readie and vvyllyng to obeye to obserue those thinges vvhyche are appoynted accordyng to this rule not to contemne them nor negligentely to omitte them so farre off ought they to be from breaking them openly through disdayne and contumacie But thou vvylte saye vvhat libertie of conscience can there bee in so precyse and straighte obseruyng of them Truly the libertie of conscience maye vvell stande vvith it yf vve shall consider that these Lavves and decrees to the vvhiche vve are bounde bee not perpetuall or suche as are not to bee abrogated but onely externall rudimentes of mans infirmities vvhereof notvvithstanding vve all stande not in neede yet vvee all vse them bycause one of vs is mutually bounde to an other to nourishe loue and Charitie among oure selues This vve maye learne in the examples vsed before VVhat dothe religion consiste in a vvomans vayle that by no meanes shee maye goe abroade bare headed Or is the commaundemente touching hir silence suche as it maye not be broken vvithout vvickednesse or is there any mysterie in kneeling or in burying the dead that may not be omitted vvithout great offence no truly For if such hast be required of a woman to helpe hir neighbour that shee can haue no leysure to couer hir head shee dothe not offende thoughe shee runne oute bare headed And there is a tyme and place vvhen and vvhere it is as meete for hir to speake as it is else where to holde hir peace Him also to praye standyng whiche beeing letted vvith some disease can not kneele there is nothyng forbiddeth To be short it is better in tyme to burye the dead than to tarrye for a vvynding sheete or some to carrie him vntill he stinke aboue the grounde But there is somevvhat euen in those thynges vvhiche the custome of Religion lavves and decrees humanitie it selfe and the rule of modestie vvilleth vs to doe and to take heede of vvherein if vve shall thorough ignoraunce and forgetfulnesse offende there is no synne committed But if thorough contempte or contumacie it is to be reproued In lyke maner it skilleth not vvhat dayes be appointed vvhat houres vvhat manner of places touchyng the buyldyng vvhat Psalmes are to bee song thys daye or that daye And yet there muste certayn dayes be appoynted and certaine houres and a place meete to receiue all if vve haue any respect to keepe vnitie and peace For vvhat confusion vvere it and of hovve greate contentions and bravvlyngs the seede and cause yf euery man as hee listeth myghte alter and chaunge those things whiche pertayne to the common state Seyng that it vvoulde neuer be brought to passe that one thyng coulde please all men if suche matters vvere lefte indifferente and committed to euery mannes arbitremente novve if anye man repyne or grudge and will heere seeme vvyser than it behoueth him let him consider by vvhat reason he can excuse his vvayvvardnesse to the Lorde Notvvithstanding that saying of Saincte Paule muste satisfye vs VVee haue no custome to contende neyther the Churches of God. Thus farre Caluine In whyche woordes wée haue these thyngs to consyder Fyrst that GOD hath in Scripture fully and playnely comprehended all those things that be necessarie to saluation Secondly that in Ceremonies and externall discipline hée hath not in Scripture particularly determined any thyng but lefte the same to hys Churche to make or abrogate to alter or contynue to adde or take awaye as shall be thoughte from tyme to tyme moste conuenient for the presente state of the Churche so that nothing be doone againste that generall rule of Saincte Paule 1. Cor. 14. Lette all things be doone decently and in order Thirdly that it is the dutie of a Christian man withoute superstition willingly to obey such constitutions not to contemne them not to neglect them muche lesse stubbornly and arrogantly to breake them Fourthly that the obseruyng of them taketh not libertie from the conscience bicause they be not made to be perpetuall and inuiolable but to be altered as tyme occasion and necessitie requireth Fifthely that all oughte to obeye suche ordinaunces for charitie sake thoughe all stande not in néede of them Sixthly that if a man do violate them by ignoraunce or forgetfulnesse he doth not offende if by contempte or stubbornesse he doth greatly offende Seuenthly that confusion which is to suffer euery man to doe what he list is the séede of contention and brauling Last of all that the true Ministers of God be not contentious neither yet the Churches of God. These things among other I thought good to note out of master Caluines words which if they were diligently considered such contentions might soone be ended Of the same iudgement in this matter is master Bucer as it apeareth in his Epistle to master Alasco These be his words If you vvill not admitte suche libertie and vse of vesture to this pure and holy Churche bicause they haue no commaundement of the Lorde nor example of it I do not see hovve you can graunt to any Churche that it may celebrate the Lordes Supper in the morning and in an open Churche especially consecrated to the Lorde that the Sacrament may be distributed to men kneeling or standing yea to vvomen asvvel as to men For vve haue receyued of these things neither commaundement of the Lorde nor any example yea rather the Lorde gaue a contrarie example For in the euening and in a priuate house he did make his Supper and distributed the Sacramentes and that to men onely and sitting at the table Hac Bucâ—rus But to ende this matter is it not as lawfull for a godly Prince with the aduise and consent of godly and learned Byshoppes and other of the wysest to make orders in the Churche and lawes Ecclesiasticall as it is for euery priuate man to vse what maner and forme of seruice he liste and other order and discipline in hys owne parishe which these men séeke and striue to do An examination of the places of Scripture alleaged in this portion of the admonition TO proue that nothing in this mortall life is more diligently to be sought for carefully to be looked vnto than the restitution of true religion and reformation of Gods Churche there is noted 2. Reg. 23. 2. Chron. 17. 2. Chron. 29.30.31 Psalm 132. Math. 21. Iohn 2. In the first place it is declared howe Iosiah after he had founde the booke of the Lawe reformed the Churche In the seconde place Iehosaphat tooke away the high places and groues out of Iuda c. In the. 29.30.31 of the. 2. Chron. is described the dooings of Ezechias in repayring the temple and reforming Religion c. In the. 132. Psalme it is declared with what care Dauid went about to build the temple of God after that he was once established in his kingdome In the. 21. of Math. Iesus went into the temple and caste out all them that solde and boughte in the temple c. the like he did in the seconde of Iohn All this is
grauitie put avvay my assertions But assure your selfe that I am so farre off from beeing offended vvith this your libertie that I rather esteeme of that your admonition or reprehension if it please you so to terme it as of an especiall and singuler benefite For by it I perceiue that I am beloued of you vvhom before although by face vnknovven I vvas vvont to reuerence for the testimonie of godlinesse and learning vvhich Peter Martyr a man of godly memorie dyd oftentimes giue of you vnto me and vvherof I novve see an euident proofe in these your letters For I knovve that to defende the common cause agaynst any man is a poynt of pietie but a free admonition vvherby the errour of thy brother beeing deceyued by other men is reproued to the intent that he mighte learne to iudge better is as a token of loue Bothe the vvhich seeing that you haue no lesse learnedly than truely performed I haue iust cause to embrace your holinesse trusting that this displeasure vvhich hath arisen betvvixte vs shall be a cause of perpetuall amitie For thus muche I dare presume of your curtesie that I shall easily obtayne pardon for this offence if you vvould but consider at vvhat time vpon vvhat occasion and vnto vvhom I vvrote these things The tyme vvas moste corrupt and troublesome and diuers letters vvere brought vnto vs euery day vvhen that vnhappie controuersie about apparell vvas broched amongst you VVe then admonished your aduersaries that they should not moue any contention in the Church for a matter of so small importance and vve thought the matter had beene vvelnigh buried But beholde contrary to all mens expectation there commeth tvvo English men from Geneua vvho brings from master Beza vvhose eares they had before filled vvith crymes forged accusations letters full of godly complaynts vvherin he desired that we vvould helpe the most afflicted state of Englande and coūcelled me to make a iorney vnto you Herevnto vvas adioyned the reporte of those tvvo vvho declared vnto vs the same things vvhich before they had vttred at Geneua and that vvith so great confidence and shevv of holinesse that they set dovvne in vvriting errors and many superstitious abuses vvhich they sayde vvere novv defended in England and that al those