of other For proofe whereof I referre you to B. Iewell in his worthy booke wherein he answereth Hardings reply against his 27. questions proposed at Pauls Crosse c. I remēber touching this matter of the Sacrament Occolampadius a man of great reading godlines saith of S. August Is primus mihi vellicauit aurem He did first put me in minde of the true vnderstanding of this Sacrament These foure principal Articles I haue laid downe for example that the Christian Reader may the more easily perceiue vvhat comfort it is to any Church to haue the grounds of their faith and religion so established vpon the holy Scriptures that for the interpretation of the same they haue the testimonie consent of the Primitiue Church the ancient learned Fathers From which Consent they should not depart either in doctrine or other matter of weight vnlesse it so fall out in them that we be forced thereto either by the plaine wordes of the Scriptures or by euident and necessary conclusions following vpon the same or the Analogie of our faith Which thing if we shall perceiue we ought safely may take that liberty that themselues especially Augustine hath vsed requireth other to vse Nec Catholicis Episcopis c. Wee must not consent saith Augustine so much as to Catholike Bishops if they be deceiued and be of opinion contrary to the Canonicall Scriptures Againe I am not tied with the authoritie of this Epistle For I haue not the writings of Cyprian in like estimation as I haue the Canonicall Scriptures but I measure them by the rule of the holy Scriptures If I finde any thing in his writings agreeing to the Scriptures I receiue it with commendation and reuerence if otherwise with his good leaue I refuse it The like you haue Epist 48. 111. 112. In Prooemio li. 3. de Trinitate and many other places Otherwise to reiect the testimonie of the ancient Fathers rashly is a token of too much confidence in our owne wits It was noted as a great fault in Nestorius and a chief cause of his heresie that contemning the Fathers hee rested too much vpon his owne iudgement The like confidence drew many learned men and of great gifts to be Patrons of sundry foule and shamefull errours How came it to passe that after that notable Councell of Nice so many detestable heresies arose against the Deitie the Humanitie of Christ against the vniting of both natures and the distinction of the properties of them c. but onely out of this roote that they contemned the graue sentences interpretations determinations of those famous Confessors and great learned Fathers as were in the same assembled and had too much liking in their owne wits learning But woe be vnto them saith Esay that are ouerwise in their owne conceite Vigilius in his first booke against Eutyches saith thus These cloudes of fond and vaine accusations are powred out by them chiefly which are diseased either with the sickenesse of ignorance and of a contentious appetite and while they being puffed vp with confidence of a proud stomacke for this only cause they reiect the rules of faith laide downe by the ancient fathers that they may thrust into the Church their owne wauering deuises which they haue ouerthwartly conceiued This sentence I would our vncharitable accusers troublers of the Church would well weigh and consider with them-selues Therfore good reader I protest for my selfe and for the residue of this church that we dare not in conscience nor thinke it tollerable with contempt to reiect the testimonies of antiquitie in establishing any matter of weight in the Church We leaue that to our hasty Diuines that in three yeeres study thinke themselues able to controll all men to haue more learning then all the Bishops in England And for this cause vvil they giue no credit to ancient writers against their new found equality For with them it is a foule fault once in a sermon to name an ancient father or to alledge any testimonie out of his workes Novve good Christian Reader seeing by the good blessing of God vve haue all parts of Christian fayth and Religion professed and taught in this Church and the same grounded vpon the canonicall Scriptures vvith the consent and exposition of the Primitiue Church and ancient Fathers What a vaunting pride is it as Cyprian speaketh vvhat an vnthankefulnesse to God vvhat vncharitable affection toward the Church of their naturall Countrey that they cannot abide any good to be spoken of it pretending nothing but the priuate faultes and vices of some men or the disagreeing from them in some orders and partes of Gouernement which they vvill neuer be able to proue by the word of GOD to bee of necessitie In other reformed Churches vvhome they so greatly extolle and vvould make paterne to vs haue they not imperfections Haue they not foule faults and great vices among all sortes of men as well Ministers as others Surely their worthiest writers grauest Preachers doe note that they haue And if they woulde denie it the world doth see it and many good men among them doe bevvaile it I vvill not stay in the other blessings of God vvhere with he hath adorned this Church I shall haue occasion to speake somewhat more of it hereafter and God send vs grace that we may vvith true thankefulnesse acknovvledge it But this I may not omitte vvithout great note of vnthankefulnesse towarde our mercifull God vvhich hath not onely preserued maintained and defended the State but also appoynted this Church to be as a Sanctuarie or place of refuge for the Saints of God afflicted and persecuted in other Countries for the profession of the Gospell for whome I am persvvaded vvee doe fare the better at Gods hande And I doubt not but in that respect al reformed Churches in other places feeling the blessing of God by vs thinke reuerently of our State and pray to God for vs as all good men vvith vs ought to doe for them that the true linke of Christian charitie may soundly knitte vs together in one body of right faith and Religion If some fevve persons thinke amisse of our Church I impute the cause thereof only to the malicious vntrue reports made by some of our owne Countreymen vnto them Which persons if they did vnderstande the true State of this our Realme would thinke farre othervvise as diuers of the most graue learned writers haue already euidently declared This also is not the least blessing of God as well in the time of K. Edward as in the reigne of our gracious Soueraigne that this Church hath had as ample ornamēts of learned men Rumpantur vt Ilia Momo as the most reformed Churches in Europe farre more plentifully then some place whose state they seeke to frame vs vnto Only I except those excellēt men whō God had prepared in the beginning to be the restorers of his Trueth doctrine of
thought conceiue nor his wordes include any such matter But what doeth not malice enuie and spite vtter against the most innocent person that is The bishop of Winchester hath openly more impugned the vices of this age heere in the Church of Englande then the vvhole broode of them that are of the Anabaptisticall Conuenticles and the residue of these Libellers Woe bee to them saith Esay the Prophet that speake euil of good and good of euill and put light for darkenesse and darkenesse for light sweete for sowre and sowre for sweete Dauid had great cause to crie domine libera animam meam à labijs iniquis à lingua dolosa And Salomon cogitatio stulti peccatum est abominatio hominum Detractor The deuise of a foole is sinne and all men abhorre the backbiter or Slaunderer If any man vvill reprooue the Assertion before written God vvilling he shall be ansvvered so that he rayle not This may be a sufficient answere to the vntrueth fathered vpon the B. of Winchesters words that hee is not for the same iustly tearmed Monstrous and flattering hypocrite speaking against his owne conscience But I see in these wordes the reproch not only of the bishop but much more amalicious spite against this Church of England and that so deepely setled in their hearts that their eares cannot without griefe he are any good spoken of it Therefore I thinke my selfe in Christian dutie bound somevvhat farther to follovve this matter and with some signification of thankefulnesse to acknowledge and confesse those excellēt blessings which it hath pleased God of his great mercies to bestowe vpon the same as vvell in King Edward the sixts dayes as much more in her Maiesties reigne that now is and first to beginne with that which is the principall that is the