the Church should be rightly ordered many Intemperat men without any learning or care haue offred vnto vs that kinde of gouernment which had it beene once admitted could not choose but time haue pocured a ruine to the whole Church whose labours as farre as they were honest no man hath reason to dispies but being daungerouâ— they are to be diswaded from attempting and frendely to be counsailled to aduise better For to allow the best and fauorablest excuse that this cause can afford a curtesie perhaps they desire not at our hands is to thinke they haue dealt as men that comming in loue to visite a sicke friende haue euery man geauen his aduise without skill The best reason in wise Iudgements to deny alteration of any well establisht order as also to procure approbation with good conscience to such customes as are publikely in vse is when there riseth from the due consideration of them apparant reason allthough not all waies to proue them bettter than any other for who did euer require this in mans ordinance yet competent to shew their conuenient fitnesse in regard of the vse for which they should serue duties of Religion performed by the Church ought to haue in them according to our power a sensible excellency Correspondent to the Maiestie of him whom we worship yea then are publike duties in the Church best ordered when the militant doth resemble by sensible meanes as it may in such cases that hidden dignitie and glory wherewith the Church Triumphant in Heauen is beutified how be it as the heate of the Sun which is the life of the whole world was to the people of God in the Desert a greeuous annoyance for ease whereof his extraordinary prouidence ordained a Clowdy Pillar to ouershadowe them so things of generall vse and benefit for in this world what is so perfect that no inconuenience doth euer follow it may by some accident be incommâ—dious to a few in which case for priuate Euills reamedies there are of like conditions though publike ordinances wherein the common good is respected be not stirred Let it be therefore allowed that in the externall forme of Religion such things as are apparantly and haue beene sufficiently proued effectuall and generally fit to set forward godlinesse either as betokening the greatnesse of God or as beseeming the dignitie of religion both which are shadowed in the riches and ornaments of our Church or as concurring with Celestial impressions in the minds of men may be reuerently retained some few rare casuall and tollerable or otherwise cureable inconueniences notwithstanding And in this case it is not a consideration either of least reason or least vse to obserue what hath beene allowed as fit in the iudgement of all Antiquitie for the good gouernment of the Church from which either easily or much to swarue was neuer yet in experience warranted to be safe Wherefore in the altering of formes of Church gouernment Reason doth not allow it to be good either to change what Experience hath taught to be without much hurt or in the change to followe the direction of yong heads For though Ripenes of vnderstanding be grayehairs and the vertues of such be old age yet wisedome and youth are seldome ioyned for we must seeke it among the Auncient and in the length of dayes vnderstaÌ„ding So that if the contention be to whom we must harken and who are they that rule vs in this case doubtlesse the aged for the most part are best experienced least subiect to rash vnaduised passioÌ„s seldome carried with an affectation of noueltie or change therefore best in matter of Counsaile to be best trusted and safest in matter of Change to be wholly followed for as hands are seldome profitable to any great attempts longer than youth strengthen them so Wisedome is not of much value till age and experience haue brought it to perfection In whom therefore time hath not perfected knowledge such must be content to follow them in whom it hath sharp and subtill discourses of witt which are not the ordinarie felicities of those that haue laboured in this cause procure many times great applause butbeing laid in the ballaÌ„ce with that which the habit of sound Experience plainly deliuereth they are ouer-weighed Let vs therefore as in all other things of deliberation and Counsaile follow the aduise of him who said Aske thy Father and he will shew thee thine Auncients and they shall tell the. They which doe nothing as one wisely noteth but that which men of accompt did before them are although they doe amisse yet they lesse faultie because they are not the Authors of harme and doing well their actions are freed from preiudice of Noueltie an imputatioÌ„ alone able to diminish the credite of that which is well donne The loue of thinges auncient doth argue stayednesse but leuitie and want of Experience maketh apt to innouations For vsually where Scripture doth not gaine say that which wisedome did first begin and hath beene with good men long continued challengeth allowance of them that succeede although it pleade for it selfe nothing but that which is new as their discipline is if it promise not much doth feare condemnation before triall till triall noe wise man although women and some rash heades doe doth acquite or trust it what good soeuer it pretend or promise So that in this kinde fewe things being knowen to be good till such time as they growe to be auncient as wee haue small reason to dislike or alter what by continuance wee haue found to bee profitably honest so we haue much lesse cause to admitt that which in our selues and our Church doth want triall and with others abroad hath beene the Originall of much euill Nowe because all thinges can not be Auncient which are expedient and needefull in the Church This being a bodie which neuer dieth hath euer power no lesse to ordaine in things indifferent that which neuer was than to ratifie that which hath beene before for surely the Church howesoeuer some men distast this point hath Authoritie to establish that for an order at one time which at an other it may abolish and in both doe well Laws concerning outward order are changable articles concerning doctrine are not There is saith Cassianus no place of audience left for them by whom obedience is not yielded to that which all haue agreed vpon for it is to bee feared that the sacred worde shall at their handes hardly receiue due honour by whom the holy ordinances of the Church doe receiue contempt It being a vertuous obedience in both as well to the rest in that which the Church commaundeth vnto vs as in that which God commaundeth vnto his Church And if those things which are misliked peraduenture of a number without reason were euils of that nature that could not bee remooued without manifest daunger to succeede in their roomes wisedome of Necessitie must giue place to Necessity all that it can doo is
without offence to giue you my opinion of the whole Booke it is a verball reiterating of the same things handled and discoursed by some of those with whom by some occasioÌ„ you haue much neernes I speak it not that I thinke you had their helpe for to this their needes none but to shew that the labour might well haue beene spared seeing others with farre better successe had trauelled in that same cause Contradictions there are diuers and all is vnsaid in the last Chapter which before you haue handled in the whole Booke speaches that sauour of slattery too plaine First of the Queene whose worthinesse farre exceeded whatsoeuer you could speake of her but surely you cannot possiblie commend her gouernment who as it seemes by your complaints was no more carefull to haue the Church reformed as you deale with the Queene so you deale with the Councill nay rather than faile you will flatter the Bishops also You reckon vpa true Catologue of their excellent vses in this Church yet notwithstanding if any harme should haue come to our late Queene you threaten a little after to lay it their charge Much like vnto the Author of the demonstration of discipline who saith that the Bishops by their gouernment giue leaue to a man to be any thing but a sound Christian nay your selfe feare not to say which certainly is not true they that were incensed against the Puritanes by the Papists meanes nay you spare not our first Bishops in our late Souereignes time which hauing fledd in Queene Maries dayes were not likely in reason to be fauourers of the Church of Râ—me herevnto I may ad your often repetitions of the same things besides is not this a strang phrase We cannot tell whether we might by the lawes and order of this Realme subscribe although it were otherwise lawfull by Gods word As if the Lawes of this Land could be a restraint for subscribing being warraÌ„ted in Gods word which they so earnestly impose only in this respect because it is so warranted I omitt false English which could not be the Printers fault The principall points which you seeme to handle we will answere God willing in the Chapters following and with this desire rather to finde out the truth than to confute you the one is a dutie but the other can be smale honor Neither are you to thinke me ouer arrogaÌ„t in this ceÌ„sure seeing I may much better doe it to you than you to his Grace whom you ought in all dutie not to haue named but with greater honor hauing shewed vnto you more fauour as yourselfe connot but confesse than many others of your qualitie deserts I will therefore conclude this point saying with that learned man whom I must euer reuerence as he spake of Maister Cartwrights second Reply Let me not liue if euer I sawe any thing writteÌ„ more loosely or almost most Childishly and after much to the same effect the conclusion is this he is alltogether vnworthie to bee confuted by any man of learning Surely there is nothing we doe tast worse thaÌ„ to haue a true censure of those things which oftentimes either out of ignorance or affection are much esteemed which serueth in the ende only to delude our selues and deceiue others but though the flatterie of Parasites doe seeme pleasant yet the wounds of a Louer are much better CHAP. IIII. The proceeding of the Reformers wholy vnlawfull IT falleth oftentimes out in the deliberations of men that where they haue iust reason to desire reformation of that which is faultie the meanes many times to attaine this are in themselues vnlawfull and lesse safe Their arc few Kingdoms which haue not found this to be true both in the Church and the Commonwealth For as in all States the lowest are aptest to reeciue harme and so euer to pretend that they receiue wrong and hauing least iudgment to moderate the sence of euill are most impatient to suffer euill so whilst they become vnskilfull Phisitions to a pub like sicknesse they make vsually the remedie worse than the disease it selfe that there is any kingdome gouerned with so much happinesse wherein the hand of authoritie is carried with that equal tenor that either rewards or punishmeÌ„ts are not or are not thought to bee bestowed by fauour as we scarcely read of any that haue beene before vs so neither can we hope for a better fortune to those that are present or shall succeed heereafter For where true causes of Complaint are wanting vnnecessarie discontentments are readie to make them to seeme true nay the Church it selfe a Societie that hath farre better lawes to gouerne it than any Kingdome seldome gaineth this opinion from all but that some violeÌ„t spirits dare vndertake by orders deriued out of their owne fancies to frame a gouernment that should be more holy and more excellent So that whilst they are earnest conceitours of this forme a forme peraduenture without warrant and therefore in the ende not likely to proue safe they fall a thing vsuall into so great an admiration of their owne creature that any other gouernment be it neuer so profitable and vertuous is despised and in the ende nothing is of power to hinder the building of this Babell but the confusion of tongues So that ReformatioÌ„ by a long continued disteÌ„per which ought to be the care and the conscionable desire of all commeth at the length to be the preposterous and violent misshapen disorder of some few all men hauing this defect by nature that where they haue power to discerne an euill they haue not the vnderstanding to finde out the meanes for to make it lesse the consideration of this as it ought to make those in Authoritie to haue more care and digligence so vndoubtedly it serueth to restraine the vncharitable constructions of priuat men who must not thinke all men to be Hypocrites that are in this case carried with lesse learning and more Zeale for doubtlesse in our Church a great number haue vnfeinedly though without discretion wasted their Zeale and their labour in that cause with much hurt which if they could haue beene so coÌ„tent might haue serued the Church to a better vse But seeing that cause how euill soeuer handled hath found so much fauour euen at their hands who in reason had least cause to allow disorder and that nothing is to be more suspected as euill to be don than that which we finde to be euill donne we will make a short but a true narration of this course which hath beene held from the beginning for the establishment of this gouernment Neither is it fit that the particular ouersigts of some fewe and peraduenture of such as either were or were thought least fit to be imployed in a matter of that momeÌ„t should be any iust exception to that proceeding if men of greater learning and cheefest in that action it had beene carried without violence with much grauitie moderation and Zeale but
house that the Rafters the Beames the maine timber might with the violence of tempests more speedily perish The third end was to make knowne vnto men by an externall worship that holinesse which in hart they professed vnto him that man hauing two parts and he the Author of both it might not be his fault to be defectiue in either of them Yet as wholy to depend vpon outward Ceremonies is but Hypocrisie so altogether to neglect them vnder pretence to worshippe him in spirit is but to sinne with more libertie vnpunished and vncontrouled Lastly the comlinesse of order and the preseruation of humane Societie are not the contemptiblest ends for the vse of Ceremonies For seeing order is the ornament of all Societies and seeing the Church of all Societies is most excellent it must needes follow that those things which Ciuilie done doe adorne others vnciuilly neglected or continued doe disgrace the Church And I am sorrie that in the earnest contention for Church gouernment men are so backeward in the allowance of Church Ceremonies seeing wise men of found iudgment haue made them a part of the Church discipline Yet Ceremonies are not all of like nature some being absolutely necessarie and common to all others not so necessary and to some it is fitte that for all men in the furtherance of Gods worshippe there should bee a sanctification of persons times and places which if either they were not done at all or done without Ceremonie the corruption of mans nature would easily esteeme them to be vnholy For although God be to be worshipped at all times and that as Christ saith the Kingdome of Heauen commeth not by obseruation either of time or place yet because whole Churches must assemble which cannot be done without these nor these rightly be thus seuered without Ceremonies all antiquitie hath allowed the distinction of these and the vse of sober and moderate Ceremonies in the separation of them that being rightly to be tearmed Religious which for the holines we leaue to imploy vnto common vses And howsoeuer it may be not altogether vnfit at least it ought not to be offensiue that Churches though all reformed are in this different for so in the obseruation of Easter the East and the Weast were diuers Africa and Italie Rome and Millaine in which our Rule must be with humilitie and loue to be all things to all yet it is many waies conuenient to haue an vnitie if it were possible of Ceremonies for the whole Church First that all may abstaine from that worshippe which is Heathenish Secondly not to inuent a peculiar worship of our owne a thing neither safe to be done nor easily without better directions to be left vndone Thirdly to remoue offence for weakenesse not able to discerne that the meanes often are diuers where the end is but one from the differing in Ceremonies haue thought a contrarietie and difference to be in Religion it selfe Lastly to let vs know that God will be worshipped externally and with order this being the best witnesse and nourishing of that worshipp which is within And doublesse the Ceremoniall worship in generall is from the lawe of nature although some specials doe proceede from the lawe positiue so that both respecting the vse which is manifolde the practise both before the lawe vnder the law and since for the Church of God vpon earth did neuer want Ceremonies it must needes seeme strange that the peeuishnesse of some few and they none of the greatest vnderstanding should preuaile so far that things of more necessarie vse as the word of Sacraments should be amongst the people distasted only for the obseruation of some few Ceremonies and yet these neither many nor the fancies of priuate men as if the obedience of inferiours with humilitie in this case were like the sinne of the sonnes of Elie for which men abhorred the offerings of the Lord. All men confesse that the Ceremonies of the Iewes prefiguring are to be remoued but not those in the Church which established by Authoritie serue onely for order and the better worship Yet all men of sound iudgment must needs graunt that for their vertue they are all inferior to the word and the Sacraments for their number they ought to be so limited that with their vnseasonable multitude they ouerwhelme not that worshippe which with their order and comlinesse they ought to further For as husbandmen are content the Branches of the Vine so long to growe and spread vntill thereby they procure the grapes to become fewer so in the Church the admission and retaining of Ceremonies are so farre lawfull vntill by their error and defect either in substance or number religion and deuotion become colder And if the opinion of them who hold the Church may ordaine Ceremonies for instructions ornament and order had extended it selfe likewise to account them a bond of diuine worshipp so farre as positiue lawes may serue to increase deuotion their assertion doubtlesse had beene much sounder and the people had excercised religion with greater holinesse and more peace but in this we haue dealt as in our religious seruice where few things can be rightly ordered that are carried with a doubtfull and headlong course The originall of this euill is as a wise man noteth That wee haue numbred the opinions of others but not weighed them a sweete error seruing but to make vs to loue that wherein at length wee must needs perish But if any man thinke as surely it is the opinion of some that those Ceremonies ordained by Christ or his Apostles are fit inought to be retained in the Church but the rest as being made without warrant haue no warrant to remaine still we answere that of all which Christiā Churches how much soeuer corrupted doe or shal vse there is by vs noe defence vndertaken for them yet wee doubt not that euery particular Church may our Church hath lawfully ordained some Ceremonies which ought religiously to be obserued more also if the church so thought fit not hereby to iustifie any to make him righteous but for ends that are spiritual and many waies behouefull to Gods worship First for ornamēt a thing which I wōder in al other cases should be accounted a vertue in religion only should be esteemed a vice Herein whilst we haue shūned iustly the glorious vanity of superstitious worship we haue familiarly fallen to despise the persons the place the times and almost that dutie which we would honor and all onely through the neglect of some due Ceremonies Secondly to stirr vp deuotiō a thing apt inough through our vanities to become small vnlesse some externall helps may be added for to make it greater Neither can the accesse of Coremonie in the consecration of new times or new places be otherwise vnderstood than the faithfull acknowledgment of special new extraordinary fauours that we haue receiued Neither ought the memorie of the resurrection
