thing iustlie to bee feared whilst men haue no better direction but the sodaine motion as they call it of the spirit and lastlie because vniformitie in this worship is best befitting them whose doctrine and religion is all one wee cannot but both meruaile at them who deuise continuallie new formes of praier in their publike seruice iniuriouslie depraue in sundry points that Liturgie which in the iudgements of moderate and wise men is both least different from antiquitie and withall most absolute for perfection of any that is vsed in the Churches reformed at this day and how soeuer it lieth not in the power of any one Prince to prescribe an Vniformitie of worship ouer all Christendome a thing happie to be praied for that the whole Visible Church in doctrine and Cerimonies as it hath but one faith one Lord so it had but one hart and one mouth yet doubtlesse in the limits of the same kingdome it is possible easie and verie necessarie that the manner of diuine Seruice bee preciselie one For seeing wise men before vs feeling those harmes which wee feare haue euer accounted which the common people doe now a new Liturgie to bee a new religion the forme of worship beeing diuers though the doctrine bee the same and therefore euer prohibited all new manner of assemblies it ought not to seeme strange if our maiestrates heeretofore haue forbidden all Conuenticles and such are all those who assemble to worship God after a manner not allowed by the lawe of the land or that in this they haue dealt either rigorously or against law for as one saieth to the furtherance of religion men may and ought to assemble together so long as it is not against that Law whereby vnlawfull societies are forbidden but when danger may arise from the hazard of a new worship by the example of him that forbad all priuate Sacrifices in priuate places wise men haue thought it not safe for euerie man to take libertie to haue priuate Chappell 's The counsell before this hauing made this Canon that all Clarkes which minister or baptise in priuate Chappels without the allowance of the Bishop were to be depriued the equitie of this for preuention of all new Worship being from that law Take heed that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in euery place that thou seest a facilitie in permission of which abuse hath filled the Church of God with Contempt Prophanation and Confusion of all worship This being in Iustice the punishment of these men that because they wanted Modestie to bee Schollers of Truth they were filled with Pride to bee Maisters of Errour Antiquitie thought Alcibiades worthely condemned for this fault that hee tooke vpon him the vse of those sacred misteries in priuate which the Athenians thought vnlawfull thinking him by this meanes rather to vse coniuration then to exercise Deuotion the wisedome of all ayming at this that Innouation in Religion was no way safe and that libertie for priuate assemblies to the contempt of publike was in all likelihoode a meanes to inuent as manie sundry religions as men had fancies And howsoeuer the number is not manie which misliked all set formes of Praier and their reasons not much stronger that refuse ours and so consequently whether we take account of our aduersaries in this cause either by waight or number there can be no great danger yet for a further satisfaction to all such whom either ignorance or credulitie hath made our opposits wee are willing first to let them vnderstand what the Liturgie of the Church of England is and then that in our opinion there is nothing either superstitious or vnsound contained in it And howsoeuer sundrie times by men of great learning whom I presume not to mention without honor this Booke heretofore hath ben strongly defended against al her aduersaries yet it shall not I hope be offensiue to any to let the world vnderstand that the greatest most bitter reprehentions of this booke haue ben stirred vp through want of Charitie misaplying some places euen for matters of small waight at what time the vertuous King Edward had restored this Church from the burden of those Ceremonies wherewith shee lay grieuouslie opprest the care and consultation of the most learned and religious in that age framed by authoritie A publick order for prayer and the Sacraments to bee vsed in this Church This continued not long good things for the sins of the people being shewed vnto the world but they not suffred to enioy them beefore the most religious in this kingdome whom persecution pursued and opportunitie gaue meanes to escape beetooke themselues to the mercie of that Lord whose truth they desired might bee kept inuiolate and planted the Church in a strange land for that fauour which they found as a comfortable refreshing in so great a storme wee and our posteritie shall say for sauing the bodies of the liuing as Dauid to the men of Iabis Gilead for burying of the dead Blessed are ye of the Lord that ye haue shewed such kindnesse vnto your Lord Saul that yeâ— haue buried him therefore now the Lord shew mercie and truth vnto you and I will recompence you this benefit because yee haue done this thing The first place of their aboade where they found fauour to plant an English Church was at Francford where ioyned with the French and others they ouerhastely fell in loue with the orders and Liturgye of those Churches which beecause the English at Zurick and Strausburge did not but rather with wisdome and moderation as they were so desired to retaine the shape and the fashion of an English Church Bitter contentions arise amongst them onely for retaining or reiecting of the Communion booke Those who came from Geneua being desirous to rest vppon Caluins iudgement who was in a manner as the oracle of God to all Churches that were reformed translated into latin the Liturgie of the Church of England and sent it to him to haue his Censure of it Neither did their discription much differ from that which is vsed at this day wherevnto it pleased Maister Caluin to giue this answere In the Liturgie saith hee I see there were many tollerable foolish things by these words I meane a strange meaning that there was not that puritie which was to be desired these vices though they could not at the first day bee amended yet seeing there was no manifest Impietie mark it they were for a season to be tollerated Therefore it was lawfull to begin off such rudiments or Abcedaryes but so that it behoued the learned Graue and Godly Ministers of Christ to enterprise further and to set forth some thing more field from rust and purer If godly religion had florished till this day in England there ought to haue bene a thing better corrected and many things cleane taken away now when these principles be ouerthrowne and a Church must bee set vp in an other place where ye
