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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19461	A modest and reasonable examination, of some things in vse in the Church of England, sundrie times heretofore misliked and now lately, in a booke called the (Plea of the innocent:) and an assertion for true and Christian church policy, made for a full satisfaction to all those, that are of iudgement, and not possessed with a preiudice against this present church gouernment, wherein the principall poynts are fully, and peaceably aunswered, which seeme to bee offensiue in the ecclesiasticall state of this kingdome. The contentes whereof are set downe in the page following.	Covell, William, d. 1614?	1604 (1604)	STC 5882; ESTC S108881	174,201	234

may freely make an order againe which shal be apparent to bee most commodious to the vse edification of the Church c. We wil not take vpon vs to censure this letter onely we see not how the same things could be thought in his iudgemēt Foolish yet tearmed Tollerable in a Church Liturgie or how they are called vices which notwithstanding hee freeth from manifest Impietie or if that this libertie of reformation were to bee giuen where a Church was to bee new set vp how it could bee agreable to them who still I think desired to bee a part euen for outward cerimonies of that Visible Church which then suffered persecution in England But it sufficeth in these troubles all were not of one minde the most and the best were before their departure and in their banishment after their returne Zealous discreet and learned maintainers of the Communion Booke And most of them afterward became worthily worthy gouernors in this Church For God who sawe their Fidelitie constancie and truth rewarded them seauen fould into their bosome this booke then but somewhat purer and more reformed then at that time is that huge volume of Ceremonies for I vse their owne words which is in their opinion vnlawfull Idolatrous but in ours a most holie and chast forme of Church Seruice and least in this case our opinion and defence should be thought but the corrupt flatterie of those who are or hope to bee aduanced by the present time the wise and graue approbation of the holie Martire Doctor Tailour is fit by vs to bee alledged in this place There was saith hee set foorth by the most innocent King Edward for whom God bee praised euerlastinglie the whole Church seruice with great deliberation and the aduice of the best learned men of the Realme and authorised by the whole Parliament and receiued and published gladly by the whole Realme which Booke was neuer reformed but once and yet by that one reformation it was so fully perfected according to the rules of our Christian religion in euerie behalfe that no christian conscience can bee offended with any thing therein contained I meane of the Booke reformed Thus farre Doctor Tailour and shall wee now make light account of so honorable a Testimonie or alter these things onelie to satisfie the vnreasonable fancies of some men nay surelie in that most memorable Act of our gracious and dread Soueraīgne whose wisdome appeares in these Importunate sutes like the wisdome of Salomon there is no one thing which shal heape more honourable and euerlasting glorie vnto his name which is or can bee a greater blessing to this land a more religious dutie towards God a more thankfull requitall of all the fauours that Queene Elizabeth did performe vnto him then without any alteration or change in the strict commaundement of publishing this order of common praier in any matter of substance Let thy dew O Lord from aboue fall downe vpon his head to make him wise in the councells of thy law sanctifie his hart with the reuerend and holie estimation of thy truth make his wisdome powerfull against all Achitophells perfect O Lord and blesse these beginnings that wee and our posteritie without chaunge may worship thee in this land so long as the sonne is before thee that it may neuer sound in tents of our enemies that thy worship as erronious is now altered which in mercie thou hast protected fourtie and foure yeeres in the happie daies of Queene Elizabeth And surelie reason must needs tell vs that if wee should ouer easilie yeeld to alter what paraduenture they wish doubtlesse the same reproofe must iustlie fall vpon our own Liturgie of Varietie vncertaintie and Inconstancie which one laieth verie truelie vpon the Romane Missall Besides it were as they of Strausburge wrote of them of Francford to condemne the chiefest authors therof who most of them suffered as Martirs it would giue occasion to our aduersaries to accuse our doctrine of imperfection and vs of mutabilitie and the godlie to doubt in that truth wherein beefore they were perswaded and to hinder their comming hether which beefore they had purposed Thus far did they of Strausburg wiselie answere to them of Francford so that wee may safelie conclude and say of this Booke as S. Austin doth in another case if thou runnest through all the words of the holie Praiers I suppose thou shalt finde nothing which the Lords praier doth not containe and comprehend therefore we may in other words speake the same things in our praiers but wee may not speake contrarie things Yet because reason hath not beene sufficient to restraine the intemperate proceedings of some men they thinke this Church is little beholding vnto them vnlesse they traduce the gouernment and the Liturgie which she vseth for which notwithstanding others out of greater wisedome and conscience haue made against the common aduersarie this