it is verified most properly in her most excellent Maiestie Whether you respect the Reformation of Religion which her Highnesse hath made in this Church of England according to the noble examples of Moses Iosua Dauid Salomon Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias c. or whether you respect not onely the reliefe which strangers persecuted at home for the profession of the Gospell haue here receiued or her Maiesties great and vnspeakeable charges for the ayding and assisting of other Christian States Princes and countries that for their profession of the same right Religion are mightily afflicted by certaine Gyantes of the earth the souldiers and members of that Antichrist of Rome So as in these and many other respects which do concurre with them I neither doubt that her Maiesty whom the Lord protect with his mighty hande long to raigne ouer vs shall bee for euer renowned amongst the most famous Queenes that euer liued in the worlde or that the Church of England so refourmed by her Highnesse is presently at this day the most Apostolike and flourishinge Church simply that is in all Christendome Howbeit let a Church be as richly planted as euer any was before or in the Apostles times Let either Moses with his Aaron or Dauid with all his Councellors gouerne both the Church and Common-wealth as godly as euer any was gouerned yet such is and euer hath been the malice and cunning of Sathan as that he wanteth not at any time either will or meanes to slaunder to depraue and to endanger the same He hath his Core Dathan and Abiram that if need bee dare presume to tell both Moses and Aaron they take too much vpon them Hee is able to set the children of one father the seruants of one master the subiects of one Prince and the members of one Church at dissention at deadly hatred amongst themselues As occasion serueth hee hath his Shemeis to curse King Dauid also his murmurers complayners mockers makers of sectes such as despise gouernement which are presumptuous men that stand in their lewde conceits such as feare not to speak euill of those things they know not and of them that are in dignity that is of Princes and great men be they neuer so high in authority The experience which wee haue hereof at this day in the Church of England is more then pregnant partly through the diuelish and traiterous practises of the Seminary Priests and Iesuites and partly by reason of the lewd and obstinate course held by our pretended refourmers the Consistorian Puritanes both of them labouring with all their might by rayling libelling and lying to steale away the peoples harts from their gouernours to bringe them to a dislike of the present state of our Church and to drawe them into parts-taking the one sort for the embracing of such directiōs as should come vnto them from Rome the other for the establishing of that counterfeit and false Hierarchie which they would obtrude vppon vs by the countenance and name of the Church at Geneua The which proceedings of both the sorts of disturbers are so much the more dangerous in that they deale so secretely and haue combined themselues together with their Proselites into such a league aud confederacy as get out what you can your felfe by meere chance as they say for the discouery of their actions and attempts you shall bee sure that neither the one sort nor the other will detect any thing Nay matters beeing detected in some sort to their handes they will vtterly refuse to bee examined as law prescribeth or if they take any oathe it is as good neuer a whit as neuer the better they dally so exceedingly with it For vnder pretence of not accusing themselues if they finde any thing to be come to light which may any waies touch them they will vtterly refuse for the most part to answere it either vpon oath or without oath saying that neither by the Lawes of God nor man they are bound so to answere Vnder colour whereof they exempt themselues from the ordinary course helde in iustice for criminall causes throughout all the world which is that before witnesses be produced against any supposed offender the party accused shall first answere to the accusation yea or nay c. as wee vse in England and that in matters of life and death but in these without an oathe hee must first pleade guilty or not guilty And as they deale for themselues so doo they for their confederates their fauourers relieuers abetters and receiuers affirming it to be against the rules of charity to bring their Christian brethren and frends into any daunger for doing of those things which both the sorts of these seducers haue drawne them into and doo themselues iudge to be religious and iust From these points all the Iudges of the land and diuers Diuines that haue dealte with them as yet cannot bringe them both the sorts are so setled in this seditious doctrine of Rhemes which is as followeth vz. If thou be put to an oath to accuse Catholikes for seruing God as they ought to doo or to vtter any innocent man to Gods enemies and his thou oughtest first to refuse such vnlawfull oathes but if thou haue not constancie and courage so to doo yet know thou that such oathes binde not at all in conscience and law of God but may and must be broken vnder paine of damnation Now in these confederacies what course should be taken for the preuenting of such daungers as may thereby ensue I referre it to be throughly considered by those that haue the gouernement both of the Church and Common-weale committed vnto them But before they can be preuented they must be vnderstood Concerning the Seminary Priests and Iesuites their very comming into the land doth declare their traiterous intentions What alleageance and loue soeuer they pretend vppon their apprehension to her Maiesty and their countrey it is very well knowne they doo it but for the time rebus sic stantibus that their comming hether is to no other purpose but to make away for the Pope and the Spaniardes the sworne and mortall enemies both to this state and to all other that doo professe the right refourmed religion of Christ. But for the other sort of practitioners their proceedings and designements are not so well as yet discouered Their pretences doo carry a greater shew of good meanings many that are indeede truely zealous little suspecting what hookes doo lie hidde vnder such faire baites are dayly carried as we see headlong with them In respect whereof you are to be aduertised that as it is an easie matter by looking to the said Popish and Spanish practises to knowe in generality their Seminaries dealinges here amongst vs be they in particularity neuer so secrete so are there certaine men in other countries of the same humors with our pretended refourmers whose courses and proceedings as wel for the matters they desire as for the manner of attaining
DAVNGEROVS POSITIONS AND PROCEEdings published and practised within this Iland of Brytaine vnder pretence of Reformation and for the Presbiteriall Discipline 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My sonne feare the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are seditious Prou. 24. 21. They despise gouernement and speake euill of them that are in authority Iude. LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Wolfe 1593. An aduertisement to the Reader THE Author of this Treatise was required by some persons of honor who might dispose of him and his labours to set downe by way of an historicall narration what hee had obserued touching certaine positions holden and some enterprises atchieued or vndertaken for recommending and bringing the Presbiteriall Discipline into this Iland of Brittaine vnder pretence of reformation The performance of which dutie when hee had vndertaken and was entred into it hee found the worke to grow farre greater vpon him then at the first he did imagine Insomuch as although in the beginning he verily supposed tha hee might easily haue contriued his matter into a few sheetes of paper so that as many coppies as were to bee disposed might easily and in very short time haue beene written forth yet by the necessary length of the Discourse as it fell out and through his manifold quotations hee was constrained as the time required to procure for the better dispatch that some fewe copies might bee printed And albeit there is no meaning that this Treatise laboured but for the priuate satisfaction of some fewe especiall persons should otherwise continue then as an vnpublished Copie yet the writer of it wished to haue it signified that nothing is alleadged therein which is not to be found either in Bookes and writinges published to the view of the world such as he thinketh will not be disclaimed or in publike records or else is to be shewed vnder those parties own hands that haue beene either the principall procurers fauorers or dealers in those thinges whereof hee intreateth Which asseueration of his thus made he will be ready as he sayth God assisting him to iustifie at any time for the satisfaction of such as shall make doubt of it And doth further protest with all sinceritie that he hath not willingly detorted any thing in this whole Discourse to make either the cause it selfe or the fauorors thereof more odious then their owne wordes and deeds shall necessarily inferre and enforce against them with all indifferent and considerate Readers Farewell