conuince the Iewes of hauing adulterated or rather abolished the purity of the ancient doctrine of their fathers since the time of the Prophet Malachie he would find himselfe hardly tasked precisely to specifie the authors times places of this so strange enormious an alteratioÌ„ Yet it is as cleare as noone that such a corruptioÌ„ such a chaÌ„ge hath beene in the ReligioÌ„ of the Iewes By what then is this so vndoubted a truth made euident doubtlesse by the Scriptures by which wee know what was the ancient Religion of the Iewes The comparison of that samplar with the religion of the Iewes as it was in our Sauiours time discouereth what a great diuersity there is betweene their new superstition and old religion and consequently marketh out the change though not the circuÌ„stances of it And indeede when the Lord the sonne of God accused the Scribes and Pharisees the Doctors and interpreters of the law and conuinced them of hauing corrupted the ancient and originall purity he troubled not himselfe to quote vnto them records and histories and exquisitely to set downe where when and by whom the innouation was begunne He contented himselfe with the Scriptures and went no farther then the comparison of doctrine Yet who could better haue preformed such an enterprise then himselfe who could number to the smallest scruples of time and was superlatiuely skilled both in Chronologie and Historie But he was willing in his owne person to teach vs what method wee are to follow in discouering and reforming abuses to wit that wee are not bound scrupulously to specifie all those circumstances which are of no importance to the maine point CHAP XXII That there are changes which creepe on by little and little and that it is hard yea imposible to specifie alwaies the times places and authors of a change MOreover we must needs confesse that which experience dayly thrusteth into our senses that there are alterations which crâ—epe on and encrease by little and little so that one cannot so distinctly perceiue them that it should be possible for him precisely to quote the very instant of every degree in this almost insensible progresse Who could ever obserue when where by whom by what degrees the FreÌ„ch tongue hath been chaÌ„ged Yet must he needs be accounted void of iudgement who from this difficulty yea impossibilitie would conclude that there hath beene no change in it What old man is there able precisely to obserue the minute houre day month yea yeare in which he beginnes to bee an old man to change his complexion to feele the decaying of his strength and faculties yet for all that he must needs be senselesse who in his old age should deny so sensible an alteration Now to apply these considerations to the estate of the Christian Church Who knoweth not that in the Primitiue Church the errour of the Millenaries prevailed Yet who is hee that can specifie by whom where when it began Who can particularly tell when it ended where and by whom it was first condemned Vpon this who will inferre that this errour hath beene alwaâ—es that it is yet in the Church or that it is not an errour but an Apostolicall doctrine It was also as no man doubteth an errour anciently received and approued by the Church that the Sacrament of the supper was to bee administred to little children Who will tell vs who was the first father of it Where and when it was brought in Who will produce the records of an opposition made against it Nay more let any man tell when and in what Councell such a doctrine was condemned There is no man able to performe this and shall we therefore say its a doctrine of the Apostles It was an errour of the Fathers of the Primitiue Church that the soules of the Saints themselues entred not into the heavenly Paradise immediatly after their departure out of their bodies Tertullian excepted only the soules of Martyrs But who is able to name the author time or place of the nativity of this strange opinion Yet it is most certaine that this erronious doctrine had its birth growth and period It was an erroneous practise in the ancient church to pray to God in the behalfe of the Patriarchs Prophets and for the whole company of the iust deceased for the Martyrs themselues Who is so versed in the knowledge of antiquity that can distinctly set downe the time place and first inventer of that so strange a devotion or the councell in which it was condemned when where it was first condemned The difficulty yea impossibility of rendring an exact account of such particularities shall it be a sufficient ground to maintaine that it alwaies was and is still in the church There was a time when immediatly after Baptisme the baptised partie was made to tast milke hony when his whole body was to be annointed with oile when they were to abstaine a whole weeke after from washing themselues When they made vpon a certaine day in the yeare offerings for the nativity that is for the memory of the day of the Martyres sufferings When they thought it an impiety to fast betweene Easter and Whitâ—ontide to worship kneeling When they prayed not but towards the East When was it that these customes had their beginning Or if they are Apostolicall as it was sometimes thought when they were practised how haue htey beene since altered When began their change by whom in what place If wee are not able to satisfie those which should vrge vs with all these queries must we needs therefore be obstinate without reason and peeviâ—hly deny the change of those rites And seeing the change of them was made with reason must wee not confesse that they were not of Apostolicall that is of divine