haue no Church this being as essentiall as either the word or the sacraments where this is wanting wee haue great cause both to examine the practises of these men and to consider that discipline which they tender vnto vs for that which we now haue and what benefit by this exchange is likely to redownd vnto Gods Church And surely if both our Disciplines had the like warrant that they were the lawfull â—rdinations of men for the well gouerning of the Church not repugnant to the word of God yet it is like the aduantage would be far greater on our side being auncient not the inuention of our selues found to be safe by experience and duly proportioned with the greatnes riches freedoms glory and gouernment of this kingdome whereas theirs in their owne opinions if they were not ouer partially addicted to it is new the inuention of late time dangerous by experience in a kingdome and no way proportioned but to the limits and bounds of some priuate Citie we haue knowne the aduocates of this discipline to haue much grace for which I do honor them in exhortation and prayer but to be either inuentors or aduisors of lawes and ordinations fit for a Church discipline their manner of liuing doth not allowe them that wisdome so that wee holde it much safer to retaine our owne reforming such parts as the boldnes of sinne maketh vs to thinke now to bee too remisse rather than to aduenture an exchange euen for that which by so many titles they commend vnto vs. For surely no man is lesse fit to lend his tongue to giue praise to a worke than he or they who haue lent their heads and their hands to be authors of it both because all of vs naturally loue what we doe our selues and seldome haue wee so much vnderstanding that we doe aâ—â—isse when we had no more vnderstanding but to faile in the doing of it But where their owne weakenes or want of experience might faile as not affoording them so much wisdome to make lawes if there they will vrge vs with expresse commaundement of holy Scripture then it must not seeme strange vnto them if that for which they pretend scripture without warrant of scripture be not admitted by vs wherein if they faile the Church at their hands receiueth a double wrong first a contention to disturbe her peace and secondly the false pretence of an euerlasting truth to giue authority and warrant to the late unwise inconsiderate and vnholy inuentions of silly men Dealing in this but peraduenture with lesse malice as Satan and all heretikes haue done to couller temptations and heresies with Gods word For seeing that with man especially in the Church nothing is or ought to be of that account as the scriptuâ—es are all men are dâ—sirous for that which they are willing to maintaine to alledge that proofe which hauing gâ—eatest authoritie must with men of reason finde least resistance For in all other things let reason be neuer so apparant with some men they are as easily contemned as they are alledged this onely conteyned in the two testaments both in admonishing is vpright in promising is heauenly and in threatning is fearefull All other writings as the assurance is but weake which they can affoord so their proofes are but the opinions or iudgements of mortall men and where the hearer is of the same nature with him that perswadeth reason oftentimes doth belâ—â—ue that he hath not much reason to be perswaded But in the scriptures as Hugo saith whatsoeuer is taught is truth whatsoeuer is commaunded is goodnes and whatsoeuer is promised is happines and therefore these men haue proceeded aright if they be able to proue what they vndertake in making the plaine scripture to be the commaunder of all parts of that discipline which doubtlesse whithout scripture reason hath little warrant to thinke that lawfull we understand then by discipline in this chapter which notwithstanding few of the patrones haue defined vnto vs that eternal gouernment of the church and of euery member thereof in respect they are of the Church whereby manners are reformed the peace of the Church maintained God glorified and order and decency procured this whether in substance it be such that nothing is to be added altered or diminished is the principall contention betwixt them and vs our Church holding that it hath this libertie to prescribe orders for the whole assemblie to giue direction for the goods of the Church and the maintenance of the clergie for the proceeding in matters of Church gouernment making lawes and ordâ—rs iudiciall notice censures election of offices and such like and this not without the authoritie of him who hath the supremacie in all causes all these we hold changeablâ— according to times and places whereas those who will needes be our aduersaries in this cause will haue all such as concerne the substance of discipline to be appointed by God and to be alwaies firme and immutable and the Eldership to haue the execution of them and to this end in euery parish or precinct there must be a presbyterie of doctors pastors elders and deacons and of diuers presbiteries conferences and synodes all which say they are precisely required in Gods word But seeing remonstrance hath been made both of the errors of them all and the infinit dissentions amongst themselues we can be content to let that discipline fall which stronger then they if they were willing could hardly haue strength for to hold vp This discipline of the Church ought to see the execution of those lawes and ordinances which God by his Apostles in their time and daily since by the Church maketh neither doe we thinke that any in the bosome of the Church after so long a time of knowledge can now doubt but that God hath left vnto his Church an authoritie to make lawes the execution whereof in reason is committed to those who succeed in place and authoritie the Apostles of Christ that did plant the Church whose dominion notwithstanding we make not so absolute that like tyrants at their pleasure they may rule ouer Christs flocke yet the power that the rulers of the Church haue in matters of a lower nature are lesse limited by farre hauing warrant to ordaine and appoint things indifferent which serue for order comlines and the edification of Christs Church By this authoritie the Apostles ordained many things in the Church whereof from Christ they had no expresse mention by this power S. Paul ordained that gatherings should be made at Corinth vpon the Lords day that the man should pray bare headed and the woman couered Such authoâ—itie at this day a particular Church hath as of England France end Scotland or any other that the clergie with the allowance of the prince and the rest whom it may concerne for to make lawes may ordaine and appoint â—uch ordinances as seruing for edification order and comlines in the Church are so long in force vntill they
shall be abrogated by that authoritie that did first make them To this we referre the time and manner of publike prayer administring the Sacraments ecclesiasticall censures apparell for diuine seruice ornaments of Churches and such like all which as the Church froÌ„ Christ hath lawfull authoritie to ordaine so it is peeuish disobedience in those men who had rather without warrant impose vpon the Church lawes of their own making then by commaundement obey the lawful ordinations that others make Now because in no societie al men will be obedient at all times and that it is little auaileable to make lawes and no way to see to the execution of them as the Church hath left vnto her admonitions to warne theÌ„ correctioÌ„s to restraine so last of al she hath power to suspend froÌ„ partaking of the best things that the church hath because they haue refused to obey the voyce of the Church in those lesser ordinations that she made the seueritie of the Church tending to this end the amendment of such whoÌ„ she doth correct and the terrifying of others from the like offence wherein if our Church administer this discipline with two much lenitie a fault surely if at all in inferior officers we had rather aduenture the manifest inconuenience of that euill then hazard by a new course the certaine molestation of a farre greater Now because all men will seeme to haue reason for that they doe and no reasons are equall to those which the scripture yeeld some wise men amongst them haue vndertakeÌ„ to make proofes from hence absolutely in their opinions sufficient to establish this new discipline The consideration of which weaknes as also the great iniurie vnto Gods word must needes make that their discipline doth want proofes which themselues are rather desirous theÌ„ able to alledge for it It must needs seeme strange that because Moses and Aaron when they came into Egypt did at Gods commandement cal together the elders of the children of Israel that the very mention of their names shuld be alledged as a warrant for the elders of the church in this new discipline But one of Geneâ—a writing vpon that place faith such were vnderstoode as by doctrine and example did rule the people whereas their elders are laymen and by no meanes are admitted to teach others Others peraduenture more truly men of that time and not much diffeâ—ing from that humor saâ— that neither preachers nor lay elders are vnderstoode by it but only such ciuill gouernors as were Senators princes to beare rule And doubtles whatsoeuer they wrest out of the old testament to make Moses the author of it yet Caluin to whose iudgement the chiefest amongst them hath promised to stand in this case saith that the pretended eldership till after the time of the captiuitie was neuer thought of and the reason as M. Calâ—iâ— saith why they thought of it then was because it was not lawfull for them to haue a King as if the gouernment by a King which in former times they had might haue bin graunted to theÌ„ this institution of their Sanedrim of elders had been of no vse So that all those scriptures out of the old testament by them alledged to this end as they haue alledged many are to small purpose or if they were that gouernment were needles in a realme where there were a King And that Sanedrim or councell of the Iewes erected after their returne from Babilon being seuentie elders were of the stocke of Dauid and of their former Kings but to bring these into the Church by the mistaken example of those times cannot but be daungerous and the foundation being so weake this building of theirs cannot long continew Doubtles it is not safe in wresting of scriptures to follow the streme of their owne fancies seeing he that held that all who would be saued must goe to Ierusalem forced all places out of the scripture that gaue any testimonie to commend Ierusalem either litterall or otherwise as apparant demonstration to maintaine his error As these men haue delt in the old testament so in the new what M. Caluin doth expound of pastors and preachers only some others do wrest for the establishing of these lay elders in their Church discipline I am sorie that men of learning that would seeme vertuous holy should be charged so truely with so manifold wresting of the scriptures as in this whole matter of discipline they are by sundrie that doe write against them Let men loue and aduance their owne fancies as they thinke safe but let the scripture not be vrged to giue strength vnto them For doubtles heresies and erroneous opinions do no otherwise spring vp then when the good scriptures are not well vnderstoode and because that which is not well vnderstoode is notwithstanding boldly affirmed to be the meaning of them For few things hitherto haue been so fondly deuised but the authors did pretend they had scripture for it or else saith S. Hierom the garrulity of such persons would hardly haue got credit for when through vanitie pride men haue ingaged themselues by the broaching of new opinions they wil rather labour to bring the scripture to yeeld vnto their fancies then suffer their fancies to be ouerruled by them a fault as it is great in it selfe so it carieth a manifold disaduantage with it that the aduersaries of the truth want not a couller to refuse the interpretations of such at another time whom men of the same profession for saith and the sacraments haue worthely charged to haue wronged the scriptures It had been doubtles a greater honour to them much better dealing with the word of God and a course of more reason in the opinion of wisemen that this discipline had been commended to vs as a politike gouernment which they found safe as the best deuise which necessitie in Geneua betwixt the putting out of their Romish Bishop the keeping out of the Duke of Sauoy did inforce vpon them as a platforme sutable enough for such a citie at such a time But to offer it to the greatest kingdomes that imbrace the truth who happily florish vnder the prosperous gouernment of vertuous princes where all things are established in the Church with a most auncient Apostolike holy order and al this vnder the name of Gods word It is to poyson the world with much euill and to couer the pollicie of their first teachers with the vnhallowed contentions of all after times And yet for all that we can neither mislike the gouernment of our Church which alreadie we haue by Bishops nor accept theirs by Elders vntill they haue answered all such as soundly and with iudgement doe write against them Add surely I may make the same protestation which a wise man doth in this case that if I were to leaue this life and should speake what I thought of the present forme of Ecclesiasticall gouernment at this time in
and people and would deuide all liuings among their Elders Decons whom they appoint to be paymasters of their Pastors if either I charge them with vntruth or any indifferent vnderstanding can thinke this not danngerous to the Church and the Commonwealth let their petitions haue successe their complaints haue audience their cause finde fauor and in that one Act let Religion the Prince peace and all vtterly perish I omitt first fruites Tenthes subsides cōtributions of Ecclesiasticall persons all which are graunted by the lawes vnto the Prince of this Land all which by thē are accounted sacriledge and robberie and left wholy to the disposition of their polliticke Consistorie and where as as wee shall haue occasion to handle heareafter some special men in particular cases both in equitie and conscience are to be exemted by priuiledge from those lawes that doe binde all a power only reserued to the Prince himselfe These hould all dispensations vnlawfull and howsoeuer they fauour it in themselues no lesse than superstitious and Antichristian in others A thing doubtlesse of much vse and great necessitie in all kingdomes and of no daunger at all where the King is vertuous Whilst the true consequēts of their false opinions haue taught the world that these and such like derogations of the Kings authoritie haue beene maintained in that vnlearned Schoole they labour to make all men beleeue that Princes haue not more honest Religious and loyall Subiects than they are A thing surely by experience neuer to be found so longe as they haue entered vnder pretence of Religion to become abbaters and disposers of the Kings Reuenewes as if he that were gouernor of the Church and the Commonwealth were bound in dutie by power and reuenewe but to haue care of the Church only a Diminution of all greatnesse is affected by thē that by the disposition of that which they esteeme to be the superfluitie of all States necessarie defences and moderate Ornaments may all faile to make them rich CHAP. II. The Church visible of all other Societies is fittest to haue a Discipline but neuer the same that some men desire TO thinke that either the Church how putrified soeuer the Religion be be in so good a case for gouernment that nothing can either be added or taken away to make it better or that the same societie how much soeuer disordered be to be altered by priuate warrāt is very daungerously and apparantly to erre in both The first being the effect of too much flattery and self loue the latter the daungerous attempt of an insolent presumption both hazardous to that holy Societie whom either they thinke for gouernment to be absolute or absolutely to be gouerned by their owne fancies In these two Errors the difference is this that they first may easily erre in thinking that to be best which Experiēce hath taught them to be good in the latter there is lesse excuse because they mislike all whatsoeuer may not be esteemed to proceede from their owne deuice that there is a gouernment requisite for that Societie which we call the Church the wisdome of God hath made knowen vnto vs both by proportion of those naturall and Ciuill Societies to which the Church is compared and by the perfection of that fellowshippe which the Saints in all ages and places where the true worship of GOD hath preuailed haue had from the foundation of the worlde amongst themselues The first roote of humane Societie as being impossible to continue without order is distinguisht by God himselfe into seuerall degrees and prerogatiues of Husbands Parents Maisters aboue Wife Children and Seruants and yet all linked in the mutuall agreement of like dueties The greater Branches that rise out of these rootes Cities countries and kingdomes are neither destitute of lawes to prescribe nor Magistrats to execute for the common good all receiuing dignitie and strength from this fountaine that by the benefit of Good lawes they are well gouerned If men were of themselues either willing or constant in that which were good It were needles to haue a discipline for all where euery mans vertue were a lawe to himselfe but seeing our corruption is such that we are easily deceiued by our selues more easily seduced by others but most and most daungerously peruerted through feare and desire the one to spurn vs that we goe not too flowe the other to bridle vs that we runne not too fast there is a line both to direct and to amend necessarily limited to all sorts and this in due season lest disorder indured bread confusion the fore-runner of all ruine Seeing then the Church of Christ is the house of God the Citty of the liuing God the kingdome of his beloued Sonne can wee thinke that he is careful for others and carelesse or negligent for his owne or that disorder is lesse daungerous or lesse to be feared in the Church than in the Common-wealth surely hee that in all places is the Author not of confusion but of peace will haue all thinges performed decently and in order for the Gouernment of his Church To this ende hee appointed Stewardes oouer his houshold Watchmen and leaders ouer his flocke laborers in his haruest Husbandmen in his Tyllage and being proportioned to a bodie maketh some to bee Eyes Eares Tongues Handes that is principall members for directing and assistance of the whole without which in all reason it must needes be vnable to prouide for the safetie and securitie of it selfe so that the Honour or happinesse had beene small to haue made it a Church vnlesse this likewise had beene added To haue made it a Church that is well Gouerned for the vnitie of of the Spirit is not kept but in the bande of peace This Regiment of the Church is as well Extelternall as Internall The latter is that gouernment which God hath by his holy Spirit and truth in the hearts of the faithfull which as it is neuer varied so it is not questioned amongest vs in the Church of Englande By this which is the Kingdome of his Sonne all men confesse that GOD inwardly and effectually worketh in his Saintes the Faith of his truth the feeling of his grace and other spirituall blessinges according to the purpose of his will for the praise of his owne Glorie in which no earthly creature is able to ioyne or to concurre with him sauing only in this that the Word and the Sacraments being left as externall meanes there must be fitte persons for both and a power in them to admitte and reiect lest happily holy thinges be defiled whilst Pearles are cast vnto Dogges and Swine From hence ariseth a necessitie of externall Gouernment in Gods Church which respecteth the appointing of meete men and the due approbation of such as are to be credited with the free dispensation of such inestimable Treasures committed to their Charge In this whilst all men agree that it ought and many that are religious are desirous that
