The Plea of the Innocent, Chapter 2
Cap. 2.
Wherein is declared: 1. That the miniſters & people, which hauehave deſired and ſought for reformation of ſome things in the eccleſiaſtical ſtate of this land, are warranted in their doings, by the principall rule and Canon of our Church, namely the holy Scriptures. 2. Martin Marprelate, the Browniſtes, & Hacket ſtirred vp by Satan to hinder their good cauſe 3. Preaching againſt nonreſidence, and vnpreaching miniſters; and all the Chriſtian exerciſes of the people, agreeth to the holie Scriptures.
THe greateſt glorie of the militant church is the preſence of God:Gods preſēce the glory of the Church. and if GOD forſake them, their glorie is departed: therefore when hee honoureth his Church, he ſaieth: This is my rest for euer, here will I dwell. Pſal. 132.14.And this is the glorious renowne of Gods people: The Lorde his God is with him, and the ioyfull ſhout of a King is among them. Num. 24.21. Cap. 52.7.For which cauſe, as ſaieth the Prophet Eſay: The feete of his meſſen gers bee beautifull vponupon the mountaines when they preach theſe glade tyding, ſaying to the Church. Thy God raigneth. And there indeede God raigneth where his worde beareth the preheminence. For his worde is his Scepter, and the rodde of his mouth.
And this is the great priuiledge of his Church,Rom. 3.2. Pſal. 147, 19. that to them be committed the oracles of God: He ſheweth his worde vntounto Iacob, his ſtatutes and his iudgmentes vntounto Iſraell, hee hath not dealt ſo with euerie nation, &c. Heere is my ioy and the precious comfort of all Gods children in this land,Queene Elizabeth the ioye of the godlie. that the Lord, our mercifull and louing God, of his rich grace and free fauour, hath giuen vsus ſuch a vertuous and religious Princes, who beeing ſtirred vp by his ſpirit and guided by his holie hande, in the midſt of ſo many enemies, and thorow ſo many & wonderfull daugers, hath cheerefullie, bouldly, and with the Maieſtie of the Lordes annoynted, proclaimed Gods trueth: and aduauncing Gods holye Teſtamēt, hath baniſhed the beggarlie rudiments of this world, the traditions and vnwritten falſhoodes of men: and as a true & faithfull Nourſemother, hath foſtered his Church nowe theſe three & fourtie yeares, in great plentie and peace, vnderunder his bleſſed preſence and glorious protection. So that, our enemies beeing Iudges, it muſt needes be confeſſed that God is with vsus of a trueth. Therefore as it becommeth the true people and Congregation of GOD, the Church of England humblie ſubmitting it ſelfe to his lawe, doth meekelie and conſtantlie confeſſe that: It is not lawfull for the Church to ordaine any thing that is contrarie to Gods written worde. Artic. 20.And for this cauſe they deſcribe the viſible Church of Chriſt to be A Congregation of faithfull men, in the which the pure word of God is preached, & dutifully & trulie affirme,Artic. 19. that: In our doings, that the will of God is to be followed, which we hauehave expreſlie declared vntounto vsus in the worde of God. Artic. 17.Now my deare brethren and fathers, if I ſhall ſhewe that the things we hauehave done, doe anſwer to his holy Canon of Gods written worde:The godlie Miniſters guided by the Canon of holy ſcripture I hope it ſhall appeare that wee hauehave not bene againſt the Church, but for the Church. And firſt for the ceremonies: they are reputed verie ſmall things, and therefore we ought not to trouble the church about them. Conſider therefore with me,Of ceremonies. I beſeech you, that as a verie ſmall thing troubleth the eye of a mans body: ſo is the conſcience and faith of a true Chriſtian, and eſpeciallie of a faithfull Miniſter.Exod. 10.26. Therefore Moſes when he was in greateſt danger of life, woulde not yeeld that one hoofe ſhould be