AN humble MOTION WITH SVBMISSION unto THE RIGHT honourable LL. OF HIR majesties privy COVNSELL. WHEREIN IS LAID OPEN TO be considered, how necessary it were for the good of this land, and the queens Majesties safety, that ecclesiastical discipline were reformed after the word of God: And how easily there might be provision for a learned ministry. REVEL. 3.20. Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in unto him, and will sup with him, and he with me. CANT. 2.15. Take us the foxes, the little foxes which destroy the vines; for our vines haue small grapes. Anno 1590. The preface of the author. WEre it not( gentle reader) that the truth of the cause, & the want in the practise, had a long time called unto me, in reading of Gods book, and by experience of former time, drawing out before me, in the daily knowledge of my conscience, the manifold necessity of Christs discipline: I would not haue adventured, seing mine own wants, to put pen to the paper in a matter of so great weight. But knowing that by this my motion, ther might be occasion to the learned & wise, to think vpon very good things for the benefit of this realm, &( if need be) to set forth more deep & settled demonstration, with far more exceeding excellency: & for that I see the wil●ss of satan, by works of disgrace to hinder the good of my country: I thought it my duty to our high God, to his holy church, the Queens most excellent Matie, & my native country, by such means as these troublesone times would give me leave, unto my loving mother that bare me, & my tender nurse that feedeth me, those good & honest fruits wherewith God hath vouchsafed me for hir use: beseeching al my loving cuntrimen, charitably, soberly & wisely to think & with sanctified affections to deal in these matters: that the hand of our God may bee with us, to give us this honor, that at the length his cause may haue favor and prevail to the profit & ioy of us & our posterity. And I desire no other good will of thee( gentle reader) whosoever thou be, in the christian accepting of this work, than my very soul, in doing hereof, did with great care & godly love seek the prosperous estate of this land, & the flourishing of Gods church: for whose peace let us pray night and day. Amen. TO THE READER. WHEN I had red over this treatise( which by the providence of God light into my hands) and considered not onely the declaration of Christes discipline in the beginning thereof, though briefly, yet plainly set down, and plentifully proved by those testimonies of Scripture, that( after many assaults) doth confirm the cause vnanswerably but also the equity, easiness, the benefit and necessity thereof even in reason and policy, for the safety of hir majesty, the peace of the Land, the rooting out of popery and al other ungodliness; and that by such reasons as answer the foolish objections of ignorant politics: and in such maner laid open and urged, as may satisfy al that bee not be sotted with wilful ignorance, and stir the turbulent affection of none: as I took just occasion to praise God for his labours, whosoever was the penner of it: so did it give me matter to increase my persuasion in that which long before I had conceived, to wit that the lord meaneth certainlye either to establish this same sceptre of his son Christ Iesus in a glorious manner among us, or to make England an example of his vengeance for the rejecting of it. For first it is evident that God hath cleared it so evidently, & that by so dyuer and sundry sorts of handling the same, as no man of what state soever( if he desire to know it,) can want wherewith to satisfy his expectation. For if thou desire to haue it disputed against a professed and bitter enemy thereunto, thou hast the first and second reply of T. C. against D. W. If thou wouldst hear it handled in a sweet and pleasant latin style, the Ecclesiastical discipline is able to content thee, if thou be unlearned & desire the same course in thy mother tongue, behold the Learned discourse( which D. Bridges assaying to confute hath confirmed) the sermon vpon Rom. 12. &c. If thou desire to see it laid open and concluded in scholastical manner, the demonstration doth that way satisfy thee and lastly, if thou wouldst see it freed from the slander that are against it, answer the objections that may be, and are coined to disgrace it, and understand how it overturneth not, neither( in the substance) altereth any tolerable common-wealth; but is the onely stay and prop of every good policy: besides the forenamed, and many other worthy writings, this present treatise professeth & notably performeth the same: so that there is no man, learned or unlearned, fervent or mild, employed or at leisure, but God hath prepared some of these books( except he be as the deaf adder) every way to justify the truth of his discipline unto him: which causeth me to gather unto myself a comfortable persuasion, that these several gifts, bestowed vpon diuers men, and manifested unto the Church in so diuers a manner, and al to one end; are not in vain: But for the great good and comfort of those that shal strive for this cause in this age, and for their certain direction that shall reap the benefit of it, in the ages to come. But( alas) if we diligently wey on the other side, how this glorious and heavenly offer of the Lord unto us hath been and is reiectcd, and shamefully disgraced by al estates and conditions. How great ones cast of the yoke & break the bands: yea, & how that many who should haue commended the same unto the prince with Helkijah, haue employed al their wit and learning to traduce it with Amasiah yea and spent al their time in converting, sclaundering, displacing & imprysoning those that haue been but suspected to favor this truth: & lastly when the increase of Gods dishonour that airy seth from hence is duly weighed, it giveth us rather cause to fear, that God hath cleared his own light thus manifestly unto us, rather to make us the more without excuse, than to make us partakers of so heavenly a condition. For we see how it cometh, that our great Cleargye masters spend al their time, in vexing of Gods people, and set themselves to disgrace all that favor this way: the ministers of God that should be always busied in studying Gods word, and teaching their people, ar constrained to spend the most of their time, in seeking to be quiter of those intolerable molestations wherewith they ar daily vexed: the nobles & gentlemen take occasion hereby to do what they list: and the people seing the ministers in such disgrace, care not a button for their doctrine, so that if any of them bee reproved for their sins, they can be thus revenged, complain of him to the Bishop that he is a mislyker of the state of L. Bishops: and they are so jealous of their honor, that they admit the information of known papists, or any other notorious wicked wretches, & will( yea do usually) give more countenance to the veriest varlet in the Land that cometh with such a complaint; than to the most learned minister in al their diocese, if he be thought to like of the discipline, and( which is the greater argument of Gods vengeance not far off) ignorance and contempt of Gods word, and al kind of sin aboundeth in every place, and in al estates and conditions: so that as the consideration of Gods mercies towards us in offering us this blessing, giveth us some cause to trust that he will perfect his good work begun in this Land: so the regard of the increase of al kindes of monstrous transgressions doth justly occasion us to fear that the land hath prepared( which without speedy reformation we shal shortly feel) such a scourge as shal make us more wondered at for our punishment, then wee haue been admired for our peace: yet may none of these things discourage the seekers of this holy Reformation, for if they look to be crwoned, they must strive to the end. And let the aduersaries of the same know, that it may be their wickedness shal being thus much to pass, as to keep it from us for a time: but if they think either to weary the defenders, or lessen their number, or overthrow the cause: the mistress of fools, their own experience doth show them that they deceive themselves. For is not the cause far more cleared, and the number of them that favor and seek to advance it, since they haue waged war against it under their last general, mightily multiplied above that which was to be sene before? Yes doubtless, & so it must be stil: for it being a portion of the Gospel, must needs be of the nature of the Gospel, even to spring where it is cut down, and to spread where it is trodden vpon: and though the love of egypt cause this generation never to know what so heavenly a condition meaneth, yea and Moses his ill managing of the matter be the cause that he shal onely see it: yet certainly the dayes will come, when our posterity shal no more be gainsaid for desiring & practising Christs discipline,( for which we ar so many ways abused) then we ar for professing of the doctrine, for which our fathers shed their blood. Let this be the conclusion of al, though the Lord do not vouchsafe this generation an honor so excellent, yet take thou heed that thou be no means of keeping it back: for if thou be a minister, & give thy hart, hand or countenance against it; if a magistrate, & do any way discountenance it, if a private person, & cease to pray for it or live a life unworthy of it: thou shalt answer at the day of judgement, & be convicted as an enemy to the kingdom of Christ Iesus, and an occasion that in thy time be reigned not over that generation: & therefore by this book & such others inform thyself in the truth of it: & when thou knowest it, be in love with it & so labour by al the means of thy calling to advance it: so shalt thou be comforted whether with it, or without it. AN humble MOTION WITH SVBMISSION TO THE Ll. OF THE COVNSELL CONCERNING THE NECESSITY of Christs discipline in our Land. WHO so calleth to mind the woeful estate of this land, before the happy entrance of the gracious reign of our dear sovereign, queen Elizabeth,( whom God long continue & preserve,) in what sort the foreign and usurped power of the Romish Antichrist, was injurious to the common-wealth, and cruel to the true members of Christs church: and compare it with the joyful liberty and godly tranquillity of all sorts and degrees of people, in the midst of so many most apparent dangers, most mildlye and sweetly begun, and through so strange, so secret, so mighty, so continual, mischievous and monstrous platforms, constantly & firmly seated and established: he shall see great cause that we Englishmen haue, both to admire the wonderful providence of our merciful God, & to magnify the high glory of his vaspeakeable goodness; not only for his rich blessings both heavenly and earthly, with abundance of peace: but also for his rare kindness of great long suffering and miraculous deliverance. Surely we may be truly said to be the vineyard of the Lord, Esay. 5. and his pleasant plant set in the fruitful hill, dressed and fenced by God himself. And this hath he done this thirty year, looking we should haue brought forth fruit accordingly. Now I would to God that it were not true of us, as of Israel, that God looked for judgement & behold a leper fore, for righteousness but behold a crying. Many good laws for maintaining of a quiet and dutiful civil life, are very wisely & providently provided; I pray God it bee notlaide to our charge, that they are negligently and corruptly executed: yea, the abundance of suits, quarrels, complaints appeals, presentments, indightments and supplications do argue apparently the cruelty, extortion, contention, deceit, oppression, murders, thefts, whoredoms, and many other strange villainies wherewith the unthankful people of this land be guilty. And how swearing, lying, idleness, drunkenness, excess of meat, wantonness, excess by pride, and an unmerciful and cunning gripping of the poor by many strange reatches, & Machiauelian plots, ar left almost without check or controlment, it grieveth them who weep over Sion, and maketh good men to fear very much, seeing that for these things God hath punished many people and cast off them that were most nearest and dearest unto him, as it is written: Hierem. 7. Ezech. 16. for the transgression of the land there are many princes thereof. And again, he turneth the floods into a wilderness, Hosea 4.1. Proverb. 28.2. Psal. 107.33. and the springs of water into dryness, and a fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. This latter we haue felt in some sort of late, which might make us to suspect our own wretchedness: and the former( which the Lord in mercy keep far from us,) hath been wonderfully in the great patience and tender compassion of God, and yet not without many fearful threatenings hitherto prevented, and( as it were) waiting our conversion, put off and prolongued: god give every English man the grace to see it. But look we into the Churches among us( oh that the nakedness thereof is so open,) shall wee not find there, 2. Tim. 4.10. joh. 3.9. Demas embracing this present world, Diotrephes loving pre-eminence, to cast out the brethren that do better than himself, Mat. 15.6. the Scribes and the pharisees, making the commandement of God of no authority by their traditions: Mat. 21.12. buyers and sellers & money changers in the temple? Shall wee not find there blind watch men that haue no knowledge, Esa. 56.10. dumb dogs that cannot bark, they ly and sleep, and delight in sleeping, even greedy dogs that can never haue enough. Amos 7.10. Amasiah the Priest complaineth against Amos the prophet and the prophets which deceive the people, bite thē with their teeth and cry peace. Shal we not find that by these, Micha. 3.5. & 6.16. some of the statutes of Omri, and of the maner of the house of Ahab, are kept and maintained, even the marks of the second beast, Reu. 13.11.16 which cometh out of the earth? How can these things become the holy Churches of Christ, and yet we do think ourselves rich, increased with goods, and to haue need of nothing: not knowing our wretchedness, misery, poverty, blindness and nakedness. I pray God it befall not us,( as was threatened unto the angel of the Church of the Laodiceans) that because we ar neither hot nor cold, Reu. 3.14.15. the high-priest of our profession Iesus christ, spew us out of his mouth. here we see the exceeding riches of the bountifulness, patience, and long fuffering of God, leading us to repentance: and our unthankfulness & disobedience, giuing occasion of the altering of Gods mercy and our happiness. What is then to be done? Salomon answereth very wisely: Prov. 22.3. A prudent man seeth the plague, & hideth himself, but the foolish go on still & ar punished. And again, Cap. ●. 32. Ease slayeth the foolish, & the prosperity of fools destroyeth them, Very sober and wise were those priests, Levites, chief fathers, and ancient men, who having seen the first temple of Salomon, wept in the daies of Ezra, when they saw the foundation of the Temple, Ezra. 3.12. which was after the captivity of babylon, notwithstanding that many others shouted aloud for joy. And in the time of Nehemiah, the people in the day of their joyful solemnitye, wept and mourned, Nehem. 8. & 9. & 10. and with one consent joined unto their feast, wherein they covenanted with God to amend their lives, and make statutes for themselves to follow his Law. So I am verily persuaded, that many grave and prudent Christians haue their rejoicing mixed with grief, when the want of things yet not attained unto, maketh them to feel the less comfort in that which they haue, and the fear of Gods anger for the abuse of that which we possess, & for the refusing of other more graces offered, doth daunt their courage; while other men think all is well, and follow the pleasures of their hartes: and this is of all other most lamentable, that neither mercy nor threatenings, corrections nor comforts, fears nor deliverances, though the warnings of God bee never so apparent, can yet move our hartes to go one degree forward in the reedifiing of the decayed places of gods churches, but we say with the people in the dayes of the Prophet Haggai. The time is not yet come, Haggea. 1.2. that the Lords house should be built: but wee mark not what God saieth again: The reason of this book Is it time for yourselves to dwell in your seeled hou2es, & this house lie waste: Consider your own ways in your heartes, you haue sown much, and bring in little, &c. you looked for much, and lo it came to little: and when you brought it home, I did blow vpon it, and why saith the lord of hostes? because of my house that is wast, &c. For this cause( Right H.) I haue taken in hand this treatise, that I might show a way for the continuance of our happy estate, which I take to be, by establishing the church government according to Gods appointment, by which al the former enormities, and al other being taken away, the glory of God may flourish the more among us, the honour of hir majesty more highly advanced, and by the favour of God our joys may be exalted. Which work as an humble motion, I do with all dutiful submission present unto your honourable wisdoms, desiring no further to be esteemed herein, than the divine wisdom of Gods word which cannot err, & good reason( not contrary to the same) do warrant that which I say, and persuade that which I speak. The proposition which I take in hand to prove is this: The Proposition It is the best and surest policy for the maintenance of peace, & the good estate of this land every way, to reform the disorders of the church according to the holy Scriptures of God, and to haue no other church-government, than that which Christ hath ordained & the apostles practised. The reason why I frame my proposition after this order, to make it a matter of very good policy to set up discipline in England according to gods word ariseth vpon this: that I hear in many places, and lately haue red publikelye set forth, as à defence of L. Bb. that it is esteemed( by the abuse of the true rules of policy) to bee dangerous to the state, no invectiue. full of many inconveniences, & not fit, yea unpossible for a main country or region as ours is. Which when I considered to be in reason and truth far otherwise, and that the vnseated wisdom of mens frailty and ignorance do greatly stumble at it, I thought it my duty to God, to hit Majesty, and my native country to unfold the secret meditations and observations of my hart: which as I submit to the consideration of the wiseand godly learned, so I refer it wholly to the master of the house( which is a God of knowledge, 1. Sam. 2.3. by whom enterprises do come to pass) to give that success which his good pleasure thinketh best. In the next place my humble desire is, that this my proposition and whole treatise, be understood, not as any invectine against the present state, or that either I disannulled the churches of England to be the churches of God, Churches of England true visible churches or that the true doctrine of the gospel were not preached, or the true sacramentes administered, which ar the infallible tokens of the true visible church: but that certain things of very good moment for the due and right administration of the church & the holy things thereof( whereof God hath left as strait commandement as for the rest) haue not yet obtained their due authority, but for lack of that good entertainment which God looketh for of his churches, may argue a change and a small continuance of our present welfare. After this I pray that my meaning may be known touching the disorders of the church: that I tak them to be of two sorts: namely, of Ceremonies which ar variable according to time, place, & occasions, which come under this general rule, Disorders 1. Cor. 14. Let all things be done honestly and orderly. Whereby the church is authorised to consider and ordain in small matters, not particularly determined in the word, touching the time & manner of doing such or such a thing, which thing is prescribed in the word, that there be no confusion or vnseemlines in the time and manner of doing. The other sort of disorders whereof I especially speak & mean to stand in, is a thing of greater importance: namely, where the church presumeth to add, diminish or take away any of those things which God hath ordained to be observed, or to bring in other of their own, whereof God hath given hir no authority by his word: as in the administrations, gifts, and works of the church: that where 1. Cor. 12. the administrations are under one Lord, the gifts of one spirit, & the works of one God: if the church do take vpon hir to make new administrations, appointing unto thē gifts and works, whereof the Lord, the spirit, and god haue made no assignment to hir, that this is a great disorder: and so I understand the church government or discipline, not to be in small and trifling ceremonies,( such as are hours, places, garments, seats, tables, &c. which yet in their kindes are necessary, being ordered after the former rule of comeliness and order:) but in the very sway and frame of the church, the pillars, foundations, 1. Cor. 3.9.10. building and builders thereof: as the king which is Christ, his officers, their offices & commission with their callings, abdications, continuance, gifts, works, and prerogatives: for the good squaring and laying together of each ston, Heb. 3.4.5.6. Kom. 9.5. and rearing up the whole form and beauty of the temple of God, ac cording to the pattern given, not by the servant, but by the son who is over the house, of two sorts. and whose house every church is, and who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. In the last place that I say no other government of the church ought to be suffered but that which Christ hath ordained, &c. although by many men the same hath been learnedly and truly described, yet because it is the thing wherewith only in all this treatise I bind myself to meddle, I will briefly set forth a small and plain pattern thereof( as it were in a carded lightly.) leaving the reader to other books already extant, for the larger discourse, and ample confirmation: as by evident and clear places of scripture, God shall make me able to show. First this is called( Taxis) order, Col. 2.5. to which soundness of faith, in Christ being joined, the churches of god ar highly commended, as those which having the foundation laid, are to walk in Christ after the manner of the same, rooted and built in him, discipline what. and confirmed in the faith. It is also for the manner therof, compared unto a body, Rom. 12.4. Ephe. 4.15.16. where the head is joined to the body, and al the members receiving nourishment from it, do grow by joints and bands into the head, & one into an other, where every member hath his several action. The head here is Christ, the body ar the churches, the members are the people of all sorts in the churches, having several callings, gifts & works. as it is said: You are the body of Christ, 1. Cor. 12.27. Ephes. 4.7. and members every one for his part: and again, unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Now as a body haviug all his members under one head seated in their proper places, and according to their several faculties doth bring forth in every member the proper action for the good of the whole; is a goodly and well ordered body: Discipline described So the members of the church by the scriptures are set in the church, 1. Cor. 12 28. under one head Iesus Christ. Colos. 1.18. and haue several gifts as faculties given according to the will of the spirit to aedifie withall. 1. Cor. 12.7.11. and every one hath his office accordingly in his place, either to prophesy or otherwise, which he must wait vpon: Rom. 12.6. Act. 20.28. 1. Pet. 5.2. and the people are to obey and submit themselves: Heb. 13.17 every thing being thus constituted, ordered and furnished, is a well and right governed church of Christ. Now in this government wee may observe diuers sorts of persons, and their proper works, in which two things the whole policy is contained. For when every one doth his proper works of his place, the church is very well guided. now these persons are the master of the house, and the household. And here first we ar very reverently and wisely, to aclowledge the master and chief governor, Christ head of his Church. Gal. 4.4. who is Lord & king, and this is the only son of God made man, who by his wise and powerful administration, ordereth and establisheth his church, Psal. 110.1. and defendeth it against al enemies and till all bee destroyed, and he deliver up his kingdom to his father in the day of glory, 1. Cor. 15.24. and so the scripture speaketh saying: unto us a child is born, & unto us a son is given, Esay. 9.6. and the government is vpon his shoulder, and he shall call his name wonderful, counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of peace, the increase of his government & peace shal haue no end: he shal sit vpon the throne of david, and vpon his kingdom to order it, and to establish it with judgement and iustice from hence, even for ever, &c. Which the Apostle interpreting, saith, by Gods word. Ephes. 