on the fire for it wil not quench the fire and therefore it will not be consumed by the fire as to say receiue this reformation for it is not repugnant therefore it will abide the triall of the word but the scripture abideth no suche distinction of contrary and diuers for he that is not with me take he the Iewes parte the Turkes the Papistes or the hipocriticall Englishe protestantes parte * he is against me sayth Christe Another he talketh for the Quenes supremacie Out saythe he may not the Queene doe thys and that but you muste 〈…〉 her to a reckening howe allowe you then hir supremacie in Ecclesiasticall things which are in deede to be determined in conferences and councels and that by the warraÌ„t of the worde you will proue very Anabaptistes not suffering Magistrates nor any politique orders besides and so he runneth away with alleaging scriptures that commaunde obedience to magistrates and say things must be done orderly and decently and he deuiseth many foule names and reproches for vs But heere hir Maiestie is to be humbly intreated that of hir clemencie shee will abide vs who are bound by duetie and obedience to God freely to discusse all things as they are set forthe in the woorde of God though her Maiestie otherwise thinke it straunge and also haue in owe to exasperate hir Maiestie against vs pore men who are farre vnable to abide hit displesure and would be sory to offende her if it might please God to encline her Maiesties heart to consider of our cause and not to be turned from vs by the importunatenesse of oure aduersaries nor by other preiudice of oure persones or places but to deale with vs euen according to the truthe of the matters we deale in which are according to the very woorde of almightie God or else if it will not fall out so we will be content to abide hir displeasure and sharp punishment Out if it fal out â—o then as an 〈…〉 oure Magistrate may not take the authoritie of the highest into hys hantes no more may any Magistrate vâ—urpe Gods. To Ce 〈…〉 geue that whych is Cesars to God that whych is hys saythe oure sauioure Nonâ— is so high at her common wealthe as hir maiestie none so vse the sweard but shee and whom shee appointeth vnder hir according to y lawes of thys land so that it be not repugnant to their vocation as to ministers Likewyse none is so hygh in the churche as Christe none to doe any thing nor any thing to be done in hys churche but as it is appointed in hys woorde eyther by precise or generall direction And therfore it is allowed and commaunded to Christian men to trie all * things and to holde that whiche is good whosoeuer forbâ—dde wythoute exception Prince or other so that if we examine euerye thyng done in thys churche of God in Englande by the worde of God and holde that whiche is good though the lawe be offended that lawe is to be reformed and not we to be punished for whatsoeuer our personnes or places be if oure matters we deale in be God 's her maiestie we trust remembreth what the scripture sayth he that despiseth you * despiseth me and he that receyueth you receyueth me As we know thys case to be cleare so we trust and dayly pray that God wyll open her maiesties heart to consider of it and vs But to these men agayne let them shewe vs if they can by what aucthoritie they may enâ—oyne vs if God hys worde beare them to be magistrates to obserue the boke of Common prayers bothe in matter and manner as in theyr laste Canons they forbid theyr ministers to depart from one or other it is wycked to say no worse of it so to attribute to a booke in deede â—ulled out of the vile popish seruice booke with some certaine rubrikes and gloses of their owne deuise suche authoritie as only is due to God hys booke and inditements imprisonments and suche extremities vsed agaynst them which breake it is cruell persecution of the members of Iesus Christe And of all other greeuous enormities layde vppon thys churche of God in England this is the greatest that it is not lawfull to vtter that whych we learne truely oute of the scriptures We must be in daunger of a premunire if we folowe not the lawes of the land thoughe they be agaynste the scriptures and in daunger of a twelue monthes imprisoment if we speake agaynst the booke of common prayer though it be agaynste the word of god In deede if there were order taken for conferences such as the scriptures commendeth to the church for the triall of truthe when it is hard darke then were the dealing not harde but vprighte As for the Conuocation house I tolde you before what it was and what may be looked for at theyr handes and somewhat more shall be sayde of it heereafter If that were sayd for the Bible whych is sayd for the booke of common prayer and whych God sayth in his law for hys woorde then were the dealyng vpryght and and good Now if they meane by not repugnaÌ„t that it is consonante in all and euerye the contents thereof wyth the woorde of God that can they neuer proue But coulde they proue that yet they snare the church of God betweene that boke and other bookes whych they obtrude with straight charge to be obserued whych bookes doe differ amongs themselues as the booke of common prayer and the iniunctions about wafers the boke of common prayer and the aduertisements about the churche vestures the Canons against the pontificall in not ordering of ministers sine titulo the preface of the last boke of homilies and of the last newe Bible agaynst the booke of Common prayer in the manner of reading of the scriptures And in many things the bishops articles in theyr seuerall diocesses differ from thys booke as aboute the standyng of the communioÌ„ table fetchyng the dead to church and such lyke but the courte of Faculties that for marrying wythoute asking the banes and many moe things differeth from it and all other theyr bookes but cheefely from God hys Bible what say we to thys case we are neyther free to folowe the Bible nor out of doubt what to doe by these bookes but to followe God and hys woorde we are so free that we are by the Apostle forbidden to become seruaÌ„ts of men If thys be true as who can denye it then is it your partes to rid our churche of these shrewde encombrances And whereas it was meant to bridle papists make direct lawes against them Further wheras our church yet misseth of the right course of the scriptures in our reformatioÌ„ let youre learned men be driuen to drawe a platforme out of God his boke wher it is descrybed at ful according to hys will in the same reuealed and the examples of the best Churches beyonde
⧠A SECOND Admonition to the Parliament Ieremie 26. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Then spake the Priestes and the Prophets vnto the Princes to all the people saying thys man is worthye to dye for he hathe prophesyed agaynst this Citie as yee haue heard with your eares Then spake Ieremiah vnto all the princes and to the people saying The Lorde hathe sent me to prophesie against this house and againste this Citie all the things that yee haue heard Therfore nowe amend your wayes and workes and heare the voyce of the Lorde your God that the Lorde maye repent hym of the plague that he hathe pronounced agaynste you As for me beholde I am in your handes doe wyth me as you thinke good and ryghte But knowe yee for certaine that if you putte mee to deathe yee shall surely bring innocent bloud vpon your selues and vpon thys Citie and vpon the inhabitants therof for of a truthe the Lorde hath sent me vnto you to speake all these words in your cares To the godly readers Grace and peace from god c. THe treatyse ensuing Christian Reader being in dede purposely meant as the tytle pretendeth to be a seconde Admonition to the Parliament as yet not being not dissolued cannot chuse I am sure but be read of diuers that are not of that honourable assembly at thys tyme so that though the treatise is principally directed to them yet the knowledge of the matters as it must needes passe