Geneua at the least that of all likelyhood as diuers housholdes by his owne rule do concurre together to make one conuenient parish So diuerse parishes in one citie suburbes and territorie thereof may be vnited and rightlye beare the name of the church Except wee shall thinke that Christ referring as they suppose his Apostles to the imitation of the Iewes church gouernment they were so negligent workemen as there being at that time 400. Synagogues in that one citie they had erected in all their times but one congregation christian church or parish answerable to one Synagoge it being lawfull for them by the square of that platforme to haue erected if they had could 400. But let this passe as a thing impertinent and to returne to the maimed pining Parishes at Geneua You will say did not Cartwright know the ecclesiasticall gouernment of that citie when he writ his bookes or shall we once conceaue that he thought to condemne that regiment which in other places hee doth so greatly extoll certainly for mine owne part although I do not greatly respect what he will saie that hee either knoweth or thinketh yet I suppose he will neuer for shame denie it but that he misliketh that forme of church regiment For first besides the premises being vrged with Caluins authoritie who thought the church of Geneua with all her sayde Parishes to make but one body of a church his answere to that point in effect is this Admit Caluin so thought I am of opinion that if Caluin had not soe thought hee would neuer haue erected vp such an Eldership And if Beza did not thinke so still I iudge hee would alter it Secondly also vppon another occasion he resembleth the order of certaine reformed churches which in this sence must be necessarily either of Scotland Flaunders or Geneua vnto the custome in S. Ieromes time when Bishops besides their one onely church had certaine other congregations belonging to their ouersight c. and in mislike thereof sayth for parte of his answere to this pointe being pressed by his aduersary against him I appeale to the institution of God and vse of the purer times after the Apostles But amongst other qualifications which he maketh least we should thinke that where such reformations are made as haue diuers parishes belonging to one Eldership there the old Diocesse and Bishops are in effect not abrogated but a little altered he sayth that one in such Eldership is aboue the rest but for a time as Caluin was chosen thereunto euery two yeares and not during his ministerie Which authority ouer many parishes but for a time although he will not plainly condemne it in the reformed churches which hee fauoreth yet speaking against the order of the church of England both he his companions doe make it a steppe whereby Sathan did aduaunce the kingdome of Antichrist Lastly as hitherto you haue found M. Cartwright with his friendes opposite in this matter vnto Geneua and Scotland differing also much from the churches in the Low countries so he seemeth to mee to crosse himselfe For in his second booke hee sayth that particular churches are nowe in steed of Synagogues and that their Synagogues were the same that our particular churches are And in his third booke he writeth thus For my part I confesse that there commeth not to my minde whereby I could precislie conclude out of the olde testament that there was an eldershippe amongst the Iewes in euery of their Synagogues If that can not then be shewed out of Moses who was so faythfull in setting downe all that was committed to his charge and that Christ commaunded no new thing but such as Moses instituted how hath hee vrged so mightely that we must haue his Elderships in euery Parish We shall see peraduenture that in shorte time M. Cartwright will giue ouer this holde and betake himselfe to the citie consistories framing new Diocesses to bee subiect vnto them as in other countries you haue heard they are Well I would wishe that before their Elderships were graunted vnto them they should agree together where they ought to place them But nowe to the seuerall partes of euery Eldership CHAP. 8. Of Bishops generally of the pretended equalitie of Pastors or new parish Bishops and how the chiefe impugners of Bishops beginne to relent IN the olde testament the high Priest besides that he was a figure of Christ had also vnder Moses Iosua the Iudges and Kinges for the better ordering and gouernment of the church authoritie and iurisdiction ecclesiasticall within that countrie of Canaan vnder whom for the same purpose were other Priests at least 24. that were called Principes Sacerdotum Princes of the Priestes all of them inferior to the high Priest but superior to the rest In the new testament our Sauiour Christ whilst hee liued on the earth had his Apostles and in degree vnder them his 70. Disciples After his ascentiō the same inequality of the