some enemies peraduenture would make them speake There are Commentaries wee know vpon Saint Luke which passe vnder Saint Ambrose name of which Ruffinus in his second Booke of Inuectiues maketh Saint Hierome to giue this Censure that hee dallyed in the words and slept in the sence Which surely as the best writers are of opinion was rather forged by Ruffinus to make Saint Herome odious than spoken by Saint Hierome to disgrace Saint Ambrose Doubtlesse it were great pity that seeing the world so much erreth in the choise of friends that this so necessary an office rather than omitted should not be performed by our worst acquaintance and the resolution of all men ought to be this which I thank God I finde in my selfe if thy friend chide iustly in his Censure he hath profited thee if vndeseruedly yet hee meant to doe thee good so that to the first being bound for that which he hath donne and to the other for that which he would haue done in reason for this good office were tyed to both and for my selfe I neuer wrot any thing with that minde to haue it publisht in print although some things I haue don for which with Master Beza I craue pardon but I am very willingly content to be Censured for them when the chiefe troubles of the Church for discipline were either appeased with discretion or else buried with the Authors of them sodainly in the yeare 1602 came forth a Booke written by Maister Nicholles as an Apologie for the dealing in that cause Intituled the Plea of the Innocent Wherein as there were many things that serued to little vse sauing only to expresse that honest desire to be wel thought of which peraduenture the Author had so the first thinge though not the greatest in my opinion to be misliked was the want of due consideration of the time for surely if Salomon said true which no man hath reason to make doubt of that there was a time for al things a time to keepe sileÌ„ce and a time to speake in my weake iudgment it had beene much sitter considering the eager contentioÌ„ amongst those of the Church of Rome to haue beene lookers on rather at the euent of that quarrel than to haue beene Authors of any new disagreement amongst ourselues but so different are the dispositioÌ„s of men that what one maÌ„ taketh to be a reason why a thing should be done and other peradueÌ„ture taketh it to be a reasoÌ„ why it should not be don to haue forborne a little had beene much safer for the Church in all reasoÌ„ more honorable for your selues I wish the Author of that booke had those three ornameÌ„ts with S. Hierom calleth the foundation of all vertue a patience to be sileÌ„t an oportunitie to speak a coÌ„tempt of riches Doubtles to renue an vnnaturall contention that was almost buried especially at that time when all proceedings in the Church wer without rigor as it could not choose but be labour euil spent so it was likely to bring little aduantage vnto Gods Church PeradueÌ„ture I mistake the cause which moued him then to vndertake that Trettise wee will heare himselfe in his Preface what he saith we haue suffered meaning himselfe and others that haue laboured for reformations and indured much reproach and coÌ„tempt which we haue patiently borne and with great silence for diuers yeares sustained that on our part the sacred word of righteousnesse might not be euill spoken of and as much as in vs lieth wee might cut-off all occasions to the common aduersarie to preuaile against the holy Church of Christ Which is among vs. This surely was iust reason and if it were performed as he saith it was not performed without Iust cause for doubtles there is nothing of so small moment that hath brought greater disaduantage to our Church than that with so much violence we haue deferred amongst our selues and blessednesse surely shall be their portion who in this kinde haue beene forward to make peace but it is not these imbracings of Ioab nor the kisses of Iudas that can bury from the worlds eye those bitter Inuectiues of Whittingam Good man Knox Buckanan Gilby Martin Throgmorton Pennry Fenner and sundrie other most odious and vnsauerie bookes besides a great number of others without name all which must needes testifie that for this whole time of our happie peace whatsoeuer the occasions were the matter hath beene carried with little silence and lesse patience These men in this case how well soeuer they haue deserued otherwise haue not bin for bitternesse of speech much inferiour to the Heretikes of former times and of whose followers I may say with Saint Chrisostom In age they are yonger but in malice Equall the Broode of Serpents are of lesse stature but haue not lesse poysoÌ„ The Whelps of Wolues though they cannot hurt so cunningly yee will hurt with biting and desire to sucke Blood The some of all is as Sidonius speaketh openly they enuied basely they forged and seruilelie they were proud and that which made all this to be much worse was that the Authors of this euill-speaking made Religion to be a warrant to speake euill and whilst they offended vpon this ground