the Church should be rightly ordered many Intemperat men without any learning or care haue offred vnto vs that kinde of gouernment which had it beene once admitted could not choose but time haue pocured a ruine to the whole Church whose labours as farre as they were honest no man hath reason to dispies but being daungerouâ— they are to be diswaded from attempting and frendely to be counsailled to aduise better For to allow the best and fauorablest excuse that this cause can afford a curtesie perhaps they desire not at our hands is to thinke they haue dealt as men that comming in loue to visite a sicke friende haue euery man geauen his aduise without skill The best reason in wise Iudgements to deny alteration of any well establisht order as also to procure approbation with good conscience to such customes as are publikely in vse is when there riseth from the due consideration of them apparant reason allthough not all waies to proue them bettter than any other for who did euer require this in mans ordinance yet competent to shew their conuenient fitnesse in regard of the vse for which they should serue duties of Religion performed by the Church ought to haue in them according to our power a sensible excellency Correspondent to the Maiestie of him whom we worship yea then are publike duties in the Church best ordered when the militant doth resemble by sensible meanes as it may in such cases that hidden dignitie and glory wherewith the Church Triumphant in Heauen is beutified how be it as the heate of the Sun which is the life of the whole world was to the people of God in the Desert a greeuous annoyance for ease whereof his extraordinary prouidence ordained a Clowdy Pillar to ouershadowe them so things of generall vse and benefit for in this world what is so perfect that no inconuenience doth euer follow it may by some accident be incommâ—dious to a few in which case for priuate Euills reamedies there are of like conditions though publike ordinances wherein the common good is respected be not stirred Let it be therefore allowed that in the externall forme of Religion such things as are apparantly and haue beene sufficiently proued effectuall and generally fit to set forward godlinesse either as betokening the greatnesse of God or as beseeming the dignitie of religion both which are shadowed in the riches and ornaments of our Church or as concurring with Celestial impressions in the minds of men may be reuerently retained some few rare casuall and tollerable or otherwise cureable inconueniences notwithstanding And in this case it is not a consideration either of least reason or least vse to obserue what hath beene allowed as fit in the iudgement of all Antiquitie for the good gouernment of the Church from which either easily or much to swarue was neuer yet in experience warranted to be safe Wherefore in the altering of formes of Church gouernment Reason doth not allow it to be good either to change what Experience hath taught to be without much hurt or in the change to followe the direction of yong heads For though Ripenes of vnderstanding be grayehairs and the vertues of such be old age yet wisedome and youth are seldome ioyned for we must seeke it among the Auncient and in the length of dayes vnderstaÌ„ding So that if the contention be to whom we must harken and who are they that rule vs in this case doubtlesse the aged for the most part are best experienced least subiect to rash vnaduised passioÌ„s seldome carried with an affectation of noueltie or change therefore best in matter of Counsaile to be best trusted and safest in matter of Change to be wholly followed for as hands are seldome profitable to any great attempts longer than youth strengthen them so Wisedome is not of much value till age and experience haue brought it to perfection In whom therefore time hath not perfected knowledge such must be content to follow them in whom it hath sharp and subtill discourses of witt which are not the ordinarie felicities of those that haue laboured in this cause procure many times great applause butbeing laid in the ballaÌ„ce with that which the habit of sound Experience plainly deliuereth they are ouer-weighed Let vs therefore as in all other things of deliberation and Counsaile follow the aduise of him who said Aske thy Father and he will shew thee thine Auncients and they shall tell the. They which doe nothing as one wisely noteth but that which men of accompt did before them are although they doe amisse yet they lesse faultie because they are not the Authors of harme and doing well their actions are freed from preiudice of Noueltie an imputatioÌ„ alone able to diminish the credite of that which is well donne The loue of thinges auncient doth argue stayednesse but leuitie and want of Experience maketh apt to innouations For vsually where Scripture doth not gaine say that which wisedome did first begin and hath beene with good men long continued challengeth allowance of them that succeede although it pleade for it selfe nothing but that which is new as their discipline is if it promise not much doth feare condemnation before triall till triall noe wise man although women and some rash heades doe doth acquite or trust it what good soeuer it pretend or promise So that in this kinde fewe things being knowen to be good till such time as they growe to be auncient as wee haue small reason to dislike or alter what by continuance wee haue found to bee profitably honest so we haue much lesse cause to admitt that which in our selues and our Church doth want triall and with others abroad hath beene the Originall of much euill Nowe because all thinges can not be Auncient which are expedient and needefull in the Church This being a bodie which neuer dieth hath euer power no lesse to ordaine in things indifferent that which neuer was than to ratifie that which hath beene before for surely the Church howesoeuer some men distast this point hath Authoritie to establish that for an order at one time which at an other it may abolish and in both doe well Laws concerning outward order are changable articles concerning doctrine are not There is saith Cassianus no place of audience left for them by whom obedience is not yielded to that which all haue agreed vpon for it is to bee feared that the sacred worde shall at their handes hardly receiue due honour by whom the holy ordinances of the Church doe receiue contempt It being a vertuous obedience in both as well to the rest in that which the Church commaundeth vnto vs as in that which God commaundeth vnto his Church And if those things which are misliked peraduenture of a number without reason were euils of that nature that could not bee remooued without manifest daunger to succeede in their roomes wisedome of Necessitie must giue place to Necessity all that it can doo is
this Consistoriall Gouernment may take place the benefit whereof as they magnifie little weighing those yet vnexperienced Euils which must needes follow so the harmes of it are at large set downe by diuers others who with learning and iudgment haue labored in this point There is doublesse no Societie deerer vnto God than his Church in the gouernment whereof he hath made choice of two sorts of men to be imployed vnder him The first are Ministers of his word and Sacraments whose calling is perpetuall and necessary in the Church for so long as the Church is in this world it caÌ„not possible be coÌ„tinued without these of wihch we shall more fitly speake heereafter The other are Kings and Magistrats whom to the happy estate of the Church we hold with all reuerence of such vse that those are worst that mislike their gouernment that Church in all reason like to be most happy which God in his mercy hath blessed with the best King This appeareth in the Kings of Iuda who being vertuous Religion that was decaied was restored and what the Idolatry of others had corrupted the vprightnes of some which followed did purifie againe God in his loue performing that promise vnto his Church that Kings should be her Nursings-fathers and Queenes her Nursing-mothers In this respect more specially than others they are called Gods seruants not only because they serue him in the gouernmeÌ„t of the coÌ„monwealth a thing common with them and the worst Princes but because he vouchsafeth to vse their meanes as the fittest Instruments to aduance his Church vpoÌ„ earth And surely a double seruice God expecteth from them the one Common with all Christians the other peculiar to serue him in that place as Kings Princes To haue performed the first is an action of praise and may giue great hope but to faile in the second is staynd with reproch vsually accompained with much daunger Euill Princes seruing oftentimes to Act but the ruines of that Kingdome by the fall of the Church in whose misery theselues for the most part doe perish In the first dutie as Christians they are not priuiledged aboue other men they are tyed to same obedience bound to as many vertues nay moe for exaÌ„ple must in the end being called to the same account be iudged with as much seuerite as the meanest subiect Be wise now therfore O ye Kings be learned ye that are Iudges of the Earth Serue the lord with feare reioyce vnto him with Reuerence In the latter the seruice of Princes hath two parts the one concerning the Commonwealth the other Religion and the Church to the first they are tyed as Kings to the latter they are bound as they are vertuous and Religious Kings The first in dooing mercy and iudgment in defending the fatherlesse and poore in seeing that such as be in neede and necessitie haue right in bestowing duely punishment and reward and in all those other polliticke vertues they are happy Instruments to make a prosperous and flourishing Commonwealth The second concerneth his Religion a duty as it lyeth vpon all for all ought to be Religious so especielly vpon the Prince who must not only be but be the meanes to make all other to become Religious a thing though not euer true vnder vertuous Kings whose holy examples sometimes preuaile no farther but to make Hypocrits but seldome or neuer to be expected where the Princes theÌ„selues delight to seeme opeÌ„ly prophane If man had no other light but the light of Nature would not so willingly beleeue what were done with as without the Scripture yet euen this point will appeare to be most true being the practise of those men who had no other guide for their Actions than the vnchangeable directions of the light of Nature for whatsoeuer the Religion was as in most it was nothing but Idolatrous Superstition yet the transgression thereof was esteemed worthy to receaue punishment and the appointment of this punishment was thought to be peculiar to those who had principall authoritie to gouern the Comonwealth Thus the Athenian tooke vpon theÌ„ the power to condeÌ„ne Socrates a man peraduenture wiser thaÌ„ any of the rest but faulty as they thought in ReligioÌ„ therefore to be censured by the Authoritie which they al had The like we read of the RomaÌ„s Tyberius would make Christ a God without the authority of the Senat wher though the Act was needles to Christ little honor yet it sheweth that both the care of Religion belonged to the Roman Emperor that men euen Heatheâ—s were not hastily carried to performe any actioÌ„ of that nature without the aduice of others iudgmeÌ„t neither euer the Apostles or Prophets repreheÌ„d this care in the Rulers in any age It was easie to erre what ReligioÌ„ was but all men saw to whom the care did principally belong neither should any maÌ„ deserue coÌ„mendation for performing that which were wholy exempted from the limits of his owne calling But al Antiquitiâ— hath giueÌ„ in this kind honorable Testimony to CoÌ„stantine and Theodosius two Emperors of much vertue Nay Religiâ—n it selfe which giueth the best Rules to preserue Religion being contained in the Two Tables expresly commandeth who ought to be the ouerseer the keeper and preseruer of both Inwardly the strongest moÌ„tiue is Religion and they are most for the most part Religious who are Religious for conscience but there is a feare from the hand of the Maiestrate able to restraine those at least from outwarde being euill whom neither Conscience nor Religion could make honest Christian Emperours haue with their Zeale gained much honor for this in the eye and Iudgement of Gods Church This made them when contentions arose to call Councells as that of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon to purge the Temples both from Heathenish Idolatry and Christian superstition to make lawes the better to keepe men in obedience towardes God the irreligious contempt of whose worshippe though in the Subiects themselues haue brough a iust ruine euen for not forbidding both vpon the Prince and the Commonwealth Reason then which tyeth Princes to procure the prosperitie of that land ouer which they gouerne exacteth froÌ„ them a principall care of the Church and of Religion the decay and the contempt whereof are the originall causes of pestilence dearthes wares and such like For where humors are infected a little it is like that the maners are first distempered a great deale the most of the Fathers are plentifull in this point This made Saint Austine learnedly to confute the Donatists whose Haerecy was like the error of some in our days holding that Princes ought to permit euery man to enioy what Religion he likes and to persecute no man for Religion at all this serueth to confute the two great Errors of our time the one of the Anabaptists the other of the Church of Rome The first holding it vnlawfull for a Christian to be a Magistrate much lesse to vse his
and people and would deuide all liuings among their Elders Decons whom they appoint to be paymasters of their Pastors if either I charge them with vntruth or any indifferent vnderstanding can thinke this not danngerous to the Church and the Commonwealth let their petitions haue successe their complaints haue audience their cause finde fauor and in that one Act let Religion the Prince peace and all vtterly perish I omitt first fruites Tenthes subsides cōtributions of Ecclesiasticall persons all which are graunted by the lawes vnto the Prince of this Land all which by thē are accounted sacriledge and robberie and left wholy to the disposition of their polliticke Consistorie and where as as wee shall haue occasion to handle heareafter some special men in particular cases both in equitie and conscience are to be exemted by priuiledge from those lawes that doe binde all a power only reserued to the Prince himselfe These hould all dispensations vnlawfull and howsoeuer they fauour it in themselues no lesse than superstitious and Antichristian in others A thing doubtlesse of much vse and great necessitie in all kingdomes and of no daunger at all where the King is vertuous Whilst the true consequēts of their false opinions haue taught the world that these and such like derogations of the Kings authoritie haue beene maintained in that vnlearned Schoole they labour to make all men beleeue that Princes haue not more honest Religious and loyall Subiects than they are A thing surely by experience neuer to be found so longe as they haue entered vnder pretence of Religion to become abbaters and disposers of the Kings Reuenewes as if he that were gouernor of the Church and the Commonwealth were bound in dutie by power and reuenewe but to haue care of the Church only a Diminution of all greatnesse is affected by thē that by the disposition of that which they esteeme to be the superfluitie of all States necessarie defences and moderate Ornaments may all faile to make them rich CHAP. II. The Church visible of all other Societies is fittest to haue a Discipline but neuer the same that some men desire TO thinke that either the Church how putrified soeuer the Religion be be in so good a case for gouernment that nothing can either be added or taken away to make it better or that the same societie how much soeuer disordered be to be altered by priuate warrāt is very daungerously and apparantly to erre in both The first being the effect of too much flattery and self loue the latter the daungerous attempt of an insolent presumption both hazardous to that holy Societie whom either they thinke for gouernment to be absolute or absolutely to be gouerned by their owne fancies In these two Errors the difference is this that they first may easily erre in thinking that to be best which Experiēce hath taught them to be good in the latter there is lesse excuse because they mislike all whatsoeuer may not be esteemed to proceede from their owne deuice that there is a gouernment requisite for that Societie which we call the Church the wisdome of God hath made knowen vnto vs both by proportion of those naturall and Ciuill Societies to which the Church is compared and by the perfection of that fellowshippe which the Saints in all ages and places where the true worship of GOD hath preuailed haue had from the foundation of the worlde amongst themselues The first roote of humane Societie as being impossible to continue without order is distinguisht by God himselfe into seuerall degrees and prerogatiues of Husbands Parents Maisters aboue Wife Children and Seruants and yet all linked in the mutuall agreement of like dueties The greater Branches that rise out of these rootes Cities countries and kingdomes are neither destitute of lawes to prescribe nor Magistrats to execute for the common good all receiuing dignitie and strength from this fountaine that by the benefit of Good lawes they are well gouerned If men were of themselues either willing or constant in that which were good It were needles to haue a discipline for all where euery mans vertue were a lawe to himselfe but seeing our corruption is such that we are easily deceiued by our selues more easily seduced by others but most and most daungerously peruerted through feare and desire the one to spurn vs that we goe not too flowe the other to bridle vs that we runne not too fast there is a line both to direct and to amend necessarily limited to all sorts and this in due season lest disorder indured bread confusion the fore-runner of all ruine Seeing then the Church of Christ is the house of God the Citty of the liuing God the kingdome of his beloued Sonne can wee thinke that he is careful for others and carelesse or negligent for his owne or that disorder is lesse daungerous or lesse to be feared in the Church than in the Common-wealth surely hee that in all places is the Author not of confusion but of peace will haue all thinges performed decently and in order for the Gouernment of his Church To this ende hee appointed Stewardes oouer his houshold Watchmen and leaders ouer his flocke laborers in his haruest Husbandmen in his Tyllage and being proportioned to a bodie maketh some to bee Eyes Eares Tongues Handes that is principall members for directing and assistance of the whole without which in all reason it must needes be vnable to prouide for the safetie and securitie of it selfe so that the Honour or happinesse had beene small to haue made it a Church vnlesse this likewise had beene added To haue made it a Church that is well Gouerned for the vnitie of of the Spirit is not kept but in the bande of peace This Regiment of the Church is as well Extelternall as Internall The latter is that gouernment which God hath by his holy Spirit and truth in the hearts of the faithfull which as it is neuer varied so it is not questioned amongest vs in the Church of Englande By this which is the Kingdome of his Sonne all men confesse that GOD inwardly and effectually worketh in his Saintes the Faith of his truth the feeling of his grace and other spirituall blessinges according to the purpose of his will for the praise of his owne Glorie in which no earthly creature is able to ioyne or to concurre with him sauing only in this that the Word and the Sacraments being left as externall meanes there must be fitte persons for both and a power in them to admitte and reiect lest happily holy thinges be defiled whilst Pearles are cast vnto Dogges and Swine From hence ariseth a necessitie of externall Gouernment in Gods Church which respecteth the appointing of meete men and the due approbation of such as are to be credited with the free dispensation of such inestimable Treasures committed to their Charge In this whilst all men agree that it ought and many that are religious are desirous that