1.22. that God hath appointed Christ over all things to be head to the church, which is his body, &c. moreover because his kingdom is not of this world. joh. 18.36. Christs government not civill. that is to say, after the manner of earthly princes, which in comparison of this government is called the ordinance of man, 1. Pet. 2.13. being in the earth, he took vpon him no earthly or civil government, but submitted himself, teaching that Caesar ought to haue his due, Mat. 22.21. paying tribute voluntarily, Mat. 17 27 and refusing so much as to divide between brethren, making such civill matters pertain to other iudges, Luk. 12.13.14 and yielded himself to die without resistance, when by civil authority he was wrongfully judged, joh. 19.11.13.14. &c. Hereof it cometh, that the things by which he governeth, are not of the right of any civil regiment, being holy and spiritual, and his servants or officers are not furnished with civill power or dignity, 2. Cor. 10.3.4. Luk. 22.25. & his throne is, where he sitteth at the right hand of the majesty in the highest places. Heb. 1.3. The first thing he ruleth by in his visible church, Gods word Christs sceptre. is his word, which is a sceptre of righteousness. Psal. 45.7 even the word of truth which is the gospel. Col. 1.5. which because it is spiritual, is called the sword of the spirit. Ephes. 6.17. in sharpness to exceed any two edged sword, entering even to the dividing a sunder of the soul and the spirit, and of the merchants and marrow, discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart, Heb. 4.12. This is the rod of his mouth, and of his power, wherewith he smyteth the earth, and slayeth the wicked. Esa. 11.4. Psal. 110.2. and in the elect who beleeue, Tit. 1.1. it casteth down the imaginations & every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, Discipline described and bringeth into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 2. Cor. 10.5. being the power of God unto salvation, Rom. 1.16. and this is unto the church a perfit law, Psal, 19.7. teaching them judgement and equity and every good path. every good path in Gods word. Pro. 2.9. The second thing be the censures of the church adjoined to the word, as vengeance ready prepared if any disobey, The censures joined to the word. 2. Cor. 10.6. with 2. Thes. 3.14. These hath Christ given to his church, as a power to purge out the leaven of malitiousnes, that they may celebrat the Lords feast, and serve him sincerely: Mat. 18.17. 1. cor. 5.4.7.8. These censures are of two sorts, according to the party which offendeth, either to heal and reform, or else to cut off for ever. Men are reformed by admonition or sharper affliction. Admonition is taught in 1, Thes. 5.14. Gal. 6.1. 1. Tim. 5.20, Where admonition will not serve, according to the quality of the offence and disposition of the person, there are two degrees in seeking his reformation. First suspension, when a man is cut off from some of the holy exercises in the fellowship of Saints. Mat. 5.23.24. as namely the lords table, 1. Cor. 11.28. For the greater offences and greater contumacy followeth excommnnication, which is a casting of them out of the church, and delivering them to satan, in which state they are to bee holden of us as heathen and publicans, that is such as ar not of the church. 1. Cor. 5.5. Mat. 18 18. and all these vpon their true repentance ar to be forgiven and comforted of the church, 2. Cor. 2.6. The other censure which cutteth off is spoken of in 1. Cor. 16.22. If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ, let him bee anathema.[ Maranatha] viz. accursed till the Lord come. whereupon saith John epist. 1. cap. 5.16. by Gods word. There is a sin unto death, I say not that thou shouldst pray for it: and Christ saith, that he which speaketh against the holy ghost, it shal not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come. Mat. 12.32. The things of Christs kingdom, not like to the things of earthly rulers. These are then far distant from the things which earthly princes use to rule their subiectes with: the one meddleth with the outward man, afflicteth the body, and things of this life: but this toucheth, reformeth, and afflicteth the soul, the thoughts, and intents of the heart: and concerneth the things of the life to come. In the next place are the other persons to be considered which are under Christ the king: and these are his household, the servants and subiects of Iesus Christ in his church: according to the dignity of the Lord, & amplitude of his kingdom; are partly superiors, The subiects & officers of christ and partly inferiors: the first ar such as either haue charge committed unto them over others, as the disposers of the secrets of God, 1, Cor. 4.1. or ministers about the holy things of the church, 1. Tim. 3.13. and the other are all the members of the church, called Saints: who submitting themselves to the voice of the gospel, are sanctified in Christ Iesus. Rom. 1.5.6.7. 1. Cor. 1.2. The duty of these latter, is in two words, submission, and obedience. Heb. 13.17. The former are of diuers degrees and several functions, and therfore require a larger discovery, in speaking whereof I bind myself to that only which is ordinary and perpetual. In general terms they ar called Bishops & deacons. Philip. 1.1. The general terms of their office, bee likewise two, prophesy, and a ministry, Rom. 12.6. In description of which diuers offices and officers, the scriptures appointeth their calling and works. Discipline described The calling of Christs officers In their calling, there is this general rule, that no man take vpon him this honourable function except he be called. Heb. 5.4. Secondly that there bee a place or charge whereunto there is need that they should bee called: such was Mathias, Act. 1.20. the Deacons, Act. 6.1.2. the Elders Act. 14.23. Bishops in Creta, Tit, 1, 5. In their callings, common to all be election and ordination. Election is a free choice with the consent of the people, and ordination is, by imposition of hands, and prayer: to commend them to the work of their calling. Act. 6.2.5.6. 1. Tim. 14.13, Act. 4.23. unto this election as a forerunner this rule is adjoined, let them first be proved, then let them minister if they bee found blameless: 1. Tim. 3.10. that is every one must bee examined before he be chosen. The works of these offices are either proper according to the distinct nature and gift in their several office: or else mixed, where they join in some common action of the church. Christ hath ordained diuers officers & their works. In prophesy, this is peculiar and common to all Bishops, that they attend vpon the administration of the word and prayer, Act. 6.4. & these Bishops are of two sorts, Pastors and Teachers. Ephes. 4.11. their gifts diuers, to the one that is Pastors, is given the word of wisdom, to the other the word of knowledge. 1. Cor. 12.8, their works also distinct, for the former, is to tend on exhortation, and the latter on teaching. Rom. 12.7.8. In the ministrye,( that is such offices as haue not to do with the prophesy or preaching of the word,) there ar governing Elders, & those which properly are called Deacons. The first haue their authority and title, 1. Cor. 12.28. Governours, their gift: 1. Tim. 5.17. to rule well their work, Rom. 12.8. a diligent practise in ruling. by Gods words. The deacons are nominated & set down what manner of men they should be, 1. Tim. 3.8. their gifts to be full of the holy Ghost and wisdom. Act 6.3. their work to look to the tables, ver. 2. that is, to distribute with simplicity, Rom. 12. unto these are joined widows or servants of the church, whose title, gifts, and properties are set down Rom, 16.1. 1. Tim. 5.1.2.3.4.5.6. &c. and their work, Rom. 12.8. to show mercy with cheerfulness. The mixed work is of the Pastors, teachers and governing Elders, who are joined in one work or gift of ruling well, 1. Tim. 5.17. haue the same title of Elders, Act. 14.23. & 20.17. and their work is joined to look to themselves, and the whole flock. ver. 28. and to watch over the peoples souls. Heb. 13.17. the meeting or assembling in this office of governing is called an Eldership. 1. Tim. 4.14. And because they bear herein the power of Christ in the church, they are called by excellency of speech, the church. Mat. 18 17. their work is to see all things done according to the commandement of God, and ordinance of christ. In the callings of the several offices, and in the use of the censures that every man do his duty, as in election to direct the people, and to examine the party to be chosen, and to lay their hand, and pray over the party in his ordaining, Act. 6.2.3.6. cap. 14.23. 1. Tim. 4.14. and in the censures they haue the full authority, Mat. 18.17.18.19. except that in so great a matter as excommunication, the people haue their interest, in that a member is to bee cut off. Therefore that was done in a fuller assembly, namely of the whole church 1. Cor. 5.4. and the whole church is directed by paul to receive such a one again. Discip. described by G. word. 2. Cor. 2.6.7. Lastly, in & about al the former things Christ ordained for his church, they haue authority given thē to appoint, and see that al things be done honestly & in order, 1. Cor. 14.40. But if a matter fall out too hard or weighty for one church, or the any maner of ways some one church hath need of help: this is supplied by other churches. 2. Cor. 8.13.14. When a matter of controucrsie was at Antiochia, they sent chosen men to jerusalem, and there by a greater meeting of the Apostles and Elders, the matter being decided: there were also chosen men returned with the decrees of that synod. Act. 15.1.23. &c. In these meetings of synods and Elderships, some one for the time did moderate the assembly, not by any standing office of superiority, but for order to see al things well and orderly done, and to gather the conclusion. Such was Peter Act. 1.15. and james, Act. 15 13.22. and this is the description of the church government, 1. Cor. 14.37. cap. 11.1.2. 1. Tim. 6.14. according to the scriptures of God, left & commanded by God to his holy churches for ever: & therefore I take that no other can stand with the safety of our estate. They which oppugn this doctrine do not simplye deny, that such a thing is taught and commanded in the word,( for it is so clear that no man can but with a shameless face, and seared conscience open his mouth to the contrary) but they partly cavil at some places, but especially affirm, that it was not commanded as unchangeable, that it was of force when the civill magistrate was not friend, but now it is determinable according to the diuers estates and governments of countries: as being not so needful or convenient. whom I desire in the fear of God to consider these few things First, Christs discipl. perpetual. that I haue here shewed it by Gods word( and other haue done it, and can do a great deal better) if they bring in such an exception, they must show some reason out of the word for the same. For can any thing which God hath ordained in his word, provver 30.5.6. be altered by man, without his authority which ordained it? If God haue set Elders to bee governors in his church as 1. Cor. 12.28. Man cannot change Gods precepts without Gods licence Who that is wise will dare to pull them out except he haue commission from him that set them there? If the question were touching the officer of an earthly prince, men would keep silence waiting the pleasure of their sovereign: then must it needs bee arrogancy, to deny him whom God hath appointed. Remember them who said, wee will not haue this man to reign over vs. Secundlye, Luk. 19.24.27 consider this order of Christ is not limited to be only when the civill magistrate is no friend, and that the civill government supplieth nothing in the room of any thing here spoken off: for these are( as is shewed) for the spiritual and heavenly administration, & theirs is carnal and earthly. And howe can an earthly king thrust into the house of God, an officer, a gift, or a work, which he knoweth not whether it will be fit, or willbe accepted as agreeing with the heavenly pattern These then being plants which our heavenly father hath not planted shalbe rooted up, & where the fear of God is taught by the precepts of men, Mat. 15.13. there the wisdom of the wise shall perish, Esay. 29.2.13.14. Thirdly we haue heard that Christ is head unto the church in all things, and that princes and judges should learn to be wise, and kiss the son least he be angry: if thē the church take vpon hir to alter his ordinance, or a king do keep out that which he commandeth, and maintaineth other things diuers or contrary, Christs discipline ar they wise and learned? do they kiss the son? may they not fear his anger? If it appear by the gospel, that all these officers are members of the body of Christes church, & are admistrations under one lord; if they haue gifts by one spirit, and operations by one God for the aedifiing of the church: who loving christ, and knowing Christ, Christs members ought not to be changed. will readily disfigure Christs body, by mangling the members, changing the gifts of the spirit, altering the works of God. again, if all this be appointed to endnre for the work of the ministry, to the aedifiing of the body of Christ, till we all meet together in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, & unto the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ. Ephes. 4.11.12. And this commandement of church-governement is to be kept without spot, and unrebukable until the appearing of our Lord Iefus christ. 1. Tim 5.21. cap. 6.13.14. then, who is he? or where is he whose arm is flesh, that will not tremble to speak against them? Last of al, it is against the duty of the church,( who as the pure and chast spouse of Christ should always be obedient to hir head and lord) to limit the authority, Psal. 78.41. and check the wisdom of hir king: ought she not rather to harken & consider, and incline hir ear( being swift to hear, Psal. 45.10. james 1.19. and slow to speak,) forgetting also hir own people & hir fathers house: so shall the king haue pleasure in hir beauty, for he is hir Lord, and she ought to reverence him. Bunt can this be reverence to his majesty, Christs church ought to obey him or taking him to be lord: when she submitteth herself, to the laws of government which she hath received of his greatest enemy, even antichrist, or can she be said to forsake hir fathers house and to harken: unchangeable. who punisheth & afflicteth as a stepmother those hir children, that meeklye putteth hir in mind of the husband of hir youth, and the oath of God: detecting and bewraying the filthiness of hir skirts, when she hath defiled herself with strangers, & standeth stiffly for the customs and manners of hir fathers house, even of vile flesh and blood, brickle constitutions of blind men? And who I pray you can say( except he will tell a lie for his mother, and that against God his father) that she doth not limit his power and control his prudencye, Mat. 28.20. when he giveth hir charge to observe all things whatsoever he hath commanded hir, affirming most amiably and comfortably unto hir, 2. Pet. 1.3. that by his godly power he hath given hir al things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us unto glory & virtue, and namely a perfit Law, Psal. 19.7. Prov. 2.9. teaching judgement and equity, and every good path: & yet shee leaning to hir own wisdom, and presuming of hir own power, will alter, add, diminish, and change as she thinketh best. Therfore the Lord most earnestly complaineth, and in the vehemency of his godly jealousy crieth against hir, and saith. Ye heauens bee astonied at this, be afraid and utterly confounded saith the lord: Ierem. 2. 1●. for my people haue committed two evils: they haue forsaken me the fountain of living waters, to dig them pits, even broken pits that can hold no water. In this last place, for clearing of my proposition, & that my reasons for the policy of our country may plainly be seen: I am further to show in parte, what these disorders be, small or great, and howe near wee come to the ordinance of Christ. First wee hold the head Christ Iesus and renounce al other heads of the church, giuing unto the royal person of the queens highnesse, the due and lawful supremacy over al persons within hir dominions, and in all causes to use the sword of justice, for the maintenance of well doing, and punishing of 'vice: renouncing all foreign power and potentate to haue any interest or title of any such supremacy. Secondly, we receive the sceptre of christ the gospel of truth, holding and teaching the doctrine of faith & love according to the same: the Sacraments also as seals of the doctrine in their true nature, are taught & administered with prayers, singing of psalms and reading of holy scripture: We allow also pastors in every church, and some teachers: and by these ministries the word is taught ordinarily in many churches, by means whereof the church of England, our mother hath brought forth many notable children to God the father, and notable members of Iesus Christ: here one steppeth in and saith: Is not this well? you would haue been glad in queen Maries dayes with less liberty, can you not bee content? Truth, this is well indeed, and I pray God we may bee thankful as we ought to bee thankful. Yet as I take it, and they confess, all is not well. And if a man haue the foundation of his house laid, and many parts of the building framed, he will not content himself till all be fastened together, and the roof covered. And shal we content ourselves to see the house of God full of breaches, and vncouered, because some principal parte is well begun? Let us then see those breaches. Surely, surely, I would your good Hh. should understand, that of all other, I am loathest to speak of those things: neither would I, if I thought the truth of this question might appear without it: therefore I humbly crave your favourable patience, submitting all that I speak( as before) to your Hh. wise considerations, not willingly doing any thing that might give just occasion of offence. The imperfections of our churches are of two sorts, either in matter of ceremonies, or in things substantial presrcibed of God. Of the first I will say only this, that it is well known, that some of our ceremonies, are part of the character of the beast, and therefore not comely for Christs undefiled spouse: but if the other greater things were reformed, they would fall away of themselves, like untempered mortar, after a hard frost. The other, ar either in the holy things, or holy offices. The first holy thing is the word, here some part of the holy scripture is commanded to be left unread, the apocrypha are appointed to be red, and that under the name of holy scripture, for instruction of manners: and homilies in stead of preaching: this I take to be an abuse to the sceptre of Christ, which is before shewed to be perfect The other holy things are the censures, and namely excommunication, which is made a civil ordinance committed to a civill judge in matters of heritage, in a quarrel often groats, for not appearing the party may be absolved by his proctor. A ministers name is used in the form, but he hath nothing to do to judge or determine, or to receive again. And besides all this, the pennance may bee changed into money or some other thing. here the Elder-ship is despised, the congregation looseth hir right, and earth and heaven are mingled together: no small disfigure unto Christs church, if you remember howe God would haue it ordered and adorned. The disorders in the holy offices are either by mingling or mangling. Mingling is of two sorts, first the superfluity of offices and officers, as Archbishops, L. Bishops, Chancelors, Commissaries, Archdeacons, Officials deans, Vicedeanes, Treasurers of Cathedrall churches, prebends, Cannons, Peticannons, Singing men, choristers, Vergers, Curates and Readers, every one of these haue a certain dignity above others: & besides that there are Deacons, who haue no charge of the poor at all, Church-wardens, Sidemen, and collectors for the poor. Proverb. 9.3. Are these the maidens whom wisdom sendeth forth to call the simplo to hir banquet? Ver. 1. Are these the pillars that God hath set in his church? Eph. 4.8.11. Can it be said that Christ when he ascended up on high, gave these? There is also a second mingling in their works, as he that preacheth will also sit in commission, he willbe a Pastor over some 2. or 3. churches, & an Archdeacon over many churches. One man willbe a Pastor to one church, a Chaplain to an other, and a prebend to an other. In their prayers they ar bound to such a form as for the most part is translated out of the popish portues, having diuers ungodly mixtures of signs, with sacramental signification, as the cross in baptism, imposition of hands in confirmation, and of other rites and observations which Gods book never dreamed of. Concerning all these and other such minglings, howe shal it be answered when the lord shall say, Who required these things at your hands? Esay. 1.12. The manglings ar very little better. For first diuers members are cut off, as governing Elders and Deacons: Presbyteries of particular churches, and free Synods: In the calling of ministers many are made without a place, few haue their election with the consent of the church: the right of imposition of hands, is in a L. Bishop, and such as he chooseth, many are made ministers of the word that haue no gifts, contrary to the rule in examination. In their works, there wanteth residency in many able men: there is no practise of preaching in many resident: four sermons a year dischargeth a man before our church. But what should I repeat all? I fear and tremble, that the glorious spouse of Christ Iesus, should thus be defiled with the filthy clouts & rotten patches of the foul & beastly strumpet, Revel. 17.1.9. the whore of Babel, which fitteth on the feven hills of Rome. where is the fullness of Christ? Col. 1.9. Where are the treasures of wisdom and knowledge that are hide in him? cap. 2.13. and howe are wee complete in him? ver. 10. if we suffer ourselves to be lead as a pray, through philosophy, and vain deceat after the traditions of men, and not after Christ. ver. 8. The question being thus cleared, Proofer of the proposition. the reasons that prove the same, will show themselves more readilye, and be sene more apparently. My reasons are either general or special- Generally I first consider the author of church-discipline, on the one side Christ furnished with authority from God: on the other side, mans wisdom and antichrist, adversary against GOD, whose coming is by the effectual power of satan: 2. Thes. 2.4.9. The first proof from the author of discipline. seing that it is already shewed, that God is the author of that we want, the consideration of his person may teach us that his is beste and surest for our estate: for he is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in works, Esa. 28.29. the foolishness of God is wiser then men. & the weakness of God is stronger then men, 1. Cor. 2.25. If God than in counsel be wisest, & in works most perfect & stable: Geueral reasons showing that Christs howe should not all state-men think that to reform our churches after his counsell, & to practise his works were safest for the estate of our land. Look we vpon man, Antichrist, & satan, what are these to the almighty? & their wisdom to his? Can they teach a church-government more certain for our safety, than he? Is not the wisdom of this world foolishness with God? 1. Cor. 3.19. Doth he not take the wise in their craf tines, & make the coumsel of the wicked foolish? job. 5.13. And concerning Antichrist: ought we not to harken to him, who calleth unto us from heaven, and saith: Go out of hir my people, Revel. 18 4. that ye bee not partakers in hir sins, and that ye receive not of hir plagues: for hir sins are come up unto heaven, and God hath remē bered hir iniquities. As for satan, his wil●ss are but to deceive, even as he deceived evah, to the misery of all mankind: and as he seduced Ahab to his destruction. Therefore I think it best, and the surest policy, to be ruled by God. And this reason willbe the more evident, Our profession is to serve God in al he teacheth vs. if we consider ourselves: what we haue done, and now do. We haue entred into covenant with God, by submitting ourselves to the sceptre of his word, and taking vpon us his sacramentes as badges of our profession. here peradventure a wise Politian doth not see, that it is not safe to serve two maisters: though the lord saith, Luk. 16.13. 2. Cor. 6.15. You cannot serve God & Mammon. And what concord hath Christ with Belial. The next general reason is from the thing itself, I mean the church-government which is of Gods commandement: first, The second general reason from the thing if wee consider that the same being Christs, and we christians, what can be better for us? the same is from heaven, heavenly, and spiritual: and we profess the Lord from heaven, Discip. is for our safety. what then can bee safer for us? What do we( fuppose you) if wee judge any thing unfit for us, when he saieth: Pro. 3.8. All the words of my mouth are righteous, there is no lewdness nor frowardness in them, If the commandement of God by Moses the servant was such, that no nation was comparable to Gods people, because no nation had laws and ordinances so righteous, as all that law which he set before them: and if those laws should bee their wisdom and understanding before al people: Deut. 4.6.8. so that they which should hear, should be forced to confess only this people is wise and of understanding: Shall we think, that the laws of the son, Lord and master of the house, would make us less righteous, wise, Christs discipl. maketh a nation honourable. 