Bucer desired to haue a better reformation of religion in England then was in King Edwards time appeareth evidently in his booke De Regno Christi written to King Edward that most gratious and religious King of England whom both Ridly Bishop of London and Cranmer Archbishop of Caunterburie confessed to haue more divinitie in his litle finger then they thēselues in their whole bodyes as you may read in our booke of Martyrs such an excellent impression of true Divinity had God ingraven in his brest beyng then but a child Who no doubt if he had lived as he had in many things well begun so would he haue made a full reformation of those foule corruptions that remayned and yet remaine to this day and would haue reduced all the Churches in his Dominions unto the Primitiue and Apostolike order and Discipline which M. Bucer in his sayd book of the Kingdome of Christ written unto him for the same purpose so earnestly desireth Whose words in his first booke and 15. chapter are these Vt vero claris Dominus et gravissimis verbis disciplinam suam cum vitae vniversae De regni Christi 1 15 tum agendae penitentiae tumetiam sacrarum ceremoniarum sancivit etc. With what playne and cleare words saith M. Bucer hath the Lord established his Discipline as well of the whole course of life as of shewing publike repentance also of the holy Ceremonies Yet how few shall you find even among those which are coūted men of speciall note among Christians which I will not say desire with all their heart to haue this Discipline restored which is the only Discipline of health or salvation but that thinke it a thing worthy once to go about it They say the times are now farr otherwise then it was when this Discipline florished in the first Churches men are now of an other sorte And it is to be feared least by the restoring of this Discipline the Churches should be more troubled then edified and that more men should therby be frayed from the Gospell then should be brought unto it To conclud that it is to be feared that by this meanes it should grow into a new tyranny of a false Cleargie upon the people of Christ But do not these men even by their owne wordes manifestly convince themselues of their horrible ignorance concernyng the profit of the kingdome of Christ and the true benefitts therof For know not they that the kingdome of Christ is a kingdome of all ages and of all men which are elect to salvation They are ignorant that King Iesus that is to say the Saviour of men and the best Pastor or sheepheard of his owne sheepe hath instituted nothing at all and commanded nothing to those that are his which is not healthfull unto them in all times and places if it be used as he instituted commanded the same Bucer in Ephesians 4. And upon the 4 chapter to the Ephesians he sayth Sathan goeth about to make men beleiue that by the restoring of the disciplin the faithfull Ministers should be thought to seeke ambitiously the same tyrannie which Antichrist did Yee see with what force of wordes M. Bucer lamenteth the lacke of true Discipline in England even in King Edwards time and how vehemently he desired the King to restore and establish the same which in his time could never be performed by reason of his suddaine death in the minoritie of his yeares And afterward in the dayes of Queene Elizabeth the Gospell was receaved aboue 40. yeares and no fault by publik authority amended which King Edward left in the Discipline of the Church wherin by the way I cannot but note one pretie litle poynt of the Dragon that subtle serpent Sathanas for the better safegard of his sonne Antichrist his creedit and his deare daughter Babilon the great whore of Rome for slily and cunningly he so scraped out this peece of publique prayer in all Queene Elizabeths time which both in King Hēries time and King Edwards time was used that it could never be restored unto this day Namely From the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities good Lord deliver us For he knew full well no small number of his owne enormious abominations were yet reteyned in the Discipline of the Church to the great comfort of himselfe and of his sonne Antichrist the Pope and his deare daughter the Church of Rome And it might justly be taken for a Prophesie that we should not in her dayes be delivered from the detestable enormities of the Bishop of Rome left unreformed in King Edwards time But let us heare further what M. Bucer sayth to King Edward in his second booke of the kingdome of Christ and the 1 chapter Primum haud dubito serenissime Rex Maiestatem tuam ipsam videre hanc quam requirimus imo quam requirit salus omnium nostrum regni Christi restitutionem ab Episcopis nullo modo expectandam c. First I doubt not most gracious King saith M. Bucer to King Edward but your owne Maiesty doth see that this restoring agayne of the kingdom of Christ which we require yea which the salvation of us all requireth may in no wise be expected to com of the Bishops seeyng there be so few among them which do understand the power and proper offices of this kingdom and very many of them by all meanes which they possible can and dare either oppose themselues against it or deferre it and hinder it And after in the same booke he concludeth saying De reformando itaque Episcoporum ordine serenissima Maiestatis tuae cum primis animus intendendus Therefore the mind of your most excellent Maiestie must principally be set upon reforming of the order of Bishops Of these places before cited first the reader may plainly see with what vehemency this Angell and starre holden in the right hand of Christ desireth and requyreth to haue the reformation in England which yet cannot be obteyned to be squared according to the first Churches which were in the Apostles time Secondly that the objections which are now commonly made against the reformation are even the same which Satan and his childrē made in King Edwards time the wilfull horrible ignorance wherof M. Bucer manifestly discovereth Thirdly that no hope of this reformation and the restoring of the kingdom of Christ which even the salvation of us all requyreth was to be expected at the hands of the Bishops Fourthly that that the King ought specially to bend his mind to reforme the order or estate of the Bishops And to speake the truth ye might truely affirme that the King began at a wrong end when he began at the parish Priests and leapt over the Lord Bishops for that was a tithing of mint and annis and a leaving of the waightier matters of the law undone It is a memorable and a true saying that Sigismund the Emperour used in the Counsell of Constāce Sigismund