some enemies peraduenture would make them speake There are Commentaries wee know vpon Saint Luke which passe vnder Saint Ambrose name of which Ruffinus in his second Booke of Inuectiues maketh Saint Hierome to giue this Censure that hee dallyed in the words and slept in the sence Which surely as the best writers are of opinion was rather forged by Ruffinus to make Saint Herome odious than spoken by Saint Hierome to disgrace Saint Ambrose Doubtlesse it were great pity that seeing the world so much erreth in the choise of friends that this so necessary an office rather than omitted should not be performed by our worst acquaintance and the resolution of all men ought to be this which I thank God I finde in my selfe if thy friend chide iustly in his Censure he hath profited thee if vndeseruedly yet hee meant to doe thee good so that to the first being bound for that which he hath donne and to the other for that which he would haue done in reason for this good office were tyed to both and for my selfe I neuer wrot any thing with that minde to haue it publisht in print although some things I haue don for which with Master Beza I craue pardon but I am very willingly content to be Censured for them when the chiefe troubles of the Church for discipline were either appeased with discretion or else buried with the Authors of them sodainly in the yeare 1602 came forth a Booke written by Maister Nicholles as an Apologie for the dealing in that cause Intituled the Plea of the Innocent Wherein as there were many things that serued to little vse sauing only to expresse that honest desire to be wel thought of which peraduenture the Author had so the first thinge though not the greatest in my opinion to be misliked was the want of due consideration of the time for surely if Salomon said true which no man hath reason to make doubt of that there was a time for al things a time to keepe sileÌ„ce and a time to speake in my weake iudgment it had beene much sitter considering the eager contentioÌ„ amongst those of the Church of Rome to haue beene lookers on rather at the euent of that quarrel than to haue beene Authors of any new disagreement amongst ourselues but so different are the dispositioÌ„s of men that what one maÌ„ taketh to be a reason why a thing should be done and other peradueÌ„ture taketh it to be a reasoÌ„ why it should not be don to haue forborne a little had beene much safer for the Church in all reasoÌ„ more honorable for your selues I wish the Author of that booke had those three ornameÌ„ts with S. Hierom calleth the foundation of all vertue a patience to be sileÌ„t an oportunitie to speak a coÌ„tempt of riches Doubtles to renue an vnnaturall contention that was almost buried especially at that time when all proceedings in the Church wer without rigor as it could not choose but be labour euil spent so it was likely to bring little aduantage vnto Gods Church PeradueÌ„ture I mistake the cause which moued him then to vndertake that Trettise wee will heare himselfe in his Preface what he saith we haue suffered meaning himselfe and others that haue laboured for reformations and indured much reproach and coÌ„tempt which we haue patiently borne and with great silence for diuers yeares sustained that on our part the sacred word of righteousnesse might not be euill spoken of and as much as in vs lieth wee might cut-off all occasions to the common aduersarie to preuaile against the holy Church of Christ Which is among vs. This surely was iust reason and if it were performed as he saith it was not performed without Iust cause for doubtles there is nothing of so small moment that hath brought greater disaduantage to our Church than that with so much violence we haue deferred amongst our selues and blessednesse surely shall be their portion who in this kinde haue beene forward to make peace but it is not these imbracings of Ioab nor the kisses of Iudas that can bury from the worlds eye those bitter Inuectiues of Whittingam Good man Knox Buckanan Gilby Martin Throgmorton Pennry Fenner and sundrie other most odious and vnsauerie bookes besides a great number of others without name all which must needes testifie that for this whole time of our happie peace whatsoeuer the occasions were the matter hath beene carried with little silence and lesse patience These men in this case how well soeuer they haue deserued otherwise haue not bin for bitternesse of speech much inferiour to the Heretikes of former times and of whose followers I may say with Saint Chrisostom In age they are yonger but in malice Equall the Broode of Serpents are of lesse stature but haue not lesse poysoÌ„ The Whelps of Wolues though they cannot hurt so cunningly yee will hurt with biting and desire to sucke Blood The some of all is as Sidonius speaketh openly they enuied basely they forged and seruilelie they were proud and that which made all this to be much worse was that the Authors of this euill-speaking made Religion to be a warrant to speake euill and whilst they offended vpon this ground others were desirous to offend that they might not differ from their example so that a double fault lyeth vpon the first Author one that they offended in their owne person the second that they were examples to others to the like offence But why continued you not in this silence still notwithstanding all this say you The state of things is worse than euer before and I cannot tell whether our conniuence in suffering of euill speeches against vs hath done the Church harme For nowe Papists begin to comfort themselues yea they challeng vnto theÌ„ the name of honest and true men and good subiects and by the reprochfull name of Puritan All godly Protestats are most cunningly depraued Giue me leaue quietlie to tell you this much That vnlesse I mistake it you haue little reason or any that hath laboured in that cause to thinke that the state of things is worse than before At that time when you wrote thus what men were committed for their disobedience arraigned for their treasons or where was thâ—t assault as you call it of Subscription besids all Godly Protestants are not tearmed Puritans no it is but the singular affection of a some few that would seeme vpright which haue gained that name wherein they doe much glory last of all if by your sufferaÌ„ce some Priests grewe insolent and were not affraide in comparison to make themselues to bee more righteous than you this was no reason so vnreasonably to prouoke the Reuerend Fathers of the Church against you but rather all to haue ioyned and your selues formost against them and yet he not gniltie that is accused but he that is conuinced in this cause But to let passe the occasion of that treatise giue me leaue
if we finde both the words and the deedes of the best amongst them to haue been such as no man hath reason to allow it cannot choose but seeme strange that any one carefull of what he vttereth should become a patron to that proceeding which is no sooner barely rehearsed but must vnto all men of necessitie appeare to be without warrant For iffailing in Cmilitie of tearmes their actions had beene more milde or if ouer seene in their Actions their words had beene of a better temper some colorable snow might haue been their excuse which now is wanting seeing they doe faile in both and therefore euen to discouer their proceedings is to ouerthrow theÌ„ As few Societies are or can be hoped to be without some euill so the principall remedies in the iudgement of wise men haue been thought to be three First that all things corrupted by time should with discretion be brought to their first Institution SecoÌ„dly if this were not to be hoped for they might vtterly be abolished Thirdly that no InnocatioÌ„s were permitted to begin and being begun immediatly by the hand of Authoritie to be cut of The first of these was called Reformation which is a repetion or Restitution of the auncient deede So that to Reform is not to make new but to restore to his former well being what time and corruption by continuance had made euill Now as authoritie and wisedome are both requisite to performe this so must it needs be a disorder in those that would reforme and doe want both And it cannot bee but a great ouersight in them Who hauing thus erred ought to bee silent and craue pardon dare aduenture notwithstanding to plead this cause and to publish Apologies in there owne defence Wee will not touch the first Authors and Originalles of this euill being deriued from those who then both for scituation and gouernment were straungers to our state But only make it appeare that since the beginning of our last Soueriegnes reigne what holinesses so euer was pretended the whole proceeding in matters of Reformation both in worde and deede was altogether vnlawfull and without warrant A thing howsoeuer obserued by diuers heeretofore yet not vnfit to be handled in this place and at this time The ground of that euill which followed was layd in Queene Maries time in whose Zealous gouernment a Zeale in others of our Countrie from other forreigne places in both peraduenture a like euill sowed the vncleane seede of those immoderat growing tares which since haue daungered our whole Church Neither can the goodnesse of Religion bee any warrant for euill doeing seeing what is lawfull where true Religion doth seeme to giue leaue must of necessitie bee as Lawfull being permitted by a Religion or don for a Religion though it be false So that it was no more fit for priuat and Inferiour persons at that time by violence to remoue Idolatrie the contrarie whereof was their Doctrine than in times much purer which haue since followed it was or could be lawfull for any of the Church of Rome by inuasion or treason to establish the Doctrine of that Sea This euer remaining a true rule That good then deserueth the name of euill when being good it ceaseth to bee well done and no Religion can warrant to pull downe Kings when true Religion doth commaund that whatsoeuer their Religion is wee must obay them either in suffering with patience what they impose or in dooing with obedience what they doe commaund So that the iust hatred of Idolatrie seruing to giue warrant to what they did then in times when the Church was much polluted hath been not the least occasioÌ„ since to attempt the like and farre worse when by many degrees the times the Religion was more pure And I am sorie so good a man by name should publish to the world a Doctrine so false and daungerous that it should be lawfull to kill wicked Kings and Tyrants Neither had this being but the priuat error of one been in all respectes so daungerous if an other for his place a Deane and not meanely esteemed had in not his preface to that Booke affirmed it to be the doctrine of the best and most learned in those partes meaning as I thinke Caluin and the rest So that all thinges being duely weighed the practise of those in that time for religion was neither more honest nor lawfull than the late practises of those of the Church of Rome neither let any man thinke that Religion can be a warrant for that deed which must remaine an euerlasting blemish to that Religion that caused it to bee doone Others our countrie had at that time men of famous and worthie memorie which liued in Zuriech Basâ—ll and Franckefort these discretly obserued without Innouation the reformation established in King Edwardes dayes Nowe when those that had liued in Geneua and obserued with what policie Caluin and others swayed the whole gouernment a thing peraduenture neither much contradict seeing the worthinesse of the man nor Difficult to effect considering the forme of that state they began sayling in both repects being equal only in a violeÌ„t Zeale to attempt the like discipline in their owne Countrey A thing so much the lesse sufferable by how much the parties were meaner the gouernment of their Countrie farre better and the alteration not safe in so great a Kingdome And yet at that time the Zeale of these contented it selfe little to meddle in shew with the matters of disciplie but rather was busied about the apparell of Ministers Cerimonies prescribed and amendment as they thought of the Communion booke But after so hardly are those things limited which are but the workes of a strong fancie those that succeeded made their discipline an essentiall Note of the true Church were as ready as they said to become Martyrs in that quarell as for the defence of any Article of the Christian faith of whom I may say as Saint Austine doth of some such they were Martyrs if they had died of a foolish Philosophy Out of this strong and vehement perswasion of well doing and from a desire of goodnes peraduenture in some although it is like that those who were most earnest had not the best conscience were published sundrie Dialogues able to haue iniured a good cause complaints petitions to her Maiestie and the Parliament in the name of the Comunaltie their appellations their exhortations fiue or six seuerall supplications to the Parliament Martyns vnhallowed Imitations of Passauantius The humble motion to the Lords of the Councill and diuers other of the like nature in manner of Register collected into one volume These many such for it were infinit and of small vse to reckon all were the chiefe and the best meanes their learning wisedome and holinesse thought fit for the gaining of Authoritie to this new discipline but if these immodest libelles had beene the worst fruites
meanes against the heresie of Priscilian the hatred of which one euill was all the vertue he had became so wise in the end that euery man carefull of vertuous conuersation studious of Scripture and giuen vnto any abstinence in dyet was set downe in his Kalender of suspected Priscillianistes For whom it should bee expedient to approue their soundnes of faith by a more licentious and loose behauiour neither do I thinke vnto a great number that desired this name could any thing more fitly be applied than that vnto the Cathari a sect of Heretikes not cleane but worldlings or as Epifaâ—iâ—s calleth them pure impure ones But surely if eyther the Cathari the Nouatians the Pelagians the Donatists or any sect of the papists at this day worthily deserue to be termed by the name of Puritan theÌ„ surely it is no great error to apply that name to a number amongst vs who are euer readie to boast of their innocencie and in respect of themselues to account all of a contrary faction vnholy and prophane Others this Author accounteth old barrels And yet if he had well remeÌ„bred what he saith in any other place That who so feareth an oath or is an ordinarie resorter to Sermons earnest against excesse ryot Popery or any disorder they are called in the Vniuersity Prescisians and in other places Puritans Surely if this description of a Puritan were true neither were there much reproach in the name nor would a great number be left out of that sect who in all humility religion and conscience haue learned to submit themselues to the present States and I doubt not but verie truly a great nuÌ„ber of the Reuerend Fathers of the Church might more fitly be called prescise than those that for the earnest affectatioÌ„ of a new discipline desire by their followers to bee called pure For surely in all those things meÌ„tioned as notes to discerne a Puritan many that are very far from that peeuish singularity of some amongst vs haue done the Church more seuice in one yeare and liued with greater sinceritie their whole life than the principall of those who are distinguisht by that name Is it not a straunge presumption to Impropriat Conscience Holines Innocency and Integrity onely to some few as if all the rest who haue seuered themselues from the Church of Rome were no better than Athiests time-seruers prophane and irreligious only in this respect because by their authoritie and learning they haue resisted this vnreasonable desire of a new disciplne So hardly doo 〈◊〉 temper our selues when wee are strongly perswaded of our owne fancies but that all that are contrarie or repugnant to vs wee traduce theÌ„ to the world as men without conscience only for this that they are apposite A practise which alone is able to discouer to the world our exceeding pride and intollerable selfe-loue for no man can doubt but the aduersaries to this cause haue exceeded the other in all 〈◊〉 wherein they are or would seeme to bee most excellent onely they haue learned to obey which is much better than all the sacrifice of fooles But seeing words haue so many Artificers by whom they are made and the things whereunto wee apply them are fraught with so many varieties it is not alwaies apparant what the first inuentours respected much lesse what euerie mans inward conceit is which vseth their words doubtlesse to distinguish things that are of a different condition is the most ordinarie and the safest vse of names seeing necessarily to collect what things are from names by which they are called can haue small warrant these being but effectes oftentimes of malice sometimes of ignorance mistaking sometimes of some particular accident all which serue but in the construction of wisemen to make their estimation by a better rule and where things are not in nature such not to condemne them though they called by euill names The name of Puritan or Prescisian no man hath reason to vse it as a disgrace seeing with vs it serueth but to signifie such as being more strict for obseruation of Ceremonies than others both parties being opposite in that they both notwithstanding may bee equally distant from the Church of Rome and therefore as I cannot excuse such as prophanely make it any imputation to bee prescise a duetie which surely ought to bee performed by vs all in a stricter maner so neyther doo I thinke the proceeding of those to bee altogether lawfull who vnder this name hauing shrowded themselues account all men besides to bee prophane Atheistes and the resistance which they finde in their violent course to bee a cruell persecutor of innocent men in a good cause They that teach the world to thinke and to speake thus must needes bee iudged both to slaunder the profession of the Gospell amongest vs and to make themselues the best part of that Church which is seuered from the customes of the Church of Rome But lest peraduenture none of them eyther mislike the name or make the original of their sufferings to bee their innocency let vs heare one of them plead for the rest Men which made consceince of many things which the Reuereud Fathers and many learned men affirmed to bee lawfull and for this they were called Puritans There is no man can think but in matters of this nature the iudgement of the Reuerend Fathers and many other learned men that were not Bishops might haue ouerswayed the stifnesse of some few for so they were at the first without inforcing any faction or breach of the Churches vnion this phrase is vsuall in that Booke the goodnes of our cause and the innocency of our persons God deliuered his innocent seruants and being reproued for their proceeding their aunswere is the innocency of our cause doth constrayne vs and that the world may knowe the reason of their sufferings they say the chiefest cause of their trouble and reproach is their carefull and zealous following of Gods holy Word and their tender conscience in offending God Would not a man thinke that the Church of England which hath seuered it selfe not without many Daungers from the Church of Rome had looked backe and become a Harlot and a bloody Kingdome surely there cannot be a greater blemish laid vpon this Church which both is and is desirous to be thought reformed than that it hath persecuted for their conscience men holy religious Innocent and it a good cause The whole tenor of that plea of the Innocent runneth on in this course as if it were the sighes and mournings of a Church vpright and pure labouring vnder the burthen of persecution because they cannot in conscience yeelde vnto Superstition as others doo from hence are these speeches They seeing our Innocencie that of mere conscience our vprightnesse makes vs poore innocent men And in an other place to the same purpose We can boldely and in the sight of God protest our Innocency wee and our honest and iust cause
