this command was peremptory, and made without at all advising with him, and that in a matter so directly regarding religion: He wrote a letter to her majesty, declaring, that his conscience, for the reasons therein mentioned, would not suffer him to comply with her commands *. This There is fuch a compound of faithfulness and meekness, of firm obedience to the will of GOD, and of humble deference to the commands of his prince, in this letter of Grindal to Q. Elizabeth; that we believe our Readers will be glad of the perusal. "To her MAJESTY, Decemb. 20, 1576. "WITH most humble remembrance of my bounden duty to your majefty; That may please the fame to be advertised, that the fpeeches which it hath pleafed you to deliver unto me, when I laft attended on your highnefs, concerning the abridging the number of preachers, and the utter fuppreffion of all learned exercifes and conferences among the minifters of the church, allowed by their bishops and ordinaries, have exceedingly dismayed and difcomforted me. Not fo much for that the faid fpeeches founded very hardly against mine own perfon, being but one particular man, and not much to be accounted of; but moft of all for that the fame might both tend to the public harm of GOD's church, whereof your highness ought to be Nutricia, and alfo to the heavy burdening of your own confcience before GOD, if they fhould be put in ftrict execution. It was not your pleasure, then, the time not ferving thereto, to hear me at any length concerning the faid two matters there propounded; I thought it therefore my duty, by writing, to declare some part of my mind unto your highness; befeeching the fame, with patience, to read over this that I now fend written with mine own rude fcribbling hand; which feemeth to be of more length than it is indeed: For I fay with Ambrofe, Scribo, manu mea, quod sola legas; i. e. I write with mine own hand, that you alone may read it." MADAME, "First of all, I muft and will, during my life, confefs. that there is no earthly creature to whom I am so much bounden as to your majesty; who, notwithstanding mine insufficiency (which commendeth your grace the more) hath bestowed upon me so many and fo great benefits as I could never hope for, much lefs deferve. I do, therefore, according to my moft bounden duty with all thanksgiving, bear towards your majesty a most humble, faithful, and thankful heart; and that knoweth He which knoweth all things. Neither do I ever intend to offend your majesty in any thing, unless in the caufe of God, or of his church, by neceffity of office, or burden of confcience, I fhall thereunto be enforced. And in those cafes (which I trust in God shall never be urged upon me) if I fhould use difsembling or flattering in filence, I should very evil requite your majefty fo many and fo great benefits. For in fo doing, both you might fall into peril towards GOD, and I myself into endless damnation. "The prophet Ezekiel termeth us minifters of the church, Speculatores, i. e. e. watchmen; and not adulatores, i. e. flatterers. If we fee the fword coming by reafon of any offence towards GOD, we must of neceffity give warning, or elfe the blood of those that perish will be required at our hands. I beseech your majefty thus to think of me, that I do not conceive any This refusal was dated December 20, 1576. The queen therefore having given him sufficient time to consider well his any evil opinion of you, although I cannot assent to those two articles then propounded. I do, with all the rest of your good fubjects, acknowledge, that we have received by your government, many and most excellent benefits; as, among others, freedom of confcience, fuppreffing of idolatry, fincere preaching of the gofpel with public peace and tranquillity. I am also perfuaded, that even in these matters, which you seem now to urge, your zeal and meaning is to the beft. The like hath happened to many of the best princes that ever were; yet have they not refufed afterwards to be better informed out of GOD's word. King David, fo much commended in the fcriptures, had no evil meaning, when he commanded the people to be numbered. He thought it good policy in fo doing, to understand what forces he had in store to employ against GOD's enemies, if occafion fo required. Yet afterwards (faith the fcripture) his own heart stroke him; and GOD, by the prophet Gad, reprehended him for his offence, and gave him for the fame choice of three very hard penances, that is to fay, famine, war, and peftilence. Good K. Ezekias, of curtefie and good affection, fhewed to the ambassadors of the king of Babylon, the treasures of the house of GOD, and of his own house; and yet the prophet Efay told him, that GOD was therewith difpleafed. The godly K. Jehofaphat, for making league with his neighbour K Achab, (of the like good meaning, no doubt) was likewife reprehended by Jchu the prophet, in this form of words, Impio præbes auxilium, & his qui oderunt Dominum amicitiâ jungeris, &c. Ambrofe, writing to Theodofius the emperor, ufeth these words, Novi Pietatem tuam erga Deum, Lenitatem in Homines; obligatus fuum beneficiis tuis, &c. and yet for all that, the fame Ambrofe doth not forbear, in the fame epistle, earnestly to perfuade the faid emperor to revoke an ungodly edict, wherein he had commanded a godly bishop to re-edify a Jewish fynagogue pulled down by the Chriîian people. "And fo to come to the prefent cafe; I may very well ufe unto your highness the words of Ambrofe above-written, Novi Pietatem tuam, Tr. i. e. I know your piety Godward, and your gentleness towards men: I am bourden to you for your benefits, &c. But furely I cannot marvel enough, how this ftrange opinion fhould once enter into your mind, that it should be good for the church to have few preachers. Alas! Madam, is the fcripture more plain in any one thing, than that the Gospel of Christ should be plentifully preached; and that plenty of labourers fhould be sent into the Lord's harveft; which being great and large, ftandeth in need, not of a few, but many workmen ? There was appointed to the building of Solomon's material temple, au hundred and fifty thousand artificers and labourers, befides three thoufand three hundred overfecrs: And