as much as may bee to mitigate the euils that when the best things are not possible the best may bee made of those that are Wisedome will rather tollerate some euill in A forme of gouernment that is tryed Than in a Gouernment vntryed to stand to the hazard of a farre greater It is the honour of all Kings that which is the Title of the Princes of this Land to bee as they are called Defendours of the Faith and this not onely in regard of Enemies abroad but in respect of those also which desire alteration at home oftentimes A hope of ease giueth men that iustly suffer occasion to complaine whose discontentments how lamentably soeuer diplayed are not alwaies the euidences of true griefe nor euer the argumentes of a iust wrong For doubtlesse let a Church bee as well gouerned as euer was any eyther in or before the Apostles time Let Moses and Aaron both labour to make it Excellent Let Dauid and all his Counsellours aduise for the good of it yet she shal neuer want those within the bosome of her who eyther wearie with that which is auncient or in loue with some newe deuise of their owne are readie to depraue that Gouernment which they ought for to reuerence as being the Orders of that Societie wherevnto in all dutie they doo owe obedience There will euer bee some Corah Dathan and Abiram to tell Moses and Aaron that they take too much vpon them Such is the frailtie of humane nature and so great our vnwillingnesse to liue in subiection to the gouernment of other men That wee will rather hazard an opposition to God himselfe than haue our Zeale to bee guided by the limits of any Lawes doubtlesse those that are thus proud may iustly suspect that GOD hath not placed them as workmen in the reformation of the External gouernment of that Kingdome whose foundation was first laid with so much humilitie This if the first authors of these troubles had well considered they would not in a matter of so great Consequent haue allotted the power and authoritie of alteration vnto the violent and vnlimited passions of the rude multitude a thing in it selfe as without warrant so incredible almost to haue proceeded from men that were furnished but with common sence Could any thing sound more pleasing to the lowest and worst parts of a Kingdome Could any thing moue sooner to rebellion than to tell them that Reformation of Religion belongeth to the Communaltie that the Communaltie may lawfully require of their King to haue true Preachers and if he be negligent they iustly may themselues prouide them maintaine them defend them against all that persecute them and may detaine the profit of the Church-liuings from the other sorte If these strange opinions which must needes sound harshly in the eares of all Kinges had not dispersed themselues like a poyson into the veynes of this Kingdome the Authors might haue slept in silence and their hallowed treasons haue remained vntouched But seeing those who were sollicitours abroad are now so neere that they be daungerous perswaders at home it is a consideration not of small importance as well to looke at the Authors and the meanes with what pretences soeuer they are ouershadowed as at the thing it selfe neither much needfull nor verie safe And howsoeuer in humane reason we haue now lesse cause than euer to feare the daunger of this euill yet seeing no harme in a religious Kingdome with a vertuous Prince findeth as little resistance as that which is couered with the name of Zeale all men haue cause both to pray aduise and assist that the misteries of this euill the iust punishment for the contempt of his truth light not vpō vs in our dayes nor in the dayes of our Children that shall succeede after There is not any fancie grounded vpon so little truth that hath so speedely growne to that greatnes as the discipline of Geneua hath It is like in our Kingdome yet fit inough peraduenture for them vnto the Gourd that shadowed Ionas but of a small continuance and yet some great Prophets are content to rest vnder the shadowe of it wee shall easily forgett the Author of greater benefits vnlesse some Worme in mercie be sent for to eate it downe at the first in the Auncient Disputations against the Papists and Anabaptistes both in Fraunce and Geneua there could bee found but two essentiall notes of the Church The true preaching of the word and the right administration of the Sacraments but when some of ours were returned from Geneua they were not affraied to tell vs a strange opinion to be publisht by learned wise men That Maister Beza helde the Geneua Discipline the third note of the Church and of as much necessitie as the Sacramentes or the worde it selfe which thing if it were as soundly proued as it seemes it is constantly beleeued by them all men had reason to acknowledge them the Authors of much good and to aduenture themselues farre in the defence of it Out of this stronge opinion haue proceeded these vnreuerend speeches against our Land Englande with an Impudent forehead hath said I will not come neere the Holy one wee are neuer the better for her Maiesties reformation seeing the Walls of Sion lye euen with the Ground Rome is come into our gates Antichrist reigneth amongst vs Infinite are the speeches collected out of their owne writings by others in this kinde and yet for all this they would seeme both to flatter the Prince if so worthie a Prince could bee flattered and highly to commend her happie gouernment so many waies profitable both to the Church and the Common-wealth but whilst we charge them with Innouation a thing whereunto wise Gouernors must haue good regard One commeth forth with great boldnesse yet one of the weakest that hath laboured in this cause and saith wee craue no alteration in Religion but only that the things which are standing as they doe may be brought to the order of the Apostles vse and to the Canon of Gods holy word in those circumstāces which remain yet vnreformed Do you speake cōsideratly in this plea were all things that are desired by you and others vsed in the Apostles time Are they all warranted by the Canon of Gods word Doubtlesse if you had perused with any indifferency all the learned discourses of those that haue laboured in this you should easily haue found that most things demaunded and so much desired are new and that wee are not now absolutely tied to all these things that were in vse in the Apostles time It shall not be amisse howsoeuer it hath beene alreadie most learnedly performed by others to let them Vnderstand that the orders of the Church haue beene at times diuers Whereof some haue beene added some ceased and that wee are not absolutely tied to imitate the times that haue beene before in euerie particular the Church as it is Militant heere on earth liueth
the execution of such lawes would haue giuen tolleration for a time that they might be resolued if by their humilitie they manifested a desire that they had to learne but seâ—ing they confesse that by the late Queenes Iniunctions all superstitious ceremonies are taken away â—s shrines tables pictures and such like a testimonie not vnworthely giuen to the reformed gouernment of so good a Prince it is but a slender exception annexed such doe we take the surplesse to be A weake eye surely would haue seene a difference and an humble minde would haue indured much more rather then by such violent oppositions to haue so farre troubled the Churches peace I cannot well obserue in the tennor of that last defence the Plea of the innocent what their constant opinion is concerning the cerimonies misliked in our Church vnlesse they meane that they are idle indifferent and humane ordinations whilest they are commaunded but being disobeyed by them they are waightâ—i and great causes able to warrant resistance and rebellion in the highest measure I wish they would either account them as trifles and so being commaunded not so stifly refuse to vse them or else esteeme them matters of great moment and so thinke the gouernors of the Church haue reason and warrant so much to vrge them But the things say they in controuersie which wee desire to bee reformed and others earnestly maintaine are but accessarie additaments brought into the Church by humane constitution and without these the religion would stand But we are sure that once being brought in they are to be obeyed for conscience and surely the religion that would stand without them with them shall be able to stand much better Many things which are not requisâ—t for the being are notwithstanding required to the well being But afterward speaking of themselues as desirous to be iustified for their dealing in this cause they call it a good iust and waâ—ghtie cause founded in Gods word iniuriously reputed and tearmed an accidentall fancie and deuise I hope wise men from their owne wrytings will obserue the dealings of these men that they may not be vrged by authoritie to obedience a poynt of religion I wish they had well learned they call these things but additaments fit enough to bee contemned because they are humane constitutions and yet after to approue their obstinacie for refusing of them they call them waightie causes this contrarietie may peraduenture deceiue some but truth at the length will discouer it selfe Falsehoode is slight and shines through if we looke into it These onely mislike what they are not authoâ—s of themselues and euer labour for excuses as reasons to warrant what they doe mislike They thinke and say it is pitrie necessarie seruice wherein I thinke they vnderstand their preaching should be houlden backe by these vnnecessarie ceremonies But if vnnecessarie whereof it is not fit for them to be iudges why doe they not rather yeeld vnto them by conformitie then depriue themselues by their obstinacie of doing that good which by obedience they might and if any man thinke these ceremonies vnlawfull as weaknes may stumble in the plainest way why doe not they who haue cast these doubts show which they are the daungers of them and aduer tise those as becommeth them that make lawes seeing we vse none but those which the law doth warrant besides if abuses had crept in with these ceremonies and things tollerated first for good ends could not afterward be retained but with great abuse these only had been to be remoued by authoritie and not from the fancies of priuate men It is their error who thinke it the act of reformation to take things away and not onely the abuse for reformation is properly the repetition and restitution of the auncient vse neither can that be said to be reformed which is made new far be it from vs faith an auncient Father that things which are good and lawfull if through the corruption of some few they become hurtfull that this should be imputed to vs as our fault For thus the vse of all things were daungerous and vnlawfull seeing nothing can be so profitably imployed from whence daunger may not arise vnto those that snall vse them otherwise Doubtles they haue done much in this that haue been before vs yet some thing may be added by those which follow wherein if we alter or dissent from them it can be no blemish to their names which are not mentioned by vs but with much honor It is sufficient Rome knew not Cato but when she lost him And the innocencie vertue of Rutilius had laine secret if he had not receiued iniurie But diseases as a wise man noteth sometimes ouertake those that are most temperate punishment those that are most innocent tumults those that are most secret But to conclude this point and to iâ—stifie the Church of England in the matter of ceremonie wherein she hath heard euil by some of her owne children without cause I doubt not to affirme that few men haue euer red any iudgement or censure of ceremonies written with greater moderation and learning then that which is published next after the preface in the communon booke out of which it shall not bee amisse to note the iust reprehension of the intemperat affectours of innouation as also the lawfull defence of such ceremonies as soberly they are vsed in our Church Cerimonies there are which though they haue been deuised by man yet it is thought good to reserue them still as well for a decent order in the Church for the which they were first deâ—ised as because they pertaine to edification whereunto all things done in the Church as the Apostle teacheth oâ—ght to be referred and although the keeping or omitting of a cerimonie in it selfe considered is but a small thing yet the willfull and contemptuous transgression and breaking of a common order and discipline is no small offence before God let all things be done among you saith Saint Paul in a seemely and due order the appoyntment of which order pertaineth not to priuate men therefore no man ought to take in hand nor presume to appoint or alter any publike or common order in Christs Church except he be lawfully called and authorised thereunto And as concerning those persons which peraduenture wil be offended for that some of the old cerimonies are retained still if they consider that without some cerimonies it is not possible to keepe any order or quiet discipline in the Church they shall easily perceiue iust cause to reforme their iudgements and if they thinkâ— much that any of the old remaine and would rather haue all deuised anew then such men graunting some cerimonies conuenient to be had surely where the old may be well vsed there they cannot reasonably reproue the old onely for their age without bewraying their owne folly For in such a case they ought rather to haue reuerence vnto them for their
antiquitie if they will declare themselues to be more studious of vnitie and concord then of innouations and new fanglnes which as much as may be with the true setting sorth of Christs religion is alwaies to be eschewed In these our doings we condemne no other nation nor prescribe any thing but to our owne people onely An excellent censure and graue moderation fit to be considered by al that are desirous to alter our church cerimonies And surely it must needes seeme strange that when all opinions how false so euer haue had this happinesse that some of their maintainers haue had the coullorable helpes of learning to defend their cause the chiefe aduersaries in this haue dealt at all times so weakely as if all of them purposely had ment to haue betrayed it For to speake without partiallity what truth requireth in this poynt the principall and first opposites that I reade of vnto our Church cerimonies were those that in Queene Maries time got the libertie to plant a Church at Franckford where first ioyning with the French afterward out of their humors strengthned with some counsell from Geneua so farre dissented from their religious and learned countriemen which hauing left their countrie for the profession of the Gospell lay then at Zurick Strausborugh Wezell and Emden that some bookes and the greatest part of christendome was filled with the vnreuerent vnholy and vnnaturall contentions of that time This vnwise and inconsiderate dislike yet then much more tollerable where they had some showe of authoritie to plant a Church kindled that fire which hath burned euer since and without great resolution and wisedome of some in authoritie doubtles long agoe had burst fourth into a daungerous flame within the very bowels of our Church and all onely from this head that whilest the greater part was loth to yeeld to the wiser and more learned some sparkes of that opposition notwithstanding their showe of reconcilement when they heard of Queene Maries death daungerously brake out when they returned home They from Franckeford wrote to them of Zuricke by Maister Grindall after that reuerent Archbishop and maister Chambers that they thought not that any godly man would stand to the death in the defence of cerimonies which as the booke specified vpon iust occasions may be altered and changed accounting it an argument that they are slenderly taught which for breach of a cerimonie will refuse such a singular benefit as to ioyne with the Church They likewise from Strausgburgh onely desired such vse of the communion booke as no reasonable man shal iustly reproue a graue moderation doubtles in them and a iust censure against all those as being vnreasonable men which reproue it at this day Some of those that fledde vertously out of their owne countrie which was then for the most part an aulter for y e bodies of y e dead or a prisonâ—â— the soules of the liuing vnaduisedly were content to make a schisme as the Donatists from the Romane Church for the keeping of Easter and onely through the dislike of a few ceremonies which in a letter that they wrote after Queene Maries death for ending of these contentions they call trifles and superfluous ceremonies I cannot enough wonder how men of learning and iudgement as most of them surely had both could in time of banishment in a strange citie and amongst themselues for the space of foure or fiue yeares nourish a contention with that bitternes for things of that nature which the most eager amongst them did account but trifles It had been surely a great honour to them and a greater happines to this Church if they had remembred themselues though in exile to haue been a part of it and so haue framed their orders to the gouernment and those ceremonies which were established by law and vsed by them in King Edwards time To this letter they of Franckeford make a wiser and farre more reasonable answere that it shall be to small purpose for them to contend for ceremonies where it shall lie neither in your hands nor ours to appoint what they shall be but in such mens wisedomes as shall be appoynted to the deuising of the same and which shall be receiued by common consent of the Parliament and a little after All reformed Churches differ amongst themselues in ceremonies and yet agree in the vnitie of doctrine we see noe inconueniences if we vse some ceremonies diuers from them so that we agree in the chiefe points of our religion If all of them at their returne home had obserue the moderation that was in some few such clamorous inuectiues had not been vsed against those whose places inioyne them to see an obseruation for the vniformitie of the Church of those few modest and comely ceremonies which the law appointed But at their returne one of them a man otherwise in the opinion of some vertuous and learned chargeth vs that we make these Antichristian ragges for so it pleaseth him in his heate to call them causam sine qua non in Christs holy ministerie so that these make an english priest be he neuer such a doult or villane and without these Romish reliks not Paul himselfe should preach What could any of our aduersaries haue spoken more bitterly against our cleargie and surely in the eares of any temperate and wise man it must needes seeme a strange and inconsiderate speech to slaunder a whole Church with so little reason especially that Church whose honor and peace should haue been maintained by him We dare in this take their owne offer to rest vpon melancholie iudgement a thing peraduenture not so fit in another case that when the opinion of holinesse of merit of necessitie meaning a religious necessitie not a necessitie of obedience is put into things indifferent then they darken the light of the Gospell and ought to be taken away But they are with vs as all other things of that nature of comlines of order of obedience And the same which was the reason to those in authoritie to remoue others was likewise their reason to retaine these wherein if their wisedomes saw not so much as others peraduenture would haue done if they had been in their places we dare not take vpon vs to censure their doings but where scripture is not against it we are desirous to be obedient vnto those that doe rule ouer vs. And where some thinke it is as lawfull if the Prince commaund to weare Aarons garments as these and if not Aarons much lesse the Popes first we say not that these are the Popes howsoeuer peraduenture by them vsed before vs neither are we bound for any thing that I know so precisely in all things to dissent from them We are willing to retaine of theirs what we may that those amongst vs which superstitiously are addicted to them may see that it is not of malice that we are parted and themselues may haue lesse couller of excuse for dissenting from
