defended in our Leiturgy as they deeme who are ready to make every thing p Zanch. conf cap 24 de Ecâ—l Milit. Aph. 19. Popery which they doe not fancy These are the weapons with which Bellarmine that broode are wont to wounde or rather falsely to reproach our faith and profession Good had it beene that these men had never beene able to write rather then to write thus to the scandall of Gods Church his sacred truth 10 Reverence done at the name of Iesus is no superstition but an outward signe of our inward subiection to his devine Maiesty and an apparant token of our devotion Why doe they not likewise finde fault with kneeling sighing weeping lifting vp of eies knocking of breastes holding vp of hands vnto heaven All which good men may vse in Gods service with great piety though Hypocrites doe otherwise 11 They are grosely ignorant if they know it not or wilfully malicious and turbulent if knowing it to be lawfull they yet oppugne the reading of the Apocriphall scriptures or writings in the Church Non ad confirmationem fidei sed ad reformationem or institutionem morum as the Auncient q Hiero. praef in Pro. Cypr. in Simb Pellic. praef in Apocr Hyper. Metho Theol l 1. c. 6. fathers speake and approue As also the Articles of Convocation the Prefaces before the Apocriphal bookes in the English Bibles doe directly shew adding that they giue light to the devine story 2. Concerning Church-Ministers 1 WEE hartely desire that able and sufficient men bee admitted into the Ministery That they preach diligently and that on the Sunday especially But who shall iudge of their sufficiency Or doeth not the sufficieÌ„cy of Ministers Suscipere magis minus Were the Ministers of the Primitiue Church al of them able to preach Did not some of them preach the Gospell r Chrysost in 1. Cor. 1. Pet. Martyr in 1. Cor. 1 Gualt in 1. Cor. 1. Cal. in 1. Cor. 1. Bucer in Eph. 4. and other some reade the Scriptures administer the Sacraments Or hath not the vrging of that strange doctrine viz. That he is no Minister that cannot preach first forced men to take vppon them to expound Gods word that thereby haue brought the word of God and the sacred exercise of preaching into lamentable contempt through their absurde sencelesse and irreligious glâ—sses and paraphrases and discourses whiles they have chosen rather so to doe then to be accounted Idolâ— sheaphâ—rds Dumbe dogges No Ministers and such like Secondly hath it not made the Brownists confidently to reproach vs that our Å¿ Barrowes bookes c Perpetual government of the Church pag. 339. Church is no Church our Sacraments no Sacraments our Prince and people Infidels as not being baptised at all our Christian Congregations prophane multitudes c. only because some in the Ministery could not or did not preach But in this pointe it would be considered especia ly first that it is not possible to have all Ministers men of worth til al Church-livings be very sufficient to maintaine men of worth Secondly that the way to invite men of best partes to take vppon them the Ministery is not to expose and subiect that calling to want and beggery which in the third part of this their complaint these men doe principally intend And lastly that howsoever these men doe please themselues in their extemporary gift yet many of them though in shew very audacious doe notwithstanding deserve for their grosse ignorance to bee blotted out of the number of preachers truely so called 2 Howe charitable these men are that would haue men t Har conf ex Helu Post De Minist ca. 18 Agnoscimus c. Vnde ne hâ—dâ—e quideÌ„ reijcimus simplicitateÌ„ quoruÌ„daÌ„ probaÌ„ c. removed out of the Ministery because they cannot preach whereas some of them were intreated to take that function vpon them wheÌ„ men more able could not be gotten and others in their yonger yeares have beene of more sufficiency then now their age sicknes or other infirmitie will permit them to be And how indicious that would have them to mainetaine preachers who for the most parte haue not wherewith for to mainetaine themselues wee leaue to the consideration of the wise How much better hath our Church devised to supply the defects of some men in some places of mean valew by other meanes As namely by the frequent reading of the Scriptures A matter more u Zanc. Conf. obs in cap. 15. Aph. 10.11 availeable vnto faith godlines then the Petitioners doe imagine and woulde be much more if it were not brought into contempt by their suggestions 2 By a most religious and excellent x B. Ridley to M â— Grindall then beyonde the seas Alas that brother Knox could not bear with our booke of coÌ„moÌ„ praier c The reasons hee maketh against the Letany c. I do marvell howe hee can or dare a vouch theÌ„ c. forme of Common praier 3 By Sermons Homilies printed and appointed