and Zeale is thought to bee farre lesse But we will hope much better of these men than that sufferance hath made them proud and their pride more contentious than heretofore And therefore me thinkes it is most straung that any man should haue so little vnderstanding as one of them hath who make vs beleeue that the Countenaunce of the Bishops were more estraunged from them now than euer before for doubtlesse if the great moderation of those persons whom our late Souereigne of blessed memorie thought fit to be aduansed to that place to be called Bishoppes had not with more than fatherly care â—estrained it selfe in compassion towards them from seuere execution of Iust lawes their occasions of complaint peraduenture would haue beene farre greater though not more reasonable but surely the Vnitie of the Church had beene much more There is nothing so daungerous as lenitie in that case where patience giueth occation for insolent contention to be more proud a thing as vnsufferable in it owne nature at all times so then especially most destitute of all excuse when inferiour persons are aptest to prouoke and the things in question in their owne iudgment are of no great momeÌ„t as those then haue don euill offices who haue renued the memorie of almost outworne errors so are they lesse tollerable in this that hauing poysoned the world with so euill opinions they seeme notwithstanding earnestly and humbly desirous to liue in peace assuring themselues that what difference soeuer prosperitie breedes doubtlesse persecution would make vs to be all one but euer reseruing this priuiledge to themselues that the Bishops in submission as offendours must first yeeld But if a man rightly consider the originall of this sinne of contention and what affections they are which giue strength vnto it hee can hardely in reason expect quietnesse to be found in the patrons of this cause pride enuie and vaine Glorie are the originall fountaies of this euill for where inferiour persons both for place and Iudgment haue ouerualued their owne fancies by their owne conceit it is no more like that in humilitie they should once yeeld thaÌ„ it is possible for obedient humilitie to become proude The distance being equall in both only in this the disaduantage greater that wee haue all of vs an aptnesse to doe euill but without grace no possible meanes in our selues to become good Hereunto if we add the second that as out of pride we loue our selues so out of enuie wee hate others no man can maruell if men that are proude vaine glorious and enuious easely also bee founde contentious for that which in different opinions maketh contenâ—iâ—â—s to cease is when men are perswaded of their betters that they are not easily deceiued and of themselues that they may and doe easely erre but all contentions are not of the same nature for some neede no excuse when we resist as we are bound for the defence of a good cause for other a small excuse may serue in that being without order yet they are not scandalous but that which is common with these men is highly sinfull without all colourable show of excuse when they are more vnreuerently bitter than is beseeming the grauitie of the persons with whom they striue and more vehement than is aunswerable to the cause that they would defend For the seruant of the Lord must not striue but must be gentle towards all men apt to teach suffering the euill men patiently so that if any man had these defects that were an aduersarie in this cause We must instruct them with meekenesse that are contrarie minded proouing if at any time God will giue them repentance that they may knowe the truth If any man teach otherwise hee is puft vp and knoweth nothing but doteth about questions and striffe of words whereof commeth enuy strife raylings euill surmisings all which are to no profit but to peruert the hearers And surely as the Apostle telleth vs Where enuie and strifes is there is sedition and all manner of euill workes But if after so much patience so many fould cleare and modest defences of a iust cause any man lust to be contentious we haue noe such custome neither the Churches of God Thus Coutention through the corruption of our nature being seldome limited in the end becommeth Inordinate and a foule sinne and so consequently without warrant when either we contend about that which is so true or so trifling that we ought not or whether we contend in that maner that doth not become vs or in that place or last of all with those persons that are vnbefitting The error in the first is that of the disciples which should be the greatest which exaÌ„ple saith Beda is willingly reade of many that desire fâ—oÌ„ the Scripture to findâ— example to warrant them to the like coÌ„tention but saith S. Ambrose if the Apostles contend it is not made a pretence of excuse for vs but set downe for a Caueat In the second the fault in those clamorous rayling and vuciuill speaches by aduersaries of all sides wherein if some in our Church had not beene too forward to aunswere their aduersaries in the same kind the best causes had beene handled with better praise and the worst had beene performed with lesse blame hence commeth it that hee who for learning hath not deserued least for the defence of our Church for modestie of writing onely excepted hath deserued best The place and the persons are ordinary circumstances to make our contentions to bee more faultie but seldome though the Scholeman say otherwise doe I finde any reason for men of the Church for to warant either ForÌ„whereas there is amongst vs Enuying strife and diuisions are we not Carnall and walke as men For saith Salomon it is a mans honor to cease from strife but euerie foole will be medling And doubtlesse if in this cause of the Church gouernment many whose conditions and learning might Iustly haue inioyned them silence had not beene medling Moderation with Grauitie might haue determined that cause which stoode only supported with a hott Zeale And seeing the best warrant of our actions must be the sincere Testimonie of our conscience from a true feare I wonder how some Inferiour and meane men could thinke it lawfull for them to vndertake a matter of that moment nay to receiue it being almost deade when men of farre greater learning and dwiseome did remaine silent some excuse peraduenture I could allowe him if others farre more worthie had not had as much Zeale and had not beene as farre better able to defend the cause but it may be he taketh his labour to be well imployed hauing made in his opinion for the good of the Church a benifit of that small Talent which God hath giuen him Other ends for which the world hath censured him hardly I dare not accâ—â—â— him of for who am I that I should condemne
so to swallow vp in vnthankesfulnesse all other benefits of a lesser nature as if the obseruation of other times were to be accounted an vnhallowed prophanatioÌ„ of the Lords Sabbath And surely those Rites which before lawfull ordination were left free after in conscience doe binde to the obseruation of theÌ„ So that what priuate opinions may fancie vnto them selues are but slender exemptions for the breach of lawes these imposing a restraint with their due Ceremonies established by authoritie from vsing respects and behauiours that are common towarde persons places and times which are all solemnly appointed to a holy vse If this had been throughly weighed by a number iâ— our Church neither would the contempt of them haue beene so vsuall and so pardonable a fault nor the defence haue beene thought ouer violent loue to superstition onely But in these things with some amongst vs can neither diffent with their good fauour nor consent with them with a good conscience And if any man thinke that Ceremonies are of that nature that the obseruation of them is onely indifferent and lesse free let him consider the great and violent discentions in the Church that haue risen for them and how Councills haue condemned them as heretikes onely for being stifly opposite in this kinde The first dissention allmost in the Church was for legall Ceremonies which afterward was determined with this word these necessaries to abstaine from blood and froÌ„ strangling The second great dissention was for Easter day neither was it thought then a small matter for which Pope Victor the first of that name would haue separated all Asia from the vnitie of the faithfull onely for being disobedient in that point which afterwards was not the least occasion for assembling the counsell of Nice the councel of Antioch not long after excommunicating all such as for the obseruation of Easter rested not in the determination of the Nicen Councell To conclude all that were willing to obserue it otherwise by Epiphanius Austin and Theodoret are accounted heretikes After this some such dissentions arose about baptisme not for the essence but the ceremonies in it the violence of which resisting was not the least impuratioÌ„ to al the Donatists After these succeeded hotter contentions but for matters of lesse moment in al which the oppugners of established order euen in the lowest parts of religion were little better accounted of the fathers than plaine heretikes The beginning of things saith Seneca proceede slowly but losses runne headlong the causes of euill are vsually in a tumult and breake out as in this from whence they are oft feared for whatsoeuer either person or place or custome hath many admirers for the holines must needes for the holines haue many to be enuiers of it but in things whereunto men doe easily fall discipline by authoritie must restraine such when singularitie is in daunger to make a schisme for where to make alteration in this kinde is allowed to all men a dissolution saith Caluin must needes follow in the sinewes of that Church neither doe we make as in precepts of a higher nature euery defect to be a great sinne but neglect in ceremonies is then no small fault when disobedience and contempt are ioyned with it Our care in religion appearing by so much the greater that wee are loth to neglect the adherents of it For the contempt which willingly is offered vnto these will easily without resistance extend it selfe to the ouerthrow of all religion There is nothing can be a surer preseruer of religion than to keepe it from contempt a thing not easily done where it is left destitute and depriued of holy ceremonies For the principall excellencie of our religion being spirituall is not easily obserued of the greatest number which are carnall and therefore we propound not naked mysteries but cloth them that these offering to the sences a certaine maiestie may be receiued of the minde with a greater reuerence And therefore some of the fathers accounting them as the shell to the kernell haue said that no religion either true or false was possible to consist without them So that amongst the auncient to be a diuine was nothing else but to know what deities were to be worshiped with what ceremonies And amongst the Iewes as a thing of greatest importance Ierbro wisheth Moyses to referre ciuill iudgements to others and himselfe to instruct them in the ceremonies and rites of Gods worship the ignorance whereof as it hath brought much harme into the Church so it is sharpely reproued by some of the Fathers that haue been before vs. These if they had serued to no other vse yet were they manifest and honorable distinctions betwixt them that were heretikes and those of the true Church in whom howsoeuer we cannot iudge of their sinceritie and religion that is inward yet by the vse of these we may easily discerne what Church in her worship they would seeme to follow for to cast away in time of persecution the badge and signes of their warfare was to discouer vnto the world that they were cowardly souldiers Tertâ—llian reporteth of one who chose rather to die then with the rest of the souldiers to be crowned with lawrell onely in this respect that the christians had a ceremonie not to doe it Now if any man aske me a rule whereby to discerne in this varietie of cerimonies which are to be reiected and which alowed we say with the Apostle Let all things be done honestly and by order for true wisedome teacheth sobernes and prudence righteousnesse and strength which are the most profitable things that men can haue in this life But if any man shall thinke that cerimonies being externall things in religion are not to be exacted with such violence that their carefull refusing should depriue them of performance of greater good these in my opinion first erre in the ouer slight estimation of ceremonies and then if they were but of that nature as contemptibly they thinke of them the alteration of such belongeth not to them neither haue they where obedience is commaunded reason to refuse conformitie with so much stomacke especially in matters which by them are accounted of that nature But because some of them thinke that ceremonies are but small things and yet that a small thing may trouble the eye as these the conscience I am sorry that they haue so farre weighed the hurt which themselues might receiue by doing of them and so lightly valued the harmes they haue offered by their wilfull disobedience to the lawfull ordinations of a reformed member of Christs Church If the Church of England retained any ceremonies that were vnholy and superstitious demonstration should haue been made in this kinde What they are how many of what nature why daungerous to which doubts being the sober demaunds of a weake conscience if due satisfaction could not haue been giuen doubtlesse those who had
so long as the authoritie that commaundeth is all one nor can we vnlesse we flatter our selues ouer much thinke that we are obedient to God whilest we are willing to disobey those whom he in his wisedome hath placed ouer vs. Neither are we so much to waie in things not simply vnlawfull what that is that is commaunded as with this to be content that it is commaunded This if it had been duely considered by some in our Church they had neither gloried so much that in not yeelding to order they were vnlike others neither had they with such showe of reason labored to make the ignorant beleeue that the lawfull wise and religious exacting of subscription was like vnto an inquisition and the tyranous requiring of an vnlawfull thing But in this fact wherein the wisdome of authoritie was thought too cruell they are able to answere why they did refuse For what men being inioyned by order doe not doubtlesse of that in equitie they are bound to giue a reason which whilest some haue laboured to performe in this kinde the world hath seene what small and weake excuses they haue had to refuse obedience a thing which must in the end lie heauie vpon them that haue made resistance without cause or else vpon them that without warrant did exact it from them Neither haue these refusers of subscription been onely actors themselues in this disobedience but the authors by their example haue thrust with violence men of lesse learning and greater moderation into the like contempt This being as one noteth the principall vnhappines of those men that they had the authoritie of the aged and the faults of youth Who being in this as they thought to publish their vertue were supposed not without cause in the opinion of wise men that they affected glorie The Church hath found the example of these to be very daungerous who were thought in that wherein they did amisse to be very holy For such a one few are willing to reproue and example doth inlarge the fault when the sinner is honored for the reuerence of his person Doubtles there was no act since the death of Queene Mary either of greater wisedome to preserue the peace of the Church in those that were first authors of it or of more daungerous disobedience in the refusers then the act of subscription was A practise not first inuented by vs but arising of it selfe euen from that naturall care which ought to be in all of authoritie to take securitie as it were for the good behauiour of all such as are admitted to teach others By this one act both binding their hands and tongues from any way disabling the Churches orders and testifying to the world the vnitie of that Church where all of one calling haue giuen their approbation to those lawfull ordinations which authoritie in wisdome moderation and vertue haue set downe Whereby it appeareth as their grieuance to be lesse so their fault to be much greater then they thinke who haue refused to subscribe and haue labored with others to doe the like whilest notwithstanding they haue giuen their hands and doe daily not onely to their owne dicipline wherein the best amongst themselues agree not and the meaner haue not knowledge toexamine but also to false suggestions intemperate petitions vniust complaints lawes and ordinances of their owne For all which they haue by many degrees lesse warrant than to subscribe to that which they doe refuse This onely being the difference that they distaste any thing that is not new and their hands are ruled by example and fancie in that they doe Wherein if they had well considered in humilitie that obedience which the Church might exact of them as also without preiudice the lawfulnes of those things whereunto they were required to set their hands doubtles the vrging would not haue been thought a matter of so much rigor nor the refusing be so much defended as a thing lawfull For what indifferent man can thinke it vnmeete that when the Prince and the Parliament haue made orders Caâ—ons Iniunctions Articles or any thing of that kinde for the vniformitie in the Church gouernment that a Bishop hauing authoritie to institute into spirituall liuings with cure should require by subscription a consent vnto these things before he be admitted in to that charge A thing if by his owne authoritie for the peace of that dioces committed to his care the Bishop had done surely the fault had been much lesse then in any that had refused to performe obedience But seeing the law doth inioyne subscription and that they howsoeuer wronged by the clamorous complaints of some are but ministers to see the due execution of the law for the peace of the Church they haue as little reason to lay the burthen of this vpon the Bishops shoulders as a robber by the high way his apprehension arrainment and execution to the iustice charge The law in them both hauing made that prouision that they which doe what the law forbids or doe not what the law commaunds must be content for their owne fault willingly to suffer what the law inflicts And therefore it must needes be by so much the more strange that men who are content to flatter the Prince the Parliament and those that doe make lawes can thinke themselues warranted to refuse obedience and reuile those honorable and reuerend persons to whom onely is committed the execution of them Besides places times and persons orderly with iudgement and conscience concurring to make lawes euery person in the land hauing resigned his particular intrest to those who are assembled to that end all after examination is debarred to all how wise so euer who are not admitted to that and at that time much more to the rest whose weakenes of iudgement cannot without apparant suspition of intollerable pride take vpon them the examination of those lawes before they can easily be drawne to subscribe vnto them The particular exceptions that are made by them although seuerally answered by sundrie most learned and graue men heretofore yet then we shall better examine when we come to the defence of the Communion booke Onely we say now that the vrging of subscription so farre as the Bishops doe and ought is warranted by lawe from man and the disobedience of those who refuse to doe it is no way warranted by the lawes of God So that both the tumultuous and clamorous outcries which they haue raised onely for this and the slender excuses pretended for so foule a fact are but like the coullerable rebellions which for inlarging of commons the basest of the people haue stirred vp But least peraduenture I should doe them wrong I am willing that the reader should heare them speake And herein I will make choyse of him who comming later then the rest vndertaking from the writings of others to pleade the cause hath labored to free them from this great fault and to iustifie that they haue performed so much as
