now him and others in the defence of the Gospell against all the learned Papists in England For the which hee was driuen into banishment and there continued for the space of fiue or sixe yeeres visiting almost all Vniuersities in Italie and Germanie hauing great conference with the most and best learned men 〈◊〉 the last being stayed at Iany an vniuersitie erected by the dukes of Saxonie and shoulde if he had not come away had the Hebrewe lecture which Snepphinus had intertained by them to reade in their sayd vniuersitie both Greeke Latin in the company and with the good loue and liking of those famous men Flaccus Illyricus Victorius Strigellus D. Snepphinus called alter Luther vvith diuers others where belike he was not dumbe And after comming home was appoynted among the famous learned men to dispute againe with the enemies of the religion the papisticall bishops and like that if the disputations had continued to shew him not ignorant in all the three tongues as he will yet if Martin Malapert prouoke him too farre not to be dumb Is he dumbe because he vvas the onely Preacher in Leicestershire for a space as the noble Earle of Huntington can vvitnesse and by their tvvo meanes that shire God be blessed was conuerted brought to that state that it is now in which in true religion is aboue any other place because they retaine the Gospell without contention which fewe other places doe And in Lincolneshire did he nothing did he not first purge the Cathedrall Church being at that time a nest of vncleane birdes and so by preaching and executing the Commission so preuailed in the countrey God blessing his labours that not one recusant was left in the countrey at his comming away to this sea of London Is this to be dumbe howe many Sermons hath he preached at Paules crosse sometime three in a yeere yea sometime two or three together being an olde man to supply some yonger mens negligence It is omitted that Episcopomastix had a fling at the Bishoppe of London for swearing by his faith wherefore he termeth him a Swag. What he meaneth by that I will not diuine but as all the rest is lewd so surely herein he hath a lewde meaning It is to be thought that the Bishop will take profite hereby being a man that hath diligently read Plutarke De vtilitate capienda ad inimico If it bee an othe as this gentleman hath censured it it is not to be doubted but that he will amend it but if it were lawful as it may be for any thing Martin can say to aske his brotherhood what Amen signifieth or whether it be an othe then in his wicked and malicious wishes for the ouerthrow of the Clergie how oft is he to be found to say Amen for in the phrase of our speech by my faith signifieth no more but in very trueth bona fide in trueth assuredly id est Amen It is to be thought that Martin misliketh to say by his faith because a railing and slanderous spirite can haue no faith for where Charitie is away the soule of all good workes there can be no faith Read that of Paul Charitas non inuidet non est suspicax c. The contraries whereof swell in Martin as venemous humours in an infectious sore Among other their reproches they affirme of the Bishop of Rochester that hee presented him selfe to a benefice I doe not thinke it to be true for that I know it can not be good in Lawe If he hath procured a benefice in way of Commendam as they call it it is by lawe allowed and hath bene done by other The bishop of Lincolne is knowen to bee learned and zealous in religion There are few men toward her Maiestie that haue preached in the court either oftner times or with more commendation or better liking as well before he was bishop as since It is therefore maruaile that none in all this time coulde espie his inclination vnto corrupt and Papisticall doctrine vntill the chickens of the scratching kite yong Martinists got wings to flee abroad cric out vntrueths against euery man that displeaseth them If the Bishoppe of Lincolne had not euen of late shevved himselfe in the Commission Court at the examination of some of them hee had now escaped this scratch of the lewde lying kite Martin Marprelate What his words were I haue forgotten yet I heard them deliuered by a learned man that vvas present For I did not then meane to deale in this cause but they were nothing soūding to that which the Libell layeth downe And the person considered at whose funerall hee preached hee could not with comelinesse speake lesse in her commendation then hee did vnlesse they vvoulde haue had him as rash and furious as themselues and to enter into Gods secrete iudgement and openly to condemne her as a reprobate God may vvorke great matters in a moment THE bishop of Winchester is charged vvith certaine vvordes vttered in two Sermons the last Lent the one in the Queenes Chappell the other at S. Marie Oueries in Southwarke The wordes of the challeng are these Like a flattering hypocrite hee protested before God and the congregation that there was not in the worlde at this day nay there had not beene since the Apostles time such a flourishing state of a Church as nowe wee haue in Englande Surely if hee had vttered these wordes for the state of the Church appoynted by lawe and order not respecting the faultes of particular persons it might in Christian duetie bee well defended But it was not vttered in this manner nor for the matter nor for the time The first part of those wordes hee doth not acknowledge at all for they are purposely inserted to stirre enuie Thus in deede it vvas deliuered As for the trueth of doctrine according to the worde of God for the right administration of the Sacramēts for the true worship of God in our prayer laide downe in the booke of seruice since the Apostles age vnto this present age of the restoring of the gospell there was neuer Church vpon the face of the earth so nigh the sinceritie of Gods trueth as the Church of England is at this day These vvords vvith Gods helpe he vvil iustifie to be true vpon the daunger not of his liuing only but of his life also against any man that vvil withstand it and yet therein shall not shew him selfe either desperate Dicke or shamelesse impudent or wainscot faced Bishop as it pleaseth the Libeller to rayle Neither doth he thinke that any learned man that fauoureth the Gospell though he mislike some things and persons novv in present vse vvill reproue it The Papists I knovv in deede doe detest the Assertion and thinke their Synagogue blasphemed by it No refourmed Church can iustly take offence at it Where the bishop is burdened by this speeche to excuse the multitude of Thieues Drunkards Murtherers Adulterers c. that bee in our Church neither did his
men may not flatter and deceiue themselues I let them vnderstande that the Scriptures in no place teach them that the offences and faultes of the Ministers are alwayes the onely cause why the word of God doth not take place in mens hearts It is more commonly and almost alvvaies imputed to the waywardnesse vnthankefulnesse and obstinacy of the people that heare it Therefore it vvere good for alsortes of men of what calling soeuer to looke into their owne bosomes carefully to consider whether the fault thereof be not in themselues For they knowe right vvell that the master may bee learned and diligent and yet the scholler not thriue by reason of his owne dulnesse The Physition may bee honest and skilfull and the obstinate Patient make light of his vvholesome counsaile The seede may be good and the seede sower a paineful and skilfull husbandman and yet the fruite not to bee ansvverable to his trauell because of the naughtinesse and barrennesse of the ground This our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs in the parable of the Seede-sovver Matth. 