others were desirous to offend that they might not differ from their example so that a double fault lyeth vpon the first Author one that they offended in their owne person the second that they were examples to others to the like offence But why continued you not in this silence still notwithstanding all this say you The state of things is worse than euer before and I cannot tell whether our conniuence in suffering of euill speeches against vs hath done the Church harme For nowe Papists begin to comfort themselues yea they challeng vnto theÌ„ the name of honest and true men and good subiects and by the reprochfull name of Puritan All godly Protestats are most cunningly depraued Giue me leaue quietlie to tell you this much That vnlesse I mistake it you haue little reason or any that hath laboured in that cause to thinke that the state of things is worse than before At that time when you wrote thus what men were committed for their disobedience arraigned for their treasons or where was thâ—t assault as you call it of Subscription besids all Godly Protestants are not tearmed Puritans no it is but the singular affection of a some few that would seeme vpright which haue gained that name wherein they doe much glory last of all if by your sufferaÌ„ce some Priests grewe insolent and were not affraide in comparison to make themselues to bee more righteous than you this was no reason so vnreasonably to prouoke the Reuerend Fathers of the Church against you but rather all to haue ioyned and your selues formost against them and yet he not gniltie that is accused but he that is conuinced in this cause But to let passe the occasion of that treatise giue me leaue
antiquitie if they will declare themselues to be more studious of vnitie and concord then of innouations and new fanglnes which as much as may be with the true setting sorth of Christs religion is alwaies to be eschewed In these our doings we condemne no other nation nor prescribe any thing but to our owne people onely An excellent censure and graue moderation fit to be considered by al that are desirous to alter our church cerimonies And surely it must needes seeme strange that when all opinions how false so euer haue had this happinesse that some of their maintainers haue had the coullorable helpes of learning to defend their cause the chiefe aduersaries in this haue dealt at all times so weakely as if all of them purposely had ment to haue betrayed it For to speake without partiallity what truth requireth in this poynt the principall and first opposites that I reade of vnto our Church cerimonies were those that in Queene Maries time got the libertie to plant a Church at Franckford where first ioyning with the French afterward out of their humors strengthned with some counsell from Geneua so farre dissented from their religious and learned countriemen which hauing left their countrie for the profession of the Gospell lay then at Zurick Strausborugh Wezell and Emden that some bookes and the greatest part of christendome was filled with the vnreuerent vnholy and vnnaturall contentions of that time This vnwise and inconsiderate dislike yet then much more tollerable where they had some showe of authoritie to plant a Church kindled that fire which hath burned euer since and without great resolution and wisedome of some in authoritie doubtles long agoe had burst fourth into a daungerous flame within the very bowels of our Church and all onely from this head that whilest the greater part was loth to yeeld to the wiser and more learned some sparkes of that opposition notwithstanding their showe of reconcilement when they heard of Queene Maries death daungerously brake out when they returned home They from Franckeford wrote to them of Zuricke by Maister Grindall after that reuerent Archbishop and maister Chambers that they thought not that any godly man would stand to the death in the defence of cerimonies which as the booke specified vpon iust occasions may be altered and changed accounting it an argument that they are slenderly taught which for breach of a cerimonie will refuse such a singular benefit as to ioyne with the Church They likewise from Strausgburgh onely desired such vse of the communion booke as no reasonable man shal iustly reproue a graue moderation doubtles in them and a iust censure against all those as being vnreasonable men which reproue it at this day Some of those that fledde vertously out of their owne countrie which was then for the most part an aulter for y e bodies of y e dead or a prisonâ—â— the soules of the liuing vnaduisedly were content to make a schisme as the Donatists from the Romane Church for the keeping of Easter and onely through the dislike of a few ceremonies which in a letter that they wrote after Queene Maries death for ending of these contentions they call trifles and superfluous ceremonies I cannot enough wonder how men of learning and iudgement as most of them surely had both could in time of banishment in a strange citie and amongst themselues for the space of foure or fiue yeares nourish a contention with that bitternes for things of that nature which the most eager amongst them did account but trifles It had been surely a great honour to them and a greater happines to this Church if they had remembred themselues though in exile to haue been a part of it and so haue framed their orders to the gouernment and those ceremonies which were established by law and vsed by them in King Edwards time To this letter they of Franckeford make a wiser and farre more reasonable answere that it shall be to small purpose for them to contend for ceremonies where it shall lie neither in your hands nor ours to appoint what they shall be but in such mens wisedomes as shall be appoynted to the deuising of the same and which shall be receiued by common consent of the Parliament and a little after All reformed Churches differ amongst