in Christ. The Contents of the first Booke OF two sorts of men that especially disturbe the Church of England and of the drifts of them both by way of a Preface Chap. 1. Fol. 1. Of the course held at Geneua for reformation of religion and of the Doctrine which vpon that occasion hath beene broached Chap. 2. Fol. 7. Of the proceeding of some Scottish Ministers according to the Geneuian rules of Reformation Chap. 3. Fol. 9. How the Geneuian Doctrine or principle for Reformation hath beene amplified by certaine pretended Reformers in Scotland Chap. 4. Fol. 14 The obiections against the doctrine reported of in the former chapter with the Consistorian answeres vnto them Chap. 5. Fol. 16. The proceedinges of certaine Scottish Ministers according to the groundes mentioned in the two last chapters for setting vp of the Consistorian Discipline and of their vrging of our English Disciplinaries to follow their steppes Chap. 6. Fol. 18. The Contents of the second Booke The Doctrine of certaine English Ministers which they learned at Geneua and published of purpose to have procured the like course for Reformation in England to that which was in Scotland Chap. 1. Fol. 34. Our English Disciplinarians doo imitate the Scottish in their desire of the Consistoriall gouernement sauing that they are more bewitched with a kind of dotage after it Chap. 2. Fol. 41. Our pretended English reformers doo imitate or rather exceede the Scottish Ministers in reuiling and rayling against all that doo encounter them Chap. 3. Fol. 44. The speeches of the said pretended reformers concerning England the State the present reformation and gouernement of the Church Cha. 4. Fol. 47. Some of their vndutifull and consistorian speeches concerning her Maiestie c. Chap. 5. Fol. 48. Some of their rayling speeches against the high court of Parliament and all others generally that do maintaine the present gouernment of the Church of England Chap. 6. Fol. 50 Some of their Disciplinarian speeches concerning the Lordes of her Maiesties most honourable priuy Councell Chap. 7. Fol. 52. Some of their rayling speeches against the Magistracy in England the Iudges Lawyers and lawes both ciuill and ecclesiasticall Chap. 8. Fol. 54. Some of their consistoriall sayings as touching our Religion Communion booke Sacraments and ceremonies Chap. 9. Fol. 55. How they doo charge the present gouernement with persecution Chap. 10. Fol. 56. Some of their consistorian speeches of the Clergy of England assembled as occasion hath required in the Conuocation house Chap. 11. Fol. 58. Some of their presbiterial speeches of the Bishops of England professing the Gospell Chap. 12. Fol. 58. Some of their vncharitable wordes against all the Clergy in England generally that mislike their designements Chap. 13. Fol. 60. Their especiall drift in their said rayling speeches as outragiously published as if they were meere Iesuites and peraduenture to as dangerous a purpose Chap. 14. Fol. 61. The Contents of the third Booke The practises of certaine English reformers for Discipline from the yeare 1560. vntill the yeare 1572 chap. 1. Fol. 65 The secret meetings for Discipline and the matters handled in them heere in England from 1572. till 1583. chap. 2. Fol. 67 A forme or booke of discipline is drawne and a resolution agreed vppon how far they might proceede for the practise of it without breaking the peace of our Church chap 3. Fol. 69 About the yeare 1583. they fell againe to the practise of their discipline and of a consistorian question chap. 4. Fol. 73 Their Booke of Discipline is reuiewed it was after sent abroad about 1587 it was put in practise in Northamptonshire and many other places cha 5 Fol. 75. A Synode is held at Couentry 1588. many questions are resolued the booke of discipline is subscribed vnto chap. 6. Fol. 85 The booke of the pretended discipline is made perfect at Cambridge certain Synods are kept and of their estimation chap. 7 Fol. 88 Vpon some detecting of the premisses some were called into question they refuse to be examined all they were charged which is in effect confessed chap. 8. Fol. 91 Cartwright is called for by authority a Synode is held in London it is there resolued that he shall refuse to be examined vpon his oath chap. 9. Fol. 93 Further proofe for their practise of their discipline collected out of the rules of their subscribed booke chap. 10. fol. 94 Further proofe for their practise of their discipline out of the articles they subscribed cha 11. fol. 98. It is confessed that they agreed to
of them they propound to themselues as the fittest patternes for them to followe and namely the Ministers of Geneua but more especially some of the Ministers of Scotland as may hereby appeare As we haue beene an example to the Churches of France and Scotland sayth M. Cartwright to followe vs so the Lorde would haue vs also to profite and be prouoked by their example An other also in this sort Nobiles quidam praecipui huius regni mecum egerunt vt author essem regi meo de tollendis omninò Episcopatibus vt exemplum posteà posset manare in vicinam Angliam Certaine of the chiefe Noble men of England who I thinke nowe are gone dealt with mee by the instigation no doubt of some of our Ministers Anno 1583. to persuade the King of Scotland my maister to ouerthrowe all the Bishoprickes in his countrey that his proceedinges therein might bee an example for England adioyning Vpon a certaine repaire of terme thousand in armes to the King of Scots at Sterling Anno 1585. whereupon the Bishoprickes were indeed suppressed Knewstubbe a Consistorian Minister of Suffolke did write thus to Fielde I would bee glad to heare somewhat of the estate of Scotland it doth more trouble me then our owne For I am conceiuing some hope vpon the change of their former proceeding It also appeareth that there is great and ordinary intelligence betwixt their and our especiall presbyterie ministers for the better and more ready compassing of such deuises and platformes as are sought for by our said ministers so busily amongst vs. The best of our Ministerie sayth Iames Gibson a minister of Scotland to a brother in England are most carefull of your estate and had sent for that effect a Preacher of our Church this last summer 1590. of purpose to conferre with the best affected Ministers of your Church to laye downe a plot how our Church might best trauell for your reliefe And again The Lord knows what care we haue of your Church both in our publike and priuate praiers c. For as feeling members of one bodie we reckon the affliction of your Church to be our owne One Dauison in like manner an other minister of that countrey taketh vpon him to iustifie the proceedings of our malecontent ministers here as it shall herafter more plainely appeare and for the better incouraging of them in their peeuishnes hee telleth them that the iust defence of their holie cause of Discipline must not be left which hath no lesse warrant to bee continued perpetuallie within the Church vnder this precept Feede my sheepe then hath the preaching of the word and ministration of the Sacraments Hee doth also publish it so as the world might take notice of it that the good brethren of England are of the same minde with them of Scotland that both their causes are most neerelie linked together Lastly there is almost nothing more ordinary in all the Consistorian discourses and libels of our owne countreymen whether they bee printed here or in Scotland then to presse vs with the examples of Geneua and Scotland and to inueigle the people of England with I knowe not what great commendation of the proceedings and platformes of some of the ministers in both those places Which points considered being required by those that might command me that whereas certaine writings and letters were come to my handes concerning some courses taken by our saide more friendly disturbers then the Iesuites are but yet very great disturbers I should make the same in some sorte knowne I thought it my best way for the discharging of my duety therein first to lay downe before you the examples patternes proceedings of those Ministers and Churches which those our factious crew propound to themselues to follow secondly that I may not bee enforced to passe by them as one saith D. B. was in his sermon at Paules crosse to make it most apparant vnto you how artificially and effectually they haue already by imitation expressed them Whereby you shall perceiue that although by reason of their said combination and secretnesse vsed many things lie hid from those in authority which they haue done already in the setting forward of their pretended discipline yet there will fall out so much to bee disclosed as laying it to their patternes you may easily discerne notwithstanding all their goodly pretences what to iudge of their proceedings and whereat in truth they doo ayme CHAP. II. Of the course held at Geneua for reformation of religion of the doctrine which vpon that occasion hath beene broached IT seemeth that when the Gospell began first to be preached by Farellus Viretus and others at Geneua they coulde haue beene well content with the gouernement of the Bishop there if hee would willingly haue reiected the Pope and ioyned with them for the reformation of Religion This appeareth by M. Caluins wordes to Cardinall Sadolete Talem nobis