institution It was an Apostolicall constitution but which was to last no longer then the occasion of it that the faithfull should abstaine from victualls sacrificed to Idols from bloud and that which was strangled Wee see that this constitution hath expired but if wee cannot assigne the time when it gaue vp the Ghost or the Synode in which it was abrogated shall wee therefore affirme that it continueth vntill now In the meane time it is as absurd to deny the originall of a thing vnder pretence that tâ—e author time and place of it are vnknowne as to deny the discontinuation and end of it vnder colour that it cannot be assigned by whom where and when it begunne to be discontinued As if one should deny that he had ever beene the month yeare or perhaps age of whose nativitie is vncertaine or as if one should deny that he were dead the yeare or perhaps age of whose decease is vnknowne vnto him It is then an absurd cavill to presse vs to shew that no change hath happened in the Church by quoting the time by assigning the place by naming the Authors of it But we argue rationally when wee proue by
innocent that could shroud himselfe from the fraud and violeÌ„ce of caluÌ„ny alwaies malitious but then confident and peremptory when shee perceiueth herselfe handsomely trimmed and to be favoured something like the truth To begin this point wee say that it is no new matter that truth should be censured of nouelty nor that falshood should be invested with the venerable and sacred mantle of antiquity The Iewes cast this aspersion vpon our Sauiour the Prophet of Prophets and doctor of doctors contrarily they tooke to themselues this prerogatiue that they were the old friends and retainers of truth The pagans made the primitiue Christians odious to the world by the aspersion of nouelty Proud and lying braggers they made brauadoes and trophies with the monuments of their antiquity It is for vs then to thinke our selues happy and to cheare vp our selues in that wee are partakers of the same slanders with Christ these are honorable skars with which the primitiue Christians were marked And they who goe about to shame vs by these aspersions who boast and brag of their antiquity if they doe it vpon the same title which the Iewes and Pagans presumed on are they not vnhappie and their proceeding is it not really as ridiculous as in appearance it was commendable Now that it is so it appeareth by the nature of the answeres we oppose to their exceptions conformable to those of Christ to the Iewes and of the Christians to the pagans to discouer the impieâ—y quell the earnestnes and abate the insolency of the like calumnies Search the scriptures saith our Sauiour for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life and they are thâ—y which testifie of me If yâ—u haue beleeued in Mâ—sâ—s yee beleeue also in me for he wrote of me This is our defence at this day Wee are slandered as innouators wee answer search the Scriptures if you beleeue Moses the Prophets and Apostles you will belâ—eâ—e also in Christ preached in the midst of vs wee publish nothing but what hath beeâ—e written by them It was oblected to our Sauiour that his dâ—sciples violated the traditions of the fathers he replyed vâ—to thâ—m that by their traditions they had made void the word of God Wee at tâ—is time are molested with the same censure wee in our Sauiours authority retort the same reproch vsing his words in the face of them that brocht it Wee offer to make it manifest wee doe indeede make it a plaine case that they nullifie the word of God by their traditions that our antiquity is the antiquity of the Scripture yea of the truth contained in it which was preached before euer it was written So when the Pagans by this aspersion though false of nouelty made the cause of the Christians suspected they were confuted by the antiquity of the scriptures and by a proposall of these considerations that wee are not so much to care when as vpon what grounds wee embrace religion that as God almighty Iehouah the ancient of daies is not of any new being so his true worship cannot be new the forme of which worship who can better prescribe then God himselfe who said they is more to be beleeued in a matter concerning God then God himselfe is man to be credited who is ignorant of himselfe vnlesse God assist him and reueale him to himselfe It is not the antiquity of yeares but of manners which is venerable It s no disparagement to be conuerted euen in the doting age of the world no age is superannuated for repentance It is rather a shame not to be forward in a willing and industrious amendment in old age So the Primitiue Christians defended themselues and so in these times wee frame our apologies Wee rehearse the same things to iustifie vs. Wee request that the antiquity not of persones but of doctrine may be respected This is that which we expect that to which wee haue summoned and doe daily call our adversaries to Hither our adversaries dare not come that they may not come hither they find excuses to runne back It is then a base slander which is cast vpon vs that wee confesse our religion is new that wee denie which wee stifly affirme that antiquity is allwaies on truths side Christ in appearance was but an vpstart in respect of his adversaries as being but newly come abroad Christian religion if one would haue iudged of it while he cast his eyes vpon the heathenish monuments their temples and edifices would haue beene thought a neotericke vanity New in outward shew but really Christ and his doctrine in antiquity surpassed the Pharises and their leauen Christianity was by many ages