Since then we find that Princes have assumed and exercised authority over Bishops; have received from God Commandments respecting Religion; have brought back the Ark of God; composed sacred Hymns and Psalms; erected Temples; and made orations on the subject of God's Worship: purged the Temples; demolished the High Places; and destroyed the Groves with fire: since in many instances they have admonished the Priests of their duty, and prescribed Rules of moral conduct to them; slain the false Prophets; deposed Bishops; convened Assemblies of Prelates; sat with the Episcopal order, and given them instructions how to act: punished Heretical Bishops; taken cognizance of Religious affairs; subscribed, and pronounced sentence; and done all these things (and that both uprightly and piously) on their own individual authority, uncommissioned by any superior: since these are incontrovertible facts, can we with propriety say, that they have no connection with Religion? Or that a Christian Prince, who interests himself in these matters, is guilty of presumption,

in the aid of the Secular arm of the Law; and the Emperor being thus called upon by the Cardinals ought immediately to proceed against the Pope.

wickednsss, and impiety? In all affairs of this nature, the most ancient and the most Christian Kings and Emperors have interposed their authority; and yet were they never on this account charged with presumption or impiety. And who will pretend to find more Catholic Princes, or more illustrious Examples ?*

If therefore they, being merely Civil Magistrates and Governors of Kingdoms, could lawfully do these things; for what Crimes are the Monarchs of this period, who are in the same exalted Station, prohibited from acting in like manner? Or what especial endowments of learning, experience, and sanctity do the Papists now possess, that, (contrary to the invariable Practice of the Ancient Catholic Bishops, who always invited Princes and Potentates to consult with them on the affairs of the Church,) they utterly prohibit all Christian Kings from any

*Touchinge the Princes Power, wee are certainly assured by Goddes Holy Woorde, It is from God. As for the Pope's infinite and Universal Power throughout the Holy Scriptures, from the Genesis unto the Apocalyps, onlesse it be the Power of Darknesse, yee can finde nothinge.

The Defence of the Apologie, p. 696.

participation in their debates, and will not even suffer them to appear in their Councils? We are however compelled to allow that by these proceedings they have cautiously provided for the safety of themselves and their dominion, which they foresaw must otherwise quickly have fallen into decay and ruin. For if they, whom God has placed in the most exalted situation, should once perceive and understand the arts of the Papists;* how they treat with contempt the Commandments of Christ; how the Light of the Gospel is by them obscured and darkened; the unwary led astray; and the Path which leads to the Kingdom of God obstructed, and closed against all who differ from them: if these vile practices were once thoroughly comprehended, they would never so patiently submit to such arrogant contempt, and bitter mockery. But now through

"The Lion, or Wilde Bulle, be they never so Cruel, or greate of Courage, yet, if yee maie once closely cover their eies, ye maie easily leade them whither yee liste, without Resistance; even so dooth the Pope hoodewinke, and blindefolde the Princes of the World; whiche donne, he maketh them to holde his stirope, to leade his Horse, to kneele downe, and to kisse his shooe, and to attende upon him, at his pleasure. But if they knewe either him or themselves, they would not doo it.'' The Defence of the Apologie, p. 698.

their own blindness and imprudence they are as it were yoked to all the Errors and Absurdities of Romish Superstition.*

We indeed, as has before been asserted, have proceeded in our Reformation with the utmost caution; neither has a passion for novelty and innovation biassed us: we have advanced step by step; we have proved all things, and weighed them in the scale of impartiality and of án unprejudiced judgment. Neither should we ever have been induced to undertake this necessary Reformation of Religion, had not the ma

* Januas veritatis claudunt Sacerdotes Hæretici, Sciunt enim si manifesta esset veritas, quod ipsorum Ecclesia esset relinquenda, et ipsi de Sacerdotali dignitate ad humilitatem venirent popularem. Heretical Bishops shut up the Gates of Truth, well knowing that if her influence is once established, their Church will quickly be deserted, and they themselves brought from their Sacerdotal dignity to a level with the common people.

Chrysostom in Opere Imperfecto. Hom. xliv.

"Oh miserable Emperors and Princes of the World, who submit to all these and even worse insults, at the Pope's hands, and make yourselves Slaves unto the Church; you see that the world is miserably oppressed by these men, and still seek no remedy for these evils; nor apply your hearts unto wisdom and knowledge.

Petrus Ferrarien. Citatur ab Illyrico inter testes Veritatis.

R

nifest will of God, revealed in the Holy Scriptures, united with fears for our own Salvation, absolutely compelled us to it. For although we have separated ourselves from that Church to which they absurdly give the name of Catholic, and have thereby drawn upon ourselves the odium of men who are incapable of duly estimating our reasons; yet we are satisfied, (and every man of virtue and common sense, anxiously desirous of his own salvation, ought to be satisfied also) that we have only departed from a Church which can assert no just claim to Infallibility; nay, which Christ, who is truly infallible, long before her corruptions predicted would fall into errors; and into which errors we ourselves have ocular demonstration that she has fallen in her long-continued Apostasy from the faith of the venerable Fathers of the Christian Religion, of the Apostles, of Christ himself; and from the Doctrine and Discipline of the Primitive and Catholic Church!

On the other hand, we have copied as exactly as we could the pattern of the Church as it was constituted in the days of the Apostles and early Catholic Bishops and Fathers; and which