part of a Preacher Should there haue beene a generall dissolution of parishes and fiue reduced to one Alas that had beene a wofull and lamentable reformation What then remaineth but onely that which the Church of England approoueth that is to be sparing in the former points and to admit some into the Ministery of meaner though tolerable sufficiencie till it please God that our famous Vniuersities which haue already furnished many may by Gods grace send out their crystall streames to water the rest of the land And surely it were to bee wished that some greater incouragement were giuen to learned men by encreasing their maintenance For alas it is notoriously knowne that manie Church liuings haue beene so pared to the quicke that now they are hardly able to yeeld vitall nourishment so sharpely haue they beene launced and lost their best bloud But God bee blessed who hath put into the heart of his Maiestie a holie endeuour to cure the Church of this consumption the father of mercy giue a blessing vnto it and the Lord grant that the Nobilitie and Gentrie of this land may follow his roiall example and that euerie one in his degree may set his heart and hand to the further building of the Lords Temple In the meane time I must needs say that there are not a few in the Vniuersities graue learned and vertuous which might be imploied abroad but onely that sundrie Patrons preferre a golden purse before a golden wit Wherein I would to God that such as are indued with right of presenting to spirituall promotions would consider what an honourable office is committed vnto them and what excellent seruice they may performe to the Church of God and let them withall call to minde what a fearefull account such shall one day make as cease not to preferre their priuate gaine before the publike good but suffer soules to perish through their negligent default or symoniacall sinne Two reasons may bee rendred for Patronages building the Church and mainteining the Minister in regard whereof this honour was granted to the lord of the soile in ancient time that hee alone should present the Clerke because he alone prouided for him In remembrance whereof the honour discended to posteritie and therefore you which enioy this right from your Noble progenitours as you succeed them in honour so succeed them in vertue and as they haue beene honourable founders so discharge you a good conscience and bee faithfull disposers And you which possesse the same dignitie though not by lineall discent yet by other lawfull interest it is your part to be good stewards and warily to discharge this Christian dutie according to that trust which the Church of Christ hath reposed in you So learning shall be nourished vertue aduanced religion flourish and out two famous Vniuersities shall be exalted like the cedars in Libanus and as the Cypres trees vpon the mountaines of Hermon They shall be faire as the Oliue tree and sweete as the Rose They shall bee fruitfull as the Vine and like the Terebinth shall stretch foorth their branches to the glory of God and consolation of his children But to returne to the present state of our Church it cannot bee denied but that God hath blessed this land with a great number of learned men aboue other nations yet seeing the number of parishes is exceeding great wee are constrained to tolerate some of meaner sufficiencie And yet the law requireth that euerie one to be admitted into the Ministerie should vnderstand the articles of religion not onely as they bee compendiously set downe in the Creed but as they are at large in our Booke of Articles neither vnderstand them onely but be able to prooue them sufficiently out of the Scripture And that not in English onely but in Latin also If it be obiected that there haue beene sundrie consecrated which are not thus qualified I confesse it may be true and it is a iust cause of lamentation but yet beloued this is not the fault of the law but of such as transgresse the law Now I speake in defence of the Lawes vnder which I liue If any whosoeuer shall transgresse the lawes let him answer for himselfe or beare his owne burthen that which is of God I would willingly defend but I am no patron of any mans iniquitie I will conclude this point with the charge S. Paul giueth to Timothy and in him to all other Bishops I testifie before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou obserue these things without hastinesse of iudgement and doe nothing after partialitie Lay hands suddenly on no man neither be partaker of other mens sinnes 17 And heere let mee aduise those Ministers which are no Preachers that they spend not their time idlely but endeuour by all meanes to grow in wisdome and grace lest they be a disgrace to that holy calling For there is no doubt but being at their entrance qualified as the law requireth if they shall marke what they reade publikely if they shall delight to reade the Bible priuately if they shall ioine some short and easie Commentarie if they shall informe their iudgements by introductions and institutions of Christian religion if they shal be willing to learne of such as can teach them and to teach such as ought to learne of them if they shall be diligent in Catechising if they shall delight in conference and meditate vpon the law of God day and night and withall bee deuout and feruent in praier there is no doubt I say but that God may so blesse their graine of mustard seed that it may grow into a goodly tree their sparkle that it may become a flame their drop that it may rise into a riuer and ouerflow like Nilus with her siluer streames Blesse