A DEFENCE OF THE GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED IN THE CHVRCH OF ENGLANDE FOR ECCLESIASTICALL MATTERS Contayning an aunswere vnto a Treatise called The Learned Discourse of Eccl. Gouernment otherwise intituled A briefe and plaine declaration concerning the desires of all the faithfull Ministers that haue and do seeke for the discipline and reformation of the Church of Englande Comprehending likewise an aunswere to the arguments in a Treatise named The iudgement of a most Reuerend and Learned man from beyond the Seas c. Aunsvvering also to the argumentes of Caluine Beza and Danaeus with other our Reuerend learned Brethren besides Caenaiis and Bodinus both for the regiment of women and in defence of her Maiestie and of all other Christian Princes supreme Gouernment in Ecclesiasticall causes Against The Tetrarchie that our Brethren would erect in euery particular congregation of Doctors Pastors Gouernors and Deacons with their seuerall and ioynt authoritie in Elections Excommunications Synodall Constitutions and other Ecclesiasticall matters Aunsvvered by Iohn Bridges Deane of Sarum Come and See Ioh. 1.36 Take it vp and Read Aug. lib. conf 8. ca. 12. AT LONDON Printed by Iohn VVindet for Thomas Chard 1587 The Preface to the Christian Reader WHereas in a Sermon preached at Paules Crosse about two yeares past I had touched on occasion some part of this Learned Discourse then lately set foorth and for the peoples satisfaction I had aunswered some principall argumentes of the same in defence of her Maiesties supreme gouernment in Eccl. causes and for our Bishops iurisdiction as appeareth by the Sermon it selfe which for the further manifesting the occasion hereof I haue set forth also and recommend deare Christian Reader to thy fauourable interpretation which Sermon according to the diuerse affections of the auditorie tooke diuerse effectes some beginning to relent and be resolued which before had beene greatly carried away in the contrary perswasion of these matters and promising reconcilement vnto their Bishops whose state before they had misliked some on the otherside tooke such offence at that part of the Sermon which touched these thinges that they ceased not to deface it and to chalenge mee for it I then promised not only the anowing of that I had spoken but also God assisting me the publishing both of the whole sermon and the aunswering atlarge of all the Learned Discourse For discharge of which promise and because this booke pretendeth such a plausible title and withall is reckoned of so great account as I afterwarde could get oportunitie and leasure thereunto proceeding by little and little in the same and by the way taking withall some parts of the like argument that other our Brethren haue since composed and partly passing vp from them to the very fountaines as I take it from whence all our Brethren fetch their chiefest motiues or the groundes of them especially in these three reuerendâ— and learned Fathers Caluine Beza Danaeus I haue now thankes be to God at length after many delaies and stoppes thereof thus farre forth accomplished set out the same It is no small griefe to me I protest that on this occasion I was thus drawen into these questions with those whom otherwise in Christe I humbly acknowledge to be our deare Brethren And much gladlier the Lord knowes would I be to haue wholly obiected my selfe as before to my mediocritie I haue endeuoured against the publike aduersaries of Gods truth And would God all we which are of the houshold of faith professing the light and libertie of the Gospell would againe bende our forces that wayes against the errours and tyrannie of Antichrist In which course a while we did runne well but as the Apostle sayth to the Galathians who hath let vs For so long as we ioyntly followed the quest of that vncouth beast and of the purple Harlot on his backe God mightely prospered vs in all our affayres Yea it is wonderfull to consider if we haue grace to acknowledge it how God hath still hetherto aboue any Nation in the worlde in this last age thereof and yet doth not cease to blesse vs his name of vs againe ineessantly be blessed and magnified for it Howbeit the shadowe is not more concomitant to the bodie than enuie is aemulous of vertue and glory As there is no state so happy on all partes in this life but it shall euer be crossed with some or other daunger or disturbance so doth the enuious man in these our Alcions dayes labour nothing more than to impugne and to ouerthrowe this our blessâ—d state yea to haue bereft vs of the Lordes annoynted his holy handmayden our most gratious Soueraigne by whom vnder our Lord Iesus Christ God hath vouchsafed vs all these blessinges In which practise although the aduersaries attempts haue beene so perilous and vnnaturall that the very remembrance of them breedeth horrour yet the Lords continuall deliuerance from them hath bin so admirable and almost miraculous that we can not but all reioyce together breake forth into the prayses of our so gratious father our most mightie righteous mâ—rcifull God and cast all our repose vpon his prouidence But as the holy Apostle S. Peter prudently forwarneth vs be sober and watch for your aduersarie the diuell as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuour so see the malice and craft of this old serpent That thing which he could neuer atcheiue by himselfe withall the subtleties of his smooth temptations nor by his grand deputie the man of sin sonne of perdition withall his stratagems violent forces SathaÌ„ eftsoones hath now not only crept in among the childreÌ„ of God but hath so broken a sunder the bondes of Gods peace hath sowen the cockle of such contentions diuisions among vs that are brethren wherby such discord hath also risen euen among those that sowed before the good seed wheat that no small hindrance hath growen therby to the course of the Gospell as great hazard to the state of all our Church Realme as could haue bin inflicted by the open hostilitie of the publike enemie Yea what could lay vs more open to his iniuries thaÌ„ to fall out thus amoÌ„g our selues into these garboyles Or how freely can we nowe oppose our faces to confront our aduersaries when euermore we must haue a skew eye to the awke blowes of our own fellowes Brethr. hard at our elbowes Which double fight is so daungerous so distrustfull that it maketh many amongst vs to râ—uolt or at least to hoouer and is such an incouragemeÌ„t aduantage to the enemies to be more coÌ„firmed in their errors strengthned in their confederacies that they insult vpon vs both yea they blaspheme the very gospel it selfe which we professe and all by occasion of these intempestiue but too tempestious disagrements When Abraham saw the falling out between his and Lots heardmen fearing the euill euent of such discorde he sayth vnto Lot let there be I pray thee no strife betweene
occasion to search these fathers better And this was vsed to be done not onely in the seuerall treatises of the Fathers according to the councell of Vincentius Lyrinensis and as Theodoret vseth in his dialogues c. but also in all the best and most famous Synodicall assemblies and disputations holden in the auncient councels to cite the testimonies of the godly fathers deceased and of the most famous fathers consentes that were then liuing for their interpretations and iudgements of their controuersies Neither ought our Brethren to shunne this manner of charging them with men dead or aliue For it is a good not adorning only of the trueth but finding out of the trueth lightning of the iudgement and mouing mens affections driuing them as with a mightie streame to the loue of the truth and when the trueth commeth indéede thus adorned wee thinke that which wee also labour to confirme and defende as they labour to procure the contrarie that none we doe not say can iudge otherwise then we doe but that they which doe iudge otherwise then we doe in these matters may haue sufficient cause to iudge as we do and to thinke them to be honorable not onely before men but before God also Nowe when our Brethren haue set downe al their deuise how they would haue these controuersies to be debated then they enter into the aunswere of the obiections which they suppose will be obiected against them and say For if any shall obiect that the graue authoritie of Archbishops and Byshops shall receaue a checke whilest they are brought to deale with those whom they iudge fewe young vnlearned and not comparable to themselues or that it is a chalenge not much vnlike the papistes or lastly that it shall bee preiudiciall to the estate of gouernement established In good time our Brethren remember among other these thrée obiections Neither are they of small moment being rightly set downe as indéede they may be more pithily obiected and require euerie one of them a sounde and sufficient aunswere It is no small matter if any shall obiect but this first and lightest obiection of these thrée that the graue Authoritie of Archb. and Bishops shall receaue a checke whilest they are brought to deale with those whom they iudge fewe young vnlearned and not comparable to themselues Albeit I thinke that neyther our Archbyshops nor Bishops doe Iudge of these our brethren that they be so fewe as it were better they were but rather too many at the least farre moe in number than our Archbishops or all our Bishops are neyther do they iudge them to be so young although manie of them indéede be very young both in yeares in iudgement and in experience of these matters but that the auncienter sort of them might for their age and time haue had leysure ynough to haue sought out the state and grounde of these questions long a-goe saue that they are too much fore grounded in their owne opinions But in these matters their youth or age is not called into question Neither doe our Archbishops or Bishops estéeme our brethren at least many of them for vnlearned but rather wish that they would not thinke and vaunt too much of their learning and if they would followe the Apostles counsell sapere ad sobrietatem it would better become them That when all is done is the best learning which findeth out and submitteth it vnto the trueth Neither doe the Archbishops and Bishops as I suppose iudge that our brethren are not comparable to themselues Although our brethren may remember there be thrée degrées of comparison and it might well ynough beséeme our brethren so to compare with the Archb. and Bishops that they would not forget their owne callings nor the dignities of the Archb. and Bishops which they call here their graue authoritie Howbeit they giue that tenne but in a light mockage to thē whē as indéed they acknowledge the Archb. or B. not to haue anie authoritie at all but labour by all meanes besides their scoffe to be in all respects specially of authoritie so comparable to thē that they would not onely giue them a checke as their equalles but as their