HUMPHREY. 371 masters of the congregation. Alas then ! why have you not some good opinion of us ? Why do you trust known adversaries, and distrust your brethren ? We confess one faith of Jesus; we preach one doctrine ; we acknowledge one ruler upon earth : in all these things we are of your judgment. Shall we be used thus then for the sake of a surplice ? Shall brethren persecute brethren for a forked cap, devised for singularity by our enemy ? Shall we fight for the pope's coat, now that his head and his body are banished out of the land ? Shall the labourers, for lack of this furniture, lack their wages, and the church their preaching ? Shall we not teach ? Shall we not exercise our talents as God hath commanded ? My lords, before this take place, consider the cause of the church ; the triumphs of antichrist ; the laughter of satan ; and the sighing, sorrowing, and misery of your fellow-creatures.". In July 1566, Dr. Humphrey and Dr. Sampson wrote to Bullinger at Zurich, giving him a particular account of their opinions and nonconformity. " We do not think," say they, " that prescribing the habits is merely a civil thing. And how can that habit be thought decent, which was brought in to dress up the theatrical pomp ofpopery ? The papists glory in this our imitation of them. We ap- prove of rules to promote order, but this ought not to be applied to those things which destroy the peace of the church, and which are neither necessary, nor useful ; and that tend not to any edification, but only to recommend those forms which most persons abhor. The papists glory in this, that these habits were brought in by them; for the proof of which, they vouch Otho's constitutions and the Roman pontifical. " In King Edward's time, the surplice was not univer- sally used, nor pressed upon the clergy, and the copes then taken away, are now restored. This is not to extirpate popery, but to plant it again; and instead of goingforwards in the work of reformation, is going backwards. We do not make religion to consist in habits ; but only oppose those who do. We hate contention, and are ever ready to enter into a friendly conference about this matter. We do not desert our churches, and leave them exposed to wolves, but, to our great grief, are driven from them. Andwe leave our brethren (meaning those who conformed) to stand or fall to their own master, and desire the same favourable Ames's Fresh Suit, part ii. p. 269-275.
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