ministery of the word continued in the Church by all mens confession as long at the least as the Apostles liued In the Apostles times Saint Marke was Bishop of Alexandria Saint Iames was Bishop of Ierusalem Timothy was Bishop of Ephesus and Titus was Bishop of Crete if the ancient fathers and Ecclesiastical histories be of any credite The Apostles hauing receaued the promise of the holy Ghost after a short time dispersed themselues by aduise into diuerse regions And there by painefull preaching and labouring in the Lords haruest they planted no doubt very many Churches As the number of Christians grew and had their particular assemblies and meetings in many Cities and countries within euery one of their circuites they placed pastors in euery congregation they ordained certaine Apostolicall men to bee chiefe assisters vnto them whom they placed some one in this particular countrey another in that and some others in sondry Cities to haue the rule and ouersight vnder them of the Churches there and to redresse and supply such wantes as were needefull And they themselues after a while and as they grewe in age and escaped the crueltie of tyrantes remained for the most part in some head Citty within their compasse to ouersee them all both Churches Pastors and Bishops or Superintendents and to giue their directions as occasions required and as they thought it conuenient When any either of these Apostolicall assistantes or of the Apostles themselues dyed there were euer some worthy men chosen and appointed to succeede them in those Cities and Countries where they had remained For wee may not idlely dreame that when they dyed the authoritie which was giuen vnto them ceased no more then we may that the authoritie of Aaron of his naturall sons expired and ended with them Besides it is manifest by all Ecclesiasticall hystories that many Churches were planted after theyr deathes And furthermore it coulde not be but that some Churches especially vnder those Apostles that were soonest put to
death were when they dyed in the same case that Crete was when Titus was sent thither and had therefore as much neede of a Titus as euer Crete had Furthermore who can bee accompted to be well in his wittes that will imagine that Christ should ordaine such an authoritie but for some threescore yeares especially the same causes continuing why it was first instituted that were before Nay I may boldly say that there was greater neede for the continuance of it afterward For the Apostles hauing so great power to worke myracles and by their praiers to procure from God such straunge executions of his pleasure vpon the contemptuous as did fall vpon Ananias and his wife and I doubt not but in like cases sometimes vpon some others their ruling and commaunding authoritie was not so necessarie then as it was afterwards when that power to worke myracles ceased But what should I neede to vse many wordes in a matter so apparant After the death of the apostles and of their assistants vz the Bishops placed by them as is mentioned the Ecclesiasticall hystories and the auncient fathers haue kept the register of their names that succeeded sundry of them and ruled the Churches after them as they before had ruled them Whereupon they were called from all antiquitie the Apostles and Apostolicall mens successors This inequalitie in the Ministery of the worde hath been approued and honoured by all the auncient fathers none excepted by all the generall Councelles that euer were held in Christendome and by all other men of learning that euer I heard of for many hundred yeares after the Apostles time sauing that Aerius the hereticke an ambitious person growing into great rage for that hee missed of a Bishopricke which he sued for first broached the opinion which is nowe so currant amongest his Schollers that there ought to bee no difference betweene a Bishoppe and a Priest Whereby he tooke vppon him to be equall with the Byshop that preuailed in the said suite against him chalenged to haue as great authoritie he being but a Priest as the other had being a Bishop In this latter age of the worlde when after a long darkenesse it pleased almightie God to restore vnto vs the light of his Gospell the chiefe instruments that God then vsed and adorned with most singular giftes for such a mightie worke were very farre from that conceite â—and rashe presumption which afterwardes possessed certaine persons of Aerius humour and yet doth boyle in many of theyr followers breastes It is true that many thinges are to bee found in their writings which at the first shew do make very greatly against Bishops But diuerse persons in these dayes not well considering the circumstances of those times doe greatly abuse the world in extending them further then they meant them It was farre from their intent that those thinges which they had written against