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Admonition to the Parliament
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Genre
Controversial Treatise
Date
1572
Full Title
An admonition to the Parliament
Source
STC 10847
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Sample 1
The original format is quarto.
The original contains new paragraphas are introduced by indentation,contains footnotes,contains comments and references,and ispartly illegible: close binding,
A view of Popishe abuses yet remaining in the
Englishe Church, for the which Godly
Ministers haue refused to
subscribe.
Abyde patiently the Lordes leasure. Cast thy
care vppon the Lorde, and he will bring it to
passe, he will do it.
The ieopardous time is at hand, that the wrath
of God shalbe declared from heauen vppon all
vngodlynesse of those seducers that withholde
the truthe in vnrighteousnesse, and set his commaundementes
at naught, for their owne traditions.
WHereas immediatly after the laste Parliament,
holden at Westminster, begonne in
Anno. 1570. and ended in Anno. 1571. the
ministers of Gods holy word and sacramentes, were
called before her Maiesties highe Commissyoners, reenforced
to subscribe vnto the articles, if they woulde
kepe their places and liuings, and some for refusyng
to subscribe, wer vnbrotherly and vncharitably intreated,
and from their offyces and places remoued: May
it please therefore this honourable and high courte of
Parliament, in consideration of the premisses, to take
a view of such causes, as then did withholde, & nowe
doth the foresaid ministers from subscribing and consenting
vnto those forsaid articles, by way of purgation
to discharge the~selues of all disobedience towards
the church of God and their soueraigne, and by way
of most humble intreatie, for the remouing away and
vtter abolishing of all such corruptions and abuses as
withheld them, through which this long time brethre~
haue bene at vnnaturall warre and strife among them
selues, to the hinderance of the gospel, to the ioy of the
wicked, and to the greefe and dismay of all those that
B.iij.
1
professe Christes religion, and laboure to attain Christian
reformation.
The fyrst Article.
Firste, that the booke commonly called the booke of
common prayers for the churche of England, aucthorised
by Parliament, and all and euery the contentes
therin, be suche as are not repugnante to the worde of
God.
Albeit, righte honourable and dearely beloued, we
haue at all times borne with that, which we could not
amend in this booke, and haue vsed the same in oure
ministerie so farre forthe as we might: reuerencing
those times and those persones, in which and by who~
it was fyrst aucthorised being studious of peace, and
of the building vp of Christes church, yet now being
compelled by subscription to allowe the same, and to
confesse it, not to be against the worde of God in any
pointe but tollerable: We must nedes say as followeth,
that this booke is an vnperfecte booke, culled and
picked out of that popishe dunghill, the Masse booke
full of all abhominations. For some and many of the
contents therin be suche as are againste the woord of
God, as by his grace shall be proued vnto you. And
by the way, we can not but much maruell at the craftie
wilynesse of those men, whose partes it had ben fyrst
to haue proued eche and euery content therin, to be agreable
to the worde of God, seing that they enforce
men by subscription to consent vnto it, or else sende the
packing from their callings.
1 They shoulde fyrst proue that a reading seruice
by the woorde of God going before, and with the administration
of the sacramentes, is according to the
woorde of God, that priuate Communion, priuate
baptisme, baptisme ministred by women, holydayes
ascribed to sainctes, prescript seruices for them, kneeling
at communion, wafer cakes for their breade when
they minister it, surplesse and coape to doe it in: churching
2
of women comming in vails abusing the psalm
to her. I haue lifted vp mine eyes vnto the hilles. &c.
and suche other foolishe things, are agreeable to the
written woorde of the almightie. But their crafte is
plaine. Wherein they deceiue themselues, standing so
muche vppon this woorde repugnant, as thoughe nothing
were repugnaunt, or against the word of God,
but that which is expressely forbidden by plaine commaundement,
they knowe well inoughe and woulde
confesse, if either they were not blinded, or else theyr
heartes hardened, that in the circumstances eche content.
