seconded by the peaceable and happie accesse of a greater Kingdome So that in this case vnlesse to a minde that hath no Religion at all it shall bee much harder to perswade a moderation than too little For with righteous Kings and of vnderstanding as nothing is dearer than Religion so in nothing they imploy their labour and authoritie more willingly than for the preseruation and honouring of the Church it selfe all kingdomes hauing no other safetie but this Their prosperitie to flourish for no longer time than the prosperitie of the Church is maintayned among est them This being by all obseruation the truest signe of a decaying Kingdome To haue a Cleargie vnhallowed and the Church vnhonoured But whilest all men are carefull that the Church may bee well gouerned euerie man obtrudeth his owne fancy and liketh best of those Rules which haue neerest affinitie with his owne brayne Hence commeth it to passe that some men are not fully resolued to whom especially belongeth the Authoritie to prescribe with warrâ—nt the direct forme of the Church gonernment Other offices for the attainment of this end as to instruct and to aduise may in all reâ—son to make the burthen of gouernment both more vertuous and more easie belong vnto other men But to prouide for the safetie of the Church for the publicke enioying of the Word of God for the maner of gouernment for the maintenance of the Clergie all these in a strict vnderstanding are the religious duties and the honourable effects of the King so that what authoritie is deriued vnto any â—yther in a blinde and false obedience to the Sea of Rome or through a partiall affection to a new Consistorie are both if not equall yet equally vsurpers of the Kings right Nay whilest some of late haue beene earnest though ignonorant refusers of Subscription they hane showed in their actions how vncharitably they haue thought of their late Souereigns sincere ReligioÌ„ For to mislike the book of Orders is indirectly to affirme that we haue no ministery which some impudently shameles haue dared to affirme plainly not to subscribe to the Booke of Common Prayer is to teach that we haue no forme of Church Liturgye And lastly to refuse to subscribe to the Articles of Faith is to make men beleeue that our Church maintaineth vnsound doctrine This as it was alleaged once by a Reuerend bishop in a SermoÌ„ so it is an accusatioÌ„ not yet cleered by any that I know by one it is slubbered ouer vnhandsomely making the Obiection stronger than himselfe was able to answere truly but this wee shall haue better occasion to confute hereafter And it is too plaine what opinion they had of Her Religion liuing whom so boldly they dare depraue being once dead But flattery looketh no further than eyther to escape punishment or receiue a benefit so that when the one is past feare and the other past hope wee dare then speake what wee thinke and more vnreuerently oftentimes of the same partie being a Saint in Heauen than we durst being a Prince in earth It were fit all men considered but especially Kings whose authoritie it doth secretly vndermine how farre the admission of a Consistoriall Gouernment in a kingdome may suddenly vsurpe vpon that right which Scripture and Lawes haue ascribed to the King That Kings ought to haue rule in all causes ouerall persons as it is warranted by the word so it is confirmed to the Princes of this Land by Act of Parliament This giueth vnto them Supremacy in Ecclesiasticall Gouernment Exempteth from Inforcement of any Domesticall or forreigne power and freeth them from the penaltie of those lawes both Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill whereunto all inferiour persons in a Kingdome are tyed And howsoeuer sinnes in Princes ought to be reprooued and rights of Clayme may be recouered against Kings yet in nothing are they liable to penall lawes much lesse subiect to the Iurisdiction of Elders or Excommunication of this Tyrannous Consistorie Vnhallowed blouldnesses attempted in other Kingdomes and Imperionsly affected and vrged by some amongst vs nay the power to call Synods an Authoritie by Parliament graunted vnto the Prince some violent spirits haue attempted with that bouldnesse as if those only were Lawes which were warranted by this Consistorie Princes being but to Execute what they appoint them out of Gods word whereof notwithstanding themselues must be only Iudges Thus whilst the Prince warranted by his owne Law which is the publike Act of his whole people gaue Authority to some graue Commissioners for Reformation of Ecclesiasticall disorders They denie that any such ought to be appointed Iudges and often both in priuate and publike depraued that honorable and high Commission a thing as it is vnseemely for them to controule so if our late Souereigne in great Wisedome and care of the Church had not giuen it authoritie and strength the bolddnesse of a great number pretending a Zeale had growen to bee so strong that in all appearance There had beene little likelihood of safety to the Queene her selfe And seeing all attempts are most violent that haue their beginning