II.

BOOK ecclesiastical officers. The sufficiency of his calling also to the ministry was called into question; and, at a court held Anno 1576. at St. George's church, where the court then sat, suspended from his ministry by sentence pronounced by the dean of Norwich. At which Gawton beforesaid was present, and much displeased at the proceedings with him, carrying himself rudely there, and saying afterwards, when his own business was in hand, that the dean behaved himself not like a judge, but very intemperately, like a tyrant against Mr. Harvey: and that he was able, by the word of God, to prove his calling lawful.

ter to the

His bold let- But now what more particularly were this man's prinbishop. Part ciples, and how affected he stood to this church's constituof a Regis- tion, may be judged by a confident ruffling letter that he

ter, p. 365.

sent some days after to the bishop, (for him I take to be R. H. subscribed, the writer,) pretending therein to render a further account of his behaviour before him in the court where he sat as a judge: His protestation, he said, always remembered; meaning the denial of his lawful authority in the church, by warrant of the gospel. He first wished him peace and truth, if he pertained to God. And then began, "That he might see, if he shut not his eyes, how the man " of sin, he of Rome, he meant, did pervert and corrupt "the doctrine of Christ; so that not one free spot of it did " remain. And that in like manner touching the regiment " of the church and discipline, whereas our Saviour, Lord " and only King of his church, sate in the seat of judgment, " &c. that man plucked him out of his throne, and placed " himself there. These things he hoped the bishop knew. "That then we had to consider, that when Christ reigned, "his officers were bishops and pastors, elders and deacons. " In the scriptures of God we found it so. Now when the " pope had removed this government, he placed new gover

450 " nors of another kind of name and office, that is to say, "cardinals, archbishops, lords bishops, deans, chancellors, "commissaries, with the rest of that ungracious guard. "Thus doctrine and government being both thrown down, "it pleased the Lord, in his time, to bestow upon us some

IV.

"benefit. For he had, by means of our good prince, purged CHAP. "the doctrine of Christ from devilish error; being ready " also to have restored to us true discipline, if our own mi- Anno 1576. "serable unthankfulness and lazy slackness had not hin"dered. But you, (meaning the bishop,) and such as you "be, whet the edge of your wooden sword, viz. your coun" terfeit authority, to stand in the way to shut the gate of " paradise, and to keep us from the tree of life.

"But to come to the government of the church, he [the " bishop] saw, that it was not at all altered; and he knew, " that where the pope's officers, whom he created, did bear " rule, there he bore rule himself. So that you see, added "he, in this state of the church, the reins of government be " not in the hands of Christ, but in the hands of Antichrist. "And that whereas they shrouded themselves under the "shadow of the prince, saying, that she created them and "their authority, &c. but he could discourse of that gene"ration better than so: he knew it of a truth, that the arch"bishop begat them, and the bishop of Rome begat him, " and the Devil begat him. So now, in respect of their of"fices, they saw who was their grandsire, and who their " great grandsire.

"But, as he proceeded, that whereas they said, that " though the prince did not create them, yet she allowed of "them; he answered, that forasmuch as Christ was the " only lawgiver in his church, and the only ordainer of of"ficers therein, if any king or prince in the world ordain " or allow other officers than Christ hath already ordained

66

or allowed, we will, said he, rather lay down our necks on the block, than consent thereto. Wherefore do not use to object unto us so oft the name of our prince. For you use it as a cloak to cover your cursed enterprises.

That they sought out of her authority to scratch " poison, i. e. the hinderance of the gospel of Christ. He "bade them remember what they had done. Have you "not thrust out some, whom God had placed over his "people; even such as preached the lively word faithfully " and sincerely? Have you not plucked out those preachers,

BOOK

II.

"where God set them in ? - Do you think that this plea, " I did but execute the law, will excuse you before the high Anno 1576. " Judge? where you, except you repent with a deep repent"ance, shall stand and tremble like a thief in the jail, and " gnash your teeth.

"But again, turning to their offices, that seeing he had " proved that they were not of God, he asketh the bishop, "Who made you so malapert as to sit in the seat of judg"ment in the church, having no warrant for your so doing; "sitting and controlling the ministers of Christ? What "shall become of those miserable caitiffs that have over"thrown the government of the church under the gospel? "Well, then, if you be an unlawful judge in the church, 451 " (and I have the truth of God on my side,) then you must "needs be an idol. So that if I had reverenced you in "your judgment seat, I should have committed idolatry. "Wherefore now he saw it was the fear of displeasing God, " and not stoutness and contumacy of mind, [as the court "had then charged him with,] that caused him to deny the " bishop reverence.