vvere put frō the ministerie of the church vvhich vvould not consent thervnto They sayd moreouer that this vvas their greatest greese that many of the Byshops shevved them selues to be the executors of those things vvhich vvere dayly coyned of superstitious and ambitious Courtiers But vvho I pray you vvould suspecte that any vvould so boldly make a lye in a common cause the knovvledge vvherof could not long be hid surely their talke moued vs very much and I confesse I vvrote that Epistle vpon a soden vnto D.P. vvith vvhō I thought I might be bolde for the olde friendship vvhich beeing begon at Oxeforde aboue .35 yeres agoe hath bene so confirmed since by his soiorning at my house the space of foure yeres that bothe I am vvilling to be at his commaundement and agayne also may assure my selfe of his good vvill in any respect Notvvithstāding I thought nothing lesse than that he vvould publish my letters abroad for I onely desired to heare his aduise vvho for all that neuer vvrote of this matter vvhich thing moued me not much bicause a singuler honest man and our common friende D.A. vvrote therof vnto vs and deliuered you all from blame Therefore I tooke no care at all for those my letters vvhich I had vvrittē onely vnto my P. of vvhose good vvill I neither can nor ought to doubt But surely I am very sory since I vnderstand novv that they haue ben farther published and I think my selfe bound to giue your honor great thanks Reuerend father for that at the length though somevvhat late you haue aduertised me therof And forsomuche as you vvrite that you haue no doubte of the simplicitie of my minde and sincere affection I humbly beseech your gentlenesse to make my excuse vnto others also to vvhose hands that my Epistle hath come Verily since that time vve haue had nothing to do vvith those vayne bravvlers vvho neither haue vvritten to vs at any tyme neither yet can bragge of any thing that hath come from vs For not long after it more playnly appeared vvhat they vvēt about vvhen as vnder the pretence of Ecclesiasticall discipline the head and chiefest poynt vvherof they vvould haue to consist in excōmunication they vvere the chiefe authors of an alteration vvithin the seigniorie of the countie Palatine vvhich maruellously troubled and disquieted those Churches VVherfore once agayne Reuerende father in Christ I beseeche your honor that you vvould not conceiue any sinister opinion of Gualter vvho beareth a singuler affection to the Englishe nation for God vvilling I vvill set foorth a publike testimonie hovv muche I esteeme of you al vvhich serue Christ in that place and certenly I vvould neuer haue sent my sonne into Englande vvhome onely I haue of my vvife Zvvinglia the memorie of vvhose death is most leefe and deare to me except I had throughly persuaded my selfe of our consent and agreement If you maruell that I haue not hitherto vvritten to your honor in his behalfe you shall vnderstand that I haue neglected it for no other cause thā this that before this time there hath bene no entercourse of letters betvvixt vs and I should haue bene ashamed to trouble you so vvorthy a mā altogither except by name only vnto me vnknovvne for a priuate matter You may vnderstande by D.S. Byshop of L. all our affayres in these quarters vvhich I could not here repeate for the hast of the messanger vvhich happened to me vnlooked for Christ Iesus preserue and guide your honor vvith his spirite Amen From Tigure the .9 of Iune 1572. Your Honours most ready at commaundement Rodolph Gualter Ex Epistola Hen. Bullingeri ad Robertum Episcopum Winton 12. Marcy 1572. IN primis vero gratulamur vobis admirandam illam serenissimae Reginae vestrae felicitatem in turbi◠componendis in hostibus profligandis in subditis in officio retinendis in practicis nequiter à per duellibus contextis sapienter fortiter defendendis Dominum oramus sedulò vt amplissima in ipsa dona non tam seruet quam amplificet eamque ab omni malo protegat Superat haec virgo deo dilectu omnium testimonie bonorum omnes quotquot nunc regnant reges mares per orbem sapientia modestia clementia tum etiam iustitia rerumque gerendarum dexteritate admiranda felicitate vnde sane pij omnes per vniuersa regna sese consolantur in vera religione confirmant quòd perspicue cernunt Christum Dominum cultrici suae adesse tam potenter ipsamque gloria omnigenis virtutibus Heroicis diuinisque anteferre prindipibus Dolet autem nobis non mediocriter quod in propaganda veritate inque dilatandis Ecclesiae Christi pomerijs tot vobis se
¶ An answere to a certen Libel intituled An admonition to the Parliament By IOHN VVHITGIFTE D. of Diuinitie 1. COR. 8.2 If any man thinke that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to knowe 1. COR. 11.16 If any man be contentious we haue no suche custome neyther the Churches of God. GALA 5.26 Let vs not be desirous of vayne glorie prouoking one another enuying one another ¶ Imprinted at London by Henrie Bynneman for Humfrey Toy Anno. 1572. ¶ To his louing Nurie the Christian Church of England I. VV. a member and minister of the same vvisheth peace in Christ and continuance of his glorious gospell euen to the vvorlds ende THere bee diuers thinges especially fiue that wheÌ„ I first tooke this labour in hande had almost vtterly dissuaded me from the same First bycause I doe with all my hart hate contention and strife and especially in matters of religion among such as professe the selfe same Gospell Secondly for that I feared gretly least some slander might redounde to the Gospell by this open contention séeing that God is not the authour of contention or confusion but of peace Thirdly I doubted whether this kinde of dealing by writing might minister matter to the common aduersaries of the Gospell to reioyce and glorie and to flatter them selues the more in their damnable errors Fourthly I greatly suspected the slanderous reportes of the backbiter and of the vnlearned tonâ—ue â–ª the 〈◊〉 bycause he loueth to speake euill and heare euill of all those that be not in all pointes inclinable to his phansie whereof I haue great experience being my selfe most vniustlye slandered by that viperous kinds of men the other bycause they be not able to iudge of controuersies according to learning and knowledge and therefore are ruled by affection carried hedlong with blind zeale into diuers sinister iudgementes erronious opinions Lastlye bycause I knowe sundrie in all respectes worthie men much more able to deale in suche matters than I am But when I considered my dutie towardes God to his Churche and to our most gracious Lady and soueraigne Elizabeth hir Maiestie by whose ministerie God hath giuen his Gospell frée passage vnto us the first stoppe and hinderaunce was answered For I thought that that dutie ought not to be omitted for any such cause séeing God and not man shall be my Iudge and also that not he which defendeth the truthe and confuseth errours but he that impugneth the truthe and spreddeth sectes is the authour of contention Likewise when I remembred the it was no new thing to haue contentions sectes schismes in the Churche of Christ especially when it enioyeth externall peace and that we had manifest examples therof from time to time first in Peter Paule ad Gala. 2. Paule Barnabas Acto 15 then in the Churche of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1. and .3 Afterwardes betwixt the orientall Church occidentall Church touching Easter such like matters Betwixt the Bishops of Aphrica and the Bishops of Italie for rebaptising of heretikes sundrie times yea vsuallie in the external peace of the church as may be more at large séene in Eusebius Lib. 4. eccle histo ca. 6. lib. 5. ca. 24.25.26 li. 8. c. Likewise in Ruffinus li. 1. ca. 1. In Zozom Li. 6. ca. 4. In Basilius magnus epist. 61. ad fratres Episcopas in accidente epist. 