and strength from a Zeale to Religion bee it neuer so false there can be nothing doubtles of greater vse either for the safetie of the Prince the peace of the Church or the quiet of the Commonwealth than the seuere and Reuerend authoritie of this high CoÌ„mission without which assuredly long since we had miserably tasted of all those euilles which vncontrouled ignorance Hypocrisie and crueltie cculd haue brought amongst vs. It is small reason Princes should giue eare vnto these plots which leaue them naked without meanes to defend themselues or their Subiects in the time of danger nay those of the honorable and highe Court of Parliament are to thinke themselues and I doubt not but will iniured by such who haue taken from them on of the three States a State not of the least wisedome and grauitie and from them all that Authoritie which they ascribe to a number of ignorant and sillie Artificers for such some Consistories must needes bee and guided by a youth sometimes neither of wisedome nor vnderstanding It is miserable where men are ruled by no lawes seeing nothing is in man of greater daunger vnlimited than his owne will which imperiously commaundeth ouer his fancie that is able to corrupt and peruert all Rules of order Thus they interprete Tell the Church tell the Consistorie Which because Iohn Morrell did expound otherwise himselfe was excommunicated and his Booke burnt there is nothing more vsull than their pleasures to become Lawes A thing peraduenture men may affect which either desire Change or do hate gouernment but doubtles in it selfe Tyrannous and vnsufferable and so much the more odious and daungerous by how much the Rulers are base there gouernment lesse equall and once admitted not easie to be shaked of In on word There is nothing in the Lawes of this whole Land nay not in the possession of any priuate persoÌ„ safe if
so that from hence was vnderstoode by the name of a Benefice A pastorall cure of soules ouer the people of some parish whereas formerly it signified some standing Ecclesiasticall reuenue taken out of the treasure of God and alotted to a spirituall person to the end hee may vse the same and inioy it as his owne for tearme of life vnlesse his default cause depriuation And wee know that the Clergie for manie yeeres after Christ had no other Benefices but onely their Canonicall portions or monethlie Diuidends allowed vnto them according to their seuerall degrees and qualities out of the common stock of such guifts oblations and Tythes as the feruor of christian pietie did then yeeld In the Apostles time Churches were onelie in the cities in regard whereof those that liued in villages beeing without instruction were called Pagans which after by the example of others both intertaining and giuing allowance for the maintenance of the same truth those to whom principall care was committed in this kind appointed meaner men of lesse learning and lower qualitie to vndertake the instruction of those places who were desirous and willing to yeelde after the example of others oblations and tithes for maintenance of those that were placed ouer them Now to say that either seuerall parishes thus distinguished might by no permission bee allotted to the care and instruction of one man or that it were not lawfull for any reason how beneficiall soeuer to Gods Church to bee absent from that particuler care committed to him were in the former to denie all better trust and reward to men of more worth and greater abilities and desert and in the latter to bee ouer Tirannous in considering and allowing the cause of absence and peraduenture in a true construction ouer rigorouslie seuere in both But seing all men know which wee doubt but our aduersaries in this cause will conffesse that this limitation of particuler parishes was meerlie positiue and the inuentions of men thought and found better for the better performance of the Clergies dutie it cannot bee the absolute transgression of a deuine ordination in that sence as if either to haue moe parishes then one or from one to be absent at somtime were a direct vnexcusable breach of the morall law For the duties commanded not to bee done in them are by no meanes not for a moment euer allowed to be done at all which thraldome if in seueritie they bring vpon Gods church let them take heede what dangers they fall into themselues that by this meanes the church receiue not a greater harme whilst peraduenture in this case their remedie is worse then the disease is Now to allow absence vpon reason without appointing those causes and such as must iudge which are reasonable were to make all men to think that they had reason that were willing neither is there any great force from the nature of Relatiues if that were all why one may not as well haue diuers parishes as one parish haue diuers Pastors And howsoeuer wee hold not the reason good that beecause Tymothie Titus had manie congregations committed to their charge therefore others may yet the reason in their opinion from this example ought not to want strength who think a Bishop and a Minister is all one In this