sinceritie of doctrine and all branches of true religion receiued professed taught and established in this Realme In which point I thinke it very superfluous needles for me to recite the particular branches and to make a nevv catechisme or to pen a new confession of the Church of England seeing they both are so sufficiently performed that vvithout enuy be it spoken there is none better in any refourmed Church in Europe For a Catechisme I refer them to that which was made by the learned and godly man Master Nowel Deane of Paules receiued and allovved by the Church of England and very fully grounded and established vpon the vvorde of God There may you see all the parts of true Religion receiued the difficulties expounded the trueth declared the corruptions of the Church of Rome reiected But this I like not in our Church that it is lawful to euery man to set foorth a nevve Catechisme at his pleasure I read that in the Primitiue Church that thing did great harme and corrupted the mindes of many simple persons with soule errours and heresies I see the like at this day for thereby many honest meaning hearts are caried avvay to the misliking of our manner of prayer and administration of Sacraments and other orders vvhereby it is made a principall instrument to maintaine and increase discorde and dissention in the Church For a sound and true confession acknowledged by this our church I refer them to that notable Apologie of the English Church written not many yeeres since by that Iewel of England late Bishop of Sarifburie Wherein they shal finde all parts of Christian religion confessed proued both by the testimony of the canonicall scriptures and also by the consent of all learned and godly antiquitie for the space of certain hundred yeres after Christ For the integrity and soundnes for the learning and eloquence shewed in the same Apologie they that contemne that notable learned man because hee was a Bishoppe may haue very good testimonie in a litle Epistle vvritten by Peter Martir vnto the said bishop and nowe printed and in the latter edition set before the same Apologie where they shall finde that hee speaketh not for himselfe onely but for many other learned men of the church of Tygure and other places Nowe as this learned Bishop doeth acknowledge and confesse for this Church all trueth of doctrine so doeth hee reprooue condemne and detest all corruptions brought into the same either by the church of Rome or by any other ancient or newe heretikes whome he there particularly nameth yea and to the great comfort of all them that are members of the same church and acknowledge the same confession hee prooueth and euidently sheweth that the testimonies of the Scriptures whereon that confession is grounded for the true interpretation of them haue the witnesse consent of all the learned antiquitie as I haue saide for certaine hundred yeeres Which I take to bee a very good comfort and confirmation to all honest consciences in these captious and quarelling dayes That which I meane I will declare by some particulars What is more euident certaine and firme for the article of the person of Christ in his Godhead manhood then those things that the ancient Fathers decreed out of the canonicall scriptures in the Councels of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon some others against Arius Samosatenus Apollinaris Nestorius Eutiches and those heretikes that were termed Monotholetes c Therefore whosoeuer do teach contrary to the determination of those councels as some do in these dayes they do not iustly hold that principal article and foundation of Christian religion Moreouer as touching the grace and benefite of Christ the beginning whereof riseth from the eternall loue of God toward vs and from the free election to redemption and eternall saluation and proceedeth to our vse and benefite by the dispensation of Christ once offred vpon the Crosse by effectual calling wrought by the holy Ghost in preaching of the Gospell by our iustification sanctification and the gift of perseuerance and continuance in the faith thereby in the end to obtaine resurrection and eternall life touching I say this free grace of God another principall ground of Christian religion what coulde be or can bee more certainly or abundantly layde downe out of the holy Scriptures then was determined in the Councels of Carthage Mileuitane Aurasicane c. against the Pelagians and other enemies of the free grace of God in Christ Iesu our Sauiour Especially if you adde the writings of August and other ancient Fathers for defence of the same As to that which is necessarie to be knowen touching the true Catholique Church a matter of great importaunce euen at this day vvhat can be more copiously or with more perspicuitie declared then is by that learned father Augustine as well in other places as principally in his bookes against the Donatists Likewise for the matter of the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper if simple trueth coulde content men what is more euident then that doctrine which hath bene laid downe by the ancient Fathers Iustine Irenaeus Tertullian Cyprian Augustine Theodorete and a number
his lippes that they speake no guile The mouth of a malicious man saith Ambrose is a deepe or bottomlesse pit The innocent that is too easie of credit doth quickly fall but he riseth againe But the backebiting railer is by his owne craft cast downe headlong to confusion in such sort as he shall neuer recouer himselfe againe And Bernard Let not my soule be in companie of backebiting tongues because God doth hate them when the Apostle saith Backbiters are odious to God Euery one that backbiteth sheweth himselfe voyd of charitie Moreouer what other thing seeketh hee by deprauing but that he whome he backebiteth may come in hatred and contempt with them among whom he is depraued Wherefore the backebiter woundeth charitie in all that heare him and somuch as in him lyeth doth vtterly destroy him whome he striketh with his tongue As for the reproch of want of learning he will not striue much with them The Bishop hath not vsed God bee thanked to vaunt himselfe of great learning Neither doth he disdaine to be accounted vnlearned of these men which many yeeres since contemned Bishoppe Iewell as a man of no deepe learning and euen of late dayes coulde say that Erasmus was no Diuine His prayer is that the small measure of knowledge which it pleased God to giue him in the continuance of fiftie yeeres studie may be imployed to the glorie of God and the benefite of his Countrey It is knowen fiue and fourtie yeres since that he was Master of Art and Student of Diuinitie and disputed in that facultie since which time hee was neuer drawen from that exercise of good learning This is his greatest comfort that since he was a yong man in Magdalene Colledge in Oxford he hath bene brought vp in the loue of the Gospel and was reasonablie able to confirme his conscience to represse the aduersary not only by the holy scriptures but also by the writings of the anciēt Fathers and the best authours of this age since the renewing of the Gospell as hee hath many honest and learned men witnesses yet aliue M. Trauers whome they prefere before him he knoweth not what he is He neuer sawe him to his remembrance but once and that was at my Lord of Canterburies in the presence of some honourable persons at which time the man shewed no great learning Doctor Sparke is so well knowen to the Bishoppe of Winchester and the Bishoppe to him that hee cannot be perswaded that Doctor Sparke will affirme that he did put the Bishop at that time or any other as they terme it to a non plus But vvhatsoeuer hee vvill doe if the one or the other or they both doe make any bragge of a victorie then gotten as I haue before sayde surely they doe greatly forget themselues and declare that Ladie Philautie did bleare their eyes and made that they coulde not see the right rules of modestie especially considering what the witnesses were and what report they haue made thereof to the best of this Lande which hath not bene made vnknowen to the worlde It is true that Gregorie saith Superbia lumen intelligentiae abscondit Pride daseleth the eyes of a mans vnderstanding And againe Superbi c. Proud men when they thinke them selues despised fall by and by to railing Cyprian that reuerend and learned father sayth notably An high and swelling heart arrogant and proude bragging is not of Christ that