the maintenance of Gods true religion Ghospell In so much as beside all other times and occasions vvhen now a little before the last Paliamēt the pert bragging of popish recusants their fauourers here and there straglinglie scattered thorowe the lande did somewhat amase and trouble the mindes of infinite her Maiesties moste godlie louing obedient faithfull subiectes we yet se by firme experience the holie constancie of her Maiesties vnchangeable faith and the honorable cariadge of their wisedomes to the confusion of such vaine persones in their vndutifull wicked hope and to the exceeding ioy and contentation of millions of godlie Christians who depend vpon her Maiesties most gracious present gouernement and whose life is not deere vnto them so as they may se her in helth ioy comfort and honour being readie to bestow the best blood in their heartes to doe her true and faithfull seruice and euerie day night hower to aduenture all they haue for her safetie and to curbe beate downe all wicked Priestes Papistes treasonable persons what so euer The vnchangeable loue of Queene Elizabeth and her godly subiectes And this I thank God I may to the honour and ioy of her Maiestie boast and glorie with an humble gratefull minde reuerence to the diuine magnificent bountie of oureternall Father that neuer Prince King nor Queene since the foundation of the world had more faithfull loue obedience and chearfull duetie of their subiectes then all the Protestantes of England haue most gladly constantlie and vnchangeablie performed and continued to their most louing and kind-mother Queene Elizabeth and that so manie yeares with so little discontentment and disturbance and her loue and holie affection and constancie in religion hath bounde them most neerlie vnto her And therefore I am verely perswaded that if euer any Prince might esteeme the loue of their subiectes a strong wall and bulwark and garde to their person then certes Queene Elizabeth both may 〈…〉 mak high account of the Protestant in England as the most faithfull and loyall people which will not suffer her Maiestie to haue the least indignity if it lye in them by spending verie many thousands of their liues to doe her good And that shall the Papists Priests Seminaries wel know if euer they goe about to put in executiō their hoped butchery bloody obediēce to the Popes cruel buls And this is not all that bindes vs to their honors The Lords of the counsell a great stay to godly Ministers for in our priuate troubles about the ceremonies and subscription wee the poore and faithfull Ministers of Christ when so euer we haue opened our cause and humbled our selues vnto them we haue found great iustice and equitie and diuers times great reliefe and ease from our troubles No doubt they seing our innocencie that of meere conscience without anye the least inclination to disloyaltie to our Soueraigne we did forbeare to doe those thinges they haue tendered our cause and louingly effected that we might not be to to much ouerburdened Yea my L. G. of Cantur himself though he seeme to be the greatest opposite to our cause by wise experience finding the same thing hath many times and vnto divers men whereof I must confesse my self to be one moderated the extremitie which by other men was hotly and vncharitablie persued God bee thanked And I humblie praye almighty God euermore to blesse them that they may be alwaies the faithful eyes eares and hands of her Maiestie to the continuall safetie of her sacred person the vnchangeable vpholding of religion and the ioy of all faithfull and dutifull subiectes the terror and keeping vnder of all wickednes superstition and idolatry to the saluation of their own soules the bright shining glory of God in this land for euer and euer The ciuil and politike state of this land verie good 4. Now if any man vnderstand by the state the constitution of the common lawes and statutes of this land now presently in force whereby vve are combined into one bodie of a ciuill politike common wealth vnder one head and Monarchicall gouernment in all priuileges duties offices and works of Prince and people and of the whole and repulse and repressing of all domesticall and priuate euill in the whole or any member and for defence against all forren power or Potentate whatsoeuer who shall claime any title iurisdictiō or interest within these her Maiesties Dominions of Englande or Irelande or ells make inuasion against our Noble countrie or Soueraigne or offer violence or anie wrong to her Maiesties person Crowne or dignitie In all these thinges wee the Ministers and people aforesaide doe professe ourselues as happie people as anie vnder the Sunne to be vnder so iust equall and free lawes gouernement and iurisdiction right ordered common wealth And we protest before God that we and all we are bounde both by the law of God and of nature to spend our goods strength life and all we haue for the maintenance preseruation and quiet proceeding execution and florishing prosperitie of the same common wealth and monarchicall gouernement and for the maintenance of her Maiesties