Hierarchiam si exhibeant in qua sic emineant Episcopi vt Christo subesse recusent vt ab illo tanquam vnico capite pendeant ad ipsum referantur in qua sic inter se fraternam societatem colant vt non alio modo quà m eius veritate sint colligati tum vero nullo non anathemate dignos fatear si qui erunt qui non eam reuerenter summaque obedientia obseruent If they doo bring vnto vs such an Hierarchie or priestlie gouernement wherein the Bishops shall so rule as that they refuse not to submit themselues to Christ that they also depend vpon him as their onely heade and can be content to rèferre themselues to him in which priestlie gouernment they doo so keepe brother lie societie amongst themselues that they bee knit together by no other knot then by the trueth then surelie if there shall be anie that shall not submit themselues to that Hierarchie or priestlie gouernement reuerentlie and with the greatest obedience that may be I confesse there is no kinde of Anathema or curse or casting to the diuell whereof they are not worthie Thus farre then it must needes be thought that the Bishoppe was offered by suche as soughte to refourme that Church which offer he refusing as I gesse to accept of they dealt as it appeareth by the issue with the inferiour magistrates and people to make such a reformation themselues as they required of them Whereupon the Bishop beeing Lord of the City and hauing aswell in his handes the Soueraigne ciuill Iurisdiction ouer it or as M. Caluin speaketh Ius gladij alias ciuilis iurisdictionis partes c. as the Ecclesiasticall they saide He was a thiefe and an vsurper and so of themselues with such assistance as was procured did thrust him from both those authorities Euen like in my opinion as if a Christian Prince being possessed within his dominions of the supreame Iurisdiction as well in Ecclesiasticall as in ciuill causes might vpon the like occasion
Out of ill maners spring good and wholsome lawes The chiefe and especiall pointes of the sayde articles are these that all Preachers there should yeelde their obedience to the Kings Maiesty that they should not pretend any Priuiledge in their allegeance that they should not meddle in matters of State that they should not publikely reuile his Maiesty that they should not draw the people from their due obedience to the King that when they are accused vpon their facts or speeches or for refusing to doo things c. they should not alledge the inspiration of the holy spirit nor serue themselues with colour of conscience but confesse their offences as men and to craue pardon as subiects c. It is great pitty that so worthy a Christian King should be driuen to require such a subscription in his owne kingdome especially of those men that should be lights to the rest and the chiefe examples of all duetifull obedience It is more to be pittied that for ought I can learne his Maiesty cannot as yet obtaine so much at their handes But most of all it is to be lamented that no man can gesse for ought I know how far this Gangrene will spread it selfe At the first they found but faults against the Bishops but after they ouerthrewe them The Anabaptists in Germany began with the Bishops and Clergy but they ended with the ciuill Magistrate Consider of Buchanans dealing whether he maketh not the like assault against Princes that his companions did against Bishops as in deriding their titles misliking their pompe and in glancing at their reuenues He tearmeth the honorable phrases of Maiesty Highnesse and Lordship solaecismos barbarismos aulicos that is vnlawfull corrupt kinds of speech which are vsed in Court and doo proceede as he sayth from flattery Hee gibeth at the state which Princes take vpon them when they shewe themselues to the people comparing them to Childrens puppets which are garishly attyred After also he insinuateth that a good Prince should appeare come abroad only defended with his innocencie non superbo spiculatorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 caetu sericatisque nebulonibus stipatus not with a proud company of guarders and of pensioners and of silken knaues He would haue Kings to content themselues with lesse reuenues and seruice commending the Discipline of Laconia where it was strange to haue one man pull off an other mans sockes at his going to bedde and likewise the example of Pelagius that first discomfited the Saracens in Spaine in that he had his house not built after the fashion now a dayes with many stately roomes of honor but was contented with one place for himself his fire his friends and his cattell after the Irish fashion But to let passe these contempts and pointes of Anabaptisme one thing more is likewise to be considered in these Scottish reforming ministers which they haue sucked from their Mother-City Geneua They cannot be content to haue raysed vp sedition and troubles at home to haue slandred both far and nere the most Godly reformation of Religion which their King had made there and to erect you haue seene how in place thereof a meere counterfeit plot of a new Popish tyranny such a one as hath already quite ouerthrown the auncient estate of that Church wroght more mischiefe in that Country in thirty yeares then the Pope of Rome had done before as I thinke in fiue hundred But they presume also much further then becommeth them to cast some of their contentious and disloyall seedes into England Vulpecula cauda amissa reliquis vulpibus callidè persuasit vt similiter ipsae caudas refecarent ne sola turpis deformis in suo genere videretur The Fox hauing lost her tayle craftely persuaded the other Foxes that they would likewise cut off their tayles least she herselfe alone should seeme the foule and deformed beast of all that kinde And hence it commeth as I take it that to bring the flourishing estate of our Church in England into the same misery that theirs is brought into they rayle deuise and clap their handes to set vs here together by the eares Some of them say that our Church is still vnder the bondage of an Antichristian gouernement that our Bishops are a hurtfull relique of Romish confusion that they thrust with side and shoulder to make hauocke of the Church by a disguised persecution and that they do tyrannize aboue their brethren with violence and crueltie They vse these words of her excellent Maiesty Alacke good Princesse the true report of thinges commeth seldome to her eares And do very grossely insinuate nay indeed plainly affirme that there are in Court some crafty miscreants which doo abuse her Maiesty whom they resemble to Ioab Iesabell Haman and Gehasi They doo iustifie the proceedings of our disturbers here animating them to go forward as they haue begun doo tell them that both their causes vz. their owne in Scotland and of our factions in England are most nerely linked together and doo promise that they will not cease to commend their troubled state vnto God in their priuate and publike prayers They compare our hindring in England of the pretended Discipline vnto the hinderance which Gods enemies made vnto the building of Ierusalem They seeke vnder hand to steale away the harts of her Maiesties subiects especially of those that haue beene and still are seduced by our Consistorian Schismatikes by putting them in hope of one Darius that after a time shall giue full authority for the sayde building of Ierusalem Which manner of dealing there is no Darius liuing could take in good part if the like practises were vsed by others amongst his people GOD of his infinite mercy graunt vnto her Maiesty a long a prosperous and a happy raigne ouer vs and so knit the harts of all true English men vnto their Queene of Saba their Hester and their most royall Elizabeth that without the expectation of any Darius whosoeuer they may euer continue her most loyall faithfull and obedient subiects rather wishing in their soules that the world with her Maiesty should end their dayes together then once to take ioy by the least imagination of any future change Amen And thus much of the manner and wayes vsed by certaine Scottish Ministers for Reformation and Discipline Which pointes or Consistorian proceedinges I haue not touched as God knoweth with any minde or intent to dishonour the state of that Country Besides much may well be sayd I assure my selfe in excuse of such of the laity as ioyned in the premisses For I finde they were led with a very great zeale They had beene so long imprisoned in the darkenesse of Popery that when the Gospell appeared vnto them it so dazeled their eyes as that for very gladnesse they considered not well what they did so they might enioy it Their goods their lands their wiues
