed thereby, to be read, not grounded upon the word of God: Page. 720. of his foresaid book. But suppose the worst, namely that it be not, or were not so, or if it had been so, that now yet by better view of the Calendar, for the order in this respect in August, and by the canons, it were taken away, as some allege (though looking thereinto, and as seriously considering thereof as I can, I find nothing to lead any man justly to think, that in that regard the case is any thing altered, or otherwise then it was before) yet though by the book we be tied never so strictly to read them, yet we are not thereby bound to justify them to be faultless, neither do we, for likewise by the said book, by a certain rubric in the treatise of the communion, we allow sermons to be made, and if we read not a homily, we should preach, & yet we thereby do not justify all sermons made according to that order, always to be without all faults, but surely most, if not all the supposed faults against them, that by the book are appointed to be read, by favourable construction, would be much lessened, if not quite removed. And in that by the very express order of our book, we are both before, & after we read them, to note out of what book every chapter thereby appointed to be read, is taken, and in the sixth article of the book of articles published first & concluded on, in convocation. 1562, which was three years after the book was first authorized, all the Apocrypha books are apparently severed from the canonical, & there further it is said, that as Hierom faith, the Church doth read them for example, of life & instruction of manners, yet it doth not apply them to establish thereby any doctrine, it is most evident, howsoever they are appointed to be read and some canonical omitted, and on some solemn feast days, and holy days, and as chapters of the holy scriptures, or of the old Testament, that yet by none of these, or all these together may we, or can we gather, without doing the Church of England manifest wrong, that ever it was or is her meaning to equal them, much less to make them in dignity or in edifying superior to any of the canonical, but rather indeed all these notwithstanding, her meaning and desire is, that every one should know that they are but Apocrypha chapters, and therefore far inferior to any of the caconical, especially we having acquainted our people as we should which be canonical books, and which be apocryphas, teaching them even by their names to know and discern them. In common charity therefore we are bound whensoever either in the book or in the Homilies, they are said either to be Chapters of the old Testament or holy Scripture, to conceive (whereas holy scriptures, or old Testament, are taken either according to the vulgar and common speech, for all that commonly is wont to be bound together in Bibles with the holy scriptures of the old testament, or more properly and strictly, for those only books thereof, that we are sure were written by such direction of the holy spirit, that preserved the writers thereof, from all erring therein, which therefore only we count and call canonical) in so speaking of them, that the said books speak, and therefore are to be understood so to do, only in the former sense. And when therein there is comparison made betwixt chapters of the old testament of less, and more edifying, we can not, for the foresaid manifest difference acknowledged to be by our Church betwixt all the canonical books of the old Testament, and all the Apocrypha even in that respect, understand it to be betwixt any canonical appointed to be read or not read, and the Apocrypha set down to be read, but only betwixt the canonical appointed thereby to be read, and those that are not. And looking into the Calendar for proper lessons for sundays and holy days, in that thereby I find none but canonical appointed for the sundays, and Apocrypha often for Saints days, I always have taken it, that even thereby our church's meaning was, plainly to give us all to understand, that as she in her regard and estimation prefers the Lord's day, before all other holy days, so she would have us even by this order to see, that so she preferred the canonical, before the Apocrypha, in worth, credit and dignity: but suppose the comparison should by the book be meant of certain chapters of the Apocrypha; it is so, for that the same are wholly consonant with the canonical, and are more now to our edification, than the canonical, either for their hardness, or for that now they do not so much concern us. these things therefore weighed indifferently, and with minds rather seeking to be satisfied, where justly they may, then needlessly still to keep stones, and blocks in their way to stumble at, I trust the force of this objection is so removed also, that henceforth it will stay none that duly considereth hereof, from peaceably yielding, this notwithstanding, to conform themselves to the use and practise of the book.   

CHAP. 11. Concerning the interrogatories in Baptism.  
THe next thing of any moment, that I find troubles and hinders men from yielding to conformity, is the order of the book for the interrogations and answers in the tract of baptism, whereat I the less must needs marvel, for that I find by the 23. Epistle of S. Au: that one Boniface a learned Bishop in his time, was also troubled therewith: but then I must needs say again, that I find in the said Epistle, that it first appears, that they were even then in use in baptizing of Infants, in effect as they are now, and that there the said S. Aug sets himself earnestly in the best manner that he could, to defend the use of them, against all the objections of the said Boniface; yea further certain it is, let any man read Dionysius ecclesiastical Hierarchy. Cap. 7. & he shall there find, that in that Author's time (whosoever & whatsoever he was) they were also in use, and likewise of some misliked, and that therefore he to defend them, expounded then the promises there, that the godfathers make, as also our late Archbishop doth, defending the same Page. 611. as made only to signify that they will undertake to do as much as shall lie in them, that after, the child living to years of discretion, it shall perform that which they promise and vow in the name thereof, which therefore in the first entrance into our Catechism; every one is taught to profess, that thereby he taketh himself bound to do, and therefore accordingly that he will. And surely hereupon it is also that in the new addition to the Catechism also it is said, that the child performs faith and repentance, in that they promised them both in the name thereof, so speaking for that so they are both vowed and professed in the name thereof, and not as some hardly take it, as though now therein, it were the meaning of our book, to teach either that both these are actually in every child that is baptised, or that one may believe and repent by another, but only so to show that their good hope was, in so promising in the name thereof, that in time it should and would. To this effect S. Austin in the latter end of his 105. Epistle, having an eye to the like use in his time in answering for the child, most plainly writes, that truly the child so answers by their mouths, and believes by their hearts and mouths that so confess for it; as it is there new borne, by the ministery of the baptizer. See him also, to this purpose: de verbis Apost. ser. 10. And indeed who so only considers the words of the book, not only in the questions and answers themselves, especially as they are set down in private baptism, but also in the exhortation, precedent, and consequent, in the tract of public baptism, as also what is set down concerning the same in the entrance into the old part of the Catechism, shall be enforced to see, that the said questions are proposed to the infants, and that the answers are made only by the godfathers and godmothers thereunto in their names, for & of the hope, which they in christian charity have of them (which teacheth them to hope always the best, 1. Cor. 13.7. of such as are so borne in the Church, & descended, & come of Christian parents, 1. Cor. 7.14) because they are not able then so to answer for themselves. The reason and ground of which custom is, that in the administration of this Sacrament the Church always hath thought, there is to pass a mutual stipulation & covenant betwixt God & every party to be baptised; and therefore seeing children born or descended of parents, whereof but one is a christian, so far hereby are sanctified, as that they are admittable to, and capable of baptism, 1. Cor. 7.14. & yet not able either to offer themselves thereunto, or expressly themselves to make the same, they that in the name of the parents & congregation present them thereunto, should in this sort and manner, as our book appoints it, do it in their names; thereby not only showing what they hope they after will do, but so binding themselves also to be what means to them they can, that when they come to age & to discretion, they shall perform all which they promised for them, or in their names. Which as his Majesty said in the foresaid conference, when question was about these, ought the less to seem strange unto us, for that it is an usual thing for guardians to orphans and children, to answer and to promise sundry things in the names of their said pupils and wards, and that yet the foresaid pupils and wards, are after to think themselves bound as well to perform the same, as if they had their own selves being of years of discretion so answered and promised. Whereof also another experience his Highness gave us in his own self, and that when he was crowned king of Scotland, being then but an infant, yet than his nobles answered in his name, as he himself would and should have done, if he had then been a man, and therefore whereof he had ever since been and would be hereafter as careful to perform the same, as if he had himself made the said answers. It may be at the beginning this form was prescribed to be used, only as some think, to such as when they were baptised were of discretion and understanding, thus to answer for themselves, and yet very likely is it also (that so the rather it might appear that the Church would have all men to understand that the baptism of such and of infants also was one and self same baptism, and that they therein aswell as the other entered into covenant with the Lord) that it was thought fit and necessary, that the same answer, should be made by some of the congregation always in their names, that the other made themselves. Wherefore to conclude this point, in my opinion, well and justly hath again our late Archbishop, Pag. 602. of his answer to Master Cartwright concerning this objection said, why should it not be as lawful for the Church of England by public authority to appoint godfathers and godmothers, thus to answer in the name of the child, as for the writers of the admonition, to allow upon their private fancies, that parents or some in their rooms in case of their necessary absence, should in the child's name, make confession of the Christian faith and desire to be baptised therein? Thus therefore in the name of the child they professing and desiring, what is it but in the true meaning of the book in Christian charity, and hope so to do, for that they are persuaded, that if the child were of age, it would even so do, profess & desire, & therefore that they in the mean time do so in the name thereof, in full expectation, that when it shall, it will account that by them itself so did, that so the Covenant betwixt God, and it may in this Sacrament stand ratified therein. And yet in some sense according to Christ's saying, Math. 18. it might well be defended, that such little ones believe in him, as habitually they are reasonable, not actually.   