supreame authoritie ouer all persons in these her dominions either ecclesiasticall or ciuill and in all causes what so euer next immediatelie vnder God and his holy sonne Iesus Christ the King of glorie And I haue that assurance of our vprightnes in this matter that I trust no man euer did or could neither yet at this time either will or can except it bee some popish Priest or seditious person that maligneth our happinesse in this common wealth challenge accuse charge or suspect vs or any of vs that we are not for our places as obedient faithfull glad of present state as any other English men subiectes in this land without inparagement be it spoken and with reuerence to our superiours what so euer 5 Heere vpon it seemeth to me that the question is truely and naturallie about the Ecclesiasticall state constitutions orders maner of gouernement that if it may appeare that heerein we be not enemies then are we no way to be touched of which point the 2 and 3 chapters doe in some sort intreate and doe thus farre iustifie vs that we seeming in some sorte to goe against the present gouernement for not obseruing some ceremonies and for not subscribing c. are yet verie much warranted by the same constitutions articles proceedings of the same Ecclesiasticall state But we haue many moe honest and iust reasons for the approuing of our doinges which I doubt not but that the reuerende Fathers themselues and all other Christians waying with the balance of truth and equitie will afoord to be of better acceptance then in the cōmon account of our cause many doe esteem or affirme The ecclesiasticall state What. First therfore the ecclesiasticall state is the constitution of our churches reformatiō as we are departed from the apostaticall
author Deut. 12.2.3 First where he saieth Ye shall vtterlie destroy all the places wherein the nations which ye shall possesse serued their Gods vpon the hie mountaines and vpon the hils and vnder euerie greene tree Also ye shall ouerthrowe their altars and breake downe their pillers and burne their groues with fire and ye shal hew downe the grauen images of their Gods and abolish their names out of that place ye shall not so doe vnto the Lorde your God According to this precept we freelie and thankfully acknowledge and praise God that her Maiestie hath abolished the verie face of idolatry verie few Kings of Iudah came so far in reformation of Religion Yet doe we intreat our reuerend Fathers we be not held for rebels and vnthankfull persons troublers of the state if finding some few things in our ministrie that we are afeard to doe for displeasing God wee humblie craue either reformation or toleration For verelie wee are enforced so to doe by this Scripture for if here we be commaunded to abolish the verie names of the idoles and not to doe so to the Lorde that is to say not to worship God insuch manner when wee finde that the surplice is part of the character of the popish Priesthood Act monumentes pag. 853. 501. by which and in which they worship their idols as in which they worship their maner of degrading And that the crosse in Baptisme hath ascribed vnto it by mans authority 1. Cor. 14.40 the sacramentall signification of Baptisme as the confessing of of the faith of Christ crucified c. which is more then the Church hath authoritie to doe whose limitation is set to make lawes no further then order comelines And that in reading of Apocrypha Scriptures wee should reade vntruthes and errours for instruction of maners contrariant to his holy canon We are very much afeard that we retaine the name and memoriall of idoll seruice and that we doe so to God in his worship as idolaters haue done to his dishonour vnto their idoles And therefore wee dare not do these things for displeasing of God although we desire hartely in all things to satisfie and content our superiours And heere vnto we find our selues as we verily think greatlie pressed and vrged beecause God saieth vnto vs Esay 30.22 Yee shall pollute the couering of the images of siluer and the rich ornament of thine images of golde and cast them away as a menstruous cloath thou shalt say vnto it get thee hence And againe 1. Thes 5.12 Iud. vers 23. Marc. 11.16 Math. 21. Abstaine from all appearance of euill And againe Hate euen the garment spotted by the flesh And Christ himself was so precise that he would not suffer that any man shoulde carie a vessell thorow the Temple Therfore we are touched in conscience that in our ministerie we should not do any thing resembling the idolatrous sinagogue or to haue the least fellowship or mark of their vngodly waies How be it we haue not preached nor inueighed against neither in any sort depraued the booke yea if wee had not bene to neerlie pressed vpon for the doeing of them so as our suffering and wincking at them vvould haue sufficed to declare our loue of the Churches peace I verilie thinke they would not haue come into so open question The next thing we seeme to falt in is the refusall to subscribe absolutely Of subscription to the two last articles Our innocencie before God our obedience to her