Popish Bishops the ennemies of the Gospell should euer haue bene vrged against such Bishops as did willingly embrace it I will acquaint you a little with the proceedings of those times and then leaue this point to your wise consideration When the said learned men beganne to seeke the reformation of Religion in Germany it is not vnknowen vnto you into what subiection the Pope had brought all Christian Princes and states The Bishops as his vassals did then wholly depend vppon him They held their Bishoprickes by his authoritie and nothing coulde be done especially in Church matters but by the Pope and them So as when Luther and the rest beganne to disclose the enormities of Popery and desired some godly reformation of them you may easily conceiue the Pope and his Bishops being the chiefe maintainers of that corruption what little incouragement they found at their handes It is euident in their writinges howe earnestly and humbly at the first they dealth both with the Pope and with many other of the chiefest Bishops that they would be content and pleased to reforme such thinges as they found to bee amisse in the Church But all their indeuours to that purpose were in vain The Pope and his Clergy stood too much vpon their reputation If they should haue yealded they imagined the world would haue condemned them in that they had not in time of themselues preuented or redressed so notable abuses Whereupon Luther those learned men that ioyned with him were driuen to flie vnto the Ciuil magistrates to aduertise them of their dueties prouing it vnto them most plentifully out of the scriptures that in such an obstinate defection amongst the priests it appertained vnto theÌ„ euery one within their owne free states and territories to reforme religion themselues as the godly kings in the old testameÌ„t had done in the like cases And the rather to moue them thereunto they laboured by al the means they could to make the Popish Clergy most odious vnto them They inueighed against their pride against their superfluities against their tyranny and against their corruptions After much paines taking to these and the like effectes it pleased God to moue the hearts of many of the ciuile magistrates to thinke better of their duties plainly to perceiue how the Pope and his Bishops had formerly abused them The godly kings and magistrates in the scriptures wheÌ„ they reformed religion were euer most carefull that the liuinges appointed by God for the Priests might be throughly preserued If any by abuse had bin alienated they caused them to be restored againe And so I suppose the ciuile magistrates should haue done in this latter age But it hath faln out otherwise and all the other godly learned men in christendome do mislike it The perswasions to Princes that the Bishops and Abbots had too much was very plausible The free Cities notwithstanding their freedom in respect of the Emperor yet they were subiect all of them vnto Bishops were not discontented that so good an occasion was offred vnto theÌ„ to procure their greater liberty Luther and the rest of those learned men regarding nothing but that the light of the gospel might be restored were content to yeald much to beare against their minds with many vnequall conditions So as at the last by their wisdome and diligence they preuailed God moued the hearts of diuers ciuile magistrates to begin a reformation The Pope the Bishops and the chiefest of the Cleargy impugned it by all the meanes they could possibly Whereupon there being no other remedie their authoritie imployed to hinder those proceedinges was reiected and the most of their liuings which they had in any of those territories were seazed into the hands of the ciuile gouernors there vpon these many such like occasions great trobles did arise The bishops thoght theÌ„selues greatly iniuried Diuers great princes took their parts so did the Emperor They misliked the reformatioÌ„ which was proceeded in after that sort the authoritye of Bb s. was greatly insisted vpon Insomuch as notwithstaÌ„ding that the sayd learned
Except Maister Bezaes collection prooue to bee authenticall and then their number will bee greate You haue hearde that wee must haue the forme of the Iewes Sanedrim or Counsell in euerie Parish And in that sayth Beza there were twentie foure Ecclesiasticall Iudges By which account abating the Pastor and the Doctor there ought to bee two and twentie Elders in euerie parish You shall heare Bezaos wordes and how heegathereth that there was such a number There is mention made in the Apoca. of a throne vppon the which Christ sitteth and of the foure and twenty Seates about it whereupon foure twentie Elders sate who were cloathed in white rayment and had on their heades Crownes of golde Now sayth Beza concerning the said number mentioned of ecclesiasticall Iudges 24. numero fuisse c