further so are they necessary to be further known and they are the liker to take good effect by meanes of the general consent of those that like them and especially by meanes of the faythful prayers whych many good men shall poure forthe to God for hys gracious good blessyng therin wherfore some thyng was to be sayd in a Preface as me thought which might be direcâ—ed to thee christian reader whosoeuer thou art that lightest vpon thys boke to read it And world to God many moe myght read thys boke then are lyke bycause muche worse will be sayd against it by them whych shall speake of it by heare say then could or would be said if all read it that will speake of it whereof we haue had too much experience in the former Admonition But we haue cast our accompts whych do bend ourselues to deale in these matters not onely to abyde hard wordes but hard and sharpe dealings also for our laboure and yet shall we thynke oure laboure wâ—ll bestowed it by God hys grace we attayne but to thus much to giue some light of that reformation of religion whych is grounded vpon Gods boke and somewhat to haue opened the deformities of oure English reformation whych hyghly displeaseth our eternall god Neuerthelesse if it might be we wold be sory to offend any but especially any good Christian man for our purpose is not if we may chuse to â—urchase more hatred or get vs more enenmies for vndeserued we haue of that and them far too much already and to offend the godly man is farre from our meaning for God knoweth we altogether soâ—ke to do such good But what is ther in our bokes that should offend any that be or would seeme to be godly â—nd yet some man may say either there is muche amisse in our bokes or else we haue a great deale of wrong offered vs and that by suche men as woulde seeme to be the fathers of all true godlynesse for the authors of the former haue bene are hardly handeled to be sent close prysoners to Newgate next dore to hangyng and by some of no meane estimation it hath bene sayd as is reported that it had bene well for them if they had beene sente to Bedlem to saue their lyues as though they had bene in â—earill of be 〈…〉 hanged and another lykely prelate sayde if they were at hys orderyng Newgate should haue beene their sureâ—â—e and fetters their bondes And yet now that they haue had the law and I thynke wyth the most too y they were close prisoners they are found nether to haue ben traytors nor rebels and if it had bent tryed by Gods law they should not haue beene found to haue offended agaynst that lawe at all but to haue deserued prayse of that lawe and of the church of God as ryghtly that learned man mayster Beza sayth they deserue which oppose themselues against such endeuours as they doe in that little booke farre worse then those whych he calleth a manifest falling away from Christ And I pray theâ— gentle Reader marke these words wel of that great learned godly M. Beza and it shall answer for them to two men principally that haue ernestly declamed against that admonition and the authors therof The one sayd â—t was a folyshe boke the other sayd the authors were to rashe in setting it forth wythout a councell and I wot not what allowance before it wer de 〈…〉 ed. But thys learned man answereth them bothe wyth one word that it is a commendable work and deserueth no disprayse And whatsoeuer the declaimer saythe they shal be circumspect enough that shall auouche vndoubted truthes out of the scriptures though they wait not for the consent of a fewe no nor yet of many for maister Beza dare say it is a manifest falling away from Christe to maintaine pluralities of benefices licences for non residence c. though he heare not that any couÌ„cel hath agreed vpon it in England sor he knoweth it is a resolued truth in all ryght reformed churches and especially in the scriptures And what I pray you haue they done amisse but the declamer also offended in it if it be an offence They haue published in Print that the ministerie of England is out of square he hath published at Paules crosse that the bishops of England haue bene vncircumspect in making of ministers and that hathe he publyshed before any councell in England had determined it Woulde to God he had neuer done worse faulte nay woulde he had not more offended there whych he craued pardone for when he had done it and yet so as he sayd he cared not thoughe they pardoned hym not for he thinketh of lyke that he neede not care for offending the poore members of Iesus Christ and for as muche as he spake agaynste them two in Newgate he shall neuer goe to Newgate for saying the byshops were vncircumspect I coulde wishe such to be more circumspect what they saye to offend simple and pore meÌ„bers of Christe Let such men remember the penaltie threatned better a milstone tied about their necks and they drowned in the depth of the sea Nowe I neede not aske what they haue aunswered to that boke for they haue answeared nothyng but the it is a folysh booke c but wyth godly wyse men I trust that will not be taken for a sufficient answere as in deede it is not â–ª They saye there is an
deuise lawes for the preseruation and prosperitie of your common wealth and neglecte God his churche leaue that waste prouide not for that you shall finde as the * Prophet saith yee shall sowe muche and bring in little yee shall eate and not haue inoughe As for the Conuocation house whereof many haue conceiued a maruellous opinion and which should of duetie loke to these matters common experience dothe proue that they doe for the most parte apply them selues to the time and seeke rather to please and followe worldly pollicie then sincerely to promote Gods cause and to publishe his truth And hereof their last conuocations can be good witnesses But you say the Bishops are good men great clearkes they knowe what they haue to doe and possyble some of them doe excepte the God of thys worlde haue blâ—nded their eyes and so did some of the popishe bishops but you were deceiued by them and you are like to be deceiued by these if you truste them so farre as experience teacheth Neuerthelesse you shall die in * your synnes you shal both * fall into the ditche But some will say that the admonition hindered other things As who shuld say that to further Gods cause is to hinder other matters that be profitable for the coÌ„mon wealth doth the knowledge of God and the promoting of hys glory hinder profitable lawes that is a thyng that I would gladly learne for I coulde neuer vnderstand it before VVherfore this may be as a seconde Admonition wyth the like mynde as afore by them to craue redresse of the great abuses in oure Reformation of Religion some being continued from the papistes some deuised by the fantasticall heades of vayne menne and some though not maintayned yet suffered and not reformed vnto thys day yea and further as they afore doe againe appeale to thys hyghe Courte of Parliament from all other Courtes being ready to defende that whych I wryte touching the substance of it againste all men and that vppon the pearill of my lyfe Let me be but vprightly heard and interpreated The matter is Goddes ouerpasse it not lightly for we maye not thoughe you deuised lawes to cutte vs off as by some one byshop you haue bene ere nowe prouoked for oure partes thus leaue it The other bokes are shorte as it was requisite to present to you and therefore they haue not so muche tolde you how to Reforme as what to Reforme They haue tolde you of many things amisse and that very truely they haue tolde you in generall what were to be restored but howe to doe these things as it is the hardest poynte so it requireth as themselues saye a larger discourse I meane therfore to supplie as shortly as I can bicause I wryte as they dyd to you some thing that may make to the expressing of the matter so plainely that you may haue sufficient lyght to proceede by till they whych are endued wyth greater giftes discusse it more exactly