Maiestie and vpright following of his holy Canon can not appeare vnlesse I open somewhat more plainlie what these two articles containe The first of the tvvo which is the second of the subscription comprehendeth the vvhole booke of common prayer and of ordering of Bishops Priests and Deacons so that we must by our hand writing auoutch that euerie rubrick clause sentence in these bookes are wholie and perfectly agreeing to holie Scripture and in no one rubrick or clause contrarie to the same and secondlie to promise to vse the forme none other Then in the third article we are bound to approue all the articles made by the Bishoppes in the cōuocation holden Anno 1562. which containe not onlie matters of doctrine but also of order and discipline wherein there be 22 homilies appointed to bee red in the Church that by our hande wee should acknowledge that these and euerie of these be agreeable to God How farre the godlie Ministers are conformable The difference betweene the reuerend Fathers and vs heerein is this First that we doe willinglie vse the booke of common prayer and no other forme vnlesse sometime vpon extraordinarie occasion by publicke authoritie some other praier be assigned vs onelie we leaue out some few things or perauenture explaine some one clause Secondly we professe our selues to enioy our ministrie by no other order but by order of that book which is the booke of ordering Bishops c. Thirdlie we subscribe willinglie to the book of Articles according to the statute 13 in that behalfe prouided namelie to those Articles which onlie concerne the confession of the true faith the doctrine of sacramentes as that statute expresly commaundeth and limiteth Now finding in examining of these bookes many things doubtfull in our consciences we dare not promise or subscribe further thē according to these words And therefore for this cause wee exhibited an humble petition to the reuerend assembly of the Cōuocation holden Anno 1585. with our reasons why we refused to subscribe in such ample maner as they required This beeing that which wee haue done and stood in it remaineth to be examined whether heerein we haue broken this holye Canon of our Church If wee subscribe wee breake the Canon of holy scripture I will therefore shew some two or three instances whereby it shall appeare that if wee had subscribed wee had done contrarie to this holie Canon of Gods written worde wherein I will bee as sparing as I can because I would by no meanes vtter any thing which might tende to the deprauing of the said bookes but onlie as necessitie constraineth to make it appeare that by this subscription we are compelled to doe that which is contrarie to the Scripture of God and which we find not to be the meaning of the Law in commanding the vse of these bookes neither of the authors of the bookes in penning of the same And first wee should subscribe that it is not contrarie to the word of God to read in the Church vnder the name of holie Scripture such bookes as namelie the Apocrypha which are not holy Scripture and such chapters as containe matter directly contrarie to the holie Scripture For in the booke of common prayer in the rubrick next after the order for the reading of the Psalmes there bee these words The order how the rest of holy Scripture beside the Psalter is appointed to bee red Which being the direction
and partlie in shewing the worthinesse of other men holdeing the same minde And many others also could we bring forth of our reuerend writers but of purpose I conceale verie much For I delighte not in these oppositions of godly learned men neither would I once haue bewrayed them but that the innocencie of our cause doth constraine vs to runne vnder the shadow of the same good men good books by which we are tossed and turmoyled as men besett with a mightie storme and tempest And I hope the plaine appearance of this contradictorie writing doth shew what mens consciences doe deeme of the trueth we call for so that we are not to bee condemned as men singular and deuisers of new platformes of discipline And that in dutie to the verie bookes them selues to the Canons and proceedings of the good learned defendours of our Church vve ought not to subscribe but rather vse all dutifull meanes by petition or othervvise as vve haue done that these things may be reformed Onlie this one word is to be added that we can not tell Subscription doubted to be against the lawes of this Realme vvhether vvee might the lavves and order of the Realme subscribe although it vvere othervvise lavvfull by Gods wonde◠Because the Queenes moste excellent Maiestie vvith the whole state of this Realme haue appointed a precise order of subscription for Ministers in that statute made Anno 13. giuing authoritie to Bishops or ordinaries or commissaries to depriue such persons as offende that statute or not admitte them to any spirituall promotion For we feare that by so doing we doe impeach the honour of her Maiestie of the Parliament and states of this Realme to submitt our selues to euerie thing that is imposed vpon vs beside or without law