13. The Sower sayth he went foorth to sowe his seede and some fell in the high way that is to say into the heartes of them that vvere continually trampled vvith vvicked and vngodly cogitations so that the seede coulde not sinke into their hearts but by those birds of the deuill vvas caried avvay vvithout fruite Some fell into stonie ground that is into such hearts as wanted the good iuice and moysture of Gods holy spirite and therefore when the heate of persecution ariseth or some great temptation assaulteth them their zeale is withered and they reuolt from the trueth Some fell into busshie ground that is into the mindes of them that were troubled with the cares of the worlde with the loue of riches and with the pleasures of this life which wholly choked vp the good seede of the Gospell of Christ so that it could not in any wise prosper and bring foorth fruite Heere you may perceiue that for one fourth part of good grounde that yeeldeth fruite of the doctrine of God there are three greater partes of euill ground wherein it nothing at all prospereth But in these our dayes amongst vs we haue a fourth sort of men which obstinatly at al refuse to heare the word of God and do shut vp their eares not onely against preaching but against priuate exhortation also If there were lesse store of these euill groundes in this land at this day vndoubtedly wee should see more successe of the Gospell and more ample fruite of our teaching then novve wee doe It were good for men to looke that these quarrellings at other mens liues bee not one of the coardes of vanitie that Esay speaketh of Woe be to them saith God by his holy Prophet that drawe on iniquitie with coardes of vanitie and sinne as it were with a Cart-rope that is Woe bee to them that imagine excuses and coulours to nouzell and mainetaine them selues in contempt of Gods vvorde and vvant of repentaunce Let men take heede of such dealing that such Coardes of vanitie pull not on iniquitie so fast that it draw them to the vtter contempt of God and his trueth Example where of is seene at this day in too many to the griefe of all good mens hearts For the schoole of Epicure and the Atheists is mightily increased in these days The like effect Esay noteth to haue fallen out among the Iewes at that time For this he maketh them to say in derision of the preaching of the Prophets Let God make speede and hasten his worke that wee may see it Let the counsell of the holy one of Israel drawe neere and come that wee may knowe it And in like manner dealeth the wicked in Ieremie Chapter 5. They haue denied the Lorde and sayde It is not hee Tush the Sword and the plague shall not come vpon vs neither shall we see it The threatnings of the Prophets are but wind the true word of God is not in them They vtter their owne fantasies and these things shall come vnto themselues Euen with like contempt and derision many at this day abuse the Preachers of Gods worde When we lay before them the terrible threatnings of Gods wrath and indignation if they reuolt from the trueth of the Gospell or suffer the same to bee betrayed into the hands of the enemie saying that God wil for sake them that he wil take his defence from them that he will set his face against them that he will bring strangers vpon them to destroy their countrey and possesse their great landes and goodly buildings Oh say they These Preachers make great outcries they put strange expectations into the peoples heads they are vndiscreete they medle with matters which doe not appertaine vnto them if matters goe amisse the greatest fault is in them selues But I haue sufficiently spoken of this maner of intertaining of Ministers alreadie shall speake of the same hereafter The second and in deede a chiefe cause of backsliding and reuolting is the schisme faction and dissention vvhich for the space of these fifteene or sixteene yeeres hath exceedingly growen betweene the Ministers and Preachers of England For the like hath in all ages bene a cause to many of falling both from the trueth of God and to wickednesse of life Basile speaking hereof saith Ob haecrident increduli fluctuant qui modicae sunt fidei ambigua est fides ipsa The effects of this schisme hath bene as in part I haue declared in other partes of this treatise First that not only in sermons publikely but also in common table talke priuately yea and in writing and treatises spredde abroade into all mens handes wickedly vehement and bitter inuectiues haue beene made against the Bishoppes and other Preachers of the Church of England to the discredite not only of their persons but also of the doctrine which they haue taught Yea the whole state and gouernment of this church the Liturgie and booke of Common prayer and the administration of the Sacraments established by Lavve and authoritie the externall rites and ceremonies layde downe onely for order sake haue beene publikely misliked depraued and condemned as directly contrary and repugnant to the worde of God Men haue not onely deliuered foorth these inuectiues against the whole state of our Church and all the partes thereof but in the face of the vvorlde against Lavve against authoritie haue taken vpon them to alter all thinges according to their ovvne pleasure Which dealing you may bee sure cannot bee vvithout great offence of an infinite nomber as the worlde euidently seeth it hath beene Moreouer many persons both vndiscreete and vnlearned because they will not bee accompted Dumbe dogs haue taken vpon them to preach without license or triall and entring into discussing of matters nowe in controuersie betweene vs and the aduersarie haue handled them so coldly nakedly and vnperfectly that many haue beene grieued to heare them some brought in
by vvay of persvvasion for that partie commended to him by his neighbors to be a very honest and poore man hauing maried also the vvidovve of a Printer and hee did very well like and allovve of his placing by such as haue interest therein Neither did hee euer heare but by this Libeller vvho hath no conscience in lying that hee uer printed any such bookes This I knowe of a certaintie that Thomas Orwin himselfe hath vpon his booke oath denied that he euer printed either Iesus Psalter or Our Lady Psalter or that hee euer was any worker about them or about any the like bookes But the poysoned serpent careth not whome hee stingeth Whether Waldgraue haue printed any thing against the state or no let the bookes by him printed be iudges I doe not thinke that eyther hee or any Martinist euer heard any Papist say that there was no great iarre betweene the Papistes and the Archbishop in matters of Religion It is but the Libellers Calumniation If they did what is that to him I thinke Martin him selfe doubteth not of the Archbishops soundnesse in such matters of Religion as are in controuersie betwixt the Papists and vs. If hee doe the matter is not great The Vniuersitie of Cambridge where hee liued aboue thirtie yeeres and publiquely read the Diuinitie Lecture aboue seuen yeeres and other places where he hath since remained will testifie for him therein and condemne the Libeller for a meere Sycophant and me also of follie for answering so godlesse and lewde a person It is no disparagement to receiue testimonie of a mans aduersarie and therefore if Master Reinolds haue giuen that commendation to his booke in comparison of others it is no impeachment to the trueth thereof I haue not seene Reinolds his booke the Libell is so full of lies that an honestman cannot beleeue any thing conteined in it My Lorde of Canterburie woulde be sorie from the bottome of his heart if his perswasion and the grounds thereof were not Catholike he detesteth and abhorreth schismaticall grounds and perswasions and thereunto hee professeth himselfe an open enemie which hee woulde haue all Martinists to knowe That of the Spaniardes stealing him away c. is foolish and ridiculous I would the best Martinist in England durst say it to his face before witnesse Hee firmely beleeueth that Christ in soule descended into hell All the Martinists in Christendome are not able to proue the contrary they that indeuour it doe abuse the scriptures and fall into many absurdities Hee is likewise perswaded that there ought to be by the word of God a superioritie among the Ministers of the Church which is sufficiently prooued in his booke against T. C. and in D. Bridges booke likewise and hee is alwayes ready to iustifie it by the holy Scriptures and by the testimonie of all antiquitie Epiphanius and August account them heretikes that holde the contrary The Arguments to the contrary are vaine their answeres absurd the authorities they vse shamefully abused and the Scriptures wrested He hath shewed sufficient reason in his booke against T. C. why Ministers of the Gospell may be called Priests The ancient fathers so cal them The church of England imbraceth that name and that by the authoritie of the highest court in England And vvhy may not Presbyter be called Priest In these three points vvhereof the last is of the least moment he doth agree vvith the holy Scriptures vvith the vniuersall Church of God vvith all antiquitie and in some sort vvith