O Lord these gracious beginnings and holy endeuours let them not be like the morning dew that drieth away but let them grow in grace and flourish more and more like the tree that is planted by the riuer side 18 After the examination is tendered Subscription and surely to the end that they which should teach other men obedience may be good subiects themselues it is expedient that they subscribe to the first article that is to the Princes Supremacie The second article consisteth of two branches the booke of Common Praier and the booke of Consecration Concerning the first though the admonition to the Parliament did formerly fancie a voluntarie and extemporall forme of Praier as the spirit should mooue a man yet the defender of the admonition agreeth with vs that there should be a prescript and vniforme order the obseruation of which vniformitie both in praier and ceremonie was long ago commended by Caluin to the Duke of Sommerset and therefore we are agreed vpon this generalitie But to come to particulars there was set out a booke of Common Praier in the beginning of King Edwards raigne which Alexander Alesius a learned man of Scotland
to be the iudgement of the Christian world For when Christianitie was first preached the Temples of idols in England Fraunce and so through the world were turned into the Churches of the liuing God Againe when poperie was banished yet all popish churches were not pulled down but many remaine and some at Geneua still imploied for the seruice of Almightie God And Caluin saith that it may bee done without scruple of conscience Some learned men I grant beyond the seas haue thought otherwise but they are confuted by Zanchius and the Ministers of England which seeke reformation I hope are more considerate then to pull downe Churches But concerning Churches they returne vs this answer that they are profitable wherein they confesse that euen these particulars which haue beene abused to idolatrie may be vsed in the seruice of God so they be profitable Therefore the question is come to this issue whether the things questioned be profitable wherein who shall be the iudge those that sit at the sterne of the Church are perswaded that they are profitable from whose iudgement if they will depart it behooueth them to bring more sound and demonstratiue reasons then hitherto they haue produced But I will conclude this point with the consent of their owne standerd bearer who hauing in his first booke called the surplesse a marke and sacrament of popish abhomination hauing pronounced that it bringeth no profit but hurt yet in his third booke dareth not hence conclude any vnlawfulnesse but onely inconueniencie and would not haue any man to forsake his pastorall charge in regard of a surplesse And thus much for clearing our ceremonies from imputation of poperie 34 Now fourthly let vs consider whether they be Iewish wherein wee affirme that the Church of England doth approch no neerer to the Iewes then the law of God and the state of Christianitie doth permit For what is it that they controle vnder the name of Iewish is it their meaning that we should vse nothing in the Christian Church which was vsed by the Iewes Esdras a Iew preached in a Pulpit of wood shall wooden Pulpits therfore be vnlawful The Iews buried their dead in linnen clothes shall this likewise be reiected as Iewish But both these things our reproouers approoue by their owne practise Wherefore it is agreed that some things vsed by the Iewes may be retained and yet they are retained not because they are Iewish but because they are decent Beside these ceremonies of decencie and order the Iewes had other which by the ordinance of God were types of Christ and these as wee all confesse are solemnly abrogated and neuer to be resumed as circumcision sacrifices and such like But can it be prooued that we vse any such thing in the Church of England let it bee granted that Leuiticall garments in regard of their mysticall representation are abolished yet how can it appeere that any of our garments are Leuiticall Suppose there be some resemblance in matter of forme what then is the Church of Christ bound so farre to auoide all conformitie with the Iewes that she may not at all resemble them in a matter of decencie Our musicall harmonie they would likewise abolish as Iewish but they haue not yet prooued that church musicke vocall or instrumentall is such a Iewish ceremony as ought to be abrogated The princely Prophet Dauid brought into the Church the melodie of musicke for the better praising lauding of God For the sweetnesse of harmonicall sounds doth insinuate it selfe into the soule of man preparing the affections for the seruice of God lifting vp the heart towards heauen delighting the minde kindling deuotion and rauishing the spirit with celestiall ioy If it be said that some come to the Church rather to be delighted with musicke then to bee instructed with religion what then yet in that they come to the Church I reioice yea and I will reioice So some come to the Church with purpose to intangle and catch the Preacher and yet it pleaseth God sometimes that they are catched themselues As Pighius did read Caluins Institutions of set purpose to confute them yet it was Gods will that thereby hee should bee reduced to the right way in the Article of Iustification And father Latimer can tel you that some came to church of purpose to take a nappe and yet he had rather that they should goe a napping then not goe at all Euen so it may be some come to the Church only to heare the melody yet who can tell but it may please the wisedome of