Chap. V. The HISTORY óf the PURITANS. 197 a flandard of docirine, but of difcipline and government ; and that the .ten church of chrifl in all ages, was to be regulated by them. He was there- Elizabeth, fore for confulting his bible only, and for reducing all things as near as poflible to the apoftolical ftandard. Dr. Whitgift went upon a different principle, and maintained, That though the holy fcriptures were a perfect rule offaith, they were not defigned as a fiandard of church difcipline or go- vernment ; but that thin was changeable, and might be accommodated to the civil government we live under ; that the apo/tolical government was adapted to the church in its infancy, and under perfecution, but was to be enlarged and altered as the church grew to maturity, and had the civil magi/irate on its fide. The doctor therefore, inftead of reducing the external po- licy of the church to fcripture, takes into his ftandard, the four firft cen- turies after Chrift ; and thofe cuftoms that he can trace up thither, he thinks proper to be retained, becaufe the church was then in its mature flate, and not yet under the power of antichrift. The reader will judge of thefe principles for himfelf. One is ready to Remarks. think, that the nearer we can come to the apoftolical praftice the better; and the lefs our religion is incumbered with rites and ceremonies of later invention, the more it mull refemble thefmplicity that is in Chri/t. If our bleflbd faviour had defigned that his worfhip fhould be fet off with pomp and grandeur, and a multitude of ceremonies, he would have told us fo ; and it may be have fettled them, as was done for thechurch of theyews ; but nothing of this appearing, his followers fhouldbe cautious of incerting human commandments or traditions, into the religion of thrift, left they caft a reflection upon his kingly office. The difpute between Whitgift and Cartwright, was managed with Tome The temper. fharpnefs ; the latter thought he had reafon to complain of the hardfhips andbeba rbe himfelf and his brethren fuffered ; and Whitgift having the government drfpurar,.. on his fide, thought he flood upon: higher ground, and might affure a fuperior air; when Cartwright and his friends pleaded for indulgence be- caufe they were brethren, the dottor replies, " What lignifies their being brethren ; anabaptifts, arians; and other hereticks, would. be account. " ed brethren ; their haughty fpirits will not fuffer them to fee their error.; " they deferve as great punifhment as papifis, becaufe both confpire againft " the church. If they are fhut up in Newgate, it is a meet reward of their diforderly doings;. for ignorance may not excufe libels againfi.a " private man, much lefs when they flander the whole church."How would the dottor have liked this language in the mouth of a papifl fix- teen years before ? But this has been the method of warm and zealous difputants; the knots they cannot untiewith their fingers, they would-fan cut afunder with the fwad. :lJits
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