the Church of Rome But he doth disagree from the Church of Rome that now is in the dregges which it hath added as that Christ should harrow hell that the Pope should be head of the vniuersall Church that hee or any other Priest shoulde haue authoritie ouer Kings and Princes to depose them to deliuer their subiects from the othe of their obedience c. These things haue neither the word of God nor the decrees of ancient Councels nor the aucthoritie of antiquitie to approoue them but directly the contrary As for the name of Priest as they take it hee doeth likewise condemne in our Ministers neyther doe themselues ascribe it to them And therefore the Libeller in these poyntes writeth like himselfe Touching Wigginton c. That which he speaketh of Wigginton is like the rest sauing for his saucie and malapert behauiour towarde the Archbishoppe wherein in trueth hee did beare with him too much Wigginton is a man well knowen vnto him and if hee knewe himselfe he woulde confesse that hee had great cause to thanke the Archbishoppe As hee was a foolish proude and vaine boy a laughing stocke for his follie to all the societie with whome hee liued so doeth hee retaine the same qualities being a man sauing that his follie pride and vanitie is much increased so that nowe hee is become ridiculous euen to his owne faction The honestest the most and the best of his parish did exhibite to the high Commissioners articles of very great moment against him the like whereof haue seldome bene seene in that Court The most and woorst of them are prooued by diuers sufficient witnesses and some of them confessed by himselfe as it appeareth in record For which enormities and for that he refused to make condigne satisfaction for the same and to conforme himselfe to the orders of the Church by lawe established he was by due order of lawe deposed from his Ministerie and depriued of his benefice and so remayneth being vnfit and vnworthie of either The tale of Atkinson is a lowde notorious and knowen lie For neither did he euer say so to the Archbishop neither woulde hee haue taken it at his handes neither was that any cause of Wiggintons depriuation but vanitie and hypocrisie causeth this man to haue so small conscience in lying according to that saying Omnis hypocrisis mendacio plena est That heathenish vntrueth vttered diuers times in this booke that the Archbishop shoulde accompt preaching of the word of God to be heresie and mortally abhorre and persecute it is rather to bee pitied then answered If man punish not such sycophants God wil do it to whose iust iudgement the reuenge of this iniurie is referred He doth bridle factious vnlearned Preachers such as the more part of that sect are vvho notwithstanding crye out for a learned Ministerie themselues being vnlearned and so vvould be accounted of all men if it were not propter studium partium I say vvith S. Hierome Nunc loquentibus pronunciantibus plenus est orbis loquuntur quae nesciunt docent quae non didicerunt magistri sunt cùm discipuli antè non fuerint The vvorld is full of them that can speake and talke but they speake the thinges they knovve not they teache the things they haue not learned they take vpon them to teach before they vvere schollers to learne Indeede our Church is too full of such talkers rather then sober teachers vvhome hee professeth himselfe greatly
ende hearing neither of the owners nor of them that so waiued it willed the same to bee brought to his house in Fulham and there to be kept for him or them which by law ought to haue it were it in respect of the first property or of the alteratiō therof by meanes of the liberties Wherupon a good space after the Dyars indeed came to the Bishop and claimed the cloth sought by earnest means to haue it again without making any proofe that the cloth was theirs or that the same cloth was it for which the theeues were executed or that fresh sute was made after the saide theeues for the same But vpon cōference had with learned Lawyers therein it was resolued that the propertie of this cloth was altered and transferred to the lyberties and so it seemeth the Dyars themselues haue found els woulde they by lawe haue sought remedie therefore yer nowe it being vvell nie tovvards three yeres since Yet neuertheles so farre hath the sayd Bishop bene from exacting the extremitie that offer hath bene made to the Dyars of a good part of the cloth where in the rigour of law they haue lost all And further to restore all or to make sufficient recompence therefore if by law it ought to be so vpon the examinatiō of the trueth of the case And as for Martins erronious iudgement that this is theft being taken and claymed by right and lawe as aforesay de because the true owners are defeated as hee saith surely he might knowe if it were matter for his humor that the Lawe worketh this in other cases as in strayes proclaymed and kept a yeere and a day according to the law the propertie is altered and transferred to the Lord from the true owner so is it for stollen cattel brought bona fide to the ouert market The first owners propertie is gone and the buyer hath it And so is it for waiued goods as vvas this cloth And to shewe that the sayd Bishop had not so great a desire to detaine the cloth as the Libeller hath presumed hee often times asked an officer of his howe it happened that the Dyars came not for it for he vvas euer ready and yet is to deliuer it to them or the value thereof if it prooue to be theirs And thus much is to be ansvvered to that matter The Libeller obiecteth against the Bishop as a great heinous fault that of his Porter hee made a Minister which al things considered he thinketh that doing to be iustifiable lavvfully done and not to lacke example of many such that haue bin after that sort admitted both since her Maiesties cōming to the Crovvne by many good Bishops and by sound histories Ecclesiasticall that where the church by reason of persecution or multitude of Hamlets and free Chappels which haue commonly very smal stipends for the Minister honest godly men vpon the discretion of the Gouernours of the Church haue and might be brought in to serue in the vvant of learned men in prayer administration of Sacraments good example of life in some sort of exhortation And this man therefore when the bishop founde him by good and long experience to be one that feared God to be conuersant in the scriptures of very honest life conuersation he allowed of him to serue in a small congregation at Padington where cōmonly for the meannesse of the stipend no Preacher could bee had as in many places it commeth to passe where the Parsonage is impropriat and the prouision for the Vicar or Curat is very smal And how this poore man behaued himselfe there time and tryall prooued him for he continued in that place with good liking of the people 8. or 9. yeres till he grew dull of sight for age thereby vnable for to serue any longer It is to be founde among the Greeke Canons that in Spaine Africa when the Goathes Vandalles had by extreme persecution made hauocke of the Church men those fewe that were left there aliue made their moane to the Churches of Rome Italy that their Churches stoode emptie because they could get none to serue no not such as were vnlearned Whereby it appeareth that in the time of necessitie and such great want the Church did allowe of very meane Clarkes so did they in the beginning of hir Maiesties raigne But Martin his complices hauing a desire to throwe out of the Church the booke of common prayer would rather haue the Churches serued by none then by such as by prayer and administration of Sacraments shoulde keepe the people together in godly assemblies But this Libeller being as a botch in the body wherunto all bad humors cōmonly resort fewe good was cōtent to take this report of this poore man and not at all to make mention as he might haue done of that precise straite order vvhich the Bishoppe obserueth in making Ministers For most true it is that the saide B. admitteth none to orders but such as he himself doth examine in his owne person in points of Diuinitie that in the latin tongue in the hearing of many vvhereby it cōmeth to passe that none lightly come at him but such as be Graduats of the vniuersities But Martin neither himselfe nor his cole cariers seeke for any thing that is cōmendable but like the spider that gathereth all that may turne to poyson Further for lacke of true matter M. Maddockes must