CHAP. 12. Answering diverse objections against the book touching baptism and other things there ordained  
ANd seeing by Christ's baptism, and his ordaining of this sacrament, water was allotted to be the outward part therein, why may we not according to the book, both say and think that thereby the water of the flood jordan, wherein he and others were baptized, and all other water, was indeed sanctified (meaning as the outward element in a sacrament by the institution thereof, was, and is thereby sanctified for that use) to the mystical washing away of sin! As for that which is further objected against that which is set down, in the foresaid part of the Catechism, touching two sacraments, only generally necessary to salvation, the meaning only is, that there are only 2 such, taking a sacrament properly, as thereafter it is defined, and that they two are necessary so to salvation, as by no means without danger thereof, they may be contemned or neglected, and that for all christians, first or last, young or old, and then what just exception can there be made at all against that? So also by the order that is now taken in the book, that the lawful minister only shall privately baptize the child, the old objection against the conditional baptizing of it after in the case mentioned in the book, is sufficiently taken away, for now that will never need to be put in use. And as for the ring used in marriage, the words with my body I the worship, or the resemblance that it is said there to have of the spiritual marriage betwixt Christ, and his church; I find not that any seem greatly to stand at any or at all of these. And if they should, surely they could not therein find any just cause; for the ring is but given & taken as a civil token betwixt the parties that are married, of the promise and covenant that therein they make one to the other: and the word worship there used, doth but import that worship or honour that grows unto the woman by marriage, in that thereby man is so made her head that she hath in the phrase and sense of the Apostle, thereby also such a right of, over and in his body, that thenceforth it is not his own, as it was before, which whiles by marrying of her, he entitles her unto, very truly he may say in that sense, that with his body he doth her worship, and finding the holy ghost, so oft hath taken delight under the shadow of marriage betwixt man and woman, to set forth unto us the spiritual marriage betwixt Christ and his Church, the speech in the book being to be understood no otherwise, but as having reference only thereunto) as indeed justly it cannot) no just fault can be found thereat. Now as for all the rest of the objections alleged against precise conformity in the practice of the book, from certain words & phrases in sundry prayers and parts thereof, which seem hardly and harshly to be set down, yea so as without some alteration they cannot well be so used, to help us in that, we are to call to mind again his majesties pleasure (as I noted in the beginning of this treatise) most graciously delivered us in the conclusion of the conference, that he would have us to take every thing in the best sense we could, for in that sense only he would have us to understand that he urged them to be used and yielded unto: for in this case, we but so doing, there is nothing so hardly set down, but that taking it and explaining it as the very book means it, and as the publicly professed and authorized doctrine of our Church doth lead us, the offence thereat will be removed.  
2 Then secondly, howsoever some now (so the better to countenance their refusal to yield this conformity (though in some sort they have seemed better to like thereof heretofore) persuade themselves, & would also persuade others, that now they are more strictly bound to follow in every thing the precise letter of the Book then before, by the new Canons, and the declared meaning therein of the Church in that respect, we are to understand that both contrary to his majesties foresaid declared pleasure in that point, and contrary indeed both to the meaning of the book and those Canons, it is so conceived: for if that were so, that now upon no circumstance or due consideration the precise letter thereof might be altered at any time, than we should neither bury, baptise, nor visit any but males, and though there be but one to be baptized, we should yet always use the plural number in speaking thereof, for so only runs the letter of our book: yea (that more is) if conformity now urged bound us to such a precise and strict following the very letter of our book in every thing, then thereby we should be bound to breed the Bishops and the whole state, more trouble by our exact so doing than they breed any by the urging of it. For by the last rubric in marriage, every married couple should receive the Communion that day, and by an other, even the last also in the tract of confirmation, it is flatly set down, that none are to be admitted unto the holy communion, until such time as they can say that catechism, and be confirmed, for all wise men will and may easily conceive, that if our conformity bound us so strictly to the letter of the book, that by force of these two Canons, no Papists or Brownists that refuse utterly to communicate with us, nor any else that cannot both say the whole Catechism, and were not confirmed also, might by any minister of this Church lawfully be married, what inconveniences soever otherwise grew thereof, and likewise that all unconfirmed, old and young, man and woman, noble and ignoble, should be held from the communion, until they could all say the Catechism, and were also confirmed; there being therefore so few in comparison of the rest that are thus qualified, what a stir would this breed? Ministers in most places should have far less to do, than they have in marrying and in ministering of the Communion, and the Bishops would be driven to spend all their time and living in confirming of the unconfirmed, or the whole land would mightily be disquieted in running and seeking unto them for no small space. The makers therefore of the Statute Eliz. 1. First to authorize the service Book, though thereby as strict order is taken for the uniform practice thereof, as ever was by any Canons since, without any alteration thereof, yet most wisely foreseeing, as well the mischief and inconvenience that might grow in time upon some circumstances in following too to precisely the letter thereof, hath only made penal the wilful transgressing the order thereof, and obstinate standing therein And therefore also in the second Article, whereunto subscription is made touching the use and practise of the Book, he that thereunto subscribeth, promiseth only to use the form in the said Book prescribed in public prayer and administration of the Sacraments and none other. Whereby it should seem to me, that the edge and force both of the statute law and Canon, is against Papists and Sectaries, that will use new forms or rites quite differing from this Book, or but little or none of this, and not against such as are careful to use the whole form & substance of this without any alteration thereof at all, but upon due circumstances, & just consideration, reason and occasion, and that in peace and silence also answering yet always by that their alteration or explanation, the true end and sense thereof, as much as any way conveniently may be, and therefore we may be sure that such alteration only of some occurrents therein, is lawful and allowable. As for example, when reading the collects appointed to be read on Christmas day, or Whitsonday, certain days follwing, the minister quietly and in good discretion, chooses rather to say, as about this time, then as the very letter is, this day, because he knows that Christ was borne but of one day, and the holy Ghost likewise in that extraordinary manner came down but upon one: or when in the receipt of the communion by himself, or in his own person, he changes the words appointed to to be used in the delivery or receipt thereof; namely the words, given for thee, into these words given for me: what Bishop or Ordinary in the land can or will dislike him for so doing? Likewise, in the foresaid cases, doubtless the meaning of those rubrickes only is, that they shall communicate that day if there be a Communion then, & they be fit, & that none are to be held to be fit to be admitted thereunto, but they that are confirmed or which for knowledge, age and discretion might well have been. And so though the book prescribing a common rule and order for the burying of all such as in such a Christian Church as this is, shall die (in Christian charity and hope that all would die like Christians) appoints the minister to say in committing his body to the earth, that he doth so, in sure and certain hope of resurrection to eternal life: and therefore after also to pray, that they together with that their brother may have their perfect consummation and bliss in Gods eternal and everlasting kingdom: yet now without any breach of that order, by the other Canon, Persons dying excommunicated, Maiore excommunicatione, for some grievous and notorious crime, when no man is able to testify of their repentance, the minister is not to bury at all, much less in the precise form, and with those words. And otherwise it is well known, that murderers of themselves, and sundry other notorious offenders, dying in and for those their such crimes, ministers are not by that