1. King. 10. and honourable before al people? If Salomon for the wisdom which he had of God, was admired & sought to of all people, & the glory, wealth, and peace of his kingdom, was herein especially, in that he builded the material temple after the pattern given him of God? Is there not a greater than Salomon with us, and shall not the glory of our queen and country, be as great, if we in the building of the spiritual temple, use no other platform, but that which God doth sand unto us? join hereunto the use and end of Christs government: namely, why god appointed Christs kingdom: the kings of the earth, and civill states, being ignorant of the mystery of Christs ruling, are many times troubled, when they hear that a king is born: Mat. 2.1.2. and when they perceive, that the never fay ling word of the Almighty, doth set down that it must be so, where, and how, they lay privy nets & engines to prevent him: but wise men are contrary minded & do come from their own country, The end of Christs discipline to seek him out: & are exceeding glad when they see the tokens of his coming, rejoicing to do homage before his holy Majesty, for they know plainly that he came not to dissolve the Lawe, Mat. 5.17. as to teach subiectes to disobey their natural princes, but to fulfil it: and to make men of conscience, even without fear of temporal sword, Rom. 12.5. to bee subject; and to pay tribute to whom it belongeth. What good state-man that is a christian, Discipline cannot hurt the state. can wisely, and by warrant of good policy once dream, that that manner of government which not meddling or usurping one whit vpon the civil power, but by the spiritual powerfrom Christ, Mat. 18.18. binding and losing the soul & conscience, doth subdue the will of all evil doers, which are set against the wholesome laws of God and man, and by the terror of satan doth make them learn to leave such evil ways, 1. Cor. 5.4. 1. Tim. 1.20. that when this is done, as it ought to bee done, and by those persons and orders, which the ordainer thereof hath appointed: that it should hurt the estate, and diminish the happiness of a Christian nation? Therefore well said the Prophet Esay of this government. Esay. 42 4. he shall not make to smoke nor bruise, till he haue set judgement in the earth, and the Yles shall wait for his Law. By which he meaneth that the government of Christ is such, that of itself in his proper nature, it disquieteth & troubleth no man, no not to the bruising of a reed, or quenching of smoking flax: but it peaceably bringeth men to good order, yea, saith he, the nations shall attend vpon him to be ruled by his Law. See how God hath determined the good of the nations by his sons government: can it be good policy to refuse it? And we haue great experience of this thing since wee submitted ourselves unto Christ by receiving the gospel so far as we haue done. to help the civill Magist. What works of righteousness God hath wrought among us? Howe is our queen become an helper of the oppressed, and a succour, & a nurse to the banished? Howe hath our peace under hir flourished? What age can show the like in this land? And what praise hath God brought vpon this land, and glory unto hir royal Majesty, by worshipping Christ, and constant defending of his truth? If wee forget all the mighty deliverances, yet this last yeares overthrow of Gods enemies may testify: being strange to all nations, admired of all people, an astonishment to the enemy; and triumph to the godly: not by power or policy, but by the faithful and merciful hand of God. doth not this( I say) testify: Psal. 144.15. Blessed is that people that hath the Lord for their God. But if wee haue so great profit and pleeasure by a part of Christs government: what would it be, if we received all? would he not say of us, as he did sometimes of Sion. Psal. 132.14. This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell, for I haue a delight therein: I will surely bless hir victuals, and satisfy hir poor with bread: and I will cloth hir priests with salvation, and hir saints shall shout for joy. There will I make the horn of david to bud, where I haue ordained a light for mine anointed: his enemies will I cloth with shane, but on him his crown shal flourish. look vpon jehu king of Israel, he was zealous a little, 2. King. 10.30. destroing the house of wicked Ahab, and the abomination of Baal, & god blessed his seed to sit on the throne of Israel, unto the fourth generation: what would he haue done if he had been zealous in all the will of god: but because he left not the sin of leroboam, god loathed Israell, and smote them in all their coasts by the sword of Hasael. look on Asa also king of Iuda, 2. Chro. 14. & cap. 16. when he sought the Lord our God, the land had quietness ten yeares, and after he had a wonderful victory and much spoils of an huge host, often hundreth thousand and three hundreth charets: but when he made flesh his arm, and cast the Seer for admonishing him into prison, and oppressed certain of the people, he had an extreme disease in his feet in his old dayes, which took from him the glory of his youth. Look we farther on that good king jehosaphat who caused the people to be taught in the law of god, he was wonderful in peace, 1. Chre. 17. cap 18.1. prospering in wealth, & marvelous in victory: Cap. 19.2. yet when he joined with wicked Ahabs house, helping the wicked, and loving thē that hate the Lord, Cap. 18.31. did he not hazard his own life? was not he & his people put in fear with a great multitude from beyond the sea: Cap. 20.2.3.37. and were not his ships broken that they were not able to go to Tarshish. And generally from Ioshua, and thenceforth in all the story of the bible, you shall hardly or not at all find, that ever God blessed the people long with peace and prosperitye, when they declined from his laws, or that he spared good kings, when they followed their own mindes, and left the will of the Lords word unperformed. So if we would consider what hath followed the disorderly and rash urging of subscription,( a thing under pretence of unity, to cut the throat of Gods ordinance in discipline) when the mouths of Gods faithful servants were stopped, and very many of hir Majesties most faithful subiectes fearing God, grieved and molested, it may be it were good policy for us to besturre ourselves to set up reformation: for we know that one fear or plague hath ever since followed an other: first in that very year, howe many ways was hir Majesties sacred person endangered by the devilish and traitorous papists, then followed a dear year of corn, and after many were punished with penury: besides this, we haue sent forth souldiers kept watch & ward, & lastly forced to forsake al to wait vpon the enemy, whom God brought even in our sight before our doors, and at this hour wee are still busy in labour and study, to keep the sword out of the land. If unto Iuda and Israell such things as these were warnings, threatenings, and corrections: let us take heed, that we go not to far in flattering ourselves molesting Gods servants, refusing Christs ordinance, till it be too late, and there be no remedy. O Lord for christs sake, bow thou our harts, that we may not lean too much, unto the uncertain staff of earthly policy, but look unto thee that smitest vs. An other general reason is this, The thid reason from the event. that now it is easy to establish it, and hard to keep it back: yea saith a mild and reverend man: I would gladly know, D. Some in his treatise of decyding certain quest. &c. pa. 36 whether it bee possible or safe, to plant discipline in this land, before that Gods holy truth bee soundlye both taught and received: and that there be fit church-men and people to execute the discipline. I am sorry that by public authority such a book should be allowed, that hath no better reason against discipline, then that which standeth with the accusation of the whole state and dispraise of the whole land. For what can be greater shane to our state which profess the true & sound doctrine of the gospel, then that the same should not be soundly taught: and what greater dispraise, then after 30. yeares teaching, there should want fit Churchmen and people, paul was but one, Rom. 15.18.19 and yet in very few yeares he caused the gospel to abound from jerusalem, An easy matter to set up and round about unto Illiricum: The Apostles in a short time planted very many churches with the discipl. of Christ. So that he durst not speak of any thing, which Christ had not wrought by him, to make the gentiles obedient in word and deed: & we haue diuers L. Bishops through all the shires in England, dispersed in several charges, and haue not all they done as much in one country, as he did in many? he had the civil power against him, these haue it for them: he was many times troubled, imprisoned, these haue nothing to fear that might amongst men discourage them: he was poor and laboured for his living diuers times, these haue great livings: he had no humiane help, but the simplo & sincere teaching of the truth; these haue very large authority: and haue they not yet prevailed so far, as that Gods holy truth, is soundly taught and received, but that the lack hereof must hinder the good course of discipline? In a very small time did Pauland Barnabas preach, and teach, many in Derba, Listra, Iconium, and Antiochia: Act. 13. &. 14.20 21.23. and ordained them Elders in every church. At Ephesus paul continued three year in which space he taught them al the counsel of god, Act. 20, 17.27.28.31. and left them Elders to look to themselves and to all the flock. It may be some man will object, that Paules calling being extraordinary, and his blessing extraordinary, to blame our Bb. may not be fit. I answer, if they will take vpon them an office and charge of many congregations as paul, & claim authority in ordering of churches and church men, as paul: why should it not bee looked for, that they should do as much good in their place, as he did in his, having many more helps, then he. But this cometh to pass, by no other reason, but by the want of Gods church government. Discipline in England. For when they take a calling whereof they haue no warrant as paul had, how can they bee blessed as paul: when they meddle with civill causes which paul did not: how can they, or do they attend unto preaching in themselves, & promote it in others, as paul did: when they by articles and devised plots make daily traps to entangle good preachers, and thrust many out because they teach all the counsel of God, as paul did: and maintain, & bear with some which preach against the counsel of God: and more, which preach never a whit of gods counsel, which paul did not: when they haue in their mouths the way of preferment, and in their labours the care of honour, and give dispensations to Non-residensy, tolerations to naked Readers, which all were far from paul: how can wee look for the fruit of their loyterings, which came of his labours: or that such as strive against the gospel, should do good, as he which strove for it. Let all men consider by this, what it is to bee L.B.( jure humano) by mans lawe, and to bee a poor minister and true servant of Christ,( jure divino) by gods Law. But it should seem by this question, that if the holy truth of God were soundly taught, &c. then it were possible and safe to plant discipline in this land, and surely I think so too. But herein I differ, that I am persuaded that gods truth is soundly taught in this land( which he seemeth secretly to deny, Gods truth is soundly taught in England. or else his question were no question) and so I think all men that speak advisedly, and all the churches of god will witness with me: so that I think in a matter so clear, I need not to use many unnecessary reasons: therefore it followeth by his own judgement, that it is possible and safe to plant discipline in England, where the holy truth of god is soundly taught. As touching fit church men and people( god be thanked for it) there be more known then be accounted of, and more unknown than we are worthy of, and more would haue been if the resisting of discipline, and maintening of popish disorders, had not discouraged some, and prevented very many. But I would fain be taught either by the scripture of God, or by sound reason; howe in many places of this Land the holy truth of God, can bee( as it ought) soundly taught and received, and fit church men and people: Christs orders and discipline, maketh fit churchmen and people. till the rule and law of Christ be observed. For see you not, that the orders now keep them out, which would like kind shep-heards feed the flock, and that it feedeth and fostereth the Idle & proud Prelacy, who lie lurking in their warm nests, having many easy impediments, and sweet silver cords to pull them back from their duty, they are so invested into offices civil, and so preferred to the honour of the high commission, that their leisure is small, some dwelling in Cathedrall churches, are so pestered with consultations about leases, & changing of church lands, with feasting and flattering one an other, with rhewmes and stitches, and the farnes of the places, or vnholsomnes of the air, where their charge is: that they commend that business to their curate. Some having been put to learn their catechism, & to make exercises now thirty years, are as fitt church-men for knowledge and utterance, as a child of eight yeres of age. No marvel then, though the people in all places be not so fit as they should be: when by the order of our disorderly church government, such wicked & blind guides may bee suffered and defended. But if according to the law of Christs church-governement there were diligent search made in all places of the land, for wise, learned and stayed men of all degrees to bee called to the office of Pastors and teachers: and that by the wise circumspection of these, discreet and sober men, with the consent of several churches were adjoined as helpers: think you that there would bee many places void of able and godly teachers. And if there should some be, could it long so continue, seing that the power and spiritual authority of these, would soon breed such a light, and bring forth such a harvest, as the beauty and glory of such churches as were established and furnished, would soon draw on the other, and cause them like wise to bee provided. Now men thrust in themselves, then they should be called by other. now men seek( like journey men) a curatship, and( like farmers afore hand) get an advowsen before the incumbents lease( I should say life) be out: then should such as be good men and of fit gifts be sought for, not only in the university, but in the country, court city, and gentlemen and noblemens houses, wheresoever any might be found worthy of so high a calling. Now many are violently thrust out, because they do their duty: then should many be set in, who would tremble of themselves, to enter into that calling, for fear they should not discharge it Now many change their studies from divinity, many after study go to other trades, many parentes are discouraged from bestowing coste on their children, because they see how little they be esteemed, if they will not yield to the corruption of our disorders. Then many would change their studies from law, physic, music, schooling, &c. and many would leave their trades, and parents would think their cost well bestowed, & be diuers ways comforted, to prefer their children to the study of divinity. again, many who now are dumb, if they saw Christ coming but a fair of with the scourge of discipline, would soon find their tongues, and the uniting of small parishes would make us need fewer than be: and the sending of bish, and non-residentes( such I mean as are meet) to a charge, would supply some that want: and some of their curates,( being as learned, as they) would serve to fill a gap: and diuers other things would God offer, if we would go about it. If the Apostles in a short time found fitt men to place for Pastors, Teachers, Elders, and Deacons in every church: how much more would it appear easy among us, if so be now after 30. yeares of peace, and increase of all kind of learning, there were liberty for Christ; orders, and authority to further the same. The worthy example of jehosaphat, in this place, might both teach this thing, and encourage our state men. 2. Chr. 17.6.7.8.9. cap. 14.4. For he first sent teaching Levites throughout all his kingdom to teach the people: and after went through all towns, causing them to turn to the Lord. And so by little and little in a short time restored the church to a wonderful beauty and perfection. But it may be the godly reader hearkeneth and longeth to know, how I can prove it easy at this time to reform the disorders in our church, and to plant christs discipline: he thinketh peradventure, that he seeth many things of contrary persuasion. he that had lived in the day of the death of Christ, seing howe despitefully he was handled, would not easily haue believed that which Christ speaketh John 12.32 I, if I were lift up from the earth, will draw al men after me. But if he living in the dayes of Constantine the great, Christs discipl. easy to be planted the first Christian emperour of Rome, he had read over the horrible battels of all Potentates by fire and sword, for the space of three hundreth year against christ, he might easily stand astonied to think, that through so many yeares of unmeasurable affliction, such horrible torments, and infinite butcheries, that the kingdom of Christ stood fast and increased, according as it is written: Be thou ruler amid thine enemies. Psal. 132.14. How much more may wee think it easy to set up Christes discipline in the church, now under so Christian and mild a queen, so highlye honoured of God, No good thing hard for our gracious queen. so ten dearly beloved of hir subiects, after so many yeares of peace and preaching the gospel, vpon so good occasion as these wonderful warnings and merciful deliverances, when thousands sigh for it, and ten thousands haue sought it: and approved and worthy men of all shires haue consented unto it, and in some sort craved it, and all men almost confess that wee ought to haue it( onely they say they cannot tell how it may be accomplished,) and no man is able soundly to confute it. In the dayes of King Henry the eight, a prince of noble memory, by the means of one man the true right of the King being revealed: how soon, & how easily was the Popes supremacy cast out of england, in a time of great danger, when the realm had very little acquaintance with the gospel, and the Pope did rule in mens hearts as God. And without the realm( for the most part) the whole world on the contrary: yet did that worthy King prevail and keep his right. King Edward the sixte, that rare young prince, being tender for yeares, how did he set up the gospel in the midst of darkness? What fitt church-men and people was there, if he had tarried till they had come of themselves, howe long might he haue stayed. Or if the queens Majesty had cast al perils that in reason might haue fallen out in restoring the churches at hir joifull entrance into the seat of hir rightful throne: shee might haue said it was impossible, and not safe to alter the state of religion. How much more would it bee easy now to overcome and turn out the remnants, & tail of the Pope, when there was no hurt to this land nor great matter in the doing of the thing, to subdue & banish his head. The easiness of this, may farther appear if we consider, Maintainers of mens traditions despised. first how the maintainers of mens traditions against Christs church-government by the just judgement of God, Malach. 2.4. ( as he telleth them in the prophet) are made to be despised & vile before al people: because they kept not his ways, but haue been partial in the Lawe. So that a poor simplo minister that handleth the word of God aright, though all his living peradventure be not worth forty marks the year, is hard with more reverence, & resorted unto with more diligence, than one of those that imagineth that the dignity of ministers consisteth in outward things, though he haue the great bell rung, and men to help him to the pulpit. Men cty out for lack of teaching. again, who is ignorant howe men cry out for able ministers in every place: what suits and supplications in time of Parliament, what means hath been made to counsellors? In the next place consider, that the same which the L. Bb. and the Cathedrall churches do possess, if it be taken in time, There is living for able ministers, if it were taken in time. before it be too much scambled, how well would it serve to redeem impropriations, and augment the smaller livings, and with the overplus serve to other good uses, for hir Majest. warres, & increase of learning: how easily might two or three, or more small congregations bee united into one, when there is law already to do the same. again, some of themselves will say in some places, that if it pleased hir Majesty they would bee willing, but we must not go before a law. But I cannot be persuaded, but they slander hir godly & christian mind: for if they would deal faithfully with hir, & by themselves, & by suffering others, make this holy truth of Christs Ecclesiastical government, The queens Majesty abused by the Bb. plainly known to hir royal and princely understanding: it is impossible that so zealous and godly a prince, having so many yeares in so many perils of hir life, against so many mighty men abroad, and false harts at home, so wisely & constantly maintained the gospel of Iesus christ, and comfortably received so many blessings, deliverances, and advancements of honor, so that hir name is great and terrible to al lands, would be so negligent of hir duty, so unthankful to God, so fearful of any danger, or any way so backward: that in hir onely, so holy, so worthy, so hye and necessary a thing, most profitable to hir subjects, most certain for hir safety, should be withstood & resisted. Do not they preach? do they not persuade? do not they sue for commissions? Do not they suspend, imprison, and keep back al they can from the court and Paules cross, which might detect their unfaithfulness to God, and abusing of hir majesty. Furthermore, if we weigh how the papists courages are well allayed, their nets broken, and many fallen into their own pits, and their long woven spiders web, their filthy plots, by Gods merciful providence made void, No hard thing to cast out & that the zeal of many hath been lately stirred up, and made more desirous to serve God, & follow his law: were it not easy now to plant discipline? and would not all men think, that the mercifulness of God calleth unto it? and would not his mercies bow thousands to like of it? how readily did the people leave their work without all constraint, and with very small and slight warning in many places, when they knee we that hir highnesse was desirous that God should bee solemnly praised of hir people, howe did this pierce the peoples harts towards hit? how much more would the Lord frame the peoples harts towards hir, if this noble work were enterprised, and the fruit thereof would be a thousand fold doubled. Lastly, The Pope in a consumption. consider that since the time of Luther, the Lord hath breathed vpon the Pope, and strooken him in a mervelous consumption: and that is a sure word of prophecy, 3. Thes 2.8. that by preaching he shal be consumed, and the people of God haue commission to reward him, Renel. 18.16. and give him double, according to his works: think you it willbe a hard thing to cast out of England, some relics and scattered remnantes of the rail of the beast, when wee haue experience that these prophosies are true, in the great and most substantial frontiers of his power. Let us not fear then, as an hard thing, when God and man, heaven and earth, time & place do favor the work, and warrant good success. Out of this followeth the second part of my reason, for if the Pope must consume, and that by the breath of Christs mouth, 3. Thes. 2.3. then surely Christs meaning is, that his own kingdom shall prevail. This is the ston that was cut without hands, that breaketh the image in pieces, Dan. 2.34.44.45. & maketh the great monarckes of the world like the chaff of the summer flowers, the reliks of Popery. carried by the wind, Christs kingdom 〈◇〉 prevail. where the place cannot be found, and itself groweth into a great mountain to fill the whole earth. This is michael the great prince that standeth up for his people, and casteth out the great dragon. Dan. 12.1. This is the King of Kings, and lord of Lords. revel. 