priests These examples are left for our instruction Where this iustice is not executed the state is most corrupt When Magistrates do cease to do their duties in thus deposing or killing of Princes the people are as it were without officers then God giueth the sword into their hands he himself is become immediatly their head for to the multitude a portion of the sword of iustice is committed from the which no person King Queene or Emperour being an Idolater is exempt he must die the death The people in the 25. of Numbers did hang vp certain of their heads and captains which ought to be for euer a perpetuall example of their duetie in the like defection from God to hang vp such rulers as shall draw them from him If neither the inferior magistrates nor the greatest part of people will doo their offices in punishing deposing or killing of Princes then the minister must excommunicate such a King any minister may doo it against the greatest Prince God will send to the rest of the people which are willing to doo their duty but are not able some Moses or Othoniell If they know any Ionathan they must goe vnto him to be their Captaine and he ought not to refuse them By the worde of God in such a defection a priuate man hauing some speciall inward motion may kill a tyrant as Moses did the Egyptian as Phinees did the lecherous and Ahud did king Eglon or otherwise a priuate man may doo so if he be commaunded or permitted by the common-wealth And vnto some obiections that be made to the contrarie these answeres are shaped Ob. Be subiect to higher powers the powers be ordained of God Ans. Wicked Kings are not Gods ordinance Saint Paule speaketh of lawfull powers Ob. Seruants must be obedient to their Masters thogh they be froward Ans. Paul speaketh of bondmen not of subiects obedience Ob. Peter was commanded to put vp his sword Ans. He was a minister and no magistrate Ob. Christ could haue called for twelue legions of Angels for his defence if it had beene lawfull to haue vsed force for the setting vp of the Gospell Ans. Christs kingdome was not of this world he tooke vpon him no temporall sword but that hindreth not those that haue it Ob. Ieremy was commanded to obey the king of Babel Ans. The secret counsell of God was reuealed to him to that effect It is no generall rule Ob. Dauid said God forbid that I should touch the annointed of the Lord. Ans. It was in his owne priuate cause and so vnlawfull Ob. Sir Thomas Wyat did as you would haue others to do c. but he had no good successe Ans. The goodnesse of his cause is not to be measured by his successe He was no traytour his cause was Gods and none but papists and traytours can iustly accuse him of treason The Councellors and all others that would be accounted nobles and tooke not his part are in very deede traytours to God and his people and to their countrie The author of the booke of obedience he should haue sayd of rebellion endeth his treatise with significatiō that the nobilitie of England hee speaketh of them that were in Queen Maries daies are not to be trusted either by their words othes or handwritings furder then a man doth see hear them scarsely so far And Goodman likewise for his conclusion is most earnest with all english subiectes that they would put his doctrine in practise assuring them that in so doing if they be cast in prison with Ioseph to wild beasts with Daniell into the sea with Ionas into the dungeon with Ieremy into the fiery furnace with Sidrach Misach Abednago yet they shalbe comforted whereas if they will not in seeking to saue their liues they shall loose them they shall be cast out of the fauor of God their consciences shall be wounded with hell like torments they shall despaire seeke to hang themselues with Iudas to murther themselues with Frauncis Spira drowne themselues with Iudge Hales or else fall mad with Iustice Morgan at Geneua This doctrine saith Whittingham afterward vnworthily Deane of Durham was approued by the best learned in these parts meaning Caluin and the rest of the Geneuians The Englishmen of name there at that time besides Goodman and Whittingham were as I take it Anthony Gilby Miles Couerdall Dauid Whitehead and sundry others Who liking the sayde doctrine also exceedingly were very earnest to haue the same printed for the benefite as they sayde of their brethren in England Whittingham made a preface to Goodmans booke wherein hee greatly commendeth this doctrine and writeth thus in the name as it seemeth of all his fellowes there We desire that you meaning all in England and elsewhere that loue to know the truth and follow it should bee perswaded in this trueth Againe here thou doest heare the Eternal speaking by his minister c. quickly giue eare and obay c. And again If thou wish for Christian liberty come and see how it may easily be had c. From Geneua Here it is very material further to be obserued that the rest of the learned men that fled in Queene Maries time as Iohn Scory William Barlow Richard Cox Thomas Beacon Iohn Bale Iohn Parkhurst Edmond Grindall Edwine Sandes Alexander Nowell Robert Wisdome Iohn Iewell very many more hauing no great affection to Geneua bestowed themselues in Germany especially at Zuricke Basill and Franckeford These men maintained the reformation of the Church of England in King Edwards time they vsed in their holy assemblies the forme of seruice and order of ceremonies which were then established and they vtterly misliked condemned the foresayd propositions as very seditious rebellious according to the iudgement of all the reformed Churches for ought I can learne both in Germany and else-where besides Geneua and her offspring Besides they of Franckeford as it appeareth notwithstanding their griefe that they were constrained to leaue their country for their conscience yet in the middest of all their afflictions they retained such duetifull harts vnto Queene Mary imitating therein the Apostles and Disciples of their Maister as that they coulde not endure to heare her so traduced into all hatred and obloquy as shee was by the other sort Maister Knox comming vpon occasion from Geneua to Franckeford was by these graue men accused of Treason as he himselfe confesseth for matters that he had published in print against their Soueraigne and the Emperor and was faine thereupon for the sauing of his life to flye thence secretly backe againe to Geneua Lastly by meanes of their disliking of the sayd propositions and their further course helde in the defence of the foresayde reformation in England against the other mens counterfeit presbyteries these learned men at Franckeford could haue small reputation with them of Geneua Thus
one of that crew then hath written since of them The English Church which was assembled at Geneua was seperated from that superstitious and contentious company that was at Franckford And againe They were more giuen vnto vnprofitable ceremonies then to sincere Religion These things I thought meete for your aduertisement to set downe that the propositions precedent might appeare vnto you not to haue proceeded from any rash or light conceit in our English propounders publishers and maintainers of them but that they doo containe their resolute iudgement agreeable to those points of the Geneua resolution mentioned before out of Knox and Buchanan Whereby it is apparant that if our sayd English Geneuians had found as redy assistance at that time in England as Knox and his complices about or soone after the same time did in Scotland they would not haue fayled to haue put the sayde positions aswell in practise heere with vs as some Scottish Ministers did in that Country Which great mischiefe and disloyall outrage as the state here did then prouidently suppresse and withstande So her Excellent Maiesty hath since preuented by abolishing of the Romish Religion and the restoring of the Gospell which was the quarrell in those dayes pretended So as our English Reformers hauing hitherto had no cause for this point to imitate the foresayde proceedinges in Scotland it remayneth that I shew vnto you how far as yet it is disclosed and how directly they endeuour to follow the said practises of the Scottish Ministers for the erecting vp in England of the Geneua new Papacie CHAP. II. Our English Disciplinarians doo imitate the Scottish in their desire of the Consistoriall gouernement sauing that they are more bewitched with a kind of dotage after it IN Scotland notwithstanding that at the last the Ministers had obtayned in some sorte the allowance of the confession of their faith contayning the summe of that doctrine which before they had so greatly desired yet because they wanted the Geneua discipline wherein consisted their very great ioy together with the hope of their future soueraignety they were but a little satisfied with all the rest And euen so it hath fallen out since in England sauing for ought I can read that the sayd Scottish ministers were not then come vnto so great a dotage after this Discipline as there now is growne amongst vs. About some two or three and forty yeares agone and after in the beginning of her Maiesties Raigne the deuisers themselues of this new platforme were well content to accept of and commend such Churches as had abandoned Popery though they had withall imbraced another kinde of Discipline Then in disputation against the Papists and Anabaptists there could bee found in all Fraunce and Geneua but two essentiall notes of the Church vz. the true preaching of the word and the right administration of the Sacraments Then vpon Goodmans Whittinghams Gilbies returne with the rest of their associates from Geneua into England although it grieued them at the hart that they might not beare as great a sway here in their seuerall consistories as Caluin did at Geneua and so not onely repined and grudged at her Maiesties reformation of this Church but laboured as they might to sowe abroade in the lande that seede which hath brought forth a great part of all the disorders troubles and disobediences that since