and the light of his holie worde as in deede you haue the cogitation of this benefite shoulde moue your mindes more fauourably to thinke of them and more charitably to iudge of their doinges Or if you doe not looke that you leaue not great occasion to men to thinke of you that you make light accompt of that doctrine of the Gospell which aswell their predecessours as they haue and doe daily preach vnto you and so that you bee not those men that you would pretende to bee For men will thinke this If these persons did fauour the Gospell they woulde rather seeke meanes to hide the blemishes and imperfections of their Prelates and Preachers then thus odiously to amplifie and paint foorth their discredite to their vtter shame and reproche in the worlde For as much as in them lyeth through their sides in the hearts and mindes of manie they giue a mortall wound to the doctrine which by them hath now these manie yeeres beene taught in this Realme For will men iudge trowe you that after so great darkenesse and ignoraunce of Gods woorde as the Churche of Christ is reported by vs to haue beene wrapped in that God woulde restore and sende vnto the same the light of his trueth by so wicked and naughtie instruments as these men be imagined to be For they condemne not onelie those Bishops and ministers that be now in place but their predecessors also whose place these men occupie and whose doctrine they confirme Men will thinke surely either that that doctrine which we call darknesse and errour was the true light or that these Preachers can not be so euill persons as malice doth make them Christ would not suffer that the deuill shoulde vtter any thing to the glorie of God and will he suffer deuillish and Antichristian persons to bee the chiefe Preachers and restorers of his Gospell GOD alwaies hath appointed godlie men to be the teachers and reuiuers of his trueth as Abraham with the other Patriarches Moses Aaron Dauid the Prophets the Apostles And in our dayes Luther Zuinglius Oecolampadius Cranmer Ridley Iewell c. For God is neuer destitute of his godly captaines to gouerne his Church and to set foorth his word Obiection Oh but our Bishops and preachers bee couetous they giue not to the poore they imbesill the goodes of the Church they bee woorkers and clokers of Simonie they hinder reformation of the Church c. Answere But how know you that It were safe for your consciences first to trie and knowe the trueth before you rashly to condemnation iudge your brother Common speeches and coniecturall collections doe oftentimes prooue false Doe you think that al is true which is spoken of your selues I appeale to your owne consciences Surely hee must bee a very happie man in these dayes of whome some euill is not spoken which in his owne conscience hee knoweth not to bee true Nowe if this may and doeth happen to most priuate persons howe is it not likely that it happeneth also to Bishops and ecclesiasticall Ministers Yea of all other it is most like that they shoulde feelethe bitternesse of false and backbiting speeches The Ministers of God haue beene alwayes subiect to that crosse And in these dayes they haue to doe with so manie and diuers kindes of enemies as it is not possible for them to escape the daunger thereof On the one side is the Papist whose errours they confute whose obstinacie they punish On the other side are the phantasticall spirites of Anabaptists Of the families of the loue and sundry others of the like sort whose wickednesse and corrupting of the church is by our ecclesiastical gouernors drawen into the light reproued repressed Yea beside these there are an infinit number of Epicures and Atheistes which hate the Bishops and speake euil of them and wish them to be taken away partly because they are as bridles to their loose and wicked life partlie because they staye from them that spoyle and praye which nowe for a fewe yeeres with great hope they haue gaped after and with much adoe is holden out of their iawes Moreouer who knoweth not that they which haue the office of iudging correcting and reproouing other bee their doinges neuer so sincere shall often light into the displeasure and misliking of manie and thereby gette misreport Therefore seeing Bishoppes and other chiefe of the Clergie are besette with so manie difficulties and lie in daunger ofso manie aduersaries no maruaile though their blemishes bee amplified and as the prouerbe is of euery moul-hill made a great mountaine Yea no maruaile though their best doinges and sincerest meaninges by mislikers are depraued and with hard and vncharitable interpretations wrested to their reproofe Wherfore al Christians that haue the feare of God loue his trueth but principally the chief gouernours that haue authoritie to deale with the Clergie ought to take great heed that by such deprauing reports they bee not carried to mislike or discredite them which neuer iustly deserued so great reproofe Let them diligently consider what may fall vnto themselues also beeyng in place subiect to like obloquie What meant Saint Paul when he saide Against an elder receiue no accusation vnder two or three witnesses Surely he did see that the office of teachers and reproouers iudges and gouernors lieth in great daunger of euill speech and false accusations and therefore would not haue them rashly condemned either in priuate or publike iudgement much lesse to bee defaced and contemned to be disobeyed and resisted yea though they were more grieuous offenders then standeth with the worthinesse of their offices Aaron had grieuously offended and greatly distayned his calling when hee was the Minister to make the golden Calfe and to further the peoples horrible and shamefull idolatrie I trust all the enemies that the Bishops and Cleargie men of England haue shall neuer bee able to prooue that in this time of the Gospell anie one of them did euer commit an offence either so horrible and displeasant in the sight of God or so hurtfull and offensiue to the Church And yet after that when Corah Dathan and other did call him proude Prelate and saide that hee and his brother vsed tyrannie ouer the people of God howe grieuously God did take it and howe dreadfull punishment came vpon them for misusing the Ministers of GOD the historie doeth sufficiently declare yea though many of the offenders were of the highest state birth and linage among the people Obiection But it is a common Obiection many thinke they sufficiently excuse their contempt when they say That our Bishops Preachers speake well and teach other to doe well but they followe not the same themselues and therefore men doe not beleeue them nor be any thing mooued with their preaching Answere But I say vnto you if you followe any doctrine in respect of the person that speaketh it you doe not like good Christians yea if Paul speake any thing of
vs and calleth vs to his knowledge as hee did his chosen by other in the Primitiue Church And howsoeuer by the libertie of this time it pleaseth men in the heate of their spirite to boyle out with reprochfull choler against them yet I am sure they are not able to vse more bitter and vncourteous speech then the like affection vttered against the Prophets against Christ himself and his Apostles as after more euidently shall appeare I knowe they being but fraile and sinfull men in comparison of those blessed Saintes of God beforetime may giue more iust cause of reproche and minister more matter to euill tongues then they did And yet I doubt not but the tenth part of that euil that vnthankefull mindes vtter against them shall neuer be found to be true They that haue the feare of God will not rashly iudge of other and christian charitie will hide the blemishes and faultes of their brethren and specially of the preachers of the gospell sincerely teaching Gods trueth Charitie woulde consider that the times are dangerous and that wee are lighted into these corrupt and perillous last daies whereof Christ prophecied in the Euangelists and therfore may thinke our selues thrise happy if wee haue tollerable Ministers though they bee farre from that rule that Christian perfection requireth These dayes bee like the times Nazianzen writeth of When they heare any thing spoken of a Minister or Priest they by and by conceiue that of all which is reported of one And wee are become a Theater not to Angels and men as that Champion Saint Paul saith But wee are become a Stage to the most vile and abiect men at all times and in all places in the Streetes in Shoppes at Tables at feasts at Councels euen to the very playing scaffoldes which I speake with teares and are scoffed at euen of the vile and contemptible players c. The time was saith Caluine when no man durst open his mouth against the Ministers or Preachers of the worde But nowe there is no speech more plausible None of these base persons would speake a word if they did not see themselues backed by men of great authoritie and receiue reward for so dealing Such vntrueths woulde soone vanish and bee forgotten vnlesse they were nourished by them for whose pleasure they were deuised It may be hardly thought that the true zeale of God and loue of his Gospell is in that heart that can easily breake out to the discrediting of the ministers and teachers therof They woulde rather sigh in