so long as the authoritie that commaundeth is all one nor can we vnlesse we flatter our selues ouer much thinke that we are obedient to God whilest we are willing to disobey those whom he in his wisedome hath placed ouer vs. Neither are we so much to waie in things not simply vnlawfull what that is that is commaunded as with this to be content that it is commaunded This if it had been duely considered by some in our Church they had neither gloried so much that in not yeelding to order they were vnlike others neither had they with such showe of reason labored to make the ignorant beleeue that the lawfull wise and religious exacting of subscription was like vnto an inquisition and the tyranous requiring of an vnlawfull thing But in this fact wherein the wisdome of authoritie was thought too cruell they are able to answere why they did refuse For what men being inioyned by order doe not doubtlesse of that in equitie they are bound to giue a reason which whilest some haue laboured to performe in this kinde the world hath seene what small and weake excuses they haue had to refuse obedience a thing which must in the end lie heauie vpon them that haue made resistance without cause or else vpon them that without warrant did exact it from them Neither haue these refusers of subscription been onely actors themselues in this disobedience but the authors by their example haue thrust with violence men of lesse learning and greater moderation into the like contempt This being as one noteth the principall vnhappines of those men that they had the authoritie of the aged and the faults of youth Who being in this as they thought to publish their vertue were supposed not without cause in the opinion of wise men that they affected glorie The Church hath found the example of these to be very daungerous who were thought in that wherein they did amisse to be very holy For such a one few are willing to reproue and example doth inlarge the fault when the sinner is honored for the reuerence of his person Doubtles there was no act since the death of Queene Mary either of greater wisedome to preserue the peace of the Church in those that were first authors of it or of more daungerous disobedience in the refusers then the act of subscription was A practise not first inuented by vs but arising of it selfe euen from that naturall care which ought to be in all of authoritie to take securitie as it were for the good behauiour of all such as are admitted to teach others By this one act both binding their hands and tongues from any way disabling the Churches orders and testifying to the world the vnitie of that Church where all of one calling haue giuen their approbation to those lawfull ordinations which authoritie in wisdome moderation and vertue haue set downe Whereby it appeareth as their grieuance to be lesse so their fault to be much greater then they thinke who haue refused to subscribe and haue labored with others to doe the like whilest notwithstanding they haue giuen their hands and doe daily not onely to their owne dicipline wherein the best amongst themselues agree not and the meaner haue not knowledge toexamine but also to false suggestions intemperate petitions vniust complaints lawes and ordinances of their owne For all which they haue by many degrees lesse warrant than to subscribe to that which they doe refuse This onely being the difference that they distaste any thing that is not new and their hands are ruled by example and fancie in that they doe Wherein if they had well considered in humilitie that obedience which the Church might exact of them as also without preiudice the lawfulnes of those things whereunto they were required to set their hands doubtles the vrging would not haue been thought a matter of so much rigor nor the refusing be so much defended as a thing lawfull For what indifferent man can thinke it vnmeete that when the Prince and the Parliament haue made orders Caâ—ons Iniunctions Articles or any thing of that kinde for the vniformitie in the Church gouernment that a Bishop hauing authoritie to institute into spirituall liuings with cure should require by subscription a consent vnto these things before he be admitted in to that charge A thing if by his owne authoritie for the peace of that dioces committed to his care the Bishop had done surely the fault had been much lesse then in any that had refused to performe obedience But seeing the law doth inioyne subscription and that they howsoeuer wronged by the clamorous complaints of some are but ministers to see the due execution of the law for the peace of the Church they haue as little reason to lay the burthen of this vpon the Bishops shoulders as a robber by the high way his apprehension arrainment and execution to the iustice charge The law in them both hauing made that prouision that they which doe what the law forbids or doe not what the law commaunds must be content for their owne fault willingly to suffer what the law inflicts And therefore it must needes be by so much the more strange that men who are content to flatter the Prince the Parliament and those that doe make lawes can thinke themselues warranted to refuse obedience and reuile those honorable and reuerend persons to whom onely is committed the execution of them Besides places times and persons orderly with iudgement and conscience concurring to make lawes euery person in the land hauing resigned his particular intrest to those who are assembled to that end all after examination is debarred to all how wise so euer who are not admitted to that and at that time much more to the rest whose weakenes of iudgement cannot without apparant suspition of intollerable pride take vpon them the examination of those lawes before they can easily be drawne to subscribe vnto them The particular exceptions that are made by them although seuerally answered by sundrie most learned and graue men heretofore yet then we shall better examine when we come to the defence of the Communion booke Onely we say now that the vrging of subscription so farre as the Bishops doe and ought is warranted by lawe from man and the disobedience of those who refuse to doe it is no way warranted by the lawes of God So that both the tumultuous and clamorous outcries which they haue raised onely for this and the slender excuses pretended for so foule a fact are but like the coullerable rebellions which for inlarging of commons the basest of the people haue stirred vp But least peraduenture I should doe them wrong I am willing that the reader should heare them speake And herein I will make choyse of him who comming later then the rest vndertaking from the writings of others to pleade the cause hath labored to free them from this great fault and to iustifie that they haue performed so much as
the statute required in this kinde It is like he rather desired to tell the world that he was an actor in the troubles of that time then to giue reasons for that which he and they did or to craue with submission pardon of the Church for that which they did not Aboute the yeere saith one 1571. subscription was inforced vpon the Ministerie for which cause in that time certaine men wrote an admonition to the Parliament opening diuers things worthie of reformation whereupō arose great volumes of prouing defending c. But in the middest of these fiery contentions a goodly space of quietnes about the time that the reuerend father Maister Grindall was Archbishop of Canterburie c. after the said archbishops death there came forth a new fresh assault of subscription vniuersally imposed and againe inforced vpon all the ministers in three articles first of the Queenes maiesties soueraigne authoritie ouer all persons c. secondly that the booke of common prayer and of ordayning Bishops Priests and Deacons containe in it nothing contrarie to the word of God c. thirdly to allowe and approue all the articles of religion agreed vpon by the Archbishop and Bishops c 1562 and to beleeue all therein contained to be agreeable to God The Ministers offered freely and willingly to subscribe to the first article of her Maiesties most lawfull authoritie and for the other two they refused to doe any further then by law they were bound and namely according to the statute made for that purpose Anno 13. Hereupon many in diuers shires were suspended from the execution of their ministery and some depriued And in another place We cannot tell whether we might by the lawes and order of this realme subscribe although it were otherwise lawfull by Gods word it concerneth the whole state aduisedly to consider that the holy ministers of God be not oppresse lwith an vniust subscription This the author calleth in another place the first great storme that fell vpon them and in another place this he maketh to be the fruites of subscription that the unpreaching minister and the non-resident are both warranted by it and in another place it is meaning subscription against many good and learned ministers and some it thrusteth out Others before this author both for time and worthines haue stifly but I doubt scarse considerately refused obedience in this point The some of all their reasons tending to this end that many obscure vntruthes were contained in those things whereunto they required that they should subscribe all aiming at this that nothing was euer so greeuous in the Church to the humours and dispositions of these men as to giue by subscription their allowance vnto that which the lawes had done One of them to the Lords of the councell speaking of subscription when D. Whitgift was made Archbishop and set forth his vnaduised deuise of subscription it seemed as a strong pot of brasse that would soone haue broken in peeces all the power of poore ministers and made discipline in vtter contempt I will only put the reader in minde that though it were no dishonor vnto his grace to be the author of so wise an order for the Church yet the same by their owne confession was a lawe before her Maiestie had called him to be a Bishop another for it were endlesse and of little vse to alleage the reasons of Iohnson preacher at Northhampton of Grayer and many besides published to this end being more learned yet in my opinion lesse religious thē the rest hath set downe some reasons why the Bishops doc vrge subscription t◠her Maiesties authoritie in causes ecclesiasticall first for a hope of a more sure setlednes to themselues and their followers that none may hereafter preach against the lordlynes of prelates that none may preach against ciuill offices in a preiate that none may speake against baptisme by women that none may preach against an vnlearned ministerie that none may preach against any corruption yet established whatsoeuer A strange collection thus to aime at the intention of making lawes But we say no otherwise of him then a father did in the like case His words showe vs wholy what he is and if we therefore know him not because we haue not seene his face neither doth he knowe himselfe because he doth not see his face But these doubtles and such like are but as Saint Hierome calles them the hissings of the old serpent For wise men would haue thought that these had had nothing to haue spokē vnlesse they had propounded this to thēselues to haue spoken euill But seeing the tenor of them all is all one an vnreuerent estimation and speaking of men in authoritie and lawes that are made by them a fault surely not small nor easily forgiuen if the cause were vertuous I must needes before I answere them giue them this aduise which I hope some will follow they that do as Gennadius reporteth of one Seuerus seduced to bee a pelagian acknowledge their loquacitie with him and keepe silence vnto death that they may recompence by their silence what they haue offended in speaking Now before we answere this which they haue alleadged against subscription the consideration of the nature of that doubtles must be fittest which in all reason ought to be accounted the best warrant to excuse them both in this and the rest which they doe refuse a reason which cannot be the same to all and in those in whom it is found without deceite they are rather to be pittied and instructed then to be vrged to that which how lawfull so euer their conscience gainesaying they doe make a sinne For though the conscience of man allowing cannot make that to be no sinne which the lawe doth yet the conscience forbidding may make that to be a sinne which the lawe doth not And therefore amongst men of wisedome and vertue there is no Plea that ought to be heard with so much attention as when men for that which they doe or doe not truely and sincerely doe alleadge their conscience Now as the coullorable excuse for refusing to subscribe must be the weaknes of such mens conscience who were perswaded in themselues the things to be vnlawfull whereunto they were required to giue allowance so surely a double fault must lie vpon them if there be any such who making no conscience of those things pretend only the greatest bond vpon earth to be the lawfull warrant of refusing of that which they would not doe And surely where feare and humilitie are both wanting there it is ouer much charity to thinke that they make a conscience All men vnderstand not aright what that is which they alledge for themselues when they say their conscience There is naturally ingrafted in the heart of man that light of nature which neuer can be put out that telleth him that no euill is to be done Now reason according to the knowledge that it hath
discipline that they might showe that they were readie and willing to be subiect to it Nay D. Cox a man at that time farre better I thinke then any that refuse subscription and his companie were not admitted to haue voices in the Church of Frankeford vntill they had subscribed to the discipline as others had done before them These holy conscionable refusers to assent to the ordinations that others make are violent exactors of subscription and obedience in a strange countrie at their betters hands to those pettie orders which are of their owne making When Maister Horne was made pastor of the Church at Frankeford he receiued all such persons as members of that Church which were contented to subscribe and to submit themselues to the orders of it A wise course not vnfit for a greater gouernment wherein all men ought to binde themselues some way or other vnto the obedience of those vnder whom they liue Nay if any minister appeale to the magistrate and be found to doe it without iust cause a fault surely lesse then their refusing to subscribe yet then he shall be directly deposed from his ministerie by them Neither was this the practise of those times and in that place but euen at home those men who had neither authoritie to make lawes nor to exact of others allowance of them haue required and had a generall subscription to that discipline which neither scripture wisedome law or themselues could approue vnto vs. So that all those inconsiderate and vnreuerend termes which most of them haue intemperately vttered against subscription are but the violent courses of men that desire to punish and not the charitie of such as should if they had authoritie correct Let them show their affection that they loue our Church and then we will allow them to vtter and aduise what they thinke good In the meane time those false coniecturall effects for which subscription was required as they thinke are but vncharitable deuises of their owne onely to make those in authoritie to be more odious that contempt of their persons breeding disobedience to their gouernment either a generall dissolution may bring a palsey into the Church or else we must onely be ruled by orders of their making Which because neither reason nor experience hath taught vs to be so safe we hold the exacting of subscription to be lawfull and necessarie in those that doe it and the refusall to be daungerous vnholy and vnwarranted in those that are disobedient They which haue labored in their zealous defences to make the world for to thinke otherwise they haue taken vpon them to iustifie themselues with to much loue and to censure our Church with to much rigor But it is like a better consideration will possesse them now when they shall haue small reason to feare either partiallitie or want of vnderstanding to make the chiefe in authoritie either not willing or not able to perceiue their weightie reasons alleaged against those things which they doe mislike But wise men surely haue cause to feare that nothing wil either much or long please them which is not some transformed monster of their owne making So that if any defect be in that statute as they vrge made by our late soueraigne of blessed memorie whereby the refusers may pretend a warrantable excuse for not yeelding by subscription an absolute obedience both to the doctrine gouernment and ceremonies of the Church we hope that now hauing tasted of the sower frutes of their disobedience and seeing without preuention that more daungerous inconueniences are like to follow it will not be thought vnfit either in his maiesties singular wisedome and great iudgement or in the honorable consideration of the whole Parliament is stricter lawes be now made to take securitie by subscribing of the tongues and the hands of these men which so often with so much libertie and boldnes they haue wilfully imployed to the hinderance of the Churches peace we demaund but in this what they thinke reasonable in their owne discipline not onely for men but for women to the auoyding of heresies and sects in the Church And if he that hath most learning and hath been most earnest for the alteration of our Church gouernment be able to make demonstration that their hands are required to giue consent to any one syllable either in our ceremonies our liturgy or our discipline which truth will not warrant and obedient humilitie exact from them I doubt not but the Bishops of our land are and will be readie either to giue them satisfaction why they ought to doe it or yeelde vnto their earnest demaunds that it may not be done But if any man thinke that the vrging of this wherein doubtlesse a remisnes in some hath done more hurt then rigor is either to confirme those things which without the allowance of these great refusers to subscribe might peraduenture be thought to want authoritie or that it is meerely a politike inuention besides law whereby the practises of the Bishops and others may be free from reproofe he doth vncharitably misconster a religious ordination for great vse and to the wrong of himselfe sinisterly suspect in both So that we thinke we may notwithstanding their great complaints of cruelâ—ie persecution and tyranny wherewith diuers of their books haue slaundered the most pure peaceable and reformed gouernment that euer this nation had since it was christian giuing occasion to the common aduersarie to write as they haue done of the English iustice safelie conclude that the exacting of subscription vsed by the Bishops in the Church of England is lawfull and neâ—essarie and the refusers are immodest disturbers of the vnitie and peace both of the Church and the Common-Wealth CHAP. VIII Of Discipline SEeing that no societie vpon earth can long without authoritie to correct retaine all her parts in due obedience and that the disorders of none are of more daunger then of that societie which we cal the Church it is of all ciuill considerations the greatest to thinke of that discipline which is best warranted most agreeable to the state of that kingdome where the Church is and in all reason likelyest to obtaine that end for which discipline is allowed vnto Gods house So that herein if either their skill had been so great or their moderation in that busines so much as peraduenture their desire was to doe good doubtles the Church ought in all reason to haue giuen great attention to these careful aduisers and to haue showed her selfe readie with thankfulnes to make vse of those vertuous indeuours religiously imployed for her good But now that they haue obtruded a discipline with that violence and such a one as must quiet ouerthrow both the practise of other Churches and of this in al other ages that haue been before vs nor this as the inuention of wise men not against the word but the expresse commaundemeÌ„t in euery particular of God himself accounting those to