themselues in ceremonies and yet agree in the vnitie of doctrine we see noe inconueniences if we vse some ceremonies diuers from them so that we agree in the chiefe points of our religion If all of them at their returne home had obserue the moderation that was in some few such clamorous inuectiues had not been vsed against those whose places inioyne them to see an obseruation for the vniformitie of the Church of those few modest and comely ceremonies which the law appointed But at their returne one of them a man otherwise in the opinion of some vertuous and learned chargeth vs that we make these Antichristian ragges for so it pleaseth him in his heate to call them causam sine qua non in Christs holy ministerie so that these make an english priest be he neuer such a doult or villane and without these Romish reliks not Paul himselfe should preach What could any of our aduersaries haue spoken more bitterly against our cleargie and surely in the eares of any temperate and wise man it must needes seeme a strange and inconsiderate speech to slaunder a whole Church with so little reason especially that Church whose honor and peace should haue been maintained by him We dare in this take their owne offer to rest vpon melancholie iudgement a thing peraduenture not so fit in another case that when the opinion of holinesse of merit of necessitie meaning a religious necessitie not a necessitie of obedience is put into things indifferent then they darken the light of the Gospell and ought to be taken away But they are with vs as all other things of that nature of comlines of order of obedience And the same which was the reason to those in authoritie to remoue others was likewise their reason to retaine these wherein if their wisedomes saw not so much as others peraduenture would haue done if they had been in their places we dare not take vpon vs to censure their doings but where scripture is not against it we are desirous to be obedient vnto those that doe rule ouer vs. And where some thinke it is as lawfull if the Prince commaund to weare Aarons garments as these and if not Aarons much lesse the Popes first we say not that these are the Popes howsoeuer peraduenture by them vsed before vs neither are we bound for any thing that I know so precisely in all things to dissent from them We are willing to retaine of theirs what we may that those amongst vs which superstitiously are addicted to them may see that it is not of malice that we are parted and themselues may haue lesse couller of excuse for dissenting from
may freely make an order againe which shal be apparent to bee most commodious to the vse edification of the Church c. We wil not take vpon vs to censure this letter onely we see not how the same things could be thought in his iudgemēt Foolish yet tearmed Tollerable in a Church Liturgie or how they are called vices which notwithstanding hee freeth from manifest Impietie or if that this libertie of reformation were to bee giuen where a Church was to bee new set vp how it could bee agreable to them who still I think desired to bee a part euen for outward cerimonies of that Visible Church which then suffered persecution in England But it sufficeth in these troubles all were not of one minde the most and the best were before their departure and in their banishment after their returne Zealous discreet and learned maintainers of the Communion Booke And most of them afterward became worthily worthy gouernors in this Church For God who sawe their Fidelitie constancie and truth rewarded them seauen fould into their bosome this booke then but somewhat purer and more reformed then at that time is that huge volume of Ceremonies for I vse their owne words which is in their opinion vnlawfull Idolatrous but in ours a most holie and chast forme of Church Seruice and least in this case our opinion and defence should be thought but the corrupt flatterie of those who are or hope to bee aduanced by the present time the wise and graue approbation of the holie Martire Doctor Tailour is fit by vs to bee alledged in this place There was saith hee set foorth by the most innocent King Edward for whom God bee praised euerlastinglie the whole Church seruice with great deliberation and the aduice of the best learned men of the Realme and authorised by the whole Parliament and receiued and published gladly by the whole Realme which Booke was neuer reformed but once and yet by that one reformation it was so fully perfected according to the rules of our Christian religion in euerie behalfe that no christian conscience can bee offended with any thing therein contained I meane of the Booke reformed Thus farre Doctor Tailour and shall wee now make light account of so honorable a Testimonie or alter these things onelie to satisfie the vnreasonable fancies of some men nay surelie in that most memorable Act of our gracious and dread Soueraīgne whose wisdome appeares in these Importunate sutes like the wisdome of Salomon there is no one thing which shal heape more honourable and euerlasting glorie vnto his name which is or can bee a greater blessing to this land a more religious dutie towards God a more thankfull requitall of all the fauours that Queene Elizabeth did performe vnto him then without any alteration or change in the strict commaundement of publishing this order of common praier in any matter of substance Let thy dew O Lord from aboue fall downe vpon his head to make him wise in the councells of thy law sanctifie his hart with the reuerend and holie estimation of thy truth make his wisdome powerfull against all Achitophells perfect O Lord and blesse these beginnings that wee and our posteritie without chaunge may worship thee in this land so long as the sonne is before thee that it may neuer sound in tents of our enemies that thy worship as erronious is now altered which in mercie thou hast protected fourtie and foure yeeres in the happie