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
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
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
the Prince and state by the godly learned menne of thys realme bâ—cause of y rawnesse of this people yet and also vsing earnest prayers wyth fasting as in the choise of the minister hauing made their choise thereafter they shall publishe their agreement in their parishe and after a sermon by their minister at their appoyntment and vppon their consent the minister may lay hys handes vppon euery of them to testify to them their admission This consistorie is for that onely congregation and must doe that which they we wyntly in any common cause of the churche And these are to employe themselues and to be employed by that congregation vpon the necessary and vrgent affaires of the same churche These are they in y church to whome our sauiour coÌ„maundeth them that haue twise or oftner admonished an offender and he heareth them not to vtter such an offender when he sayth tell the church These are they whose last admonition he of that church or they which regarde not shall be taken as a publicane or heathen These are they that shall admonishe all suche in that congregation as they knowe to liue with offence to the church or as be presented to them by good testimonie of their offence committed These be they which shall excommunicate the stubburne making the whole church priuie to their doings and shall vpon repentaÌ„ce take order for the receiuing such an one in againe making open profession of hys or their repentance to the satisfying of y congregation Yet euer so must they excommunicate receiue the excommunicate in againe that they require the assent of their whole congregation shewing the greuousnesse of hys fact and howe they haue proceeded wyth him by admonition and hys contempt whych they shall doe bothe bicause their vpright dealing may appeare to y who le church and bicause they may not vsurpe authoritie ouer the whole churche whereby we might caste out the tirannie of the bishops bryng in a new tyrannie of theirs who are appointed by good order to haue the examination of matters the rest of the dealing in the name of the whole congregation Neuerthelesse what they do wel the congregation cannot alter neither shall the congregation put them or any of them out but vpoÌ„ iust cause proued either in that consistorie or in some one of the counsels and the cause accepted for sufficient Neither may they or any of them leaue to deale in that turne except they can shew good cause to that consistorie and it to be approued by them wyth the consent of the whole congregation and good liking For neyther muste they lightly be broughte into suspition nor they must not lightly cast of so waighty a calling and function of suche importance no more then the ministers may They also shall examine all disordered ceremonies vsed in place of prayer and abolishe those which they finde euill or vnprofitable and bring in suche orders as their congregation shall haue neede of so they befew and apparant necessary both for edifying and profite decent order prouing it plainely to the whole church that it is so And in like sorte shall they suffer no lewd customes to remaine in their parishe either in gaâ—es or otherwise but hauing conferred of suche things amongste themselues they shall admonish him or them brotherly that he or they vse them not any more as vnseming to Christian men to vse the lyke or if they be common they shall geue open admonition and it shall be left In all these things in all things of the church they shall not meddle wyth the ciuill magistrates office nor wyth any other punishment but admonition and excommunication of the obstinate Yet this they must doe that he which hath lyued with offence to that congregation although he hath suffred the punishment of the law for hys offence against it yet he shall by them be admonished to satisfie the congregation to whom he hath geuen offence amongs whoÌ„ he dwelleth As for example he that hath vsurie proued agaynst him so that he lose hys principal for taking aboue ten in the hundred yet shall he also for committing so hamous offence agaynste God and hys churche to the very ill example of others not be allowed to the Sacraments vntill he shewe hymselfe repentaunt for the faulte and study thereby to satisfie the congregation so offended by him These shal receiue the informations of the deacons for the releefe of the pore their accomptes for that which they shal lay out that way and of their diligeÌ„ce in visiting them that the congregations maye by the Consistorie be certefyed of all thyngs concerning the poore bothe y there may be made prouision accordingly and that the prouision made may be wel husbanded and the pore may by the deacons be visited comforted and releeued accordyng to their lack Lastly one or moe of these assistants with one of the ministers a deacon or deacons shall be those y shall at their churches charges meete at the prouincial councell or nationall if there be any businesse that concerneth their churche Especially one of the ministers shall not faile and one of this assistance to be parties in any generall cause of all the churches that may be dealte in there whether it be concerning doctryne or manners Now a word or two of excommunication and deacons because I haue made meÌ„tion of them and then I will shew vpon what scriptures these orders are grosâ—â—ed and a little compare them wyth those which we vse and some certaine matters incident to these then I will draw to an ende by God hys grace Excommunicatâ—on may not be vsed but after sondrye brotherly and sharpe admonitions too great occasions offences and contemptes shewed as the scripture is plaâ—e And in these cases they are by the persons and order asore not shut oute of the church dore as we vse but oâ—t of the churche of God and communion and felowshippe of the saintes they are deliuered to sathan and to be esteemed and to be no more taken for Christian men till they repent then Heathens or Turkes are saue that as they may be allowed yea and procured if it may be to come to heare sermons so also they may be conferred with by the brethren to bryng them to repentance But they shall not be allowed to the sacrament the pledge of Christ hys league with hys church vntill by repentaÌ„ce they may be admitted as afore is sayde into the fellowship of the church againe Neyther shall any brother or sister vse hys or their companie but to admonishe them and exhort them to repeÌ„tance or as he or she may the heatheÌ„s company for their necessary affaires in the world as they may haue dealing together or as a wife whych may not depart from her husband if he wil abide with her and yet shee may be admitted to the felowship of the
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