superiors euen checke mate vtterly to foyle and ouerthrow them Which if they can do by all their learning and in such maner as is requisite for the matter let thē not spare it a Gods blessing And if our Archb. and Bishops or any other of our partie that otherwise are as readie as any of our brethren to giue account of their hope and faith to anie orderly asking the same shal-be by her most excellent Maiestie and by her most honorable Counsell brought to deale with anie of all these our brethren I dare aduenture that they will not disdayne by any lawefull and godly meanes that can be deuised to deale with them if our brethren for their part would oblige themselues to stand there-to As for the second obiection it is of greater moment that this our bretherens chalenge is not much vnlike to the chalenge of the Papistes And can our brethren also foresée this that anie may obiect this vnto them that they make like chalenge to our Bishops as doo the Papists And are they neither afraid nor ashamed of it to drawe so neare the chalenge of the common aduersarie against their brethren and fathers in Gods church And yet the third obiection is the greatest that it shall- be preiudiciall to the estate of gouernment established which if it be sée what a hazard they put not so much the Archbishops and Bishops and manie other persons vnto besides the lawes and orders ecclesiasticall as the whole estate of the Church and realme of England and of all the gouernors as well as of the gouernement and so withall of all the ciuill and politike lawes established yea of her Maiesties owne estate gouernment and sacred person to be indangered Which obiection how they can sufficientlie answer vnto is an answer indéed worth the hearing For if now they can-not sufficientlie answer these obiections which here their selues before-hand presuppose will be or may be obiected against them it had béene better for them to haue suppressed these obiections Which will be a sore blanke to all their learned discourse following in the iudgement of the prudent and godlie reader Let vs now therefore sée their answer to the obiections And first in generall to them all thrée they say It may please their wisdomes who are to be iudges to consider what we haue to answer vnto these things which if they haue the truth of Gods word conteine the safest and best way in such cases tend to the full quieting of all and the remoouing of the plagues which are vpon vs and are likelie dailie further to come euen from the common aduersarie we may boldlie yet most humblie vpon our knees require them before God and all his elect Angels not to cast it awaie
both openly and throughout euery house By which is manifest that the Pastor must not onely teach al his flocke openly but also he must instruct euery family priuately wheresoeuer he shall see it to be needefull or expedient Which dutie cannot be accōplished by a reading Minister Also in the 26. ver of the same chap. hee commendeth vnto the Elders a generall care of the whole flocke Take heede to your selues saith he and to the whole flocke Which care cannot be well or at all vndertaken except they be diligent to teach both all and euery one of their flocke as neede shall require Which thing also he willeth them once againe to obserue in his example verse 31. saying Therefore watch ye remembring that by the space of three yeares I ceased not night and day exhorting euerie one of you By these testimonies it is euident to see what diligence the holy Ghost requireth of Pastors in teaching both publikely priuately as well generally all their flocke as particulerly euery one of them He therfore that is vnapt to execute this part of a Pastors dutie is altogether vnmeete to whom gouernance of the flocke of God should be committed All this with these thrée sentences of S. Paul as our Breth here say are especially referred to priuate exhortation reprehension cōsolatiō And we grannt this particuler and priuate teaching to be a part of a Pastors dutie and that he which is altogether vnapt to execute this parte of a Pastors dutie is altogether vnmeete to whom gouernance of the flocke of God should be committed But again we say that he which is apt to execute this part of a Pastors dutie and is diligent to teach al and euerie one priuately wheresoeuer he shall see it needefull expedient is not altogether vnmeete to whom the gouernance of the flocke of God should be committed Sith there are many both godly and learned Pastors that can doe do to their habilities execute accomplish these duties yet haue not the gift of publike preaching and therefore for their open actions why may they not the better oftner vse the reading of the prescribed forme of cōmon prayer and other godly and learned homilies in the publike assemblies of the flocke and congregation In temporall affayres no man will committe the least charge that can be to such persons as he knoweth to be altogether vnmeete or vnable to aunswere vnto the charge shall we continue as we haue done hetherto to put thē in trust with the gretest charge that can be the saluatiō of so many thousand soules redeemed with the bloud of Christ whō we knowe certainely to be able to do no part of a Pastors dutie sufficiently God forbid that we should still continue so lightly to esteeme so waightie a matter as though we accoūted the bloud of Christ by which we are sanctified to be prophane and would contumeliously withstand the spirite of God Our Bretheren are all in extremes as though wee allowed the committing this office of Pastorship to those that are altogether vnmeete and to such whom we know certainely to be able to do no part of a Pastors dutie sufficiently which to doe is a great and iust offence But we defend one they impugne another Albeit vnder the quarell against that other they meane to wring out indéede both the one and the other and not only the méere insufficient Pastor but the most sufficient As for vs we onely speake in defence and that but by the way of tolleration for a time of such as are not altogether vnmeete but willing and able to doe some part or the more parte and that sufficiently of a Pastors office though not all or all though not in such sorte as other better learned that can publikely interprete and apply the scriptures to the circumstances of times places persons occasions and in publike preaching haue the gift learnedly and effectually to exhort to comfort to admonish to reprehende the hearers and to confute the gainesayers although they be yet able to doe these thinges better in priuate And in publike they followe the formes set downe and appointed of godly and learned homilies Not but that we heartily wish as well as they that all Pastors could as fréely and learnedly preach as can the best at least better than they nowe can And the godlie Bishoppes and Prelates doe I hope endeuour themselues in their charges to exercise the Pastors thereunto Neither doe we allowe that the Pastorall charge should bee committed vnto anie that in anye respecte is insufficient But if it were before committed vnto them except they be altogether vnmeete and no hope of anie sufficiencie in them we thinke not that by and by they must bée thrust out by head and shoulders But that they may bee permitted to doe what they can doe and be trayned vp with such exercises of learning as whereby they may waxe more able And in the meane time godlie and learned Preachers to trauell the oftner in such places the better to supplie that which wanteth and hereafter not to committe the charge but to such onely as shall bee more sufficient to discharge it And this not onely we like and agrée vnto but I trust yea I knowe in many places so farre as conueniently may be doone it is with all diligence and care alreadie prouided for and may well be doone the Ecclesiasticall gouernement of the Churche of Englande notwithstanding standing a◠it doth But necessitie you will aunswere hath no lawe This necessitie wee haue aunswered before to consist in two pointes In lacke of lyuings and lack of learned men The first we haue shewed ought to be no lette no not of an houre if the other want could so soone be supplied And both must of necessitie be prouided for in time or else wee testifie before God and his holie Angels that they which neglect or withstand this prouision shal be guiltie of the bloud of al thē which perish through the default of teaching in the whole realme This is a good aunswere being vnderstoode in his right sense that here againe we are presupposed to make necessitie hath no law Our Brethrē aunswere hereunto by distinction of the thinges wherein this necessitie doth consist to wite in these 2. points in lacke of liuinges and lacke of learned men Well then our Brethren here graunt when they can thus properly distinguish the same that there is a necessitie in this matter But to the first they aunswere that they haue shewed it ought to be no let no not of an howre Nowe verily then it is a gentle necessitie that so soone can dispatch so great a matter But for the other necessitie of learned men they cōfesse it to be harder saying if the other want could so soone be supplyed If then a longer time must of necessitie be required for the supply of learned men how then
Church For some of these and such like meanes it hath pleased God alreadie to graunt that they may and doe take place and woulde take more place were it not for their importune hindering as I sayd before not so much of the open aduersaries of the Gospell as of our owne Brethren that fauour and professe it and yet preposterouslie doe stop the course thereof As for some of these meanes heere deuised it hath pleased God in his greate wisedome not to graunt them And therefore when we sée the will and graunt of God alreadie it were fitter we applied our wâ—lls to his than to wish hiâ— contrarie to his ordinance to become appliable vnto our wils And wheâ—e our Brethren would haue God graunt these their petitâ—ons to take place by the high authoritie of our dreade Soueraigne the Queenes Maiestie sith we manifestlie sée that by her Maiesties high authoritie GOD hath graunted such good successe to his Gospell and repaired his Church by such lawfull means of discipline as God hath both allowed and blessed which withall is by her Maiesties high authoritie established and confirmed amongst vs what a tentation is this to God not to bee content but to craue that he would graunt other new meanes And what obedience is this to her Maiesties high authoritie If her Maiestie herein haue any authoritie at all why do not we obey it If her Maiesties authoritie héere be high why doe we abase and bring it lowe If shee bee our dread Soueraigne why dreade we not thus to ouerthwart al her lawes and ordinances and without all dreade to contemne them and to cast forth such contumelious and slanderous spéeches on all the state of the Church to be most corrupt If her Maiestie be the Soueraigne that is the Supreame gouernor