first distribution for the best discharge of their calling and the greatest benefit to the church of Christ if some vnder the Bishops aboue their bretheren which had moe and more distant parishes then any in our church all termed by one name though some were Suffraganes to Bishops it ought not to seeme a matter of vnreasonable fauour and vnlawfull to commit seuerall churches to the instruction and gouernment of some men whose learning discretion care is more eminent and that these may whilst their labours are vsed for the benefit of Christs flock lawfully bee absent and haue inferiour men of the Clergie for a tyme to supply and to execute their roomes so that doubtlesse a zeale in these reprouers did carrie them to far when alledging those extrauagant reasons against Pluralities they yeeld them to tend to couetousnesse that one man had the stipend of many that they make non Residents that it maintaines Ambition that it is the occasion of a gadding and roaguing ministerie no small cause why others want and lastly a taking away of that recompence which belongs to others these reasons in their opinion of some force howsoeuer they haue alreadie bene profoundly answered with much iudgement yet beecause they still please themselues in the rehearsall of them we can bee content both with patience to giue them hearing and withall to hope for this fauour at their hands that they will yeeld thus much to vs that many things may occasionally bee the accidentall procurers of much euill which are originally no causes nor iustly can suffer a reproofe as vnlawfull things Neither are these onely the occasions of the euills which they lay vpon them seeing either all or most are commonly to bee found amongst thē who notwithstāding would seeme to be furthest from this sin But seeing whatsoeuer in our Church is practised in either of these two Pluralities or non Residencie is not the corruption of some priuate man but the approbation and allowance of the Court of Parliament wherein what soeuer is established all men in the eie and construction of the law are thought and deemed to haue consented we cannot but thinke it vnreasonable and vnreuerend for these men to disanull or make question of an Act of their owne making and withall wee hope it both hath and shall appeare to the world that as it is not lawfull without dispensation to haue or to doe either so that authoritie to dispence in both is most agreeable to reason and Gods truth For seeing the disposition and limitation of priuate parishes extendeth no further but to be the wise Positiue inuention and ordination of those who formerlie haue gouerned in Gods Church and that all humane lawes are dispensable by supreame authoritie a dispensation being but the relaxation of a common right made vpon knowledge of the cause by him that hath right to dispence wee hope that likewise these may and that the lawes forbidding non Residencie Pluralities are in force still notwithstanding by Priuiledge some particulers are and are fit to bee exempted from the common right Doubtlesse neuer meere human law was either made with that wisedome or was in execution of so necessarie vse but that sometimes it was fitter to receiue Dispensation then to stand in force for seeing the best lawes of men are but the euidences of Humane reason which wee finde by experience groweth from a weakenesse to bee more strong and from imperfection to bee more absolute wee cannot in reason without inthralling our selues in too great a bondage deny Abrogation and Dispensation to humane lawes which are not to bee like those of the
authority in matters that coÌ„cerne Religion the other that the care of Princes to maintaine Religion ought only to be with these word but to coÌ„fute errors to reforme Churches to call Synods These they thinke to be peculiar to the Pope himselfe The contrary to both these wee are taugh by Scriptures by Historie by Fathers and by Testimonie of some of the Popes themselues who haue earnestly intreated the Christian Emperours to call Councels This then being in the opinion of all that are of sound iudgement both the greatest care and honor to a Christian prince let vs consider a little those pointes that are absolutely requisite for the Religious performing of this duty the person whom wee call the Prince is hee that hath supreame authoritie according to the forme of that kingdome wherein he ruleth In humane actions that they may be performed aright it is requisite that we are willing that we haue knowledg that we haue power with out the first our knowledge abilitie do want motion without the second our motion ability shal want skill without the third our motion and skil shal want strength The first is an vnestimable benefit bestowed vpoÌ„ religious princes from the powerfull Author of all pietie in this respect all men are bound to commend them to God more especially in their prayers assuring our selues that vnlesse wee or they faile hee that hath giuen them to will shall inhable them at length to performe it likewise The best assurance to discerne the Author of this wil is the considerations