you into a better course as of the professed enemies of your state These accusations I knowe are grieuous to be laid to the charge of these Counsellors who through Europe haue the name to be furtherers of Gods glory the saluation of mens soules But they are such as if I prooue them not most true let my blood wipe away the slaunder which I haue vndutifully raysed vpon the rulers of my people Here the worde of God is to be approched vnto out of the which we are to learne what true worship and seruice they can yeeld vnto God what hope of saluation they can haue who neuer enjoyed the word preached Concerning the true worship of God we are to knowe that the worde who alone is to instruct vs therein maketh two sorts thereof The true worship or God twofold The one inward and the other outward The inwarde worship is the worship of the spirit when the heart and the soule is by Gods spirit so directed that in trueth and sinceritie it yeeldeth to the Lord the worship whiche he requireth according vnto his word Of this worship our Sauiour Christ speaketh vnto the woman of Samariah Iohn 4.23 24. The houre commeth sayth he and alreadie is when the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and trueth for the father requireth euē such to worship him God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and trueth the inwarde worship Without this inward worship it is vnpossible to be saued and without it no seruice can be acceptable vnto God But although this inwarde worship be the fountaine whence the outward that is in trueth doth flowe and proceed yet is the inward no otherwise ordinarily wrought in men then by meanes of the outward So that euen as the outward is neuer truly acceptable vnto God but when it proceedeth from the inwarde euen so is the inward ordinarily found in none saue onely in those wherein it hath bin begotten by the ministerie of the outward But this inwarde worship in spirit and trueth is not in the power of man to giue or to take away at his pleasure but the Lorde must and doth worke it when where he pleaseth yet neuer ordinarily but by meanes of the outward The true outwarde worship of God then the outwarde worship is that alone whereby as by the ordinarie instrument or meanes the Lord hath appointed to beget nourish increase and continue the inwarde worship of the soule and the spirit by the which the Lord is to be serued in spirit and trueth This outward worship is such by the ordinance of God as men may be truly saide either to hinder or to promote the same and by the hindring or promoting hereof they may be judged to hinder or promote both the saluation of themselues and others and also the inward worship of the spirit either in themselues or in others And by the affection that men beare herevnto the Lord doth trie their loue and also their hatred towardes him his glory This worship although it be outward yet is it of that nature as they who are partakers hereof may according vnto the word expect for the presence of Gods spirite whensoeuer they approch vnto the Lord therby Otherwise if it hath not this promise of the spirite annexed vnto it it is but a rudiment of the world or of the flesh therefore cannot be any thing for the furthering of men in the worship of God This outwarde worship or this outward meanes to serue God truely and sincerely consisteth of two partes or ordinances according vnto the twofolde end for the which the Lord hath appointed the said outward worship of his The first part hereof is that ordinance whereby the Lord hath appointed not only to beget fayth in men or to engraffe them into Christ but being engraffed to builde and aedifie them forwarde as liuely stones of that holy temple whereof Christ Iesus is both the head the foundation This ordinance of God appointed both to beget to aedifie faith is onely the word preached The second ordinance wherein the outwarde worship of God consisteth is contained in those exercises of religion which the Lord ordained onely for aedification and were neuer appointed to begett fayth By aedification I meane whatsoeuer concerneth our furthering in the worke of our saluation begun in vs through faith by the worde preached Vnto this second part we are to refer publike prayers singing of Psalmes reading of the scriptures receiuing of the sacraments and administring of the Church censures Many thinges are ordained to aedifie which were neuer appointed to beget sayth 1. cor 14.17 ephef 4.29 c. All which are effectuall to aedification but not to the begetting of faith For that is onely wrought by the word preached without which also publike prayers singing of psalmes c are so frustrated of the end vz. the aedification for the whiche the Lorde hath ordained them as they cannot possibly aedifie any aright saue onely these who haue learned the right vse of them by the preaching of the word in