69. and in sundrie other auncient and learned histories and writers For the second point I was satisfied for I thought that that could be no slander to this Church which by the malice of Sathan hath bene practised in all Churches euen synce the ascention of Christ. Thirdly when I perceiued the these men against whome I nowe write did agree with the aduersaries in defacing the state of religion the order of coÌ„mon prayers the ministerie the sacramentes the kind of gouermeÌ„t c. vsed and allowed in this realme of England and that in as opprobrious spitefull manner as the aduersaries do likewise that they séeke to ouerthrow the selfe same pillers of this Church with the aduersaries although not by the selfe same meanes I thought that the confutation and ouerthrowe of the one should be the confutation ouerthrow of the other and therefore the aduersaries to haue small cause in déed of reioycing Against backbiters slanderers and vnlearned tongs I shall by Gods grace arme my selfe with pacience for their taulke is no sufficient cause for a man to absteyne from dooing his dutie To conclude I although the vnworthiest and vnméetest of a great nuÌ„ber was bold to take vpon me this enterprise partly to shew that the booke called the Admonition is not such but that it may easily be answered and especially to satisfie mine owne coÌ„science for I coÌ„sidered that if no man had taken vpon him the enuie of the coÌ„mon sort in withstanding the enterprises procéedings of the Anabaptists wheÌ„ they began in Germanie Anabaptisme had ouerrunne those Churches vtterly destroyed them These were the reasons that satisfied the former obiections and especiallye moued me to take vppon me this labour wherewith if I can also satisfie others I haue my desire if not yet haue I done my dutie and satisfied mine owne conscience And for asmuche as the matter toucheth the state of the whole Church of England I thought it most méete to dedicate this my booke rather vnto the same generally than to any one particuler member thereof protesting that if I haue affirmed any thing therein that by learning and good reasons may be proued erronious I will reforme the same for I wholly submit it to the rule of Gods worde and the iudgement of those that he learned discrete wise The Lord blesse the o deare spouse of Christ with the continuance of his Gospell of the Quenes Maiestie and of godlye peace and quietnesse Amen A briefe examination of the reasons vsed in the booke called an Admonition to the Parliamente FIrst in that booke the scripture is most vntollerably abused and vnlearnedly applyed quoted only in their margent to delude both such as for lacke of learning can not and suche as either for slouthfulnesse or some preiudicate opinion will not examine the same as I haue particulerly declared in my aunswere following Secondly their proofes consist especially of these arguments The first is ab eo quod est secundum quid ad id quod simplicitorest as such and such things were not in the Apostles time Ergo they ought not to be nowe Whiche kinde of argumente is very deceiptfull and the mother and welspring of many both olde and newe schismes of old as of them that called them selues Apostolicos and of the Aërians of new as of Anabaptists who considering neither the diuersitie of times concerning the externall ecclesiastical pollicie nor the true libertie of the christian religion in externe rytes and ceremonies in matters neither commaunded nor forbidden in Gods lawe nor the authoritie of Christian magistrates in
the Christian congregation concerning the same haue boldely enterprised to stirre vp many and heynous errours For if these reasons should take place the Apostles vsed it not Ergo it is not lawfull for vs to vse it or this either they did it Ergo we must needes do it then no Christians may haue any place to abide in they maye haue no Christian Princes no ministration of sacraments in Churches and suche like for the Apostles had no place to abide in they had no Christian Princes to gouerne them no churches to minister sacraments in c. Likewise we must haue al things common we must departe with al our possessions when we be conuerted to the Gospell baptise abroade in the fields minister the communion in priuate houses only be alwayes vnder the crosse and vnder Tyrants and such like For the Apostles had al thinges common departed from their possessions baptized abroade in fieldes ministred the communion in priuate houses were alwayes vnder persecutors and Tyrants c. 2. Another kind of argumente is much like vnto this and is taken ab authoritate negatinè which in matters of saluation and damnation holdeth when we reason ab authoritate scripturae from the authoritie of the scripture but not else For this argument it is not commaunded in the scripture to be done nor there expressed Ergo it ought not to be done is so far out of the way and so erronious that it is not tollerable for it taketh away the most parte of all due circumstances without the which either after one manner or other the very institutions of Christ cannot be obserued For how is it possible to receiue the holy Communion but either sitting standing knéelling walking or lying either at one time or other in the morning or at night before meate or after meate clothed or naked in this place or in that place c. and yet none of these circumstances are in scripture commaunded or by necessary collection may thereof be gathered the same is to be said of the obseruatioÌ„ of times of common prayers and other conuenient and necessarie orders in the Church If this argumente were good then all good lawes and ordinances made for the aduancing of true religion and establishing of good orders were to be abolished whiche were the very roote and welspring of stubbornesse obstinacie sedition disobedience and confusion 3. The third kind of argument is called petitio principij whiche is when a man frameth vnto himselfe principles of his owne deuise grounded neither vpon authoritie neither yet upon substantial reason and then vpon the same will conclude his purpose which is vit â—â—sissimum genâ—â— argumentands a very erronious kynde of reasoning as these men doo in vsing these two false principles the one when they say that to be inuented by an Antichristian Pope which was not so inuented the other when they say that nothing may be vsed in the Church of Christ which was inuented by the Pope or vsed in the Popes Churche which can not be true as in sundrie places of the boke I haue declared The selfe same reasons moued the Aërians to forsake the order of the Churche and to commaunde their Disciples to do the contrarie of that that the Church did We borrow good lawes of the Gentiles and we vse the Churches Belles Pulpits and many other things vsed of Papists c. 4. The fourthe kynde of reason is of negatiues by comparison as this Priestes and Ministers are to be known by their doctrine not by their apparel Ergo they ought not to haue distinct apparell from other men This argumente followeth not for negatives by comparison are not simplie to be vnderstanded but by the way coÌ„parison And therefore of the former sentence thus we may conclude that the apparell is not to be estéemed as a note of difference in comparison to learning doctrine and yet a note As when Paule sayth that Chryst sente him not to baptise but to preache the Gospell 1 Cor. 1. And God by his Prophete I wil have mercy and not sacrifice Ose. 6. and Mat. 9. 5. The fift is ab eo quod est non causam vt causam ponere vvhen that is taken for the cause of any thing vvhich is not the cause as when they condemne the booke of common prayer and a prescript forme of seruice bycause as they say it mainteineth an vnlerned or as they term it a reading ministerie wheÌ„ as the boke is not the cause of it neither yet a prescripte forme of prayer but either the parties themselues that be vnlearned or they that do admitte them or else both This kind of argument is vsuall in the Admonition There be other vnlearned and vnskilfull reasons vsed in this booke whiche may easily be discerned euen of children and therefore I here omit them Thus much I thought good generally to write which being duly considered the booke it selfe needeth no other kinde of confutation To the Christian Reader I Am not ignorant to what dangers especially of vncharitable slanderous tongs I haue made my selfe subiecte by taking vpon me this worke notwithstanding my reaconing is made and I have armed my selfe against the worst being taught so to do by the opprobrious speach of diuers who as busy bodies intermedling in other mens matters more than it becommeth them do therof iudge most vnchristianly and reporte most vntruly beleuing as partial Iudges whatsoeuer is reported howsoeuer falsely and vniustly But as I with all my harte for my parte forgiue them and wish vnto them more Christian hartes indifferent eares and charitable mouthes So do I exhorte thée Christian reader to abstaine from all suche rancor and other partiall and sinister affections in reading of this my booke And thinke of me as of one that to speake the truth to testifie his conscience to mainteyne the peace and quietnesse of the Churche to withstande erronious opinions or contentious doctrine will neither spare his laboure nor his fame and yet not so stiffely addicted to his owne opinion but that he can be contented to submitte hym selfe to better authoritie and reasons than he him selfe hath And I besée thée receyue this admonition at my hande Trie before thou trust beleue not lightly euery reporte as thou hast two eares so vse them both condemne no maÌ„ before he be heard abstaine from speaking euill of any wheÌ„ he is not present to make thée answere for that is a great iniurie respect not the person but the cause and let not euery pretenced zeale carrie thée headlong thou knowest not whether and suspende thy iudgement of this booke vntill thou hast aduisedly and indifferently redde the same Correction of faultes escaped in this booke In the ende of the Epistle dedicatorie for O deare spouse reade O deare spouse of Christ Folio 23. line 8. for est reade sunt Fol. 32. lin 34. for the trusteth reade he trusteth Fol. 33. lin 24. for are not come read are not scarce come Fol. 42. lin 20.