12.9. cap. 19.16. Now seing we crave no other government but his, and his cannot bee withstood: let all state-men judge, whether it bee not hard, and contrary to safety, to stand against him. And if we knew what the Prophet meaneth, Esay. 49.23. when he saieth: that Kings shalbe the nursing fathers of the church, and Queens hir nurses, that they shal worship with their faces towards the earth, and lick up the dust of hir feet, Psal. 110.6. & that Christ shal be judge among the heathen. he shall fill all with deade bodies, and smite the head over great countries. We might soon perceive that it will be hard kicking against the prick, and as the Apostle said to the Corinthians, for mingling themselves with the table of the Lord, and table of devils. So it may be considered of us for mingling the holy things of Christ, with the profane things of Antichrist. Do we provoke the Lord to anger, 1. Cor. 10.22. are we stronger than he? When D.W. was made Archb. and set forth his unadvised device of subscription, Subscription did but trouble the church and commom-wealth it seemed as a strong pot of brass that would soon haue broken in pieces all the power of poor ministers, and made discipline in utter contempt. But mark what followed by distur bing Gods servants and many churches, the cause of discipline is better known and more favoured, & their Hh. and Lordly presumptions, by a contemptible & very base and strange means, not once dreamed of by a thousand of gods saints, even when their creases were set up, To keep out discipline and they began to say, all is ours, was so dashed, daunted and taken down, that the more they stir for their own glory, against the glory of God, the more shall they fall before the presence of his power and the glory of his truth. And in them is fulfilled that which the lord spake against Ely, who suffered his sons to profane the holy things of God. Thē that honour me I will honour, 1. Sem. 2.30. and they that despise me, shalbe despised. Alas, what armor had david against goliath the great, armed with spear, shield, and sword, 1. Sam. 17.40. and brigandine, that he made the whole host to fear: had he any more but his shepe-heardes sling with a ston, who fighting in a good cause, and in the name of the Lord, subdued the Philistim, and smote off his head with his own sword. judge. 8.5.6. How did the princes of Succoth, and the men of Penuel despise Gideon with his small power, refusing to give them bread, when he pursued Zcba and Zalumna kings of Midian, yet wee know, that he had the victory, and they the smart of such contempt. Let them consider I pray you, that by that very means which the children of jacob thought to bee rid of joseph, did God bring to pass, that which they feared: and a time came wherein they remembered that they had no compassion on the tears of their brother It may be remembered, book of mart. pag. 1430. & 1431. what hard dealing was against the reverend and godly man, B. Hooper, and howe God made them to see their faults, and to be reconciled that did it. It may be considered that Anno do. 1538. there was an injunction by the noble king Henry the eight, that the bible should be set in churches to bee read of all men: and anno 1540. the 6. articles followed. These two, like unto the ark of God, and Dagon in the very temple of Dagon, had their conflict, no eafie matter. but where was the victory? we this day see. So can it not be possible to keep out discipline, seeing we haue the sceptre of Christ, not only red, but preached among us? For in the dayes of King Henry, Dagon fell down vpon his face on the ground before the ark, and his head and hands were cut off in King Edwards time: he was set up in a patching manner in the dayes of queen Mary: he hath received the second wound by queen Elizabeth. And I pray God, that by the emrodes sent from God, those which maintain the stomp that remaineth, be not forced with homage and honour to Christ, to give the ark of God his free passage. I would wish rather, & I desire God most heartily,( that now they are in a rage, & furnished with commission for their private reuenge,) the Lord would stryk them as he did paul, when he went with letters to Damascus, and make them to see their folly, Acts 9. that by their happy conversion there may bee rest to the churches of England: and that they may bee aedified and walk in the fear of the lord, and be multiplied by the comfort of the holy Ghost. O if it would please God to give them grace like good Elders to fall down before him that sitteth on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever, to cast away their popish crown, revel. 4.10. and cursed jurisdiction before his throne, and suffer not themselves to bee called Rabbi, Mat. 23.8. ● Pet. 5.3.4. Heb. 7.26. or lords of Gods heritage, but let Christ bee the onely Teacher, chief shepe-heard, and Archbishop, and live with their brethren, as examples to the flock. Let them consider the good example of the faithful and humble servant of Christ, John the Baptist, who gave Christ the honor,( though his own disciples repined) to bee the bridegroom, and he as a friend stood by, joh. 3.29. rejoicing to hear his voice, and confessing this to bee his joy, and to fill him with joy, saying: he must increase, but I must decrease. Seing then that God is the author of this ecclesiastical discipline which we seek, The end of the general reasons and that he is the wisest, and his works most permanent, and that mans vain wisdom, Antichrist which consumeth before him, and satan the deceiver, bee the inventors and maintainers of disorders and usurped authority in the church: and that we haue covenanted with God in Christ, profess his word, renounce antichrist, and God accepteth not Iuke-warme gospelers, and to be worshipped by weal, seing the thing itself is pure, perfect, and full of all goodness, for the peace, wealth and honour of Gods people, and that it is ordained for the joy and happiness of all nations. Seing that it is easy to be done among us, having the gospel soundly taught, and received now thirty yeares, and the head of Antichrist broken in pieces, in more dangerous times, and the sincerity of doctrine is and hath been among us set up, maintained, and zealously and constantly defended by a most christian princess, & that the enemies are in derision, the papists cooled, the people inflamed with zeal, and the occasion of Gods mercy calleth us thereunto; and the very time of Antichristes consumption, and that there is living sufficient, and men, and means to accomplish it. And lastly, seeing it is hard, dangerous, and impossible to stand against it: I most humbly beseech, and move your Hh. to consider, whether it be not the beste and surest policy for this realm, that it may continue quiet and happy, to reform al disorders in the church, after the scriptures of God, and to suffer no other churchgouernment, but that which Christ ordained, and the Apostles practised. The special reasons are now to follow, More special proofs of the proposition, from the church or commom-wealth which are such as specially concern, either the common-wealth or the church, for these are two twins which are united together, and remain distinct in every nation fearing God, for the double benefit of the inhabitants thereof, whereby God hath that which is his, Mat. 22.21. and Caesar that which is his: and some are put a parte in the church, for the matters of God, and some in the common wealth haue civill offices for the affairs of the King. When these two are rightly ordered, 2. Chro. 19.11. and being joined together, and remaining distinct, do in their several natures and proper places work together, they make a happy state and people. Which two things, if it may appear that the establishing of discipline after Gods word, will bring to pass: I hope it willbe granted that the true rules of policy will challenge Christs church government for this Land, and banish the usurped and Antichristian hierarchy. In the common-wealthe, there are the persons and times to be considered: the persons, for the wise and upright executing of laws, and the times of peace & war, or any other calamity, which require a diuers kind of travail and providence. Concerning the temporal and common laws and statutes of this realm, The civil estate and common laws of England worthy great commendation. so far as I can see, there can be few nations preferred before us, and for the wise fore cast of things in the sway of the common-wealth, both for the main tenance of peace, and strength for war, as my purpose is not to meddle with it, so I cannot but admire, & give god thanks for the rare and honourable virtues of wisdom and magnanimity, The orders of Christ in hir most excellent Majesty, and the constant, faithful, and diligent providence and labour of hir most honourable and grave counsellors: praying God always for the blessed continuance of the same. The thing which I endeavour, is onely to show how this happy tract of time, under so wise, both laws and gouernours may be best and surest kept and enlarged, either by that church government which is borrowed and left as the smoking tail of Antichrist, or by the ordering of the churches, after the word of God. If wee speak of the persons in common, 1. special reason for the execution & practise of good laws, Christs discipl is best. howe the good and wholesome laws should take good effect both in them, and for them: & we consider the loose handling of holy things, which is in the very nature of the bastard discipline, & the great occasions which the church governours and church-men haue, to be drawn away from the just and due practise of their offices, you shal easily perceive, that the matter is cleared by the experience of times paste: for as touching the word, when on the one side in the most places, there wanteth the quickening work of preaching: and on the other side, where that work is, it is hindered with dispensations, tot-quots, & civil dignities: how can the word of God enter into the conscience of all degrees, as it were necessary to breed a conscience, either in the Magistrates to execute the laws justly, or in the people to obey them faithfully, being so little, being slightly & so untimely taught. whereas Gods order is, Act. 14.23. Tit. 1.5.6. that every church be furnished with able men; of good life and diligent teaching, 2. Tim. 2.3.4. to be as souldiers free from all business to serve their captain Christ, which a thousand times more effecteth the due executing, & practise of laws wholesome and good. maintain the common laws. And as touching the censures; first when they may bee executed for trifles, and then in weighty matters changed for money: thirdly by persons which in the nature of the thing ought not to meddle with such ho ly matters; and in regard of distance of place cannot deal so justly as a good man would and should,( for a man though he be letted with sickness, or the Queens Majesties business, is excommunicated before the cause of his not appearing bee examined.) verily all these things which lie in the very nature of our disordered government, & not in the corruption of the persons, make the holy things of God contemned, the execution hated and derided. Very hardly then can any man be well and soundly brought to be a good Magistrate, or subject by these, whereas Gods order is, Heb. 13.17. Act. 20.28.1 Pet. 5.2. Gods order maketh good magistrates and good subiectes. that the Eldership shall watch over every congregation or parish, and so every mans cause may easily be known: and that shalbee by men of ecclesiastical function, set apart onely for the same, according to the quality of the offence, without change of any censure into a civil mulct, without respect of person be duly and truly exercised. If you compare these together, and judge in the lykelihood of the several nature of things( for I meddle not with persons, in whom always ther may be corruption) you shall perceive that the one is like the leaden rule of Lesbos, which will bend where the party to be ruled will not bow, and the other is the blade of a shaken sword in the hand of the Cherubins, to keep the way of the three of life. Tell me then I pray you, which most agreeth with policy( if we were desirous to haue al good laws duly executed) a thing contemptible and vile, which is far from true justice, or that which hath power and pierceth the soul. The discipl. of Christ altereth not And surely this may easily bee observed, that the most part of such as are against the orders of god, are a people that delight in licentiousness, Wicked like not Christs discipline. which cannot abide to hear of their sin, and hate to be admonished. By which it is manifest, that the other is of no powerful nature to keep men in good order, & that which of all other is a very weighty matter, the nature of these disorders is such, that they keep out & thrust out of the ministry, such worthy men as of all other, are known most diligent and wise, in framing the con science to all good laws, for executing of justice, and practise of obedience. † By T.C. In the admonition to the people of Eng. pag. 77. &c. here it is objected, that the whole state of the laws of this realm willbee altered, which is a manifest untruth, as al men may see, that the church-government intermeddleth not in the temporal laws, but onely with such cannons and laws, as concern the ecclesiastical jurisdiction and orders: & the proofs from the cannon lawe, and state of civilians, of tithes and matrimony, &c. which contain but some very small parte of the law, do of themselves convince the contrary. But as for the cannon law, it is no way hurtful, but good for the state of the laws of this realm, if it were abolished: being( as hereafter will appear) not necessary but dangerous to the state, and by former statutes already * Anno 25. H. 8. cap. 19. indighted, and to remove a dangerous thing already found guiltye by other wholesome laws, was never inconvenient. As for the maintaining of civilians, as the law already maketh no great necessity of them, There is little need of cannon or civil law. having little other way to set them on work, but by the cannon lawe: if such mens studies were converted an other way to more profit, in the church and common wealth, little or no loss or inconvenience would follow. the estate of laws established. As touching tithes, testament, and matrimony, judgements of adultery, slander, &c. if they bee temporal, why should not the magistrate haue his right to deal with them: and the alteration will not be great, but only peradventure some small addition unto those laws and statutes which are already provided, with an increase of matter to those courts and offices already established, whose process and proceeding in judgement, will bee no harder to be appointed, then from time to time in every statute, that hath been made, partly in those matters, & partly in others, since the first year of hir highnes reign, hath usually been accustomend. Touching the judicial laws, that is nothing to the question, for whether these things be altered or no, it is all one in respect of discipline, which intermeddleth not therewith, and they may be altered if the wisestates of this land see it necessary, though the discipline crave it not: and if they should be altered, the inconvenience can be no greater, than in such cases is usual: for Princes repeal and alter such laws without hurt, as they find necessary to be repealed and altered, or else what need so many parliaments, and so many new laws. As for that is alleged, concerning the laws which maintain the queens supremacy. &c. It is a manifest slander, as is declared plainly in an answer to D. Sect ●. Bridges preface, entitled, A defence of the godly ministers, and shall after be seen also in this treatise. A lamentable abuse in impropriations and patronages. As for impropriations and patronages, if they confess a lamen table abuse, then they join with us, that there ought to bee amendment. As for the difficulty, it is ra her presumed, than any way proved, as shal appear afterward: and to speak generally to all the rest, what hurt can there now come to go forward in religion, The discipl. of Christ altereth not to augment and alter a little, No danger to go forward in religion. seeing that when indeed the whole state of laws were altered, at the entrance of hir majesties most happy regiment, in time of more danger as is aforesaid, the Lord gave a contrary event and happy blessing. And though it seem a matter of great weight, to alter one of the three estates, by which the laws haue stood, yet the Lord hath by the ministry of your honourable wisdoms, effected more greater and difficult matters than this. Howbeit( as the Lawiars report) the L. Bb. are not one of three estates in making laws, The L. Bb. not one o the three estates by which the laws do stand. but are mingled with the Lords of the vpper house, which Lords are one of the three estates. For they describe the state and body of a parliament, & the members it consisteth of, in this order: Namely, See the L. Diars book or reports An. 36. H. 8. fol 59. b. and An. M. 1. fol. 93. a. that it doth consist first of the King as chief: secondly, of the Lords as chief members of that body: thirdly, of the commons, that is knights, citizens & burgesses as the inferior members, & al this make the body of the Parliament by which the laws do stand. Whereby I gather, that as before the pride of Antichrist brought in the L. Bb. to be lords, joined to the lords temporal in the vpper house, the laws stood by the said three estates without them: so it may bee very well at this time, seeing they are not an estate of themselves, laws made without L. Bb. Rastal. Tit. provision & premu mire. cap. 4. but joined to the estate of the lords, and that diuers statutes haue been made without them. And if their lordly title and dignity were taken away, might there not bee present in the Parliament house, some wise and grave ministers of especial gifts & learning, sorted out of all the land, to yield their counsel according to Gods heavenly lawe, even as the civil judges are ready to give their aduise, according to the temporal lawe, the estate of laws established and for matters of greater difficulty, there might bee a free synod after the manner of the Convocation house, at all times to minister further help. Come we now to the several sorts of persons, they are either superiors or inferiors: and amongst these( as Peter saith) the King is the chief. 1. Pet. 2.13. david on a time was in a hazard by a mighty Philistime, 2. Sam. 23.26, and rescued by a valiant and faithful captain Abishai. To whom his men swore, that he should go out no more to battle, least he quench the light of Israell. These men no doubt did know that the glory and safety of the whole common wealth did depend vpon a good ma gistrate: who being taken away, as a light quenched, A good prince is the light of the weale-publick. the whole land was like to be in great distress and hazard, and this verily is always a principle that never faileth. When the righteous are in authority, Pro. 29.2. the people rejoice, but when the wicked bear rule the people sigh. Therefore wee of England are much bound to praise God, both for so happy a light which he hath vouchsafed to give and keep unto us, our most sacred sovereign lady Elizabeth, and for the great and wise travail of hir honourable counsellors, so far as in them lieth, to prevent all dangers to hir person, and perform every action that may make for hir preservation. grant me then I beseech you, your gracious favour, though I bee the least and basest of the thousands of England, to show my good-will, my hearty desire and faithful mind in this thing. 2. special reason For I am persuaded that there is nothing that can by any pollicye be devised, comparable for hir safety; unto the establishing of discipline after gods word. Princes keeping Christs word are his friends. For if it be true, 1. Sam. 12.25. that they that do wickedly shall perish with their king and to disobey Christs commandement be sin and wickedness, Discipline after Gods word 1. Tim 1.9.10. and he saith you are my friends if you do whatsocuer I command you: joh. 15.14. then it is a point of great policy that you labour wisely, to set up Gods orders in his churches, if you desire the continual preservation of our queen. again, Good policy to roote out the sprigs of popery, that he grow no more to hurt the state. in al historics it is found to be most agreeing to policy, when thou hast subdued thy capital enemy, or banished him, to roote out al his friends, and whatsoever may minister occasion of his return: and in your books of policy, you shall find diuers princes for their safety, haue both taken away the heads of the men that might haue been dangerous to their estate, and as conveniently( as possible they could) altered the form of government. But seeing wee haue sufficient in Gods word, 1. King. 2.26. I will not lad you with other. Salomon was a wise king as ever lived, he used this policy towards Adonijah, joab, and Shimei: and the text saith, after he had slain these three, the kingdom was established in the hand of Salomon. now this king needed not to change the law, because coming to his crown by lawful succession, he might safely continue the old. And yet in the matters of God, he went farther then his father, in building the temple, and setting forth the true service and worship of Almighty God therein: which when he swerved from, and followed the laws of the nations round about him, which were enemies by nature unto him, his estate was troublesone, and his end not so glorious. For this cause God gave his people when they should enter into the land of Chanaan this lawe, that they should utterly destroy those nations, Deu. 7.2.3.4. Cap. 12.2.3. make no covenant nor haue compassion of them; nor make any marriages with them: and secondly, is for the queens Maiest, safety that they should destroy their idols, and all monuments of Idolatry, so that the very names of such should not be heard of among them. Which when they did not carefully follow, they were pricks in their sides, and snares to their feet, judge. 