of the ends which are only two Gods glory and the good of others which being not the scope of their actioÌ„ it is no more possible that God should bee the Author of that will than that goodnes is possible to bee the Author of much euill Ends of doing which lye in the hart of man and are onely discerned by God himselfe are the true discouerers what is the originall fountain of that we doo For the same things are not alwaies of the same nature though the maner of performing be all one if the ends be diuers The second thing is knowledge not of much lesse necessitie than the former wherby hee may bee truely assured what things are vnfit and what are warrantable to bee reformed neither this onely in general and by others but if it bee possible in euery particular and of himselfe A happines wheresoeuer it is neither least worth nor least power to make happy both the Church CoÌ„monwealth This only was thought to bring greatnes ruine both at once into the Church of Rome whilst Emperors being busied with other affairs left the gouernment to the Bishops the Bishops to the Suffragans these to the Monks whose authority knowledge being much lesse all things were ruled with greater corruption lesse truth To auod this Moses coÌ„mandeth the Princes day night to be exercised in reading the holy Scripture next to haue those about theÌ„ who are lerned honest it is a maime to a Prince to be assisted by any that do want either For to be learned without Zeal is to make aduaÌ„tage to theÌ„selues by a publick losse to be Zealous without skil is to couÌ„sel ofteÌ„times to matters that do much hurt As the former maketh a King coÌ„monly to be ouer dissolute so these other do make him to be too rigorous it is a memorable exaÌ„ple of Ioas the King of Iuda whilst he had Ieboida the priest assistaÌ„t to him al things happily succeeded to him to his whole Realme but with his death the King being destitute of such all things as speedily came to great ruine To further the Kings knowledge it is a means neither of least honor nor vse to call Synods of those Churches that imbrace the truth and in them to asemble men of best learning moderation and least partiall whose consultatioÌ„ for disputatioÌ„ is a means both to conteÌ„tious insolent to finde a truth may serue for resolution of such points as weaknes in humility would be glad to learn It is lost labour in any farre vnbefitting the honour of Kings to vndertake with Curiositie pride to get knowledge seeing the one is not desirous to learne the other desirous for to learne too much This hath bin the Care of all religious Emperors Constantine the great in the case of Arrius called the Councell of Nice Thus Theodosius the great in the case of Nestorius the Councel of Ephesus Valentinian and Martian the Councell of Chalcedon against Eutiches Iustinian the Councell of Constantinople against Seuerus the Patriarch of Antioch which renued the error of Eutyches Constantine the fift The sixt Synod against the Monothelyts George the Patriarch of Constantinople Macharius the Patriarch of Antioch their followers the third thing is ability which shall easily receiue greatest strength from hence if all lesser differeces remoued a perfect concord agreement be made with those of the same ReligioÌ„ If Israel and Iuda be at variance both shal be caried into Captiuity the one into Assyria the other into Babilon Thus the Eternall power punisheth our pride the fountaine of our dissention with captiuity to learn vs amitie friendship in a strange land Oh that IerusaleÌ„ were built as a City at vnitie in it selfe If any man yet doubt of the authority of kings in Ecclesiasticall causes ouer sâ—ch persons let them know that inâ— al ages with good warrant Princes haue displaced and iudged men of the Church as ReligioÌ„ reason desert haue moued them Salomon displaced Abyathar and placed Zadock Theodosius Valentinian made a decree that those which were infected with the impiety of Nestorius should be deposed Iustinian is coÌ„mended for deposing Silueirus Vigilius Ieremy his case was heard of the Princes Cecilian Athanasius being wronged appealed to ConstaÌ„tine seeing theÌ„ this cloud of witnesses against theÌ„ let theÌ„ hereafter not so vnreuerently as some haue done account those persons Bauds to al maner of sins in Princes who maintain theÌ„ to be free froÌ„ excoÌ„munication neither need they to fear as some of them say thaâ— this opinion proceedeth froÌ„ a worse cause than froÌ„ simple error But the boldnes of some to excoÌ„municate the Prince at their pleasure hath both giuen incouragement to seek alteration without reuerence pereÌ„ptorily to call that reformation which is but their own fancies hereunto I might add which is obserued by others that this Consistory taketh appeals or the right of redresse for all wrongs offered in Ecclesiasticall Courts from the power of the Prince for they themselues sitting in Christs Tribunall seat it can be neither lawful nor warrantable to appeale from them besides the law giueth vnto the Prince the Nomiuation of Bishops some other Electiue dignities in the Church the custody of Bishops Temporalties during the vacation And patronage paramoÌ„t or right to present by the last lapse but these giue election of Church Offices to their Consistories