shall be abrogated by that authoritie that did first make them To this we referre the time and manner of publike prayer administring the Sacraments ecclesiasticall censures apparell for diuine seruice ornaments of Churches and such like all which as the Church froÌ„ Christ hath lawfull authoritie to ordaine so it is peeuish disobedience in those men who had rather without warrant impose vpon the Church lawes of their own making then by commaundement obey the lawful ordinations that others make Now because in no societie al men will be obedient at all times and that it is little auaileable to make lawes and no way to see to the execution of them as the Church hath left vnto her admonitions to warne theÌ„ correctioÌ„s to restraine so last of al she hath power to suspend froÌ„ partaking of the best things that the church hath because they haue refused to obey the voyce of the Church in those lesser ordinations that she made the seueritie of the Church tending to this end the amendment of such whoÌ„ she doth correct and the terrifying of others from the like offence wherein if our Church administer this discipline with two much lenitie a fault surely if at all in inferior officers we had rather aduenture the manifest inconuenience of that euill then hazard by a new course the certaine molestation of a farre greater Now because all men will seeme to haue reason for that they doe and no reasons are equall to those which the scripture yeeld some wise men amongst them haue vndertakeÌ„ to make proofes from hence absolutely in their opinions sufficient to establish this new discipline The consideration of which weaknes as also the great iniurie vnto Gods word must needes make that their discipline doth want proofes which themselues are rather desirous theÌ„ able to alledge for it It must needs seeme strange that because Moses and Aaron when they came into Egypt did at Gods commandement cal together the elders of the children of Israel that the very mention of their names shuld be alledged as a warrant for the elders of the church in this new discipline But one of Geneâ—a writing vpon that place faith such were vnderstoode as by doctrine and example did rule the people whereas their elders are laymen and by no meanes are admitted to teach others Others peraduenture more truly men of that time and not much diffeâ—ing from that humor saâ— that neither preachers nor lay elders are vnderstoode by it but only such ciuill gouernors as were Senators princes to beare rule And doubtles whatsoeuer they wrest out of the old testament to make Moses the author of it yet Caluin to whose iudgement the chiefest amongst them hath promised to stand in this case saith that the pretended eldership till after the time of the captiuitie was neuer thought of and the reason as M. Calâ—iâ— saith why they thought of it then was because it was not lawfull for them to haue a King as if the gouernment by a King which in former times they had might haue bin graunted to theÌ„ this institution of their Sanedrim of elders had been of no vse So that all those scriptures out of the old testament by them alledged to this end as they haue alledged many are to small purpose or if they were that gouernment were needles in a realme where there were a King And that Sanedrim or councell of the Iewes erected after their returne from Babilon being seuentie elders were of the stocke of Dauid and of their former Kings but to bring these into the Church by the mistaken example of those times cannot but be daungerous and the foundation being so weake this building of theirs cannot long continew Doubtles it is not safe in wresting of scriptures to follow the streme of their owne fancies seeing he that held that all who would be saued must goe to Ierusalem forced all places out of the scripture that gaue any testimonie to commend Ierusalem either litterall or otherwise as apparant demonstration to maintaine his error As these men haue delt in the old testament so in the new what M. Caluin doth expound of pastors and preachers only some others do wrest for the establishing of these lay elders in their Church discipline I am sorie that men of learning that would seeme vertuous holy should be charged so truely with so manifold wresting of the scriptures as in this whole matter of discipline they are by sundrie that doe write against them Let men loue and aduance their owne fancies as they thinke safe but let the scripture not be vrged to giue strength vnto them For doubtles heresies and erroneous opinions do no otherwise spring vp then when the good scriptures are not well vnderstoode and because that which is not well vnderstoode is notwithstanding boldly affirmed to be the meaning of them For few things hitherto haue been so fondly deuised but the authors did pretend they had scripture for it or else saith S. Hierom the garrulity of such persons would hardly haue got credit for when through vanitie pride men haue ingaged themselues by the broaching of new opinions they wil rather labour to bring the scripture to yeeld vnto their fancies then suffer their fancies to be ouerruled by them a fault as it is great in it selfe so it carieth a manifold disaduantage with it that the aduersaries of the truth want not a couller to refuse the interpretations of such at another time whom men of the same profession for saith and the sacraments haue worthely charged to haue wronged the scriptures It had been doubtles a greater honour to them much better dealing with the word of God and a course of more reason in the opinion of wisemen that this discipline had been commended to vs as a politike gouernment which they found safe as the best deuise which necessitie in Geneua betwixt the putting out of their Romish Bishop the keeping out of the Duke of Sauoy did inforce vpon them as a platforme sutable enough for such a citie at such a time But to offer it to the greatest kingdomes that imbrace the truth who happily florish vnder the prosperous gouernment of vertuous princes where all things are established in the Church with a most auncient Apostolike holy order and al this vnder the name of Gods word It is to poyson the world with much euill and to couer the pollicie of their first teachers with the vnhallowed contentions of all after times And yet for all that we can neither mislike the gouernment of our Church which alreadie we haue by Bishops nor accept theirs by Elders vntill they haue answered all such as soundly and with iudgement doe write against them Add surely I may make the same protestation which a wise man doth in this case that if I were to leaue this life and should speake what I thought of the present forme of Ecclesiasticall gouernment at this time in
the Church of England I would take it vpon my soule so farre as my iudgement serueth that it is much more Apostolicall then the gouernment of any Church that I reade of and if it were not for Prohibitions such peraduenture as good intentions found out and some few hinderances of the Common-law a gouernment without exception more holy and of greater peace For whilst euery man will aduenture to offer vnto the Church fancies of his owne making as H.N. and many others saying loe here is Christ and loe there is Christ we shall stand neede to be put in minde of that caueat goe not after them And whereas the two forciblest reasons to giue any thing allowance in the opinion of men is that it is warranted for the institution and profitable for the vse these politike maisters of the new discipline hauing proued neither yet doe offer both To thinke that if we had this gouernment which doubtles God in his mercie hath thus long kept from vs that then God would blesse our victuals and satisfie our poore with bread that he would cloth our priests with health and his Saints should shout for ioy that it is best and surest for our stare that it would cut of contentions and sutes of law that it would nourish learning that then there would be vnitie in the Church that it would bring strength and victorie and many other benefits like these which is experience of these that haue tried them could as well assure as these mens words doubtles the Church had great reason to thinke of it and yet these are benefits no greater then alreadie by Gods mercie our Church hath inioyed without this But they imitate â—aith a learned and graue man of their countrie those seditious Tribunes of Rome who by vertue of the Agrarian law bestowed the publike goods only to this end to enrich themselues that the Bishops being ouerthrowne they might succeede into their places And a little after it ought especially to be prouided that there be not any high authoritie giuen vnto this presbyterie whereof many things might be said but time will reueale what yet doth lie hid Wherefore saith Gualter writing to the Bishop of London at that time and touching some abuses as they are infinit of this new discipline we are carefully to be vigilant least new heads doe bud out of the wounds of the romish Hydra scarce yet subdued The same author in a letter to Bishop Sands after many troubles procured by this new discipline I hope saith he the frame of it will in short time fall of it selfe considering that many who before had it in admiration are now of themselues become wearie of it Another saith that by the meanes of this discipline the magistrates haue inuaded the Church goods the ministers haue little alowance there is no respect of the studie of diuinitie And another complaining of the disorderly frutes of this discipline saith If you did see the confused state of the Churches of these countries you would say that England and marke it for it is true how bad soeuer were a paradise in comparison to be thought but if these men could haue bin content only to haue praysed their owne without opposition defacing and slaundering the gouernment of our Church we would haue been willing to haue furthered their inioying of so much happines in their owne relmes if the peace and prosperitie of our owne had not been enuied by them whereas now we must tell them and when we haue done the Church shall haue some to performe this dutie to the worlds end that a discipline erected by fancie pollicie consisting vpon parts vnsound disagreeing daungerous in themselues chargeable to parishes without profit derogatorie to Princes banishing Apostolicall Bishops appointed by Christ in one word a discipline new full of crueltie ambition and pride cannot be safely admitted into that Church which is seated in a kingdome where a Prince hath authoritie both ouer the Church and the common-wealth There is no part of it vnanswered that I know our purpose in this is but only to let them see that a church being happely planted and gouerned as ours is they that are strangers are charitably to thinke of vs those amongst our selues ought all to be furtherances of our common peace That sinne out of our dissentions may not grow strong and whilest vnthankfully with Israel we reiect Samuel we haue not either a gouernment that is tyrannous or no Church at all For that prouidence which powreth downe mercies whilest meÌ„ are thankefull raineth downe iudgements for the peoples sinnes Let vs theÌ„ hereafter in sted of filling the world with our clamorous outcries for a new Church gouernment approach the throne of his mercie with praiers for our sinnes that they may be pardoned CHAP. IX Of Archbishops and Bishops IF in the generall dislike which diuers not well aduised haue had toward the ecclesiasticall state in this kingdome things of principall and chiefe vse might haue escaped the vnreasonable and intemperate reprehension of some mouthes neither should a thing of so great necessitie nor a condition and estate both by example and reason so much warranted stand in neede of any defence at this time But seeing amongst those ambitious humors which vnder pretence of an equalitie more then is fit aspire vnto a tyrannous authoritie more then is safe there is nothing lesse willingly indured then the title and authoritie of Bishops which by establishing an order doth frame all parts of the Church to a due obedience and by making seuerall dignities which for order are different do impose a vertuous and humble obedience euen amongst them whose ministerie and ordination is all one we cannot but thinke it a thing vnreasonable in those which demaund it at our hands and great folly in vs if we yeeld vnto it that an office of that vse of that lawfulnes and continuance should be remoued as tyrannous and antichristian in Gods Church onely because it pleaseth the wisedome and violence of some men so to haue it Now as to thinke that the state of the Church might either continew better or continew at all without these is but the strong fancies of some which ouerloue themselues so to maintaine after so long practise of the most auncient Churches that Archbishops and Bishops both for name title and authoritie are lawfull and to the well gouerning of the Church necessarie is but to confesse that order must as wel be a safegard to the church as the common-wealth and that subordination of men in authoritie can be well wanting in neither but if in either surely in that societie farre lesse where disorders in manners are not much fewer considering the number of persons and the errors in opinion are more vsuall and more daungerous and none of these possible with any conuenience to bee remedied but by this meanes In regard whereof being neither safe to trust all without
other speciallitie to that which is sensiblie most eminent in the thing signified and therefore what better title could be giuen to all that wâ—re imployed in this worke then the reuerend name of presbyters or fatherly guides For a presbyter according to the proper meaning of the new testament is he vnto whom our sauiour Christ hath communicated the power of spirituall procreation Out of the twelue patriarchs issued the whole multitude of Israell according to the flesh and according to the ministerie of heauenly birth our Lords Apostles we all acknowledge to be the patriarches of his whole Church S. Iohn therefore beheld sitting about the throne of God in heauen foure and twentie presbyters the one halfe fathers of the old the other of the new Ierusalem in which respect the Apostles likewise gaue themselues the same title albeit that name were not proper but common vnto them with others For of presbiters some were greater some lesse in power and that by our Sauiours owne appointment the greater they which receiued fulnes of spirituall power the lesse they to whom lesse was graunted The Apostles peculiar charge was to publish the Gospell of Christ vnto all nations and to deliuer his ordinances receiued by immediat reuelation from himselfe which preeminence excepted to all other offices and duties incident vnto their order it was in them to ordaine and consecrate whomsoeuer they thought meete euen as our Sauiour did himselfe assigne seuentie disciples of his owne inferior presbyters whose commission notwithstanding to preach and baptise was the same which the Apostles had But when time and obseruation had made a difference in the Church of these two euery Bishop being a presbyter but not euery presbyter a Bishop the Church condemned it as the heresie of Acrius to hold that a presbyter and a Bishop were all one The Bishops as Epiphanius reasoneth begot fathers in the Church but the presbyters onely begot Sonnes For the priests did chose saith Saint Hierâ—â— one amongst themselues whom they placing in a higher degree called a Bishop For vnlesse saith the same father the chiefe authoritie were giuen to one there would be as many schismes as priests So that their collection out of Saint Ambrose and Hierom is so much the more strange who thinke that bishops and presbyters did not differ in the Apostles time It must at least be an imitation of their pride who in former time haue troubled the Church with the like errors Cornelius Bishop and Martyre long before the Councell of Nice reporting to Fabius Bishop of Antioch the originall of Nouatus schisme saith this iolly inquisitor of the Gospell vnderstandeth not that there ought to be but one Bishop in that Catholike Church in which hee knoweth there are fourtie and sixe presbyters Neither haue there wanted rules whereby if it please them they might easily make a difference betwixt these two the presbyters were many in euery Church of whom the presbytery consisted Bishops were alwaies singular one in a citie and noe moe except an intrusion which made a schisme This singularitie descended from the Apostles and their schollers in all the famous Churches of the world by a chare of succession and continueth to this day where abomination or desolation that is heresie or violence haue not broake it off The second signe of Episcopall power was imposition of hands to ordaine presbyters and Bishops for as pastors had some to assist them in their charge which were presbyters so were they to haue others to succeede in their places which were Bishops And this right by imposing of hands to ordaine presbyters and Bishops was deriued at first from the Apostles not vnto presbyters but Bishops onely A thing continuing for this fifteene hundred yeare without example or instance to the contrarie and hath onely found resistance in our age which surely in my opinion cannot be ignorance so much in them as willingnes to oppugne the gouernment of our Church seeing there haue been few Churches of account through all christendome that had not as may be shewed Bishops and presbiters both at the same time But Austin is most plaine who writing to one that was but a presbyter saith Thou shalt be a presbyter as thou art and hereafter when God will thou shall be a Bishop This poynt is learnedly obserued by that reuerend and worthie Bishop whose labored defence may shorten our trauell in this poynt Now besides these many other things were peculiar to Bishops by the authoritie of the Canons and custome of the Church as reconciling of penitents confirmation of infanâ—s dedication of Churches and such like which were as Saint Hierom saith rather to the honor of priesthoode then to the necessitie of any law Now if any man thinke this office superfluous in the Church and of no vse let him well consider before he censure them what it is to see the Church continually stored with sound and able pastours to watch ouer their soules to take care that the flocke of Christ be rightly taught and soberly guided to keepe both presbyters and people from schisme heresie and impietie to direct in times of daunger to determine doubts without troubling the whole prouince and if he shall thinke either these needles to be done or lawfull and fit to be done by any other we could peraduenture thinke it more tollerable thaâ— an ordination so auncient and so much warranted neuer interrupted in the orderly gouernment of any Church since the Apostles time should notwithstanding be remooued as a calling tyrannous and antichristian onely to content the humorous fancies of these men But doubtles that which reasonably they mislike in this case is that men called to the office of the ministerie a function meerely spirituall and ordained to the dispensation of heauenly graces should so farre either forget the vertuous example of our Sauiour or the humilitie of such whom they desire to succeede that swelling with ambition they renew the contention long sincé controuled in the disciples of Christ which should bee the greatest and are content if not to affect yet to accept of those ciuill imployments which belong vnto the Princes counsell whereby not onely they are made idle and hindred from that dutie which the Church requireth but are puft vp with those Lordly titles which are directly vnlawfull and without warrant Now to preuent this we admit Synodes say they and some to gather and gouerne those assemblies but for feare of ambition we would haue that priuiledge to goe round by course to all the pastors of euery prouince Where men are irregular we will not aske them either for reason or example for that they doe but a chiefe man amongst them confesseth that this going round by course to gouerne the Church doth maintaine disorder and faction and ambition is not at all decreased by it and the choosing of one to continew chiefe for his life began at Alexandria from the