or till we our selues who haue begon maye haue further oportunitie to proceede if it be neglected of theyr part which coulde we it better And yet this I dare say for the substance of those Treatises which is it that galleth the aduersaries mooste howe so euer they quarrell with them vpon wordes that it is so grounded vpon the vndoubted truthe of God his booke that the diuell of hell cannot wyth his coloures blemishe it saue he may seeke to suppresse it by violence nor any but he and those whome he hathe deceiued or whome God hath not yet giuen so much light vnto will or can stand against it I would and doe therefore earnestly admonishe them that knowe to knowe as they ought and to doe as they knowe and to beware of the God of this worlde that he deceiue them not for the time will come that this * dung shall be throwne openly in their faces to their euerlasting shame that maintain it like as at this day it hathe befallen to the sencelesse Papistes who will neuer giue ouer til they can neither wil nor chuse with shame inough Next I woulde and doe earnestly adâ—â—onishe those that are ignorant to learne to knowe and to beware of a blinde zeale which is more violent vniust then oughte else carying men headlong to maintain that they haue no reason for and wickedly to gainstand the expresse truth to their endlesse perdition Now to the matter I say that we are so skarce come to the outwarde face of a Churche rightly reformed that although some truth be taught by some preachers yet no preacher may withoute greate danger of the lawes vtter all truthe comprised in the booke of god It is so circumscribed wrapt within the compasse of suche statutes suche penalties suche instâ—uctions suche aduertisements suche articles suche canons suche sober caueats and suche manifoâ—â—e pamphlets that in manner it doth but â—â—epe out from behâ—â—de the screene The lawes of the lande the booke of common prayer the Queenes Iniunctions the Commissioners aduertisements the bishops late Canons Lindwoodes Proumetais euery bishops Articles in his dâ—ocesse my Lord of Canterburies sober caueates in his licences to preachers and hys highe Courte of prerogatiue or graue fatherly faculties these together or the worste of them as some of them be too badde may not be broken or offended against but with more daunger then to offende against the Bible To these subscribing and sub 〈…〉 ing againe and the third subscribing are re 〈…〉 red for these Preachers and others are endi 〈…〉 are fined are prisoâ—ned are excommunicated are banished and haue worse things threatned them and the Bible that muste haue no further sâ—â—pe then by these it is assigned Is this to professe God his worde is this are formation He that could not abide straunge fire in the olde law but burnt * them that vsed it what will he doe to vs in the newe lawe that erect a new and straunge course or worde to rule his church by What did the Pope but so he did suffer God his worde to haue a course as farre as it pleased him so that he might haue the whole authoritie aboue it so dyd the Popishe churche but we say the * worde is aboue the church then surely it is aboue the Englishe churche and aboue all these bookes afore rehearsed If it be so why are not they ouer ruled 〈◊〉 and not it by them Here falleth forthe to be â—â—swered a shift of descant to turne and winde this 〈…〉 er Forsothe these are not repugnant saythe 〈◊〉 to the woorde of God no nor yet say we are 〈◊〉 consonante no more is chaffe like to quenche 〈◊〉 no nor yet can it abide the fire But gold can â—â—uen so are these vnable to quenche the lighte of 〈◊〉 gospell no * nor yet can they â–ª abide the courte oâ— the gospell but true religion abideth the triall of the word of god As wel reasoned it were to say lay hay or stubble
on their garmentes loued to be greeted and to be called Rabbi whyche thyngs by our sauioure are forbidden his ministers and an order enioyned that they which loke for it shuld not haue it but be least esteemed Thys is true reade the scriptures youre selues I pray you if you finde it not so disproue vs if it be founde so strengthen vs by your authorities and lette the worde of God haue the free course that it ought to haue They be but pretences to serue the glorious course that some of oure ministers are entred into when they say it is the credyte of the ministerie and the vpholding of the same and thys way of oures is the discrediting and ouerthrowing of the ministerie of all good orders and to bring confusion into the churche and as they pretende playne Anabaptistrie But they are no better but pretences and flat vntruthes for it is God hys owne order set by our sauioure and hys Apostles in his church and I trust as breefely as I can to make it appeare to be God his order and the lest order and the onely order which should be in the churche of god And as for the order whych they pretend to be maintained by them it may be that they knowe their order when they ride in their scarlet roaâ—es before the Queene and howe to poll their cleargye as they call them and all other in their diocesses howe to lease oute benefices to the patrones or by the persone or vicare and patrones meanes royally to lease them out to some other or to alienate the house or the gleebe for a round summe of money to their Lordships chestes or brybes to their wiues or to their children or to their offycers or seruauntes that they may haue their share thereby or how to kepe their courtes and gette them officers for their best aduauntage or howe to rattle vp these new fellowes these yong boyes that will not obey at a becke to their articles aduertisements canons caueates and such lyke stuffe of their owne forging or whatsoeuer proceedeth or is from or for their Lordly estate and degree or howe to pleasure their frende or frendes or freendes freende with a Benefice or wyth a Pr 〈…〉 so that it maye bee a good turne to themselues comming by simonie away or howe to lease out their owne temporaltyes of their bishopprickes yea possible akenate them from their successors and howe to matche their sonnes and their daughters together with great summes of money passing betweene them and how to purchase lands and leases in their wiues childrens names bicause if they were priests their children cannot inherite nor are legitimate by the lawes and howe to raise fines and rentes and many suche good orders moe they are verye skilfull in and keepe very diligently I woulde for experience some of their doings were examined and then no doubt we shoulde see manye of these goodly orders brought to lyght And tyll it be examined I would that they whych are honest men woulde bryng to lyghte their doings whych they knowe for as finely as they haue haÌ„dled the matters there are some which know inough and I trust they will impatt it ere long to the state y they whych are of so sharp a sight to see who offende them may themselues lie opeÌ„ and shew how they offend God and his church and howe vtterly vnnecessary they are and to be remoued from their roumes and their roumes from the churche whych by them are continued to stall the popishe Bishops in their pompe againe if euer their tyme serue them heere For good orders lette vs heare any one they make but euen as the lawe directeth them which any other temporall officers myght and woulde doe as well as they if the lawes dyd not prohibite it And there is none other but lawes with them no God his booke no brotherly talke with them they will not runne in a premunire for any of all their brethren nor for any of God hys matters neyther they will not haue the Queenes displeasure for any of them all they wil not be defaced whatsoeuer commeth of it nay they wil raile vpon and reuyle their brethren they will persecute and prisone them they will stirre her maiestie and all other agaynst them they will sterue stiffle and pine them to death Howe many good mennes deathes haue they bene the cause of by an inwarde sorrowe