Stilbnach prior Manuscript M◠Cox so neuer finished neither for pendent opera interrupta the workemanship remaineth but abruptly still as the pillars witnesse then is the wonder not so great and we well perceaue that superstition in the greatest heate had r Sub Will. Ab. 22. siontale huius eccl tediosam moram traxerat tardiora molimina slower progresses longer trauaile and not so quicke deliuerie as they would make vs belieue But Date crescendi copiam Let the Lord giue leaue and peace to the Gospell and prosperitie to our religious Princes then after such distance of time let the Aduersaries call vs to a reckoning what fruits our faith hath produced Now be pleased to remēber then in briefe and lay altogether first that the primitiue Christians foūded no Churches for want of meanes opportunity yet they did buiid vp the Church of God with their doctrine with their liues and blood and so did our Religious Forefathers vnder persecution Secondly that the first founders who beganne to erect Churches were of our faith and not of the moderne Romish profession Thirdly that it is as honorable often more necessary to repaire those Monuments then to build them at the first Fourthlie that our faith obtaining freedome vnder religious Princes hath been Actiue Aboundant in good works for necessarie purposes Lastly that those great Monuments which our Aduersaries boast of had a longer time to their accomplishment then they would haue vs imagine And in regard of these premisses those worke-vaunters haue no such great aduantage ouer our faith in founding and building as they would make the world beleeue One thing more I obserued which 2. Ob. is that as the Romanists lay claim to our Churches so they intitle themselues to the Catholike Church it selfe pretending that they are vndoubted heires and successors of all Ancient founders And as the Samaritans pleaded that they were the true worshippers Iacobs children because they had Iacobs Well whereof he dranke the mount where hee worshipped so they haue the names of Peter Paul the places where perhaps they preached sufered they talke of the Apostles and Martyrs of the Fathers and Councels they ingrosse to thēselues the name Church Catholike yea they haue the Scriptures as the Iewes had in their bookes or as the s Iudges 16. Philistins had Samson in captiuitie fettered shaued blinded But shall we beleeue that they are the only Catholikes Children of the Apostles for these probabilities and presumptions Or that they are the onely spouse of Christ because they shew the t Mr. White out of Jsidor pref sheathes and Caskets where the Ornaments and Iewels of the husband once lay Or because like the madde-man in Athenaeus they take an Inuentory of all goods in the Church for their own as he did in all ships that arriued there are they the right owners It is not sheepes clothing that transformes the wolfe nor the Lions skinne that alters the Asses Nature They are not therfore right Christians good Catholikes that boast of names and titles Places and Remnants no more then u Dion Nicaeus Vibius Rufus was a good Orator for hauing Ciceroes wife or a great Emperour for hauing Caesars saddle or that foolish smatterer a * Lucian good Philosopher who studied by Epictetus his Candlesticke or x Fox contra Osor Neanthus the Iangler a good Musician for carrying the harp of Orpheus Nay the Samaritans seemed on a better groūd in some things then the Romanists for they indeed had Iacobs Well but these obtrude vnto vs Reliques of Christ of the Apostles and Martyrs which are but meere Impostures and for geries Their vsurping Prelate must be Christs Vicar Saint Peters successor when he succeeds him but as y Mr. D. K. ex Nazianz night doth the day a tempest a calme sickenes health Yet his z D. R. Conference prerogatiue must be Peters his dignity Peters his patrimonie Peters his robes and royalties Peters his Ring Peters his sea Peters his keyes Peters his pence Peters And as the Samaritans said Iacob gaue vs this Well so they say Christ or Peter or the Emperor gaue vs these wels this honor these crowns these promotiōs So poore Peter hath rich heyres And this is the Gorgons head which astonished the world a long time a 2. Tim. 3. 9. sed vltra a nō proficient They shal preuail nolōger for their madnes shal be made manifest to all men But we leaue these seducing seduced Romanists to see their errors if it please the Lord with the Samaritans to bee conuerted to the sound knowledge of Christ our Saviour And I returne to our selues to whom the Lord hath giuen now the possession of I acobs Wel the vse of many temporal and spirituall benefits to further vs in his seruice if we take our opportunitie For first our God hath reuealed vnto vs that rocke fountaine of our saluation Christ I esus wherein are all our b Ps 87. 7 fresh springs of hope and Comfort the knowledg of whom by the scriptures translated read preached as by streams Conduits do continually c Ps 46. 4. glad and refresh the Citie of God And to perpetuate these blessings the Lord hath fauoted vs with a gracious King whose hart is a Wel-spring of wisdome Counsell Iustice And so blessed him while hee drinks the Water of his owne louely Cisterne that thence issueth a happy Riuer of Royal Apparent succession as from a blessed fountaine which the Lord grant may run on in grace glory for the comfort of all true Christian hearts to the end of the world In regard of which inestimable fauours let me be bold without offēce to the royal patience of my Lord and King to speake a few words to al the worthy children and subiects of our Princely I acob here assembled so I wil conclude Seeing the Lord hath granted vs to reap the fruit of many fauours sowed by former Benefactors of al sorts d Isa 66. 