this side of the seas amongst vs. If Maister Caluin but especially maister Beza could haue been content to haue contained themselues within the limites either of Geneua or Fraunce to haue intermedled raigned there only and to haue vrged their platforme and deuise no further they might the better for vs in England haue been borne withall But nowe seeing they haue not so done who can be offended that I should make mention of it to the end that if they dealt amisse therein theyr examples and proceedinges might haue the estimation which indeed they deserue I omit how in K. Edwards time certaine malecontents grew vp in the Church of England because sundry matters might not bee ordered as they were at Geneua maister Caluin hauing written sundry letters into England to some suche like effect In Queene Maries time assoone as certaine of our Countreymen were come to Franckforde they were assaulted with the orders of Geneua Quarrels arising about the communion booke and forme of the seruice of England in Kinge Edwardes time there were particulars collected out of it by Knox Whittingham and such as had already tasted of that intoxication and sent to Geneua to bee censured by M. Caluin Who vpon the receit of them returned his answere concerning the sayde Booke compiled confirmed before by such men and such an authorititie as he ought to haue reuerenced In Anglicana Liturgia qualem describitis multas video fuisse tolerabiles ineptias I see that in the English forme of seruice as you describe it there were many tollerable foolleries When Knox and Whittingham had gotten this letter they published it to the Congregation Which being read it so wrought in the heartes of many sayth the discourser of the troubles at Franckford that they were not before so stoute to maintaine all the partes of the Booke of England as afterwardes they were bent against it If you haue Caluins Booke of Epistles I pray you reade it Although Beza thought it meete to be published in print yet shall you finde it to containe no one point of substance in it able to perswade a childe So as thereby you may iudge of their giddinesse who were moued so greatly with it When some of the sayd parties Whittingham diuerse others of a more violent humor came first to Franckford they fel also presently into a very especiall liking of the Geneua discipline as finding it to containe such rules and practices as did greatly concurre with their owne disposions In England poperie was restored and much crueltie vsed whereby they were constrained for the sauing of their liues to leaue their Countrye their liuings and theyr friendes In which case a man may easily gesse how acceptable these pointes were vnto some kinde of humors vz. that if Bishops and Princes refused to admit of the Gospell they might be vsed by their subiects as the Bishop of Geneua was vsed that is deposed and that euerie particular minister with his assistants according to the platforme of that discipline was himselfe a Bishop and had as great authoritie within his owne parish as any Bishop in the world might lawfully challenge euen to the excommunicating of the best aswell the Prince as the Pesaunt And indeede accordingly these positions as afterward it will appere were so pleasing to Whittingham and his consortes as it had beene a very meane forme of discipline I suppose that hauing such principles annexed vnto it wold at that time haue beene refused by them Howbeit many there were and that of the learnedest of those that then departed the Realme as Doct. Cox Doct. Horne M. Iewell with sundrie others who perceauing the trickes of that discipline did vtterly dislike it So as when they came afterwardes to Franckford they wholy insisted vppon the platforme of England and in short time obtayning of the Magistrates the vse thereof they did chose either D. Cox or D. Horne as I gesse or some such other as had beene of especiall account in K. Edwards time to be as it were their Superintendent For the bringing of which matter to passe one maister Clanbourge a chiefe magistrate in that Citie hauing shewed them some especiall fauour complaint was made thereof as it seemeth to M. Caluin Whereupon the sayde M. Clanbourg did write to him as it should appeare that he was induced to yeald to such a choyse the rather because the sayd Superintendent had some such like superior place in England before he came thither Vnto the which point maister Caluin that he might thrust his oare into euerye mans boat to disgrace the sayd platforme of England as much as lay in him and to incourage the factious company at Franckforde that were besotted with his pretended discipline did returne this answere If Beza hath set out his letter truely I would one point had beene omitted which was suggested vnto you I doubt not by that one partie I thinke he meaneth the sayd superintendent For otherwise it would neuer haue come into your cogitation as though he had still kept his whole estate in England to haue established his former ministerie there with you in a perpetuall possession of the authoritie therof Peraduenture there is nothinge that from the beginninge his meaninge is since the Englishemen came thither hath stired vp more contention or at the leaste displeasure so hath kindled strife then this emulation in that the greater part did thinke themselues to be thrust from their equall degree and to bee contumeliously excluded from the common societie if the Church which had receaued intertainment with you meaning the companie that had receiued his forme of discipline before the saide learned men came to Franckford should receaue their lawes from the other parte or side Within some short time after this that the sayd order of the English Church was established as you haue hard at Franckford diuerse of those men who had beene earnest for the Geneuian discipline deuided themselues from that Church as Whittingham Gilby Goodman and others and went to Geneua Where to the great discredit of the estate of the Church of England in Kinge Edwardes time to the greate griefe of such godly men and afterwardes worthy Martirs as remayned here in Queene Maries time in England and to the greate discouragement of sundry weake professors then also in England they reiected the whole forme of our English reformation the booke of common praier our seruice the order of our sacramentes and of all thinges els in effect there prescribed and conformed themselues altogether to the fashions of the Church at Geneua Where they had not beene longe when they had sucked and disgested the whole doctrine before mentioned to be as the appendants necessarily annexed to that forme of newe discipline and which was afterwardes enlarged by Beza as I take it Hotoman others of the disciplinarian humor in their bookes intituled De iure magistratuum c. Vindicia contra tirannos Franco-gallia c. The generall summe