teacheth humilitie but springeth of the spirit of Antichrist I pray GOD these men may remember these lessons AS touching the Gouernment of the Church of England now defended by the bishops this I say When God restored the doctrine of the Gospel more sincerely and more aboundantly then euer before vnder that good yong Prince King Edward 6. at vvhich time not the gouernours onely of this Realme vnder him but a number of other Noblemen Gentlemen were well knovven to be zealous in the fauor of the trueth by consent of all the States of this Land this maner of gouernment that now is vsed was by law confirmed as good and godly The bishops other of the clergy that gaue their aduise and consent to the same vvere learned zealous bishop Cranmer Ridley Latimer and many other vvhich after sealed their doctrine vvith their blood all learned graue and vvise in comparison of these yong Sectaries which greatly please themselues M. Couerdale M. Hooper neuer thought to be superstitious or inclining to Antichristian corruption were contented to vse the office authority and iurisdiction of bishops the one at Exeter the other at Glocester Peter Martyr Bucer and Iohn de Alasco graue men and of great knovvledge and godlinesse did liue in that state vnder the Archbishops and bishops that then vvere and vvrote to them most reuerendly not refusing to giue them those Titles that novv bee accompted Antichristian The like they did to other of late time Reade the Preface of Peter Martyr set before his Dialogues against Vbiquity see what honourable testimonie hee giueth to bishop Iewell and what titles he affoordeth him To condemne all these as Reprobate and Pety Antichrists were great rashnesse and such impudencie as ought not in any Christian Church or common weale to bee borne without punishment When God had marueilously preserued for vs our gracious soueraigne Queene Elizabeth set her in her Fathers seat being brought vp from her tender yeres in the instruction of Gods trueth shee tooke aduise of her most honourable Counsell Nobles and learned of the Realme and especially such as were most forward in religion and with consent of all the States of this Realme by law receiued confirmed and established the manner of Gouernment and other orders of the Church now obserued The learned men that yeelded their aduise and consent to the same were those reuerend godly persons that came lately out of banishment from the schoole of affliction could not so soone forget their Lorde God and the zeale of his trueth namely Master Cox Grindall Sands Horne Pilkington Iewell Parkhurst and a number of other vvho vvere after chosen to be bishops and executed those offices without grudging or repining of any vntill about the tenth yeere of her Maiesties raigne the curious deuises beganne to be more common Since vvhich time by the countenauncing of some they haue greatly increased in strange assertions now be come almost to the highest The reproches therefore that are giuen to this State by these Libellers touch not onely the Bishoppes but the Prince the Counsell and the honorable woishipfull wise and learned of the Realme As for this question of Church-gouernment I meane not at this time to stand much on it For let them say what they lust for any thing that hath beene written hitherto touching it it is sufficiently answered Onely this I desire That they will lay downe out of the worde of God some iust proofes and a direct commandement that there shoulde be in all ages
bishopricks in England be worth For Mat. Paris vvriteth that in the time of king Henry the 3. the Pope had yeerely out of this Lande 60000 markes vnto which if you doe adde his like dealing in Germanie and other countreys you shall perceiue the value to be inestimable And surely I am of that hope and in my conscience I think it to be most true that all the Bishops in this land by Simoniacal practise and couetous oppression doe not gaine the hundred part thereof And if it doe rise to that value it is a great deale too much yea if it be one peny it is wicked and by no good man ought to be defended much lesse by them to bee practised I hope well of all although I wil not take vpon me to excuse all But for some I assuredly know in my conscience dare depose that since they were made Bishops they haue not wittingly gained that way one twenty shillings Therefore in equalling the bishops of Englande in the practise of Simonie vvith the Pope of Rome there must needs be great oddes in the comparison and the whole speech may well be called Hyperbole that is an vncharitable amplification surmounting all likelihood of honest and Christian trueth Obiection But somewhat to giue countenance to an euill slaunder it will be sayde that the Bishop of Rome practized Simonie by al meanes that he had our bishops by as many as they haue Answere Oh a worthie reason Is this to iustifie so shameful a slaūder of the church of God vnder a christian Princes gouernment Is that Christian Preacher and Bishop if any such be that vseth Simoniacall practise in two or three points of smal importance and litle value in grieuousnesse of offence before God and the vvorlde to be equalled to the head of Antichrist and the principall enemy of the Gospel practizing the same in a thousande of great weight and vnestimable value I cannot but wish more charitable hearts to them that will take vpon them the zeale and profession of the Gospel Let sinne be blamed euen in them that fauour the word and chiefly the Clergie but yet so as trueth will beare and modestie with Christian charitie doeth require lest in much amplifying of small offences you become instruments not onely to discredit the parties blamed but also to ouerthrowe the doctrine that they teach There ought to be great difference betweene Christian Preachers writers inueighing against Antichrist and his members enemies of the Gospell and zealous professors blaming reprouing the faults of their owne Bishop and Clergie in the estate of a Church by authoritie setled The one part is kindled with an earnest zeale detestation of the obstinate patrones of errour and idolatrie the other shoulde bee mooued onely with a charitable sorowe and griefe to see Preachers of the trueth not to declare in life that which they vtter to other in doctrine They that by humane frailtie offende in blemish of life onely are not with like bitternesse to bee hated harried rated and defaced as they that with obstinate and vnrepentant hearts offend both in life and doctrine and to the face of the worlde shewe them-selues aduersaries of the truth Christ after one maner blameth the Scribes pharises after another he reprooueth the ignorance the dulnesse the ambition and carnal affection of his owne Disciples that followed him But I pray you let vs consider the particular proofe of this generall accusation and odious comparison Surely they are so trifling that I am ashamed to stay vpon them and yet I must needes speake a word or two of them The Church of England retaineth a good and necessarie order that before the celebration of marriage the Banes should be asked three seuerall Sabboth dayes Obiection This order saith the aduersarie and accuser is by Dispensation abused and by our Bishops solde for money Answere The order I thinke very good and meete to bee obserued in a Christian Church and not without good cause to be altered and yet doth it not beare any necessitie in Religion and holinesse whereby mens consciences should be wrung or wrested But I will demaund of the accuser whether there be not some cases wherein the circumstances being considered this matter may bee dispensed withall among Christians And if there bee as no reasonable man can deny then I aske further whether there bee any lawe in this Church of Englande whereby with the authoritie of the Prince it is granted that a Bishoppe may in such conuenient cases dispense with this order And if there bee such lawe of the Church and of the Realme I marueile howe it can be counted Simonie or couetous selling of the libertie of the Gospell to dispense with it Obiection Yea but if the order be good why is it not kept vnuiolably if it be euill why is it solde for money Answere The order is good no man can deny it or without good cause alter it but there is no externall order so necessary but that authoritie may in some considerations lawfully dispense therewith It was a good order and cōmandement of God that none but the Priests should eat of the shew bread