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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19461	A modest and reasonable examination, of some things in vse in the Church of England, sundrie times heretofore misliked and now lately, in a booke called the (Plea of the innocent:) and an assertion for true and Christian church policy, made for a full satisfaction to all those, that are of iudgement, and not possessed with a preiudice against this present church gouernment, wherein the principall poynts are fully, and peaceably aunswered, which seeme to bee offensiue in the ecclesiasticall state of this kingdome. The contentes whereof are set downe in the page following.	Covell, William, d. 1614?	1604 (1604)	STC 5882; ESTC S108881	174,201	234

A Modest and reasonable examination of some things in vse in the Church of England sundrie times heretofore misliked and now lately in a Booke called the Plea of the Innocent and an Assertion for true and Christian Church policy made for a full satisfaction to all those that are of iudgement and not possessed with a preiudice against this present Church Gouernment wherein the principall poynts are fully and peaceably aunswered which seeme to bee offensiue in the Ecclesiasticall State of this Kingdome The Contentes whereof are set downe in the Page following By William Couell Doctor of Diuinitie Eccles. Chap. 3.1 The children of wisedome are the Church of the righteous and their ofspring is obedience and loue AT LONDON Printed by Humfrey Lownes for Clement Knight and are to be solde at his shop at the Signe of the holy Lambe in Saint Paules Churchyard 1604. The Contents of this Booke Chap. 1 KIngs and Princes haue authoritie and ought to haue care for the Church gouernment page 1 2 The Church visible of all other Societies is fittest to haue a Discipline but neuer the same that some men desire page 13 3 The Censure of a booke called The Plea of the Innocent pa. 25 4 The proceeding of the Reformers wholly vnlawfull pag. 32 5 Of Contention pag. 46 6 Of Ceremonies pag. 55 7 Of Subscription pag. 75 8 Of Discipline pag. 94 9 Of Archbishops and Bishops pag. 103 10 Of Ministers their Office and learning pag. 124 11 Of the maintenance of Ministers and of Tithes pag. 142 12 Of Non Residencie Pluralities and Dispensations pag. 159 13 Of publike prayer and of the defectes supposed to be in the Liturgie of the Church of England pag. 174 14 Of Tolleration of diuers Religions and how farre dissenting opinions from the true Christian faith may and ought to bee permitted in one and the same Kingdome pag. 196 15 An humble conclusion to his sacred Maiestie and the Right Honorable Lords of his Highnesse priuie Councill together with the rest whom it may concerne to defend this Church page 206 Deo omnis Potestas Gloria To the Right Honourable and most Reuerend father in God c. my verie good Lord the Lord Bishop of LONDON ⸫ THe word Right honorable is in great trauell with much euill when she shall be deliuered he onely knoweth who measureth al times with his hand and before whose eye lieth open that bottomlesse aeternitie it selfe The faces of Kingdomes and States according to the prosperitie and aduersitie of the Church amongest them sometimes looke heauily and sometimes chearfully as refreshed with more good Man whose Reason and Religion serueth to number these things feeleth in himselfe a true diuinitie manifested by that pure ambition of being greater than hee yet can bee whilest notwithstanding in the sence and feare of these things hee stoopeth as to a burthen that is too heau●e Religious and mature wisedome the safest builders of true greatnesse assureth men in prouidence to preuent the worst things or at least by foresight growing familiar with thē teacheth how to beare them with much patience fewe Kingdomes there are which haue not eyther more scarres in the Church not fully cured or else greater signes of greater insuing euils than our owne I am loth to be thought to flatter a fault whereunto I am not vsually subiect and a thing needlesse being the greatest hatred from the greatest loue which euerie beareth to himselfe but I may say truly and I doubt not but what I say the world thinketh the greatest part of this good next our dread Souereigne is now without enuie bee it spoken your owne The consideration whereof hath made me out of that infinite loue and duty which I owe to his Grace being dead and your Honour yet aliue to dedicate these labours to you both in the defence of that Church which truth experience her aduersaries haue proued for gouernment the most absolute since the Apostles time That it is vndertaken by me is the greatest disaduantage to this cause that it is continued and daily receiueth strength from authority is amongst infinite blessings the greatest and most vnspeakable of this Church I haue dealt as your Honour well knoweth in this cause with a threefolde disaduantage one that it hath so fully beene handled by