you into a better course as of the professed enemies of your state These accusations I knowe are grieuous to be laid to the charge of these Counsellors who through Europe haue the name to be furtherers of Gods glory the saluation of mens soules But they are such as if I prooue them not most true let my blood wipe away the slaunder which I haue vndutifully raysed vpon the rulers of my people Here the worde of God is to be approched vnto out of the which we are to learne what true worship and seruice they can yeeld vnto God what hope of saluation they can haue who neuer enjoyed the word preached Concerning the true worship of God we are to knowe that the worde who alone is to instruct vs therein maketh two sorts thereof The true worship or God twofold The one inward and the other outward The inwarde worship is the worship of the spirit when the heart and the soule is by Gods spirit so directed that in trueth and sinceritie it yeeldeth to the Lord the worship whiche he requireth according vnto his word Of this worship our Sauiour Christ speaketh vnto the woman of Samariah Iohn 4.23 24. The houre commeth sayth he and alreadie is when the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and trueth for the father requireth euē such to worship him God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and trueth the inwarde worship Without this inward worship it is vnpossible to be saued and without it no seruice can be acceptable vnto God But although this inwarde worship be the fountaine whence the outward that is in trueth doth flowe and proceed yet is the inward no otherwise ordinarily wrought in men then by meanes of the outward So that euen as the outward is neuer truly acceptable vnto God but when it proceedeth from the inwarde euen so is the inward ordinarily found in none saue onely in those wherein it hath bin begotten by the ministerie of the outward But this inwarde worship in spirit and trueth is not in the power of man to giue or to take away at his pleasure but the Lorde must and doth worke it when where he pleaseth yet neuer ordinarily but by meanes of the outward The true outwarde worship of God then the outwarde worship is that alone whereby as by the ordinarie instrument or meanes the Lord hath appointed to beget nourish increase and continue the inwarde worship of the soule and the spirit by the which the Lord is to be serued in spirit and trueth This outward worship is such by the ordinance of God as men may be truly saide either to hinder or to promote the same and by the hindring or promoting hereof they may be judged to hinder or promote both the saluation of themselues and others and also the inward worship of the spirit either in themselues or in others And by the affection that men beare herevnto the Lord doth trie their loue and also their hatred towardes him his glory This worship although it be outward yet is it of that nature as they who are partakers hereof may according vnto the word expect for the presence of Gods spirite whensoeuer they approch vnto the Lord therby Otherwise if it hath not this promise of the spirite annexed vnto it it is but a rudiment of the world or of the flesh therefore cannot be any thing for the furthering of men in the worship of God This outwarde worship or this outward meanes to serue God truely and sincerely consisteth of two partes or ordinances according vnto the twofolde end for the which the Lord hath appointed the said outward worship of his The first part hereof is that ordinance whereby the Lord hath appointed not only to beget fayth in men or to engraffe them into Christ but being engraffed to builde and aedifie them forwarde as liuely stones of that holy temple whereof Christ Iesus is both the head the foundation This ordinance of God appointed both to beget to aedifie faith is onely the word preached The second ordinance wherein the outwarde worship of God consisteth is contained in those exercises of religion which the Lord ordained onely for aedification and were neuer appointed to begett fayth By aedification I meane whatsoeuer concerneth our furthering in the worke of our saluation begun in vs through faith by the worde preached Vnto this second part we are to refer publike prayers singing of Psalmes reading of the scriptures receiuing of the sacraments and administring of the Church censures Many thinges are ordained to aedifie which were neuer appointed to beget sayth 1. cor 14.17 ephef 4.29 c. All which are effectuall to aedification but not to the begetting of faith For that is onely wrought by the word preached without which also publike prayers singing of psalmes c are so frustrated of the end vz. the aedification for the whiche the Lorde hath ordained them as they cannot possibly aedifie any aright saue onely these who haue learned the right vse of them by the preaching of the word in whose hearts faith which is the ground-worke wherevpon the whole building of gods seruice must be planted hath bin begotten by the same word ordinarily And these holy ordinances of god to wit prayers receiuing of the Sacraments are so farre from aedifying these people who haue not bene instructed in the right vse of them by the worde preached that vnto such they are nothing els but a sealed booke and proceeding from such they are nothing els but pollution in the Lordes sight For no seruice can be acceptable vnto god but that which proceedeth frō fayth For without faith it is vnpossible to please God Now then according vnto that which hitherto hath bene spoken let your Hb. weye what