for all do not so read but all do not so Fol. 73. lin 23. for Anthomum read Antoninum Fol. 104. lin 20. for baptized by faith read baptized faith Fol. 115. lin 26. in these words put out in Fol. 211. lin 2. not the charge put out one the Fol. 287. in the margent for 1. Tim. 1.2 read 1. Tim. 5.2 Fol. 231. lin 26. for by changing read the changing Fol. 232. lin 11. for pulleth read poulleth Fol. 242. lin 8. for disobedience read obedience Fol. 244. in the margent for 1. Tim. 1.2 read 1. Tim. 3.2 In Gualters epistle in latin lin 9. for Non read Nam and lin 17. for episculor read exosculor and lin 30. for rogabant read rogabat In the same epistle in englysh line 3. for only read olde In the 5. page and 4. line of the answere to the Pamphlets for impuritie read impunitie ¶ An Exhortation to suche as bee in authoritie and haue the gouernement of the Church committed vnto them whether they be Ciuile or Ecclesiasticall Magistrates COnsideryng the strangenes of the time the varietie of mennes myndes and the maruellous inclinations in the cōmon sorte of persons especially where the gospel is most preached to imbrace newe inuented doctrines and opinions thoughe they tende to the disturbing of the quiet state of the Churche the discrediting and defacing of such as be in authoritie and the maynteining of licenciousnesse and lewde libertie I thought it good to set before your eyes the practises of the Anabaptistes their conditions and qualities the kinde and maner of their beginnings and procéedings before the broching of their manyfolde and horrible heresies to the intent that you vnderstanding the same may the rather in tyme take héede to suche as procéede in like maner least they béeing suffred too long burst out to woorke the same effect I accuse none only I suspect the authors of this admonition their fautours What cause I haue so to doe I referre to your selues to iudge after that I haue set foorth vnto you the Anabaptisticall practises euen as I haue lerned in the writings of such famous and learned men as had themselues experience of them when they firste began in Germanie and did both personally reason with them and afterwardes very learnedly write agaynst them neyther will I in this poynt write one worde whiche I haue not mine author to shewe for 1 Firste Anabaptisme tendeth to this ende that in these places where the Gospel hath ben for a tyme preached and where Churches be reformed the Gospel may be hindered the churches disquieted the simple brought to doubt of the religion that hath ben taught them contentious and vnquiet mynds may haue matter to work on the preaching of the Gospell become odious finally that magistrates and suche as bée in authoritie may bée contemned and despysed of their subiects and inferiours 2 Secondly they bitterly inueyed agaynst ministers and preachers of the Gospell saying that they were not ordinarily and laufully called to the ministerie bycause they were called by the Magistrate and not by the people that they preached not the Gospell truly that they were Scribes and Phariseis that they had not those things whiche Pause required in a minister 1. Timo. 3. That they did not themselues those things whiche they taught vnto other that they had stipendes and labored not and therefore were ministers of the belly That they coulde not teache truely bycause they had greate liuings and liued wealthily and pleasantly that they vsed not theyr authoritie in excommunication that they attributed too muche vnto the Magistrate 3 Thirdely the whole reformation that was then in the Churche displeased them as not spirituall ynoughe and perfecte For the Sacramentes were not as they sayde syncerely mynistred things were not reduced to the Apostolike Churche Excommunication not ryghtly vsed no amendement of lyfe appeared synce the preaching of the Gospel therfore the Church then reformed no more the true Church of Christ than was the Papisticall churche 4 Fourthly they had theyr priuate and secrete conuenticles and did diuide and separate themselues from the Churche neyther woulde they communicate wyth suche as were not of their secte eyther in prayers Sacramentes or hearing the woorde 5 Fifthly they compted all them as wicked and reprobate whiche were not of their sect 6 Sixthly they pretended in all theyr dooyngs the glorie of God the edifying of the Churche and the puritie of the Gospell 7 They earnestly cryed oute agaynste pryde gluttonie c. They spake muche of mortification they pretended greate grauitie they sighed muche they seldome or neuer laughed they were verye austere in reprehendyng they spake gloriouslye To bée short Magna varia erat ipsorum hypocrisis they were greate hypocrites thereby to winne authoritie to their heresie among the simple and ignorant people 8 If they were at any time punished for their errors they greatly complayned that nothing was vsed but violence that the truthe was oppressed that innocent and godly men which would haue all things reformed according to the worde of God could not be hearde nor haue libertie to speake That Zuinglius stopped their mouths and defended his cause not by the worde of God but by the authoritie of the magistrate 9 They founde greate faulte wyth the baptizyng of children and ceremonies vsed in the same But afterward did vtterly condemne it 10 They taught that the ciuile magistrate hath no authoritie in Ecclesiasticall matters and that he ought not to meddle in causes of religion and fayth 11 That no man ought to be compelled to faith and to religion 12 That Christians ought to punish faultes not with imprisonement not with the sword or corporall punishment but only with excommunication 13 They complayned muche of persecution 14 They bragged that they woulde defend their cause not onely with wordes but with the shedding of theyr bloud also 15 Their whole intēt was to make a separation and a schisme and to withdrawe men from their ordinarie Churches and pastours and therfore most odiously they inueyed against such pastours and sought by all meanes to discredite them 16 There was no stay in them but dayly they inuented new opinions and did runne from errour to errour 17 They were very stubborne and wilful which they called constancie they were weywarde and frowarde without all humanitie they iudged and condemned all other men 18 They sought to ouerthrowe common weales and states of gouernement 19 They gaue honor and reuerence to none and they vsed to speake to such as were in authoritie without any signification of honour neyther would they call men by their titles and they answered churlishly 20 They attributed much vnto themselues pleased themselues very well other men they contemned and therfore their myndes were full of pride and contempt 21 They went not to preache in such places wher the Gospell was not planted but
imprisonements banishmentes such like extremities yet is these poore mens cause neuer the worse nor these chalēgers the better nor God his hande the further of to linke in with his against them nor you christian brethren must neuer the rather without examination condemne them But thankfully take this taste which God by these treatises offreth you weigh them by the word of god and do your endeuor euery one in his calling to promote his cause And let vs al with more earnest prayer than wee are wont earnestly cōmend it to God his blessing and namely that it will please him by his spirite to lighten the heart of our most gratious soueraigne and the rest in authoritie to the benefite of his small flocke and the ouerthrowe of their proude enimies that godlinesse maye by them proceede in peace and God his glorie thorowe Jesus Christ be throughly aduaunced Whiche wee call God to witnesse is our onely laboure and suite And so presently we leaue you heartily beseeching God to graunt it Amen An answere to the Preface of the Admonition THESE TVVO treatises conteyned in this admonition as they be voyde of sounde learnyng so are they full of blynde affection and stuffed with vncharitable and vnchristian terms and phrases wherfore it is to bée feared that they procéede not of loue but of hatred not