daies of Queene Elizabeth And surelie reason must needs tell vs that if wee should ouer easilie yeeld to alter what paraduenture they wish doubtlesse the same reproofe must iustlie fall vpon our own Liturgie of Varietie vncertaintie and Inconstancie which one laieth verie truelie vpon the Romane Missall Besides it were as they of Strausburge wrote of them of Francford to condemne the chiefest authors therof who most of them suffered as Martirs it would giue occasion to our aduersaries to accuse our doctrine of imperfection and vs of mutabilitie and the godlie to doubt in that truth wherein beefore they were perswaded and to hinder their comming hether which beefore they had purposed Thus far did they of Strausburg wiselie answere to them of Francford so that wee may safelie conclude and say of this Booke as S. Austin doth in another case if thou runnest through all the words of the holie Praiers I suppose thou shalt finde nothing which the Lords praier doth not containe and comprehend therefore we may in other words speake the same things in our praiers but wee may not speake contrarie things Yet because reason hath not beene sufficient to restraine the intemperate proceedings of some men they thinke this Church is little beholding vnto them vnlesse they traduce the gouernment and the Liturgie which she vseth for which notwithstanding others out of greater wisedome and conscience haue made against the common aduersarie this challenge Looke if any Line bee blameable in our Seruice and take hold of your aduantage I think M. Iewell will accept it for an Article our Seruice is good and Codly euery title grounded vpon holie Scriptures and with what face doe you call it darknesse Wee are content after the learned indeauours of other men to adde some thing to those principall points which in the Communion booke is and hath beene misliked by them that to whose hands the writings of other peraduenture come not this short answere to such may giue some satisfaction in the principall things which they doe mislike 1 The forme of the Liturgie of the Church of England is taken from Antichrist Wee are sorie that their weakenesse taketh offence at that which wee hold as an honour and a vertue in the Church of England namely that wee haue so sparingly and as it were vnwillingly disented from the Church of Rome for surely by Antichrist they meane her with whom if the corruptions of that Church would haue giuen vs leaue we would haue willingly consented in their whole seruice which being vnsafe and vnlawfull wee follow them notwithstanding in all wherin they follow those holie and auncient fathers which first planted the truth amongst them And as we acknowledge them our fathers in the Faith so wee are willing euen to borrow that from them which vertuouslie was vsed in that Church when it was worthie to bee called our mother◠and if now the holie Citie bee become an harlot yet we as most Churches haue receiued light from them for there was a time that their Faith was published ouer all the world and if now they bee at enmitie with God and vs yet wee had rather follow the perfections of whom wee like not then the defects and Imperfections of those wee loue nay the spoiles of the heathe◠taken from the Deuill are deuided to the furniture and ornament of the Church of God For doubtlesse as one saith all true Godlie men may vertuouslie vse those rites
not alwaies in the same state it laboureth sometimes seeming to decay vnder the Crosse sometimes it flourisheth in the aboundance of much peace sometimes it is gouerned by these who are Nurses of it and sometimes by such whose hands are readiest to pull it downe now where the affection of Princes that gouerne is not all one the condition and state of the Church must needes alter besides euen the chiefe officers erected by our Sauiour of the Apostles Prophets and Euangelistes in that kinde notwithstanding are all ceased for although Apostolicall Iurisdiction doo now continue in Bishops yet no man is ordayned to bee an Apostle that which is aunswered of ordinarie and extraordinarie ouerthroweth the cause for if these bee extraordinarie and all offices that are reckoned vp by the Apostle bee not ordinarie then the Gouernours of the Church ceasing no man can say with reason that forme of the Church gouernment is all one To holde that all that was diuers at diuers times was the same gouernment is to make things continuing and ceasing distinguisht and confounded to bee all one And if wee looke further to that which seemed to bee most solemne the Senedrin and great Councell at Ierusalem is no where extant And if they allow the forme at Geneua they are popular but surely though in this no man could looke for other than difference to arise where trueth hath not laid the foundation of what they holde yet this is most straunge that they are so firme for Doctors to bee distinguisht from Pastors for seuerall Consistories for euerie parish widowes and such like whereas Geneua hath but one Consistorie for diuers Parishes no Doctors distinct from Pastors no widowes and in Fraunce onely Pastors and Elders are thought necessarie yea besides this there were many things commendably in vse in the former times which as the Church hath power to remooue so likewise hath she authoritie to appoint new our Sauiour instituted a Ceremonie which hee inioyned his Disciples to obserue of washing of feete the same continued long in the Church as may appeare by a Treatise attributed to Saint Cyprian but now out of vse and vtterly ceased The Apostles decreed that all should abstaine from bloud and from things strangled the Apostle willeth the Romans to greete one another with a holy kisse yet both these discontinued amongst vs euery man praying or prophecying with his head couered dishonoreth his head a thing at this day not of that strict obseruance but that it may bee done without breach of humility or the Apostles