especiallie being a matter of so greate importaunce vvhich concerneth the vvhole state aduisedly to consider that the holie Ministers of God bee not oppressed vvith an vniust subscription And so the Church common wealth damnified by the vvant of such necessarie and faithfull seruice as by men of vpright conscience vvhich shoulde be kept out by such a subscription might be performed And seing her Royall Maiestie and the whole state waying all things vvith great stayed vvisedome haue thought that by this subscription as in the preface of the statute appeareth sufficient prouision vvoulde be made that the Queenes Maiesties dominions may be serued vvith Pastours of sound religion vve as free borne subiectes and Ministers and seruants of Christ may thinke it strange that we should be pressed vpon with further or harder conditiōs then other her Maiesties louing and faithfull subiectes be The Iudges Iustices of peace and Counsellers of law doe followe practise and execute the lawes statutes of this Realme yet if they shoulde be pressed to subscribe that euerie lavve vvere directly agreeing to the holie vvritten word of God I beleeue manie a good gentleman vvould staye his hand and stand vpon the libertie of a dutifull obedient subiect And if the honour vvhich is due to Christs seruauntes vvere but indifferentlie attributed vnto vs as Christian people ought to doe vve doe not see but that vvee shoulde haue as great freedome as anie other subiectes vvho so euer vnlesse our calling make vs to bee lesse esteemed then other men There may bee parauenture a good meaning in it yet verelie mine heart is greatlie grieued to se vvhat a great hinderance this is to the Church and state of the Ghospell and ministerie among vs and thereby to her Maiestie and the common vvealth of this land no small domage Lastlie vvhereas men exhorte one another to heare sermons Book of common prayer in the end of Bapt. is it not the same vvhich is laid vpon the godfathers and godmothers for the calling vppon euerie childe so to doe vvhen they come to discretion And as touching conference the iniunction giueth them leaue to talke or reason of the holy Scriptures vvhen occasions is giuen reuerentlie in the feare of God for their comforte and better vnderstanding Artic. 37. And the singing of Psalmes in priuate is taught by the order of that booke vvhich is thus intituled The whole book of Psalmes c. Set forth and allowed to bee song in all Churches c. And more ouer in priuate houses for their godlie solace and comfort laying aparte all vngodlie songes and ballads which tende onlie to the nourishing of vice and corrupting of youth Then are they no conuenticlers which humbly and in the feare of God follovve and vse the good laudable exercises so appointed by the good order of this Realme Novv therefore vpon all the premises I may bodilie cōclude that the Ministers and people desiring reformation in some Church matters haue therein follovved the Christian lavves and godlie proceedings of the ecclesiasticall state so consequentlie are vnworthilie falsly tearmed Puritans or disturbers or enemies to the state Cap. 4. Wherin is proued 1. that it cannot be that the Ministers and people desiring reformation shuld be enemies to the state 2. They cannot but vnfainedlie loue the Queenes most gratious Maiestie 3. They hartely reuerence and thankfully obserue the Lordes of her most honourable priuie councill 4. They reioyce to liue vnder the common lawes and ciuill cōmunitie of this Realme 5. And in all their doings maintaine the faith promote the good proceeding of the state of the church 6. Their cariadge peaceable Hieremie the Prophet Hierem. Cap. 29. vers 1.2.3 writed to the people of Iuda and Hierusalem which were caried captiue vnto Babylon vnder the heathenish king Nebuchadnezar this cōmandement of the lord Seeke the prosperitie of the Cietie whether I haue caused you to be caried captiues and pray vnto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall you haue peace And the Apostle Paule exhorteth the christians which were conuerted by his ministrie vnder Kings gouerners which were infidels that Supplications praiers 1 Tim. 2.1.2 intercessions and giuing of thanks should be made for Kings and for all that are in authoritie that they might leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie How much more must it needes follow that the godly faithfull Minister and zealous Christian man It is contrarie to all reason that the godly Ministers and people should be enemies to the state dwelling in a Christian common vvealth and vnder a most vertuous and religious Prince hauing for a ciuill life such libertie as no nation vnder heauen hath greater and For a Christian life and freedome of conscience in the seruice worship of God such peace and protection as hardlie will bee founde in anie other Christian kingdome hovv much more I say must it needs be that such men most carefullie and zelously vse all prayer and supplication for her most excellent Maiestie and all godlie Magistrates vnder her and the whole state of this Realme and to seeke the prosperitie and peace of the