themselues are excepted Whereof it commeth that the very same proiect is made to the Lordes of her Maiesties most honourable Councell which was deuised by Beza for Scotland vz. that in place of the Bishops there might be present in the parliament house some wise and graue Ministers of especiall gifts learning sorted out of all the land to yeld their Councell according to Gods heauenly lawe euen as the ciuill Iudges are readie to giue their aduise according to the temporall law and for matters of greater difficultie But would they sitte there as the Iudges doe and haue no voices I take it they would scorne that greatly For I nothing doubt but if they were there they would account themselues the wisest in the companie And therefore it was more substantially considered of by him who penned a Supplication to her Maiestie and wished That foure and twentie Doctors of Diuinitie to be called by such names as it should please hir highnes might be admitted into the Parliament house and haue their voyces there in steade of the Bishops And would they bee called Lords if it pleased her Maiestie for the honour of that house to appoynt it so Their wordes doe import so much and I make no doubt of it but that to gratifie her highnesse they would bee content to humble themselues so farre In the hope which they haue conceiued to ouerthrow the state of Bishoppes and to haue their deuise allowed of and established in the lande they inueigh most bitterly against the Bishoppes and the Conuocation house misliking that the dealing in ecclesiasticall causes should bee committed vnto them in sorte as now it is affirming that the liberties of the Parliament are thâ—reby betrayed and that it appertaineth to that Court to order matters of religion But what if the Bishops were excluded and none admitted into the Conuocation house but such as they woulde chuse from amongst themselues how then Indeed saith the Supplicator If the Conuocation house were such as it ought to bee c. then were it not lawfull for the Parliament to establish any thing in the matters appertaining to the pure worship of God but by theyr direction Which is this in effect if I vnderstand them that the Parliament should prouyde theyr new pretended gouernours of sufficient maintenance and set vp theyr Eldershippes and then enact it likewise that whatsoeuer they should ordaine in their assemblies and meetings for the time to come concerning Church causes should be in full strength and for euer obeyed vntill it might please them to make some alteration Which is the point that Knox aymed at in his Exhortation to England wherein for the good instruction of her Maiesties subiectes he sendeth them from Geneua these Allobrogicall rules That the pretended discipline ought to bee set vp that all Princes ought to submit themselues vnder the yoke of it that what Prince King or Emperour shall disanull the same he is to be reputed Gods enemie and to be helde vnworthie to raigne aboue his people and then sayth if such order were once established as there he prosecuteth and the discipline well executed accordingly theyr yearely comming to the Parliament for matters of religion shall bee superfluous and vayne And this also is playne by Cartwrights newe forme of discipline subscribed vnto by himselfe and his fellowes Which forme they haue auowed vppon theyr oathes to bee such as that they purposed to haue beene suitors to her Maiestie for the generall establishing of it In which their purpose if once they may preuayle there shall neuer Parliament bee troubled againe in matters of religion otherwise then as I sayde for making of lawes that the people may obey their orders For the whole gouernement is there ascribed vnto their Elderships other assemblies insomuch as the ciuill Magistrate is not once mentioned in it It is well knowne how vehement they haue been and still continue against the now Lord Archbishop of Canterbury in that he is one of her Maiesties most honourable priuie Councell accounting it vnlawful for a Bishop or Minister of the worde to holde anie such roome and authoritie And yet notwithstanding it is greatly allowed of liked that Beza in Geneua should be one of the Councel of that state there one of the threescore and they admit not anie into theyr Consistory so much as the meanest of their Aldermen but hee must bee eyther a Syndicke or one of the Councell of threescore or one of the Councell of two hundreth Now I cannot possibly be brought to thinke that the worde of God should deale so partially but that it may bee as lawfull heere as there if it please her Maiestie to haue a Bishop to bee one of her most honourable Councell It is apparant in the former Chapiter what little account they make of generall Councels The best are censured by them and reprooued It is not well borne by Cartwright that the Councell of Nice should be tearmed a famous Councell And for other Councels or Synodes they are scarcely reckoned to bee worthie the mentioning If you presse one of that forte with the authoritie of them all though hee be not thirty yeares of age hee will not sticke to make a tush at them and tell you that himselfe is of another opinion No decrees made by them will bind these fellowes And as touching our owne nationall Synodes and Parliaments they are prosecuted with the greatest contempt The reformation of religion made by that authoritie is tearmed a deformation The articles of religion are misliked in diuers points The Iniunctions Aduertisements Canons Orders Ceremonies and all thinges in a manner are despised by them For they are but mens preceptes forsooth euery man must trie them and keepe or allowe what he list at the least if hee will but pretend that hee dooth it of conscience Howbeit if they may haue once authoritie to establish their Elderships and to meete together in theyr classicall prouinciall or nationall assemblies there to make such lawes and orders as they shall thinke good then see I praye you how they chaunge theyr song Touching my departure from that holy assembly without leaue c. Icraue pardon Holy assembly It was a Conuenticle in London about the yeare 1584. I am ready to runne if the Church commaund according to the holy decrees and orders of discipline Holy decrees and orders The matter was for his going into the Lowe Countries with the Earle of Leicester and for his absence from his benefice To the determination of a nationall Synode men shall stande as it was at Ierusalem except it bee in a great matter of fayth or a great matter expressely against the Scriptures It was agreede vppon in the Northampton classis that concerning any matters of doctrine or about the sense of any place of Scriptures the brethren within that compasse must stande to the determination of that clâ—ssis And these are the