conceyued of their doings howe sodainly dyed master Pullen after they began to rage M. Horton M. Caruell and many others and howe did they kill y good mannes heart olde good M. Couerdale although they pretended they wold prouide for him after much adoe from the counsell and as they say from the Queene to them yet they allotted hym a small portion and paide hym by fittes and sometymes wyth base golde and mony if they had any worse then other whych I haue heard very crediblye reported Olde D. Turner was muche beholding to them being a good man an auncient preacher neuer shauen nor greased yet he had no small stirre by them M. Leauer M. Samson and some other at this day learned godly howe haue they greeued their good heartes vtterly leauing some of them wythout lyuing to the wyde worlde to shifte as they can And yet they may not shyfte some of them by those giftes whych God hath giuen them they may neyther preache nor teache chyldren publikely nor priuately And they that are in some liuings what sorowe doe they holde them wythall and howe ticklishly doe they holde them to euermore in daÌ„ger of being called before the hyghe Commissioners and to loose those liuings How many haue they driuen to leaue the ministerie and to liue by Phisicke and other suche meanes or to leaue their countrey Howe many students haue they discouraged from the studie of diuinitie and to chaunge their mindes since they sawe their dealings and to chaunge their studies also Howe many poore Artificers and other commoners in this citie and elsewhere haue they ill entreated brought vp slauÌ„ders vpon and by their ill vsage and lacke of diligent conference haue they not suffered to fall but haue bene the cause that they haue fallen into errors Contrarywise what incouragement and fauor haue they shewed to papists how haue they opened their eares to their complaints against the ministers and shut their eares when Papists haue bene complained vpon or slightly ouerpassed it Yea some of them haue sayde that coÌ„formable Papistes were more tollerable then these precisians and godlye men that seeke for reformation Hanson of Oxforde whych amoÌ„gst other articles was charged iustly and is yet to be proued that he sayde Storie was an honest man was put to death wrongfully and had frendes alyue would reuenge hys death one day howe slightly dyd the Byshop of Canterbury vse hym what frendshippe founde Thurlbie in hys house may poore preachers be halfe so wel vsed or such other poore men
the holy Ghost sayde to the congregation Separate me Barnabas and Saule for the worke whereunto I haue called them he myght haue called them forth wythout these words to them of the assemblie but that he would shewe how he approued of that order and the more the order is commended that he would haue Saule one of his Apostles to be thus sent by those wherof none were of the Apostles At thys assembly also the demeanours of the ministers may be examined and rebuked as Paule witnesseth he did in an assembly rebuke Peter Thys is that which I call a conference where sondry causes within that circuit being brought before them may be decided and ended But it is to be vsed continually for the exercise of the ministers and others as it shoulde seeme by the Apostle in the place to the Corinthes to exercise their gates in the interpretation of the scriptures I call that a â—â—ynode proâ—â—nciall whych is the meeting of certaine of the consâ—storie of euery parishe wythin a prouince which is of manye conferences as it myghte be that whyche is called Canterburies prouince if it be not to large and therefore of some one or moe diocesses where great causes of the churches whych could not be ended in their owne consistories or conferences shall be heard and determined and so they shall stande except when a more generall Synode and councell of the whole land be whych I call nationall and they will haue it hearde there to whose determination they shall stande excepte there be a more general Synode of all churches and that they will haue it heard there and determined whereto they shall stande as it was at Ierusalem except it be a great matter of the fayth or a great matter expresly agaynst the scriptures as that was in the Nicene councell of the mariage of ministers where the whole councel wold haue concluded agaynst it had not one manne Paphnutius wythstoode them or that assembly where Nicodemus onely withstoode the rest or that at Antioche where Peter and Barnabas and all the Iewes were entred into a dissimulation and onely Paule wythstoode them In which case the scripture saythe you haue one father one master and heare him and examine all things and holde that whych is good and trye the spirites whether they be of God or no and againe sayeth the apostle Though we or an angell from heauen preache any other gospell vnto you then that whych we haue preached vnto you let hym be accursed Except I say it be in suche a case they must stande to the determinations as afore And otherwyse then thus let no one minister vse or chalenge any authoritie out of hys owne charge And there let hym or them if they be two pastoures or moe in one charge not only alone meddle wyth the charge of preachyng and other suche partes of the pastor but also let hym or them in that consistorie and in all other conferences and councels â–ª let the ministers go before as I might say and guide the other of the assistantes and elders in the gouernment as it is in the councell at Ierusalem But before I speake more of the gouernement let vs a little consider of thys order of the election of the ministers and these exercises and conferences for the continuaunce of sounde religion and of the equalitie of ministers whether the bishops course be better or thys be the best First this is well warranted by the scriptures and theirs is not Theirs hath already bene the cause of many mischeefes and thys the cause of muche good in the primitiue churche and is so still where it is practised in the reformed churches beyond the seas This alloweth only painful and true preachers theirs ignorant Asses loytering and idell bellyed Epicures or prophane and heathenishe Oratoures that thincke all the grace of preaching lyeth in affected eloquence in fonde fables to make their hearers laughe or in ostentation of learning of their Latine their Greke their Hebrue tongue and of their great reading of antiquities when God knoweth moste of them haue little further matter then is in the infinite volumes of commoÌ„ places and Apothegmes culled to their hands But if they carye away the praise of the people for their learning thoughe the people haue learned little or nothing at their handes for they can not learne muche where little is spoken to purpose or for some mery tales they haue tolde or such like pageaÌ„ts to please itching eares wythall suche a fellowe muste haue the benefices the prebendes the Archdeaconries and suche lyke loyterers preferments especially if he can make lowe curtesie to my Lordes and know his manners to euery degree of them or can creepe into some noble mannes fauoure to beare the name of hys chapleine this is he y shall beare the preferments awaye from all other and to flaunte it out in hys long large gowne and hys tippet and hys little fine square cappe with hys Tawnie coates after hym fisking ouer the citie to shewe him selfe none can haue that he may haue except some certaine fatte fellowes with long bagges at their girdels and some in their sleeues or with a dyshe of M. Latuners apples Corruption too muche corruption in these matters Thys order auoydeth intrusion into any benefices but to be chosen by the consent of that parishe where they shall be minysters and there to tary Theirs so the patrone present and the bishoppe institute thrusteth vppon parishes suche as what so euer they are they cannot be refused and may resigne or otherwyse departe as they liste Theirs appoynteth not onely moe hoy ministers dumbe