12. hath extended peace ouer vs as a flood the Gospell as a flowing streame Seeing the true faith cōmeth vnto vs not solitary alone but accompained with infinite blessings so that we haue example and encouragement from the highest Authority to do good many opportunities to effect the same let vs be ready to shew forth the inward fountaine of our faith by the outward streams of our Loue. Especially do Yee the most eminent in note indeuor to do most good whose priuate wels are answerable to your wils substance to your desire Let some water of cōfort flow from you to the Putei dum bauriuntur speciosiores suns Basil publike benefit of the Church Commonwealth They that would haue their wels to be wholsome do draw them oftē and ye that would haue your riches blessed must distribute them often Thinke what Oceans of wealth run ouer the back-in weeds shreds and thorough the throat in puddle pamper how much is wasted by many in vaine pleasures priuate buildings fruitlesse exercises by others in superstitious Idolatrous Aduancements turne some of the streames of your fountaines at last into the barren fields of the poore and to the watering of the Sanctuarie Passe not thorough the world as arrowes through the aire and ships thorough the sea leauing no mark nor trace behind you vnlade the weight of your burdens that your reckoning may be the lighter Heere and euerie where are hauens to ease your Iourney speed your arriuall towards heauē Let not Leah reproch Rachel for barrennesse nor blinde superstition reprooue our Religion for lamenesse Let vs trie it out with our Aduersaries by action as well as by profession Spectemur agendo They wrought for their own sakes in confidence of merit Let vs worke for Gods sake in regard of duty Can ye not build Churches yet repaire thē Can yee not preach the Gospell yet further the Gospel Can you not build Hospitals Yet refresh the poore mēbers of Christ when like their Master they sit hungry weary thirsty by your Wels. Trifle not as the woman of Samaria did when Christ asked water pretending Religion to saue you purses as the Samaritan did to saue her Paines In a word let vs be ready to doe good to distribute without murmuring reasonings Lay up store and a good foundation for the time to come that we may be the sons of lacob Disciples of Christ Iesus the fountaine of life the giuer of liuing water who with his aboundance vouchsafe to make our soules like a well watered gardē like a spring whose waters faile not and blesse our princely Iacob going out and comming in from this time forth for cuermore FINIS
Learning Neither are the Religious purposes of his Maiestie thus happily springing up in his royall heart so carefully streamed out by your Graces Expedition but they are answerably speeded and passed along through the Land by the most vigilant Prelates Especially that k My Lord B. of London Right Reuerend Father our most worthie Diocesan l Caelestis tuba Ambros that heauenly trumpet m Eloquentiae Regia Greg de Basilio and Kingly Palace of diuine Eloquence hath not onely excited many our brethren to the diligent prensation of the Charities of the better sort as a prosperous winde breathing forwardnes into them that I may use his honors owne words according to a trust reposed in his Lordshippe but also doth continue a most honorable care and cautelous respect to the faithfull employment of all Collections made for that worke of Saint Albans so happily begun without anierubs or interruptions saue onely such as may serue to make the proceedings more circumspect and sound Yet if this worke so well becomming the Magnificence of a Christian King n Letters patents as his Maiestie acknowledgeth and commended by your Grace for a Christian Religious an holy and acceptable work should have no opposites it were seeing the reedifying of o Nehemiah 4. 1. the Temple had many enemies and our age is not without manie impugning the good successe of such-like buildings The Anabaptist cannot but distast the erecting of Churches houses of Gods publike seruice because he standeth upon his owne priuate Inspiration and neuer aspireth higher then a conuenticle at the most The Libertine who liues at large cannot but esteeme the Church a Prison the publike Ministery a SessioÌ„s of Enquirie where he supposeth himselfe arraigned and condemned and therefore the graues and Tombes are as the shadow of death occasioning feare and horror before he comes to execution The Popish Recusant who had wont to make more of the Cage then of the byrd and more of a materiall Church then the spirituall Exercises is out of loue with our houses of prayer because therein their Masse-Priests and strange language is silenced their Images defaced their Iewish sacrifices Idolatrous Inuocations and Adorations are abandoned And aboue all these the Couetous polititian cannot chuse but be a Church-enemie whose Mammon is his God whose priuate estate is his Idoll to whom onely hee buildes his house as a Temple and intends all his seruice as Ieremie saith of such like p Ierem. 22. 