Innovations unjustly charged upon the present church and state. Or An ansvver to the most materiall passages of a libellous pamphlet made by Mr. Henry Burton, and intituled An apologie of an appeale, &c. By Christopher Dow, B.D.

CHAP. XX.

The last Innovation, in the Rule of manners. The Scriptures acknowledged to be the sole rule of manners, and how. Old Canons how in force. The Act before the Communion-book doth not forbid the use of ancient and pious customes. Master B. incurring the penalty of that Sta∣tute. Of Cathedrall Churches. The argument from them frees the rites and ceremonies there used from novelty and superstition. Of the Royall Chappell. His dangerous insinuati∣ons referred to the censure of Authority. The Close.

I Am now, at last, gotten to the eighth and last Innovation, or change, which, he saith, is in the rule of manners; which rule is changed from the Word of Christ, and the examples of the holy A∣postles, * 1.1 wherein they followed Christ, to the example of the Prelates lives, and the dictates of their wri∣tings. An ill change certainly: But where is this rule by them prescribed? That he neither doth, or can tell us: but (according to his old wont) falls a railing against his Majesties Declaration for sports upon the Sundaies, and against those whom he calls Anti-Sabbatarians, for allowing of it, notwithstanding (as hath beene already suffi∣ciently demonstrated) it is no way contrary, but

consonant to the Word of God, which they (whom he taxes) allow and acknowledge as the sole rule of Christian life: though not so (as hee would have it) that a man may doe nothing, either in his civill conversation, or in things pertaining to the time, place, manner, and other circumstances in the worship of God, which is not to bee found in the Scriptures, though commanded by superiors, inve∣sted with authority from God himself. And how∣ever this is no proofe of his assertion; for hee can∣not bring any instance, wherein they propound their owne lives for a patterne, or rule of Christi∣ans practise in this, no, nor in any other case. Nay, I dare boldly say, that if Master B. and such as joyne with him in opinion, would give the Pre∣lates of our Church that which our blessed Savi∣our commanded to bee given (while the Iewish Church continued) to the Scribes and Pharisees who sate in Moses seate, To observe and doe that * 1.2 which they command them, and that only, wherein they command not contrary to the duty of their places, or to the Word of God: They will easily dispense with them, for observing any further rule, or for doing after their workes, though it cannot be said of them (as our Saviour did of the Scribes and Pharisees) that they say, and doe not.

Having nothing more to say to this point, but senselesse repetitions of his old declamatory, or incendiary language; For a close, he brings cer∣taine arguments framed in defence of the preten∣ded Innovations, which he answers with as much confidence, and little reason, as hee hath used hi∣therto

in the charging of them for such.

First, hee saith, our changers plead, That they * 1.3 bring in no changes, but revive those things, which ancient Canons have allowed and prescribed: To this he answers. That in this Land, wee are not to be ruled by the Popes Canons, or Canon-law, but by the Law of God, and of the King. But, by his favour, I must tell him, that neither the Law of God, nor of the King doth disallow the use of the Old Ca∣nons and Constitutions, though made in the time of Popery, and by the Pope, or Popish Prelates; which are not contrary to the Law of God, or of the King, which yet he hath not, and indeed can∣not justly charge any of those things to be, which he quarrels. If hee desire proofe of this, let him consider whether the Stat. 25. Hen. 8. 19. doe not say as much as I affirme. Where, having regula∣ted divers things touching the exercise of Eccle∣siasticall jurisdiction, at last, the Statute concludes with this proviso. Provided also, that such Canons, Constitutions, Ordinances, and Synodalls provin∣ciall, * 1.4 being already made, which be not contrariant, nor repugnant to the Lawes, Statutes, and Customes of this Realme, nor to the damage or hurt of the Kings Prerogative Royall; shall now still be used and executed, as they were afore the making of this Act, till such time as they be viewed, searched, or other∣wise ordered, and determined by the said two and thirty persons, or the more part of them, according to the tenour, forme, and effect of this present Act. It followes then, that till those thirty two persons determine otherwise, old Canons may bee still