their hearts and groane in their consciences and pray vnto God in the spirit of mildenes to take away such blemishes from the face of his Church and to amende the faults thereof if not all at once yet by little and little as to his gratious prouidence might seem best For surely where hatred and contempt of the ministers is there all goodnes must needes growe to confusion And that maketh mee to feare that to our great euil the ruine of the gospell is at hand among vs. For where God is loued and feared there his word is imbraced and his ministers reuerenced This is the cause of all euil sayth Chrysostome that the authoritie of spirituall gouernours is decayed no reuerēce no honor no feare is vsed toward them Obey your gouernours saith Paul and be subiect to them But now al things are ouerthrowen cleane confounded Neither speake I this for the gouernours sake but for your owne And a little after He that honoureth the Priest honoureth God and hee that despiseth the Priest by little and little falleth to this also that he will vse reproch against God himself He that receiueth you sayth Christ receiueth me And in another place sayth the Scripture Haue his Priestes in honour Hence commeth it sayth Cyprian that the bonde of the Lordes peace is broken Hence is it that brotherly loue is violated Of this cause is it that trueth is corrupted vnitie is broken that men leane to Schismes because Priestes are slaundered Bishops are enuied and euery man either complaineth that hee is not ordeined rather then another or else disdaineth to haue another aboue him c. The Iewes were esteemed to despise God because they made so small account of his seruant Moses And to Samuel saith the Lord They haue not despised thee but me Yea if it be an euill Minister sayth Chrysostome yet God marketh that for his sake thou doest reuerence and obey him that is not worthie honour of himselfe and therefore will he pay thee thy rewarde If he that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet receiue the rewarde of a Prophet it cannot be that he that reuerenceth and obeyeth his ordinarie Minister shall want his reward Christians should remember that Bishops and Preachers are the Angels of God the Ambassadours of Christ the Ministers of our saluation and therefore that they can not be slaundered or abused but the reproche must touch God himselfe Esay sheweth when the vnthankeful disobedient Iewes did mocke the Prophets did put out their lips and lell out their tongues in disdaine of them that God was dishonoured with the reproch there of Happily it will be doubted whether our Bishops Preachers bee the ministers and messengers of God or no. Yea some dare affirme boldly that indeede they be not But good Christians beware of such cogitations as displeasant and misliking affections may raise in you If they be not the ministers and messengers of God if they bee not sent of him then it is not the message of God that they haue brought vs it is not his worde that they haue taught vs they be not Gods Sacramentes that they deliuered vnto vs and so doe a great nomber of vs remaine as no Christians Though they were such vnworthy persons as the vnthankfull mindes of many doe imagine them or as the vncharitable tongues and pennes of some of late time haue blazed them yet bringing nothing vnto you but Gods will out of his holy Scriptures for in deede they haue not done otherwise howsoeuer their doctrine be defaced you shoulde assuredly bee perswaded that they are the instruments of Gods blessing vnto you Although they that be superiours saieth Chrysostome and Gouernours were euill and spotted with manye faultes yet shoulde not the Disciples withdrawe them from their instruction For if Christ speaking of the Doctours of the Iewes that because they sate in Moyses Chaire they were worthie to bee hearde of their Disciples although their woorkes were not commendable what fauour are they woorthie of which contemne and trample vnder foote as it were the Prelates of the Churche which by Gods goodnesse liue moderately If it bee a foule matter for one to iudge an other howe much more is it vnlawful to iudge their Maisters and instructers Baalam was a couetous prophet and yet by him GOD blessed his people Nowe surely if you haue receiued at their handes the blessing of Gods trueth
kingdome of errour and wickednesse to decay and the glorie of God to increase then hee bestirreth him by all meanes hee can And if by Gods good prouidence the Princes and Magistrates bee such as by sword and fire he cannot either ouerthrowe it or worke some mischiefe against it then seeketh hee by lying and slander to discredit and deface the messengers that GOD sendeth with his worde and instruments that he vseth to aduance and sette foorth his trueth by this meanes to worke hinderance to the trueth it selfe When Ieremie preached the will of God earnestly and truely vnto the Iewes were there not false Prophets and other very neere the Prince which perswaded him and other rulers that hee was a naughtie man not worthie to liue that hee was an enemie to his Countrey that hee conspired with the Babylonians and was with money or otherwise corrupted by them to perswade the people of Iuda not to refuse their subiection When God by the Ievves in captiuitie and by the fauour of the Queene Hester began to spread his knovvledge among the Gentiles so that their heathenish idolatrie vvas somewhat blemished the deuil raised vp a fit instrument by such meanes as before is mentioned to vvork their confusion For Haman came to king Assuerus and said There is a people dispersed throughout all the prouinces of thine Empire not agreeing among themselues vsing newe lawes and contemning thy ordinances and thou knowest it is not expedient for thy kingdome that they should bee suffered to waxe so insolent And if it shall please thee to appoint that they may be all put to death I will bring in tenne thousand talents into the kings treasure It vvas a shrevvd tale to persvvade a Prince For he tempered his hateful and slaunderous lying with the sweete savvce of gaine and commoditie The subtile Sathan did see that sometime they which othervvise are good Princes vvhen hope of great benefite is offered vvill be more easily persvvaded to some kinde of hard dealing vvhich othervvise they themselues vvould not like When Iohn Baptist was sent to prepare the vvay for the comming of Christ though hee vvere a man of very austere liuing did not the Pharisees persvvade the people and chiefe rulers that hee was but an hypocrite that he vvas possed vvith a deuill and therfore that his doctrine should not be beleeued When Christ himselfe came a perfect patterne of all temperance and godly vertue did they not say that he was a glutton and a wine bibber a Samaritane a friend of Publicanes and sinners a worker with deuils a seducer of the people c. and by this means in the hearts of many wrought the discredite both of his doctrine and of his myracles In like manner dealt Sathan with his instruments against the Apostles and godlie professors of Christian religion in the Primitiue Church as it appeareth in the Ecclesiasticall Histories and auncient Fathers For malitious tongues and pennes did spreade abroade of them that they murdered their children and did eate them that vsually at their assemblies they committed incest that they worshipped the sunne that they worshipped an asse head that they were traitours to the Empire that they were generall enemies of all mankinde with an infinite number of other like false and slaunderous crimes and by this meanes the wicked enemies of Christ raised those grieuous and terrible persecutions wherewith the Church was vexed the space of three hundred yeeres vnder the Emperours Yea and this craft of the deuill ceased not vnder the Christian Emperours For then stirred hee vp schismes and factions errours and heresies almost in number infinite and still by backebiters and slaunderous instrumentes defaced and brought out of credite the godly and learned bishops which were as the pillars of Christian trueth against the enemies of God and his Church Constantine that woorthie and godlie prince at the beginning fauoured and furthered all those reuerend and learned Bishops that did mainteine the doctrine of Nicene Councell against the Arians but after that Eusebius of Nicomedia the great patrone of that heresie had procured friendes in the court and therby crept in some credite with the Emperour he and the residue of his sort deuised shamefull slaunders against Athanasius and other that in the ende with great displeasure of the Emperour he was banished into Fraunce and there continued all the reigne of the saide Constantine His enemies with great impudencie had charged him with shamefull vntruths as that he cruelly and vniustly had excommunicated diuers persons that as a couetous extortioner he had oppressed the countrey of Egypt with exactions that he had committed adultery with a strumpet who was brought before his face to auouch it to be true that he had murthered Arsenius vsed his arme to worke sorcery that he sent money to one that went about treason against the Emperour that hee had affirmed in threatning wordes that he would cause the citie of Alexandria to send no more tribute-corne to Constantinople for the