That they were in number 24. that is to saie two of euery Tribe it seemeth it may be gathered out of the Apocalyps where certum est it is certaine that those heauenly visions were framed or accommotated to the forme of the Israeliticall Church Where by the way it would be obserued what a glorious church-regemēt we are in time to looke for Our Elderships must be framed after the fashion of the Elderships which were amongst the Iewes And if we doubt of the state and forme of the Iewes elderships we must haue recourse to the Apocalips where the glorie of Christ his Saints in the kingdome of heauen is set forth And agreeablie to those heauenly thrones we must set vp thrones for our 24. Elders in euery parish For this Beza is certaine of that the heauenlye visions in the Apocalyps were agreable to the forme of the ecclesiasticall regiment in Israell But as touching the number of his elders he is not as yet for any thing I perceaue so throughly resolued And therefore we are at libertie till wee heare to the contrary from him to place moe or fewer in euery parish as we list At Geneua they haue but 12. Elders And they either haue or had once in Edenburgh as many Likewise euery parish must haue certaine Deacons They had once in Edenburgh as I remēber 16. Deacons And concerning widdowes if they will vrge vs with the examples of the Apostles times and withall in like manner presse vs with their own expositiōs then there must be a College of widdowes in euery parish So the grounds of Geneua diuinitie tell vs so doth Beza likewise if I vnderstand them And all these how many i◠euer it shall please our reformers to impose vpon euery parish pastor or pastors Doctor Elders Deacons widdowes must all of thē be found by the same parish For the ministers of the worde there was neuer doubt made amongst thē but that they ought to haue their maintenaunce of the parish and so likewise must the poore widdows But as touching the rest there hath been made some questiō It was a good deuise of Beza that princes noblemē might be elders so was it of our learned Discourser that the worshipfull gentlemē of euery parish might be chosē Deacons The rby indeed the parishes might saue charges For if they be able to liue of themselues then they must not burden the parish in Cartwrightes opinion but serue vpon their own charges The Elders at Geneua being all of them states-men I meane such as be of their Senates men conueniently able to liue of thēselues haue no allowance for any thing that I can find But where the Elders are poore men so as their attending vpon their offices might greatly hinder them then M. Cartwright hath decided the question affirmeth by S. Paules Rule as he saith that they ought to bee plentifully maintained by the Church How far this word plentifully will be extended I know not But a man may gesse The humble motioner would haue the Pastor and Teacher in euerye parish to haue allowed vnto thē two hundred pounds yearly in chiefer places more and in none lesse then two hundred markes By which rate I imagine that their Elders being so great men by their office and the gouernors of the parish cannot well be alowed vnder fortie pound a peece yearely The deacons that carrie the purse if they be not well looked vnto will bee their owne caruers but surely their stipend will be for euerie one of them aboue fortie markes As for the Widdowes they cannot well liue to attende the sicke and wash the Saincts feete with lesse then twentie nobles a yeare how many of them so euer they are All which summes being cast together will prooue a rancke charge to be imposed vpon euery parish But yet this is not all For how shall the pastors doctors wiues and children liue when their husbands and parents are deade This is also foreseene Prouision must be made not only for the ministers sustentatiō during their liues but also for their wiues and children after them For we iudge it a thing most contrarious to reason godlines equitie that the widow and children of him who in his life time did faithfully serue the church of God should after his death bee left comfortles of all prouision In what sort these widdows are to bee relieued I finde not anye particulars of it But they maie not bee of the number of the Church officers except they be threescore yeares of age or haue some priuileges by their late husbands for those roomes And as touching the childrē of ministers this order is required for thē that the men childrē may haue the liberties of the cities adiacent where their fathers labored freely graunted thē that they be sustained at learning if they be foūd apt therto and fayling thereof that they bee put to some handicraft or exercise in some vertuous industrye and likewise for the women children that they be vertuously brought vp honestly doted when they come to maturity of yeares at the discretion of the Church