thinkest that shee hath rendred according vnto the rewarde bestowed vpon hir 2. Chro. 32.25 who in so great a desolation of Gods service hath not once shewed hir self to be moued with any compassion that way And I doe apeale vnto thy conscience whether I haue not trulie set down the affection which all estates among vs generallie considered doe beare vnto the Lords pure worship and seruice In so much as if he shoulde sende some Ieremy to stād in our high wayes inquire whatsort of men he could finde within our land who had in any thankful manner remembred the Lords goodenes by regarding his wast and ruinous sanctuary well hee might meete with some one heere and there as a cluster of grapes after the vintage that in some gratefull sort acknowledged the Lords hand towards vs but as for the general state either of the magistracy of the ministerye or of the common people behelde nothing els but a multitude of conspirators against God against his truth against the building of his house against his Saints and children and consequentlie against the wealth of their owne soules and the publike peace and tranquillity of this whole kingdome Our common people Concerning the common people their profannesse impiety contempt of God and his religion and their hatred vnto his children with al other their wickednes may seeme to deserue some excuse Ier. 5.3.4 because they never as yet had anye meanes to know God aright for the holy ghost may truly say of them They are poore they are foolish for they haue not knowen the way of the Lord nor the judgements of their God And therefore what mervell is it thoughe they have made their faces harder than a stone and refused to returne But these that would be accounted our Prophetes Our supposed Ministery and the ministers of the Sanctuary haue had better meanes to know the wil of their maister and therefore just righteous shal he be whensoeuer he rewardeth them with the fruites of their owne handes if they haue broken the yoak of their obedience and caste from them the bondes of that carefulnes whereby it behoued them to binde themselues that they should not forget the house of their God VVil you then come vnto them and see what they are Alas you can beholde heere no other sight but a multitude of desperate and forlorne Athiests that haue put the euil day far from them and endeuoured to perswade their owne hartes that gods holy ministery and the sauing health of mens soules are matters not to be regarded You shal finde among this crue nothing els but a troup of bloody soule murtherers sacriligious church robbers and suche as haue made them selues fatte with the bloude of mens soules and the vtter ruine of the Church The whole endeuour of which cursed generation ever since the beginning of hir Maiesties raigne hath tended no otherway then to make a sure hand to keepe the church in bondage that being bound in their handes it shoulde not dare for feare of being murthered to seeke for liberty Of these men contained within the nomber of proud and ambitious prelates our Lord Archbishops and Bishops godlesse and murthering Non-residentes profane and ignorant idole shepheards or dumbe doggs I will say no more in this place but this Revel 6.10 Psal 65.2 How long Lord * just true doest thou suffer thine inheritance to bee polluted and layd waste by this vncircumcised generation O * thou that hearest the prayer let the supplications which thy children haue made before thee day and night for the removing of this our plague be at the length effectuall in thine eares and with speed thrust these caterpillers as one man out of our Church and let the memory of them be forgotten in Isean◠for ever Sobeit Lord for thy sonne Christs sake Now if they who woulde bee accounted the ministers of the holye Sanctuary Magistracy are found so vnanswerable both vnto the callings which they would claime vnto them selues and also vnto the Lords kyndnes snewed vnto our Land it were but folly to demaund what thankfulnes our Magistrats and such as deale in the execusion of iustice haue repayed vnto their God For they hauing suffered themselues to bee led by the forenamed blinde guides must needs stumble at that stone which is offensiue vnto their leaders And therefore hande in hande haue our magistracye and ministerye walked in the contempt of true Religion And the one of these hauing vncircumcised eares haue made that the other cannot hearken and vnto both the word of the Lorde in which they haue no delight is made a reproche Insomuch as among those who deale in the cause of justice there are founde wicked persons Ier. 5.26.27 as the prophete saieth even wicked lawyers and judges who seeme to know of no other God but their owne gaine that lay waite for the bloud of Gods saints as hee that setteth snares and mark whether they can heare of any that goe further in the cause of God than the corruption of our state doth permit And if they finde any such they know how to wrest against them a clawse of some statute contrarye not onely to the meaning thereof but even contrary vnto all justice aequity yea