seruice your people throughout all hir Majesties dominions for the most part can yeald vnto the Lord and how they stand in the hope of saiuation and consequently how carefull you haue bene of the glory of god and the saluation of his Church Your people you will say euery where haue had these 31. yeares the vse of publike prayers singing of Psalmes reading of the Scriptures in their owne tongue they haue further enjoyed the sacraments of baptim the Lords supper Be it so but what is all this Can these thinges going alone without the word preached be any thing effectuall to that worship in spirit and trueth which is the onely seruice that the Lord regardeth and without which all exercises of true religion are but swines-blood before his Majestie Or can they bee anye thing forcible to worke the saluation of your people Questionlesse you see that they cannot For they are ordained of god not to lay the foandation of the spirituall worshipp but as meanes to aedifie and build vpon the foundation being laid They are ordained you see also not to go alone but to accompany the word without the which
they are fruitles and to no purpose Nay though it were possible that without the word they could worke some aedification in men yet notwithstanding they were neuer appointed to beget men into the hope of aeternall life For regenerate flesh and blood they cannot because they were onely appointed to edifie those whome the word should beget So that men may all their life time enjoy these exercises of true religion and yet be far from the outward meanes whereby the Lord requireth himselfe to be worshipped in spirit and trueth and whereby the saluation of their soules should be wrought And though your Honours shewe youre selues neuer so greate fauourers of reading the worde publike prayers c. which in themselues are acceptable to God but among our people for the most part abominablie profaned yet because you maintain those to outcountenance the preaching of the worde and to be polluted by such men as ought not to deal with the holy things of the Lord You are no otherwise accounted of in his sight then the professed enemies of that pure worship in spirit and trueth wherein alone he delighteth the maintainers of the profanation of his seruice and aduersaries vnto the saluation of his Churche And what other account I beseeche you can he make of you which dare presume to platte him out the perfection of his seruice and appoint him a way to saue his people according vnto your owne pleasure He hath set down in his word that without faith it is vnpossible to please him and so that without faith it is vnpossible for men to worship him in spirit and trueth and come to aeternall life In this point I hope you will not gainesay his Majestie He goeth farther and manifesteth the ordinarie meanes to beget fayth and saluation to be onely the word preached And therefore requireth the forwardnes of all those that would not be guiltie of neglecting his honour to promote the saide preaching of his worde Herein you oppose your selues vnto him reply againe that he must needs prouide himselfe of newe ordinances or els he can neither in this life be worshipped in trueth of your people nor glorified with their saluation in the life to come For vnlesse reading of the worde publike prayers the profanation of his sacramentes by the polluted fingers of most ignorantmen can worke all that he requireth he can haue no meanes in the most congregations within the dominions of England to be purely worshipped and to gaine himself a name by the sauing of the distressed souls of men And you are so resolute with the Lord in this point that you proclaime all them to bee enemies vnto your state whosoeuer dare open their mouthes in his cause against your vnaduised resolutions So that whatsoeuer fauour your Honors pretend vnto some part of the true outward seruice of his Majestie yet inasmuch as you lende your whole force to maintaine and keepe in the Church the reading idol ministerie which you may know wel inough can neither beget faith nor any true aedification in your people and by whome the Lorde accounteth himselfe his ordinances to be profaned the very trueth is this that you stand at this day guiltie in his sight of the defects ruines and profanations of his worship and also of the vtter vndoing of many a thousand soule within England And I do not see what you can alledge for your defence except you will joyne with that notable seducer of your people D. VVhitgift the Arch. of Cant. and affirme eyther that saluation may be wrought in your people by hearing the word read or that reading is preaching But alas these figge leaues are so far from standing you in any stead when the Lorde shall enter into areckoning with our land for the small care that our gouernours haue had in furthering his seruice that his wrath will be kindled against our state almost for nothing more then because that both these errors of this wicked deceiuer haue beene vncondemned therein and also as a token I thinke of our hatred vnto the Lord and his gospell such a detected enemie vnto the gospell as he is hath bene promoted vnto one of the highest roomes at the counsell table to the ende as the maintaining of his proceedings do witnesse that he might be a scourge vnto Gods Church within hir Majesties dominions Well he saith that men may be saued by hearing the word read as by the ordinarie meanes If it be not so wo be to him that euer he was borne whose practises these 20. yeeres almost haue tended to no other ende then to maintaine