whose hearts faith which is the ground-worke wherevpon the whole building of gods seruice must be planted hath bin begotten by the same word ordinarily And these holy ordinances of god to wit prayers receiuing of the Sacraments are so farre from aedifying these people who haue not bene instructed in the right vse of them by the worde preached that vnto such they are nothing els but a sealed booke and proceeding from such they are nothing els but pollution in the Lordes sight For no seruice can be acceptable vnto god but that which proceedeth frō fayth For without faith it is vnpossible to please God Now then according vnto that which hitherto hath bene spoken let your Hb. weye what seruice your people throughout all hir Majesties dominions for the most part can yeald vnto the Lord and how they stand in the hope of saiuation and consequently how carefull you haue bene of the glory of god and the saluation of his Church Your people you will say euery where haue had these 31. yeares the vse of publike prayers singing of Psalmes reading of the Scriptures in their owne tongue they haue further enjoyed the sacraments of baptim the Lords supper Be it so but what is all this Can these thinges going alone without the word preached be any thing effectuall to that worship in spirit and trueth which is the onely seruice that the Lord regardeth and without which all exercises of true religion are but swines-blood before his Majestie Or can they bee anye thing forcible to worke the saluation of your people Questionlesse you see that they cannot For they are ordained of god not to lay the foandation of the spirituall worshipp but as meanes to aedifie and build vpon the foundation being laid They are ordained you see also not to go alone but to accompany the word without the which
they are fruitles and to no purpose Nay though it were possible that without the word they could worke some aedification in men yet notwithstanding they were neuer appointed to beget men into the hope of aeternall life For regenerate flesh and blood they cannot because they were onely appointed to edifie those whome the word should beget So that men may all their life time enjoy these exercises of true religion and yet be far from the outward meanes whereby the Lord requireth himselfe to be worshipped in spirit and trueth and whereby the saluation of their soules should be wrought And though your Honours shewe youre selues neuer so greate fauourers of reading the worde publike prayers c. which in themselues are acceptable to God but among our people for the most part abominablie profaned yet because you maintain those to outcountenance the preaching of the worde and to be polluted by such men as ought not to deal with the holy things of the Lord You are no otherwise accounted of in his sight then the professed enemies of that pure worship in spirit and trueth wherein alone he delighteth the maintainers of the profanation of his seruice and aduersaries vnto the saluation of his Churche And what other account I beseeche you can he make of you which dare presume to platte him out the perfection of his seruice and appoint him a way to saue his people according vnto your owne pleasure He hath set down in his word that without faith it is vnpossible to please him and so that without faith it is vnpossible for men to worship him in spirit and trueth and come to aeternall life In this point I hope you will not gainesay his Majestie He goeth farther and manifesteth the ordinarie meanes to beget fayth and saluation to be onely the word preached And therefore requireth the forwardnes of all those that would not be guiltie of neglecting his honour to promote the saide preaching of his worde Herein you oppose your selues vnto him reply againe that he must needs prouide himselfe of newe ordinances or els he can neither in this life be worshipped in trueth of your people nor glorified with their saluation in the life to come For vnlesse reading of the worde publike prayers the profanation of his sacramentes by the polluted fingers of most ignorantmen can worke all that he requireth he can haue no meanes in the most congregations within the dominions of England to be purely worshipped and to gaine himself a name by the sauing of the distressed souls of men And you are so resolute with the Lord in this point that you proclaime all them to bee enemies vnto your state whosoeuer dare open their mouthes in his cause against your vnaduised resolutions So that whatsoeuer fauour your Honors pretend vnto some part of the true outward seruice of his Majestie yet inasmuch as you lende your whole force to maintaine and keepe in the Church the reading idol ministerie which you may know wel inough can neither beget faith nor any true aedification in your people and by whome the Lorde accounteth himselfe his ordinances to be profaned