that heauenly teacher to finde out a way that hearing those things wherein their eares delight they may also learne that wher◠by their soules may profit The forme of our Church they brand likewise with Iudaisme as being framed after the fashion of the Iewish temple but the temple had roomes for sacrifices to which there is no resemblance in our churches and for the roomes of receit they had Atrium Gentium proper to the Gentiles and Atrium Iudeorum proper to the Iewes And againe for the Iewes they had one partition for men and an other for women And againe for men they had a seuerall for the people a seuerall for Priests and a seuerall where the high Priest entred once a yeere Peraduenture they will say that our chancels are like the Iewish sanctuarie But if wee respect the forme the sanctuarie was square if the magnificence it was ouerlaied with gold if the ornaments there was the Arke and the glorious Cherubins if the separation it was diuided from the Holie by a vaile if the situation it was at the West end of the Holie if the adiuncts it had cloisters galleries and chambers adioining if the vse it was onely for the high Priest whither he entred once a yeere not without bloud which he offered for himselfe and the sinnes of the people all which things are otherwise in our Churches Lastly they compare our churching of Women to Iewish purification but most vniustly for our Women doe not offer lambes sparrowes and pigeons which was Leuiticall they onely resemble them in matters morall Their abstaining from publike assemblies for a season is not onely for health but a matter of modestie their giuing thanks to God when they come to the Church is a Christian dutie neither doe I see how this can be called a Iewish ceremonie vnlesse to praise God be a Iewish ceremonie 35 Fiftly it is obiected that our ceremonies are scandalous let vs therefore consider what a scandall is and how many kindes of scandall The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to halt is properly that part of the trap whereto the baite is tied which being ouerthrowne the beast pulles the trap vpon his owne head Metaphorically it is taken for that which is an occasion to hurt or grieue
because it was forbidden by the Law ceremoniall which Law ceasing that necessitie ceased and so it returned to the originall estate and became indifferent as in nature so in vse Likewise to drinke wine or to abstaine from it is a thing in nature indifferent but being sanctifyed by the Lord Iesus to a sacramentall vse it is not in the power of man to cancell or disanull the holy institution of that heauenly Lawgiuer And heere it must be considered that there are some comely rites and decent orders whereof we finde not precise commandement in the holy Scripture which notwithstanding the Scripture testifieth to haue beene very precisely obserued by the Apostles and apostolicall men and are of such nature that they agree to all places and ages in which respect they may aptly be reduced to things necessary because the holy Ghost so exquisitely recording the exact obseruation of them by the blessed Apostles may seeme to haue pointed them out to all posteritie as a patterne to be vnchangeably followed This is the iudgement of M. Caluin concerning imposition of hands in the consecrating to holie orders Although saith he there be extant no certaine precept of imposition of hands yet because we see that it was continunually vsed of the Apostles that their so exact obseruation should be to vs in place of a precept So concerning the translation of the Sabaoth from the Saturday to the Lords day it is certaine that there is no speciall commandement in holy Scripture yet because God hath commanded that the seuenth day shall be kept holy and glorius to himselfe and because the Iewish Sabaoth was a shadow and in that respect abrogated and sorasmuch as it was translated in the Apostles time and that without all doubt by appostolicall authoritie seeing the Scripture doth witnesse that the Lords day was not only renowned with diuine reuelations but also obserued by the Apostles themselues And forasmuch as it standeth vpon such excellent reasons as are vniuersall for all places and perpetuall for all times being as it were consecrated by the reuerent consent of the Christian world therefore this practise may be vnto vs in stead of a precept It may be reputed a thing necessarie and neuer to be changed Now to apply these distinctions to our present purpose the religious duties of which we speake are the precise and euerlasting commandements of Iesus Christ in regard of their substance as may appeere first in preaching and baptising Goe teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and behold I am with you alwaies vntill the end of the World I am with you my Disciples and Apostles in teaching and Baptising I am with you vntill the end of the world But it is a cleere case that the Apostles did not liue vntill the end of the the world therefore the meaning of it is I am with you and your successours the lawfull Ministers of the Gospell vntill the end of the world Wherefore the promise is petpetuall and consequently the dutie of teaching and baptising So in the other Sacrament Doe this in remembrance of me there is a commandement for the celebration of the Lords supper when Paul speaketh of shewing forth the Lords death vntill his comming hee declareth that the former commandement is perpetuall Wherfore that there shall be a Ministerie in the Church visible to teach the word and to Minister the holy Sacraments is the euerlasting ordinance of Iesus