Wherwith we iustly fynde fault, and they to contentiously
for the loue of their liuings maintain, smelling
of their olde popish priesthod, is against y=e= word
of God. For besides y=t= this prescript forme of seruice
as they call it, is full of corruptions, it mainteined an
vnlawful ministerie, vnable to execute that offyce.
By the worde of God, it is an offyce of preaching,
they make it an offyce of reading: Christe said goe
preache, they in mockerie giue them the Bible, and aucthoritie
to preache, and yet suffer them not, except that
they haue newe licences. So that they make the cheefest
part preching, but an accessorie that is as a thing,
without which their offyce may and doth consist. In
the scriptures there is attributed vnto the ministers
of God, the knowledge of the heauenly misteries,
and therefore as the greatest token of their loue, they
are enioyned to fede Gods Lambes, and yet with
these, suche are admitted and accepted, as onely are
bare readers that is able to say seruice, and minister a
sacrament. And that this is not the feding that Christ
spake of, the scriptures are plaine. Reading is not
feeding, but it is as euill as playing vpon a stage, and
worse to. For players yet learne their partes wythout
booke, and these, a manye of them can scarcely reade
within booke. These are emptie feeders, darcke
eyes, ill workemen to hasten in the Lordes haruest
messengers that cannot call. Prophets that can
3
not declare the will of the Lorde, vnsauery false,
blinde guides, sleepie watchmen vntrustie
dispensers of Gods secretes, euill deuiders of the
worde, weake to withstand the aduersarie, not
able to confute, and to conclude, so farre from making
the man of God perfect to all good works, that rather
the quite contrary may be confyrmed.
By this booke, bare reading is good tilling, and
single seruice saying, is excellent building, and he is
sheapheard good inough, that can as popishe priestes [prieste*]
coulde, oute of their Portuise, say fairely theyr diuine
seruice. May some in the fulnesse of their blasphemie
haue sayd it, that muche preaching bringeth the word
of God into contempt, and that fower preachers were
inoughe for all London, so farre are they from thinking
it necessary, and seeking that euery congregation
should haue a faithfull pastor. Paule was not so wise
as these politique men. When he sayde, we can not
beleeue excepte we heare, and we can not heare without
a preacher. &c. seing we may heare by reading, and
so beleue without a preacher. Foolishly he spake, when
he saide he must be apt to teache, sith euery man of
the basest sort of the people is admitted to this function
of such as Ieroboam did sometimes make his
priestes. We wil say nomore in this matter, but desire
you to consider with vs what small profyt and edifycation
this seely reading hath broughte to vs these [illegible]
yeres paste (except perhaps by some circumcelion or
newe Apostle, we haue had nowe and then a fleeing
sermon) surely our sinnes are growen ripe, oure ignorance
is equall with the ignorance of our leaders
we are lost they cannot fynde vs, we are sicke, they
can not heale vs, we are hongry, they cannot fynde vs
except they leade vs by other mennes lights, and hear
vs by saying a prescript forme of seruice, or else feed
vs with homilies, that are to homely, to be sette in the
place of Gods scriptures. But drunken they are, and
shewe theyr owne shame, that striue so egarely to defend
4
their doyngs, that they wyl not only not acknowledge
their imperfections: but wyl enforce other men
to allow them.
2. In this booke also, it is appointed that after the
Creede, yf there be no sermon, an homilie must folow
either already set out, or hereafter to be set oute. This
is scarse plaine dealing, that they wold haue vs co~sent
vnto that which we neuer sawe, and which is to be set
out hereafter, we hauyng had such cause already to distrust
them, by that which is already set out, being corrupt
& strange, to maintayne an vnlearned & readyng
ministerie: and sith it is playne that mennes workes
ought to be kepte in, and nothyng els but the voice of
God and holy Scriptures, in which onely are contained
all fulnes and sufficiencie to decide controuersies
must sound in his church, for the very name Apocrypha
testifieth that thei ought rather to be kept close
then to be vttered.
