this sin cleaueth fast vnto these priests euen to this day who cannot endure to haue their portion spoken against but thinke all too little that they inioy when as for discharge of their functions in teaching the people the most conscionable among themselues haue complayned to the Parliament that the word of God is negligently fantastically profanely and â—â—thenishly preached and all the land knoweth that many ministers preach not at all Whereas these ministers tel vs of diuers congregations that haue publikly professed their repentance for their former idolatry it is well if so it be God giue them grace to goe forward in wel doing But they tell vs not of any congregation that professeth repentance for their present idolatrie or that renounceth the communion of the other impenitent and profane parishes which they should also doe if they would be the sonns and daughters of the Lord almighty Nay we know that if any among them doe this they ar excommunicated ipso facto out of the church of England by force of their canons anno 160â— Finally whereas these Ministers doubt not to affirme that the whole land in the parliament held in the first year of her Maiesties reigne did enter into a solemn couenant with the Lord for renouncing of Popery and receiuing the Gospel First they set not downe what couenant the Parliament then made nor how they renounced Popery and therefore that is to be iudged of when it shall more particularly be produced Secondly if then the Parliament house so did it is commendable in them but that the whole communialtie of the realm can be sayd to doe it with them I vtterly deny For howsoeuer all subiects are and ought to submit to the good ciuill lawes there enacted and obedience may be inforced by the sword if any man resist yet in cases of conscience euery man must liue by his own faith men must gladly receiue the word out of which all religion must be gathered all Kings and kingdomes submitting vnto the lawes and ordinances in Chrâ—sts Testament if they would haue blessing and saluation by him And as the honourable in the Parliament could not be baptised for the commons so neyther could they repent or couenant with God for them but the people must yeild their own willing consent which they neuer did but were and still are compelled by law and penalty to be of the church and religion established Which how well they haue brooked let the testimonies of the ministers before alleged and the irreligious walking of many thowsands euer since manifest For now our land is a reprouch to the idolatrous Papists for the multitude of Atheists and Machevillians that are therein The second thing which these Ministers say we obiect against the whole body of their assemblies is That they communicate together in a false and idolatrous outward worship of God which is polluted with the writings of men vid. with read stinted prayers homilies Catechismes and such like To which they giue this answer First it is euident by the word that the church hath vsed and might lawfully vse in prayer and Gods worship a stinted and set forme of words And here â—hey allege Num. 6 23.24 Deut 26.3.15 Psal. 22. 92.1 Chro. 16.8.36 Luk. 11.2 Very strange it is that after so much time and consideration men that professe to be ministers of the Gospell should giue such an answer The thing obiected against their worship made of the inuention of the man of sinne was in the first answer to Mr Gifford who shut his eyes and would not see th' abominations of the same shewed in sundry particulars as the Romish fasts feasts and holy dayes Comminations Rogations Purifications c. blasphemous hereticall collects c. which after were more plainely refuted These and the like evils conteyned in their Leitourgie translated out of the Massebook and imposed vpon their parishesr being by Mr Barrow blamed now come these ministers and tel vs of Psalmes that Dauid made of formes of blessing and prayer that God and our Lord Christ prescribeth to his church and these must countenance and bear our all the popish trash that is in their seruice booke But it would farr better haue fitted their estate and worship if they had cited the Popes in sted of the Patriarches Prophets and Apostles who were altogether vnacquainted with this Româ—sh seruice For howsoeuer Dauid made many Psalmes yet not he but Pope Damasus as writers say ordeyned Glory be to the Father c. to be added vnto them and they to be sung by tournes as the church of Engl. yet vseth and Pope Vitalian to make vp the musick brought in the Organs Yea the foresayd Damasus inioyned Hierom to make an order of seruice for churches and appoynt what prayers should be sayd on euery day and how many Psalmes c. which being done the Pope commanded al churches