under Christ of this portion of the Church How doth not this defamatioÌ„ more blemish her Maiesties gouernment thaÌ„ al these faire spéeches can suffer to salue it And how call they her Maiestie Soueraigne and not acknowledge her soueraigntie or supremacie And if we inioy this coÌ„fortable peace vnder her most gracious gouernmeÌ„t why do not we coÌ„tinue it and be thankfull to God and to her Maiestie for it Why disturbe wée it and make it vncomfortable To conclude if it be a most gracious gouernment how is the state of the Church being gouerned vnder her Maiestie most corrupted Can most gracious and most corrupt agrée together What fellowship hath righteousnesse saith Saint Paule 2. Cor. 6.14 with vnrighteousnesse and what communion hath â—ight with darknesse what concord hath Christ with Belial Or hath her Maiestie no gouernment at all ouer the Church but onelie ouer the Realme and ciuile pollicie Are these tearmes then giuen her as a méere ciuile Prince or is her Maiestie acknowledged indeede the supreame gouernour in all Ecclesiasticall causes in the Church of England If she be how doth shee looke vnto her gouernment in the Church of England the state of the Church standing most corrupt These things hang together like Germaines lippes Who seeth not that they speak cleane contradictions in this stammering While they woulde thus plaie on both handes and giue onelie these fayre titles to her Maiestie for fashion sake and to auoide suspition or to winne fauour but if in verie déede they meant as they saie they woulde neuer thus impugne the established gouernment orders lawes and proceedings of her Maiestie They confesse that vnder her most gracious gouernment the time hath alreadie prosperouslie passed and yet they inferre vnder hand that it hath passed so vnprosperouslie that in lesse than halfe the time they dare ieopard their liues if they might haue their deuises broght to passe that the necessitie of learned Preachers shall bee so well supplied as wee shall haue no great cause to complaine for lacke of them And yet withall they saie her Maiesties raigne is most honourable and glorious Which if it be then haue they no cause to complain But they complaine of these things with great outcries and saie they haue great cause to complaine as though her Maiesties raigne were so dishonourable and ignominious that it nothing tended the honour and glorie of God which they saie they onelie seeke in this their Ecclesiasticall regiment So that in commending her Maiesties most honourable and glorious raigne what meane they but of such an externall honour and glorie of the world as little or nought respecteth the honour and glorie of the Lorde This is not well done of our Brethren thus to slander her Maiesties gouernment and the whole state of the Church of England vnder these faire and coulourable spéeches least our Breth might séeme in anie shew to come néere to those dissembling hypocrites whome Dauid so grieuouslie complaineth on Psal. 54. saying If mine enimie had defamed me I could haue borne it and if mine aduersarie had exalted himself against me I would haue hidden me from him But it was thou O man euen my companion my guide and my familiar which diddest eate sweete meate together with mâ— yea wâ— walled together in the house of God as companions And shall it be sayde of those that not onelie liue in one Realme and are or should be gouerned by one lawe vnder one most gracious Soueraigne yea her Maiestie and wee and all vnder one Iesus Christ in profession of our religion and of one Church of God that we deale thus one against another and that as Dauid there saich verse 21. The wordes of his mouth were softer than butter and yet warre in his heart his wordes â—ere more gentle than oyle and yet they were swoordes Now as these things beséeme not the â—hildren of God so is not this commendable in our Brethren that to set the better face of zeale vppon these foresayde spéeches thus tempered with no lesse gall than honie they offer thus freshlie to ieopard their liues that this which they promise and imagine shal be done in lesse than halfe the time that is alreadie passed Well may our Brethren blemish the time that is alreadie passed as not verie prosperouslie passed though for a shewe they saie so but to determine De futurâ— contingenti for that which may happe to come to passe hereafter and to prescribe it a time saue that they presume of her Maiesties clemencie not to take the aduantage of the forfaiture they might peraduenture hazarde too farre theyr best ioyntes if theyr happe were not better in this bargaynes euent than eyther theyr learning or their wisedome in the bargens making But what good lucke so euer would betide them to haue their desires graunted or their hope and promise come to passe yet their words sauour so suspitiouslie that for all this they would not holde themselues fullie satisfied For when they saie The necessitie of learned Pastors shall be so well supplied as we shall haue no no great cause to complaine for lacke of them they séeme in these words
read the confessions the collects or briefe publike prayers in the Mattens and Euensong they are said But our brethren demaunde Are there not many that had much rather heere a chaunted mattins and Euensong then a godly and learned Sermon Uerily in my opinion to aunswere vpright I thinke there are not many nor anie meaning godly zealous protestants learned or vnlearned that so had rather I graunt of other sorts there may bee many that so had rather But doth this followe héereupon that although there bee many which had rather heare the one than the other that therefore wée should take the one or the other cleane away may they not rather sithe both of them in their degrées are lawfull and good heare both the one the other too or if they can not come to heare the one should they therfore refuse the other also so heare neither But this is that which they charge them for yea say our brethren they frequent the one and refuse the other If any so frequent the hearing of the diuine seruice that hee refuse to heare a godly and learned sermon when he may come to the hearing of it he is greatly to blame But then let our brethren looke to it on the other side how they their sâ—lues will escape blamelesse which when they may heare both the ordinary diuine seruice of publike prayer a godly learned Sermon too will vnder pretence of hearing the sermon refuse to heare the ordinary diuine seruice of the publike prayer Nowe for proofe héereof that many among vs are faultie in frequenting the diuine seruice and refusing the sermon they say Let Cathedrall Churches c. bee an example where you shall see a great number that tarry while the Seruice is sung but depart as soone as the sermon beginneth To proue these instances alleaged Cathedrall Churches muste bee the example For what place they meane by this c. wee may rather coniecture than they dare vtter And it may bee that some doe so And yet if their so dooing bee so ordinarie that they be noted therof noted thereof they are called into question for the same But howsoeuer it may be in some it is not so I am sure in all Cathedrall Churches but rather the cleane contrary When they come to the Cathedral church not so much to heare the Seruice as the Sermon For they heard the Seruice before in their Parish Churches Which done they come to the Cathedrall church that almoste after the Seruice done there also vnto the Sermon which at the least euery sonday is there preached And this I take to be the order in the most part of Cathedrall and Collegiate or such other principal Ch. or chappels throughout the Realme Where ye shal not sée many at the Seruice soong but towards the ending of the seruice or so soone as the sermoÌ„ begnnieth in flocks they draw thither yea there is order takeÌ„ if they would not that they should And therfore this is quite contrary But our brethr to help their foorth procéede to the Organes While the Organes pipe some are drawne with the swetnesse of musike to come vp but while the preacher cryeth out continue beneath and in laughter or brawling be lowder than he often times If the piping of the Organes drawe them with the sweetnesse of the musick to come vp to heare the diuine seruice then is there yet some good vse thereof except it be better to driue them from it than to draw them to it If they continue beneath while the Preacher cryeth out then in the most cathedrall Churches as likewise generally in Parish Churches the Preacher for the most part comming downe vnto them they may heare him not the worse but the better and hee may crie not the lowder but the lower the most part of the Sermons being preached in the bodye of the Church among the people And if in some fewer places he preach in the Quyre then shall ye not lightly haue many beneath in the body of the Churche especiallie of such as come to the Church to heare diuine Seruice One Church indéede there is that I haue séene and which I take our brethren especially meane where many resorte partly but for a thorough passage and partly to walke vp and downe almost all day long spending the time beneath in talking or bargaining or other worldly matters but these do so as much at the diuine seruice as at any Sermon in the Quéere aboue But commonly there the sermon is preached in the Church-yard and that with a great assembly of other Parishes where they had no Sermon yea though they had a Sermon many of them in their owne or in other Parishes besides And al that while that the Sermon is in that churchyarde none is permitted to walke or to abide in the Cathedrall Churche And if the Sermons that are in the Church were so prouided also I speak but my opinion and vnder correction that they were made in the bodye of the Church and the walkers vp and downe by some good particuler order were prohibited there is no good person that frequenteth the diuine seruice but would as wel like of it as our brethren And good preachers thâ—t are conformable and obedient to the Ecclesiasticall gouernement lawes established of the Church of England and that say their selues the prescribed forme of publike prayers and diuine seruice haue oftentimes called on the reforming of it Which if it were done yet may all this Ecclesiasticall gouernment superiority of Bishops office of Pastors administration of sacraments and prescribed forme of diuine seruice continue notwithstanding as intier and forcible as it doth And yet the body beneath of the Cathedrall Church is so separated from the Quier aboue that the actions and assemblies in the Quire neither at the seruice nor sermons nor Lectures is disturbed by any passengers beneath saue that their vnnecessary and idle walking all that while is offensiue I hope it wil be remedied But in generall for all Cathedrall Churches Collegiat Paroeciall or any other if any in laughter or brawling be lowder or vse any voluntary misdemeanor whatsoeuer in the Church especially to the disturbance of the diuine seruice or of the sermon as they were better away thaÌ„ there so there are lawes penalties already prouided for the chastisment of such disordered persons If they be not executed the fault is in the officers And me thinkes our brethren their selues would become better officers fitter to be made Church-wardens Syde-men or Sextens to look to the execution of the Lawes that in this behalfe are already made than that they can or do set downe any better new lawes to mend this matter in this their Learned discourse of Ecclesiasticall gouernement But now vppon these abuses where any such are thinking vtterly to deface our publike forme of diuine seruice they héere disclose the effect of their meaning in their former examples