otherwise then God had appoynted c. Heere marke good christian reader saith he in every of these examples God hath bridled our devotion hath taught us to worship him not in such sorte as may seeme good in our eyes but onely as he hath commanded us Yet such is the unbridled pride of mans deuotion that let God say what he will he shall not be served onely as God commandeth but at the least with some Ceremoniall suprerogations of mans meere invention being worse then Horses or Mules whose stiffe neckes are pulled in with bitte and bridle that weake and wreached man hath ten of him 2 Chro. 17 3 4 5 And the Lord was with Iehosaphat because he walked in the first wayes of his Father David c. and not after the trade of Israell And it followeth Therefore the Lord stablished his kingdom in his hand and all Iuda brought presents unto Iehosaphat so that he had of riches and honor in a boundance Where this word therefore is a word of speciall note for many wicked Kings Princes haue given them of God riches and honor even abundance but when it is given them of God therefore because they walked in the first wayes of their Father David that is because they had returned to the first and originall foundation and restored the religion even to that perfection wherin David not Solomon yea Christ the Sonne of David left it Then are they truely blessed of God Otherwise as it is written Their table shalhe made a snare and their prosperitie their ruine We will heerunto ad that excellent mans testimonie M. Thomas Leaver M. Leaver M. Bullinger speaking of the banished christians in Queene Maries time which were come to Tigurie commendeth by name M. Leaver in these wordes There came unto us English students both godly and learned they be receaved of our Magistrate Bul. epist to Hoper ten of them dwell together the rest remayne heere and there with good men Amongst the other M. Thomas Leaver is deare unto me and familiar Now M Leaver preaching before King Edward speaking of Non residents saith unto them T Leaver bef K Edw Now my Lords both of the laitie and of the Cleargie in the name of God I advertise you to take heede For when the Lord of all Lords shall see his flocke scattered spilt and lost if he follow the tracke of bloud it will leade him even straightway unto this Court and unto your houses whereas those great theeues which murther spoyle destroy the flocks of Christ be receaved kept and maintayned For you mainteyne your Chaplines to take pluralities and your servants mo offices then they can or will discharge fie for sinne and shame And for further confirmation therof he saith For if their duetie be undone then can no man excuse them if it be done then it is by other and not by them and then why doe they liue of other mens labours He that preacheth the Gospell should liue of the Gospell as God hath ordayned Qui mollibus vestiuntur in domibus Regū As for those which goe gaye in Kings houses and either mousell the labouring Oxe or else spoyle the poore Parish in the Country be of the Devils ordinance This mouselling of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne which is the taking away of the livings from the poore Ministers in the countrie and the poore people in the Parishes who pay their tithes to Nonresidentes you heare that it commeth not of God but of the devills ordinance From which we beseech allmightie God to moue his Majesties heart that he may shortly deliver us And speaking of putting unpreaching Prelats out of their place Yea say they and it were great pitie seeing they haue payed the first fruites unto the Kings Maiestie and no small reward unto other men And perchaunce bought their offices deerely Now to put them out of these livinges with the losse of all those charges which they haue bestowed in rewardes or other wayes to gett such livinges were great extremitie But wo wo saith M Leaver unto you hypocrites that stumble at a straw and leape over a blocke that straine at a gnat and swallow up a Camell c. And well may it be said they stumble at a straw and leape over a blocke or they straine at a gnat and swallow up a Cammell which for pittie suffer unpreaching Ministers to continue in places for is their any comparison between the losse of a dumbe dogges living and the losse and great damage of many hundred soules But M. Leaver goeth forth bouldly threatning both those spirituall and temporall Lords and saith God will pull you downe rather then maintayne or suffer you in so high authoritie to use such uncharitable ungodly and cruell pittie Which heavie wrath of God even according to M. Leavers threatning very shortly afther fell upon thē all a wofull tragedie and worthy to be remembred To conclude M Leaver escaping from the tragicall furie of Queene Maryes time in his letter to M Bradford being prisoner in the Tower speaking of the excellent reformed Churches where he was then conversant writteth thus I haue seene the places noted the doctrine and Discipline and talked with the learned men of Argentine Basill Zurich Berne Lausanna and Geneva and I haue seene the experience in all those places of sincere doctrine godly order and great learning Happie are the Churches that are so well reformed and worthy to be so highly commended Th. Beacon To M Leaver I will joyne M. Thomas Beacon a man to my selfe very well knowne to be for his vertue learning and dilligence in preaching the word of God most worthy to be honored Who suffered great persecution in K. Henrie the eights time And agayne in Queene Maries time and lived and died at Caunterburie a diligent writer and preacher of the word of God in Queene Elizabeths time In his booke intituled nomb 118 The Actes of Christ and of Antichrist he saith Christ breathed upon his Disciples and gaue them the Holy Ghost saying take yee the Holy Ghost that they being endued with his spirit might bring forth the fruites of the same and thereby knowen to be his Apostles But Antichrist doth breath the spirit of Satan into his shavelings and will that they be knowne to be his chaplaines by their long gownes nomb 42 shaven crownes horned cappes staring tippets c And agayne he saith Christ saide that men should know his Disciples by their charitie if they loved one another as he had loved them But Antichrist causeth his chaplaines to be knowen by their habits vestures by their long gownes and shaven crownes and punnisheth them if they vse not their habits And yet againe he saith Christ saith the kingdome of God cometh not with waiting for that is to say with outward observances and externall ordinances at the appointment of men Antichrist saith weare this cappe or that coule this gray habit or that white habit Ye
a holy Senat of Elders which dilligently warned theÌ„ that transgressed in the Church corrected them sharply yea and excluded them out of the Ecclesiassticall fellowship namely if they perccaved that there was no hope of a mendment to be looked for in them But in the latter times the Popes Bishops tyrannically taking that kind of punishment into their hands and excercising it sacrilegiously contrary to the first institution haue turned an wholsome medicine into an hurtfull poyson making it abominable both to the good and bad Behold what fruit this alteratioÌ„ of Gods order ordinaÌ„ce in the Church hath brought by taking away the Eldership from the Church or Congregation and committing it unto the Bishops who by their Lordly authority tyrannically saith M. Bullinger tooke it from the Church into their owne handes and that even in some places where the light of the Gospell is set upon the golden candlesticks thereof whereby they haue turned an wholsome medicine into an hurtfull poyson making it abominable both to the good and bad as in all Queene Elizabeths time we might see heere in England that by their Lordly power oftentimes for such a trifling matter as an honest Magistrat would haue been a shamed to laye a man by the heeles they were not a shamed to commit a christian to the Devill And shewing what the Elders were he sayth Wherefore the Elders in the Church of Christ are either Bishops or otherwise prudent learned men added to Bishops that they may the more easily beare the burden layd upon them Decad 5 sermon 3 and that the Church of God may the better and more conveniently be governed For Paule saith The Elders that rule well let them be counted worthy of