be brought in by the Libeller to furnish his railing comedy It were inough to say of that thus much that the most reuerent Father the Archbishop of Canterburie examining that matter betweene the Bishop Maddockes with some other Bishops assisting him founde the matter to make so sore against the Bishop that Maddockes himself was content before them to aske him forgiuenes and to promise that hee would euer after haue a reuerent regard of his duetie towards the said Bishop as his Ordinarie For if he should so vntruely haue played with the name of Aelmer by turning it into the name of Mar-elme hee shoulde haue spokē against his conscience as he himselfe knoweth and all the Court and her Maiestie her selfe can testifie that it vvas a most shamefull vntrueth blased abroad by one Lichfield a Musicion vvhich is novv departed Heere might bee noted hovv Doctor Perne being at no meane mans table hearing of such slanderous rayling of felling of the Elmes at Fulham he asked one of the company being an ancient Lavvyer hovv long the Elmes of Fulham had bin felled Said the Lavvyer somehalfe yere past Novv truely saide D. Perne they are marueilously grovven in that time for I assure you I vvas there vvithin these foure daies they seeme to be tvvo hundred yeeres old And master Vicechamberlaine at her Maiesties being at Fulham tolde the Bishop that her Maiestie misliked nothing but that her Highnesse lodging vvas kept from all good prospects by the thicknesse of the trees Lo you may see hereby that the
Libeller to set out his Pasquil raketh all things by all reportes from all the Sycophants in the vvorld and maketh no choise of man or matter so that it may serue his turne And for any Letter vvritten by the maister of Requests so iestingly as the Libeller reporteth Maddockes hath deceiued him for there vvas no such matter nor the man for vvhom the Bishop vvrote vvas none of his seruant nor is Novve commeth in Dame Lawson to frumpe the Bishoppe vvith impudent and vnwomanly speech and vnfit for that sexe vvhom Paul vtterly forbiddeth to speake in the congregation But considering the circumstances of time place and persons it is to bee thought that Dame Lawson came at no time to the bishoppe in that brauerie for if shee had the bishop is not so soft but shee shoulde haue felt of Discipline and of the Queenes authoritie Surely the Bishop and such other of the Reuerend fathers that are so bitten by this Libeller may comfort themselues by the exāple of Athanasius and others as I before haue said which vvere most shamefully accused by the heretikes of murder robbery enchantment whoredome and other most detestable crimes to deface them to the worlde to the ende that their heresies might be the better liked of But Martin remember that saying Vae homini per quem scandalum venit and that Iude saith that Michael when he disputed with the Deuill about the body of Moses the Angel gaue no rayling sentence against him but said the Lord rebuke thee Satā And if it pleased you to remēber that booke that is fathered vpon Ignatius in Greeke which attributeth so much to the bishops you would be good master to bishops against whom so vnreuerently you cast out your stomacke And for your iesting at the Bishop for bovvling vpon the Sabboth you must vnderstande that the best expositor of the Sabboth which is Christ hath saide that the Sabboth was made for man and not man for the Sabboth and man may haue his meate dressed for his health vpon the Sabboth and vvhy may he not then haue some conuenient exercise of the body for the health of the body You vvill take small occasion to raile before you will hold your tongue If you can charge the Bishop that euer he withdrew himself from Sermon or seruice by any such exercise you might bee the bolder with him but contrariwise it is wel knowen that he and his whole familie doeth euery day in the weeke twise say the whole seruice calling vpon God for them selues the State and the Queenes Maiestie praying for her highnesse by that meanes deuoutly and heartily many times I pray God you do the like But oratio animae maleuolae non placet Deo The prayer of a malicious heart neuer pleaseth God Martin vvith his bitter stile of malicious Momus dipt in the gall of vngodlinesse proceedeth in a shamelesse vntrueth touching the Bishops ansvvere to the executors of Allein the Grocer as though he shoulde flatly denie the payment of a certaine debt due to the sayde Allein vvhich is as true as all the rest of Martins vvritings is honest and sober For bee it that at the first demaunde the Bishoppe vvas somevvhat mooued to heare his name to bee in the Merchants bookes vvhich hee euer so precisely auoyded that commonly he sendeth to them vvhom hee hath to doe with vvarning them to deliuer nothing in his name without his ovvne hand or ready money vsed peraduenture some sharpe vvordes in a matter that was so sudaine and so strange to him Yet most certaine it is that though not at that time yet very shortly after the debt was discharged as shall be prooued long before Martins railing booke vvas heard of or seene ten pound excepted which the sayde executors for a time respited But this fellovve vvill trauaile farre before he will lacke matter to furnish a lye Another mountaine that he maketh of molehils for such is all his blasphemous buildings is that one Benison a poore man vvas kept in the Clincke I cannot tell howe long vniustly vvithout cause c. The trueth is this Benison comming from Geneua full fraught with studie of Innouations and vtterly emptie of obedience vvhich Beza that learned Father had or might haue taught him as by his Epistles appeareah both to the Queene and the gouernors of the Church set vp in London his shop of disobedience being maried in a contrary order to the booke and vsage of the Church of England abusing good M. Foxe as hee himselfe in griefe of heart after confessed After that the said Benison gathering conuenticles and refusing to goe to his owne parish church seeking to set al in combustion with schisme in the Citie was long before the B. heard any thing of him called before Sir Nicholas Woodroofe a graue Citizen the Recorder who found him in such an humour that they meant to haue sent him to prison But because hee was of the Clergie they thought good to commit him to his Ordinarie who trauailing with him most earnestly to bring him to the Church and become orderly when he coulde profite nothing with him sent him againe to the Sessions to the Lord Maior and the Iudges After they had dealt with him and could finde at his hands nothing but railing they sent him againe to the Bishop and he finding him in vnspeakeable disobedience to her Maiestie and her Lawes offered him the oath which he contemptuously and spitefully refused Which being certified according to order he was sent to the Queenes bench was condemned and thereupon sent to prison And this is that wonderfull tragedie wherin this fellow so greatly triumpheth wishing belike as his whole Libell seemeth to desire that no malicious schismatike shoulde be punished for moouing sedition in the lande But to this vnbrideled tongue it may be sayd as the Psalme sayth Quid gloriaris in malitia tua c. Where hee courseth the Bishop of London with the lewde lying Epithete of Dumbe Iohn fetched I cannot tell from what grosse conceite either as willingly stumbling vpon Dumbe for Don or for that he preacheth not so oft as hee and other of his crewe babbling in their verball sermons vse to doe or from whence else I knowe not vnlesse it please his wisedome to play with his owne conceite and minister matter to the Prentises and Women of London to sport himselfe in that pretie deuised and newe founde name If the Bishop shoulde ansvvere for himselfe I knowe he might say somevvhat after this sort Good charitable Martin hovv olde are you how long haue you knowen the man what reports in the booke of Martyrs in Master Askams booke of his Schoolemaster and in some learned men that haue vvritten from beyond the Seas haue you heard of him Master Foxe saith of him that hee vvas one of the fiue and novve onely aliue that stoode in the solemne disputations in the first of Quene Mary with a hundred hauberdes about his eares the like whereof you threaten