common reason it selfe and the very groundes of al good Lawes and statutes So that it is now growne and hath beene of a long time a common practise of these godles men to make of the statutes ordained for the maintenance of Religion and common quietnes a pit wherein to catch the peaceable of the land The common enditementes of the Lords true and faithful ministers for matters of trifles as the omission of the surplise Churching of women Crosse in baptism c. doeth manifestlye witnes the iniquity of these Atheistes VVhereby though as the Prophet also complaineth they are become great waxē rich and growen into fauor with our counsel and such as beare chiefe authority vnder hir Maiesty yet let them be assured they procure vnto their soules swift and heauie damnation without speedye earneste repentance And because our counsaile may be truly said to delight in this iniury and violent oppression of Gods saincts and ministers therfore whensoever the Lord shal come to search for the sinnes of Englād with lights Zeph. 1.12 as Zephaniah sayth he wil surely evisite our counsaile with an heauy plague Because vndoubtedly they are frozē in their dregs perswade their owne hartes that the Lord wil do neither good nor evil in the defence of his messengers and children And then shal they feele what it is to winke at muche more to procure the oppression of the Churche of Christe I wil not in this place charge our counsel with that which followeth in Ieremy Ier. 5.28 vpon the place before aledged namely that they execute no judgement no not the judgement of the Fatherles But this I will say that they cannot possibly deale truly in the matter of
wee are in ourselues I yet let man know that in the strength of our God we are so far from being dismayed with the wisedom countenance or power of whatsoeuer is made of flesh that for mine owne part I cannot sufficiently wonder that any creature dares be so bold as to proclaime war against vs for this cause And therefore whatsoever enemies the Lorde bath raised vp against me a contemptible worme for the maintenāce of his truth be they noble or vnnoble counsellors or inferiour men I am so far from fearing their power that the more I see them rage the greater strength I see reached vnto me by the Lords free mercies to stand to that truth which they raue against And by how much the more I see them banded against the sonne of God by so muche the greater hope do I conceaue that the case wherein I stand shal get the vpper hande over them whether they wil or not I beleeue and therefore I am forced to speak these things In the vttering whereof as I thank my God I haue a feeling of mine own great wants and imperfections so I am not with out some comfortable assurance of his hand with me in this cause to seale whatsoever truth I shal vtter heerin according to his word In respect wherof I do warne and admonish those counsellors with whom and against whome especially I deale in this treatise to repent them of their great insolency whereby they haue bene puffed vp with Senacharib to magnifie and oppose themselues against the cause and people of the Lord of Hostes 2. Chron. 32.19 Zeph. 2.8.9 10. as against the religion and people of some of the gods of the earth Otherwayes they are to feare least the Lord hauing raysed vp many of them out of meane places into the throne of justice meaneth to shew his power and great name by making them examples of his feareful wrath as he did Pharaoh who wrought his owne ouerthrow as the * text expresly noteth Exod. 9.17 by exalting him self against the people of the Lord. For assuredly the Lord wil not forget his churche for ever but at the * appointed time psal 75.3.8.11 he wil break the horne of the wicked and the righteous shal be exalted If men wil wonder that wee being so contemptible in the sight of the world dare yet be so bold as to controle great states and mighty men and to challenge them of iniustice against the sonne of God and his members who wil not stick to bragge with Pilate that they haue power to crucifie Christ Iohn 19.10 and to absolue him they are to vnderstand that we know of no power but from aboue therefore of no power that is able to beare out iniustice and wrong the hilles of the robbers we grant to be high Iob. 5.3 and vnassaileable in the sight of an eye of flesh but we haue learned of the holy man to account the habitation of the wicked to be accursed even when he semeth to be best rooted for we know that the steppes of his strength shal bee restrained Iob. 18.7 and that his owne counsel shal cast him downe And as for our selues we confes that we are but base worms and we would to God that we were lower in our own eyes such as liue not according vnto outward appearance because our life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 But yet least me should take occasiō to persecute vs because they know not with whom they deale because they are ignorant whence wee are or whether wee intend seing by our walking they may truly judge vs to be descended of some other race than themselues are and to look for an other