precept That all the lawes and orders in the Church are not durable appeareth by ceasing of the Ceremoniall law and the Iewish pollicie so that the obseruation of the Morall and whatsoeuer hath dependance vpon that is the true rule of discipline for maners other things are but the violent fancies of some weak men who haue abused their Zeale to doe much hurt Neither neede wee stand to prooue much the alteration of this gouernment seeing themselues haue varied in the demanding of it In the yeare 1572. the first admonition which the late most Reuerend Lord Archbishop of Canterbury did after confute was offered to the Parliament as contayning a perfect platforme of the discipline they desired to be established in this Realme Within fewe yeares after they altered it againe In the yeare 1584. an other which seemed to haue receiued as much perfection as they could desire but presently after the Parliament this was found amongst them to haue some thing amisse and the correcting being referred to one who had trauersed the matter a new it came out more perfect in the yeare 1586 an other in the yeare 1588 and it is like as most of these were against Parliaments so some thing now is to bee performed for this if their cause can haue patrons or the patrons can finde hope but I hope by this time our Gouernours are more wise and hee who is able to discerne these plots hath found by experience their desires to bee too proud and in reason not likely to benefit this Church with a better peace so that wee may safely conclude this point That though the Church of all Societies bee fittest to bee Gouerned with an auncient and veriuous discipline yet that discipline is farre differing from the same that they doo require CHAP. III. The Censure of a Booke called the Plea of the Innocent WHere the persons of men haue so neere affinitie with the actions performed by them it will require great moderation and care so to censure the one as that we may not iustly bee suspected to disgrace the other the neglect of this a fault which is too common both in the times before vs and in our age hath turned the confutation of errors to personall reproofes and hath made the defendors weaknes or Indiscretion the greatest aduersary to a good cause and howsoeuer some partiall men are caried with as much loue to all they doo as they are to themselues that doo it and with like disposition are impatient to bee toucht in eyther yet no man of wisedom or vnderstanding can thinke it to bee all one to haue his action or his person censured some Actions I confesse there are of that nature which are the defectes of our ordinary weakenesse and therein though not Excusable yet carry some reason to challenge a fauourable compassion extending either to forgiuenes or to concealments which both doubtlesse are the effects of men that are truly vertuous where as some others as it were by couenant are performed to that end that they rest amongest all men and in all ages lyable to that censure which time shall giue them And they merit Of the first sort are our sinnes in which kinde our profession hath had some euill Confessours of the Latter are Bookes which as they are actes performed with the best of our iudgement voluntarie with deliberation and with a resolution by couenaunt eyther to aunswere or indure what Censures shall light vpon them it cannot bee any breach of Charity or modesty where the opinions misliked are defended to censure the Bookes which are made in defence of them And although euerie man in reason is tyed to bee cerefull of his good name yet seeing that both euerie harde Censure is not a proofe to continue errour nor euerie errour an imputation to a man that deserues well It is not all one to say such a Booke is euill written and to say such a one is not an honest man The first is allowed in the warrantable liberty of all learning but the latter Charitie and Humilitie do both forbid as being but the daungerous effect of too much pride Things that are euill in manners are euill in that they are done and are a iust imputation to the partie in that they are knowne but writings that are Censured carry not euer that sentence among them which some ignorant or partiall opposite shall impose vpon them nor euer doo men censure as
if we finde both the words and the deedes of the best amongst them to haue been such as no man hath reason to allow it cannot choose but seeme strange that any one carefull of what he vttereth should become a patron to that proceeding which is no sooner barely rehearsed but must vnto all men of necessitie appeare to be without warrant For iffailing in Cmilitie of tearmes their actions had beene more milde or if ouer seene in their Actions their words had beene of a better temper some colorable snow might haue been their excuse which now is wanting seeing they doe faile in both and therefore euen to discouer their proceedings is to ouerthrow theÌ„ As few Societies are or can be hoped to be without some euill so the principall remedies in the iudgement of wise men haue been thought to be three First that all things corrupted by time should with discretion be brought to their first Institution SecoÌ„dly if this were not to be hoped for they might vtterly be abolished Thirdly that no InnocatioÌ„s were permitted to begin and being begun immediatly by the hand of Authoritie to be cut of The first of these was called Reformation which is a repetion or Restitution of the auncient deede So that to Reform is not to make new but to restore to his former well being what time and corruption by continuance had made euill Now as authoritie and wisedome are both requisite to performe this so must it needs be a disorder in those that would reforme and doe want both And it cannot bee but a great ouersight in them Who hauing thus erred ought to bee silent and craue pardon dare aduenture notwithstanding to plead this cause and to publish Apologies