a seuerall portion of men consecrated vnto the seruice of the most high in things wherewith others may not meddle as the peculiar lot of the Lord himselfe they are a diâ—uict order not vnfitlie expressed by the name of Clergie Whose spirituall power consisting in the execution of holy things properly is conuersant in the affaires of God Now as no kingdome can stand without Religion wherein though they erre yet a religion they must hold so no religion can in seuerall duties bee possiblie performed amongst men where there are not with some fitnesse instruments allotted to that vse And heerein Christianitie hath builded a liberall maintenance in this land to those that are now gouernours in the church of Christ where blind Superstition laid the foundation for the Priests of those Idols which the heathen worshipped As for the persons imployed in this action hee fitted those likewise in a celestiall manner proportioned with his owne working who as in no sort he tooke vpon him the Angels nature but tooke on him the seede of Abraham so hee vsed in this the ministrie of men not of Angels because where weakenesse from aboue is able to receiue strength there the exelentest creatures and the best meanes are not all one Amazement out of feare making our capacities more dull where our teachers are too glorious and charitie not to bee so thankefull when wee are not indebted to men of our owne nature nor our Preachers are clothed with the same infirmities that wee are This being the greatest reason why Prophanesse doth scorne and Wisedome despise what Simplicitie and Humilitie doe both worship Yet the course of Instruction serueth to teach all that the waies in these things which God and man vseth are not both alike Neither was this Office though his worke befitting the Maiestie of God himselfe seeing we are apt to contemne that presence how glorious soeuer if it bee common or to tremble at the brightnesse of so great a power if it bee not common In which respect that wisedome which knew best how most fitlie to prouide for 〈◊〉 weakenesse did sometime though seldome in a cloud in a fire in the shape of a man appeare vnto his own people sometime with Moses he spake face to face yet graunted the desire of his fearefull seruants when they spake to Moses talkâ— thou with vs and wee will heare but let not God talke with vs least wee die This Wisedome of theirs hauing approbation from God himselfe I haue heard the voice of the words of this people which they haue spoken vnto thee they haue well said all that thâ—y haue spoken Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare mee and to keepe all my commandements alway that it might goe well with them and with their children for euer But to the Sonne of God when hee became man so being made fittest both to do and to suffer for vs the voice from heauen gaue this testimonie heare him As if the same power which by religion purposed to bring man from earth to heauen found no Instrument fitter for this vse then onely the seruice of man himself Nothing being so comfortable to vs as that voice of the Apostles to the men of Listra wee are euen men subiect to the like Passions that yee bee and preach vnto you that yee should turne from these vaine things vnto the liuing God which made heauen and earth and the sea and all things that in them are this maketh the Church to goâ— boldlie to the throne of grace that she may receiue mercie and finde grace to help in time of need Thus al things which are from God are sodred as it wer together with so much art and loue causing a mutuall assistance that the lowest of mankinde are appointed to receiue from the nearest vnto themselues what the mercie and the influence of the highest yeeldeth wherein as those whom God imployeth in this busines beeing Embassadours receiue commission onely from him whose inward affaires they menage hee being the father of Spirits and soules the purchase of his owne sonne and thereby may challenge of the children of the Church honor and respect aboue other men so doth the Church likewise require vertuous abiliments matched with good learning at their hands heereof they are fitly remembred by that Vrim and Thummim vpon Aarons brest and by those names of Watchmen Lights Salt Guides and such like which the scripture doth giue vnto them Requiring in all yet accepting though not excusing a lesse measure in some sort an ability sufficient to informe the Church The small difference in this kinde from the common sort in some of those ages that haue beene before vs gaue men occasion to thinck and say that the Laitie and the Clergie were all one Nay diuers amongst vs haue laid this vntrue accusation vpon our Church with what conscience and honestie the world may iudge as if our land onely of all those kingdomes that are reformed were not carefull to haue a learned ministrie but wer absolutely content with those persons who for the discharge of this dutie could but onely reade Let them first vnderstand what we say and then let the world bee our Iudge if wee say true Doubtlesse if the heathen required in those that were their Priests that they should bee able for knowledge to performe those duties of Counsell and Deuotion which others could not let no man think but that wee principally desire a soundnesse of Iudgement knowledge of scripture wisedome to Interpret an eloquence to vtter power to exart zeale to reproue in the ministers of God and all these in farre greater measure then in other men but may wee not seing hee that liueth made all things together the Lord who onely is iust and there is none other but hee and hee remaineth a victorious King for euer hee ordereth the world with the power of his hand and all things obey his will for hee gouerneth all things by his power and deuideth the holie things from the prophane say with the sonne of Sirach to whom hath hee giuen power to expresse his works or who is sufficient for these things neither must this hould all those back who are willing to bestow their labours for the benefit of gods Church because they are not able no not in any tolleâ—able manner to performe all these seeing his strength is oftentimes perfected in our weaknesse and to discharge our calling as to auoid temptations this must bee our comfort whilst wee desire for to grow better that his Grace is sufficient for vs. For as in distribution of gifts God giueth not the same number of talents to all neither doth hee expect equall proportion of increase nor blameth him that had but one talent that hee got not fiue or two but onely for this that hee did not vse it So that if those of the lowest sort of Clergie who in the plentifull knowledge of this age modestly content
as Ioseph said to 〈◊〉 prouide for a man of vnderstanding and wisedome and set him ouer the Land of â—egipt ther is nothing surely more dangerous then a watchman that is blind a Preacher that is dumb a Teacher that is Ignorant or a Prelate that is Remiâ—â—e â—either doe I think our Church hath so much cause to complaine as some men beare vs in hand nor if it had as may appeare hereafter it is neither onely nor Principally the Bishops fault Fourthly a lawful caling whom the lord hath made not he whom fauour nor any other corruption nor the peoples vnwarranted vocation nor his owne Intrusion hath placed in that roome For this shall remaine vndispensable to the worlds end let no man take vpon him that honor but hee that is called of God as Aaron was Lastly is required the fit execution of his Place that hee giue them their meate in due season the parties are those which are of his familie the Lords house to them it must bee Meate not Poyson as many giue and it must bee in Due season that is when it can seasonablie bee performed For hee that hath alotted a time for all things hath giuen this allowance that there is a time to keepe silence and a time to speake Which some not considering haue made the Apostles commaundement Bee instant in season and out of season to lie with equall necessitie vpon the former clause Preach the word As if this eagernes in the dispatch of this dutie might warrant them loosely negligently vnlearnedly for want of time to preach those profound misteries which vttered in due season are like Aples of Gold with pictures of Siluer Surely to Preach diligently is not to Preach often but rather to bee diligent in studying for that we preach which a great number nelecting men otherwise zealous and able to doe well haue thought it not onely Excuse but Commendation sufficient that they preach often Wherein doubtles the Church receiueth at their hands a double wrong both a Contempt of those misteries wherinto they search not for want of time and an vncharitable Condemning of others who wanting peraduenture that felicitie of tongue which they haue or rather who are loath to handle those holy things vnlike themselues are thought by many to bee Idle for not Preaching so often as others doe A thing certainely more excusable by much if men in Preaching were onely to haue respect to the Capacitie of the hearers and not to the Maiestie of that word which they expound vnto them For-getting that Euery Scribe that is taught vnto the Kingdome of Heauen is like vnto a househoulder which bringeth forth out of his treasurie things both new and old I hope the due meditation of this text wil put them in minde that to speak often is not euer to say much for saith the son of Sirach The talking of a Foâ—le is like a burthen in the way but there is comelinesse in the talke of a Wise man they inquire at the mouth of the wise man in the congregâ—tion they shall ponder his words in their hart for the words of such as haue vnderstanding are waighed in the ballance Doubtlesse I can neuer perswade my selfe when Wee speake of those matters which wee haue made vnto the King of Heauen that the exactest Industrie which either tongue or pen can take in the handling of this work can displease God wherin I will not condemne as vnprofitable the labours of such who are defectiue in this kinde no more then I hope they will the Seldome Reuerend and learned Preaching of those men who in these respects are not so common speakers as others bee But not to handle the excellencies of some and the vertues which were to bee wished in all let vs consider a little better the nature of this Ministrie and see how sufficiently our Church is prouided in this kinde And the defects if there bee any as wee may not supose that wee haue none from whence they proceed and how the best remedies may bee prouided for them We call then the Ecclesiasticall Ministrie a sacred Action Publick Instituted of Christ in the Church of God for the saluation of the elect his own glory vntill the end of the world wherein some seuerall men Lawfully elected called and ordained to this function Externallie and Visiblie serue both to offer vp the Publick and Common praiers of any one Church and by the pure Preaching of the word and the lawfull administration of the Sacraments and holy Discipline they serue Instrumentallie to Christ who Inwardly and Inuisiblie by his holy Spirit doth Teach Correct Comfort Nourish with his flesh and bloud his misticall Bodie which wee call the Church The consideration it is like of this office hath neither fully possest all who are desireous to enter into this calling because whom all other worldlie hopes haue forsaken they commonly reserue ministeriall vocation as their last and surest refuge euer open to forlorne men nor those who blame some part of the Clergie of this land whereas in deed the greatnesse of the haruest and the scarsetie of able workmen hath made it necessarie that Law should yeelde to admit numbers of men but slenderlie and meanlie qualified now as wee cannot excuse the former fault whether it bee the corruption in their owne desires or the greedinesse of those who are the Patrons of Church liuings making that the Church that should nourish them whose seruice shee needeth hath obtruded vpon her their seruice that know not otherwise how to liue and sustaine themselues Yet surely for the other neither is the fault so common as it hath beene in times past nor altogether so great if these Reformers who haue so much knowledge themselues could but with patience indure a smaller proportion in other mennâ— for it fareth with the Church as with a common wealth where manie gouernours are needfull and they not many whom their qualitie can commend the penuâ—ie of worthier must needs make the meaner sort capable who notwithstanding are not altogether so vnfit as some men thinke to discharge the greatest if not the principallest part which is committed to them For seeing no man of sound Iudgement can doubt but that Sacraments where the Ministers haue lawfull ordination nay peraduenture Baptisme wher they haue not is as auaileable to saluation as administred by the best Preacher and that preaching it selfe is not onely to make and frame of themselues which manie doe foolishly which are thought by their followers that they preach well but also to reade the Scriptures and those learned Homelies of other men as some vnanswerably haue confirmed vnto vs and that not the least part of this dutie is the publike offering vp of the praiers of the whole Congregation which themselues confesse to bee Praiers though the other to bee no Sermon we may boldly say which they hitherto are both to confesse that Ministers vnable
are worthie men enough why doth he complaine of the silencing of some as a great wrong to the Church which in this great scarsitie of good and lawfull Ministers did much want their seruice Secondly that the Apostle described the qualities required in men of this calling doth not say that if none can bee found or not a sufficient man in whome all these qualities concur that then the Church shal rather be destitute of Ministers then haue such For there were in the Apostles time that swarued froÌ„ this rule and yet he was glad that they preached the Gospell Heerein we differ not from the confession of the Heluetian church which it is like our aduersaries in this cause doe more reuerence then they doe our owne who say wee condemne all vnmeet Ministers not indued with guifts necessarie for a shepheard that should feed his flock how bee it wee acknowledge that the harmlesse simplicitie of some shepheards in the ould Church did sometime more profit the Church then the great exquisit but a little to proude learning of some others Wherefore we reiect not now a daies the good simplicities of certaine so that they bee not altogether vnskilfull of God and his word and yet for all this let no man think but there are as many learned godlie graue and worthy Ministers of the word in this Church of England at this day bee it spoken without pride to Gods honour and the ioy of our whole land as in any one realme or perticuler Church in all Christendome that either is now or hath beene before vs. But for the scarsetie not of our owne in comparison of others but rather in respect of the multitude of our parish Churches I hope they will giue vs leaue to render them better and truer reasons then as yet wee haue receiued at their hands who onely with out cause to make it the Bishops fault are willing to tell the world that if these vrging of order and obedience which it pleaseth them to teaâ—â—â—e beggerlie trifle of mans deuise were not that then learning and religion would not bee of so little account and estimation amongst vs. But I hope all men see that the defect of prouision in this kind and yet I wish that most reformed Churches were but so well furnished is neither from religion professed nor from the gouernment that is vsed nor from the gouernours of the Church but the crueltie of the times past wherein numbers of meete Ministers haue beene consumed the vnwillingnesse of manie at this present who seeing the contentions amongst our selues and by reason of these the contempt of the Clergie are vnwilling to enter into this calling the schismes and deuisions which haue made a number renounce this office others worthilie to bee suspended and depriued from all which the Church which ought to haue had the vse of the labour and learning of men of abilitie is forced to craue a supply at their hands who are not altogether so sufficient to performe that charge But the greatest occasion of this euill is where law and reason haue giuen authoritie to some to be patrons to present their consciences haue beene corrupt and they haue failed of that trust which former times haue iustlie reposed in them Wherein if the people complaine that their authoritie to choose is defeated by this meanes surely it is but vnthankfulnesse in them to mislike a thing begun with so great reason for their good continued now more then a thousand yeeres warranted by lawes and practised with the liking of all nations the beeginning of patronages is not expreslie mentioned in the lawes of this land Aduocations Presentations are remembred in Magna Charta as currant by the lawes before that time the plea of Quare Impedit when Bishops refuse the patrons clarke is mentioned long since for this custome was most vsuall that the patron might not place a Clarke without the Bishop nor the Bishop refuse the Clarke of the patron if hee were such as were alowable by the Canons of the Church In Spaine before that time the councell of Toledo made this Canon wee decree that so long as the founders of Churches remaine in this life they shall bee suffered to haue the chiefe and continuall care of the said place and themselues shall offer meete Rectors vnto the Bishop to bee ordained in those Churches and if the Bishop neglecting the founders shall presume to place any other let him know that this admission shal bee voide and to his shame others shal be placed in their steads euen such as the founders shall choose beeing not vnworthy Long before this the like was determined by the Roman lawes strictlie to bee obserueÌ„d through the Roman Empire If any build a Church or house of praier and would haue Clarks to bee placed there hee or his heires if hee alow maintenance for those Clarks and name such as are worthy let them bee ordained vpon his nomination but if such as they choose bee prohibited by the Canons as vnworthy then let the Bishop take care to promote some whom hee thinketh to bee more worthy It seemeth this law had two reasons for the patronage which doubtlesse are not the least ground of that intrest which they now haue The first the building of the Church a work which while the world was in loue with religion gaind greatest reuerence to those of whom it could point and say these are the men that haue built vs Sinagogs Heerein if any fraudulentlie discharge that vertuous trust which through many discents is deriued vnto them I hope God will looke vpon them in mercie to amendment as the carefull Phisition vpon sick persons in the meane time I must tell them what I heare that the church by their meanes is like the body of the Amalekite sicke and vnlesse it bee refreshed like spedily to die for famine For whilst meaner men content with lesse alowance hauing beene important suters for places in the Church obtaine them the Patrons haue deuided the maintenance of the Clergie and the small alowance hath depriued them peraduenture of a better teacher And howsoeuer good lawes haue beene made to auoide the corruptions of Patrons in this kinde yet the couetous desires of such as hardly satisfied are able to finde meanes to escape the danger and yet falselie notwithstanding to defraud the Church For humane lawes how vertuous or religious soeuer where the vprightnesse of conscience is wanting serueth for the most part not to make the sinne to bee lesse common but the sinner in the fact to bee more secret seeing betwixt God and man this is the difference that the law of man what it seeth doth account sinne but God punisheth as a fault what no man can reueale sauing onely the conscience of him that sinneth In the one Confession is a way to obtaine pardon but in the other a meanes to procure punishment They onely are vertuous who without all respects