Emperors prouision as before time it had vsed to doe As they dealt with Athanasius so did they in like manner with Eustathius Macarius and al other godly Fathers which defended the true faith of Christ and set themselues against the indeuours of heretikes and other seditious and factious spirites And in like maner were other vsed after that time as Ambrose Cyrill and Chrysostome It were a matter almost infinite to recite the examples thereof and to shewe how like they are to the attempts of some in these dayes And although it pleased GOD by strange meanes at that time to reprooue sundrie of those shamefull vntrueths deuised against manie yet by stoute affirmation and colourable proofe thorow friendship many of them tooke suche effect that sundrie woorthy and good men were put out of their bishoprikes driuen into banishment and put to death to the great trouble of the Church and exceeding hinderaunce of christian faith for the space of many yeeres We reade in histories that Philip king of Macedony a subtile and politique prince who is thought to haue conquered more by craft and cunning then by force of warre dint of sworde minding to bring the Graecians vnder his subiection in concluding an agreement with them conditioned that they shoulde deliuer vnto him their Orators as the very firebrands of discord among them and the onely occasioners of that displeasure and misliking that was betweene him and them At which time Demosthenes one of the Orators speaking for himselfe admonished the Athenians to call to their remembraunce the parable betweene the shepheardes and the wolues The wolues pretending desire of agreement between them and the shepheards perswaded them that all the cause of their displeasure was the vnseasonable barking of the dogges and promised great amitie so that they woulde put away their ill-fauoured curres and mastiues But when the dogs were remooued the wolues tooke their pleasure in spoyling the flocke more cruelly then euer they did
the Gospel in those parts Namely we haue had B. Cranmer Ridley Latimer Couerdale Hooper diuers other vvhich were no Bishops as M. Bradford M. Sanders M. Rogers M. Philpot D. Haddon c. Most of vvhich as they haue left good proofe of their learning in vvriting so did they confirme the same vvith their blood in the ende The like I may iustly say of them vvhome God hath sent to restore his Trueth since the beginning of her Maiesties reigne hovvsoeuer it pleaseth the Broode of the Martinists to deface them as Bishoppe Coxe Pilkington Grindall Sands Horne Iewell c. vvhich haue good testimonie of their learning giuen them by as graue learned and zealous men as any haue liued in this age among vvhome for certaine yeeres they liued A nomber of other haue proceeded out of both our Vniuersities vvhich though Martin Momus will say the contrary deserue singular commēdation for their learning and haue declared the same to the vvorlde in ansvvering and confuting the opprobrious writings of the common Aduersaries In vvhich their ansvveres without enuie and displeasure be it spoken there appeareth as sufficient learning as doeth in the most workes at this time published by the vvriters of forreine Countreies If Englishmen at this time so greatly dispraysed vvere giuen vvith like paynes to set foorth the exercises of their studie and learning as in other places they doe they vvoulde dravve as good commendation of learning to their Countrey as most other Churches doe To vvhich nomber of ours I adde also some of thē vvhom certaine occasions haue caried away to the misliking of the present state of this Church vvhich I knowe haue receiued of God singular good giftes which I pray earnestly they may vse to his glory and the procuring the vnity peace of the Church vvhich our Hastie Diuines of M. M. his brood seeke to breake and disturbe This testimonie I thought my selfe bounde in conscience to yeelde to that Church of my naturall Countrey in vvhich and by vvhich through the mercie of our gracious God I am that I am The godly I trust vvill interprete all to the best the residue I looke not to please The B. of Winchester is further charged in this maner He said that men might find fault if they were disposed to quarrell aswel with the Scriptures as with the booke of common prayer Who could heare this comparison without trembling Let the Libellers whatsoeuer they are remēber Os quodmentitur occidit animam At that time in S. Mary Oueries church in a large discourse he did answere the obiections that many make at this day against the booke of common praier towarde the end vttered these words If it could be without blasphemie they might picke as many as great quarrels against the holy scriptures thēselues For euen the best writings are subiect to the slanderous malice of wicked men This assertion was found fault with all by a Iesuite or Massing priest at that time in the Marshalsey therfore the B. the next Sunday following expounded his meaning and at large shevved that that might be done which beforetime was done by a great number and that he was not so far beside himselfe as to compare the booke of common prayer vvith the holy scriptures in dignity trueth or maiestie He leaueth such blasphemous dealing to the Papists the Family of Loue some other Sectaries but he compared them in this as it is before saide that the Scriptures themselues vvere subiect also to slaunderous and deprauing tongues and yet not therfore to be reiected wherof he recited sundry examples Celsus that heathenish Epicure against whom Origen writeth in his booke called Verax doth powre out many railing slaunderous reproches not onely against the holy Scriptures but also against the course of Christian Religion as that they receiued their religion doctrine of the barbarous Iewes that is out of the bookes of Moses and the Prophets The like did Porphyrius an other Philosopher and in his bookes reprooued the Scriptures in many places for hee wrote thirtie bookes against Christian religion That scoffing sophister Libanius and his scholler Iulian the Apostata vsed the like blasphemies against the Christian faith and the Scriptures out of which it was prooued as appeareth in sundrie auncient Writers Who knoweth not that some Heretikes reiected the most part of the olde Testament as false and fabulous The Valentiniane Heretike sayeth Tertullian Quaedam legis Prophetarum improbat quaedam probat id est Omnia improbat dum quaedam reprobat The Marcionists receiue onely the Gospell of Matthewe the other they reiect And likewise they admitte but two Epistles of Saint Paul that is to Timothie and Titus and as Hierome sayeth to Philemon Tatian also depraueth the Scriptures reiecteth the Actes of the Apostles and picketh sundrie other quarrels against them There was neuer any Heretike but that to giue countenance to his opinion hee would seeme to ground it vpon the Scriptures And what is that but wickedly to father lies vpon the Scriptures And for this cause you know the Papists thinke it no sure ground to rest vpon the scriptures onely affirming blasphemously that the Scriptures are darke vnperfect and doubtfull because they may bee wrested cuery way like a nose of waxe or like a leaden Rule Wherefore Christian charitie and modestie woulde not thus maliciously and slanderously wrest and wring the words of the Bishop tending to a good and godly meaning Of like trueth it is that he burtheneth the Bishop of Winchester to affirme that it was heresie to say The preaching of the worde was the onely ordinarie way to saluation which he neuer thought or spake either thē or at any other time of his life But in handling of that controuersie Penrie spake things so strangely obscurely that he seemed to attribute that effect to the preaching of the word only not otherwise vsed by reading And being vrged with that question by occasion of reading the Scriptures in Churches his answere was such as hee euidently shewed himselfe to meane that that effect of saluatiō could not be wrought by hearing the worde of God read with some other wordes giuing suspition of worse matter And then indeede the B. rose not out of his place as these honest men doe carpe nor spake in such cholerike maner as they pretend but quietly said My Lord this is not farre from heresie What were the words that Penry vsed especially moued the B. to speake hee doeth not at this time remember but sure he is they were as far from that which is laide downe in the Libel as falshoode can be from truth I wonder that mē which professe God yea or that beleeue there is a God can with open mouth so boldely powre foorth such heapes of vntrueths Detractor abominabilis est Deo The counsell of the Prophet is good He that would gladly see good dayes let him refraine his tongue from euill and