and yet in a case of necessitie Abimelech the hie Priest did dispense with Dauid his company in eating the same bread The external obseruation of the Sabboth day was a good order and a commandement streightly giuen by God and yet we read that the Iewes in necessitie did breake it and fought on the Sabboth day And Christ himselfe defended his Disciples that on that day did bruise Corne and eate it Therefore by lawfull authoritie such orders may bee dispensed with and not deserue iust reproofe much lesse the crime of Couetousnesse and Simonie Obiection Yea but the dispensations are solde for money for some haue for writing and other for sealing and my Lord so granting c. Answere By as good reason may they excuse any Iudge or chiefe officer in this Land of extortion and bribery because his Clearkes and vnder officers take money for the writing dispatch of Processes Writs and other like matters where of happily some small portion commeth to the Iudge or chiefe officer himselfe and the same also warranted and made good by the lawes of this Realme If either Ecclesiasticall Ministers or other officers and Magistrates shall by extortion wrest more then by order is due there lieth lawfull remedie and sharpe punishment for the same And in all societies and common weales that euer haue bene aswell among Christians as other it hath bene counted lawfull that the Ministers to higher officers aswell Ecclesiasticall as other should haue lawfull portions and fees allowed them for such things where in they trauell Therefore how this may be imputed to Bishops as Simonie and sale of Christian libertie I see not Obiection They will say Dispensations for Banes for greedinesse of money are granted more commonly then they should be Answere If that
ample giftes vnto the Church not onely in money and plate but as it is to be gathered in reuenue also For Optatus Mileuitanus vvriteth that Mensurius bishop of Carthage before Cecilianus vvhen hee vvas sent for to the Emperor fearing that he should returne no more againe left in the custody of certain persons Ornamenta plurima aurea argentea many ornaments of gold siluer The restoring of which ornaments iewels afterward was one great occasion of the schisme of the Donatists as the same Optatus sheweth Wherefore it may appeare the Church was not in those dayes so poore needie as some men would haue vs thinke it was though it were then vnder heathenish cruel tyrants with al extremitie forbidding that any persons should giue either goods or lands to the releefe of it Sabellicus writeth that in the time of Maxentius the Emperour one Lucina a noble and rich gentlewoman of Rome appointed the Church of Rome to be heire vnto all her substance possessions Which whē that cruell tyrant vnderstoode he for the time banished her out of the citie But when Constantine that good first Christian Emperour vndertooke the defence maintenance of Christian religiō he not only liberally bestowed vpon the Church himselfe but by law made it free to all that would giue any thing vnto the Church were it in lands or otherwise Which law Valentinianus Theodosius other afterward confirmed nor euer was it abridged but by Iulian the Apostata A copy of one decree of Constantine is in Eusebius Those things that belong to the right of other we will not only not to haue retained but plainly to be restored Wherfore our wil plesure is that so soone as thou shalt receiue these our letters if there be any goodes belonging to the Catholike Church of Christians either in cities or other places takē in possession by the citizens or by any other that the same presently be restored in like right as before they had it See therfore that all things either houses or gardens or whatsoeuer be with speed restored to the Church againe By this meanes not only the Emperours themselues gaue both lands many other rich gifts but also sundry other rich godly persons Constantine gaue lands in the country about Sabine and an house a garden at Rome The same Constan out of the tribute of euery city gaue a portion to the churches for the maintenāce of their Ministers established thē to cōtinue as a Law for euer Eusebius writeth that beside many other benefites as contribution of corne building of Churches c. he granted to all Ecclesiastical persons free immunitie of all seruices and taxes sauing only for their lands For the lands of the Church were subiect to tribute as other were by an ordinance made by the sonnes of the forenamed Constantine This may appeare also by Ambrose writing of the second Valentinian If he require tribute we denie it not the lands of the Church do pay tribute The church then had lands and that a good while before Ambrose his time which was about the yeere of our Lord three hundred sixtie and eight Yea Ambrose himselfe liued by his owne lands being Bishop Therefore it may appeare hee did not thinke it to be against the worde of God for a Bishoppe or Minister of the Church to liue vpon the reuenewe of landes After the time of Constantine the wealth of the Church increased as well in landes as other substance prouision not only by the gifts of Emperors Kings and Queenes but partly also as I haue said by the deuotion of other godly persons who oftentimes left to the vse of the Church either a great part or their whole substance and possessions partly by the gift of bishops themselues partly by other ecclesiastical persōs which because they were not married nor had issue or heires were by order bound to leaue vnto the church al their possessions both lands goods Sometime also by the punishment of offēdors For it is read that one Bassus a gētleman falsely accused Sixtus bishop of Rome whē Sixtus had cleared himselfe in a synode of Bishops Bassus for his slaunderous accusation was banished his landes giuen vnto the Church The same Sixtus gaue lands vnto the Church himselfe also Crescentius a noble man gaue vnto the Church of Rome all his substance and a manour in Sicilie called Argianum Eudotia the Empresse wife to Theodosius adorned the Bishops house at Constantinople gaue vnto it a yeerely reuenue By the counsell at Berythe it may appeare the Church of Edessa had rentes manours woods plate set with pretious stones c. This state of wealth y e church grewe vnto not much more then in the space of one hundred yeeres after it pleased God to giue peace vnto it frō outward Heathenish enemies and yet in the meane time had it other tempestes and bitter stormes of aduersitie that did more hinder deuotion and godlinesse then the bloody persecutions of the Emperours did as namely the troubles raised by the Ariā heretikes by the space of many yeres especially in Asia Greece and al the East parts of the world And shortly therupon followed the horrible inuasion of the Goths Vandals Herules other barbarous people which as swarmes came out of the North parts with maruellous cruelty ouerwhelmed all the west Countreyes of Europe to the great hindrance daunger vnquietnesse of the Church of God After these stormes and tempests were somewhat ouerblowen the riches of the Church did very much increase both in lāds otherwise by such means as before I haue rehearsed And this generally I obserue in al histories in al times that the wealth thereof vnder christiā princes was neuer diminished but rather increased nor euer did they murmure at it or thought it too much vntill the Pope chalenged his vsurped dominion did seek to bring the necks of Princes vnder his girdle to alter Empires Kingdomes Principalities at his will and pleasure saying that he had Ius vtriusque gladij the power of both swords Here I know some will say that by mine owne confession I am fallen to acknowledge that botch that first bredde Antichrist and set him vp into his throne aboue Kings and Princes that is to say the immoderate wealth of the Ecclesiasticall men which then did corrupt religion and so say they doth it now with vs. No no good Christians they that so say eyther are blinded with ignoraunce or looke into things with partiall eies seeke rather a secret furthering of priuat purposes thē the knowledge of the true causes of that wherof they speake For they that will indifferently consider the states of times with true iudgement weigh the circumstances of them may easily discerne that it was not the vvealth of the Clergy but other causes of greater vveight and importance that