order, or by law, at all bound to bury: and therefore not in that very manner. Wherefore then, as the very reason given in the Canon in the foresaid case shows, when both the minister and most of the parish knoweth (as the case in my knowledge both hath been, and therefore may be again) that one comes to be buried, that lived and died most profanely, more like a very Atheist, and a gross infidel, then like any Christian at all: who doth not see, that the discreet minister (yet therein nothing crossing either the meaning of the book, or the intent of the authorisers thereof) may in wisdom and discretion, in such sort use, and alter those words: as that neither he bury his body in sure and certain hope of the resurrection thereof to eternal life, as the body of one that died like a Christian indeed, nor that he be enforced to say, that he and the rest there present, may have their consummation with him in God's everlasting bliss & kingdom? For we may be sure that it was neither the meaning either of the book or of the authorisers thereof, first or last, in those set and precise words and terms, to bind the ministers to bury any but such whom with a good conscience they so might. And yet who knoweth not that fit it is, that for the maintenance of good order, the rule should be so generally see down, because it is not fit (many amongst such a multitude of ministers as be in this kingdom, lacking due discretion) to leave all or any in such a case simply at their own liberty? And yet again, who is so simple but he understands, that hardly can any rule in such matters, be so generally set down, but that ever the equity thereof, & the true meaning of the prescribers thereof, will & may admit of some instances to the contrary. Howbei God's mercy being so infinite as it is, and we in Christian chariritie being bound but as we are, to hope and to judge the best of all that die amongst us, doubtless in this respect, the instances will be but few, and very rare: and yet even then to prevent all inconveniences that might grow by the rashness & indiscretion of some ministers, I would wish none to take liberty of themselves to alter this form, but by allowance of authority, upon due information of the particular occasion first obtained: which when there is or shall be just cause, I am fully persuaded, would easily be obtained; and I wish it should. For it cannot stand with the rule, whereby the Church is bound in all her orders to have especial care that they tend to edification always; to tie her ministers in the burial of the dead, to equal such, in and by such words, with her best and liveliest members. As for that which is misliked in the book, touching private absolution, in the tract of visiting the sick, in my opinion there is no just cause thereof: for doubtless in the case there mentioned, such private absolution is very necessary and comfortable: and the meaning thereof is no more, but that they so repenting and believing as is there specified in the book, we, as the ministers of God assure them, that he doth absolve them of their sins so repent of. And indeed there is no difference in the true sense and meaning, between this and the general absolution, or pronouncing of the sins of the penitent to be forgigiven, with good allowance used after the general confession of sins in the beginning of morning and evening prayer: but that there it is pronounced generally to all there present that are truly penitent, and believe in Christ according to the Gospel: and here particularly but to the sick party, likewise so professing both faith and repentance. And why may we not in the Collect of Trinity sunday pray as there the book appoints to be delivered from all adversity; as well as in the Lord's prayer to be delivered from all evil? For the Church and her members (at the least some particular Churches) sometime may have rest therefrom; but if not, and she were sure thereof also, why may she not yet so pray, to show her desire that she might; as Christ did, that the cup might pass from him, which he knew should not? These things duly considered, I remember nothing of any moment in the book, to stay any man from yielding to conformity in the use and practise thereof. For, as for the few supposed incommodious phrases in some other prayers, they will and may be easily removed, but by taking them in the best and fairest sense, most standing with the substance of sound doctrine otherwise publicly professed, and authorized in this Church, which until evident cause be given men to the contrary, every one in duty is bound to do. For, what reason hath any man to think, but that our professed & authorized doctrine, and our prayers and practice agree? Our Church therefore disallowing prayer for the dead as it doth, and requiring always steadfast faith in our prayers, we may be sure thereby, we are only in the Litany so taught to pray that God would not remember the sins of our forefathers, as therefore to take vengeance of us: and in the two collects, the fift after the offertory, & the second after Trinity, to fear, and to distrust, only in respect of ourselves, but not in respect of God's mercy in Christ at all. Wherefore, having now thus said, what I hope may be sufficient to move my good brethren for the Church's peace & good, and also for their own, and to prevent greater inconveniences, to stand forth no longer in their refusal to conform themselves in their practice to the orders of our Church, required at their hands: let us pass on to that which yet seemeth to be wanting, to persuade them also, if and when need shallbe; in the same respects, rather to yield to the urged form of subscription, then either therefore to shun to enter into the ministry, when otherwise they are fit and might, or for the refusal thereof, to be debarred of the use of their gifts therein.   

CHAP. 13. Touching the yielding to the now urged subscription: and answering certain objections against the same.  
BEing therefore now come to the question about this subscription howsoever heretofore it was doubted whether it had any express law or canon to warrant it or no, now we are put out of doubt thereof by these last cannons, and namely by the 36, in that we see and know them all to be so authorized by his Majesty as they are, who hath full and sufficient authority by his highness title & prerogative confirmed unto him by express law otherwise, so to do. And therefore we cannot be now ignorant, but that our reverend fathers the Bishops, have thereby authority, to urge such ministers thereunto, as be under their jurisdictions, at such times, and in such cases, and upon such occasions, and in such manner, as are expressed in the said canons, and also under the penalties to the refusers, then specified in the same. Wherefore as I said of the former so I must needs say of this, so far as there is nothing within the compass thereof, either in the own nature, or as it is meant by the order of our Church, and the governors thereof, contrary either to sound faith or good manners, taught in God's word, conscience (in respect of them and this their authority which they have now by law or canon, though not in regard of the bare nature of every thing within the reach of the same) without all question doth bind us, for the Churches good, and our own, to yield thereunto. And this is certain, the first Article touching his majesties just Title and supremacy therein set down, & the last touching the book of Articles (so far forth as they concern faith & the sacraments) all men of our religion & profession that hold communion with us, have always since subscription hath been first required, been willing and ready to yield the same, acknowledging, as by the laws of the realm, so also by the laws of God, for the plain and manifest truth therein contained, that they were bound in conscience also, even for the matter thereof, so to do. The question therefore concerning this point lies in this, whether the rest contained in these three articles mentioned in that 36 canon, & in the form there set down, may be yielded unto with a safe & good conscience, whereunto first I say, that comparing the Articles where unto now subscription is required, with the 3 that formerly were wont to be urged, touching either the whole, or the rest, now only in question, I find no great difference; some words are added in the first somewhat more fully to express his majesties title and supremacy, whereof therefore I think every one likes so much the better, and as for the second, it is word for word, the same it was, and that requires that by our subscription thereunto, we only avouch, that those two books therein named (the book of common prayer, and the book of ordering Bishops, Priests and Deacons) contain nothing contrary to the word of God, and in the last, as I find these words added; (now to make it plain how many articles the said book of Articles contains) being in number 39 besides the ratification, so I observe for the word believeth, used before touching all the Articles therein contained, as it there is expressly set down, a softer word put, namely acknowledgeth, so that herein even in the construction of those that most mislike and write against the former, it is most clear, that this now urged is in respect of the matter thereof, the very same, if not better and easier, than it was before, especially considering also the things amended & explained in the book of common prayer of late, as was noted in the beginning.  