him selfe to be rather heaped vp to make a terrible shevv then indeede for any substance of trueth in them But these obiections I will make speciall choise of vvhich are of moste waight sounding out very loud against vs the alarum of schismatickes troublers of the Church enemies to the staie rebels traitors vvorse then Papists And these I find to be of two sorts either they are of thinges vvithout vs vvherein vve haue not had any intelligence or medling or else they are directlye ayming at our doings and the cause vve suffer for The first slander touching strangers 3. In the first they carry vs into Geneua Fraunce the Low countries Scotland and make vs to bee French-men Hollanders and Scottes that what so euer in the actions of the Protestantes or their vvritings may seeme to carry coulour of any disloyalty to their seuerall Princes or Magistrates all that is dravvnâ— vvith cartropes laid open our shoulders This stratageme you shall find in Quaerimonia eccle in the booke of Scotising and Genevatising and in these late statising counterfeit Seminarian and Iesuatising Priests which I ioyne together because the two first being vvithout their Fathers name prosecute their cause like as these latter For as the one pretending pursuite against Iesuites laboureth by the name of Puritanes to cutt the throate of all Protestantes so the other doe dravv in all Protestants vnder the name of Puritanes pretending to proue the Ministers falsly called Puritanes daungerous to the state by that wherewith they accuse other men of other countries and so bring a reproach vpon all Protestant Churches But surelie in my iudgemeÌ„t they speak as much against the state of the present gouernement as almost possible may be And therefore in this argument we haue cause to reioyce that they ioyn vs to all the Protestants godly learned Diuines of this age Our best writters defend the protestantes of other cuntries whome our reuerend Fathers writers for the maintenance of this our English Church do defend and maintaine against all maner of Popish writers and Antichristian heretikes as well men which know the bookes set forth since her Maiesties most happie raigne must needs vnderstand whereof something I will touch And first let vs heare M. Calfill who saieth Because the prouidence and mercie of our God Ans to the trear of the crosse in the preface hath frustrate their hope in their opinion to long they haue thought it best to make open warre against God and all honestie to send for their friends sommon their diet in the Low Countries Thence haue proceeded the Popish practises the smokie stirres that were blowen in Scotlande the fierie factions inflamed in Fraunce the Popish treason condemned in England the Popish conspiracie attempted in Ireland c. And the reuerend Father M. D. Bilson doth particularlie defend M. Calum Difference betweene true Christ subjection-part 3. pag. 502. 510. 511. M. Beza and the Nobles of Fraunce to haue wrought done nothinge against the ciuill Magistrates lawfull authoritie There is a speciall treatise of M. D. Fulk against the rayling declamation of Peter Frarine wherin Beza Caluin and Geneua are cleared of all wicked and disloyall actions and the Protestants of Fraunce in all their warre by the Kings edictes and many other reasons out of their true stories So for the low Countries you shall find that the States as well Papists as Protestants * Inâ—r and 2â— booke of A. E. Meteranus Hist Belgic stood for their priuiledges as well as for religion And the Guises of Fraunce the principall troublers as wel of Scotland as of Fraunce that with such pretence of religion as they did entitle their Neece the Queene of Scottes with those royall dignities and armes of England and Ireland which were are proper to our gracious Soueraign Queene Elizabeth this they did as Buchanan sayeth as soone as Queene Marie was dead Re. Scot. lib. 16. Therefore I can not tell what men should meane by wrapping within our cause al other Protestant Churches vnto whome her Maiestie vnto her immortal fame hath bene a verie great stay and as it were a nours-mother but that they haue some hidden stratageme that in the coÌ„mon slander of Puritanes either they might make ciuill warre betweene all reformed churches or else prepare a way for the Popish superstition Queene Elizabeth a nurs to strangers to her immortall fams by the dishonour and ouerthrowe of her Maiesties sacred person primacie and gouernement and of all Protestantes Estates throughout Christendome At the least they bring her Maiesties name in question and after a sort challenge all her Princelie and Christian enterprises in regard whereof all the Christian Churches of Europe as namelie Geneua Fraunce The Low Countries and Scotlande doe and ought to acknowledge themselues debtours to her highnes and for which al ages to come shall finde them selues bound to praise God and to remember her name as a most precious thing and a most singular gifte of the Highest Lord for the comfort of his elect people And that I may speak as M. Beza is forced with great ioy to confes