of zeale but of malice not of humilitie but of arrogancie not of myndes desirous to reforme but of stomackes séekyng to deforme and confounde that whiche is in due forme and order by lawfull authoritie established For what charitable zealous and humble spirite woulde so spitefully and slaunderously speake of their brethren whose doctrine is pure whose zeale is feruent whose suffering for the Gospel hath ben in time of triall comparable with any mans that nowe liueth who haue also paynfully taughte the worde of God in this realme and do at this day and by whose ministerie the Gospel hath taken roote and is come to that encrease that now God be thanked appeareth Surely these opprobrious termes proude generation tyrannous lordships vngracious cruel Popelike wicked raigne proude enimies c. applied to brethren procéede not from the humble and mylde spirite of GOD but from the proude and arrogante spirite of Sathan Therfore by this vnséemely preface it may appeare from what spirite the reste of thys admonition spryngeth Touchyng the crueltie and rigeure these men complayne of I shall néede to speake little béeing manyfeste to all that bée not with synister affections blynded that lacke of seueritie is the principall cause of their licentious libertie But who séeth not their hypocrisie whiche would make the worlde beléeue that they are persecuted when they be with too much lenitie punished for their vntollerable contempt of good lawes and other disordered dealings Naye suche is their peruersenesse or rather arrogancie that if they be debarred but of the least part of their will and desyre by and by they crie out of crueltie and persecution It is to be doubted what these men will do when persecution commeth in déede whiche now make so muche of a little or rather of nothing As for this great brag For how so euer learned and many they seeme to be they should and may in this realme fynde inowe to matche them and shame them too if they hold on as they haue begonne Satis arroganter dictum est And verifieth that to be true that is commonly spoken of these kinde of men that is that they contemne all other in comparison of themselues that they thinke thēselues only zealous only learned c. But it is possible they may be matched and I know no man of learning afrayde to encounter with them eyther by word or writing Touching the ministerie and gouernement of the Church what faults there is to be therin found we shall vnderstand when we come to their reasons God graunt vs humble and méeke spirites that godly vnitie may be maynteyned in the Churche One thing I must desire thée to note gentle reader wherin the follie of these men maruellously appeareth how they haue paynted the margent of their booke with quoting of scriptures as though al were Scripture they write when as in déede they abuse both the Scripture and thée For what one place of scripture is in all thys preface alledged to any purpose and yet howe many is there quoted To proue that wée muste reade these two Treatises without parcialitie or blinde affection here is noted in the margēt 1. Thess. 5. vers 21. James 1. James 2. The place to the Thessalonians is this Trie all things and keepe that vvhiche is good The place of the first of James is this VVherfore my deare brethren let euery man be svvifte to heare slovve to speake and slovve to vvrath And the seconde place of James is this My brethren haue not the faithe of our Lorde Iesus Christe in respecte of persons And to what purpose are these places alledged What proue they Or what néede is there to alledge them These Apostles in these places speake not of rayling libels but of hearing the word of God and iudging of matters of faithe according to the truth and not to the persons To proue that tyrannous lordship can not stand with Christs kingdom they alledge the .15 of Mat. and Luc. 16. The place in the 15. of Mat. vers 23. is this But he answered hir not a vvorde Then came to him his disciples and besought him saying Sende hir avvay for she cryeth after vs. In the sixtéenth of Luke it is thus Then he sayd vnto them ye are they vvhiche iustifie youre selues before men but God knovveth your hartes for that vvhiche is highly estemed among men is abhomination in the sight of god I would gladly know how their assertion and these two textes hang together I allowe not tyrannous Lordshyp to stande with Christes kingdome But it may well inough for any thyng in these two places to the contrarie Tyrannous Lordship is not estéemed among men but hated To proue that they whose authoritie is forbidden by Christe will haue their stroke without their fellowe seruauntes c. is quoted Math. 20. Math. 23. Mark. 10. Luke 22. In the .20 of Math. it is thus written Yee knowe that the lordes of the Gentiles haue domination ouer them c. In the .23 of Mathew But be ye not called Rabbi for one is your doctor or teacher to wit Christ. The places in Marke and Luke be all one with that in the 20. of Mathew The conclusion that is gathered of these places is very darke and generall they should◠haue declared who they be that haue this authoritie forbidden and what the authoritie is Touching these places alleaged in the 20. of Mat. 10. of Mar. 22. of Luke Musculus and diuers other learned men think that they extende not onely to the Apostles and men of the Clergie as we call them but to all Christians of what state soeuer they
men and the example of all Churches euen from Christes time as more plainly apereth by these words of Master Bucer in his book de regno Christi Iam ex perpetua ecclesiaruÌ„ obseruatione ab ipsis iam Apostolis videmus visum hoc esse spiritui sancto vt inter presbiteros quibus ecclesiaruÌ„ procuratio potissimum est commissa vnâ—â— ecclesiarum totius sacri ministerij curam gerat singularem eaque cura solicitudine cunctis praeeat alijs Qua de causa Episcopi nomen huiusmodi summis ecclesiarum câ—ratoribus est peculiariter attributum c. Nowe we see by the perpetuall obseruation of the Churches euen from the Apostles them selues that it hath pleased the holy ghost that amongst the ministers to whome the gouernement of the Churche especially is committed one should haue the chiefe care both of the Churches and of the whole ministerie and that he should go before all other in that care and diligence for the which cause the name of a Bishop is peculiarly giuen to suche chiefe gouernours of Churches c. Furthermore I haue declared that it engendreth schismes factioÌ„s and contentions in the Churche and bringeth in a méere confusion and is a braunch of Anabaptisme And now I adde that you desire this equalitie not bycause you would not rule for it is manifest that you séeke it most ambitiously in your manner but bycause you contemne and disdayne to be ruled and to be in subiection In déede your meaning is as I saide before to rule and not to be ruled to do what you liste in your seuerall cures wythoute controlemente of Prince Byshoppe or any other And therefore pretending equalitie most disorderly you séeke dominion I speake that I know by experience in some of you Your places quoted in the margent to proue that there ought to be an equalitie of ministers sounde nothing that way 2. Cor. 10. vers 7. These be the words of the Aposâ—le Looke ye on things after the appearaunce If any trust in him selfe that he is Christes let him consider this agayne of him selfe that as he is Christes euen so are we Christes How conclude you of these words your equalitie I promise you it passeth my cunning to wring out of them any such sense rather the contrarie may be gathered out of the words following which be these For though I shoulde boast somewhat more of our authoritie which the Lorde c. I should haue no shame Master Caluin expounding these words saith on this sorte It vvas for modestie that he ioyned himselfe to their number vvhome he did farre excell and yet he vvold not be so modest but that he would kepe his authoritie safe therefore he addeth that he spake lesse than of right he might haue done For he vvas not of the commoÌ„ sorte of ministers but one of the chefe among the Apostles And therefore he saith