Declaration of Ecclesiastical Discipline out of the Word of God, Title page – To the reader
A full and plaine declaration of Eccleſiaſticall Diſcipline owt off the word off God / and off the declininge off the churche off England from the ſame.
Imprinted. M.D.LXXIIII.
To the godly reader grace / and peace from God the father / and from our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt.
IF off longe tyme, and euen almoſte from the beginninge off the vvorlde, vve had not fully knovven, and tried the frovvardeneſſe off mannes nature no doubt all men vvould take it as a thinge incredible, that any one could be foūd, vvhichwhich vvould refuſe, or not moſte deſyrouſly embrace, ſo ſvvete and holeſome diſcipline off Chriſt, as both is propounded to vsus in his vvorde, and ſet forth in order in this preſent book. VVhichWhich as beinge ſimply conſidered it is merueilous ſo truly ſeemeth a great deale more ſtraunge, if vvee vvay hovv eaſely men are brought to admit that ciuile diſcipline (vvhereby the commodities off this preſent life are kept) allthoughe hard and confirmed vvith more ſeuere puniſhmentes. But iff vve turn our eyes to the ouer hard and cruel ſlaughter off the Popiſhe Diſcipline, and marke a litle vvith vvhat quietnes and patience it vvas born: ſurely it muſt needes, not make vsus vvonder, but be aſtoniſhed. For vvhat fooliſhnes is it, ſo mutch to care for this frail and britle life, as not onelyonly to admit, but oftē times vvillingly to deſire all ſeuerity off diſcipline euen thoughe it be as great, as that off Lycurgus vvas: and to be ſo backvvard cither in gettinge or keeping off that life vvhichwhich allvvaies ſhall indure: as not to yeld to the moſt moderate, and beſt tempered diſcipline off all that euer vvere? And iff this blindneſſe off men vvere pardoned (vvhichwhich notvvithſtanding at the lēght ſhall moſt certenly be puniſhed) that it bothe loueth more and folovveth vvith greater diligence, the commodities off this inconſtant life then of that vvhichwhich ſhall abide for euer: vvhat madneſſe ſhall it be thought, that vve hauehave ſo quietly and eaſely borne, that cruel boutchery off the Popiſhe diſcipline vvhereby bothe body and ſoule, hauehave miſerably been tormented: and ſo hardly or not at all to ſuffer, this moſt ſouuerein medicine for our vices. For the lavves off Diſcipline vvhichwhich vve there felt, vvritten off the Romā dragon as it vvere vvith bloud: vve may here try by our Sauiour Chriſt & the Apoſtles, vvrittē (as one would ſay) vvith milk. And this either ignorance of the vvorld iff it knovve not theſe thinges, or pride iff it refuſe a knovvne benefit, or other peeuiſhneſſe & peruerſity vvhat ſoeuer, maketh almoſt al good mē to feare, leſt the iuſt God beinge angry that his fatherly and gētle rod is cōtemned, and taking vp his rod off yrō and iuſtice: thoſe churches that remaine (vvhichwhich are very fevve) be altogither broken, bruſed into litle peices, euen vvholy as it vvere into ſmale cromes. VVhichWhich thinge as it maketh me penſiue for all churches generally, vvhere the Apoſtles diſcipline hath no abiding, ſo for thee O England, to vvhō being bound both by commune duty off a cytiſen, and by publike myniſtery vvhichwhich ſomtimes I exequuted, I confeſſe that I ovve all kind off great and ſpeciall duty) yt maketh me mutch to doubt, and to be very careful.