haue ensued Yet notwithstanding they meddle not much in shewe for any thing I can heare of with matters of this Discipline but rather busied themselues about the apparrell of ministers ceremonies prescribed and in picking of quarrels against the common Booke Marry since that Maister Beza deuised a way howe to bring in the Geneua Discipline to be a third essentiall note of the Church since Maister Cartwright hath beene at Geneua and vpon his returne did ingage his credit to iustifie that platforme to be a necessary forme of Gouernement prescribed by Christ for all times and places since Maister Trauerse hath also beene there and did take vpon him in his booke de Disciplina Ecclesiastica to do the like since Maister Cartwright did likewise at his second beeing beyonde the seas sende vs worde in his second booke that Master Beza accounted his sayde third note of the Church vz. the Geneua Discipline to bee as necessarie a note as either the word or Sacraments and since Maister Cartwright and Trauers with the chiefest of their followers in England haue of later yeares vpon consideration of the premisses and further deliberation in their conferences and meetinges to that purpose resolued and concluded generally for the necessity of the same Discipline which before had beene onely deliuered with vs as their priuate opinions Since these times I say the friends and fauorers of it haue from time to time by certain degrees so increased in their fond affections towards it as that now they are in a manner ouercome with the strength and violence of them and doo bragge in their bookes that they will not sticke to dye in the cause Maister Cartwright as I take it had an especiall eye to this deuise when he sayth that certaine of the things which he and his followers do stand vpon are such as if euery haire of their heads were a seuerall life they ought to afford them all in defence of them Diuers other besides doo offer to aduenture their liues for the iustifiyng of it as Vdall Penry nothing will content them without the Geneua discipline For say they it is found to be the onely bond of peace the bane of heresie the punisher of sinne and maintainer of righteousnes It is pure perfect and full of all goodnes for the peace wealth and honour of Gods people and is ordained for the ioy and happines of all Nations The want of the Eldership is the cause of all euill It is not to bee hoped for that any common-wealth will flourish without it This Discipline is no small part of the Gospell it is of the substance of it It is the right stuffe gold for building the Church of God This would make the Church a chast spouse hauing a wonderfull brightnes as the morning faire as the Moone pure as the Sunne and terrible like an army with banners Without this Discipline there can be no true Religion This gouernement is the scepter whereby alone Christ Iesus ruleth among men The Churches of God in Denmarke Saxony Tigurin c. wanting this gouernement are to bee accounted maymed and vnperfect The establishing of the Presbyteries is the full placing of Christ in his kingdome They that reiect this Discipline refuse to haue Christ raigne ouer them and deny him in effect to be their king or their Lord. It is the blade of a shaken sword in the hande of the Cherubins to keepe the way of the tree of life Ridiculous men and bewitched As though Christs
soueraignety kingdome and lordship were no where acknowledged or to be found but where halfe a dosen artizans Shoomakers Tinkers and Tailors with their Preacher and Reader eight or nine Cherubins forsooth do rule the whole parish But I haue noted vnto you out of these few places omitting many other this their wonderfull dotage to this end that it may be considered whether it be likely that our English Consistorians hauing ouerrunne the Scottish ministers or at the least ouertaken them in their opinions of the necessity of this Discipline will be left behind them in their practises according to the Geneua resolution for the attayning of it or no CHAP. III. Our pretended English reformers doo imitate or rather exceede the Scottish Ministers in rebelling and rayling against all that doo encounter them WHen in Scotland they first had in minde to reforme religion and after to erect their Discipline according to the Geneua resolution they spent their wittes and all their deuises by railing and slandering to bring the Bishoppes and the rest of the Clergy with the whole course of their gouernements into detestation and hatred with the people They write their owne pleasures of them and to them and that in the name of the people They stirred the Nobility by their writings against them they had their supplications to their Parliaments and to the Queene Regent they had their appellations from their Bishops their exhortations to the Nobility to the Estates and comminalty and many such practises they had to that purpose yea after their Bishops and Clergy had receiued the Gospell But in this course our reformers in England haue not onely imitated them but as ready Schollers and apt for such mischiefe haue very farre exceeded both them and as I thinke all others that hitherto haue dealt that way They haue renued ouer againe applied to our Church gouernours two or three of the most bitter Treatises that euer were made against the Popes Cardinals Popish Bishops Monkes and Friers c. in King Henry the eight his dayes They haue foure or fiue very diuellish and infamous Dialogues likewise their complaints and petitions to her Maiesty and Parliament in the name of the comminalty their appellation their exhortation and diuers other most lewd scurrilous Epistles and Letters When they are called before any Magistrate and dealt withall for their factious proceedings they vsually afterward doo take vpon them to write and publish vnder the name of a conference what wordes and arguments haue passed which they perfourme with all reproch disdaine vntruth and vanity and so do pester the Realme and their fauourers closets with infinite such shamelesse and slaunderous discourses as is most intollerable They haue had fiue or sixe supplications to seuerall Parliaments penned altogether according to Knox his stile and violent spirit in many places word for word besides Martin and his two sonnes their holy imitations of Beza his Passauantius that all things might proceede Geneua like in their sixe bookes of Consistorian grauity And now vpon better care taken by her Maiesty that no such libels should be hereafter printed in England at the least without some daunger to the parties if it may bee knowne they haue founde such fauour as to procure their chiefe instrument and old seruant Waldgraue to be the King of Scots Printer from whence their wants in that behalfe shall be fully supplyed For hauing obtained that place as hee pretendeth in Print they haue published by hundreths certaine spitefull and malicious bookes against her Maiesties most honorable priuy Councell Also their humble motion to their LL s. with three or foure other very slanderous Treatises And now it seemeth for feare that any of all their sayd Libels rayling Pamphlets that haue bin written in her highnesse time should perish being many of them but triobolar chartals they haue taken vpon them to make a Register and to Print them altogether in Scotland in two or three volumes as it appeareth by a part of the sayde Register all ready come from thence and finished which containeth in it three or foure and forty of the sayd Libels In all which courses taken more then heathnish this is their drift and especiall end that hauing by their forged lies their poysoned tongues and their hypocriticall outcries procured a generall mislike of her Maiesties reformation the present gouernment of the Church the chiefest defender thereof the Lords that fauour it the Archbishops and Bishops that haue authoritie in it the rest of the Clergy that doe submit themselues vnto it they might come at the last to attaine their purpose and by fishing in our troubled waters according to the Geneua resolution set vp and establish their glorious scepter and kingdome Out of these bookes because some might otherwise charge the premises herein with slander of the godly brethren I haue thought it very conuenient to lay downe before you particularly some most lewd and wicked speeches in maner and order as in tenne of the next Chapters following is specified CHAP. IIII. The speaches of the said pretended reformers concerning England the state the present reformation and gouernment of the Church ENgland with an impudent forehead hath sayd I will not come neare the holy one And as for the building of his house I will not so much as lift vp a finger towardes that worke nay I will continue the desolations thereof England hateth them to this day that faithfullie doe their office Of all the nations that haue renounced that whore of Rome there is none in the world so farre out of square as England in retaining the Popish Hierarchy We in England are so farre off from hauing a Church rightly reformed that as yet we are scarse come to the outward face of the same We are neuer the better for her Maiesties reformation seeing the walles of Syon lie euen with the ground that is seeing their discipline is not established Your reformation as it standeth will be little better then that of the Samaritanes who feared Iehouah but worshipped their owne Gods Men belike doe thinke no more to be required at their handes then the rasing of Babell the diuell as yet contenting him selfe with Bethel Your gouernment is that which giueth leaue to a man to be anie thing sauing a sound Christian. Omnia cum liceant non licet esse bonum We lacke a right gouernement of the Church In stead of the ordinance of God in the gouernment of his Church the marchandize of shamelesse Babylon is maintayned The gouernment now vsed by Archbishops Bishops c. is both Antichristian and diuelish Rome is come home to our gates Antichrist raigneth amongst vs. The established gouernement of the Church is trayterous against the maiestie of Iesus Christ it confirmeth the Popes supremacie it is accursed It is an vnlawfull a false a bastardly gouernement In the state of