if I bost more I neede not be ashamed for I haue good cause And a litle after Quamuis enim commune sit omnibus verbi ministris idemque officium sunt tamen honoris gradus Although the selfe same office be common to all the ministers of the vvorde yet there is degrees of honor Thus you sée Caluine farre otherwise to gather of this place than you do The place in the first to the Coloss. vers 1. is this Paule an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the vvill of God and Timotheus our brother Surely your mynd was not of equalitie I thinke when you quoted these places to proue it But it is your vsuall manner without all discretion and iudgement to dally and play with the scriptures For what sequele is there in this reason Paule calleth Timothie brother Ergo in all respects there must be equalitie as though there were not distinction of degrées euen among brethren Admonition In stead of Chauncelors Archdeacons Officialles Commissaries Proctors Doctors Summoners Churchwardens and such like you haue to place in euery congregation a lawfull and godly Seigniorie Answere That is in stead of learned wise and discréete men you must place to gouerne the Churche in euerie congregation vnlearned ignoraunte and men most vnapte to gouerne for suche of necessitie you must haue in most coÌ„gregations But I pray you do thus much for me firste proue that there was in euery congregation such as you call seniors When you haue done that then shewe me that that office and kinde of regiment ought to be perpetuall and not rather to be altered according to the state and condition of the Church Last of all that these seniors were lay men as we call them and not rather ministers of the worde and Bishops When you haue satisfied my request in these thrée points then will I procéede further in this matter In the meane time I do not defende any Chaunceller Archdeacon c. which abuse their office I wish such reformed with all my harte But wherein haue Churchewardens offended you I perceiue nothing that is nowe in the Church can please you Admonition The deaconship must not be confouÌ„ded with the ministerie nor the Collectours for the pore may not vsurpe the Deacons office but he that hath an office must loke to his office and euery man must kepe him selfe within the bonds and limits of his owne vocation Answere Neyther do we confounde them and yet Paule in the place by you quoted in the margente speaketh not one worde of confounding or not confounding these offices So the poore be prouided for it forceth not whether prouision be made by Deacons or by collectours by the one it may be well done by the other it cannot be done in all places as the state is nowe But shewe any scripture to proue that the poore must only be prouided for by Deacons else not Admonition And to these three ioyntly that is the ministers seniors and Deacons is the whole regiment of the Church to be committed Answere This is only by you set downe without proofe therefore I will heare your reasons before I make you aunswere In the meane time I pray you what authoritie in these matters do you giue to the ciuill magistrate me thinke I heare you whisper that the Prince hath no authoritie in ecclesiasticall matters I know it is a receiued opinion among some of you and therin you shake hands also with the Papists and Anabaptists Admonition This regiment consisteth especially in ecclesiasticall discipline whiche is an order lefte by God vnto his Church whereby men learne to frame their willes and doings according to the lawe of God by instructing and admonishing one another yea and by correcting and puinshing all wilfull persons and contemners of the same Of thys discipline there is two kinds one priuate wherwith we wil not deale bycause it is impertinent to our purpose â–ª another publike which although it hath ben long banished yet if it might now at the length bee restored wold be very necessary and profitable for the building vp of Gods
vocation This is but your veyne of rayling and your vsuall manner of extolling your selues and condemning other But as I sayde before your wordes be no sclaunder neyther will I in words contend with you but therin giue you the vpper hande only I must still let you vnderstand of your foolish applying of scriptures For wherfore haue you here quoted the tenth of Iohn vse 1. Belike bycause Christ sayth there That he whiche doth not enter in by the dore into the sheepfolde but climbeth vp an other way is a theefe and a robber therfore all such as bée placed in this Churche of England your selues excepted enter in by a popish and vnlauful vocation You had gone orderly to worke if you had firste proued that we haue not come into the shéepfold by christ If you thus omitte the proofe of your minor you may conclude what you wil and quote scriptures at your pleasure But wyse and lerned men will lament your follie and laughe at your vnskilfulnesse Of making of ministers I haue spoken before and answered the places Actes 6.14 20. sufficiently As for the other two places Ro. 12. vse 6.7.8 and .1 Cor. 9. vse 16.17 I muse why you note them they nothing at all perteyning to the making of ministers they something touche their office yet not that directly But you must be borne with least you shoulde haue séemed to youre disciples to haue sayd nothing Some of those ministers you say may tarie in their Colledge and leade the liues of loytering losels as long as they liue If you knew any suche loytering losels in any Colledge I trust you would make them knowne to other also If you knowe none suche then are you a slaunderer of Colledges and suche as be in them It were to be wished in my opinion that there were many preachers in Colledges of greater continuance than I knowe any Then should not yong factious vnruly and vndiscrete persons so greately trouble with their contentions and sects bothe vniuersities and the whole realme also I knowe no Bishops that giue out Bulles but if such preachers as remayne in Colledges or elsewhere béeing thervnto licenced by the Bishop or other that haue authoritie doe take paynes to preach where they sée occasion they are greatly to be commended and I pray God encrease the nūber of such Circumcetiōs But since this your opinion hath bene broched it hath not only driuen many frō the ministerie but also caused diuers to loyter and cease from preaching And certainely if it be not in tyme prouided for that one braunch of your doctrine wil spoyle this Churche of England bothe of preachers and preachings The rest that you write in this parte I hope is more slaunderously of you spoken than truely notwithstanding I thinke there hathe bene some ouersighte in some men whiche I trust is and will be amended if not then I wishe that Cannon of the lawe to be put in practise that suche as admit them should also prouyde for them When you say that the Bishoppes of thys Realme reigne and rule by the Canon lawe you forgette your selfe you know it is otherwise Their chiefe authoritie they haue by Gods lawe the reste by the lawes of the Realme and of the Prince but these wordes are but wordes of course with you Admonition The seuentéenth We should be too long to tell youre honoures of Cathedrall Churches the dennes aforsayd of al loytering lubbers where master Deane master Vicedeane master Canons or master Prebendaries the greater master Petie canons or Canons the lesser master Chauncelor of the Churche master Treasorer otherwyse called Iudas the purse bearer the chief Chaunter Singing men speciall fauourers of religion squeaking Queristers Organ players Gospellers Pistellers Pentioners Readers Vergers c. liue in greate idlenesse and haue their abiding If you woulde knowe whence all these came we can easyly answere you that they came from the Pope as oute of the Troian horses belly to the distruction of Gods kingdome The Churche of God neuer knewe them neither doth any reformed church in the worlde know them Answere Here you speak both without the book of Cōmon prayers and scriptures also for neither are cathedral churches conteyned in that booke neyther haue you any scripture to proue that which