dwelling place than any we can enjoy here They are to vnderstand that we are borne not of mortal but of immortal seede 1. Pet. 1.23 by the liuelye worde of God and that we are the servants of that Lord who is not ashamed to be called our God Heb. 11.16 And we are so far from hunting after the wages of vnrighteousnes with them that we freely confes our selues to bee but pilgrimes and straungers vpon earth and therefore travell towardes that heavenly city which our God hath prepared for vs. To be briefe we are the law full successors of those men who through faith quenched the violence of fire Heb. 11.34 36 escaped the edge of the sword Of weake were made strong who were tryed by mockings and scornings yea moreover by bondes and improsonments who were stoned hewen a sunder slaine with the sword wandered vp and down in sheep skinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented and yet in al these distresses were more then conquerers through the power of their God VVherrwith also we hope to be assisted whensoever it shal please the Lord to giue our enemies leaue to try our pacience To conclude we are those vnto whom the Lord made this promise Heb. 13 5.6 I wil not fayle thee nor forsake thee So that we may boldly say the lord is mine helper neither wil I feare what man can do vnto me If then our counsellers and great men wil not provoke this God against their owne soules they are to be exhorted before they deale any farther against the procurers of reformation to betake them vnto their second thoughtes and acknowledge their temeritye in lifting vp their handes against God and those whome hee accounteth of as the apple of his owne eye Zachar. 2. For in fighting against vs they labor very strongly we grant to aggrauat hasten their owne damnation but their purposes are they neuer able to effect To come vnto you beloved for whose strengthening and comforting I haue especially taken paines in this treatise if God hath called any of you to suffer for this cause think it an exceding preferment that he hath vouchsaued you to be partakers of the afflictions of the gospel 2. Tim. 1.8 and in any case be not dismaied at your trobles The cause is proued to be such as for the which you may not onely suffer with a good conscience but such as in the defence wherof you may expect for the affistāce of Gods comforting spirit and such as wherein al christians are bound to suffer when they are thervnto called I haue also shewed it to be that cause which is compassed about with a cloude of wi nesses and made commendable and bewtiful vnto al christians with the blood of the holye Martyrs of Christ The same spirit which assisted them vnto the end wil not leaue you in any of your temptations So that by your prayers you seek vnto the Lord for strength Obedience and be careful to learne obedience by the things which you suffer As we are taught by his example who by sufferings was made vnto vs the author of aeternal salvation Be therfore humbled vnder the hād of your God Heb. 5.8.9 know that you stand neither by your owne strength nor by the
goodnes of that cause wherein you suffer Heb. 12.28.29 but onelye by the assistance of his spirite who requireth a great care in all his children to please him in reverence and feare for even our God is a consuming fire Concerning such of you as the Lord hath not tryed with any afflictioÌ„ for this cause I beseech you be not ashamed of the chaine of your brethren mourne with those that lament for the cause of God VVhen they are imprisoned think your selues to be in bondes And I do especially and aboue al thinges beseech those that fauor the reformation to labour more and more in the reforming of themselues and such as be long vnto them VVe know that considering the season it is now time to rest from sleep Rom. 13.12 For now is our salvation neerer than when we firste beleved It might haue bene something tollerable in times past for a sincere professor to haue an ignorant an vntaughte and a vnreformed family but in this cleare light Phil. 1.27 1. cor 13.5.13 Zeph. 1.8 Ephes 5.11 Col. 1.6 and in a profession of so great sincerity to continew in these sinnes is altogether vnbeseeming the gospel of Christ Long haire great ruffes laying out of wemens haire and strange attyre is a participating with the vnfruitful works of darknesse and a token that the gospel hath not beene faithfully receaued And therefore let it be no longer tolle rated among the reformed professours of England Vow and performe with the holye man Dauid Psal 111.12 that you wil sing mercy and judgement walke in the vprightnes of your harts in the midst of your families Iob. 22.22.23 and if you wil make peace indeede with the Lord follow the counsel of the holye ghost in removing iniquitye far not only from yourselues but also from your tabernacles hou ses Shew what reformation can do in a whole kingdome by the practise thereof in your owne persons and families And that wil be the best argument both to confute the aduersary and to draw the indifferent to lyke the cause And as the Lord shal giue vnto any