should vse that order and none other And a much like exploit was performed by the Archbishop of Cant. and his brethren in K. Edwards days as Mr Fox reporteth for the seruice now vsed still in Engl. Agayne for the particulars who framed the Anthemes Responds Collects and Kyries that are sayd at mattins neyther Prophet nor Apostle but as some say pope Gregorie I. and Pope Gelasius And the same Pope Gregory put k the Pater noster into the masse and commanded it to be sung and Pope Marâ—us I would haue the Nicene Creed sung after the Gospell Pope Anacletus thought it fit the priest and people should salute one another another in seruice time and therefore appoynted the one to say Tâ—â— Lord hearâ—th 〈◊〉 and the other to answer And with thy spirit Pope 〈◊〉 put iâ— at the Sacrament O lamb of God that takest away the sinns of the wâ—rlâ— hâ—uâ— mercy on vs Pope Symmachusâ—d added the hymme Glory be to Gâ—d on high and the other Popes bâ—ought in their parts and patched together theâ—r Letaniâ— Leitourgie out of which the English seruicebook is taken Likewise for the fasting dayes and holy festiuâ—ties though the Apostles appoynted them not yet the Popes did Telesohorus woulde haue the Lent to be fasted and Pope Calistus the fowr times in the year or Imbring dayes Pope Syluester 1. added the Wednesdayes Frydayeâ— and Saturâ—ayes weekly and Pope Innocenâ— 3. put vnto the former almost all the Apostles eues The Saincts and Angels were also beholding to these Reuerend fathers for hallowing their dayes For generally all the Saincts found such fauour with Pope Boniface that they had not only a catholik holy day giuen them called All-hallomes but a famous Temple in Rome once dedâ—cated to all the Dâ—uils and called Pantheon was turned by this holy Father into the name of Maria rotunda and consecrated to the honoâ—r of the B Virgin‘ and all martyrs Pope Felix 3 mad holy the day
of the archangel Michael Boniface the 8. shewed like honour to the 4 Euangelists and many other memorable gests are recorded of the Fathers of the See of Rome whereof there is not a word in the Testament of Christ that he or his disciples did euer the like For they appoynted not priests apparall long gownes tippers 4. horned capps as did Pope Zacharie nor a white linen surplice at seruice time as did Pope Syluester 1. They hallowed no Temples or Churches as did P. Hyginus nor Churchyards as did P. Calistus 1 Neyther ordeyned ringing of bells to call the people to diuine seruice as did P. Sabinian They appointed no Rood-loft to part the Chancel from the church as did P. Bâ—niface 2 nor hallowed Font to Christen in or Godfathers and Godmothers at baptisme as did P Pius 1. and Hyginus They commanded not the people to goe procession as did Pope Agapetus 1. nor appoynted any Bishoping or Confirmation of children as did P Clement 1. with a great number more of like pranks vsed in the Romish seruice which Christs Apostles knew not as their writings shew But the church of Engl. as next heir of Romes constitutions reteyneth these reliques obserueth these rites and a many moe for which the Papists doe insult and say that from their treasure house the religion now established hath learned the forme of christening Marrying Churching of women Visiting the sick Burying and sundry other likâ— as the books translated out of theirs doe declare And now what sayth Gods law for all such things vnto his people I am sayth he the Lord your God After the doing of the land of Aegypt wherein ye dwel shall ye not doe and after the doing of the land of Canaan whether I will bring you shall ye not doe neyther walke in their ordinances My iudgments shall ye doe and my ordinances shall ye keep to walke in them I am the Lord your God Thus he forbad them not onely the worship of false Gods but euen the imitation of idolatrous worship rites and ordinances in his seruice wherfore he charged them againe that they should not so much as inquire or ask how the nations serued their Gods that they might doe so to the Lord their God But whatsoever he commanded them they should make heed to doe it putting nothing thereto nor taking ought therfrom Yet the Bishops and Priests of Engl. haue almost all things in their Leiâ—ourgie according to the doings of that spiritual Aegypt the Romish church wherein they dwelt and haue imitated her worships‘ orders ceremonies c. reteyned her ministery prelacy courts and canons thâ— Latine being turned into English and some grosse superfluities left ouâ— And in defense of this worship haue these godly ministers written Mr Bernard published their work wherein if the reader see not a soâ—nd proof of the things that Mr Barrow whose errors they pretend to confute reproued he must impute it to the badnes of