3. In this booke dayes are ascribed vnto Saintes,
and kept holy with fastes on their euenes, & prescript
seruice appointed for them, which beside that, they ar
of many superstitiously kepte and obserued, are also
contrary to y=e= comma~ndement of God. Sixe dayes
shalt thou laboure, and therfore we for the superstitio~
that is put in them, dare not subscribe to allow them.
4. In this booke we are enioyned to receaue the
Communion kneeling, which beside that it hath in it a
shew of papistrie, doth not so wel expresse y=e= misterie
of this holy Supper. For as in the old Testament
eating the Paschal lambe standing, signified a readinesse
to passe: euen so in receauyng it now sitting
accordyng to the example of Chryst, we signifie rest,
that is, a ful finishing thorow Chryst of al the ceremonial
law, and a perfect worke of rede~ption wroght
that geueth rest for euer. And so we auoide also y=e= danger
of Idolatrie which was in times past too co~mon,
and yet is in the harts of manie, who haue not yet forgotten
their breaden God, so slenderlie haue they ben
C
5
instructed. Against which we may set the commandeme~t.
Thou shalt not bow down to it, nor worship it.
5. As for the halfe Communion, which is yet appointed
like to the commemoration of the Masse, we
say little of it, sauing that we may note, how neare the
translator bounde himselfe to the Masse booke, that
wold not omit it. We speake not of the name of priest
wherwith he defaceth the minister of Christ (bicause
the priest that translated it, woulde perhappes faine
haue the ministers of Christe to be ioyned with him)
seeing the offyce of Priesthode is ended, Christe being
the last priest that euer was. To call vs therefore
priests as vouching oure offyce, is either to call backe
againe the olde priesthode of the law, which is to denie
Christ to be comen, or else to kepe a memory of the
popishe priesthode of abhomination still amongste
vs. As for the fyrst, it is by Christe abolished, and
for the second it is of Antichrist, and therfore we haue
nothing to w=t= do it. Such ought to haue no place in
our church, neither are they ministers of Christe, sent
to preach his gospell, but priests of the Pope to sacrifyce
for the quicke and the dead, that is to tread vnder
their feete the bloude of Christe. Suche oughte not to
haue place amongste vs, as the scriptures manifestly
teache. Besides that, we neuer reade in the newe Testament,
that this woorde prieste as touching offyce
is vsed in the good parte.
6 Sixthly, in this boke three or foure are allowed
for a fytte number to receiue the communion, and the
priest alone together with one more, or with the sicke
man alone, may in time of necessitie, that is, when
there is any common plague, or in time of other visitation,
minister it to the sicke man, and if he require it,
it may not be denyed. This is not I am sure like in effect
to a priuate masse: that scripture drink ye all of
this, maketh not againste this, and priuate communion,
is not against the scriptures.
7 And as for priuate baptisme, that will abide the
6
touchstone. Goe ye (sayth Christ and teache, baptising
them. &c. Now teaching is deuorsed from communions
and sacraments. They may goe alone without
doctrine. Women that may not speake in a
congregation, may yet in time of necessitie, minister
the sacrament of baptisme, & that in a priuate house.
And yet this is nor to tie necessitie of saluation to the
sacramentes, nor to nowsell men vp in that opinion.
This is agreable w=t= the scriptures, and therfore when
they bring the baptized childe, they are receiued with
this speciall commendation. I certefye you, that you
haue done well, and according vnto due order. &c.
But nowe we speake in good earnest, when they answer
this: Let them tell vs, howe this geare agreeth
with the scriptures, and whether it be not repugnante
or against the worde of God?
