which the Lord appointeth to maintain and keep unity with, and especially How apthe holy sacraments of baptism and of the Lord's supper, had been strong Pth to ediparel servenough to have first of all knit us unto the Lord, and therefore also to his fication. doctrine, and then one of us to another, and that the dissentings2 in such a ceremony as a surplice, &c. neither should nor could in those that pertain unto God break the unity of the Spirit, which is bound with the bond of truth. And, although there be which like not this apparel, that think otherwise than either their brethren, or than indeed they ought to do, yet a man may find greater dissent amongst those which are united in surplice and cope, &c. than there is amongst those which wear them not, either with themselves, or with them that wear them. For how many there are that wear surplices which would be gladder to say a mass than to hear a sermon, let all the world judge. And of those that do wear this apparel, and be otherwise well-minded to the gospel, are there not which will wear the surplice and not the cap; other that will wear both cap and surplice, but not the tippet; and yet a third sort, that will wear surplice, cap, and tippet, but not the cope? It hath been the manner always of wise and learned men to esteem of things by the causes, and not by the event, and that especially in matters of religion; for, if they should be esteemed of the event, Josh. viii.3 who is there which will not condemn the Israelites' battle against Judg. xx.3 Aye, and afterward against the Benjamites? which, notwithstanding, the cause, which was God's will, and God's commandment, justifieth. And therefore in a word I answer that, if there be such consent amongst those which like well of this apparel, and such jars amongst those that like it not, as M. Doctor would make the world believe, neither is the wearing of a surplice, &c. cause of that consent in them, nor the not wearLing cause of that disagreement in the other. But, as our knowledge and love is unperfect here in this world, so is our agreement and consent of judgment unperfect. And yet all these hard speeches of yours, or uncharitable suspicions of papism, anabaptism, Catharism, Donatism, &c., whereby you do as much as lieth in you to cut us clean off from you, shall not be able so to estrange us or separate us from you, but that we will by God's grace hold whatsoever you hold well, and keep that unity of spirit which is the bond of truth, even with you, Master Doctor, whom we suppose, as appeareth by this your book, to have set yourself further from us than numbers of those which, although they be content to receive the apparel, and bear with things, yet would have been loth to have set down that against the sincerity of the gospel, and hinderance of reformation, which you have done, Jo. WHITGIFT. Such laws and orders as keep godly peace and unity in the church do edify; but the laws for apparel keep godly peace and unity in the church; ergo, they edify. The minor [2 Dissenting, Repl. 1 and 2.] [These references are inserted from Repl. 2.] [The, Repl. 1 and 2.] [ These, Def. B.] [The, Repl. 1 and 2.] parel serv eth to edi How ap- I prove by experience of such as are subject to these laws, and by the event; which is a probable kind of reasoning, though it be not necessary; neither may the examples of a few improve that which is generally true almost in all. fication. These persons that you talk of, which be thus contrarily minded (if there be any such, as I think you do but feign), yet do they keep the peace of the church; they condemn not their brethren, neither yet the apparel that they themselves (peradventure for some special cause) wear not. Some I know there are, which agree with us in wearing the apparel, and join with you in contention, subscribe to all our orders and articles, and yet in certain places and companies maintain your opinions; but of such we make no account, neither I think do you, further than they may serve your turn. Again, I confess that there be some which have not re ceived the apparel, and yet greatly mislike many of your opinions, and keep with us the unity of the church; whom I for my part have always reverenced, and do reverence, not only for their singular virtue and learning, but for their modesty also. Wherefore, when I speak either of the one or of the other, I speak not of all, but of the most part. Certain it is that those things which "the Lord appointeth to keep unity with, and especially the sacraments," ought to be the especial bond of the same; and that nothing should separate those that are coupled and joined therein; but we see it fall out otherwise, such is the crooked and rebellious nature of man; and therefore hath God also appointed magistrates, and given them authority to make orders and laws to maintain the peace and unity of the church, that those, which of conscience and good disposition will not, by such laws and orders may be constrained at the least to keep the external peace and unity of the church. Do you take this to be a good reason: "The sacraments are bonds to keep and maintain the unity" of the Spirit; therefore there needeth no laws or magistrates to provide for the external peace and quietness of the church? Your imagination throughout your whole perfection as book is of such a perfection in men as though they needed no laws or magistrates to govern them, but that every man might be as it were a law to himself; which whereunto it tendeth may easily be conjectured. T. C. ima gineth such a is not to be found. parel serv I have not "set down" anything (I trust) "to the hinder- How apance of the gospel, or of reformation;" but I seek to reform eth to edisuch contentious spirits as be enemies unto both. And I believe fication. that, when some other (not only such as you mean, but such as you least think of) shall understand the depth of your opinions, together with the strangeness, untruth, dangerousness, and other circumstances joined with them, they will think that I have spoken or written nothing either untruly or unnecessarily. In the meantime I discharge my conscience and duty, and so will do (God willing) as long as I can either speak or write. Chapter vii. The Eighth Division. Answer to the Admonition, Page 239, Sect. 4. I here omit that which I might as justly bring for this kind of apparel, as you do for sitting at the communion, I mean a fit and profitable signification; whereof M. Martyr speaketh in the epistle before mentioned on this sort: "I will not here say that they which stand to P. Martyr'. the defence of this matter may pretend some honest and just signification of the apparel, and that not dissenting from the word of God, which is this: the ministers of the church (as the prophet Malachi witnesseth) be angels and God's messengers; but angels for the most part appeared being clothed in white garments. I pray you, how shall we debar the church of this liberty, that it cannot signify some good thing in setting forth their rites and ceremonies, especially being so done that no manner of God's honour is attributed unto them, and that they be in sight comely and in number few and that christian people be not with them overburdened, and matters of greater importance be omitted2?" T. C. Page 59, Lin. 5. The white apparel, which is a note and a true3 representation of the Master Martyr's glory and pureness in the angels, should be a lying sign and pretence of that which is not in the ministers, which are miser- verted. Acts i. 10.4 [This is not in Answ. 2.] [2 P. Martyr's Letter to John Hoper Byshop, &c. at the end of A briefe examination for the tyme, &c. Lond. Jugge, fol. C 1. 