Christ. Notwithstanding in euery one of these branches there is somewhat indifferent That there shall be a Ministrie is a thing necessarie and it is necessarie that they feed the flocke of Iesus Christ But whether they shall execute their publike function in a white garment or a blacke God hath neither commanded nor forbidden he hath left it as a thing indifferent Likewise to Baptise is the perpetuall commandement of Iesus Christ but whether the water shall be in a font or a bason whether to be applied by dipping or sprinkling once or thrice God hath neither commanded nor forbidden he hath left it as a thing indifferent In like maner the celebration of the Lords supper is a thing commanded but whether the bread shall be leauened or vnleauened whether it shall be baked in a loafe or in a â—ake round or square God hath neither commanded nor forbidden he hath left it as a thing indifferent So in the second course of this celestiall banquet the cup is necessarie the Popish withholding whereof is the violating of Gods holy ordinance But as M. Caluin saith Rubrum in album nihil refert that is the kinde or colour of the wine be it red or white is not materiall to the being of the Sacrament Againe wine being liquid must needs be in a cup or vessell but whether this cup shall be gold or siluer wood or stone God hath neither coÌ„manded nor forbidden he hath left it as a thing indifferent Wherefore it is a cleere case that some things are necessarie some things indifferent Things necessarie are the weightier matters of the Law Things indifferent may be well compared to Mint and Commin Things necessarie are registred in the Tables of the Almightie that is in the volumes of holy Scripture for whatsoeuer is necessarie for mee either to beleeue or to doe or to leaue vndone that I may please God in this life and inherit glorie in the life to come All that is richly contained in holie Scripture either directly or by inuincible consequence but things indifferent are there rather in an vnlimited generalitie then in any distinct and particular maner Finally things necessarie God hath reserued to himselfe no men no Angels haue authoritie to alter them But things indifferent being of a variable nature are referred to the discretion of the Church as may appeere by the words of my text Wherein the spirit speaking to the Churches willeth all things to be done after a good maner not defining what maner but referring all to the discretion of the Church so things be ordered in an honest and decent maner 7 Secondly when the spirit saith vnto the Churches Let all things be done decently It may bee demanded who shall be the iudge of decâ—ncy To me it seemeth an honest and decent ceremonie to kneell at the holie Communion some others do rather delight to receiue sitting and some peraduenture will preferre standing or walking To mee a white garment seemeth comely in publike administration some others doe rather allow of the blacke Now in this varietie of opinions who shall be the iudge who shall gouerne and swaie the matter Surely they whom the Lord hath made Church gouernours If priuate men will make publike orders and require vs to accept of them they must shew their commission Otherwise we must take that for decent in things indifferent which seemeth decent in the eie of publike authoritie
taking of offence which points are already in ample maner performed by the church of England But it will be replied that many things are lawfull which are not expedient meats offered to idols were lawfull yet euill to him that eateth offensiuely So our garments may be lawful yet euill to him that weareth them offensiuely So the crosse may be lawfull yet euill to them that vse it offensiuely And thought the offence commeth by the weaknesse of our brother yet charitie bindeth vs to refraine from that which offendeth our brother And they stand much vpon Pauls protestation that he would eate no flâ—sh so long as the world standeth rather then hee would offend his brother The answer whereunto may bee this that the case is vnlike for first those meats whereof S. Paul doth speake were matters of priuate action of common life But we speake of the publike ceremonies of our Church Secondly S. Paul was at his owne choice no law restraining his libertie but our ceremonies are commanded by lawfull authoritie Thirdly S. Paul by forbearing flesh did preiudice none but himselfe But wee in forbearing the ceremonies should preiudice the authority of the Prince Fourthly S. Pauls practise did further and not hinder the course of his Ministerie but as the case now standeth our refusall of ceremonies might be a meanes to silence our selues and to stoppe the course of our preaching which is a dutie so necessarie that it may not be omitted no not for feare of a scandall Fiftly though eating of those meats were offensiue to some yet the not eating we doe not finde to haue beene offensiue to any But in our ceremonies some are offended because they are vsed and some are offended because they are not vsed and that more iustly because the not vsing of a thing so commanded is disobedience to the Prince and may prooue a very scandalous and pernicious example If they say that charitie bindeth me to respect the one I answer that the same charitie bindeth mee to regard the other and dutie bindeth me to honour and obey my Prince Wherefore in a mixt congregation what shall I doe for both will be offended the one if I vse them the other if I vse them not Surely in such a case I thinke it my part after feruent praier diligent studie and Christian conference to consult with mine