left behind, of that which God had commanded to goe out of Egypt.Dan. 6 10. And Daniel when he knew that there was a lawe ſealed againſt him of preſent death, yet would hee not ſhut his window, or leaue of praying to God, anye one time of thriſe in the day, to ſaue his life.Gal. 2.3.4.5. And the Apoſtle Paule, in a matter of Chriſtian libertie, woulde not giuegive place by ſubiection for the ſpace of one hower. And of this preciſenes god himſelf is the author.Deut. 12.2.3 Firſt where he ſaieth: Ye ſhall vtterlie destroy all the places, wherein the nations, which ye ſhall poſſeſſe, ſerued their Gods, vponupon the hie mountaines and vponupon the hils, and vnderunder euerie greene tree. Alſo ye ſhall ouerthrowe their altars, and breake downe their pillers, and burne their groues with fire, and ye ſhal hew downe the grauen images of their Gods and aboliſh their names out of that place, ye ſhall not ſo doe vntounto the Lorde your God. According to this precept we freelie and thankfully acknowledge and praiſe God, that her Maieſtie hath aboliſhed the verie face of idolatry, & verie few Kings of Iudah came ſo far in reformation of Religion. Yet doe we intreat our reuerend Fathers we be not held for rebels, and vnthankfull perſons & troublers of the ſtate: if finding ſome few things in our miniſtrie, that we are afeard to doe, for diſpleaſing God; wee humblie craue either reformation or toleration. For verelie wee are enforced ſo to doe by this Scripture, for if here we be commaunded to aboliſh the verie names of the idoles, and not to doe ſo to the Lorde (that is to ſay, not to worſhip God inſuch manner) when wee finde that the ſurplice is part of the character of the popiſh Prieſthood,Act: monumentes pag. 853. & 501. by which and in which they worſhip their idols as in which they worſhip their maner of degrading. And that the croſſe in Baptiſme, hath aſcribed vntounto it by mans authority,1. Cor. 14.40. the ſacramentall ſignification of Baptiſme as the confeſſing of of the faith of Chriſt crucified, &c. which is more then the Church hath authoritie to doe, whoſe limitation is ſet, to make lawes no further then order & comelines. And that in reading of Apocrypha Scriptures wee ſhould reade vntruthes and errours for inſtruction of maners contrariant to his holy canon. We are very much afeard that we retaine the name and memoriall of idoll ſeruice, and that we doe ſo to God in his worſhip, as idolaters hauehave done to his diſhonour vntounto their idoles. And therefore wee dare not do theſe things for diſpleaſing of God, although we deſire hartely, in all things to ſatisfie and content our ſuperiours. And heere vntounto we find our ſelues (as we verily think) greatlie preſſed and vrged: beecauſe God ſaieth vntounto vsus,Eſay. 30.22. Yee ſhall pollute the couering of the images of ſiluer, and the rich ornament of thine images of golde, and caſt them away as a menſtruous cloath, & thou ſhalt ſay vntounto it, get thee hence. And againe:1. Theſ. 5.12. Iud. verſ. 23. Marc. 11.16. Math. 21. Abstaine from all appearance of euill. And againe: Hate euen the garment ſpotted by the fleſh. And Chriſt himſelf was ſo preciſe, that he would not ſuffer that any man ſhoulde carie a veſſell thorow the Temple. Therfore we are touched in conſcience, that in our miniſterie we ſhould not do any thing reſembling the idolatrous ſinagogue, or to hauehave the leaſt fellowſhip or mark of their vngodly waies. How be it we hauehave not preached nor inueighed againſt, neither in any ſort depraued the booke: yea if wee had not bene to neerlie preſſed vponupon, for the doeing of them, ſo as our ſuffering and wincking at them, vvould hauehave ſufficed, to declare our louelove of the Churches peace, I verilie thinke, they would not hauehave come into ſo open queſtion.