so many of great learning heretofore so that at this time a defence was rather requisite to tell those that hope for alteration that our Church is still of the same iudgement and spake not heretofore onely to please that State a second is that the things disliked are not differences of any great learning seeing wee deale with aduersaries whose chiefest hope dependeth vpon the allowance of vnlearned followers so that Demonstrations of reason are more requisite than proofes from authoritie Last of all they are a generation apt and skilfull to speake euill I haue carefully and according to my naturall disposition auoided all occasion that might prouoke them to it yet I looke for no other neither by the grace of God so that this paines may benefit the Church do I much care the strongest tyrant of things and men is fancy the truest gouernour Religion hallowed follies when they are vnmasked are but at the best the weake opinions of simple men of whom notwithstanding if they had learned humilitie and obedience this Church might haue much vse your Lordship is besides that particular duty and thankefulnesse which I owe vnto you executor of his Testament and Inheritour of his vertues that was the true owner and possessor of these labours which if it please your Honour to accept with their vnworthie Author into your more priuate and inward affection It shall bee my happinesse to be your seruant and their credit by your Lordships meanes to doe seruice to this Church Thus in the assurance of this hope crauing pardon for my boldnesse I humbly take my leaue desiring God to blesse you with all Graces fit for so high a place and with contentment and long life to my singular comfort and the especiall benefit of this Church May 27. 1604. Your Lordships in all dutie WILLIAM COVELL To the Christian Reader IF the immoderate desire of reformation in some men had not extended it selfe further than eyther Religion or reason would wel permit and especially at that time when thankfulnesse exacted from vs all something like a Sabbath for that blessed Rest continued to this Church by the meanes of our dread Souereigne this cause and some others not yet published had with their vnworthy authors slept in a long and a charitable silence and whereas the miraculous blessings bestowed and continued vpon this land could no otherwise rightly be vnderstood than the true effectes of that Church which was planted in it seeing as S. Ambrose saith That is Charitie to be expected that is Charitie greater than the Empire if that faith bee inuiolate which preserueth the Empire I thought it vnfit to let these men vnderstand that

to auoide tumults if their number were dangerous like the Nouatians in S. Chrisostomes time It were lawfull conuenient for the Gouernors of the Church to be at peace with them the ecclesiasticall authoritie ayming at this scope rather to build than to pull downe Concerning the fourth which only doo or seeme to erre in some point that commeth not so far to be thought an heresie doubtlesse a greater moderation is befitting such and violent condemnations are vnlawfull vntill both haue bene heard with indifferēt tryal Inuectiues alienations of minde partaking such like are both scandalous to the Church enemies to peace and in the end are little auaileable to find the truth It were fit al to be of one mind vntil more warrātable proceedings might resolue our doubts let vs therfore as many as be perfect be thus minded if ye be otherwise minded God shal reueile euen the same vnto you after this whosoeuer he is that seeketh further hauing found a truth laboureth but with paines to inuēt an error Their diligence if it were vpright the church cold not refuse of whom now it is like shee may say as one doth of the accusers of Priscillian their desire to ouerthrowe Heretikes I could not reprehend if they had not contended more thā was fitting to ouercōe What mildnes they haue vsed we take it as the speech of the Donatists who as S. Austin reporteth said they wold not be cruel but I think they could not no mā coūteth that beast meekest which hurteth not bccause teeth claws are denied him but if any man be ignorant and desire to know what courses haue beene taken with these men whom we cannot defend and the state of our Church hath supposed to erre whilst ouer eagerly they haue sought a Reformatiō of some things we are content for defence of our selues in not yeelding to all which they demanded of vs and most earnestly frō the purified example of some other Church to let them know that the Church of England being to enter into a considetion of those lawes which were thought fit to bee altered concerning matter of Religion knew by experience both at home and abroad that howsoeuer the best humane lawes haue much imperfection annexed to them yet ouergreat or ouerspeedy alteration could neither argue much wisedome nor be thought safe For to alter lawes of continuāce and especially in this kinde must needs