his lippes that they speake no guile The mouth of a malicious man saith Ambrose is a deepe or bottomlesse pit The innocent that is too easie of credit doth quickly fall but he riseth againe But the backebiting railer is by his owne craft cast downe headlong to confusion in such sort as he shall neuer recouer himselfe againe And Bernard Let not my soule be in companie of backebiting tongues because God doth hate them when the Apostle saith Backbiters are odious to God Euery one that backbiteth sheweth himselfe voyd of charitie Moreouer what other thing seeketh hee by deprauing but that he whome he backebiteth may come in hatred and contempt with them among whom he is depraued Wherefore the backebiter woundeth charitie in all that heare him and somuch as in him lyeth doth vtterly destroy him whome he striketh with his tongue As for the reproch of want of learning he will not striue much with them The Bishop hath not vsed God bee thanked to vaunt himselfe of great learning Neither doth he disdaine to be accounted vnlearned of these men which many yeeres since contemned Bishoppe Iewell as a man of no deepe learning and euen of late dayes coulde say that Erasmus was no Diuine His prayer is that the small measure of knowledge which it pleased God to giue him in the continuance of fiftie yeeres studie may be imployed to the glorie of God and the benefite of his Countrey It is knowen fiue and fourtie yeres since that he was Master of Art and Student of Diuinitie and disputed in that facultie since which time hee was neuer drawen from that exercise of good learning This is his greatest comfort that since he was a yong man in Magdalene Colledge in Oxford he hath bene brought vp in the loue of the Gospel and was reasonablie able to confirme his conscience to represse the aduersary not only by the holy scriptures but also by the writings of the anciēt Fathers and the best authours of this age since the renewing of the Gospell as hee hath many honest and learned men witnesses yet aliue M. Trauers whome they prefere before him he knoweth not what he is He neuer sawe him to his remembrance but once and that was at my Lord of Canterburies in the presence of some honourable persons at which time the man shewed no great learning Doctor Sparke is so well knowen to the Bishoppe of Winchester and the Bishoppe to him that hee cannot be perswaded that Doctor Sparke will affirme that he did put the Bishop at that time or any other as they terme it to a non plus But vvhatsoeuer hee vvill doe if the one or the other or they both doe make any bragge of a victorie then gotten as I haue before sayde surely they doe greatly forget themselues and declare that Ladie Philautie did bleare their eyes and made that they coulde not see the right rules of modestie especially considering what the witnesses were and what report they haue made thereof to the best of this Lande which hath not bene made vnknowen to the worlde It is true that Gregorie saith Superbia lumen intelligentiae abscondit Pride daseleth the eyes of a mans vnderstanding And againe Superbi c. Proud men when they thinke them selues despised fall by and by to railing Cyprian that reuerend and learned father sayth notably An high and swelling heart arrogant and proude bragging is not of Christ that teacheth humilitie but springeth of the spirit of Antichrist I pray GOD these men may remember these lessons AS touching the Gouernment of the Church of England now defended by the bishops this I say When God restored the doctrine of the Gospel more sincerely and more aboundantly then euer before vnder that good yong Prince King Edward 6. at vvhich time not the gouernours onely of this Realme vnder him but a number of other Noblemen Gentlemen were well knovven to be zealous in the fauor of the trueth by consent of all the States of this Land this maner of gouernment that now is vsed was by law confirmed as good and godly The bishops other of the clergy that gaue their aduise and consent to the same vvere learned zealous bishop Cranmer Ridley Latimer and many other vvhich after sealed their doctrine vvith their blood all learned graue and vvise in comparison of these yong Sectaries which greatly please themselues M. Couerdale M. Hooper neuer thought to be superstitious or inclining to Antichristian corruption were contented to vse the office authority and iurisdiction of bishops the one at Exeter the other at Glocester Peter Martyr Bucer and Iohn de Alasco graue men and of great knovvledge and godlinesse did liue in that state vnder the Archbishops and bishops that then vvere and vvrote to them most reuerendly not refusing to giue them those Titles that novv bee accompted Antichristian The like they did to other of late time Reade the Preface of Peter Martyr set before his Dialogues against Vbiquity see what honourable testimonie hee giueth to bishop Iewell and what titles he affoordeth him To condemne all these as Reprobate and Pety Antichrists were great rashnesse and such impudencie as ought not in any Christian Church or common weale to bee borne without punishment When God had marueilously preserued for vs our gracious soueraigne Queene Elizabeth set her in her Fathers seat being brought vp from her tender yeres in the instruction of Gods trueth shee tooke aduise of her most honourable Counsell Nobles and learned of the Realme and especially such as were most forward in religion and with consent of all the States of this Realme by law receiued confirmed and established the manner of Gouernment and other orders of the Church now obserued The learned men that yeelded their aduise and consent to the same were those reuerend godly persons that came lately out of banishment from the schoole of affliction could not so soone forget their Lorde God and the zeale of his trueth namely Master Cox Grindall Sands Horne Pilkington Iewell Parkhurst and a number of other vvho vvere after chosen to be bishops and executed those offices without grudging or repining of any vntill about the tenth yeere of her Maiesties raigne the curious deuises beganne to be more common Since vvhich time by the countenauncing of some they haue greatly increased in strange assertions now be come almost to the highest The reproches therefore that are giuen to this State by these Libellers touch not onely the Bishoppes but the Prince the Counsell and the honorable woishipfull wise and learned of the Realme As for this question of Church-gouernment I meane not at this time to stand much on it For let them say what they lust for any thing that hath beene written hitherto touching it it is sufficiently answered Onely this I desire That they will lay downe out of the worde of God some iust proofes and a direct commandement that there shoulde be in all ages
the like will happen hereafter among vs. Anomber of other like inconueniences I might lay downe in this place and diuers of them of as great weight as these By these fewe some taste may be taken of the residue But I will now returne in a word or two to the Martinist againe NOw because M. M. is so notable a paynter of bishops visages can purtrey them al with faces of seasoned wainscot it were good for him in some table to behold his owne ougly shape that he his children may learne to be ashamed of themselues I sawe his figure drawen and set forth in a table when I was a yong man the paynter was one very nigh of his kinne His name was Lucian The figure vvas this An ancient man of some authoritie sate vpon the iudgement seate hee was like Mydas that couetous King for hee had long eares like an Asse and had sitting on eche side of him a woman the name of the one was Ignorance the other was called Ielous Suspition which two made him very rash in credite Then commeth in M. Martin M. otherwise called Calumniator a false accuser trimmed handsomelie for his better credite and not a wrinckle awrie in his garment but seemed somewhat to halte and not to goe vpright his eyes and gesture fierce and fierie In his left hand he caried a flaming firebrand to note his furie With his right hand he drewe by the haire of the head a yoong man his name was Innocencie who lifted vp his handes to heauen protesting before ood that he was giltlesse in the cause There folowed two or three much like to schollers their names were Dolus Fraus Insidiae These clapped their Master on the backe to encourage him And because Master Martin will be a Gentleman he had a treader before him an olde fellowe his eies were fierce his face thinne withered his whole countenance much like to one pined away with melancholy fretting furie His name was Liuor that is cankred malice or enuie A little behinde followed dolefull Dame repentance in mourning apparell and looking backe with shame and teares goeth to meet Lady Truth comming somewhat after In the toppe of the Table this sentence was written Whosoeuer slaundereth honest men shall come to iust punishment In the lovver part is this Nothing can bee safe from the backbiting tongue Rounde about was this vvritten Beware thou neyther slaunder nor giue eare vnto the back-biter Flee slaundering both with thine eares with thy tongue He that giueth faire countenance light eare encourageth a backebiter If Martin that delighteth so much in himself would discreetly behold this table I trust he would diminish some part of his folly But for that it liketh Martin not only to be a false accuser but also a rash credulous iudge with his long asses eares receiuing euery vntruth that is told him he may behold himselfe in al the parts of the Table The best aduise that I can giue you is out of Chrysostome Let discretion truth sit as iudges ouer your owne soule and conscience Bring foorth before them all thine offences Lay downe what punishement is due for euery of them Say continually this vnto thy selfe How durst thou