to be read both for the confirmation of the faith and for reformation of manners All which in a Church not new to be planted but now setled and well grounded in the profession of the truth are ordinarie effectual meanes to continue and increase theÌ„ in the true faith and feare of God Herevnto may be added the manifold provisions in our Church for sermons quarterly or more often in those Cures where the Incumbents cannot preach 3 That Non-residency be not permitted It is a matter of wise and sound deliberation first y The bounds of Parishes are not de iure divino what Non-residencie is for many men in our Church haue two parishes committed to their chardge which both will not make one living Againe manie haue but one parish vnder them which yet would require more then two or tenne men to speake at once to all the Congregation Secondly it is and long hath beene permitted by wise and godly Magistrates that haue given way to it by their positiue prudent lawes as necessary in some Cases in a few men and them generally and by intendment of the best deserts Thirdly that it is absolutely vnlawful in no z The answere to the 2. treatise of the Abstract sort to be suffered neither hath beene proved nor ever will by all the Puritanes in the Land Fourthly in what Congruity may he be counted an idle Non-resident that is alwaies present and taketh paines in some part and often in everie parte of his charge Fiftlie there are not more intollerable Non-residents in England then some of those that are either included in the Thousand afore mentioned or that favour this their attempt Especially if they shall bee measured by those places of Scripture which they are wont to alleage against Non-residents after the Texts be well examined Lastlie it is not possible as Church livings are now * To alter the precincts of parishes is a matter of
third last remarkeable matter which we humbly referre vnto your Lordships due regard is a certeine Semblance which in this our halfe yeares silence vvee haue observed in two contrary Factions that haue shewed themselues by their Petitions discontented with the praesent State Ecclesiasticall Government namely in the Papists and the Puritants VVe will vse their owne style and come as neere as we can to their very words 1 They Both intitle themselues the Kinges afflicted subiectes and aboue all other his devoted servants 2 They Both pretend an enforcement of a speedy recourse to his Maiestie for a present Redresse and Reformation 3 They Both cōplaine of being overwhelmed with enduring persecution through losse of Living Liberty 4 They Both ground their Doctrine and Discipline vpon the sacred text of Gods word and Gospell 5 They Both condemne the obedience of Protestantes to the Lawes Established to bee not for Conscience and zeale but for Morall honestie and feare of temporall punishment saith the Papist For their owne quiet credit and profit in the world saith the Puritaine 6 They Both renoūce a publicke alteratiō dissolutiō of the State Ecclesiast but the one pleads for a private Toleration the other forsooth for a Godly Reformation 7 They Both deny that they exhibite their Petitiōs with a tumultuous spirit or with a disloyall Schismatical minde Of vvhich their Semblable Assertions in arguments so opposite we might say in a word as the Orator doth of contrarie Opinions It cannot be that more then one of them should possiblie bee true but it is very possible that both may bee false Yet we rather take vp that in the Booke of * Iud. 15.4 Iudges and say of them and their designes Verily these men are like Samsons Foxes They have their heades severed indeed the One sort looking to the Papacy the Other to the Presbiterie But they are tyed togither by the tailes vvith fire brandes betvveene them Which if they bee not quenched in time are able to set the whole Land in a Combustion and Vprore IF in any of these or in them all there do appeare vnto your Lordships such matter of moment as might move men of care some discretion to write in defence of themselues and the present State if in our manner of writing wee haue held that hand not by way of large discourse but as the brevity of Notes will suffer which doth beseeme a modest and ingenuous answere if in neither of them there be any thing so offensiue or defectiue or impertinent but that vnder the winges of your Honorable Patronage it may passe into the Presence of his Excellent Maiestie and there attend his most iudicious and learned Censure yet so attempered with his rare singuler mildnes as in it he is wont to accept the duty service of his meaner Subiects then and not otherwise we beseech your Lordships that of your wonted favour you will accompany it with your gracefull Presence and as the Argumēt of our religious Affectiōs in al