double honor most specially they which labour in the word and doctrine 1 Tim â— There were therefore certaine other in the Ecclesiasticall function who albeit they did not teach by and by as did the Bishops yet were they present with them that taught in all businesses Perhaps they are called of the same Apostle elsewhere Govenours 1. Cor. 1 â—â— that is to say which are set in authority concernyng discipline and other affayres of the Church And in this poynt with Bullinger M. Peter Martyr most playnely agreeth He that ruleth well etc. Martyr in Rom. 1 2 This me thinketh saith M. Martyr is most fitlie to be understood of Elders not in very deed of them which had charge of the word and of doctrine But of those which were appoynted as assistants unto the Pastors they as being the discreter sorte indeed with a greater zeale godlines were chosen out from among the laitie Their office was cheifly to attend unto Discipline c. And touching the Lordship of Bishops where it is objected against theÌ„ that think Bishops should be no Lords that they would mainteine the Anabaptisticall opinion which deny Magistracie and the authoritie of Kings and Princes M. Bullinger confuteth the Anabaptists with the selfe same reason and scripture whereby he proveth that Bishops should be no Lords Decad 2 sermon 9 And unlesse that Christians saith Bullinger when they are once made Kings should continue in their office and governe kingdoms according to the rule and lawes of Christ how I beseech you should Christ be called King of Kings Lord of Lords Therfore when he said Kings of nations haue dominion over them but so shall not ye be He spake to his Apostles who stroue among themselues for the cheife and highest dignitie As if he should haue sayd Princes which haue dominion in the world are not by my doctrine displaced of their seates nor put besids their thrones for the Magistrats authority is of force still in the world and in the Church also The King or Magistrate shall reigne but so shall not yee ye shall not reigne ye shall not be Princes but teachers of the world and Ministers of the Churches Thus breifely saith he I haue answered to the Anabaptists obiections And againe upon the very same matter in like sort in the 5 Decade and 2 sermon citing the lik place of Peter Not as though ye were Lords over Gods heritage saith he Peter speaketh not of any Empire and Lordship yea by expresse words he forbids Lordly dignitie For even as he is appoynted of the Lord a Minister and an Elder not a Prince and a Pope so also he appoynted no Princes in the Church but Ministers and Elders who with the word of Christ should feed Christs flocke And upon that place of Luke the 22 The Kings of the Gentiles raigne over theÌ„ they that beare rule over theÌ„ are called gratious Lords c. Decad 3 sermon 3 This simple and playne truth saith M. Bullinger shall coÌ„tinue invincible against all the disputations of these Harpyes The most holy Apostles of our Lord Christ will not be Lords over any man under pretence of religion yea S. Peter in playne words forbiddeth Lordship over Gods heritage and commandeth Bishops to be examples to the flocke Marke how M. Bullinger applyeth this place of scripture and how bitterly he speaketh agaiÌ„st the Lordship of Bishops calling them Harpyes that is monstrous birds having maiden visages and talens of a mischevous and marveilous capacitie But before in the same sermon he sayth In the order of Bishops and Elders from the beginnyng there was singular humilitie charitie and concord no contention or strife for prerogatiue or titles or dignity For all acknowledg themselues to be the Ministers of one Master coequall in all thinges touching office or charge He made them unequall not in office but in gifts by the excellencie of gifts And therfore in the first Decad second sermon he saith Did not Christ himselfe refuse a crowne upon earth And did not he that is Lord of all minister Doth not he himselfe disallow that any Minister should seeke any prerogatiue no not in respect of Eldership He that is greatest among you saith he let him be as the youÌ„ger He therefore commandeth an equallitie amongst them all And therefore S. Ierom iudgeth rightly saying that by the custom of man and not by the authoritie of God some one of the Elders should be placed over the rest and called a Bishop wheras of old time an Elder or Minister Bishop were of equall honor power and dignitie And it is to be observed that S. Ierom speaketh not of the Romish Monarchie but of every Bishop placed in every Citie aboue the rest of the ministers And to answer the objection which is made in defence of the Lordbishops that they take not upon them civill offices and Lordly dignities but by their Princes Magistrats it is layd upon them and given them he saith Shall we beleiue that Peter would haue receaved secular power with imperiall goverment if the Emperour Nero had profered it him No in no wise for this word of the Lord tooke deepe roote in his inward bowels But it shall not be so
haue a partner or fellow ioyned with the Eleaven In Acts 1 not a servant whō the rest at their pleasure might command For he knew that equalitie was needfull among Christs Ministers And in his 4 Homelie shewing that Christ had warned his Apostles many wayes and in many playne termes that they should not liue at ease and in Princly pallaces like Lords but suffer adversitie and possesse their soules in patience At last he concludeth These I say and many such like things they heard of Christ yet forgetting them all they dreamed of a worldly kingdome in which they hoped likewise they should be Lords This dreame of theirs a-man would haue thought that Christ had beaten out of their braynes long before Luc. 22.25.26 when he sayd unto them The Kings of the Gentiles reigne over them and they that beare rule ovcr them are called gratious Lords but ye shall not be so but let the greatest among you be as the least and the cheifest as he that serveth Notwithstanding this dreame of being Lords under a worldly King did so pleasantly swym and had so sweet a smell within their earthly braynes that nothing but the miraculous gift of the holy Ghost could picke it out From which sweete dreame our sleeping Sardian Angells and Lordbishops even at this day will not be a waked but with a warme gay coulered cloake they cover thē selues saying it was not Superioritie and Lordship that Christ forbad his Apostles but pride ambition and tyrānicall rule Or else that they beyng Church Ministers should take no rule over their brethren unlesse they had it by speciall commission from some Magistrat But who except he be a Sardian Angell that will not be awaked seeth not that Christ forbad them that degree and superioritie which they desired to haue under him simplie Which surely was none other but to haue under him an honest rule and Lordship yea I say by Commission from him of whom they then imagined that he should be as a Teacher so a just and Supreame civill Magistrat likewise For none but a blasphemer of Christ of his holy Apostles can dreame or imagine that the Apostles thought their Master should be such a King as that they might fit at his elbow Mark 10.35 37 Math. 20.20 21 and proudly and ambitiously raigne under him eyther without Commission or by his Commissiō which they expresly desired For then must it needes follow that they supposed that both they and he himselfe should raigne like cruell proud and ambitious tyrants which God forbid that any christian