2.3 and greatly to their wo and misery. So I do sear, and very much believe, that one great cause of many scourges and fears, and flights that wee haue been put unto, cometh by a contrary policy which fostereth the enemies of hir majesty, and giveth occasion of many mischiefs. What made the I urke prevail against the east churches, Anno 1245. and that he came even to the borders of Germany, even the supremacy of the Pope, which is the main breach of this discipline. But when & how was he stayed? even then when Luther had detected the disorder of the Antichristian Prelacy, Anno 1529. and at Vienna where served the value of resolute Prote stantes, The breach of Christs discipl. hath over thrown many kingdoms, and namely the roman empire, he had his first stop, and a very great overthrow: & why prevailed he so far into hungary, but onely because they which should haue given rescue, as vassals to the Pope, were so busy in healing the wound which the triple crown had received in Saxonye: and that they neglected the true duty to their country. Anno 604. When Phocas to get favour after the murdering of Mauritius his lord and master, had granted to the B. of Rome, to be B. of Bb. and head of all Christian churches: did not the authority of the Empire decay and the power of the Empire wax weak ever since? haue not the seruants benelords over their Lord? Consider I pray you what difference there is between the B. of Rome under the Emperor, to be made chief B. of all Bb. in the Empyie: and that the B. of Canter. should be chief, or Archb. Primate and Metropolitan over all the Bb. & churches in England. Discipline after Gods word If that were dangerous to the empire & Emperour, how can this be fafe for England and the queen thereof? If Thomas Becket his predecessor, could wrestle with the King, who then was Henry the second: peradventure this man( if occasion were offered) by his place( I speak not of his person) might be made strong to do some thing. If king Henry the eight had not been wise & stout, it is to bee doubted that the wil●ss of Stephen gardener, & the pride of cardinal Woolsey( as one of them in diuers things did cross him, and the other many ways led him) might haue very greatly endangered him and his country. If you look on our L. Bb. their Chancelors, The Bb. seas & cathedral dignities with the cannon law, are enticements to the queens deadly enemies. Archdecons, Commissaries &c. and join( that which they work by) the cannon law: What shal you find but that the Pope hath his horse ready saddled and brydled, watching but the time to get up again. For if Allin that filthy traitor, and such like, had not been set on fire with the love of the Sea of Canterbury, and other like places, & that the cannons were not so fit for popish purposes, would there not bee a great deal less stomach in those men, to venture their lives, and very vnhand some sitting for the deadly man of sin. These seas and Cathedrall cloisters, are fit for their pompous dwellings, and the cannon lawe is the foundation of his throne. What policy can there bee to leave any thing in the land which might either encourage, or entice, or any manner of ways, serve, help, or strengthen, the greatest and most deadly foe & hostile enemy, which hir Majesty hath, or can haue: and howe can wee long hope that our armies shall stand before our enemies in battle( though for a while God spare us and call us to repentance) as long as the greedy mindes of many Achams which lust after the Babilonitish garment, is for the queens Ma. safety and the wedge of gold, and the cursed and damned thing of the cannon Law, bee suffered and fostered among vs. But let us go a little nearer, may wee not see that these offices are fitt for papists, whom no reward( if we believe D. Parry) can make true subiects: red the book of his tragedy. Popish church-offices, cloaks for the Queens dissembling friends. may they not be civilians, and doctors of the cannon law? may they not be Chancelors, and L. bishops chief counsellors? may not they in their courts, nay do wee not see them daily to spare and wink at open recusants and trouble honest poor men, and especially those which are readiest, to detect and bewray their disobedience to hir majesty? So the very order and nature of these unnatural disorders, is against the safety of hir majesty. For whatsoever fostereth the fittest instruments, to obey the bulls in the great day they look for, that must needs bee against the queens Maicsties safety. But besides that before said, there is an other thing in the being of this corrupt church-government: first the lack of teaching of youth: secondly, by these coloured offices a man may haue a popish schoolmaster, especially if he can semble a little: thirdly, when some are secretly enticed and wavereth; who shall resolve them? the vanity of some, and the ignorance of so many,( though a few no doubt, bee well able and meet) doth so drive them back, and make them stumble, Christs discipl. preventeth revolters from his majesties obedience. that hardly can you hear, that by these any bee drawn to their due and true obedience. But on the other side, the whole frame of Gods order is clean another way. First, al the officers and cannons, horse, saddle, Discipline after Gods word and bridle is taken away. Secondly, a learned ministry, every way to writ obedience in their heart is here seated. And as he that planteth a right & true catholic Papist, cannot plant any other, but a traitor in hart & conscience: so he that by preaching frameth a true christian, cannot but frame a true subject in hart and conscience, when the preaching is the right way to make true Christians, many revolters may bee prevented, which otherwise swarm and grow into great numbers. This saieth one, ● By T.C. In the admonition to the people of Eng. pag. 77. is[ non causa pro causa,] a wrong cause, that for lack of preaching the evil of revolting hath happened: seing it was not so, or so much in King Edwards dayes, or in the first ten yeares of hir majesties reign, when we had not half so much preaching and a thousand less preachers: but the true cause is the evil hart of men, who hear the word of God vnreuerently, the schism of the church, and the devil taking occasion by schism. whom I meekly desire to consider, that the merciful providence of God, might, did, and doth wonderfully stay the hearts of the people, when it pleaseth him, even without & contrary to means: Want of a learned ministry a cause of revolting. Prou. 19.2. & 29.18. Rom. 10.14.15 yet by al reason, seing it is written, that without knowledge the mind is not good, and that the people perish, where the vision faileth, and the ordinary means of God to instruct and bring into the way of truth, is the preaching ministry, it must needs follow that the lack hereof is some cause of their revolting and backsliding. For inquire we into all men, and they will answer, so we did, because so we wereledd and taught. And though the wicked hart of man and schism, and the divell be great occasions, and sometimes causes of such things, yet the power of preaching & the due administration thereof, is for the queens Maiest. safety is the means to prevent and bridle al these: as may appear, in that the preaching is ordained to open the eyes of the people, Act. 26.18. that they may turn from darkness to light, & from the power of satan to God. And how can any man in reason think, that teaching men obedience & truth should not more draw them to obedience and truth, than not teaching. And if God haue ordained it to do it, why should not the want of Gods ordinance bee a cause, that it is not done: as it is written, My people is destroyed for lack of knowledge. And whence is the evil hart of men maintained, and schism fostered, Hosh. 4.6. & the divell occasioned to work his will, but hence: namely, that the one is not taught diligently by preaching, and kept in order by discipline, and the other are let out at random for lack of them both. For if by Gods order things were squared, where were the schism, and the door for the divell: where doth the wolf prevail, but where the shepe-heard sleepeth, and the dog doth not bark, and why should we pray the lord of the harvest, to thrust in labourers into his harvest, Mat. 9.38. if the want of such labourers, could be no cause of harm. For trial hereof, look on the country and parishes where preaching is by a standing ministry, and compare them with other, I could name some place of two thousand communicants, where there is not a suspected papist, and hardly shall you see such a one tarry in such a place, except it be in hope, through the popish disorders, to drive away him who is the means of the good subiects faithful hartes. Secondly, if there had been an Eldership joined with such a ministry, think you that there could haue been so many seduced as there are, and so many hanged, drawn and quartered as there are? When the nature of our disorders doth so negligently provide a remedy, no marvell though the Iesuites prevail as they do. Add hereunto, that by these disorders, those men are brought into contempt, which haue written most for hir majesties right and laboured with most profit, for the increase of good hearty subiects. here an other steppeth forth and saieth, that in stead of those you find fault withall, you would haue a Pope in every parish, and the queen should be subject to your Pastor, and that by the discipline, the just power of hir royal magnificence shalbe abridged, & in that sense slander us with the abuse of the words of esay, Esay. 49.23. that Kings and queens shall worship with their faces to the earth, and lick up the dust of the churches feet. First consider, that to be a Pope over one Parish, Christs discipl. diminisheth not the queens supremacy. is farther from the crown and power of a kingdom, than an Archb. or L.B. over many parishes and shires, yea, metropolitan of all England: And yet the pastor hath no papal authority to do as he listeth, but hath his voice only as the rest, 1 Tim. 4.14. Act. 20.28. 1. Cor. 5.4. and is subject to the Eldership. Neither can he excommunicat without the consent of the church: but as Peter and John were sent by the Apostles from jerusalem, Act. 8.14. & cap. 15.2.22. and paul and Barnabas from Antiochia, and Iudas & Silas to Antiochia were sent by the church: so every pastor is subject to the church and censure, as well as other men, save onely that he hath an office that every man cannot haue. Then it is a slander also to say, that we make hir subject to the Pastor, for whatsoever authority any prince can haue over their subiects, that we give unto hir, teaching every soul to bee subject to the higher power, neither is it to bee feared which some men dream of, for we affirm not( as god knoweth) that the homage that Esay speaketh of, is of any such nature, that hir royal crown and dignity should bee subject to any man whatsoever, but only unto Christ, which I am persuaded hir most excellent Majesty most freely, and of godly zeal doth embrace: Namely, that Iesus Christ the Lord of life, is Lord of lords, and King of Kings, and that his laws are to bee preferred, before all Princes laws, and that they ought to bee obedient unto them, and not contrary. here of it cometh to pass, that hir majesty counteth it no subiection to kneel down in the presence of a minister in prayer to God, to hear him preach, and admonish hir of hir duty, to deliver to hir as from god the sacramentes, and by hir royal authority to command and enforce all hir subiects to do the like, and in all other things to submit themselves to the ordinance of Christ: and in doing this, hir royal majesty doth greatly honour the church, after the meaning of Esay, who speaketh in a borrowed speech from earthly potentates, to show the obedience and honour of Princes to Christ in the church, and their care to advance his church. So then, herein hir highnesse worshipping God after his own Lawe, and thereby making herself as a member of the church and not head, and reputing Christ onely for head, to whom in all things she giveth homage, and taking herself only under him as chief governor over all hir people, to see every man, aswell church-officers as others, to do their duty according to Gods law, having the lawful sword to punish them that do it not, & to defend their churches in their right, doth lose no one little iote of hir princely supremacye, Rom. 13.1.2. for she hath the honour of the building of the Temple with Salomon, 2. Chron 2: 1. Chron. 28.11, 12.39. to see by hir royal authority every thing done according to the pattern of God, and the Priests and levites to take their courses as God hath appointed, 2. King. 12.4 8, 9. 2. Chron. 24.4 9. and with joash to command the Priestes to look to the repairing of the temple, and to proclaim in hir dominions, that men shal do after the law of Moses, and by hir authority with jehosaphat to set the Priestes and levites, 2. Chron. 19.8. and of the chief of the families, for the judgement and cause of the Lord: & for the establishing of hir supreme magnificence above all persons, the lord will give unto the harts of al sorts of people to do hir commandement, & of the rulers under hir, according to the word of the Lord, as he did for the aduancement of the throne of Ezechias: 2. Chro. 30.6.12.16. so that by his direction and commission, the Priestes and levites did sanctify themselves, to stand in their places after the manner according to the lawe of Moses the man of God. Out of all which I gather, that the discipline hindereth not, but that by hir supreme authority she may compel all the people to keep the commandement of God, and the ministers to be, and do, after the law of Christ his son. And by hir commission she may haue, as she hath already, rulers and officers in every shire and great town, as commissioners in causes Ecclesiastical, to be as it were, hir eyes, ears, and hands, to harken after the due and orderly proceedings of the ministers, Elderships, and Synods: to compel them to do every thing after Gods word, by civil authority: and if need be, to punish them which handle Gods holy things out of order, and to force the people to bee obedient unto the ordinance of Christ Iesus: so that she still shall remain over all persons, in all things supreme governess, ( and herself, under none, but God in his son Iesus Christ) in that full and royal authority, superiority, pre-eminence, supremacy & prerogative, which the laws already established do now give unto hir, and hir majesties injunctions, and the articles of the Convocation house, & other writings apologetical of hir royal authority and supreme dignity, do declare and explain. Now I say, seeing hir highnes doth aclowledge Christ to be hir head, and renounceth the Pope, is it not for hir safety, by hir authority to set up that which remaineth of Christs most holy laws, and to banish all the Popes cannons? May not hir princely mind perceive it to bee so, if she remember that it is said of Christ: By me Kings reign, Prou. 8.15.16. and princes decree justice: by me princes rule, and the nobles and all the judges of the earth. An other reason may be drawn from the common effects of the church government. For if it be true, Christs discipl. maketh learned and good men, therefore it is best for a monarch or king. that a certain politic counsellor gave to a heathen Emperour, Omnes imperiti & vitiosi, bono Principi suspecti esse debent: that a good Prince may suspect & stand in fear of al ignorant and wicked men: then seing that both heaven and earth do witness, that our sovereign is a good prince, that church-government which breedeth most learned and good men is best, and surest for hir safety. What our disorders do breed all the world seeth, it maintaineth blind guides, how can it make a learned people? and howe wicked men do shroud themselves under them, this one thing may stand in stead of many: that partly by colour of Law, they can so molest a good man that would teach them and make them good, and partly by commutation of pennance, licenses, dispensations and tolerations, any evil man especially if he be rich, can tell howe to escape their slender cob-webs well enough, that men are discouraged from presenting or dealing any way against wicked men. And let a good minister once suffer a harlot to be presented, she is so reformed that she will haue two or three bastards on in an others neck, do the minister and the parish what they can to the contrary. But how such should or might be scourged out, with the through preaching of the Gospel in every church, & the good use of the discipline of Christ, and knowledge and wisdom planted in mans heart, it may appear by this, that for civil, wise, and good behaviour, compare them which are under continual teaching of Pastors, with them that be further removed, you shall find a great difference. And how can it choose but nourish learning, when the wisdom of the word shineth in every church, by a standing Pastor, and Teacher? Will it not inflame mens heartes, with the beauty thereof? There shall you see young & old called from blindness to light, from wickedness to virtue and piety: must it not needs turn a great many more, where it wanteth? Consider what M. Fox saieth of M. Thomas Bilney of Hadley, book of mart. pag. 445. that the same church seemed in his time, rather to bee like an university, than a poor town of clothing. Tel me whether a Non-resident, or idle & dumb minister can or hath done the like? and verily when men know their duties to hir majesty, it is the way to make them do it: but if they be not taught, how shall they know. But of all others, Christs discipl. an enemy to flat terers, who spoil good rulers. I find that flatterers are reported of some to be most dangerous to the safety of a prince, as in the life of Alexander the great, when he dealt hardly with them that told him the truth, & yielded to flattery, to bear the reputation of lupiters son, he was never without one treason, or tumult or another, and in the end,( as some esteem) poisoned. Now the disorders of our church, what are they, but a very mass of flattery, and a pit that casteth out flatterers: for while men contrary to their own knowledge say all is well, and there is nothing contrary to Gods word, and that by subscription and other means, they would drive men to allow of every thing, & that this by order is so, that a man were better to swear or lye,( which are manifest breaches of Gods moral Lawe) then to break one of these traditions, is not this to make us, not onely secure, but to think that even the law of God is not comparable to ours. How may this endanger a virtuous Prince; if the lord by his grace did not uphold hir? again, if it bee suspected that a man do mean to speak plainly, and truly before hir majesty, is there not order provided by our disorders and for their maintenance, that if it bee possible such shall not come in place? Lastly, those great dignities and spiritual promotions may easily beget flatterers. me thinketh I see a further sore here, than I can handsomely express. I pray God to deliver hir majesty from all flattering, lying, and deceatfull tongues. One thing more there is which maketh for the honour and safety of our noble Lady & mistress: namely, that by this means when al things shallbee reformed by Gods word, Christs discipline furthereth the league with religious Princes. as it is certain that she cannot haue more hatred than she already hath of the wicked, so the Christian princes of al parts willbe a great deal the surer, and the league with them the more certain, and that which is more, many willbe drawn by hir example, being a monarch, and a mighty people, to go forward in religion: Christs holy Discipline for all wise and good potentates, must needs think, that this christian Lady and Queen increaseth much in zeal, wisdom & courage, and her people grow in the fear of God, and constancy in religion: therefore is it our best to make much of her and her people, & it is a shane for us if we should not be as forward in zeal, and as valiant in the cause of God, as a woman & maiden queen. Howe much will these and such like thoughts and speeches turn to her immortal famed, & present safety? for if it were honourable to king josias, from age to age, more & more to establish religion in the purity thereof: and that Solomon was noe longer honourable and safe, then he kept the same rule: howe much more shal it be for her renown and safety, to deal more wisely then Solomon the wisest, and to be as zealous as josias, who was for zeal as highly commended as ever any. And here fall down two vain & fond reasons, Christes discipline no hazard to her majesty, nor Argument of inconstancy if she set it up. that if she should reform the Church, she should be reputed inconstant, and purchase greater hatred: for hatred, can there be greater then to seek her life, and to rob her of her crown and dignity? this hath been sought after( al the world knoweth) by hatred, and can there be greater by discipline? al wise men will also think that inconstancy is in going backward, & not in going forward. Luk. 14.28.26. Psal. 84.7. Rom. 1.17. It is inconstancy to begin abuilding and not to make an end if one be able: and not to finish a good work well begun is inconstancye, but this is the very nature of a christian, to grow from faith to faith from strength to strength, and from virtue to virtue, that we may appear before GOD in Sion. Concerning the nobillitie and comminaltye of this land, is good for Nobil. & come. The third special reason. there is a great cause both for the one and the other, to seek after discipline as God commandeth it: first the one loseth a right in civil offices, & functions, Christes discipline giveth the right to the nobility & cominaltie. for when it appertaineth not to the ecclesiastical functions to meddle with works mere civil, as is before declared, then do they usurp upon the temporal estate, to meddle with these callings, which must needs be an injury, and therefore in times past( as lawyers say) there haue been diuers laws made to bridle this insolency, and it is a matter punishable at the sessions, if they meddle with any subject, Mast. Lambert justice of peace book. 2 cap. 4 pag. 338. to call him before them or to put him to an oath, otherwise then in causes matrimonial, and of restament, but if they do not onely bear upon their shoulder the commission of peace and other great commissions, but also in their spiritual courts against lawe, call her majesties subjects before them in matters which pertain to the civil judges, then it doth appear that such disorderly government is not to be suffered, as a thing plainly injurious to the nobillitie, and commonalty: besides, that howsoever peradventure some godly Princes haue reposed great trust in such persons, yet is it a great dishonour to the nobility and gentillitie of this land, that there could not be wise and honest men enough found out amongst them to deal in civil causes, but that ministers must be taken from the study of diuinitye wherewith they ought to beautify the Church, to the study of lawe and executing of commissions, for they which by the nature of their calling, and manner of bringing up, they are most unfit. Christs discip. affordeth to al sorts godly & learned teachers. And how can a christian man delight in that government, which by the nature thereof, will take out of his chapel a learned wise and zealous minister, whom he knoweth to be honest and of good conversation, Christs holy Discipline is good and maintain in other places such as are clean otherwise, may not al the cominaltie haue little delight in that dissipline, which in one year could stop the mouths of a hundreth godly and faithful preachers, and not in thirty yeares to roote out thirty blind guides, otherwise then nature itself and the mere blessing of God hath afforded? Christes discipline excomunicateth none for trifles. Can they delight in that which contrary to lawe can call them for every trifle, & excommunicat them, which is to deliver them to the devil, if they do not appear? I will not here use such terms which my matter and proposition requireth, because I see the people in their wound, and it is not good to stir and cherish an il sore, but rather to heal it, in as much as God hath appointed an other way. Therefore we lie here at her majesties feet, craving, begging, & humbly suing, that shee would look well unto herself, tender the honor of her nobillitie, and haue compassion vpon her poor people, who for lack of Christes holy dissipline, haue great cause to doubt of her safety, and to fear their own misery, and to suspect the present happiness. What a godly thing were it, Christes discipline good for children, and most equal and just for al persons. that the nobility & cominaltie had some help in every place by a learned ministery, even in the infancy of their children, to breed that fear of god, which might prevent worse matters, which we see come to pass when the rains are laid loose in their necks, and there hath been little dissipline? What a comfort were it that a man might be sure, no licenses could steal away his daughter, & what ease were it for the people, and readiness to find out the truth and perfection for justice? that in causes ecclesiastical a man might be censured in the Church where he liveth: for nobility and Commi. the wicked could not bear it out with changing or perjurye, neither would the innocent be so soon oppressed( as touching the nature of the thing, I speak not of the person) but every one should haue occasion to be dealt withal according to sight, rightly and honestly. Now we are to consider of the times of peace & war, here one speaketh soughtly & saith, The 4. special reason. if your majesty should set up dissipline, you should haue present rebellion. What might this man haue said unto Luther, a poor simplo friar, 1518. that set up the Gospel almost under the Alpes of Itallie, which remaineth so steady, that al the power of princes cannot take it away: and when diuers Popes who sought his life, and that with strong hand, died, he lived an old man and ended his dayes peaceably. No reason to fear rebellion by setting up of discipline. In the entrance of her highnes gracious reign, there was more policy in reason, to haue so objected against the setting up of the Gospel, but now God be thanked, the case is altered, as I haue before shewed, I do not doubt but that the lively faith, which her good & princely hart hath in Christ Iesus, and that royal magnanimity which she hath always shewed, if she might be let to see the certain truth of the venerable doctrine of Christs discipline, would easily persuade her that she could not doubt, but haue as good success with this, as with the first, & the long experience of Gods merciful and assured protection, now in a time less dangerous, would make a matter of so great necessity, to be cheerfully sought for, and spedilye put in practise. Moses first brought the people out of egypt, after he declared the lawe, and lastly erected the tabernacle, so I do not doubt, but as God hath mightily blessed her in the two first, The Church government of Christ he will as greatly honour her in the last. But me thinketh this man in this case misseth the true rules of policy, The papists look for achaunge so long as we want Christes holy discipline. for where the Papists are so full of plots, is it not because they are in hope that things will change? and why do they hope? but because they behold the image of their father the Pope and his marks: they think he is not so gone, but that if they did their duty, he might return. Therefore they are busy, and many nets are spread for the feet of our inno cent princess( whom God bless and maintain) and engines of diuers forts are made to break in sunder our peace. Will you bee without fear? With all speed, and yet with wisdom and understanding, set up Discipline & reformation that is amiss after Gods book, Psal. 122.3. & 48.5. and you shal see their hope will be turned into fear, they will see jerusalem so to be built, as a city at unity in itself, that when they behold it, they will marvel and be astonied, and suddenly driven back. Thus was it with the people of God after their captivity: they never had quietness till Nehemias that worthy Prince arose, who though he were never so much put in fear, that he was driven to cause the people to work with one hand, & hold the weapon with the other, Nehem. 