the very trueth is this that you stand at this day guiltie in his sight of the defects ruines and profanations of his worship and also of the vtter vndoing of many a thousand soule within England And I do not see what you can alledge for your defence except you will joyne with that notable seducer of your people D. VVhitgift the Arch. of Cant. and affirme eyther that saluation may be wrought in your people by hearing the word read or that reading is preaching But alas these figge leaues are so far from standing you in any stead when the Lorde shall enter into areckoning with our land for the small care that our gouernours haue had in furthering his seruice that his wrath will be kindled against our state almost for nothing more then because that both these errors of this wicked deceiuer haue beene vncondemned therein and also as a token I thinke of our hatred vnto the Lord and his gospell such a detected enemie vnto the gospell as he is hath bene promoted vnto one of the highest roomes at the counsell table to the ende as the maintaining of his proceedings do witnesse that he might be a scourge vnto Gods Church within hir Majesties dominions Well he saith that men may be saued by hearing the word read as by the ordinarie meanes If it be not so wo be to him that euer he was borne whose practises these 20. yeeres almost haue tended to no other ende then to maintaine this damnable error of his For if men cānot be saued by reading where shall he stande which hath brought vpon himselfe the guiltines of so many soules by silencing so many faythful preachers and planting readers in their stead And therefore I doe not so much blame him for framing his corrupt judgement according vnto the rule of his vngodly practises For if his practise were contrarie vnto the light of his knowledge then hath he a more fearfull account to make who hath quenched the light of his vnderstanding to the ende he might with lesse remorse raue against the Majestie of God But his blindnes cannot make others inexcusable that willingly follow after such a leader therefore let vs see what the word saith vnto this assertion The Apostle Paul affirmeth 1. Cor. 1.24 Reading not the ordinarie meanes to saluation that seeing the world by wisdome knew not god in the wisdome of god it pleased god by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue as many as beleeue Will you then haue a salnation that is by fayth whiche you must haue or none at all Surely the Apostle tels you that it pleaseth the Lorde to worke this no otherwise in the hearts of men then by preaching which vnto the worldly wise men is but foolishnes but vnto vs that are saued it is the wisedome of god and the power of god Euen as thē we can expect no saluation but that which is apprehended by faith so can we not hope to haue this sauing fayth wrought in vs by any other meanes then by preaching For the Apostle setteth downe in expresse wordes that as many as beleeue Rom. 10.14 are saued by the means of preaching Againe how shall they call vpon him saith the same Apostle in another place in whome they haue not belecued How shal they belieue in him of whom they haue not heard Howe shall they heare without a preacher Beholde then if we will so heare as wee may beleeue the Apostle telleth vs that this must be the hearing not of a reader but of a preacher If then this seducing prelate cannot make good a saluation which is to be obtained without fayth as heauen and earth knowe he cannot or if beleuing to saluation be conuaied vnto mens souls by no other hearing then by the hearing of a preacher as the Apostle telleth then also it followeth to the shame
woord to answere according vnto truth so especiallie will they be dumb Math. 25.26 If they haue no talents they are Idols and no Ministers when the right vse of their talents if they haue anie are requyred at their handes And let all non residents and especiallye these tyrannous atheists or Prelates I meane vnderstād that if they will needs be rulers ouer gods houshold they are bund to giue the Lords familie their meate in due season yea Mat. 24.48.49 and to continue in feeding of them vntill the comming of their maister that when he commeth hee may finde them so doing Otherwise if lyke euill seruants they shall still continue to say in their hartes that their mayster doth deferre his comming and still continue to smyte their fellow seruants much more to pyne starue them their maister will come in a day when they looke not for him in an houre when they are not aware off and because in that daye hee findeth them not so doing as the holy Ghost speaketh that is because lyke faithfull servants hee findeth them not distributing vnto their fellowes their meate in due season hee will cut them off and giue them their parte with hypocrits where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth And this will be their reward As for you my Ll. who winke at all the abhominations of these tyrannous murtherers and shewe not your selues mooued with the dishonor wherewith they staine true religion the misery which they haue brought vpon our Church the Lord bee mercifull vnto you For I see no way for you but as you allow the wicked course of these mē so you shall be partakers of their heauie damnation And as you cannot washe your handes from any of the bloode that is spilte in our Churche because your eyes haue seene it and eyther shewe no dislyke thereof or maintaine the same so of all other the murthers committed vpon the soules of men within England you are most guilty of this whereof the non-resident is the butcher because a great parte of this cruelty is cōmitted in our Church by your meanes Chaplainships for this is the sinne wherevnto you giue a cōmission and vnlesse ye delyuered the sword into the hands of these bloody tyrants their slaughter would not be so in vse among vs. For wheras many could not otherwise be qualified as they cal it to haue moe benefices than one you know that to be Chaplayne vnto a noble man or to the most of our Counsellors if not vnto all giveth a full libertie vnto this cruell and vnnaturall slaughter Insomuch as you bring this bloode vnto your houses and are not onely accessaries there-vnto but principall offenders therein Whatsoeuer then your Hh. will do in other points of the reformation of our Church it is plain that you can no longer suffer your places to be a couerture vnto this sinne in your godlesse Chaplaines except you would haue the Lorde and his Church to beare witnes against you that you haue conspired against the blood of your countrimen and people And as your Hh. are bound in the sight of God to washe your hands from the maintenance of this sinne in your fore named seruantes that in a good conscience you may testifie before the Lorde and say Deut. 21.7 Our hands haue not spilt this blood where of our Chaplaines are guilty neither haue our eyis seene it So also are you bounde to detest both the same all other the impieties that raygne in our Church by meanes of these wicked Prelates and their gouernment Whose very callings are so directly against the word of God that possiblie they cannot stand in the Church of Christ without the intollerable oppression therof and the impeaching of whatsoeuer liberty almost the Lorde hath lefte vnto the same in his worde And when I consider the great iniury that is offered vnto the Lorde and his Church by meanes of this wicked Hierarchie and whatsoeuer dependeth therevpon I cannot but thinke it a strange matter that the oppugning of so intollerable a corruption should bee hardlye thought off much lesse accounted vnsufferable in a Christian state For these corruptions of Ll. Archbishops Bishops Commissaries Archdeacons Chancelors c. were altogether vnknowen in the Church of God vntill the kingdome of Christ fell in the ages by past to decay and Sathan in the ruines thereof began to laye the foundation of that monarchie of his wherein Antichriste at this daye doth beare rule That these thinges maye bee the better vnderstood and that it may be made knowē whether the offices of Archb. Bb. with the reste of that stampe belong vnto and had their beginning from the kingdome of Christe or els sprang vp when Sathan began to lift his hand for the erecting of Antichrists throne and so appertaine vnto his gouernment we are to consider what is meant by the kingdome of Christ in the decay whereof we affirmed these offices of Archb. and Bb. to haue had their original beginning By the kingdom of Christ then generallie taken we vnderstād that regiment and superioritie which the Lord Iesus hath aboue all principalities that are either in heauen or in earth not simplie as hee is the second person in trinitie God aboue all blessed for euermore but as he is the sonne manifested in the flesh Christ god and man and so the head of his Church In respect of this regiment of his the worde of God speaketh of his kingdome 2. maner of wayes first it maketh the same to be everlasting secondlie it considereth of it as it is temporarie and to remaine for a tyme. In the former respect it cannot possible any wayes decay Of this aeternall kingdome of his the Angell Gabriell spake vnto the holye Virgine Marie after this sort Luke 1.31.32 Thou shalt conceaue in thy wombe and beare a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus Hee shall be great shal be called the sonne of the most high the Lord God shal giue vnto him the thron of his father Dauid and hee shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome shall be none ende Concerning the latter regarde of his kingdome the holy Apostle Paule writeth in these wordes 1. Cor. 25.24 Then shal be the end when he hath deliuered the kingdome vnto God euen the Father when he hath put down all rule and authority and power for he must raigne vntill he hath put all his enemies vnder his feete Where the Apostle speaketh of the kingdome of Christ as it is temporarie and to continue only vnto the day of judgement no longer Nowe this temporarie regiment of his is also of 2. seuerall considerations For the worde speaketh of our sauiour Christ and his gouernmēt either as he hath all power in heauen and earth cōmitted vnto him Mat. 28.19 Reuel 19.16 17.14 ◠5 and so he is called the Lorde of Lords the king of kings the prince of
