vitiosa; stipula fœnumque sunt, illa scilicet quæ nihil ad basin æterni hujus edificii. Sanior profectò corruptiorve est pro istorum ratione Ecclesia: magis minusve Ecclesia non est. In istis constat Ecclesiæ sive deformitas sive pulchritudo: non constat vita, salus non constat. Profectò, qui Verbo Dei æternis Literarum monumentis consignato, qui Symbolis quibusque primoribus, qui Coneiliis quatuor Generalibus, qui communi Patrum per sexcentos à Christo aimos judicio lubens subscripserit, quod nos facere religiosè profitemur Reformati; si errare in minimis poterit, Hæreticus esse non poterit. Peccare facilè potest particularis aliqua Ecclesia hæresim affingendo sententiæ immerenti, sive veræ forsan illi, sive leviter erronea; graviter certè errare non potest anima vel Ecclesia, quæ universalis veterisque vestigiis solicitè insistit. Pontificius ergo ut quis mori necesse habeat, qui Catholicus obire velit? Lepidum illud est, tribusque Anticyris dignum.

Date veniam, Patres: Interpellant orationem meam beatissimi manes sanctissimi illius nuperrimique Sedis hujusce Episcopi; jubentque ne sinam cineres suos tam turpiter violari. Neque silere pos

they are but hay and stubble, which nothing appertain to the foundation of this everlasting frame. The Church may be either more sound or more corrupt for them: it cannot be more or less a Church. The beauty or deformity of a Church may consist in them: the strength, the welfare of it doth not. Surely, whosoever willingly subscribes to the Word of God, signed in the everlasting monuments of Scripture, to the ancient Creeds, to the four General Councils, to the common consent of the Fathers for six hundred years after Christ, which we of the Reformed Church religiously profess to do; if he may err in small points, yet he cannot be a Heretic. Some particular Church may easily offend by imputing heresy to an undeserved opinion, whether perhaps true, or lightly erroneous; but neither soul nor Church can greatly err, while it treads in the steps of the most ancient and universal. Must he therefore of necessity die a Romanist, that would die a Catholic? This is an idle fancy, and worthy of no less than Bedlam.

Give me leave, ye Reverend Fathers: The blessed ghost of the most holy and latest Bishop of this See, interrupts my speech; and charges me not to suffer his ashes so shamefully to be wrong

*The Prelate here referred to, was Dr. John King, Dean of Christ Church in 1605, and Bishop of London in 1611. King James used to style him "The King of Preachers;" and Lord Chief Justice Coke often declared, that he was the best Speaker in the Star-Chamber in his time." He was so constant in preaching, after he became a Bishop, that he never failed on Sundays, while his health per mitted, to preach in some pulpit in or near London. He died March 30th, 1621; and, soon after, the Papists reported, that he died a member of their Church: but the falsehood of this story was fully exposed by his son Henry, in a Sermon at St. Paul's Cross, to which Bp. Hall refers above; and by Bp. Godwin, in the Appendix to his "Commentarius de Præsulibus Angliæ;" and by Mr. John Gee, in a book entitled "The Foot out of the Snare." See the General Dictionary. Folio. vol. vi. pp. 527, 528. EDITOR.

!

sum præ indignatione, neque præ animi commotione loqui. Non modò percrebuit fama, sed et per orbem volitarunt passim libelli, de optimi illius integerrimique Præsulis, spiritum reddituri, palinodià; moribundum nempe rediisse Romæ in gratiam; hæresibus Ecclesiæ scilicet Anglicana suspirabundum renuntiasse; tandemque, à sacrificulo Pontificio absolutum, in Fide Romanà suavitèr obdormiisse. Neque defunctæ animæ defuerunt, alicubi, hoc nomine, uti fertur, Missificantium suffragia et oblationes. Deum Immortalem quæ hæc blasphemia est! Potestne ipsa quidem impudentia ita frontem omnem exuere, ut hæc calumniosissima mendacia, tam audacter, confingat, contra tot testium fidem, contra illius ipsius Sacerdotis Pontificii solennem detestationem, contra familiarium intimorumque omnium religiosissimas dejerationes, contra doctissimi tantoque patre digni filii Concionem scriptionemque publicam? Alia quidem mendacia colorem sibi aliquem vulgò quærunt quo conciliant fidem: huic, præter audaciam, nullus est. Quot nostrûum adsedimus fidelissimo nostro, ægrè jam tum spiritum trahenti Pastori; accepimusque à languentis ore, voces constantissimæ pietatis! Sed et aliqui vestrum, Patres, viaticum unà cum ipso sacrum, panem omnium quos gustavit postremum, panem Domini, devotè sumpsistis; emigraturæque animæ, cœlumque anhelantis motus ultimos persensistis. Noster vixit; noster mortuus est; noster in cœlis coronatur. Pergite modò, cacožλotæ; pergite