c. Not at the peoples discretiō who must bear the charge but as it shall please their Elderships to taxe them Furthermore and besides the officers and charges mentioned it is also ordered by the new Booke of our Englishe Discipline that there ought to be in euery parishe a Colledge or certaine number of young Diuines such as are meet for the exercises to Diuinity and especially to expound the Scriptures whereby they may bee trained vp by preaching And all these must be likewise maintained diuitum liberalitate by the liberality of the richer Here you see is charge vppon charge But indeede it were a notable matter to haue a Colledge of young Prophets in euerie parishe In the Vniuersities there are Schooles for reading of Lectures and for disputatiōs but as our platformers tell vs these their parish Schooles of Diuinitie are chiefly for preaching They must preach priuatly amongst themselues by course and hauing an auncienter Diuine with them I suppose it will fall to the Pastors lotte they are
at another time and when they haue forgotten themselues they will of purpose I feare it to abuse the worlde stand very much vppon the auncient fathers and bragge of their authoritie exceedingly As Cartwright doth in these words most vntruly We propound nothing saith he that the scriptures doe not teach the writers both olde and newe for the most part affirme and the examples of the primitiue Churches confirme Did euer any manne regard Cartwrightes credite who considering what hath beene noted out of his bookes in this whole processe doeth not pittie him with all his harte to heare him so farre to forget himselfe Hee is a manne of good learning which maketh mee to woonder at him It is surely great pittie that euer hee was so maried vnto his Eldershippe For it hath vtterly ouerthrowne all the good partes that bee in him The best lawyer that is when hee giueth himselfe to shiftes and to feed his clyentes with quirkes refusing not to brabble in anye cause be it neuer so false he looseth his estimation and with the grauer sort is little regarded Howe truely Maister Cartwright affirmeth that he and his fellows do propound nothing but that the old writers for the most parte doe affirme and the examples of the primitiue church confirme I trust it hath in part already appeared vnto you in sundry places but especially in the 5. as I saide and in the 27. Chapters I haue heard some Councellers at lawe vse the verye like course of speach when notwithstanding the cause hath falne out most directly against them yet they haue cried out Oh my Lord wee haue these and these olde euidences to shewe such and such depositions doe make for vs verye manifestly wee haue yet many witnesses to bee examined and thus they will proceed with many cracking wordes as though there had beene nothing which had made against them Is Cartwright able trowe you to finde his Parish Bishops and his counterfeit Lay-Elders which two pointes are in effecte all in all with him in the auncient fathers and primitiue Church Hee maye say as truely that the Sonne shines at midnight But yet hee sayth that Ignatius and Cyprians Bishops were but as our pastors or parsons arein euery parish For his vnministering Elders hee alledgeth the same Ignatius and Cyprian and for a surcharge hee bringeth in also Tertullian Hierome Possidonius and Socrates where they make mention of priests I was once purposed to haue set downe the places themselues which they so violently peruerte to bolster out such theyr apparaunt falshood and to haue aunswered them But then I remembred howe effectually that had beene done allready by diuers learned and woorthie menne and of late more fully and largely by two especiall persons whose books one of them is in printing and the other presently comming to the presse and therevpon I altered my mind in that point And yet something thereof agreeably to the course which hetherto I haue obserued that may peraduenture amaze some of them Vppon some occasion falling out maister Cartwright affirmeth that if the now Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury had read the ecclesiasticall stories hee shoulde haue founde easiely the Eldership most florishing in Constantines time vz. in hauing then such Bishops and Elders as hee fancieth to himselfe For he must bee so vnderstood To whome replie being made that he should bring but one ecclesiasticall historie that affirmed so much after some three or fower yeares hee brought two vz. the historie of Magdeburge and Eusebius His testimony out of the first he setteth down in these words The centuries must needes haue told him that the same orders and functions of the church were in that time which were before And what would he inferre hereof Surely if hemeane honestly and doe not dally with the word before refering it further then the Centuries meant it which was but to