executed and retaine their ancient vigor and au∣thority; and when that will be, I know not, but as yet, I am sure, it hath not been done. As for that which he saith, he heard a Popish Canon alledged in the High Commission, in opposition to a Parliament Statute: unlesse he had brought us the Particu∣lar, I will crave leave to put that among the rest of his incredible fictions, which hee hath foisted upon that Honorable Court, and those that sit Iudges in it. And whereas, heads, that the Act of Parliament prefixed to the Communion-booke, re∣straines Rites and Ceremonies to bee used in our Church, to those only, which are expressed in the same booke, under the penalty of imprisonment, &c. I grant that the Statute doth forbid the use of any other rite, ceremonie, order, forme or manner of ce∣lebrating of the Lords Supper, Mattens, or Even∣song, &c. than is set forth in the said booke.

But this doth not hinder the retaining of any laudable, and pious customes then, and of a long time before, in use in the Church, which are no way contrary to the forme, or rites prescribed in the booke of Common prayer. For, where is it said in that booke, that men, during the time of Divine Service, or of prayer and the Letany, shal sit with their hats off, and uncovered? and yet that ceremony is piously observed, by all that have any religion in them. * 1.5 Custome not contrary to Law, or good reason hath ever obteined the force of a law: and in things of this nature, the pious customes of Gods people (as Saint Aug speakes) are to be held for lawes. And being so, must (or at least

may lawfully) be observed till some law expresse∣ly cry them downe: which I am sure the Com∣mon-prayer-book, nor any Statute yet hath done. And if Master B. shall not allow this for good reason; he will doe himselfe more prejudice by it, than those whom hee opposeth: for, besides that, he will bee at a stand what gesture to use in many things, which are yet left there undetermi∣ned. His present practice in many things, must needs be condemned, as having no warrant, or prescription in that booke. For I would (for in∣stance) faine know where, in that booke, his rite of carrying the blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ up and downe the Church, to the receivers pewes, is to be found? Where hee hath any allowance of singing a Psalme, while hee is ad∣ministring? where, or by what Statute, those mee∣tred Psalmes were ever allowed to be sung at all in the Church? And if he can plead custome, or (however) practice, these and many others like them (which might bee reckoned up) with∣out the warrant of the Common Prayer-book. Why may not the same plea hold as strongly for those which he oppugnes, which (saving that hee hath called them all to nought) are neither against the Word of God, nor booke of Common-pray∣er, but most decent, and religious, and venerable, for their antiquity in the Church of God. Nay, if the not being in the booke of Common-prayer shall bee enough to exclude all rites and ceremo∣nies from being used in the Church, and that up∣on so great a danger as imprisonment, &c. Ther••

surely such as are contrary to the expresse orders there prescribed must much more be excluded, & their practice expose men (more deservedly) to the same danger. And certainely Master B. by this meanes would be but in an ill case, & many o∣thers, especially of his faction. For how could they justifie their not reading of Gloria Patri, at the end of every Psalme? their addition of those words to the Lords Prayer, (for thine is the Kingdome, the power, &c.) when they finde it not there prin∣ted. Their Christening of children after divine Ser∣vice and the Sermon is ended: their consummation of the whole forme of Marriage in the body of the Church, without going to the Communion-Table, and their churching of women, other where than by that table, and many other things, which are contrary to the expresse words of the * 1.6 Rubrick: yea, which is more than all this, how can Master B. bee excused from the penalty imposed by that Statute, for depraving & speaking against the rea∣ding of the second (or Communion) service at the Communion Table, beeing so appointed in that booke? These things considered, it may justly be wondred at, why the Statute should bee so strait∣laced to some, as not to admit any ceremony to be used, but those that are prescribed and menti∣oned in the Common-prayer booke, though commended by antiquity and the practice of the most judicious and of greatest authority in the Church, and yet so indulgent to others as to suf∣fer them freely to use what they thinke good, and to wave the orders there prescribed, and to de∣prave

and speake against them at their plea∣sure. But let us heare what more he hath to say.