A SVRVAY OF THE PRETENDED Holy Discipline Contayning the beginninges successe parts proceedings authority and doctrine of it with some of the manifold and materiall repugnances varieties and vncertaineties in that behalfe Faithfully gathered by way of historicall narration out of the bookes and writinges of principall fauourers of that platforme Anno 1593. They would be Doctors of the Law and yet vnderstand not what they speake neither whereof they affirme 1. Tim. 1.7 Sententias vestras prodidisse superasse est Hier. ad Ctesiph adu Pelag c. 4. To acquaint you with their discipline is to ouerthrow it Imprinted at London by Iohn Wolfe 1593. TO THE READER THere are many in England I perceiue that are so addicted vnto their own opinions as concerning the pretended holy Discipline and such a reformation as they themselues haue deuised that they cannot with anie patience endure to heare either contradiction or argument to the contrarie I knowe some of them saith a certaine aduertiser touching the controuersies of the Church of England that would thinke it a tempting of God to heare or read what might bee saide against them as if they could be at quod bonum est tenete without an omnia probate going before Which maner of persons the Prophet Dauid resembleth vnto the deafe Adder that stoppeth his eare and will not heare the voyce of the inchaunter though he be expert in charming S. Augustine writing vpon these wordes saith that the serpent delighting in the darknesse wherewithall hee hath inclosed himselfe clappeth one of his eares very hard to the ground and with his taile stoppeth the other least hearing the Marso he should be brought forth to the light And so do a great number of these Serpentine persons whereof the aduertiser made mention they stop one of their eares so hard with earth that is with a most insatiable and greedy desire of riches and the other with their tayles whereby saith Aug posterior a intelliguntur that is with a sacrilegious hope that hereafter vnder pretence of setting vppe theyr discipline they may come to the massacre and spoyle of the Church and will fleere and Ieere much against theyr own consciences god knoweth when any inchaunter or Marso assayleth either by wordes or writinge to charme them With these men or any else whose hartes are thus possessed eyther with this earth and hope or with any other such like poison for what respects soeuer I haue nothing here to doe but onely to pray for them that god mollifying their preiudiciall and obstinate mindes they may be content first to beholde and then with humility to acknowledge the truth There is an other sorte both of the Clergy and laitye who notwithstanding they fauour the pretended discipline euen with singlenesse of hart and in good earnest I am perswaded as supposing it to be the Lordes owne workemanship holy institution yet forasmuch as they do very well know that many dishes are washed cleane on the outside and yet are foule within that many sepulchers are gorgious to the eies and yet inwardly haue nothing in them but bones and corruption that men may be often times deceiued with shewes and probabilities as allwayes heretofore many haue beene and that there are no spirits of any prophets in our dayes which ought not to be subiect to the spirites of other prophets they will be pleased I trust to yeald themselues vnto the Apostolicall rules of trying of all thinges and not bee caried away either with rashnesse or preiudice to belieue any spirit vntil they haue tried it throughly whether it be of god In the behalfe of these men and for their sakes especially I haue presumed to offer vnto their wise and indifferent consideration such simple notes and obseruations as I had formerly gathered when according to the said rules of the Apostles by occasion of the great opinion which beganne to growe of the Geneua-forme of ecclesiasticall discipline I was bold to try and examine it according to the measure of such small ability and iudgement as god hath indued me withall Whereby if either they or any other shall reape anye profit to the establishing of their mindes in this giddy age from running vppe and downe after euery young start-vp hether and thether to secke new platformes of Church-gouernment in this place or that place when as we haue one of our owne which is in my conscience truely Apostolicall and farre to be preferred before any other that is receiued this day by any reformed Church in Christendome I shall thinke my paynes well bestowed nay I shall bee right glade in my hart and allwayes most thankefull vnto allmightie god for it Otherwise if by reason of such weakenes and infirmities as I do acknowledge to bee in my selfe to haue shewed themselues in euery parte of this Treatise there shall any offence bee taken that may blast or hinder the sayde fruite which I doe indeede most earnestly desire I cannot choose but bee very sory for it satisfyinge my selfe in the meane time notwithstanding that in the whole processe following the contents whereof you may see in the next pages I haue set downe nothing which I doe not thinke I haue set down truly Liberaui animam meam I haue therein discharged my conscience and so I committe you to God The Contents of this Booke How vnder pretence of the Prophets loue to Syon some men would gladly set vp their owne fancies Cap. 1. fol. 1. How by whom where the platforme of Presbytery discipline was first deuised and established Cap. 2. fol. 7. By whose instigation and how the pretended Discipline of Geneua hath enlarged her iurisdiction Cap. 3. fol. 41. Our English Geneuaters vpon a better inquirie made are growne to a great vncertaintie touching sondry poyntes of the Geneuian platforme Cap. 4. fol. 60. With what distraction vncertaintie diuersitie of iudgements pretence is made that the Geneua Discipline is of verye great antiquitie Cap. 5. fol. 70. The seekers of the pretended Discipline are not yet agreede what name they should giue vnto theyr Hierarchicall parish-meetings Cap. 6. fol. 88. Of theyr vncertaynty concerning the places where this pretended regiment should be erected Cap. 7. fol. 96. Of Bishops generally of the pretended equalitie of Pastors or new parish-bishops and how the chief impugners of Bishops beginne to relent Cap. 8. fol. 104. They disagree very greatly concerning Doctors Cap. 9. fol. 144. Their Aldermen must be men of good calling Cap. 10. fol. 154 Theyr disagreement about the name of their ruling Associates Cap. 11. fol. 156. They cannot agree where to finde theyr Elders qualities described Cap. 12. fol. 162. Of theyr vncertainty whether their Elders be ecclesiasticall men or lay-men Cap. 13. fol. 170. Theyr disagreement concerning the continuance of their Elders in theyr office Cap. 14. fol. 174 Their vncertainty where to finde the particular offices of theyr Aldermen Cap. 15. fol. 177. Of their Aldermens ioynt-office with the Ministers in the election abdication