2. Conf. Epist. Theolog. ad calc. Loc. Comm. Heidelb. 1613. p. 1088.] [3 And true, Repl. 2.] [This reference is inserted from Repl. 2.] words per How ap eth to edification. Mark ix. 3.2 able and sinful men. And our Saviour Christ, which was the minister of parel serv- God and pure from sin, and therefore meetest to wear the marks1 of pureness, used no such kind of weed, saving only for that small time wherein he would give to his disciples in the mount a taste of that glory which he should enjoy for ever, and they with him; where for the time his apparel appeared as white as snow. And, if it be meet that the ministers should represent the angels in their apparel, it is much more meet that they should have a pair of wings, as the angels are Isai. vi. 2.2 described to have, to put them in remembrance of their readiness and quickness to execute their office, which may and ought to be in them, than to wear white apparel, which is a token of pureness from sin and infection, and of a glory, which neither they have, nor can have, nor ought so much as to desire to have, as long as they be in this world. And, whereas the maintainers of this apparel have for their greatest defence that it is a thing mere civil; to let pass that they confound ecclesiastical orders with civil (which they can no more justly do than to confound the church with the commonwealth); I say, to let that pass, they do by this means not only make it an ecclesiastical ceremony, but also a matter of conscience. For, if so be that the white apparel of the minister have any force either to move the people or the minister unto greater pureness, or to any other godliness whatsoever, then it3 is that which ought to be commanded, and to be obeyed of necessity, and to be retained, although the contrary were forbidden. And then also, if there be a virtue in a white garment, and the signification thereof be so strong to work godliness, it were meet that order were taken that the whitest cloth should be bought, that should be often (at the least every week once) washed by a very good launder, and with soap; for, if the white help, more white helpeth more, this topical and that which is most white helpeth most of all to godliness. Although place; for it the church have authority to make ceremonies (so they be according to the those things rules before recited of God's glory, and profiting the congregation) I could only, qua per se aliquid for all that never yet learn that it had power to give new significations, as it were to institute new sacraments. And by this means is taken clean away from us the hold which we have against the papists, whereby (against all the goodly shews which they make by the colour of these significations) we say that the word of God, and the sacraments of baptism, and of the supper of the Lord, are sufficient to teach, to admonish, and to put us in remembrance of all duty whatsoever. So we are now come to the superstition of the Grecians; for, as they will have neither graven nor carved image in their churches, but painted, so will wes neither have graven, nor carved, nor painted, but woven. And truly I see no cause why we may not have as well holy water and holy bread, if this reason which is here be good; for I am sure the significations of them are n are as glorious as this of the surplice, and call to remembrance as necessary things. And, if it be said that it may not be, lest the number of ceremonies should be too too great, it Here you play with a feather. You under stand not holdeth in faciunt. [' Mark, Repl. 1 and 2.] [2 These references are inserted from Repl. 2.] [It is not in Def. B.] [That it should, Repl. 1 and 2.1 [ We will, Repl. 1 and 2.] may be easily answered, that these which we have may be taken away, and How apthose set in place of them. And therefore, although the surplice have a eth to parel servblack spot, when it is whitest, yet is it not so black as you make it with your edification. white significations, nor the cau cause so evil as you defend it. of answering. If you press me with M. Martyr's and M. Bucer's authority, I first An easy kind say they were men, and therefore (although otherwise very watchful) yet such as slept sometimes. And then I appeal from their apocryphas unto their known writings, and from their private letters unto their public records. Jo. WHITGIFT. I have here only set down M. Martyr's words to shew that I might as justly bring in a fit and profitable signification of the apparel, as the authors of the Admonition do of sitting at the communion. I did not allow their signification of sitting, neither do I approve any such signification of apparel; but yet you will give me leave to set the one against the other, and to shew that I might as well do the one as they do the other. things may cation. apparel may mind of his You pervert Master Martyr's words; for he saith that, Mere civil "forasmuch as angels appeared in white apparel, and the min- have signifiisters of the church be angels and God's messengers, therefore the church may appoint to her ministers such apparel in signification of their office." Which you do not answer, but range up and down at your pleasure, like unto a spaniel not taught to follow his game. M. Martyr doth not say that "the apparel is a sign of pureness" that is in the minister; and therefore all this that you write in confuting of that might have been cut off, and very well spared. But, if The form of Master Martyr should have said that it may be a sign of the put a man in pureness that ought to be in ministers, you are to seek for an duty. answer as yet. Christ, being purity itself, needed nothing to put him in mind thereof; but man, being impure, may have external instruments to bid him (as it were) remember what he ought to be. I think that several kinds of habits be appointed to men of divers degrees and calling, partly for that purpose; and, if a man in grave apparel use himself lightly or wantonly, we use commonly to say, such behaviour becometh not that apparel, meaning that his habit and apparel ought to put him in mind of modesty and gravity; and this doth argue that even mere civil things may have significations; which overthroweth another argument of yours, [WHITGIFT, II.] 5 |