The Age of Elizabeth (1547-1603)

by Unknown

The officers that have to deal in this charge [ecclesiastical discipline] are chiefly three, ministers, preachers or pastors, of whom before; Seniors or Elders;[16] and Deacons. Concerning Seniors, not only their office but their name also is out of this English church utterly removed. Their office was to govern the church with the rest of the ministers.... Instead of these Seniors in every church, the pope hath brought in and we yet maintain the Lordship of one man over many churches, yea, over sundry shires.... Touching Deacons, though their names be remaining, yet is the office foully perverted and turned upside down; for their duty in the primitive church was to gather the alms diligently, and to distribute it faithfully.... Now it is the first step to the ministry, nay rather a mere order of priesthood....

To these three jointly, that is the Ministers, Seniors and Deacons, is the whole regiment of the church to be committed.... Not that we mean to take away the authority of the civil Magistrate and chief Governor, to whom we wish all blessedness, and for the increase of whose godliness we daily pray: but that, Christ being restored into his kingdom, to rule in the same by the sceptre of his word and severe discipline, the Prince may be better obeyed....

Amend therefore these horrible abuses and reform God’s church, and the Lord is on your right hand.... Is a reformation good for France? and can it be evil for England? Is discipline meet for Scotland? and is it unprofitable for this realm? Surely God hath set these examples before your eyes, to encourage you to go forward to a thorough and a speedy reformation. You may not do as heretofore you have done, patch and piece, nay rather go backward and never labour or contend to perfection. But altogether remove whole Antichrist, both head, body and branch, and perfectly plant that purity of the word, that simplicity of the sacraments, and severity of discipline, which Christ hath commended and commanded to His church.

THE ANGLICAN POSITION (1572).

Source.—John Whitgift: An Answere to a certen Libel intituled, An Admonition to the Parliament, 1572. Pp. 34, etc.

The proposition that these libellers would prove is that we in England are so far from having a church rightly reformed according to the prescript of God’s word, that as yet we are not come to the outward face of the same.... To prove that the word of God is not preached truly ... (thanks be to God) they allege not one article of faith, or point of doctrine, nor one piece of any substance to be otherwise taught and allowed of in this church (for not every man’s folly is to be ascribed to the whole church) than by the prescript word of God may be justified, neither can they.... The ministers are not rightly proved and elected, &c. Ergo the word of God is not truly preached: how wicked soever the man is; howsoever he intrude himself into the ministry, yet may he preach the true word of God: for the truth of the doctrine doth not in any respect depend upon the goodness or evilness of the man: I pray you how were you and some other of your adherents called, elected, &c.?...

It is true that in the old church trial was had of their ability to instruct, and of their godly conversation: But the place in the margin alleged out of the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles maketh nothing for that purpose.... And the Book of Ordering Ministers and Deacons, set forth and allowed by this Church of England, requireth, that who soever is to be admitted into any order of the ministry, should so be tried, examined, and proved, both for learning and life, as Saint Paul there requireth. Read the Book with indifferency and judgment, and thou canst not but greatly commend it. If any man neglect his duty in that point, his fault must not be ascribed to the rule appointed, neither yet to the whole Church.... Again, if some be admitted into the ministry, either void of learning, or lewd in life, are all the rest for their sake to be condemned?... I think you will not deny, but that there is now within this Church of England, as many learned, godly, grave, wise, and worthy ministers of the Word, as there is in any one realm or particular Church in all Christendom, or ever hath been heretofore.

Touching letters commendatory of some one man noble or other, it may be that the parties which give these letters be of that zeal, learning, and godliness, that their particular testimony ought to be better credited, than some other subscribed with an hundred hands. And I think there is both noble men and other, who may better be trusted in that point, than a great number of parishes in England, which consist of rude and ignorant men, easily moved to testify any thing: and in many places for the most part, or altogether, drowned in Papistry. I know no reason to the contrary, and I see no Scripture alleged, why one learned, godly and wise man’s testimony, may not be received in such a case.... If tag and rag be admitted, learned and unlearned, it is the fault of some, not of all, nor of the law: and if they were called and elected according to your fancy, there would some creep in, as evil as any be now, and worse too.

I pray you what say you to master Luther, Bucer, Cranmer, Latimer, Ridley, &c., were not all these sometimes Massmongers, and yet singular and notable instruments of promoting the Gospel and preaching the same? Whereof many have given testimony by shedding their blood.

And by whose Ministry especially hath the Gospel been published, and is as yet in this Church of England, but by such as have been Massmongers, and now zealous, godly, and learned preachers?...