the Church of England I would take it vpon my soule so farre as my iudgement serueth that it is much more Apostolicall then the gouernment of any Church that I reade of and if it were not for Prohibitions such peraduenture as good intentions found out and some few hinderances of the Common-law a gouernment without exception more holy and of greater peace For whilst euery man will aduenture to offer vnto the Church fancies of his owne making as H.N. and many others saying loe here is Christ and loe there is Christ we shall stand neede to be put in minde of that caueat goe not after them And whereas the two forciblest reasons to giue any thing allowance in the opinion of men is that it is warranted for the institution and profitable for the vse these politike maisters of the new discipline hauing proued neither yet doe offer both To thinke that if we had this gouernment which doubtles God in his mercie hath thus long kept from vs that then God would blesse our victuals and satisfie our poore with bread that he would cloth our priests with health and his Saints should shout for ioy that it is best and surest for our stare that it would cut of contentions and sutes of law that it would nourish learning that then there would be vnitie in the Church that it would bring strength and victorie and many other benefits like these which is experience of these that haue tried them could as well assure as these mens words doubtles the Church had great reason to thinke of it and yet these are benefits no greater then alreadie by Gods mercie our Church hath inioyed without this But they imitate â—aith a learned and graue man of their countrie those seditious Tribunes of Rome who by vertue of the Agrarian law bestowed the publike goods only to this end to enrich themselues that the Bishops being ouerthrowne they might succeede into their places And a little after it ought especially to be prouided that there be not any high authoritie giuen vnto this presbyterie whereof many things might be said but time will reueale what yet doth lie hid Wherefore saith Gualter writing to the Bishop of London at that time and touching some abuses as they are infinit of this new discipline we are carefully to be vigilant least new heads doe bud out of the wounds of the romish Hydra scarce yet subdued The same author in a letter to Bishop Sands after many troubles procured by this new discipline I hope saith he the frame of it will in short time fall of it selfe considering that many who before had it in admiration are now of themselues become wearie of it Another saith that by the meanes of this discipline the magistrates haue inuaded the Church goods the ministers haue little alowance there is no respect of the studie of diuinitie And another complaining of the disorderly frutes of this discipline saith If you did see the confused state of the Churches of these countries you would say that England and marke it for it is true how bad soeuer were a paradise in comparison to be thought but if these men could haue bin content only to haue praysed their owne without opposition defacing and slaundering the gouernment of our Church we would haue been willing to haue furthered their inioying of so much happines in their owne relmes if the peace and prosperitie of our owne had not been enuied by them whereas now we must tell them and when we haue done the Church shall haue some to performe this dutie to the worlds end that a discipline erected by fancie pollicie consisting vpon parts vnsound disagreeing daungerous in themselues chargeable to parishes without profit derogatorie to Princes banishing Apostolicall Bishops appointed by Christ in one word a discipline new full of crueltie ambition and pride cannot be safely admitted into that Church which is seated in a kingdome where a Prince hath authoritie both ouer the Church and the common-wealth There is no part of it vnanswered that I know our purpose in this is but only to let them see that a church being happely planted and gouerned as ours is they that are strangers are charitably to thinke of vs those amongst our selues ought all to be furtherances of our common peace That sinne out of our dissentions may not grow strong and whilest vnthankfully with Israel we reiect Samuel we haue not either a gouernment that is tyrannous or no Church at all For that prouidence which powreth downe mercies whilest meÌ„ are thankefull raineth downe iudgements for the peoples sinnes Let vs theÌ„ hereafter in sted of filling the world with our clamorous outcries for a new Church gouernment approach the throne of his mercie with praiers for our sinnes that they may be pardoned CHAP. IX Of Archbishops and Bishops IF in the generall dislike which diuers not well aduised haue had toward the ecclesiasticall state in this kingdome things of principall and chiefe vse might haue escaped the vnreasonable and intemperate reprehension of some mouthes neither should a thing of so great necessitie nor a condition and estate both by example and reason so much warranted stand in neede of any defence at this time But seeing amongst those ambitious humors which vnder pretence of an equalitie more then is fit aspire vnto a tyrannous authoritie more then is safe there is nothing lesse willingly indured then the title and authoritie of Bishops which by establishing an order doth frame all parts of the Church to a due obedience and by making seuerall dignities which for order are different do impose a vertuous and humble obedience euen amongst them whose ministerie and ordination is all one we cannot but thinke it a thing vnreasonable in those which demaund it at our hands and great folly in vs if we yeeld vnto it that an office of that vse of that lawfulnes and continuance should be remoued as tyrannous and antichristian in Gods Church onely because it pleaseth the wisedome and violence of some men so to haue it Now as to thinke that the state of the Church might either continew better or continew at all without these is but the strong fancies of some which ouerloue themselues so to maintaine after so long practise of the most auncient Churches that Archbishops and Bishops both for name title and authoritie are lawfull and to the well gouerning of the Church necessarie is but to confesse that order must as wel be a safegard to the church as the common-wealth and that subordination of men in authoritie can be well wanting in neither but if in either surely in that societie farre lesse where disorders in manners are not much fewer considering the number of persons and the errors in opinion are more vsuall and more daungerous and none of these possible with any conuenience to bee remedied but by this meanes In regard whereof being neither safe to trust all without
rule nor all with authoritie to rule Apostolicall ordination reason the custome of all Churches auncient and well gouernd and lastly nature it selfe doth ordaine Archbishops in their prouinces as Bishops also in their dioces and both in their places and vnder the Prince for to rule the Church And herein we may boldly say without offence that the causes of displeasure conceiued against Bishops how vehemently soeuer they are followed are surely lesse reasonable then against any one thing which they doe mislike seeing the vse of all other things may either be touched in show with some coullerable pretence of fault or the not vsing warranted with some likely excuse whereas in this the greeuances if there be any that are iust are in the persons not in the office and the remouing them away must leaue a passage to a disorderly confusion and possesse the Church with that fatall disease of all societies want of order whereby for the present she must needes doe many things confusedly and doubtles in short time miserably perish So that to make ambition and couetousnes the originall of this honor and tyrannie ouer their brethren to giue continuance vnto it is to make the best things in the outward pollicies of the Church to proceede from the worst authors and to lay too great an imputation to their charge whom in all reason by the benefit of this gouernment we ought to acknowledge as our spirituall fathers for deriuing the Gospell vnto vs and by a continuall succession euen from the Apostles hands The best warrants that we haue for the execution of our spirituall functions to vs the greatest calling vpon earth and to the world the hallowed and blessed instruments of all happines which being imployed to that end it must needes be an intollerable presumption in any to vndertake the same but by authoritie and power giuen them in lawfull manner for the same God which is no way deficient vnto man in things necessarie and hath giuen vs to that end the light of his heauenly truth without which we must needes haue wandred in continuall darknes hath in the like abundance of mercies ordained certaine to attend vpō the due execution of requisit parts and offices therein prescribed for the good of the whole world which men thereunto assigned doe hold their authoritie from him whether they be such as himselfe imediatly or as the Church in his name inuesteth It being neither possible for all nor for euery man without distinction conucnient to take vpon him a charge of so great importance The power of this ministerie translareth out of darknes into glorie it raiseth men from the earth and bringeth God himselfe downe from heauen by blessing visible elements it maketh them inuisible grace It giueth daily the holy Ghost It hath to dispose of that flesh which was giuen for the life of the world and that blood which was powred out to redeeme soules When it powreth out malediction vpon the heads of the wicked they perish whē it reuoketh the same they reuiue O wretched blindnes faith one if we admire not so great power more wretched if we consider it aright and notwithstanding imagine that any but God can bestowe it It is a power which alone ought to make the authors of it to man vnder God deare vnto vs which neither Prince nor Potentate King nor Caesar on earth can giue Yet neither is it being duly waied in the Bishops successors to the Apostles which bestow this nor in those who are desirous to enter into that calling any ambitiō as some men surmise seeing such reputation it hath in the eye of this present world that both neede rather incoragement to beare contempt then deserue blame as men desirous to aspire higher Now because men dying there must be a continuall supply into this calling and that those who had first the authoritie to ordaine I meane the Apostles were mortall their care doubtles must extend it selfe thus far though they could not indew men with the same measure of grace which themselues had yet they should and so doubtles did impart the same power to ordaine which was giuen to them that neither men might rush into it without admission nor the power of admission be granted to all nor the Church bee left destitute of so great a blessing And because in the executiō of holy things where the persons put in trust are but men discord disorder vsually doe breake in the wisdome of God thought it necessarie that amongst them who for their ministerie were equal an inequalitie for order and superioritie to command should be granted that by this meanes order and vnion should both be preserued in Christs Church They that most dissent in the kinde of gouernment doubtles will confesse with Nazianzen that order is the mother and preseruer of all things Which if it concerne all persons and ages in the Church of Christ as surely it doth the gouernment must not cease with the Apostles but so much of that authoritie must remaine to them who frō time to time are to supply that charge doubtles to that end haue succeeded in the apostles roomes For we easily see that equality doth breed factions and therefore wise men to suppresse the seedes of dissentions haue made one aboue the rest And the best deuisers of the new presbyterie do hold it necessarie that one chiefe in place and dignitie moderate rule euery action with that right which is allowed him by Gods law For surely a multitude vngouerned must needes be easily confused and there cannot well be obedience where all are equall where shepheards leade sundrie waies it is hard for the sheepe to know whom to follow and if no man can serue two maisters which haue equall authoritie ouer him and perhaps command contrarie things for whilest they agree though diuers they are but one then surely the Church ought not to be put to this hazard by multitudes equally ruling in one place seeing to dissent is vsuall in all places and if not yet in all persons it is casuall whereas the wisedome of the Church in them that gouerne must as wel looke vnto that which may happen as vnto that which alreadie is Now if this were the principal meanes to preuent schismes and dissentions in the primitiue Church whē the graces of God were far more aboundant eminent then now they are nay if the twelue were not lik to agree except there had bin one chiefe amongst thē for saith S. Hierom amongst the twelue one was therfore chosen that a chiefe being appointed occasion of dissention might be preuented and if euery presbytery by Gods ordinance must haue a ruler as themselues confesse how can they thinke that equalitie would keepe all the pastors of the world in peace and vnitie or that the Bishops of a whole prouince or kingdome could meete conferre conclude as often as neede requireth vnlesse their assemblies were moderated and ruled by some one
For in all societies authoritie which cannot be where all are equall must procure vnitie and obedience if vertue will not Now seeing that all men may easily erre that no errors are so daungerous as those which concerne religion the Church should be in a far worse case then the meanest common-wealth nay almost then a den of thieues if it were left destitute of meanes either to conuince heresies or to suppresse them yea though there were neither helpe nor assistance of the christian magistrate without which it were not possible for truth equitie any long time to harbour amongst the sons of men The remedie which in these cases the primitiue Church had when occasion was offered vsed against heresie and iniurie she deriued as well from the promise made by Christs owne words as from the Apostles example in the like case Christ willing them that were grieued by their brethren after the first and second admonition to tell it to the Church And addeth for direction and confirmation of all religious assemblies and conferences where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them and whatsoever you shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Now whatsoeuer is ment here by the name of Church in the reasonable exposition of any to me it is all one to prooue this order that from priuate admonitiō they went to witnesses and from them to assemblies and seeing there must be an end of controuersies amongst men vnlesse we will plucke vp by the rootes all charitie and right when neither priuate perswasion not frendly mediation can appease parties that violently contend what other order could be prescribed but a iudicial hearing and determining of things in question Now because Christ did not set the sword to be the generall and perpetuall rule to gouerne his Church for then without a Prince there could be no Church so consequently there was none either in the Apostles time or three hundred yeeres after though where they beleeue the defence and maintenance of the Church is committed to their charge it must of necessitie follow that either there is no iudge which were the vtter subuersion of all peace when the christian magistrate is wanting or els the pastors and stewards of Christs Church to whom this care is committed must assemble together and with mutuall conference performe those duties to the Church in generall which otherwise they are bound to do to each particular place and person By Gods law what obedieuce and reuerence the father may expect from his owne childe the same or greater must all beleeuers yeeld to the fathers of their faith the one begetteth vs to this life the other to a life that is much better Those then whom Christ hath placed to be watchmen and leaders the light and salt of his Church must not onely warne and guide but also lighten and season in their measure that whole body for when all other failes this onely is left to clense the house of God from vessels of dishonour yea when there were no beleeuing Magistrates to assist the Church this onely was left as the best meanes and after when christian Princes began to protect the truth they neuer had nor can haue safer direction amongst men then by the Synods of wise and godly Bishops Thus a Synod at Antioch about threescore yeeres before the councell of Nice condemned and deposed Paulus Samosatenus for heresie and when he would not yet yeeld to the Church but keepe it by violence vpon complaint to Aurelianus the Emperor though he were a heathen Samosatenus was with extreame shame driuen from the Church by the worldly Prince All countries in all ages haue had the benefit of this not as a thing arbitrarie and left free to those that peraduenture were careles of the Churches welfare but prescribed by sundrie councels as Nice Antioch Constantinople Chalcedon and commaunded by the imperiall lawes in this manner That all the Ecclesiasticall state and sacred rules may with more diligence be obserued we require saith the Emperor euery Archbishop Patriarch and Metropolitan to call vnto him once or twise euery yeere the Bishops that are vnder him in the same prouince and throughly to examine all the causes which Bishops Clarkes or Monkes haue amongst themselues and to determine them so as whatsoeuer is trespassed by any person against the Canons may be reformed So that wee must either cleane reiect Synods a thing doubtles of no small daunger as the times may fall out and make the presbyters in euery parish supreme iudges or else admit some which be no other but the Bishops both to call and to moderate these meetings for in all those Synods which continued in the Church euen when she mas most sharpely pursued by the sworde from the death of the Apostles to the raigne of Constantine they were assembled and gouerned by the Bishops of the chiefe and mother Churches and Cities in euery prouince who by the auncient councels were called Metropolitanes And after when Princes came to imbrace the faith the best meanes they could deuise to procure peace and aduance religion was by their lawes to referre Ecclesiasticall causes to Ecclesiasticall Iudges And least they should be long in strife they charged the Metropolitane to assemble the Bishops of his prouince twise euery yeere there to examine and order what matters of doubt should arise which happely might disturbe the Churches peace Thus the Synode of Rome called by Cornelius against Nouatus consisted of threescore Bishops and many others of the clergie In the councels of Rome vnder Hilarius and Gregorie where foure and thirtie presbyters subscribed after two and twentie Bishops infinit are the examples in this kind which teach vs that neither the Church at any time was or in deed◠can safely be without tempests if Synods want nor Synods can be tightly ordered if the Metropolitans and Bishops should be wanting in them Seeing then they haue this vse if this were all to make that societie able with order to suppresse heresies and redresse wrongs without which doubtles the Church of all assemblies were worst gouerned it ought not to seeme vnreasonable to any that a thing so necessarie and auncient should with honour and reuerence be retained amongst vs. But least the name of Bishops should be offensiue to any as some haue thought it onely the ambitious title of a tyrannous gouernment these that would seeme moderate aduisers to equalitie and humilitie in this case must giue vs leaue to tell them that the name is auncient the office needefull and both so warrantable that they must needes be thought at the least malicious enuiers of the peace and prosperitie of Gods Church who are desirous or can be content that order obserued in the Apostles time and those Churches which were purest and next vnto them should be banished
as Antichristian from amongst vs only because it is the pleasure of those men to admit no superiors For if the name of Archbishop be not to be found in scripture considering the thing it selfe is of necessarie vse in Gods Church they haue as little reason to except against it as if Homonsion were not warrantable because Arius gaue occasion that the Nicen councell did first inuent it Many names are inuented since the Apostles time and yet both lawfully and necessarily vsed for these men haue been told long since that the authoritie and the thing whereof the Archbishop hath his name was in Saint Paules time and therefore the name lawfull and if it were not yet both might bee lawfull seeing they appertaine to the externall pollicie and regiment of the Church which according to time place persons and other circumstances is not tyed of necessitie to be alwaies one And surely those that mislike this ouer proude title as they tearme it haue least cause seeing they of the Discipline challenge as great iurisdiction ouer their Parishes and as lofty dominion ouer Prince and Nobles as euer any Pope did ouer the whole Church And if Clement whom Polydore alledgeth to that end said that Peter in euery Prouince appoynted one Archbishop whom all other Bishops of the same Prouince should obey I see no reason why any man for that should so farre forget both modestie and charitie as some haue done to call him a hell hound a naturall sonne of Satan surely naturall he was not and the sworne souldier of Antichrist I wish these to remember that the slaunder of authors is no good answere when better reasons can be alledged then onely to say that they say it But if they thinke the title vnlawfull as some of them write because the Scripture doth appropriate it to our Sauiour Christ I wish them to remember that if Archshepheard and Archbishop be all one then the name is to bee found in Scriptures and that names proper vnto God as Shepheard light of the world and such like may be in a diuers sence and are often communicated with other men Hereunto we may adde that the famous Councell of Nice which by all men of wisdome is reuerenced esteemed and imbraced as the soundest and best testimony next the Scriptures doth not onely allowe of the name but also of the office of Metropolitane and Archbishop determining him to be no Bishop which is made without the consent of the Metropolitane and to shew that this name and office was more auncient than that famous Councell the Canon saith Let that olde custome be obserued alluding peraduenture to those Canons which passe vnder the Apostles names Neither was this name or title so strange imediatly after the Apostles time that Volusianus was affeard to say that Diomysius Areopagita was by S. Paul made Archbishop of Athens or Erasmus to call Titus Archbishop of Crete and Eusebius giueth the authoritie to Iohn the Euangelist whose suruiuing the rest brought this benefit vnto the Church that for consecrating of Bishops and other vses he was as Archbishop or Metropolitane to the whole Church For in Saint Cyprians iudgement heresies and schismes haue risen from no other occasion then from this that the Priest of God is not obeyed neither one Priest for the time in the Church and one Iudge for the time in stead of Christ thought vpon to whom if the whole brotherhoode would be obedient according to Gods teaching no man would moue any thing against the Colledge of Priests This speech of that auncient Father was to comfort Cornelius shewing that faintnes in that case was to betray the Church and that sects and schismes must needes arise where the authoritie of Bishops is despised For this place was not to confirme the authoritie of the Church of Rome but as the best expounde him that hee would haue an Archbishop in euery Prouince to beare rule ouer the rest of the Cleargy For hee that attempteth any thing in the Church without the Bishop breaketh peace and confoundeth good order and Cyprian being Bishop of Carthage had the charge and ouersight of all the Churches in Africke in Numidia and in both the Mauritanes and not only these but as Gregorie Nazianzene saith the whole East parts for the which cause Illiricus doth call him Metropolitane So that if herein wise men had onely inuented what was fit and not followed what was before them their action had not been without warrant seeing in the outward pollicie of gouerning the Church where precepts and examples are wanting it is not forbidden for those that come after as well to be examples to others as to follow the examples of such as haue gone before them But if in the first planters of the Church which both in comparison of the rest were fewe and blessed with graces farre more excellent than any in our time inequalitie was allowed and that allowance without fault it must needes in all reason follow that the authoritie of Archbishop was not thought so dangerous as now to the gouerning of Christs Church wherein if either their maintenance bee greater or their outward honor more in these Christian times of peace then could be expected amongst Pagans and they tyrants no man can in reason or ought with out blame to oppugne these who will not be thought an enemie to the former seeing the times and names being diuers the authoritie notwithstanding is all one But it is the vnnaturall fault of this age through the sides of those whom peraduenture in some priuate respects we mislike to wound euen our fathers in religion whom we ought to honor But seeing these men doubtles are much wiser who take vpon them to be the reformers of our Church then that they should be offended with the names where the things are lawfull it is surely to be thought in all reason that the superioritie of Bishops is not by them accounted so great a fault as that any amongst the clergie whose office and ministerie is all one should by a speciall name aboue the rest of theirbrethren be called Bishops As if to ouer see that flocke committed to their charge were a dutie belonging and by our Sauiour imposed vpon them onely But because the names of things haue so many artificers by whom they wore first made but moe who after haue vsed them to an other sence it shall not so much concerne vs to inquire what in the beginning was the difference betwixt Bishop and presbyter as to learne afterward what the Church ment when these names expressed those persons which for office and ministerie of word and sacraments not for order and iurisdiction were all one The clergie of the Gospell were at the first after the Apostles time either Presbyters or Deacons for those who aduisedly at the first did impose names vnto things had either regarde vnto that which naturally was most proper or if peraduenture to some