also to be punished in body by the ciuil magistrate we say that the prince hath a part that a principal part euen in the very making of all these eccl lawes orders or decrees in that he maketh theÌ„ by his royall conseÌ„t to be eccl lawes orders decrees For till the princes royall assent ratifie them if there be a christian Prince so to do they be but determinatioÌ„s what should or may bee done and are indéede rather deliberations and aduisements than that they haue the vigor force of decrees and lawes So that the Prince tarryeth not as they say till the Clergy haue fully decreed it for a lawe afterward by the Ministery of their preaching they let him vnderstand what decrees and lawes they haue made then must he obserue them and binde his people vnto them punish those that offend against them but we say that they deuise them he enacteth them They say they should be he saith they shall be and so he maketh the Eccl. lawes with their aduices This is the very point that if they could they should or rather should not but woulde infringe For in this chiefely consisteth the Princes supreme authority in Eccl. matters that we defend and they thus begin to call in question But euen their owne similitude doth here beate them that they say in this respect the church most obediently submitteth her selfe vnto the Prince as a child to his nurse For if the Church doth so submit her selfe to the Prince then as the nursse doth not onely procure peace quietnes to the child in the things that are necessary for him but doth giue him suck also and nourisheth him with milke from her owne brests besides other things that she prouideth and not onely dresseth trimmeth vp the childe but also appointeth orders rules to others in the house how the child should be kept tended so the Prince in all these things not onely for quietnes safety of the church nor for ciuill honesty onely conuersation of life but also in feeding the Church with the milke of Gods word as euen the very interlineall glosse of the Papists theÌ„selues cannot shun but confes that interpretation it is so forcible against them how is this the feeding them with this milk from the Princes brests since they their selues do not Preach the word but by that authority that is in the Prince to set forth Eccl. lawes for the feeding of the people with gods word by all such other meanes besides preaching teaching ministery of the Sacraments as is competent to their princely estate that is to say by making Eccl. lawes orders decrees for the norishing and gouerning of the Church Though still in respecte the Princes are but particular persons they againe are but as the children the Pastors their nurses God their father the Church their mother And thus we graunt as mutuall meanes instruments therunto they haue on all parts this authority giuen them of god that as our brethreÌ„ say both Prince and people may honor God in this life and after this life reigne with christ euerlastingly And this is all that our Bre. say of the supreme authority of Christian Princes in Ecclesiasticall matters Thus haue wee briefely set foorth a forme of reformation touching matters Eccl. as we are throughly perswaded agreeable to the word of God as we are able to proue consenting with the example of the primitiue church building onely vpon the most sure foundation of the canonicall scriptures but intending more at large if occasion shall serue hereafter to set forth the practise consent of the godly fathers in their actes Counsels writings following the same rule and interpretation of the scripture that we haue done And thus also haue we fully throughly heard what our bre briefly or largely haue set foorth in all this their learned discourse of Eccl. gouernment for the fourme of reformation touching Ecclesiasticall matters Here therefore hauing now finished their whole discourse which in the front thereof they haue intituled A briefe and playne declaration conteyning the desires of all those faithfull Ministers that haue and doe seeke for the reformation of the Church of England They now enter into the Epilogue or small per-oration for the knitting vp of all the matters that in this learned discourse haue bene layd downe And first whereas the more to perswade the reader to beléeue them they say this forme that they haue here set forth is as they are throughly perswaded agreeable to the word of God I aunswer this is not materiall what they are or are not throughly perswaded to bee agreeable to the word of God For though in Christ we wish as wel to them as they to vs yet depende wee no more on their perswasions to themselues than they on ours to vs. But if they could haue brought or can bring any sufficient and cléere profe of matter out of the worde of GOD indeede that might perswade vs throughly thereunto If they could doe that it were very materiall and by the grace of God wee should not gaynsay it contrary to our consciences but yéeld on all hands thereunto and bee as throughly perswaded as there are But this must bee with better and firmer prooues of Gods worde than either our Bre. haue yet alledged or any other that euer I read agreeable or inclinable to their opinion For setting aside all such perswasions of men this perswasion must bee wrought with pure matter For till then they can neuer throughly perswade other to be perswaded as they bee if they their selues be indeed as they say they are throughly perswaded And although I may be somewhat easily perswaded that they are somewhat perswaded that this their forme is agreeable to Gods word yet as yet I can neither be throughly perswaded that they their selues are throughly so perswaded of this forme nor that this forme of this learned discourse let the learning in eche mans perswasion goe as it shall is either the discourse declaration or desires of all those faithfull Ministers that haue and doe seeke for the discipline and reformation of the Church of England For first they are not I think perswaded that all or any one of our Bishops and a great many if not all or the most part of vs are so perswaded either throughly or in parte or at all If they shall vtterly herein reiect all our Bishops and all vs besides onely themselues as no faithfull ministers that were too arrogant a parte in them selues and too iniurious and coÌ„tumelious to all the Ministers in the Church of England that are not throughly perswaded as they say they bee Yea this contumelie and iniurie would inâ—lude many not onely of their owne fauourers that yet are not perswaded at all in many things conteyned in this learned discourse but vtterly mislike them and will perhaps bee lesse and lesse
necessitie vnto them Or whether we will yéeld or no so that they can mooue them that haue authoritie to put this forme in practise and to seeke by lawfull and ordinarie means saie they that it maie take place that it may please God to giue it good successe at this time to be imbraced we maie fulfill the rest of our course with ioy When indéed if it should take place or that it pleased God to giue it that successe which they call good at this time or at anie time hereafter by these means which as we haue séene are neither ordinarie nor orderlie nor lawfull nor reasonable nor tending to Gods glorie nor to the churches profit nor the safetie and souereigntie of hir Maiestie nor the honour of them that haue authoritie nor to the custome or fréedome of the Parliament then should our brethren also find féele by experience the schoolemistresse as they saie of fooles though now in opinion they hope and are persuaded and would persuade vs by the Theoriks of their learned discourse otherwise that they should so little fulfill the rest of their course with ioy that they should rather consume their course with too late repentance being continuallie coursed about these matters with restlesse troubles and vexations But if our sinnes be the let that this or the like grounded vpon Gods word maie not now be receaued yet the present age maie see and iudge what is the vttermost of our desire concerning reformation which hitherto for lacke of such a publike testimoniall hath beene subiect to infinite sclanders deuised by the aduersaries of Gods truth and hinderance of godlie proceedings vnto reformation And that the posteritie maie knowe that the truth in this time was not generallie vnknowne nor vntestified concerning the right regiment of the church of GOD nor this disordred forme of ecclesiasticall gouernment which we haue receaued for the most part of poperie deliuered to our children without contradiction that our example should not be preiudiciall vnto them as the example of our godlie fathers which in this point neglected their dutie hath bene preiudiciall vnto vs. Verie well saith saint Iames chapter 4 ver 1 c. From whence are wars and contentions among you are they not hence euen of your lusts or desires that fight in your members Ye lust or desire and haue not ye enuie haue indignation and can not obtaine you fight and war and get nothing because ye aske not ye aske and receaue not because ye aske amisse that you might consume it on the things that you lust for or doe desire And euen so for our bretherens lusts and desires to haue this forme take place and be put in practise their selues haue well confessed saieng but if our sinnes bee the let that this or the like grounded vpon Gods word maie not now be receaued for their sinnes indeede be the let because the things desired and their desires and attempts thereof are full of sinnes and therfore God of his great mercie lets and stops the receauing of this forme sith it is not as they pretend to vs or persuade to themselues grounded vpon Gods word and euen therefore it might not then neither maie it now nor by the grace of God euer shall of vs be receiued at all But what is this which here they said if our sinnes be the let that this or the like grounded vpon Gods word maie not now be receaued What haue we here This indéed is a new point Are we come now after all this adoe in the finall conclusion and lapping vp of all this forme learned discourse of ecclesiasticall gouernment of all this declaration of all the desires of all the faithfull ministers what reformation of the church