kingdome of errour and wickednesse to decay and the glorie of God to increase then hee bestirreth him by all meanes hee can And if by Gods good prouidence the Princes and Magistrates bee such as by sword and fire he cannot either ouerthrowe it or worke some mischiefe against it then seeketh hee by lying and slander to discredit and deface the messengers that GOD sendeth with his worde and instruments that he vseth to aduance and sette foorth his trueth by this meanes to worke hinderance to the trueth it selfe When Ieremie preached the will of God earnestly and truely vnto the Iewes were there not false Prophets and other very neere the Prince which perswaded him and other rulers that hee was a naughtie man not worthie to liue that hee was an enemie to his Countrey that hee conspired with the Babylonians and was with money or otherwise corrupted by them to perswade the people of Iuda not to refuse their subiection When God by the Ievves in captiuitie and by the fauour of the Queene Hester began to spread his knovvledge among the Gentiles so that their heathenish idolatrie vvas somewhat blemished the deuil raised vp a fit instrument by such meanes as before is mentioned to vvork their confusion For Haman came to king Assuerus and said There is a people dispersed throughout all the prouinces of thine Empire not agreeing among themselues vsing newe lawes and contemning thy ordinances and thou knowest it is not expedient for thy kingdome that they should bee suffered to waxe so insolent And if it shall please thee to appoint that they may be all put to death I will bring in tenne thousand talents into the kings treasure It vvas a shrevvd tale to persvvade a Prince For he tempered his hateful and slaunderous lying with the sweete savvce of gaine and commoditie The subtile Sathan did see that sometime they which othervvise are good Princes vvhen hope of great benefite is offered vvill be more easily persvvaded to some kinde of hard dealing vvhich othervvise they themselues vvould not like When Iohn Baptist was sent to prepare the vvay for the comming of Christ though hee vvere a man of very austere liuing did not the Pharisees persvvade the people and chiefe rulers that hee was but an hypocrite that he vvas possed vvith a deuill and therfore that his doctrine should not be beleeued When Christ himselfe came a perfect patterne of all temperance and godly vertue did they not say that he was a glutton and a wine bibber a Samaritane a friend of Publicanes and sinners a worker with deuils a seducer of the people c. and by this means in the hearts of many wrought the discredite both of his doctrine and of his myracles In like manner dealt Sathan with his instruments against the Apostles and godlie professors of Christian religion in the Primitiue Church as it appeareth in the Ecclesiasticall Histories and auncient Fathers For malitious tongues and pennes did spreade abroade of them that they murdered their children and did eate them that vsually at their assemblies they committed incest that they worshipped the sunne that they worshipped an asse head that they were traitours to the Empire that they were generall enemies of all mankinde with an infinite number of other like false and slaunderous crimes and by this meanes the wicked enemies of Christ raised those grieuous and terrible persecutions wherewith the Church was vexed the space of three hundred yeeres vnder the Emperours Yea and this craft of the deuill ceased not vnder the Christian Emperours For then stirred hee vp schismes and factions errours and heresies almost in number infinite and still by backebiters and slaunderous instrumentes defaced and brought out of credite the godly and learned bishops which were as the pillars of Christian trueth against the enemies of God and his Church Constantine that woorthie and godlie prince at the beginning fauoured and furthered all those reuerend and learned Bishops that did mainteine the doctrine of Nicene Councell against the Arians but after that Eusebius of Nicomedia the great patrone of that heresie had procured friendes in the court and therby crept in some credite with the Emperour he and the residue of his sort deuised shamefull slaunders against Athanasius and other that in the ende with great displeasure of the Emperour he was banished into Fraunce and there continued all the reigne of the saide Constantine His enemies with great impudencie had charged him with shamefull vntruths as that he cruelly and vniustly had excommunicated diuers persons that as a couetous extortioner he had oppressed the countrey of Egypt with exactions that he had committed adultery with a strumpet who was brought before his face to auouch it to be true that he had murthered Arsenius vsed his arme to worke sorcery that he sent money to one that went about treason against the Emperour that hee had affirmed in threatning wordes that he would cause the citie of Alexandria to send no more tribute-corne to Constantinople for the Emperors prouision as before time it had vsed to doe As they dealt with Athanasius so did they in like manner with Eustathius Macarius and al other godly Fathers which defended the true faith of Christ and set themselues against the indeuours of heretikes and other seditious and factious spirites And in like maner were other vsed after that time as Ambrose Cyrill and Chrysostome It were a matter almost infinite to recite the examples thereof and to shewe how like they are to the attempts of some in these dayes And although it pleased GOD by strange meanes at that time to reprooue sundrie of those shamefull vntrueths deuised against manie yet by stoute affirmation and colourable proofe thorow friendship many of them tooke suche effect that sundrie woorthy and good men were put out of their bishoprikes driuen into banishment and put to death to the great trouble of the Church and exceeding hinderaunce of christian faith for the space of many yeeres We reade in histories that Philip king of Macedony a subtile and politique prince who is thought to haue conquered more by craft and cunning then by force of warre dint of sworde minding to bring the Graecians vnder his subiection in concluding an agreement with them conditioned that they shoulde deliuer vnto him their Orators as the very firebrands of discord among them and the onely occasioners of that displeasure and misliking that was betweene him and them At which time Demosthenes one of the Orators speaking for himselfe admonished the Athenians to call to their remembraunce the parable betweene the shepheardes and the wolues The wolues pretending desire of agreement between them and the shepheards perswaded them that all the cause of their displeasure was the vnseasonable barking of the dogges and promised great amitie so that they woulde put away their ill-fauoured curres and mastiues But when the dogs were remooued the wolues tooke their pleasure in spoyling the flocke more cruelly then euer they did
the Gospel in those parts Namely we haue had B. Cranmer Ridley Latimer Couerdale Hooper diuers other vvhich were no Bishops as M. Bradford M. Sanders M. Rogers M. Philpot D. Haddon c. Most of vvhich as they haue left good proofe of their learning in vvriting so did they confirme the same vvith their blood in the ende The like I may iustly say of them vvhome God hath sent to restore his Trueth since the beginning of her Maiesties reigne hovvsoeuer it pleaseth the Broode of the Martinists to deface them as Bishoppe Coxe Pilkington Grindall Sands Horne Iewell c. vvhich haue good testimonie of their learning giuen them by as graue learned and zealous men as any haue liued in this age among vvhome for certaine yeeres they liued A nomber of other haue proceeded out of both our Vniuersities vvhich though Martin Momus will say the contrary deserue singular commēdation for their learning and haue declared the same to the vvorlde in ansvvering and confuting the opprobrious writings of the common Aduersaries In vvhich their ansvveres without enuie and displeasure be it spoken there appeareth as sufficient learning as doeth in the most workes at this time published by the vvriters of forreine Countreies If Englishmen at this time so greatly dispraysed vvere giuen vvith like paynes to set foorth the exercises of their studie and learning as in other places they doe they vvoulde dravve as good commendation of learning to their Countrey as most other Churches doe To vvhich nomber of ours I adde also some of thē vvhom certaine occasions haue caried away to the misliking of the