Saints many things might bee alleadged in this kinde if it were any vertue to rippe vp their faults whom we ought to honor where as I hope the aduersaries to our Bishops will confesse that neuer any companie of Bishops since the Apostles time taught and held such sound doctrine in all points as the Bishops of England at this day For the second which is honestie of life euery age hath some imperfections amongst all conditions the most worthie are not free from the slanderers tongue In the councell of Nice in the presence of the Emperor the Bishops libeld one against another contentions ouer eager bitter were betwixt Epiphanius and Chrisostome both very worthy and very reuerend Bishops betwixt S. Austin and S. Hierom whereas doubtles if some zealous for discipline had held their peace the Church of England had beene as Hierusalem a Citie built at vnitie in it selfe Now for the last which is the moderate Imployment of externall things vve recken it amongst the greatest felicityes of our time that when the expectation of greedy cormorants was big with hope of the deuouring the riches and reuenews that the Church had that euen then the conscionable zeale of the prince by vertuous and wise lawes manacled their hands whose desires were vnsatiat and their harts vnhallowed and left vnto the church a rich and honorable patrimony for Indowment whereby worthy rulers may not want double honor labour may haue her merit and religion may bee able to releeue the poore Heerein if any couetously doe retaine or riotously mispend what vertuous authority confirmed vnto better vses a thing which I hope no man can accuse in the Bishops of our church let them amend their faults and not their offence be made a cloke to those monsters that thirst with desire for to robbe the church More perticulerly amongst the rest of him who being the worthiest amongst the clergie and worthylie in the highest place is by an vntemperate spirit with vnholy sacriledge said of all the Bishops in the sea of Canterburie to haue done most harme and that none had so ambitious and aspiring a minde as hee no not Cardinall Wolsey none so proud as he no not Stephen Gardiner none so Tyrannicall as hee no not Bonner I may say truely of him that if the church gouernment of this land which he defended with great Iudgement with his pen hee had not with as great authority protected for the space of this twenty yeres in the place of an Archbishop which God graunt for the good of his church may continew still doubtles Contention Ignorance and Atheisme long since had ouer-runne the Church Of whom because it is neither honour to him to bee commended by mee nor disgrace to bee reproched by them I will say considering his iustice in gouernment his care in prouiding for the Clergie his wisedome in Counselling his Integritie in preferring his Diligence in Preaching his grauitie in behauiour his humilitie in conuersing his care to the Church his zeale to religion his courage to the truth as Theodosius spake of S. Ambrose I know onelie Ambrose who is most worthy to beâ— called a Bishop But not to labour any further in this cause which hath had so many of singuler worthy men abâ—e to defend it much better wee say this calling so much misliked serueth to a greater perfection to a fitnes in action and to a singuler ornament in gouerning the Church For the first the fulnes of grace which is in the heads of the Church distilleth as by seuerall wayes to the singuler benefit of all parts whilst hee hath giuen some to be Apostles some to bee Prophets some to bee Euangelists some to bee Pastors and Doctors for the consummation and Perfection of his Church for the fitnes in action the Church hauing diuers Imployments as well for gouernment as doctrine requireth and alloweth seuerall ordinations to serue these Let no man therefore presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meete to vnderstand but that he vnderstand according to sobrietie as God hath delt to euery man the measure of faith For as wee haue many members in one bodie and all members haue not one office so wee being many are one bodie in Christ and euery one anothers members Last of all for Ornament that Atheists vnbeleeuers may wonder and bee in loue with the comely and beautifull gouernment of Christs Church as the Queene of Saba was with the order of Salomons house for in a great house are not onely vessels of gold and â—f siluer but of wood and earth some for honour and some vnto dishonor vnitie and varietie are the ornaments of the church of Christ Vnitie of Faith Charitie and Peace Varietie of Offices and degrees and these saith the Apostle for the repairing of the Saints for the work of the Ministrie for the edification of the body of Christ for if the whole body were ancare wher were the seeing if the whole were an eie where were the heating but now hath God disposed the members euery one of them in the body at his owne pleasure for if they were all one member where were the body And who are these that they should mislike what Example Authoritie and Experience haue found sufficient CHAP. X. Of Ministers their office and learning IF the passage from earth to heauen were either not needefull at all or possible to bee performed ordinarilie by any other meanes then a vertuous meditation betwixt God and man then peraduenture Instruments of best vse for the defects of this life were wholly to bee regarded and the vtter want of the Clergies seruice were as lawfull in the best kingdomes as the contempt of their persons is vsuall and common with the worst subiects But seeing vniuersall Corruption is the truest inscription of mankinde and holinesse to the Lord is the great title that God hath that man by that power may bee made like vnto him that did first make him hee hath appointed for the performance of this worke holy times holy places holy things and holy persons all chiefely to this end that as hee is himselfe so man likewise by these might bee made holie As if the same puritie which could not endure those blessed spirits once stained to continew in a place of blisse but cast them down did lesse reasonablie allow that creature whose greatest happines peraduenture was but vpon earth to be carried vp to heauen into those ioyes vnles redeemed by his Son and sanctified by his holy spirit and by both these by the seruice and ministerie of men and not Angels darkenesse were made light rebellion obedience the children of wrath the sonnes of an infinit loue enmitie reconsiled and made peace and lastly sinfull men were become holy So that the summe of their dutie whose labours are imployed in this kinde is onely to honour God and to saue mâ—n And their difference from all the world besides is principally this that being
are worthie men enough why doth he complaine of the silencing of some as a great wrong to the Church which in this great scarsitie of good and lawfull Ministers did much want their seruice Secondly that the Apostle described the qualities required in men of this calling doth not say that if none can bee found or not a sufficient man in whome all these qualities concur that then the Church shal rather be destitute of Ministers then haue such For there were in the Apostles time that swarued froÌ„ this rule and yet he was glad that they preached the Gospell Heerein we differ not from the confession of the Heluetian church which it is like our aduersaries in this cause doe more reuerence then they doe our owne who say wee condemne all vnmeet Ministers not indued with guifts necessarie for a shepheard that should feed his flock how bee it wee acknowledge that the harmlesse simplicitie of some shepheards in the ould Church did sometime more profit the Church then the great exquisit but a little to proude learning of some others Wherefore we reiect not now a daies the good simplicities of certaine so that they bee not altogether vnskilfull of God and his word and yet for all this let no man think but there are as many learned godlie graue and worthy Ministers of the word in this Church of England at this day bee it spoken without pride to Gods honour and the ioy of our whole land as in any one realme or perticuler Church in all Christendome that either is now or hath beene before vs. But for the scarsetie not of our owne in comparison of others but rather in respect of the multitude of our parish Churches I hope they will giue vs leaue to render them better and truer reasons then as yet wee haue receiued at their hands who onely with out cause to make it the Bishops fault are willing to tell the world that if these vrging of order and obedience which it pleaseth them to teaâ—â—â—e beggerlie trifle of mans deuise were not that then learning and religion would not bee of so little account and estimation amongst vs. But I hope all men see that the defect of prouision in this kind and yet I wish that most reformed Churches were but so well furnished is neither from religion professed nor from the gouernment that is vsed nor from the gouernours of the Church but the crueltie of the times past wherein numbers of meete Ministers haue beene consumed the vnwillingnesse of manie at this present who seeing the contentions amongst our selues and by reason of these the contempt of the Clergie are vnwilling to enter into this calling the schismes and deuisions which haue made a number renounce this office others worthilie to bee suspended and depriued from all which the Church which ought to haue had the vse of the labour and learning of men of abilitie is forced to craue a supply at their hands who are not altogether so sufficient to performe that charge But the greatest occasion of this euill is where law and reason haue giuen authoritie to some to be patrons to present their consciences haue beene corrupt and they haue failed of that trust which former times haue iustlie reposed in them Wherein if the people complaine that their authoritie to choose is defeated by this meanes surely it is but vnthankfulnesse in them to mislike a thing begun with so great reason for their good continued now more then a thousand yeeres warranted by lawes and practised with the liking of all nations the beeginning of patronages is not expreslie mentioned in the lawes of this land Aduocations Presentations are remembred in Magna Charta as currant by the lawes before that time the plea of Quare Impedit when Bishops refuse the patrons clarke is mentioned long since for this custome was most vsuall that the patron might not place a Clarke without the Bishop nor the Bishop refuse the Clarke of the patron if hee were such as were alowable by the Canons of the Church In Spaine before that time the councell of Toledo made this Canon wee decree that so long as the founders of Churches remaine in this life they shall bee suffered to haue the chiefe and continuall care of the said place and themselues shall offer meete Rectors vnto the Bishop to bee ordained in those Churches and if the Bishop neglecting the founders shall presume to place any other let him know that this admission shal bee voide and to his shame others shal be placed in their steads euen such as the founders shall choose beeing not vnworthy Long before this the like was determined by the Roman lawes strictlie to bee obserueÌ„d through the Roman Empire If any build a Church or house of praier and would haue Clarks to bee placed there hee or his heires if hee alow maintenance for those Clarks and name such as are worthy let them bee ordained vpon his nomination but if such as they choose bee prohibited by the Canons as vnworthy then let the Bishop take care to promote some whom hee thinketh to bee more worthy It seemeth this law had two reasons for the patronage which doubtlesse are not the least ground of that intrest which they now haue The first the building of the Church a work which while the world was in loue with religion gaind greatest reuerence to those of whom it could point and say these are the men that haue built vs Sinagogs Heerein if any fraudulentlie discharge that vertuous trust which through many discents is deriued vnto them I hope God will looke vpon them in mercie to amendment as the carefull Phisition vpon sick persons in the meane time I must tell them what I heare that the church by their meanes is like the body of the Amalekite sicke and vnlesse it bee refreshed like spedily to die for famine For whilst meaner men content with lesse alowance hauing beene important suters for places in the Church obtaine them the Patrons haue deuided the maintenance of the Clergie and the small alowance hath depriued them peraduenture of a better teacher And howsoeuer good lawes haue beene made to auoide the corruptions of Patrons in this kinde yet the couetous desires of such as hardly satisfied are able to finde meanes to escape the danger and yet falselie notwithstanding to defraud the Church For humane lawes how vertuous or religious soeuer where the vprightnesse of conscience is wanting serueth for the most part not to make the sinne to bee lesse common but the sinner in the fact to bee more secret seeing betwixt God and man this is the difference that the law of man what it seeth doth account sinne but God punisheth as a fault what no man can reueale sauing onely the conscience of him that sinneth In the one Confession is a way to obtaine pardon but in the other a meanes to procure punishment They onely are vertuous who without all respects
one as commonly in this case they pretend number If no other way may be found then haue the Bishops and Cathedrall Churches Temporalties enough to redeeme those liuings that be impropriated other counsel the same author giueth which haue bene all answered another saith the same which the Lord B. B. and the Cathedral Churches doe possesse if it be taken in time beefore it be to much scambled how well would it serue to redeeme Impropriations and augment the smaller things with the ouerplus to serue to other good vses for his Maiesties wars and increase of learning and a litle after as if his counsell were worthie twise to be repeated he addeth the same nay he wisheth all to be taken from the Bishops Yet still they must remaine to the Ministerie and the common wealth onely to change the order and manner of the applying that wheras before they serued to vphold a Lordly pompe Idlenes and brauerie in some few they might now by a wise godly distribution bee communicated vnto many for the benefit of many Churches and if Bishops liuings be to litle a free beneuolence and as it were an offering of all sorts of people young and ould through this land ought to bee Heereunto I might ad the counsell which others giue all tending to this end that whatsoeuer the church hath and is not bestowed according to the fancie of these men should presently be altered and vndoubtedly by many degrees lamentably be imployed to worse vse It pleased that wisdome and Maiestie which then ruled ouer vs to discerne the cruell purpose of these men to hold it vnsafe to aduenture a worse maintenance for the clergie by a worse meanes And surely wee doubt not but this great vnderstanding to whome God for our happinesse hath committed the gouernment of the church and the common wealth whose dayes wee desire may continue as the dayes of heauen will throughly vnderstand that a maintenance thus procured can bring litle aduantage vnto Gods church when by this meanes colledges Bishops or cathedrall churches are puld downe For if the fountaines be dryed vp a generall thirst must be the disease of our whole land If the clergie want gouernours better to be without maintenance then without order And last of all if recompence be taken away wherwith the clergie maintained may take rest not ease for the time to come benefiting the church peraduenture in another manner lamentable experience must needs tell vs that in short space the number of diuines wil be very few In tymes past there was in euery citie a Colledge of Ministers ouer whome the Bishop bate rule the which Sainct Hierom termeth the Senat of the Church and with vs it is called a Collegiat or Cathedrall church wherein for the most part for wee cannot excuse all after their labour in the vniuersitie in the Kings house in Bishops pallaces in their painefull imployment either by writing or teaching in other places are plentifully maintained as it is most fit the best the wisest and the most learned of the clergie in this land which not onely as that most reuerend Archbishop worthy of all honor sometimes said in respect of their soundnesse in religion profoundnesse in learning diligence in preaching but wisdome also experience and dexteritie in gouerning are not onely a singuler ornament to the Realme profitable to the church an honor to the prince but also a stay frō barbarisme a bridle to sects and heresies and a bulwark against confusion From whence I doubt not next vnto those two famous noursing places of learning the Vniuersities but when our kingdome shall haue cause to send to the greatest councell that the church shall haue men of wisest moderation best liues and deepest iudgements that these places shal be able to furnish them with much honor therfore as it is a bold presumption in those men who without degrees for some commendable paines in preaching think it merit enough to aduance them to that honor so the sacrilegious impietie of those is without excuse who wish desire all places of that nature to be pulled downe or their reuenues to bee altered to some other vse make them O Lord and their Princes like Oreb and Zeb yea all their princes like Zeba and Zalmana which haue said let vs take the houses of God in possession O my God make them lyke vnto a wheel as the stubble before the winde To conclude then this point as wee hartely wish the Ministerie of England to be learned so wee hope the wisdome vertue of those whome it doth concerne without iniurie of any person state or condition wil in due time think of conuenient allowance for them and this not by selling or changing of any thing to a stock of money which was the manner of the maintenance in the primatiue Church seeing wee are taught by experience that things of that nature are vncertaine and are not so likely to carrie to those that come after a perpetuitie with them it may bee that if any age were so prophane or authority were carried away with the violence of these spirits by the wounds of the Church to cure the Wants of some few and meane persons a thing God bee thanked not much to bee feared in this religious and vnderstanding age vnder the gouernment of so vertuous and so wise a King the Church paraduenture might keepe a Festiuall day of solemnitie plentie and all aboundance for some few yeeres and for euer after Lament her desolation and ruin in want Penurie Ignorance and Contempt vnto the worlds end And whereas the ages before vs gaue this deserued honor to some few These were those holie and religious men that did build vs Temples Colledges Cathedrall Churches and gaue ample reueneues vnto them all for the continuall supply of a learned Ministrie our posterity in the vnfortunat times of fasting and mourning after so vnhallowed a feast and so prophane a surfet should haue cause to bemoane their losse and lament the times where vnto they were reserued cursing these sacrilegious Reformers that haue spoild the Churches the riches whereof being put to saile haue serued but to satisfie the couetous pollicie of some few those neither of much worth not for long time it wil be a most vertuous consideration wherein his Maiestie shall giue perfection to the happie beginnings of our late Queene Elizabeth the nursing mother of our Church whose memorie shal be sacred to all posterities by prouiding that the allowance for the Clergie may be good conuenient and that those onelie bee suffered to enter into and to execute that function who haue learned themselues and will teach others in thankfull obedience to be gouerned by those whom reason and religion haue placed ouer them the other course must needs breed confusion contempt of authoritie needlesse discontentments indiscret reprehensions ignorant teachers and the disorder of all states whereas the wisedome and counsell of those