one as commonly in this case they pretend number If no other way may be found then haue the Bishops and Cathedrall Churches Temporalties enough to redeeme those liuings that be impropriated other counsel the same author giueth which haue bene all answered another saith the same which the Lord B. B. and the Cathedral Churches doe possesse if it be taken in time beefore it be to much scambled how well would it serue to redeeme Impropriations and augment the smaller things with the ouerplus to serue to other good vses for his Maiesties wars and increase of learning and a litle after as if his counsell were worthie twise to be repeated he addeth the same nay he wisheth all to be taken from the Bishops Yet still they must remaine to the Ministerie and the common wealth onely to change the order and manner of the applying that wheras before they serued to vphold a Lordly pompe Idlenes and brauerie in some few they might now by a wise godly distribution bee communicated vnto many for the benefit of many Churches and if Bishops liuings be to litle a free beneuolence and as it were an offering of all sorts of people young and ould through this land ought to bee Heereunto I might ad the counsell which others giue all tending to this end that whatsoeuer the church hath and is not bestowed according to the fancie of these men should presently be altered and vndoubtedly by many degrees lamentably be imployed to worse vse It pleased that wisdome and Maiestie which then ruled ouer vs to discerne the cruell purpose of these men to hold it vnsafe to aduenture a worse maintenance for the clergie by a worse meanes And surely wee doubt not but this great vnderstanding to whome God for our happinesse hath committed the gouernment of the church and the common wealth whose dayes wee desire may continue as the dayes of heauen will throughly vnderstand that a maintenance thus procured can bring litle aduantage vnto Gods church when by this meanes colledges Bishops or cathedrall churches are puld downe For if the fountaines be dryed vp a generall thirst must be the disease of our whole land If the clergie want gouernours better to be without maintenance then without order And last of all if recompence be taken away wherwith the clergie maintained may take rest not ease for the time to come benefiting the church peraduenture in another manner lamentable experience must needs tell vs that in short space the number of diuines wil be very few In tymes past there was in euery citie a Colledge of Ministers ouer whome the Bishop bate rule the which Sainct Hierom termeth the Senat of the Church and with vs it is called a Collegiat or Cathedrall church wherein for the most part for wee cannot excuse all after their labour in the vniuersitie in the Kings house in Bishops pallaces in their painefull imployment either by writing or teaching in other places are plentifully maintained as it is most fit the best the wisest and the most learned of the clergie in this land which not onely as that most reuerend Archbishop worthy of all honor sometimes said in respect of their soundnesse in religion profoundnesse in learning diligence in preaching but wisdome also experience and dexteritie in gouerning are not onely a singuler ornament to the Realme profitable to the church an honor to the prince but also a stay frō barbarisme a bridle to sects and heresies and a bulwark against confusion From whence I doubt not next vnto those two famous noursing places of learning the Vniuersities but when our kingdome shall haue cause to send to the greatest councell that the church shall haue men of wisest moderation best liues and deepest iudgements that these places shal be able to furnish them with much honor therfore as it is a bold presumption in those men who without degrees for some commendable paines in preaching think it merit enough to aduance them to that honor so the sacrilegious impietie of those is without excuse who wish desire all places of that nature to be pulled downe or their reuenues to bee altered to some other vse make them O Lord and their Princes like Oreb and Zeb yea all their princes like Zeba and Zalmana which haue said let vs take the houses of God in possession O my God make them lyke vnto a wheel as the stubble before the winde To conclude then this point as wee hartely wish the Ministerie of England to be learned so wee hope the wisdome vertue of those whome it doth concerne without iniurie of any person state or condition wil in due time think of conuenient allowance for them and this not by selling or changing of any thing to a stock of money which was the manner of the maintenance in the primatiue Church seeing wee are taught by experience that things of that nature are vncertaine and are not so likely to carrie to those that come after a perpetuitie with them it may bee that if any age were so prophane or authority were carried away with the violence of these spirits by the wounds of the Church to cure the Wants of some few and meane persons a thing God bee thanked not much to bee feared in this religious and vnderstanding age vnder the gouernment of so vertuous and so wise a King the Church paraduenture might keepe a Festiuall day of solemnitie plentie and all aboundance for some few yeeres and for euer after Lament her desolation and ruin in want Penurie Ignorance and Contempt vnto the worlds end And whereas the ages before vs gaue this deserued honor to some few These were those holie and religious men that did build vs Temples Colledges Cathedrall Churches and gaue ample reueneues vnto them all for the continuall supply of a learned Ministrie our posterity in the vnfortunat times of fasting and mourning after so vnhallowed a feast and so prophane a surfet should haue cause to bemoane their losse and lament the times where vnto they were reserued cursing these sacrilegious Reformers that haue spoild the Churches the riches whereof being put to saile haue serued but to satisfie the couetous pollicie of some few those neither of much worth not for long time it wil be a most vertuous consideration wherein his Maiestie shall giue perfection to the happie beginnings of our late Queene Elizabeth the nursing mother of our Church whose memorie shal be sacred to all posterities by prouiding that the allowance for the Clergie may be good conuenient and that those onelie bee suffered to enter into and to execute that function who haue learned themselues and will teach others in thankfull obedience to be gouerned by those whom reason and religion haue placed ouer them the other course must needs breed confusion contempt of authoritie needlesse discontentments indiscret reprehensions ignorant teachers and the disorder of all states whereas the wisedome and counsell of those
who are alreadie aduaunced in our Church conspiring with so learned and so wise a King shall fill his landfull of good subiects his Vniuersities full of good schollers all Churches in time with excellent Deuines and in one word our whole land with men of singuler worthinesse in all professions CHAP. XII Of Non Residencie Pluralities and Dispensations WEE cannot but commend the religious disposition of those men if their intentions be as good as their care doubtlesse seemeth to bee great who awaking that Idle Ministerie which in their opinion sleepeth in our church cal all men to a necessarie consideration of those duties which beelong vnto them which either ease or other imployments might paraduenture cause them to forget Negligence which in other cases runneth not either into that hazard or can be likelie to bee the originall of so great daungers being in the calling of the Clergie ouer that flock wherof the holy ghost hath made them ouerseers the verie downefall so far as mans reason is able to discerne into an euerlasting woe both vnto themselues vnto those soules which are committed to their care So that the same spirit which in other cases and at other times vttereth those comfortable promises of the greatest loue beegetting in man by his blessed working an assured hope of an endlesse mercie heapeth vpon him in this kinde and for this sinne euen vpon those who aboue others he hath honored with these titles to bee watchmen Shepheards and the leaders of Christs flock the names of blinde watchmen dumb doggs which can neuer haue enough Idle Shepheards that leaue their flocks the sword shal be vpon his right arme and vpon his right eye woe vnto the shepheards which feed themselues should not the shepheard feede the flock they bee the blinde leaders of the blinde imposing this dutie vpon all to take heede vnto themselues and to all the flock whereof the holie Ghost hath made them ouerseers to feed the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne blood so that Teachers being those Shephards whose flocks cannot at any time be without daunger those Watchmen whom the most malicious enemie doth alway beseege those labourers in that Haruest which neither can haue end or Intermission in this life those liuing Oracles of God to whom men must resort in all doubts those Spirituall fathers which must bee alwaies readie in priuate conference to admonish to reproue to Exhort to Instruct to Comfort as well as to teach in publike it cannot bee but an intollerable inexcusable fault in those men whose care is onely to be rich by the multitude of Cures whose absence and negligence is all one with ignorance and want of abilitie to teach sauing that the sinne is greater in them who are able with learning if they were diligent greatlie to benefit Gods Church And doubtlesse it is to bee feared vnlesse their Consciences bee without feeling that this secure negligence in them is but like a heauie Lethargy which commends them as it were by certaine steps to a dangerous and eternall sleepe so that as all the fathers of former ages haue filled their writings with eloquent inuectiues against these men and all the Councels almost haue sharplie decreed against them the Canonists likewise and Scholemen haue concluded their offences to bee great sinnes and their drousie negligence without excuse couetously rather heaping vp the liuings of manie then conscionably performing the dutie of any one wee can with as much patience and thanks bee content to heare the loud declamations against non Residents and Pluralities by some in our Church onelie if it please them to remember their owne vsuall absence lesse warranted and to looke with what sinceritie of Conscience and Zeale vnto Christs flock they haue vndertaken the Vehement continuall loud and intemperate reprehension of these faults as if they onelie in our Church had a tender care of the peoples instruction and none else and that all besides them some few conscionable Ministers who can bee content with one flock were nothing but a number of proud ambitious and idle Prelates like that vnprofitable fig-tree seruing to little vse sauing onelie to bee cut downe or that these were that euill and slothfull seruant which must be cast into vtter darknesse where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth And further which ought least of all to bee indured by any well affected to the credit and estimation of this Church which doubtlesse for Reformation is shall be famous through all parts of the christian world that our state did vnresonablie vnconscionably by their owne lawes graunt Dispensations both for pluralities and absence onelie to further the corrupt desires of some few to the infinit wrong of the whole Clergie besides the hazard of many thousand soules the intollerable dishonor of Gods truth and the exceeding disaduantage of Christs Church Doubtlesse we cannot but confesse that learning is of little vse in the Ministerie vnlesse they bee faithfull to discharge that dutie and that abilitie to teach bringeth small profit where care and indeuour are both wanting to further that good which our place exacteth wee neither doe nor can stop our eares against the whole booke of God which requireth labour at our hands and diligence in our Ministerie neither doe we think that all places alike may challenge our paines seeing it is in this as in all other things besides which are through priuate interest dearer then that which concerneth either others wholie or vs but in part at our owne pleasure or if in dutie onely according to the rate of a Generall regard Yet I hope these men will giue vs leaue to tel them without offence that the noâ— Residencie Pulralities warranted by the positiue lawes of this land are neither of them so cleerely conuicted as incurring the penaltie of so high displeasure but that indifferent minds may finde peraduenture good reason as yet to defend them both which if neither wee much attempt nor bee thought sufficiently performed by vs we are preuented as they know by the most learned and reuerend indeauours of other men and are not greatly willing that either Idlenesse or Ambition should couer it selfe vnder that shadow in a great number which is in a true intention a Priuiledge and Dispensation the lawfull and vertuous merit of some few But because it seemeth that the originall of this errour is from the not iustlie considering either what Benefices are or the first limitation of them wherof whilst some are ignorant they rigorously conclude all duties required in a Minister necessarily to be performed in one particuler parish we must put them in minde that either Euaristus Bishop in the sea of Rome or as some others say Dionisius first assigned the Precincts to euery parish and appointed to each Presbiter a certaine compasse whereof himselfe should take charge alone in this kingdome one Honorius somtime Archbishop of Canterburie did first deuide them
sounded more sharplie or bee vttered more vnreuerentlie against that mother that hath giuen them suck against those men who haue bene the fathers of our faith through the whole land against that Prince whose blessed gouernment procured them and many thousands peace which peace made them something if they bee any thing could I say any words bee vttered with more follie and lesse truth We hope that neither they themselues nor the world wil beleeue that the church of England so happely reformed so mercifully blest so wisely gouerned so sufficiently supplyed so honorably esteemed both at home and abroad either doth or will maintaine and defend the sinnes of non Residencie and idle absence or couetous heaping vp of many things vnconscionably and without desert seeing they are faults controwled forbidden by so many good lawes of the realme and the vertuous constitutions and Canons of our church wherin if they vnderstand as they ought what a cure is what Residencie is required what absence tollerated by the law of God when and how long what rewards of learning are due in the church to men of better qualitie what disposition of these things resteth in the power of the prince what vnion or limitation of parishes is meerely positiue what dispensations are conscionable and agreeing to Gods law what priuiledges are the right application and not the violent breach of the lawes Lastly what is fit and what is holden in our Church for things forbidden neither doe we nor doth our church defend we are wil be readie to giue them the right hand of fellowship in the reproofe of these sins which we doubt not may be daungerous to the soules of many But if they desirous to outrunne vs in an vnlearned zeale teach the world that all absence is vnlawfull that diuision of parishes are from diuine right and so one onely for one Pastor that princes cannot Dispence that the inioying of these is Couetousnes Idlenesse Theft and the ground of all ignorance then wee must tell them which wee haue proued alreadie that these reprouers themselues are not onely Idle but also pratlers and busie bodies speaking things which are not comely and that our conclusion is this that all dispensations for non Residencie and Pluralities are not against law nor that law that giueth dispensations against conscience and that neither all giuing or taking of them is so great a fault as it pleaseth some men to make the world beeleeue that they both are CHAP. XIII Of Publike Praier and of the defects supposed to bee in the Liturgye of the Church of England IF our praiers were onely the performance of our owne dutie and not a Religious act whereby our mindes beeing lift vp to heauen euen all graces both Spirituall Temporall discend vpon our heads Godlinesse hauing the promise both of this life and the life to come it might bee paraduenture of some doubt whether they were any part of our religious seruice or onely the pollitick inuention of the church to breed a superstitious opinion in the simple people of that almightie power whom because they see not Atheisme laboureth to parswade that they need not feare But seing the intercourse betwixt heauen and earth to vs in Doctrine from vs in praier is the assured euidence of that mercifull loue which desireth to make vs conquerours in the day of victorie it must needes bee if assistance doe want to obtaine this the onely fault of man himselfe not to aske seeing the promise is past and sealed that whatsoeuer yee aske the father in my name hee will giue it you Which if euer wee finde not come to passe measuring things by our weaknesse which is not alwaies able to discerne what mercie denieth and iustice graunteth after our Asking wee must Seeke if that faile crie aloude and with Importunitie knock not doubting of his promise yee shall receiue yee shall finde it shall bee opened vnto you Thus wee sanctifie in this Principall Act of our Religion and offer vnto the Trinitie the three especiall parts of our bodie as an acceptable sacrifice correcting our tongues beeing commaunded because God some time seemeth not to heare to aske erecting our harts and beecause God seemeth to bee lost bidding vs Seeke directing our hands and because God as it were sometimes shutteth the dore against vs willing vs to Knock in the first our praiers doe awake him who seemeth to sleepe as Elias said of Baall but hee that keepeth Israell shall neither slumber nor sleepe In the second to deale as our Sauiour whom Ioseph and Marie thought to be lost whilst hee tarried to doe the will of his father In the third like the Pharisies who shut the kingdome of Heauen least any man should enter but hee saith as the Psalmist Lift vp your heades O yee gates and bee yee lift vp yee euerlasting dores and the King of glory shall come in and not onely hee himselfe but all the righteous for this is the gate of the Lord and the Righteous shall enter into it so that then euery faithfull man performing this dutie as he ought may say with Dauid I will thanke thee for thou hast heard mee and art become my saluation for the promise is without exception Euerie one that asketh receiueth he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall bee opened So that though Wine bee strong though Women bee likewise strong though the King bee strong and aboue all things the trurth bee strong yet doubtlesse the Praier of the Righteous especiallie if it bee feruent is stronger then all these The Earth is strong which supporteth all this great waight of creatures and sinne and is so made by the mouth of truth that it neuer should moue at any time yet the Praier of Moses Aaron was so strong and so powerfull that shee deuided her selfe and rent a sunder like the vaile of the Temple and opened her mouth like the great Whale to swallow vp Dathan and the congregation of Abiram The Sea is strong which supporteth the burden of all this for thou hast founded it vpon the flouds but the praier of Moses made it to flie that Israell might passe on drie land What aild thee thou sea that thou fleddest and thou Iordan that thou wast driuen backe surely Iuda was his sanctuarie and Israell his dominion and his seruant Moses praied for their safetie and the Sea answered as Adam I heard thy voice and I was affraied Like effects euen weakenesse hath had from the strength of Praier ouer the Fire the Aire and the Sunne But why doe I speake of these seeing the Almightie seemeth to be bound by our praiers that hee asketh leaue of Moses Let mee alone that my wrath may wax hot against them To whom the humble suppliant hauing fastned his praiers as with a chaine to the throne of mercie may answere confidentlie with out presumption as Iacob to the Angell I will