humility present it to his Highnes then wee entreate that in the Honorable regard you have of those Noble partes of this Church which God hath specially betaken into your Protectiō in the loyal remembrance you retaine of Her Maiestie that late was and her happie Government in the bounden dutie you owe to his Maiestie that nowe is and the Well doing of his whole Kingdome in the Pietie and zeale which you beare to God his Church and to his sacred truth you will take occasion heereby All as one man ioyntly to imploy that great Grace and high Favour which God hath given you in the eies of your Soveraigne to the present supporte of Religion maintenaunce of Learning defence of the Church strengthening the State setling the mindes of the People establishing peace and tranquillitie in the Land by taking the Foxes the little Foxes vvhich marre our Vines that they beare small Grapes and by chasing away the wilde Boare of the Wood and the Beastes of the Forrest that otherwise would eate them vp and vtterly destroy them So God shall take Pleasure in your Care and Conscience the King in your faithfull Service his Subiects shal dwel safe vnder the shadow of his Wings and we your Clients shall send this testimony after you Many Patrones of the Clergie many Chauncelours of the Vniversities have done vertuously but These surmoūted them all Now the God that giveth both Glorie and Grace give your Lordships all manner of Graces fitte for your High Callings in this World and That farre most excellent and eternall waight of Glorie in the World to come Your Lordships in all dutie The Vicechancelour the Doctors the Proctors and other the Heades of Houses in the Vniversitie of Oxford To the Reader IMmediately after the Printing of our answere to the Petition there came vnto vs a very kinde and wel-penned Letter concerning this matter Which wee might not suppresse though it bee but rudely here inserted without great iniury to that whole Vniversity and no lesse detriment vnto the cause it selfe JNDORSED To the Vicechancelour and others of the Vniversity of Oxford CVm nuperrimè quidem serò admodum ad aures nostras pervenisset fama de libello Regiae Maiestati pro reformandà scilicet Ecclesià à Ministris mille vt perhibentur exhibito et si nihil in eo novi reperiretur cui non plus millies antehà c responsum sit tamèn quoniam numerum iactant vt intelligerent Millenarij isti Si Saulo mille adstent Davidi in hac causa decies mille nunquam de futuros nihil prius habuimus aut antiquius quam vt Operi omni responsione indignissimo aliquod tamen responsum pararemus Quod dum meditamur defertur ad nos Academiae Oxoniensis Apologia certè disertissima quae rationum momentis brevissimè refutaret quicquid ab Istis tanto anteà labore confectum esset aut confictum Qua conspecta nihil nobis reliqui videbatur quos ita anteverterat Fratrū nostrorum in causa optima zelus industria prompta satis parata ad hominum levissimorum ictus omnes vel ex tempore refellendos quà m cum illi pondere certassent argumentorum nos numero quo Isti maxime gloriantur pugnaremus Quod anteà quasi divinantes praevidimus providimus Cum enim defuncta Elizabetha Regina optima in causa optima quod in muliere prope singulare est inauditum semper constantissimâ semper eâdem non tam Principis Religiosissimae interitum religionis si non intereuntis at summè certè periclitantis casum deplorare quam in adventum Regis novi novas res meditari Isti caepissent in dies moliri peropportunè succurrendum censuit Academia convocato senatu frequenti admodum celebri decernendum vt Quicunque Ecclesiae Anglicanae doctrinam vel Disciplinam vel ejus partem aliquam legibus publicis stabilitam scriptis vel dictis
knoweth whether you are come to the kingdome for such a time Thus your Maiesty shall do that which we are perswaded shall be acceptable to God honorable to your Maiestie in all succeeding ages profitable to his Church which shall be thereby encreased comfortable to your Ministers which shall be no more suspended silenced disgraced imprisoned for mens TraditioÌ„s preiudiciall to none but to those that seeke their owne quiet credit and profit in the world Thus vvith all dutifull submission referring our selves to your Maiesties pleasure for your gracious answere as God shall direct you wee most humbly recommend your Highnes to the divine Maiesty whome wee beseech for Christ his sake to dispose your royall heart to doe heerein what shal be to his glory the good of his Church and your endles comfort Your Maiesties most humble Subiects The Ministers of the Gospell that desire not a disorderly innovation but a due and godlie Reformation THE ANSWERE OF THE VICE-CHAVNCELOVR THE DOCtors both the Proctors other the Heads of Houses in the Vniversity of Oxford To the Petition of the Ministers of