dogges not able to barke then they wot where to bestowe but also many rouing preachers to preache in whose cure they list out of all order Thys appoynteth euery pastor to hys charge and by a very good order none to meddle out of hys owne charge By thys all wythout exception are drawne driuen to exercise them selues among them selues for the encrease of knowledge and for the coÌ„firmation of them in the vndoubted truth Theirs appoynteth at their lordshippes pleasure and their Archdeacons their men eyther to say a parte of one of the Epystles wythout booke or to turne it out of Latine into Englyshe or to wryte their fantasyes of some Theme geuen them wherein there is muche good stuffe if it were well knowne or to learne M. Nowels Catechisme by roate rather then by reason or if they haue some exercises of prophesying any where it is so rawe and wythoute order except perhaps an order not to speake against any of their proceedings that as good neuer a whit as neuer the better Thys sheweth a ready and a right way to resolue all doubts and questions in religion and to pacifie all controuersies of the churches to passe from one or few to moe from moe to moe godly and learned to be decided by them according to the
truthe and worde of god Theirs raiseth many douts and questions in religion breedeth many troubles and contentions and wyl haue nothyng examined that they doe but many must abâ—e for the pleasure of some one of them and all must abide the determination of one suche Lordshyp they claime ouer the faithe of their christian brethren The Apostle renouncing it and acknowledging hymselfe to be a helper If they say Lordshyppe of bishops is agreeable to the word of God who may say agaynst them wythout much trouble yea dare say against them yea what preuayleth it to say against them if they hold together to whom it is to swete to say say agaynst it or if my Lords grace Metropolitane of al England holde sticke fast in the matter for so it goeth many must to one so froÌ„ one to one til it come to the Pope of Lambeth as it was wont in the Poâ—ishe church cleane contrary to the course of the scriptures for there is no more ones but only one one to whome all the churche must obey and from him the whole church hath authoritie ouer the membres of the same for so goeth the scriptures you haue but one maister all you are brethren heare him and tell the church thys is the scripture Now except they will followe the Popes rule and bryng the vniuersal churche to be but a particulare place and a particulare man in that place as Rome is the place and the pope is y man or as Caunterbury or Lambeth might be the place and my Lorde hys grace the man the scriptures and their doings will not agree And hys Lordship shall be a Pope and his confederates the Popes vnderlings excepte they leaue their Lordlynesse and submit them selues to the church of God to be ordered by the same according to the woorde And take them for better who shall they are none other but a remnaunt of Antichristes broode and God amende them and forgeue them for else they bid battell to Christ and his church and it must bid the defiance to them all they yeelde And I protest before the eternall God I take them so and thereafter wil I vse my self in my vocation and many moe to no doubt which be careful of God his glory and the churches libertie wyll vse themselues agaynst them as the professed ennemies of the churche of Christ if they proceede in thys course and thus persecute as they doe What talke they of their being beyond y seas in Quene Maries dayes because of the persecution when they in Queene Elizabethes dayes are come home to rayse a persecution They bost they followe the steps of good maister Ridley the martir let them followe hym in the good and not in the badde What man Martyr or other is to be followed in all things why follow they not M. Hooper as well as him who is a martir also or Rogers or Bradforde who are martirs also They say all those good men in Quene Marres dayes died for the booke of common prayer but they slaunder them for they toke not so slender a quarel they dyed for god his boke and for a true faith grounded vpon the same Diuers of those martires would not in those dayes of king Edwarde abide all the orders in that booke but if they had had such a time beyonde the seas in the reformed churches to haue profited and encreased in knowledge of a right reformation as these men had it is not to be doubted but that they would haue done better then he promised y had rather all England were on a fishpoole then he would be brought to matters fâ—r lesse then now of hys owne accorde he wilfully thrusteth hym selfe vpon Why we they not followe the examples which they sawe beyonde y seas In which of the reformed churches saw they a Lord bishop allowed or the Canon lawe to direct church orders or will they translate the boke of common prayer into Latine and their pontilicall and vse the Latine of the popishe portuise manual and pontifical in those matters wherin they haue folowed those bokes and but translated them out of Latin and will they require abide y iudgements of the reformed churches concerning the matters If they be not singulare if they meane plainely lette them doe thus If it will abyde the triall then let them vse it still They shal not be disgraced but we for disquieting of theÌ„ They haue fâ—cendes that will saye for them they are a learned company and neâ—oe not the helpe of any other churches Then let them offer to defende their course by learning Let them neuer goe ouer sea for the matter and yet surely I woulde some toke that translation in hande toke some paynes in the matter to procure the iudgements of those reformed churches but lette them offer free confereÌ„ce heere at home Nay let them take our offer for conference by wryting to auoyde muche brabble if they will and shew themselues ready to the state wythoute cunning practise to stoppe it by their freendes and let vs ioyne in it freely and then we will thincke better of them and yeelde oure selues to haue beene deceiued in them if they deale plainly O Lord that we wer deceiued â—n them That they were not wickedly bent to maintaine that which they are entred into to the great disquieting of thys Churche of Christe in Englande vntill the Maister come which they thinke will deferre hys commyng and disquiet them whome he fynedeth like lordly Epicures eating drynking wyth y worldly drunkardes and beatyng their fellow seruauÌ„ts They that are poore men already beggered by them and which haue many wayes bâ—ne molested and imprysoned some in the Marshalsey some in the white Lion some in the Catchouse at Westmiâ—ster others in the counter or in the Clynke or in the Ficete or in Bridewell or in Newgate they whych haue these many wayes and times bene hampered ill handled by them they stil offer themselues to al their exercinities and therefore put for the their treatises because they passe not howe deare they bought it so they myght redeme our state out of this deforâ—ed reformation to a ryght platforme drawne oute of the scriptures They say such are men pleasers Surely if they soughâ—e aduauntage that way it were best for them to please my Lords They say they are desirous to be sayd to be in pryson that they profite by it they would not then kepe themselues out of the way nor wheÌ„ they are in be suche suters to come toorâ—he nor abide to be stifeled and choked with the stench of the prison but that is an old shift and cunning of he aduersary to say so No no God hys cause is the mater You pretend a reformation and followe not the worde of God nor will be led by that The summe of all therfore is thys that eyther you of the Parliament muste â—ake order to haue all reformed according to