of you accesse either vnto hir Maiesty or any of their Honors so be careful to promote this truth VVe haue al of vs we must confes be ne so carelesse and secure in these points and therefore it is that by the juste judgement of God our Bishops are at this day so insolent against the truth And vnles we labour more strongly to haue these Cananits rooted out we may write vpon it that they wil be prickes in our eyes Nomb. 33.55.56 thornes in our sides stil vexe vs as they do at this day VVhere I say that professors should labour strongly to haue our hierarchy and contemptible Idoles rooted out of our Church my meaning is not that any priuate strength should so much as lift vp a hand muche lesse vse any violence against these caterpillers but I meane that we should more vehemeÌ„tly labour with the Lord by prayers and by the reforming ourselues our families and deale earnestly with hir Maiesty their Honors that our cause may be aequally heard My meaning in the former point I thought needful to expresse because I know what sclanders would otherwise be raised against me to the hurt of the cause by those that are enemies therevnto whose madnes I doubte not will shortlye appeare vnto all men And I trust in the Lord that he wil one day giue hir Maiesty a descerning ey to judge aright between them and vs and then shal it appeare whether we or they do seek the peace and quietnes of hir kingdome In the meane time we wil content our selues with the eye of our God Yet one thing I would wish to be considered of by hir right excellent Maiesty namely whether it be not an inconvenient season when our fortaine enemies are at the dores publikly to traduce hir beste and most trusty snbiects as enemies to hir state For if the Spainyard shal heare that besids the popish faction the fore-wardest professors of the gospel in Englande are but her Maiesties half frendes Mark the issue what wil not the hope of a threfold discorde in our state moue him to attempt I doe therefore feare that many of the forwardest enemies of reformation are not the backwardest friends that the King of Spaine hath in England at this day But least the enemy should deceaue himself with a golden dreame I am to make it knowen vnto al Spaniards and Spanish practisers that we are such enemies vnto Queene Elizabeth The enmity which the favorers of reformation beare vnto hir Maiesty and the state as we do not onely pray day and nighte for the state of hir Kingdome and hir person but also wee are readye to stande in the defence of hir royal person and right to the losse not onely of our goods and blood but even of our lyues and that against men and Angels even al creatures without exception Thus much my good brethren I may boldly set down in the name of you al because I know by what spirit you are guided And as for your sakes nexte vnto the defence of the truth I haue taken this labour in hand So I do with the Apostle humbly entreat the Lord Rom. 15.31 that my service herein may be acceptable vnto the Saints throughout England VVales Ireland whome together with my self and al the Lords elect I commit vnto his hand who is able to reserue vs vnto the day of redemption TO THE READER ¶ M.D. Anno 12. or 13 Elizab. Haddon deliuered in Parliament a Latine book concerning church discipline written in the dayes of king Ed. 6. by M. Cranmer Sir Iohn Cheek knight c. This book was committed by the house to be translated vnto the said M. Hadon M. George Bromely M. Norton c. If thou canst good reader help me or any other that labour in the cause vnto the said book I hope though I never saw it that in so doing thou shalt doe good service vnto the Lord and his Church REFORMATION NO enemie to her Maiestie and the State ALthough it be most true that our Saviour Christ Iesus doth vouchesafe vnto nations and kingdomes All Kingdomes are bound to fram a theâ—â— stâ—tes according to the doctrine of the gospell Match 10.34 Luk. 12.51 52 the fruition vse of his holy worde and gospell vpon no other condition theÌ„ that all men of all degrees and callings as well high as low wil be content to haue their states altered and changed at the pleasure appointment and determination of his wil worde yet notwithstanding it is as true that the said word and gospel of his bringeth nothing with it that can possible be an enemie to anye state eyther priuate or publike whatsoever The which point I take to be so cleare and manifest that no state-men can deny it saue only those who haue made a leagne