8 The publique baptisme, that also is full of childishe
and superstitious toyes. First in their prayer
they say that God by the baptisme of his sonne Iesus
Christ, did sanctifie the floude Iordan, and all others
waters, to the misticall washing away of sinne, attributing
that to the signe which is propre to the
worke of God in the bloud of Christe, as though vertue
were in water, to washe away sinnes. Secondly,
they require a promisse of the godfathers and godmothers
(as they terme them) which is not in their
powers to performe. Thirdly, they prophane holye
baptisme, in toying folishly, for that they aske questions
of an infante, whiche can not answere, and speake
vnto them, as was wont to be spoken vnto men, and
vnto such as being conuerted, answered for the~selues,
& were baptized. Which is but a mockerie of God,
and therefore against the holy scriptures. Fourthly,
they do superstitiously and wickedly institute a newe
sacrament, which is proper to Christe onely, marking
the childe in the forheade with a crosse, in token that
hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confesse the faith
of Christ. We haue made mention before of that wicked
7
deuorse of the worde and sacraments. We say nothing
of those, that are admitted to be witnesses, what
ill choise there is made of them, howe conueniente it
were, seeing the children of the faithfull only are to be
baptized, that the father should and mighte, if conueniently
offer and present his child to be baptized, making
an open confession of that faithe, wherein he
would haue his childe baptized, and how this is vsed
in well ordered churches.
9 As for matrimonie, that also hathe corruptions
to many. It was, wonte to be compted a sacramente
and therfore they vse yet a sacramental signe, to which
they attribute the vertue of wedlocke. I meane the
wedding ring, which they fowly abuse & dally withall,
in taking it vp, and laying it downe: In putting it
on, they abuse the name of the Trinitie, they make the
newe marryed man, according to the Popish forme, to
make an idol of his wife, saying: with this ring I thee
wedde, with my body I thee worshippe. &c. And bicause
in Poperie, no holy action mighte be done without
a masse, they enioyne the marryed persones to receiue
the communion (as they do their bishoppes and
priests when they are made. &c.) other pettie things
oute of the booke, we speake not of, as that women
contrary to the rule of the Apostle, come, and are
suffered to come bare headed, with bagpipes and fidlers
before them, to disturbe the congregation, and
that they must come in at the great dore of the church,
or else all is marred.
10 As for confirmation
as they vse it by the Bishoppe alone to them that
lacke both discretion and faithe, it is superstitious and
not agreeable to the word of God, but popish and peuish.
We speake not of other toyes vsed in it and how
farre it differeth, and is degenerated from the firste
institution, they themselues that are learned can witnesse.
8
11 They appointe a prescripte kinde of seruice to
burie the deade: And that which is the duety of euery
christian, they tie alone to the minister, wherby prayer
for the dead is maintained, and partly gathered oute
of some of the prayers, where they pray that we with
this oure brother, and all other departed in the true
faithe of thy holy name, may haue oure perfecte consummation
and blisse, bothe in bodye and soule. We
say nothing of the threefolde peale, bicause that it is
rather licensed by iniunction, the~ commaunded in the
booke, nor of their straunge mourning by chaunging
theyr garments, which if it be not hipocritical, yet it is
superstitious and heathenishe, bicause it is vsed onely
of custome, nor of buriall sermons, whiche are put in
place of trentalles, wherout spring many abuses, and
wherefore in the best reformed churches, are remoued.
As for the superstitions vsed bothe in Countrey and
Citie, for the place of buryall, whiche way they muste
lie, howe they must be fetched to churche, the minister
meeting them at churche stile with surplesse, wyth a
companye of greedie clarkes, that a crosse white or
blacke, must be set vpon the dead corpes, that breade
muste be giuen to the poore, and offrings in buriall
time vsed, and cakes sent abrode to frendes, bycause
these are rather vsed of custome and superstition, then
by the authoritie of the boke. Smal commaundement
will serue for the accomplishing of such things. But
great charge will hardly bring the least good thing to
passe, and therefore all is let alone, and the people as
blinde and as ignorante as euer they were. God be
mercyfull vnto vs.
12 Churching of women after childbirthe, smelleth
of Iewishe purification: theyr other rytes and customes
in theyr lying in, & comming to church, is foolishe
and superstitious, as it is vsed. She must lie in
with a white sheete vppon her bed, and come couered
with a vaile, as ashamed of some follie. She muste
offer, but these are matters of custome, and not in the
C.iij.
