Cranmer, Latimer, and Ridley; or prove her selfe a reta ner to Conftantine, and weare his badge. More tolerable it were for the Church of GOD that all these Names were utterly abolisht, like the Brazen Serpent; then that mens fond opinion should thus idolize them, and the Heavenly Truth be thus captivated.

Now to proceed, whatsoever the Bishops were, it seemes they themselves were unfatisfi'd in matters of Religion, as they then stood, by that Commiffion granted to 8. Bishops, 8. other Divines, 8. Civilians, 8. common Lawyers, to frame Ecclefiafticall Conftitutions; which no wonder if it came to nothing; for (as Hayward relates) both their Profeffions and their Ends were different. Lastly, we all know by Examples, that exact Reformation is not perfited at the first push, and thofe unweildy Times of Edward 6. may hold fome Plea by this excufe: Now let any reasonable man judge whether that Kings Reigne be a fit time from whence to patterne out the Constitution of a Church Difcipline, much lesse that it should yeeld occafion from whence to fofter and establish the continuance of Imperfection with the commendatory fubfcriptions of Confeffors and Martyrs, to intitle and ingage a glorious Name to a groffe corruption. It was not Epifcopacie that wrought in them the Heavenly Fortitude of Martyrdome; as little is it that Martyrdome can make good Epifcopacie: But it was Epifcopacie that led the good and holy Men through the temptation of the Enemie, and the fnare of this prefent world to many blameworthy and opprobrious Actions. And it is still Epifcopacie that before all our eyes worsens and fluggs the most learned, and feeming religious of our Minifters, who no fooner advanc't to it, but like a feething pot set to coole, fenfibly exhale and reake out the greatest part of that zeale, and those Gifts

which were formerly in them, fettling in a skinny congealment of eafe and floth at the top: and if they keep their Learning by fome potent fway of Nature, 'tis a rare chance; but their devotion most commonly comes to that queazy temper of lukewarmneffe, that gives a Vomit to GOD himfelfe.

But what doe wee fuffer mif-fhapen and enormous Prelatifme, as we do, thus to blanch and varnish her deformities with the faire colours, as before of Martyrdome, fo now of Epifcopacie? They are not Bishops, GOD and all good Men know they are not, that have fill'd this Land with late confufion and violence; but a Tyrannicall crew and Corporation of Impoftors, that have blinded and abus'd the World fo long under that Name. He that inabl'd with gifts from God, and the lawfull and Primitive choyce of the Church affembl'd in convenient number, faithfully from that time forward feeds his Parochiall Flock, ha's his coequall and compresbyteriall Power to ordaine Minifters and Deacons by publique Prayer, and Vote of Chrifts Congregation in like fort as he himselfe was ordain'd, and is a true Apoftolick Bishop. But when hee fteps up into the Chayre of Pontificall Pride, and changes a moderate and exemplary Houfe, for a mif-govern'd and haughty Palace, fpirituall Dignity for carnall Precedence, and fecular high Office and employment for the high Negotiations of his Heavenly Embaffage, Then he degrades, then hee un-Bishops himselfe; hee that makes him Bishop makes him no Bishop. No marvell therfore if S. Martin complain'd to Sulpitius Severus that fince hee was Bishop he felt inwardly a sensible decay of those vertues and graces that God had given him in great measure before; Although the fame Sulpitius write that he was nothing tainted, or alter'd in his habit, dyet, or perfonall demeanour from that fimple plainneffe to which he first betook

himselfe. It was not therfore that thing alone which God tooke difpleasure at in the Bishops of those times, but rather an univerfall rottennes, and gangrene in the whole Function.