honourable worshipfull and others by whose meanes they are heere supported and maintained And I am sure of it we all fare the better for it at God hys handes And I beseche the whole state beseeche God that the whole stare may bend theÌ„selues to haue more and more care for the godly straungers y are of the churches in deede and not to be greeued that they are so many but to pitte their present persecution and to comforte them For the other swine that are not of the churches I pray God they may fynde litle fauoure except they repent ioyne themselues to the churches Thus muche also of the Leacons Thys order of the church gouernment is grounded vpon that saying of our sauioure Tei the churche wherin it is certayne he alludeth to that consistorie of the Iewes and the scriptures that directe their gouernement And it is so certain that such a consistory they had and such elders as it shall not nede further to examine those scryptures but to come to the practise of the Apostles the churches plaÌ„ted by them The apostle noteth y there are in the church bearing offyce ruling which should be had in estimation for their offyce two sortes of elders and rulers wherof the one sort also ruleth but they laboure in the woorde and doctrine to and their offyce is the principall He distinguisheth them to the Corinthes the teachers and the gouernoures because all gouernoures are not teachers but because al teachers are gouernoures as to Timothie before is said so to the Romaines deuiding the offyces of the churche into two sortes gouernment and ministring to the pore To the first office he assigneth doctors pastors and gouernors calling them by these names teachers exhorters and rulers and to the second offyce he assigneth deacons widowes callyng the first those that minyster and the widowes those that shew mercy Of the widowes I will say no further but vpon lyke decasyon it is God hys order But for the other orders they must be in all well ordered churches of Christians The Apostle Paul and Barnabas set suche order in the churches whyche they planted It was so in the churches of Rome of Cornith of Ephesus An order is sette downe what meÌ„ they must be How they are to be chosen the ministers the assistantes the deacons yea and the widowes is declared in the Actes of the Apostles and the epistle to Timothie as â— sore is noted Howe they are to procede against offenders is declared by our sauioure and practised amoÌ„g the Thessalonians the Corinths and likewyse of the receiuing agayne of an excommunicate persone and howe they should vse hym while he abydeth excommunicate And the ordering of things comely and remouing abuses euery one to keepe hymselfe wythin his vocation so playne y places be that it nedeth no more but that it would please you to reade them and waighe them And in lyke sorte for conferences and councels to dâ—ale for the stay of the churches in true doctrine and in godly order and quyetnesse to the Corinthes it is plaine and the councell at Ierusalem wherein is dealt for all those causes of the churches at once The persons that were sent to the councel the persons that chefely dealt and how and the generall consent of the Apostles Elders and brethren would be well obserued as geuing great light for many purposes Well now who are our doers in this church gouernment how are they chosen what causes doe they deale in and how do they deale In euery parishe a consistorie there is not nor in euery great towne containing many paryshes nor in euery shire but onely one in a diocesse whych contayneth diuers shires I may peraduenture dâ— deceyued for there may be so many in adiocesse as there are Archdeaconries besydes the graund consistorie of y byshop or his suâ—stitute the Chauncellor for they say the Archdeacon or his substitute y officiall may visite oftner then y bishop kepe courts oftner then y Chancellor there are in some diocesse diuers ArchdeacoÌ„s But what of all thys whence haue they their aucthoritie who called them what causes deale they in and how of God they haue not their authoritie they hold it by the Canon lawe and by the bishop And some of them pay the bishop full well for it they say And so they say that Chancellors offyces are so gainfull that some of them are in fee wyth their byshops for them yea they say some bishops haue payed for their byshoppricks other wayes though not to the Quene and that some of them haue large fees going out of their bishopprickes to their frends that holpe them to their preferments These are not rightly called And whereas there is a statute to auouche thys calling and aucthoritie that the byshops vsurpe the statute may make it good by lawe to holde suche titles and dignities but not before god I haue spoken of it before and seeing ministers must be equall and the order must be that some must be gouerned by all and not all by some in the church gouernment then y same argument is of force against Archdeacons and all such highe prelates which is agaynst Lorde byshops Lord byshops I say for the name bishop is not the name of a Lord but of a painfull minister and pastor or teacher and yet in deede in England euery byshop is a Lorde I knowe the common people would maruel yea and ioly wyse men too if they heard their pastor say I am your byshop a byshoppe on God hys name when were you made Lorde and so take him to be proude for no man is a byshop heere but he is also a Lord whych thyng I say because I doe not meane that the scripture alloweth not a byshop but not a Lord byshop A byshop or ouerseer or pastor and teacher in euery congregation the scripture doth allowe and hym or them to be the principal of the consistorie of their congregation it doth allowe but thys hyghe Prelacie it alloweth not but forbiddeth it vtterly Nowe then seeing they haue no lawfull callyng howe can they deale in any causes lawfully but yet they doe deale though not lawfully before God and that in infinite causes And the proctors and doctors of that law say the studie of the lawe is infinite because the causes are infinite one I trow en gendering another and so surely are the delayes and fees of those courtes infinite They haue to examine all transgressions agaynste the boke of common prayer the iniunctions the aduertisements the canons the metropoliticall articles the bishops articles of the diocesse all the spirituall causes as they call them of the whole diocesse or euery Archdeacon of hys circuite and the Archbishop of hys prouince and the Arches of the whole realme and for certayne causes the prerogatiue court of my Lord his grace of Canterburie is ouer the realme also Also of spirituall yea and many carnall
though I wer knowne an hundred â—o wel able to write and speake in the matter Except you will professe to persecute vs whych we hope her maiestie of her wonted rare clemencie will not suffer though no doubt she shal be by many importunately solicited and in manner forced our cause vnheard we do require and humbly beseche you if by these bokes you be not resolued what to do yet to prouide for our safetie giue vs the hearyng They would beare men in hand that we despise authoritie and contemne lawes but they shamefully slaunder vs to you that so say For it is her maiesties authoritie we slye to as the supreme gouernour in all causes ouer all persones within her dominions appoynted by God and we flie to the lawes of this realme the bonds of all peace good orders in thys laÌ„d And we beseche her maiestie to haue y hearing of thys matter of Gods and to take the defence of it vpoÌ„ her And to fortifie it by law that it may be receiued by common order throughout her dominions For though the orders be ought to be drawne out of the booke of God yet it is hir maiestie that by hir princely authoritie shuld see euery of these things put in practise and punish those that neglect them making lawes therfore for the churche maye keepe these orders but neuer in peace except the comfortable and blessed assistance of the states gouerners linke in to see them accepted in their countreys and vsed For otherwise the churche may and must keepe God hys orders but alwayes in troubles and persecution