14. he buildes himselfe a wide house and large Chambers hee makes himselfe faire windowes and seeling with Cedar and paints it with vermilion but if he see anie thing bestowed on Gods house or on the Ministry he crieth with the officious purse-bearer in the Gospell q Mark 14. 4. Quorsum haec perditio To what end is this wast A lesse liuing would suffice a lighter Cloke would serue Iupiter and a lesse Church would serue the people to assemble in Of this sort are they that by farre-fetched Trenches closely carried doe seeke to undermine and ouerthrow all as r Eusebius de vita coÌ„stant lib. 1. c. 46. Licinius in the dayes of Constantine underafaire pretence that the ayre without the Citie was more wholsome then the aire within the Citie where the Churches stood would haue drawne the people to serue God in the fields that hee might haue s Cogitans euerâ—ionem Ecclesiarâ—â—…s ibid. demolished the Churches in the Citie Neither are they protestants onely as the Romanists would haue it that would pull downe Churches but the Couetous polititian whatsoeuer maske of Religion he putteth on like an Atheist and worse then an heathen aymeth at the spoile of his God if it may serue for his priuate Emolument For who were they that first incroached upon Church-liuings and drew away the tythes and maintenance from the secular priests and so by consequence from the Ministerie under the name of good men and Religious but Monkes and Fryars It was Cardinall Wolsey who by authoritie from the Pope to satisfie his Couetous or Ambitious desires or both did pull downe sortie Monasteries and ransacked them of their wealth And as by credible testimonie I haue heard it often related the same Cardinall being sometimes Abbot of the Monasterie of Saint Albans sent to the Prior and Couent there that they should conuey up their plate to London such as being massiue and old was growne out of fashion under colour that he would take order for the new reforming refyning of that unfashionable siluer which being sent vp accordingly in carts did so wast in the melting belike that vestigia nulla retrorsuÌ„ there came nothing backe againe that euer was heard of And whatsocuer face the Papists doe make of Church building yet it seemes they preferre pollicy before their owne deuotion for every where saith a late Obseruant Trauailer in the lowe Countries t Mr. Ioseph Hall dec 1. ep 5. Churches fall and Iesuites Colledges rise so that not onely the furie of warre hath ruinated Churches but euen superstition for aduantage doth that among st them which couetousnesse would faine doe among st vs robbe God of his houses and seruice of his tithes and maintenance Wherefore the great Cardinall who accuseth vs to haue u Angelis hominibus caelum tenentibus omnia illis delita nobis salutaria Monumenta eripuerunt Bellar. In pretat de lib. Arbit bereaued both Saints and Angels in heauen of all Monuments due to them or heathfull to vs may a little turne his complaint vpon his owne friends and sectaries and tell them of the spoile and dilapidations occasioned in sacred and holie things by their owne couetous and ambitious pollicie But to leaue their Ruines and come to our present building I finde seuerall obiections made a little hindering the forwardnesse of wel-disposed people toward a worke so good 1 1 Some doubt least their should be superstition in building up Churches seeing as they say wee finde neither the name of Church in Scripture nor the building of Churches commanded 2 2. Others finde fault that an Abby Church should be reedified 3 3. Some are offended with the greatnesse of it because a lesse would serue the people 4 4. And some againe suspect the faithfull imployment of the money collected To all which seeing I haue already exceedeed the length of an Epistle under your Graces Reformation I am bold to answer 1 1. The first who doubt superstition and finde no Scripture for Churches I would desire to remember that euen the Name Church in our tongue signifying x Church Kyrith Dom the Lords house Angl. Scott Ger Gods house is read for the y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 11. 18. place of Christian Assemblies in St. Paul to the Corinthians and the Commaundement for building and preparing such places of prayer is included in that generall rule z 1. Cor. 14 26. let all things be
not indeed to priuate vses for couetousnesse but unto a publike benefit for ib. the honour of God euen as men when they are conuerted from being sacrilegious and impious persons to the true Religion are to imploie themselues and their members to serue the Lord I ibid. speake out of Saint Austen Saint Paule did eate and drinke conuerse ibid. in Athens a Citie consecrated to c Quia Ciuitas erat Minerua eiusih numini consecrata Acts 17. 5. Minerua an heathnish Goddesse and hee sailed in a d Acts 28. 11. shippe hauing the badge of Castor and Pollux Our sauiour vouchsafed to frequent the Temple after it had been prophaned and that Temple which Herod had e Iosepbus lib. 15. reedified for populer vaine glory nether did he that did al things well forbeare to imploie the f Iohn 2. 7. water pots of the Iewish and superstitious purification in the work of his gracious miracle This am I bould to speake for their sakes that are in no liking with aunciently built Churches and make a maine point of their Religion either not to enter into them or not to call them by the former names of saints Saint Peter Saint Paul Saint Alban that first for distinction the scripture vseth the names of g Acâ—s 28. 