She hath so well and faithfully purged the true worship of God In his preface before the new Testament with his large notes from the most filthie pollutions of Antichristianisme in England She hath made such peace in Scotland and so happily succoured the afflicted both there and in Fraunce and God hath so blessed her therein by her example the noble Princes oâ— Germanie that we may iustly say that God hath aduanced her aboue all the Kings of this our age so that the verie Angels out of heaueÌ„ doe seeme to giue their assent of her most noble Kinglye deeds for the protection of the Churches of Iesus Christ And verilye they doe her Maiestie great wrong to impute all these things vnto vs who aâ—as were neuer able to doe the smallest action which to her eternall praise she hath most wisely most iustly most equallie with a most constant and royal magnanimitie performed as Buchanan Meteranus other histories of our time doe most truly and deseruedly report her renowm in this respect will neuer be forgotten as long as the worlde doth stande The Priestes libellers do cunningly traduce the reuerend Fathers Seauenth Gen. quod l. Artic. 3. But there is another thing which grieueth mee not a little that these bookes seeme to insinuate that some of our reuerend Fathers should bee in some sort fauorers and abettoures of their most malitious imputations of all Protestant Churches godly writers As namely this wicked William Watson â—n his moste treacherous and childish quodlibets rehearseth the names of some of them as if they were fit persons â—o be sued vnto by Priests and Iesuites to obtaine fauor God forbid that these â—euerend Fathers should giue them the â—east shew of cause to thinke or say so wickedly of them as though
2. That to harken vnto Papistes and to tolerate them is most exceeding dangerous and pernitious A Minister being suspended for omitting a ceremonie made sute to a learned Arch-deacon to speake for him to the Bishop of the diocesse that he might be released and tolerated alleadging for himselfe that their godly wisdome hee hoped would consider that the thing in their opinion being but a trifle although to him it were a grieuous burden they would not for it silence or displace a Minister of the Ghospell which might doe greater good in the Church then the obseruing of a trifling ceremonie but if I be said he a dishonest man and liue not as becommeth a Minister of Christ if I preach not sounde doctrine if I doe not boeth in worde and example teach the people obedience to God and her Maiestie maintaine all peace and quietnes in the place where I haue then I craue no fauour It was answered by the same learned Archdeacon you may be bonus vir but not bonus ciuis that is a good man but not a good cietizen It was replied againe by the Minister that if he could not proue he were a good Cietizen thē he was not to open his mouth in his owne cause therefore he said he would refer the matter to that issue And thus hee pleaded for himself Some lawes statutes of the cittie are such as concerne the state All statutes not a like necessarie safetie benefite of the common wealth and preserue the peace welfare thereof who so euer breaketh such lawes and will not bee reformed may be said to be an euill Cittizen because of the hurt which commeth to the cietie by his deede But there are some things which are enacted in a cittie for the profitte or pleasure of some priuate men and some thinges which are but dependances as for ornament or outward shew which being taken away or broken the common wealth receaueth no damage as if we shoulde make an acte touching cappes or for preseruing of phesants or partriges If a man doe obserue the former order of lawes which concerne the safetie and good of the common wealth breake the latter shall he by by be an euill cietizen then verilie there bee fewe Archdeacons or Bishoppes which can be reputed good cietizens who admitt vnpreaching Ministers into orders and cures when as their ordination is that they should preach If euerie one that breaketh a penall statute should by by be a rebell and an euil subiect then I pray you whome would not the statute for fish and the statutes for apparell conuince to be wicked subiects and rebells to her Maiestie And diuers other statutes there be as the act for artillerie matters of great importance that might touch men of good place if they were pressed vpon as we Ministers be yet they are not at all reputed for euill subiectes What should be the reason then that seeing we breake not the law in any poynt domegable eyther to the Church or cōmon wealth we shuld be so heynouslie prosecuted and impeached we breake the lawe in no point hurtfull to Church or common wealth as rebelles and troublers of the state more then other men What good can the surplice the crosse in baptisme the reading of erroneous bookes the giuing of symbolicall signification to Matrimonie or confirmation or anye such like doe to the Church or common vvealth or vvhat harme if they were taken away surelie none at all But cleane contrarye For the nearer we approach in our actions to