owne conscience and finding the thing commanded to bee no way contrarie to the word of God I will hold it my dutie to obey my Prince And as for those which shall be offended with my fact I will in the spirit of meekenesse both publikely and priuately render them a reason of my doing instructing them from time to time in the doctrine of things indifferent and the dutie of a subiect to his Prince But if they will not be thus satisfied if they refuse to hearken and still continue stiffe in their owne opinions let them take heed lest the saying of Aquinas may be applied vnto them Concerning the scandall of little ones saith he wee must obserue that for the auoiding thereof a man is bound to deferre the vse of lawfull things so long till the scandall may bee remoued by a reason rendered But if the reason being rendred the scandall doe still remaine now it seemeth not to proceed of ignorance or infirmitie but of malice and so shall belong to the scandall of Pharisees 36 Moreouer some are so tender that they are offended not onely at things formerly abused but euen at the names of vanished abuses The moneths of the yeere were sometimes dedicated to heathen Idols this very moneth wherein I speake to Iuno the daies to the planets this very day to the Sunne Our Chronicles testifie that Wednesday and Friday were so called of Woden and Frea the Idols of the Saxons All those names were imposed and abused to Idolatry but shall we therfore thinke that all which vse these names speake scandalously by countenancing Idolatrie It may bee that some of our Churches called by the names of Saints had their names not only as memorials but were also superstitiously dedicated to the honour of Saints and shall it therefore now bee imagined that the very vse of these names is a scandalous point God for bid The superstition and Idolatry are worne away the names remaine only as ciuill names and may bee so vsed for distinction sake as may be iustified by Scripture For the Prophet Daniell was called Belteshazzar according to the name of the God of Nabuchodonosor yet the Prophet inspired by the Spirit of God speaking of himselfe calleth himselâ—e Belteshazzar The Citie of Athens was so named of Pallas and therein was a street called the streete of Mars both which names proceeded from Idolatrie yet who can accuse Saint Luke of speaking scandalously in calling the Cittie Athens and the streete the streete of Mars Saint Paul sailed in a ship of Alexandria whose badge was Castor and Pollux which as Saint Crisostome truly obserueth were Idols Yet S. Lukes pen did not write scandalously in describing the ship by the names of Castor and Pollux Neither was it a scandalous point in S. Paul to saile in the ship for S. Luke vsed the name only historically as a ciuill name of distinction and S. Paul knew that the earth is the Lords and all that therein is And therefore in the tempest he did not inuocate Castor and Pollux but the true God Wherefore the names of times places and persons scandalously imposed may be vsed for distinction sake without scandall Many take offence at their brethren for vsing the names of Christmas Candlemas and the like as though it were a scandalous peece of Popery but admit that these feastiuities had their names of the masse though some learned men are of an other opinion yet suppose it were so those that are offended with this word Christmas as fauouring Poperie might bee offended with Bolteshazzar as fauouring Paganisme But they will say it renueth the memorie of the abhominable masse be it so and withall it may renew the memorie of our deliuery from the masse So the names of the daies of the weeke may put vs in minde how this land was sometimes drowned in Paganisme and the same may put vs in minde how it hath pleased God to deliuer vs from Paganisme Wherfore though men in such points may vse their libertie yet in such peremptorie maner to condemne their brethren is against charitie And thus much of scandall 37 Lastly they propose vs the paterne of reformed Churches which haue reiected these ceremonies as though it were our dutie therein to follow them The wordes of the admonition are these Is a reformation good for France and can it be euil for England Is discipline meete for Scotland and is it vnprofitable for this Realme Surely God hath set these examples before your eies to incourage you c. Concerning the reformed Churches I beseech God to poure his blessings
goe out of her my people that you be not partakers in her sinnes and that yee taste not of her plagues haue vpon your former premises gathered a practicall conclusion and made an actuall separation and rent from the Church of England And surely my brethren as they had their original from your positions so now they are strengthened by your practises for they may well thinke that such learned and vertuous men so famous and renowmed Preachers knowing a Wee pronounced against them if they preach not the Gospell would neuer suffer themselues to be silenced for matters which they iudged indifferent and therefore they will take it as granted that the things you sticke at are in your opinion simplie vnlawfull Vpon this dangerous position they will builde an other for if the Liturgie of the Church of England as it is inioined at this day to be performed be such as a Minister cannot execute his function with a good conscience then they conclude that neither may the people heare it with a good conscience because their presence were an approbation of it thus the vnquiet wit of man will still be working euen till it runne it selfe vpon the rocke of his owne