ancienter then Paganisme But is it not a kind of stupidity in maÌ„ more to looke after towers and steeples then truth neuer remeÌ„bring that there was a time when these deuices were not but truth was before them all· Is it not reasonable here that wee should be heard will it not be thought that wee speake with reason when wee affectionately both aduise and entreate that it may be considered that it is a fault almost common to all men to call that new which is not so but in respect of them to bestow the honour of antiquity vpon nothing but what is ancient in their opinion measuring both antiquity and nouelty by the ell of their memories It fares with religion and lawes which the corruption and ignorance of the times hath obscured and as it were buried as it doth with Countries called new-found lands because lately discouered yet who is there that hath not his senses stolne from him which doubts but that they are of the same standing with the world All reformation is new what matter is it if the modell and patterne of it be antient Let our discouery be new The land which wee haue discouered is ancient hâ—th alwaies beene though vnknowne to the multitude· CHAP. XVI That the search of antiquity is not rightly ordered and what the direction is which Saint Cyprian giues vs for it WEE affirme then that antiquity is alwaies on the right hand of truth wee beleeue it and preach it honouring true antiquity not that which seemeth so to our fancy ignorant of times past but that which is true and reall Otherwise wee should be like those which sometimes thought that beyond the great Ocean and Atlantique sea there was no land because there was neuer knowne any Pilot that went so farre vntill Columbus ventred vpon it in the time of our Grandfathers Wee beginne at our shore with our time and so goe backward but why at least peirce wee not this Ocean of time and so get through to the other end why loose wee courage in the midst of our voyage why turne wee saile so suddainely If wee haue had neither the skill nor courage to saile further why affirme wee so confidently that their is nothing beyond our computation why dreame wee that it is impossible for vs to find that which wee neuer
vse even so the church of Rome is stiled the Temple of God as being primordially planted and dressed by his hand consecrated to God and the Lord Iesus Christ and is so still at this day outwardly by baptisme and profession of the Christian faith although they haue degenerated from their originall purity and by their abominations prophaned their consecration belied their profession Like vnto rebells who notwithstanding their rebellion retaine the name still of kings subiects as vsually he that is the ringleader of a conspiracy obeyed by his confederates is said to vsurpe rule over the kings subiects So the adulteresse keepes the name of a wife still After this fashion that may bee called the Temple of God which is become a den of theeues that wherein not Antiochus but Antichrist hath set vp the abomination of desolation But granting them that the Temple of God wherein Antichrist must sit should be the true Church it cannot thence bee concluded that the Church of Rome should be the true Church this will imply no more then that the Temple of God are the faithfull both those which haue been heretofore and those which are still as it were impledged in the Church of Rome as anciently the Iewes were in Babylon and all Israell in Aegypt Over them the Pope long since sate and at this day sits and in this sense sits in the Temple of God in the rigour of its signification They in the meane time never were and now are not of the Romane church as the graine is in the chaffe but not of it As some vpright Iustices may be in a Court of corrupt Iudges but not of their confederacy a few wholsome bodies may be with a multitude of infectious but not of their company Finally to cut them off from all evasioÌ„ we say that the Pope sitteth in the church of God in regard of the vnlimited authority he vsurps over all christians even those which are separated from his slaues vndertaking as their Iudge to proceed against them with his tyrannous censures and constraining Princes to persecute them It is then a certaine truth that this policie of the Roman church being of the same nature with that of the Antichristian church it is a disgracefull and scandalous badge of her corruption and apostacy On the other side let the government of the reformed churches be obserued in them there is no supreame iurisdiction but an authority which alwaies submitteth it selfe to the rule of Gods word and Canons of a discipline regulated by it Every man being assubiected to the iudgement not of one alone but of many and those many not vndertaking to binde any man by their authority but only by the equitie of their decrees submitting themselues to the controll of any man yea and yeelding to it if it be accompanied with reason The true church is of so ample a circumference that she cannnot be governed by one alone and of so Royall a descent that in that which concerneth the conscience she cannot be ruled by any but God himselfe Any other whosoever he be imployed in any function concerning her must behaue himselfe as her servant not as her Lord not prescribing her any thing but bearing witnesse to what hath beene prescribed her not advancing himselfe aboue kings but bowing vnto them not thinking that his spirituall liberty exempts him from bodily loyaltie but giving to Caesar that which is Caesars to God that which is Gods honour to whom honour tribute to whom tribute belongeth This is the platforme