of England they seeke for after all this vrging prescribing protesting c. are we now come to the receauing of this or the like I had thought all this while and so they still did beare vs stoutlie in hand that they had pleaded for this forme would haue prooued that this forme of eccl gouernment which they haue here set foorth in this learned discourse had bene the true waie that they meant of reformation And now for sooth when all comes to all it is not this but it is either this or the like Aha is it but so that is another maner of matter if it be but either this or the like well then thanks be to God we haue séene alreadie what this is and what truth and force this hath caried But what is that they saie or the like for it is an old and a true prouerbe Nullum simile est idem Nothing that is the like is the same so that now if we receaue the like our brethren haue here giuen vs a flat discharge our quietus est for this and as for this we may againe giue it a free passe-port out of England so that we receaue the like for this bindeth vs not but this or the like No nor yet the like bindeth vs anie more than this But as nothing in this did before bind vs and yet had it bound vs the bands as now in the end we see were of no force yea their selues haue here vndone the bands and set vs at libertie on this condition that we haue the like so as yet we be free from this like also for what this like is that they tell not and how shall we learne it For if we looke on all the forms that anie other of our brethren doo also prescribe or on any other forme in anie other reformed church they are neither like this forme nor one like another neither is there anie hurt at all therin though they be not alike in their forms of eccl gouernment For so that they be not alike but al one and the same in all one and the same substance of doctrine faith and religion the eccl gouernment in diuers states and dominions maie differ in diuers matters and be neither the same nor yet alike without any danger to those churches themselues or anie preiudice to the churches of other princes countries and dominions But like or like not if it may not saie they be receaued yet the present age may see and iudge what is the vttermost of our desire That say I is verie hard for vs to see when their own selues are not able to determine it For although we may see these their desires that are set down in this learned discourse if they maie be rightlie termed desires and not rather prescriptions yet neither doo we see the vttermost of them nor what a number euen as in the horsse of Troie lie hidden and included in them that yet in these beginnings are not opened and God knoweth whether the present age now liuing shall see the one halfe or quarter of them especiallie of the vttermost of them Yea what an vncerteintie of their desires doo they here open to
priestes did administer it cheefely by them-selues Notwithstanding both out of the inferior orders and also out of the lay persons if they had noted any to be fit for this office they adioyned them to be ioint-laborers with thē After the same manner did the bishops and the preestes administer also the fourth part of deliuering the doctrine the which is out of the diuine bookes being expounded to exhort vnto the duties of Godlines to dissuade from sinnes and from all thinges that may on any part slacken or hinder the course of a godlie and holy life to reprehende and chide those that sinne to comfort the penitent although the bishops the priests or elders cheefly did perform this function because that it required so much the great authority 1. Tim. 5. The fift part the Catechismes they commended now to the priestes nowe to the Deacons nowe to the ministers of the inferior orders euen as euery one appeared more apt vnto this kinde of teaching And so was Origene the Catechizer at Alexandria The sixt booke of the Ecclesiasticall history of Eusebius of Caesarea Chap. 13. and 20. Also the sixt part the holy disputations they yeelded to euery one that was more apt thereto although for the most part the bishops their selues gouerned them The seuenth part priuate calling vpon admonition the byshops also studied to doe it by themselues Howbeit they alwayes exhort edeuery one of the preestes or elders and the greater of the inferiour orders to doe the same 1. Thes. 5. Therefore the readers ought to exercise the ministery of the Doctrine by reciting the diuine scriptures but the bishops by interpreting and by teaching by exhorting by disputing and by priuate calling vpon and moreouer both by reading and by catechising if that peculier readers and catechisers want Furthermore they committed the catechismes to certain Prieests and Deacons or else to those also that were chosen therunto out of the inferior orders As also they admitted out of those vnto the offices of interpreting and of teaching and of disputing whomesoeuer they found apt for these offices in what order soeuer they were of the holy ministery yet also as it is sayde out of the laity But in these offices that thing is diligentlie to bee marked that the holie ghoste did in-deede so disperse vnto them that were his men these giftes of teaching that vnto one he would giue the gift and singuler faculty of interpreting and making plain the scriptures vnto whom notwithstanding he giueth not with the like dexterity and with so happy successe to teach and confirme the points of our religion out of the diuine scriptures or also luckely to defende them in disputing But to another he giueth a peculier and notable faculty of exhorting the brethren out of the scriptures of admonishinge of reprehending and also of catechising and of priuate calling vpon vnto whom notwithstanding he giueth not to excell in other giftes of teaching This varietie of the gifts of the holy Ghost wee dayly find by triall in those that do publikely teach the people of Christ which are Christes true Churches and suffer themselues to be altogether ruled by the holy Ghoste These Churches doe religiously note what spirituall faculties are giuen to eche one in the Church and doe so much as lieth in them apply euery man to that point that appertayneth to his function Wherefore vnto the particuler parts of teaching they giue particuler ministers if so bee they finde among the men that appertaine vnto them those that are of the Lorde singularly made and furnished to the particuler office of teaching But because it is necessary for the saluation of Gods people that no part of the teaching which I haue reckoned to be 7 partes be vtterlie ouer-passed in any Church euery one of the Ministers yea and of the layty also in what place soeuer he bee placed in the Church ought to exercise so farre foorth as hee is able all these partes of teachinge both of reading and of interpreting and of teaching and of exhorting and of Catechizing and of disputing and of calling vpon See how far oure learned Brethren differ from this graue iudgement of Bucer and Zanchius for the exercise of these offices Yea euery one ought to take vpon him to him selfe so manie of these functions that are to bee administred and so much part of euery one of them as vnto howe many and to how much part of euery one hee shall perceyue himselfe to be furnished of the holy ghoste Let the example of an house orderly appointed and distributed bee considered wherein the Father of the householde about other businesses the Mother of the housholde about other the sonnes and the Daughters about other the Man-seruauntes and the Mayde-seruaunts about other Heere while all are present and in health euery one in-deede goeth about his owne office but if any of the Family bee absent or bee not in good health and there happen a necessity of some seruice eche one so runneth to helpe that necessity that often times the men goe about the womens offices and the Women the Offices of the men the Maysters the offices of the seruauntes and the seruaunts the offices of the Maysters Now as Zanchius alleageth this out of Bucer concerning the seueral and mutuall vse of the Ecclesiasticall offices in so many poynts different from these our Learned brethren and that in the allowance of the church of England so hee proceedeth Concerning also the Clericall Discipline The thirde part of the Clericall Discipline is a peculier subiection Wherein the Clearkes that are of inferior degree and Ministery doe submitte themselues to them which in order and Ministery are superior The Lorde hath taught vs this part of discipline both by his example who ordeyned his Disciples that should become the Doctours or Teachers of Gods elected throughout all the worlde by a peculier mastershippe vnto this office and by a certaine Domesticall Discipline whome the apostles imitating euery one of them also had his Disciples the which he woulde frame to exercise orderly the holy Ministery For euery more difficult function of life requireth also a peculiar perpetuall doctrine Institution and custody as we may see in the studies of phylosophy and in the military institution Which Lycurgus throughly weighing did so ordeyne the common weale of the Lacedemonians as Xenophon witnesseth that no order in the common weale shoulde be without his proper office of a master And Plato also in his Lawes and common weale requireth that nothing at all shoulde bee among the Citizens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnkept Heereupon also our Lorde when as he would haue those who are his to be so set together one with another and to cleaue together he verily putteth euery one of those that are his vnder others of whom as it were of members that are of more ample and larger spreadinge power and efficacye hee shoulde bee kept mooued and ruled The same thing hath the holye Ghoste