should dreame that ever it came within their thoughts Therefore it is most cleere and evident that Christ forbad his Apostles and in them all Pastors and Ecclesiasticall persons all Lordship and Magnificent estate with whatsoever modestie honestie they would cary themselues therein yea though they might by any Commission haue it M. Gualter speaking of the things which now a dayes under the name of the Apostles and Canons of the Apostles are obtruded he rejected them with this reason Surely sayth he I will never thinke the Holy Ghost eyther so unwise as to take a negligēt writer of so high matters or else so forgetfull In Acts 1 Hom. 1 as to let passe any of those thinges the knowledge and observation whereof was so necessarie in his Church And would not the selfe same reason hold with as great or greater force if a man should say surly I can never beleiue the holy Ghost either so unwise as to take so negligent writers of so high matters or else so forgetfull as to let passe any or so manie of those things the knowledg and observation whereof was or should be so necessary in his Church as Popes Cardinals Primats Metrapolitans Archbishops Diocesans Archdeacons Deanes Commissaries Officialls and such like And M. Hooper our most blessed Martyr of England M. Hooper vseth the like vehemencie of speach and to the same purpose and effect For he accuseth God saith M. Hoper of ignorance and foolishnes that entendeth tures Can you shew that ever Christ or his Apostles vsed it I think you will not say that Philip used any Oyle in the baptisme of the Aethiopian If this reason be good against Oyle it is good against the Surplice Crosse c. Yea all other humane inventions for like use Likewise is the Injunction of our Noble Queene Elizabeth set forth by publique authoritie Injunctiō 3. in these playne termes Workes devised by mans fantasies saith the Queene besides scripture as wandring of pilgrimages seting up of Candles praying upon beads or such superstition haue not onely no promise of reward in scripture for doing of them but contrariwise great threatnings and maledictions of God But if it were tolerated to haue a Candle a light set up in the Church to signifie the light of the Gospell that is preached amongst us Psal 119.107 what hurt might seeme to be therein Doth not David say Thy word is a lanterne unto my feet and a light unto my pathes And although the Crosse were worshipped amonge the Papists with Divine Honor as no man can justly deny yet was the Candle never worshiped it was nothing else but an idle and superfluous Ceremony invented beside the scripture And certainly there cannot possible be any Ceremony more perspicuous in signification more cleere in shew more easie to be understod or better cloked to agree with scripture then a Candle or Taper set vp to signifie the light of the gospell And yet we see her Majesties Iniunction saith Becaus it is devised by mans fantasie beside the scripture it hath not onely no promise of reward but contrariwise great threatninges and maledictions of God It were indeed a small matter if a mā would think to bring into the church som such idle or unprofitable Ceremony if that were all but if unto the least invention brought into the Church by man there belong the curse and malediction of God How ought we then to beware to looke about us that we attempt no such matter Yea how carefull and cleere eyed ought our Cleargie and Magistrats to be in those cases I ment in like sort to haue cited many mo of the excellent lights of the Gospell among the Germaines and Helvetians which write with one consent to the selfe same effect and purpose in all the poynts before intreated of but these may suffice and prolixitie is to be avoyded wherin I feare that I haue all readie offended But I cannot omit that famous learned man Hieronymus Zanchius both because he is a man of singular learning Zanchius and commonly objected against thē which desire reformation in the poynts of religion aforesaid First one is no number and one swallow proveth not springtide Secondly this one being wel waighed agreeth not fully in any one poynt with the enimyes of reformation And first he affirmeth flatlie as all the rest doe that by the word of God and the holy
Marlorat Danaeus and Tilenus leaving all the rest of the French Churches and learned men there which are exceeding many in number but all with one consent agreeing with those last a fore named lights of the gospell both in their doctrine Discipline and practise of life And first of Calvin which was as famous a Pastor in the Citie of Geneva as Augustine was in Hippo Calvin or Ierome in the towne of Bethlem yet lived he not like a Lord but like Augustine and Ierome and as hath been before shewed in a very meane estate whereof I my selfe haue been an eye witnes The author Ioh. Cal. vita ante eius epist and as in the Historie of his life and death ye may also read Where it is written Testari certe potest Senatus quū perexigua essent eius stipendia c. The Senate of the Citie can testifie that although his stipend was very small yet was he so far frō being discontent therwith that a more ample allowance being freelie offred him he obstinatly refused it And a litle before his riches and wealth that he left behind him are set downe in these words Cuius bona omnia c. All those goods his librarie also being dearely sold came scarselie to three hundred French Crownes which a mounteth not to one hundred pounds of our mony but lacketh about some ten pounds thereof and yet all that he left came scarselie to so much And according to this his practise both publicklie privately he taught and wrote as you may read in his Instistutions lib. 4. cap. 4. Where he saith Heereby also we iudge what use there was and what manner of distribution of the Church goods Ech wher both in the decrees of the Synods among the old writers it is to be found that whatsoever the Church possesseth either in lands or mony is the patrimonie of the poore And a non after he saith But sith it is equitie and established by the law of the Lord that they which imploy their service to the Church should be fed with the common charges of the Church and also many priests in that age consecrating their patrimonies to God were willingly made poore the distributing was such that neither the Ministers wanted sustenance nor the poore were neglected But yet in the meane time it was provided that the ministers themselues which ought to giue example of honest sparing to other should not haue so much whereby they might abuse it to riotous excesse or deliciousnes but only wherwith to sustaine their owne need Har. Evang. Mat 20 25 And upon the 20 of Mathew 25 verse he saith Ye know that the Lords of the Gentiles haue dominion over them c. He declareth that there shal be no such superioritie in his kingdom as they did striue for They therfore are deceaved which do stretch this saying to all the godly in generall when as Christ onely teacheth of that matter in hand that the Apostles were very fond to make any question of degree of power or of honor in their estate and calling for the office of teaching whereto they were appoynted had no likelihood wtth the Empires of the world And after he saith The purpose of Christ was to put a difference between the spirituall regiment of his Church earthlie Empires least the Apostles should apply themselues to courtlie graces and fashions For as every one among the Nobles is beloued of Kings so he climeth up to wealth and