you so impudently affirme God be thanked it is well knowne to those that be not with malice blinded that Cathedrall Churches be furnished with godly zelous and learned men And that they be the chiefe and principall ornaments of this Realme and next to the vniuersities chiefest mainteyners of godlinesse religion and learning there be some desire the spoyle of them whose instrumentes you be But I hope both their mouthes and yours also shal be firste stopped with earth Master Deane master vicedeane master Cānons c. as much as they loyter may thinke themselues fitte to be compared with such as you are in any respects The rest of your rayling words I leaue to the Authoure You say all these come from the Pope c. It is not materiall frō whence they come so they be good profitable and necessarie for the mainteyning of religion lerning wise and learned men But I pray you from what Pope came they or in what time did the Pope inuent them I told you before that such places and Colledges were in Augustines time and that he both hath the name of master Deane and alloweth of his office If you had redde any aunciente learned authours as your writings declare you haue not then shoulde you finde that Collegiate Churches be of great antiquitie euen since the yeare of our Lorde .235 But what can you speake against Cathedrall Churches which you may not aswell speake against the Colledges in the vniuersities They were not in the Apostles time neyther yet in the primatiue Church must they therefore nowe be dissolued your meaning is belike to bring al to cōfusion and barbarisme You say no reformed church in the worlde knoweth them wherin I thinke you speak more than you knowe Can you name any reformed Church that hath plucked them downe Peraduenture in dyuers places where the Gospell is now preached they had neuer suche rewardes for learning But what haue we to do in suche cases with other reformed Churches we haue to consider what is most méete for this Churche and state and not to follow other as though we were children I sée no cause why other reformed Churches should not rather followe vs than we them seing in no respecte we be inferior to them Well to conclude your wordes be but vayne and your proofes none at all And therefore I doubte not but Cathedrall churches shall be able to withstand both your opprobrious speaches and the gréedinesse of all their aduersaries so long as it shall please God to blesse thys land with so vertuous and learned a Quéene and so wise and discréete counsellours Admonition The eightéenth And birds of the same fether are couetous patrones of benefices persons vicars
readers parish preests stipendaries and riding chaplaines that vnder the authoritie of theyr masters spoyle their flocks of the foode of their soules such seeke not the Lord Iesus but their owne bellies cloudes that are without rayne trees without frute painted sepulchers full of dead bones fatted in all abundance of iniquitie and leane locusts in all feeling knowledge and sinceritie Answere It is true that couetous patrones of benefices be a great plage to this church and one of the principall causes of rude and ignorante ministers God graunte some spéedy reformation in that point Neither can I excuse al persons vicars c. But al this is spoken without the booke and therefore not fiâ—ly of you alledged against the booke Admonition The nineteenth What shoulde we speake of the Archbishops Courte sith all men know it and your wisdome can not but see what it is As all other Courts are subiecte to this by the Popes prerogatiue yea and by statute of this Realme yet vnrepealed so is it the filthy quauemire and poysoned plashe of all the abominations that do infecte the whole Realme We speake not of licences graunted out of this Courte to marrie in forbidden tymes as in lente in aduente in the gang weeke when banners and belles with the preest in his surplesse singing Gospells and making crosses raungeth aboute in many places vppon the ember dayes and to forbidden persons and in exempte places We make no mention of licences to eate white meate and flesh in Lente and that wyth a safe conscience for rich men that can buy them with money nor we saye nothing howe dearely men pay for them As for dispensations with beneficed boyes tollerations for non resideÌ„ts bulles to haue two benefices to haue three to haue more and as many as they lift or can get these are so common that all Godly and good men are compelled with griefe of harte to crie out vpon such abhominations We omitte excommunication for money absolution for the same and that by absoluing one man for another which how contrarie it is to the scriptures the complaints of many learned men by propositions in open schooles proposed by writings in printed bookes set out and by preaching in opeÌ„ pulpits haue ben sufficiently witnessed To coÌ„clude this filthy Courte hath full power togither with the authoritie of this pettie Pope Metropolitane and primate of all England to dispence in all causes wherein the Pope was wont to dispence vnder whiche are conteyned more cases and causes than wee are able to recken As for my Lordes grace of Yorke we deale not with hym We referre him to that learned Epistle whiche Beza wrote vnto hym about these matters Answere I thinke this Court to be necessarie for the state of this Churche and Realme and if there be abuses in it eyther in the lawe it selfe or in the persons I wish it were reformed But the whole order of the Courte is not therefore to be condemned no more than it is of other Courts which cannot be missed and yet haue abuses in them I confesse my selfe to haue little experieÌ„ce in such matters and therefore I will speake the lesse thereof As I do mislike that there should be any time forbiddeÌ„ to marrie in for that can haue no good meaning or any dispensations for boyes to kéep benefices or excommunications and absolutions for money or one man to be absolued for another and if there be any other suche like abuse so do I vtterly condemne your vnsemely and vnchristian termes as filthy quauemire poysoned plashe of all abominations filthy Courte especially considering wherof they be spoken to whome and by whome they argue a scolding nature and a stomacke boyling with contempt of lawes and superiours Neither can I suffer you to slaunder not that Courte but thys Churche with manifest vntruthes as you do when you saye that banners bells and making of crosses be allowed to bee vsed in the gang weeke and that the Archebishops Courte hath full power to dispence in all causes wherin the Pope was wont to dispeÌ„ce which both be most vntrue I thinke in dispensations this Courte goeth no further than the lawes of the Realme do permitte Agreable to this spirite is your contemptuous speach vsed to both the Archbishops men to be reuerenced not only in the respecte of their yeares and authoritie but of their singuler wisdome grauitie learning and sounde religion also Howbeit you reuerence them as you do all other that be in authoritie except some whome you do but séeke to vse to bring your intents to passe I will saye no more I thinke you haue abused master Beza with your false reports which hath caused him to write otherwise than he woulde do if he knewe the whole state of the controuersie So you haue also abused other notable learned men and caused them to write according to your phansie which since that time being truly enformed haue by their letters which are to be séene both condemned your contentiousnesse and their owne to much credulitie But our faith and Churche dependes neyther vppon Master Beza nor any other man neyther do they looke for any such prerogatiue But still you are without the booke You bid vs in the margent to proue that the regiment of the Church should be spirituall reade Ephe. 1. verse 23. 1. Thessa. 