ed. I can neither be silent for indignation, nor speak for anger. It was not only rumoured, but books were cast abroad over the world, concerning the revolt of this worthy and excellent Prelate; reporting, that, at his death, he reconciled himself to the Church of Rome; and, with many sighs, renounced the heresies of the Church of England; and, at last, being absolved by a popish priest, sweetly slept in the Faith of the Church of Rome. Neither did his departed soul want, somewhere, as is reported, suffrages and oblations of Massmongers in this behalf. O Immortal God! what blasphemy is here! Can impudency itself so cast off all shame, as to raise so slanderous a lie, thus boldly, against the credit of so many witnesses, against the solemn detestation of their own priest, against the religious oaths of his nearest friends and domestic servants, against the Sermon and public writings of his learned son, a son well worthy of such a father? Other lies have some colour to plead for their credit: this, besides boldness, hath none at all. How many of us sat by that faithful Pastor of ours, then breathing towards his last; and received from his dying lips, words of most constant piety! And some of you, Reverend Fathers, devoutly received with him that sacred Viaticum, the last bread that ever he tasted, even the bread of the Lord; and were witnesses of the last motions of his soul, then ready to depart, and breathing towards his heaven. Ours he lived; ours he died; and now, as ours, is crowned in heaven. Go on now, ye miszealous

mentiri strenuè: hærebit aliquid. At veritas non est, quæ mendaciorum fulcris indiget. Tantillum hoc agenẞalinas.

Prodeat nunc quivis è Scholâ Pontificiâ vel audicissimus sophista, suscipiatque sibi, si per frontem licuerit, defendendum, notississima quæque Fidei Tridentinæ assumenta, (quæ nos sola rejicimus,) toti fuisse Ecclesiæ, omni ævo, pro necessariis religionis capitibus receptissima; aut nos in Unius Sanctæ Catholicæ Ecclesiae Fideique communione constanter perstitisse fateatur necesse est. Novitatem ille suam facilè prodet; heresin ullam nostram nullus unquam evincet.

Verè aureum est illud Cardinalis Contareni: Auscultate, si qui ingenuè favetis Roma: "Non opus est," inquit, "Concilio, non syllogismis, ad sedandas hasce Lutheranorum turbas; charitate opus est, humilitate, mente bonâ denique: ut, immunes ab omni hâc perniciosâ philautiâ, animum inducamus ea in quibus manifestò peccatur corrigere ac reformare." Hæc ille. Tu demum sapis, Contarene. Utinam æquè et tui!

At nos matris Ecclesiæ filii sumus immorigeri rebellesque; cujus dum jussa capessere, decreta recipere ac venerari detrectamus, turpi schismate involvimur, dirisque infensæ parentis meritò percellimur. Odiosam verò contumeliam. Matrem non agnovimus;

spirits: go on to lie stoutly: somewhat will always stick fast to the accusers ; but, in the mean time, it cannot be truth, that needs the props of lies. Only this by the way.

Let the boldest sophister of the Romish School come forth now, and, if he can for shame, let him undertake to prove, that those most noted additions of the Tridentine Faith, (which only we reject.) were received of all the Church, in all ages, for necessary heads of religion; or let him confess, as he needs must, that we have still constantly persisted in the communion of One, Holy, Catholic Church and Faith. He shall easily bewray his own novelty; but never shall evince any heresy of ours.

Non

It is a golden saying of Cardinal Contaremus: Hearken, I beseech you, if any ingenuous spirit of you all be a friend to Rome: opus est Concilio, non syllogismis, ad sedandas hasce Lutheranorum turbas, &c. "There needs no Council," saith he, "no syllogisms, to allay these broils of the Lutherans; but only charity, humility, and a sincere mind: that, being void of all self-love, we may be persuaded to correct and reform those things wherein we have manifestly transgressed." Thus he. Thou art wise indeed, O Contarenus. Would to God thy fellows were so also!

But we, forsooth, are the disobedient and rebellious children of our mother the Church; whose commands while we disdain to receive, and obey and reverence her decrees, we are enwrapped in a shameful schism, and stricken with the curses of an angry mother. Surely this were an odious contumely. But, for us, we have not

"To the accusers," is added by the Translator; but I suspect that it is an error of the press for "to the accused," which the sense requires. EDITOR.

agnovimus sororem. At, cedo filios fuisse; mancipia profectò non fuimus. Novam Fidem procudere sibi pro libito, suisque imperiose obtrudere, non parentis est, sed tyranni. Hanc nos licentiam, fatemur enim, neutiquam sanè ferre potuimus; parùmque ferentes cædimur palam et non uno perstringimur anathemate. Neque secùs nobiscum egêre Romani, quàm imprudens ille vicinus apud Gersonem, qui, cùm muscam à fronte proximi abigere satageret, hominem excerebravit.

Plangite verò mecum, Fratres, vices illius Ecclesiæ, quæ tempori didicit accommodare Fidem; remediorumque suorum solet esse quàm malorum impatientior. Dum nos illi acerrimè persequuntur, nos illorum piè misereamur. Exoptemusque ipsis, quam nobis ipsi necquicquam invident ac pernegant, Salutem: Pater, dimitte iis, nesciunt enim quæ faciunt.