raigne aboue his people About the same time Goodman Whittingham Gilby and some others returned from Geneua into England What violēt and seditious doctrine they brought home with them at the least they three that are mentioned I leaue to some other oportunity But for the Geneuian discipline all their desires were in that point insatiable They had seene how Caluin and Beza did raign at Geneua and thought scorne thereuppon to be subiect vnto any It seemed vnto them a notable matter If euery one of them might by and by haue obtained an absolute autority where they should haue beene placed Comming from Geneua they thought they should haue beene admired But finding themselues therein deceaued and that their Geneuian motions were little regarded it wrought in them a very great discontentment and made them so wilfull that nothing would please them which was not practised in Geneua So as thereby great contentions were presently stirred vp by thē Their first assault was made against the Communion Book with the orders ceremonies that are therein prescribed In the which quarrels perceiuing themselues in many respectes as I take it to be ouermatched what was their refuge but forsooth they must complaine to maister Beza Which complaint receaued he writte his Letter in their behalfe vnto Doctor Grindall 1566. then Bishop of London I wish a man would read the Epistles of Leo sometimes Bishop of Rome and conferre them with this of Bezaes to consider whether tooke more vppon him Leo where he might commaund or Beza where there was no reason he should at all haue intermedled But let him goe on He findeth faults with the manner of apparell appointed for our Ministers with the Crosse in Baptisme with kneeling at the holy Communion with all ceremonies that carrie with them any signification and withall the ancient Fathers applying himselfe altogether to strengthen and incourage his factious old acquaintance in their froward and peruerse obstinacie And because his course taken therein should not bee vnknowen with the same minde that he writte this letter now you see hee hath printed it The yeare after 1567. when the sayd malecontents perceiued that notwithstanding Bezaes letter there was no place giuen vnto their giddie fancies but that euery daye they were withstood more and more and that with such sufficient reasons as for mine owne part I thinke that all the Bezaes in Christendome will neuer be able sufficiently to confute they beganne to stagger and knew not what they should do They could finde no directions in the scriptures how they might behaue themselues and therfore they were constrayned to fly againe to Beza Obserue well I pray you what he himselfe writeth hereof Saepe multumque c. Being oft and greatly desired of my deerest beloued Brethren of the Churches of England that in their miserable state Consilium illis aliquod suggereremus in quo acquiescere ipsorum conscientiae possent I would giue them some councell whereupon their consciences might rest diuerse men houlding diuers opinions c. A long time I differred for diuers waighty reasons so to do and I professe that most willingly I would yet haue beene silent but that I thinke I should greatlye offende if I should still reiect their so many petitions and most pitifull mournings Wee in England may thinke wee haue had great iewels of these disturbers and that for all their pretences of great learning and grauitie they were indeed of a very shallow iudgement that could finde nothing to stay their consciences vppon but what should bee sent to them from M. Beza It was a fond part for them to write so vnto him and a very insolent parte for him to take so much vpon him but in that hee hath published so much to the world in print their childishnes his owne pride I may terme it but I want a word to expresse my conceit Hereby it should seeme that if Beza had taken such a course as might well haue beseemed him it lay greatly in his power to haue very much quieted all those present troubles But that minde was farre from him and yet it would haue tended a great deale more to his owne credit For he giueth his sayd deerest beloued Brethren very vnwise vnlearned and vngodly councell although euer since that time according to their promise they haue very grauely builded their consciences vpon it And it was this in effect that if they could not enioy their ministerie without giuing their consents to the manner of making of our Ministers by the Bishops without the voyces of such a Presbiterie as he and his Schollers do dreame of without giuing their consents to the vse of the Cap and Surplise and to the manner of excommunication in the Church of England c. They should then giue place manifestae violentiae to manifest violence and liue as priuate men Let any man that list read ouer that Epistle also and then iudge indifferently by what light aduise this peeuish opposition hath beene continued amongst vs. After some time spent in these brables then they bethought them to fall more directly in hand with the Geneuian Discipline To this purpose certaine persons assembled themselues priuately together in London as I haue beene enformed namely Gilbye Sampson Leuer Field Wilcox and I wot not who besides And then it was agreed-vpon as it seemeth that an admonition which the now L. Archbishop of Canterburie did afterwards confute should be compiled and offred vnto the Parliament approching Anno. 1572. Against which time it was also prouided that Beza should write his letterr to a great man in this Land for and in the behalfe of the chiefe contents therof vz. for the admitting in England of the sayd Allobrogicall Discipline Which office you may be sure he performed very willingly Vnderstanding sayth he of an assembly of the Estate of England wherein there would bee dealing with matters of Religion I could not chose but write vnto you of that matter And so he proceedeth shewing that all men doe allow of our doctrine but not of our Discipline That except where there is pure doctrine there be also pure discipline meaning his own Geneuian Darling the Churches are litle the better and that therefore her Maiestie and her faythfull Councellors should procure the setting vp of this pure Discipline notwithstanding any difficulties whatsoeuer that might hinder it The same yeare also 1572. hee writ to the Queenes Maiestie an Epistle dedicatory before his annotations vpon the new Testament In the which although he doth confesse that her Highnes hath restored to this Lande the true worship of God yet he insinuateth that wee want a full instauration of Ecclesiasticall Discipline that our Temples are not fully repurged that some high places remayne as yet not abolished and wisheth that those wantes and blemishes might be supplyed and reformed meaning as I thinke hee would confesse if he were deposed that her Maiestie should conforme the present Apostolicall and most