the Church of England desiring Reformation In their Petition there are three principall partes 1 A Preface 2 A Conplaint consisting of fowre speciall pointes In everie of them the desire that certaine Ceremonies and Abuses may bee some of them removed some amended some qualified 3 A Conclusion FOR ANSWERE WHEREVNTO 1 In Generall WEE most humbly beseech his most excellent Maiestie that it may bee considered how inconvenient and vnsufferable it is in Christian policie to permit a long and well setled state of government to be so much as questioned much more to bee a Ipsa mutatio consuetudinis etiam quae adiuvat vtilitate novitate perturbat August ad Ianuar. Ep. 118 cap. 5. altered for a few of his Subiects especially considering the matter pretended to bee the cause of these mens griefe and of their desired Reformation vniustly so called For it is either the Ceremonies of the Church or Abuses in the Church as they alleadge Wherein wee humbly recommende to his Princely remembrance First concerning Ceremonies that they are either superstitious theÌ„ no waies to be admitted Of which sort it should seeme by the Petitioners and we are ready to proue that the Ceremonies of our Church are not Because these men coÌ„fesse that in respect of the times they did subscribe vnto them or if they were such with what conscience did they subscribe in respect of the times Or els things in themselues indifferent And then the supreme Christian Magistrate hath lawfull b Melan. in 13. ad Rom. PeccatuÌ„ mortale est violate edicta Magistrat c. Heming in Syntag ca de Adiaph Qui vi olat Ecclesiasticam politiaÌ„ peccat multis modis c. Bez. Epist 24. ad artic 7. authoritie to forbid and we must forbeare to commande and wee must obey not only for feare but for conscience sake Of which kinde if these Ceremonies be as wee will iustifie and they cannot deny where is then their pretended obedience Where is their applause of his Maiesties peaceable government Why doe they trouble both Church Common wealth in respect of matters which in duty and conscience they may wel and ought willingly to submit themselues vnto Secondly concerning Abuses be it considered first of what qualitie they are secondly of what degree 1 Touching the nature or quality of them whether they are in the very Constitutions of our Church or rather in the Execution of the said Constitutions If not in the Constitutions themselues as when we descende to the particulars it wil appeare there is no cause why the government should be changed or these men suffered thus to calumniate the State wherein there is nothing Positiue that is worthy of blame If in the Execution which as we wil not absolutely deny so these men cannot easily proue that may be remedied by amending or removing of some certaine offendors without alteration of the state 2 Touching the degree or grievousnes of these abuses whether in the Constitution as they suppose we deny or in the Execution vvhich simply and in every particular c Calv. adv Aab art a. Vâ—ique sc Caâ—ari Donastae in eodeÌ„ rrore fueruÌ„t Quo isti somiatores Ecâ—lesiaÌ„ quaereÌ„â—s in qua niâ—il posset desiâ—rari c. no Church in Christendome is able to iustifie and yet none so much as this of ours we vndertake to proue against the ThousaÌ„d that maske vnknowne vnder that generalitie that they are not such nor so heynous as deserue this their bitter reprehension much lesse such an alteration in the Church and Common-wealth as would ensue if these Petitioners might haue their desire 2. In Particular Concerning the Preface VVe doe but note 1 WHAT reckoning in truth these men doe make of iust titles vnto kingdomes vvho favour them d De lur reg apud Scot. De lur Magist in subd Vind cont tyr Hotto FraÌ„cog to much that were wont to subiect all kings titles vnto popular election and approbation 2 What comfort in deede the Petitioners take in the peace of his Maiesties government who in the very entrance thereof by seeking this and the like daungerous alterations doe disquiet disturbe the same Were other men as litle inured to peace subiection it might occasion some inconvenience 3 Howsoever in wordes they decline the imputation of factious men affecting popular parity in the Church of Schismatikes ayming at the dissolution of the State Ecclesiasticall yet it is to well knowen in this kingdome and by experience it hath bin felte in that of e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 39 40 41 c. Scotland what manner of men they be as also what haue bin the lamentable effects of their reformations there would haue bin likewise heere had not the prudent fore-sight and constant resolution of our late gracious Soveraigne continually repressed their attemptes 4 These men might haue performed better Their obedience to God their service