with the common sort Impaire and weaken the force of those grounds whereby lawes are esteemed to haue greatest strength For if we haue neither voyce from heauen the ground of the first alteration in the Apostles time that pronounceth them fit to be thus chaunged neither sentence of wise men built vpon manifest euil nor cleare proofe that they in whose hands it is to alter them may likewise infallibly euen in hart and conscience iudge them so vpon necessitie to vrge alteration is without necessitie to trouble and to weaken the whole stare But such is the lot of all that deale in publike affaires whether of Church or commonwealth that which men list to surmise of their doings be it good or ill they must before hand arme their minde to indure it with much patiēce Now if it were a fault in the Church of Rome through a loue to some thing that is harmles obstinately to maintaine what is not lawfull had it not been an Imputation to our church frō the dislike of those things which were neither warrantable nor iust to proceede to an alteration of such as in the iudgement of the best vndoubtedly were both But when experience shal haue showed the seueral fruits of both kinds of reformatiō as well moderate with vs as violent rigorous and extreame in other Churches it is the voice of truth wil expresse it selfe euen from their consciences we are they that haue hindered the happinesse of the Church of England for the way of peace haue we not knowne In the meane while not to aduise those whose authoritie is powerfull and their wisedome excellent wee canne but wish suspence of iudgement and exercise of charitie to those that doe thinke otherwise adutie much safer and seemelier for Christian men than the ouer hote and violent pursuit of these controuersies wherein they that are most feruent to dispute be not alwaies the most able to determine now for the last of those which we tearmed professours of Religion in a sound manner as honor and respect is their merit so doubtlesse in this Kingdome at this time if they be humble obedient and patient they can want neither Thus much we haue written not that we take vpon vs either to prescribe vnto the Prince what he may or to direct the State what they ought to performe in this case but plainely to deliuer our owne weake opinion which very willingly in all humilitie we submit to the Censure of this Church An humble conclusion to his Sacred Maiestie and the right Honorable Lords of his Highnes priuie Counsell together with the rest whom it may concerne to defend this Church CHAP. V. IT is not the least happines to a kingdome if it be not of temporal felicities the greatest to haue a King euery way so inabled that euerie mans particular case is like enough to come to his particular view for nature hath made all men to beare with greater moderatiō that done which proceedeth from those who doe and ought to gouern than frō others grace euen that grace that cōmeth frō aboue hath inspired a greater feeling of each mans particular want a better vnderstanding of some mens eminent worthines than can be expected from those how wise soeuer who act but the parts of politicke men in the habits of obedient and moderate aduisers where it is like no man will be ouerforward to benefit any priuate man two much seeing the commendation of whatsoeuer is well done must of necessitie be equally diuided amongst many neither hath vertue howe well soeuer deseruing in all kingdomes found alwaies that equal fauour at vertuous mens hands which both she might haue expected in reason was due vnto her because a timorous disposition in al maketh euery man feare that nothing can be added to another mans greatnes which must needs serue at the length to make his seeme lesse because of lesse vse Now the greatest burden vpon earth Gracious and right Honorable next the burden of a troubled conscience lyeth as ye well know vpon his shoulders who gouerneth a Nation rich wise valiant and by reason of all these peraduenture proud surely howsoeuer wisemen haue thought all authoritie a care because many must of necessitie want many helpes both to relieue things past to satisfie things present to preuent things to come which no man without care can doe and few with it yet surely ouer those who are either simple or poore or seruile or cowardly the gouernment cannot be troublesome seeing he commandeth those ouer whom a litle reasō is much