some Prophets some Euangelistes some Pastors and Doctors for the repayring of the Saintes for the worke and the Ministerie and for the edification of the body of Christ. And againe vppon these wordes A Bishop must be vnreproueable c. hee meeteth with the common obiection for the equalitie of Ministers because euery Minister is called a Bishope sometimes in the Scriptures and sayth that the word Bishoppe notwithstanding it be oftentimes vsed by S. Paule for euery pastor of the church of God who haue a kinde of ouersight ouer theyr seuerall charges and so may suo modo after a sort bee called Superintendents and Bishops c. yet heere it signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Primarios illos ecclesiarum pastores c. Those chiefe pastors to whom the ouersight of the liues and manners of the other ministers is committed whom according to the force of the Greeke appellation we in these dayes do call Superintendents Hitherto then it appeareth as I take it what is both the practise of the reformed Churches in Germany and the iudgemēt also of the chiefe learned men there since Melanchthon Bucers times concerning Bishops or Superintendents with their preheminence charge and authoritie Some there are indeed beyond the seas who followinge the immoderate proude and slaunderous humor that Melanchthon Camerarius spake of before haue vttered their great mislike of the Germaine Superintendents and that with lesse modestie a great deale then doth well become them In reproofe of one of them Gerlachius a learned man of Tubing writeth in this sort Licet titulos ordinum c. Although thou beholdest with disdaine as it were from aboue the titles of orders after the fashion of hypocrites and of the Anabaptistes yet with a vaine perswasion of knowledge foolish arrogancye whereby thou contemnest our countrymen in respect of thy selfe and dost chalenge especiall knowledge to thee and thy fellowes onely Plus turges quà m omnes Doctores et Superintendentes nostri Thou swellest more with pride then all our Doctors and Superintendents And what commeth into thy minde that thou shouldest cauill at the degrees of ministers as though it were not lawfull to ordayne such degrees for the building and gouernment of the Church Did not God himselfe in the old Testament appoint a chiefe Bishop Priests and Leuits And in the new Testament gaue hee not some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists and some Pastors and Doctors Had not the primatiue church accordingly Bishops Priestes and Deacons And againe a little after in the same booke whilest thou a proude man girdest so often at the title of Superintendent I affirme that thou reprehendest the Apostle Paule himselfe who hath giuen this name to a distinct order of ministers of the church And our Auncestors following this Apostle haue thought it meete that for the edifying of the church and for orders sake there should be certaine Superintendentes that is ouerseers not onely of the flocke but of the nisters in like manner Thus farre Gerlachius who if hee were in England knewe into what an extremitie the like persons are growen vnto in the same case amongst vs It would peraduenture moue him For nowe there is no remedye with our ministers of that consorte but they must all bee equall They cannot endure it no the meanest of them to haue anye of their owne coate their Superior They are fallen into the contradiction of Chors and doe tell both Moyses and Aaron that they take to much vpon them All Pastores saye they are and ought to be of equall authoritie in their seuerall Parishes and no one to haue power ouer another Euery parish Priest with them must bee a Bishop and haue as full iurisdiction in his Parochiall dioces as it is lawful for any Bishop in the world either to haue or to execute For orders sake they are content that in their Classicall prouinciall or Nationall assemblies some one minister bee chosen from amongst thēselues to be the moderator for the propounding of matters gathering of voices c. But his office preheminence is to continew no longer then whilest those assemblies last Otherwise or for any further authoritie either of Bishops or Archbishops whether they haue abolished popery reformed religiō maintained the gospell abandoned superstitiō or whatsoeuer they haue done or yealded vnto they holde it altogether vnlawfull do raile against them all against their callings and against all that defend them and that with more then heathenish scurrilitie Cartwright is the chiefe man that began this course in Englande and you shall see howe pretily his schollers follow him Archbishops Bishops sayth he are new ministeries neuer ordayned by God The first step to this kind of Bishopricke beganne at Alexandria and not at Syon The name and office of an Archbishop is vnlawfull his function is of the earth and so can do no good but much harme in the church he is a knobbe or some lumpe of flesh which being no member of the body doth burthen it and disgrace it Whereupon foorth come his schollers crying out amaine that Archbishops Bishops are superfluous members of the body of Christ and that they mayme and deforme his body making it by that meanes a monster That they are vnlawfull false bastardly gouernors of the church That they are the ordinances of the Diuell That they are in respect of theyr places enemies of God that they are petye Popes pety Antichristes Bishops of the Diuell and incarnate Diuels that none euer defended this gouernmēt of our Bishops but Papists and such as were infected with Popish errours That the Lawes that mayntaine the Archbishops and Bishops are no more to bee accounted of then the Lawes that mayntaine Steves and that the true church of God ought to haue no more to do with them and their Synagogues then with the Synagogue of Sathan All which Consistorian and modest assertions aswell for the equalitie of Ministers as against the calling of Bishops being ioyned together are wholy opposite to all that which hitherto I haue writt̄e touching this matter Euen as though they should haue cast downe their gauntlets proclaymed an vtter defiance to all the Churches that euer were established in the world for much aboue three thousande yeares the Churches whilest the law continued the churches in Christs time the Churches in his Apostles times the Churches throughout all christendome for a thousand fiue hundred yeares against all the generall Councels all the auncient fathers all ecclesiasticall histories against al the chiefe reformers of religon in this latter age against all the learned mens iudgements before mentioned and against all the reformed churches whersoeuer in christ̄edome that eyther haue BB. or Superint̄edents God forgiue th̄e this great sin of pride presumption deliuer th̄e out of the number of those of wh̄o it is said that their mouthes speake proud things that they dispise gouernment that they