9
booke: But this Psalme (as is noted before) is childishly
abused, I haue lifte vp mine eyes vnto the
hilles, from whence commeth my healpe. The sunne
shall not burne thee by day, nor the moone by nighte.
They pray that all men may be saued, & that they may
be deliuered from thundering and tempest, when no
daunger is nighe, that they sing Benedictus, Nunc
dimittis and Magnificat, we know not to what purpose,
except some of them were ready to die, or except
they woulde celebrate the memory of the virgine, and
Iohn Baptist. &c. Thus they prophane the holy
scriptures.
13 In all theyr order of seruice there is no edification, according to the rule of the Apostle, but confusion,
they tosse the Psalmes in most places like tennice
balles. The people some standing, some walking,
some talking, some reading, some praying by themselues,
attend not to the minister. He againe posted
it ouer, as fast as he can gallop. For either he hath
two places to serue, or else ther are some games to be
playde in the after noone, as lying for the whetstone
heathnish dauncing for the ring, a beare or a bull to be
baited, or else Iacke an apes to ride on horssebacke, or
an enterlude to be plaide, and if no place else can be
gotten, it must be done in the churche. &c. Nowe the
people sit, and now they stand vp. When the old Testament
is read, or the lessons, they make no reuere~ce
but when the gospel commeth, then they al stand vp.
For why, they thinke that to be of greatest authoritie
and are ignorante that the scriptures came from our
spirite. When Iesus is named, then of goth the cap,
and downe goeth the knees, with suche a scraping on
the ground, that they cannot heare a good while after
so that the word is hindred, but whe~ any other names
of God are mentioned, they make no curtesie at all, as
though the names of God were not equall, or as thoughe
all reuerence oughte to be giuen to the syllables.
We speake not of ringing, when Mattens is don, and
10
other abuses incident. Bicause we shalbe answered;
that by the boke they are not maintained, only we desire
to haue a booke to reforme it. As for organes and
curious singing, thoughe they be proper to popishe
dennes, I meane to Cathedrall churches, yet some others
also must haue them. The Queenes chappell,
and these churches, must be paternes and presidents
to the people, of all superstitions.
14 Their po~tificall (which is annexed to the boke
of common prayer, and whereunto subscribing to the
Articles, we must subscribe also) whereby they consecrate
Bishoppes, make ministers and deacons, is nothing
else but a thing worde for worde drawne out of
the Popes po~tifical, wherin he sheweth himself to be
Antichrist most liuely. And as the names of Archbishops,
Archdeacons, Lord bishops, Chancelers. &c.
are drawne out of the Popes shop togither with their
offices. So the gouernement which they use, by the
life of the Pope which is the Canon law is Antichristian
and deuillishe, and contrarye to the scriptures.
And as safely may we, by the warrant of Gods word
subscribe to allowe the dominion of the pope vniuersally
to raigne ouer the church of God, as of an Archbishop
ouer an whole prouince, or a Lord bishop ouer
a diocesse, which co~taineth many shyres and parishes.
For the dominion that they exercise the Archbyshop
aboue them, and they aboue the rest of theyr brethren,
is vnlawfull, and expresly forbidden by the woorde
of God.
15 Agayne, in that they are honoured with the
titles of kings and greate rulers, as Lorde, Lordes
grace, Metropolitane, primate of all Englande, honor.
&c. it is against the word of God.
Moreouer, in that they haue ciuill offices, ioyned
to the Ecclesiasticall, it is againste the woorde of
God. As for an Archbishop to be a Lord president,
a Lorde bishop, to be a countie Palatine, a Prelate of
the garter, who hath much to do at S. Georges feast,
11
when the Bible is caryed before the procession in the
crosses place, a iustice of peace, or iustice of Quorum
an highe Commissioner. &c. and therefore they haue
theyr prisonnes, as clinkes, gatehouses, colehouses,
towers and castles, whiche is also againste the scriptures.