offices But Christ set Pastors over his Church not to beare a Lorlie rule over them but to Minister So the error of the Anabaptists which doe banish Kings Magistrats from the Church of God because Christ sayd they were not like his Disciples is overthrowne For the comparison is not made heere between Christians and prophāe men but between offices And anon after he saith So David Ezekias and such like when aswillingly they became the servāts of all mē yet were they adorned with the Scepter Diadem Thrōe and other such ensignes But the goverment of the Church admitteth no such thing For Christ gaue no more allowance to the Pastors then that they should be Ministers and that they should altogether abstaine from Lordlie government I need not to make any explanation of his words for they are plaine enough further for the election of Bishops Ministers M. Calvin saith Truelie this is a most foule example Bishops made at the Court a soule mattes that out of the Court are Bishops to possesse Churches And it should be the worke of godly Princes to abstaine from such corruption For it is a wicked spoyling of the Church when there is thrust unto any people a Bishop whom they haue not desired or at the least with free voyce allowed And upon the the 14 of the Acts he saith Paul Barnabas are said to choose Elders Do they this alone by their private office Nay rather they suffer the matter to be decided by the consent of them all therefore in ordayning Pastors the people had their free election And upon the 6 of the Acts where the seaven Deacons were chosen by the people these are his words As touching this present place the Church is permitted to choose For it is tyrannous if any one man appoynt or make Ministers at his pleasure Therefore this is the most lawfull way that those be chosen by common voyces who are to take upon them any publicke function in the Church And concerning Nonresidencie and Pluralities of benefices he saith Instit 4. 8 Non obiiciam verbum Dei c. I will not obiect against thē saith M. Calvin that the word of God doth in every place cry out against it which long since amongst them hath ceased to be in any manner of account Neither will I obiect many most severe constitution in many Counsells that hath been ordeyned against this wickednes For these Constitutions also as often as they list they stoutly contemne But I say that both these things are a prodigious or monstrous mischevous wiekednes utterly against God against nature against the Ecclesiasticall governement that one arrant theefe should sit over divers Churches together that he should be named unto Satans kingdom But also unlike to the earthly kingdomes which are governed by good civill pollicie Therefore Iesus Christ said that he came not to be served but to serue and to shew unto his Disciples the difference that they should put betweene the worldli◠kingdomes and their estate And his Church and the estate and government of the same c. He saith the Kings of the nations c. And a non after he saith When Iesus Christ sent his Apostles he said unto them As my Father sent me so send I you For he medled not nor tooke upon him to raigne as a worldly Prince But when the people sought him to make him a King he hid himselfe And when he was requyred to devide an inheritance between two brethren
he would not medle with it not because the thing it selfe was evill or that it was evill don to appoynt those which were indifferent But to shew that he was come and sent of God his Father for greater thinges he left that office unto Cesar and to his officers And was content with that his Father had committed unto him And the same Commission he had in that behalfe he gaue to his Apostles Now one word of Marlorat Agayne saith he what are these reverend Cardinalls Marlorat exp one the Revel cap 17 3 Archbishops Archprelats Patriarks Primats Presidents Deanes Cannons Archpriests Archdeacons Abbots Priors or Masters Cōmendators For like as Antichrist hath his names of blasphemy even so they that be in office under him and are bound unto him by oth haue also names by themselues which the scriptures know not of In deed the Primitiue Church had Ministers Stewards Elders or Overseers Apostles Prophets Evangelists Shepheards and Teachers as you may perceaue by these places 1. Cor 4.1.12.4.5.6.7.8 And Ephe 4.11 But all these were names of service and labour and noe stiles of pride And upon the 9 chapter he hath these words For the tayles of Antichrist are Bishops Officials Commissaries Deanes Registers Chancelours Proctors and Somners which are like unto venemous serpents Now somwhat also touching these matters of Religion and Hierarchie of the Church Beza as they call it out of M. Beza whom M. Peter Martyr and many other learned men not without cause do so greatlie admire for his sinceritie in judgment and excellent gifts as you may read in many of their epistles and workes But I will heere set downe the testimonie of that singular divine and most noble patrone of the Gospell among our English writers D. Fulke who against Gregorie Martin that conning Papist and false accuser defendeth Calvin Beza and Viret by these words The bookes saith D. Fulke of Calvin Beza Uiret keep themselues within the compasse of the holy scriptures Fulk 7. in epist ad Ro◠and hold no blasphemous or other erronious opinions that derogate any thing from the glorie of God or be hurtfull to the salvation of men as your slaunderous and malitious pen supposeth Now therefore let us heare what Beza saith whose books keep themselues within the compasse of holy scriptures and hold no erronious opinions as D. Fulk testifieth First touching the election of Ministers upon this place of the Acts. Acts 1. ◠2 3 And when they had ordained them Elders by election in every Church and fasted they commended them to the Lord in whom they believed where upon in his Annotation he hath these words Paulum ac Barnaham sciamus nihil privato arbitrio gessisse t. Let us know that Paul Barnabas did execute nothing upon their owne private choyse nor exercised any tyrannie in the Church and to be short they did not any such manner of thing as do now a dayes the Romish Pope and his serving men which they call Ordinaries Some had rather referre this unto the laying on of hands which also is necessary and catching this pretence they say that our vocation is voyd because the Ordinaries and defiled with infinit superstitions But som man will say these be auncien things I grant they be auncient but much more auncient is the simplicitie of the Apostles under which simplicity the Church florished And for the signe of the Crosse he saith Whatsoever use was made thereof in the old time it is now but an execrable superstition And touching the questions in baptisme he answereth Itaque sicut Chrisma et exorcismus quantumvis vetusta c. Therefore like as the Chrisme and exorcisme or coniuration although they be very auncient by very good right are abolished so we would wish this interogatiō being not onely vayne but also flolish were left out And towards the latter end of the same Epistle he saith Aiunt quoque excommunicationes et absolutiones in curiis quibusdam Episcopalibus in Anglia fieri non ex presbyterii quod nullū ibi sit sentētiâ etc. They say also that in England excommunications absolutions are done in certaine Episcopall courts and not by the iudgment of the Presbyterie which is not there to be had Whereunto we answer that it seemeth to us almost uncredible to see such an abuse