differeÌ„ce shal you finde betwene our Antichristian Prelats now living and those reverend fathers afore-named And that the worlde may see how these our tyrants haue adulterated corrupted religion in Engl. within these 20 yeares especially from the purity wherein it was left vnto vs not only in the writings of our Sauiour Christ his apostles but even in their writings whose steps our Bb. beare the world in hand that they do more neerly follow I meane by the favor assistance of my God to make it knowne ere it belong in a peculiar treatise written for that special purpose To returne vnto your Hh. again you see by this tyme how detestable the offices of L. Archb. and Bb. are in the presence of the Lord God you see that he accounteth a church government exercised by them to be accursed before his Maiesty because they are the members of Antichrists body because they beare rule lyke Lords serue not as ministers in the church Now do you think him his word to be enemies vnto our state because they ar of this judgement I hope you do not How commeth it then to passe that you allow not vs to subscribe vnto that truth which the Lord doth maintaine Is it because our assertions ar dangerous vnto the state that cannot be vnles you account the Lord an enemy therevnto for wee affirme nothing but that which he hath given vs commission to vtter Or is it because wee behaue our selues seditiously in our message that cannot be proued For the men who are most seuerely punished for favoring this cause haue do cary themselues as peaceably dutifully towardes her Matie and the state as any of their quality within the whole kingdom whosoever Ad mit it were otherwise is it reason that you shoulde reiect the cause of God for the faults of men Will you deale vnjustly with the Lord because we deale vndutifully with the state If we be found any wise guilty punish our misdemenor but grant the cause If you yeeld not therevnto what do you els in laying handes vpon vs but manifest your hatred vnto gods truth his people the loue you beare vnto the antichristian hierarchy Either then my Ll. you must needs publish your enimity vnto the Lord his kingdome or you can no longer countenance these murthering Antichristian prelates and their bloody train The case of England is now become lamentable when the state thereof vnder the Gospell is said any wise to consist in these pestilent corruptions which euer since they firste sprang vp in the church of God haue bene vnto this day gainsaied by the most sincere professors therein The government of the church by bishops And it was long after this time ere Bb. were Ll civil magistrates though they began to deale in civill cases in the time of Grego the 1 Bal. scrip Bryt cent 1. cap. 73. began not before the yeare 607. as that reverend learned man M. Bale being a bishop himselfe in King Edwards dapes hath set down his wordes in English ar these From the yeare 607. the Church began to be ruled by the polity and government of Bishops which government was especially deuised and invented by the monks c. The testimony of M. Bale is true For in this age everye particular Church was governed by the Bishop the elders deacons Mag. cent 6. cap. 7. col 591. c. as the authors of the Centuries do witnes And although long cre this time many bare the names of archb Bb. yet was not the churche at their commandement as it is now neither could they abyde this superiority which our Bb. do exercise one ouer an other Anno 674. finod Herfor Mag cen 7. cap 7. col 220. as it appeareth by a synode kept heere in England where this preheminence was vtterly condemned And it is here especially to be obserued that in this age the name of B was coÌ„mon vnto all ministers corruptly called priests of the word and sacraments For Pope Gregory a) Greg. in EvaÌ„ cent mag 6. ca. 7. col 392. invaieth against the priests of his time who for brybes did ordain bishops and he advyseth b) Epist 57. lib 11. looke cent ibid. col 406. Ianuarius to chuse B. where priests were wanting Again c) Mag. cent 7. cap. 7. col 223. Bal scrip Bryt cen 2. cap. 74. Lawrence archb of Cant. anno 615. together with his fellow bishops that is the priests of Brytain saieth Beda wrote vnto the Scots Compare these 2. points of the name superiority of B. with that which D. Bancroft hath written serm pag 100. 