First that the Bishops do more than the Apostles durst do without the Churches election The second absurditie and presumption in giuing an office without a charge of a flocke Of the difference of giuing orders and offices Of the differeÌ„ce of a Constable and Church warden from the orders and office of a Minister Of the offices made in respect of a place that yet cease not their interest with the dispossession of the place VVhether the Ministerie dependeth on this or that place How our Br. were made Ministers if they be faithfull Ministers How the name and office of Minister and Pastor is not so altogether of act and esse that it admitteth not also a potentiall habilitie Of the difference of making Ministers without a flocke and liuing assigned to theÌ„ and of making Bishops without a Bishopricke The third absurditie and presumption of vagabound and wandring Ministers VVhether a Minister ceaseth to be a Minister being out of his charge VVhether the charge of the functioÌ„ or of the place be of the esseÌ„ce of the Ministerie VVhether our Ministerie smelleth of the Popish indelible charectar VVhether the Minister is to be ordeyned a new after suspensioÌ„ or excoÌ„municatioÌ„ The fourth absurditie presumptioÌ„ of making vnfit Ministers of the offence hereof and of our Br. coÌ„paring theÌ„ to Ieroboams Priestes Of the complaint hereon and the imagined excuse by necessitie Of the exercises of the Ministerie and inforcing the Ministers to studie The Accusation of other crimes ensuing for greater and lesser liuings VVhether the Popish Priesthood be allowed Of the Statute for reading the Articles and of the officers bribings Of old Sir Iohn lack latin ryding about to his Benefices to reade the Articles Of the godly meaning of the Statute and whether the Statute be not directly agaynst our Br. or no. Of the mayntenance of the two Pastors in euery Congregation besides the Doctors the Confistory of the gouernours and the Deacons in the same and of the newe transposing of all the Parishes for their prouision Of the abuses as many as any now there are creeping in when they haue all that they please Of the corruptions in the particular Synodes and visitations by Chauncelors Officials Registers Apparitors Of our generall Conuocations and their complayning of Chauncelors Lawyers in them Of the Bishops seuerall place in the Conuocation of their authoritie of prohibiting to speake in the ConuocatioÌ„ Of subscribing to the Articles confirmed in the Parliament Anno 1562. with the accusatâ—on of the Articles for grosse and palpable errors and the examination of them The accusation of the Bishops to exercise Lordship ouer the faith and to ouerrule all the Synode and how this accusation reboundeth on these newe Pastorall Bishops in their Synodes THE Synod hath further aucthority concerning discipline to reforme and redresse by Eccl. censure all such defaultes and controuersies as cannot be determined in the particular Churches As for example if the Pastor himselfe haue neede to be seuerally punished where there is but one Pastor in a church or if Elders which should be reformers of others haue notoriously misgouerned themselues or if they haue bin ledde by affection to condemne an innocent or to iustifie the vngodly in these and such like cases all contention is to be concluded by the aucthority of the Synode SO farre as is warranted by euident Scripture or is not preiudiciall to her Maiesties supreme aucthority nor to any the good orders established in the Churches Realmes of Englande and Ireland and with the lyke exception of the right interest due to euery onâ— in other states and countries I graunt this further aucthority of the Synode to reforme and redressâ— by the Eccle. censure all such faultes and controuersies as cannot bee determined in particular Churches As for the examples that here for instancies they bring in runne all vpon their former presupposalls of these pretensed Pastors and Elders Neuerthelesse by the way we may hereby perceaue that if we should set vp such presupposed Pastors and Elders as our brethren would haue we shoulde so litle be free eyther from defaultes of life or from controuersies in these or such like matters that still there would be as much adoe not onely to punish and reforme the people but euen the Pastors themselues and that seuerely and perhaps more a do also when the aucthority of the Prince Prelates and the lawes established were dissolued and dispersed to seuerall congregations or Synods than now there is Yea but saye they this might bée where there is but one Pastor in a Churche And what if there be moe Pastors in a Church than one for so woulde they haue it that there should be moe may there not fall out as greate and moe controuersies too among them twaine than where there is but one and should not the Synode punish them bothe if they were both faultie and indeede they haue shewed the examples hereof already in some places where of late the congregations haue had two of these Pastors as the saying is vnum arbustum non alit duos erythacos such contentions and part-takings haue bin betweene them that the whole congregation hath bin thereby deuided and dissolued Example that congregation which because they could not at hoame haue this Tetrarchie of Doctors Pastors Gouernors aâ—d Deacons in such manner as is here prescribed went ouer not long since into the low Countries there to enioy theÌ„ But how long agreed these their two Pastors and their other Gouernours did they not euen there also and that in short while breake foorth into such sharpe contentions that they were soone deuided into two congregations of one and at length the most part of them came home as wise or perhaps wiser than they went out being taught by experience which they saye pag. 48. is the mistresse of fooles to to repente themselues at leasure for their to quicke following of these newe deuises But may these Elders also which they say should bee reformers of others so notoriously misgouerne themselues that not only they may be lead by affection but so far lead therby as to condemne an innocent or to iustifie the vngodly it appeareth by this they may and it is not vnlikely but that as here they put the case therof before it begins so were it once begun we should fele to late the lamentable experience by the notorious misgouernments of those gouernours But say they not for remedie to preuent it for that were the best to cut it off according to the olde saying obsta principiis sâ—ro medicina paratur but for redresse when it is done as when the pate is broken to lay a plaister In these and such like cases all contention is to be concluded by the aucthority of the Synode Here is still no aucthoritie but all of the Synode And can nothing els or must none else haue aucthority to remedy these matters but a
any more than the very Papistes and the Pope graunteth and whether euen this also doe not touch these learned discoursers Of the authoritie and dealing of the auncient Princes besore Christes comming and of the Christian Princes since his comming Of our Bretherens reuerence to the auncient Christian Princes in the Romaine Empyre and in the Kingdoms of France Spayne and of this our Britanie Of the Emperours authoritie dealings in Ecclesiasticall matters in the greatest Councels and of their Ecclesiasticall sanctions Of the French Kings authoritie and dealing in the same Of the authoritie and dealings of the Kings in Spayne Of the authoritie and dealing of the Kings in England and of tâ—e Ecclesiasticall lawes of the auncient Saxon Kings Of the Princes dealing herein by the aduice of their learned Clergie and whether their aduice inferre their sole superiour authoritie Of the Princes seruice of God their father and seruing the coÌ„moditie of the Church their mother Of the testimonies of Esa 49.23 Psalm 2.11 1. Tim. 2.2 and of the Papistes and our Bretherens applying the same How farre the endes and benefites of a Prince doe stretch and how the Prince is both a childe and yet withall a foster father or Nurse vnto the Church All which being declared for the authoritie of the Prince our Bretheren make their Epilogus of all this learned discourse First concerning their owne perswasion for this prescribed forme of Ecclesiasticall gouernment to bee agreeable to Gods word and coÌ„senting to the example of the Primitiue Church And of their auouching that they be able so to proue it and of their promise that when occasion shall serue they will proue it so to bee Of their solemne protestation why in the meane tyme they set foorth this learned discourse and what they seeke herein And of the true way to reformation And of their mouing them that be in authoritie to put this prescribed forme in practise And of their offering vp their bookes hereof vnto the Parliament And how this doing is cleane contrary to the chiefest positions in this learned discourse And of renewing agayne these controuersies by disputation And of the euent of this forme if it should be embraced And of their desire that either this forme prescribed or if not this yet the like may be receiued and how vncerteyne this desire of theirs is and how we may or may not see and iudge what is the vttermost of their desires herein Of their sclaunders of the present state and that wee are the aduersaries of Gods trueth and how wee be hinderers of their proceeding to reformation And of this learned discourse to be their publike testimoniall to the present age and that the posteritie may know that the trueth in this tyme was not vnknowne nor vntestified concerning the right regiment of the Church and whether this can be knowne hereby yea or no. Of their disordered speeches agaynst our regiment of the Church and whether it be receiued of the most parte of Poperie and how this redoundeth on our Bretheren How they accuse theirs and our godly fathers of neglecting in this poynt for deliuering our Ecclesiasticall regiment to their children without contradiction and how preiudiciall they complayne that this is vnto them Last of all of their conclusion by prayer to God for the pacification of these matters AND now that we haue set forth the whole Ecclesiasticall Ministerie according to the word of God with all the dueties and authorities that perteyneth vnto it the place requireth that wee should also intreate of the authoritie of the ciuill Magistrate in matters Ecclesiasticall THankes bee giuen to God that now at length our Bretheren here confesse for I hope they say it not for a vaunt that they haue set foorth the whole Ecclesiasticall Ministerie with all the dueties and authorities that perteyne vnto it So that if now either they themselues or any other among them adde any thing or alter any thing of the dueties or of the authoritie of the Ecclesiastical Ministerie then is either this or that conuinced not to bee the whole Ecclesiasticall ministerie nor all the dueties and authorities that perteyne vnto it as here they say this is But we haue seene in perusing this their learned discourse in how many things and those of moment materially perteyning to the Ecclesiasticall ministerie and to the dueties and authorities of the same how they haue often altered and varied one from another and runne into playne contradictions besides a number of other and other manner of poyntes that I could gather and set downe and GOD willing shall at large if our Bretheren shall call for them onely now I note a fewe of those that this learned discourse hath led me vnto And therefore either their other discourses or this their learned discourse is not altogether as here they say according to the word of God And now sith that they haue discoursed and set foorth the whole and all that they could or would for their Ecclesiasticall ministerie and all the dueties and authorities perteyning vnto it I beseech thee which art the Protestant reader hereof in the feare of God bearing thy selfe euen indifferently as to those that on either parte though dissenting in these matters the one from the other yet in the substance of Religion and vnitie of faith are both of vs thy deare and true Bretheren in Christ because wee on either hand may fauour too much our owne parties and be caried away in the heate of our disputes that thou wilt vouchsafe so neere as God shall giue thee grace and an vnderstanding heart to bee a true Iudge and an vpright vmpeere betweene all them God knowes who and how many that call them selues all the faithfull ministers that seeke for the discipline and reformation of the Church of England on the one partie and euen poore myne owne selfe God wotte in this action on the other partie and betweene their learned discourse as they intitle it of Ecclesiasticall gouernment and my vnlearned as I confesse and course aunswere thereunto setting aside for the whyle all fauour and partialitie which disturbe a cleere iudgement euen as GOD shall helpe thee and be thy true Iudge and so I commit and commend it to Gods good speeding and to thy indifferent reading weighing and iudging of it And here now when our Bretheren haue thus to the full discoursed on the whole Ecclesiasticall ministerie and all the dueties and authorities that perteyne vnto it at length they begin to finde some leisure to bethink themselues of the Christian Prince and to giue him yet some remaynder at least in the last lapping vp of all this learned discourse So that if the Christian Princes haue not the blessing before hande so plentifully powred foorth as vppon Iacob to haue the dewe of heauen and fatnesse of the earth and to bee Lordes ouer their Bretheren and honoured of their mothers children yet as one borne out of tyme as