not let thee goe except thou blesse mee Yet let not our importunitie exclude humilitie but that still wee pray as if the smallest grashopper vpon earth a worme and no man were to speake with feare and reuerence before the maiestie of God himselfe Seeing then praier is that name which expresseth all that seruice that our religion can performe beeing the best meanes both to testifie our dutifull affection and most effectuall to obtaine what soeuer wee wanting can desire at Gods hands seeing it is the easiest and most comfortable almes which all men haue power to giue and no man to refuse seeing it is that office from performance whereof neither time nor place violent circumstances in other things are able to hinder vs seeing it is and ought to be the first dutie wherewith a religious soule beginneth his life and the last wherwith hee endeth it seeing it is the seruice of all Saints aswell those that Triumph in heauen as that are Militant on earth the one praising God for their glorie the other praying for their victorie and seeing amongst all praiers those are most powerfull and effectuall which hauing the feruour of manie and the promise of presence are rather powred out in the Temple then our priuate chambers for in a congregation a house of praiers there may bee amongst manie some Moses or Samuell which shall bee heard both for themselues and others one righteous in the middest of a froward and crooked generation let from henceforth all impietie stop her mouth which heeretofore hath blasphemed a holy ordination of so much vse thrusting it out of our Churches vnder pretence of preaching and that open prophanes by seueritie of lawes bee taught obedience which either in puritie or superstition haue refused in our Temples to offer vp their Praiers as the rest doe It is no small blessing to haue the libertie of the sonnes of God to enter into the house of the Lord the house of prayer the place where his Honour dwelleth for in his temple doth euery man speake of his honour yet we denie not but in the most desolate and solitariest place more voide of resort then the ransackt sanctuarie of Hierusalem in the vncomfortablest vault that euer was entred his eares shall bee open vnto our Praiers that goe not out of fained lippes but euen praier it selfe as one noteth when it hath not the comforts of many voices to strengthen it is not it selfe So that wheras secret neglect of our dutie in this kinde is but onely our owne hurt one mans contempt of the Common prayer of the Church of God may bee and often times is preiudiciall hurtfull vnto many thousands and doubtlesse in time of persecution when wee are in exile the principall griefe to any Christian soule must bee this euen the vncomfortable absence from the house of God that wee cannot praise God in the great Congregation that euen in this respect the Sparrow and the Swallow are in better case then wee are That all our Melodie is buried in this one euill for how should wee sing the Lords song in a strange land For if there be in the Lords Sanctuary in the Courts of the house of our God the holy Angels mixâ— amongst vs it ought surely to be our care euen for praier to refort thether with ioy aboue all other places whatsoeuer ther to powre out our praiers with that solemnitie deuotion as those vertuous humble requests which the Church appointeth the Saints vpon earth powre out the almightie sitteth to heare the Angels attend to further Now for the religious performance of this dutie no wise man can doubt but that solemnitie of place is a circumstance neither indifferent nor of small force the authoritie of their calling whome the Church imployeth to offer vp the praiers for the whole people is no small assurance of obtaining what is presented by their meanes in whom if zeale and feruencie of spirit concur with a vertuous lyfe they are no small aduantages to make the rest of the multitude to bee more holy and to teach all the people of God both what reuerence they owe vnto such whom God vouchsafeth to bee mediatours beetwixt him and them and with what deuotion and reuerence they are to esteeme and frequent those holy places for the performance of those duties which out of all circumstaÌ„ces rightly are termed by the Church holy and deuine Seruice Heerevnto if wee ad the strongest motiue vnto a minde sober and humble that these prayers are not the voluntarie suddaine extemporal supplications of one man who though zealous and honest yet may easily faile in asking what is behoueful for the whole Church for wee know not how to pray as wee ought but that they are those holy sacrifices of our lippes made and allowed by the considerate deliberation of men vertuous and duely proportioned with the sacred and solemne Lyturgies of the Church in all ages he must needs think the iniurie offered by some men to bee vnsufferable who esteeme all corners equall to the church for this vse all persons as conuenient as those who are elected and appointed to this end and sencelesse effusions of idle reiterated vnhallowed indigested prayers as auaileable in the eares of God as the best either places persons or order that the Church hath This beeing the dangerous pollicie of sathan to frustrate the Church of so great a benefit and beecause no man dâ—â—st bee so impious as absolutely to condemne publick prayer to stir vp those who should draw the people both by example and precept to a contempt of that forme which taken from the puritie of all times is worthely thought by the Church a Lyturgie most reformed whereby wee must serue God and doubtlesse not to lay vpon them a greater burden then the weight of this sinne doth necessarilie impose vpon the consciences of such who are and haue bene the authors of this contempt wee cannot easily be perswaded otherwise But what prophanes hath crept into our church what vnhallowing of the Sabboth what want of reuerence in diuine Seruice what loathing of praiers without Sermons in one word what Athisme or Hippocresie is in al states in this kingdome hath originally proceded froÌ„ this fountain the bould and vnhallowed despising of the Communion Booke whilst in the meane time they haue offred vnto the Parliament in the dayes of our late Soueraigne a Booke of the forme of Common prayers of which wee dare not as yet giue that testimonie which truth compelleth them to giue of ours That grose errors manifest impieties is taken from it But seeing all of vs agree in this that a Prescript forme of praier is conuenient and necessarie for the Church they onely permitting a greater libertie for vs then wee doe both because it bringeth much aduantage to haue the people familiar with those praiers which concerne all and that they may not say Amen to any thing that is vnsound a
thing iustlie to bee feared whilst men haue no better direction but the sodaine motion as they call it of the spirit and lastlie because vniformitie in this worship is best befitting them whose doctrine and religion is all one wee cannot but both meruaile at them who deuise continuallie new formes of praier in their publike seruice iniuriouslie depraue in sundry points that Liturgie which in the iudgements of moderate and wise men is both least different from antiquitie and withall most absolute for perfection of any that is vsed in the Churches reformed at this day and how soeuer it lieth not in the power of any one Prince to prescribe an Vniformitie of worship ouer all Christendome a thing happie to be praied for that the whole Visible Church in doctrine and Cerimonies as it hath but one faith one Lord so it had but one hart and one mouth yet doubtlesse in the limits of the same kingdome it is possible easie and verie necessarie that the manner of diuine Seruice bee preciselie one For seeing wise men before vs feeling those harmes which wee feare haue euer accounted which the common people doe now a new Liturgie to bee a new religion the forme of worship beeing diuers though the doctrine bee the same and therefore euer prohibited all new manner of assemblies it ought not to seeme strange if our maiestrates heeretofore haue forbidden all Conuenticles and such are all those who assemble to worship God after a manner not allowed by the lawe of the land or that in this they haue dealt either rigorously or against law for as one saieth to the furtherance of religion men may and ought to assemble together so long as it is not against that Law whereby vnlawfull societies are forbidden but when danger may arise from the hazard of a new worship by the example of him that forbad all priuate Sacrifices in priuate places wise men haue thought it not safe for euerie man to take libertie to haue priuate Chappell 's The counsell before this hauing made this Canon that all Clarkes which minister or baptise in priuate Chappels without the allowance of the Bishop were to be depriued the equitie of this for preuention of all new Worship being from that law Take heed that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in euery place that thou seest a facilitie in permission of which abuse hath filled the Church of God with Contempt Prophanation and Confusion of all worship This being in Iustice the punishment of these men that because they wanted Modestie to bee Schollers of Truth they were filled with Pride to bee Maisters of Errour Antiquitie thought Alcibiades worthely condemned for this fault that hee tooke vpon him the vse of those sacred misteries in priuate which the Athenians thought vnlawfull thinking him by this meanes rather to vse coniuration then to exercise Deuotion the wisedome of all ayming at this that Innouation in Religion was no way safe and that libertie for priuate assemblies to the contempt of publike was in all likelihoode a meanes to inuent as manie sundry religions as men had fancies And howsoeuer the number is not manie which misliked all set formes of Praier and their reasons not much stronger that refuse ours and so consequently whether we take account of our aduersaries in this cause either by waight or number there can be no great danger yet for a further satisfaction to all such whom either ignorance or credulitie hath made our opposits wee are willing first to let them vnderstand what the Liturgie of the Church of England is and then that in our opinion there is nothing either superstitious or vnsound contained in it And howsoeuer sundrie times by men of great learning whom I presume not to mention without honor this Booke heretofore hath ben strongly defended against al her aduersaries yet it shall not I hope be offensiue to any to let the world vnderstand that the greatest most bitter reprehentions of this booke haue ben stirred vp through want of Charitie misaplying some places euen for matters of small waight at what time the vertuous King Edward had restored this Church from the burden of those Ceremonies wherewith shee lay grieuouslie opprest the care and consultation of the most learned and religious in that age framed by authoritie A publick order for prayer and the Sacraments to bee vsed in this Church This continued not long good things for the sins of the people being shewed vnto the world but they not suffred to enioy them beefore the most religious in this kingdome whom persecution pursued and opportunitie gaue meanes to escape beetooke themselues to the mercie of that Lord whose truth they desired might bee kept inuiolate and planted the Church in a strange land for that fauour which they found as a comfortable refreshing in so great a storme wee and our posteritie shall say for sauing the bodies of the liuing as Dauid to the men of Iabis Gilead for burying of the dead Blessed are ye of the Lord that ye haue shewed such kindnesse vnto your Lord Saul that yeâ— haue buried him therefore now the Lord shew mercie and truth vnto you and I will recompence you this benefit because yee haue done this thing The first place of their aboade where they found fauour to plant an English Church was at Francford where ioyned with the French and others they ouerhastely fell in loue with the orders and Liturgye of those Churches which beecause the English at Zurick and Strausburge did not but rather with wisdome and moderation as they were so desired to retaine the shape and the fashion of an English Church Bitter contentions arise amongst them onely for retaining or reiecting of the Communion booke Those who came from Geneua being desirous to rest vppon Caluins iudgement who was in a manner as the oracle of God to all Churches that were reformed translated into latin the Liturgie of the Church of England and sent it to him to haue his Censure of it Neither did their discription much differ from that which is vsed at this day wherevnto it pleased Maister Caluin to giue this answere In the Liturgie saith hee I see there were many tollerable foolish things by these words I meane a strange meaning that there was not that puritie which was to be desired these vices though they could not at the first day bee amended yet seeing there was no manifest Impietie mark it they were for a season to be tollerated Therefore it was lawfull to begin off such rudiments or Abcedaryes but so that it behoued the learned Graue and Godly Ministers of Christ to enterprise further and to set forth some thing more field from rust and purer If godly religion had florished till this day in England there ought to haue bene a thing better corrected and many things cleane taken away now when these principles be ouerthrowne and a Church must bee set vp in an other place where ye
which wicked men haue abused howsoeuer vngodlie 2 It is vnlike the Reformed If they meane Geneua we cannot but acknowledge both the great mercies of God toward them and the singuler benefit from them to the whole Church But wherin wee differ as there may bee reasons in respect of place and people warrantable for both and without offence so if difference were a fault it may bee as well in them not to follow vs as in vs not to follow them but the strife for preheminence of example is a weake contention wheras for Antiquitie there is no great difference wee thanke God for them and reuerence that truth which is taught amongst them but it is saith Maister Caluin a pestilent mischiefe when wee will haue the manner of one Church to bee in place of an Vniuersall law And doubtlesse if we were as willing to giue them our reasons why wee cannot conforme our selues to the orders of that Church as some amongst vs haue be◠violentlie bold for to vrge vs to it suretie the world woulde thinck wee had rather a desire to reproue them then to amend our selues an Vniformitie in all Churches were to bee wished but it is not euer absolutelie necessary wher the forme of the common wealth is not all one in this case all being lawfull that is best that is fittest for vs. 3 The reading of Epistles and Gospels so cut and mangld That we read them at all is that which they do mislike but seeing men are easilie wearied in those duties that are best and Praier making vs apt to fall into Speculations concerning God both that our wearinesse may bee lesse and our thoughts more sound and more agreeable to the present businesse those wise men that haue beene before vs haue chosen lessons for the Church as also Epistles and Gospells sutable to the present time and occasion that as Praier maketh vs fitter to heare so the hearing of these may make vs likewise fitter to pray To read Scriptures in the time of diuine Seruice wee hope being auncient and of such vse their wisdome will not much mislike and if the name of Epistle and Gospell doe offend they cannot but know that the originall of this both for the name and the thing was from Paul himselfe commaunding the same Epistle which hee sent vnto the Collossians to bee read in the Church of the Laoditians And of that to the Thessalonians he saith I charge you in the Lord that this Epistle bee read vnto all the Brethren the Saints From which custome the Church hauing appointed that portion of Scripture which circumstances being weighed is then fittest to be read vnto the people as if it were directlie sent vnto them thereby procuring their attention is not vnfitlie tearmed by the name of Epistle to these as S. Chrisostome noteth the Minister stood vp and with a loud voice cried let vs attend In one word the originall of this custome which so much offends them hath better likelihood of warrant from the Hebrewes then their Sanadrin seeing it was the custome amongst them euerie Sabboth which continueth yet in their Sinagogues that some thing is read out of Moses or the Prophets And we hope the name of the Gospell shall not displease them vnlesse they be offended with Glad tidings and if to read onelie so much as fitteth with the present occasion bee to cut and mangle their wisdome can tell that diuision of Chapters is not so auncient that it may not bee altered and their practise is vsuallie to read sometime but a part of a chapter sometimes two as the matter it selfe hath dependance with it 4 It maintaineth an vnpreaching Ministerie by banishing preaching vnder the coulour of long prayer To accuse vs of long prayer will litle beeseeme them who are long and tedious If we esteeme not of Sermons as wee ought it is our fault And doubtlesse if there had but bene that respect in them which was in vs to a thing of so great vse surely many of their sermons would bee shorter and much better wee are content that they shall extoll either them or themselues but withall let them remember that the Church of God hath as much neede sensibly and orderly to pray as to heare a Sermon wherein if it shall bee onely ouer-short beeing a dutie solemne and publick the world will learne to think that we make litle account of that wherevnto wee allow so litle tyme words surely how few soeuer are then long and paraduenture tedious when they benefit not the hearer but whosoeuer speaketh much and by much speaking doth much edifie doubtlesse is vndeseruedly blamed for much speaking It is likely that they who labour for much time to bee long in preaching are of more singular abilitie then other men or intend to trouble their hearers with impertinent discourses or else that they cannot expresse in few words which themselues beefore doe not rightly vnderstand But seeing the generall fault is that wee are swift to speake and had rather that the people should heare vs then God himself the time which wee think ouerlong for deuine seruice is accounted ouershort for to vtter our own fancies but such Sermons are farre lesse then praiers to the Edification of Gods Church 5 That wee praye without faith hauing no promise that wee may euermore bee defended from all aduersitie If either wee know some aduersitie against which wee may not lawfully praye or that there bee some aduersitie which is not euill in it owne nature or some euill that is not to bee shunned by vs or what wee would shun that prayer is not a meanes for to escape it if all these or any of these can bee proued wee refuse not to forbeare to aske That wee may bee defended from all aduersities But seeing that the same things which when they happen both wee indure with patience and God is able to turne them to our great aduantage yet because we neither know our strength vnable of it selfe to ouercome the least tryall and that God hath promised that no euill shall come nigh our dwelling wee pray but deliuer vs from euill that is defend vs from all aduersitie to think we may pray for nothing for which wee haue not warrant in Scripture is paraduenture an errour 6 Which for our vnworthinesse wee dare not aske a note of a seruile feare There is no vertue that better beeseemeth suters then humilitie no humilitie better beeseemeth suters to God then the vnfaigned acknowledgement of our owne vnworthinesse wherein if wee should rest it were needlesse to aske seeing there must bee a hope to receiue aswell as a sence of our want so that whilst wee haue confidence to obtaine that in Christs name which for our owne vnworthinesse wee dare not aske wee rather expresse the louing humilitie of Sonnes then the feare of seruāts but it is maruell how they can say think That there is