to his Maiestie their love to his Church as in the particulars will appeare if they had forborne to trouble his Maiesty the church of God this common-wealth with these their causeles griefs and discontentments They haue thereby made such a breach as will not easily without much wisedome patience bee cured For what are these men that they should assume so much for what are the whole Cleargy of England besides that they should bee so abased and contemned 5 That which they alleage out of his Highnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a childish fallacie absurdly taking that for granted which is the maine question They must proue and not assume that these are the peccant humours of this Church which in trueth is the f Iuel Apo. 170. Accessimus quantuÌ„ maximè potuimus ad EcclesiaÌ„ Apost c. Et 46. Ea omnia quae aut luperstâ—â—ola c. Aut cum lacris literis pugnaÌ„tia aut
greater consequence theÌ„ the Abstractor or many moe such shallow heads can possibly coÌ„ceave allotted that simply no Non-residency should bee permitted and yet withall a learned Ministery mainetained Princes and Peeres of the Land attended Colledges Cathedrall Churches continued the Vniversities present and hope of succession in them for hereafter preserved propagated and supported 4 The Marriage of Ministers wee doe not dislike but maintaine the lawfulnes thereof against the Church of Rome and humblie desire if there be need that the supreme Magistrate will adde therevnto by his royal authority and the law of the land such farther strength and confirmation as shall seeme fit to his high wisedome 5 We know of no Subscription that is vrged which is not agreeable to law required by the orders of our Vniversity necessary in a Christian Common-wealth profitable for the Church of God approueable by all iudicious learned men and disliked of none but a few folke that are overmuch addicted to their own opinioÌ„s Who notwithstanding where a The lawes statuts of Gen. In the forme of Oth which the Ministers receiue Sect 2 Beza in vita Cal pag 910. they beare the sway it is worth the Consideration how strictly they tie all them that wil liue among them to the observation of their Church government And in truth so the things in themselues bee not intollerable better so then that which is heere proposed For the not vrging of a coÌ„formity in Church discipline is to set open the high way to all disorder and Confusion 3. Concerning Church mainetenance 1 THat Bishops leave their CoÌ„meÌ„dams In case some of the auncient revenew might bee restored to their Bishoprickes hee were vtterly vnworthie to be a Bishop that would desire a Commendam But as now the most of them are impaired to take away froÌ„ all Bishops al manner of Commendams is in truth to tie the Kings hands that he shal not be able though he would and where he will not no Commendam can be given to make his most faithfull servants or other men of best desert in the Ministery able to mainetaine their places and callings by his Maiesties favour and gracious dispensation when otherwise their Bishoprickes are not sufficient so to doe So as if it bee well wayed they doe not so much intend in this particular to impoverish some fewe Bishops as indeede vtterly to overthrow them and generally to restraine the Kings prerogatiue 2 Of the same nature is that which followeth For no man except hee bee the Kings Chaplaine may holde Three benefices with Cure and those of his Highnes own gifte So that here also they desire to limit the Kings favour Againe it is not knowne that there be fiue in al this land that hold three such benefices And then what good dealing is this in the Petitioners to make the worlde beleeue that it is a coÌ„mon fault which is scarse to be found in a few 3 Their disposing of Impropriations doeth notably bewray their lacke of c The Ecclesiastical discipl pag. 114. CoÌ„science their litle loue to learning and religion their temporizing and fitting their motions to the Laities good liking For who seeth not that it would bee the certaine overthrow and vtter ruine of Bishoprickes Colledges and Cathedrall Churches if their Impropriations should bee demised to the Vicars or Curates the Incumbents at the old rent without fine without improuement Againe who be they and how many that by this meanes would be provided for A few and those the meanest of the Cleargy But the inconveniences that would hereof ensue are very many intollerable Therfore we reserue that discourse to a fit opportunity On the otherside who doth not know that for a Lay-man to hold an Impropriation which is a Tith is originallie vnlawful and cleane contrary to their first institution Yet these men in all their puritie zeale conscience can coÌ„tent themselues and their preaching Incumbents vvith the seventh