the Church should be rightly ordered many Intemperat men without any learning or care haue offred vnto vs that kinde of gouernment which had it beene once admitted could not choose but time haue pocured a ruine to the whole Church whose labours as farre as they were honest no man hath reason to dispies but being daungerouâ— they are to be diswaded from attempting and frendely to be counsailled to aduise better For to allow the best and fauorablest excuse that this cause can afford a curtesie perhaps they desire not at our hands is to thinke they haue dealt as men that comming in loue to visite a sicke friende haue euery man geauen his aduise without skill The best reason in wise Iudgements to deny alteration of any well establisht order as also to procure approbation with good conscience to such customes as are publikely in vse is when there riseth from the due consideration of them apparant reason allthough not all waies to proue them bettter than any other for who did euer require this in mans ordinance yet competent to shew their conuenient fitnesse in regard of the vse for which they should serue duties of Religion performed by the Church ought to haue in them according to our power a sensible excellency Correspondent to the Maiestie of him whom we worship yea then are publike duties in the Church best ordered when the militant doth resemble by sensible meanes as it may in such cases that hidden dignitie and glory wherewith the Church Triumphant in Heauen is beutified how be it as the heate of the Sun which is the life of the whole world was to the people of God in the Desert a greeuous annoyance for ease whereof his extraordinary prouidence ordained a Clowdy Pillar to ouershadowe them so things of generall vse and benefit for in this world what is so perfect that no inconuenience doth euer follow it may by some accident be incommâ—dious to a few in which case for priuate Euills reamedies there are of like conditions though publike ordinances wherein the common good is respected be not stirred Let it be therefore allowed that in the externall forme of Religion such things as are apparantly and haue beene sufficiently proued effectuall and generally fit to set forward godlinesse either as betokening the greatnesse of God or as beseeming the dignitie of religion both which are shadowed in the riches and ornaments of our Church or as concurring with Celestial impressions in the minds of men may be reuerently retained some few rare casuall and tollerable or otherwise cureable inconueniences notwithstanding And in this case it is not a consideration either of least reason or least vse to obserue what hath beene allowed as fit in the iudgement of all Antiquitie for the good gouernment of the Church from which either easily or much to swarue was neuer yet in experience warranted to be safe Wherefore in the altering of formes of Church gouernment Reason doth not allow it to be good either to change what Experience hath taught to be without much hurt or in the change to followe the direction of yong heads For though Ripenes of vnderstanding be grayehairs and the vertues of such be old age yet wisedome and youth are seldome ioyned for we must seeke it among the Auncient and in the length of dayes vnderstaÌ„ding So that if the contention be to whom we must harken and who are they that rule vs in this case doubtlesse the aged for the most part are best experienced least subiect to rash vnaduised passioÌ„s seldome carried with an affectation of noueltie or change therefore best in matter of Counsaile to be best trusted and safest in matter of Change to be wholly followed for as hands are seldome profitable to any great attempts longer than youth strengthen them so Wisedome is not of much value till age and experience haue brought it to perfection In whom therefore time hath not perfected knowledge such must be content to follow them in whom it hath sharp and subtill discourses of witt which are not the ordinarie felicities of those that haue laboured in this cause procure many times great applause butbeing laid in the ballaÌ„ce with that which the habit of sound Experience plainly deliuereth they are ouer-weighed Let vs therefore as in all other things of deliberation and Counsaile follow the aduise of him who said Aske thy Father and he will shew thee thine Auncients and they shall tell the. They which doe nothing as one wisely noteth but that which men of accompt did before them are although they doe amisse yet they lesse faultie because they are not the Authors of harme and doing well their actions are freed from preiudice of Noueltie an imputatioÌ„ alone able to diminish the credite of that which is well donne The loue of thinges auncient doth argue stayednesse but leuitie and want of Experience maketh apt to innouations For vsually where Scripture doth not gaine say that which wisedome did first begin and hath beene with good men long continued