Ch. xi. II. 400 Drift of St. Paul's Charge to Timothy : BOOK III. manifest his favour by temporal blessings towards them than towards us. Godliness had unto them, and it hath also unto us, the promises both of this life and the life to come. That the care of God hath fallen in earthly things, and therefore should rise as much in heavenly; that more is left unto men's consultations in the one, and therefore less must be granted in the other; that God, having used a greater particularity with them than with us for matters pertaining unto this life, is to make us amends by the more exact delivery of laws for government of the life to come: these are proportions, whereof if there be any rule, we must plainly confess that which truth is, we know it not. God which spake unto them by his Prophets, hath unto us by his only-begotten Son; those mysteries of grace and salvation which were but darkly disclosed unto them, have unto us most clearly shined. Such differences between them and us the Apostles of Christ have well acquainted us withal. But as for matter belonging to the outward conduct or government of the Church, seeing that even in sense it is manifest that our Lord and Saviour hath not by positive laws descended so far into particularities with us as Moses with them, neither doth by extraordinary means, oracles, and prophets, direct us as them he did in those things which rising daily by new occasions are of necessity to be provided for; doth it not hereupon rather follow, that although not to them, yet to us there should be freedom and liberty granted to make laws? [11.] Yea, but the Apostle St. Paul doth fearfully charge Timothy 61, even "in the sight of God who quickeneth all, 66 61 61 [See Eccl. Disc. fol. 10. "Sed "universum hunc locum de disciplina a Deo profecta, et prophetica "immobili atque perpetua, et om"nium ecclesiarum communi, gra"vissima illa Pauli ad Timotheum "de eadem conservanda obtestatione "concludamus. Qui quum discipu"lum suum omnem domus Dei, quæ est Ecclesia, administrandæ "rationem docuisset, Denuncio,' inquit, tibi, in conspectu Dei "illius qui vivificat omnia, et Jesu "Christi, qui præclaram illam con"fessionem Pontio Pilato professus "est, ut hæc mandata sine labe et "sine reprehensione custodias usque 66 it does not relate to the Detail of Polity. 401 Ch. xi. II. "and of Jesus Christ who witnessed that famous confession BOOK III. "before Pontius Pilate 62, to keep what was commanded him "safe and sound till the appearance of our Lord Jesus "Christ 63," This doth exclude all liberty of changing the laws of Christ, whether by abrogation or addition or howsoever. For in Timothy the whole Church of Christ receiveth charge concerning her duty; and that charge is to keep the Apostle's commandment; and his commandment did contain the laws that concerned church government; and those laws he straitly requireth to be observed without breach or blame, till the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Scripture we grant every one man's lesson to be the common instruction of all men, so far forth as their cases are like; and that religiously to keep the Apostle's commandments in whatsoever they may concern us we all stand bound. But touching that commandment which Timothy was charged with, we swerve undoubtedly from the Apostle's precise meaning, if we extend it so largely, that the arms thereof shall reach unto all things which were commanded him by the Apostle. The very words themselves do restrain themselves. unto some one especial commandment among many. And therefore it is not said, "Keep the ordinances, laws, and 66 constitutions, which thou hast received;" but rǹv évtodǹv, "that great commandment, which doth principally concern "thee and thy calling;" that commandment which Christ did so often inculcate unto Peter 64; that commandment unto the careful discharge whereof they of Ephesus are exhorted, "Attend to yourselves, and to all the flock wherein the Holy "Ghost hath placed you Bishops, to feed the Church of God, "which he hath purchased by his own blood 65;" finally that commandment which unto the same Timothy is by the same Apostle even in the same form and manner afterwards again urged, "I charge thee in the sight of God and the Lord "Jesus Christ, which will judge the quick and dead at his "appearance and in his kingdom, preach the word of God" When Timothy was instituted into that office, then was the "servetur."] "ceptum esse, sed perpetuum, et "quod ad omnia Ecclesiæ tempora "pertineat: quum tam diserte præ"ceptum sit, ut usque in adventum "Domini nostri Jesu Christi conHOOKER, VOL. I. 62 John xviii. 36, 37. 66 2 Tim. iv. 1. D d 65 Acts xx. 28. 402 Drift of St. Paul's Charge to Timothy. 66 BOOK III. credit and trust of this duty committed unto his faithful care. Ch. xỉ, II. The doctrine of the Gospel was then given him, " as the pre"cious talent or treasure of Jesus Christ 67;" then received he for performance of this duty "the special gift of the Holy "Ghost 68." "To keep this commandment immaculate and "blameless" was to teach the Gospel of Christ without mixture of corrupt and unsound doctrine, such as a number did even in those times intermingle with the mysteries of Christian belief. "Till the appearance of Christ to keep it so," doth not import the time wherein it should be kept, but rather the time whereunto the final reward for keeping it was reserved according to that of St. Paul concerning himself, "I have kept the faith; for the residue there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous “shall in that day render unto me 69." If they that labour in this harvest should respect but the present fruit of their painful travel, a poor encouragement it were unto them to continue therein all the days of their life. But their reward is great in heaven; the crown of righteousness which shall be given them in that day is honourable. The fruit of their industry then shall they reap with full contentment and satisfaction, but not till then. Wherein the greatness of their reward is abundantly sufficient to countervail the tediousness of their expectation. Wherefore till then, they that are in labour must rest in hope. "O Timothy, keep that which is "committed unto thy charge; that great commandment which "thou hast received keep, till the appearance of our Lord "Jesus Christ." In which sense although we judge the Apostle's words to have been uttered, yet hereunto we do not require them to yield, that think any other construction more sound. If therefore it be rejected, and theirs esteemed more probable which hold, that the last words do import perpetual observation of the Apostle's commandment imposed necessarily for ever upon the militant Church of Christ; let them withal consider, that then his commandment cannot so largely be taken, as to comprehend whatsoever the Apostle did commandTimothy. For themselves do not all bind the Church unto some things whereof Timothy received charge, as namely unto 67 1 Tim. vi. 20. τὴν παρακαταθήκην. 