with the diuell a covenant with hell by vertue wherof they stand bound to account the Lord and al his holy wayes to be enemies vnto them and their cursed proceedings For no man can pretend the gospel and word of God to be his enemie but he must needs also confesse that he hath bidden defyance vnto the Lord of heauen earth who accounteth himselfe to be loved and hated of men according vnto the affectiō which they bear vnto his a Luk. 12 26. Iohn 14.23.15 1. Iohn 2.5 word This hatred of God his word because th' aduersaries of reformation in England dare not avowe therefore as a foundation of the whole treatize following I lay downe this ground which they themselues wil not call in question Namely That the reformation whiche at this daye wee endevour to bringe into our Churche is moste vnjustly and wrongfully accounted an enemie vnto our state if it can bee prooved to be a matter approoued off and maintayned by the worde and gospell of IESVS CHRISTE Where I would gladly knowe two thinges of them First whether they judge that which we labour for to be according to to the worde or no They must answere that they cannot so thinke of it for if they did they woulde not stand against vs as they doe Secondly if they thought our cause to be good that is if they thought it to be according vnto Gods word I demaund of them whether notwithstanding the goodnes of our cause they woulde yet thinke vs that labor in the same to be enemies vnto the state or no Wee make no question but they haue a better opinion of vs. For whatsoeuer they saye of the cause they can report no otherwise of the favourers thereof thē of those that haue alwayes shewed themselues most faythfull and trustie towards their prince and cuntrie For although within these 31. yeres there haue bin many seditious and treasonable attempts vndertaken against her Majestie and the state by men of all sortes and degrees yet by the goodnes of God it cannot be shewed that any one hath had a hande in any of these practises and conspiracies who euer opened his mouth for reformation or any wise fauored the same And as for attempting any vndutifull or disloyall action in the promoting of the cause it selfe we haue bene so farre from being guiltye in that point D. Bancroft that one of the most shamelesse most impudent slanderers that are amongst al our aduersaries intending of set purpose to stain the cause and the fauorers of reformation with sedition and treason was enforced to passe by vs and to suffer the venime of his lying and slaunderous tongue to light vpon our brethren in the kingdom of Scotland which he would neuer haue done if with any couler he could haue fastened his slanderous vntruethes vpon vs the professors of his own cuntrie So that if we could discharge our hands of the cause we defend we doubt not but our aduersaries themselues would pronounce vs guiltles of all disloyaltie against our prince and cuntrie Seeing then it is cleare that reformation is therfore accounted an enemie vnto our state because it is supposed to haue no grounde in the worde of God and seeing the fauorers thereof are thought to be turbulent men not for anye thing that in a good matter they haue seditiously attempted but inasmuch as they labor to promote a cause that of it selfe is an enterprise daungerous vnto her Majesties crowne and dignitie we are for the clearing of the one and the other to see whether the endeuors of those who desire to haue the Churche of England otherwise reformed then hither to it hath bene be such as they require nothing in that whol worke but onely that whiche the worde of God commandeth to be put in execution The whiche course if they be founde to take then also doth it follow that neither they nor the cause maintained by them can with any couler be accounted enmity vnto the kingdome wherein they liue And here if I should demaund of the most that condemne both vs the cause wherein we stand what that is which is sought to be reformed in our Church VVhat equall judges our aduersaries are I dare be bolde to say that there is not one amongst ten of them that knoweth whether it be blacke or white that we would haue Wherein they do not onely shewe themselues to weigh the most precious and weightie jewell vnder the sunne with a most vn-eauen hande but also if we beleeue the holy Apostle to claim inheritance in the wages of vnrighteousnes 2. Pet. 2.12 inasmuch as they speake euil of those things which they know not The which course if they stil holde on the same Apostle telleth them the they shall perish through their owne corruption To the ende then it may appeare what that reformation is which we seeke for and which these men do account the enemie of our state it is to be vnderstood What we mean by reformation that by reformation we meane nothing els but the remouing of all those vnlawfull callings which are maintained in our Church and ministerie contrarie vnto the reuealed will and written word of the Lord our God and the restoring thervnto of all such offices and ministeries as the same God vnder the paine of his heauie displeasure requireth to be planted in his church when or whersoeuer hee raiseth fit men for those functions To speake more plainly by reformation we mean first the rooting out of our Church of al dumb and vnpreaching ministers all nonresidents Lord Archbishops and bishops commissaries officials chancellors and all the rest of the wicked offices that depend vpon that vngodly and tyrannous hierarchie of Lord Byshops together with their gouernment and whatsoeuer maim deformitie or want there is in our Church by meanes of them their plaees Secondly by reformation we meane the placing in euerie congregation