blinde the people and keepe them still in superstition to make the seely soules beleeue that they haue an English masse and so put no difference betwixt trueth and falsehoode betwixt Christ and Anâ—ichrist betwixt God and the deuill The publike baptisme is full of childish and superstitious toyes And of our orders garments and ceremonies They are carnall beggerly Antichristian pompes rites lawes and traditions popish fooleries Romish reliques rags of Antichrist dregs and remnants of transformed Poperie Pharisaicall outward faces and vizardes remnants of Romish Antichrist of superstition and Idolatrie Knowne liueries of Antichrist accursed leauen of the blasphemous Popish Priesthoode cursed patches of Poperie and Idolatrie they are worse then Lowsie for they are sib be to the sarke of Hercules that made him teare his owne bowels asunder CHAP. X. How they charge the present gouernment with persecution THere is a persecution of poore Christians the professors of the Gospell suffred not far vnlike to the six articles Gods cause is troden vnder foote and the benefite of his Church is little regarded Poore men haue been miserably handled with reuilings depriuations imprisonments bannishments and such like extremities Godly Ministers haue beene brought before the barres of iustice they haue beene arraigned amongst fellons and theeues they haue been imprisoned to the vttermost and defaced they are reproched shaken vp threatened many are depriued they are examined by an inquisition much like tha of Spaine O lamentable case O heynous impietie Shal they be thus marked with the blacke cole of reproach villanie O inhumaine and more then barbarous impietie Besides whorish impudencie halter axe bandes scourging and racking our Bishops haue nothing to defend themselues withall The Clinke Gatehouse White-Lion and the Fleete are their onelie arguments If I say Ieremie Ezechiel Osee Micheas and Zacharie were aliue they would be carried to the Marshall-sea the White-lyon the Kings-bench the Gate-house and other Prisons yea to New-gate In effect as Caine persecuted Abell Esau Iacob the Patriarches their brother Ioseph the Iewes Moses the Priests Ieremie Osea Amazia and Christ euen so in these dayes the Preachers are slandred and persecuted by such as would seeme pillars of true religion If this persecution be not prouided for it is the case of many a thousand in England greate trobles will come of it The land is sore troubled there is no place nor being for a faithfull Minister of the word Our bloud crieth for vengeance against the Bishops I am made like to our Sauiour Christ who hath troden this path in that as he sayth hee is troubled not for euiil but for good It fares with vs as with prisoners in Poperie God sende vs their comfort Mnisters are in worse sort suppressed now then they were by the Papists in Queene Maries time This crosse is common not onelie with him but with all that will liue godly in Christ. The cause is holy and his sufferinges acceptable I k perceiue the Lyon roareth but cannot bite further then the Lord shall permit CHAP. XI Some of their Consistorian speeches of the Clergie of England assembled as occasion hath required in the Conuocation house THey are wolues It is a Synagogue Their onely endeuour is how to preuent Christ from bearing rule in the Church by his own lawes They are knowne to bee ennemies vnto all sinceritie The whole conuocation house are in iudgement contrarie to our Sauiour Christ they are intollerable oppugners of Gods glory and vtter ennemies vnto the liberties of his Church As long as that house standeth as at this day it doth there can be no hope at al that either Gods heauenlie trueth should haue free passage or the Church her libertie in this kingdom They haue seduced and deceiued the ciuil state people in bearing them in hand that al is wel in the Church They are termed by one of the Captaines of this crue right puissant poisoned persecuting and terrible Priests Clergie maisters of the confocation house the holie league of subscription the crue of monstrous and vngodlie wretches that mingle heauen and earth together horned maisters of the conspiration house an Antichristian swinish rabble ennemies of the Gospell most couetous wretched and Popish Priests the Conuocation house of Diuels Belzabub of Canterbury the chiefe of the Diuels CHAP. XII Some of their presbiterial speeches of the Bishops of England professing the Gospell THe Bishops are the greatest and most pestilent ennemies that now our state hath are like to be the ruine of her Maiestie and the whole state Archbishops and Bishops are vnlawfull vnnaturall false and bastardlie gouernours of the Church and the ordinances of the Diuel pettie Popes pettie Antichristes like incarnat Diuels they are Bishops of the Diuell Bishops are cogging and coosening knaues They will lie like dogs Our Bishops are proud popish presumptuous prophane paltrie pestilent pernicious prelates vsurpers Impudent shamelesse and waynescot faced Bishops like beastes They are in a premunire They ought not to bee maintayned by the authority of the ciuill Magistrate in any common wealth They are in respect of their places ennemies of God The worst Puritane is an honester man then the best Lord Bishop in Christendome Their crueltie is without measure They are butchers and horseleeches it is the portion of their inheritance Their bloud-thirstie attempts These dragons Their tirannie and bloudthirstie proceedings are inexcusable In effect that they conspire to pull the Crowne from her Maiesties head Bishops callings are meere Antichristian The Bishops are robbers Wolues simoniacks persecutors sowers of sedition and discontentednes betweene her Maiesties subiectes They haue incurred the statute of premunire they are ipso facto depriuable Though they bee in the Church yet are they none of the Church The true Church of God ought to haue no more to doe with them and the Synagogue namely their Antichristian Courts them with the Synagogue of Sathan Be packing Bishops you striue in vaine you are laid open already Friers and Monkes were not so bad Of all the Bishops that euer were in the See of the Archbishop of Canterburie there was neuer any did so much hurt to the Church of God as hee hath done No Bishop that euer had such an aspiring and ambitious minde as hee no not Cardinall Wolsey None so proud as he No not Stephen Gardiner of Winchester None so tirannicall as he no not Bonner He sits vpon his cogging stoole which may truelie be called the chaire of pestilence His mouth is full of cursing against God and his Saintes His feete are swift to shed bloud there is none of Gods children but had as leeue see a Serpent as meete him It grieueth them to see so wicked an ennemie of God and his Church Belsebub of Canterbury The Canterburie Caiphas Esau. a
I heard from you saith one Blake of the state of the Church of London Another By M. West M. Browne you shall vnderstand the state of the Churches wherein we are A third If my offence may not be passed by without a further confession euen before God and his Church in London will I lie downe and licke the dust at your feete and confesse c. A fourth I receiued a letter from you in the name of the rest of the brethren whereby I vnderstand your ioyning together in choosing of my selfe vnto the seruice of the Church vnder the Earle of Leicester c. I am ready to runne if the Church command me according to the holy decrees and orders of the discipline By these their speeches it appeareth that as they haue cut off themselues from the fellowship of the rest of the Christians in England by ioyning themselues into a seuerall brotherhood so haue they already seduced her Maiesties subiects by gathering them together into a new societie whereunto they doe appropriat the name of the Church as though all other Churches in the realme were but as Iewish Sinagogues or heathenish assemblies This is not you shall see my bare collection heare the witnesses what they hereof haue deposed In these brethrens speaches of the Church or Churches it is to be vnderstood that by the Church of England they meane the Church according to humaine lawes and the Popes which is ruled as they terme it by an Antichristian gouernement And by the Godly Churches or the Churches of God in England they meane such places congregations or assemblies as doe embrace the reformation and haue such a minister as is of some Classis Sometime also by the Church as the Church of God in London is meant