and ground of iurisdiction in the protestant churches very different from the Popes who establisheth a spirituall monarchie in the church who taketh vpon him to iudge all without being iudged by any who requireth a blind obedience grounded not vpon the reason and equity of his iniunctions but vpon the vncontrolable eminency of his place making as much of his ordinances as if they were brought downe immediatly from God as having in the registry of his breast the fulnesse of infallible knowledge CHAP. XIII Whether vnion and discord be markes by which the true Church should bee discerned from the false ALL the advantage then that the Church of Rome gets by this clatter of externall pomp of ceremonies iurisdiction and authority by which it is endeavored to make her greatnesse more venerable stands her but in this sorry steed to strengthen the suspicion of her falshood into her conviction On the contrary the innocent basenesse simplicity and humility notable in the true church maketh her more louely affording vs sound matter of a pressing coniecture a strong presumption that she is indeed as well as in stile The Reformed Church This perceiued maketh vs presage that all the other exceptions which the Church of Rome darteth against vs will be of the same making with this first having more plausibility then soundnesse partiality then iustice colour then strength as we shall see by Gods assistance in the progresse of this examination Let vs consider then in the second place what weight there is in the pretended vnity of the Church of Rome opposed to the discord surmised to bee amongst vs. Now we say that it is not generally true that vnity should alwaies be a note of the true Church or discord of the false We sâ—y also that the vnity of the Romane Church is in shew only not in deed that it is rather a conspiracy then a vnion like vnto that amongst those which were besieged in Ierusalem who disagreeing betweene themâ—elues ioyned forces neverthelesse against those which besieged them being divided at home and vnited abroad And on the other side that our discord is only surmised and tâ—at we are in truth vnited not only against the common enâ—my but also betweene our selues That it is true that vnion is not a marke of the true Church nor disvnion a iust presumption of the false see we not that in the times of the Apostles there were great discords in the Church Some of them were of one opinion some of another one thought that the ceremonies of tâ—e law were to be retained another that they were not And this divisioÌ„ had made such an alienation of hearts in tâ—e Church that St Peter himselfe was compelled to be a timeserver and diversly to apply himselfe according to places and persons vntill he met with a rough censure from St Paul who resisted him to his face and sharply rebuked him for not walking vprightly according to the truth of the Gospell I vnderstand saith the same Apostle writing to the Corinthians that there are dissentions among you and I partly beleeue it for there must be heresies amongst you also that they which are approued may be made manifest Behold in the meane while amongst the Iewes the Scribes Pharisees and Sadduces vnited together vnder one head the high Priest Could they then benefit themselues with this pretence and vpbraid the Christians with their discord True it is the Sadduces agreed not
vniversall agreement Must it be by Councells Provinciall Councells cannot giue vs sufficient assurance of it and for generall let them shew vs that after that at Ierusalem which is registred in the Scripture there was any one held before that of Nice which was not celebrated vntill about the yeare 325. shall it be by the writings of the fathers which liued before this Councell The greatest part yea most ancient of them had this strange conceit that we are to expect after the resurrection an earthly happines here below for the space of 1000 yeares during which the Lord also shall conuerse with vs eating and drinking A doctrine which those Fathers propose as receaued of all the Church The Faâ—hers then are not sufficient witnesses the consent of the Church is not a sufficient testimonie of true antiquitie But what shall we say of their consent in receiuing little children to the Eucharist Shall we therefore beleeue this opinion to be ancient Ancient indeed in respect of vs but not of truth which being truely ancient and Apostolicall hath condemned it of error which doubtlesse will be confessed by the Church of Rome They which came after these ancients haue corrected their errours concerning the thousand yeares habitation vpon earth the worldly deâ—ights after the resurrection the admission of children to the Communion Their comming afterward hath not preiudiced the priority of truth which they set vp againe in her ancient splendor and Maiesty The time which these father 's lived before them advantaged not their opinions younger then truth It is then a reasonable offer which we make to verefie the antiquâ—ty of our religion by the Scripture It is an easie necessary and certaine discovery For how few are there to be found which either are versed in antiquity or can be Seeing the tedious succession of so many ages the multitude of volumes which must be read and pervsed for this purpose A multitude if we haue regard to the truth of the history we search defectiue if to the leasure of ability of the greater sort infinite Let them which haue beene versed in these enquiries speake if they finde not through every age changes and alterations But the Scripture is exposed to the view of every one it is but one booke in which