The next thing we ſeeme to falt in is the refuſall to ſubſcribe abſolutely,Of ſubſcription. to the two laſt articles. Our innocencie before God, our obedience to her Maieſtie, and vpright following of his holy Canon; can not appeare: vnleſſe I open ſomewhat more plainlie, what theſe two articles containe. The firſt of the tvvo, which is the ſecond of the ſubſcription, comprehendeth the vvhole booke of common prayer and of ordering of Biſhops, Prieſts, and Deacons, ſo that we muſt by our hand writing auoutch that euerie rubrick, clauſe & ſentence in theſe bookes are wholie and perfectly agreeing to holie Scripture, and in no one rubrick or clauſe contrarie to the ſame: and ſecondlie to promiſe to vſe the forme & none other. Then in the third article, we are bound to approue, all the articles made by the Biſhoppes in the cōuocation holden Anno 1562. which containe not onlie matters of doctrine, but alſo of order and diſcipline, wherein there be 22 homilies appointed to bee red in the Church, that by our hande wee ſhould acknowledge, that theſe and euerie of theſe be agreeable to God.How farre the godlie Miniſters are conformable. The difference betweene the reuerend Fathers and vsus heerein is this: Firſt that we doe willinglie vſe the booke of common prayer and no other forme, vnleſſe ſometime vponupon extraordinarie occaſion, by publicke authoritie ſome other praier be aſſigned vsus: onelie we leaue out ſome few things, or perauenture explaine ſome one clauſe. Secondly we profeſſe our ſelues to enioy our miniſtrie by no other order, but by order of that book, which is the booke of ordering Biſhops, &c. Thirdlie we ſubſcribe willinglie to the book of Articles according to the ſtatute 13 in that behalfe prouided: namelie to thoſe Articles which onlie concerne the confeſſion of the true faith & ye doctrine of ſacramentes, as that ſtatute expreſly commaundeth and limiteth. Now finding (in examining of theſe bookes) many things doubtfull in our conſciences, we dare not promiſe or ſubſcribe further thē according to theſe words. And therefore for this cauſe wee exhibited an humble petition to the reuerend aſſembly of the Cōuocation, holden Anno 1585. with our reaſons why we refuſed to ſubſcribe, in ſuch ample maner as they required.
This beeing that which wee hauehave done and ſtood in: it remaineth to be examined, whether heerein we hauehave broken this holye Canon of our Church.If wee ſubſcribe wee breake the Canon of holy ſcripture. I will therefore ſhew ſome two or three inſtances, whereby it ſhall appeare, that if wee had ſubſcribed, wee had done contrarie to this holie Canon of Gods written worde, wherein I will bee as ſparing as I can, becauſe I would by no meanes vtter any thing, which might tende to the deprauing of the ſaid bookes, but onlie as neceſſitie conſtraineth, to make it appeare, that by this ſubſcription we are compelled to doe that, which is contrarie to the Scripture of God: and which we find not to be the meaning of the Law, in commanding the vſe of theſe bookes, neither of the authors of the bookes in penning of the ſame. And firſt wee ſhould ſubſcribe that it is not contrarie to the word of God, to read in the Church vnderunder the name of holie Scripture, ſuch bookes (as namelie the Apocrypha) which are not holy Scripture, and ſuch chapters as containe matter, directly contrarie to the holie Scripture. For in the booke of common prayer, in the rubrick next after the order for the reading of the Pſalmes, there bee theſe words. The order how the rest of holy Scripture, beſide the Pſalter, is appointed to bee red. Which being the direction for all leſſons and chapters, vponupon all daies in the yeare, which are to bee red in the Church by that booke: doth appoynt diuers Apocrypha books, as Tobith, Iudith, Wiſedom, Eccleſiaſticus &c. In the 26 of Auguſt, the ſtorie of Suſanna & of Bell and the Dragon are appointed to be red, vnderunder the name of the thirteene and fourteene chapters of Daniell, In prolog. in Daniel.which Hierom thurſteth thorow with a ſpit, as no part of Daniels writings, and calleth Bell and the Dragon fables. We think it greatlie againſt this holie Canon, that fables ſhoulde bee red vnderunder the name of holy Scriptures, which ſaieth, Caſt away prophane and olde wiues fables: 1. Tim. 4.7. Math 28.20and teach them to obſerue whatſoeuer I commaund. In the 4 of October there is appointed to be red, the 12 of Tobie, wherein the 15 verſe the Angell ſayeth, I am Raphaelone of the ſeuen holie Angells, which preſent the prayers of the Saintes, which we take to be contrarie to the Canon, which ſaieth, Wee hauehave an aduocate with the Father Ieſus Christ the iuſt. And againe, There is one God and one Mediator betweene God and man, 1. Ioh. 2.1. 