Libertines, asserting no

"And therefore at last he gave him counsel in Christ, to "have a care for his soul, and in haste to renounce that " evil office which he had usurped, and repent him deeply " of his horrible iniquity, [in suspending these puritans,] " and suffer the flock to enjoy the benefit of their preachers "of God's word; and he himself to serve God in some " other calling, until he called him to some right and true " function in his church. And these things he bade him do, " lest his sin were greater than it was before he told him. "And if he would do thus, he, with his faithful brethren, " would pray to God, that these things which he had spoken " might not fall upon him." These are some brief extracts taken out of his very letter, and so much esteemed by that party, that it was put in print by them, with several other tracts of the like sort.

There was now another sort of dissenters from the doc

obligation trine of the church, as the former were of the discipline: a to the mo- sort of libertines they were, that reckoned themselves not

IV.

bound to the observation of the moral law of the ten com- CHAP. mandments; as being obligatory to such only as were Jews. The broacher of this opinion propounded, for the advance-Anno 1576. ment of it, two questions. First, whether the whole law of Moses was given to the Jews, or no? [And not to the Gentiles.] Secondly, whether, if it were given to the Jews and Gentiles, it were abrogated by Christ's coming, in whole or in part? These questions were framed by one Bird, living about Saffron Walden, in Essex; where there was a company or society of pure brethren, as they were called. To these questions, sent to Dr. Whitgift, he gave a long and learned answer; which I have set down elsewhere, and Life of Bigiven an account thereof.

shop Whitgift.

dean of

Now was Dr. Lawrence Humfrey, the learned public pro-Dr. Humfessor of divinity at Oxford, advanced to the deanery of frey made Gloucester, by the means of the lord treasurer: and upon Gloucester. his motion was at length persuaded to wear the habits; which he, with Dr. Sampson, some time dean of Christ's Church, had refused some years before; and drew up their arguments why they could not comply therewith: which made a very unhappy difference then in the church, as may be read elsewhere at large. And now, in the month of Life of BiFebruary, from Oxon, he wrote to this tenor to the said shop Parlord: "That he had received his letter, and perceived his His letter

to the trea

care for the bettering of his state. That he was loath her surer, pro" majesty, or any other honourable person, should think mising conformity. "that he was forgetful of his duty, or so far off from obe-Vid. Annal. " dience, but that he would submit himself to those orders, of Reform. " in that place where his being and living was. And there-452 "fore he had yielded."

p. 431.

ly.

to ob

This year began the keeping of the anniversary day of The queen's queen Elizabeth's accession to the crown: and so hencefor-day, Nov ward to be observed every year on the 17th day of Novem-served yearber; or at least this form of prayer was, by appointment, to be used: which may be worthy to be here inserted: printed this year.

"O Lord God, most merciful Father; who, as upon The prayer. " this day, calling thy servant, our sovereign and gracious

BOOK

II.

" queen Elizabeth to the kingdom, didst deliver thy people " of England from danger of war and oppression, both of Anno 1576. " bodies by tyranny, and of conscience by superstition: re" storing peace and true religion, with liberty both of bo" dies and minds: and hast continued the same thy bless"ings without all desert on our part, now by the space of "these eighteen years: we who are, in memory of these "thy great benefits, assembled here together, most humbly "beseech thy fatherly goodness to grant us grace, that we " may in word, deed, and heart, shew ourselves thankful "and obedient unto thee for the same. And that our " queen, through thy grace, may, in all honour, goodness, " and godliness, long and many years reign over us; and " we obey and enjoy her, with the continuance of thy great " blessings, which thou hast by her, thy minister, poured

Increase this number according to the years of her majesty's reign.

bastards, to

66

upon us. This we beseech thee to grant unto us, for thy "dear Son Jesus Christ's sake, our Lord and Saviour, " Amen."

Now to cast an eye over into the queen's other kingdom

of Ireland.

This year there was to be an ordination, to supply the popish church there with mass-sayers, and chantry-priests, and for such like offices. At which time there were no less than five bastards, some of them, and perhaps all, sons of priests, that were now to be entered into the priesthood. And, as it seems, such misbegotten persons were bred up to some learning, in order to be made priests; but because

of certain ecclesiastical canons, such could not be admitted

The pope into sacred orders; the pope was to dispense with them, dispenseth with five and to take off the baseness of their birth. And so he did Irishpriests, by a formal bull, and authorized the popish bishop elect, of take orders. Dromore, to admit them to orders. This dispensation of pope Gregory (being the original bull) was once in my hands: which ran to this tenor, viz.

His dispen- Gregorius episcopus, servus servorum Dei; dilecto filio rected to Patricio electo Dromoren. saltem. et aplicam, benedictionem. the bishop Ex parte dilectorum filiorum, Joannis Mac Gilmora, et Nicolai Mac Var, ac Terentii O Bengil, et Patricii etiam