do this How durst thou do that c. If thy conscience will refuse this and prie vpon other mens faults say vnto her Thou sittest not here as iudge of other but to answere for thy selfe What matter is it to thee if this or that man offend looke to thine owne steps blame thine owne doing not others To the descriptiō of a detractor or backebiter are these properties First he is malicious and studieth to hurt others and sometimes purposely doeth hurt himselfe the sooner to hurt other Secondly his soule and life is lying Thirdly he is an hypocrite and a Dissembler and pretendeth a zeale of iustice and pietie to colour his malice Lastly he is a Serpent byting secretly and fleeth knowledge These properties learne by the complaintes of Dauid in sundry of his Psalmes Deliuer me O Lorde from the naughtie and from the wicked man which deuiseth euill in his heart They haue sharpened their tongues like Serpentes the poyson of Aspes is vnder their lippes The mouth of a backbiter is full of cursed speaking vnder his tongue iss sorowe and griefe Hee lyeth in wayte in secrete places to destroy the innocent Hee lyeth lurking as a Lyon in his denne to rauish the poore He falleth downe humbleth himselfe that the poore may fal into his nette Reade the tenth Psalme and diuers other The residue of their malicious more then ruffiāly raylings togetherwith Histrionical mockes scoffes too immodest for any Vice in a Play are not meetefor any honest man to meddle with and therefore are returned ouer to the Libellers themselues as vnfallible tokens of that spirite with which they are ledde to these outragious dealinges But it is nowe time to answere those quarrels that are made generally against all Bishops Obiection But let vs see what is layde downe against the Bishoppes and chiefe of the Cleargie First is that they are exceeding couetous and set to sale the libertie of the Gospel and the vse and Discipline of the Church like Simoniakes and Prelates of the Church of Antichrist yea that in Simonie and sale of the Gospell they are nothing behinde the Bishop of Rome Answere Surely this is a grieuous and an horrible accusation in the eares of any christian Magistrate and if it be found true the offendours not vvorthy to liue in this Common vvealth Or if it be false and slaunderous the Accuser not meete to escape vnpunished The example of the slaundering the Ministers of the Church is a matter more dangerous then in these daies it is esteemed But as touching the thing it selfe I am of opinion that no man of meane learning or any experience hauing regarde of his credite vvould vndertake to iustifie such an accusation in the hearing of any honest mā For this I dare say and vpon hazard of that is most deere vnto mee in this world wil proue that where the state of this our Church of England doeth leaue to an euill disposed bishop one occasiō of the practise of Simony couetous oppression of the people that the B. of Rome had fourtie For a taste hereof I referre the meaner learned to the common places of Muscul cap. Quare coniugium ministris ademptum The better learned I knovve are better able of thēselues to make further declaration out of their own lawes decrees registers commonly read of all them that are desirous to knovv the trueth not by ignorance to exaggerate infamie by false vniust reportes Yea the very histories of this Realme can vvitnesse that by Simony couetous oppression the bishops of Rome haue had yeerely out of this Realme more money then at that time the reuenevv of the Kings crovvne did extend vnto or at this day as I thinke all the
bishopricks in England be worth For Mat. Paris vvriteth that in the time of king Henry the 3. the Pope had yeerely out of this Lande 60000 markes vnto which if you doe adde his like dealing in Germanie and other countreys you shall perceiue the value to be inestimable And surely I am of that hope and in my conscience I think it to be most true that all the Bishops in this land by Simoniacal practise and couetous oppression doe not gaine the hundred part thereof And if it doe rise to that value it is a great deale too much yea if it be one peny it is wicked and by no good man ought to be defended much lesse by them to bee practised I hope well of all although I wil not take vpon me to excuse all But for some I assuredly know in my conscience dare depose that since they were made Bishops they haue not wittingly gained that way one twenty shillings Therefore in equalling the bishops of Englande in the practise of Simonie vvith the Pope of Rome there must needs be great oddes in the comparison and the whole speech may well be called Hyperbole that is an vncharitable amplification surmounting all likelihood of honest and Christian trueth Obiection But somewhat to giue countenance to an euill slaunder it will be sayde that the Bishop of Rome practized Simonie by al meanes that he had our bishops by as many as they haue Answere Oh a worthie reason Is this to iustifie so shameful a slaūder of the church of God vnder a christian Princes gouernment Is that Christian Preacher and Bishop if any such be that vseth Simoniacall practise in two or three points of smal importance and litle value in grieuousnesse of offence before God and the vvorlde to be equalled to the head of Antichrist and the principall enemy of the Gospel practizing the same in a thousande of great weight and vnestimable value I cannot but wish more charitable hearts to them that will take vpon them the zeale and profession of the Gospel Let sinne be blamed euen in them that fauour the word and chiefly the Clergie but yet so as trueth will beare and modestie with Christian charitie doeth require lest in much amplifying of small offences you become instruments not onely to discredit the parties blamed but also to ouerthrowe the doctrine that they teach There ought to be great difference betweene Christian Preachers writers inueighing against Antichrist and his members enemies of the Gospell and zealous professors blaming reprouing the faults of their owne Bishop and Clergie in the estate of a Church by authoritie setled The one part is kindled with an earnest zeale detestation of the obstinate patrones of errour and idolatrie the other shoulde bee mooued onely with a charitable sorowe and griefe to see Preachers of the trueth not to declare in life that which they vtter to other in doctrine They that by humane frailtie offende in blemish of life onely are not with like bitternesse to bee hated harried rated and defaced as they that with obstinate and vnrepentant hearts offend both in life and doctrine and to the face of the worlde shewe them-selues aduersaries of the truth Christ after one maner blameth the Scribes pharises after another he reprooueth the ignorance the dulnesse the ambition and carnal affection of his owne Disciples that followed him But I pray you let vs consider the particular proofe of this generall accusation and odious comparison Surely they are so trifling that I am ashamed to stay vpon them and yet I must needes speake a word or two of them The Church of England retaineth a good and necessarie order that before the celebration of marriage the Banes should be asked three seuerall Sabboth dayes Obiection This order saith the aduersarie and accuser is by Dispensation abused and by our Bishops solde for money Answere The order I thinke very good and meete to bee obserued in a Christian Church and not without good cause to be altered and yet doth it not beare any necessitie in Religion and holinesse whereby mens consciences should be wrung or wrested But I will demaund of the accuser whether there be not some cases wherein the circumstances being considered this matter may bee dispensed withall among Christians And if there bee as no reasonable man can deny then I aske further whether there bee any lawe in this Church of Englande whereby with the authoritie of the Prince it is granted that a Bishoppe may in such conuenient cases dispense with this order And if there bee such lawe of the Church and of the Realme I marueile howe it can be counted Simonie or couetous selling of the libertie of the Gospell to dispense with it Obiection Yea but if the order be good why is it not kept vnuiolably if it be euill why is it solde for money Answere The order is good no man can deny it or without good cause alter it but there is no externall order so necessary but that authoritie may in some considerations lawfully dispense therewith It was a good order and cōmandement of God that none but the Priests should eat of the shew bread and yet in a case of necessitie Abimelech the hie Priest did dispense with Dauid his company in eating the same bread The external obseruation of the Sabboth day was a good order and a commandement streightly giuen by God and yet we read that the Iewes in necessitie did breake it and fought on the Sabboth day And Christ himselfe defended his Disciples that on that day did bruise Corne and eate it Therefore by lawfull authoritie such orders may bee dispensed with and not deserue iust reproofe much lesse the crime of Couetousnesse and Simonie Obiection Yea but the dispensations are solde for money for some haue for writing and other for sealing and my Lord so granting c. Answere By as good reason may they excuse any Iudge or chiefe officer in this Land of extortion and bribery because his Clearkes and vnder officers take money for the writing dispatch of Processes Writs and other like matters where of happily some small portion commeth to the Iudge or chiefe officer himselfe and the same also warranted and made good by the lawes of this Realme If either Ecclesiasticall Ministers or other officers and Magistrates shall by extortion wrest more then by order is due there lieth lawfull remedie and sharpe punishment for the same And in all societies and common weales that euer haue bene aswell among Christians as other it hath bene counted lawfull that the Ministers to higher officers aswell Ecclesiasticall as other should haue lawfull portions and fees allowed them for such things where in they trauell Therefore how this may be imputed to Bishops as Simonie and sale of Christian libertie I see not Obiection They will say Dispensations for Banes for greedinesse of money are granted more commonly then they should be Answere If that