this damnable error of his For if men cānot be saued by reading where shall he stande which hath brought vpon himselfe the guiltines of so many soules by silencing so many faythful preachers and planting readers in their stead And therefore I doe not so much blame him for framing his corrupt judgement according vnto the rule of his vngodly practises For if his practise were contrarie vnto the light of his knowledge then hath he a more fearfull account to make who hath quenched the light of his vnderstanding to the ende he might with lesse remorse raue against the Majestie of God But his blindnes cannot make others inexcusable that willingly follow after such a leader therefore let vs see what the word saith vnto this assertion The Apostle Paul affirmeth 1. Cor. 1.24 Reading not the ordinarie meanes to saluation that seeing the world by wisdome knew not god in the wisdome of god it pleased god by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue as many as beleeue Will you then haue a salnation that is by fayth whiche you must haue or none at all Surely the Apostle tels you that it pleaseth the Lorde to worke this no otherwise in the hearts of men then by preaching which vnto the worldly wise men is but foolishnes but vnto vs that are saued it is the wisedome of god and the power of god Euen as thē we can expect no saluation but that which is apprehended by faith so can we not hope to haue this sauing fayth wrought in vs by any other meanes then by preaching For the Apostle setteth downe in expresse wordes that as many as beleeue Rom. 10.14 are saued by the means of preaching Againe how shall they call vpon him saith the same Apostle in another place in whome they haue not belecued How shal they belieue in him of whom they haue not heard Howe shall they heare without a preacher Beholde then if we will so heare as wee may beleeue the Apostle telleth vs that this must be the hearing not of a reader but of a preacher If then this seducing prelate cannot make good a saluation which is to be obtained without fayth as heauen and earth knowe he cannot or if beleuing to saluation be conuaied vnto mens souls by no other hearing then by the hearing of a preacher as the Apostle telleth then also it followeth to the shame
and confusion of all erroneous deceiuers that he cannot justifie a saluation wrought in mens heartes by any other ordinarie meanes then by the word preached But he will here object that the Lorde may if it please him worke faith in mens hearts without preaching That is as if he shoulde say that the Lord is so powerfull as when man wil not instruct by meanes he can teach his elect without meanes Who euer denied this Or what is this to prooue his wicked assertion The question is not what the Lorde can doe especially where meanes is not to be found For in such cases we do not vse to tye the omnipotent power of the Lorde within the bounds no not of his own ordinances but the point in controuersie is what that way and ordinarie meanes is whereby the Lorde hath decreed to worke a sauing faith in the heartes of his people whether that ordinarie meanes be the word preached or the word read The spirit of God you see teacheth vs that that ordinarie way and means is preaching The Archb. of Cant. teacheth it to be reading Nowe whether of the two shall hir Majesties people beleeue Surely let the Lord be true let shame confusiō couer the faces of all his encmies namely of this wicked prelate who is not affraid in expresse termes to giue the lye vnto the Majesty of God For the which madnes of his how greate soeueuer hee may be in our kingdome I am sure that the sentence without his vnfained repentaunce is long since decreed against him that he * Math. 5.19 shal be the least in the kingdome of heauen And if God had not blinded his right eye as a token of a farther judgement which is like to fall vpon him he might haue sene long since that the Apostle Peter attributeth the worke of mens regeneration or new birth and so faith and saluation vnto the word preached and not read For so he writeth 1. Pet. 1.23.25 Being borneagaine saith the Apostle not of mortall but of immortall seed by the worde of God which lyueth and endureth for euer and this is the worde saith he which is preached among you But what can he see who hath voluntarily so blinded himselfe and laboreth to wrapp others in the same darknes as he will make men beleeue that he is of judgement that the meaning of the Apostle in saying How can they beleeue without a preacher is as if hee sayd how can they beleeue without a reader For what els doth he affirme then this in holding reading to be preaching For he that auoucheth reading to be preaching cannot denie readers (a) Reading engendreth fayth sayeth he pag. 570. yea and sometimes prevavleth more than preaching pag. 574. to be prechers And here is al the light which the Lorde hath lefte in that darke vnderstanding of his which is justly made bruitishe inasmuch as it hath blinded it selfe to the end as I said he might with the lesse compunction or gnawing of his conscience fight against God But let him and all his maintainers know from me that he who spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell and deliuered them vnto chaines of darknes to be kept vnto the damnation of the great day is able to make this bruitish man an example vnto all those that hereafter shall tread in his vngodly steps especiall seeing in these things which naturally he might know he as lude sayth hath corrupted himselfe For if there had bene no scripture to