This is not to haue keyes but swords, & plaine
tokens they are, that they exercise that, whiche they
woulde so faine seeme to want, I meane dominion ouer
theyr brethren.
16 In that the Lorde Bishops, theyr suffraganes
Archdeaco~s, Cha~celers, Officials, proctors, Doctors,
sumners, and such rauening rablers, take vpon them,
which is most horrible the rule of Goddes churche,
spoyling the pastor of his lawful iurisdictio~ ouer
hys own flock giue~ by the word, thrusting away most
sacrilegiously that order which Christ hath left to hys
church, & which the primatiue churche hath vsed, they
shewe they holde the doctrine with vs, but in vnrighteousnesse,
with an outward shewe of godlynesse, but
hauing denyed the power therof, entring not in by
Christ, but by a popishe and vnlawfull vocation. We
speake not howe they make ministers by themselues
alone, and of other sole authoritie, and that in
secrete places, of theyr election and probation, that it
is of him, to whom by no right it belongeth. And that
when they haue made them, either they may tarrye in
theyr Colledge, and lead the liues of loytering losels,
as long as they liue, or else gadde abrode with the Bishops
bulles like to Circumcelions, to preach in other
mennes charges where they lifte, or else get benefices
by frendshippe or money, or flatterie where they can
catche them, or to conclude: If all these faile, that they
may goe vp and downe like beggers, and fall to many
follyes: or else as many haue don, set vp bils at Pauls
or at the Royall exchange, and in such publike places,
to see if they can heare of some good maysters, to entertaine
them into seruice. Surely, by the Canon law,
by which the Bishops raigne and rule, they ought to
12
kepe those ministers, which they make as lo~g as they haue
no liuings and places. We knowe three or foure bishops
in this realme, would haue kept such houses, as
neuer none did in this lande, if this rule had bene obserued.
They clapt them out so fast by hundredes, and
they made them pay wel for their orders, and surely to
speake the truth they were worthy for the Bishoppes
(what oddes so euer there were of their giftes) yet in
theyr letters gaue them all a like commendation. They
put on their surplesses, or else subscribid like honest
men. Fie vpon these stinking abominations.
17 We should be to long to tell your honoures of
Cathedrall churches, the dennes aforsaide of all loytering
lubbers, wher master Deane, master Vicedeane,
master Canons or Prebendaries the greater, master
pettie Canons, or Canons the lesser, master Chanceller
of the churche, master treasurer, otherwise called
Iudas the purssebearer, the cheefe chauntor, singing
men speciall fauourers of religion, squeaking queresters,
organ players, gospellers, pistelers, pentioners,
readers, vergerirs. &c. liue in great idlenesse, and haue
their abiding. If you woulde knowe whence all these
came, we can easely answere you, that they came from
the Pope, as oute of the Troian horses bellye, to the
destruction of Gods kingdome. The churche of God
neuer knewe them, neither doth any reformed churche
in the world knowe them.
18. And birdes of the same fether, are couetous
patrones of benefices, persones, vicares, readers, parishe
priests, stipendaries, and riding chaplains, that
vnder the aucthoritie of their masters, spoile theyr
flockes of the foode of their soules. Suche seeke
not the Lord Iesus, but theyr owne bellies, clouds
they are without raine, trees without frute, painted
sepulchres full of dead bones, fatted in all abounda~ce
of iniquitie, and leane locustes in all feeling, knowledge,
and sinceritie.