whych is lyke to light vpon vs except a reformation of Religion or a direct Prouiso for vs be made for surely onely thys is God his order ought to be vsed in hys church so y in conscience we are forced to speake for it and to vse it in conscience in the reuerence of God we are forced to speake as we doe of that reformation which we now vse not so much for oughte else as to set out the deformities therof that we might thinke vpon the amending of them It is shewed in the former treatises how we thynke of the time and the persons when and by whome it was first made and aucthorised yea we know that hetherunto y state that now is hath not bene sufficiently instructed in any better then they vse wherfore we lay the fault where the fault is vpon the bishops that sort who are so soft set fat fed that they think they cannot better themselues by god his orders not for worldly ease pompe and therefore they neyther haue dealt nor will deale themselues to chaunge the course nor for ought I see wil suffer any other to deale but their authoritie frendes shall fayle them but they wyll oppresse them They pretend much y her maiestie is sore bent against vs and that it is not so much their doing if y were so then should they themselues deale for vs to her maiestie and cease that course they haue gon But we know because it most toucheth theÌ„ they must hate vs Wherefore we beseeche your godly wisdomes to haue consideration of the matter and not to leaue vs in their daunger nor in danger of such iustices other which be glad to haue a quarell to vs for oure conscience which can finde none in oure liues enditing vs fyneing vs c. Now it is thus propouÌ„ded vnto you if it seeme strange harde to you as no dout to them the are not acquainted with the mater it wil do bicause they are better acquainted wyth another course we beseche you to suffer to procure it to be further discussed by free conference among the learned men in this realme There are many well able to doe it wil be ready to doe it if they were called vpon so shall you haue sufficient light There be that say It wil be troublous to procede in these thyngs by publique authoritie that it cannot be done I wold desire them y say so â–ª to remember how troublous it is and wil be the while to many good consciences how that God cannot but be hyghly displeased in y meane tyme how y he cannot but reuenge thys trouble that is raised against pore men hys faithfull seruaunts There are the say this order cannot be throughout a realme we caÌ„not erect a consistorie in euery towne we caÌ„not finde in euery town faithful men some pâ—â—ish hathe small choise of any kinde of men Surely there would be somewhat thought of the vniting of small parishes in one But yet there is no parish so small but if it haue nede of Christ and to be saued then it hath nede of Christes orders And there is no subiect though in deede it be a raw time for to fynde in moste parishes a competent number of faithfull meÌ„ to deale or to haue skil to deale in these matters there is no subiect I say but if making the best choise he wer chosen as it is directed afore and a great penaltie vpoÌ„ him to deale in it faithfully but he could not chuse but deale in it that trustely wel so that withall there wer drawne certaine general orders to direct him or theÌ„ how to deale an honest learned pastor placed ouer euery sâ—ocke But some say it wil be hard to finde a preacher such a one as I spake of before for euery parish to furnish the realme any thing like To thys I say vse those you haue First place in manner as afore all your bishops in benefices y be of a sound religion and you shall furnish so many benefices as they be in nombre for they haue none Yet they say some of theÌ„ haue some benefices as I sayde before to amende their lyuings wythall Besides vse all you haue abrode which be fit for it and in the vniuersities And let such exercises be taken vp as I haue spoken of and let the towardliest of those that already haue bene in benefices if they wil be content to goe to their bokes afterward be employed vppon the ministerie let them be sent to the vniuersities or such like places and be prouided for by y colleâ—ges y they may procede in learning And you know not the store y God will raise you â—â— short time if you go about this godly purpose throughly Take order y those faithfull ministers which you haue may be placed in the greatest congregations And for the sacraments let those parishes that are yet vnprouided repair to the parishes next adioyning y are prouided of pastoâ—s that they may vse the sacraments as they ought not without the preaching of the word so that they be coÌ„tent to be examined allowed as in that churche wherto they shall resort they shall finde it ordered And in the meane whilâ— til preachers increase to furnish the places vnfurnished if vpon conference among the
haue ben Lordes as our bishops but they might not being expresly forbidden it Of y lordship of byshops Luke 12. 13. 14. Ioh. 6. 15. Ih. 18. 36. mat 20. 28 mat 20. 27 If bishops â—oe take Lordshyp vpon them others are forbiddeÌ„ to â—iue it theÌ„ 1. Pet. 5. 3 Not one minister to meddle in anothers cure without order 1. Cor. 14 A conference Act. 8. 14. Act. 13. 2. Gala. 2 14 â—f Synode prouincial â—ationall â—â—nersall Ioh. 7. 51 Gal. 2. 14 Mat. 23. 8. 9. Mat. 17. 1. Th. 52 1. Ih. 4. 1 Galat. 1. Act. 15. 12 A comparison betweene the former description of the ministerie and the bishops order Prophane preachers Common places and A pothegmes Merye â—ales Flaunting preachers Long bags â—r 1. 24. â— 23. 8 â— 17. 5 18. 17 â—e him â—ell the â—h Persecâ— raised The mâ—tyrs in Mary oâ— dayes they sufred Turning y â— â—oke oâ— coÌ„â—ion prayer â— the ponâ—ficall unto â—ortuis laâ—iue to try y â— â—â—dgemÄ“â—s â—f y reforâ—ed churâ—hes conâ—rmng theÌ„â—equired There is no persecuâ—tion nâ—we â— they say â— reporte mâ— to these examples Vaine anâ— wicked oâ—iections Booke of common prayer In intollerable abuse of prayer Gloria patri Dominus vobiscum Oremus Kyrieleâ—soÌ„ Many pater nosters Mat. 6. 7. Reading prayers no praying In praying many guises takeÌ„ vp â— vsed rather of custome then of reason knowledge or coÌ„scieÌ„ce â–ª Reading â—t psalmes â—inging of 〈…〉 ers â—enedicâ—s â—agnifiâ— Anani 〈…〉 1. Pe. 4. 11 Collectes at the feast of the natiuitie and Whitiontite A Collecte on Bartho lomewe day Seruice for Lent â— shwedensday * A Commination * Deu. 27 13. 14. * Galat. 4. 9. 10. 11. Athanasius Creede Venite Confirmation A mannery sorte of ministers Iere. 6. 6. 17. 18. 9. 20. 21. Byshops theÌ„selues some of theÌ„ in heresies and some suspected The boke of Articles of christian religion The Crede in meter The humblâ— sute of a synner The last great Bible mat 23. 24 Consistorie wherof it coÌ„sisteth The ministers first 〈◊〉 Who the assistantes must be Howe the assistantes must be chosen wherefore thys consistorie serueth mat 18. 1â— Assent of their whole congregation 1. Tim. 5. 19. Disordeâ—ed cereâ—onies Necessary â—rders â—eude cuâ—omes They may not meddle wyth the ciuil magistrates offyce Vsurie Information and accoumpts of the deacons Who shuâ— repaire to the couÌ„sels for y churches affaires Of excommunicatioÌ„ Shutting out of the churche dore 1. Cor. 5. â— 10. â— Cor. 7. â—2 â—3 No punishment so grâ—uous in this world as ExcommunicatioÌ„ some sharâ— punishmeÌ„t would be prouided bâ— the ciuill magistrate for him y coÌ„temneth excommunication but with lessâ— charge theÌ„ a significauit What a deacon is Act. 6. 3. Luk. 11. 4. 3. h. 13. 29. â—â—t 6. 13. Phil. 1. 1. â— Tâ— 3. 8. The laste statute for the pore Widowes 1. tim 5. 5 â—ore stranâ—ers â—o be â—tyed * Mat. 18. 17. Num. 11. Deu. 31. â— 2. chr 19. â— SynedriuÌ„â— mat 5. 22 â–ª â— 1. tim 5. 1â— 1. Cor. 12. 28. Rom. 11. 6. 7. 8. Act. 14. 2 Act. 20. 1 Math. 18. 15. 16. 17. 2. Thes 3. 14. 15. 1. Cor. 5. 4. 5. 2. Cor. 2. 7. 8. 1. Cor. 11. 16. 1. Cor. 14. 