haue instructed him yet very natural reason might haue taught him that reading and preaching are of that diuers nature that in common reason the one of them cannot be the other For I pray you who is so simple but knoweth by the light of nature that the preching that carieth saluation with it which he affirmeth to be reding is another maner of work thē can be lerned by the industrie of man in a moneths labor And yet behold such is the preaching which this mā hath framed vnto vs in his writings wherby the Church of England should be saued that an vnlettered man comming from the plough might in one moneths studie be made an able preacher and so an able minister of the doctrine of saluation For if reading be preaching as he sayth yea and such a preaching as is able to beget men to saluation which also he affirmeth then also doth it folow both that an able reader is an able preacher and also that anye man enjoying the benefite of his senses may in one moneth be made an able minister of that great and admirable worke of mens soules The conceit wherof is such an indignitie vnto the Majestie of God and to the misteries of true religion as a greater cannot be offered And is this al the thanks that we in England giue vnto the Lord for the fruition of his gospell Or is this all the commendation that true religion hath deserued at our hands to be made faire baser then any of the common crafts of the world Well the Lord seeth this vile injurie offred vnto his gospell and the ministerie thereof and in his time will recompence it Concerning this absurde and sencelesse errour I will saye no more at this time But first that if the father hereof to wit the Archb. of Cant had liued in some of the former ages that imbraced the truth he had bene commended vnto posteritie as a detestable forger of errors amōgst the nomber of these pernicious hereticks that haue endeuoured to obscure the light of the trueth Secondly that it maketh the ministers prayer for the spirit of vtterance and his care in his studie to be altogether needles superfluous matters And so this man hath found out suche a methodicall kinde of preaching as the spirit of God neuer thought off The Apostle Paul desireth the brethrē to pray for him that vtterance might be giuen vnto him to the end he might bold ly open his mouth to publish the secrets of the gospell he further chargeth Timothie to take heed vnto learning and to continue therein for in so doing hee shoulde both saue himselfe and those that heard him But this godlesse man that indeede hee might shewe himselfe not vnlike that sonne of perdition of whose bodie and kingdome by vertue of his Antichristian prelacie he is also a limbe and a member presumeth to enter into the Lords chaire and to create newe ordinances for ministers to bee guided by in publishing the mysteries of the gospell But though he be like to continue as he is vz. a deceiuer that waxeth worse and worse 2. Tim. 3.14 deceiuing and being deceiued as the holy ghost sayth yet it concerneth your Hh. to turne ouer a new leafe Seing your consciences must needes tell you that if you followe his damnable errors you are also to feare lest you be pertakers of the judgements that are likely to be fastened vpon him and al those that delight to hide
the truth in vngodlines And seeing the seruice of the Lord together with the saluation of mens soules is by meanes of this dumb ministerie at such a miserable stay among vs as hath bene set downe it wil be your duties to take these things more to hearte then as yet you haue done and to seeke the redresse of them For our owne parts the defectes of Gods religion being thus lamentable in our land and the souls of our brethren with pitifull cries requiring our aid and assistance we cannot in conscience denie them the remedie that we are able to minister namely the painting out of their miserie and the meanes howe to be deliuered therefrom And assuredly if we should holde our peace and winke at these calamities the stones in the streate woulde rise vp in judgement against vs. Wherefore also your Hh. may accuse vs to be dangerous subjects as well because we are not without christian affections as for that you see vs mooued with pitie at the ruines of Gods house and the likely damnation of our cuntrimen For such is the opperation of Gods spirite in his children that they are altogether voyd of the assuraunce of aeternall life yea without God in the world whosoeuer are not mooued with griefe and sorow whē they see either the seruice of their God or the saluation of those with whom they liue not to be regarded Vnles then you of hir Majesties counsell woulde goe about to quenche the motions of Gods spirite in the heartes of hir Majesties people you cannot charge them with any euill practize against the state for laboring the rooting out of this dumb and ignorant ministerie whereby as you see the Lordes seruice is most wretchedly profaned the saluation of his Churche most cruelly hindered and withstood Nay as your Hh. would shew your selues to haue anye sparke of Gods spirite in your hearts so you must be carefull to joyne with vs in this worke wherein indeede you ought to be our foreleaders For otherwise neuer deceue your own hearts there is not a man of you that can possibly be saued Weye the speech my Ll. for it concernes you as much as the price of your soules is worth I say then No saluation vnto them that are not carefull of the Lords pure worship the saluation of their brethren that the enmitie which in this point wee bear vnto the state of England is