their cause which wil scars admit of any colour from the booke of God For besides the abuse of holy scriptures alleged to iustify these popish stratagems how sound diuine or rather how fond and corrupt is the reasoning of these men from Gods example and authority vnto their own practise and power that because the Lord God gaue formes of blessing prayer and psalmes to his people as the scriptures which they cite doe shew therefore their Lords the Prelates may giue them also prescript words for blessing prayer and Psalmes c. as is to be seen in their seruice book Can we thinke that Ieroboam had so slender a reason for his goldeÌ„ calues Why doe not these men also plead that God gaue a law by Moses therefore ther may a law be giuen likewise by the Bishops or th' Apostles wrote a new Testament therefore the Conuocation house may also write a Testament or Gospel bring it into the church If the Prophets practise will bear them ovt in the one I see no cause why it may not vphold them in the other Wel seing neyther Mr Gifford heretofore nor these ministers now can bring better defense for the work of their own hands wherewith they worship or rather prouoke the Lords I leaue them to consider of those lawes that euery where cry ovt against and shew the punishment of idolatrie Neyther is it needfull to keep the Reader with longer answer seing Mr Barrow in the fornamed books and Mr Greenwood in a peculiar treatise against these stinted prayers and seâ— worship haue proued the vnlawfulnes of them by many reasons which neyther these ministers nor any other haue yet taken away And when they write agayn let them not bring proofs for things that we deney not as that Daunds Psalmes may be sung in the church and that in our prayers we may vse or apply the words that other holy men before vsed in their prayers vpon like occasions both these we grant and practise but let them proue if they be able and their right hand can help them that their own writetnn prayers psalmes c. may be read and sung in churches churchâ—â— as Gods true worship and then also they may command the clowdes to rayn no more and may cause to cease the bottels of heauen Like to their former plea and maintenance of their seruice booke is also their answer for Catechismes as for Homilies it seemes they leaue the the defense of them to the simple priests that read them but Catechismes are vsed euen by the learned preachers therefore somewhat they say for them as that the principles of religion were taught in the churches of old RoÌ„ 2.20 6 17.2 Tim 1 13 Heb. 5.12.13 14 and 6 1.2 But these ministers are eyther simple or very deceitfull so to turne away from the question For we neuer deneyed that the grounds and heads of Christian religion should be taught to the people far be it from vs but this we say the Prophets and Apostles are not found to prescribe set words for the minister to teach or the people to answer being examined And that therefore these Bishops and Priests are very presumptuous that wil take vpon them to doe that which Christs Apostles neuer did in the churches Agayn that if those men of God had to done yet seing the writings of Prophets and Apostles are canonicall scriptures and so are no mens writings now it will by no meanes follow that if they wrote catechismes to be vsed in the Church therefore men may writ some for like vse now Yea rather why are they not content with that which is already written in the scriptures but run to erroneous catechismes of humane writers such as is that authorized catechisme in the book of common prayer commanded to be vsed in the church of England Hauing heard what these godly ministers say for their people and seruice book I exspected somewhat also for defense of their own minister and the ecclesiasticall gouernment of
King of the church of England p 74. c. not the spowse of the same pag 42. c Compulsion to the faith and church vsed in Engl. but vnwarrantable pag 120.78.131 c.. p 133 Constitution of a church pag 98.99 K. Edwards reformation of religion and how it was accepted pag. 120.133 Foundation Christ and Fundamentall truth pretended and discused pag 34.123 c. 126.117 c Gifts proue not a true ministery pag 13 c. Matter of the church of Engl. pag 106. Ministery of the church of Engl. pag 108 c. A Papist argument against the church of Engl. pag. 111. Pattern of planting a church pag. 44. Popular gouernment obieâ—ted and answered pag. 101 c. Popes authors of many ordinances now in Engl pag. 137 c. Positions concerneng a true church pag. 65 c. Profession in Engl. contrary to their estate and praâ—tise pag 124 c Reformation by the Kings of Iudah p. 134. c Reformed churches alleged for approbation of the church of Engl. and answered pag. 9 10.22 c. 48 51 â—2 c. 