profitable duetiés doe appertaine but these our Elders therefore I thinke they are to bee referred to them I thinke Beholde hee is not certaine There are no other When shall that be proued by the coldnes of his conclusion considering the mans warm disposition it seemeth to me that if the same things might bee brought to passe without these Elders that they ascribe to their offices they would not much insist to vrge them any longer Which maketh mee to remember the notable Counsaile which Gualter gaue to the Bishops of England in a Letter of his to the Bishop of Ely Where prosecuting certaine points of more then popish tyranny practised by some of his neighbour Consistorians and commending those in Englande that did oppose themselues to the innouators here hee giueth this adui se. Ne tamen hi habeant plausibilem calumniandi occasionem c. But leaste your disturbers and vnquiete personnes may haue a plausible occasion of slaundering it is necessary to ordayne by the Magistrates authority a Christian meanes or Discipline for reformation of manners whereby the Ministers if theyr liues bee dissolute the too much libertye of great men and the corrupt behauiour of the common people may bee restrained Nam si id fiat non habebunt illi quod quiritentur nisi apertam Imperij affectationem profiteri velint For if that be done those persons shall haue no cause to complaine except they will publikely professe the affectation of the Empire It appeareth by diuers letters of Gualters that the present state of the Church of England is so depraued beyond the seas by these companions amongst vs as that it hath beene conceiued by godly men that wee had no lawes no good orders no discipline but that euery man might doe what he list which caused him to giue this aduise Whereas if he had knowne the trueth hee would rather haue vrged the Bishops to a more carefull regard then hetherto they haue had for the executinge of such lawes as wee haue made to our hands already then for the making any new For the best reformed churches in Europe may cast their caps as the saying is in this respect at England Which heapeth a greater iudgement vpon them that can not bee content to liue quietly vnder the present gouernement but do so frowardly so seditiously so fondly seek to disturbe the same and to bringe vnto vs they know not what a counterfeite Chimera without either top or toe proportionable to that which is pretended But this is by the way My purpose was to informe you that for the duties or offices before so largely ascribed vnto their Elders to bee seuerally by them executed in their particular tribes they haue no warrant in the woord of God but are driuen to silly shiftes their proculdubio their thinkinges and as you haue seene in effect to confesse as much So that by their owne diuinity those men that dare take vpon them such offices are in daunger to perish Now I will come to those offices which they affirme they are to execute with the Pastor and Doctor CHAP. XVI Of their Aldermens ioynt-office with the Ministers in the election abdication and ordination of Ministers and of their disagreement about the same THe Elders saith maister Cartwright are ioyntly to execute with the Ministers election or choyse and the abdication or putting out of Ecclesiasticall officers Tush why omitteth he ordinatioÌ„ Let it be added out of his demonstrator and others to go with the other for company Euery officer of the church saith the Demonst. he must be ordained by the laying on of the handes of the Eldership Indeed heere is now good fellowship The second is in excommunication of the stubborne or absolution of the repentant The third is the decision of all such matters as do rise in the church eyther touching corrupt manners or peruerse doctrine A man would haue thought these Elders had been sufficiently loaden before but here is a surcharge with a witnesse I trust their proofes for these thinges are very pregnant or else their presumption will be more then palpable You must not forget that whether these Rulers in Moses time did ioyne with the Priestes in the execution of any of their offices at all or not Beza though hee labour to seeke out their first institution and so to finde them when they were at the best yet he is driuen to his probabile est for that point and can go no further that way Besides will they say that in the old testament these their Elders had to doe in the electing or chosing of Priests so consequently in their deposition Lay it in them or in their voices to make new Leuites It is a mockery Besides what if their Elderships themselues haue no such authoritie shall it not in some sorte impaire the credite of their Aldermen Or if the Ministers the maisters of the game be cut short may not their attendantes be contented though they be somewhat abridged At Geneua in the election of their Ministers the councell of state hath in effect a negatiue voyce For after their Ministers vpon examination of the partie and hearing of him preach haue thought him a meete man for the ministery he must againe preach before some of the Councell and if the Councel like him not he cannot be chosen but is repelled And as the ciuile magistrate hath there his ordinary authoritie in the electing of ministers so hath he when any of them doe incurre the daunger of law the like authoritie to depose them againe from the Ministery This were a disgrace indeed if our graue Eldership should be thus ouerruled But for their Aldermen in all that action of both sortes vz election and abdication I doe not find them so much as once mentioned by those lawes except they be included in the name of ministers And then some of their ministers are dumbe dogges By the decrees of the nationall Synode at the Hage the election of ministers may not be by the Consistorie alone but the Deacons are also ioyned in commission with them and likewise the Classis or if there be none then two or three neighbour-ministers And for deposition of any from the ministerie that is Penes caetum Classicum belonging to the Classicall assembly It seemeth that the Elders being more in number in euerie Eldership then the ministers beganne to play false play and shewed some wilfulnesse so as nowe they must in this sorte be bridled with a pluralitie of more Priestly voyces By which meanes though they seeme to haue some interest in these affaires yet in effect it is none at all Furthermore it is ordered by the great Synode in Fraunce that a minister may not be chosen by one onely minister with his consistorie but by two or three ministers or if there be a colloquy by the collâ—quy with the consistorie or els by the prouinciall Synode if it may be But touching