weaknes feare haue denied thē libertie to examine what is well or ill done this alone made that easie passage of the Portingales and the Spaniards into the Indiaes which against a nation of lesse wealth or circuit furnished with more vnderstanding had doubtles been vnpossible if the forces of both kingdomes had been vnited such is the willingnes to resist in the defence of auncient libertie where the reason of man by ciuill education hath power to discern the qualitie of that which it doth defende But in those who are of a contrarie nature will dare to do much because they would seeme not to vnderstand little there to take a Crowne is to take a heauie burdē to gouerne is to rule men where euerie particular danger of moment must haue a remedie vnlesse they will hazard by the contēpt of some few the ruine of the whole state this consideration made Dioclesian who was neither the best nor the happiest that euer gouernd thinke truely that there was nothing harder than to rule well For if they shall either commit all to others which no King whose Nation was happie euer did or take all vpon themselues in both they shall finde if not equall yet the like certaine vnresistable danger therfore well said Saturninus to those that put on his kingly ornamēts frends ye know not what an euil it is to rule many dāgers hang ouer our heads for where in other cases feare maketh mē watch in this men vsually feare those that watch ouer them I know not a better securitie in this for the kingdom God make vs all thankefull that it hath beene our happines than a good Prince nor for the Prince than a good Counsell nor for all than profitable and religious lawes These only are left vppon earth from men to be the strength and supporters to those that Rule ouer greate Kingedomes It is true which Tacitus saith that the most weightie labours of a Prince stand in need of the greatest helps therefore as tyrāts in al ages haue loathed nothing so much as good counsaile bestowing the greatest honors riches the iust recōpence of vertue vpon the worst persons whose vices serued only to make them forget thēselues and to ruinate the kingdome ouer which they gouernd so the best wisest haue euer made choise of such as were fit to be eies eares nay tongues hands all to be imployed for the common good for seldome saith one shall we see great men not to haue the assistance of great Counsaile to gouerne a great fortune nay there cannot be in a Prince a greater argument of wisedome nor a greater safetie to the Church and the common-wealth than in making his choice of a wise Councill some are of opinion that the chiefest reason why Rome florished so long was principally this because they that gouernd her followed not their owne but the Counsaile of the whole Senate Neither saith Augustus could any of these thinges meaning the troubles of his house that break out haue happened vnto me if Agrippa or Maecenas two wise Counsellours had now liued for doubtles there is not a better instrument of a happie kingdome than a wise and vertuous Counsellour who not vnfitly may be tearmed as Tacitus calleth him the ornament of peace Surely no lesse necessarie to a state that would florish than the soule to a bodie that would liue The consideration of this happines at this time maketh both the Church the Cōmonwealth dread Souereigne right honorable Lords to cast themselues at your feet and to lay open before your eyes the daungers which they feare without your gracious assistāce may fall vpon them And howsoeuer many other things of vse moment are like wheeles in this kingdome to stirre at your Honors motion yet Religion it selfe in the habit of the Church Religion that hath infinitely blest you this kingdome doth earnestly intreat that against all her enemies publike or priuate shee may rest florish and be fruitfull by your meanes and howsoeuer the Common-wealth may now be an humble suppliāt for redresse of those grieuances that offend her yet aboue all other the Church had most cause to feare that the time of a second consultation either through violence importunitie and sleight might haue beene fatall to her or that the contempt of his voyce in the dayes of peace might haue in iustice procured a scourge from the almightie to cause her to remember whom shee had despised the seuerall times for all states either to vse or to knowe their strength are peace and warre and the two professions that are the safetie of both are the militarie and the gowne It is no small care nor wisedome for a Realme to knowe when and with whom to fight and to thinke not onely vpon defence which were enough had it as much honor as safetie but vpon victorie surely in a kingdome carelesse of these men the King may oftener fight than ouercome and in his best successe peraduenture be more beholding to fortune than to his good Counsaile who surely of all other howsoeuer the warre be ended is most innocent and furthest from all blame yet it is strange to see how all men lay the faults of their inconsiderate folly rather vpon any thing than vpon themselues So that ignorance of true causes giuing the name to fortune men are willing to hide that with obscuring the cause calling it chaunce which only proceeded frō their want of Counsaile which wheresoeuer it is it leaueth no power either in peace or warre vnto that which they call Fortune I confesse sometimes there is a higher cause that Iustice which our sins awake which taketh strength from the best meanes and maketh the errors of Princes their Counsell the foundatiō of