I ſpeake nothinge off that vnreuenged, and vnpurified ſhedinge off giltleſſe bloud vvhiche vvas committed in the reigne off Queene Mary, eſpecially againſt thoſe vvhichwhich both vvere then the autours off that murther, and vvhoſe mindes thurſt, and handes itche ro commit the like vvickednes againe: onelyonly I admoniſhe, that off the riuers thereoff, vvhiche, run̄e and ouerflovve in all places, euē the leaſt drop might be the deſtruction off a great, and moſt mighty kingdome. Therefore to let theſe and other thinges paſſe, vvhiche are not novve to be ſpoken off: thoſe bandes off vices, vvhihe hauehave proceded partly from the abſence off th' Apoſtles Diſcipline, partly from the preſence off the counterfait thereoff, vvhichwhich remaineth vvith vsus ſynce Popery, hauehave vveakened our churche vvith ſeidge off fourtene yeres togither, and ſhortly vvill deſtroy the ſame, except againſt thoſe battering peices and cānons off vices, vve ſpeedely ſet the trēche, & truly braſen vvale off the Apoſtels Diſcipline. And I vvould to God thovv hadeſt kept ſome meane there in (iff there can be any meane in Sinninge) and by thruſtinge avvay the Diſcipline beinge offered, hadeſt not more greiuouſly prouoked, the vvrathe off God againſt the. For the former thinges althoughe they vvere heynous, yet becauſe they came off ignorance might the rather obteine ſome pardon: novve vvhen ſhe hathc made her ſelfe knovven vntounto vsus beinge iniuriouſliy handled, and ſuffringe violence, it is greatly to be feared off vsus, leſt povvringe out her complainctes into the boſome off her heauēly father (from vvhō ſhe cometh) ſhe kindle that vvrathe againſt vsus vvhere vvith all England onles it ſpeedely repent, may ſhortly be ſet on fyre. The thinkinge off theſe thinges doth often diſmay me, and vvhen I greedely ſeeke after, bothe hope off the health off England, and reaſons vvhereon to gather hope, they dryue as it vvere all hope out off my breaſt. And that ſo muche the more becauſe theſe many yeres, not onelyonly the exceadinge great patience and longe ſuffringe off God, ſtriuinge vvith our hardneſſe, and greedineſſe off ſinne that neuer reſteth) hathe put to flight our priuy ennemyes, ſcattered their companyes, brought to nothinge their ſnares layed for vsus bothe at home and abroad: but alſo that God hathe eft ſoones heaped nevve benefites vppon vsus or at leaſt vvas ready to hauehave heaped iff vve had been ſo ready to receiue as he to gyue, and had not ſuffered the opportunities vvhiche vvere offered vsus, or rather put into our mouthes to hauehave ſlidē frō vsus. In theſe ſo many, ſo great, ſo oulde and as it vvere harde houldlinge diſeaſes, althoughe I bee almoſt ouercome bothe vvithe diſpeire off recoueringe the former health, and feare off loſinge that vvhiche vve hauehave: yet ceaſſe I not novve and then to lift vp my minde ſo throvven dovvne, and to aduance it to the hope off a better eſtate off thinges.