97 By these and the lyke places we see the name bishop to haue beene common vnto al the ministers of the worde 300. yeares after the second Nicene Counsell Now that we know the original of these corruptions let vs briefly see how from time to time they haue bene gainsaid in the church First of al the ancient Brytones or Welshmen vnto the yeare 730. did a) Bale can 1. cap. 74 ex Beda altogether detest whatsoever Romish invention Augustine the monk plaÌ„ted among the Saxons and therefore they allowed not this government of bishops About the year 704 Bal. cen 1. c. 76 Whervpon Adelhelmus a learned westsaxon but a favorer of the regiment of Antichriste wrote against them Secondly a synode helde b) Anno 742. Mag. cent 8. cap. 7. col 452. in France vnder Carolomannus ordained that every citie shold haue hir B. And Carolomannus himself found fault c) Anno 752. Mag. cent 8. cap. 7. col 510 with the pope because he sought after worldly dominioÌ„ Not long after his time d) Anno 820 Mag. cent 9. cap 7. col 3 8. Bal. cent 2. cap 15. Claudius Taurinensis an Italian B. wrote againste the primacy of the pope rebuked him for neglecting his owne function In the synod of e) Anno 881. Catal test Illir Macer the civil ecclesiastical callings are so distinguished that one person cannot bee capable of both f) Anno 1070. Illir ibid pag. 247. Valtram B. of Noremberg wrote against the civil jurisdiction of the ministery so did Sigelbert the monk Anselme archb g) Anno 1096 vpon Math. 26 Mag. cent 11. cap. 4 col 197. of Cant. taught that a B. ought no more to intermedle with the civil sword than the king with the ecclesiastical And he decreed in a h) Anno 1106. book of mart pag. 196. synod held at London that no spiritual person should sit in any secular office Wherevpon (i Note M. Foxe demaundeth how Stephen Gardiner could be L. Chancelor of England so we vpon the lyke grouÌ„d wold know how the archb of Cant can be presideÌ„t of the couÌ„sel To omit Otho Frisingensis who k) Anno 1150. Illir cata pag. 430 was of Anselmus minde we wil come to the WaldeÌ„ses Their doctrine was that the l) book of mart pag. 233.235 pope ought not to deale in civil causes and that al ministers were of aequal authoritie The BohemiaÌ„s confession is the confession of the VValden ses Heere then the reader is to vnderstande that we hold nothing in this cause against the Bb. but that which the true visible church of God haue maintained nowe for the space of more then 400. yeares Cal. epist 294.298 and they continue stil of this minde For the Waldenses who yet remaine as it appeareth by their letters to M. Caluine his vnto them haue bene a true visible church these 430 years Let the B. bring but this warrant for their hrerarchy and we will yeeld I am enforced to be short and onely to name not al but the chief of the ages following that oppugned the corruptions of our B. a) About the year 1324. book of mart pag. 377. VVilliaÌ„ Ockam and Marsisâ— Patauinus the greatest lerned men of their time wrote against the civil iurisdiction of the pope In whose time Philip the french king held a parliament wherin b) Anno 1329. The L Peter de Cugni read the disp in the book of mart 358. one of his counsellers proved out of the worde against the Bishops that they ought not to deale in civil causes Iohn Hus was burned at the couÌ„sel of Constance becaus amoÌ„g other points he defended al c) Anno 1415. book of mart pag. 579. ministers to be of aequal authority And Iohn Claydon was burned at London the sometime because hee defended a book wherein Archb. were proved to be the seates of antichrist At the couÌ„sel of Basil the d) Anno 1432. book of mart pag. 669.634 Ambassadours of the Bohem. proved al civil rule to be forbidden the clearpy by the worde M. â—uthers judgement who was borne not many yeares after this counsel is sufficiently knowne Our owne martyrs as M. Tindall M. Barnes M Hooper haue so disliked this government of Bb. as no men more This doctrine of theirs being according vnto the worde they sealed with their blood and is now acknowledged the doctrine of our church The conclusion of al is this that vnles our state-men wil reiect god and his word and allow the spilling of the blood of his holy saints and martyres they cannot pretend vnto bee enemies vnto the state for seeking the ouerthrow of the government of L. Arch and Bb. withal the corruptions annexed the revnto The second art of this book remaineth behinde which shal be publish'd as soone as the Lord wil graunt me opportunitye I haue beene 〈◊〉 forced for some causes to end this more abruptly than I would haue wished If thou fauorest the cause reader thou wilt beare with 〈◊〉 falt if thou art an aduersary therevnto thou will think too much already spoken and so by abrupt silence compared with that which I haue spoken to be no fault at all