not past an hower before they had in an other company depraued peraduēture most egregiously And maister Beza you must imagine hath bene an old courtier and knoweth wel what policie meaneth Plaine dealing certainly is best but often-times it falleth out that it is not the readiest way for hammering and busie farre reaching heads to compasse their purposes If this excuse do seeme too simple let any that list make a better No man doth wish it more heartily as I thinke then my selfe that maister Beza should thinke well of the present church-gouernment established in England so he do it plainly faithfully and directly which will not happen I feare it in hast Neither haue I alleaged his former words to that purpose as though I tooke all that for gold which he can make to glister The point I prosecute is this that you might perceaue how they begin to leaue off from vrging the Geneuian platforme with such important necessitie as formerly they haue done But most of all it pleaseth me to see how maister Cartvvright draweth homeward For as the Anabaptists by their madnesse kept maister Caluin within some good compas and as maister Beza hath bene compelled in some sort to retire himselfe from his former eagernesse so assuredly the phrenetical giddinesse of these our new vnbrideled schismatickes who for pretended puritie are many degrees beyond al the Sauoyan disciplinariās hath wrought a miracle to my vnderstanding vpon M. Cartvvright For heare him how for feare of falling into flat Donatisme he was fain to plead against one that had bene his scholer in the behalfe of the church of England so bitterly before by himselfe impugned The ordinarie assemblies sayth he of those vvhich professe the gospell in England are the churches of Christ which he proueth in this sort Those assemblies vvhich haue Christ for their head and the same also for their foundatiō are Gods churches Such are the assemblies of England therefore c. Againe they that haue performed vnto them the speciall couenant vvhich the Lord hath made with his churches of pouring his spirit vpon them and putting his vvord into their mouthes are the churches of God but such are the assemblies in England therefore c. Hereunto may be added sayth he further the iudgement of all the churches of Christ in Europe all vvhich giue the right hand of societie in the house of God vnto the assemblies vvhich are in England Againe to prooue that the church of England is the church of God notwithstanding it want the pretended discipline he vseth this distinction that as it is in mans body so is it in this matter there are certaine parts essentiall and such as vvithout the vvhich a man cannot stand and some seruing either to his comlinesse or to his continuance And of this latter sort he maketh the discipline and lastly he writeth thus To say that the church of England is not the church of God because it hath not receaued this discipline me thinks is all one vvith this as if a man vvould say It is no citie because it hath no vvall or that it is no vineyard because it hath neither hedge nor ditch Thus farre maister Cartvvright In which his manner of speech you find a very great alteration from his ancient stile And as concerning the necessitie whereof I intreat the wind you see is turned There is no more necessity in England of the Geneua platforme then that euery citie in this realme should be walled about And besides the pretended discipline is become not to be any longer of the essence of the church but as appertaining to the comlinesse of it But how these things will accord with the premises namely his subscriptiō before mentioned to the new booke of discipline where the same discipline is made to be essentiall or whether maister Cartvvright hath changed his iudgement againe since he writ that answer to Harrison I will leaue it to be discussed by them that know his vnreuealed mind better then I do In the meane time that which he hath graunted I thinke it meet to take hold of And this I will adde vnto it that if maister Cartvvright would but conferre with some that haue skill in fortification to know of him whether an old thicke wall of lime and stone made many hundred yeares since or a new sleight wall slubbered ouer and wrought with vntēpered morter some few yeres ago whether I say of these 2 walles are of better defence for any citie I should be in good hope that he would in short time leaue the disciplinarie walles of Geneua and content himselfe with the ancient fortifications of the church of England and the rather because he seeth as I sayd in the former chapter what a giddie and itching humor his nouelties haue bred in the vnstayed sort of many fantasticall people CAP. XXXV Of the pretended commoditie that the elderships vvould bring vvith them and of the small fruits that they bring sorth vvhere they are THat which hath bene sayd of the commendation of this pretended regiment may fitly be applied to this place But now further of the commodities which they say it would bring with it inseparable consequents belike thereof I will trouble you only with three mens testimonies who it seemeth haue collected together that which is thought fit to be published to this purpose If vve had this gouernment God vvould blesse our victuals and satisfie our poore vvith bread hee vvould cloath our priests vvith saluation and his saints should shout for ioy It is best and surest for our state and there is nothing comparable to the establishing of it for her maiesties safetie It vvould make men to increase in vvealth and that they vvould not easily be dravvne after any great man to sedition and rebellion That her Maiesties person hath bene so oft in danger that we haue had some dearth of late yeares and that the Spaniards attempted to inuade this land they ascribe it to the want of this their gouernment It vvould cut off contentions and sutes of lavv c. by censuring the partie that is troublesome and contentious and vvithout reasonable cause vpon euill vvill and stomacke should vex and molest his brother and trouble the countrie If this gouernment vvere restored then you should see learning nourished young and olde called from blindnes to light from wickednes to vertue and pietie Then many woulde change their studies from Law Phisicke Musicke scholing c. and manye would leaue their trades and parentes would thinke theyr cost well bestowed and diuerse waies comforted to preferre their children to the studie of Diuinity Then there woulde be an vnity of the Church Then should the Papist quaile the Anabaptist waile and the Atheistes be amazed There could not bee so many seduced hanged aud quartered as there are Then no licences could steale away mens daughters the people should finde out the trueth and perfection of