challengeth allowance of them that succeede although it pleade for it selfe nothing but that which is new as their discipline is if it promise not much doth feare condemnation before triall till triall noe wise man although women and some rash heades doe doth acquite or trust it what good soeuer it pretend or promise So that in this kinde fewe things being knowen to be good till such time as they growe to be auncient as wee haue small reason to dislike or alter what by continuance wee haue found to bee profitably honest so we haue much lesse cause to admitt that which in our selues and our Church doth want triall and with others abroad hath beene the Originall of much euill Nowe because all thinges can not be Auncient which are expedient and needefull in the Church This being a bodie which neuer dieth hath euer power no lesse to ordaine in things indifferent that which neuer was than to ratifie that which hath beene before for surely the Church howesoeuer some men distast this point hath Authoritie to establish that for an order at one time which at an other it may abolish and in both doe well Laws concerning outward order are changable articles concerning doctrine are not There is saith Cassianus no place of audience left for them by whom obedience is not yielded to that which all haue agreed vpon for it is to bee feared that the sacred worde shall at their handes hardly receiue due honour by whom the holy ordinances of the Church doe receiue contempt It being a vertuous obedience in both as well to the rest in that which the Church commaundeth vnto vs as in that which God commaundeth vnto his Church And if those things which are misliked peraduenture of a number without reason were euils of that nature that could not bee remooued without manifest daunger to succeede in their roomes wisedome of Necessitie must giue place to Necessity all that it can doo is
For in all societies authoritie which cannot be where all are equall must procure vnitie and obedience if vertue will not Now seeing that all men may easily erre that no errors are so daungerous as those which concerne religion the Church should be in a far worse case then the meanest common-wealth nay almost then a den of thieues if it were left destitute of meanes either to conuince heresies or to suppresse them yea though there were neither helpe nor assistance of the christian magistrate without which it were not possible for truth equitie any long time to harbour amongst the sons of men The remedie which in these cases the primitiue Church had when occasion was offered vsed against heresie and iniurie she deriued as well from the promise made by Christs owne words as from the Apostles example in the like case Christ willing them that were grieued by their brethren after the first and second admonition to tell it to the Church And addeth for direction and confirmation of all religious assemblies and conferences where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them and whatsoever you shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Now whatsoeuer is ment here by the name of Church in the reasonable exposition of any to me it is all one to prooue this order that from priuate admonitiō they went to witnesses and from them to assemblies and seeing there must be an end of controuersies amongst men vnlesse we will plucke vp by the rootes all charitie and right when neither priuate perswasion not frendly mediation can appease parties that violently contend what other order could be prescribed but a iudicial hearing and determining of things in question Now because Christ did not set the sword to be the generall and perpetuall rule to gouerne his Church for then without a Prince there could be no Church so consequently there was none either in the Apostles time or three hundred yeeres after though where they beleeue the defence and maintenance of the Church is committed to their charge it must of necessitie follow that either there is no iudge which were the vtter subuersion of all peace when the christian magistrate is wanting or els the pastors and stewards of Christs Church to whom this care is committed must assemble together and with mutuall conference performe those duties to the Church in generall which otherwise they are bound to do to each particular place and person By Gods law what obedieuce and reuerence the father may expect from his owne childe the same or greater must all beleeuers yeeld to the fathers of their faith the one begetteth vs to this life the other to a life that is much better Those then whom Christ hath placed to be watchmen and leaders the light and salt of his Church must not onely warne and guide but also lighten and season in their measure that whole body for when all other failes this onely is left to clense the house of God from vessels of dishonour yea when there were no beleeuing Magistrates to assist the Church this onely was left as the best meanes and after when christian Princes began to protect the truth they neuer had nor can haue safer direction amongst men then by the Synods of wise and godly Bishops