publike calamities but our purpose is not at this time to pleade for any other sauing onely for this Church for the happinesse whereof it seemeth that good lawes heretofore haue not beene so much wanting to vs as wee to them In penall lawes surely there is the greatest wisedome of those that make them and the greatest presumption of those that breake them so that for the safetie of all states but especially of the Church there are few things of greater aduantage thā the seueritie of Iustice in the strict execution of penall lawes for it is straunge that some inconueniences should first cause them seeme fit to be made and no disorder make them seeme necessarie to be obserued I thinke no other reason can be giuen but this that those lawes doe hire men with halfe the allowance to be informers which makes that good seruice to the commonwealth only in that respect odious as being not the effect of iustice and zeale but the vnconscionable desire of some couetous promoter the best remedie in this will be to referre the benefit of these to some publike vse for it is meete that vertue be maintained from the penaltie of vice and that

such be seruants to the state in the executiō of these lawes as are furthest from partialitie and pittie yet least to be suspected for vnsatiable desiring of their own gaine But there is a greater defect in most kingdomes wherein this Church is an humble suter to your Highnesse that it would please your Grace a thing absolutely hoped for at your Maiesties hands as well to reward those that deserue well as to punish those that are dangerous to the Church or the commonwealth doubtlesse there is no politike consideration of greater vse in a kingdome that all parts of it may florish than the iust bestowing of these two reward and punishment seeing they are the spurre and the bridle absolutely requisit for the right commanding of a whole Realme And surely it is a great question whether to the happinesse of a state it be safer to want punishment for the euill or rewards for the vertuous But seeing all kingdomes haue greater feeling and can better iudge of what is euill than well done therefore punishments are by the lawe due to the one whereas the other is many times a matter of great suit fauour and sometimes of infinite corruption which the best and most worthy obseruing they are in al likelihood furthest from being preferred because least subiect to such corruption It was an Honorable farewell the last Deanry that was giuen by Queene Elizabeth Honorab●e to him that procured it freely as I heard of his owne motion Honorable to him that had it without al corruptiō neither in acquitting of him do I condēn al others and most Honorable to her who no sooner heard of a man worthy but was most willing to preferre him There are few things of a greater aduantage to the Church than to haue the eyes of the Prince if sometimes his occasions diuert him otherwise drawne to looke at men of very speciall and singular deserte who peraduenture are neither so corrupt so fortunate so seasonable so well frended nor indeed so any thing sauing only worthy that they can obtaine that which men of farre meaner deserts if not easily yet commonly doe And surely for vs of the Church there is not out of the Vniuersitie excepting the Kings Chappell a better stand for the nobilitie to take ●ew of such than the Sermons at Pauls Crosse this being sincerely lookt at vertue shall haue incouragment to take paines because vertuous paines shall be sure to haue recompence a thing where it wanteth that want must of necessitie fill all places with the worst and the worst disposed So shall men that are worthy and very excellent be preferred either slowly or not at all whilst euery ignorant vnhonest vnprofitable flatterer shall depart loaden with the best preferments the due recompence that belongs to vertue for redresse whereof I dare not take vpon me to aduise only I wish that they especially the Honorable and reuerend Bishops Fathers of the Church who haue any stroake in the disposition of such preferments as appertaine vnto learned men would be thinke themselues what it is to respect any thing either aboue or besides merit considering as one well noteth how hardly the world taketh it when to men of commendable note and qualitie there is so little respect had or so great vnto them whose deserts are very meane that nothing doth seeme more straunge than the one sort because they are not accounpted of and the other because they are It being euery mans hope and expectatiō that the only purchase of greater rewards should be alwaies greater deserts that nothing should euer be able to plāt a thorne where a vine ought to growe or to commit that to a Fox or an Asse which requireth the strength the toyle of the painful Ox the careful obseruatiō of this which the Church humbly intreateth at your Graces hands shal roote out all Idolatours from your lands banish all Heretikes from Christs fold which steale