1. Tim. 2.5.the man Ieſus Christ. In the 17 and 18 daies of Nouember, are appointed to bee red the 46 and 48 of Ecclus, where the one maketh Samuell to propheſie after his death, contrarie to Reuclat. 14.13. which ſaieth that the Dead rest from their labours: and the other interpret the Prophet Malachie cap. 4. ver. 5. of Eliah himſelfe, contrary to the Scripture which expoundeth of Iohn Baptiſt, as Math. 11.14. and Luke. 1.17. Secondlie this Canon of holy ſcripture ſheweth vsus, that it is proper to the Sacraments of Baptiſme and the Lordes Supper, to bee ſignes certifying of the fauour of God & inſtruments whereby wee receaue power and ſtrength againſt Sathan, Sinne, &c. And to repreſent the ſpirituall vnion betwixte Chriſt and his Church: for it ſaieth, By one ſpirit all we are baptized into one bodie, 1. Cor. 12.13. Gal. 3 27. 1. Cor. 10.16&c. All yee that are baptized into Chriſt, hauehave put on Christ. The cupe of bleſſing which wee bleſſe, is it not the communion of the bloode of Christ, &c. Whereby it appeareth that theſe two are ſeales of the couenant, which is in Chriſt, wherein all thoſe things are contained. Againe, hee that ordained them for this purpoſe is God, who only can giuegive ſignes of his owne good will and couenant, as it is written:1. Cor. 2.11. The thinges of God knoweth no man, but the ſpirit of God. Therefore the Apoſtle when there was diſorder about the Lords ſupper, did reduce them to Gods inſtitution,1. Cor. 11 23. ſhewing that he deliuered to thē no other, but that which he receaued. Thereby inferring that the inſtitution of the Sacrament was of God, therefore he durſt not adde vntounto it, neyther yet hauehave impoſed it vponupon them, but that he receaued it of the Lord. Therefore when the booke of common prayer doth affirme, That confirmation is miniſtred to them that be Baptized, In the Rubrik before confirmation.that by impoſition of handes and prayer, they may receiue ſtrength and defence againſt all temptations to ſinne, &c. And that after the example of the holie Apoſtles, In the later prayer of confirmation.they lay their handes vponupon them, to certifie them (by this ſigne) of Gods fauour and gracious goodnes toward them. And that Matrimonie ſignifieth vntounto vsus the myſticall vnion, that is bee…wixt Chriſt and his Church. Seeing that by theſe tearmes,In the firſt ex hortatiou of matrimony. there is aſcribed to impoſition of handes and matrimony, to bee ſignes and ſeales of the couenant, which is proper to the Sacraments, and that no man can make anie ſigne of ſuch a myſticall and Sacramentall nature, to ſignifie Gods good will, vnleſſe he hauehave authoritie from God: wee therefore conclude that if we ſhould ſubſcribe, we ſhould allow that which is contrary to Gods word. Vnleſſe they can ſhew that the Church or anie man, hath power to make ſuch ſignes, or that God hath ordained theſe to that end, and that the Apoſtles ſhewed ſuch example; which we verilie think they will neuer doe. Againe the Canon of holie ſcripture teacheth that there ar diuerſities of miniſteries but one Lord. 1. Cor. 12.5.And that, God hath ſet in his Church, firſt Apoſtles then Prophets &c. 28Teaching thereby that as Chriſt onelie is heade of the Church: ſo is he Lord ouer all the Miniſteries thereof, and that all kind of Miniſteries are by his inſtitutiō, euen ordained of God, and ſo conſequentlie hauehave their deſcription in Gods word. Wherefore it is ſaid els where: He gaue ſome to be Apoſtles, ſome Prophets, ſome Euangelists, Eph. 4.11.12.