the rule of holy Scripture the more vve please God the further vve depart from euill or the appearance of euill the more blessed is our estate vnder the promised assured fauour grace of almightie God Therefore for as much as we breake the law onely in that which can doe no good but hurt to the Church or common wealth if we doe them which if they were altogether takē away would be more acceptable to God and so more likelie of a further encrease of Gods mercies for being contrariant to Gods word they must needs offend God hinder manie good things from vs we can not be rightlye deemed euill citizens for not doeing of them And seeing it is apparant that these things are an offence that iustlie to manye of her Ma. good To discourage wise faithfull subiectes dangerous therefore good to take away the offence wise and faithfull subiects and that it is verie hurtfull to discontent discourage the good and godly citizens and that in long experience these thinges haue beene a great block of stumbling matter of offence how much would it bee beneficiall to the whole state if they wer remoued and Gods faithfull seruants set at libertie from them For we haue had sufficient proofe from the first shining appearing of the Ghospel in King Edwards dayes in this land Queene Maries dayes in Franckford now in her M. raigne these 43. yeares that the offence of these things by tract of time can not be blotted out that thereby manie a worthie preacher hath beene imprisoned silensed depriued to the greate dishonour of almightie God whose seruants they were and to the great damage of the Church and common wealth which in this greate scarsitie of good and learned Ministers did much want their seruice therefore it must needs follow that it would haue bene great benefite both to the Church common wealth if their petitions had bene hard and a remedie prouided that such necessarie seruice had not bene withholden kept back by these vnnecessarie ceremonies Manie benefites by the godly Ministers Moreouer beside that it can not but offende God to see his holie seruantes so lightlie regarded and that euerie beggerlie trifle of mans deuise should bee preferred before his holye commaundements Experience sheweth that neither learning nor religion is of such estimatiō as otherwise doubtlesse it would haue bene if these occasions of euill had not bene maintained Also it is well knowne that where such Ministers haue or doe dwell how many thousands of people haue bene instructed and made verie faithfull subiectes in their heartes and conscience what might this haue wrought if by the troubles about ceremonies such fruitfull teachers had not bene remooued discouraged disgraced Doubtlesse doubtlesse there could not possiblie haue bene so great encrease of Papistes nor anie shew of that brauerie which now they are growne vnto if the happie course of diligent preaching and teaching had not beene greatlie stopped by troubling of these men For this I can avow that no Papist Atheist or wicked man hath any ioy to liue where there is a good teacher but that eather they are brought home by repentance become notable Christians or els they shifte from such places as men with soare eies doe fly the light of the bright shining sunne For if in euerie parish there were a faithful preacher teaching both publikelie
in danger by this meanes For vvhen the people be so ignorant may not euerie Seminarie entise them as they list and if euer the Papist shoulde set one foote their longed hope Alas hovv coulde the state trust them that vere ignorant that no conscience nor honestie could mooue them but rather the bellie and that part that would vse them best and vvere most liklie to preuaile Where as the Protestant that hath knowledge of his dutie and faith in Christ he stands immoueable thogh all the world would forsake his Prince yet vvould he neuer A mirrour of this had you in Queene Maries daies vvhen the learned Protestante knowing his dutie did patiently and constantly suffer for the truth but the ignorant multitude were quickly turned from God Furthermore the vviser sort of Papists and Atheistes vvhen they see that vve speake against the hedge-Priestes of Poperie and the pride idlenesse and pleasure of their greate and glorious Prelates and that we our selues fall into the same scandall doe they not despise vs and count vs at the least as bad as they yea and verie hypocrites and time-seruers taking the ministrie vpon vs for vvealth and pleasure and not for the feare of God or the loue of his people And so their hartes are hardened and they fall away more more vvhereby the Queene is robbed of her faithfull subiectes and the strength of her estate is effeebled Whereas if vve could be content vvith a measure and that euerie Parish had a godly learned teacher vvee should see a merueilous encrease of good Christian people and an inuincible power of the great King of heauen among vs. Subscription a bar against good preacherâ— and so hurteth the common wealth Then commeuh in subscription and doth as much harme an other way namelie it maketh a barre against manie good and painfull