Ch. xxix. 8. Bias of the Foreign Reformers on that Question. 187 "adventure it. If they perish, they perish. Our pastoral BOOK V. "charge is God's absolute commandment. Rather than that "shall be taken from us, we are resolved to take this filth "and to put it on, although we judge it to be so unfit and "inconvenient, that as oft as ever we pray or preach so arrayed "before you, we do as much as in us lieth to cast away your "souls that are weak-minded, and to bring you unto endless "perdition. But we beseech you brethren have care of your "own safety, take heed to your steps that ye be not taken in "those snares which we lay before you. And our prayer "in your behalf to Almighty God is, that the poison which 66 we offer you may never have the power to do you harm." [8.] Advice and counsel is best sought for at their hands. which either have no part at all in the cause whereof they instruct, or else are so far engaged that themselves are to bear the greatest adventure in the success of their own counsels. The one of which two considerations maketh men the less respective, and the other the more circumspect. Those good and learned men which gave the first direction to this course had reason to wish that their own proceedings at home might be favoured abroad also, and that the good affection of such as inclined towards them might be kept alive. But if themselves had gone under those sails which they require to be hoisted up, if they had been themselves to execute their own theory in this church, I doubt not but easily they would have seen being nearer at hand, that the way was not good which they took of advising men, first to wear the apparel, that thereby they might be free to continue their preaching, and then of requiring them so to preach as they might be sure they could not continue, except they imagine that laws which permit them not to do as they would, will endure them to speak as they list even against that which themselves do by constraint of laws; they would have easily seen that our people being accustomed to think evermore that thing evil which is publicly under any pretence reproved, and the men themselves worse which reprove it and use it too, it should be to little purpose for them to salve the wound by making protestations in disgrace of their own actions, with plain acknowledgment that they are scandalous, or by using fair entreaty with the weak brethren; they would easily have Ch. xxx. 1, 2. 138 St. Basil a better Adviser than Beza. BOOK V. seen how with us it cannot be endured to hear a man openly profess that he putteth fire to his neighbour's house, but yet so halloweth the same with prayer that he hopeth it shall not burn. It had been therefore perhaps safer and better for ours to have observed St. Basil's advice 69 both in this and in all things of like nature: "Let him which approveth not his governors' ordinances either plainly (but privately always) "shew his dislike if he have λóyov loxvpòv, strong and "invincible reason against them, according to the true will "and meaning of Scripture; or else let him quietly with "silence do what is enjoined." Obedience with professed unwillingness to obey is no better than manifest disobedience. Of Gesture in praying, ferent Places chosen to that pur pose. 66 XXX. Having thus disputed whether the surplice be a fit and of dif- garment to be used in the service of God, the next question whereunto.we are drawn is, whether it be a thing allowable or no that the minister should say service in the chancel, or turn his face at any time from the people, or before service ended remove from the place where it was begun 70. By them which trouble us with these doubts we would more willingly be resolved of a greater doubt; whether it be not a kind of taking God's name in vain to debase religion with such frivolous disputes, a sin to bestow time and labour about them. Things of so mean regard and quality, although necessary to be ordered, are notwithstanding very unsavoury when they come to be disputed of: because disputation presupposeth some difficulty in the matter which is argued, whereas in things of this nature they must be either very simple or very froward who need to be taught by disputation what is meet. [2.] When we make profession of our faith, we stand; when we acknowledge our sins, or seek unto God for favour, we fall down because the gesture of constancy becometh us best in the one, in the other the behaviour of humility. Some parts of our liturgy consist in the reading of the word of God, 69 Basil. Ascet. Respons. ad Interrog. 47. [in later editions called " Regula fusius tractatæ.” t. ii. p. 493. Paris 1618; t. ii. p. 393. ed. Bened. Τὸν μὴ καταδεχόμενον τὰ παρὰ τοῦ προεστῶτος ἐγκριθέντα, χρὴ φανερῶς ἡ ἰδίᾳ αὐτῷ ἀντιλέγειν, εἴ τινα ἔχοι λόγον ἰσχυρὸν κατὰ τὸ βούλημα τῶν γραφῶν, ἡ σιωπήσαντα To TроσTеTаYμÉVOV TOLεiv.] 70 T. C. lib. i. p. 134. [105. See hereafter, p. 141.] Ch. xxx. 3. Of Gesture, and Change of Place, in divine Service. 139 and the proclaiming of his law, that the people may thereby BOOK V. learn what their duties are towards him; some consist in. words of praise and thanksgiving, whereby we acknowledge unto God what his blessings are towards us; some are such as albeit they serve to singular good purpose even when there is no communion administered, nevertheless being devised at the first for that purpose are at the table of the Lord for that cause also commonly read; some are uttered as from the people, some as with them unto God, some as from God unto them, all as before his sight whom we fear, and whose presence to offend with any the least unseemliness we would be surely as loth as they who most reprehend or deride that we do. [3] Now because the Gospels which are weekly read do all historically declare something which our Lord Jesus Christ himself either spake, did, or suffered, in his own person, it hath been the custom of Christian men then especially in token of the greater reverence to stand72, to utter certain words of acclamation73, and at the name of Jesus to bow74. Which harmless ceremonies as there is no 71 T. C. lib. i. p. 203. [163.] clergy as well as others should stand 72 [1 Admon. p. 14. ed. 1617. "venerabiliter curvi" when the Gos"Now the people sit, and now they pels are read, "and give attentive "stand up: when the Old Testa-"hearing to the words of our Lord." "ment is read, or the lessons, they See Concil. ii. 1191.] "make no reverence, but when the "Gospel cometh then they all stand 66 up, for why? they think