Thus a Synod at Antioch about threescore yeeres before the councell of Nice condemned and deposed Paulus Samosatenus for heresie and when he would not yet yeeld to the Church but keepe it by violence vpon complaint to Aurelianus the Emperor though he were a heathen Samosatenus was with extreame shame driuen from the Church by the worldly Prince All countries in all ages haue had the benefit of this not as a thing arbitrarie and left free to those that peraduenture were careles of the Churches welfare but prescribed by sundrie councels as Nice Antioch Constantinople Chalcedon and commaunded by the imperiall lawes in this manner That all the Ecclesiasticall state and sacred rules may with more diligence be obserued we require saith the Emperor euery Archbishop Patriarch and Metropolitan to call vnto him once or twise euery yeere the Bishops that are vnder him in the same prouince and throughly to examine all the causes which Bishops Clarkes or Monkes haue amongst themselues and to determine them so as whatsoeuer is trespassed by any person against the Canons may be reformed So that wee must either cleane reiect Synods a thing doubtles of no small daunger as the times may fall out and make the presbyters in euery parish supreme iudges or else admit some which be no other but the Bishops both to call and to moderate these meetings for in all those Synods which continued in the Church euen when she mas most sharpely pursued by the sworde from the death of the Apostles to the raigne of Constantine they were assembled and gouerned by the Bishops of the chiefe and mother Churches and Cities in euery prouince who by the auncient councels were called Metropolitanes And after when Princes came to imbrace the faith the best meanes they could deuise to procure peace and aduance religion was by their lawes to referre Ecclesiasticall causes to Ecclesiasticall Iudges And least they should be long in strife they charged the Metropolitane to assemble the Bishops of his prouince twise euery yeere there to examine and order what matters of doubt should arise which happely might disturbe the Churches peace Thus the Synode of Rome called by Cornelius against Nouatus consisted of threescore Bishops and many others of the clergie In the councels of Rome vnder Hilarius and Gregorie where foure and thirtie presbyters subscribed after two and twentie Bishops infinit are the examples in this kind which teach vs that neither the Church at any time was or in deed◠can safely be without tempests if Synods want nor Synods can be tightly ordered if the Metropolitans and Bishops should be wanting in them Seeing then they haue this vse if this were all to make that societie able with order to suppresse heresies and redresse wrongs without which doubtles the Church of all assemblies were worst gouerned it ought not to seeme vnreasonable to any that a thing so necessarie and auncient should with honour and reuerence be retained amongst vs. But least the name of Bishops should be offensiue to any as some haue thought it onely the ambitious title of a tyrannous gouernment these that would seeme moderate aduisers to equalitie and humilitie in this case must giue vs leaue to tell them that the name is auncient the office needefull and both so warrantable that they must needes be thought at the least malicious enuiers of the peace and prosperitie of Gods Church who are desirous or can be content that order obserued in the Apostles time and those Churches which were purest and next vnto them should be banished
weaknes feare haue denied thē libertie to examine what is well or ill done this alone made that easie passage of the Portingales and the Spaniards into the Indiaes which against a nation of lesse wealth or circuit furnished with more vnderstanding had doubtles been vnpossible if the forces of both kingdomes had been vnited such is the willingnes to resist in the defence of auncient libertie where the reason of man by ciuill education hath power to discern the qualitie of that which it doth defende But in those who are of a contrarie nature will dare to do much because they would seeme not to vnderstand little there to take a Crowne is to take a heauie burdē to gouerne is to rule men where euerie particular danger of moment must haue a remedie vnlesse they will hazard by the contēpt of some few the ruine of the whole state this consideration made Dioclesian who was neither the best nor the happiest that euer gouernd thinke truely that there was nothing harder than to rule well For if they shall either commit all to others which no King whose Nation was happie euer did or take all vpon themselues in both they shall finde if not equall yet the like certaine vnresistable danger therfore well said Saturninus to those that put on his kingly ornamēts frends ye know not what an euil it is to rule many dāgers hang ouer our heads for where in other cases feare maketh mē watch in this men vsually feare those that watch ouer them I know not a better securitie in this for the kingdom God make vs all thankefull that it hath beene our happines than a good