Off vvhiche the foundations beinge laied, in the mercy off God vvhichwhich hathe no ende, I cheriſhe and confirme the ſame by certeine ſignes, vvhiche I hauehave obſerued to that purpoſe. For callinge to minde the former tymes, vvhen I ſee that mercy off God to hauehave ſhined forthe, and vve not onelyonly not thinckinge off it but almoſt vvith generall conſent off all men criynge out to the contrary) to hauehave gyuen vsus light in the holeſome doctrine off the Goſpell: novve in the leaninge, or rather affection off the greateſt part off Goſpellers bothe highe and lovve tovvardes diſcipline, if I perſvvade my ſelfe that one day it ſhall hauehave place amongeſt vsus, I ought to ſeeme not to hauehave done it raſhely. As for that, that our moſt Excellēt Prince, and ſome off the cheiff counſeillers off the Realme, vntounto vvhome our common vvealth is cōmitted, hauehave hytherto been ſmale fauorers off Diſcipline, althoughe it ſeeme to reache as it vvere euen at the throat off our church: yet becavvſe all men vnderſtande that it is hathe happened, as vvell by ſecret vvhiſperinges as open accuſations partly off Biſhopes, partly off thoſe vvhichwhich ſtande for Biſhoprickes (vvhiche perceiue that they cā not ſtande, if the churche ſtāde and floriſhe) vvee diſpeire not of the good vvill, and redineſſe, off the prince, and her counſeillers tovvardes this cauſe. For vve hope vvhen the vanity & falſeneſſe of ſlaunders, as off treaſon) Rebellion, deſtroyinge off common …ealthes, confuſion, Anabaptiſme, Donatiſme (whiche all they lay vponupon diſcipline, and thoſe that are deſyrous thereoff) ſhalbe ſeen we hope I ſay it vvill come to paſſe, that thoſe whom we hauehave hytherto felt, ſom̄ewhat eſt raunged from this cauſe, wee ſhall try hereafter freindly and fauourable thereunto. For we ſo truſt to the goodneſſe off the cauſe that vvee can hardely thinke it able to be brought to paſſe, that it ſhoulde be condemned not beinge hard, off ſo witty a Prince, and ſo wiſe counſeillers. Nowe whereas Her Maieſty, accordinge to the excellent learninge and amongeſt vvomen without all compariſon, vvhiche ſhe hathe, is delighted vvith thinges that are vvritten in latin: wee hauehave conceiued great hope, that this cauſe which hytherto ſhe hath taſted here and there, out off the falſe rumores off thoſe which deale iniuſtly with vsus, as it were out of the channels, ſhall more fully be dravven out of our ovvne bookes, as it were out off the founteines. VVhichWhich that ſhe would doe vve throwinge dovvne our ſelues at Her Maieſties feet do in moſt humble manner and vvith all ſupplication beſeche Her, in the name off Chriſt (whoſe matter this is) the nobleſt, and far moſte excellent off all Kinges. And in this place, I marke an other ſigne, to confirme my minde in the mercy off God: that our mercyfull Father, hathe prouided a notable vvorckman, vvhoſe breaſt he hathe filled vvith all kinde off treaſures, bothe off artes and tonges.
Novve ſeinge that he hathe framed a Bezaleel for vsus, to make the veſſels and inſtrumentes off the Tabernacle, he ſeemeth not as yet to hauehave cleane left, off to thinke, off repayringe the ruines off our Church. For he hathe ſo behaued him ſelffe in a cauſe (bothe for the diuerſe iudgementes off many, and the fevvneſſe off thoſe that hauehave vvrit thereoff) moſt harde: as it ſeemeth, ſcant that any thing coulde hauehave bene taught either more exactly, or more plainly, in one vvhichwhich had bene, bothe allovved by all mennes opinions, and commonly vvritten vppon by many. For Diſcipline ſhevvethe her ſelfe, and cometh forthe openly in the ſight off all men, not onelyonly vvith good vvordes and excellent ſentences, as it vvere arayed vvith coſtly garmentes, but alſo the ſame as it vvere vvith methode, comely plaitted and ſeemely girded. And vvhereas the very matter off Diſcipline, is off it ſelfe amiable and louely, beinge decked vvithe Rhetoricke, Logicke, diuerſity off tounges, pureneſſe off ſpeache, knovvledge in the ciuile Lavve, as it vvere vvithe broidures, vvhat louelove ought it to kindle in the mindes off men? Novve iff this fruit to read and looke vponupon hathe pleaſure in