in there owne defence Wee will not touch the first Authors and Originalles of this euill being deriued from those who then both for scituation and gouernment were straungers to our state But only make it appeare that since the beginning of our last Soueriegnes reigne what holinesses so euer was pretended the whole proceeding in matters of Reformation both in worde and deede was altogether vnlawfull and without warrant A thing howsoeuer obserued by diuers heeretofore yet not vnfit to be handled in this place and at this time The ground of that euill which followed was layd in Queene Maries time in whose Zealous gouernment a Zeale in others of our Countrie from other forreigne places in both peraduenture a like euill sowed the vncleane seede of those immoderat growing tares which since haue daungered our whole Church Neither can the goodnesse of Religion bee any warrant for euill doeing seeing what is lawfull where true Religion doth seeme to giue leaue must of necessitie bee as Lawfull being permitted by a Religion or don for a Religion though it be false So that it was no more fit for priuat and Inferiour persons at that time by violence to remoue Idolatrie the contrarie whereof was their Doctrine than in times much purer which haue since followed it was or could be lawfull for any of the Church of Rome by inuasion or treason to establish the Doctrine of that Sea This euer remaining a true rule That good then deserueth the name of euill when being good it ceaseth to bee well done and no Religion can warrant to pull downe Kings when true Religion doth commaund that whatsoeuer their Religion is wee must obay them either in suffering with patience what they impose or in dooing with obedience what they doe commaund So that the iust hatred of Idolatrie seruing to giue warrant to what they did then in times when the Church was much polluted hath been not the least occasioÌ„ since to attempt the like and farre worse when by many degrees the times the Religion was more pure And I am sorie so good a man by name should publish to the world a Doctrine so false and daungerous that it should be lawfull to kill wicked Kings and Tyrants Neither had this being but the priuat error of one been in all respectes so daungerous if an other for his place a Deane and not meanely esteemed had in not his preface to that Booke affirmed it to be the doctrine of the best and most learned in those partes meaning as I thinke Caluin and the rest So that all thinges being duely weighed the practise of those in that time for religion was neither more honest nor lawfull than the late practises of those of the Church of Rome neither let any man thinke that Religion can be a warrant for that deed which must remaine an euerlasting blemish to that Religion that caused it to bee doone Others our countrie had at that time men of famous and worthie memorie which liued in Zuriech Basâ—ll and Franckefort these discretly obserued without Innouation the reformation established in King Edwardes dayes Nowe when those that had liued in Geneua and obserued with what policie Caluin and others swayed the whole gouernment a thing peraduenture neither much contradict seeing the worthinesse of the man nor Difficult to effect considering the forme of that state they began sayling in both repects being equal only in a violeÌ„t Zeale to attempt the like discipline in their owne Countrey A thing so much the lesse sufferable by how much the parties were meaner the gouernment of their Countrie farre better and the alteration not safe in so great a Kingdome And yet at that time the Zeale of these contented it selfe little to meddle in shew with the matters of disciplie but rather was busied about the apparell of Ministers Cerimonies prescribed and amendment as they thought of the Communion booke But after so hardly are those things limited which are but the workes of a strong fancie those that succeeded made their discipline an essentiall Note of the true Church were as ready as they said to become Martyrs in that quarell as for the defence of any Article of the Christian faith of whom I may say as Saint Austine doth of some such they were Martyrs if they had died of a foolish Philosophy Out of this strong and vehement perswasion of well doing and from a desire of goodnes peraduenture in some although it is like that those who were most earnest had not the best conscience were published sundrie Dialogues able to haue iniured a good cause complaints petitions to her Maiestie and the Parliament in the name of the Comunaltie their appellations their exhortations fiue or six seuerall supplications to the Parliament Martyns vnhallowed Imitations of Passauantius The humble motion to the Lords of the Councill and diuers other of the like nature in manner of Register collected into one volume These many such for it were infinit and of small vse to reckon all were the chiefe and the best meanes their learning wisedome and holinesse thought fit for the gaining of Authoritie to this new discipline but if these immodest libelles had beene the worst fruites