thought conceiue nor his wordes include any such matter But what doeth not malice enuie and spite vtter against the most innocent person that is The bishop of Winchester hath openly more impugned the vices of this age heere in the Church of Englande then the vvhole broode of them that are of the Anabaptisticall Conuenticles and the residue of these Libellers Woe bee to them saith Esay the Prophet that speake euil of good and good of euill and put light for darkenesse and darkenesse for light sweete for sowre and sowre for sweete Dauid had great cause to crie domine libera animam meam à labijs iniquis à lingua dolosa And Salomon cogitatio stulti peccatum est abominatio hominum Detractor The deuise of a foole is sinne and all men abhorre the backbiter or Slaunderer If any man vvill reprooue the Assertion before written God vvilling he shall be ansvvered so that he rayle not This may be a sufficient answere to the vntrueth fathered vpon the B. of Winchesters words that hee is not for the same iustly tearmed Monstrous and flattering hypocrite speaking against his owne conscience But I see in these wordes the reproch not only of the bishop but much more amalicious spite against this Church of England and that so deepely setled in their hearts that their eares cannot without griefe he are any good spoken of it Therefore I thinke my selfe in Christian dutie bound somevvhat farther to follovve this matter and with some signification of thankefulnesse to acknowledge and confesse those excellēt blessings which it hath pleased God of his great mercies to bestowe vpon the same as vvell in King Edward the sixts dayes as much more in her Maiesties reigne that now is and first to beginne with that which is the principall that is the sinceritie of doctrine and all branches of true religion receiued professed taught and established in this Realme In which point I thinke it very superfluous needles for me to recite the particular branches and to make a nevv catechisme or to pen a new confession of the Church of England seeing they both are so sufficiently performed that vvithout enuy be it spoken there is none better in any refourmed Church in Europe For a Catechisme I refer them to that which was made by the learned and godly man Master Nowel Deane of Paules receiued and allovved by the Church of England and very fully grounded and established vpon the vvorde of God There may you see all the parts of true Religion receiued the difficulties expounded the trueth declared the corruptions of the Church of Rome reiected But this I like not in our Church that it is lawful to euery man to set foorth a nevve Catechisme at his pleasure I read that in the Primitiue Church that thing did great harme and corrupted the mindes of many simple persons with soule errours and heresies I see the like at this day for thereby many honest meaning hearts are caried avvay to the misliking of our manner of prayer and administration of Sacraments and other orders vvhereby it is made a principall instrument to maintaine and increase discorde and dissention in the Church For a sound and true confession acknowledged by this our church I refer them to that notable Apologie of the English Church written not many yeeres since by that Iewel of England late Bishop of Sarifburie Wherein they shal finde all parts of Christian religion confessed proued both by the testimony of the canonicall scriptures and also by the consent of all learned and godly antiquitie for the space of certain hundred yeres after Christ For the integrity and soundnes for the learning and eloquence shewed in the same Apologie they that contemne that notable learned man because hee was a Bishoppe may haue very good testimonie in a litle Epistle vvritten by Peter Martir vnto the said bishop and nowe printed and in the latter edition set before the same Apologie where they shall finde that hee speaketh not for himselfe onely but for many other learned men of the church of Tygure and other places Nowe as this learned Bishop doeth acknowledge and confesse for this Church all trueth of doctrine so doeth hee reprooue condemne and detest all corruptions brought into the same either by the church of Rome or by any other ancient or newe heretikes whome he there particularly nameth yea and to the great comfort of all them that are members of the same church and acknowledge the same confession hee prooueth and euidently sheweth that the testimonies of the Scriptures whereon that confession is grounded for the true interpretation of them haue the witnesse consent of all the learned antiquitie as I haue saide for certaine hundred yeeres Which I take to bee a very good comfort and confirmation to all honest consciences in these captious and quarelling dayes That which I meane I will declare by some particulars What is more euident certaine and firme for the article of the person of Christ in his Godhead manhood then those things that the ancient Fathers decreed out of the canonicall scriptures in the Councels of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon some others against Arius Samosatenus Apollinaris Nestorius Eutiches and those heretikes that were termed Monotholetes c Therefore whosoeuer do teach contrary to the determination of those councels as some do in these dayes they do not iustly hold that principal article and foundation of Christian religion Moreouer as touching the grace and benefite of Christ the beginning whereof riseth from the eternall loue of God toward vs and from the free election to redemption and eternall saluation and proceedeth to our vse and benefite by the dispensation of Christ once offred vpon the Crosse by effectual calling wrought by the holy Ghost in preaching of the Gospell by our iustification sanctification and the gift of perseuerance and continuance in the faith thereby in the end to obtaine resurrection and eternall life touching I say this free grace of God another principall ground of Christian religion what coulde be or can bee more certainly or abundantly layde downe out of the holy Scriptures then was determined in the Councels of Carthage Mileuitane Aurasicane c. against the Pelagians and other enemies of the free grace of God in Christ Iesu our Sauiour Especially if you adde the writings of August and other ancient Fathers for defence of the same As to that which is necessarie to be knowen touching the true Catholique Church a matter of great importaunce euen at this day vvhat can be more copiously or with more perspicuitie declared then is by that learned father Augustine as well in other places as principally in his bookes against the Donatists Likewise for the matter of the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper if simple trueth coulde content men what is more euident then that doctrine which hath bene laid downe by the ancient Fathers Iustine Irenaeus Tertullian Cyprian Augustine Theodorete and a number
the Gospel in those parts Namely we haue had B. Cranmer Ridley Latimer Couerdale Hooper diuers other vvhich were no Bishops as M. Bradford M. Sanders M. Rogers M. Philpot D. Haddon c. Most of vvhich as they haue left good proofe of their learning in vvriting so did they confirme the same vvith their blood in the ende The like I may iustly say of them vvhome God hath sent to restore his Trueth since the beginning of her Maiesties reigne hovvsoeuer it pleaseth the Broode of the Martinists to deface them as Bishoppe Coxe Pilkington Grindall Sands Horne Iewell c. vvhich haue good testimonie of their learning giuen them by as graue learned and zealous men as any haue liued in this age among vvhome for certaine yeeres they liued A nomber of other haue proceeded out of both our Vniuersities vvhich though Martin Momus will say the contrary deserue singular commēdation for their learning and haue declared the same to the vvorlde in ansvvering and confuting the opprobrious writings of the common Aduersaries In vvhich their ansvveres without enuie and displeasure be it spoken there appeareth as sufficient learning as doeth in the most workes at this time published by the vvriters of forreine Countreies If Englishmen at this time so greatly dispraysed vvere giuen vvith like paynes to set foorth the exercises of their studie and learning as in other places they doe they vvoulde dravve as good commendation of learning to their Countrey as most other Churches doe To vvhich nomber of ours I adde also some of thē vvhom certaine occasions haue caried away to the misliking of the present state of this Church vvhich I knowe haue receiued of God singular good giftes which I pray earnestly they may vse to his glory and the procuring