gouernours of Prouinces to be punished if they neglect to execute the same But I wil make no longer discourse herein Such as doe doubt hereof and desire to be better satisfied I referre them to a Treatise which Maister Beza hath writtē for that matter I haue taried the longer in this part for that I am desirous to let the indifferēt christian reader vnderstand that it is but an assectionate iudgemēt of some when they impute the only cause to be in bishops why there is in these dayes so great back sliding from the Gospell so great mischiefe deuised against the Prince the State It appeareth their mindes are blinded with affection that they cannot see the trueth AN other crime layde against Bishoppes is that they maintaine pilling and pouling and as some in despite terme them bawdy courts If they maintayne courtes for the administration of Iustice in such thinges as are vvithin their charge they doe as I am persvvaded by Gods law they may doe and as by the lawes of this Realme and state of this Church they ought to doe But if they mayntaine pouling in their Courtes that in deede is vvorthy blame and by no pretence can bee salued For as all Magistrates ought to deale vprightly and vvithout corruption so principally such as be Spirituall and of the Church of God But hovv is it prooued that Bishops maintaine pouling Courtes Surely I knovve not For they doe not lay it dovvne in particulars If they did I thinke the matter might easily be answered vvith good reason It may bee they thinke the vnder-Officers take money and bribes where they should not For that is polling and extortion If it bee so it is euill and not to be suffered and vpon proofe the Lavve appoynteth sharpe punishment Though it bee true that they surmise in this case that Officers are so corrupt it is one thing to say The Officers vse pouling and another to say The bishop maintaineth a pouling Court A bishop may haue an euill Officer vvhome yet he vvill not maintaine no nor suffer if he knevve it and be able to redresse it I am in persvvasion there is no bishop in this Realme but if it be complayned of and proofe made vnto him that his officers take more then is prescribed by order and lavv that they may doe but wil mislike with the thing and doe his best to see it redressed Or if hee will not I fauour not their State so much but that I could vvish him to be punished himselfe But if a Bishops Officers shall be counted to poule when they take no more then the ordinary fees and duties by Lawe allowed the bishop when he beareth with the same shall bee called a maintainer of a poulling Court this is a matter in a slaunderer to be punished and not a fault in a bishop to bee blamed By this meanes all the Courtes in Englande may bee defamed and called poulling Courtes and the Officers or Iudges vnder whose authoritie they stande may bee reprooued as mainteners of poulling Courtes Bee it that there is vnlawfull taking in many Courtes of this Realme as happily there is in some by greedie Officers were it therefore the duetie of christian godly subiects to spread libels against the Prince or chiefe gouernors as mainteners of corruption briberie and pouling An hard matter it is in so corrupt times for anie magistrate to warrant the doinges of all inferiour officers I pray God this making of exception to Courtes and officers goe no further then to the officers of bishops and of the Cleargie Whatsoeuer they pretend the very root of the matter is this The whole state Ecclesiasticall by the loosenesse of this time is growen into hatred contempt all inferiour subiectes disdaine in any poynt to be ruled by them And therfore when they be called conuēted and punished for such things wherin they haue offended or be brideled of that they would do disorderly they grudge at it their stomackes rise against it and thinke al that is done to be vnlawfull though it be neuer so iust And because they are not able otherwise to be reuenged they crie out that they be cruel and poulling Courts Obiection To cut off the whole matter it wil be said that by the word of God it is not lawfull for bishops to haue such Courtes nor to exercise such iurisdiction Answere Yet truly I must answere that it is lawful for christian subiects to obey it and vnlawfull for them to kicke and spurne against it seeing it standeth by authoritie of the Lawes and of our Christian and gracious prince by whom God hath sent to vs and doeth continue with vs the free course of his Gospell But why may not a bishop exercise iurisdiction haue a Court to iudge determine and ende matters Surely Saint Paule sayth to Timothie Against a Priest or Elder receiue no accusation vnder two or three witnesses Here is an accuser Heere is a person accused here are witnesses examined heere is a iudgement and deciding of the matter therefore here is an exercise of iurisdiction and a manner of a Court. They will say It was not Timothies Court onely but ioyntly exercised with the residue of the Elders that had the gouernement Vndoubtedly there is no such thing there in that place The words are directed to Timothie only the adioyning of some other is but the interpretation of some fewe vpon which to build the necessity of a doctrine in the Church of Christ is but hard dealing and not sufficient to ground mens consciences vpon And yet here note you that by this place it is euident that ecclesiasticall persons may haue and vse iurisdiction To prooue that bishops may not alone exercise iurisdiction they adde Christes saying Matthew 18 If thy brother offend thee go and tel him his fault between thee and him alone If he shal heare thee thou hast wonne thy brother but if he wil not heare thee take yet with thee one or two if he wil not heare then Dic Ecclesiae Tell it to the Church Here say they we are willed to tel the Church but the Church cannot be vnderstāded to be one person as the bishop or such like First I answere that by the consent of most interpreters that place speaketh not of the exercise of publike iurisdiction but of a charitable proceeding in priuate offences And Christes large discourse which immediatly following he maketh vnto Peter touching the forgiuing of them that doe offend vs doth very euidētly iustifie that meaning If some do interpret the place otherwise as I haue before said Christians shoulde not build thereupon a generall doctrine of necessitie It will be asked what Christ meant when he said Dic Ecclesiae As some interprete it he meant Tell the Gouernours of the Church After some other Tell it openly in the Church or congregation as Hierome saith Vt qui non potuit pudore saluari saluetur opprobriis that is that hee which could
not be saued by shame might haue his saluation wrought by reproch For a great thing it is to one that hath any feare of God to haue reproch in the face of the Church And to this interpretation the most of the ancient writers agree Obiection They will reply that at that time there were manie Presidents as it were and gouernours of the Church together with the chiefe Ministers in euery Congregation Answere I grant it was so But it doth not follow thereupon that it is a commaundement that for euer in all places and times it should be so I am not of that opinion nor euer was any of the auncient Writers no more are sundry learned men of great credite at this time Quòd vna semper debet esse oeconomia Ecclesiae that is that the externall gouernement of the Church should alwayes in all places be one and specially by a college or company of Elders When Christ said Tel the Church there was as yet no Christian church established but Christ took his speech according to the state of the Iewes Church that then was as in another place he â—aith If thy brother trespasse against thee leaue thine offering before the altar If they will gather by the former speech Tell the Church that of necessity they must haue a company of Elders as then was in the Iewes church why let them make like collection of the latter that of necessitie there must be altars in the church of Christ the absurditie whereof will bee greater then any good christian man will easily receiue Obiection They will say the Apostles afterward and the Primitiue Church did practise the same Answere That is not yet proued but let theÌ„ struggle while they lust