not let thee goe except thou blesse mee Yet let not our importunitie exclude humilitie but that still wee pray as if the smallest grashopper vpon earth a worme and no man were to speake with feare and reuerence before the maiestie of God himselfe Seeing then praier is that name which expresseth all that seruice that our religion can performe beeing the best meanes both to testifie our dutifull affection and most effectuall to obtaine what soeuer wee wanting can desire at Gods hands seeing it is the easiest and most comfortable almes which all men haue power to giue and no man to refuse seeing it is that office from performance whereof neither time nor place violent circumstances in other things are able to hinder vs seeing it is and ought to be the first dutie wherewith a religious soule beginneth his life and the last wherwith hee endeth it seeing it is the seruice of all Saints aswell those that Triumph in heauen as that are Militant on earth the one praising God for their glorie the other praying for their victorie and seeing amongst all praiers those are most powerfull and effectuall which hauing the feruour of manie and the promise of presence are rather powred out in the Temple then our priuate chambers for in a congregation a house of praiers there may bee amongst manie some Moses or Samuell which shall bee heard both for themselues and others one righteous in the middest of a froward and crooked generation let from henceforth all impietie stop her mouth which heeretofore hath blasphemed a holy ordination of so much vse thrusting it out of our Churches vnder pretence of preaching and that open prophanes by seueritie of lawes bee taught obedience which either in puritie or superstition haue refused in our Temples to offer vp their Praiers as the rest doe It is no small blessing to haue the libertie of the sonnes of God to enter into the house of the Lord the house of prayer the place where his Honour dwelleth for in his temple doth euery man speake of his honour yet we denie not but in the most desolate and solitariest place more voide of resort then the ransackt sanctuarie of Hierusalem in the vncomfortablest vault that euer was entred his eares shall bee open vnto our Praiers that goe not out of fained lippes but euen praier it selfe as one noteth when it hath not the comforts of many voices to strengthen it is not it selfe So that wheras secret neglect of our dutie in this kinde is but onely our owne hurt one mans contempt of the Common prayer of the Church of God may bee and often times is preiudiciall hurtfull vnto many thousands and doubtlesse in time of persecution when wee are in exile the principall griefe to any Christian soule must bee this euen the vncomfortable absence from the house of God that wee cannot praise God in the great Congregation that euen in this respect the Sparrow and the Swallow are in better case then wee are That all our Melodie is buried in this one euill for how should wee sing the Lords song in a strange land For if there be in the Lords Sanctuary in the Courts of the house of our God the holy Angels mixâ— amongst vs it ought surely to be our care euen for praier to refort thether with ioy aboue all other places whatsoeuer ther to powre out our praiers with that solemnitie deuotion as those vertuous humble requests which the Church appointeth the Saints vpon earth powre out the almightie sitteth to heare the Angels attend to further Now for the religious performance of this dutie no wise man can doubt but that solemnitie of place is a circumstance neither indifferent nor of small force the authoritie of their calling whome the Church imployeth to offer vp the praiers for the whole people is no small assurance of obtaining what is presented by their meanes in whom if zeale and feruencie of spirit concur with a vertuous lyfe they are no small aduantages to make the rest of the multitude to bee more holy and to teach all the people of God both what reuerence they owe vnto such whom God vouchsafeth to bee mediatours beetwixt him and them and with what deuotion and reuerence they are to esteeme and frequent those holy places for the performance of those duties which out of all circumstaÌ„ces rightly are termed by the Church holy and deuine Seruice Heerevnto if wee ad the strongest motiue vnto a minde sober and humble that these prayers are not the voluntarie suddaine extemporal supplications of one man who though zealous and honest yet may easily faile in asking what is behoueful for the whole Church for wee know not how to pray as wee ought but that they are those holy sacrifices of our lippes made and allowed by the considerate deliberation of men vertuous and duely proportioned with the sacred and solemne Lyturgies of the Church in all ages he must needs think the iniurie offered by some men to bee vnsufferable who esteeme all corners equall to the church for this vse all persons as conuenient as those who are elected and appointed to this end and sencelesse effusions of idle reiterated vnhallowed indigested prayers as auaileable in the eares of God as the best either places persons or order that the Church hath This beeing the dangerous pollicie of sathan to frustrate the Church of so great a benefit and beecause no man dâ—â—st bee so impious as absolutely to condemne publick prayer to stir vp those who should draw the people both by example and precept to a contempt of that forme which taken from the puritie of all times is worthely thought by the Church a Lyturgie most reformed whereby wee must serue God and doubtlesse not to lay vpon them a greater burden then the weight of this sinne doth necessarilie impose vpon the consciences of such who are and haue bene the authors of this contempt wee cannot easily be perswaded otherwise But what prophanes hath crept into our church what vnhallowing of the Sabboth what want of reuerence in diuine Seruice what loathing of praiers without Sermons in one word what Athisme or Hippocresie is in al states in this kingdome hath originally proceded froÌ„ this fountain the bould and vnhallowed despising of the Communion Booke whilst in the meane time they haue offred vnto the Parliament in the dayes of our late Soueraigne a Booke of the forme of Common prayers of which wee dare not as yet giue that testimonie which truth compelleth them to giue of ours That grose errors manifest impieties is taken from it But seeing all of vs agree in this that a Prescript forme of praier is conuenient and necessarie for the Church they onely permitting a greater libertie for vs then wee doe both because it bringeth much aduantage to haue the people familiar with those praiers which concerne all and that they may not say Amen to any thing that is vnsound a