Besides all this (saith he) these men have one spe∣ciall Sanctuary to fly unto, and that is their Cathe∣drall Churches. Well, what then? nay stay and give him leave first to empty his stomack, for we may well thinke he cannot name Cathedrall Chur∣ches without moving his vomit, which hee utters plentifully, both against those places and those that belong to them, with all their furniture, vest∣ments; yea, and the divine Service that is used in * 1.7 them. And having thus cleared himselfe of that cholericke and bitter stuffe, which I loath to pudle in; he propounds the argument pretended to bee drawne from hence; Thus: Cathedralls are so and so: therefore all other Churches must conforme to them. And then manfully denies the argument and saith, wee must live by lawes, not by exam∣ples, * 1.8 and that the rites and ceremonies of all our Churches, are prescribed, and precisely limited by Act of Parliament, and not left at large to the exam∣ple of Cathedralls, &c. Wee are not (I confesse) left to be ruled in point of ceremonies by the ex∣ample of Cathedrall Churches, and it is the best and rightest course to live by lawes, rather than examples: But that the Act of Parliament hath so prescribed and precisely limited the rites and ce∣remonies, that no custome or usage (how ancient or pious so ever) may bee practised without ex∣presse allowance of the Act of Parliament or of booke of Common prayer, which by it is authorised▪

that I have already shewed to bee untrue. But I wonder where the man found any using that argu∣ment in that manner; yet I need not wonder, it being common with weake and passionate dispu∣tants, to cast the arguments of their adversaries to such a mold as they can best fit them with an∣swers, and to make them say that, to which they can say somewhat, not that which indeed they speake or intend. And thus hee hath dealt with this, for who knowes not, that Cathedrals have ever had certaine rites and ceremonies, vestments, and other ornaments, which have not beene used in Parochials? And that to reduce all Parochiall Churches to their modell, is neither necessary nor convenient, nor almost possible to be done. Yet the argument drawne from the examples of Ca∣thedrals, is good enough against Master B. and holds strongly to prove that for w^ch it is brought: It is a good argument to say; Cathedrals are so and so; or use such and such rites and ceremonies, and ever since the beginning of the reformation have used them. Therefore those rites and Ceremonies are no noveltyes or innovations in the Church of England. Yea, and it may passe for a good Argu∣ment to cleare those Ceremonies (which he hath so deepely charged) from superstition and idola∣trie, except with such as are so past sense and shame as to lay the approbation, and allowance of those grosse sinnes to this Church, yea and con∣demne not the Prelates onely, but these Soveraign Princes who have not onely not purged, but been spectators and actors in the same. And therefore

if hee had not had so much wisedome as to thinke the Church, and the Soveraigne, and subordinate Governours thereof to bee as wise, and able to judge and as conscientious to avoyd superstition and Idolatry as he; yet he might have shewed that modesty and reverence as not to have trumpeted out their faults, but rather to have imitated Sa∣muel in honouring them and upholding their re∣putation * 1.9 before the people. But he proceeds (after his raving manner) to let fly at the usages and ornaments in severall Cathedralls; where it must be taken for an innovation, if any ornaments that were decayed have happened to bee renewed or repaired, or things neglected have beene restored; * 1.10 or any Chappell in either Vniversity be adorned: & they are taxed to become nurceries of superstition and Idolaty to the whole Land, and tels of a late Or∣der read at Sidney Colledge in Cambridge, that who∣soever would not bow at the naming of Iesus, & to the Altar, should be upon the second admonition expelled the Colledge. Wherin surely his intelligence decei∣ved him, & made him foyst an order upon that Col∣ledge which (I dare say) is not guilty in any such kind: and then he quarrels the calling of Cathe∣drals Mother-churches, because (forsooth) other Churches never came out of their bellies: and such like stuffe, which to me, seemes not worthy any other answer than silence or laughter.