in like rauenous wolues discouer those Anabaptists who stirre vp contentions to hinder Religion labour to haue magistrates contemned inueying against the lawfull ordination of our Clergie accounting them to be but Scribes and Pharisies Idle haue too great liuings flatterers of the Ciuill Magistrate saying the reformation of the Church is not spirituall enough perfect and their vnhallowed priuate conuenticles are more holy making their pretence of all the puritie of the Gospell these pretend grauitie reprehend seueritie speake gloriously and all in Hypocrisie these dayly inuent newe opinions and run from error to error their wilfulnes they account constancie their deserued punishment persecution their mouthes are euer open to speake euill they giue neither reuerence nor titles to any in place aboue them in one word the Church cannot feare a more dangerous and fatall enemie to her peace and happines a greater cloud to the light of the Gospell a stronger hand to pull in Barbarisme and pouertie into all our La●d a more furious monster to breed contempt and disobedience in all states a more fretting Cankar to the very marrowes and sinewes of this Church and kingdome than the Anabaptist who is proud without learning presumptuous without authoritie Zealous without knowledge holy without Religion in one word a dangerous and malicious Hypocrite Sundrie of these m●nifest and violent disturbers of the peace of this Church and the Common-wealth were banished from amongst vs in the dayes of out late Souereigne we heare they are returnd they make petitions they hope for fauour Consided great and mightie Prince right Honorable Lords and all yee whom it may concerne to defend this state that now is the time to make and execute lawes against them for these are more daungerous than other Heretikes because they are transformed into the shapes of some amongst vs The Church of England which lyeth prostrate at your Graces feet desireth not to be fauoured in her errors not to haue her corruptions warranted by authoritie to haue staines not washed because shee hath had them long to haue idolatrie and superstition harbored in her bosome to be loadē in her Religiō with the inuentions of man and vnhalowed Ceremonies to be supported with a prophane Hierarchie an vsurping dominion to bee poysoned with humane learning to be murdered with Idle and vnpreaching Ministers but she humbly intreats showing her wounds with teares in her eyes sights in her hart humilitie in her whole behauiour that she may be defended protected and armed in that truth which Christ and his Apostles haue taught her which Queene Elizabeth hath Cherished maintained in her which the earth hath wondered at heauens haue blessed that her beautie may not be defaced vnder pretence of washing that she may not be left naked of her comely decent and Religious ceremonies that the gouernment of her Bishops auncient warrantable and safe may not be taken from her that her schooles may florish with all sacred and Heathen learning that her Ministers may be painefull and liberally maintained and last

of all that the Liturgie so vertuous so holy for which so many Martyrs of hers haue dyed restored in the dayes of King Edward continued in the gratious and happie dayes of Queene Elizabeth may by your Princely authoritie seeing all the learned of your kingdome are readie in the defence of it be strongly and vnresistably maintained against her enemies so shall we account it a second birth day to our countrie a day of grace and saluation wherein God hath sworne by his holinesse that hee will not faile you and therefore to this ende hath preuented you with the blessings of goodnesse and set a crowne of pure gold vpon your head a day wherein the Nations that are round about vs shall say as Hyram when hee heard the words of Salomon blessed be the Lord this day which hath giuen vnto Dauid a wise Sonne ouer this mightie people Vnto Queene Elizabeth an Heire of her owne house and linage full of Religion wisedome and vnderstanding so that we may truely say as they did doubtlesse we haue seene straung things this day straunge to our countrie to ourselues to our enemies to haue neighbours to our prosteritie for which our harts burne within vs and shall for euer with feruencie of deuotion for your highnesse safetie our mouthes are filled with laughter and our tongues with ioy and we must needes confesse with the Prophet Dauid The Lord hath done great things for vs alreadie whereof we reioyce for which we intreate the heauens to reioyce with vs the earth to be glad and the Sea to make a noyse and all that therein is the compasse of the round World and they that dwell therein for by this means innumerable benefits are common vnto them to the Heauen a multitude of Saints to the earth peace to the Sea Treasure to the fields plentie for God hath broken the rod of the wicked and the whole land is at rest and surely if euer Natiō of the world had cause either to