that which is necessary to salvation is easie to him who is not preoccupated either with passion or with a conceit of its obscurity This wee haue elsewhere demonstrated here we will only recite as appertaining to the matter we haue in hand that which the renowned father Chrysostome speaketh concerning this The Pagan saith I would make my selfe a Christian but I knowe not which side to fasten on There are many contentions among you every one saith I speake the truth I knowe not vnto what or whom to referre my selfe both sides prâ—tend Scripture But answere him this maketh much for vs for if wee should say that we beleeue reasons there would be something to trouble one but seeing that we stand to the Scriptures seâ—ing they are plaine and true it is very easie to iudge of the matter If any one consent vnto them he is a Christian if he oppose them he is far from their company These are the very words of that father which in his mouth will finde a great deale more favour and lesse envy then in ours Words which advertise vs that the Scripture is the most especiall instrument to haâ—e recourse to in tâ—e search either of antiquity or truth Words also which avouch that the Pagan himselfe â—ay iudge who is he that beleeueth who speaketh agreeably to Scriptâ—re aâ—though he cannot iudge of the truth contained in it For they are very different things to iudge of the truth of a writing and of the conformity of some discourse to it The Pagans could not iudge of the truth of the Scripture but according to Chrysâ—stome they might discerne what tenet and opinion was most confoâ—mable to it Now this sufficeth in the question of antiquity for neither side doubâ—eâ—h but that the Scripture is most ancient that siâ—e then which shall be found most conformable to it shall be the most ancient The Pagans may iudge of this conformity saith Chrysostome how much rather then may the Christians The shortest cut then to the composing of this difference is to addresse our selues to the Scripture When one would knowe the antiquity of the priviledges of a Colledge or a soceity he repaireth no whither but to the Charter of the foundation The instrument of the foundation of the Church is the Scripture if we offer to verifie our antiquity if we doe verifie it by the date of this instrument wee proceed ingeniously and our conclusion is irresistible Let theÌ„ cease then to reproach vs that wee haue brought in a new doctrine vnknowne in the times of the Apostles Let them not for shame boast any longer of antiquâ—ty seeing they refuse to be conâ—rolled by the Scripture the most ancient monument of antiquity Certainely they make but an vntoward enquiry into antiquitie who measure it by a certaine number of yeares who dreame that to haue beene alwaies extant whose beginning they are ignorant of It is a safer course then to proue antiquity by truth then truth by aâ—tiquity Custome without truth as St Cyprian well obserued is but antiquity of errour The proportion elaborate figure the beauty of a medaile statue or an old peece of building is not knowne by the antiquity but the antiquity of them is characterised by these conditions as by iâ—s infallible markes So the glory and vse of the Sunne are not discerned by his aâ—tiquity but by his glory and vse hee may bee iudged to be as old as heaven and earth It is not with time in respect of truth as it is in respect of nobility the antiquity of which augmenteth its reverence making it more illustrious Time contributeth no growth nor luster to truth Shee was as much herselfe in her cradle as shee is many centuries of yeares after We must beleeue that the thing is and afterward examine since what time it beganne to be Let vs proue our religion to be true and afterward let vs consider its antiquity yea by this meanes wee shall haue proued it for vertue is ancienter then vice trueth then lyes superstition is after religion as sicknesse after health So wee are ready to verify both the antiquitie of our religion by its trueth and the truth of it by its antiquitie beginning at the well-head the times of the Patriarches Prophets and Apostles that the processe may be abridged and speedily ended CHAP XVIII That vpon the supposition that the Church of Rome hath sometimes beene a true Church it cannot be concluded that shee is so at this day SO on their side those counterfeit flashes of antiquity vanish which now with a reall brightnesse shine more vigorously on our side They who cracked so much of their antiquity are found to be but vpstarts
beleeued that wee may with a sound heart in a full perswasion of faith yea with boldnesse goe to the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need They teach that it is presumption that we must vse the mediation of the Saints to God as we doe the intercession of Court favorites to the King Antiquitie beleeued that only God knoweth the heart They beleeue that the Saints knowe all our secrets Antiquitie alloweth not prayer for the dead wee say true Antiquity which is the Scripture for it teacheth that after death commeth iudgement which must be vnderstood immediatly after for otherwise one might say as well that after our birth commeth iudgement On the contrary they beleeue that iudgement commeth not immediatly after death and vpon this opinion they ground their prayers for the dead Antiquitie beleeued that that which entreth in at the mouth of a man defileth not the man They beleeue that eating of flesh in Lent defileth the man Antiquity beleeved that to command abstinence from marriage and certaine meats is a doctrine of Divells The Romanists command and practise both