learned Ministers and some it thrustes out And so for vvant of good lightes much people of this lande vvalke in darknes vnto this hower Little doe men think vvhat domage this is to the common wealth For let the neutrall Politician saye vvhat they vvill this I dare aduenture vpon my â—â—fe to auoutch that if the vvhole people of this land vveâ—e in euerie Parish furnished vvith learned and godly teachers the power of the Queene which coÌ„sisteth in the multitud of faithfull people vvould haue bene augmented by vere manie degrees and the enemies exceeding much abated euen in the eyes and knowledge of all men For if the Southern partes of the Realme and the cittie of London bee compared to the other partes where they haue had little or no teaching men shall easilie discerne that which I say to bee true namely if they weigh well the number of Papistes and Recusantes and the manifold dotages of the common people in such places where the godly Preacher hath not continued Therefore in regarde of my loue to my most gratious Soueraigne and natiue countrie I can not passe this ouer so slightly The subscription being vrged and the ceremonies they cause an honest godly painfull Preacher to bee suspended imprisoned and depriued What then The multitude reuerencing as it is meet their superiours presently iudge the godly Preacher to be a naughtie man Againe when they looke vppon the simplicitie of the vnpreaching Minister and the pride and coueteousnes of the non-resident what followeth They esteeme of no Ministers at all they stumble and fall and continue verie Atheistes readie to bee caried awaye after euerye deceauer which maketh a shew of godlines and to be drawne away by these pestilent Seminaries and wicked Priests and I esuites from their allegeance Whereas if the one of these were reformed after the rule of holy Scripture and the other Subscription being taken away c. had the fauour that their labours doe deserue you shoulde see an other maner of working namelie that reuerence to the Ghospell and loue to the Magistrate that no deceauer coulde possible enter into them The fruite of preaching before Subscription was last vrged Some fiue yeares to gether before that vnhappie time that Subscription was so generallye offered vvhich is nowe some 18. yeares past there was such vnitie betweene the Ministers and they ioyned in all places so louingly and diligentlie in laboure that not onely did the vnpreaching Minister and non-resident quake prepare them selues in measure to take paines in the Church but also many thousandes were conuerted from Atheisme poperie and became notable Christians And I am perswaded that the fruite of that time will be able thorow Gods blessing when so euer the Queene shall haue need which I pray God may neuer bee to Maister and calme all the storming Papistes and traitoures what soeuer But when Subscription came abroad how did it shake the heauens darken the skies O Lord mine hart trembleth to think vpon it how manie godly and worthie learned Preachers were silenced depriued and greatly disgraced Howe were the holy Ministers diuided and distracted Howe were the Christian subiectes grieued and offended and the Papistes and wicked men encouraged and emboldened What a dampe brought it to all godlines religion since that time what horrible wickednesse whoordome drunkenesse and al shameles filthienes and what grieuous plagues of God one succeeding an other haue followed eueriegood Christian subiect must needs see lament And the laste degree of these euills shewed it self about the time of the last Parliament so farre and apparant as I thinke manie of the reuerende Fathers were not a little touched with the grief thereof as their zealous preaching did most plainly testifie to the no small reioysing of many good gentilmen and others whoe louing her Maiesties honoure and present gouernement did blesse them in their heartes and with their mouthes praysed God for their zeale and faithfull dealing Now what will follow all this when God hath so long called vnto vs and admonished vs of these three capitall enemies beside all other our sinnes and we still remaine in them and maintaine them and make so little regarde of his faithfull seruantes they which knowe the holie Scriptures may easilye iudge I will saye no more but the Lorde bee mercifull vnto vs and keep farre away his deserued wrath displeasure from vs. 3 Now heere me thinketh I see the scorning Atheist to laugh in his sleeue thinking that all men are fooles but him selfe Atheistes doe thinke them selues the only wise men And some beginne to say that the wiser and greater sort of men make no account of religion but think baselie of it namelie that it serueth but to keepe the simple people in awe Some cause I must confesse they haue this their stumbling when they see the better sort of Christians so diuided But yet by this verye thinge they confute them selues and shewe their naked shame by proouing and fulfilling in thâ—mselues the truth of holy Scripture First they shew the want of faith according to the saying of Christ saying When the Sonne