2 If any say yet, now it is worse than it was, in respect of the form, because now is added ex animo, where it was before but volens, that is such a difference, whereupon it will not follow that it is one jot worse than it was before: for who can indeed say or write that he doth a thing volens, and yet not ex animo? it also appearing by that which I have said already of the former point, that our Church by these last canons, hath in nothing made the sense of any thing harder than it was before, it must neees follow that now to refuse thus to subscribe, for any that have subscribed before, is rather an argument of inconstancy in them then otherwise. And this is well known, and doubtless the Bishop (I am persuaded, by public record under our hands (can prove, that very few or none of us, that have entered into the ministry, or have been instituted or admitted by them to any living since the thirteenth year of her majesties reign that last was, but we have both for the one, and the other, how oft so ever that hath been in the latter respect so oft subscribed unto; the consideration whereof, one would think might be some motive unto us, the less to stick at it now again, if need so require.  
3 This also in my opinion may be an other of some force the rather to draw us thereunto, that we plainly see in the second article, the reverend fathers and our brethren that first with them agreed in Convocation, that this form (to breed unity and uniformity, as they hoped) of subscription should be urged, thereby only concluded that we should avouch nothing to be contained in those two books mentioned in the second article, and about which indeed all the question is, as I have said, in this case, contrary to the word of God. Which (as I, and many others have heard some of the chief that then were) protest, they did of purpose thereby to ease the consciences of the subscribers, as much as might be: for that as they knew sundry things within the compass of the said books to be prater verbum & diversa à verbo (which was lawful enough in things of that nature that they were) so they knew also, that it was far les to say accordingly that they contained nothing contrary to the word, then that all things contained therein were agreeable to the word, as they require we should say touching the book of Articles, containing the most substantial grounds and points of the doctrine of faith and the Sacrament, whereof the third article is: unless therefore in their sense, we can show some things that those books contain contrary to the word, we say nothing against the form of subscription thereby required.  
4 To say or think that the book of Common prayer contains some thing contrary to the word of God, either because it appoints the Canonical Scriptures but to be read as it doth, or the Apocrypha chapters mentioned in the Calendars, I hope by that which I have said before, at large of both those points, it will or may appear, that therefore it is not so. For thereby I have showed that in good construction, (and but yet in such as may well stand with any thing set down in those kookes) in both those respects, it contains nothing but that which a man may lawfully accordingly practice & conform himself unto, & therefore nothing contrary to the word: and the like also I hope I may assume of all the rest contained therein, in the foresaid discourse cleared of the objections made against them touching comformity: & that therefore now again, I shall not need to trouble the reader with any further rehearsal thereof. For as I said in the beginning, so far as one may lawfully & with a good conscience go in his practice & use, he may also go in this form of subscribing thereunto: and this is certain also, that that which the authorized book contains not, nor binds us to practise (lying within the compass of these things we should practise, if the books meaning were indeed to bind us thereuno) that, we need not think, that it contains at all, thus far to be justified by subscription: Let us hear therefore what further particularly can be objected against this subscription, either out of the book of common prayer, or out of the other. Some thing further I find to this end objected, out of the tracts of the communion &, baptism, & something out of that of confirmation.  
5 Out of the tract of the communion for the sick that there in a certain case, the communion is allowed to be administered to one alone, as namely when he is sick of a contagious disease, and none can be got to communicate with him, and that it is there in the treatise of the public communion also permitted unto some of the communicants to make the general confession of sins in his own name, and of all the rest, as it is there set down; both which are held to be contrary to the word, For that the minister by the institution is to say, eat ye and drink ye all of this, which he cannot say to one alone, and that so to make confession of sins is held to be, by the word properly and only belonging to the minister. Neither of these I alleged in the former discourse, because though they be both in the communion book, yet they are neither of them there so set down, as that necessarily either of them need ever come into practice, and very seldom or never have they, or are like to do: for in the former it is expressly set down, that in that case only upon special request of the diseased, the minister may alone communicate with him, it saith not that either he must or aught; and therefore we may be sure, for fear of his own peril, he will choose rather not so to do, then so to administer it, especially seeing the preface to the communion for the sick, and a rubric after therein, seem rather to wish that to be never ministered without a convenient company, and that the people by oft communicating, and by good instruction, shall be brought to that understanding, that they should never need to desire it so inconveniently to be administered, and the 67 Canon now binds not the minister to go so much as to visit the sick, in case his disease be known, or but probably suspected to be infectious: and the other is also so permitted to one of the receivers (in the rubric before the said confession) as that the said confession is to be made either by one of them, or by one of the ministers, or by the priest himself; and therefore (being so set down) that always it shall lie in the ministers or priests choice, whether any of the other lay communicants shall say it or no, they have, will, & may, by the book so prevent that inconvenience, that it shall need never (more than it hath done) come to be so used, And thus also indeed we see even by the same reasons that neither of these are so contained in the book, as that they need to trouble any in the subscribing thereunto. And therefore as the latter is not once remembered, either by the writers of the admonition, or by M. Cartwright, as worthy once to be objected against the book, so the other though it be objected by both, is neither acknowledged nor once defended, by the late Archbishop in his answer unto them (as you may see Pag. 528. & 229. of his book) as at all contained or mentioned in the service book; yea Pag. 525. (belike for the reasons aforesaid) he saith flatly that there is no receiving of one alone allowed in the book. But suppose the worst; if it should be held to be contrary to the word, either to minister it in a private house, or that the minister in any case should minister it to one alone, we must then condemn all antiquity, even in justin Martyrs, Tertullians', and Cyprians times, in whose times Master Cartwright is enforced to confess it was ministered in private houses, in the foresaid page 525. & in Serapians time, who had it sent him lying sick on his death bed, to be received alone, as we read in Eusebius Lib. 6. Cap. 43. And though there be but two, the minister and the sick, yet in reference to them two, it may be said take ye, eat ye, and we know that Christ hath promised that when two or three are gathered together in his name, he will be in the midst of them. Math. 18. And we know that Bucer and Peter Martyr allowed our communion book, even in respect of the communion therein prescribed for the sick, in their judgements that they gave thereof, and likewise that Musculus: de coena Domini confesses that it is retained in diverse reformed Churches, yea neither Beza nor Caluin, but in some case they allowed it, and Oecolampadius as it is written in his life, denied it not the sick, but in this case we need none of these helps, because this thing in question is so mentioned in the communion book as rather yet it is disallowed thereby then allowed, & cannot justly be said to be contained therein, and is so shut out again (as we have heard) both by the drift of the same, & by the foresaid Canons explaining the meaning of the book touching the ministers duty in visiting of the sick. And further of the other need not be said, for it is so there permitted, as with all, straight (as we 〈◊〉 have heard) the use of that permission is prevented. And yet if it should be urged as plainly yet permitted there, I think well may it be Prater verbum, but hardly will it be proved any more to be contrary to the word, them the former, for where hath the word so appropriated this to the minister, and denied it unto others, that it should be contrary to the word, but 〈◊〉 to permit it to another.  
