BOOK II.

CONCERNING THEIR FIRST POSITION WHO URGE REFORMATION IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND: NAMELY, THAT SCRIPTURE IS THE ONLY RULE OF ALL THINGS WHICH IN THIS LIFE MAY BE DONE BY MEN.

THE MATTER CONTAINED IN THIS SECOND BOOK.

1. An Answer to their first Proof brought out of Scripture, Prov. ii. 9. 2. To their second, 1 Cor. x. 31.

3. To their third, 1 Tim. iv. 5.

4. To their fourth, Rom. xiv. 23.

5. To their Proofs out of Fathers, who dispute negatively from the authority of Holy Scripture.

6. To their Proof by the Scripture's custom of disputing from divine authority negatively.

7. An Examination of their opinion concerning the force of arguments taken from Human Authority for the ordering of men's actions and persuasions.

8. A Declaration what the Truth is in this matter.

As that which in the Title hath been proposed for the matter whereof we treat, is only the Ecclesiastical Law whereby we are governed; so neither is it my purpose to maintain any other thing than that which therein truth and reason shall approve. For concerning the dealings of men who administer government, and unto whom the execution of that Law belongeth, they have their Judge who sitteth in Heaven, and before whose tribunal-seat they are accomptable for whatsoever abuse or corruption, which (being worthily misliked in this Church) the want either of care or of conscience in them hath bred. We are no patrons of those things therefore; the best defence whereof is speedy redress and amendment. That which is of God we defend to the uttermost of that ability which he hath given; that which is otherwise, let it wither even in the root from whence it hath sprung. Wherefore all these abuses being severed and set apart, which rise from the corruption of men, and not from the Laws themselves; come we to those things which in the very whole intire form of our Church Polity have been (as we persuade ourselves) injuriously blamed by them who endeavour to overthrow the same,

and instead thereof to establish a much worse; only through a strong misconceit they have, that the same is grounded on divine authority. Now, whether it be that through an earnest longing desire to see things brought to a peaceable end, I do but imagine the matters whereof we contend to be fewer than indeed they are; or else for that in truth they are fewer when they come to be discust by reason, than otherwise they seem when by heat of contention they are divided into many slips, and of every branch an heap is made: surely, as now we have drawn them together, choosing out those things which are requisite to be severally all discust, and omitting such mean specialties as are likely (without any great labour) to fall afterwards of themselves; I know no cause why either the number or the length of these controversies should diminish our hope of seeing them end with concord and love on all sides; which of his infinite love and goodness the Father of all peace and unity grant. Unto which scope that our endeavour may the more directly tend, it seemeth fittest that first those things be examined, which are as seeds from whence the rest that ensue have grown. And of such the most general is that, wherewith we are here to make our entrance; a question not moved (I think) any where in other Churches, and therefore in ours the more likely to be soon (I trust) determined; the rather for that it hath grown from no other root than only a desire to enlarge the necessary use of the Word of God; which desire hath begotten an error, enlarging it further than (as we are persuaded) soundness of truth will bear. For whereas God hath left sundry kinds of Laws unto men, and by all those Laws the actions of men are in T. C. lib. some sort directed; they hold that one only Law, the Scripture, must be the rule to direct in all things, even so far as to the "taking up of a rush or straw." About which point there should not need any question to grow, and that which is grown* might presently end, if they did yield but to these

ii. p. 59,

60.