At last he falles upon the Royall Chappell, which he saith, is the Innovators last refuge, and they (as * 1.11 hee falsely chargeth them) plead the whole equi∣page thereof, as a patterne for all Churches to fol∣low,

&c. In his answer to which, hee hath truly said, that it is not for subjects to compare with the King in the state of his royall Family or Chappell: and so in his second answere, that many things in * 1.12 the Kings Chappell, as Quire of Gentlemen, &c. can∣not be had or maintained in ordinary Churches. But though these answers had beene sufficient to have answered that argument, if it had been brought by any in that manner wherein he propounds it, yet hee rests not in them, but addes others, and not obscurely intimates, that the practice even of the Royall Chappell, and the rites there used, are con∣trary to the Law of the Land, and the Divine rule of Scripture, and compares the use of them, to the bowing to King Nebuchadnezzars golden Image, and the offering of incense in the presence of the Empe∣rour Iulian the Apostatels Altar, at his command; which the godly servants of God in those times by no meanes could be brought to doe. And concludes with a supposall, That if Masse were set up in the Kings Chappell, it were no good argument, why it should be admitted in all the Churches throughout the Realme of England. And I verily beleeve that the argument is insufficient to make the Masse, or any other idolatrous worship to bee lawfull. But say with all, that his answers are dangerous and most disloyall insinuations of the violation of Law, of Idolatry and superstition practised in the Roy∣all Chappell, by the allowance, and in the presence of His most Sacred Majesty; and fitter for the cen∣sure of Authority than other answer. And I con∣clude (as hee doth) with that, which if hee had

rightly considered, would have taught him more religion and loyalty, and have saved me this trou∣ble: My sonne feare thou the Lord, and the King: and medle not with them that are given to change: for their calamity shall rise suddenly, and who know∣eth the ruine of them both.

And thus I have gone over these eight heads of Innovations, wherein I was willing to follow Master Burtons method, and take his owne divi∣sion, not that I thought it perfect (for I might ea∣sily have reduced them to halfe that number) but, because I thought that the best way for the satisfy∣ing of some kind of readers, who would (perhaps) if I had abridged their number, have thought some of them unanswered. And in my answer to these, I have brought in divers things (such as I thought most materiall) which I found scattered in other places, and (excepting his senselesse rai∣lings and declamations, wherein he hath Tautolo∣gised to the tiring of a resolved patience) I trust I have not omitted any thing to which an answer may not well be framed out of that which I have said.

I shall now desire to take a little breath, and by way of digression, though not altogether im∣pertinently; to give a briefe of the story of the proceedings of those men, in whose steps Master B. hath gone, to the intent that it may appeare, that they of his faction may more truly be termed Innovators in this Church, as being both in their doctrine and discipline, new, and contrary to the formes in both kindes, which the first authors of

those (by them admired) principles found here established.

Notes

• * 1.1

  pag. 156.
• * 1.2

  Mat. 23. 2. 3.
• * 1.3

  pag. 158.
• * 1.4

  Stat. 25. Hen. 8. 19.
• * 1.5

  Sine scripto jus venit, quod usus approbavit, nam diuturni mores consensu utentium com∣proba••i, legem imitantur. Iu∣stin. Instit. l. 1. Tit. 2. Consuetudo est jus quoddam, moribus institu∣tum, quod pro lege suscipitur cum deficit lex. Gratian. Di∣stinct. 1. c. 5. In his rebus de quibus nihil cer∣ti statuit diving scriptura, mospo∣pu••i Dei, vel in∣stituta ma••orum pro lege tenen∣da s••nt Aug. Ep. 86.
• * 1.6

  If any person, &c. shall, &c. speake any thing in dero∣gation, depra∣ving of the same book, or of any thing therein con∣tained, &c. e∣very such per∣son beeing thereof lawful∣ly convicted, shall forfeit for the first of∣fence 100. markes, for the second, 400. for the 3. all his goods and chattels, and suffer impri∣sonment du∣ring his life. Stat. 1. Eliz 2.
• * 1.7

  pag. 160.
• * 1.8

  Legibus viven∣dum est non ex∣emplis.
• * 1.9

  1. Sam. 15. 31.
• * 1.10

  162.
• * 1.11

  pag. 165.
• * 1.12

  pag. 166.