6 Further yet, in that (in a rubric next the creed in that tract) it is said, if there be no sermon, shall follow one of me homilies already set forth or to be set forth by common authority, especially the 35 article in the book of Articles, adjudging both the former book of Homilies set forth in King Edward the sixts time, and the second book, the several titles whereof are there set down, to be read in the Churches, by the ministers diligently & distinctly, as containing what doctrine is meet & necessary for these times, arise other objections, which they have against this subscription: for say they in these already extant, some faults there are in certain of them, which cannot stand with the word, and further what may be in the rest, that shall be see forth, we cannot tell, and therefore hard it is to subscribe; howsoever when that book and rubric was authorized first Eliza. I there were some to be set out, yet since they that were intended then, have long ago been published, & so therefore in that respect as I said in the beginning, this objection is void. Touching those that then were extant, notwithstanding the objected faults against some of them, very true it is, that there is much wholesome & needful doctrine contained in them, & most of them they can not nor do touch with any faults at all, and those which they object against any of them, are not of any such moment, but either with a favourable construction, they may be made none at all, or else (as they know) they are such as about which amongst the godly learned both of ancient time, & now also, there is & hath been great question whether they be to be counted any faults at all or no: and the same may as justly be said of all that since have been authorized. But touching those that by authority then should after be set out, why ought not men then in charity, aswell have hoped that they in authority would have a care, that they should contain nothing contrary to the word, as it seemeth they did of Sermons to be made? In that therefore they made no exception ever yet against the Book in that respect, though then their Sermons be allowed to be made, by preachers every where, which yet then they could not tell whether they would be faultless or no 〈◊〉 But in very deed, though subscribing to the Book of Common Prayer, and Articles, we thus subscribe to the allowing of them to be read, yet in that by the preface before the second Book of Homilies (which interprets the meaning of both these books, herein) it appears the minister is not tied to read them all, but directed there only out of them all, prudently to choose out such as be most fit for the time and for the instruction of the people, our late Archbishop in his foresaid book, Pag. 715. and the next, had just cause and ground to write (as he hath) fully to remove this objection: if any homily (saith he) shall be appointed hereafter, wherein you mislike any thing, you need not to read it, for the book appoints you not to read this or that homily, but some one which you shall like best, and if you be disposed to preach, you need read none at all; and touching those which are to be set out, if you fear any such thing as you pretend, I think, saith he, in that case a modest protestation would not be refused. Yea as we have heard before, Pag. 720. he refuseth in plain and express words to defend any thing as appointed by the book to be read, which is not grounded upon the word of God. But in very deed I cannot see how justly and truly the books can be said, to contain all which they appoint or allow in any sort to be read: such direction for the reading of them, they may well be said to contain, but yet not therefore the things themselves. Howsoever in this case, in my conscience, there is great difference betwixt being bound only by the book to read the Scriptures in a translation that hath faults, the Apocrapha that hath faults, or homilies that hath faults, & the justifying of them to be faultless: and plain it is (suppose in this that we were strictly thereby tied to read all these) that yet no where, by the books, or otherwise, are we charged, either by practice or subscription, to avouch that all or any of these contain no faults, or that so doing, to aver that they are no faults: and therefore this objection need trouble us as little as any.   

CHAP. 14. Answering more objections against subscription to the book of common prayer.  
NOw touching baptism & the tract thereof, in that private baptism is so urged as it is thereby, and by the 69. Canon, especially seeing both it and the other sacrament are said in the Catechism to be necessary to salvation, some thereupon gather that now it seemeth to be the meaning of the book, and of our church also, to hold baptism so necessary to salvation, as that none can now be saved without it. But surely herein they wrong in my judgement both the books and the meaning of our church. For hereby doubtless they do not mean to tie God so to this ordinary means, as that he neither can nor will exraordinarily save any without it, though never so much prevented by death, before according to God's ordinance they may have it. For then the book never should have been so explained in that point as now it is, that none but a lawful minister should baptize the chld in what danger soever it be. But only hereby would the state take order as much as might be, (which was very necessary) to prevent all contempt or neglect thereof, if it could in time be had, for as the one extreme is to be avoided, so doubtless was and is the other: and so for any thing our Church hath done in this point, the ancient doctrine that always hath in this case been held and received of and in the Churches of Christ, since the first institution of the sacraments, namely not the want thereof simply, but the contempt or neglect thereof to be damnable, is held here still, and therefore this of baptism is to be counted so necessary to salvation, as that by all means when & where (as is aforesaid) it may be had it is most carefully & diligently to be sought for.  
2 Now whereas I hear that some stumble at that, that the child dying after baptism before yet it can be confirmed, it is said in the book (immediately before the Catechism, in a rubric there) that such a child hath all things necessary by the word of God to salvation, and is undoubtedly saved, gathering thereupon that the meaning of our Church therein is absolutely and simply so to tie salvation to baptism that whosoever once is outwardly baptized, cannot be saved: surely this is as hard a collection & construction of this as may be For first it is evident that there the speech is of baptized children only dying before they be confirmed and that of purpose it is there so set down, to the comfort of christian parents in that case, & plainly to teach us all, howsoever our Church thinks it fit to retain the use of confirmation in sundry good respects, yet (it holds it not to be of the same nature with the sacraments of baptism & the Lords Supper, nor so necessary to salvation. And what reason is there to the contrary, but that we may and aught in Christian charity, so hope & persuade ourselves of all christian children so baptized, dying in their childhood, as that book speaketh?  
3 For all this some yet draw an argument to stay them from thus subscribing as is required, for that by the book as they allege, so much is attributed to confirmation, that it is thereby made as a third sacrament contrary to the 25 article of the book of articles, also subscribed unto, for that say they, the Bishop's imposition of his hands, is in the tract of confirmation expressly termed a sign, whereby they certify them whom they confirm of God's gracious favour and goodness towads them, whereas the article saith that neither confirmation nor any of the other four by the Papists held to be sacraments, can be sacraments iindeed, because they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God. But the contrariety that seemeth herein to be, betwixt these books, is easily to be removed. For though the communion book make imposition of hands a sign drawn from the example of the Apostles, yet it derives it not from God's ordinance and institution, as the outward signs in Sacraments are, and so that notwithstanding, the words of the article may well enough stand therewith, which only denies it to have any visible sign ordained by God. Again, there is great odds betwixt material and substantial signs, such as water, bread, and wine are in the sacraments & this bare action of imposition of hands: & sacraments properly taken are not only signs of some spiritual grace but of saving grace in Christ jesus: & they are means also to offer, to deliver, & to seal the delivery of the same, to the right receivers thereof: all which this is not hereby made. But I marvel what reason men have, to allow of imposition of hands, as a laudable rite and ceremony, even drawn also from the Apostles example, in the ordination of ministers, thereby as it were by that solemn ceremony and prayer withal, to set them apart from all others, for the work of the ministery, and yet so much to mislike of this here: they think not that it makes ordination a sacrament, why should they think then that it makes so confirmation? it is used here with prayer, whereunto especially the book attributeth their confirmation, appointing the other but withal to be used as there by externally to certify them, that to them particularly that strength is wished. Hierom, I am sure, against the Luciferians, acknowledges that it was in use in churches in his time and before, and that only to be ministered by Bishops as it is with us, propter honorem sacerdotii, non legis necessitatem. And Bucer upon the fourth to the Eph. so allows it, and so many other learned writers both ancient, and of these times, as you may see at large, Inst. Cal. l. 4. c. 19 sect. 4. & no reason it is why they should not, because now with this imposiion of hands, extraordinary gifts of the spirit are not given; for those were but to follow thereupon for a time, and sufficient it is now that further strength doth follow. And it is used & hath been thus, by the bishops & not by the ministers, not as some hardly thereupon gather thereby to intimate, as though it were a higher thing than either baptism or the supper, which they use to minister, but only for order and in good policy, thereby the better to draw both ministers and godfathers and godmothers the more carefully to see children so catechized, as that being called by the Bishops to this, they may therewith their own mouths profess and promise that which others before did for them. And verily being used to this end, in the good Policy of the Church, it would be a notable good means hereof, and therefore I have long wished a more careful and an universal use thereof, & lament the neglect thereof, for even from thence the great negligence that hath been both in ministers to catechize, & in the people in seeking to have their youth duly instructed, hath very much proceeded, & I hope the contrary good fruits in that behalf, will grow by the wise and orderly reviving thereof.  