* [Dr. Whitgift, in his "Defense of the Aunswere," p. 85, on Rom. xiv. 23, "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin," wrote thus; "Not to be of faith,' hath divers significations. First, it signifieth that that is contrary to the persuasion of the faith and judgment of the conscience. Secondly, it signifieth, Not to be taken as an article of faith. If it be taken in the first signification, then it is not true that whatsoever cannot be proved in the Word of God is not of faith, for then to take up a STRAW, to observe many civil orders, and to do a number of particular actions, were against faith, and so deadly sin; because it is not found in the Word of God that we should do them. The which doctrine must needs bring a great servitude and bondage to the conscience, restrain or rather utterly overthrow that part of Christian liberty which consisteth in the free use of indifferent things neither commanded nor forbidden in the

two restraints: the first is, Not to extend the actions whereof they speak so low as that instance doth import of "taking up a straw," but rather keep themselves at the least within the compass of moral actions, actions which have in them vice or virtue: the second, Not to exact at our hands for every action the knowledge of some place of Scripture out of which we stand bound to deduce it, as by divers testimonies they seek to enforce; but rather as the truth is, so to acknowledge, that it sufficeth if such actions be framed according to the Law of Reason; the general axioms, rules, and principles of which Law being so frequent in Holy Scripture, there is no let but in that regard, even out of Scripture, such duties may be deduced by some kind of consequence (as by long circuit of deduction it may be that even all truth, out of any truth, may be concluded); howbeit no man bound in such sort to deduce all his actions out of Scripture, as if either the place be to him unknown whereon they may be concluded, or the reference unto that place not presently considered of, the action shall in that respect be condemned as unlawful. In this we dissent, and this we are presently to examine.

1. In all parts of knowledge, rightly so termed, things The first most general are most strong. Thus it must be, inasmuch ed proof

pretend

Word of God, and throw men headlong into desperation. For what man is able to shew the Word of God for all things he doth? If it be taken in the second signification, then it is true that that is not of faith which cannot be proved by the Word." To this, T. C. replied, "Even those things that are indifferent and may be done, have their freedom grounded on the Word of God. So that unless the Word of the Lord, either in general or especial words, had determined of the free use of them, there could have been no lawful use of them at all. And when he (Dr. Whitgift) saith that St. Paul speaketh here of civil, private, and indifferent actions, as of eating this or that kind of meat (than the which there can be nothing more indifferent) he might easily have seen that the sentence of the Apostle reacheth even to his case of taking up a straw! For if this rule be of indifferent things, and not of all, I would And the same gladly know of him, what indifferent things it is given of, and of what not? also I require of him in the other general rule, of doing all things to the glory of God. For if that reach unto all indifferent things it must needs comprise also this action of his. Which if it do, then as no man can glorify God but by obedience, and there is no obedience but where there is a Word, it must follow that there is a Word. And seemeth it so strange a thing unto him that a man should not take a straw but for some purpose, and for some good purpose? Or will he not give the Lord leave to require of a Christian man endued with the Spirit of God as much as the Heathen require of one which is only endued with reason, that he should do nothing whereof he hath not some good end; and that in all his doings whether public or private, at home or abroad, whether with himself or with another, he ought to have regard whether that which he doth be done in duty or no? And if the taking up of a straw be done to good end; either of helping himself or others, regard of profit or pleasure, or And if it have not an end, and a what else; it hath the testimony of the Word of God. good end, will not the Answerer (Dr. W.) give the Lord leave to condemn that in his infinite wisdom which men by the light of a little wisdom do account foolish? Or will he be so injurious to the justice of God that he may not judge that to be sin which they say is done against duty? What also"-continued in a Note under Sect. 4. p. 157.]

of the

first Position out of

Scrip

tore; Prov.

ii. 9.

Prov.

ii. 9.

Psal.