both the best and best learned of them haue consulted vppon and consented vnto haue agreed vpon and decreed also the same lawes that yet it shall not be lawfull to her Maiestie bycause of the dissent of a few other whome she knoweth not to be her Pastors to make any lawes at all of Ecclesiasticall matters or to looke to the reformation of religion why might not the Papists vse this reason as well as our Brethren to debarre her Maiesties right and authoritie héerein yea did not they vse the selfe-same reason pleading that they were the Pastors of the Realme and so her Maiesties Pastors also and that she could not looke to the reformation of Religion nor make lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall contrarie to their knowledge and consenting for at her Maiesties first entrie into her raigne as she carefully looked before all other things to the reformation of Religion and to make godly lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters so the Popish Pastors which then were most in number and greatest in power and were in dutie her Pastors also if they had perfourmed their dutie dutifully which they did not neyther can we denie but that they or many of them were learned also if they had had grace aunswerable to learning and had submitted their learning to truth and not deteyned others in blindnesse of ignorance to mainteine their errors was it not lawfull therefore vnto her Maiestie to looke to the reformation of religion and to make lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall bycause it was contrarie to their acknowledging and to their consenting yes she perfourmed all this mawger their withstanding and she did well yea most excellent well in her so doing not yet as the Papists cried out and still crie that she did contrarie to the knowledge of her learned Pastors for they accounted none to be learned Pastors nor at all to be Pastors but themselues But her Maiestie did these things with the consent of those that were both Pastors and her Pastors too and her learned Pastors and euen by learning it was tried and by the better learning of her better learned Pastors vicit veritas the truth had the victorie and Poperie was confounded And so her Maiestie made her lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters and reformation of Religion with the consent of her learned Pastors and established them with the approbation and authoritie of all the states of the Realme and Church of England and hath God be praysed happily continued till now of late as though we had not inough to do with the continuall maligning sclaunders and practises of the Popish Pastors and their adherents we fall out vnhappily among our selues and as her Maiesties godly and learned Pastors ioyned then with her Maiestie against the Popish Pastors in displacing them with all their errors and superstitious Ecclesiasticall lawes and reformed religion and made these lawes Ecclesiasticall that are now as yet in force so a new kinde of Pastors begin a new stur and are weary of these Ecclesiasticall lawes and of this reformation and of all these Pastors calling themselues the faithfull Ministers that seeke the reformation of the Church of England and would trie these matters againe by learning and so among other theyr bookes writings thereon haue now at length set forth to all the realme this learned discourse of Ecclesiasticall gouernment and her Maiestie must now reuoke all the reformation and Ecclesiasticall lawes that she hath then and since made with her learned Pastors that then were and begin afresh both to turne out all those Pastors for no right ordeyned Pastors and to make new lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters and a new reformation with their consents that say they be now her learned Pastors and on these conditions they wil admit her title of supremacy and her authority to do these things or else not If her Maiesty now shall heare of this what may she thinke thereon how may she comfort her selfe and warrant her actions in all things that she hath done already for if they were well done they may well continue if they may not well continue but must be vndone it is an argument they were not well done But her Maiesty though this be no small grief vnto her to haue all her doings thus ript vp againe by her owne subiects and professors of the same Gospell that she professeth and though it be no small triumph to the aduersaries of the Gospell and argument for them to descant vpon against her Maiestie and against both our Brethren and vs and all true Protestants yet let not her most excellent Maiesty be disinayed hereat though indéede it be a great corsie but when her Maiesty looketh on the grounds of the matter and not on the vnthankfulnes and mutabilitie of men and lifteth vp her eyes to heauen from whence commeth her saluation how mightely God hath blessed and defended her and prospered these things vnder her hands her Maiesty shall receyue a greater comfort and confirmation against all the treasonable practises of those her deadly aduersaries of the one partie and all the dangerous innouations of these her ouer-zealous subiects on the other party and represse them both in iustice and mercie with safe continuance and good successe God willing of all her Maiesties reformation and lawes that she hath made of Ecclesiasticall matters hetherto with the knowledge and consent of those that then were or yet are her learned Pastors And except these our new Pastors that would be haue any better learning not yet reuealed than is conteyned in this their learned discourse the learned Pastors that are now in place and in Pastorall authoritie will by Gods grace maynteyne and defende by truth and sound learning their authorities and the Ecclesiasticall lawes that her Maiesty hath made with their knowledge consents welynough I warrant them And let our Brethren to begin withall looke to this point better For sith they graunt it is her Maiesties authoritie to make Lawes of Eccl. matters so that she take from the Pastor none of these 3. offices Preaching Ministring the Sacraments nor the Eccl. Gouernment from them the Queenes Maiestie hauing made her Lawes without doing any of these thrée thinges nor hauing taken from the Pastor the thirde any more then the two first Let them looke to it both how they disobey the Lawes she hath made and how they cast foorth such suspitious sclaunders on her Maiestie as though in making her Lawes she did take the Pastors Ecclesiasticall gouernment from him By this it appeareth howe farre it is lawfull for Princes to intermeddle with causes Ecclesiasticall namely that it is the cheefest point of their duty to haue speciall regard that God may be glorified in their dominion and therefore they ought to make ciuill Lawes to binde the people vnto the Confession of the true fayth and the right administring and receiuing of the sacraments and to all Ecclesiasticall orders that they being instructed by the worde of God through the
same Guthrune and Allfred had before made but belike not till then sette foorth which lawes were these Before all thinges they enact that one God onely should be honorably and holily worshipped dispising and renouncing all the barbarous worship And then because they certainely knewe that many would not be kept in the boundes of their dutie nor obey the Eccl. discipline without them they prouided humane lawes to be written out and they sette forth the lawes pertayning to Christe in common together with the lawes pertayning to the king that by these the rashnes of them might be restrayned that would not obey the commandements of the Bishop This therefore did they first decree That the peace of the Church within her walles and that the tranquillitie which is deliuered by the hande of the king should be kept godly and inuiolably And so they procéede against them that forsake the Christian fayth Against eccl persons that robbe the Churches that fight or periure themselues or commit fornication c. And against incest If anie being condemned desire to confesse himselfe to the Priest that all doo-earnestly and diligently promote all the lawes of God c. For payment of tithes for the money â—hat then was payde to Rome called the Peter pence for the Church lightes for the plowe almes or as I take it almes giuen by the rate of their plow lande and if any Dane denied or suppressed the diuine rightes or duties Of them that doe their businesses on the Lordes daye of fastinges And iudiciall swearinges on the festiuall dayes and against witches Of those that are entred into orders and are deceaued of their goods Next of these are the lawes of Ethelstane I Ethelstane the king by the prudent Counsell of the Arch-bishop Vlfhelme and of other my Bishoppes doe verie straightly charge and commaunde all the Gouernours that are in my dominion by the holie diuine powers of God and of all the Saintes and for my loue that I beare to them that before all other thinges they paye the iust and due tenthes or tythes of that that is mine owne in proper as well of liuing beastes as of the yearely profites comming of the earth which thing besides mee euerie one of my Bishops Senators and Gouernors shall do c. After Athelstane followeth Edmunde In the solemne feast of Easter king Edmunde did celebrate at London a great assembly as well of the Ecclesiasticall persons as of the Laye in the which were present Oda and the Arch-bishop Wolstane and many other Bishops to consult