19 What shoulde we speake of the Archbishops
D
13
court, sith all men knowe it, and your wisedomes can
not, but see what it is. As all other courts ar subiect to
this, by the Popes prerogatiue, yea, and by statute of
this realme yet vnrepealed, so is it the filthie quaue
mire, and poysoned plashe of all the abhomination
that doe infect the whole realme. We speake not of licenses
graunted out of this courte, to marrye in forbidden
times, as in lent, in aduent, in the gang weke, with
banners and belles, with the prieste in his surplesse
singing gospels, and making crosses, rangeth about
in many places, vpon the ember dayes, and to forbidden
persons, and in exempt places. We make no mention
of licences, to eat white meate, and fleshe in lent
and that with a safe conscience, for riche men that can
buy them with money, nor we say nothing how derely
men pay for them. As for dispensations with beneficed
boyes, tollerations for non residentes, bulles to
haue two benefices, to haue three, to haue more, and
as many as they list or can gette, these are so common
that all godly and good men are compelled with grefe
of hart, to cry out vpon such abominations. We omit
excommunication for money, absolution for the same
and that by absoluing one man for another, which
how contrary it is to the scriptures, the complaints
of many learned men by propositions in open scholes
proposed, by wrytings in printed bookes set oute, and
by preaching in open pulpits, haue beene sufficiently
witnessed. To conclude, this filthy court hath full power
together with the aucthoritie of this pettie popish
metropolitane and primate of all Engla~d, to dispence
in all causes, wherin the pope was wont to dispence
vnder which are contained more cases and causes, then
we are able to recken. As for my Lords grace of Yorke
we deale not with him. We refer him to that learned
epistle, which Beza wrote vnto him aboute these matters.
20 And as for the commissaries court, that is but
a pettie little stinking ditche, that floweth oute of that
14
former great puddle, robbing Christes church of lawfull pastors, of watchfull Seniors and Elders, and
carefull Deacons. In this court as in the other, one
alone doth excommunicate, one alone sitteth in iudgement,
and when he will, can drawe backe the iudgement
which he hath pronounced, hauing called vpon
the name of God, and that for money which is called
the chaunging of penaunce. In this courte, for non
paiment of two pence, a man shall be excommunicated
if he appeare not when he is sent for, if he doe not as
his ordinarie would, from whom he had his popishe
induction and institution, & to whom he hath sworne,
Canonicam obedientiam, Canonicall obedience, if he
learne not his Catechisme like a good boye withoute
booke, when it were more meete he shoulde be able to
teach others. To conclude: if he be not obedyent to all
these Lord bishops officers, by and by he must be cut
of by excommunication. And as it is lightly graunted
and giuen forthe, so if the money be paide, and the
court discharged, it is as quickly called in again. This
courte poulleth parishes, scourgeth the poore hedge
priestes, ladeth Churchwardens with manifest periuries,
punisheth whoredomes and adulteryes with
ioyishe censures, remitteth without satisfying the congregation, and that in secrete places, giueth out dispe~sations
for vnlawfull mariages, and comitteth a thousand
such like abhominations. God deliuer al Christians
out of this Antichristian tyrannie, where the iudges
aduocates and proctors for the most part are papists,
and as for the scribes and notaries as greedy as
cormorantes, and if they all should perhappes see this
wryting, they would be as angry as waspes, & sting
like hornets. Three of them would be inowe to sting a
man to death, for why they are highe comissioners.
All this we say springeth oute of this pontificall,
which we must allowe by subscription, setting downe
our hands, that it is not repugnaunte or againste the
worde of God, we meane this Antichristian hierarchie,
15
and popish orderyng of ministers, strange from
the worde of GOD, and the vse of al well reformed
churches in the worlde.
21. We haue almost let passe one thyng worthy the
reme~brance, which is, that they take vpon them blasphemouslie,
hauyng neyther promise nor commandment
to say to their new creatures, receaue the Holy
ghost. As though the Holy ghost were in their power
to geue without warrant, at their owne pleasure.
And thus much be spoken as touching this book
agaynst which to stand, is a wonder to two sortes power of
men, the one ignorant, the other obstinate. The Lord
geue those that be his, vnderstandyng in all thynges.
that they may haue iudgeme~t: as for the other whom
the God of this worlde hath blynded, least they
shoulde see and confesse the truth and so be saued, and
that doe in the full grouth of wickednes, maliciously
resist the truth. God confound them, that peace must
be vpon Israell, and his sauyng health vpon this nation.
Amen.