What more of any moment, not formerly answered is now alleged out of the communion book to stay men from subscription, I remember not, save that some say the urging of all prescribed thereby now to be read without leaving out any part thereof in respect of a sermon, or in any other regard (as it appears Canon 14) shuts out preaching much. But my experience teacheth me the contrary, for though I read fully all that is appointed, and have long used so to do, yet I praise God, being upon the point now of 60 years of age, yet I find both strength and time convenient, every Sabbath, both forenoon and afternoon to do both. And they that find not themselves of strength so to do, they are not by any law forbidden to get them Curates and helpers, which may ease them, commonly if not of all, yet of a great part of the burden of the tone; and if their living be so small, and they are not able to have that help, otherwise being conformeable, and doing what they can, their weakness or sickly estate, will easily with their ordinaries excuse them. Sure any man may be, that reads the book and the canons, there to find that the book often directeth us to pray that all ministers may be diligent preachers of the word, and that by the canons better order is taken, for often & diligent preaching of the word, than ever heretofore hath been, and therefore this may go amongst other too hard collections and constructions of our Church's meaning well enough, and therefore need not in truth stay any man from subscribing. I am not ignorant that yet many things more in this book are objected, but because I know only a charitable construction will easily remove them, I pass them over wishing every man thereby, as he may & is bound, to satisfy himself therein.   

CHAP. 15. Answering certain objections, out of the book of Ordination  
THus then we are come at the last to the other book of ordination of Bishops, Priests, & Deacons, against which (as it is in use with us now & long hath been) I must confess I see or find nothing ever alleged of any moment to this purpose, but I find the same so fully answered by our late most reverend Archbishop in his foresaid book against Cartwright, so oft before named, & since by the right reverend and learned now Bishop of Winchester in his book written long since of the perpetual government of Christ's Church, as that I cannot but marvel (especially seeing I could never see the latter of these books by any, once ever yet attempted to be answered) that any for all this should set a foot again, any old objections (and new I find none of any moment) against the said book, whereunto there they have been and are, and that also long ago, so thoroughly answered. And therefore for this point (Christian Reader) both to spare thy further labour and mine, thereunto I refer thee. Only this in the mean time I say for my own part, that there I find all that hath been said of any weight against the said book (in my judgement) so satisfied, that in respect thereof only, whosoever refuseth to subscribe, he doth so without any just cause at all. For concerning the distinction of degrees by that book (for the better ordering of the Church in her ecclesiastical policy) allowed to be amongst us the ministers of the Gospel, I must needs say and protest, though as seriously and diligently as I could, I have read and considered all that hath been written to or from, with or against, of that question for these thirty years and more, and also of purpose for the same, have searched all ancient writers, and all monuments of antiquity, that I could come by, yet I could never find any thing of any sound moment or force brought against the same: yea (that more is) besides hatred to popery, & too great an admiration of some other Churches I never by all this could find, that the impugners thereof, and the seekers in the steed thereof to bring in a government of the Church by a parity of Ministers and their presbyteries, have indeed and truth any thing of sound moment, or of any weight at all to justify or to countenance their so doing. In so much that before the late reformation of Geneva, for all the foresaid points, and search that I have used for this point, I could thereby yet never find, any one Church of Christ, so big as that of Geneva and the appurtenances thereof, any where, or at any time for the space of one ten years possessed of that their kind of government: whereas of the contrary, through the whole course of the Scriptures ever since Moses, and through all Ecclesiastical stories and monuments of antiquity. I observe it hath been the lords pleasure in his good providence, always to have his church since it had but outward visibility in one nation, perpetually governed by distinct degrees of ministers, proportionable to this of ours, for through the old Testament from Moses to Christ, it had by God's ordinance an high priest, Priests and Levites to that end: and Christ enlarging the bounds thereof, we find by the plain testimony of the new testament, he left for the orderly government thereof, until his second coming. Ephes. 4. some Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, & some Pastors & Teachers In that therefore in that golden age of the Apostles, when the gifts of the spirit, both upon the ordinary Pastors, & christian people, were as they were often extraordinary, we yet find when particular Churches were furnished & settled with all their ordinary necessary officers, they stood need besides the help they then had of Synods, the oversight of evangelists & the visitation again, and again, both by their letters & personal presence, of the apostles, whiles they lived; what reason can any man have to think, that in the times since, far worse than those, the churches of Christ should not likewise need some in the room of those, to have a superintendency over the particular ministers, to visit, and to keep them in order from time to time? And therefore doubtless the Apostles Prophets & Evangelists, in that which they had extraordinaly, ceasing ever since we find, by the testimony of ecclesiastical stories, by light & warrant from these former proportions, & experience for the better ordering thereof in peace and unity, the church of Christ possessed of Bishops, ministers & Deacons. All which neither could nor would have been so, if this other fancied form of Church government had been so essential thereunto, & this of ours so bad & unfit for the same, as the admirers of that other would bear the world in hand, both this and the other hath been & is, for who can or will be persuaded that God being of that power that he is, & loving his church as he doth, that ever he could or would suffer her for 15 or 16 hundred years to be destituted & bereaved of her proper and essential outward form of church government, or that he would have continued & blessed the other, as he hath both in the ancient churches & since, if it had been or were so displeasing unto him, & antichristian, as they now charge it to be?  
2 As for the preaching by deacons & ministering baptism by such, who can read the story of the Acts, touching the Deacon Philip and what after is storied there in both respects, as done lawfully by him, though we read there only of his calling to the office of a deacon, or what to like purpose, as the foresaid two learned fathers have showed out of the monuments of true antiquity, such have done in the primitive Church, but he will see he hath cause to cease from objecting that as a fault against that book, in that our Deacons are said to be called to their office according to apostolic example.  
3 And as for the name Priest, it answering with us as it doth in respect of our office, the word presbyter, & not the other Sacerdos, what just offence can any take thereat?  