the Classis of the brethren or their Synods And so maister Edmondes when they vse these or the like speaches in their writing or otherwise vz. the Church or Churches of God heere with this or that or the Church in London hath done this or that they by they especially meane the Ministers thēselues But for the further clearing of this matter because the chiefe Rabbies of this conspiracie do themselues preach in our material Churches it is to be obserued that the parish where they preach being assembled is not the Church properly in their sence but as many thereof onely as are ioyned vnto them with that inuiolable bond mentioned vz. the desire of the godly discipline and those furthermore who leauing their owne parish Churches doe come vnto them As for example The Church of God forsooth in the Black Fryers doth consist besides that parish of a number of men and Marchauntes wiues dispersed here and there throughout the whole Citie Be content to hear the depositions that are taken to like purpose Maister Snape affirmed as Richard Holmes and Richard Hawgar haue deposed that here one there one picked out of the Prophane and common multitude and put a-part to serue the Lord maketh the Church of God and not the generall multitude Maister Iohnson saith that the brethren of the laitie doe seldome come to their owne parish Churches nor receiue the communion there otherwise then they are compelled for feare of trouble For they account those their pastors onely whom they do so choose And maister Edmonds vpon his experience in London The people of this brotherhood do seldome come to their owne parish Churches otherwise then for feare to incurre some daunger of lawes neyther do they accompt the minister of their parishes to bee any of their pastors properly except he be some one of the brethren Ministers before specified or very effectually inclining that way It is likewise to bee obserued that if any of this faction brotherhood or sisterhood do lie dangerously sicke they do seldome or neuer send for their owne pastors to visite them nor moue them to pray for them publikely in their owne parish as neglecting their praiers but do send to the Readers abroad whom they haue chosen for their pastors both to come vnto them to pray with them and for them in their assemblies This also is to bee obserued that the stricter sort of this crue when they lie at the point of death will haue no bell tolled for them and many of them do take order before their death that afterwardes they be not buried in any Church that there bee no sermon nor any wanner of buriall vsed which is prescribed CHAP. XVI A ridiculous pretence of laws with a recapitulation of the summe of this third booke AS they countenance these their conuenticles vnlawful assemblies before specified with the name of the Church so with the like boldenesse to the same purpose some of them are not ashamed to affirme that by the doctrine of the Church of Englād and by the lawes and statutes of this Realm the present gouernment of the Church of England vnder her Maiestie by Archbishops and Bishops is to bee accounted wicked and vnlawfull and withall in effect that by the saide doctrine lawes and statutes all the former proceedings decrees c. of the brethren are to be maintayned and iustified As by the particular proofes following it will appeare The offices of Lord Archbishops and Bishops c. saith Martin Iunior are condemned by the doctrine of the Church of England The doctrine that condemneth the places of Lorde Bishops is approoued by the statutes of this Realme and her Maiesties prerogatiue royall To be a Lord Bishop is directly against the Statute 13. Elizab. According to the doctrine of the Church of England our Prelates haue no authoritie to make Ministers or to proceede to any ecclesiasticall censure their citations processes excommunications c. are neither to bee obeyed nor regarded Men ought not to appeare in their Courtes a man being excommunicated by them ought not to seeke any absolution at their hands And in the behalfe of the brethren he doth also further affirme that by the said doctrine of the Church of England c. all Ministers bee of equall authoritie that the godly ministers ought to ordaine those that would enter into that function without any leaue of the prelates and not so much as once to suffer them to take any approbation of the prelates that euery minister is bound to preach the Gospell notwithstanding the inhibition of the Bishops that a man being once made a minister is not to be kept backe from preaching by the inhibition of any creature and that by the saide doctrine c. all ministers are bound by subscription c. to disauow the Hierarchie of Bishops When you shall reade these strange assertions so farre passing any ordinary bounds of common modestie think with your selues that it is no maruaile to see their writinges so full of authorities For I do assure you that euen in the like sort and with the same sinceritie
faithfulnes doe they alledge for their platformes both Scriptures Councels Fathers and Histories Moreouer what with the pretence of Gods law of mans law and I know not of what law they haue been suffered to go so farre against all lawes that now they haue taken such heart as that some of them are not affraid to affirme and that in print because the people might take notice of it that there is no authoritie which may lawfully suppresse their foresaid proceedinges No Magistrate saith one of the brotherhood may lawfully mayme or deforme the body of Christ which is the Church no lawfull Church gouernment is changeable at the pleasure of the Magistrate of necessitie all christian Magistrates are bound to receiue this gouernment c. And thus hither to you haue seen the proceedings of our English reformers according to their ringleaders actions in Scotland they haue had their draughts of discipline they haue subscribed a particular book for England they haue put their former platformes their said particular booke for the most part of it in practise as neare as they could they haue had their meetinges and Synodes generally throughout all the lande they haue made decrees conclusions not only to further their own conspiracy but also to ouerthrow the present gouernment of the Church they haue had in some places their Elders they haue exempted themselues from the ecclesiastical gouernment in this Realme accounting the same in some respects to be Antichristian and so not to be obeyed in some other to be a meere ciuile and a parliament church-gouernment and in that regard onely after a sort to bee yeelded vnto for their better safer standing in their owne seditious and consistorian waies They haue by their false gloses seduced many of her Maiesties subiectes they haue combined themselues together into a strange brotherhood They challenge to their vnlawfull and seditious assemblies the true and most proper name of the Church They say their doings are according to law They affirme in effect that no Magistrate may lawfully ouerthrow that which they haue builded in asmuch as now it is saide that the Bishops in seeking by the authority which her Maiestie hath giuen and confirmed vnto them to maintaine as they are bound the present church-gouernment and state established by her highnes lawes within this Realme and to suppresse and reforme their schismaticall seditious disorders and such like are the disturbers of the peace of the church that the Bishops beginne the quarrel in disquieting of them who in towne and country were very greatly at vnity tooke sweete councell together for the profiting of the Church That the Bishops are the schismatickes and not they that the crime of schisme which the prelates woulde fasten vppon them doth iustly cleaue to the Bishops and that Bishops may be discharged by the Church And they haue entred alreadie into this consideration how Archbishops Bishops Chauncellors Deanes Cannons Archdeacons Commissaries Registers Apparitors c. All which by their said pretended reformation must be thrust from their liuings should be prouided for that the common wealth be not thereby pestred with beggars Whereby it appeareth that in their owne conceites they haue already attained their soueraintie They and their conuenticles forsooth are the true Church and all England besides is in a schisme So as now it may be dayly expected when these godly brethren for a full conclusion of their attempts will take vpon them as their maisters did in Scotland to discharge the estate of Bishops and to direct their commissioners to her most excellent Maiestie commanding both her and her highnesse most honourable priuie Councell vnder the pain of excommunication to appoint no Bishops hereafter because they haue concluded that state to bee vnlawfull and that furthermore her Highnes vnder the same penaltie shall not presume from thenceforth either any longer to maintaine the present Antichristian Church-gouernment or once to attempt the ouerthrowing of theirs And thus much of this matter vz. concerning our English reformers and their imitation of the Ministers of Scotland in that seeing they could not preuaile with their suites supplications to her Maiestie and the Parliament for the setting vp of their discipline they haue taken vpon them to doe it themselues The end of the third Booke THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF DISCIPLINARY GROVNDES and Practises CHAP. 1. Some of them seeme to growe desperate and propound to themselues a strange example to follow for the adauncing of their Discipline As the Ministers of Scotland with their adherentes finding sondry impedimentes in theyr foresaide proceedings and in the setting-vp of their discipline did grow to be very angry ther-vpon often-times before they came to armes or violence did cast out many greate speaches and threatnings as it hath beene before declared euen so also it fareth now rightly with our Disciplinarians in England They threaten and bragge aboue measure what shall come to passe and I pray God they be suffered to go no further One of the brethren in the name of the rest complaining that they are oppugned and as he saith persecuted desireth that the same may be prouided for and addeth therwithall these words It is the case already of many a thousand in this land yea it is the case of as many as seeke the Lorde aright c. Greate troubles will come of it if it be not prouided for None seeke the Lord aright but this brotherhood Great ioy of them But what troubles meane they That an other seemeth to cleare where he sayeth that they can endure no such hard dealing as is vsed against them any longer Alas saith hee wee are neuer able to stand against the pouerty losses imprisonment discountenance by our superiors that our bretheren haue sustayned c. Neuer able to swallow vp the slaunders and bitter names of puritanes precisians traitors seditious libellers c. Why what will you doe The best that can bee gathered of his wordes is this Come saith hee let vs make a Captaine and returne againe into Egipt If they haue not their mindes the danger may bee which in deede will bring some troubles that they are not vnlike to become either Atheists or Papistes Shortlie after the straunge attempt before mentioned that was made against the king of Scotland Anno 1585 by ten thousand of his owne people at Sterling whereby the consistorian Ministers preuailed aswell against their Soueraigne as against their Bishops for the aduancing of their presbiteries there came out a rayling Dialogue here in England published abroade in print and scattered by the brotherhoode throughout the whole Realme This Dialogue is intituled the state of the church of England laid open in a conference betweene Diotrephes representing the person of a Bishop Tertullus a Papist brought in to pleade for the orders of our church Demetrius a Vsurer signifying such as liue by vnlawful trades Pandocheus an Inkeeper a receyuer of al and a soother
iust occasions committed to prison the matter was greatly grudged at so taken to heart amongst the reforming and zealous brotherhoode as that many deuises and complots were as it seemeth in deliberation not onely how the saide prisoners might for the present bee defended and deliuered but also how thereupon they might proceede for the setting vp of their Discipline To this purpose in mine opinion these words of Wiggintons are verie pertinent Maister Cartwright is in the Fleeâ—e for refusall of the othe as I heare and Maister Knewstubs is sent for and sondry worthy ministers are disquieted who haue been spared long So that wee looke for some bickering ere long and then a battel which cannot long endure How far these wordes may bee drawne I leaue it to be considered of by those that can discerne of such like kind of phrases This I can assure you of that vppon what grounds I know not through the course which was held by the magistrats here against the said prisoners there was great expectation and as it were a hope conceiued by their fauorers in another cuntrey of some bickering amongst vs about that time as Wigginton writeth of Thus a man that hath been of especiall account in Scotland did write vnto a friend of his in England I attend your next answere aswell of the estate of your Church as of all other affaires For there is here great worde of sondry vprores which I trust be false or repressedin due season by her Maiestie But that passeth all to this purpose which falleth out most apparantlie by the view taken of such letters and papers as were found vpon the apprehension of Hacket and his Prophets CHAP. VI. One Edmond Copinger tooke vpon him to worke Cartwrightes c. deliuerance he pretendeth an extraordinary calling and acquainteth diuers with it one Gibson a Scot P. Wentwotrh Cartwright Wigginton Charke Trauers Egerton c. WHilest some were deuising of one way and some of an other for the good of the saide prisoners c. One Edmond Coppinger with his familiars could find no meanes to bee looked for except it might please God according to the foresaide positions to stir vp some zealous brethren by some extraordinary calling to effect their desires This cogitation as it seemeth no soner grew vpon theÌ„ but that by and by they fealt as they thought in themselues some certaine slender instigations to such a heauenly purpose It appeareth that towards the latter end of December 1590 Copinger Arthington and Iohn Bentley maister Knightlies man did hold a fast at one Thomas Lancasters house a scholemaister in Shoe-lane It began vpon the Saturday at night and held till Sonday at night In the time of this fast vz. the Saterday at night Coppinger as he said found himself very extraordinarily exercised c. with a wonderfull zeale to set forth Gods glory any waies which lawfully he might enter into At that time also I mean at that last fast Arthington had likewise his extraordinary calling Thus Copinger did write of his matter to Lancaster the letter was also subscribed vnto by Arthington In your house in your presence and partly by your meanes I had my first extraordinarie calling and of the same minde is my brother Arthington Copinger the next day after the saide fast did ride into Kent and vpon his returne which was with some speed he signified vnto his fellow-fasters how he had been extraordinarily called both before his going the said Satterday at night also in his iourney since he departed from them vz. how God had reuealed vnto him such a secret mystery as was wonderful By the way saith he as I rid I fansied to my selfe that there was leaue giuen mee to speake to God in a more familiar manner then at any time before also I perswaded my self that his spirite did giue me many straunge directions wherein the Lord would vse me to doe seruice to his most glorious Maiestie and to his Church Concerning the substance of his said reuelation hee also tolde Arthington Lancaster thus much vz. that he knew a way how to bring the Queene to repentance and to cause all her Counsell and Nobles to do the like out of hand or els detect them to bee traytors that refused After the relation of these things within a day or two this Copinger and Arthington held another fast by themselues Whereupon saith Copinger I was againe stirred vp to such businesse of such importance as in the eyes of flesh and bloud was likelie to bring much danger to my selfe and vnlikely to bring any good successe to the Church of God Of these his instigations or reuelations hee writ to some preachers in the Realme and to some without as namelie a letter the last day of December 1590. to one Gibson a kinde of preacher in Scotland Wherein hee greatly complayneth of the present state of our Church and desireth of him to bee instructed from the brethren there in diuers points concerning an extraordinarie calling Thee state of our Church saith hee groweth worse and worse our zealous Ministerie and Magistracie are daylye disgraced and displaced the meanes of helpe is taken away except that God woulde eyther moue her Maiestie inwardly shee being bereaued of those holy helpes which Gods seruantes enioy in the publike exercise of religion or else stirre vp some faithfull Zorobabell or Nehemiah to let her see how the Lordes house lyeth waste and how vsurpers of Antichristian tiranny doe keepe Christ Iesus from gouerning in his kingdome And then hee addeth My selfe am acquainted with some who to do seruice herein would aduenture the losse of their liues so that they might haue warrant from the worde for their so doing and haue approbation by the Church And to this end they fancy to themselues to haue receiued an extraordinary calling wherein they feare to be abused by Sathan Then followeth his petitioÌ„ And therefore I thogh most vnworthy haue aduentured to write vnto you to beseech you in the bowels of Christ Iesus to haue conference with such as are most able to aduise you on our behalfe and to returne answere how a man may examine himselfe in this matter and what be the extraordinarie thinges which must bee in him that is so called what course he is to take to haue his extraordinarie calling knowne first to himselfe and then to the Church After hee had sent away this letter into Scotland hee began to draw his doubts into some Methode and did propound them all in eight questions The chiefe summe whereof it this whether in these dayes and in this countrey where there is but preaching heere and there where the Discipline is not established but oppugned by the publike Magistrates whether there bee place for any extraordinarie calling immediately from God of workers and helpers to his Church c. These questions thus contriued hee sent them to his olde acquaintance Wigginton who iustly