LII. The misinterpretations which heresy hath made of the manner how LIII. That by the union of the one with the other nature in Christ, there LIV. What Christ hath obtained according to the flesh, by the union of LV. Of the personal presence of Christ every where, and in what sense LVII. The necessity of Sacraments unto the participation of Christ. LIX. The ground in Scripture whereupon a necessity of outward Baptism LX. What kind of necessity in outward Baptism hath been gathered by LXI. What things in Baptism have been dispensed with by the fathers LXII. Whether baptism by Women be true Baptism, good and effectual LXIII. Of Interrogatories in Baptism touching faith and the purpose of LXIV. Interrogatories proposed unto infants in Baptism, and answered LXVI. Of Confirmation after Baptism. LXVII. Of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. LXVIII. Of faults noted in the form of administering that holy Sacra- LXIX. Of Festival Days, and the natural causes of their convenient LXX. The manner of celebrating festival days. LXXI. Exceptions against our keeping of other festival days besides the LXXII. Of days appointed as well for ordinary as for extraordinary LXXIII. The celebration of Matrimony. LXXVI. Of the nature of that Ministry which serveth for performance of divine duties in the Church of God, and how happiness not eternal only but also temporal doth depend upon it. LXXVII. Of power given unto men to execute that heavenly office, of the 13 The Defence of the Church a Trial of Constancy. gift of the Holy Ghost in Ordination; and whether conveniently the power of order may be sought or sued for. LXXVIII. Of Degrees whereby the power of Order is distinguished, and concerning the Attire of ministers. LXXIX. Of Oblations, Foundations, Endowments, Tithes, all intended for perpetuity of religion; which purpose being chiefly fulfilled by the clergy's certain and sufficient maintenance, must needs by alienation of church livings be made frustrate. LXXX. Of Ordination lawful without Title, and without any popular Election precedent, but in no case without regard of due information what their quality is that enter into holy orders. LXXXI. Of the Learning that should be in ministers, their Residence, and the Number of their Livings. BOOK V. Ch. i. 1, 2. True religion all true vir stay of all common I. FEW there are of so weak capacity, but public evils they easily espy; fewer so patient, as not to complain, when the grievous inconveniences thereof work sensible smart. is the root of Howbeit to see wherein the harm which they feel consisteth, tues, and the the seeds from which it sprang, and the method of curing it, well-ordered belongeth to a skill, the study whereof is so full of toil, and wealths. the practice so beset with difficulties, that wary and respective men had rather seek quietly their own, and wish that the world may go well, so it be not long of them, than with pain and hazard make themselves advisers for the common good. We which thought it at the very first a sign of cold affection towards the Church of God, to prefer private ease before the labour of appeasing public disturbance, must now of necessity refer events to the gracious providence of Almighty God, and, in discharge of our duty towards him, proceed with the plain and unpartial defence of a common cause. Wherein our endeavour is not so much to overthrow them with whom we contend, as to yield them just and reasonable causes of those things, which, for want of due consideration heretofore, they misconceived, accusing laws for men's oversights, imputing evils grown through personal defects unto that which is not evil, framing unto some sores unwholesome plaisters, and applying other some where no sore is. [2.] To make therefore our beginning that which to both parts is most acceptable, We agree that pure and unstained religion ought to be the highest of all cares appertaining to 14 Religion the Root of every Virtue : BOOK V. public regiment: as well in regard of that aid and protection1 Ch. i. 2. which they who faithfully serve God confess they receive at his merciful hands; as also for the force which religion hath to qualify all sorts of men, and to make them in public affairs. the more serviceable 2, governors the apter to rule with conscience, inferiors for conscience' sake the willinger to obey. It is no peculiar conceit, but a matter of sound consequence, that all duties are by so much the better performed, by how much the men are more religious from whose abilities the same proceed. For if3 the course of politic affairs cannot in any good sort go forward without fit instruments, and that which fitteth them be their virtues, let Polity acknowledge itself indebted to Religion; godliness being the 4 chiefest top and wellspring of all true virtues, even as God is of all good things. So natural is the union of Religion with Justice, that we may boldly deem there is neither, where both are not. For how should they be unfeignedly just, whom religion doth not cause to be such; or they religious, which are not found such by the proof of their just actions? If they, which employ their labour and travel about the public administration of justice, follow it only as a trade, with unquenchable and unconscionable thirst of gain, being not in heart persuaded that justice is God's own work, and themselves his agents in this business, the sentence of right God's own verdict, and themselves his priests to deliver it; formalities of justice do but serve to smother right, and that, which was necessarily ordained for the common good, is through shameful abuse made the cause of common misery. The same piety, which maketh them that are in authority desirous to please and resemble God by justice, inflameth 1 Ps. exliv. 