4 And as long as we find Apostles directing and commanding Evangelists, as Paul did Timo. and Tytus, witness the epistles he wrote to them, & they thereby directed to oversee, & direct pastors, as therein & by the story of the Acts, it appears they did, & pastors charged to attend & feed their flocks, though we find not the precise names of Archbishops, Metropolitans or primates at the first, what should we therefore strive? Strife about words, as long as we find the matter and substance that in truth implieth as much, becomes not the Church of God: but the ecclesiastical stories, and the records of the ancient councils make it most manifest to them that read them, that it was not long after the age of the apostles, ere these very names were taken up and for order sake given to the Bishops over other.  
5 And as for that saying, receive the holy Ghost, it being understood either of the holy Ghost itself, or of the gifts thereof, fit for the ministry, as some take it, it doubtless is used and meant as a prayer, that so they may, not as a speech of one having power & authority to give it, as when Christ used it, but taking it as very well, also it may for the calling to the ministry whereof the holy Ghost is the author, they as the ordinary means whereby he calleth them thereunto, may say so: wherefore to grow to an end, I verily think no one thing more, either hath bred, or yet doth nourish more the ecclesiastical controversies of ours about rites and ceremonies, and the outward policy of our Church, as either not reading, or negligent studying of sound antiquity: & therefore I would wish, & do with all my heart, that all my good brethren of the in ministry, as far as their ability will serve them would get them the writings of the ancient fathers, & especially the ecclesiastical stories of Eusebius & his fellows: & the tomes of the ancient counsels, & then next after the study of the sacred scripture, that they would diligently read & consider of them. For doubtless even thereby they would learn much to direct them how to carry themselves in their places, & in all occurrents that otherwise for lack of so good precedents, to much trouble many of them, & are often cause also why they are more troublesome unto others, for such matters then otherwise they would be, if they were thoroughly acquainted with the ancient practice of Christ's Church in such cases. There they should find it in August. Epist. 86. to Casulan. & 118. to januari: Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 23. Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. Zozom. lib. 7. cap. 19 & in Greg. ad Leandrum: and that one Church is not bound in her outward rites & fashions to another's and therefore that no one Church is prejudiced by another's different fashions in such things: yea, that nihil officit in eadem fide conspirantium Ecclesiarum consuetudo diversa: yea that rather that so being, they holding notwithstanding unity of faith, they are the more commendable: for the bonds of the Church's unity were always held to be one God, one faith, one baptism, and not one rite, or one ceremony, and therefore there also shall they find, how peaceably & godly the learned in such times conformed themselves to the orders and fashions always of the Church wherein they lived in such things; and so neither gave offence to any nor took any, and how, the different fashions or opinions in such things notwithstanding, they thought it unfit to break unity with others. And to this end I would every one would but read the said 86. & 118 epistles of S. Augustine and his next also, the 119, for there they should find, both excellent council, and examples to this purpose.  
7 Alas how can any join with the brownists in holding rhiss kind of government by Archbishops, and Bishops to be antichristian and that of theirs to be Christ's Church, perpetual & essential regiment, but he must needs join with them in their practice, rent, & separation from us?  
8 Or the premises considered, what sound reason hath any man to think though one of late an enemy thereunto hath urged it in print that the holding of this government of ours to have warrant from the scriptures, should impeach the King's supremacy as though that these degrees of ministers, in this sort allowed by the book of ordination of them, could not both stand together; whereas indeed thereby, it is confirmed & strengthened as solomon's was, in that though the high Priesthood, was expressly from God, he yet rightly deposed Abiathar and placed Sadok in his room. 1. Kings. 3.35. For though in respect of that which they have from Prínces, they may be said to be theirs, & of human constitution: yet in respect of their ministry & spiritual jurisdiction in the church, they well may be said to be of Gods own ordinance.  
9 Wherefore (to grow towards an end) remember we (my good brethren) this one thing more, that it standeth this our state and Church much upon, having made so many severe laws as it hath against Papists, Schismatics, Barowists or Brownists (call them as you will) & having also so executed them, as they have, & minding as it seemeth so to do still (and we see it is most necessary for the peace of the church they should) let none of us, that should join with them therein, & also every way strengthen them, what we could (they so multiplying as they do both on the right hand, & left) by any means weaken either our ' selves, or them, against them: which once again I cannot but put you in mind we do, so long as either for conformity, or this subscribing, (by our refusal still hereof) we not only make distraction, rend & breach amongst ourselves, but also strengthen them with so many arguments as we stand upon, wilfully to persist in their superstitious refusal or recusancy, on the one side, & in their like peevish shunning of joining in commuion again with us of the other. And thereby as much doubtless as either the weight of those reasons comes to, or the credit of their people is that stand thereupon, are they & will they, be emboldened to think & say, in the opinion of so many of our own religion and fellowship that they have had wrong, and shall have still, in being punished as they have been, are, or shall be for refusing to join with us in use of that service, and for submitting themselves to that form of Ecclesiastical government, which is in so many respects, contrary to the word. O therefore, it were to be wished (good brethren) in this case, that you would seriously remember that the Lord requires of all his, Zac, 8.19 that they should love truth and peace, joining them both together, & therefore that the Apostle, Rom. 12.11. had no sooner willed us to be fervent in spirit, but he addeth straight, serving the lord, & ver. 18. urging us all as much as is possible to have pe●●● with all men. For doubtless they are very much deceived, that under pretence of zeal, think they may without offence disturb the Church's peace. For who knoweth not that it is as dangerous erring on the right hand, as on the left, and that Christ justly checked the sons of thunder. Luk. 9.55. though their wish of fire against the Samaritans, came from a fiery zeal, and love towards himself? Surely even the lamentable experience we have had already by the original & growth of the open schism wherein to many of our brethren have desperately run of late years, & wherein still woefully and obstinately they continue (being as all men must needs see from no other ground & occasion, but from the too much urging and amplifying under the show & likeness of zeal of the same things that now still in this case of refusal of conformity and subscription are revived) I would think should have sounded such a loud retreat in all our eats from ever meddling any more therewith, for fear of the like inconvenience to ourselves, that ere this we should have been sufficiently warned from running any more this course: for hardly can any be of the judgement of the one, but he must like of the practice of the other. But Nunquam sera est ad bones mores via. Wherefore let not studium partium, or any prejudicate opinion touching love of our own private credit, or to much desire too please a few private men make any of us so to forget our duty, either to God, our church, or ourselves, and those that depend upon us, as for a few weak objections (a thousand times so answered, that as Augustine speaketh, Epist. 118 might satisfy, though not a contentious person, yet any modest and peaceable minded man) to run ourselves and ours any longer upon these so dangerous rocks, so much to our own harm, & so much also to the rejoicing and strengthening of our common adversaries. And yet this I have not writ, or any thing therein, either to condemn any that of weakness and tenderness of conscience indeed, (all this that I have said notwithstanding) cannot in faith do otherwise (for I have learned of the Apostle, Rom. 14. (as I said in the beginning) that whatsoever is not done of faith is sin, or any way to stay or to withhold them that be in authority, either from showing what favour they will or may to such (else also being peaceable and fruitful men) or when it shall seem good unto them is regard of them to remove, or better to smooth the controverted changeable things, they most take offence at, but only in the mean time, whilst things stand as they do, hereby to perwade my good brethren in the best manner I could, how with a good conscience these things may be yielded unto, for the peace of the Church without any just offence, thereby either given or taken, rather than that for their not so yielding they should suffer themselves to be kept from entering the ministry, or to be deprived thereof again, or but to be but suspended from the execution thereof, by the sentence of the Bishops. But in the mean time, whiles we can grow all to be thus minded, & to be at unity amongst ourselves, in these things, let no man think that therefore he hath any just cause given him, to call into question the truth of our religion otherwise, or the Papist at all therefore to insult over us. For none of any reading of the monuments of antiquity can be ignorant, that in the primitive Church, and in the best times thereof since the Apostles, & that for a long time together, there hath been amongst the ancient Christians, otherwise very sound, and at unity in the truth, and substance of religion amongst themselves, as great diversities of opinions, and as hot contentions as in these respects these of ours be about Ecclesiastical rites and ceremonies. And all the world may know but by the confessed differences of opinions by Bellarmine amongst themselves, in his books of controversies in matters of far higher nature: that the Papists of all men have least unity even in the chief grounds of their religion: and it is as famously known, that here in England whiles they bore the sway: for all their great brag of unity otherwise, that in their church service there was great diversity: some following the use of Sarum; some Herford use, some the use of Bangor; some of York, and some of Lincoln.   

