A discourse of the forbearance or the penalties which a due reformation requires by H. Thorndike ...

CHAP. VIII. That it is the Duty of this Kingdom, and of all Christian Soveraignties.

ANd therefore, I must freely profess my opinion, without any manner of hope, that ever the See of Rome will abate any thing of their rigour; Though the

Reformation should content themselves with these terms. For, I find, by the proceeding of former times, that it is their Maxime, to stand to that which they have once done: And to mark those Popes to posterity, that have abated any thing, from the rigour of their Predeces∣sors. For, being arrived at this Great∣ness, by this Rigour and obstinacy in all Pretenses, right or wrong, they will al∣ways think themselves obliged, in Reason of State, not to yield so much as the Cup in the Eucharist; Though the Council of Trent leave it in the Popes Power to grant it. Because, granting, that any thing is and hath been amiss; who shall secure them, that nothing more shall be questioned, then is indeed amiss; when we see no point in Religion remain unque∣stioned, some time or some where? Not considering, all the While, that this Rigor is the cause of Division, and Division the cause of these Questions: And that, the Reason of Reformation being owned on both sides, there is a Ground restored, for Confidence, that they who accept of it will stand to those Bounds which it setleth. But, if the See of Rome can have no Power against the Whole Church; Much less

can any other Church, or any part of the Church, or any Secular Power that pro∣tecteth it, make that to be Reformation, which the Whole Church alloweth not; Or secure their Subjects Consciences of the Salvation they seek, in exercising their Christianity according to their Laws, but by confining the Reformation which they maintain, within those Bounds, which the Faith and the Laws of the Whole Church either require or allow. Now, how can the Interest of the Nation be secured, with∣out due ground, for hope of Gods blessing upon that which shall be done? How can there be ground to expect Gods blessing, till it appear, how all Subjects of this Kingdom shall stand discharged at the day of Judgment, following that form which the Kingdom inacteth, rather then that which the See of Rome requireth? For, there are other Christian Princes and So∣veraignties, that command their Subjects to obey the See of Rome; whose Sub∣jects must as well stand discharged to God, upon the same Plea, as the Subjects of Re∣formed Princes and States. And how shall the Consciences of them that make Laws be secured, if they cannot secure the Consciences of them for whom they

are made? Or how can Gods blessing be expected, if this security cannot be evi∣denced? It is not yet time to ask, how, those that allow not the Reformation, up∣on these Terms, should be punished; Be∣cause there are that pretend, that no pu∣nishment can be inflicted, for disobeying any Law of the Kingdom, by which Reli∣gion is setled. But it is time to say, that they make it a very ridiculous thing, for the Legislative Power to make Laws for the Kingdom, which they can inact by no Penalty. And how shall this difficulty be voided, but by demanding nothing, but that which Christianity will require of all Christians? That no Christian King∣dom can have Power, to introduce any thing, for Reformation in the Church, but that which the Consent of the Whole Church either injoyneth, or alloweth. Not as if the least Tittle of Scripture were not enough, to warrant, that which it injoyn∣eth to be the Reformation of the Church. But, whereas the sense of the Scripture is that which remains questionable, not the Authority of it; that nothing can be the true sense of the Scripture, which the Consent of the Whole Church contra∣dicteth. And therefore, that, though

there be an appearance of truth in such a sense, yet, it is not for a Christian Kingdom to inact it for Law, till it be duely deba∣ted. And, that being done, it will infal∣libly appear in all, which in most things appeareth already; that the Consent of the Whole Church cannot contradict the true sense of the Scripture; And that it is nothing else, but not knowing the one or the other, that makes it seem other∣wise. If the Scripture it self is not, nor can be owned for Gods Word, but by the Consent of Gods people, from the begin∣ning, attesting, the Motives of Faith related in the Scripture to have been infallibly done, by submitting to the Faith which they inforce; Then must the same Con∣sent be of force, to assure common reason, that the Faith, and the Laws, wherein the whole Church agrees, came from the Au∣thority setled by God, not by any Consent of all Christians, to fall from that which they Profess. And therefore, though a Kingdom may force the Subjects thereof, to call that Reformation, which they inact; yet they can never make it Reformation, in that sense, which the Salvation of Chri∣stians requires, if it be not within these bounds. It may be called Reformation,

to signifie a New form, but it can never be Reformation, to signifie that form which should be, unless it signifie the form that hath been in Gods Church. For, that be∣ing One and the same, from the first to the second Coming of Christ, can authorize no other form, then that which it may ap∣pear to have had from the beginning.