the age that succeeded the Apostles he could not haue directed a man to any history now extant that doth more directly confound his assertion For there the authors of that history doe most plainely affirme that by and by after the Apostles death necessitas coegit personarum gradus aliquos constituere et conseruare necessity compelled the fathers then liuing to ordaine certaine degrees of persons in the church and to conserue them This is most directly against Cartwrights assertion although for mine own part to note it by the way I thinke the Apostles knowing the necessitie mentioned had taken that order before But to follow the said historie There were three degrees then ordained say the said authors vz. Episcopatus presbyterium Diaconatus the degree of Bishops of priesthood and of Deaconship For the proofe whereof they cite Ignatius Eusebius Theodoret c. and the very place of S. Ierome where he sheweth how for auoiding of schisme one was chosen amongst the ministers to haue preheminence ouer the rest and to whome the name of Bishop was peculiarly then attributed And as concerning the priests or Elders they doe shew it out of Eusebius Nicephorus Irenaeus Iustine c. that their office was to preach the Gospell and to administer the sacraments c. The Centuries thus we see will not serue M. Cartwrights turne to the iustifying of the florishing estate of his Eldership in Constantines daies I wil therfore come vnto his sec̄od authority which he bringeth out of Eusebius It is manifest saith he that the churches were gouerned vnder Constantine by Bishops Elders and Deacons by that which is recited of an infinit number of Elders and Deacons which came to the Councel of Nice with the 250. Bishops It is manifest indeede And it is also as manifeste that there were at that time both Archbishops and Patriarches But there were at that Councel both Bishops Elders and Deacons And what then I know that many men haue wrested many places directly contrarie to the authors meaninge but I doe not remember anie one place within the compasse of my small readinge that is more grosly peruerted then this place is For M. Cartwright running still his old biace would haue men to thinke that by Bishops Eusebius meant so many parishe-ministers and by priests or Elders his said counterfaite Aldermen And his authoritie is so greate amongest his sectaries who professe their Gleaninge after him that what-so-euer he bringeth they take it vpon his credit and so runne on with a conceite that not onely all other authorities brought by him out of the auntient Fathers mentioned are truely by him expounded and applyed but that also euen this place of Eusebius is to bee vnderstood as here he woulde haue it Wherein surely they are much to blame to depend so much vpon any mans credit If they them-selues had euer read either the Fathers or the ecclesiasticall histories they coulde neuer possibly haue beene miscarried so palpably A frinde of mine hauinge some talke not many yeares since with Maister Cartwright about this place of Eusebius
more they are forbidden They make no account of the death of Christ. They are altogether godlesse The Church is made a pray to all men there is such disdain and contempt of the worde in the whole estate Confusion of Church and pollicie doth grow from day to day and threatneth vtter extermination It is the Lord that woonderfully continueth the light amongest vs and that keepeth the face of a ministerie in Scotland There is no good entertainment but a very great pouertie in the most part of all the ministerie The greatest part of our Priestes our Ministers their mouthes haue lost the trueth and their persons haue lost their reuerence the Lord hath made them contemptible in the eyes of men Floudes of iniquitie doe flow ouer great men There is no great man but whatsoeuer liketh him hee thinketh it lawfull The Gentlemen Earles Lordes and Barons they are so dronke with sacrilege that before they part with that geare they had rather part with the life of their soules they had rather loose their soules a hundreth times then bestowe a halfepeny vppon the Church Our owne meane Lordes doe fall into such proud contempt that they are readie to take vp open warres agaynst God so as that Iulian was no greater professed ennemy then they are like to be if they continue The great men in this country are become companions to Theeues and pirates oppressors and manifest blasphemours of God and man ye see murther oppression and bloud is the onely thing that they shoote and marke at The Lord hath no greater enemies then the great men in this country c. They are burning and scalding slaying and murdering vsing all kinde of oppression and raging so as if there were no king in Israel And generally thus This countrey is heauily diseased The sinnes of the land craueth that all pulpits sound iudgement If you