theysh al neuer find a commandement in the scriptures charging that it shuld for euer be so It were to great a bridle of christiaÌ„ liberty in things external to cast vpoÌ„ the church of Christ So loÌ„g as the church of God was in persecutioÌ„ vnder tyrants might well seeme to be the best and fittest order of Gouernment But when God blessed his Churche with Christian Princes the Scriptures doe not take away that libertie that with the consent of their godlie magistrates they may haue that outwarde forme of iurisdiction deciding of Ecclesiasticall causes as to the state of the Countrey and people shall be most conuenient And that libertie haue diuers reformed churches since the restoring of the Gospell vsed Now as when other churches in their externall order of gouernment differ froÌ„ ours we neither do nor ought to mislike with them so if ours differ froÌ„ theirs retaining still the sinceritie of the gospel and trueth of doctrine I trust they will euen as charitably thinke of vs. If any desire further aunswere in this controuersie of church gouernment I refer them to the reply of D. Bridges vntill they haue with modestie and grauitie answered his booke It is obiected also against Bishops that they abuse Ecclesiasticall Discipline I take Ecclesiasticall Discipline to consist in reprouing correcting and excommunicating such as be offendors in the Church And I thinke their meaning is here that bishops their officers abuse Excommunication in punishing therewith those persons which obstinately with contempt refuse either to appeare when they bee called to aunswere their offences or when they appeare disobey those orders and decrees by Ecclesiasticall officers appoynted Howe this part of Church Discipline was abused by the Pope it is well knowen and that hee made Excommunication an instrument to bring the neckes of Emperors and Princes ynder his girdle and to make the whole world subiect to him For this was almost the onely meane whereby he became so dreadfull to all men and got to himself so great autoritie The perpetual course of the histories euen such as were written by his owne Parasites and chiefly of this Realme of England declare this to be most true For triall hereof reade the historie of Thomas Becket But I thinke no man is so caried with the misliking of our Bishops that he wil accuse them in this sort to abuse Excommunication seeing by their preaching they haue binprincipall instruments to ouerthrow the same in the Church of Rome They cannot say that any Bishop of this church euer since the restoring of the Gospell indeuoured to excommunicate the Prince and gouernours of purpose to make them subiect to their authoritie in the Church And happily that may bee a fault yea and a great fault that is founde with them in these daies that they do not so and constraine the prince and Rulers to doe that which by perswasion they will not doe But howe expedient this maner of Excommunication is for this time I leaue to the wise and godly to consider Sure I am that some of the most zealous churches reformed haue it not nor thinke it tollerable And yet such a maner of Excommunication it is that many striue at this day to haue brought into the Church vnder the name of Discipline But how easily it would grow to abuse and what danger it might bring in this state of time I thinke there is no wise man that doth not foresee vnlesse it be such as to bring their purpose to passe and to settle their deuise in the Church thinke no danger to be shunned As for the Excommunication practised in our Ecclesiasticall Courtes for contumacie in not appearing or not satisfying the iudgement of the Court if it had pleased the Prince and them that had autoritie to make Lawes for the gouernment to haue altered the same at the beginning and set some other order of processe in place thereof I am perswaded the Bishops and Clergy of this Realme woulde haue bin very wel contented therewith Gualter a learned man of the Church of Tygure writing vpon the first to the Corinthians hauing shewed the danger of this other Excommunication speaketh of a maner of ciuile discommuning vsed in that Church Which or the like good order deuised by some godlie persons if it might bee by authoritie placed in this Churche without danger of further innouation I thinke it woulde be gladly reciued to shunne the offence that is taken at the other and yet surely vnder correction the Law of alteration woulde breede some inconuenience But the perpetuall crying of many to haue a mutation of the whole state of the Clergie and a number of other thinges in the Church beside which must needes draw with it a great alteration in the state of the Realme also maketh the Prince and other Gouernours to bee afraide of any mutation For they knowe what daunger may come in these perillous dayes by innouations And if they shoulde once beginne things are so infinite shat they can see no ende of alterations Therefore eeing wee haue a Church setled in a tollerable maner of reformation and all trueth of doctrine freely taught and allowed by the authority of this realme yea and the aduersaries of trueth by lawe
the patrones haue bene more chargeable in one yeere then they haue gained by all the benefices that they haue bestowed since they were bishoppes or I thinke will doe while they bee bishoppes They haue iniurie therefore to bee so openly slaundered in the face of the worlde If there bee any bishoppe that corruptly bestoweth his liuinges by sute of Maister Chauncellor or Maister Steward or any other looke what punishment I woulde haue any lay-man in that case to sustaine I woulde wish to a bishoppe double or triple Obiection But now I must come to that which toucheth bishops most nighly that is that they be carnally disposed and not euangelically and this their affection and corruption they shew to the world by hoarding of great summes of money by purchasing lands for their wiues and children by marrying their sonnes and daughters with thousands by increasing their liuings with flockes and heards of grased cattell by furnishing their tables with plate and guilded cups by filling their purses with vnreasonable fines and incomes c. Answere Wee heare in this place an heape of grieuous offences indeed if they be true wel worthy such lamentable outcries as are made against theÌ„ But the godly must consider that where lauishing tongues and pennes be at libertie to lay forth reproch without feare of correction or punishment that the best men in the worlde may be slandered and brought in danger especially where through enuie and malice men haue conceiued displeasure against any State Eustathius a godly and chaste Bishop by conspiracie and false suggestion of certaine Heretikes and Schismatikes was not accused onely but vniustly also condemned of adultery and by the Emperour Constantine cast into banishment into a citie of Sclauonie Cyrillus a good and learned father Bishop of Hierusalem and an earnest patrone of the true faith of Christ was by the heretike Acasius his friends in the Court accused to the Emperor Constantinus that he had imbezeled the church goodes and had solde to a player of Enterludes a rich garment giuen to the Church by his father This false accusation so much preuailed that the good bishop was for it deposed c. I noted you the like before of that blessed man Athanasius and other and might bring a great number of examples out of the Ecclesiastiall histories writers For it was the vsuall practise of all such as did endeuour to further any heresie or Schismaticall faction were they of the Cleargie or Laitie by all meanes they could through infamie and discredite to pull downe such as did withstand their euil troublesome attempts in the Church not onely to raile at them to deface them with false and vniust reports but also to draw to their reproch their best and most Christian â—oings as the charitable dealing of Cyrill was so wrested that it brought him to great daunger And surely I cannot but feare that the deuill is euen now in hatching of some notable heresies or some other hid mischiefes which hee woulde bring foorth and thrust into the Church of England therfore prepareth the way for the same by defacing discrediting the best learned of the church that both would and should resist them This wee see alreadie in that peeuish faction of the families of the loue which haue bin breeding in this Realme the space of these thirty yeeres and now vpon confidence of the disgracing of the state of Bishoppes and other Ecclesiasticall Gouernours haue put their heades out of the shel and of late yeeres haue shewed themselues euen in the Princes Court The like I might say of the Anabaptists and other Sectaries as bad as they As touching this present point of the accusation of Bishops I haue to admonish the godlie Reader that in Christian charitie and wisedome they consider aswell what diuers of those persons which now bee Bishoppes haue beene before time as also in what state they are nowe in this Realme and howe they are beset on euery side with aduersaries and euill speakers of diuers sortes and then to weigh with themselues whether it bee likely that all is true which is vttered against them or rather that for despite and displeasure many things are spoken falsly and slanderously and manie