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
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
effected by the deposing of the king of Scots grandmother from her ciuil gouernment of that land And peraduenture a part of the said Knox his exhortation to England written from Geneua the twelfth of Ianuary 1559. as soone as he hearde of her maiesties possession of the royall Crown of this Realme would haue beene iustified where he saith that no power nor liberty ought to be permitted to any state degree or authority whatsoeuer they bee to liue without the yoke of Discipline c and that if Prince King or Emperour would enterprise to change or disanull the same he ought to be reputed an ennemie to God and therefore vnworthy to raigne aboue his people And thus you see how al these treasons if they had happened with what Consistorian zeale they might haue been defended afterward by the Disciplinarian doctrine which hath beene sent abroade into this Iland from Geneua and meetely well practised already in some partes thereof by men of that stampe Whereupon I do collect the premises considered by Cartwrights other the ministers intelligence with Copingers desperate purposes that they cared not what mischiefs had ensued so they themselues might haue beene safe For as it is most euident by the threatning speeches before mentioned there is nothing more laboured for amongst that sect then to thrust their many thousandes or some of them into some mutiny or bloudy attempt Their hope was that vpon any such occasion their chiefe fauourers would not cease to solicit her maiesty for feare of further trouble to graunt their desires or at the least to take some other course for theyr contentment then hitherto in their opinions there hath beene taken They knew that whatsoeuer either could or should fal out vnder the preteÌ„ce of seeking for Christs kingdome and for the extirpation of the present gouernment of our Church tearmed by them to bee so abhominable Antichristian if it had good successe for their deuised platformes yet the said Consistorian examples with their Allobrogicall new learning would haue borne it out sufficiently and maintained it I pray God deliuer EnglaÌ„d from these and such like points of Discipline For mine own part I would not haue vrged matters in this sort were it not that I thinke in my conscience it is more then high time that her maiesties faithfull subiectes should learne to know these practises and withall to beware of such sectaries as vnder their many both godly and goodly pretences do thus seditiously endeuour to disturbe the land And the rather also I did it because I see there are diuerse that will needes hood-winke themselues and stop their eares with the Serpent in the Psalme of purpose because they would gladly haue these things smoothered vp For hereby it will be apparant to our posterity that if any such mischiefes which God forbid shal happen hereafter they were sufficiently warned that both should and might in good time haue preuented them and withall it would then be found true which Liuie saith vrgentibus rempublicam fatis Dei hominum salutares admonitiones spernuntur When the Lorde for the sinnes of the people is purposed to punish any Countrey he blindeth the eyes of the wise so as they shall either neglect or not perceiue those ordinary meanes for the safety thereof which very simple men or babes in a manner did easily foresee Which iudgement I pray God turne far away and long from this and all other true Christian lands and kingdomes Amen FINIS Exod. 22. 28. 1. King 24. 1. Xing 26. Eccle. 20. Paule to the Rom. 13. Tertul. in Apologetico Tertul. in Apologet August con lit Petil. lib. 2 cap. 48. Chrisost. de verb. Esa. vidi dominum Mir. lib. 2. adu Iouinianum Numb 16 2 Sam. 16 Iude 2. Pet. 2 Annotat. Rhemish vppon the 23. of the Actes of the Apostles A Letter of P. A. Knewstubbe Gibson to Ed. Cop. Dauison against R. B. Pag. 29. Pag. 29. Pag. 20. * Refor no enemie B. 2 Cal. to Sadolet Ioach. Camerarius Phil. Mela. Georg. Maior de vita eius Whittingham in his Preface to Goodmans booke Knox. Knox in his hist. of the church of Scotland pag 213 a Knox pag. 213. ibid. b Knox p. 217 c Knox p. 218 d Knox p. 234 e Knox p. 256 f Knox p. 258. g Knox. pa. 2â— h Hollindshed pag 366. Knox 262 i Knox. p. 263 k Thynne pag. 366. Buchanan l Knox p. 265 m Knox p. 268 n Knox p. 272 o Knox p. 274 p Knox p. 27â— q Knox p. 276 r Knox p. 283 s Knox p. 288 t Knox pag. 298. 