240 The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. VI. seen " With regard to preaching, nothing is more evident from'fcripture (lays Elizabeth, <a his grace) than that itwas a great blefíing to have the gofpel preached, 1577. .'r and to have plenty of labourers fent into the Lord's harveft. That this wa's the ordinary means of falvation, and that hereby men were.taught M.S. p. 245. 't their duty to God and their civil governors. That though reading the " homilies was good, yet it was not comparable to preaching, which might be tutted to the diverfity of tithes; places, and hearers; sand be delivered with more efficacy and affeétion. That homilies were deviled " only to fupply the want of preachers, and were by the flatute of Ed- ward VI. to giye place to fermons, whenfoever they might be had: He hoped therefore her majefty would not difcountenancean ordinance " fo ufeful, and of divine appointment. " For the fecond point, concerning the EXERCISES he apprehended them profitable to the church; and it was not his judgment only, but that of moil of the bithops, as London, Winton, Bath and Wells, Litch- " field, Glauce/ler, Lincoln, Chicheßer, Exon, and St. David's, who " had fignified to him by letter, that by means of thefe exercifes, the " clergy were now better verfed in the fcripture than heretofore; that " they had made them ftudious and diligent; and that nothing had beat down popery like them. He affirms that they are legal, for as much " as by the canons and conftitutions of the church now in force, every " bithop has authority to appoint fuch exercifes for inferior mini-, " tiers to encreafe their knowledge in the fcriptures, as to him Mall teem moil expedient." Towards the dole of this letter, his grace declares himfelf willing to ref gn his province, if it thould he her majefty's pleafure, and then makes thefe two requefts, " (t.) That your majefly " would refer ecclefiaftical matters to the bithops and divines of the " realm, according to the prañtice of the firft chriftian emperors. And, " (a.) That when your majefly deals in matters of faith and religion, " you would not pronounce fo peremptorily, as you may do in civil mat- " ters; but remember that in God's caufe, his will, and not the will of " any earthly creature, is to take place. It is the antichriflian voice of " the pope, Sic volo,lacjubeo, flee pro ratibne voluntas." He then puts her in mind, that though the was a great and mighty princefs, the was neverthelefs a motal creature, and accountable to God : and con- cludes with a declaration, That whereas before there were not three Able preachers, now there were thirty fit to preach at. Paul's Crofs,_and forty or fifty betides, able to inflruft their own cures. That therefore he .could not withoutoffence of the majefty of God, fend out injunêtions for fuppreffing the exercifes. He is fequef_ The queen was to inflamed with this letter, that The determined to tered andcon- make an example of the honefl archbop, as a terror to the whole fined. bench :
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