of most perverse manner and example yet to be used in that kingdome where the puritie of doctrine doth florish for it is out of doubt that the right use of excommunication before the Papisticall tyrannie was never in the power of one man but perteyned to the right of the Presbyterie not utterly excluding the peoples consent Heereunto I will agayne anex the testimonie and defence of D. Fulke against the Papists and other which with such contempt reject the sincere judgment and excellent learnyng of M. Beza Whatsoever account you make of M. Beza he shall notwithstanding saith D. Fulke with all godly learned men be accounted as he deserveth Fulke def of the English tran cap 5. One who hath more profited the Church of God with his sincere translation and learned Annotations then all the Popish Seminaries and Seminarists shal be able to hinder it Iangle of grosse and flase Translations as long as you will Thus passing over allmost infinite other lights of the Gospell both of the most auncient and late writers abroad which speake to the very same effect in these poynts of religion with us in question Onely I will set downe further the wordes of Danaeus and Tilenus two famous learned men among the reformed Churches of France which are exceeding many in number and almost excellent in reformation of Christian religion Who according to the judgment of them all Danaeus in Tim. 5.22 doe speake thus of the Election and Ordination of Ministers Ex his omnbus apparet quam nulla sit c. By all this it appeareth that the calling of those Ministers of Gods word or Pastors of the Church is none or not lawfull which are made and chosen by the authoritie letters seales commandement and iudgment of the King onely or Queene or Patron or Bishop or Archbishop That which is yet done agrevous thing in those Churches even in the middest of England which haue notwithstanding and doe follow the pure word of God It is marvaill that the Englishmen otherwise wise wittie and very godly should yet wittinglie and willingly be blind in the acknowledging and tollerating of these relicks of Popish Idolatry and tyrannie Therefore they iudge excellently which condemne or takyng away and would haue taken away out of a Church reformed according to Gods word * Omnem il laem chartulariam et Episcopaticā curionum et pastorū c. all this way of makyng Curates and Pastors of the Church by Bishops and their letters of Orders and the calling of the Ministers of the heavenly word their approbation and their entrance by the onely consent and letters of the
Bishop Because so the order prescribed by Gods word in the ordination of such persons is omitted and violated as it may most plainly appeare Even because all the right and voyce giving both of the Ecclesiasticall Senat and of the christian people is most wretchedly taken away from them by this meanes in this kind of Ecclesiasticall callings and with great tyrannie and abuse translated to one certayne man the Bishop The Lord God of his great mercy amend these corruptions which are yet and are defended in his Churches which surely will at length draw 〈…〉 great ruine of Gods Church and will make the holy Ministery of Gods words either mercenary or altogether contemned and base Which God turne away D. 〈◊〉 Answer to the Count. Laval quest 3. After him we will ad D. Tilenus his iudgment unto the Earle of Lavall in France Who demanding whether the calling to the Ministery be necessary and from whom Calvin had his calling Tilenus answeren First that it is necessary And then that Calvin had his calling from the Church of Geneva and from Farell his predecessor who had also his from the people of Geneva who had right and authoritie to institute and depose Ministers For so declareth S. Cyprian saying that the people obeying to the commandements of God should seperat themselues from a wicked guid Câ—pr epist 〈…〉 and not to meddle with the sacrifices of any Sacrilegious Priest considering that the sayd people haue chiefe authoritie to make choyse of worthy persons and to reiect the vnworthy This was so practised by the people of Geneva and in divers other parts of Evrope where in these latter times they did forsake those sacrilegious Priests and sacrifices of the Pope for to establish faithfull Ministers and proclamers of the Gospell To be short the Reformed Churches had their calling and sending partly from God and partly from the people and partly froÌ„ the Church of Rome From God as the chiefe cause from the people as by lawfull instruments from the Church of Rome as by a corrupt instrument God gaue the essence and the forme interior to this sending the reformed Church gaue testimonies and approbations and the exterior forme the Church of Rome hath added thereto abuses and corruptions which our suceeeding Ministers haue renounced There resteth now for further proofe of these matters before spoken of to rehearse the judgment and words of divers of our owne English writers and blessed Martirs which agree with those Fathers and lights of the Gospell in other Countries before cited And first having sufficiently spoken alreadie of Wicklife that first light of the gospell set up with us in the middest of the Antichristian darknes L. Cobham Fox pa 669 edit 1570 I will begin with the noble Martir the Lord Cobham who in defence of the sayd Wickliffe saith As for that vertuous man Wickliffe whose iugdments ye so highly disdayne I shall say heere for my part both before God and man that before I knew that despised doctrin of his I never abstained from sinne But since I learned therein to feare my Lord God it hath otherwise I trust been with me somuch grace could I never find in all your instructions And what the doctrine of Wickliffe was and how like a Lordly Prelat he lived I referre the reader to that which hath been before spoken of him pag 57. But the Lord Cobham beyng charged with the decrees of holie Church answerd I know none holier then Christ and his Apostles And as for that determination I wote it is none of theirs for it standeth not with the scriptures but manifestly against theÌ„ If it be the Churches as you say it is It hath been hers onely since she receaved the great poyson of worldly possessions not afore And a non after agayne he saith For since the venime of Iudas was shed into the Church ye never followed Christ neither haue ye stand in the perfection of Gods law Then the Archbishop asked him what he meÌ„t by that venime The Lord Cobham said your possessions and Lordships For then cried an Angell in the aire as your owne chronicles mention woe woe woe this day is venime shed into the Church of God Heere you see plainely by this noble Martirs iudgment that the Lordship of Bishops and their possessions was the very curse of God vpon the Church and the very poyson that turned her froÌ„ And in his Practise of Popish Prelats Prelats appoynted to preach Christ Pract. of prelats pa 342 may not leaue Gods word and Minister temporall offices but ought to teach the lay people the right way and to let them alone with all temporall busines And aftherward he saith They that haue the oversight of Christs flocke may be no Emperours Kings Duks Lords Knights temporall Iudges or any temporall officer or under false names haue any such dominion And a none after he saith Mathew the 20. Christ called his Disciples unto him and said Ye know that the Lords of the heathen people haue dominion over them and they that be great doe exercise power over them howbeit it shall not be