128 129. Repentance not truely preached or practised in the church of Engl. pag. 45. c. 56. c. Separation proued necessary p 5 22 granted by our aduersaries pag. 1 Synns suffred how they defile the church pag. 101. c. Spirits of the Prophets subiect to the Prophets scanned pag. 28.29 Testimonies of the ministers of Engl. against the estate of that church concerning The people pag. 2.107.108.59 60 62.122.125 126.127 The ministery and ministers pag. 3.11.112.81 114.119 136 142 143. The worship pag 3 The church gouernours pag 4 Worship of God in the church of England polluted pleaded for against pag. 137. c CONSIDERATIONS Touching the poynts in difference betvveen the godly 〈…〉 people of the Church of England and the seduced brethren of the separation A Separation we deny not from the corruptions of the Church wherein we liue 1 in iudgment 2 profession 3 practise 1 of teaching euâ—ry part of truth and righteousnes 2 of performing the things we teach 3 of reprouing every part of sin and error 4 and absteyning from all corruptions of life and dâ—ctrine for which particulars so many of both parts haue suffred and doe suffer so many things But the difference is we suffer for separating in the Church you out of the Church And this to be true you know vnlesse you will cauill against your own conscience and knowledge Answer WHO so examineth these your Considerations and weigheth them in the ballance of equitie may finde them wanting in many poynts touching the differences between your Church and vs that separate froÌ„ the same and insufficient in the poynts that are handled to perswade any wise hart to returne vnto you You ouerpasse 1 the hierarchie of your spirituall Lords the prelates with their vnder officers which reign ouer you 1 and the forme of Gods worship by your Leitourgie or seruice booke set vp and vsed in all your parishes These are two mayn exceptions that we make against you though you dissemble them in this your writing and insist vpon other two 1 the people and 2 inferior ministerie as I conceiue you as if these onely were the poynts of difference between vs and you Which whether you haue done of ignorance or of fraud rather to deceiue your reader I leaue it vpon your conscience to consider of Againe the two things that you take vpon you to handle you for down in these termes the godly Ministers and people of the Church of England whereas our separation is from your Church in generall wherein many vngodly ministers and people are to be found standing in commixture or confusion rather as one body with those which are estemed more godly and religeous and therefore you deale not syncerely to make our separation to seem but from apart and those the godly Agayn whereas there is a scisme in your Church by two contrary factions at warr with your selues Conformitans and Puritans as you stile one another you deale not plainely to tell vs whither party you meane to defend but lead your reader into clowdes and mâ—st speaking of godly miâ—isters and people not naming who or where they are That thoâ—gh one may gueâ—se whome you mean yet you write so generâ—lly covertly that if danger or in conuenience come by any thing you haâ—e sayd yoâ— may sâ—ifâ— it of to eyther side for your best aduantage A 〈◊〉 you deny not from the corruptions of the Châ—rch whâ—rein 〈◊〉 liue yet 〈…〉 not what those corruptions are which behooued you to haâ—e done if you woulâ— haue effeâ—ted oâ—r retâ—rne vnto you For we are uerily perswaded that they are nothing bâ—t your corruâ—tâ—ons 〈◊〉 we haue separated froâ— and therefore cannot reioyne our selues vnto you till they be remoued And seeing you may minde some things to be corruâ—tions in your Châ—rch and we othersome it cannot be we should well accord till particulars be related which therefore if you write agayn we pray you in your next to set downe Yet for the present it is well that the truth hath wrung out such a testimony from yovr own mouth and pen whiles you grant and deny not such a separation in generall as you mention to the branches whereof if you will stand and abide also by whâ—ch you haue heretofore wrâ—tten I doubt not but the discreet reader will see your bat ell is â—ot so much against vs as against your selues the sword which you haue dra◠〈◊〉 slay svch as be vpright of way doth enter into the verie hart of your own Church the bâ—wes which you haue bent at us are broken For â—e forsake your Church for this mayn corruption that all sorts of profane and wicked men haue been and are both they and their seed receiued into and nourished withâ—n the bâ—some of your Church contrary to the first couenant of our redemption wherein God with his owne mouth proclaymed perpetvall emnity and warr against the Serpent and his seed