1 Tim. iv. 14. 69 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8. I 68 403 Ch. xỉ. I2, I3. The Puritans allow additional Church Laws. that precept concerning the choice of widows 70. So as they BOOK III. cannot hereby maintain that all things positively commanded concerning the affairs of the Church were commanded for perpetuity. And we do not deny that certain things were commanded to be though positive yet perpetual in the Church. [12.] They should not therefore urge against us places that seem to forbid change, but rather such as set down some measure of alteration, which measure if we have exceeded, then might they therewith charge us justly: whereas now they themselves both granting, and also using liberty to change, cannot in reason dispute absolutely against all change. Christ delivered no inconvenient or unmeet laws: sundry of ours they hold inconvenient: therefore such laws they cannot possibly hold to be Christ's: being not his, they must of necessity grant them added unto his. Yet certain of those very laws so added they themselves do not judge unlawful; as they plainly confess both in matter of prescript attire and of rites appertaining to burial. Their own protestations are, that they plead against the inconvenience not the unlawfulness of popish apparel 71; and against the inconvenience not the unlawfulness of ceremonies in burial. Therefore they hold it a thing not unlawful to add to the laws of Jesus Christ; and so consequently they yield that no law of Christ forbiddeth addition unto church laws. [13.] The judgment of Calvin being alleged 72 against them, 70 [1 Tim. v. 9. See T. C. i. 153. al. 191. Whitg. Def. 693.] 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 non voluit sigillatim præscribere quid sequi debeamus, quod istud 71 "My reasons do never conclude pendere a temporum conditione "the unlawfulness of these ceremo- prævideret, neque judicaret unam "nies of burial, but the inconve- "sæculis omnibus formam convenire, "nience and inexpedience of them." "confugere hic oportet ad generales, T. C. lib. iii. p. 241. And in the quas dedit, regulas; ut ad eas table. "Of the inconvenience, not exigantur, quæcunque ad ordinem "of the unlawfulness, of popish ap- et decorum præcipi necessitas Ecparel and ceremonies in burial.' "clesiæ postulabit." Instit. c. xiii. 72 [By Archbishop Whitgift: see §. 31. ed. 1550, or lib. iv. c. x. §. Answer, p. 25-29, and Def. 109-30, according to the present arrange113. The passage from Calvin is ment. All Whitgift's quotations the following: "Quia Dominus.... from the Institution specify chapter quicquid ad salutem necessarium and section only. The division of "erat, sacris suis oraculis tum the work into books first took place "fideliter complexus est, tum per- in the edition of 1559: and Whitgift spicue enarravit, in his solus ma- used an earlier copy. See Def. 391, gister est audiendus. Quia autem 508.] "in externa disciplina et ceremoniis 66 66 Ch. xi. 13. 404 Calvin allows additional Church Laws. 73 BOOK III. to whom of all men they attribute most ; whereas his words be plain, that for ceremonies and external discipline the Church hath power to make laws: the answer which hereunto they make is, that indefinitely the speech is true, and that so it was meant by him; namely, that some things belonging unto external discipline and ceremonies are in the power and arbitrement of the Church; but neither was it meant, neither is it true generally, that all external discipline and all ceremonies are left to the order of the Church, inasmuch as the sacraments of Baptism and the Supper of the Lord are ceremonies, which yet the Church may not therefore abrogate. Again, Excommunication is a part of external discipline, which might also be cast away, if all external discipline were arbitrary and in the choice of the Church. By which their answer it doth appear, that touching the names of ceremony and external discipline they gladly would have us so understood, as if we did herein contain a great deal more than we do. The fault which we find with them is, that they overmuch abridge the Church of her power in these things. Whereupon they recharge us, as if in these things we gave the Church a liberty which hath no limits or bounds; as if all things which the name of discipline containeth were at the Church's free choice; so that we might either have church governors and government or want them, either retain or reject church censures as we list. They wonder at us, as at men which think it so indifferent what the Church doth in matter of ceremonies, that it may be feared lest we judge the very Sacraments themselves to be held at the Church's pleasure. 66 66 73" Upon the indefinite speaking "of M. Calvin, saying, 'ceremonies "and external discipline,' without adding 'all' or 'some,' you go about subtilly to make men believe, that "M. Calvin had placed the whole "external discipline in the power " and arbitrement of the Church. "For if all external discipline were arbitrary, and in the choice of the "Church, excommunication also (which is a part of it) might be cast away; which I think you will not say. "And in the very next words before: "Where you would give to 66 |