challenge Looke if any Line bee blameable in our Seruice and take hold of your aduantage I think M. Iewell will accept it for an Article our Seruice is good and Codly euery title grounded vpon holie Scriptures and with what face doe you call it darknesse Wee are content after the learned indeauours of other men to adde some thing to those principall points which in the Communion booke is and hath beene misliked by them that to whose hands the writings of other peraduenture come not this short answere to such may giue some satisfaction in the principall things which they doe mislike 1 The forme of the Liturgie of the Church of England is taken from Antichrist Wee are sorie that their weakenesse taketh offence at that which wee hold as an honour and a vertue in the Church of England namely that wee haue so sparingly and as it were vnwillingly disented from the Church of Rome for surely by Antichrist they meane her with whom if the corruptions of that Church would haue giuen vs leaue we would haue willingly consented in their whole seruice which being vnsafe and vnlawfull wee follow them notwithstanding in all wherin they follow those holie and auncient fathers which first planted the truth amongst them And as we acknowledge them our fathers in the Faith so wee are willing euen to borrow that from them which vertuouslie was vsed in that Church when it was worthie to bee called our mother● and if now the holie Citie bee become an harlot yet we as most Churches haue receiued light from them for there was a time that their Faith was published ouer all the world and if now they bee at enmitie with God and vs yet wee had rather follow the perfections of whom wee like not then the defects and Imperfections of those wee loue nay the spoiles of the heathe● taken from the Deuill are deuided to the furniture and ornament of the Church of God For doubtlesse as one saith all true Godlie men may vertuouslie vse those rites

not alwaies in the same state it laboureth sometimes seeming to decay vnder the Crosse sometimes it flourisheth in the aboundance of much peace sometimes it is gouerned by these who are Nurses of it and sometimes by such whose hands are readiest to pull it downe now where the affection of Princes that gouerne is not all one the condition and state of the Church must needes alter besides euen the chiefe officers erected by our Sauiour of the Apostles Prophets and Euangelistes in that kinde notwithstanding are all ceased for although Apostolicall Iurisdiction doo now continue in Bishops yet no man is ordayned to bee an Apostle that which is aunswered of ordinarie and extraordinarie ouerthroweth the cause for if these bee extraordinarie and all offices that are reckoned vp by the Apostle bee not ordinarie then the Gouernours of the Church ceasing no man can say with reason that forme of the Church gouernment is all one To holde that all that was diuers at diuers times was the same gouernment is to make things continuing and ceasing distinguisht and confounded to bee all one And if wee looke further to that which seemed to bee most solemne the Senedrin and great Councell at Ierusalem is no where extant And if they allow the forme at Geneua they are popular but surely though in this no man could looke for other than difference to arise where trueth hath not laid the foundation of what they holde yet this is most straunge that they are so firme for Doctors to bee distinguisht from Pastors for seuerall Consistories for euerie parish widowes and such like whereas Geneua hath but one Consistorie for diuers Parishes no Doctors distinct from Pastors no widowes and in Fraunce onely Pastors and Elders are thought necessarie yea besides this there were many things commendably in vse in the former times which as the Church hath power to remooue so likewise hath she authoritie to appoint new our Sauiour instituted a Ceremonie which hee inioyned his Disciples to obserue of washing of feete the same continued long in the Church as may appeare by a Treatise attributed to Saint Cyprian but now out of vse and vtterly ceased The Apostles decreed that all should abstaine from bloud and from things strangled the Apostle willeth the Romans to greete one another with a holy kisse yet both these discontinued amongst vs euery man praying or prophecying with his head couered dishonoreth his head a thing at this day not of that strict obseruance but that it may bee done without breach of humility or the Apostles precept That all the lawes and orders in the Church are not durable appeareth by ceasing of the Ceremoniall law and the Iewish pollicie so that the obseruation of the Morall and whatsoeuer hath dependance vpon that is the true rule of discipline for maners other things are but the violent fancies of some weak men who haue abused their Zeale to doe much hurt Neither neede wee stand to prooue much the alteration of this gouernment seeing themselues haue varied in the demanding of it In the yeare 1572. the first admonition which the late most Reuerend Lord Archbishop of Canterbury did after confute was offered to the Parliament as contayning a perfect platforme of the discipline they desired to be established in this Realme Within fewe yeares after they altered it againe In the yeare 1584. an other which seemed to haue receiued as much perfection as they could desire but presently after the Parliament this was found amongst them to haue some thing amisse and the correcting being referred to one who had trauersed the matter a new it came out more perfect in the yeare 1586 an other in the yeare 1588 and