so among you But whosoever wil be great among you shall be your Minister and he that will be chiefe shall be your servant even as the Sonne of man came not that meÌ„ should Minister unto him but for to Minister giue his life for the redemption of many Wherefore the officers in Christs kingdom may haue no temporall dominion or iurisdiction nor execute any temporall authoritie or law of violence nor haue any like manner among them And in his booke of Obedience he saith Let Kings take their dutie of their subiects and that necessary unto the defence of the Realme Obed. of achr pa 124. let them rule the realmes themselues with the heelp of lay men that are sage wise learned and expert Is it not a shame aboue all shames and a monstrous thing that no man should be found able to governe in a worldly kingdom saue Bishops and Prelats that haue forsaken the world and are taked out of the world and appoynted to preach the kingdome of God Christ saith that his kingdom is not of this world Ioh. 18. Lvke 12. Vnto the young man that desired him to bid his brother to giue him part of the inheritance he answered who made me a judge a devider among you No man that layeth his hand to the plough and looketh backe is apt for the kingdom of heaven Luke 9. No man can serue two Masters but he must despise the one Mat 6. To Preach Gods word is to much for halfe a man And to Minister a temporall kingdome is to much for halfe a man also Either other requyreth an whole man One therefore cannot do both well And after in the same booke he saith An other sort of the Prelats are of the Kings secret Counsell 16 pag 152. Woe unto the Realmes where they are of the Counsell as profitable are
him Tell me saith Harpsfield were not the Apostles Bishops Brad No except you will make a new definition of a Bishop that is giue him no certaine place Harps Indeede the Apostles office was not the Bishops office for it was vniuersall But yet Christ instituted Bishops in the Church as Paul saith He hath giuen Pastors Prophets c. so that I trow it be proved by the scripturs the succession of Bishops to be an essentiall poynt Brad The ministery of Gods word and ministers be an essentiall point But to translate this to the Bishops and their succession is a plaine subtiltie And therefore that it may be plaine I will aske you a question Tell me whether that the scriptures know any difference betwene Bishops Ministers which ye call priests Harpsfield No. Brad Well then goe on forwards and let vs see what ye shall get now by the succession of Bishops that is of Ministers which cannot be understood of such Bishops as Minister not but Lord it Wherein every Reader may obserue these things First that the Apostles were not Bishops for that a Bishop must haue a certaine place and a flocke to feede wherein he must be resident And not like an Apostle or Evangelist to travell from flocke to flocke from place to place Secondly by the scripture there is no difference between a Bishop and a Minister which is so cleere and manifest that the very Papist himselfe is driven to coÌ„fesse it Thirdly that it being true which the most rankest Papist for shame cannot denie that by the scripture Bishops Ministers differ not Then the glorious succession of the Pope and all his Diocesan and Lordbishops are utterly overthrowne For as M. Bradford saith What Lordly estate can any Bishop get when he ought not to differ from the poore and meane estate of a Minister Fourthly that they are Papists which will haue a Minister of the Gospell to be called a Priest for tell me saith Bradford whether the scripture know any difference between a Bishop and a Minister which you call a Priest Heereunto I will annexe some few sayings out of M. Iohn Bale Bale who being in Germanie wrote divers bookes and sent them hither wherby England receaved great light knowledg and was of such name note in Germanie that Pantalio that learned Germaine in his Ecclesiasticall Chronicles setteth him downe among the three speciall Englishmen which together with Bucer Peter Martyr preached the Gospell in England during King Edwards time To whom Queene Elizabeth in her very young dayes when she had translated a booke of French into English sent â—omilies Yet will I hereunto adde one place out of our owne English Homilies appoynted to be read publikely in our Churches at this day Our Saviour Christ saith our English Homilie against wilfull rebellion teaching by his doctrine that his kingdome was not of this world did by example in flieing from those that would haue made him King confirme the same expresly also forbidding his Apostles and by them the whole Cleargie of all princelie dominion over people and Nations and he with his Apostles likewise namely Peter Paule did forbid unto all Ecclesiasticall Ministers dominion over the Church of Christ which words are there referred to these places of scripture Math. 20. d 25. Mar. 10. f 42. Luk. 22. e 25. Math 23 a 8. Luke 9 f 46. 2 Cor 1. d 24. 1 Pet 5.1.2.3.4.5 Seeing therefore Christ and his Apostles both by their example practise course of their whole life and also by their doctrine and all the cheifest of the auncient Fathers in the Primitiue Church likewise by their doctrine practise of life And seeing all the principall lights of the Gospell which God hath set up from time to time in the deepe darknes of Antichrist together with all the godlie Martyrs lights of the Gospell both in other Nations and specially in this our owne Realme of England do so vehemently set forth the deformitie and require reformation of those abuses in this treatise mentioned and spoken of yet in our Churches in England remayning unreformed Doe my Lords the Bishops trow you which stand so fircely in defence of those shamefull enormities against such a cloud and multitude of witnesses being the most learned holy men and Martyrs Doe they yet I say expect till the beasts of the feild the foules of the ayre and the very stones of the streete should crie for reformation What is it possible to thinke that they themselues doe not see and know that the Pluralitie of benefices Nonresidencies the horrible abuse of excommunication and such like are untollerable thinges in a Christian Churche Yet not one of these they list to amend I will hereunto joyne the prayer of that excellent learned man Doctor Fulke in his Sermon at Hampton Court Fulk in Queene Elizabeths time printed dedicated to the Earle of Warwike in which having proved most learnedly the Pope to be the very Antichrist spoken of by the Apostle and Rome to be undoubtedly the whore of Babilon spoken of in the Revelation concludeth his sermon with this prayer saying Let us therefore pray unto Almightie God instantly that all men in their vocation may seeke the utter overthrow and destruction of Babilon that Princes and Magistrats may according to the Prophesies of them hate her with a perfect hatred and utterly abolish whatsoever belongeth to her that they may reward her as she hath rewarded us and giue her double punishmeÌ„t according to her workes and in the cup of affliction that she hath powered forth for us they may power forth double as much to her And looke how much she hath glorified her selfe and lived in wantonnes which was without measure so much they may bestow upon her of sorrow and torments That Preachers and Ministers of Gods word may playnlie and without dissimulation or halting discover her wickednes and earnestly to vrge whatsoever hath need of perfect reformation that all subiects may continue in holy obedience first to God and then to their Prince to the advancing of the honor glorie of God through Iesus Christ c. And surely all men without exception which wil be saved by Christ must in their vocation and degree not coldly but fircely fight against Antichrist And specially now when the first Angell hath powred out his Viall upon the throne of the beast so that his kingdom waxeth darke Rev. 16.10 Even now all men ought to seeke the overthrow and the utter destruction of Babilon and not to be weried with the tediousnes of time nor to giue over for the pleasures worldly profitts of this life And not to say as the wicked did in the dayes of the Prophet Malachi What profit is it that we haue kept his commandement Mal. 3 14 15 16.17 and that we walked humblie before the Lord of hosts Therfore we count the proud blessed even they that worke wickednes are set up and they that