2. [“ My shield, and * He in whom I trust; who sub"dueth my people under me."] 2 Cod. Theod. lib. xvi. tit. 2. "Gaudere et gloriari ex fide semper " volumus, scientes magis religioni"bus quam officiis et labore corporis "vel sudore nostram Rempublicam "contineri." [t. vi. p. 44. ed. Gothofred.] 3 Εστι δ' οὐθὲν ἐν τοῖς πολιτικοῖς δυνατὸν πρᾶξαι ἄνευ τοῦ ποῖόν τινα εἶναι, λέγω δὲ οἷον σπουδαῖον. Τὸ δὲ σπουδαῖον εἶναί ἐστι τὸ τὰς ἀρετὰς exew. Arist. Magn. Moral. lib. i. cap. I. 4 ̓Αρχὴ δ' ἀριστὴ πάντων τῶν ὄντων eòs, apetŵv 8 evσéßeia. Philo de Dec. Præcept. [p. 751. ed. Paris. 1640.] 52 Chron. xix. 6. [" Ye judge not "for man, but for the Lord, who is "with you in the judgment."] e. g. of Justice, Prudence, Fortitude. 15 Ch. i. 2. every way men of action with zeal to do good (as far as their BOOK V. place will permit) unto all. For that, they know, is most noble and divine. Whereby if no natural nor casual inability cross their desires, they always delighting to inure themselves with actions most beneficial to others, cannot but gather great experience, and through experience the more wisdom; because conscience, and the fear of swerving from that which is right, maketh them diligent observers of circumstances, the loose regard whereof is the nurse of vulgar folly, no less than Solomon's attention thereunto was of natural furtherances the most effectual to make him eminent above others. For he gave good heed, and pierced every thing to the very ground, and by that means became the author of many parables 7. Concerning Fortitude; sith evils great and unexpected (the true touchstone of constant minds) do cause oftentimes even them to think upon divine power with fearfullest suspicions, which have been otherwise the most secure despisers thereof; how should we look for any constant resolution of mind in such cases, saving only where unfeigned affection to God-ward hath bred the most assured confidence to be assisted by his hand? For proof whereof, let but the acts of the ancient Jews be indifferently weighed; from whose magnanimity, in causes of most extreme hazard, those strange and unwonted resolutions have grown, which for all circumstances no people under the roof of heaven did ever hitherto match. And that which did always animate them was their mere religion. Without which, if so be it were possible that all other ornaments of mind might be had in their full perfection, nevertheless the mind that should possess them divorced from piety could be but a spectacle of commiseration; even as that body is, which adorned with sundry other admirable beauties, wanteth eyesight, the chiefest grace that nature hath in that kind to bestow. They which commend so much the felicity of that innocent world, wherein it is said that men of their own accord did embrace fidelity and honesty, not for fear of the magistrate, or because revenge was before their eyes, if at any time they 6 Αγαπητὸν μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἑνὶ μόνῳ, κάλλιον δὲ καὶ θειότερον ἔθνει καὶ πόMeow. Arist. Ethic. lib. i. cap. 2. 7 [Eccles. xii. 9, 10.] 16 How false Religion may do temporal Good. Ch. i. 3. BOOK V. should do otherwise, but that which held the people in awe was the shame of ill-doing, the love of equity and right itself a bar against all oppressions which greatness of power causeth; they which describe unto us any such estate of happiness amongst men, though they speak not of Religion, do notwithstanding declare that which is in truth her only working. For, if Religion did possess sincerely and sufficiently the hearts of all men, there would need no other restraint from evil. This doth not only give life and perfection to all endeavours wherewith it concurreth; but what event soever ensue, it breedeth, if not joy and gladness always, yet always patience, satisfaction, and reasonable contentment of mind. Whereupon it hath been set down as an axiom of good experience, that all things religiously taken in hand are prosperously ended; because whether men in the end have that which religion did allow them to desire, or that which it teacheth them contentedly to suffer, they are in neither event unfortunate 10. [3] But lest any man should here conceive, that it greatly skilleth not of what sort our religion be, inasmuch as heathens, Turks, and infidels, impute to religion a great part of the same effects which ourselves ascribe thereunto, they having ours in the same detestation that we theirs; it shall be requisite to observe well, how far forth there may be agreement in the effects of different religions. First, by the bitter strife which riseth oftentimes from small differences in this behalf, and is by so much always greater as the matter is of more importance; we see a general agreement in the secret opinion of men, that every man ought to embrace the religion which is true, and to shun, as hurtful, whatsoever dissenteth from it, but that most, which doth farthest dissent. The generality of which persuasion argueth, that God hath imprinted it by nature, to the end it might be a spur to our industry in searching and maintaining that religion, from which as to swerve in the least points is error, so the capital enemies thereof God hateth as his deadly foes, aliens, and, without repentance, children of endless perdition. Such therefore touching man's immortal state after this life are not likely to reap benefit by their reli? Psalm i. 3. 10 Τὸν γὰρ ὡς ἀληθῶς ἀγαθὸν καὶ ἔμφρονα πᾶσας οιόμεθα τας τύχας εὐσχημόνως φέρειν, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων ἀεὶ τὰ κάλλιστα πράττειν. Arist. 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