it is like as most of these were against Parliaments so some thing now is to bee performed for this if their cause can haue patrons or the patrons can finde hope but I hope by this time our Gouernours are more wise and hee who is able to discerne these plots hath found by experience their desires to bee too proud and in reason not likely to benefit this Church with a better peace so that wee may safely conclude this point That though the Church of all Societies bee fittest to bee Gouerned with an auncient and veriuous discipline yet that discipline is farre differing from the same that they doo require CHAP. III. The Censure of a Booke called the Plea of the Innocent WHere the persons of men haue so neere affinitie with the actions performed by them it will require great moderation and care so to censure the one as that we may not iustly bee suspected to disgrace the other the neglect of this a fault which is too common both in the times before vs and in our age hath turned the confutation of errors to personall reproofes and hath made the defendors weaknes or Indiscretion the greatest aduersary to a good cause and howsoeuer some partiall men are caried with as much loue to all they doo as they are to themselues that doo it and with like disposition are impatient to bee toucht in eyther yet no man of wisedom or vnderstanding can thinke it to bee all one to haue his action or his person censured some Actions I confesse there are of that nature which are the defectes of our ordinary weakenesse and therein though not Excusable yet carry some reason to challenge a fauourable compassion extending either to forgiuenes or to concealments which both doubtlesse are the effects of men that are truly vertuous where as some others as it were by couenant are performed to that end that they rest amongest all men and in all ages lyable to that censure which time shall giue them And they merit Of the first sort are our sinnes in which kinde our profession hath had some euill Confessours of the Latter are Bookes which as they are actes performed with the best of our iudgement voluntarie with deliberation and with a resolution by couenaunt eyther to aunswere or indure what Censures shall light vpon them it cannot bee any breach of Charity or modesty where the opinions misliked are defended to censure the Bookes which are made in defence of them And although euerie man in reason is tyed to bee cerefull of his good name yet seeing that both euerie harde Censure is not a proofe to continue errour nor euerie errour an imputation to a man that deserues well It is not all one to say such a Booke is euill written and to say such a one is not an honest man The first is allowed in the warrantable liberty of all learning but the latter Charitie and Humilitie do both forbid as being but the daungerous effect of too much pride Things that are euill in manners are euill in that they are done and are a iust imputation to the partie in that they are knowne but writings that are Censured carry not euer that sentence among them which some ignorant or partiall opposite shall impose vpon them nor euer doo men censure as

some enemies peraduenture would make them speake There are Commentaries wee know vpon Saint Luke which passe vnder Saint Ambrose name of which Ruffinus in his second Booke of Inuectiues maketh Saint Hierome to giue this Censure that hee dallyed in the words and slept in the sence Which surely as the best writers are of opinion was rather forged by Ruffinus to make Saint Herome odious than spoken by Saint Hierome to disgrace Saint Ambrose Doubtlesse it were great pity that seeing the world so much erreth in the choise of friends that this so necessary an office rather than omitted should not be performed by our worst acquaintance and the resolution of all men ought to be this which I thank God I finde in my selfe if thy friend chide iustly in his Censure he hath profited thee if vndeseruedly yet hee meant to doe thee good so that to the first being bound for that which he hath donne and to the other for that which he would haue done in reason for this good office were tyed to both and for my selfe I neuer wrot any thing with that minde to haue it publisht in print although some things I haue don for which with Master Beza I craue pardon but I am very willingly content to be Censured for them when the chiefe troubles of the Church for discipline were either appeased with discretion or else buried with the Authors of them sodainly in the yeare 1602 came forth a Booke written by Maister Nicholles as an Apologie for the dealing in that cause Intituled the Plea of the Innocent Wherein as there were many things that serued to little vse sauing only to expresse that honest desire to be wel thought of which peraduenture the Author had so the first thinge though not the greatest in my opinion to be misliked was the want of due consideration of the time for surely if Salomon said true which no man hath reason to make doubt of that there was a time for al things a time to keepe silēce and a time to speake in my weake iudgment it had beene much sitter considering the eager contentiō amongst those of the Church of Rome to haue beene lookers on rather at the euent of that quarrel than to haue beene Authors of any new disagreement amongst ourselues but so different are the dispositiōs of men that what one mā taketh to be a reason why a thing should be done and other peraduēture taketh it to be a reasō why it should not be don to haue forborne a little had beene much safer for the Church in all reasō more honorable