Tim.

iv. 8.]

temporal blessings of this life towards the people under the Law than towards us, he gave also politic Laws most exactly, whereby they might both most easily come into, and most stedfastly remain in possession of, those earthly benefits: even so at this time, wherein he would not have his favour so much esteemed by those outward commodities, it is required, that as his care in prescribing Laws for that purpose hath somewhat fallen, in leaving them to men's consultations, which may be deceived; so his care for conduct and government of the life to come, should (if it were possible) rise, in leaving less to the order of men than in times past." These are but weak and feeble disputes for the inference of that conclusion which is intended. For, saving only in such consideration as hath been shewed, there is no cause wherefore we should think God more desirous to 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 [Heb. i. by his only-begotten Son; those mysteries of Grace and Salvation which were but darkly disclosed unto them, have unto us more 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? Yea, but the Apostle

1, 2.]

vi. 13,14.

xviii.

36 37.

1 Tim. St. Paul doth fearfully " charge" Timothy, even " In the John sight of God, who quickeneth all, and of Jesus Christ, who witnessed that famous confession before Pontius Pilate, to keep what was commanded him safe and sound, till the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ." 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 Apostles' 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 special Commandment among many. And therefore it is not said, "Keep the Ordinances, Laws, and Constitutions, which thou hast received; but Tηv ¿vroλýv, that great Commandment* which doth principally concern thee and thy calling;" that Commandment which Christ did so often inculcate unto Peter; 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;" finally, that Commandment which unto the same Timothy is by the same Apostle, even in the same 2 Tim. form and manner afterwards again urged, "I charge thee iv. 1. in the sight of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, which will

John

xxi. 15.

Acts xx. 28.

[Milton, in "The Reason of Church Government," Bk. I. ch. 2, supports the opinion, That the whole commandment concerning Discipline, is the main purpose of the Epistle. Hooker, he says, "would fain have this denouncement referred to the particular precept going before, because the word commandment (Tǹv čvτoλǹv) is in the singular number, not remembering that even in the first chapter of this Epistle, the word commandment (Tǹs πapayyeλías) is used in a plural sense, ver. 5, and what more frequent than in like manner to say, The Law of Moses? So that either to restrain the significance too much, or too much to inlarge it, would make the adjuration either not so weighty, or not so pertinent."]

vi. 20.

iv. 14.

2 Tim. iv. 7,8.

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 credit and trust of this duty committed unto his faithful care. The Doctrine of the Gospel was then given him, " as the precious talent 1 Tim. or treasure* of Jesus Christ; then received he for performance of this duty," the special gift of the Holy Ghost." 1 Tim. 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 [Judge], shall in that day render unto me." 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 do we 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 command Timothy. For themselves do not all bind the Church unto * Τὴν παρακαταθήκην.

v. 9.

some things whereof Timothy received charge, as namely,

1 Tim. unto that precept concerning the choice of Widows: so, as they 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; 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; 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. The judgment of Calvin being alleged against them, 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

:

"My reasons do never conclude the unlawfulness of these Ceremonies of Burial, but the inconvenience and inexpedience of them." T. C. lib. iii. p. 241. And in the table: "Of the inconvenience, not of the unlawfulness of Popish apparel and Ceremonies in Burial.” [The first of these references is in T. C. connected thus: "Where my reasons, &c.; he (Dr. Whitgift) imagineth me concluding, that they may not be, and that it is unlawful to have them which notwithstanding, St. Paul doth precisely distinguish. 1 Cor. vi. 12."] "Upon the indefinite speaking of M. Calvin, saying, Ceremonies and external Discipline, without adding all or some, you Dr. Whitgift go about subtilly to make men believe, that 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 understand, that Ceremonies and external Discipline are not prescribed particularly by the Word of God, and therefore left to the order of the Church: you must understand, that all external Discipline is not left to the order of the Church, being particularly prescribed in the Scriptures; no more than all Ceremonies are left to the order of the Church, as the Sacraments of Baptism and the Supper of the Lord." T. C. lib. i. p. 33.

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 Churchcensures 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. No, the name of Ceremonies we do not use in so large a meaning as to bring Sacraments within the compass and reach thereof; although things belonging unto the outward form and seemly administration of them are contained in that name, even as we use it. For the name of Ceremonies we use as they themselves do, when they speak after this sort: "The Doctrine and Discipline of the Church, as the T. c. weightiest things, ought especially to be looked unto; but p.171. the Ceremonies also, as mint and cummin, ought not to be neglected." Besides, in the matter of external Discipline or Regiment itself, we do not deny but there are some things whereto the Church is bound till the world's end. So as the question is only, How far the bounds of the Church's liberty do reach? We hold, that the power which the Church hath lawfully to make Laws and Orders for itself doth extend unto sundry things of Ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and such other matters; whereto their opinion is, that the

lib. iii.