Letters And surely I am greatlie confirmed in my former opinion by the examples which such like innouators in Germany doe bring forth Video enim illis hominibus nihil ambitiosius nihil insolentius nihil ineptius fingi posse For whereas there are many thinges most wickedly done by them daily yet they are not ashamed to pretende the zeale of God in excuse of those thinges which contrarie to the worde of God they deuise both wickedly and maliciouslie against the seruauntes of Christ. But as farre as I canne coniecture many by whose counsaile and assistaunce the frame of this Discipline was chiefely erected are nowe ashamed of them But that which Maister Gualter writte the same yeare to Bishop Sands is most pertinent I vnderstand that the strife amongest you procured by certain turbulent innouators doth wax hotte and that they are gone so farre that vnder the plausible title of good order and Discipline they desire the whole gouernement and pollicy of the Church of England to be vtterly ouerthrowen Surely I should meruaile at the immodesty and wilfull desire of contention in these men but that I see the same in practise else-where especiallie in all those places where the authority of the bretheren of Geneua is so greatly esteemed that Geneua is accounted the Oracle of all Christendome God hath indeed adorned that Church with diuerse excellent gifts and the Ministers thereof amongest whom Maister Beza I haue alwaies reuerenced and loued and doe so still But yet I would wish them modestiùs humiliùs sapere and not seeke to draw their shooe vppon euery mans foote c. What hath beene done in the Palsegraues Countrey I writte vnto you before Surely the state there as touching Discipline and the gouernement of the Church all men that come thence doe say it is worse then it was before and it is sure that many doe repent that they euer admitted these mens counsaile But yet the Geneuians doc still endeuour to thrust that their Discipline vppon all Churches And if they shall deny this they may bee sufficiently conuinced by the Booke of Theologicall examples that Beza published this other yeare that they suggest their arguments and councels not onelye to you Englishmen but in like sorte to the Germans Phrisians Polonians and Hungarians whereby amongest those that agreede well together before rixae turbae enascuntur brawlings and quarrels doe arise c. And so hauing signified what troubles the innouators beyond the seas as well as in England doe procure to the Church he moueth the Bishop to doe as he and Maister Bullinger did that is to moderat such busie wittes as they might for a time For saith he spero aedificium hoc nouae Disciplinae breui propria mole ruiturum quando satis constat iam eius pertaesos esse qui priús illud admirabantur I hope the frame of this new Discipline will in short time fall of it selfe considering that many are nowe become wearie of it that had it before in admiration An other likewise a Gantois a very graue and learned man as well acquainted with this Discipline as Maister Cartwright is being desired to write his opinion whether it had brought forth such effectes in Holland as is before pretended it would doe in England for aunswere saieth Is any man able to repeate the monstrous Heresies and errors that Holland doth nourishe c. vnder the shadowe of reformed religion this is aimed at vz. that the turpitude of all blasphemies being couered with this cloake may lie hid and that it may be lawfull without controlement if anie list to recall the old Paganisme or to professe Mahomets Religion or what worse is if there be anie thing worse Againe the Magistrates haue inuaded the Church-goods The Ministers haue little allowaunce There is no respect of the study of Diuinitie The Magistrates doe suspect the forme of Ecclesiasticall gouernement first becāuse they feare least it will degenerate into a worse tyrannie then the Spanishe Inquisition Secondly for that they see a new Senat of Elders in their Townes to exercise with the Ministers a censure of manners without lawes but such as they make themselues and without anie lawfull forme of Iustice. The olde Canon law is abrogated and the Magistrates will allow no new For they feare that the new would prooue worse then the olde Besides they will not committe the fame of themselues and theirs to the arbitrement of ignoraunt men such as for the most parte their Elders are who may abuse their authority rashly and laie such an infamy of adulterie or other grieuous offence vpon a mans backe as hee shall not afterwards easily cast from him The Ministers desire that the Magistrates would punish those that disobey their commaundements which they will neuer doe except they may first by due course of law heare the cause they of that Consistory being either actors or accusers and that the Ministers and Elders refuse to doe c. Besides some of the Ministers themselues that professe the Gospell are not free from those swarmes of Heresie which doe make their hiues there c. And in an other letter speakinge of the generall euent of that kinde of discipline Vereor ne exemplum Geneuensis ecclesiae et quarundam aliarum ecclesiarū quae eam secutae sunt maiorem quà m vulgo creditur perniciem ecclesiae adferat I feare least the example of the church of Geneua and some other Churches that followe her may bring greater mischiefe to the Church then is commonly beleeued One William Hart a minister the preacher not long since at Emden notwithstandinge all their goodly reformation in those partes yet writ in this sort therof vnto his secret friend M. Field Corruption by custome is so strong that none can abide the yoake and wonder you would if you sawe what grosse thinges the best ministers doe cleane deuoure and those of the middle sort doe earnestly stande and pleade for If you did see the confused state of the Churches of these countries you would say that England howe badde soeuer were a paradise in comparison and yet I haue not forgotten the blots and wantes thereof The trueth which he speaketh of the Church of England is to bee imbraced for the rest you may ascribe it vnto his factious humors Furthermore also there are some other countries not yet mentioned where the pretended discipline is in practise and yet there are noe such fruites founde thereof as are ascribed vnto the intertainement of it Be pleased to heare what an espetiall man of some one countrie a minister a gentleman greatly descended a person of chiefe aestimation hath published to the worlde in print Cum priuilegio Regali and procured to be sent abroade into other countries in certaine of his seruauntes names The prophane multitude of this kingdom they disdain the word spitefully There are two sins ioyned in the prophane multitude glottony and bloud They go forward in all course of sin the