Neal - Houston-Packer Collection BX9333 .N4 1754 v1

Chap. V. The HI-STORY of` the PURITANS. 163 different things in God's worfhip. To which one of them anfwered, Queen that " it lay not in the authority of a prince, nor the liberty of a chri- El zabeth, ftian man, to ufe and defend that which appertained to papi(try, ido- latry, and the pope's canon law." Another laid, that " theft things " were preferred before the word of God and the ordinances of Chrift." The bifhop afked them what was preferred ? One of them anfwered bold- ly, " That which was upon the bifhop's head, and upon his back ; their " copes and furplices, and canon laws." Another Paid, " That he thought both prince and people, ought to obey the word of God." To which the bithop yielded, except in things that were indifferent, which God had neither commanded nor forbid ; in thefe he afferted, that princes had authority to order and command. Whereupon feveral of them cried out, " Prove that, where find you that?" But the bifhop would not enter into the debate, alledging the judgment of the learned Bal- linger; to which Mr. Smith replied, That perhaps they could ThewBal- linger againft Bollinger, in the affair of the habits. The bithop afked them, whether they would be determined by the church of Geneva. Mr. Smith replied, " That they reverenced the learned in Geneva, and in other places, but did not build their faith and reli- gion upon them." The bithop produced the following paffage out of one of Beza's letters againft them; That againf the bops and prince's will they fhould exercife their oce, they [the minifters of Geneva] did much, the more tremble at it. Mark, fays the bithop, how the learned Reza, trembles atyour cafe. Whereupon one of them Paid, they knew the letter well enough, and that it made nothing againft them, but ra- ther againft the prince and the bithops. Beza and his learned brethren trembled at their cafe, in proceeding to fuch extremities with men, as to drive them againft their wills to that, which they did not care to men- tion. Their_words are. thefe, " We hope that her royal majefty, and fo ". many men of dignity and goodnefs, will endeavour that care may ra- " ther be taken of fo many pious and learned brethren, than fo great an " evil fhould happen, to wit, that the paftors fhould be forced againft " their confciences, to do that which is evil, and fo to involve themfelves in other mens fins, or to give over ; for we more dread that third thing, Lift of " (viz) to exercife. their miniflry contrary to the will of her majellyand the Tindal, bifhops, for caulks, which though we hold our peace, may well enough be N.rV1, " unclesftood." How the bithop could think this was levelled againft the non- conformi(ts is hard to underftand. Togo on with the examination. Oneof the prifoners Paid, that " be- " fore they compelled the ceremonies, to that none might officiate without " them, all was quiet." Another, (viz.) Mr. Hawkins produceda paf- fage out of.Melanchton, that " 'When the opinion of holinefs, or necef- Y 2 Pity

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