present state of this Church vvhich I knowe haue receiued of God singular good giftes which I pray earnestly they may vse to his glory and the procuring the vnity peace of the Church vvhich our Hastie Diuines of M. M. his brood seeke to breake and disturbe This testimonie I thought my selfe bounde in conscience to yeelde to that Church of my naturall Countrey in vvhich and by vvhich through the mercie of our gracious God I am that I am The godly I trust vvill interprete all to the best the residue I looke not to please The B. of Winchester is further charged in this maner He said that men might find fault if they were disposed to quarrell aswel with the Scriptures as with the booke of common prayer Who could heare this comparison without trembling Let the Libellers whatsoeuer they are remēber Os quodmentitur occidit animam At that time in S. Mary Oueries church in a large discourse he did answere the obiections that many make at this day against the booke of common praier towarde the end vttered these words If it could be without blasphemie they might picke as many as great quarrels against the holy scriptures thēselues For euen the best writings are subiect to the slanderous malice of wicked men This assertion was found fault with all by a Iesuite or Massing priest at that time in the Marshalsey therfore the B. the next Sunday following expounded his meaning and at large shevved that that might be done which beforetime was done by a great number and that he was not so far beside himselfe as to compare the booke of common prayer vvith the holy scriptures in dignity trueth or maiestie He leaueth such blasphemous dealing to the Papists the Family of Loue some other Sectaries but he compared them in this as it is before saide that the Scriptures themselues vvere subiect also to slaunderous and deprauing tongues and yet not therfore to be reiected wherof he recited sundry examples Celsus that heathenish Epicure against whom Origen writeth in his booke called Verax doth powre out many railing slaunderous reproches not onely against the holy Scriptures but also against the course of Christian Religion as that they receiued their religion doctrine of the barbarous Iewes that is out of the bookes of Moses and the Prophets The like did Porphyrius an other Philosopher and in his bookes reprooued the Scriptures in many places for hee wrote thirtie bookes against Christian religion That scoffing sophister Libanius and his scholler Iulian the Apostata vsed the like blasphemies against the Christian faith and the Scriptures out of which it was prooued as appeareth in sundrie auncient Writers Who knoweth not that some Heretikes reiected the most part of the olde Testament as false and fabulous The Valentiniane Heretike sayeth Tertullian Quaedam legis Prophetarum improbat quaedam probat id est Omnia improbat dum quaedam reprobat The Marcionists receiue onely the Gospell of Matthewe the other they reiect And likewise they admitte but two Epistles of Saint Paul that is to Timothie and Titus and as Hierome sayeth to Philemon Tatian also depraueth the Scriptures reiecteth the Actes of the Apostles and picketh sundrie other quarrels against them There was neuer any Heretike but that to giue countenance to his opinion hee would seeme to ground it vpon the Scriptures And what is that but wickedly to father lies vpon the Scriptures And for this cause you know the Papists thinke it no sure ground to rest vpon the scriptures onely affirming blasphemously that the Scriptures are darke vnperfect and doubtfull because they may bee wrested cuery way like a nose of waxe or like a leaden Rule Wherefore Christian charitie and modestie woulde not thus maliciously and slanderously wrest and wring the words of the Bishop tending to a good and godly meaning Of like trueth it is that he burtheneth the Bishop of Winchester to affirme that it was heresie to say The preaching of the worde was the onely ordinarie way to saluation which he neuer thought or spake either thē or at any other time of his life But in handling of that controuersie Penrie spake things so strangely obscurely that he seemed to attribute that effect to the preaching of the word only not otherwise vsed by reading And being vrged with that question by occasion of reading the Scriptures in Churches his answere was such as hee euidently shewed himselfe to meane that that effect of saluatiō could not be wrought by hearing the worde of God read with some other wordes giuing suspition of worse matter And then indeede the B. rose not out of his place as these honest men doe carpe nor spake in such cholerike maner as they pretend but quietly said My Lord this is not farre from heresie What were the words that Penry vsed especially moued the B. to speake hee doeth not at this time remember but sure he is they were as far from that which is laide downe in the Libel as falshoode can be from truth I wonder that mē which professe God yea or that beleeue there is a God can with open mouth so boldely powre foorth such heapes of vntrueths Detractor abominabilis est Deo The counsell of the Prophet is good He that would gladly see good dayes let him refraine his tongue from euill and
ascension of Christ whē God sent his Apostles and other holy men to preach the Gospell of our saluation in Christ and the same was among men vnthankfully receiued God did cast sundry plagues punishments vpon them as dearth and scarcitie famine hunger the pestilence and sundry other diseases warre tumult earthquakes and great deluges in sundry places The causes of al this very slāderously blasphemously they imputed to Christian Religion and therby raised those dreadfull persecutiōs which at that time were exercised against the Christians This errour was the cause that Saint Augustine wrote his notable worke De ciuitate Dei and that Orosius by the counsell both of Saint Hierome and Saint Augustine vvrote his historie vvherein he ansvvereth this false argument and shevveth that God in all times had sent the like plagues for the sinnes and offences of mankinde and for the reiecting of his vvorde and trueth In the fourtie foure Chapter of Ieremie The Ievves deceiue themselues with the like argument to confirme their conceiued superstition and idolatrie But we will do say they whatsoeuer thing commeth out of our owne mouth as to burne incense to the Queene of Heauen to powre out drinke offerings vnto her as we haue done both we and our Fathers our Kings our Princes in the Cities of Iudah and in the streetes of Hierusalem for then had we plentie of victuals were well and felt no euill But since wee left off to burne incense to the Queene of Heauen and to powre out drinke offerings vnto her we haue had scarcenesse of all things haue bene consumed by the sword and by the famine In these vvordes you see to the hardening of their owne hearts they attribute the good giftes of God to their idolatrie and their dearth and trouble to the preaching of Ieremie and other Prophets vvhich indeede were not the true causes thereof In like maner reason rebellious subiects in common vveales when they seeke to make odious the Princes gouernors vnder whom they liue vniustly imputing to them the causes of such things wherwith they finde thēselues grieued So reasoned the rebels in the time of King Richard the second against the King against the Counsell and chiefe Nobilitie of the Realme against the Lavvyers and all other States of learning therefore had resolution among them to haue destroyed and ouerthrovven them all and to haue suffered none other to liue in this Realme with them but the Gray Friers onely Seeing therefore this manner of reasoning is so perillous it behooueth all them that feare God and loue the trueth and will not vvillingly be caried into errour to take diligent heed that they be not abused herewith And so I pray God they may doe vvhich at this time so earnestly seeke to make odious the state of the Clergie of England imputing to them the causes of those things vvhich they most detest and abhorre For if they vvill see the trueth and iudge but indifferently they shall finde that there is no such vnlearned Ministerie as they complaine of neyther such vvant of preaching as may iustly prouoke the wrath of God to send such plagues punishments vpon vs as they recite This I dare iustifie that since Englande had first the name of a Christian Church there was neuer so much preaching of the vvorde of God neuer so many in number