thing iustlie to bee feared whilst men haue no better direction but the sodaine motion as they call it of the spirit and lastlie because vniformitie in this worship is best befitting them whose doctrine and religion is all one wee cannot but both meruaile at them who deuise continuallie new formes of praier in their publike seruice iniuriouslie depraue in sundry points that Liturgie which in the iudgements of moderate and wise men is both least different from antiquitie and withall most absolute for perfection of any that is vsed in the Churches reformed at this day and how soeuer it lieth not in the power of any one Prince to prescribe an Vniformitie of worship ouer all Christendome a thing happie to be praied for that the whole Visible Church in doctrine and Cerimonies as it hath but one faith one Lord so it had but one hart and one mouth yet doubtlesse in the limits of the same kingdome it is possible easie and verie necessarie that the manner of diuine Seruice bee preciselie one For seeing wise men before vs feeling those harmes which wee feare haue euer accounted which the common people doe now a new Liturgie to bee a new religion the forme of worship beeing diuers though the doctrine bee the same and therefore euer prohibited all new manner of assemblies it ought not to seeme strange if our maiestrates heeretofore haue forbidden all Conuenticles and such are all those who assemble to worship God after a manner not allowed by the lawe of the land or that in this they haue dealt either rigorously or against law for as one saieth to the furtherance of religion men may and ought to assemble together so long as it is not against that Law whereby vnlawfull societies are forbidden but when danger may arise from the hazard of a new worship by the example of him that forbad all priuate Sacrifices in priuate places wise men haue thought it not safe for euerie man to take libertie to haue priuate Chappell 's The counsell before this hauing made this Canon that all Clarkes which minister or baptise in priuate Chappels without the allowance of the Bishop were to be depriued the equitie of this for preuention of all new Worship being from that law Take heed that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in euery place that thou seest a facilitie in permission of which abuse hath filled the Church of God with Contempt Prophanation and Confusion of all worship This being in Iustice the punishment of these men that because they wanted Modestie to bee Schollers of Truth they were filled with Pride to bee Maisters of Errour Antiquitie thought Alcibiades worthely condemned for this fault that hee tooke vpon him the vse of those sacred misteries in priuate which the Athenians thought vnlawfull thinking him by this meanes rather to vse coniuration then to exercise Deuotion the wisedome of all ayming at this that Innouation in Religion was no way safe and that libertie for priuate assemblies to the contempt of publike was in all likelihoode a meanes to inuent as manie sundry religions as men had fancies And howsoeuer the number is not manie which misliked all set formes of Praier and their reasons not much stronger that refuse ours and so consequently whether we take account of our aduersaries in this cause either by waight or number there can be no great danger yet for a further satisfaction to all such whom either ignorance or credulitie hath made our opposits wee are willing first to let them vnderstand what the Liturgie of the Church of England is and then that in our opinion there is nothing either superstitious or vnsound contained in it And howsoeuer sundrie times by men of great learning whom I presume not to mention without honor this Booke heretofore hath ben strongly defended against al her aduersaries yet it shall not I hope be offensiue to any to let the world vnderstand that the greatest most bitter reprehentions of this booke haue ben stirred vp through want of Charitie misaplying some places euen for matters of small waight at what time the vertuous King Edward had restored this Church from the burden of those Ceremonies wherewith shee lay grieuouslie opprest the care and consultation of the most learned and religious in that age framed by authoritie A publick order for prayer and the Sacraments to bee vsed in this Church This continued not long good things for the sins of the people being shewed vnto the world but they not suffred to enioy them beefore the most religious in this kingdome whom persecution pursued and opportunitie gaue meanes to escape beetooke themselues to the mercie of that Lord whose truth they desired might bee kept inuiolate and planted the Church in a strange land for that fauour which they found as a comfortable refreshing in so great a storme wee and our posteritie shall say for sauing the bodies of the liuing as Dauid to the men of Iabis Gilead for burying of the dead Blessed are ye of the Lord that ye haue shewed such kindnesse vnto your Lord Saul that yeâ— haue buried him therefore now the Lord shew mercie and truth vnto you and I will recompence you this benefit because yee haue done this thing The first place of their aboade where they found fauour to plant an English Church was at Francford where ioyned with the French and others they ouerhastely fell in loue with the orders and Liturgye of those Churches which beecause the English at Zurick and Strausburge did not but rather with wisdome and moderation as they were so desired to retaine the shape and the fashion of an English Church Bitter contentions arise amongst them onely for retaining or reiecting of the Communion booke Those who came from Geneua being desirous to rest vppon Caluins iudgement who was in a manner as the oracle of God to all Churches that were reformed translated into latin the Liturgie of the Church of England and sent it to him to haue his Censure of it Neither did their discription much differ from that which is vsed at this day wherevnto it pleased Maister Caluin to giue this answere In the Liturgie saith hee I see there were many tollerable foolish things by these words I meane a strange meaning that there was not that puritie which was to be desired these vices though they could not at the first day bee amended yet seeing there was no manifest Impietie mark it they were for a season to be tollerated Therefore it was lawfull to begin off such rudiments or Abcedaryes but so that it behoued the learned Graue and Godly Ministers of Christ to enterprise further and to set forth some thing more field from rust and purer If godly religion had florished till this day in England there ought to haue bene a thing better corrected and many things cleane taken away now when these principles be ouerthrowne and a Church must bee set vp in an other place where ye
may freely make an order againe which shal be apparent to bee most commodious to the vse edification of the Church c. We wil not take vpon vs to censure this letter onely we see not how the same things could be thought in his iudgemēt Foolish yet tearmed Tollerable in a Church Liturgie or how they are called vices which notwithstanding hee freeth from manifest Impietie or if that this libertie of reformation were to bee giuen where a Church was to bee new set vp how it could bee agreable to them who still I think desired to bee a part euen for outward cerimonies of that Visible Church which then suffered persecution in England But it sufficeth in these troubles all were not of one minde the most and the best were before their departure and in their banishment after their returne Zealous discreet and learned maintainers of the Communion Booke And most of them afterward became worthily worthy gouernors in this Church For God who sawe their Fidelitie constancie and truth rewarded them seauen fould into their bosome this booke then but somewhat purer and more reformed then at that time is that huge volume of Ceremonies for I vse their owne words which is in their opinion vnlawfull Idolatrous but in ours a most holie and chast forme of Church Seruice and least in this case our opinion and defence should be thought but the corrupt flatterie of those who are or hope to bee aduanced by the present time the wise and graue approbation of the holie Martire Doctor Tailour is fit by vs to bee alledged in this place There was saith hee set foorth by the most innocent King Edward for whom God bee praised euerlastinglie the whole Church seruice with great deliberation and the aduice of the best learned men of the Realme and authorised by the whole Parliament and receiued and published gladly by the whole Realme which Booke was neuer reformed but once and yet by that one reformation it was so fully perfected according to the rules of our Christian religion in euerie behalfe that no christian conscience can bee offended with any thing therein contained I meane of the Booke reformed Thus farre Doctor Tailour and shall wee now make light account of so honorable a Testimonie or alter these things onelie to satisfie the vnreasonable fancies of some men nay surelie in that most memorable Act of our gracious and dread Soueraīgne whose wisdome appeares in these Importunate sutes like the wisdome of Salomon there is no one thing which shal heape more honourable and euerlasting glorie vnto his name which is or can bee a greater blessing to this land a more religious dutie towards God a more thankfull requitall of all the fauours that Queene Elizabeth did performe vnto him then without any alteration or change in the strict commaundement of publishing this order of common praier in any matter of substance Let thy dew O Lord from aboue fall downe vpon his head to make him wise in the councells of thy law sanctifie his hart with the reuerend and holie estimation of thy truth make his wisdome powerfull against all Achitophells perfect O Lord and blesse these beginnings that wee and our posteritie without chaunge may worship thee in this land so long as the sonne is before thee that it may neuer sound in tents of our enemies that thy worship as erronious is now altered which in mercie thou hast protected fourtie and foure yeeres in the happie daies of Queene Elizabeth And surelie reason must needs tell vs that if wee should ouer easilie yeeld to alter what paraduenture they wish doubtlesse the same reproofe must iustlie fall vpon our own Liturgie of Varietie vncertaintie and Inconstancie which one laieth verie truelie vpon the Romane Missall Besides it were as they of Strausburge wrote of them of Francford to condemne the chiefest authors therof who most of them suffered as Martirs it would giue occasion to our aduersaries to accuse our doctrine of imperfection and vs of mutabilitie and the godlie to doubt in that truth wherein beefore they were perswaded and to hinder their comming hether which beefore they had purposed Thus far did they of Strausburg wiselie answere to them of Francford so that wee may safelie conclude and say of this Booke as S. Austin doth in another case if thou runnest through all the words of the holie Praiers I suppose thou shalt finde nothing which the Lords praier doth not containe and comprehend therefore we may in other words speake the same things in our praiers but wee may not speake contrarie things Yet because reason hath not beene sufficient to restraine the intemperate proceedings of some men they thinke this Church is little beholding vnto them vnlesse they traduce the gouernment and the Liturgie which she vseth for which notwithstanding others out of greater wisedome and conscience haue made against the common aduersarie this challenge Looke if any Line bee blameable in our Seruice and take hold of your aduantage I think M. Iewell will accept it for an Article our Seruice is good and Codly euery title grounded vpon holie Scriptures and with what face doe you call it darknesse Wee are content after the learned indeauours of other men to adde some thing to those principall points which in the Communion booke is and hath beene misliked by them that to whose hands the writings of other peraduenture come not this short answere to such may giue some satisfaction in the principall things which they doe mislike 1 The forme of the Liturgie of the Church of England is taken from Antichrist Wee are sorie that their weakenesse taketh offence at that which wee hold as an honour and a vertue in the Church of England namely that wee haue so sparingly and as it were vnwillingly disented from the Church of Rome for surely by Antichrist they meane her with whom if the corruptions of that Church would haue giuen vs leaue we would haue willingly consented in their whole seruice which being vnsafe and vnlawfull wee follow them notwithstanding in all wherin they follow those holie and auncient fathers which first planted the truth amongst them And as we acknowledge them our fathers in the Faith so wee are willing euen to borrow that from them which vertuouslie was vsed in that Church when it was worthie to bee called our mother◠and if now the holie Citie bee become an harlot yet we as most Churches haue receiued light from them for there was a time that their Faith was published ouer all the world and if now they bee at enmitie with God and vs yet wee had rather follow the perfections of whom wee like not then the defects and Imperfections of those wee loue nay the spoiles of the heathe◠taken from the Deuill are deuided to the furniture and ornament of the Church of God For doubtlesse as one saith all true Godlie men may vertuouslie vse those rites
which wicked men haue abused howsoeuer vngodlie 2 It is vnlike the Reformed If they meane Geneua we cannot but acknowledge both the great mercies of God toward them and the singuler benefit from them to the whole Church But wherin wee differ as there may bee reasons in respect of place and people warrantable for both and without offence so if difference were a fault it may bee as well in them not to follow vs as in vs not to follow them but the strife for preheminence of example is a weake contention wheras for Antiquitie there is no great difference wee thanke God for them and reuerence that truth which is taught amongst them but it is saith Maister Caluin a pestilent mischiefe when wee will haue the manner of one Church to bee in place of an Vniuersall law And doubtlesse if we were as willing to giue them our reasons why wee cannot conforme our selues to the orders of that Church as some amongst vs haue be◠violentlie bold for to vrge vs to it suretie the world woulde thinck wee had rather a desire to reproue them then to amend our selues an Vniformitie in all Churches were to bee wished but it is not euer absolutelie necessary wher the forme of the common wealth is not all one in this case all being lawfull that is best that is fittest for vs. 3 The reading of Epistles and Gospels so cut and mangld That we read them at all is that which they do mislike but seeing men are easilie wearied in those duties that are best and Praier making vs apt to fall into Speculations concerning God both that our wearinesse may bee lesse and our thoughts more sound and more agreeable to the present businesse those wise men that haue beene before vs haue chosen lessons for the Church as also Epistles and Gospells sutable to the present time and occasion that as Praier maketh vs fitter to heare so the hearing of these may make vs likewise fitter to pray To read Scriptures in the time of diuine Seruice wee hope being auncient and of such vse their wisdome will not much mislike and if the name of Epistle and Gospell doe offend they cannot but know that the originall of this both for the name and the thing was from Paul himselfe commaunding the same Epistle which hee sent vnto the Collossians to bee read in the Church of the Laoditians And of that to the Thessalonians he saith I charge you in the Lord that this Epistle bee read vnto all the Brethren the Saints From which custome the Church hauing appointed that portion of Scripture which circumstances being weighed is then fittest to be read vnto the people as if it were directlie sent vnto them thereby procuring their attention is not vnfitlie tearmed by the name of Epistle to these as S. Chrisostome noteth the Minister stood vp and with a loud voice cried let vs attend In one word the originall of this custome which so much offends them hath better likelihood of warrant from the Hebrewes then their Sanadrin seeing it was the custome amongst them euerie Sabboth which continueth yet in their Sinagogues that some thing is read out of Moses or the Prophets And we hope the name of the Gospell shall not displease them vnlesse they be offended with Glad tidings and if to read onelie so much as fitteth with the present occasion bee to cut and mangle their wisdome can tell that diuision of Chapters is not so auncient that it may not bee altered and their practise is vsuallie to read sometime but a part of a chapter sometimes two as the matter it selfe hath dependance with it 4 It maintaineth an vnpreaching Ministerie by banishing preaching vnder the coulour of long prayer To accuse vs of long prayer will litle beeseeme them who are long and tedious If we esteeme not of Sermons as wee ought it is our fault And doubtlesse if there had but bene that respect in them which was in vs to a thing of so great vse surely many of their sermons would bee shorter and much better wee are content that they shall extoll either them or themselues but withall let them remember that the Church of God hath as much neede sensibly and orderly to pray as to heare a Sermon wherein if it shall bee onely ouer-short beeing a dutie solemne and publick the world will learne to think that we make litle account of that wherevnto wee allow so litle tyme words surely how few soeuer are then long and paraduenture tedious when they benefit not the hearer but whosoeuer speaketh much and by much speaking doth much edifie doubtlesse is vndeseruedly blamed for much speaking It is likely that they who labour for much time to bee long in preaching are of more singular abilitie then other men or intend to trouble their hearers with impertinent discourses or else that they cannot expresse in few words which themselues beefore doe not rightly vnderstand But seeing the generall fault is that wee are swift to speake and had rather that the people should heare vs then God himself the time which wee think ouerlong for deuine seruice is accounted ouershort for to vtter our own fancies but such Sermons are farre lesse then praiers to the Edification of Gods Church 5 That wee praye without faith hauing no promise that wee may euermore bee defended from all aduersitie If either wee know some aduersitie against which wee may not lawfully praye or that there bee some aduersitie which is not euill in it owne nature or some euill that is not to bee shunned by vs or what wee would shun that prayer is not a meanes for to escape it if all these or any of these can bee proued wee refuse not to forbeare to aske That wee may bee defended from all aduersities But seeing that the same things which when they happen both wee indure with patience and God is able to turne them to our great aduantage yet because we neither know our strength vnable of it selfe to ouercome the least tryall and that God hath promised that no euill shall come nigh our dwelling wee pray but deliuer vs from euill that is defend vs from all aduersitie to think we may pray for nothing for which wee haue not warrant in Scripture is paraduenture an errour 6 Which for our vnworthinesse wee dare not aske a note of a seruile feare There is no vertue that better beeseemeth suters then humilitie no humilitie better beeseemeth suters to God then the vnfaigned acknowledgement of our owne vnworthinesse wherein if wee should rest it were needlesse to aske seeing there must bee a hope to receiue aswell as a sence of our want so that whilst wee haue confidence to obtaine that in Christs name which for our owne vnworthinesse wee dare not aske wee rather expresse the louing humilitie of Sonnes then the feare of seruāts but it is maruell how they can say think That there is