Prince nor for the Prince than a good Counsell nor for all than profitable and religious lawes These only are left vppon earth from men to be the strength and supporters to those that Rule ouer greate Kingedomes It is true which Tacitus saith that the most weightie labours of a Prince stand in need of the greatest helps therefore as tyrāts in al ages haue loathed nothing so much as good counsaile bestowing the greatest honors riches the iust recōpence of vertue vpon the worst persons whose vices serued only to make them forget thēselues and to ruinate the kingdome ouer which they gouernd so the best wisest haue euer made choise of such as were fit to be eies eares nay tongues hands all to be imployed for the common good for seldome saith one shall we see great men not to haue the assistance of great Counsaile to gouerne a great fortune nay there cannot be in a Prince a greater argument of wisedome nor a greater safetie to the Church and the common-wealth than in making his choice of a wise Councill some are of opinion that the chiefest reason why Rome florished so long was principally this because they that gouernd her followed not their owne but the Counsaile of the whole Senate Neither saith Augustus could any of these thinges meaning the troubles of his house that break out haue happened vnto me if Agrippa or Maecenas two wise Counsellours had now liued for doubtles there is not a better instrument of a happie kingdome than a wise and vertuous Counsellour who not vnfitly may be tearmed as Tacitus calleth him the ornament of peace Surely no lesse necessarie to a state that would florish than the soule to a bodie that would liue The consideration of this happines at this time maketh both the Church the Cōmonwealth dread Souereigne right honorable Lords to cast themselues at your feet and to lay open before your eyes the daungers which they feare without your gracious assistāce may fall vpon them And howsoeuer many other things of vse moment are like wheeles in this kingdome to stirre at your Honors motion yet Religion it selfe in the habit of the Church Religion that hath infinitely blest you this kingdome doth earnestly intreat that against all her enemies publike or priuate shee may rest florish and be fruitfull by your meanes and howsoeuer the Common-wealth may now be an humble suppliāt for redresse of those grieuances that offend her yet aboue all other the Church had most cause to feare that the time of a second consultation either through violence importunitie and sleight might haue beene fatall to her or that the contempt of his voyce in the dayes of peace might haue in iustice procured a scourge from the almightie to cause her to remember whom shee had despised the seuerall times for all states either to vse or to knowe their strength are peace and warre and the two professions that are the safetie of both are the militarie and the gowne It is no small care nor wisedome for a Realme to knowe when and with whom to fight and to thinke not onely vpon defence which were enough had it as much honor as safetie but vpon victorie surely in a kingdome carelesse of these men the King may oftener fight than ouercome and in his best successe peraduenture be more beholding to fortune than to his good Counsaile who surely of all other howsoeuer the warre be ended is most innocent and furthest from all blame yet it is strange to see how all men lay the faults of their inconsiderate folly rather vpon any thing than vpon themselues So that ignorance of true causes giuing the name to fortune men are willing to hide that with obscuring the cause calling it chaunce which only proceeded frō their want of Counsaile which wheresoeuer it is it leaueth no power either in peace or warre vnto that which they call Fortune I confesse sometimes there is a higher cause that Iustice which our sins awake which taketh strength from the best meanes and maketh the errors of Princes their Counsell the foundatiō of publike calamities but our purpose is not at this time to pleade for any other sauing onely for this Church for the happinesse whereof it seemeth that good lawes heretofore haue not beene so much wanting to vs as wee to them In penall lawes surely there is the greatest wisedome of those that make them and the greatest presumption of those that breake them so that for the safetie of all states but especially of the Church there are few things of greater aduantage thā the seueritie of Iustice in the strict execution of penall lawes for it is straunge that some inconueniences should first cause them seeme fit to be made and no disorder make them seeme necessarie to be obserued I thinke no other reason can be giuen but this that those lawes doe hire men with halfe the allowance to be informers which makes that good seruice to the commonwealth only in that respect odious as being not the effect of iustice and zeale but the vnconscionable desire of some couetous promoter the best remedie in this will be to referre the benefit of these to some publike vse for it is meete that vertue be maintained from the penaltie of vice and that