neuer so sufficient and able persons to teach and set forth the same as be at this day hovvsoeuer they be defamed and defaced There bee I confesse many vnlearned and vnsufficient Ministers but yet I take it to bee captious and odious in respect of them to name the whole Ministerie vnlearned or ignorant For the simplicitie and charitie of Christian iudgement doth giue the name of any Societie according to the better part and not according to the vvorse There were in the Church of Corinth many euill persons aswel in corruption of doctrine as wickednesse of life and yet Saint Paul noteth that Church to bee a reuerend and holy congregation The Church of Christ militant heere in earth hath alwayes a great number of euill mixed vvith them that be good oftentimes the worse part the greater yet were it reprochfull and slaunderous to call the Church vvicked In like sort may it vvell bee thought vncharitable to call the ministerie of the Church of England ignorant when that thenkes be to God there bee so many learued and sufficient preachers in this lande as neuer vvere before in any age or time and the same adorned with Gods excellent good giftes and comparable to any other Church refourmed in Europe If men would cast so curious and captious eyes vpon the Ministers of other countreyes and note the blemishes and imperfections in them as they doe in our owne I am perswaded vnder correction they would not thinke so meanely of the state of the Ministerie of England as they doe But this is the generall disease of vs Englishmen to haue in admiration the persons and states of other foreine countreyes and loath their owne bee they neuer so commendable or good I speake not this to note with reproch any refourmed Church in forreine countries or to diminish the commendations of those excellent giftes which it hath pleased God plentifully to powre downe vpon them as the first renuers and restorers of the Gospel in this latter age to whome in that respect we ovve great loue and reuerence But yet they see and acknowledge that they haue imperfections and cannot haue churches in this world without blemishes Notwithstanding it is not free among them no not for the best learned or of greatest authority in publike speech or vvriting to vtter those things vvhich may tend to the generall reproche of their Church or common weale as it is commonly vsed vvith vs at this day Or if they doe they are sharpely dealt vvithall for the same For as vvise gouernours they see that such doings is the very seede of dissention discorde and faction the very pestilence of all Churches common vveales and societies Wherefore in most Churches they doe tollerate some imperfections setled by order at the beginning least by change of lavves there shoulde bee greater inconuenience Obiection Yea but all their Ministers are learned and able to teach Answere Of that I doubt in some places by good testimony I know it not to be true That is easie to be had in a free Citie that hath no more congregations but those that be within the Citie or within a fevve villages about vvhich is not possible in so great a kingdome as this is replenished with so many Villages almost in euery place as scantly you haue two miles vvithout a Towne or Village inhabited And yet that men doe not conceiue euill opinion of the Bishops for that which cannot bee remedied it behooueth the vvise and godly to consider that the state of this Church is such as of necessitie there must bee some of very meane abilitie in
therefore saith Chrisostome As I haue sayde wine is not ill but drunkennesse is ill so say I riches are not ill but couetousnesse is ill A rich man is one thing and a couetous man is another A couetous man cannot be a rich man And to the same meaning in an other place Let vs not falsely accuse either riches or pouertie for both riches and pouertie are such as if we will our selues bring instruments of vertue Let vs therefore so frame our selues that we iudge not so as we may seeme to blame Gods giftes but the euill affections of men The same Chrysostome Riches saith he killeth not but to be a slaue to riches killeth and to loue couetousnesse And againe the rich glutton was punished not because he was rich but because he wanted mercie For it may bee that one hauing riches ioyned with mercie may attaine to all goodnesse By these testimonies of the ancient learned Fathers grounded vpon the examples and doctrine of the Scriptures you may perceiue that riches are the good gift and blessing of God that the Saintes of God haue vsed and enioyed them that welth possessions of them selues are not hinderous to pietie godlinesse but rather instruments of vertue and meanes to come to heauen that God doeth not condemne them in his seruants that it is not a man voyd of lands and possession but a heart voyde of couetousnesse that Christ desireth that it is not riches but the sinfull affections of men that he reproueth How then can it bee prooued by Christs doctrine that any state of his disciples or faithfull seruants and followers ought not to haue landes possessions or ample and large liuings or that they be by his word so expresly prohibited that neither Prince may suffer it vvithout danger nor faithfull Minister with good conscience inioy them Let vs somewhat better consider the particular places of this doctrine of Christ whereon this assertion is grounded Where Christ saith Hoarde not vp treasures for your selues on earth he saith not you shall haue no treasures To haue treasures and to hoarde treasures be diuerse Hee that hoardeth vp treasures sheweth that hee hath a carefull minde to keepe them but a man may possesse treasures and yet with free heart bee willing to imploy them to godly purposes like as Iob did who had his riches alwayes ready to pleasure other When Christ affirmeth that where a mans treasure is there is his heart by treasure he meaneth not the possession of riches simply but hee meaneth that wherein a man reposeth his chiefe treasure and felicitie to consist And in deede it can not bee but that hee that esteemeth his chiefe felicitie in any thing doeth set his heart also vpon it He that setteth his felicitie in honour and dignitie hath his heart possessed with ambition Hee that thinketh it to bee in worldly pleasure hath his whole minde on playing banqueting feasting and riot He that reposeth his felicitie in building giueth ouer his cogitations vnto that So hee that iudgeth his blessednes in this life to be in possession of riches lands vndoubtedly can not but haue his heart fastened vpō them And seeing that God chalengeth vnto himselfe all our whole heart and our whole soule and minde they that so do must needes offend God most grieuously make of their riches their God and so as S. Paul saith become very idolaters Therfore if either Ecclesiasticall persons or lay men do so set their minds on riches this place nighly toucheth them When Christ saieth No man can serue two masters c. and ye cannot serue God and Mammon Marke I pray you that he saith not No man can serue God get riches For godly men both haue before time now may get lands riches procured either by heritage or by gift or by any other lawfull meanes Consider the Patriarch Iacob who passed Iordane onely with a staffe in his hand in the time of his liuing in a strange Countrey gate so great riches as he returned with two great cōpanies of seruants cattel And yet vndoubtedly this Patriarch was a good Christian being saued by the same religion that his grandfather Abraham was the father of the faithfull who with reioycing sawe the day of Christ Neither doth Christ say No man can serue God and possesse riches For as it is saide before Abraham Iob and Ioseph possessed great wealth riches and yet vndoubtedly truely and sincerely serued God Riches are the blessings of God neyther may anie more rightly or with better title possesse them then the good and faithfull seruants of God What saith Christ then forsooth No man can serue two masters or No man can serue God and Mammon Getting or possessing is one thing seruing is another Seruing presupposeth a mastership or dominion in him that is serued He that serueth riches acknovvledgeth them to be his Lord and Master Seruitude or bondage hath this condition that hee wholly obey his master that night and day he doe nothing but that pleaseth his master that he shall be contented to haue the displeasure of all other so that he may haue the good vvil of his master Finally