CHAP. 16. Containing the conclusion and exhortation to unity.  
YEt to conclude (good brethren) seeing in every particular national church, uniformity in such things, is very requisite and commendable, for the better maintenance of peace and love therein: even of love and compassion to our common mother the Church of England, which as I have said, is troubled with so dangerous enemies, both on her right hand and left, and so to bury and extinguish for ever the odious name of Puritants, & to put an end to all show of Schism, distraction, and division amongst ourselves, to the no small strengthening of ourselves, to our rejoicing against our common adversaries, and so to the great weakening and undoubted grief of our enemies, let us, all of us for ever hereafter, give over contending any more thus amongst ourselves, about these our mother's outward fashions, trim, and deckings, and let us both speedily and unfeignedly, every one of us, reunite ourselves together in unity of judgement, and uniformity of practice, as by these her outward orders, is by her authority required at our hands, that so we may bend all our forces as dutiful children together to the preservation of the life and strength of our said mother, which we cannot but see otherwise to be in great peril and danger, so the better that she may strongly encounter, overcome, and subdue all, both her adversaries and ours. For Nestor persuading Agamemnon and Achilles to concord, said, that otherwise Priamus would laugh them both to scorn. And wisely said Metius Suffetius to Tullus Hostilius king of the Romans, when the Alban and his people were ready to join battle the one with the other, understand, O king, that the Etrurians, a mighty people, envy us both, & only whiles we spoil one another, they expect that so we both being once spent, may in the end both become a prey and spoil to them; And advisedly also thereupon, to end that controversy, whereas the Romans chose 3 Horatians, and the Albans 3 Curiatians to fight a combat, though therein the Curiatians had quickly slain two of the Horatians, and also sore wounded the third, yet we read in that story, that he flying in policy, and so singling the 3 Curiatians being then all alive, in the end, so, one after another, killed them all, which he could never have done, if they had all held together: & so the Romans by the condition agreed on in that combat, conquered the Alban; whereby we may plainly as in a glass see, that though two parts of three of our Romish enemies, seem to us already slain, & the third part also much wounded, yet if by any means, that one can single & sever us, he will hope in the end to conquer us all. For whiles Athens & Lacedaemon jarred, both became a prey to the enemy, while Hannibal and Hanno envied one another Carthage came to confusion; & whiles the two brethren Etheocles and Polynices contended for the kingdom of Thebes, they both lost themselves and their kingdom. Likewise whiles Aristobulus and Hircanus two brethren strove for the kingdom of Jerusalem, it became a booty to the Romans. And when Amon and Moab, and they of Mount Seir fell out amongst themselves, and so slew one another, we know how the holy story showeth, their huge army thereby easily became a rich spoil to jehosophat, 2. Chr. 20. whereas of the contrary we read there, that the amity of Abraham and Lot, was the very cause of Lot's rescue, and of all his friends and neighbours, out of the hands of five kings that had taken them all prisoners and captives, Gen. 14. And who knoweth not that by concord small things increase, & that by the contrary very great things come to nothing? and that a threefold cord is not easily broken, but yet, that untwisted it easily falls a sunder, and so though a sheaf of arrows bound fast together will not quickly be burst, that yet loosed they are quickly knapped a sunder? justly therefore did Sparta count the concord that was in that city, the strongest and best walls that it could have, and otherwise where that was wanting, that the strongest walls that any city could have, were but as walls of paper. Learn we therefore (dear brethren) in time to sing with the Psalmist, O how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Ps. 133. & therefore according both to his advise, & the Apostles, let us as much as is possible, & in us lieth, seek peace with all men, and ensue it, Psa. 34. & Rom. 12. And therefore also consider we one another, as we are wished, Herald 10. to provoke one another only to love & to good works not forsaking the fellowship that we have amongst ourselves as some do, and learn as we have been taught of Christ and his Apostles. Mat. 7.1. Ro. 14.13. especially of things of this kind, neither to be offended at or with one another, or to judge one another, but rather to say with Abraham every one to another, let there be no strife betwixt us, for we are brethren, Genes. 13. so yielding rather with him of our own right, as he then and there did to his inferior Loath, if need be to redeem and purchase our own peace and the churches, so long especially as we may so do without breach of holiness, as in this case of ours, I hope, I have showed we may. For if there be envy, strife, and division amongst us still, & that for things of no greater moment, Paul doth tell us plainly, 1. Cor. 3.3. that we are carnal and walk as men. God therefore give us all once grace, so to make it appear, that we have mutual consolation in Christ, Comfort of love, and fellowship of the spirit, Compassion and mercy, that we may fulfil his joy in being of one accord and judgement, Phil. 2.2. not doing any thing of vainglory or of contention, but in meekness of mind, every one esteeming another better than himself, ver. 3. and in following the things that concern peace, and wherewith one may edify another, Ro. 14.19. and so striving in giving honour who can give most and first, Ro. 12.10. Now then saying with the Psalmist 122. Unto all, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, Let them prosper that love her, peace be with in her walls, and prosperity within her palaces. I humbly beseech the Lord to direct us all herein, and in all our other actions to his own glory and to our own everlasting comfort, and so I heartily bid thee farewell in the same Lord. 1606. February. 1.  
Thine in the Lord unfeignedly, Thomas Spark.    

Faults escaped, thus corrected.  
PAge. 1. for commended, read commanded. Epist. dedic. line. 4. for bound. r. bold. Epist. to the Rea p. 3. l. 1. r. stronger for strong. & 18. for quieter. r. quiet. liar. &. l. 22. for Bishops, r. Bishop. p. 8. l. 4. for show. r. showed, &. l. 10. for point. r. course. p 7. l. 4. for. 3. r. 13. p. 9 l. 31. for act. 1. art p 18. for also. r. all so. p. 20. l. 35. for it. r. it, it & any for many. p. 21. l 31. for some ey: r. some, ay. p. 22. l. 30. for follows r. allows. & for then. r. them. p. 23. l. 14. for reverence. r. reference. p. 24. l. 35. after baptized put. p 25. l. 15. for as. r. is. p. 26. l. 1. for this. r. his. & l. 27. for third r. thirty. p. 29. l. 5. for conference. r. reference. p. 34 l. 3. for. therein. r. then. p. 35 l. 10. for mention r. intention. p. 40. for. there. r. the. l. 34. p. 42. l. 3. put out. &. 46. l. 1. r. put out as. p. 51. l. 19 r. put out, any man. p. 63. l. 20. for howbei. r. howbeit. p. 69. l. 36. put out we p. 70. l. 2. put out. that. l. 34. for their. r. and there.