as the certainty of our persuasion touching particulars, de-
pendeth altogether upon the credit of those generalities out
of which they grow.
Albeit therefore every cause admit
not such infallible evidence of proof, as leaveth no possi-
bility of doubt or scruple behind it; yet they who claim the
general assent of the whole world unto that which they
teach, and do not fear to give very hard and heavy sentence
upon as many as refuse to embrace the same, must have
special regard, that their first foundations and grounds be
more than slender probabilities. This whole question, which
hath been moved about the kind of Church-regiment, we
could not but for our own resolution's sake endeavour to
unrip and sift; following therein, as near as we might, the
conduct of that judicial method which serveth best for inven-
tion of truth. By means whereof, having found this the
head theorem of all their discourses, who plead for the
change of Ecclesiastical Government in England, namely,
"That the Scripture of God is in such sort the rule of
human actions, that simply whatsoever we do, and are not
by it directed thereunto, the same is sin;" we hold it ne-
cessary that the proofs hereof be weighed. Be they of
weight sufficient or otherwise, it is not ours to judge and
determine; only what difficulties there are which as yet
withhold our assent till we be further and better satisfied, I
hope, no indifferent amongst them will scorn or refuse to
hear. First, therefore, whereas they allege, "That Wisdom"
doth teach men "every good way;"* and have thereupon
inferred that no way is good in any kind of action unless
Wisdom do by Scripture lead unto it; see they not plainly
how they restrain the manifold ways which Wisdom hath to
teach men by, unto one only way of teaching, which is by
Scripture? The bounds of Wisdom are large, and within
them much is contained. Wisdom was Adam's instructor in
Paradise; Wisdom indued the Fathers who lived before the
Law with the knowledge of holy things; by the Wisdom
of the Law of God, David attained to excel others in un-
derstanding, and Solomon likewise to excel David by the
self-same Wisdom of God, teaching him many things be-
sides the Law. The ways of well-doing are in number

cxix. 99

*T. C. lib. i. p. 26. "I say, that the Word of God containeth... whatsoever things can fall into any part of man's life. For so Solomon saith in the second chapter of the Proverbs, 'My son, if thou receive my words, &c. then thou shalt understand justice, and judgment, and equity, and every good way.""

even as many, as are the kinds of voluntary actions; so that whatsoever we do in this world, and may do it ill, we shew ourselves therein by well-doing to be wise. Now if Wisdom did teach men by Scripture not only all the ways that are right and good in some certain kind, according to that of St. Paul* concerning the use of Scripture, but did simply, without any manner of exception, restraint, or distinction, teach every way of doing well, there is no art but Scripture should teach it, because every art doth teach the way how to do something or other well. To teach men, therefore, Wisdom professeth, and to teach them every good way; but not every good way by one way of teaching. Whatsoever either Men on Earth, or the Angels of Heaven do know, it is as a drop of that unemptiable Fountain of Wisdom; which Wisdom hath diversely imparted her treasures unto the world. As her ways are of sundry kinds, so her manner of teaching is not merely one and the same. Some things she openeth by the Sacred Books of Scripture; some things by the glorious works of Nature; with some things she inspireth them from above by spiritual influence; in some things she leadeth and traineth them only by worldly experience and practice. We may not so in any one special kind admire her, that we disgrace her in any other; but let all her ways be according unto their place and degree adored.

secord

out of

ture;

2. "That all things be done to the glory of God," the The blessed Apostle (it is true) exhorteth. The glory of God is Proof the admirable excellency of that virtue divine, which being Scrip made manifest, causeth Men and Angels to extol his great- 1 Cor. ness, and in regard thereof to fear him. By being glorified, it is not meant that he doth receive any augmentation of glory at our hands; but his name we glorify, when we testify our acknowledgment of his glory. Which albeit we most

x. 31.

2 Tim. iii. 16. "The whole Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable to teach, to improve, to correct, and to instruct in righteousness, that the man of God may be absolute, being made perfect unto all good works." He meaneth all and only those good works which belong unto us as we are men of God, and which unto salvation are necessary. Or if we understand by men of God, God's Ministers, there is not required in them an universal skill of every good work or way, but an ability to teach whatsoever men are bound to do that they may be saved: and with this kind of knowledge the Scripture sufficeth to furnish them as touching matter.

† T. C. lib. i. p. 26. "St. Paul saith, 'That whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, we must do it to the glory of God.' But no man can glorify God in any thing but by obedience; and there is no obedience but in respect of the Commandment and Word of God: therefore it followeth that the Word of God directeth a man in all his actions."