nothing which in his name wee dare not aske beeing needfull for vs seeing they denye that it is vnlawfull to pray to bee deliuered from all aduersitie 7 To bee deliuered from Lightning and Tempest which T.C. calleth Thundring when none is nigh Doubtlesse wee haue greater reason to feare and so consequently to pray against these then any other daunger of this life It is the fearefull executioner of Gods wrath manifested in the giuing of the law to teach the transgresser what hee must expect wee want not examples The Heathen knew it dangers aboue the meanes of mans wisdome to preuent are onely to bee escaped by praier 8 The Singing nunc Dimittis Benedictus Magnificat wee know not to what purpose You cannot but know to what purpose they were first made and that the occasion of their first making was the memorie of a benefit not fit euer to bee forgotten the Church in this performeth and learneth a dutie by the same reason we may not reade the Psalmes of Dauid vnlesse wee were in Dauids case In Scripture the fence is one but the vse application is diuers yet warrantable 9 The Letanie all Popish Wee cannot doe our aduersaries a greater honour then to make them the founders of these Praiers Whether Mamercus or Gregorie made them it skilleth not The generall callamitie of the Church was the cause and seeing the presumptuous iniquities of these times may iâ—stly cause vs feare what wee feele not wee haue as much reason to pray to bee kept from them before they happen as to haue them remoued when they doe happen 10 Gloria Patri and Athanasius creed to what vse To giue honor to the Trinitie for as they were made to teach the Arrians to confesse what they beleeued not so they are for vs to praise expresse what we doe beleeue 11 To say after the Minister is a losse of time That Scripture which commandeth the people to say Amen doth not forbid them to say more custome and example tell vs that this losse is to the people an aduantage whose vniuersall consent exprest by their voices is like the roaring of the waues against the sea banck 12 Baptisme by women commanded and allowed Nay rather forbidden and the action not allowed though the act be Wee are sorie if any inconsiderately and presumptuouslie doe it but being done wee hold a greater necessity of Baptisme then that we dare thinke them fit to be baptised againe Heerein if there bee any fault surely it is not a fault in the Communion booke 13 Priuate Communions to the sick If the Minister and the sick person communicate how can they call it priuate for there bee not many yet there are two and where two or three are assembled as they ought they need not doubt of the blessing of a Congregation but seldome so few are and things of that vse in such extremitie desired it is Tirrannie to denie them for the not concurring of some solemne and conuenient circumstance 14 Churching of women And that Psalmâ— appointed If that Childbirth bee a curse for the labour and sorrow in it because then naturally an enemie is borne to Gods kingdome if many hardly escape those daungers which fitly are called by vs labour and trauell how can wâ— but thinke it conuenient to giue thanks and in that to acknowledge the author of their safe deliuerance to bee the Lord who protecteth his owne day night they looke not at any meanes vpon earth but vnto the hils from whence commeth their help 15 Holidayes a superstitious honour to Saints No a memoriall of that benefit which the Church hath receiued by that particular occasion which therefore it wanteth not warrant to appoint as occasions of mercies and deliuerances are new so new solempnities and therefore wee will euer say This is the day of the Lord and sing prayses vnto the Lord the fifte of August and the foure twentie of March for in them the Lord hath done great things for vs alreadie whereof wee reioyce Let the leprosie of those foure lepers cleaue vnto vs if wee hould our peace from Psalmes and thanksgiuing seeing it is a day of good tydings for surely as Zachous heard Christ speake so God shall heare vs thankfully confesse that this day Saluation is come vnto this land for he that is mightie hath magnified him and holy is his name 16 Reading of Homelies and Apocrypha If they serue to edifie why doe they refuse them if they bee not Canonicall neither are they so esteemed If nothing bee to bee read in the church but Scripture why is it a law amongst them to haue their orders for gouerning the church reade publickly once euery quarter the supposed errours in the Apocrypha maketh vs with the warrant of the Church to refuse them for Canonicall scripture to informe our faith but the excellent precepts that are in them make vs by the same warrant think them profitable to bee read for to reforme our manners 17 The Ring in Marriage Superstitious To finish an act of that solemnitie without some visible and significant assurance as it were no wisdome seeing vowes were neuer thought so firme as when they receaued a strength from some outward action so many reasons are giuen why this cerimonie is most fit and lesse harmelesse both betokening the affection of the hart the linking them together vnchangeablye the continuance of their affection without end the puritie of that ordinance which is heauenlie and last of all an humble submission to the ordinance of that Chrurch which hath authoritie to appoint cerimonies and hath appointed this as one most fitting to the grauitie of this action 18 Confirmation vnlawfull What wee promise by others in our Baptisme that wee then vndertake in our owne names and remembring the conflict wee haue vndertaken we come for an addition of new forces in Baptisme wee are regenerate to life but in confirmation wee are strengthned to battaile memorialls to this are not nor are not to be thought needlesse for many know they haue names who little remember that they are Baptised but whom the Church on earth hath once receaued to bee her children she ceaseth not to pursue with fauours and helps vntill she deliuereth them to their father which is in heauen 19 Burialls are heathnish and superstitious either in meeting the dead bodie with praiers mourners and such like It is well beseeming that hope which wee haue of the Resurrection and in this the liuing receaue profit though the dead doe not Wee esteeme the bodies of the faithfull as sometimes the vessells of the holie Ghost wee hold them fit to bee layd vp not to bee cast away and though they are not lost but sent before vs yet wee sadlie lament our want and their absence though ouer vehementlie wee mourn not as those that had no hope we may wish for them because they are not with vs but not too much
of all that the Liturgie so vertuous so holy for which so many Martyrs of hers haue dyed restored in the dayes of King Edward continued in the gratious and happie dayes of Queene Elizabeth may by your Princely authoritie seeing all the learned of your kingdome are readie in the defence of it be strongly and vnresistably maintained against her enemies so shall we account it a second birth day to our countrie a day of grace and saluation wherein God hath sworne by his holinesse that hee will not faile you and therefore to this ende hath preuented you with the blessings of goodnesse and set a crowne of pure gold vpon your head a day wherein the Nations that are round about vs shall say as Hyram when hee heard the words of Salomon blessed be the Lord this day which hath giuen vnto Dauid a wise Sonne ouer this mightie people Vnto Queene Elizabeth an Heire of her owne house and linage full of Religion wisedome and vnderstanding so that we may truely say as they did doubtlesse we haue seene straung things this day straunge to our countrie to ourselues to our enemies to haue neighbours to our prosteritie for which our harts burne within vs and shall for euer with feruencie of deuotion for your highnesse safetie our mouthes are filled with laughter and our tongues with ioy and we must needes confesse with the Prophet Dauid The Lord hath done great things for vs alreadie whereof we reioyce for which we intreate the heauens to reioyce with vs the earth to be glad and the Sea to make a noyse and all that therein is the compasse of the round World and they that dwell therein for by this means innumerable benefits are common vnto them to the Heauen a multitude of Saints to the earth peace to the Sea Treasure to the fields plentie for God hath broken the rod of the wicked and the whole land is at rest and surely if euer NatioÌ„ of the world had cause either to hope for happines to this Church and Commonwealth or to giue thankes vnto the Lord and to that ende to fall low vpon our knees before his footestoole it is we to haue a King but which is greater happinesse of the same blood nay more than that of the same Religion but most of all without bloodshed and especially Then when all the politikes of the world had set our period rung our passing Bell euen theÌ„ by your Highnesse meanes the Lord himselfe for we must al acknowledge that it was his worke deliuered our soule from death our eyes from teares and our feet from falling our soule from bodily and spirituall death our eyes from teares arising from our daunger nay from our holy teares for our late Souereigne our feete from falling into troubles which then were present into sinne which then was likely into blindnesse which then we feared into shame which we all deserued into misery which many hoped but we say againe the Lord hath done great things for vs alreadie and greater and far greater shall doe if we be not vnthankefull and therefore howsoeuer thou art either Iesuite or Preest Anabaptist Protestant or Atheist which sayst in thy heart let vs make hauocke of them altogether thou shalt so dianly consume and perish and come to a fearefull ende and the Church shall continually intreate at the hands of the Lord of heauen and humbly before the Throne of your gratious Maiestie for protection against her and all your aduersaries saying O deliuer not the soule of the Turtle Doue vnto the multitude of the enemies and forget not the congregation of the poore for euer looke vpon the couenant for al the earth is full of darkenesse and cruell habitations O let not the simple goe away ashamed but let the poore and needy giue praise vnto thy name A rise O God maintaine thy own cause remeÌ„ber how the foolish man blasphemeth thee dayly forget not the voyce of thy enemie the presumption of them that hate thee increaseth euer more and more Amen FINIS This Epistle following is here annexed and thought fit to be Printed because the Dedication of this booke was first intended vnto the late right Honorable and right Reuerend Father the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie his Grace To the most Reuerend Father in God my very good Lord the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie his Grace Primate and Metropolitan of all England WHat benefit Right Reuerend this Church hath receiued by your Graces meanes God bessing your Counsell vnder the gouernment of two great Princes as this age present doth sensiblie perceiue so the memorie thereof shal be honorable in the time to come For when the vertuons Gouernment of our late Souereigne had banished from all parts of her Kingdome the Tyrannie and superstitioÌ„ of the Church of Rome some men fit instruments to disturbe the peacefull happinesse of this Land fearefull as it seemed of the dangers that might follow and impatient of that forme of gouernment which mercy and wisedome had planted for the Churches safetie laboured by meanes ouer violent and vnholy to bring in perhaps from the partiall loue to the orders of those Churches which comfortably refresht them in the time of banishment a presbiteriall Discipline both of them notwithstanding following a diuers shape of the Ecclesiasticall state in diuers times the one in peace the other in persecution neither of them both doubtlesse circumstances being weighed either warranted by truth or answerable to these times The one labouring to ouerload vs with an intollerable burden of humane traditions polliticke inuentions to make an outward greatnesse whilst inwardly Religion must needs â—aile the other to strippe her as naked as the day wherein shee was first borne discouraging her teachers by robbing them of honour and maintenaunce traducing that learning wherein many of our Reuerend Fathers were equall to any in any part of the world besides and in steade of these making the Church to doe Pennance for her wontonnesse in the dayes of superstition being left vnpitied desolate ignorant and without honour all their purposes tending to this end to make vs had in dirision of all those that were rounde about vs Thus these two enemies in our owne bosome looking both of them with enuie at your happinesse and with Ielosie at that fauour which we might be suspected to beare towards either of them their discentions were not so violent to each other as they both were cruell and daungerous to our peace as if Ephraim and Manasses had made a truce and both of them concluded to deuour Iuda At this time your Lordship for lawes and authoritie had restrayned the one vndertooke the defence of this Church Gouernment against the other wherein doubtlesse if your great wisedome and moderation had not like another Athanasius indured the furie and rage of this vnbridled multitude Wee might â—â—stly haue feared that disorder and barbarisme would haue tyrannously possest long since the worthiest and most beautifull
may freely make an order againe which shal be apparent to bee most commodious to the vse edification of the Church c. We wil not take vpon vs to censure this letter onely we see not how the same things could be thought in his iudgemēt Foolish yet tearmed Tollerable in a Church Liturgie or how they are called vices which notwithstanding hee freeth from manifest Impietie or if that this libertie of reformation were to bee giuen where a Church was to bee new set vp how it could bee agreable to them who still I think desired to bee a part euen for outward cerimonies of that Visible Church which then suffered persecution in England But it sufficeth in these troubles all were not of one minde the most and the best were before their departure and in their banishment after their returne Zealous discreet and learned maintainers of the Communion Booke And most of them afterward became worthily worthy gouernors in this Church For God who sawe their Fidelitie constancie and truth rewarded them seauen fould into their bosome this booke then but somewhat purer and more reformed then at that time is that huge volume of Ceremonies for I vse their owne words which is in their opinion vnlawfull Idolatrous but in ours a most holie and chast forme of Church Seruice and least in this case our opinion and defence should be thought but the corrupt flatterie of those who are or hope to bee aduanced by the present time the wise and graue approbation of the holie Martire Doctor Tailour is fit by vs to bee alledged in this place There was saith hee set foorth by the most innocent King Edward for whom God bee praised euerlastinglie the whole Church seruice with great deliberation and the aduice of the best learned men of the Realme and authorised by the whole Parliament and receiued and published gladly by the whole Realme which Booke was neuer reformed but once and yet by that one reformation it was so fully perfected according to the rules of our Christian religion in euerie behalfe that no christian conscience can bee offended with any thing therein contained I meane of the Booke reformed Thus farre Doctor Tailour and shall wee now make light account of so honorable a Testimonie or alter these things onelie to satisfie the vnreasonable fancies of some men nay surelie in that most memorable Act of our gracious and dread Soueraīgne whose wisdome appeares in these Importunate sutes like the wisdome of Salomon there is no one thing which shal heape more honourable and euerlasting glorie vnto his name which is or can bee a greater blessing to this land a more religious dutie towards God a more thankfull requitall of all the fauours that Queene Elizabeth did performe vnto him then without any alteration or change in the strict commaundement of publishing this order of common praier in any matter of substance Let thy dew O Lord from aboue fall downe vpon his head to make him wise in the councells of thy law sanctifie his hart with the reuerend and holie estimation of thy truth make his wisdome powerfull against all Achitophells perfect O Lord and blesse these beginnings that wee and our posteritie without chaunge may worship thee in this land so long as the sonne is before thee that it may neuer sound in tents of our enemies that thy worship as erronious is now altered which in mercie thou hast protected fourtie and foure yeeres in the happie daies of Queene Elizabeth And surelie reason must needs tell vs that if wee should ouer easilie yeeld to alter what paraduenture they wish doubtlesse the same reproofe must iustlie fall vpon our own Liturgie of Varietie vncertaintie and Inconstancie which one laieth verie truelie vpon the Romane Missall Besides it were as they of Strausburge wrote of them of Francford to condemne the chiefest authors therof who most of them suffered as Martirs it would giue occasion to our aduersaries to accuse our doctrine of imperfection and vs of mutabilitie and the godlie to doubt in that truth wherein beefore they were perswaded and to hinder their comming hether which beefore they had purposed Thus far did they of Strausburg wiselie answere to them of Francford so that wee may safelie conclude and say of this Booke as S. Austin doth in another case if thou runnest through all the words of the holie Praiers I suppose thou shalt finde nothing which the Lords praier doth not containe and comprehend therefore we may in other words speake the same things in our praiers but wee may not speake contrarie things Yet because reason hath not beene sufficient to restraine the intemperate proceedings of some men they thinke this Church is little beholding vnto them vnlesse they traduce the gouernment and the Liturgie which she vseth for which notwithstanding others out of greater wisedome and conscience haue made against the common aduersarie this challenge Looke if any Line bee blameable in our Seruice and take hold of your aduantage I think M. Iewell will accept it for an Article our Seruice is good and Codly euery title grounded vpon holie Scriptures and with what face doe you call it darknesse Wee are content after the learned indeauours of other men to adde some thing to those principall points which in the Communion booke is and hath beene misliked by them that to whose hands the writings of other peraduenture come not this short answere to such may giue some satisfaction in the principall things which they doe mislike 1 The forme of the Liturgie of the Church of England is taken from Antichrist Wee are sorie that their weakenesse taketh offence at that which wee hold as an honour and a vertue in the Church of England namely that wee haue so sparingly and as it were vnwillingly disented from the Church of Rome for surely by Antichrist they meane her with whom if the corruptions of that Church would haue giuen vs leaue we would haue willingly consented in their whole seruice which being vnsafe and vnlawfull wee follow them notwithstanding in all wherin they follow those holie and auncient fathers which first planted the truth amongst them And as we acknowledge them our fathers in the Faith so wee are willing euen to borrow that from them which vertuouslie was vsed in that Church when it was worthie to bee called our mother◠and if now the holie Citie bee become an harlot yet we as most Churches haue receiued light from them for there was a time that their Faith was published ouer all the world and if now they bee at enmitie with God and vs yet wee had rather follow the perfections of whom wee like not then the defects and Imperfections of those wee loue nay the spoiles of the heathe◠taken from the Deuill are deuided to the furniture and ornament of the Church of God For doubtlesse as one saith all true Godlie men may vertuouslie vse those rites