Antiquitie beleeued that images were not to be worshipped The Romish Church is full of such idolatrie Antiquitie beleeued that God is to be worshipped in spirit and truth The Romish Church thinkes there can be no religion where there is not a multitude of ceremonies Antiquitie beleeued that he which laboureth not should not eat The greatest Saints amongst them abstaine from lâ—bour and are most idle Antiquitie beleeued that it was a more blessed thing to giue then to receiue They beleeue farre otherwise for the most holy amongst them place their felicitie in povertie Antiquity beleeued that it was expedient to pray to God against poverty They beleeue that its best to vow it CHAP. XXX That there is not so much as the succession of persons in the Church of Rome BVT how will this matter goe if it appeare that they are destitute not only of the succession of Ecclesiasticall policie of the succession of ceremonies of the succession of doctrine but also of the succession of persons If it hath fayled in the Popes themselues shall it not by the same reason haue fayled in the whole body depending of them Now he that would deny that this succession hath not beene interrupted amongst the Popes he must impudently venture to deny also the outragious schismes made by the Antipopes whilst there were two sometimes three who claymed this successioÌ„ It cannot be said that only one of them had it for what 's then become of the Churches that depended on the other Popes Shall they be excused by the pretence of their well-meaning because every one of theÌ„ beleeued that they depended on the true Pope This good intention then shall excuse the Donatists for they thought they adhered to the succession of the Apostles and why should not the same excuse the Protestants also seeing they beleeue verily that their Ministers are the successours of those Pastours which the Apostles planted in the Primitiue Churches It is to no purpose to produce here the example of Barbarius Philippus who being a slaue his determinations which he gaue during the time of his iudicature were currant neverthelesse even after he was discovered to be a slaue For there is not the same reason in the Ecclesiasticall functions Civill functions depend of the approbation of men these of God The Popes the being not true Popes but vsurpers before God could haue no authoritie whatsoever men esteemed of them It is as idle to alleage the example of Iudas because that although he were a wicked man yet he was a lawfull Apostle not an intruder but one lawfully called to the Apostleship which caÌ„not be verified of those Popes which were thrust out becausâ— thrust into the châ—ire Genebrard goes farther then all this when he pronounceth all those Popes vnlawfull in whose election the Emperour of Germany bare the sway although there were many of them succeeding one another without ever being deposed The succession then hauing fayled in the Popeship as I may so speak seeing the Pope is the head of the whole body of the Romane Church it would be labour in vaine to shew that it hath beene personally interrupted in his members who haue no other succession then what is derived from his CHAP. XXXI That its meere wrangling to demand by what authority one requires an holy Reformation BVt be it say they that we haue in so many kindes degenerated from the purity of our ancestors who gaue you authority to reforme vs Who hath appointed you iudges over vs See them againe at their preiudices So the Pharises anciently outbrâ—ved the Lord. In what authority doest thou thâ—se things But what haue wee done that they should presse vs so much to shew our authority We haue espied the wolfe in the fold we haue cryed ouâ— the enemie not at the gates but in â—he cittadell and we haue sounded alarme We haue observed the Traytors and fingered them out To proceed thus farre there needeth no other authority then the zeale of the honour of our Soveraigne Lord of the peace of his Ierusalem and prosperity of his house If the Wolfe hath made no spoile if that man of sinne hath not taken possession of the temple of God if the watchmen of Israel are not become gluttonous and drowsie dogges then our zeale hath beene without knowledge yea not zeale but madnes We intreat them to giue vs leaue to make it appeare that we cryed not out but vpon a iust and necessary occasion if we cannot verifie this let vs bee condemned But let vs not be thrust back vpon the simple preiudice of want of authority in our persons to giue warning and advise it is insteed of all authoritie to knowe how to giue it seasonably He that can shew that he hath given an opportune and necessary advertisement sufficiently purgeth himselfe from the crime of rashnesse Here then is the pith of the matter to examine whether we haue so proceeded or no This being cleared the question touching authority will be found to be but a wrangling quirke craftily invented to make vs loose the principall for who doubteth but if that the desolation of the outward face of the Church hath beene so lamentable as we pretend that every one ought rather to striue to succour it with some timely remedie proportionably to the measure of his skill then to make it worse by dissembling it In the common wealth if any one arise against the ordinary officers of the King this is called sedition rebellion treason but if this insurrection bee occasion'd by a treason attempted by those officers against the King and state if this be verified it is no longer a crime but an heroicke exploit and an example of loyalty so much the more famous by how much lesse note and authority he was of who