5. vers 13.1 Timo. 5. vers 2. Hebr. 10. vers 30. In the place to the Ephe. the Apostle saith that God hath appointed Christ to be the head of the Church which is his body euen the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all things Here we learne that Christ is the head of the church But how proues this that the gouernement of the church is only spirituall will you hereby take away ciuill magistrates and other gouernours that God hath placed in his Church It is subtilly done of you to quote the places only and not to apply them nor to conclude of them For surely if you had layde downe the words and applied theÌ„ to your purpose not wise and learned only but very children would haue laughed you to scorne In the .1 Thess. 5. The Apostle beseecheth them to loue suche for their vvorkes sake as laboure among them are ouer them in the Lorde and admonish them What argument call you this S. Paule moues the Thessalonians to loue their pastours Ergo the gouernement of the Church is only spirituall In the first Timothie 5. vers 2. he willeth Timothie to exhorte the elder vvomen as mothers the yonger as sisters whereuppon you conclude thus elder women must be exhorted as mothers the yonger as sisters wyth all purenesse Ergo the gouernement of the Church must be spirituall In the .10 Hebr. vers 30. it is thus written For we know him that hath saide vengeance belongeth vnto me I vvill recompence saith the Lorde And againe the Lorde shall iudge his people Uengeaunce belongeth to God and he shall iudge hys people Ergo the gouernemente
but thereuppon to conclude that the ciuill magistrate is secluded from the gouernement of the Churche or that there néedeth no externall regiment is dangerous and sauoreth Anabaptisme In the same leafe and .19 reason these wordes be lefte out baÌ„ners and belles whiche argueth that they were before vntruly sayde to be vsed in gang wéeke But to lye is a small matter with these men Fol. 8. For Lords grace of Yorke there is the Archebishop of Yorke The cause of thys alteration I know not In the margent ouer against the 21. reason there is this note It conteyneth manifest blasphemy as may appeare Eâ—â—e 1.17 meaning this saying of the Byshop to those that are admitted ministers Receiue the holy Ghost The place in that Chapiter of the Epistle to the Ephesians proueth no suche thing these be the wordes I cease not to giue thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lorde Iesus Christ the father of glory mighte giue vnto you the spirite of vvisedome and reuelation thorough the knovvledge of hym What sequele is there in this argument Saincte Paule prayed that God would giue to the Ephesians the spirite of wisedome and reuelation thorough the knowledge of him Ergo this saying of the Bishop Receiue the holy Ghost to those that are admitted into the ministerie conteyneth manifest blasphemy Such is your vsuall maÌ„ner of reasoning Fol. 9. and second article All this is added Neither is the controuersie betwixte them and vs as they woulde beare the worlde in hand as for a cap a tippet or a surplesse but for greater matters concerning a true ministerie and regimeÌ„t of the Church according to the word Which things once established the other melte away of them selues and yet consider I pray you whether their owne argumente doth not choke themselues for euen the very name of triftes doth playnly declare that they ought not to be mainteyned in Christes church and what shall our Bishops win by it Forsoth that they bee mainteyners of triftes and trifling Bishops consuming the greatest parte of theyr time in those trifles whereas they shoulde bee better occupied We striue for true religion and gouernement of the Churche and shew you the righte way to throw out Antichrist both head and taile and that we will not so much as communicate with the taile of the beast But they after they haue thrust out Antichriste by the head goe aboute to pull hym in againe by the tayle cunningly coulouring it least any manne should espye his foot steps as Cacus did when he stole the oxen What other men haue done I knowe not but for my parte I alwayes suspected and partely knewe that some of you had greater matters in hand and of more importance than cappe tippet and surplesse whiche surely was one of the first causes that moued me to be more earnest agaynst you than I was accustomed For I did vnderstand that you wer hatching opinions tending not only to Anabaptisme but to the ouerthrowe of the Gospel and disturbing the quiet state of this Churche And yet who knoweth not that you haue made the cap and Surplesse your pretence hitherto vntill nowe of late when you sée almost all men condemne your follie You say we choake our selues with our owne argumente for euen the very name of trifles doth playnly declare that they ought not to be maynteyned in Christes Church Surely of them selues they be but trifles as all other externall ceremonies and indifferent things bée It is the circumstaunces that maketh them no trifles but matters of weight For things indifferent béeing commaunded thus or so to bée vsed by the Magistrate not as necessarie to saluation iustificatioÌ„ but as conuenient and necessarie for order decencie bée not nowe trifles And who soeuer without a lawfull vrgente cause or in a case of necessitie dothe breake the law made of theÌ„ sheweth himselfe a disordered person disobediente a contemner of lawfull authoritie and a wounder of his weake brothers conscience And if any man shall saye that this is to bring vs agayne in bondage of the lawe and to depriue vs of our libertie I answere no for it is not a matter of Iustification but of order And to be vnder a lawe is no taking awaye of Christian libertie for the Christian libertie is not a licence to doe what thou list but to serue God in newnesse of mynde and that for loue not for seruile feare Of them selues therefore they vs but trifles but béeing commaunded by the Magistrate to be vsed or not to be vsed they are no trifles no more than it was for women to come into the Churche bareheaded or a man to praye hauing his cappe on his heade after that Saint Paule had made an order to the contrarie And therfore these scoffes and stoutes and what shall oute Bishoppes win by it forsoth that they bée maynteyners of trifles and triâ—ling Bishops consuming the greatest part of their tyme in these trifles where as they shoulde be better occupied myght with more commendation of youre modestie haue bene well forborne They see your doings tend not only to contention but to confusion not only to disobedience towardes the lawes of the Prince but also to daungerous errours yea to the ouerthrowe of religion and therfore they are neyther maynteyners of tryfles nor trifling Bishops but wyse discréete vigilant and learned fathers whyche séeke to mayntayne peace preserue good order defende the authoritie of lawfull lawes and in tyme suppresse erronious doctrine You rather spend the tyme in trifles when you might be better occupied for you omitting al other necessary pointes of doctrine and profitable exhortations to good lyfe stuffe your sermons and furnishe your table talke with nothing else but with bitter inuectiues agaynst those rytes as though they were matters of damnation and agaynst those learned and discréete ministers of the word who according to their dutie vsing of them séeke in déed to beate downe Antichriste to plante necessarie poyntes of religion in mennes heartes and to teache repentance with newnesse of life which your vnfrutefull froward and coÌ„tentious dealing reioyceth the Papist discrediteth the sound and lerned preacher offendeth the godlie wouÌ„deth the weake worketh contempte of Magistrates and superiors in the hearts of the hearers destroyeth that which other men buylde finally doth good to none For what frute can there come to the hearers by inueying continually against cappe tippet surplesse ring in mariage womens white kerchers bagpypes funerall sermons mourning apparel c. Bishops Preachers Magistrates Prince These and suche lyke be only the common places you entreate of When you saye that you stryue for true Religion and gouernemente of the Churche c. You saye â–ª that you dooe that â–ª whyche is to bée wyshed you shoulde doo But youre doings tende to the defacing of true Religion and ouerthrowe of the righte gouernement of the Churche and although you be not the head of Antichrist yet are you his taile