From hence then I paffe to Qu. ELIZABETH, the next Proteftant Prince, in whofe Dayes why Religion attain'd not a perfect reducement in the beginning of her Reigne, I fuppofe the hindring Caufes will be found to bee common with fome formerly alledg'd for King EDWARD 6. the greenneffe of the Times, the weake Estate which Qu. MARY left the Realme in, the great Places and Offices executed by Papifts, the Judges, the Lawyers, the Justices of Peace for the most part Popish, the Bishops firme to Rome, from whence was to be expected the furious flashing of Excommunications, and abfolving the People from their Obedience. Next, her private Councellours, whoever they were, perfwaded her (as Camden writes) that the altering of Ecclefiafticall Policie would move fedition. Then was the Liturgie given to a number of moderate Divines, and Sir Tho. Smith a Statesman to bee purg'd, and Phyfick't: And furely they were moderate Divines indeed, neither hot nor cold; and Grindall the best of them, afterwards Arch-Bishop of Canterbury loft favour in the Court, and I think was discharg'd the goverment of his See for favouring the Minifters, though Camden feeme willing to finde another Cause: therefore about her second Yeare in a Parliament of Men and Minds fome scarce well grounded, others belching the foure Crudities of yesterdayes Poperie, those Constitutions of Edw. 6. which as you heard before, no way fatisfi'd the men that made them, are now establish't for best, and not to be mended. From that time follow'd nothing but Imprisonments, troubles, difgraces on all those that found fault with the Decrees of the Convoca

tion, and strait were they branded with the Name of Puritans. As for the Queene her felfe, shee was made beleeve that by putting downe Bishops her Prerogative would be infring'd, of which shall be spoken anon, as the course of Method brings it in. And why the Prelats labour'd it should be fo thought, ask not them, but ask their Bellies. They had found a good Tabernacle, they fate under a spreading Vine, their Lot was fallen in a faire Inheritance. And these perhaps were the cheife impeachments of a more found rectifying the Church in the Queens Time.

From this Period I count to begin our Times, which, because they concerne us more neerely, and our owne eyes and eares can give us the ampler scope to judge, will require a more exact search; and to effect this the fpeedier, I fhall distinguish such as I esteeme to be the hinderers of Reformation into 3. forts, Antiquitarians (for fo I had rather call them then Antiquaries, whofe labours are usefull and laudable) 2. Libertines, 3. Polititians.

To the votarists of Antiquity I shall think to have fully answer'd, if I fhall be able to prove out of Antiquity, First, that if they will conform our Bishops to the purer times, they must mew their feathers, and their pounces, and make but curt-tail'd Bishops of them; and we know they hate to be dockt and clipt, as much as to be put down outright. Secondly, that thofe purer times were corrupt, and their Books corrupted foon after. Thirdly, that the best of those that then wrote, disclaim that any man should repofe on them, and fend all to the Scriptures.

First therfore, if those that over-affect Antiquity, will follow the fquare therof, their Bishops must be elected by the hands of the whole Church. The ancienteft of the extant Fathers Ignatius, writing to

the Philadelphians faith, that it belongs to them as to the Church of God to choose a Bishop. Let no man cavill, but take the Church of God as meaning the whole confiftence of Orders and Members, as S. Pauls Epiftles expreffe, and this likewise being read over: Befides this, it is there to be mark'd, that those Philadelphians are exhorted to choose a Bishop of Antioch. Whence it seems by the way that there was not that wary limitation of Dioces in those times, which is confirm'd even by a faft friend of Episcopacie, Camden, who cannot but love Bishops, as well as old coins, and his much lamented Monafteries for antiquities fake. He writes in his defcription of Scotland, that over all the world Bishops had no certaine Dioces, till Pope Dionyfius about the yeare 268. did cut them out, and that the Bishops of Scotland executed their function in what place foever they came indifferently, and without diftinction till King Malcolm the third, about the yeare 1070. whence may be guest what their function was: was it to goe about circl'd with a band of rooking Officials, with cloke bagges full of Citations, and Proceffes to be ferv'd by a corporalty of griffonlike Promooters, and Apparitors? Did he goe about to pitch down his Court, as an Empirick does his banck, to inveigle in all the mony of the Coutrey? no certainly it would not have bin permitted him to exercise any fuch function indifferently wherever he came. And verily fome fuch matter it was as want of a fat Dioces that kept our Britain Bishops fo poore in the Primitive times, that being call'd to the Councell of Ariminum in the yeare 359. they had not wherewithall to defray the charges of their journey, but were fed, and lodg'd upon the Emperors coft, which must needs be no accidentall, but ufuall poverty in them, for the author Sulp. Severus in his 2 Booke of Church History praises them, and avouches it