destruction Wherefore my deare brethren I beseech you as you tender the good of the Church to lay aside all contentious humors Let there not bee found in you a spirit of contradiction and singularitie but follow those things which concerne peace and wherewith one may edifie an other Let vs consider one an other to prouoke one an other to loue and good works Bend your selues to settle the quiet of the Church and keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace Which is rather to be expected at your hands because the points in question are the publike constitutions of the venerable conuocation which is the Church of England representatiue in whose voice your owne voice is included Some peraduenture will replie that if this reason be sound then the reuerend Martyrs in Queene Maries time should haue subscribed to poperie because it was then decreed by the Conuocation But I answer that there is not the like reason For against their popish conclusions the blessed Martyrs had euident and necessary demonstration of holy Scripture to which all decâ—â—es of man must vndoubtedly giue place but against the orders of our Church no such demonstrations can be produced Againe the matters they stood vpon were substantiall points of religion whereas our controuersies are of a lower nature And surely as probable inducements must yeeld to necessarie so amongst probable of which sort are all reasons deduced from the authoritie of man the priuate must giue place to the publike Will you haue the iudgement of master Caluin in this point also Then attend and heare a notable place which was touched before but deserueth to bee pondered againe and againe his words are these Quamuis enim quod obtruditur scandalum afferat malam caudam trahat quia tamen per se Dei verbo non repugnat concedi potest maximè vbi maior numerus peruincit quando ei qui membrum est tantum illius corports nulla ratio suppetit vlterius pergendi Let it therfore be imagined that our orders bring scandall and draw after them a long and foule traine of inconueniences yet seeing that in themselues considered they are not repugnant to Gods word for this still wee must presume till the contrarie bee prooued and are agreed vpon by the greater part yea by the sacred Synod which is the Church of England representatiue and that with the royall assent of our Soueraigne surely in the iudgement of Caluin they may bee yeelded vnto by such as are members of the same Church neither in this case can they proceed any further Wherefore my brethren I cast my selfe downe at your feete and with tender teares beseech you euen in the bowels of Christ Iesus that you will seeke peace and follow after it and bee not like to them of whom it is saide The way of peace they haue not knowne 46 Fourthly looke vpon those reuerend Fathers and Bishops of our Church by whose hands and voices that blessing was powred vpon you which made you ministers of holie things Haue you not at your ordination made a promise and at your institution taken a reuerent oth of canonicall obedience Wherefore let mee exhort you which haue taken this oth and being admonished by your Bishop oppose your selues notwithstanding against the laudable discipline of our Church to enter into your owne soules and vprightly to consider whether while you pretend conscience you doe not that which is vncomely for conscieence And for our Bishops ò what an anguish will it bee to their soules if those voices which ordained you be constrained to depriue you And what a comfort would it be both to them and to all your brethren of the Ministerie if we might ioine together against the common enemie and bee linked in euerlasting chaines of loue one with another And heere most reuerend Fathers though in your wisedome you finde it fit that authorized lawes be put in execution yet remember that the offenders are your owne children in the Lord and by Gods mercie your assistants in dispensing the precious trueth of Iesus Christ and many of them very learned and laborious in the Church of God adorned with manifold vertues and graces of the spirit and therefore let all your proceedings towards them be with a tender heart and a tender hand Consider the multitude of papists and the insulting of vaine-glorious Iesuits behold how sinne and iniquitie euerie where abound and what need the Church hath of their learned labours and therefore in the name of God trie all meanes in Fatherly maner to reduce them endeuour according to your godly wisedome to giue them full satisfaction of their doubts and to make the equitie of the required subscription plaine and manifest vnto them that their consciences being resolued they may proceed as before in the worke of the Lord for this will tend much to the glorie of God the good of the Church your owne comfort and the sauing of many thousand soules This in all dutie I haue aduentured call to your remembrance most reuerend Fathers in behalfe of my brethren wherein if I seeme too bold that loue which caused me must excuseme 47 Finally beloued call to mind the flocke of Christ that depends vpon you their profiting in religion was the comfort of your hearts your ioy and your crowne the seale of your Ministerie they heard you as the Angels of God yea as Iesus Christ and could haue beene content to haue plucked out their owne eies and haue giuen them to you And therefore if there be any loue any bowels of compassion forsake not the lambes of Iesus Christ whereof the holie Ghost hath made you ouerseers For let me tell you that your loue to the flocke ought rather like a golden chaine to draw you then the