about the health of their soules and all them that they had care of First they that haue entred into holy orders and of whom the people of God ought to require the example of vertue to followe the same they shall leade their life chastly as the reason of their order shall suffer be they men or women which thing if they shall not doe they shall be punished according to the rules of their orders that is to witte they shall forfeit all their earthly possessions so long as they liue and beeing dead they shall not be buried with holy buriall except that they amended their manners Euery Christian shall religiously pay their tythes and the first fruites of their seedes and the money that is due for the plowe almes He that payeth it not let him be accursed Euerie Bishop at his owne charges shal repaire the house of God and may admonish the king that the other Churches may be decently adorned which is a very necessary matter Whosoeuer forswere themselues or make any barbarous sacrifices except they repent and amend their minde the sooner they shall for euer be debarred of all the diuine seruices I Edmund the King to all that are in my Dominion and power yong and olde doe clearely signify that I haue earnestly inquired of the moste skilfull of my kingdome in the assembly as wel of the Ecclesiasticall as lay persons by what meanes Christendome might be moste aduaunced and it seemed best vnto vs all that we should nourish loue and mutuall good will amongst vs through out all our Dominions for we are all wearie of these continuall fightinges And therefore we ordeyne in this manner And so hee procéedeth to Lawes for these matters After this follow the Lawes of Edgar The Lawes which Edgar the King decreed in the great Senate God to loue and him-selfe to preserue and to benefite all his Lordship or Dominion And so hee also procéedeth to the making of Lawes Eccl. Of the rightes immunities and tithes of the Church Of the manner of their tything to them that haue a place of buriall in the Church Of the times when the tythes of all sortes are due to payde of the Penie to Rome out of euery house Of the Feast dayes and fastings And then he commeth to humaine and politike Lawes Thus did all these Saxon Kinges with the aduice of their Bishops Cleargy make as well Ecclesiasticall Lawes as temporall with the aduice of the Lordes and other their officers temporall And this they did their selues and by their owne authoritie and not onely allowed of that which the Bishops and Cleargie before had decreed All which I alleage not to allowe of all those their Ecclesiasticall decrees for many of the thinges especially in the Kings following were full of superstition and error as by Gods permission the blindnesse of the time then was but I note them onely for the point in question of the Princes authoritie not onely in making Ciuill Lawes for Ecclesiasticall matters but in making Lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters and so in making Ecclesiasticall Lawes themselues And thus it continued heere in Englande till the Danes got the Kingdome Neither did Canutus the Dane take vpon him any whit lesse the dealing in Ecclesiasticall matters than the Saxon Kings had done but rather sheweth it more liuely than all the other as appeareth in the collection of his Lawes as well Ecclesiasticall as temporall The decree that Canutus King of the English men of the Danes and of the Norwayes to the loue of God to his own ornament and to the profit of his people enacted at Winchester on the feast of Mid wintertide or the natiuitie of Christe First that all men shall through out all ages honourablie and aboue all other thinges worship one God And holde religiously the onely Christian religion and loue the king Canutus with all fidelitie and obseruaunce Let vs maintain the temple of God with Godly continuall peace let vs all often frequent it both for the health of our soules and for the encrease and profite of other things for the onely peace of Christ comprehendeth all the Churches and therefore it is meete that all Christians holde the Church in greate worship and honour For the peace of God ought to bee desired and retayned aboue other thinges And next after that the kings peace ought to bee
say wee are not able so much as to knowe them No nor yet their owne Consistorie gouernors able to knowe them but onely the teachers and preachers of the same to all others And what will they then allowe to vs If the Parliament heare this man speake thus may they not thinke that man speaketh reasons and that there was little reason in troubling them continually with those matters in the Parliament house whereof they may not according to the libertie of that most honorable assemblie speake their mynds in reuerent maner pro contra freely and no man debarred of his speech or iudgement or els the house would better aduise themselues how they permitted such fellowes to come among them or to bring in such billes or bookes among them of which they must be restrained of their libertie both of speech and iudgement Yea what if now another waxing bolder in the Parliament house would tell these faithfull ministers that the matters conteyned in this learned discourse being Ecclesiasticall matters were to be consulted vpon and determined by those that were the Bishops Pastors of the Realme and Church of England and that they had a Conuocation Synodall assemblie among themselues and that they must go to them and be tryed by theÌ„ and bee as well content to submit themselues to the determination of the Bishops and Pastors lawfully and orderly there assembled as they would to haue it tryed in the ParliameÌ„t if they were all such Eccl. persons as were the other And that if they would flee froÌ„ their owne coate Eccl. company to such as were but ciuill and politick persons saue that they were ChristiaÌ„s as other of the people were they should giue an ill example preiudice their matters and make themselues and their bookes to be more mistrusted as not daring to abide the censure of the chifest professors of those matters Tractent fabrilia fabri Ecclesiasticall matters to be tryed by Ecclesiasticall persons And that this is according to their owne â—ositions For who should be able to knowe at least wise who ought better to knowe what order comelinesse and edification requireth according to Gods worde than they that be teachers and preachers of the same vnto all others For it is absurd that they should be taught by such in these small things and much lesse in greater things as ought to learne the trueth of them in all matters And therfore go to theÌ„ and let theÌ„ determine those controuersies If our Bretheren shall heare this tale and their owne words thus duelie returned on themselues may they not then thinke they haue well helped themselues by putting vp these matters to the Parliament And if the Parliament should aunswer them thus should they not aunswer theÌ„ aright But if now they had rather reuoke some of their positions giue the ParliameÌ„t authority to deale herein than to haue them be determined by the Bishops what on the other side would they haue the Parliament do without the authoritie of the Prince Yea how chaunce they put not vp their bookes writings first to her Maiestie mooue her first for if they accounted her Maiestie indeed the supreme gouernor of all persons in al her dominions in all causes so wel Eccl. as temporall would they haue the Parliament decree those things without her Maiestie Or the Parliament wherof her Maiestie is the supreme gouernor to determine these things without any debating of them Or if they should be debated vpoÌ„ who should rather do it theÌ„ the Clergie And haue not al that haue bin assembled together alreadie both the Bishops the whole Conuocation consulted debated and determined alreadie on the matter And if they would haue her Maiestie the Parliament to deale further therein haue they not done that also Hath not her Maiestie ratefied and authorized al their articles that the Conuocation agreed vpon And hath not the whole Parliament also approued allowed so ratefied and confirmed al the Communion booke besides the acknowledgement of her Maiesties supremacie all the articles agréed and decréed vpon all or the most or chéefest of the lawes and orders Eccl. now standing in force and established amongst vs And would they haue them reuoke cancell all that they haue doone in these matters or what else would they haue the Parliament herein to doo If they offer to dispute of these matters either before the whole Parliament or before anie by the Parliament deputed to heare the disputation betwéene vs of these controuersies doo they hope to dispute better and with more deliberat iudgement of that they shall saie ex tempore than that they haue with aduisement written or can write thereon or that we can dispute woorse or not so well as they persuade themselues they can Or doo they thinke as Aeschines said Quid si ipsam belluam andissetis they shall better persuade and mooue the hearers of them more by their liuelie spéeches than by their learned writings and so win it that waies Verelie wée refuse no waie what it shall please our most gratious souereigne and hir most honorable counsell or the high court of Parliament to appoint if that would serue the turne for anie further triall of renewing neuer so often these matters by disputing and calling them in question againe and againe for God be praised in so good a cause we néed not feare the euent they that could so win the garland let them weare it But we maie easilie sée before the disputation shall begin that all this would not serue their turne in these controuersies which the word of God hath not expreslie decided but in generalitie referred to these thrée heads comlinesse order aedification Who shall iudge and determine of our disputation they haue before hand debarred the prince and all that are not teachers and preachers and both the parties in controuersie are teachers and preachers and they saie it were no reason that we being the parties in controuersie on the one side though we be teachers and preachers should be determiners iudges what is comlinesse order and edifieng in these things and maie not we saie the same to them againe that they being also parties in controuersie on the other side though they be teachers and preachers it is no reason that they should be determiners and iudges what is comlinesse order and aedifieng in these things and when shall then these matters be iudged and determined Except we would yéeld to them or they would yéeld to vs or both to some other as to hir maiesty and the ParliameÌ„t But if they shall so doo they should conuince themselues before hand that the forme is vntrue and false which they haue alredie before hand not onlie auowed to be true but so determined alredie and so before hand peremptorily prescribed both to vs and to the Parliament to the Quéens maiestie also that we must all yéeld of