6.16. yet he never ceased till he had finished the wall, & made all things in his order about Ierusalen. whereof, when al the enemies did hear, even all the heathen that were round about, they were afraid, and their courage failed them, for they knew that this work was wrought by God, and shall wee, who by her gracious and godly government, are brought out of the spiritual babylon, into the fellowship of the Citizens and saints of God, doubt more of his blessing, if we should strive to garnish gods city with this goodly wall of ecclesiastical Discipline? maintaineth peace. should not all papists be forced to say, that the Lord hath done this? especially now, when he hath so wonderfully driven back our enemies. jehosophat after that he had escaped in the battle where Ahab was slain, and had been admonished by jehu the son of Hananie the Seer, for taking part with the wicked, gave himself to reformation, and not onely in Iuda, but even from Beer sheba to mount Ephraim, he brought the people again to the Lord God of their fathers. What followed? could there any prevail against him? No no: It is written, that the fear of God was vpon all the kingdoms of the earth, when they had hard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israell, 2. Chro. 19. & cap. 6, 20.29.30. so the kingdom of jehoshaphat was quiet, and his God gave him rest on every side. Shall wee think that the lords hand is shortened, if we be as zealous as he? Exod. 10.26. Moses would not leave a hoof behind him in Egypt: did he speed any whit the worse in the end? and shall we think that if some Achitophel should fortify some wicked Absalom, to resist his liege lady and peaceable mother; that God would not stir up a thousand Hushais to overthrow all his counsels? Let us remember wherein our peace consisteth, and the strength thereof: is it not in serving of God, and walking in his commandements, and putting our trust in his mercy? Then must wee take heed of all those Baalamites, who under pretence of preventing rebellion, give crafty counsel for the divell: to make us careless, in our duty towards God, that when wee refuse to go forward, wee might fall backward: and then God proclaim war against us and say, if they will not obey, The Church government of Christ Ierem. 12.17. Esay 57.21. 2. Kin. 12.27. then will I utterly destroy and pluck up that nation. And again, there is no peace to the wicked saith my God. So was it with jeroboam, who to establish his kingdom over the ten tribes to himself and his posterity: he altered the precepts of God and made two calves, the one in Dan, and the other in bethel, least the people going up to worship at jerusalem after Gods lawe, should rebel and fall away from him: but this turned to bee such a sin, that it rooted out his house, & many other houses after him, and in the end, the whole ten tribes, whereof he was king, were spewed out of that land, so dangerous athing it is to choose that policy, which is against gods lawe and commandment. now in peace as one saith, Christs Discipline is for the wealth and honour of the realm. small things are made great, riches & honour are multiplied. Let us see whether these disorders do not maintain the contrary, I cannot say but God hath blessed us in our peace with both, and yet I must say, that the state of our churches and church government is rather a hinderer. First there lacketh that orderly seeing to the poor which were expedient, and men for the most part are left to themselves, so that by idleness and liberty, great pouettie are among us, which fall into many noisome things, which might very well be amended by Christes discipline. secondly there are among us, suffered & nourished by order in Cathedral churches a cloister of idle men, who living vpon the goods of the Church and Common wealth, do little or no service for the same. It is a heavy burden in a common wealth to suffer men to live in pleasure and ease like oxen in a stall, to do almost no labour. For most of these( I will not say all) do little or nothing, as by the nature of this order they are occasioned: Is not this to be amended? they will say they are rewards of learning, but it is scarce good policy( as I take it) that when men haue learning, they should be maintained to idleness, and put their learning to no use. But they do preach, that is to say, some of them sometimes do preach, and some do hier others to preach for them. But to look nearly to the thing, one man may do as much as all the orders of the house( in the place of the house) do require. Then if one of necessity should be there, all the rest of the livings might well bee spared for the helping of churches which haue small livings, and to further the increase of learning. But as touching honor, it may be that they would say, that wee should loose one estate, and so the Common-wealth decayed in wealth and honour. The honour of a Common-wealth standeth, not in an estate which is of an other nature, but in the honourable and wise carriage of true Common-wealth men, counsellors, Iudges, Iustices and Captaines. Now when their living should bee employed to better uses, it would bee a greater honour, and riches of more profitable increase. This would( say they) turn to the damage of the common treasure, which by first fruits in the remove of L. Bb. and Cathedrall Prelates, is somewhat augmented. Not a whit: for if it were so that the money should be carried out of the land, as in times past it hath been to that powling city of Rome, then it were something that were said, but seeing it is to bee bestowed in the land, it can be no loss. For in the conuaiance, that benefit might be reserved: yet I pray you, how did out treasure hold out, when that a great deal more was wanting, which hath come in within these 80. yeares. If our forefathers in blindness, thought nothing to much for the Churches advancement, neither almost had any end in giuing their lands and goods that way, shall wee think that God cannot another way bless us as much, if we partend from a little, for the competent and decent erecting of his ministry? but God be thanked, the Common-wealth( as I hope) may the rather be increased: for if things be wisely handled, the ministry may bee well and decently maintained, and yet there will arise such a portion of good lands, to be bestowed at her majesties pleasure, as may make a large recompense by a yearly certainty, and this will be a great deal more honor to our Common-wealth, to haue Gods house well and rightly built, and his seruants comely entertained, then for the making of one L.B. unnecessarily, there should be a hundreth Bb. beside to the realm, 1. Tim. 3.1. as poor almost as beggars. It would be more honor & wealth to the realm, then to maintain a sort of idle, read or blew coats, to haue in every parish, an honest, & learned B. who in a competent living would feed the poor, and by giuing and lending, keep many a good Subject in heart, that he might be able to serve his Prince in time of need. In time of peace, Christes discipline cutteth of contention. a great waster of prosperity is contention and strife, and many houses lye wast by such inordinate jarring and suits of lawe: here to let pass howe many suits are bread and fed by these disorders, as about aduowsons, privileges and presentments. This one thing will show the excellency of discipline, for the wealth of the realm and quiet of subiectes, that the Church is to censure such a party, who is apparently troublesone and contentious, and without reasonable cause, and vpon a mere will and stomach doth vex and molest his brother, & trouble the country. And the daily showering due of the preaching of peace, will bring forth many counsellors of peace, and many, when they see that such a thing is vncomlie, and to bee answered before the Church, will bee well advised what suits they take in hand. Thus when the authority of the church and good preaching, cutteth asunder the cords of discord, men must needs increase in wealth, and so at all times shall bee able to bear any burden that the Common-wealth shal require, and this will bee a great deal better, then if the treasure lay unprofitably and without use in Coffers, and to the honor of the realm far more excellent, when men shall be in all places, found able to relieve themselves and other. Now as concerning warres, The 5. special reason. wee may learn of the children of this world, that it is the best policy to advance the Lords holy Discipline, and that as well in the preparation for war, as in the time of war itself. This doth altogether further our estate. The Bb. of Rome haue Seminaries erected, for the training up of young men in their abominable errors, out of which, as out of the dragons mouth, there go these unclean frogs the jesuits and Seminary Priests, who go about as it were, by night closely and secretly croaking, at the consciences of her majesties elects, to bring them from their dutiful obedience and subjection. Now in war it is an ordinary pollicye to haue a countermine, because the enemy most commonly useth to undermine where he cannot well come nere in fight. So if we had Discipline, and every Parish his learned Pastor, these creeping crokers would be so narrowly looked unto, Discipline after Gods word Christes discipline foreste aleth all sedition and rebellion. that they could not haue any hole to hid their heads: and the people, would be so well instructed in the knowledge of God in Christ Iesus, and of their duty to their true sovereign, that al the frogs in those moorish Seminaries, should not be able once to move them, and by this means, so prepared for war, if need be, that whereas now there go a great many only with their bodies, and some only of a natural love to their country, then would they go with a resolute iudgement, and of conscience to God, they would willingly do any service, and that, which in this case is not small, they would not so easily bee drawn after any great man, or mean man, to sedition and rebellion. For how ignorant men, are like children carried with every wind, all state men do understand. Therefore, seeing as is already proved, and al men by too too lamentable experience may know, that the nature of our Church government, as it is now unperfect, doth very slowly bring forth, true resolute christian men of knowledge: we may easily perceive, that it is dangerous for the state to suffer it in the Common-wealth, and to let the church bee over run with such careless and blind guides. Besides this, quietness in charges for war cometh by Christes holy discipline, and wiling soldiers. when men haue knowledge and understanding, what is fit for Gods glory, and their duty at such a time: they will not murmur and grudge at every trifling charge, which cometh to pass, for the supply of the warres, but willingly and cheerfully, do any thing that may become good Subiectes, in cases of necessity: But what I see both in this, and in the other for lack of good teachers, maketh my heart to bleed, and my pen cannot utter. whereof think you, was it that Abraham ha in his house, 318. men, so ready at an hours warning, is good against war. Gen. 14.14. & 18.19. to go with him to pursue them which had taken Lot, but by the good instruction & Discipline of his house, which he is commended for to haue, according to Gods ways? What made the Reubenites, the Gaddites, and the half tribe of Manasses, so willingly to leave their wives and Children, on the hither side of jordan, and to go before their brethren against Canaan, josh. 1.12. & to bind themselves on pain of death, every man to bee obedient to Ioshua, and to go whither so ever he would sand them? Was it not because they knew the Lord, and that Ioshua was appointed by him, The keeping of Gods orders good for warlike provision. 1. King. 10.26. to bee their governor? was there ever king provided more royally of al store of good things, for peace and for war, then Solomon? Was there any at any time, that did more advance Gods ordinances, then he did in the time, he got all this abundance? Who went forward more in al prosperity, and in all plenty and provision for war, then Vziah, so long as he sought the Lord God, in the days of Zechariah that understood the vision of God? but when his heart was lifted up, & he presumed to break the order that God had appointed in his Church, he became a pitiful leper, and so for his transgression, lost his great honour, which he had of the Lord. 2. Chron. 26. See then, that it is good policy, for provision of good and faithful souldiers, and all manner of store of munition, for honourable service in war, to follow gods word, and his ordinances in the governing of our churches. In war itself, there is nothing more needful, Christes discipline best to make soldiers obedient. then faithful obedience, which where can it be more truly found, either in Captain, or common soldier, then where the conscience is catechized in the byways of the lord: which if it bee wrought by this, in the things of preparation, it will be also as firm in the very time of war itself: I will not say, but some thing is, and may be done, as the state of the Church now standeth, for God be thanked, there bee diuers good Preachers: but the question is, of the best and surest policy: If now then by a few, much good is done, what would it be, if every congregation were rightly informed, and truly reformed? a thousand to one. In war unto obedience, cottage & patience, by Christes discipline. there is to be linked courage and patience, courage to bear the assault of the enemy, his force and terror of warlike weapons, and patience to endure all distresses, pennury and scarcity. Now if men be not well resolved by good knowledge of their duty, they will fly, for fear of the one, & fall to mutinies, for grief in the other. Therefore if there be in every congregation, a worthy teacher, he will be able so to prepare theit hearts, that they shall stand immovable, with laziness of spirit, to go through the one, and with modest quietness to go under the other: which thing, is not possible to bee, where the order of the Church, suffereth or fostereth so many unfit and raw schollers, which haue more need to bee taught, then to teach others. again, the presence of an honest, wise, and grave Minister( the Captaines can tel) doth more then many fresh water souldiers do think, especially in extremity, for he shall sweetly comfort them in grief, mightily embolden them in fear, meekly stay them in rage, and prudently prevent many evils. Hereof was it, that joab, that valiant warrior, when he was beset before and behind, by the Aramites and Amonites, having divided his army, ●. Sam. 10.9. and set his battle in array, could and did use these words of encouragement: be strong, and let us be valiant for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes. Hereof was it, that when Saneherib, king of A shur, besieged jerusalem with a mighty host, and sent his servants to rail vpon God, and to make weak the hands of the people: 2. Cron. 32. Esay. 36. There was great silence by the servants of Hezekiah that godly king, and no man stirred, for he had caused them to be instructed in the ways of the Lord. Last of al, Ordering the Church aright bringeth strength and victory in war. that you might know how good a policy it is, for strength & victory in war, to haue the church ordered aright, with the proper offices, and proper works, namely what courage it may work, and what good success it may bring in the end, consider well the battle which Abijath the son of Rehoboam had with jeroboam the son of Nebat. The first being king of Iuda bringeth into the field, 400000. able figh thing men, the other being king of Israel had 800000. valiant men of war. Abijath setting his men in array, 2. Cron. 13. calleth unto Israel, and admonisheth them to remember that they had forsaken their God, and therefore should not prosper: amongst other things he cometh to this present point: and saith: Haue you not driven away the Priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron and the levites, and haue made you priestes like the people of other countries, &c. And again, but we belong to the Lord our God, and haue not forsaken him, and the priests the sons of Aaron minister unto the Lord, and the levites in their offices, &c. and again. Behold, this God is with us as a captain, and his priests with the sounding trumpets to cry alarum against you. O ye children of Israel, fight not against the lord God of your fathers, for you shal not prosper. lo here what courage, and confidence, the true order of Gods ministery may breed and bring forth. in the day of a dangerous battle, let us hear the success. jeroboam caused an ambush to compass Iuda behind, so that the battle was behind & before: but the men of Iuda cried unto the Lord, the priests blew the trumpets, and the people gave a shoute: and the men of Israel fled before them, and were slain with an exceeding greatslaughter, so that there fel down wounded of Ifrael, 500000. of chosen men, and Israel was brought under, and Iuda prevailed, because they stayed vpon the lord God of their fathers. Oh happy success: oh wonderful victory, blessed is that people who can follow this example, to reform themselves after Gods lawe, and to order the churches with these holy administrations, & sanctified works which God hath appointed, & to leave the proud, antichristian, profane, unclean, lame, blind offices and officers, of countries estranged from God, and the unholy & defiled rites and ceremonies of the unrighteous babylon, from whence we are returned unto the city of the living God. Let us now look unto the church, The fixed special reason of the Church. and see whether al be well and safe: namely whether it were not better & safer to haue reformation after Gods word: the Church is called Gods house, 1. Tim. 3.15. 1. Cor. 12.28. Cap. 4.1. Heb 5 4. Mat. 25.14. 1. Cor 12.6. 1. Pet 4.10. 1. Cor. 11.23. Act. 20.27. the ministers are Gods stewards, set in by him, and noe man is to take this honor except he be called, and those he putteth in office haue talents, these work the works of God, both to speak the oracles of God, and to minister of the ability which God ministereth, delivering that which they believe of the Lord, & teaching the whole counsel of God that the church may observe whatsoever Christ hath commanded, Mat. 28.20. 1. Tim. 6.14. & that without spot and unrebukable until the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ. When therefore it is already declared, and al men may see that many offices, works, & rites, are added to that of Christes out of the house of Anti-Christ, & that many of these, want that which Christ hath appointed, and that the house of God is daubed with untempered mortar of mans devise, with hey & stubble not agreeing with the foundation, and that the church is his truespouse, and with us is maimed, Christ many ways calleth us to reform out churches after his word. in many members, and her nakedness & wounds covered, with the filthy and stinking clouts and patches borrowed of that damnable whore of Rome, Christes mortal enemy. I cannot tell howe it can be safe for our churches if they be not reformed, for if we be the temple of God, and he dwelleth among us, 2. Cor. 6.26. we are to know, that he calleth us to come out of babylon, and to separate ourselves, & to touch noe unclean thing that he may receive us: & if we suffer our lord Christ to stand and knock at our doors, Cantie. 5.2. as it is said in the Canticles, till his head be full of dew, and his locks with the drops of the night: & we as half a sleep and half a wake, are loathe to go out of our warm beds, to put one our clothes, and to foul our feet: it may come to pass, that when we would open unto him, he will be gone, and when we shal seek him, we shal not find him, and call for him, & he not answer: and that counterfeit watchmen, of the wicked synagogue, shall find us, and beat us, as in times past, and take away the vail of Christ from us: then will wee think, that it had been better to haue been zealous, and opened unto him, that he might haue come in, Reue. 3.20. & supped with us, and we with him. To leave out all other things, Christs orders, taught in the gospel, Christs church government, best for unity and honour of the ministry. especially, because they are partly contained in the former reasons: there are two things, that men marvelously stand vpon, for the upholding of this Antichristian lordliness, and usurpation of Church government: the dignity of the ministry, and the unity of the Church: two things of very great weight, whereof the one is so great, that every minister ought to look very carefully to it, studying to show himself approved, a workman that needeth not to bee ashamed, 2. Tim. 2.15. Titus 2.15. dividing the word of truth aright: speaking, exhorting, and rebuking withal authority: the other is such, that if it be not looked unto, the contrary thereof, is the ruin and downfall of the Church, Oala. 5.15. as it is written: if you bite and devour one another, take heed least you be consumed, one of another. Now say they, if there were not L. Bb. the poor ministers would be born down, and made no account of, but they are a countenance and defence unto them, and whereas, every one would be master, and do as they list, by them, men are kept in awe, and things are made quiet: therefore you know not what you do, when you go about to pull them down. Surely, a goodly show at the first sight, but not such as will abide the breath of God. Is not Christ sufficient, that hath promised to be with his seruants unto the worlds end, to countenance and defend his ministry, as well as he did three hundreth yeares together, when al the power of earthly authority was against it, and shall he need now a devise which he long since forbade: saying, it shall not beso with you, but he that will be greatest, let him be your seruant, Luke 22.25. especially, when he hath reared up the christian magistrate, to bee a nurse-mother to his church, and to defend all the ministers for well doing, be best for the churches safety. as she doth all other subiectes in their callings: and is not Christ by his own order, as well able to keep his church in unity, as by that which he abhorred: and may not also the civil sword( if need require) help to bridle the insolent and unruly? But in very dead, these men are greatly deceived, who think, that either unity, or good ministers, are furthered by their lordships: for as their callings are not of God, so they countenance such as are like themselves, corrupt offices and works, Cathedrall churches, non-residence, pluralities, dumb idol ministers, &c. These, if they subscribe, and show themselves conformable, though they slay never fo many souls, shall be born out and countenaunced to the utmost. I would we had not too lamentable experience: what a countenance is this? that though a man live neuerso honestly-preach Christ never so soundly, wisely, and profitably, yet if he answer not their expectation, in that bastardly government, and canonical obedience, he shall be as much regarded, as though he were the vilest man alive: and I would it were not true, that very wicked men are maintained, while good men are put out, and can any thing bee more to the contempt of the ministry & rent of the church, and making of seisme, then when men are quiet, and follow their calling, with great care of the peace of the church, they should be called forth to subscribe, to human constitutions, as unto the book of God: & without due time of examination, consideration, & resolution, to be suspended or deprived, and tossed from court to court, what can make the gospel more hated, then to see bad fellows, & dumb Idols to be set free, with credite and commendation, & they that haue won many to the fear of God, English books, seen & allowed, & duty to her majesty, by diligent preaching: even against the law of God and man, to be entangled with troubles, torn and turmoiled with diuers molestations. And is this the fruit of unity, that is pretended? to begin the quarrel with the quiet, and to pursue it with all violence, to make them, who in town and country were very greatly at unity, took sweet counsel together, for the profiting of the church, to be now sundered as strangers? O Lord deliver my soul from such honour and unity, and deliver thy poor seruants from such bondage and contempt, and thy Churches from such reptoches and disturbance. But if these disorders were removed, and Christs Discipline planted, where were all these mischiefs? they would be thrown into the bottom of the Sea: then would be the glory and beauty of the ministry, in the true work of every calling, and the power of the spirit, Christs Discip. taketh away the causeof contention, &c. which accompanieth the same: then would be the unity of the Church, when their causes of contention should be taken away, and the house of God, joined and built with the right stuff & gold of God, and Gods grace in the midst of it. Then should the Papist quail, to see the glory of Christes kingdom: then should the Annabaptist wail, that he hath abused Gods people: Then should the Atheist be forced to stand amazed, at the wonderful brightness of the chast and holy spouse of God, looking forth, as the morning, Cantic. 6.9. faire as the moon, pure as the sun, terrible, as an army with banners: For this I hope, all divines will grant me, All disorder & schism, by breaking Christs orders. that there never was, or can be in the church, by the members thereof, any dishonour, schism, disorder, or disquietness, but by the breach of the law, and order of Christ: whereof, teach Christs discip. for our sasty in all the complaints of Gods spirit, you shall find these, and such like phrases. divisions and discensions, Rom. 16.7. 