ſome Pastours and Teachers, for the gathering togeather of the Saintes, for the worke of the ministerie, &c. Now in the booke of orders, there is an office of miniſtery called the Deacon: whoſe deſcription is not to bee founde in Gods booke, namelie conſiſting in helping the Prieſt in diuine ſeruice, eſpecially when he miniſtreth the holie communiion, in reading holie Scriptures and homilies in the congregation, inſtructing the youth in the Catechiſme, in Baptiſing and Preaching, if he be admitted thereunto by the Biſhop: but he muſt not adminiſter the Lords ſupper or Diſcipline, but after a yeare he is admitted to ye order of prieſthood. Seeing that this kinde of miniſterie, hath no reſemblance with the office of the Deacon, Act. 6. or 1. Tim. 3. neither anie other office deſcribed or inſtituted by God, in al the new Teſtament, namely that he ſhould doe all things, ſauing miniſtring the Lordes Supper & Diſcipline, or that he might Preach and Baptiſe, and not be of the order of Prieſthoode (as they call it.) Wee therefore think that in ſubſcribing hearevnto, we ſhould offend the holie Canon of Scripture, & allow that which is contrarie to the ſame, by our ſubſcription. There bee manie other which ſome of vsus Miniſteers of Kent, deliuered to the Reuerend Archbiſhoppe of Canturburie as our doubts, which for breuities ſake I omitt: beecauſe my purpoſe is not heerein to diſpute, or to open other mens faults, but onlie by two or three inſtances to make manifeſt that wee did not break this holy canon of our Church. For if (as they ſay) In our doeings, that will of God is to be followed, which we hauehave expreſſie declared vntounto vsus, in the worde of God: thē may we not ſubſcribe to theſe two articles: wherein manie thinges by our ſubſcription, ſhould be allowed, not to be contrarie to the word of God, which are indeede contrarie to the ſame.
Now our third fault is, that we did ſeeke by ſupplicatiō, to the reuerend aſſemblie of the conuocation houſe,Of ſuiug for reformation. by petition of the Lords of her Maieſties moſt honourable priuie counſel and to the high Court of Parliament: and by diuers publike writinges, partlie apologeticall, partly ſupplicatorie, that we might hauehave reformation in theſe things, or at the leaſt ſuch toleration, as wee might not be burdened with ſubſcription, or the ſtrict obſeruation of ceremonies, but behauing our ſelues otherwiſe peaceable, and as good ſubiectes & diſcreet miniſters, we might not be troubled nor moleſted about theſe things. And for this cauſe we did meet in the Parliament time, and at other tymes while our trouble did laſt, to conſult and deuiſe what way wee might take, to obtaine fauoure and reconciliation or reformation; or releaſment of our ſuſpenſions or other troubles. In all which, as I muſt needes confeſſe, that I was among the Miniſters of Kent, not one of the hindemoſt (beeing ſuſpended, onelie for not ſubſcribing, from the laſt daye of Ianuarie, vntill the third day before the natiuitie of Chriſt:) So doe I profeſſe to all the worlde that I knowe not anie thing, which we did in our meeting, or in our ſupplications, or apologeticallwritings, but that which was comely for men of our ſorte: and as our forefathers the faithfull Miniſters of Chriſt, in the primitiue Church, did in like caſe before vsus. For the Miniſters of Chriſt, finding themſelues, in the teſtimonie of their conſciences, to be heauilie burdened with the ordinances of the Church wee liue in: humblie to declare their grieuances to the Magiſtrates in authoritie, in tymes and places which may relieue them: to ſhew by publike writings the vprightnes of their cauſe and by petition to craue ſome Chriſtian and godlie remedie, is doubtles agreeing to all law of God & man, and therefore I hope I ſhall not need to vſe anie argumentes to prooue the ſame: which we know our aduerſaries, being in our caſe, would thinke themſelues to hauehave great wrong to be denied.Our fault is that we did not cōmend our cauſe to the Queene. But if anie thing bee our fault, I take it to be this: That wee did not preſent our cauſe to the Queenes moſt excellent M. being a Prince of rare clemencie, wiſdome and iuſtice. Whome when we did know to be ſo equal, fauourable, milde, and of ſuch incredible long animitie, and that to her greateſt aduerſaries and deadlie enemies the Papiſtes, who alwaies hauehave ſought miſchief againſt her perſon, Crowne and dignitie: we were doubtles much ouerſeene, that we commended not our cauſe to her moſt gracious and Princelie conſideration. For the goodnes of our cauſe, and the innocencie of our perſones, being manifeſted before her Princelie eies; it could not hauehave bene poſſible, but that ſo prudent & Chriſtian a Magiſtrate vvoulde ſpeedilie hauehave eaſed all our ſorrovves, and ended theſe vvofull troubles of the Church.