for your selues I wish the Author of that booke had those three ornamēts with S. Hierom calleth the foundation of all vertue a patience to be silēt an oportunitie to speak a cōtempt of riches Doubtles to renue an vnnaturall contention that was almost buried especially at that time when all proceedings in the Church wer without rigor as it could not choose but be labour euil spent so it was likely to bring little aduantage vnto Gods Church Peraduēture I mistake the cause which moued him then to vndertake that Trettise wee will heare himselfe in his Preface what he saith we haue suffered meaning himselfe and others that haue laboured for reformations and indured much reproach and cōtempt which we haue patiently borne and with great silence for diuers yeares sustained that on our part the sacred word of righteousnesse might not be euill spoken of and as much as in vs lieth wee might cut-off all occasions to the common aduersarie to preuaile against the holy Church of Christ Which is among vs. This surely was iust reason and if it were performed as he saith it was not performed without Iust cause for doubtles there is nothing of so small moment that hath brought greater disaduantage to our Church than that with so much violence we haue deferred amongst our selues and blessednesse surely shall be their portion who in this kinde haue beene forward to make peace but it is not these imbracings of Ioab nor the kisses of Iudas that can bury from the worlds eye those bitter Inuectiues of Whittingam Good man Knox Buckanan Gilby Martin Throgmorton Pennry Fenner and sundrie other most odious and vnsauerie bookes besides a great number of others without name all which must needes testifie that for this whole time of our happie peace whatsoeuer the occasions were the matter hath beene carried with little silence and lesse patience These men in this case how well soeuer they haue deserued otherwise haue not bin for bitternesse of speech much inferiour to the Heretikes of former times and of whose followers I may say with Saint Chrisostom In age they are yonger but in malice Equall the Broode of Serpents are of lesse stature but haue not lesse poysō The Whelps of Wolues though they cannot hurt so cunningly yee will hurt with biting and desire to sucke Blood The some of all is as Sidonius speaketh openly they enuied basely they forged and seruilelie they were proud and that which made all this to be much worse was that the Authors of this euill-speaking made Religion to be a warrant to speake euill and whilst they offended vpon this ground others were desirous to offend that they might not differ from their example so that a double fault lyeth vpon the first Author one that they offended in their owne person the second that they were examples to others to the like offence But why continued you not in this silence still notwithstanding all this say you The state of things is worse than euer before and I cannot tell whether our conniuence in suffering of euill speeches against vs hath done the Church harme For nowe Papists begin to comfort themselues yea they challeng vnto thē the name of honest and true men and good subiects and by the reprochfull name of Puritan All godly Protestats are most cunningly depraued Giue me leaue quietlie to tell you this much That vnlesse I mistake it you haue little reason or any that hath laboured in that cause to thinke that the state of things is worse than before At that time when you wrote thus what men were committed for their disobedience arraigned for their treasons or where was th●t assault as you call it of Subscription besids all Godly Protestants are not tearmed Puritans no it is but the singular affection of a some few that would seeme vpright which haue gained that name wherein they doe much glory last of all if by your sufferāce some Priests grewe insolent and were not affraide in comparison to make themselues to bee more righteous than you this was no reason so vnreasonably to prouoke the Reuerend Fathers of the Church against you but rather all to haue ioyned and your selues formost against them and yet he not gniltie that is accused but he that is conuinced in this cause But to let passe the occasion of that treatise giue me leaue

who are alreadie aduaunced in our Church conspiring with so learned and so wise a King shall fill his landfull of good subiects his Vniuersities full of good schollers all Churches in time with excellent Deuines and in one word our whole land with men of singuler worthinesse in all professions CHAP. XII Of Non Residencie Pluralities and Dispensations WEE cannot but commend the religious disposition of those men if their intentions be as good as their care doubtlesse seemeth to bee great who awaking that Idle Ministerie which in their opinion sleepeth in our church cal all men to a necessarie consideration of those duties which beelong vnto them which either ease or other imployments might paraduenture cause them to forget Negligence which in other cases runneth not either into that hazard or can be likelie to bee the originall of so great daungers being in the calling of the Clergie ouer that flock wherof the holy ghost hath made them ouerseers the verie downefall so far as mans reason is able to discerne into an euerlasting woe both vnto themselues vnto those soules which are committed to their care So that the same spirit which in other cases and at other times vttereth those comfortable promises of the greatest loue beegetting in man by his blessed working an assured hope of an endlesse mercie heapeth vpon him in this kinde