hope for happines to this Church and Commonwealth or to giue thankes vnto the Lord and to that ende to fall low vpon our knees before his footestoole it is we to haue a King but which is greater happinesse of the same blood nay more than that of the same Religion but most of all without bloodshed and especially Then when all the politikes of the world had set our period rung our passing Bell euen thē by your Highnesse meanes the Lord himselfe for we must al acknowledge that it was his worke deliuered our soule from death our eyes from teares and our feet from falling our soule from bodily and spirituall death our eyes from teares arising from our daunger nay from our holy teares for our late Souereigne our feete from falling into troubles which then were present into sinne which then was likely into blindnesse which then we feared into shame which we all deserued into misery which many hoped but we say againe the Lord hath done great things for vs alreadie and greater and far greater shall doe if we be not vnthankefull and therefore howsoeuer thou art either Iesuite or Preest Anabaptist Protestant or Atheist which sayst in thy heart let vs make hauocke of them altogether thou shalt so dianly consume and perish and come to a fearefull ende and the Church shall continually intreate at the hands of the Lord of heauen and humbly before the Throne of your gratious Maiestie for protection against her and all your aduersaries saying O deliuer not the soule of the Turtle Doue vnto the multitude of the enemies and forget not the congregation of the poore for euer looke vpon the couenant for al the earth is full of darkenesse and cruell habitations O let not the simple goe away ashamed but let the poore and needy giue praise vnto thy name A rise O God maintaine thy own cause remēber how the foolish man blasphemeth thee dayly forget not the voyce of thy enemie the presumption of them that hate thee increaseth euer more and more Amen FINIS This Epistle following is here annexed and thought fit to be Printed because the Dedication of this booke was first intended vnto the late right Honorable and right Reuerend Father the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie his Grace To the most Reuerend Father in God my very good Lord the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie his Grace Primate and Metropolitan of all England WHat benefit Right Reuerend this Church hath receiued by your Graces meanes God bessing your Counsell vnder the gouernment of two great Princes as this age present doth sensiblie perceiue so the memorie thereof shal be honorable in the time to come For when the vertuons Gouernment of our late Souereigne had banished from all parts of her Kingdome the Tyrannie and superstitiō of the Church of Rome some men fit instruments to disturbe the peacefull happinesse of this Land fearefull as it seemed of the dangers that might follow and impatient of that forme of gouernment which mercy and wisedome had planted for the Churches safetie laboured by meanes ouer violent and vnholy to bring in perhaps from the partiall loue to the orders of those Churches which comfortably refresht them in the time of banishment a presbiteriall Discipline both of them notwithstanding following a diuers shape of the Ecclesiasticall state in diuers times the one in peace the other in persecution neither of them both doubtlesse circumstances being weighed either warranted by truth or answerable to these times The one labouring to ouerload vs with an intollerable burden of humane traditions polliticke inuentions to make an outward greatnesse whilst inwardly Religion must needs ●aile the other to strippe her as naked as the day wherein shee was first borne discouraging her teachers by robbing them of honour and maintenaunce traducing that learning wherein many of our Reuerend Fathers were equall to any in any part of the world besides and in steade of these making the Church to doe Pennance for her wontonnesse in the dayes of superstition being left vnpitied desolate ignorant and without honour all their purposes tending to this end to make vs had in dirision of all those that were rounde about vs Thus these two enemies in our owne bosome looking both of them with enuie at your happinesse and with Ielosie at that fauour which we might be suspected to beare towards either of them their discentions were not so violent to each other as they both were cruell and daungerous to our peace as if Ephraim and Manasses had made a truce and both of them concluded to deuour Iuda At this time your Lordship for lawes and authoritie had restrayned the one vndertooke the defence of this Church Gouernment against the other wherein doubtlesse if your great wisedome and moderation had not like another Athanasius indured the furie and rage of this vnbridled multitude Wee might ●●stly haue feared that disorder and barbarisme would haue tyrannously possest long since the worthiest and most beautifull