looke to the growth of sinne more vgly sinnes were neuer committed The land is ouerburdened with the birth of iniquitie The best haue taken a lothing of the word of God The waight of Gods wrath that hangeth ouer this land is insupportable O vnhappy and wrathfull countrey c the more that knowledge groweth conscience decayeth See ye not slaughter in great measure oppression murther without mercy see ye not all law and equitie trampled vnder foote Is there any cleane place in the countrey c without the cries and lamentable voices of terrible murther oppression and bloud The most part of this countrey is giuen ouer to a straunge delusion to preferre the leauen of the Pharises and dregges of papistry before the word of God There is none that seeth the confusion of this countrey to grow so fast that can looke for anie redresse in his owne time all runneth on to a desolation and miserable confusion Faith is scarsly to bee found yea not faith in promises let be faith in Christ Iesus God hath giuen vs ouer to be deceaued by the mightie power and working of the diuell Hitherto this learned preacher Whereby a man may see that some countries may be in as euill a case that haue the Geneuian platforme set vp amongest them as some other that care not a figge for it But oh say the authours of the first admonition is reformation good for Fraunce and can it be euill for England Is Discipline meete for Scotland and is it vnprofitable for England Againe Surely God hath set these examples before your eyes to encourage you to go forward to a through and speedy reformation And likewise maister Cartwright Whereas maister Doctor would bring vs into a foolish paradise of our owne selues as though we need not to learne any thing of the Churches of Fraunce and Scotland he should haue vnderstanded that as wee haue been vnto them an example and haue prouoked them to follow vs so the Lord would haue vs also profite and be prouoked by their example Whereunto I make no other aunswere but this that I pray vnto almightie God withall my very soule for the long and happy continuance of the blessed example which this Church and realme of England hath shewed in this last age of the worlde vnto all the kingdomes and countries in the earth that professe the Gospell with anie sinceritie and that also of his infinite mercie not onely the kingdomes of Fraunce and Scotland but all other Christian kingdomes and countries may taste so plentifully of his heauenly graces as that they may become dayly better and better examples to stirre vp another to the right and true pathes of all godly vnitie and obedience of heartie and sincere profession of religion and of such righteousnesse and holinesse of life as may be worthy the professors of the same This onely I trust I may say without any offence that as I thinke we haue better causes of incouragement at home to pray for the present forme of Ecclesiasticall gouernment and Discipline that we may haue it still then we can finde abroad the premises of this chapter being true why wee shoulde eyther wish or desire to haue any forraine platformes or practises of I knowe not what kinde of pragmaticall discipline brought in amongst vs. A Discipline deuised at Geneua established there by cunning and obtruded by practises vppon other Churches A Discipline the more it is looked into by the fauourers of it the moe doubtes and imperfections they daily finde in it A Discipline the originall whereof is vnknowne and therefore hath no warraunt in the worde of God A Discipline so lately hatched that as yet it hath no certaine name agreed vpon A Discipline of that nature as they know not well how to bestowe her A Discipline that banisheth such Apostolicall Bishops as Christ appointed admitteth like an adulteresse of those who indeede shoulde serue her to haue an equall commaundement ouer her A Discipline that will haue Doctors of her owne and when she hath them she knoweth not howe to bestowe them A Discipline of such humilitie as forsooth Princes and Noblemen must bee but her inferior officers A Discipline so disdainefull as she forgetteh the very names of her sayde officers or at the least knoweth them not though they be Noblemen or Princes A Discipline that wil needs seeke in the scriptures for those new kind of rulers but she is ignorant where to finde their qualities Whether she would haue them to be Lay-men or Ecclesiasticall shee is not yet resolued A Discipline that when she entertaines her seruants casteth them of againe at her pleasure without anye offence committed by them A Discipline that hauing seruants doth want a warrant for their imployment either in their particular or in their generall offices which she woulde faine assigne vnto them She would haue Lay-menne to make her ministers to be her confessors and to bind and loose her sinnes A Discipline that will needs haue