parte onely of an Impropriation in a Lay-mans fee. 4 Are these al or the best meanes that a Thousande meÌ„ such as they would be reputed can propose to his Highnes for the bettering of the Church maintenance If we might know that it would stand with his Maiesties good liking and should not be imputed vnto vs as a breach of duetie It were very possible that the men whom they so much contemne woulde bee able to propose some other course for the bettring of the Church maintenance with out the alteration or iniurie of any other state 4 Concerning Church Discipline 1 VNder the name of their Discipline we haue bin heretofore taught by these men to vnderstand The kingdome of Christ vpon earth A thing of no lesse importance then the d Eccles Disci pag 13 T C Epist to the Church of England Gospell of Christ Iesus An essentiall part of the Gospell A matter of faith to be received vpon paine of damnation An essentiall marke of the true Church without the which our Church was no Church our faith no faith our Gospell no Gospell c. And it is now come to be so indifferent as that it may bee administred accordingly Or els at the least that these enormities may be redressed Will it now suffer such an Or else at the least Were we perswaded that their Discipline their Presbytery the life and being of their Discipline were indeed of Christes institution were we perswaded it were a part of Gods word an essentiall part of his word coulde wee be contented to be without it Could we content our selues to liue any where but vnder it Would we not redeeme it with much perill and paine With certaine losse And that willingly But the experience that his most excellent Maiestie hath had of the manifolde mischiefes and miseries that attend their pretended Discipline doth make them not dare to speake plainly for it They therefore faulter in seeking to obtaine that which yet in hart they do affect and specially desire But to these Enormities these heinous Enormities Is it not well that nowe at length these quick-sighted men can espie no fowler enormities in our Church governement Enormities 1 THAT ExcoÌ„munication come not forth vnder the name of Lay persons First it may truely be said that though it did come forth vnder the name of a Chauncelour or a Comissarie yet came it not forth vnder the name of Lay-persons For a Chauncelour or a Comissary is not a Lay-man in this case The ordinary and he are but Vnus iudex Or rather whatsoever the Chauncelour doth in this behalfe hee doth it in the auctority of the Ordinary according to the power that is committed vnto him A thing not vnusual in the Civill state wherein the Lord-Chauncelour doth dispose of many thinges which are Originally in the Crowne and againe writeth Teste meipso vnto manie particulars that never passe by bill assigned Secondly no Lay-Chauncelour or Comissary whatsoever doth at any time excoÌ„municate any man or sendeâ—h out in
irō That is in their learning to censure him to enioine him penance to excommunicate him yea in case they see cause to proceede against him as a Tyrant We speake not heere of other points as namely that all appeales in causes Ecclesiasticall and what doe they not make Ecclesiasticall must finallie lye not vnto the Prince but vnto the Assembly Provinciall That they allow the supreme Magistrate not potestatem iuris but only facti while they make him the maintainer of their proceedings but no commander in them These and the like are but petty Abridgments of the Praerogatiue Royall while yet the King a T.C. l. 1. pag. 180. submits his scepter vnto the scepter of Christ and lickes the dust of the Churches feete Neither may it be truly said that these are onely Speculations There are some of High place yet alive and other some are dead that haue felte the smarte heereof in their owne experience and haue seene the worst of all this put in wofull execution As to the second Do we not see it at this day verified among them which hath beene so often truly saide as often vnadvisedly denied that Hones alit artes and contrariwise where due reward of learning and liberal maintenance of the Ministery is fraudulently impaired or iniuriously taken away b Ecclesias discipl pag. 114. there Religion and learning come to decay There Atheisme and Barbarisme Confusiō must needes ensue It is to apparent that as the revenewes of those Churches haue bin embeazeled by men of corrupt mindes which saide in their hearts as it is in the Psalme Psal 83.11 Let vs take to our selues the houses of God in possession so the remainder of that grounded learning which was bredde vp in former times is nowe through succession of time almost cleane morne out Nec bonatam sequitur quam bona prima fuit Insomuch that there is neither sufficient maintenāce in those parts for any store of