1. Cor. 11.18.22. 2. Thes. 3.14. Gal. 16.16 cap. 1.7.5.8 Math. 15.6.9. contrary to the doctrine ye haue received. I haue received of the lord, that which I also delivered unto you. Withdraw yourselves from every brother, that walketh in ordinatly, and not after the instruction which he received of vs. As many as walk according to this rule, peace shalbe upon them. 2. Tim. 4.3. It is not the persuasion of him that calleth you, revel. 3.14.20 you haue made the commandment of God of no authority by your traditions: & such like: therefore I may boldly hold, Iude. 3.4. that Christs Church government is best for the Church every way, and namely for the honour and unity thereof. And here I most humbly beseech the reverend fathers, by the mercies of God our father, An humble speech to the Bb. by the consolation which is in Christ lesus our saviour, & by the fellowship of the spirit, by whom we be renewed, setting apart, al affection to themselves, and faction with others, in a simplo and single eye, to consider these few things. First, that seeing by themselves, in their public sermons, and writings, and other books, set forth with authority and privilege: The seekers of reformation, may learn, Sermons of Thomas, B. of Lincoine pag. 5 that the government and direction by Gods word, prevaileth more, than any devise of man: and that there are infinite examples, of unarmed men, who obeying gods commandements, haue scattered the most puissant armies of the infidels, Antimartinus page. 26. and of most mighty Emperors, who for mingling sometime, and sometime changing the precepts of the lord, with their inventions, haue come under most vile bondage: And that where the people are not taught, they can not serve God, the Prince is not so dutifully obeyed, the rebellion in the North is proof of that. D. Some in his treatise of deciding certain questions. pa. 8 D. Bilson in his defence of the queens supremacy part 2. pag. 233. And that this authority which you haue, was not ordained by the commandement of Christ, for his Apostles, but by sufferance of other Bb. and that onely with this prerogative, that in all doubts of doctrine or discipline Archbb. and patriarks might assemble the rest of their brethren, or consult them with letters, & see that ob. served which the most part of them determined. Luther on 1. Pet. 5. ver. 2. So that the Bishops are greater, then Ministers or Elders, rather by custom, then by any truth of the Lords appointment, and ought to govern the church in common, M. Nowelin his catechism fol. 40 B. and that there is described out of Gods word, a certain order of governance and form of Ecclesiastical discipline, which ought to be observed in every Church, if it be well ordered: which by desire of impunity, and liberty to sin, is long since decayed. And seeing we haue most plainly and perfectly teaching, the whole discipline out of the word of god, & ancient writers, and Cannons of the Church, translated into the English tongue. Peter martyrs Common-places, Caluins-Institutions, Bullingers decades, Bezaes confessions, the Apoligie of the Protestants of france, and diuers others: Whereof, some I haue seen lying openly to be red in some of your great chambers, some are commanded to bee studied, by the unlearned ministry, Keeping out of Christs Discrpline, little comfort to the Bb. and all printed with public allowance. Here I say, you are to consider, whether it be equal and just, for you to do contrary to your doctrine: to punish others for seeking humbly, that reformation in Discipline, which by your means, they haue learned to be according to Gods word. or what comfort you can haue in your consciences,( if God should but a little call you to account) to stand so stiff for that, you cannot but confess to bee of mans custom, against that which was of Christs institution. And lastly, whether you can be said to haue a care of the safety of her majesty, and the good flourishing estate of this land, especially now, when God calleth us unto repentance and reformation by many troubles, when you do so aegerly fight for that, which made the mighty Emperors, vile slaves, and that against such a thing, as made the naked men great conquerors. Secondly, seeing that now thirty yeares, taking vpon you, the governing of all the Churches in England, you haue put out more godly, little good in 30. yeares by all our Bb. governing. learned, and zealous Ministers, for your own traditions: then you haue removed, of other unfit and ungodly, for breaking Gods commandments: and that S. paul having but a while preached at Creta, an iceland of an hundreth Cities, left Titus there after his departure, to set all things in order, and namely, a learned ministry in every city, Titus 2.5. cap. 3.12. ( and that without help of the civil Magistrate) appointing him to stay but till winter, and then to come to him to Nicapolis. Consider I beseech you, that in so many winters and summers, in this little iceland, you haue done so little good, and cry out still, it is impossible to haue a learned ministery, when you haue the most renowned Prince in the world for religion, to back you with civil power and countenance. As it is to her immortal famed, to give you this liberty & authority, thinking it not to much to aduanceyou to great dignity and honour: so, wey with yourselves, what may bee thought of you, that haue so meanly discharged the great trust committed unto you. Thirdly, where you say, that the godly seekers of reformation, The Bb. disturbers The godly seekers of reformation, contend not for trifies. contend about trifles,( which is not so) and that they ought not for small matters, to disturb the peace of the Church, and provoke her majesty. Consider I pray you: whether that, when you do so earnestly stand to maintain them, and are not as earnest against the greater offences, suffering thousands of souls to perish, by ignorant ministers and non-residents, you tithe not mint, and leave out the weighty matters of the law, and whether you ought not for the peace and good of the Church, to yield to your brethren, Gen. 13.8.9. in that you count small matters( as Abraham did to Lot) especially, seing youcannot deny, but that they seek that which God commandeth, & refuse that which is of mans ordinance, & that, not as new fangled heads, and singular, but with the agreement and consent of most approved, both old and new writers, and as most reformed Churches haue also determined and practised. Consider I beseech you herein, whether the word of God went from you, 1. Cor. 14.36. or came onely unto you, and that when in so many years, you haue found these things to be inconvenient, The Bb. make themselves slaves to their own orders. it were not your duty, to do as the Apostle saith, that in lawful things, which were not profitable, he would not bee brought in subiection unto any thing, 1. Cor. 6.12. which while you neglect: Consider I pray you, whether it bee not you, that disturb the peace of the Church, and provoke the good and peaceable mind of our gracious sovereign, against your brethen, and that you haue not need to take heed, least the master of the house come suddenly vpon you, and find you beating your fellows, Math. 24.49. and separate you, &c. Lastly, whereas you mistrust some Machiauilian plot, by deep sleights, to maintain this contention, for the bringing forth of diuers mischiefs, Admonition to the people of Eug by T.C. page.. 155. Antimartin. page. 24.25. noisome to religion and godliness, and hurtful to yourselves. Consider I beseech you, whether it bee not in you to prevent it: For if you would leave discountenauncing of your brethren, for that which you call small matters, and join with them in humble suite to her majesty, It is in the Bb. to remedy many mischiefs. to take away all the stumbling blocks of offence, or at least wise, obtain some godly toleration, if you would not leave your brethren, nay oppose yourselves, exprofesso, against them, and haue your ears so open to popish information, and malicious accusation, and force them by oath, to be their own accusers. Luke. 6.26. Yf you could see what it is, to bee so highly commended, by open recusants, and desperate Atheists, and that the worse sort of people, under the shadow of your proceedings, begin to make an head, and to bee strong against the gospel, and the sincere professors thereof: you might easily cut in sunder, and break to powder, all the politic reaches which you fear: For what is it, that the joined labours of faithful brethren might not do? But when you make light of these things, wey with yourselves I pray you, whether you haue not great cause to suspect, your own inconsiderat doings, and to fear, if God prevent it not, your dealing with your brethren( as Eliab with david) be not voluntary instruments of your own overthrow, 1. Sam. 17.28. and of the gospel, while you weaken yourselves, by cutting of from you, your faithful brethren, by unjust separation, and that( which many men bewail, when they behold the increase of your gifts, and other your dealings) whither it be not fulfilledin you, which is prophesied against them that teach the fear of God by mens precepts, namely, a strange work and a wonder: The wisdom of the wise shal perish, Esay. 29.13.14 &c. I pray God give us all grace, that we be not wayward conceited, and opiniate by contention & vain glory, provoking one another, and envying one another, but that our care may be united to tender the young lambs, for whom Christ Iesus our Lord and saviour, did shed his most precious blood. Seeing then, The end of the special reasons. that the Discipline of Christ, doth most properly teach every soul to execute and practise good laws, both for the constant doctrine, continually taught, & also for the Eldership being at hand, without charge of penance, reforming the disobe dient, and that the other government ministereth less able men, and practiseth the censures a far of, by a person unfit, with change of penance, and that wicked men, love this, and hate that, and that this keepeth out good men, and that helpeth them in: seing, by the orders of Christ, the queens safety is best provided for, being a thing of obedience unto prosperity: and by it, al the helps of Antichrist be removed, and the other orders, haue always hurt the lawful authority of princes, and to be chief B. in one country, is all one, as to be chief Bishop in one Empire, and these haue hurt kings, as well as our Popes the Emperour: and that by the common law and these offices, there is a hope left, for the deadliest enemy to her majesty to enter in, & that papists( who in conscience can never be true, nor by rewards bee made faithful) are fit for such offices, to cover themselves and others, that for lack of teaching, and by licenses, the breed of Papists is not hindered, neither can the doubtful be every where resolved, and that Christs laws do take away all these, and make faithful and obedient subiects, keeping out the recusants, and bewraying the jesuits, and that the ill orders do hardly entreat the doers of such good works and that Christs Discipline, doth give all kings their just titles, prerogatives, and dignities over all persons in their dominions, and that in all causes, keeping out al ignorant, wicked, and flattering men, making strong that league with christian Princes, to her immortal famed, and fear to the enemy, seeing that by this holy discipline of GOD, the Nobility and commonalty haue their right: are freed from diuers wrongs and disturbances, receiving comfort to themselves, & their children, being terrible to the wicked, & easy to the godly: seeing that by Discipline, there can be no fear of rebellion, but a sure confirmation of peace, when all hope shall be taken away from the known adversary of recovering strength in this land, beholding the Lords hand to prosper this work, and that the Lord shal not be provoked against us, for our disobedience: and that by this, the wealth and honour of the realm are increased, and contentions, and brawls, and unnecessary pleas prevented and alaied: & that idle men, of all sorts, might be set in order, and poor men greatly comforted. Seeing that this maketh best for war, as in the preparation to prevent all seducers of the dutiful subject, and by instruction, to make men resolute, in the right, so that they will not be drawn after great or small, nor murmur at any pains, or charges reasonable, but be always willing, ready, and cheerful to serve her majesty: and that GOD hath given them great store of munition, and faithful souldiers, who followed his ordinance, and punished the contrary, and that in the war itself, it maketh courage to fight, and patience to bear extremities, united to just obedience of the Magistrate, Church-gouerne. after gods word making Princes in time of danger bold and confident, and in the end victorious. Lastly, seeing that Christ hath ordained all manner of offices and works of his Church, for the right ordering and establishing thereof: and therefore it is unnecessary, and an ungodly thing, provoking Gods anger to defile it with the things of Antichrist, and that Christ doth call us to repentance, and that he hath promised sufficiently to defend his Church in honour and unity, by his own order and means by him appointed, and hath added for that purpose, the civil Magistrate, and that by these disorders, all dishonour to the good ministery, and disturbance to the Church hath been broached, and never any dishonour, confusion, or disquietness, did or can come to the Church, by the members thereof, but by violating the sacred lawe of Christ. I beseech, and humbly move your honors to consider, whether it be not the best and surest policy, for our estate in England, to reform all disorders after the word of God, and to set up that Church government which Christ hath ordained, and the Apostles practised and no other. now, The last proof taken from the iudgement of Christ. if in civil policy, all that I said were nothing,( which I am verily persuaded is not so) yet unto Christians, there is further matter, and more reason for upholding of that discipline which God ordained For we by profession( if wee bee not counterfeit) by belief also of the heart, Rom. 10.9. 1. Tim. 4.8. look not onely to haue promises of this life, 2. Cor. 5.10. by Christ our Lord and saviour, but also of the life to come, and do know that we shall all appear before the seat of Christ, Act. 10.42. who shall come again to take account of his seruants, & of every man, Rom. 2.6. and render unto every one according to the works which he hath done in his body, either good or bad, is best against the great day. and that these are to bee judged by the lawe of God, Iam. 4.12. & not of man: Therefore, when we know these things are the commandments of God, 1. Cor. 14.37. Rom. 16.26. 1. Tim. 1.9.10 11. Gal. 5.21. and that such as continue obstinate in the breach thereof, without repentance, shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven: it were not good policy for us to obtain a little peace, wealth, honour, and ease in this world, Luke. 16.25. Rom. 2.9. 1 Cor. 9.25.27. to purchase al misery, disquietness, anguish, shane and torment in the world to come, for love of our bodies, to lose both body and soul: for an earthly crown, to lose a heavenly, Heb. 11.25. for the pleasures of sin for a season, 2. Cor. 4.17. to lose the pleasures of the righteous God for ever, and to avoid a light and momentany affliction among men, to lose an eternal & exceeding weight of glory: revel. 6.15.16.17. when kings of the earth, great men, rich men, and the chief Captaines, the mighty men, and every bond man, and free man shall covet to hid themselves in the great and terrible day from the lamb: when he that hath not on the wedding garment shall be speechless, Math. 22.12. cap. 25.26.28. cap. 24.48. revel. 19.20. and the evil seruant and slothful, shall haue his talent taken from him, and such as think he will defer his coming, and begin to smite his fellowes, and eat & drink with the drunken, shall bee cut off and cast into utter darkness: when the beast and the false Prophet shall be taken & cast alive into the lake of fire, burning with brimstone, and all unclean things whatsoever, cap. 21.10.27. worketh abomination or lies, cap. 22.18. shal be kept out of the holy and heavenly jerusalem, and they that add or take away from Gods book: 2. Thes. 1.7. shall haue the plagues therein written, and lose their part in the book of life, when the lord Iesus shal show himself from heaven, with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, rendering vengeance unto them that do not know God, and which obey not the gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ, which shall be punished with everlasting perdition, from the presence of the Lord, & the glory of his power, when he shal come to be glorified in his saints, & to be made marvelous in thē that beleeue: Luke. 16.29. Math. 17.5. then shall it be found the best and surest policy, to haue heard Moses & the prophets, Ephes. 2.20. the beloved son of god: then shal it be known that the temple of the Lord is built vpon the foundation of the apostles & prophets, cap. 4.11.12.13. Iesus Christ being the chief corner ston: and that he hath given gifts for the gathering together of the saints, for the work of the ministry, & for the edification of the body of Christ, till we all meet together, in the unity of faith, and knowledge of the soon of God unto a perfect man, and unto the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ. now, The second part of the book answering the objection, of provision for the learned ministery. while wee of good and single meaning, open the necessity of reformation, other which never peradventure deserved any thing of the Commonwealth, stand gaping to run away with the spoils, of such goods as may bee well bestowed, vpon the great need of many churches. I haue thought good therefore, partly, because it may appear, that in this style, I shout not against any mans person, or envy or desire his goods: and partly, because it seemeth amongst many, to be a great objection: how sufficient livings should arise, How living may be had for a leathed ministry is a great objection for the maintenance of a learned ministery: and especially, that it is high time to consider of it, before that by leasing, chopping, and changing of such things as might supply the want, it be made in dead a hard matter, which as yet, may very well and easily be done. I haue thought good( I say) and appertaining to this treatise, to show a way how, the Churches, may haue sufficient living for an able ministry, wherein as in the rest: I only make an humble motion, & as it were, the light opening of a window, put your wisedoms in mind of this thing, which I take to bee one principal matter, worthy consideration, knowing that with far more deepnes of iudgement, and soundness of counsel, you are able to enlarge, either where it wanteth, or to cut of where it aboundeth. Two things in this, I hope I shall not need to stand upon, that is, first to show that there are many mean livings for ministers, partly by impropriations, and partly by the littlenes or situation of the parishes, Many means livings for ministers. for this is in the knowledge of al men very clear, that there are diuers livings, that are not worth above 20. marks yearly, some twenty pounds, which come nothing near that competency, that were fit for the man of God: who in this last age, not having gifts extraordinary, is driven to study much, and thereby his charges be increased, by buying of books and order of diet & some thing for the decensy of that calling, would be considered in the comeliness of aparrell and household, that it bee not contemptible, and lastly, 1. Tim. 3.2. it is required, that he should keep hospitallity, all which, by many degrees cannot come so low as twenty marks or twenty pound, as if we look vpon the proportion of Gods provision under the law, which the holy Ghost teacheth to be our pattern 1. Cor. 9.8.9.10. Ministesought to haue very good maintenance. Num. 38. & 28 it may appear: there shall wee find, that for the maintenance of the ministery, they had not onely the tenths and convenient dwelling places, but even all the first fruits, and of all offerings of diuers sorts, and they were bound to three feasts every year,( besides every new moon and Sabbaoth) wherein every male was to appear before the lord, How a learned ministry may haue Deut. 15. & 16 & 12 Leuit. 23. but he might not come empty: yetin al these, and many mo charges, they prospered, though it seemed never so chargeable, so long as they willingly served God after his order, and for so much as our land, by the blessing of God, may well be accounted among the fertile and rich soils of the world: I hope we are not so ungrateful, as to recompense God, with a vile and base entertainment of his servants, understanding very well, 1. Cor. 4.11. that it is a small matter, that the Minister should reap carnal things of them, vpon whom they sow spiritual things. The other thing, which I trust I shall not need to stand upon is this: that seeing there is need, and that very great, that the ministry should be better pro uided for: It were the duty of the Common wealth, to convert those things( which by their foundation were first ment and ordained for the service of God, The Church livings are to be bestowed one the ministers. and now haue been, and are in the opinion of al men bestowed to that use) in the time of reformation, should be kept for that very use, that the reforming of things be not thought rather a bait to feed our bellies, then to proceed of any godly zeal, or love of religion, for who would not think it a plain mockery of God, and a scorn of godliness, that men going about to beautify the Church, should rob and ransack the same: and pretending to further the service of God, should give occasion to prophaneit? This were the most devilish policy in the world, and the onely ingen almost, to overthrow both Prince and people: For God saith, if men offer the blind and the lame unto a prince, Mal. 1.7. cap 3.9. he would not be content, nor accept the person, and shal we think that God can put it up at our hands, if the things of his holiness should be lightly regarded, Sufficient maintenance. & that his ambassadors should bee so spitefully shaven, 2. Cor. 5.10. 2. Sam. 10.4. and their coats cut off to the middle. No, no: he will not take it in good part: for in the zeal of his wrathful indignation, he pronounceth such men accursed, Hag. 1.9.10. with a curse, because they haue spoiled him, and maketh the heaven over them to stay itself from due, & the earth to stay her fruit, because his house lieth wast. I hope rather we will harken unto Solomon, who saith: Honour the Lord with thy riches, proverb. 