within England as far as possiblie able men can be provided of preaching pastors and Doctors gouerning elders ministring Deacons with whatsoeuer health comlinesse and good order the Lorde by the faythfull labours of these officers would haue brought into his church And these are the onely matters that we meane by the reformation of our Church The which cause in both the parts therof is made so just and aequall by the word of God that the promoting of it can bee accounted the disturbing of no state that hath not determined with it selfe to maintaine the kingdome of Sathan and his prerogatiue For the word of God maketh it out of controuersie that neyther the expelling of dumb ministers L. Bishops c. out of the Churche nor the inducing of Pastors Doctors Elders and Deacons into the same can be burdened with any thing contrarie vnto the welfare of princes and common-wealths vnlesse they wil also charge the Majestie of God with the same accusation And here we appeale from our aduersaries to the word are
differeÌ„ce shal you finde betwene our Antichristian Prelats now living and those reverend fathers afore-named And that the worlde may see how these our tyrants haue adulterated corrupted religion in Engl. within these 20 yeares especially from the purity wherein it was left vnto vs not only in the writings of our Sauiour Christ his apostles but even in their writings whose steps our Bb. beare the world in hand that they do more neerly follow I meane by the favor assistance of my God to make it knowne ere it belong in a peculiar treatise written for that special purpose To returne vnto your Hh. again you see by this tyme how detestable the offices of L. Archb. and Bb. are in the presence of the Lord God you see that he accounteth a church government exercised by them to be accursed before his Maiesty because they are the members of Antichrists body because they beare rule lyke Lords serue not as ministers in the church Now do you think him his word to be enemies vnto our state because they ar of this judgement I hope you do not How commeth it then to passe that you allow not vs to subscribe vnto that truth which the Lord doth maintaine Is it because our assertions ar dangerous vnto the state that cannot be vnles you account the Lord an enemy therevnto for wee affirme nothing but that which he hath given vs commission to vtter Or is it because wee behaue our selues seditiously in our message that cannot be proued For the men who are most seuerely punished for favoring this cause haue do cary themselues as peaceably dutifully towardes her Matie and the state as any of their quality within the whole kingdom whosoever Ad mit it were otherwise is it reason that you shoulde reiect the cause of God for the faults of men Will you deale vnjustly with the Lord because we deale vndutifully with the state If we be found any wise guilty punish our misdemenor but grant the cause If you yeeld not therevnto what do you els in laying handes vpon vs but manifest your hatred vnto gods truth his people the loue you beare vnto the antichristian hierarchy Either then my Ll. you must needs publish your enimity vnto the Lord his kingdome or you can no longer countenance these murthering Antichristian prelates and their bloody train The case of England is now become lamentable when the state thereof vnder the Gospell is said any wise to consist in these pestilent corruptions which euer since they firste sprang vp in the church of God haue bene vnto this day gainsaied by the most sincere professors therein The government of the church by bishops And it was long after this time ere Bb. were Ll civil magistrates though they began to deale in civill cases in the time of Grego the 1 Bal. scrip Bryt cent 1. cap. 73. began not before the yeare 607. as that reverend learned man M. Bale being a bishop himselfe in King Edwards dapes hath set down his wordes in English ar these From the yeare 607. the Church began to be ruled by the polity and government of Bishops which government was especially deuised and invented by the monks c. The testimony of M. Bale is true For in this age everye particular Church was governed by the Bishop the elders deacons Mag. cent 6. cap. 7. col 591. c. as the authors of the Centuries do witnes And although long cre this time many bare the names of archb Bb. yet was not the churche at their commandement as it is now neither could they abyde this superiority which our Bb. do exercise one ouer an other Anno 674. finod Herfor Mag cen 7. cap 7. col 220. as it appeareth by a synode kept heere in England where this preheminence was vtterly condemned And it is here especially to be obserued that in this age the name of B was coÌ„mon vnto all ministers corruptly called priests of the word and sacraments For Pope Gregory a) Greg. in EvaÌ„ cent mag 6. ca. 7. col 392. invaieth against the priests of his time who for brybes did ordain bishops and he advyseth b) Epist 57. lib 11. looke cent ibid. col 406. Ianuarius to chuse B. where priests were wanting Again c) Mag. cent 7. cap. 7. col 223. Bal scrip Bryt cen 2. cap. 74. Lawrence archb of Cant. anno 615. together with his fellow bishops that is the priests of Brytain saieth Beda wrote vnto the Scots Compare these 2. points of the name superiority of B. with that which D. Bancroft hath written serm pag 100. 