excellēt learned men nor yet many men brought vp among thē in this last reforming age worthy of that wonted honorable maintenance God knowes we speake not this with a detracting spirit but with griefe of hart to see the ruines of the Ministery in particular generally of al profound learning in other reformed Churches As likewise to stirre vp this whole Nation to a thankefull acknowledgement of that singular blessing in this behalfe which God of his goodnesse hath longe and yet doth continue vnto vs of this Realme And with all to put to silence the malicious ingratitude of those evill men which looking vpon vs and this Church through the coloured glasse of their praeiudicate opiniōs can see nothing among vs but defects deformities and abuses and Enormities and the like And therefore in their high discretion would haue vs reduced made conformable to the calamities of other places Wheras in truth if we shal bring backe the eies of our minds frō forraine parts indifferently without either detractiō or flattery take notice of the presēt state of this Church Cōmō-wealth we shal easily discerne that it were an incomparable happines for them if all that professe the truth as it is in Christ Iesus were in our cōditiō We shal see how that our Church governmēt is duly subordinat vnto the supreme civil state withal doth mightily support the same That our Reverend Prelates mē of singular worth not to be matched in any one kīgdome though preferred vnto highes roomes do yet cōtaine thēselues within such boūds as preserue that estate from creeping to any Papal corruptions That our inferiour Clergy by their godly painful labours in their Vocation haue bin are the most effectuall meanes to settle the tranquillity of this land by inducing mens mindes vnto piety towards God Loyalty to their King Civill honesty amōg thēselues That our people generally excepting some few Malecōtents of al sorts whō wee leaue to the mercy of the Magistrate are invred vnto peace accustomed to subiectiō detest disloyalty with al alacritie yeeld their obedience vnto their Soveraigne That the Colledges the Cathedral Churches the Bishops other Ministers of this Land haue yet remaining vnto thē yet after the many great spoiles of this Church which notwithstanding Saravia de sacrilegijs ca 9. never prospered vvith thē that got thē but were as Rust to the rest of their silver their gold or as a Cāker that fretted out themselues their posterity or their possessiōs that yet there is remaining vnto thē more competent sufficient maintenāce more cōfortable honorable encouragemēts thē there are vnto all other the reformed churches in Christēdōe That answerable thervnto to stop that mouth of Iniquity which is wont to traduce vs for a dumb vnlearned Idoll Ministery there are at this day more learned men in this Land in this one Kingdome then are to be found among al the Ministers of the Religion in France Flaunders Germany Poleland Denmarke Geneva Scotland or to speake in a word in all Europe besides Which yet may not iustly be imputed vnto vs for vanity The Apostle that knew how to be abased 1. Cor. 9. 2 Cor. 12. to make himselfe of no reputation yet whē the impeaching of his personall giftes was abused to the disgrace of his calling did without either arrogācy or folly giue his Detractors plainly roundly to vnderstand that he was not inferior to the chiefe Apostles nay that he labored more thē they al so by his own iust defence cōmendation did free himselfe his worth his Vocation from their base and odious imputations In a like case we doubt not a truth may be averred of our selues even by our selues without any ostentation at all when it is so iniuriously impeached and troden vnder foote to the high dishonor of God the disgrace of his Gospel and to the slander of this most Christian Common-wealth Yea the rich mercies that God hath cōtinued vnto vs now these fiue forty years ought to replenish our harts with ioy so that our lippes should breake forth with thankfulnes and sing Psal 47.20 Non fecit taliter omni nationi neither haue the Regions round about vs beene made partakers of the like blessings Now the Father of Mercies and God of al Consolation enlarge the wise and vnderstanding hart of our thrice noble King noble in birth noble in wisedome noble in al manner of good learning assist him ever with his holy spirit the spirit of Counsaile of sanctificatiō of truth make him admirable in the swaying of this Scepter as was Salomon in al the world as long as hee walked in the first waies of his father David That so hee maye longe weare this mortal Crowne in al abundaunce of Piety Peace Prosperity hereafter obtaine that immortal Crowne that Christ hath purchased for them which by continuance in well doing seeke glory and honour and immortality FINIS