3.9. and with the first fruits of all thine increase: so shall thy barns be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall burst with new wine. Be it far from us in so clear light of the gospel, we should be flower in this duty, then our forefathers, who did they know not what. The matter then I will stand vpon, is the thing which may thus be employed, what it is, and how it is to be ordered: The first point what it is, may partly bee understood by that which is already spoken: What may scrue to make sufficient living for a learned ministry in England. for I mean the Archbb. and L. Bb. livings, and al the Cathedral churches, houses and lands, & whatsoever profits adjoined excepting the free schools, & alms houses, or such like, which unto some of them belong. The nature of reformation, as may appear by that which is already declared, and the good of our land requireth, that these dignities or spiritual promotions, which are not of Gods planting, should be pulled up by the roots, & the men of those places( such as are fit for learning and reverend behaviour) applied and tied to some congregation, where they should labour to feed souls: then would there be many a faire palace void of a master, and goodly houses, churches, and lands void of owners. Here I take it to bee the duty of the common wealth to keep these livings still for the maintenance of the ministry, seeing there is a very great need of them, and to change only the order and manner of the applying: that whereas before they served to uphold a lordly pomp, idleness and bravery in some few: they might now by a wise and godly distribution, be communicated unto many: for the benefit of many Churches. The lands, houses, and palaces may be sold, and the money bestowed to the redeeming of impropriations and increase of small livings: and surely, this is of all other most equal, that where the people do pay their tenths under the name and propriety of the Churches use, they should bee so applied indeed. And again: seeing the corruption of our time, hath made impropriations, as fee simplo lands, they which haue reasonable recompense for the value of them they possess, should by no means think themselves injured. It is no reason that seeing the people do already stand burdened with such a great charge, that they should bee oppressed with a second, especially when there is a means to relieve them. And it is against all conscience, that the ministery should be left without iustand comely provision & maintenance. But of all other, foreslow not the time till the Bb. and Cathedrall Prelates haue wasted all. it were most vnwise, and ungodly, to foreslowe the occasion, especially when the Commonwealth was never so rich, by yearly fruits and commodities. And it is yet more horrible wickedness, that private men( although peradventure some of them haue done service) should prevent the Church, and commit so great sacrilege. For if they deserve, there is sufficient besides to reward them. There is no good Christian, or man, either of valour for fortitude, and wisdom, or of estimation for religion and honesty, or of any good name for iustice and clemency, can bee of so base and servile a mind, as to grope after the spoil and havoc of the church, or to suffer himself to bee rewarded with those goods, which should by all reason and conscience, A good man will not enrich himself, with that which should serve to the soul benefit of many. be employed to the service and immediate honour of almighty God. But I hope these speeches shall not need, and that the example of Nehemiah that honourable and zealous Prince, will bee followed in this case, he having the fear of God before his eyes, being twelve yeares governor over the people that returned from babel: Nehe. 5.10.14. when his labour was to build the wall of jerusalem, and to set up the purity of religion: that he might give good example to the Princes and Rulers, and that the people might no way bee over charged, that so the business of the Lord might go cheerfully and prosperously forward, as it did indeed. he not onely took nothing to him, which was due unto him, as he was chief governor, but also spent of that which he had of his own, for the common charges of the wall, and fed many at his table, lent his money to the poor, redeemed them that were captive, and caused his servants to do the like in their place, and that all of them came to help forward the work. The example of jehoash King of Iuda, is very memorable for this purpose, 2. Kings 12. when the priests had neglected the repairing of the decayed places of the Temple( notwithstanding the Kings commandement) till the three & twentieth year of his reign. The charge and money for that business was committed to others, who were so far from gaining by it, that they shewed such faithfulness in doing of it, that it was not thought needful that they should give any accounts of their doing. If ever it please GOD to give reformation amongst us, I pray God that this mercy in framing of the heartes of al sorts and degrees, after the good of these examples, may bee also a blessing vpon us, as I hope that through his tender compassion and bounty it will. Now as great a matter standeth in the second point, how this shalbe ordered: one saith that it would be very good, that it should be all, and all the other church livings likewise taken out of the ministers hands, and that they should haue their several pensions or stipends of a reasonable sort, To put al the ministers to their pensions were not good. for this saith he, would be easiest and quietest, so that they should be troubled with nothing, but to follow their books, and look to their charge: if it might be so indeed, as these words do roundly bear us in hand in very good show, it were the best, and every minister would be glad of the quietest way, and most benefit to the church. Another peradventure is of a diuers mind, & thinketh it very inconvenient, especially at this time, when there is a settled provision for most places, and that by such a means, as is no great trouble to the minister, that will not wilfully be a loiterer. It is better to keep a good way which we haue, then to follow a new, and change for the worse: and truly this latter, agreeth most with policy for the state, and with benefit for the church: for the state, it is found a point of tried policy to alter as few things as may be,( especially when they are good and well) wherein the people haue had a long custom or interest, for this is a way unto murmurings, discontentment, stirs and sedition, and the people will quickly suspect, that for the private gain of some few, such things are invented, when they see plainly that it is very well already. I doubt it will bee found a hard measure to some, an unlucky piece of work to begin, heavy in the carriage, and a day of blackness unto posterity. Secondly, there must bee offices erected and augmented, and a great many men must haue leases or some other authority and office to gather the fruits: and what will come of this( which requireth many devices) a man cannot tell at the first fight, neither shall he see all the mischiefs till it be practised: but this must needs fall out, that many men for gathering the fruits, for receiving and paying again, must haue a fleece, and so the church shalbe shortened & shorne of her right, by a needles occupation: when the people shal pay peradventure well the more, for he that hireth must live by it: again, when the right & property is out of the churches hold: it may offer occasion in time, that it shall bee taken away altogether, and then there will be injury to the church and oppression of the people. But the other is every way better: First, it is easier to be done when there remaineth no more but the due examinations of the livings, The ready way to provide for ministers. and to redeem the impropriations, and to augment the smaller livings: it is without all suspicion, for we see the practise, we know it to be good, and need not fear any ill to come of it: and it is more just, for then the whole living goeth that way it should, and the people will the better away with it, partly, because they see it is bestowed according to their mind, & partly, because they are likely to be better used and the minister for his part shall be better able to keep hospitality, & to feed the poor by the use of such things as arise by that means, and that which is no small commodity, he may let out part or all, as he shall find most for his ease, and best for his profit, and if there do any benefit arise, this openeth the door to him, whereas the other way penneth him in to one certain place, bee it good or be it bad: and it may be, that his neighbours of good will for his ease, will gather his fruits for him, and he shal save al, that by the other way should be lost, both to him and the people: Briefly, the more one looketh in the comparison of these two ways, the more he shal perceive, that the order now established, is the best: if the impropriations were redeemed, and the small livings increased. Now for the furthering of this good work, there are two things to be added, which will help this matter very well: uniting of small livings one help to the ministry First, the uniting of diuers little parishes in one, a thing of common practise, out of which cometh this commodity, the living is increased: and by the number of the people, there are the more wise men to bee chosen for ecclesiastical officers: and the church shal be the more comely, and as easily taught in a maner. benefice without cure may be some help, united to the smaller livings. The next is, there are certain things scattered here and there without cure, these may bee joined to help the smaller livings. Then as touching the impropriations: in some there is great ease, Resigning and redeeming of Impropriations by Bb. & Cathedrall livings will be a good means to main ta'en a learned ministry. & in some there is no great hardness. Those which be in L. Bb. hands, and pertaining to these great churches, may easily be redeemed, if they be sent from whence they came: there need be no charge: and I doubt not, but the third part will bee thus redeemed: but if there bee any in the queens possession, or of any temporal man, or in colleges, the lands and houses and other temporalities of the L. Bb. and other great Churches may be employed to redeem them: If the consideration and account of these things, bee committed to wise and godly men, inhabiting in every shire, josh. 18.4. where such livings & churches are( as Ioshua appointed 3. of every tribe to walk through the land to describe it) it will easily be found out, that the living of the ministry will be brought to a good and comely measure: and that every Church would haue at the least two hundreth marks yearly for the pastor and teacher, and some above two hundred pound, tithe wood me dowe, &c. might help in some places. which might also bee holpen in some places by tithe wood and meadow, and a greater size of pasture, where such things are either not paid, or not according to the value of the tenths by much. But here groweth a question: The overplus of Bb. and Cathedral livings may pay first fruits, tenths, subsidies &c. What if the L. Bb. and the Cathedrall churches come to more then will serve for the redeeming of the impropriations, or less: If more,( as I am verily persuaded it will) it may serve to recompense the wonted first fruits and tenths, which were from these seas and churches, it may serve to erect in all shires, a Lecture of al sciences, that such as cannot put their sons to Cambridge and Oxford, may haue them in the free schools, and after by those Lectures brought through all arts: which would greatly increase learned and wise men in this land, and make a flourishing time. But if it should fall short of our reckoning, If Bb. and Cathedrall livings be too little: a general beneuo lence will make it up. there is yet an easy help, that is, a free benevolence, and as it were an offering of all sorts of people, young and old through this land: this way hath the church of God been very much holpen and advanced, and who is it that will not be willing to further such a worthy, honourable and holy work. In the time of Moses, Exod. 36.5.6. when he built the Tabernacle, & made the altars & priests garments, Our for fathers liberal in giving to the Church. things of a wonderful great charge, for gold, silver, silk, precious stones, incense and all costly things: The people came so willingly, and offered so plentifully, that there was to much, so that Moses proclaimed that they should offer no more. 2. Chron. 31.4. And when Hezekiah commanded to bring a part to the priests and levites, to encourage them in the lawe, they brought in such abundance, that they did eat and were filled, and yet there remained plenty in heaps that they had made. And in Dauids time for the building of the Temple, 1. Chron. 29.6. the Princes of the families, and the Princes of the tribes of Israell, and the captains of thousands, and of hundreds, with the rulers of the kings work, offered willingly, and gave for the house of God, five thousand talents of gold, and 10000. pieces, & 10000. talents of silver, 18000. talents of brass, 100000. talents of Iron, and they with whom precious stones were found, gave them to the treasure: and the people reioyced when they offered willingly, for they offered willingly unto the Lord, with a perfect hart, and david the king also reioyced with great ioy. And there is no reason to fear the contrary in our time, of which it is written: the people shall offer willingly in the time of the assembly. Psalm. 110.3. I doubt not therefore of Gods mercy and blessing, if wee were as forward to go about such a matter, with singleness of heart, and simplicity of Godly wisdom, and would follow after it with earnestness of zeal, and painfulnes of knowledge, forgetting our own ease, pleasure, wealth and will, to prefer the true worship of God, the benefit of our souls, the glory of the gospel of Iesus Christ, unto the praise of God the father, and this would bee the glory of our land. For thus speaketh God unto his own people, whom he honoureth with his word. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, Mal. 3.10. that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, if I will not open the windows of heaven unto you, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven unto you, and power you out a blessing without measure, & I will rebuk the devourer for your sakes: and he shall not destroy the fruit of your ground, neither shall your vine be barren in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. If I should stay here, I might be accused either of vnjustice or cruelty, of unjustice, bicaus I haue but slightly spoken of her Majesties due, in the first fruits, tenths, and subsidy of the clergy( as they call it) and of presentations never a word. The first of these is the greatest doubt: for if the common wealth stand in need( as it is likely in this troublesone time) then there is good reason, that al men help without any privilege, in as much as every one hath part of the benefit & comfort, otherwise, I am persuaded that the royal and christian heart of her Majesty, would as willingly part from it, and especially the first fruits and tenths, knowing howe they came in, as ever david did, 1. Chron. 29.3.4. who considering that it was the house of God and not man, and because he had a delight in the house of his God, besides the great preparation which he made, of gold, brass, iron, silver, & precious stones of diuers sorts for the sanctuary, he gave of his own, three thousand talents of gold of Ophir, & seven thousand talents of fined silver. First it may bee seen, Howe first fruits, tenths & subsidies of Bb. & Cathedral churches may be paid notwithstanding they be sold to redeem impropriations whether the overplus of the lands, after the impropriations bee redeemed, there be not sufficient to repay the valu of so much, as the abundance of those first fruits tenths and subsidies of L. Bb. and Cathedrall churches do amount, which if it do( as I verily think it will, and spare if things bee handled wisely & with a perfect heart) thē there need no further dealing for recompense: 1. by the overplus. & al other churches may be as in times past: but if not, 2. by the foresaid benevolence. then the foresaid benevolence may stop the gap for the redeeming of the foresaid impropriations, that the lands may remain to this use of buying out of the said first fruits, which would be a great ease to the church, and the burden would not be great, at once to give, every man a little of his superfluity, to haue a continual benefit for ever: Besides that, the ministery would be better able, and willing at all times, if need be, to give a benevolence, to further all necessary purposes to the ease of the common wealth, as a recompense of this kindness. Besides this if need be, 3. By the renting those churches which are increased. those livings that be increased by the restored impropriations, or otherwise: may be set up to hier and greater first fruits, tenths and subsidies: and where three or four, less or more bee made one, they may follow the rate of so many, so that there need bee no diminishing of the treasure of the land by this alteration, except it please her highnes, of her gracious bounty, upon the trial of gods rare blessings towards her and her people, to mitigate some part, as a drink offering of a sweet smelling sacrifice unto almighty God: knowing that he can a thousand maner of ways sand it in again by other means, with great interest and increase, as it is written. Prou. 11.25. The liberal person shall haue plenty, & he that watereth shall also haue rain. He that soweth sparing, 2. Cor. 9.6.8. shall reap sparing, and he that soweth liberally shal reap also liberally, and God is able to make all graces abound towards you, that ye always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound in every good work. Prou. 10.22. The blessing of the lord, it maketh rich, and he doth ad no sorrows with it. Deut. 28.1.3.5.6.7.12. again, if thou shalt diligently obey the voice of the Lord thy God, blessed shalt thou be in the city, and in the field, in thy basket, and in thy doughty, when thou comest in, & when thou goest out, the lord shall cause thine enemies that rise against thee, to fall before thy face, they shall come out against thee one way, and fly before thee seven ways, and the lord shall bring vpon thee his good treasure, even the heaven to give rain to thy land in due season, and to bless all the work of thy hands, and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and shalt not borrow thyself. As touching Presentations, it would be a very good and commendable thing, Of presentations. if they were contained in the free gift of Prince and people, to bee resigned to every church, which by the laws of Discipline, ought to haue their free choice of their ministers. It will be no loss to the patrons, except a man will stand vpon a dignity. For every man holdeth it simony, for patrons to take any rewards or gain, and men are sworn against it. But if it shal not be thought good so to do, the order that now is of presenting of able and sufficient clerk may remain, so there be sufficient caution that the Cannon of Christ be not broken, the order of his Discipline violated, nor the church whereto he shalbe presented robbed of their right in election. Yet in all these things I prefer not mine own iudgement or wisdom, An humble caution of the Author. neither do I set it down as the iudgement of al or many of them that seek the reformation: but as I haue often said, I submit this my private motion, to your honourable wisedoms, and to all godly learned men, that if a better and easier way may be found, this may bee rejected, onely I crave that the things and my reasons, first and last, may bee rightly weighed, and that if a better cannot bee found, this may be wisely considered and not neglected. Now in the second place it were cruelty( saith some) to put down these spiritual lords, and great men of the church, and to turn them into small livings, but especially to turn out the unfit men: it were pity to see them, their wives and their children to be put to misery and begging. If a man should make comparison with their doings, what pitty eought there to bee shewed vpon them, which justly for breaking Gods commandements are turned out, when there is no pitty shewed to such as stand to Gods truth, Mat. 25.6.7.12.13. and break onely the traditions of men: 1. Cor. 9.16. To the one, the scripture pronounceth woe, and therefore why should they be pitied? Mat. 15.9. to the other, the scripture joineth in league as it were, pronouncing unto thē mercy, & saith with them against the other. In vain do you worship God, teaching for doctrine the traditions of men, why should not they be pitied? As touching the L. Bb. and great clergy men, which haue so laden themselves with thick clay, that they haue much ado to get up in the pulpit of God: Haback. 2.6. do they not know that it is their duty, that they may please him who hath chosen them to bee his soldiers, not to entangle themselves with the affairs of this life, 2. Tim. 2.4. and that they ought for the peace and wealth of the church, to follow the example of their Lord and master Christ Iesus and to haue his mind in them, who being God, made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a seruant, Philip. 2.5. and was made like unto men, and was found in shape as a man, and humbled himself & became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, 2. Cor. 8.9. & he being rich became poor that wee through his poverty might be made rich: then is it a small matter for them to leave their thousands, The Bb. & Cathedral prelates, if they be fit, may be applied to some particular churches of good living. and bee content with their hundreds: and surely I hope so of the men that they will: for God forbid that they should be of that cursed crew of vnbeleeuers: who they know love the praise of men more then of God: & seeking honour one of an other, joh. 5.44. seek not the honour that cometh of God alone: or of those unfaithful stewards, which sack their own, Philip. 2.21. cap. 3.19.20. and not that which is Christ Iesus, or of those damnable belly gods: whose glory is to their shane, and mind earthly things, when all the true Ministers haue their conversation in heaven. As for the other, which by no means can be fitted to bee workmen, and to labour in Gods building and husbandry: although they are worthy of nothing for their presumption and rash entering where they should not, Mat. 5.13. but as unsavoury salt to be cast forth and trode under foot of men, especially such unthrifts, as being broken from living by their trades, or are thrust out of their untimely occupation of a seruiture, do choose as their refuge, and for an easy life to be in the ministry: 2. Cor. 13.10. yet because the Church is to correct her children to edification and not destruction: and the lawe of charity wisheth to do good unto al men, yea unto them that haue done us evil, unable ministers being displaced may haue some stock: or a stipend for their life time. and it may please God by this means to give them repentance, it may bee a very good thing, that these haue a stipend for their life time, or some stock to help them that are not able to get their living otherwise by their trades: and especially such as being very honest men at the beginning of her majesties reign, were drawn in of simplicity, not knowing the great burden of the calling: onely herein they haue greatly offended, that through idleness they haue not, in al this time, attained to any knowledge fit for that calling, and they haue been diuers ways admonished, yet some may be one degree more charitably thought of, because they haue so small living, that they are driven to labour and care, to make it hold out, being burdened with very many and too heavy payments. And in this point, the honourable and noble care of King Henry the eight, hath purchased his due praise in giuing stipends or pensions, for the life time of them that were turned out of the abbeys and Monasteries which were no more worthy to bee suffered in a common wealth, then these L. Bb. and vnpreching prelacy: & it will be found a better thing & esier for the church, a little while to bear the burden of these mens pensions, or stocks, then to suffer the Church to be damnified by them for ever: for wee see that it is a brood of such a nature that will hardly be weeded out, except this good way of turning them out together be taken in hand: and while men will look to do it by little and little, a time wilfal out, that they will wax too strong: & oppress the good ministers as the canaanites did Israel under jabin twenty yeeres. judge. 4.1.2. Delay is dangerous, and cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord loosely or negligently. But what should I run through every thing: I know your honourable wisedoms can do a great deal more sufficiently in the consideration, searching, & applying, of every thing to his proper place, that God hath raised up at your hands, very notable men which are endowed with gifts: Exod. 35.30.34. which like unto Bezaleel and Aholiab are filled with an excellent spirit of wisdom and understanding, and knowledge in al the work of God, and to teach other likewise. Therefore as this is every way the fittest time for such a holy and honourable purpose, so I thought I was in conscience to make known, that which hath diversly and many times been advised of in my mind, as it were by an humble motion to bring to your remembrance, that which I hope you cannot be ignorant of: and in some sort to enter you in that, which I trust you are willing and forward unto, and to draw that out with a coal, as it were rudly, which you by good aduise and mature judgement, may bring forth & make perfect with great profit, beauty and glory. And I refer al that I haue done, unto your honourable wise and godly censure, that if I haue swerved any thing from the word of God, or good reason agreeing to the same, it might be rejected, protesting that I meddle not with any mans person, but with the cause, and understand & mean when I reprehend some mens doings in the naming of the persons, onely by the title of their place, the thing which is the ground and occasion of such doings: which being taken away, I suppose the evil of such persons willbe purged. And thus in all humbleness, desiring your Honours, and all wise men, to consider in the fear of God of every thing, without prejudice to the truth, or affection to men or times: from my very soul I commend you to the tuition and government of almighty God, and whom from the bottom of my heart, in fear and trembling, I do pray and beseech, to power down the witches of his graces upon us all, in al wisdom and spiritual understanding, that wee may walk worthy of the Lord, and please him in all things, and namely vpon his anointed and gracious handmaid, Elizabeth our dear sovereign Lady & queen, to bless her with long dayes, and good among us, with daily increase of honour before God & men, and joy of heart in the holy Ghost: and that we al which are under her, may worship our true and everlasting God, according to his word: in truth, sincerity and uprightness, and live in al faithful duty to her majesty, and godly love one with another, being blessed with peace wealth and godliness, from generation to generation, through Iesus Christ our saviour, to whom with the Father and the holy spirit, one God, be al honour & glory for ever AMEN.