40. Act. 15. What orâ—er wee â—aue and what oure â—ighe preâ—ates maye â—oe by their â—anâ—n lawe â— coÌ„missioÌ„ Bishop in Englande is the only name of a Lord minister but in scrypture â— is no lordeâ— name at all â–ª â—nchaste â—leading A large scope Conuocatio house Clarkes of the parliament house Clarkly deuinâ—s Appeale Vrgent causes The sâ—xe Articles The magistrates authoritie and the lawes we flie to Quarellous iustices Certaine obiectious answered What prayer should be made Patrons presentations iâ—stituâ—ions inductions now vsed must cease CERTAINE Articles collected and taken as it is thought by the Byshops our of a litle boke entituled an admonition to the Parliament wyth an Answere to the same Containing a confirmation of the sayde Booke in shorte notes Esay 5. 20. Woe be vnto them that speake good of euill and euill of good whych put darknesse for light and light for darknesse that putte bytter for sweete and sweete for sower The Prynter to the Reader Thys worke is fynished thankes be to God And he only wil keepe vs from the searchers rod. And though master Day and Toy watch warde We hope the liuing God is our sauegarde Let them seeke loke and doe now what they can It is but inuentions and pollicies of man. But you wil maruel where it was fynished And you shal know perchance when domes day is ended Imprinted we know where and whan Iudge you the place and you can I. C. I. S
the seas as Geneua Fraunce c. And the only cause why our church differeth from the churches reformed of the straūgers or amongs our selues or they amongs themselues is because one church suffereth not it selfe so to be directed by the course of the scriptures as an other doth except it be in those things of order wherin one parishe may many times differ from an other wythout offence folowing the generall rules of the scripture for order as in appoynting tyme and place for prayers and so forth So that we are so farre off from singularitie wherwyth we are commonly charged that we desire to drawe by one line with the primitiue churche and the churches best reformed at thys day for we say there is but one * line throughout all coūtreis and at all times as the scripture speaketh there is one * body one spirite one hope one Lorde one fayth one baptisme one God and Father of all which is aboue all and through al and in vs all The persons and causes that are to deale and to be dealt with in the church are certayne and expressed in the scriptures The lyfe of the worde is the ministerie of the same howe shall they heare wythout a * preacher sayth the Apostle The former tretises therfore haue rightly spoken against the bastard idol and vnpreaching ministerie of thys church And therefore thys I say that first you must prouide a suffycient mayntenance for the ministerie that in euery parishe they may haue a preaching pastor one or moe that may only entend that charge Is not the scripture plaine Thou shalt not * mousel the mouth of the Oxe ▪ that treadeth out the corne for our sakes no doubt thys is wrytten that he that careth should care in hope that they whych sowe you spirituall things myght reape of you temporall things whych is no bad exchaunge for you Nowe to your handes oure auncestors haue raised a maintenance which is not so embeseled away nor the propertie so altered but that though mennes deuotion be colde to the ministers the state may easely by law restore the same prouision againe without losse in manner to any partie If none other way may be founde then haue the bishops and cathedrall churches temporalties inough to redeme those liuings that be impropriated or otherwyse out and to better those liuings whych are too small and as I thynke to be employed to other good vses of the church also But we will not stande wyth you so muche in the manner of the raisyng of theyr prouision for raise it as it shall please God to put you in minde so y you prouide sufficiently for your ministers that they maye be of abilitie to maintaine their charge and to bestowe vpon fitte furniture of bokes and honest hospitalitie But in the meane while vntill a sufficient prouision be made it is no better then sacrileage and spoyling of God to kepe backe any way the prouision which hath bene made in that respecte and the cursse of God threatned by Malachie to those that spoiled y * Leuites then of their prouision belongeth and wil light vpon our spoilers nowe vpon them in whose hands it is to redresse it if they doe it not Also there must be orders taken and looked vnto for the bestowing of the liuings prouided in the vniuersities now dennes of many theeuish non-residentes not to the greedy vse of many cormorant masters of colledges and at theyr wicked pleasure as they are but to the brynging vp for the moste parte of such as wil be content to be employed vpon the charge of the ministerie whē as the church shall haue nede of them and to take from them that haue moe liuings all saue one and that to except they will be resident and be able and willyng to discharge it hauing besides the allowāce which afterwards shal be spoken of by God hys grace And thys prouisiō must so sufficiently be established that it may be paide wythoute adoe and not to be sought for or worme by suspensions or * excommunication which are applied by y scriptures to a farre more proper and spirituall vse not at all to thys And also there are many charges going out of benefices wherof they shoulde be vnburdened Next you must repeale your statute or statutes whereby you haue authorised that ministerie that now is making your estate partly to consist of Lordes spiritual as you cal them and making one minister hygher then another appoynting also an order to ordayne ministers which order is cleane differing from the * scriptures wherefore you muste haue the order for these things drawne oute of the scriptures which order is this When any parishe is destitute of a pastor or of a teacher the same parish may haue recourse to the next conferēce and to them make it knowne that they maye procure cheefely from the one of the vniuersities or if otherwise a man learned of good report whome after triall of hys gyftes had in theyr conference they may present vnto the paryshe which before had bene wyth them aboute that matter but yet so that the same parishe haue him a certaine time amōgst them that they may be acquainted wyth his gifts and behauioure and geue their consentes for his stay amongste them if they can alleage no iust cause to the cōtrary for he may not be sent away again which is so sent to a parishe except a iust cause of misliking the cause alleaged being iustly proued against hym either amongst themselues in theyr owne consistorie so that he will appeale no further for hys triall or els in the next conference or counsell prouinciall or nationall vnto which from one to another he may appeale if he fynde hymselfe cleare and if he geue ouer they maye proceede as afore for another And when suche an one is founde to whome the parishe muste geue consent bicause there is no iust cause to be alleaged agaynste him the nexte conference by whose meanes he was procured shall be certified of the parishes liking wherupon they shall amongst themselues agree vpon one of the ministers which shall be sent by them to the same parishe and after a sermon made according to the occasion and earnest prayer to God wyth fasting according to the example of the scriptures made by that congregation to God the it would please him to direct them in theyr choise and to blesse that man whome they choose he shall require to know their consent which being graūted he the elders shall lay their hāds on him to signifie to him that he is lawfully called to that parishe to be pastor there or teacher Now for as much as I haue made mētion of a pastor and a teacher of a consistory in each parish of a cōference and of a counsell prouincial and national I wil as brefely as I can declare what eache of these meaneth and what the vse of them is