that to "be of greatest authority, and are "ignorant that the Scriptures came " from one Spirit." To which their marginal note is, "Standing at the "Gospel came from Anastasius the "Pope, in anno 404." But in the Apostolical Constitutions, which are quoted by S. Epiphanius, who died 403, we read, "Οταν ἀναγινωσκόμενον ἢ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, πάντες οἱ πρεσβύτεροι, καὶ οἱ διάκονοι, καὶ πᾶς οἱ λαὸς στηκέτωσαν μετὰ πολλῆς ἡσυχίας ; Lib. i. c. 57: see Cotelerius in loc. The Decretal Epistle of Anastasius, which the Admonitioners quote, is spurious. And were it genuine, it proves nothing against the antiquity of the practice which it recommends: being in fact an admonition that the 73 [The Liturgy under the name of S. Chrysostom, of which the probable date is the fourth century, (Palmer, Orig. Lit. i. 79,) directs that after the title of the Gospel has been given out, the people should respond, "Glory to Thee, O Lord, "Glory to Thee."] 66 74 [By Injunction, 1 Eliz. (ap. Collier, Eccl. Hist. t. ii. 433.) "The customary reverences in churches were ordered to be continued. "For instance, where the name of "Jesus was pronounced, all persons 66 Ch. xxx. 4. 140 Puritan Exceptions to certain Ceremonies; BOOK V. man constrained to use; so we know no reason wherefore any man should yet imagine it an unsufferable evil. It sheweth a reverend regard to the Son of God above other messengers75, although speaking as from God also. And against infidels, Jews, Arians, who derogate from the honour of Jesus Christ, such ceremonies are most profitable. As for any erroneous" estimation77," advancing the Son" above the "Father and the Holy Ghost," seeing that the truth of his equality with them is a mystery so hard for the wits of mortal men to rise unto, of all heresies that which may give him superiority above them is least to be feared. [4] But to let go this as a matter scarce worth the speaking of, whereas if fault be in these things any where justly found, law hath referred the whole disposition and redress thereof to the ordinary of the place; they which elsewhere complain that disgrace and "injury78" is offered even to the meanest parish minister, when the magistrate appointeth him what to wear, and leaveth not so small a matter as that to his own discretion, being presumed a man discreet and trusted with the care of the people's souls, do think the gravest prelates in the land no competent judges to discern and appoint where it is fit for the minister to stand, or which way convenient to look praying79. From their ordinary therefore they appeal 66 75 Mark xii. 6. 76 [Whitg. Def. 742. "One rea66 son that moved Christians in the beginning the rather to bow at "the name of Jesus than at any "other name of God, was because "this name was most hated and "most contemned of the wicked "Jews and other persecutors of "such as professed the name of "Jesus."] 77 T. C. lib. iii. p. 215. [and i. "Whatsoever apparel it be, this 79 T. C. lib. i. p. 134. [al. 105. "If it be further said that the book "leaveth that to the discretion of "the ordinary, and that he may "reform it if there be any thing "amiss.....it is against reason "that the commodity and edifying "of the Church should depend 66 upon one man... Besides... we 66 see by experience... that if it were "lawful to commit such authority "unto one man, yet that it is not "safe to do so."] lib. iii. 187. [“The 66 sum of his" (Whitgift's) "defence "is, that the Bishop hath power to Ch. xxx. 4. to themselves, finding great fault that we neither reform the BOOK V. thing against the which they have so long sithence given sentence, nor yet make answer unto that they bring, which is that 80 St. Luke declaring how Peter stood up " in the midst "of the disciples," did thereby deliver81 an "unchangeable" rule, that "whatsoever" is done in the church "ought to be "order it to the most edification: "wherein how unlawful it is that "he alone should have the order "thereof, is before declared; and "how dangerous it is, let the prac"tice in that point be judge."] Acts i. 15. 81 T. C. lib. i. p. 134. [105. "There is a third fault, which like"wise appeareth almost in the "whole body of this service and "liturgy of England; and that is "that the profit which might have “come by it unto the people is not "reaped: whereof the cause is, for "that he which readeth is in some "places not heard and in the most places not understanded of the people, through the distance of place between the people and the "minister, so that a great part of "the people cannot of knowledge "tell whether he hath cursed them 66 66 66 66 66 or blessed them, whether he hath "read in Latin or in English; all "the which riseth upon the words "of the book of service, which are "that the minister should stand 'in "the accustomed place.' For thereupon the minister in saying morning and evening prayer sitteth in "the chancel with his back to the "people, as though he had some 'secret talk with God, which the "people might not hear. And hereupon it is likewise, that after "morning prayer, for saying ano"ther number of prayers he climb"eth up to the further end of the "chancel, and runneth as far from "the people as the wall will let him, "as though there were some vari"ance between the people and the "minister, or as though he were "afraid of some infection of plague. "And indeed it reneweth the me"mory of the Levitical priesthood, "which did withdraw himself from "the people into the place called "the holiest place, where he talked "with God, and offered for the sins "of the people. "Likewise for marriage he cometh "back again into the body of the "church, and for baptism unto the "church door; what comeliness, "what decency, what edifying is "this? Decency, I say, in running " and trudging from place to place: "edifying, in standing in that place, "and after that sort, where he can "worst be heard and understanded. "St. Luke sheweth that in the pri"mitive Church both the prayers "and preachings, and the whole "exercise of religion, was done "otherwise. For he sheweth how "St. Peter sitting amongst the rest "to the end he might be the better "heard rose, and not that only, but "that he stood in the midst of the 'people, that his voice might as "much as might be come indiffer 66 66 ently to all their ears, and so "standing both prayed and preach"ed. Now if it be said, for the chapters and litany there is com"mandment given, that they should " be read in the body of the church: "indeed it is true, and thereof is |