which the women and her seed should wage though with the brusing of the heel thereof Gen. 3. Contrary also to the example of all Gods Churches since the world begann who alwayes were seperated from the vngodly as the scriptures shew Now that this is a corruption aâ—ong you your selues haue taught saying and complayning that in the Church are swarmes of Atheists jdolaters Papists erroneus and hereticall sâ—ctaries witâ—hes charmers sorcerers murtherers theeues adulterâ—rs liers c Also that among you the holy Saccraments are communicated with the Papists the holy misteris of God profaned the Gentiles enter into the Temple of God the holy things are indifferently communicated with clean and vnclean circumcised and vncircumcised Againe that there be thâ—wsands which be men and women growne which if a man ask them how thâ—y â—halbe saued they cannot tell As for wickedness in pride envy haâ—red and all sinns that can be nâ—med almost it deth ouerflow and yet
and by all the Seers saying turne from your evill wayes c. neverthelesse they would not obey but hardened thâ—ir necks c. 2 Kiâ— 17 13 14 The next place Isa 55.11 sheweth the nature of Gods word which is effectâ—â—ll to make better or worse as he will that sendeth it not alwayes tâ— conuert for Pharaoh was hardned by it not onelie by the officers fâ—r â—â—is honoâ—r is to all the Saincts to haue the high acts of God in their mâ—â—thes and a two edged sword in their hands to execute vengeance in the heathens and corrections among the people c. Psal 149 6 7.9 The fruites whereby false prophets are knowne from true Mat. 7 â—0 are not the effects of their doctrine by converting men onely for so many true prophets heretofore should haue been iudged false but the doctrine it selfe and the works of life and conuersation are the prophets fruites which also may both be good in them that haue no office at all The next place Luk. 1.76 speaketh in partâ—cular of Iohns extraordinary office and work wherein God imployed him and proueth your purpose no more then the other Iohn 1â— 1 2. speaketh of lawfull enterers into the sheepfold by the door and of theeues that clime vp an other way What this will say for your ministers I know not vnlesse to proue them theeues for their entrance into the ministerie by the dâ—ore that is by Christs ordinance iâ— his church they cannot shew no lawfull office or calling haue they to witnâ—sse for them Yea they are ashamed of their office calling and entrance by the Bishops and secretly doe disclaym that to their people pretend their gifts graces and effects for proof of their ministerie 〈◊〉 many of vs that haue dealt with them doe know But what say I secrâ—â—ly nay openly and in print they haue yeelded that thâ—y enter not in by Christ but by a popish and vnlawfull vocatiâ—n The like seemeth â—o be closelie implied in these your arguments where you neither name what office your preachers haue nor how lawfullie they come by it as the reader may obserue The words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 9.1 2 4.15 shew two things 1 â— lawfull office of Apostleship 2 and Gods blessing vpon his labors in that office neither of Which can be shewed by your ministers neither proueth it yoâ—r proposition more then the other places For I hold with you that Gods lawfull ministers are the principall and most excellent ordinarie outward meanes for to work repentance faith c. but not the onely as you would haue it The Assumption namelie that such effects doe follow your preachers doctrine is denied You refer vs for the proof thereof to that which you wrote before and I also refer the reader to that which is before answered And here I wil add a further demonstration that true repentance can not follow your preachers doctrine in as much as they teach not true repentance neyther can teach it because their mouthes are mouzled by your church that they may not speake For thus it hath enacted Whosoeuer shall hereafter affiâ—me that the forme of Gods worship in the Church of England established by law and conteyned in the book of Common prayer c. is a corrupt superstitious or vnlawfull worship of God or conteyneth any thing in it that is repugnant to the scriptures let him be excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but by the Bishop of the place or Archbishop after his repentance and publick revocation of such his wicked errors Whosoeuer shall hereafter affirm that the rites and ceremonies of the church of England by law established are wicked Antichristian or superstitious or such as being commanded by lawfull authority men who are zealously and godly affected may not with any good conscience approue them vse them or as occasion requireth subscribe vnto them let him be excommunicated