the vnity peace of the Church vvhich our Hastie Diuines of M. M. his brood seeke to breake and disturbe This testimonie I thought my selfe bounde in conscience to yeelde to that Church of my naturall Countrey in vvhich and by vvhich through the mercie of our gracious God I am that I am The godly I trust vvill interprete all to the best the residue I looke not to please The B. of Winchester is further charged in this maner He said that men might find fault if they were disposed to quarrell aswel with the Scriptures as with the booke of common prayer Who could heare this comparison without trembling Let the Libellers whatsoeuer they are remēber Os quodmentitur occidit animam At that time in S. Mary Oueries church in a large discourse he did answere the obiections that many make at this day against the booke of common praier towarde the end vttered these words If it could be without blasphemie they might picke as many as great quarrels against the holy scriptures thēselues For euen the best writings are subiect to the slanderous malice of wicked men This assertion was found fault with all by a Iesuite or Massing priest at that time in the Marshalsey therfore the B. the next Sunday following expounded his meaning and at large shevved that that might be done which beforetime was done by a great number and that he was not so far beside himselfe as to compare the booke of common prayer vvith the holy scriptures in dignity trueth or maiestie He leaueth such blasphemous dealing to the Papists the Family of Loue some other Sectaries but he compared them in this as it is before saide that the Scriptures themselues vvere subiect also to slaunderous and deprauing tongues and yet not therfore to be reiected wherof he recited sundry examples Celsus that heathenish Epicure against whom Origen writeth in his booke called Verax doth powre out many railing slaunderous reproches not onely against the holy Scriptures but also against the course of Christian Religion as that they receiued their religion doctrine of the barbarous Iewes that is out of the bookes of Moses and the Prophets The like did Porphyrius an other Philosopher and in his bookes reprooued the Scriptures in many places for hee wrote thirtie bookes against Christian religion That scoffing sophister Libanius and his scholler Iulian the Apostata vsed the like blasphemies against the Christian faith and the Scriptures out of which it was prooued as appeareth in sundrie auncient Writers Who knoweth not that some Heretikes reiected the most part of the olde Testament as false and fabulous The Valentiniane Heretike sayeth Tertullian Quaedam legis Prophetarum improbat quaedam probat id est Omnia improbat dum quaedam reprobat The Marcionists receiue onely the Gospell of Matthewe the other they reiect And likewise they admitte but two Epistles of Saint Paul that is to Timothie and Titus and as Hierome sayeth to Philemon Tatian also depraueth the Scriptures reiecteth the Actes of the Apostles and picketh sundrie other quarrels against them There was neuer any Heretike but that to giue countenance to his opinion hee would seeme to ground it vpon the Scriptures And what is that but wickedly to father lies vpon the Scriptures And for this cause you know the Papists thinke it no sure ground to rest vpon the scriptures onely affirming blasphemously that the Scriptures are darke vnperfect and doubtfull because they may bee wrested cuery way like a nose of waxe or like a leaden Rule Wherefore Christian charitie and modestie woulde not thus maliciously and slanderously wrest and wring the words of the Bishop tending to a good and godly meaning Of like trueth it is that he burtheneth the Bishop of Winchester to affirme that it was heresie to say The preaching of the worde was the onely ordinarie way to saluation which he neuer thought or spake either thē or at any other time of his life But in handling of that controuersie Penrie spake things so strangely obscurely that he seemed to attribute that effect to the preaching of the word only not otherwise vsed by reading And being vrged with that question by occasion of reading the Scriptures in Churches his answere was such as hee euidently shewed himselfe to meane that that effect of saluatiō could not be wrought by hearing the worde of God read with some other wordes giuing suspition of worse matter And then indeede the B. rose not out of his place as these honest men doe carpe nor spake in such cholerike maner as they pretend but quietly said My Lord this is not farre from heresie What were the words that Penry vsed especially moued the B. to speake hee doeth not at this time remember but sure he is they were as far from that which is laide downe in the Libel as falshoode can be from truth I wonder that mē which professe God yea or that beleeue there is a God can with open mouth so boldely powre foorth such heapes of vntrueths Detractor abominabilis est Deo The counsell of the Prophet is good He that would gladly see good dayes let him refraine his tongue from euill and
doubt of their consciences which neuer doubted before Many strange Assertions either plainly false or as Paradoxes true in some rare and extraordinarie sense haue beene by sundry persons and some of them well learned vttered and taught to the troubling of many mens mindes and specially such as were not able to reach to the depth of them As for example that it is a grieuous offence to kneele at the receiuing of the Communion A gentleman of good countenaunce hath affirmed to my selfe that hee woulde rather hazard all the land hee had then bee drawen to kneele at the Communion An heauie burthen to lay vpon a mans conscience for an externall gesture The doctrine of the Lords Supper hath bene so slenderly taught by some that a number haue cōceiued with themselues that they receiue nothing but the externall elements in remembrance that Christ died for them And these their cogitatiōs haue they vttered to other to their great misliking Priuat baptism yea publike also if it be ministred by one that is no preacher hath bin so impugned as if it were no sacrament at all whereby questiōs haue bin raised by sundry persons what is become of them that were neuer baptized otherwise Or whether it were not necessary that all such persons as are certainly knovven not to haue receiued any other baptisme thē that was priuatly done ought not to bee baptised againe because the other is esteemed as no Sacrament The article of the common Creed touching Christes descension into hell contrary to the sense of all ancient writers hath bin strangely interpreted and by some with vnreuerent speeches flatly reiected These and a number of such other haue vndoubtedly bred great offence and wounded the hearts of an infinite number causing them partly to reuolt to Papistry partly to Atheisme and neglecting of all Religion as is seene by the liues of many to the exceeding griefe of all them that feare God and loue his trueth As I haue talked with many Recusants so did I neuer confer with any that would vse any speech but that he hath alleadged some of these offences to bee cause of his reuolting And some haue affirmed flatly vnto me that in seeking to presse thē to come to our Church and seruice we do against our owne consciences seeing our most zealous preachers as they be taken openly speake and vvrite that as well our seruice as the administration of the sacraments are contrary to the word of God I beseech Almightie God of his great mercie that he vvill open the eyes of them vvhich thus eagerly haue striuen against the present state of this Church to see vvhat hurt and hinderance hath come to the profession of the Gospell by these vncharitable and needelesse contentions And vndoubtedly if God moue not the heartes of the chiefe Rulers and Gouernours to seeke some ende of this Schisme and faction vvhich nowe renteth in pieces this Church of England it cannot bee but in short time for one Recusant that now is wee shall haue three if the increase of that number which I mention be not greater For I doe heare and see those things that it grieueth my heart to consider What hurt and trouble Satan hath at all times raised in the Church of God by occasion of dissention and discorde mooued not only by heretikes false teachers but also by them vvhich othervvise haue bene good and godly Christians the Ecclesiasticall Histories doe euidently declare What should I recite the Schisme between the East and West Churches for the obseruation of the feast of Easter vvhich continued a great number of yeeres and grevv to such bitternesse that the one excommunicated the other What shal I say of the Schismes and grieuous contentions in the East Church and especially at Antiochia and Alexandria betweene Paulinus and Flauianus Lucifer and Eusebius the Meletians and Eustathians all at the beginning good Christians and imbracing true doctrine And yet did they vvith great troubles eschevve one the others communion as you may reade in Epiphanius lib. 2. Theodor. lib. 1. cap 8. c. Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 23. Sozom lib. 2. cap. 18. for the space of 80. yeres and aboue I omit the great strife betweene Chrysost of the one part and Theophilus Cyrill and Epiphanius on the other for the burning of Origens bookes They vvere all good and learned bishops and vve doe worthily reuerence their memory yet fel this matter so foule among them that because Chrysost vvould not consent to the burning of Origens bookes Theophilus and Cyrill vvould scantly euer acknovvledge him to be a lavvfull Bishop I mention not a great number of other like factiōs vvhich grew in the same age to the trouble and hinderance of true Christianitie as many godly and learned men did then complaine And sundry graue authours vvhich haue written in this our time and before iudge that these wayward contentions in the East Church vvere the chiefe causes that brought vpon them afterward the heauie wrath of God that tooke his Gospel from them and cast them into the tyrannie of Saracens Turkes as we haue seene novv these many yeeres A notable example to vs good Christian Readers to take heede in time and earnestly to pray vnto God that he will so blesse vs with his holy Spirite that wee may be all like minded hauing the selfe same loue being of one minde and of one iudgement that nothing bee done among vs through strife and vaine glory but that in humblenesse of minde euery one will thinke of other better then of himselfe that vve may growe together in one heart and minde against the common aduersarie to the glory of God and the promoting of his Gospel the safetie of our gracious Prince naturall countrey Of such discord in the church S. Basile grieuously cōplaineth When I was growen saith he into mans age often going into strange Countries fel into troubles I obserued and found that in other Artes there was great concord agreement betweene them that were the chiefe of those Artes and Sciences Onely in the Church of God for which Christ died and vpon which he had plentifully powred downe his holy spirit I saw great vehement discord aswell among themselues particularly as in things contrarie to the holie Scriptures And that which is most horrible I sawe them that are the chiefe of the Church so drawen asunder in diuersitie and contrarietie of opinions that without all pitie they did most cruelly teare in pieces the flocke of Christ so that if euer nowe it is verified that the Apostle speaketh From among your selues shall rise men speaking peruerse things that they may drawe Disciples to followe them The third cause and the principall of all other is that the ramping roaring Lion that goeth about seeking whome he may deuoure and watching all occasions to doe mischiefe in the Church of God hath taken the opportunitie of this Schisme diuision among our selues And therefore euer since that began he
not be saued by shame might haue his saluation wrought by reproch For a great thing it is to one that hath any feare of God to haue reproch in the face of the Church And to this interpretation the most of the ancient writers agree Obiection They will reply that at that time there were manie Presidents as it were and gouernours of the Church together with the chiefe Ministers in euery Congregation Answere I grant it was so But it doth not follow thereupon that it is a commaundement that for euer in all places and times it should be so I am not of that opinion nor euer was any of the auncient Writers no more are sundry learned men of great credite at this time Quòd vna semper debet esse oeconomia Ecclesiae that is that the externall gouernement of the Church should alwayes in all places be one and specially by a college or company of Elders When Christ said Tel the Church there was as yet no Christian church established but Christ took his speech according to the state of the Iewes Church that then was as in another place he â—aith If thy brother trespasse against thee leaue thine offering before the altar If they will gather by the former speech Tell the Church that of necessity they must haue a company of Elders as then was in the Iewes church why let them make like collection of the latter that of necessitie there must be altars in the church of Christ the absurditie whereof will bee greater then any good christian man will easily receiue Obiection They will say the Apostles afterward and the Primitiue Church did practise the same Answere That is not yet proued but let theÌ„ struggle while they lust theysh al neuer find a commandement in the scriptures charging that it shuld for euer be so It were to great a bridle of christiaÌ„ liberty in things external to cast vpoÌ„ the church of Christ So loÌ„g as the church of God was in persecutioÌ„ vnder tyrants might well seeme to be the best and fittest order of Gouernment But when God blessed his Churche with Christian Princes the Scriptures doe not take away that libertie that with the consent of their godlie magistrates they may haue that outwarde forme of iurisdiction deciding of Ecclesiasticall causes as to the state of the Countrey and people shall be most conuenient And that libertie haue diuers reformed churches since the restoring of the Gospell vsed Now as when other churches in their externall order of gouernment differ froÌ„ ours we neither do nor ought to mislike with them so if ours differ froÌ„ theirs retaining still the sinceritie of the gospel and trueth of doctrine I trust they will euen as charitably thinke of vs. If any desire further aunswere in this controuersie of church gouernment I refer them to the reply of D. Bridges vntill they haue with modestie and grauitie answered his booke It is obiected also against Bishops that they abuse Ecclesiasticall Discipline I take Ecclesiasticall Discipline to consist in reprouing correcting and excommunicating such as be offendors in the Church And I thinke their meaning is here that bishops their officers abuse Excommunication in punishing therewith those persons which obstinately with contempt refuse either to appeare when they bee called to aunswere their offences or when they appeare disobey those orders and decrees by Ecclesiasticall officers appoynted Howe this part of Church Discipline was abused by the Pope it is well knowen and that hee made Excommunication an instrument to bring the neckes of Emperors and Princes ynder his girdle and to make the whole world subiect to him For this was almost the onely meane whereby he became so dreadfull to all men and got to himself so great autoritie The perpetual course of the histories euen such as were written by his owne Parasites and chiefly of this Realme of England declare this to be most true For triall hereof reade the historie of Thomas Becket But I thinke no man is so caried with the misliking of our Bishops that he wil accuse them in this sort to abuse Excommunication seeing by their preaching they haue binprincipall instruments to ouerthrow the same in the Church of Rome They cannot say that any Bishop of this church euer since the restoring of the Gospell indeuoured to excommunicate the Prince and gouernours of purpose to make them subiect to their authoritie in the Church And happily that may bee a fault yea and a great fault that is founde with them in these daies that they do not so and constraine the prince and Rulers to doe that which by perswasion they will not doe But howe expedient this maner of Excommunication is for this time I leaue to the wise and godly to consider Sure I am that some of the most zealous churches reformed haue it not nor thinke it tollerable And yet such a maner of Excommunication it is that many striue at this day to haue brought into the Church vnder the name of Discipline But how easily it would grow to abuse and what danger it might bring in this state of time I thinke there is no wise man that doth not foresee vnlesse it be such