11. Castor and Poilux false Gods without scruple and the Churches of all ages haue beene content in the translation of the words of the Lord in h Iob. 38. Amos 5. 8. Giegor Mag in Job 58. Iob and in the Prophet Amos to vse the heathenish appellations of the starres Pleiades Orion Acturus notwithstanding they had fabulous and poeticall Originals So that if the names were worse then those of Saints and Martyrs a well reformed Conscience might vtter them for distinction sake without offence But now seeing they are the Names of Saints and Martyrs to whom although as to protectors and tutelar Gods wee dedicate no Churches nor offer supplication or seruice yet for their vertues and victorious sufferings we may loue them rehearse their names with Reuerence and imitate their faithfulnesse It is not with vs as the Papists i Bellar de eccles triumph obiect that with k D. Reinald de Ro eccl ldol lib. 1. c. 8. §. 2. 3. Eustathius we detest all temples and especially those that carrie the names of Martyrs and like onely Conuenticles in priuate or that with the Eunomians we refuse to goe into the Churches intitled with the names of Apostles and Martyrs This may be the fanaticall whispering of some wandring house-creeper and the conceipt of some seduced separatist but Wee that is Dauid our King our preists and people frequent those howses of praier call them by their former names enter into them willingly hauing antiquity and all reformed Churches for our precedents to do the like For who knowes not that the Citie Vniuersitie of Geneua haue their cheif Church retaining the name of Saint Peter one intituled Saint Magdalen another Saint Geruase Vbisprá the Martyr whither they vsually resort to l Zanch in 4. praec to this purpose holy exercises Neither is it altogether vaine that the holy Euangelist here in this place calleth that same Iacobs well which the Samaritans so named and termed before him making no question but that Iacob had digged it although the tradition came from the Samaritans Nay our blessed Sauiour is not scrupulous to rest himselfe at this Well or to graunt it for Iacobs howsoeuer which is for our example he will not be drawne by the Names and titles of Iacob to m Iohn 4. 22. approue of a counterfcit Religion wherefore let vs leaue curiositie in such small matters and conclude this point first with praise to the Lord that these wels these Monuments and other benefits for the furtherance of Religion sometimes in possession of Samaritans and the superstitious and by them corrupted and made vnholsome are againe so cured and restored that now we may draw and drinke our fill in them euen of the pure Riuers of the waters of life Secondly if it should be proued that any of these Monuments were founded erected by the superstitious yet then wee must acknowledge our selues much bound to God that wee may drinke of the n Dent. 6. 11. wels wee digged not dwel in houses that wee builded not inioy these Churches which wee prepared not as o Ludolph Noah had the benefit of that Arke which was framed by prophane shipwrights and Sampson was refreshed with sweet hony out of the dead Lion that liuing would haue killed him So that we may say with Samson p Iudg. 14. 14. Out of the strong came sweet and out of the deuowrer came meat Ob. 1 But here mee thinks the Romish Samaritans interrupt vs and first obiect that our faith buildes no Churches digges no such wels but their Religion their Pater noster as they call it founded all Ob. 2 Secondly they lay claime to our Churches nay bragge that themselues are the Catholike Church because of the Monuments and names of godly men that were sometimes pillars of the Church Ans 1. to the 1. ob To the first whereas they say we build no Churches doe no such workes but they haue beene all the doers and are so still I answere briefly that the Apostles and first Martyrs who planted the Church did build no materiall temples and yet they are worthily stiled q AuÌ„entinus Religiosis simi mortales most Religious men none being comparable to them since They as the former planters of the Gospell edified and built vp the people of God r Ephes 2. 20. as temples for the holy ghost to dwell in vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Christ Iesus being the head corner stone and wanted peace wealth opportunitie and the fauour of Princes to erect any Churches and houses of praier either publike or costly Ans 2. to the 1. ob Secondlie more largely I answere that when the Lord vouchsafed to call Kings and Princes to the knowledge of the truth then by their Authoritie and out of their Aboundance they in the profession of our Religion of Aedes sacras sacred houses erected Basilicas Kinglike palaces thereby the more to honour God with their substance and prouide for the more conueniencie of holie Assemblies Now these first honorable founders were not of the Romish Religion for they did not vse such Iewish and heathnish Ceremonies in their s Euseb hist eccl lib. 10. c. 3 Church-dedications nor such Inuocation or adoration of Saints or Images as the Romane Church hath since brought in This plainly appeareth by the example of Constantine and by the best Antiquitie who with Saint Austen speake thus like Protestants t Augustin de Ciuit dei lib. 8 c. vlt. We ordaine no Churches no Priesthoods no rites nor sacrifices vnto Martyrs we do not crie at the altars O Peter O Paul O Cyprian wee offer vnto thee