ipso facto and not restored vntill he repent and publickly revoke such his wicked errors Whosoeuer shall hereafter affâ—rm that the gouerment of the Church of Eng. vnder his Maiestie by Archbishops Bishops Deanes Archdeacons and the rest that doe bear office in the same is Antichristian or repugnant to the word of God let him be excommunicated ipso facto and so continew vntil he repent and publickly reuoke such his wicked errors Whosoeuer shall hereafter affirm or teach that the forme and manner of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons conteyneth any thing in it that is repugnant to the word of God let him be excommunicated ipso facto not to be restored vntil he repent and publicly revoke such his wicked errors These and the like constitutions hath your representatiue church of England made for maintenance of their worship ministerie ecclesiasticall gouernment rites ceremonies c against which your forward preachers heretofore so earnestly inveighed as being corrupt vnlawfull and antichristian but now behold their mouthes are shut they may not preach repentance for the many abominations that are among you if they doe they are excommunicated ipso facto and then are they neither officers nor members of your church Wherfore your ministers are eyther fain to hold their peace and be such as the Prophet complaineth of that rise not vp in the breaches nor make vp the hedge for the howse of Israel to stand in the battel in the day of the Lord or els they preach for defence of your own inuented worship pompous clergie and laudable ceremonies and are such as the prophet blameth for hauing seen a vayne vision and spoken a lying divination saying the Lord sayth it albeit he hath not spoken What reward then can they exspect for their preaching but as the Lord there threatneth that his hand shal be vpon them they shall not be in th' assembly of his people nor written in the writing of the howse of Israel Wherefore if there be any weight or soundnes in this your argument it may be returned vpon you thus The preachers after whose publick doctrine doe ordinarilie follow impenitency and continuance in an evill â—nd idolatrous estate of life in the hearers ar not the true ministers of God But after the doctrine of the preachers of your best assemblies doe ordinarily follow and appear impenitency idolatry and other fruites of the flesh in the hearers as is proued by the answer to this and to the assumption of your 4 argument for the churches Therfore the preachers of your best assemblies are not the true Ministers of God The 2 Argument SVch Ministers as haue promise of salvation in their present standing ar true Ministers of Christ. But so haue the ministers of our best assemblies Ergo. c. Proof of the assumption Because the promise of saluation is giuen to such Ministers as 1 are faithfull and wise stewards giuing the household meat in due season Mat 24 45.46 2. build gold siluer or stubble on the foundation 1 Cor 3 12 15. 3.
also command and compell all the world to be ioyned vnto the church And thus the world and the church between whom there hath been perpetuall warr mought soon be reconciled If this be a lawfull and orderly course it is strange that Christ sent forth poor fishermen to conuert sowles by preaching and set not the princes which he could as easily have done seing he had al power in heauen in earth to make disciples by compulsion and penalty Now for the parable they allege it is apparant that the same seruant was sent to compell that was before sent to call the inuited and if this be meant of the Magistrate then kings must leaue gouerning and goe to preaching We finde in the scripture that compulsion is not alwayes by the ciuill sword but sometime by instant and earnest vrging of the word and doctrine as they that compelled the Galatians to be circumcised and he that compelled the Gentiles to Iudaize And from this word compell to vrge or gather a ciuill forced compulsion is with no more reason or colour then as if some factious rebells should take vp armes for to stablish religion and allege how it is written the kingdome of heauen suffreth violence and the violent take it by force For as force and violence here is not ciuill but spiritual so is compulsion to be taken in the parable But a throne sayth Solomon gets vp in a dronkards hand and a parable in the mouth of fools Prou. 26.9 They allege that the first conuersion of our land to the faith of Christ was by preaching of the gospell Whether this were so or not remayneth for them to proue in their next book for in this they doe it not They must I suppose take the preaching of the gospel in a large sense if they will proue it For as it is vncertayn what was the fayth of the ancient