2 But vvhile vve partlie fearing, & partly hoping as though the reuerēd Fathers themſelues, to vvhome vvee vſed, beſide our ſupplications diuers meanes, woulde at the length hauehave ioyned with vsus, to the ending of theſe vnvvholſome ſtrifes: & that vve truſted that our mercifull God pitying his Church, vvoulde hauehave rayſed vp ſome meanes, to further his ovvne cauſe: vvhile the time ſlipt avvay, and mens mindes vvauered, this vvay & that vvay, three moſt greeuous accidents, did greatly aſtoniſh vsus, and verie much darken the righteouſnes of our cauſe. The firſt vvas a fooliſhe ieſter, vvho tearmed himſelfe Martin Marprelate and his ſonnes,Martin Marprelate a filthie Sycophant. vvhichwhich vnderunder counterfeit & apiſh ſcoffing, did play the Sycophant: & ſlanderouſly abuſed manye perſons of reuerend place and note. And ſuch was the wiſdome of the time, that manie filthie and lewd pamphletes, came forth againſt him caſting forth much ſtincking doung and beaſtlie filth, into the faces of honeſt men: to the great contempt of Chriſtes holy Ghoſpell, and the verie apparant diſparagement of the faithfull laboures of all godly Miniſters, on both ſides. This kindled a meruelous great fire, euen that, which S. Iames ſayeth is ſet on fire of hell, and is a worlde of wickednes.Cap, 3.6 It beewraied the weaknes of many a man: and ſhewed, how hard it is for fleſhe and blood to hold in the raines of his own aſpiring affections, rather to endure reproach then to endamage the Church of God; or wiſelie to forethinke that we ought rather to ſuffer wronge, then that the glorious Ghoſpell of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, ſhoulde be euill ſpoken of How ſo euer it was, the blame lighted vponupon vsus, and we by it obtained a new name, in many pulpites (how iuſtly God knoweth) wee are called Martiniſtes. Then did our troubles increaſe, & the perſuite was hardlie followed againſt vsus: the enemie of the Ghoſpell for ſlowed not the occaſion, to make our good, iuſt, honeſt & godlie cauſe, to be ill thought of and verie much condemned: as if the verie ſtate had taken knowledge, that we were wicked men, our cauſe vniuſt, & we no longer to be ſuffered. So great hurt is it, when an honeſt & lawfull courſe is begun, for fooliſh & hairbraine men to thruſt in thēſelues & to hazard ſuch meanes as God neuer ſanctified. For God needeth not our follie:1. Cro. 15.13. but will make a breach among vsus if we ſeeke him not in order. Howbeit when our cauſe was left naked, and many of vsus in great hazard: God him ſelf gaue witnes to his truth, manifeſted his iudgements, and deliuered his innocent ſeruants: ſo that it plainly appeared, to the wiſer & diſcreter ſorte, that the Deuill was the author of this diſgrace. In this time alſo, happened the ſecond and third euill: the Browniſtes tooke offenſe againſt both ſides,The Browniſts and Hacket of an euill ſpirit. & made a temerarious and wicked ſeparation: & ſome two or three men, being beewitched with ſome proud honor; by a certaine man & frantick ſpirit, lifted vp themſelues with hie words of blaſphemie, whoſe working this was, all wiſe men know, who know the wiles of Sathan. How be it theſe alſo were drawne vponupon vsus, and made a notable matter, to aggrauate our cauſe. But God who ſeeth in ſecret, and beholdeth the bitter gaule of Simon Magus,Act. 8.23. the filthie diſſolutenes of Nicholas, the freating canker of Hyminaeus & Philetus: the dogges, the euill workers, conciſion, and all falſe Apoſtles, which tranſforme them ſelues into Apoſtles of Chriſt, namelie that theſe did much miſchief and brought great trouble to the firſt beginning & planting of the primitiue Church: he, euen he knoweth, that theſe things were cunninglie wrought, by theſe deep ſleightes and ſuggeſtions of that olde ſerpent; too hinder our good cauſe, & to hurt the proſperous and godly proceedings of the Church of England. For by this meanes, we finding the mighty winds and ſtronge ſtreame againſt vsus, were faine to humble our ſelues vnderunder Gods merciemercy, and commending our ſelues & our cauſe to him, who iudgeth righteouſly: we reſerued ourſelues to a better time, whē it ſhould pleaſe his gracious wiſedome, to make his owne trueth to appeare, and to moue the mindes of our ſuperiours to bee more fauourable.