such as vnles you that are of hir Majesties priuie Counsell joyne with vs in the same you cannot possiblie see the face of Christ to your comforts The reason hereof is that there is no saluation vnto that soule wherein Christ Iesus doth not remaine and dwell by his spirit as the Apostle teacheth vs in these wordes 2. Cor. 13.5 Prooue your selues saith he whether you are in the fayth examin your selues know you not that Iesus christ is in you except you be reprobates Eyther then a reprobate heart or an heart possessing Christ Iesus Now my Ll. I appeale vnto your consciences whether you thinke that Christe can possiblie dwell in those heartes who are not both grieued at the damnation of their brethren and the miserable deformities of the seruice of God among thē are with all readie euery way that lieth in them to preuent the one and to set forwarde the other What can Christ be there where there is not a desire a readines to labour that the glorie of God may shine vpon earth by the sauing of perishing soules the setting vp of the sincere honor of the Lorde Your consciences I am sure must needs beare witnesse to the contrarye For to denie this were nothing els but to make the spirite of Christe in his children to be pitiles of the wofull estate of suche soules as for anye thing they knowe were ordayned to life and carelesse in seeking the glorye of God in his pure worshippe What is the conclusion then surely that youre Hh. must either manifest yourselues to be of their number for whome the blacknes and terror of the greate daye is prepared or els you must joyne with the rest of the saintes of God within hir Majesties dominions not onely in mourning for the wantes of true religion among our people and the misery that ensueth thereof but also in labouring moste earnestly to finde speedie meanes for the curing of so deadlye a wounde You see then howe the case standeth betweene the Lord nay between your felues and your owne soules The day will come when all those whose sinnes are not forgeuen and iniquities couered by Christ Iesus shall drinke of the deadly wyne of Gods wrath And you see that Christ wil be a couering vnto none saue onely vnto those in whome he dwelleth by his spirit and more-ouer that his spirit cannot be in them who are not mooued with the dishonor of his name the destruction of men The Lord warneth you of these things and requyreth of you that although for the loue of his Majestie and the mercies both outward and inward which hee hath doth offer to heape vpon you you cannot bee mooued to regard his ruinous Church and wofull people yet that you would be styrred forewarde here-vnto by the care which you are to haue of your own soules It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hand of the liuing God Vengeance is his and hee will recompence it Wherefore as you woulde not drynke of the dreggs of that bitter cup of his indignation declare vnto the world by the speedy remouing of this dumb ministery and apoynting faithfull teachers in their stead that the Lorde hath not in this age placed ouer England a coūsell of men that are carelesse of his glorie cruell towardes the people committed vnto their charge and consequenthe a counsel of men that are without God in the world fed with honor and promotion against the day of slaughter Men that are so far from respecting the honour of their God and the aeternall salvation of men that they are altogether without naturall affection towards the good of their owne soules For assuredly my Ll. whatsoeuer good opiniō you may haue of your selues and yourowne proceedings the Lorde and his Churche both in this age and also among posterity cā make no other reckoning of you than of those that liued without the true God in this worlde as long as you shall bee found vpholders of the ignorance which raygneth amōg your people Where-vpon also you shall one day by experience finde it to be true that because the sauing spirite of God neuer came neere your harts to worke a sorrow and a mourning therein for the spirituall aniserie of your brethren counuiemen you made no other vse of your being heere vpon earth thē to prouide for your selues an exceeding measure of plagues and torments that may endure vpon you for euer and euer You see it cannot bee otherwise for to be without compassion towardes the miserable dispersion of poore sheep that wander
bee true if the hierarchye belonged vnto that kingdome of Christ Seing then that the kingdome of Christ and true religion may be absolute perfecte though the offices of Ll. Archb. and Bb. bee not joined therevnto and seeing that where these are not retayned some part of Popery is wanting it followeth that L. Archb. and Bb. doe appertaine vnto the regiment of the beast and his Idolatrie not vnto the religion and kingdome of Christ The consequence whereof is that they who labour and striue for the maintenance of those coruptions in our church labour and striue for the vpholding of a part of the kingdome of Antichrist the pope The continuance of whose members amongest vs serueth to no other purpose then to keepe possession vntill the head hath gotten him sufficient force to invade both the true churche of God and the throne of the civill Magistrate in our kingdome And surely if this Hierarchy vnder whose winges Popery hath growne so fast within these 20 yeares doth stande anye long time in England I looke for no other effect to come from it but these two First a toleration for men to professe popish Idolatry Tolleration of Popery Secondly vpon the grant heereof I look