tempt God yea they are delivered Then spake they that feared the Lord saith the Prophet every one to his neighbour and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name And they shal be to me saith the Lord of hostes in that day that I shall doe this for a flocke and I will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serveth him This is ever the condition of those that forsake God they repent of any good beginning if they see no worldly profit but rather troubles to come thereof And speciallie if they see wicked men preferred com to promotion they repine of the continuance in the serving of God seeing there is neither profit nor promotion that way to be gotten But every one that feareth God saith the prophet though he be never so privat a person yet speaketh even the truth boldlie to his neighbour And the Lord hearkeheth and heareth him and their wordes are written up in a booke Gods remembrance and they shall enjoye the sweete heavenly promisse for although they be but weake and sinfull men yet will the Lord spare them as a Father spareth his sonne that serveth him Neither ought the Preachers in their place to be silent nor to count it a wearines to serue the Lord in his temple like the Priests in the dayes of Malachi or to make light of it nor to offer vp that which is torne and lame and sicke Mal. 1.13 or any of the whore of Babilons dregges but plainely without dissimulation or halting and earnestlie to urge whatsoever hath neede of perfect reformation untill all corruptions and abuses in the Churches of England be restored againe into the first puritie and never cease to call upon God with teares and sorrow of heart and upon the Prince with humble sute of speaking writing and preaching untill he abolish whatsoever doth belong to that whore of Babilon But it is said in the Revelation that after the seaventh Angell had powered out his Viall Rev. 16.19 and the horrible earthquake was come upon the earth the great Citie was devided into three partes This great Citie can be taken for none other but for the territorie dominion of all Nations Kingdomes and People bearing the names of Christians and subjectes to the great Antichrist of Rome upon whose throne the first Angell hath powered out his Viall of the wrath of God wherby the glorie of his kingdome waxed darke And through the voyces lightnings thundrings and horrible earthquakes that came by the powring out of the seaventh Angells Viall That whole great Citie under the Papacie and the whores government is devided into three parts The first parte are they that doe professe the Gospell and utterly renounce the Pope and all the appurtenances of his Church of Rome which S. Iohn calleth the great Whore of Babilon which hath fullie forsaken Christ maried her selfe to Antichrist This first parte is so divided from the whore hateth her with such a perfect hatred that they cannot abide to kisse or any part of her neither finger hand nor foote much lesse her filthy parts which are not to be named Hos 2.17 according to that which is written I will take away the names of Balaim folke in hande that men may beare with the time granting that men may well cut of the thinges that are utterly intollerable and manifestly against God but yet avouching that the thinges may well be borne with which are either Indifferēt or not utterly evill I say that they which speake after that fashion doe shew full well that they haue no right meaning in them nor any desire that ther should be any reformation as were meete to be had And not withstanding the world is full of such disguisers which would faine haue a particoulored fashion of serving God and a religion that were neither fish nor flesh as men say but halfe of one sute and halfe of a nother Heere I would aske these indifferent men and particoulored disguisers of religion whether Images are not thinges indifferent I trust they will not denie but the Image and superscription of Ceasar may be giuen to Ceasar and yet I trow they will not say that it is lawfull for Ceasar to set vp Images publikly in the Churches Let Let them heare what our Engliw Homilie saith which all the Lordbishops doe mayntaine to be not onely true and good doctrine but also publikly to be read in the Church We should not haue saith our Homilie Images in the Temple Hom part 1 against per. of Idol though they were of themselues thinges indifferent And yet againe our Homilie saith expresly though they be thinges indifferent to be used in civill matters yet are they wicked abominable to be used in the Church The wordes of our Homily are these Our Images in Churches haue been be and ever wil be none other but abominable idols part 3. and be therefore not thinges indifferent he meaneth in religious use And where the common cloke is for Images like as for all the rest of superstitious Ceremonies that the people by doctrine are taught not to use them superstitiously and therefore they may safely be used in the Church Against this pild cloake our Homilie thus concludeth To conclude saith our Homilie it is evident by all stories and writings ibedem and experience in times past that neither Preaching nor writing neither consent of the learned nor authoritie of the godly nor the decrees of Counsells neither the lawes of Princes nor extreeme punishments of the offendors in that behalfe nor any other remedie or meanes can helpe against idolatrie if Images be suffered publickely And this conclusion of Images may be by the selfe same reason made as well also of the signe of the Crosse the surplice and other Ceremonies which serue for religious signification and haue ben with further Idolatrie and superstition used by our forefathers yet are still so used by our papistes that remaine in England and by all other the Popish kingdome of Evrope But in the same Homily it is rightlie said of Images Take them cleane away and then is all the danger gone for none worshippeth that which is not and the very same may be justly said of all the rest As for that intrepretation of the great Citie wherein Antichrist hath so long raigned and yet boasteth to be the head thereof if any doe mislike it let him know that this is not myne interpretation onely but of many that are of singular learning and sincere iudgment As namely Doctor Fulke whose wordes are these in his Commentarie upon this place of the Revelation Fulk Cōm in Rev. 16 19. They which in times past with one consent haue worshipped the beast are now divided into three sects For some of them doe from their very hearts abhorre and detest his tyranie others doe remaine in the