299. Thynne 367 u Knox p. 300 x Knox p. 306 y Knox p. 308 z Knox p. 308 a Knox p. 317. b Knox p. 330 c Knox p. 333. * Knox p. 362 d Knox p. 364 e Knox p. 372 f Knox p. 378 g Knox p. 468 h Knox p. 500 i Knox p. 50â— k Knox p. 216 Knox appel fol. 28. l Knox app 25 m Knox to the Comminalty s. 49. 50 n ibid. fol. 47 o ibid. fol. 55 p ibid. fol. 55 q Knox histo pag. 343. r Knox appel fol. 33. s Knox appel fo 28. 30 c. t Knox appel fol. 30 u Knox appel fol 35. Historie of the Church of Scotl. pa. 187. * Knox histor pag. 372. a knox to England and Scot. fol. 77. b knox ibid folio 78. c Buch. de iure regni page 61. d Ibid pag 13. e ibid pag. 25 f ibid pag. 58. g ibid pag. 40. h ibid pag 62. i ibid pag. 70 k ibid pag. 70 l Buc. de iur egni pag. 49. m Knox appe fol. 26. n Buch. de iure regni pag. 53. o Ibid. pag. 57 p ibid. pag. 57 q ibid. pag. 57 r ibid pag. 50 s ibid p. 50. 55 t Ibid. pag. 56 Note this Diuinity u ibi p. 56. 57 t Knox hist. pag. 502. u Knox hist pag. 468. * Knox hist. pag. â—03 Ibidem y In the conclusion of their booke of Discipline a Knox histo pag. 504. b Declaration B. 1. 2. c Knox histo pag. 523. d ibid. pa. 527 e ibid. pa 531. f ibid. pa. 334 g Knox Iust. 534. * Declaration B. 2. h ibid B. 2. i ibid. B. 2. k Epistola 79. l Declaration B. 3. m Declaration B. 1. n Act of Parliament ca. 4. o Ibid. cap. 2. p Decl A. 3. q Decl. B. 3. r Decl. B. 3. Declaration 1582. Act of Parliament 1584. cap. 7. Declara 1582 Act of Parl. 1584. cap. 7. Declar. 1582 Act of Parl. 1584. cap. 7. u Act of Parl. cap. 2. * ibid. cap. 20 y ibid. cap. 3. z ibid cap. 4. a ibid cap. 7. b ibid. cap. 8. c ibid. cap. 8. d cap. 1. of that Parliament c. e Declar. A. 2. f Thinnes addition to Hollinshed pa. 446. D. A. g Archbishop of Saint Androwes Letter and of other Preachers h M. Hutchinsons Letter and as he is readie to be deposed i Thinnes addition
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
of euery man for his gaine and Paule a preacher of the worde of God sustayning the place and persons of the Consistoriall brethren Where by the way see againe the account they make of all that do maintaine the present state of the Church they are but ambitious worldlings Papistes liuers by vnlawfull trades and men pleasers But themselues are Apostles In this Dialogue Paule is set forth as a man desirous vppon the Innekeepers motion to heare some good newes from Scotland who meeting with the Bishop hee vseth him according to the Consistorian humor that is most proudly most spitefully and most slaunderously He condemneth both the calling of Bishops as Antichristian and censureth al their proceedings as wicked Popish vnlawfull and cruell He affirmeth that all the good that hath beene done for the present flourishing estate of the Gospell in England hath beene brought to passe by those men whom the Bishops despise and by that course which they were euer ennemies vnto He saith that very many of all degrees are fully perswaded in the matters of reformation and that he is perswaded this will come of it vz. that he shall see the gouernement of the Church by the rules of their discipline set vp before it be long The Bishop is supposed to haue beene sent out of England into Scotland for the suppressing of the Presbiteries there and so is made vpon his returne homewarde to be the reporter of the Scottish affaires and withall to signifie his great feare least he and the rest of the Bishops in England should bee serued shortly as the Bishops had lately beene in Scotland namely at Edenburgh and Sainct Andrewes c. Ah saith the pretended Bishop my hoste The Puritanes in Scotland haue got-vp their discipline and vtterly ouerthrown all the soueraignty of Bishops by which they preuailed so mightily that we feared our fal in England shortlie to ensue Whereupon I was sent together with this my frend Tertullus who came out of Fraunce into England to goe and seeke the subuersion of their great assemblies and the rest of their iurisdiction wherein I preuailed a while but now it is worse then euer it was And it came so to passe because the whole land cried for Discipline againe and the Noble men so stifly did stand to it and lastly the Ministers that came home from England dealt so boldly with the king that I