and for this sinne euen vpon those who aboue others he hath honored with these titles to bee watchmen Shepheards and the leaders of Christs flock the names of blinde watchmen dumb doggs which can neuer haue enough Idle Shepheards that leaue their flocks the sword shal be vpon his right arme and vpon his right eye woe vnto the shepheards which feed themselues should not the shepheard feede the flock they bee the blinde leaders of the blinde imposing this dutie vpon all to take heede vnto themselues and to all the flock whereof the holie Ghost hath made them ouerseers to feed the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne blood so that Teachers being those Shephards whose flocks cannot at any time be without daunger those Watchmen whom the most malicious enemie doth alway beseege those labourers in that Haruest which neither can haue end or Intermission in this life those liuing Oracles of God to whom men must resort in all doubts those Spirituall fathers which must bee alwaies readie in priuate conference to admonish to reproue to Exhort to Instruct to Comfort as well as to teach in publike it cannot bee but an intollerable inexcusable fault in those men whose care is onely to be rich by the multitude of Cures whose absence and negligence is all one with ignorance and want of abilitie to teach sauing that the sinne is greater in them who are able with learning if they were diligent greatlie to benefit Gods Church And doubtlesse it is to bee feared vnlesse their Consciences bee without feeling that this secure negligence in them is but like a heauie Lethargy which commends them as it were by certaine steps to a dangerous and eternall sleepe so that as all the fathers of former ages haue filled their writings with eloquent inuectiues against these men and all the Councels almost haue sharplie decreed against them the Canonists likewise and Scholemen haue concluded their offences to bee great sinnes and their drousie negligence without excuse couetously rather heaping vp the liuings of manie then conscionably performing the dutie of any one wee can with as much patience and thanks bee content to heare the loud declamations against non Residents and Pluralities by some in our Church onelie if it please them to remember their owne vsuall absence lesse warranted and to looke with what sinceritie of Conscience and Zeale vnto Christs flock they haue vndertaken the Vehement continuall loud and intemperate reprehension of these faults as if they onelie in our Church had a tender care of the peoples instruction and none else and that all besides them some few conscionable Ministers who can bee content with one flock were nothing but a number of proud ambitious and idle Prelates like that vnprofitable fig-tree seruing to little vse sauing onelie to bee cut downe or that these were that euill and slothfull seruant which must be cast into vtter darknesse where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth And further which ought least of all to bee indured by any well affected to the credit and estimation of this Church which doubtlesse for Reformation is shall be famous through all parts of the christian world that our state did vnresonablie vnconscionably by their owne lawes graunt Dispensations both for pluralities and absence onelie to further the corrupt desires of some few to the infinit wrong of the whole Clergie besides the hazard of many thousand soules the intollerable dishonor of Gods truth and the exceeding disaduantage of Christs Church Doubtlesse we cannot but confesse that learning is of little vse in the Ministerie vnlesse they bee faithfull to discharge that dutie and that abilitie to teach bringeth small profit where care and indeuour are both wanting to further that good which our place exacteth wee neither doe nor can stop our eares against the whole booke of God which requireth labour at our hands and diligence in our Ministerie neither doe we think that all places alike may challenge our paines seeing it is in this as in all other things besides which are through priuate interest dearer then that which concerneth either others wholie or vs but in part at our owne pleasure or if in dutie onely according to the rate of a Generall regard Yet I hope these men will giue vs leaue to tel them without offence that the no● Residencie Pulralities warranted by the positiue lawes of this land are neither of them so cleerely conuicted as incurring the penaltie of so high displeasure but that indifferent minds may finde peraduenture good reason as yet to defend them both which if neither wee much attempt nor bee thought sufficiently performed by vs we are preuented as they know by the most learned and reuerend indeauours of other men and are not greatly willing that either Idlenesse or Ambition should couer it selfe vnder that shadow in a great number which is in a true intention a Priuiledge and Dispensation the lawfull and vertuous merit of some few But because it seemeth that the originall of this errour is from the not iustlie considering either what Benefices are or the first limitation of them wherof whilst some are ignorant they rigorously conclude all duties required in a Minister necessarily to be performed in one particuler parish we must put them in minde that either Euaristus Bishop in the sea of Rome or as some others say Dionisius first assigned the Precincts to euery parish and appointed to each Presbiter a certaine compasse whereof himselfe should take charge alone in this kingdome one Honorius somtime Archbishop of Canterburie did first deuide them