other meane and small blemishes amplified and exaggerated to the worst more then trueth That those which now bee or of late haue beene Bishops in this Church shoulde be so carnally and grosly giuen ouer to the world and the cares therof as they are by some defamed my heart abhorreth to thinke neither will the feare of God suffer me to iudge it to be true I see what they are presently in all truth of doctrine I see how earnestly and zealously they teach and defend the same in their preachings I see howe carefully they beate downe the grosse superstition of Antichrist and his ministers I call to remembraunce that of late yeeres in the time of persecution when the most of them were in state wel able to liue that they were contented for the freedome of their consciences and that they might enioy the doctrine and liberty of the Gospel to forsake their liuinges to leaue their friendes to hazard their liues to be accompted Traitours and to sustaine all those miseries troubles that might followe vpon banishment and casting out of their Countrey And I see nothing in them if God as wee by our vnthankfulnesse daily deserue should cast the like scourge vpon this Realme againe but that they would be most readie to do the same although happily prosperitie in the meane time may drawe them to some offences May any christian heart then conceiue of them although there be faults in them moe then the worthinesse of their office requireth that they be so carnally fleshly giueÌ„ ouer to the world as the immodest accusations of many their aduersaries do make them Mans nature is corrupt fraile and therfore may fal to much euil but that so many learned men trained in the schoole of the Crosse continuing in teaching preaching of the trueth should bee so vtterly caried away from God I can not beleeue I trust God shall giue some enident token of the coÌ„trary If there now be or before time haue bene such as haue giuen iust occasion in such things as they are accused of I cannot but blame them and wishe to the residue more feare of God and care of their calling I neuer entred into other mens hearts to see their consciences I neuer looked into their Cofers to see their treasures I neuer was desirous to be priuie of their secrete doinges I must therfore by that I see heare know iudge the best Hee that shall charitably consider the state of Bishops as they are by the authoritie of the Prince and lawes of this Realme will not thinke it impiety in them against the time of necessary seruice of their countrey to haue some reasonable summe of money before hande gathered in
of other For proofe whereof I referre you to B. Iewell in his worthy booke wherein he answereth Hardings reply against his 27. questions proposed at Pauls Crosse c. I remēber touching this matter of the Sacrament Occolampadius a man of great reading godlines saith of S. August Is primus mihi vellicauit aurem He did first put me in minde of the true vnderstanding of this Sacrament These foure principal Articles I haue laid downe for example that the Christian Reader may the more easily perceiue vvhat comfort it is to any Church to haue the grounds of their faith and religion so established vpon the holy Scriptures that for the interpretation of the same they haue the testimonie consent of the Primitiue Church the ancient learned Fathers From which Consent they should not depart either in doctrine or other matter of weight vnlesse it so fall out in them that we be forced thereto either by the plaine wordes of the Scriptures or by euident and necessary conclusions following vpon the same or the Analogie of our faith Which thing if we shall perceiue we ought safely may take that liberty that themselues especially Augustine hath vsed requireth other to vse Nec Catholicis Episcopis c. Wee must not consent saith Augustine so much as to Catholike Bishops if they be deceiued and be of opinion contrary to the Canonicall Scriptures Againe I am not tied with the authoritie of this Epistle For I haue not the writings of Cyprian in like estimation as I haue the Canonicall Scriptures but I measure them by the rule of the holy Scriptures If I finde any thing in his writings agreeing to the Scriptures I receiue it with commendation and reuerence if otherwise with his good leaue I refuse it The like you haue Epist 48. 111. 112. In Prooemio li. 3. de Trinitate and many other places Otherwise to reiect the testimonie of the ancient Fathers rashly is a token of too much confidence in our owne wits It was noted as a great fault in Nestorius and a chief cause of his heresie that contemning the Fathers hee rested too much vpon his owne iudgement The like confidence drew many learned men and of great gifts to be Patrons of sundry foule and shamefull errours How came it to passe that after that notable Councell of Nice so many detestable heresies arose against the Deitie the Humanitie of Christ against the vniting of both natures and the distinction of the properties of them c. but onely out of this roote that they contemned the graue sentences interpretations determinations of those famous Confessors and great learned Fathers as were in the same assembled and had too much liking in their owne wits learning But woe be vnto them saith Esay that are ouerwise in their owne conceite Vigilius in his first booke against Eutyches saith thus These cloudes of fond and vaine accusations are powred out by them chiefly which are diseased either with the sickenesse of ignorance and of a contentious appetite and while they being puffed vp with confidence of a proud stomacke for this only cause they reiect the rules of faith laide downe by the ancient fathers that they may thrust into the Church their owne wauering deuises which they haue ouerthwartly conceiued This sentence I would our vncharitable accusers troublers of the Church would well weigh and consider with them-selues Therfore good reader I protest for my selfe and for the residue of this church that we dare not in conscience nor thinke it tollerable with contempt to reiect the testimonies of antiquitie in establishing any matter of weight in the Church We leaue that to our hasty Diuines that in three yeeres study thinke themselues able to controll all men to haue more learning then all the Bishops in England And for this cause vvil they giue no credit to ancient writers against their new found equality For with them it is a foule fault once in a sermon to name an ancient father or to alledge any testimonie out of his workes Novve good Christian Reader seeing by the good blessing of God vve haue all parts of Christian fayth and Religion professed and taught in this Church and the same grounded vpon the canonicall Scriptures vvith the consent and exposition of the Primitiue Church and ancient Fathers What a vaunting pride is it as Cyprian speaketh vvhat an vnthankefulnesse to God vvhat vncharitable affection toward the Church of their naturall Countrey that they cannot abide any good to be spoken of it pretending nothing but the priuate faultes and vices of some men or the disagreeing from them in some orders and partes of Gouernement which they vvill neuer be able to proue by the word of GOD to bee of necessitie In other reformed Churches vvhome they so greatly extolle and vvould make paterne to vs haue they not imperfections Haue they not foule faults and great vices among all sortes of men as well Ministers as others Surely their worthiest writers grauest Preachers doe note that they haue And if they woulde denie it the world doth see it and many good men among them doe bevvaile it I vvill not stay in the other blessings of God vvhere with he hath adorned this Church I shall haue occasion to speake somewhat more of it hereafter and God send vs grace that we may vvith true thankefulnesse acknovvledge it But this I may not omitte vvithout great note of vnthankefulnesse towarde our mercifull God vvhich hath not onely preserued maintained and defended the State but also appoynted this Church to be as a Sanctuarie or place of refuge for the Saints of God afflicted and persecuted in other Countries for the profession of the Gospell for whome I am persvvaded vvee doe fare the better at Gods hande And I doubt not but in that respect al reformed Churches in other places feeling the blessing of God by vs thinke reuerently of our State and pray to God for vs as all good men vvith vs ought to doe for them that the true linke of Christian charitie may soundly knitte vs together in one body of right faith and Religion If some fevve persons thinke amisse of our Church I impute the cause thereof only to the malicious vntrue reports made by some of our owne Countreymen vnto them Which persons if they did vnderstande the true State of this our Realme would thinke farre othervvise as diuers of the most graue learned writers haue already euidently declared This also is not the least blessing of God as well in the time of K. Edward as in the reigne of our gracious Soueraigne that this Church hath had as ample ornamēts of learned men Rumpantur vt Ilia Momo as the most reformed Churches in Europe farre more plentifully then some place whose state they seeke to frame vs vnto Only I except those excellēt men whō God had prepared in the beginning to be the restorers of his Trueth doctrine of