97 By these and the lyke places we see the name bishop to haue beene common vnto al the ministers of the worde 300. yeares after the second Nicene Counsell Now that we know the original of these corruptions let vs briefly see how from time to time they haue bene gainsaid in the church First of al the ancient Brytones or Welshmen vnto the yeare 730. did a) Bale can 1. cap. 74 ex Beda altogether detest whatsoever Romish invention Augustine the monk plaÌ„ted among the Saxons and therefore they allowed not this government of bishops About the year 704 Bal. cen 1. c. 76 Whervpon Adelhelmus a learned westsaxon but a favorer of the regiment of Antichriste wrote against them Secondly a synode helde b) Anno 742. Mag. cent 8. cap. 7. col 452. in France vnder Carolomannus ordained that every citie shold haue hir B. And Carolomannus himself found fault c) Anno 752. Mag. cent 8. cap. 7. col 510 with the pope because he sought after worldly dominioÌ„ Not long after his time d) Anno 820 Mag. cent 9. cap 7. col 3 8. Bal. cent 2. cap 15. Claudius Taurinensis an Italian B. wrote againste the primacy of the pope rebuked him for neglecting his owne function In the synod of e) Anno 881. Catal test Illir Macer the civil ecclesiastical callings are so distinguished that one person cannot bee capable of both f) Anno 1070. Illir ibid pag. 247. Valtram B. of Noremberg wrote against the civil jurisdiction of the ministery so did Sigelbert the monk Anselme archb g) Anno 1096 vpon Math. 26 Mag. cent 11. cap. 4 col 197. of Cant. taught that a B. ought no more to intermedle with the civil sword than the king with the ecclesiastical And he decreed in a h) Anno 1106. book of mart pag. 196. synod held at London that no spiritual person should sit in any secular office Wherevpon (i Note M. Foxe demaundeth how Stephen Gardiner could be L. Chancelor of England so we vpon the lyke grouÌ„d wold know how the archb of Cant can be presideÌ„t of the couÌ„sel To omit Otho Frisingensis who k) Anno 1150. Illir cata pag. 430 was of Anselmus minde we wil come to the WaldeÌ„ses Their doctrine was that the l) book of mart pag. 233.235 pope ought not to deale in civil causes and that al ministers were of aequal authoritie The BohemiaÌ„s confession is the confession of the VValden ses Heere then the reader is to vnderstande that we hold nothing in this cause against the Bb. but that which the true visible church of God haue maintained nowe for the space of more then 400. yeares Cal. epist 294.298 and they continue stil of this minde For the Waldenses who yet remaine as it appeareth by their letters to M. Caluine his vnto them haue bene a true visible church these 430 years Let the B. bring but this warrant for their hrerarchy and we will yeeld I am enforced to be short and onely to name not al but the chief of the ages following that oppugned the corruptions of our B. a) About the year 1324. book of mart pag. 377. VVilliaÌ„ Ockam and Marsisâ— Patauinus the greatest lerned men of their time wrote against the civil iurisdiction of the pope In whose time Philip the french king held a parliament wherin b) Anno 1329. The L Peter de Cugni read the disp in the book of mart 358. one of his counsellers proved out of the worde against the Bishops that they ought not to deale in civil causes Iohn Hus was burned at the couÌ„sel of Constance becaus amoÌ„g other points he defended al c) Anno 1415. book of mart pag. 579. ministers to be of aequal authority And Iohn Claydon was burned at London the sometime because hee defended a book wherein Archb. were proved to be the seates of antichrist At the couÌ„sel of Basil the d) Anno 1432. book of mart pag. 669.634 Ambassadours of the Bohem. proved al civil rule to be forbidden the clearpy by the worde M. â—uthers judgement who was borne not many yeares after this counsel is sufficiently knowne Our owne martyrs as M. Tindall M. Barnes M Hooper haue so disliked this government of Bb. as no men more This doctrine of theirs being according vnto the worde they sealed with their blood and is now acknowledged the doctrine of our church The conclusion of al is this that vnles our state-men wil reiect god and his word and allow the spilling of the blood of his holy saints and martyres they cannot pretend vnto bee enemies vnto the state for seeking the ouerthrow of the government of L. Arch and Bb. withal the corruptions annexed the revnto The second art of this book remaineth behinde which shal be publish'd as soone as the Lord wil graunt me opportunitye I haue beene 〈◊〉 forced for some causes to end this more abruptly than I would haue wished If thou fauorest the cause reader thou wilt beare with 〈◊〉 falt if thou art an aduersary therevnto thou will think too much already spoken and so by abrupt silence compared with that which I haue spoken to be no fault at all