lament for them because they are with God This stoicall age need not this doctrine it is sinne to forget that wee are friends and christians 20 The Priest praieth for the Prince and the people answere of another matter That praier which wee offer vp for that power vpon earth which doth rule ouer vs if the people answere with this voice and mercifully heare vs when wee call vpon thee is no fault to bee done and peraduenture were a fault not to bee done Litle things will offend them who can bee so curious to mislike this 21 Crossing in Baptisme Popish And yet to Baptise vsing the signe of the Crosse is not popish Wee are not of their mind who thinke the crosse whereupon Christ suffered was like Pithagoras letter neither is this crossing a sacrament though it put vs in mind of our manfull fight vnder the banner of Christ crucified wee vse it not as bestowing a grace vpon vs but thankfullie remembring what was done for vs a Signe that may be vsed amisse wee can forbeare if it please the Church but in the meane time wee can and doe vse it with obedience beecause wee doe know how 22 That all may bee saued all trauailing by land or by water It were pittie but their mouthes were stopt who forbid vs to pray that all men may bee saued It is the reuealed will of God and although wee know that all are not yet beecause wee know not exactly who are and that our desire is extended without exclusion equally to all in that sence as our sauiour willeth so wee wish and desire that all men may bee saued for those that trauell if a blessing come vpon them whilst they trauel to good ends by land or by water and this for our prayer the church hath an interest by the communion of Saints if they trauel to euil ends and finde successe this mercie serueth to make them better and therfore as wee pray that God would strike through the loynes of those who rise vp against him and against his annoynted so whilst wee know not definitiuely who are such Indeffinitly wee pray for his defence to all those which trauell by land or by water where politick respects or Gods reuealed will particularly forbid not ther Charitie commandeth for to pray for all 23 Bells and Organs are from Popes To refuse them for that reason were rather mallice then wisdome for seeing the one calleth by the sound the people to the Temple the other by sounding furthereth the prayse of God in the temple it is not their author that can be a reason to make vs mislike either they ayme at some other end whom so harmelesse inuentions can so much displease That wee worthely lamenting our sinnes may obtaine of thee perfect remission they tell vs not in this what they doe mislike and therefore wee will accept of their gentle allowance wherein they say this requireth a fauorable exposition that the words were well ment as they were appointed for vs. 24 On Christmas day it is said thou hast giuen vs thy Sonne this day to bee borne of a Virgin the same words wee vse all the weeke after as if Christ vpon euery day had bene borne a new I hope it is not the memorie of his Natiuitie that doth displease them If this day when perhaps it was not be that which in this they do mislike the Church tyeth no man to so strict an acception of this day as if it were ment this verie particuler day but that it may without offence bee vnderstood of the solemnitie of that feast if they haue learned to think and to speake otherwise wee haue no such custome neither the Church of God 25 Scripture openly abased to shew a necessitie of Baptisme from that place except a man be borne againe of water and of the Spirit Wee hope a necessitie they will not deny of Baptisme and if this place bee not sufficient to proue it wee will be readie to afford them other if this be that which offends them our interpretation of it other haue told them concerning this wherein their negatiue is all that is alledged that in expositions of Sacred Scripture where a litterall construstion will stand the farthest from the letter is commonly the worst 26 That wee pray for the dead when wee say remember not O Lord our offences nor the offences of our forefathers No but because God punisheth temporallie sonnes euen for the iniquities and transgressions of their fathers as the infants in the flood in Sodome which they well knew who asked our Sauiour who had sinned this man or his father and that wee goe on for the most part to fill vp the measure of our fathers sinnes which must fall heauie vpon vs when it commeth with a double force therefore not for them but our selues wee say Remember not O Lord our offences nor the offences of our forefathers 27 Out of the Collect vpon Sainct Michaels day prayer is made for the help of Angells And why not doth any man think that they doe not help vs beeing ministring spirits and seeing he hath giuen his Angells charge ouer vs may not wee pray to haue their assistance wee onely aske them as Christ thinkst thou that I cannot pray to my father and hee will giue moe then twelue legions of Angells If any thing bee misliked beesides these these being but small occasions of so great a difference our Church doubtlesse hath many which are able and wil be willing to giue them what satisfaction they can demaund but if it offend them beecause it is auncient or solemne or sober or charitable wee are sory for their weaknesse but wee had rather offend them then the whole Church of God CHAP. XIIII ¶ Of Tolleration of diuers Religions and how far discenting opinions from the true Christian faith may and ought to bee permitted in one and the same kingdome THere are few kingdomes in the world which haue not at some times diuersities of religion nourished and brought vp in the bosome of them for the enuious man whilst others sleep is watchfull and diligent to sow Tares these vsually either in mercie or for their nearenesse to that which is good are suffered to grow till the time of haruest If naturall bodies of men either had no diseases or that rest were not sometimes auaileable to procure their health Wisdome were a vertue in Phisitions of litle vse and vndoubtedly patience would bee thought Sloth But seeing the eyes of councell in all euills that are looke not so much what they be as what they may bee and that the best perfection which humane indeuours doe or can receiue is from that leysurable maturitie that times affoord moments and instants being onely fit either for powres infinit or for weaknesse that is furthest from them all men haue as much reason not ouer hastely to censure what the wisest doe as the wisest haue warrant and example not ouer hastelie to performe
such be seruants to the state in the executioÌ„ of these lawes as are furthest from partialitie and pittie yet least to be suspected for vnsatiable desiring of their own gaine But there is a greater defect in most kingdomes wherein this Church is an humble suter to your Highnesse that it would please your Grace a thing absolutely hoped for at your Maiesties hands as well to reward those that deserue well as to punish those that are dangerous to the Church or the commonwealth doubtlesse there is no politike consideration of greater vse in a kingdome that all parts of it may florish than the iust bestowing of these two reward and punishment seeing they are the spurre and the bridle absolutely requisit for the right commanding of a whole Realme And surely it is a great question whether to the happinesse of a state it be safer to want punishment for the euill or rewards for the vertuous But seeing all kingdomes haue greater feeling and can better iudge of what is euill than well done therefore punishments are by the lawe due to the one whereas the other is many times a matter of great suit fauour and sometimes of infinite corruption which the best and most worthy obseruing they are in al likelihood furthest from being preferred because least subiect to such corruption It was an Honorable farewell the last Deanry that was giuen by Queene Elizabeth Honorabâ—e to him that procured it freely as I heard of his owne motion Honorable to him that had it without al corruptioÌ„ neither in acquitting of him do I condeÌ„n al others and most Honorable to her who no sooner heard of a man worthy but was most willing to preferre him There are few things of a greater aduantage to the Church than to haue the eyes of the Prince if sometimes his occasions diuert him otherwise drawne to looke at men of very speciall and singular deserte who peraduenture are neither so corrupt so fortunate so seasonable so well frended nor indeed so any thing sauing only worthy that they can obtaine that which men of farre meaner deserts if not easily yet commonly doe And surely for vs of the Church there is not out of the Vniuersitie excepting the Kings Chappell a better stand for the nobilitie to take â—ew of such than the Sermons at Pauls Crosse this being sincerely lookt at vertue shall haue incouragment to take paines because vertuous paines shall be sure to haue recompence a thing where it wanteth that want must of necessitie fill all places with the worst and the worst disposed So shall men that are worthy and very excellent be preferred either slowly or not at all whilst euery ignorant vnhonest vnprofitable flatterer shall depart loaden with the best preferments the due recompence that belongs to vertue for redresse whereof I dare not take vpon me to aduise only I wish that they especially the Honorable and reuerend Bishops Fathers of the Church who haue any stroake in the disposition of such preferments as appertaine vnto learned men would be thinke themselues what it is to respect any thing either aboue or besides merit considering as one well noteth how hardly the world taketh it when to men of commendable note and qualitie there is so little respect had or so great vnto them whose deserts are very meane that nothing doth seeme more straunge than the one sort because they are not accounpted of and the other because they are It being euery mans hope and expectatioÌ„ that the only purchase of greater rewards should be alwaies greater deserts that nothing should euer be able to plaÌ„t a thorne where a vine ought to growe or to commit that to a Fox or an Asse which requireth the strength the toyle of the painful Ox the careful obseruatioÌ„ of this which the Church humbly intreateth at your Graces hands shal roote out all Idolatours from your lands banish all Heretikes from Christs fold which steale in like rauenous wolues discouer those Anabaptists who stirre vp contentions to hinder Religion labour to haue magistrates contemned inueying against the lawfull ordination of our Clergie accounting them to be but Scribes and Pharisies Idle haue too great liuings flatterers of the Ciuill Magistrate saying the reformation of the Church is not spirituall enough perfect and their vnhallowed priuate conuenticles are more holy making their pretence of all the puritie of the Gospell these pretend grauitie reprehend seueritie speake gloriously and all in Hypocrisie these dayly inuent newe opinions and run from error to error their wilfulnes they account constancie their deserued punishment persecution their mouthes are euer open to speake euill they giue neither reuerence nor titles to any in place aboue them in one word the Church cannot feare a more dangerous and fatall enemie to her peace and happines a greater cloud to the light of the Gospell a stronger hand to pull in Barbarisme and pouertie into all our Laâ—d a more furious monster to breed contempt and disobedience in all states a more fretting Cankar to the very marrowes and sinewes of this Church and kingdome than the Anabaptist who is proud without learning presumptuous without authoritie Zealous without knowledge holy without Religion in one word a dangerous and malicious Hypocrite Sundrie of these mâ—nifest and violent disturbers of the peace of this Church and the Common-wealth were banished from amongst vs in the dayes of out late Souereigne we heare they are returnd they make petitions they hope for fauour Consided great and mightie Prince right Honorable Lords and all yee whom it may concerne to defend this state that now is the time to make and execute lawes against them for these are more daungerous than other Heretikes because they are transformed into the shapes of some amongst vs The Church of England which lyeth prostrate at your Graces feet desireth not to be fauoured in her errors not to haue her corruptions warranted by authoritie to haue staines not washed because shee hath had them long to haue idolatrie and superstition harbored in her bosome to be loadeÌ„ in her ReligioÌ„ with the inuentions of man and vnhalowed Ceremonies to be supported with a prophane Hierarchie an vsurping dominion to bee poysoned with humane learning to be murdered with Idle and vnpreaching Ministers but she humbly intreats showing her wounds with teares in her eyes sights in her hart humilitie in her whole behauiour that she may be defended protected and armed in that truth which Christ and his Apostles haue taught her which Queene Elizabeth hath Cherished maintained in her which the earth hath wondered at heauens haue blessed that her beautie may not be defaced vnder pretence of washing that she may not be left naked of her comely decent and Religious ceremonies that the gouernment of her Bishops auncient warrantable and safe may not be taken from her that her schooles may florish with all sacred and Heathen learning that her Ministers may be painefull and liberally maintained and last
parts of our whole land And as doubtlesse it was happie for the Church that you vndertooke by writing the defence of this cause seeing no man could haue done it either better or with lesse exception so the day of your admission to the Sea of Canterburie is and was in all likelihood next vnto our late Souereigne the forciblest meanes and the best securitie this Church then could hope for to procure her peace neither can the Clergie of this land but in dutie and thankefulnesse offer vp continually their Zealous and deuout prayers for all blessings to come downe and light and rest vpon his sacred Maiestie and vpon his Royall posteritie to many thousand generations for those Princely fauours which his Highnesse extending to you giueth as vndoubted assurance to all vs of the peace prosperitie and happinesse of this Church I haue often with my selfe thought that the greatest riches and most to be valued which our late Souereigne left vnto his Princely Maiestie with the lawfull inheritance of this kingdome was a learned and deuout Clergie A wise and Religious Counsell An Honorable and Auncient Nobilitie Valiant and discreet leaders rich and louing Citizens painfull and diligent husbandmen In one word a people not in any Vertue Inferour to any Nation of the earth and for Loyaltie and obedience be it spoken without enuie aboue them all yet in the happinesse of all this there haue not beene since wanting which earnestly haue sought to ouerthrow the state of this Church We know not their Intentions the world seeth they are cunning to doe and to speake euill and whatsoeuer may seeme auaileable to further their cause wanteth not the best aduantage that any opportunitie can giue vnto them in which respect it is all our duties who desire the peace of this Church prosperitie of the Commonwealth no way to be wanting to the reasonable Iust and honest defence of a good cause In regard whereof though by many degrees I am the vnworthiest of a great number who haue and are readie to write in the defence of this Church the aduersaries in this cause hauing receiued the first greatest Wounds from your pen yet my care amongst the rest was to imploy my labour according to that abilitie which God hath giuen me in the modest defence of the Gouernment of this Church Which hauing beene handled so often and so learnedly heretofore it ought not to seeme straunge to any and I hope will be pardoned at your hand if wee gather but the gleanings after those that plentifully haue sown and haue reaped before vs. Whatsoeuer my labour and trauell hath beene in this it is due vnto your Grace whose manifold continued and vndeserued fauours together with my priuate dutie challengeth me my whole seruice by a greater nearenesse than that Law yee shall bring a sheafe of the first fruites of your haruest vnto the Priest Thus hartely desiring your Lordships Fauourable acceptance of this paines how small soeuer with my continuall prayers for the long preseruation of your Graces health and Honor to the comfort of a great number and the singular blessing of this Church euen through the mercies of him in whom we all liue moue and haue our being I humbly take my leaue Your Graces in all Dutie WILLIAM COVELL Faults Escaped In Epist. Didte Line the 1. for the Word Read the World Page 4 Line â—1 for blould 〈◊〉 boldnesses p 5 l. 2 for Vsull r. Vsuall p. 6 l. â—â— for to â—amer to the same p 7. 〈◊〉 2. for Aâ—henian r. Athenians p 8. l. 8 for outward r. Outwardly l. 〈◊〉 for Wâ—res r warres l. â—7 for these word r. the sword p. 9. l. 9. for as 1 is l 22. for inhabit r. inable l. â—3 for to r. of l. 38. for nor least r nor of least p 13. l. 2. for putrified r. purified p. 15. l. vlt for but time r. but in time p. 16 l â— for perâ—aps r. perhaps l. 9 for gâ—eauent geauen l. 26. for Cod r. God p. 18. l. Vlt. for to the rest r. to reft p. 20 l. 1. for Eternall r. Externall l. 30. for a little r. so litle p. 11. l. 21. in maâ—g for Pennies r. 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Gray p. 83. l. 15. for they that r. that they p. 85 l. 37. for giuen r. giuing p. 124 l. 5. for mediation r. meditation p. 125. l. 11 for disuict r. distinct p. 16 l 9. for vluen r. when p 127. l. 29. for exart r. exhort p. 129. l. 34 for were r. we are p. 134. l. 34. for both r loth p. 137. l. 34. in marg for parâ—re r parere p. 143. l. 22. for person r. persons l. 26. foâ— beâ—ng râ— bring p. 144 l 6 for either the other r either the other l. 33. for occafion r. occasion P. 145. l. 8. for vs r. as p. 146 l. 34. for thought r. though p. l. 147. 19. for reuerent r. reuerence l. 29 for others r. either p. 162. l 2. for Pulralities r Plural p. 164. l. 26. for ExtragauaÌ„ts r. Extrauagants p. 165. l. 19. in marg for coÌ„mumis r. communis l 29. in marg for quam vis r. quamuis p 189 l 13. for Codly r Godly l. 17 for disented r. dissented l vult for Ghurches r. Churches p. 186. l. 27. for Vgre r. â—rge p 187. l. 23. in marg for Cominis r. Communis p. 190 l. 7. for Mamerces r. Mâ—mercâ—s p. 191. l 17. for the the first r. the fifth p. 192 l. 33 in maâ—g for Disperandi r. desiderandi p 194 l. 27 for abased r abuâ—ed p. 196 l. 14 for patience r. patience l 15 for councell r counsaile p. 197. l 14. for chieffly r chiefly The late Lord Archbishop of Canterburie Haec est charitas expectanda haec est charitas maior imperio si fides tuta sit quâ— seruat imperium Ambrose ep 31. ad ValentinianuÌ„ The Assertion for Church policie Eccles. 32. Iob. 32. Iosua 22.16.17 Vers. 22. Apud Christianos non qui patitur sed qui facit contumelians miser est Hier. Viâ—t qui patitur In bona conscâ—entiateneo quisguis volens detraâ—it fame meae nolens addiâ— mercedâ— meae Ne aestimet quis plus ponderis esse in alienoconuitio quam in testimoniâ— suo Ambrose a By Iosâ—â—s Nichols in the