was vtterly cast out without all hope euer to doe any good there againe and now I make homeward in hast least I loose all there also Here you haue the brethrens approbation of the aforsaide attempt in Scotland whereby it is apparaunt that if they shal be able to bring the people to such a kind of clamor and the nobility to such a manner of stifnes they can be wel content for their partes to haue her maiestie vsed as the Scottish king was for it is according to their Geneua Diuinity Tertullus the Papist he is made the Bishops only Councellour in the whole course of the gouernment of our Church by whose aduise the author of the Dialogue saith that the Bishops do beare with the Popish recusants and that so many waies are sought to suppresse the Puritanes This Tertullus together with the Host and the Vsurer do relate to the Bishop those occurrents in Englande which had fallen out and hapned in his absence And vppon the occasion of this question asked by the Bishop vz. haue not the Bishops yet suppressed the Puritans neither with countenance nor by authority Tertullus maketh this aunswere Suppressed no my Lord a friend of mine writte vnto me that one of their preachers saide in the Pulpit he was perswaded that there were a 100000. of them in England and that the number of them increased dayly in euery place of all estates degrees Is it not time for the Magistrates to looke about them They do take it in scorne to bee thought so weake as that they could bee suppressed Bee it they flatter themselues therein yet their desire is apparant that if they be suffered and shall euer be able they will bring it to that passe And if this be not a necessary consequent of the premisses my iudgement faileth me But to proceede CHAP. II. Of their doctrine for making a reformation themselues and how the people must be thrust into that action ABout foure yeares since it should seeme that some of the brethren were of opinion that they had dealt long inough in the practise of their Discipline after such a secret manner and that then they were bound in dutie to proceede to the publike exercise of it notwithstanding any daunger that might therby ensue For thus one of them writeth Our zeale to Gods glorie our loue to his Church the due planting of the same in this horheaded age should be so warme and stirring in vs as not to care what aduenture we giue and what censures we abide c. The Iesuites Seminaries their diabolicall boldnes will couer our faces with shame c. And after also in the same letter We cānot be discharged of great disloyalty to our cōming Christ except we proceed with practise and so to further the Lords cause by suffering forasmuch as that dutifull suffering for so honorable a matter is as sure a signe of subiection as obeying the time so vrging that bounden duetie It is verily more then time to Register the names of the fittest and hottest brethren round about our seuerall dwellings whereby to put Maister Snecanus godly counsell in execution vz. Si quis obijciat c. If any man obiect that the setting vp and the lawfull practise of the discipline in the Church is hindred by the ciuill magistrate let the magistrate bee freely and modestlie admonished of his duety If he esteeme to be accounted either a godly or a Christian magistrate without doubt hee will admitte wholesome counsailes But if he do not yet let him bee more exactlie instructed that he may serue God in feare and bend his authority to the defence of the church and of Gods glory Marry if by this way there happen no good successe then let the ministers of the Church execute their office according to the appointment of Christ. For they must rather obay God then men In this last point we haue dolefully failed which now or neuer standeth vs in hand to prosecute with all celerity without lingring and staying so long for Parliaments This aduise of Paines was thought by the brethren as I gesse to be somewhat too rash For of likelihoode they could not finde at that time so sufficient a number of such hotte brethren as might serue their turne Whereupon as I suppose out commeth the decrees of the Warwick-shire Classes that for the increasing of the said number euery minister as occasion serued should teach the Discipline vnto the people as wel as the other partes of the Gospel And for the moderating of Paines too hastie aduise it was thus