it, hovve mutche more pleaſant and ſvvet ſhall it be to taſt? But iff any vvill ſay, that I gyue ouer haſty iudgement in this matter, I am content to loſe ſo mutch off mine eſtimation (iff I hauehave any) as ſhall ſeem to be vvanting either off iudgement, or learninge to this litle booke. Diſcipline therefore hauinge tvviſe ſuffred repulſe at our handes commeth vntounto vsus the thirde tyme, the ſame vvhichwhich ſhe vvas before, but vvith greater traine, and ornamētes (as are meet for a moſt noble dauhter of the nobleſt kinge. Wherefore onles vvee vvill try the ſharpeneſſe off the vvrath and diſpleaſure off God, let vsus goe forth to meet her comminge, let vsus open vntounto her all the gates and hauēs off the realme, let vsus run into her moſt louinge armes, let vsus gyue her the kiſſe off louelove and reuerence, finally let vsus bothe receiue her vvillingly, and keepe her conſtantly, vvith all kinde off ſeruice and duty. For that vvhiche happeneth ſometime to Princes that hide them ſelues vnderunder baſer apparell, that they are not greatly angry thoughe they be not knovven off their ſubiectes, but vvhen they ſhevve them ſelues in princely aray and furniture, are offended greiuously iff they be not acknovvledged: the ſame doubtleſſe ſhall vve try in this prince. For iff hytherto ſhe either more baſely appareilled, or hauinge a vayle before her face, and not ſuffringe men to knovve her fully, hathe kept in her angre vvithin her breaſt: yet ſurely ſhe vvill nevver ſuffer ſo great brightneſſe to be contemned, or refuſed, as may perce the eyes euen off men that are blinde. And iff they vvhichwhich diſdaine a coſtly gift beinge offred in an earthen veſſel, are vvorthely puniſhed for their raſheneſſe: certenly they ſhall neuer eſcape a moſt greiuous puniſhement off their madneſſe, vvhiche deſpiſe it beinge gyuen in a gorgeous and coſtly diſ he. Hereunto may be added that the author off the booke, not buklinge him ſelffe vvith any aduerſary, and hauinge his minde bent onelyonly on the cauſe, inueieth not againſt any mannes perſon. VVherin hauing vnderſtanded off ſome in part offended vvith me modeſtly anſvveringe an importunate man, and lightely ſtinginge him againe, vvhichwhich thruſt others thorovve vvith moſt ſharpe reproches: ſurely as I am ſory that they are diſpleaſed vvithe me, ſo I reioyce for their cauſe, that in this treatiſe all compariſon off perſonnes beinge ſeparated, they ſhall hauehave nothinge, vvhichwhich may offend ſutch mindes as are ſomevvhat to deinty. VVherefore I hauehave done my indeuour, that I might bringe to light, this (bothe for theſe and other cauſes) ſo excellent a Ievvell, committed to my cuſtody, beinge perſuaded, that I could not, vvitheout the haynous ſinne off ſacriledge, hauehave buried in ſilence as it vvere in graue, ſo notable a threſure. Vvhiche truly I hauehave done ſo faithfully, that allthoughe I ſavve him differinge from me in the interpretatiō off a place or tvvo notvvithſtandinge I hauehave left them vnchaunged, and reſerued them vvhole to the iudgement off the church.
It remaineth o England, that thovv for vvhoſe ſake all this paine is taken, bringe vntounto the readinge hereoff a minde void of all affection, neither hindred vvith any error of cuſtome, nor diſmayed vvith the vayne noyes and pomp off Biſhopes, nor rūninge headlonge vvithe any preiudice, or deſire off mainteninge any ſide: that thovv look onelyonly vponupon the matter, try the vveight off eueryevery argument, not by the deceitfull ſcoles off men, or off the greateſt, but by the autoritie off the vvorde off God, as it vvere by the gouldſmithes vveightes, that thovv acknovvledge the truthe once knovvē, keepe it in thy minde, bringe it into practiſe (eueryevery one ſo far as his vocation vvill ſuffer) as it vvere into preſent poſſeſſion. Novve I moſt humbly beſeche god the father off our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, that out off the threaſures off his vviſdome and ſtrenght, both openinge thyne eies to ſee, and ſtrenghtheninge thy handes to put in execution, he vvould vouchſafe to perfect, and alvvayes to continevve, the good thinge vvhiche is begonne in thee.