vvhatsoeuer a seruant doth what labour soeuer he taketh vvhatsoeuer by his paines he getteth he doth it to the vse behalfe of his master Whosoeuer is such a bond-slaue to riches is a traytour reuolted from God neither can it be possible for him to serue God Such a seruing of Mammon it is that Christ in this place rebuketh vvith vvhich seruice the seruice of God cannot be ioyned But it vvere great rashnesse to thinke all that possesse lands lordships and riches of necessitie to be subiect to this slauish seruice of Mammon as some men vncharitably iudge of the Bishops and Clergie of England Ioseph of Arimathea vvas a rich man and yet in time of great perill did more seruice to Christ then all his poore Apostles vvhich had so little to leese It is vvritten in the Euangelists When Euen was come there came a rich man from Arimathea named Ioseph which also himselfe was Iesus his disciple He went to Pilate and begged the body of Iesus Then Pilate commaunded the body to bee deliuered and when Ioseph had taken the body hee wrapped it in a cleane linnen cloth and layde him in a newe tombe c. Consider the circumstances of the historie vveigh the danger of the time call to remembrance how many things might haue hindered and staied Ioseph from this doing and you shall perceiue that possession of landes and riches may be ioyned with a free faithful seruice yea oftentimes more faithful then pouerty and base estate in the vvorlde Good Christians therefore may not condemne as slaues seruants to Antichrist all such as haue lands possessions Experience in England God be thanked hath taught whē a number of poore Priests Ministers reuolted frō Christ to the Mammon their Masse that many which
thus Princes Magistrates and noble men are euil they doe not fulfill that rule of right and perfect gouernment that the worde of God requireth therefore pull them downe set other in their places or alter their state cleane This is a seditious and perillous argument especially when common and inferior subiects not hauing authoritie shall take vpon them to bee iudges in such cases as nowe they doe against bishops With this manner of reasoning as I haue before noted the Deuill filleth the heads and hearts of his troublesome instrumentes when hee intendeth to worke mischiefe either in the Church of God or in the state of any common weale This maner of arguments they alwaies vse which for priuate respects pretend generall reformations or alterations in the state of a Church or countrey wherein they liue Let the Bishops and Cleargie of England haue such iudges and triall as the word of God requireth euer hath bin vsed in the Church of Christ yea or such as other states would thinke reasonable and indifferent for themselues in their calling and then on Gods name let them abide the hazard of the sentence eyther with them or against them and the daunger of such penaltie as in iustice and equitie may bee assigned Another daungerous Argument is this Bishops Preachers by Christ are commaunded not to be careful for the world not to hoord vp treasures in earth yea to renounce all they haue and follow Christ therfore they ought not to haue any lands or Lordships or great wealthie Liuings but to be contented with meate drinke cloth c. The hardnes of this reason will be the better vnderstanded if the like be applied to some other persons Noble men and gentlemen if they wil bee right and true Christians by Gods worde are commaunded not to be carefull for the worlde not to hoord vp riches heere on the earth yea to renounce all that they haue and followe Christ therefore they may not haue so great and ample liuings more then other but shall content themselues vvith such a moderate portion as may tollerably maynteine them in seeing the administration of iustice in their countreys and the refidue that nowe is spent in gaming and vnnecessarie pompe and vanitie of the worlde to be imployed to the maintenance of a great nomber of the Princes subiects and people of God that are not able in meane estate to liue For in such case were the noble men and Gentlemen of the Israelites called Principes familiarum the Princes and chiefe of each tribe and familie among the people of God A many of such factious and seditious arguments may in like maner be framed more meet for rebels then for good subiects or faithful christians which I doe in this place for good considerations omitte For if they shoulde bee so countenanced with particular allegations of the Scriptures and furnished with such learning and examples of histories as factious heads are able to deuise happily they would carrie as much credite and drawe as a great number of followers and mainteiners as nowe the like dealing doeth against the Clergie I will not therfore tarrie any longer in this point I haue set forth vnto you an example or two nakedly and barely to this ende onely if it might be possible to open the eyes of some which seeme in part to be blinded either with affection against bishops or with a desire to worke and bring to passe some speciall drift and purpose that they haue deuised for what cause it may be more easily by wise men coniectured then safely by me laid downe in writing For the further examining of this matter that it may be the better vnderstanded whether ecclesiastical men may with safe cōsciences enioy the state of their liuings by lands or no Let vs briefly consider the condition of the Church how Ministers haue bin mainteined from the beginning euen to this day And here I must protest that the Histories and writers especially such as bee of credite are so imperfect in this point as the trueth must bee gathered by coniecture of certaine braunches rather then by any discourse in their writing For the space of the first three hundred yeeres after Christ it is wel known to all such as haue looked into the Ecclesiasticall Histories that it was almost in continuall persecution vnder heathen tyrantes which with all indeuour sought meanes to oppresse Christian Religion and the true professours therof Wherefore in all that time it was not possible for the church to haue any setled state by Lands or certaine reuenevv to maintaine the Ministers thereof but they were sustained onely by the liberal contribution of godly persons collected at certaine times for that and other like Christian vses For Saint Cyprian signifieth that to certaine persons appointed to the office of readers he distributed the measure of gifts distributiōs as were assigned to the Priests The Canons attributed to the Apostles make mention of oblations and first fruites to be brought home to the house of the bishop beside such things as were offered in the Church Origen somwhat more straightly seemeth to require the tenthes and first fruites of such increase as Christians haue by the blessing of God his words be these It is comely and profitable that the first fruites shoulde be offered to the Priestes of the Gospel also for so the Lorde disposed that he that preacheth the Gospell should liue by the Gospel And as this is good and comely so contrariwise it is euill and vncomely that one that worshippeth God and cōmeth into the Church knowing that the Priests attend on the Altar and serue the worde of God and ministery of the Church shoulde not offer vnto the Priestes the firstlings of those fruites that God giueth by bringing foorth his sunne and seasonable showres vpon them For such a soule seemeth not to to me to haue any remembrance of God or to thinke that it is God that giueth those fruites It may appeare also that euen in this time the Church had certaine houses allotted to their Bishops For when Paulus Samosatenus after his deposition would not depart out of the house that belonged to the Church it was appoynted by the authoritie of the Emperour Aurelius that he should bee remoued from it and the house assigned vnto him to whom the bishops of Italie did agree in doctrine Origen also mentioneth certaine rentes and reuenues due to the Church Many of vs sayth hee haue neede of this warning that wee bee both faithfull and also wise ad dispensandos Ecclesiae redditus to bestowe the rents of the Church And one Petrus de Natalibus writeth that in the time of Vrbane bishop of Rome about 226. yeres after Christ the Church first began to possesse landes tovvard the finding of the Ministers Certaine it is that many godly disposed persons notvvithstāding they vvere letted by the crueltie of tyrantes euen in that time gaue large and