as to bring their purpose to passe and to settle their deuise in the Church thinke no danger to be shunned As for the Excommunication practised in our Ecclesiasticall Courtes for contumacie in not appearing or not satisfying the iudgement of the Court if it had pleased the Prince and them that had autoritie to make Lawes for the gouernment to haue altered the same at the beginning and set some other order of processe in place thereof I am perswaded the Bishops and Clergy of this Realme woulde haue bin very wel contented therewith Gualter a learned man of the Church of Tygure writing vpon the first to the Corinthians hauing shewed the danger of this other Excommunication speaketh of a maner of ciuile discommuning vsed in that Church Which or the like good order deuised by some godlie persons if it might bee by authoritie placed in this Churche without danger of further innouation I thinke it woulde be gladly reciued to shunne the offence that is taken at the other and yet surely vnder correction the Law of alteration woulde breede some inconuenience But the perpetuall crying of many to haue a mutation of the whole state of the Clergie and a number of other thinges in the Church beside which must needes draw with it a great alteration in the state of the Realme also maketh the Prince and other Gouernours to bee afraide of any mutation For they knowe what daunger may come in these perillous dayes by innouations And if they shoulde once beginne things are so infinite shat they can see no ende of alterations Therefore eeing wee haue a Church setled in a tollerable maner of reformation and all trueth of doctrine freely taught and allowed by the authority of this realme yea and the aduersaries of trueth by lawe
indifferent and not to iudge euil of such as did vse them Shortly after rose vp other defending that they were not thinges indifferent but distayned with Antichristian idolatrie and therefore not to bee suffered in the Church Not long after came forth an other sort affirming that those matters touching Apparell were but trifles and not worthie contention in the Church but that there were greater thinges farre of more weight and importance and indeede touching faith and religion and therefore meete to be altered in a Church rightly refourmed As the booke of Common prayer the administration of the Sacraments the gouernment of the Church the election of Ministers and a number of other like Fourthly now breake out another sort earnestly affirming and teaching that we haue no Church no Bishops no Ministers no Sacraments and therfore that all they that loue Iesus Christ ought vvith all speede to separate themselues from our congregation because our assemblies are prophane vvicked and Antichristian THis haue you heard of foure degrees prepared for the ouerthrow of this state of the Church of England Now lastly of all come in these men that make their whole direction against the liuing of bishops and other Ecclesiasticall ministers that they shoulde haue no Temporall landes or iurisdiction that they shoulde haue no stayed liuings or possession of goods but onely a reasonable Pension to finde them meate drinke and cloth and by the pouerty of their life contempt of the world to be like the Apostles For say they riches and wealth hath brought all corruption into the Church before time and so doth it now Answere Novv is the enemie of the Church of God come almost to the point of his purpose And if by discrediting of the Ministers or by coumenance of gaine and commoditie to the Prince and Nobilitie or by the colour of Religion and holinesse or by any cunning he can bring this to passe as before I haue signified hee so reseeth that learning knovvledge of good letters and studie of the tongues shall decay aswel in the Vniuersities as other wayes which haue bene the chiefe instruments to publish and defend the doctrine of the Gospell and to inlarge the kingdom of Christ And then of necessitie his kingdome of darkenesse errour and heresie must rise againe and leaue this land in worse state then euer it was before But to perswade this matter more pithily to couer the principal purpose with a cloake of holinesse it is saide and in very earnest maner auouched and that by the word of God that neither the Prince can giue it them nor suffer them to vse it without the danger of Gods wrath and displeasure nor they ought to take it but to deliuer it vp againe into the Princes hand or els they shal shew them selues Antichristian Bishops vaine glorious lucres men not ashamed professing God to continue in that drossie way and sowre lumpe of dough that corrupteth the whole Church and brought out the wicked botch of Antichrist This doctrine as it is boldely affirmed God himselfe hath vttered Christ hath taught his Apostles haue written the Primitiue church cōtinued the holy Fathers witnessed the late writers vphold as it must forsooth be prooued by the whole course of the scriptures of the old and new Testament But good Christians be not feared away with this glorious countenance and these bigge wordes of a bragging champion I trust you shall perceiue that this doctrine is neither vttered by God nor taught by Christ nor writtē by his Apostles nor witnessed by ancient writers nor vpholden by learned men of our time but that it is rather a bolde and dangerous assertion vttered by some man of very small skill countenanced with a fevv wrested Scriptures contrary to the true meaning of God the father Christ his sonne and of his holy Apostles and a little shadowed with vaine allegations of writers either of no credite or little making to the purpose And surely how great and earnest zeale how vehement loftie wordes so euer the vtterer of this assertion vseth it may be suspected that either he is not himself soundly perswaded in true religion or if he be that of simplicitie negligence or ignorance he was abused by some subtile and craftie Papist that woulde set him forth to the derision of other to thrust out into the world and openly broach this corrupt and dangerous doctrine Wherefore it were good that they which wil take vpon them to be the furtherers of such new deuises should better looke to their proofe witnesses vnlesse they wil seeme to abuse al men to thinke that they liue in so loose negligent a state that nothing shalbe examined that they speake but that al things shalbe as easily receiued as they may be boldly vttered But I trust those that haue the feare of God and care of their soules will not be afraide of vaine shadowes nor by and by beleeue all glorious brags but take heed that they be not easily led out of the way by such as wil so quickly be deceiued themselues I do not answere their vaine Arguments because I feare that any discreete or learned man wil be perswaded with them but because I mistrust that the simple and ignorant people or other that be not acquainted with the Scriptures by the very name and reuerence of the word of God will be carried away without iust examination of them To descend something to the consideration of the matter marke I pray you the Proposition that is to be proued It is not that they may be good Bishops and ministers of the Church which haue neither glebe nor temporall landes to liue on It is not that there were in the primitiue Church and nowe are in sundry places churches well gouerned which haue not lands allotted vnto them It is not that the Apostles had no lands nor any other a number of yeeres after Christ For these poynts I thinke no man will greatly stand with them But this is the Assertion Obiection No Prince or magistrate by Gods worde may lawfully assigne lands to the ministers of the church to liue on but ought to set them to pensions Nor any of the Ecclesiasticall state can by the Scriptures enioy or vse any such landes but should deliuer them vp to the Prince c. Answere Looke I pray vou vpon this Assertion and consider it well Doe you not see in it euen at the first euident absurditie Do you not see a plaine restraint of Christian liberty as bold and as vnlawfull a restraint as euer the Pope vsed any Do you not espy almost a flat heresie as dangerous as many branches of the Anabaptists errors It is no better then an heresie to say that by the word of God it is prohibited for Ministers to marry It is no better then an heresie to affirme that Christian men by the lawe of God may not eate flesh or drinke wine Saint Paul doeth consecrate these to be Doctrines of Deuils