Preces, lacrimæque nostræ non desint: non desint monita. Revertimini ad vos aliquando, Animæ Christianæ; revertimini, unde sensim declinastis. Ambite τὴν πρώτην αγάπην, τὰ ἔργα πρῶτα. Νο lite sinere diutiùs fucum vobis factum glorioso Ecclesiæ titulo. Componite vos ad sanctam, quam tantopere aspernati estis, Unitatem: quod O si fiat, apud nos quidem, uti Lege Duodecim Tabularum olim sancitum, sanatibus idem juris erit quod fortibus. Ecce nos, quod pacificus noster Rex Jacobus piè susceperat, obviam reducibus ire paratissimos.

acknowledged her a mother; a sister, we have. But, grant we were sons; yet we are no slaves. To forge a new Faith, and imperiously thrust it upon her own, is not the part of an indulgent parent, but of a tyrant. This lawless liberty, we confess, we could never endure; and therefore are we openly thunder-stricken with more than one anathema. Neither have they otherwise dealt with us, than that foolish fellow in Gerson, who, being very busy to drive away a fly from his neighbour's forehead, brained the man,

But lament ye with me, my Brethren, the woeful case of that Church, that hath learned to fit her Faith to the times; and is more impatient of a remedy than of the disease. Whilst they so eagerly persecute us, let us heartily pity them. And let us still wish to them, that which they envy and deny to us, Salvation: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

Our prayers, our tears, our admonitions must not be wanting. Return to yourselves now at last, O ye Christian Souls; return, from whence you have sensibly declined. Recover your first love, your first works. Suffer not yourselves any longer to be mocked with the glorious title of a Church. Franie yourselves to that holy Unity, which hitherto you have so stiffly resisted: which if once we might live to see effected, you should well find, as it runs in the Law of the Twelve Tables, that the recovered should with us have the same privileges with the healthful. Behold, we are ready, as our gracious and peaceable king James piously undertook, to meet you half way.

Quòd, si illi Unitatis spem omnem obfirmatè usque refugiant; pacisque odio flagrantes, uno Sacræ quam appellant Tube clangore delectentur; quin nos, mei Fratres, unitatem inter nos, religiosissimè intimèque, colimus universi. Alloquor omnes correctioris Ecclesiæ filios, quaquà sparsos.

Reformatam nos Dei gratiâ Ecclesiam profitemur: reformatam, nempè; non, quod invidiosissimè calumniantur æmuli, novam. Ego vero (ut cum Xenophonte loquar, κατὰ τῆς γῆς καταδυόμαι υπο Tus dioxins, ubi illud audio tritissimum è plaustro convicium, "Ubi vestra fuit ante Lutheri ævum Religio? Ubi Ecclesia?" Audite, Scioli; audite, Invidi: reformari nos veterem religionem discupivimus, non formari novam. Reformata scilicet, non recens edita Ecclesia. Eadem ergo est, quæ priùs fuit; nisi quòd ab errorum quorundam superfluis perniciosisque adjectamentis repurgata est. Novane facies est, quæ lota est nuperrimè? nova vestis, quæ resarcitur? nova, quæ reparatur, domus? Erubescite, si quis pudor, qui ista nobis tam petulanter insipienterque suggeritis.

Agite jam, Fratres; nos Divinâ virtute reformati sumus; ne committamus, ut, mutuis interim dissidiis, deformemur. Illud illud est, quod nos planè mutilat et enervat, quodque hostium nos exponit insulturis triumphisque.

But, if they shall still obstinately cast off all hope of Unity; and, being set on fire with the hatred of peace, shall go on to delight themselves only, in the alarum of their Sacred Trumpet, as they call it; why should not we, religiously and entirely, keep peace among ourselves? I speak to all the sons of the purer Church, wheresoever dispersed.

We profess this Church of ours by God's grace reformed: reformed, I say; not new made, as some emulous spirits spitefully slander us. For me, I am ready to sink to the very ground +, when I hear that hedge-row reproach, "Where was your Religion before Luther? Where was your Church?" Hear, O ye Ignorant; hear, O ye Envious Cavillers: we desired the reformation of an old religion, not the formation of a new. The Church accordingly was reformed, not new wrought. It remains, therefore, the same Church it was before; but only purged from some superfluous and pernicious additaments of error. Is it a new face, that was lately washed? a new garment, that is but mended? a new house, that is repaired? Blush, if ye have any shame, who thus ignorantly and maliciously cast this in our teeth.

Go to now, my Brethren; we are by God's grace reformed: let us take heed, lest we be deformed again, by mutual dissensions. This is that, which weakens and lames us, and which lays us open to the insulting triumphs of our adversaries.

"To use the words of Xenophon," is added in the original. EDITOR, "In shame," are part of the words of Xenophon, not noticed by the Trans lator. EDITOR.