Brittaines or how they were converted so for the English Saxons which were conuerred from Paganisme Mr Bale one of their own writers saith that Austen the Roman was sent as an Apostle from Gregory 1. to conuert them to a popish fayth And by an other Chronicler we learne that Pope Gregorie 1. sent this Austen the monk into Engl. with fourty monks moe which entred the ile of Thennet on the east side of Kent with a crosse with banners displayed hauing a crucifix painted vpoÌ„ every one of them singing the Letany with Orate pro nobis to al Angels Archangels Patriarches Prophets Priests Apostles Martyrs Confessors Virgins Monks Nunns Heremites and finally to all hee Saincts and shee Saincts that they might haue good luck and wel to fare in setting forth their Romish religion But howsoeuer the conuersion of English men was then which is not now to be stood vpon till we hear the testimony of the best approued histories which these men say they haue for their assertion it is sure by the scripures that the churches in Rome Corinth and many other places were conuerted by the gospell yet remayn they not true churches still But say these ministers since that time many haue from age to age been called by the same means And so say I hath there been in Rome yet is she a harlot and not Christs spowse Great numbers say they were effuectally called in K. Edwards dayes I answer the whole land was compelled by ciuill force to change their forme of seruice in part and sundry true doctrines were taught in some places which some beleued but many disobeyed and rebelled as before is shewed Neyther was that confuse popish multitude with a few conuers therein a true visible church Mr Fox describeth the estate thereof by a similitude a a new face of things began now sayth he to appear as it were in a stage new players comming in and the old being thrust out Thus vpon that old stage of the popish church came new players to weet new Bishops Priests and the masse was then at first still by law reteyned but the gospel and Epistle read in English yet were not all new players for as is ther noted the preists and clergie that yeilded to the kings lawes were suffred to keep thâ—ir places liuings c. After this the king appoynted the c Archbishop of Cant with other Bishops c. to make one conuenient and meet order rite and fashion of common prayer and administration of Sacraments c. who did so Then in the Parliament following it was agreed that all ministers in the realm should be bound to say and vse the mattins euensong celebrating of the Lords supper c. in such order and form as was mentioned in the sayd book and none other or otherweise But the players it seemeth played not their parts well for after complaint is made how by the cloked contempt wil full winking and stubborne disobedience of Bishops and old Popish curates the book of common prayer was long after the publishing thereof eyther not knowne at all or els very irreverently vsed through many places of the realm Yet was there no great cause why the people should so despise it for as the K. answered to the rebels of Deuonsh if the seruice in the church was good in Latin it remayneth good in English for nothing is altered but to speak with knowledge that which was spoken in ignorance Now let the reader minde what was the estate of the church in those dayes and see if the word of God will approve it But there were say these men great numbers by preaching so effectually called that in Q Maries reign many sealed the truth with their blood I acknowledge it and say also that as there haue many martyrs died heretofore in the Popish church so I doubt not but great numbers at this day are by preaching so effectually called in Rome Spayn c. that if Turks or Pagans should preuayl ouer them they would mainteyn seal Christian religion with their blood rather then submit to Mahomet For as one of your best ministers hath truely sayd God of his infinite goodnesse who câ—lleth thyngs that are not as though they were even in that ministery hath giuen grace vnto his Saincts it was impossible that the man of sinne should so much adulterat the word of God but that it should be to the faithfull a gospel of salvation It is further alleged h there were sundry secret congregations all Q Maries dayes which gladly receiued the gospell offred by Q. Eliz. say thes ministers if it be sayd that they ceased to be the tru churchs of Christ becaus they ioyned became one body with such as were newly come and that not of conscience but for fear onely from idolatrie we answer that they rather that-had fallen from the Gospel in Q. Maries dayes were moued by Q Eliz proclamation to ioyne themselues vnto them that had stood faithfully all that while Here is still building