that by little little the state of her Maiesties crown which the Lord forbid should be brought in bondage vnder the Antichristiā authority of the pope If you graūt the former the latter must needs follow For let it once be sene that popery hath gotten such strength among vs that after 31. yeares banishment wee haue bene violentlie enforced compelled to receaue the same againe into our bosomes and you shall then perceaue that it will bee an easie matter for the Pope and his hirelings to bring the crowne of England to stoup vnto Antichrists Myter And as the lykly ruine of hir Maiesties estate must needs ensue vpon the quiet profession of popery within any parte of her dominions so out of question the continuance of this Hierarchye will so increase the nomber of Papists among vs that of force whether wee will or not they will haue the libertye of their idolatrous consciences in their Idoll service They that knowe howe their nomber haue augmented within these 16. yeares in our state and how Sathan hath framed his instruments meet for this purpose may easilie judge that there is som reason why this feare shoulde bee conceaued The members never thinke them selues well placed when they are not annexed vnto the heade Either then remoue these members or vndoubtedly they will one day bring whatsoever is committed vnto their gouernment and make the same subiect thrall vnto that head for the seruice whereof they them-selues were appointed Where it is saide that the offices of Archb. and Bb. cannot stand in the church without the infringing of the liberties thereof and that they are mēbers of the body of Antichrist I know it wil be objected that many good men even since the last reuealing of the gospel supplied these places as M. Cranmer M. Hooper M. Latimer M. Ridley M. Bale c. whom if we should account either to be vsurpers ouer their fellow brethren and the rest of the church of God in their time or to haue continued in Antichristian callings the matter will bee thought strange and hardly taken Whervnto the answere is this That for their callings it cannot be denied but they were the offices of the Antichristian kingdome And for the men themselues they coulde not possiblye anye wayes continue in them without the breach of Gods ordinance and the impeaching of the libetties of the Churche in some measure For in some sort they did rather beare rule than serue in the ministery of the gospell And yet notwithstanding all these imperfections we think these men to haue bene such as for whome we are to giue the Lord harty thankes not that they were Ll. Bishops but that they faithfully labored in the ministery of the gospell and sealed the same with their blood In respect whereof also wee accounte their memory to be blessed and reverend amongst posterities But what is all this vnto the Bishops of England at this day Are they Latimers Are they Cranmers Ridleyes Hoopers Though for some causes I could wish they were yet I thank God frō my hart that they are not For then their Hierarchy would not so soone fal to the ground as now I hope it will But alas it may grieue anye christian hart to consider the differences that are between these vpstart corrupt tyrantes that nowe raigne ouer our church those ancient sincere fathers Compare them together but onelye in one pointe and you shall see how lamentablie they differ Those reverend men of God M. Cranmer M. Latimer M. Hooper c. hauing by great striuing recovered our church though a dead church out of the handes of tyrannous murtherers laboured by all meanes possible to put life into it by the preching of the word that being aliue made strong they might also restore it vnto liberty Our Bb. on the other side what do they Surely rather then the church vnder their jurisdictions should recover hir liberty Iudge good Readers their whole care is how they may murther the same I sclander them not For rather than they will suffer any to bee over gods people who doth instruct them in those things that concerne the lyberty of the church and the tyranny of the popish government * They haue stopped the mouthes of so many faithfull teachers within these 6. yeares that the proofe of this point is needlesse Iohn 6.63 they will violently thruste al such teachers from their flocks and place Idoles in their stead And what is this els but to murther the church rather than it shoulde not bee in bondage vnto them For they that bereaue the church of the word preached take away the very life therof The words that I haue spoken saieth our Sauiour are spirite and life And I appeale in this place vnto the consciences of our Prelates whether if all the prechers in England sought the ouerthrow of their hierarchie they would not thrust thē al out of their places rather then the church should be deliuered from their antichristian jurisdiction It is plain they would T.C. Admon pag. 28.29 For B. Cooper maketh the putting downe of Ll. Bb. to be the plain ouerthrow of the church And reading is preaching saieth the Archb. VVhitgift pag. 569.574 Better then for the church to stād by these quiet reading murtherers then to be ouerturned by seditious teachers The case therefore is manifest that they loue our church so wel as rather than they shoulde not beare rule therein they wil see the hart blood of it that being therby tamed it may content it self with any tollerable seruitude Look then what differēce there may be betwene desperate murtherers the carefull phisitions of mens soules betweene merciles tyrants and the pitiful fathers of the churche the very same