3 Then tooke the idle and vnpreaching Miniſters comfort at the heart, ſuppoſing their ſtanding to be good: & the non-reſidents had their mouthes enlarged: it became daungerous both in the Vniverſitie and countrie to reproue either of theſe, & the people were become conuenticlers, if they met together to ſing a Pſalme, or to talk of Gods word. And there was not a better way to maintaine an euill cauſe, or to bring any honeſt man out of fauour, then to ſhew thy ſelfe an enemie to Puritances; and to entitle him, whom thou wouldeſt diſgrace with the name of a Puritane. Yet let vsus ſee whether this holie Canon of Scripture, will not beare vsus out, to preach & ſpeake againſt theſe kindes of Prelates, or to vſe ſuch kind of exerciſes. Firſt the Prophetes call them blind watchmen, Eſa. 56.10.11.dumbe dogges and greedie dogges, which can neuer hauehave inough. They cry out vponupon them & ſay: O idoll ſheapheard that leaueth the flocke, Zac. 11.17.the ſweard ſhalbe vponupon his righte arme, and vponupon his right eye. Woe vntounto the ſheapheardes which feed themſelues, ſhould not the ſheapheardes feed the flockes? Ezech. 34.2.And Chriſt ſaieth of them:Math. 15.14. They be the blind leaders of the blind And the Apoſtles cal vponupon them earneſtly, ſaying, Take heed vntounto your ſelues, & to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghoſt hath made you ouerſeers, Act. 20.28.to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchaſed with his owne blood. And againe: Feede the flocke of God which dependeth vponupon you, 1. Pet. 5.2.&c.: If wee ſpeake after this Canon, of the Prophets, Chriſt & the Apoſtles, are wee troublers of the ſtate? or are not they, who in their actions do contrarie to the reueiled will of God in his word? And whē the ſame holy Scripture, exhorteth men and weomen, & commandeth them, to talke of Gods worde in their houſes, and when they walke in the way: and that the ſame ſhoulde dwell plentifullie in vsus,Deut. 6.7. Coloſ. 3.16. in all wiſedome, teaching & admoniſhing our ſelues in Pſalmes and Hymnes & ſpirituall ſongs: ſhall honeſt men and weomē be therefore called Puritans, & their godlie & Chriſtian meetings bee tearmed conuenticles? And if Gods ſpirit ſay vntounto vsus:Heb, 10, 20. Conſider one another, and prouoke vntounto louelove & good works not for ſaking the fellowſhip we hauehave among our ſelues, as the maner of ſome is, but let vsus exhort one another, &c. Shall honeſt Chriſtians bee reproached for endeuouring the ſame? And if they admoniſh anie neighbour for ſwearing, or anie other diſorder, or call them to heare a Sermon, are they by and by vile Puritanes? I hope all wiſe and godlie Chriſtians, examining theſe things aright, and waying them, with the equall ballaunce of Gods ſanctuarie: wil conclude with me; that in al theſe thinges, eſpeciallie in regarde of the matter of our cauſe (howſoeuer perauenture, we cannot be or hauehave not bene, all of vsus, at all times, perfectlie wiſe in the maner of doing, wee hauehave not broken the principall Canon of our Church, but faithfullie laboured to ſquare our actiones, after the expreſſe rule of Gods holy worde, and therefore falſly and iniuriouſly called Puritanes, Preciſians, and troublers of the ſtate.