fhali we think that a few preachers may fuffice to build and edify the fpiritual temple of Chrift, which is his church. "Chrift, when he fendeth forth his apostles, faith unto them, Ite, prædicate Evangelium omni creaturæ ; i. e. Go ye, preach the Gospel to every creature. But all GOD's creatures cannot be inftructed in the Gofpel, unless all poffible means be used, to have multitude of preachers and teachers, to preach unto them. "Sermo Chrifti inhabitet in vobis opulentè, i. e. Let the word of Chrift dwell among you richly, faith St Paul to the Coloffians; and to Timothy, Prædica Sermonem, infta tempeftivè, intempeftivè, argue, increpa, exhortare, i. c. Preach the word, be inftant in feafon, out of feafon, reprove, rebuke, exhort; which things cannot be done without often and much preaching. "To this agreeth the practice of Chrift's apostles, Qui conftitutebant per sen gulas his resolution, and as he continued unalterable therein, she sent letters next year to the respective bishops to forbid gulas Ecclefias Prefbyteros, i. e. Who appointed elders in every church. St Paul likewife writing to Titus, writeth thus, Hujus rei gratiâ reliqui te in Creta, ut quæ defunt pergas corrigere, & conftituas oppidatim Prefbyteros; i. e. For this caufe I left thee in Crete, that thou mayeft go on to make up what is wanting, and appoint elders throughout every town. And afterwards defcribeth how the faid Prefbytery, i. e. clders were to be qualified; not fuch as we are compelled to admit by mere neceffity, (unless we should leave a great number of churches defolate) but fuch indeed as were able to exhort per fanam Doctrinam, & contradicentes convincere, i. e. by found doctrine to convince gainfayers. And in this place I beseech your majesty to note one thing neceffary to be noted, which is this: If the Holy Ghost prescribe exprefsly that preachers fhould be placed Oppidatim, i. e. in every town or city, how can it well be thought that three or four preachers may fuffice for a fhire? "Public and continual preaching of GOD's word, is the ordinary mean and inftrument of the falvation of mankind. St Paul calleth it the mi niftry of reconciliation of man unto GOD. By preaching of GOD's word, the glory of GOD is enlarged, faith is nourished, and charity is increased. By it the ignorant is instructed, the negligent exhorted and incited, the tubborn rebuked, the weak confcience comforted, and to all thofe that fin of malicious wickedness, the wrath of GOD is threatened. By preaching, alfo, due obedience to Chriftians and magistrates planted in the hearts of subjects. For obedience proceedeth of confcience; confcience is grounded upon the word of GOD; the word of GOD worketh his effect by preaching. So as generally where preaching wanteth, obedience faileth "No prince ever had more lively experience hereof than your majesty hath had in your time, and may have daily. If your majesty came to the city of London never so often, what gratulation, what joy, what concourse of people is there to be seen? Yea, what acclamations and prayers to GOD for your long life, and other manifeft fignifications of inward and unfeigned love, joined with most humble and hearty obedience, are there to be heard? Whereof cometh this, Madam, but of the continual preaching of GOD's word in that city? Whereby that people hath been plentifully inftructed in their duty towards GOD and your majefty? On the contrary, What bred the rebellion in the North? Was it not papistry, and ignorance of GOD's word, through want of often preaching? And in the time of that rebellion, were not all men of all states that made profession of the gofpel, moft ready to offer their lives for your defence? Infomuch, that one poor parish in Yorkshire, which by continual preaching had been better inftructed than the rest, (Halifax I mean) was ready to bring three or four thousand able men into the field to ferve you against the said rebels. How can your majesty have a more lively trial and experience of the contrary effects of much preaching, and of little or no preaching? The one working most faithful obedience, and the other most unnatural disobedience and rebellion. "But it is thought of some, that many are admitted to preach, and few be able to do it well. That unable preachers be removed, is very requifite, if ability and fufficiency may be rightly weighed and judged: And therein I trust as much is, and shall be done, as can be. For both I, for mine own part, (let it be fpoken without any oftentation) am very careful in allowing fuch preachers only, as be able and fufficient to be preachers, both for bid all exercises and prophesyings, and all preachers and teachers not lawfully called, of which there was no small number; their knowledge in the fcriptures, and also for testimony of their good life and converfation. And befides that, I have given very great charge to the rest of my brethren, the bishops of this province, to do the like. We admit no man to the office that either profeffeth papistry or puritanism. Generally the graduates of the university are only admitted to be preachers, unless it be fome few which have excellent gifts of knowledge in the fcriptures, joined with good utterance, and godly perfuafion. I myself procured above forty learned preachers and graduates within lefs than fix years, to be placed within the diocefe of York, befides thefe I found there; and there I have left them. The fruits of whofe travelling-preaching, your majesty is like to reap daily, by most affured, dutiful obedience of your fubjects in those parts. "But indeed this age judgeth very hardly, and nothing indifferently of the ability of preachers of our time; judging few or none in their opinion to be able. Which hard judgment groweth upon divers evil difpofitions of men. St Paul doth commend the preaching of Chrift crucified, abfq; eminentia Sermonis; i. e. without excellency of speech. But in our time, many have fo delicate ears, that no preaching can fatisfy them, unlefs it be fauced with much fineness and exornation of speech: Which the fame apoftle utterly condemneth, and giveth this reason, Ne evacuetur Crux Chrifti; i. e. left the cross of Christ be made of none effect. "Some there be also that are mislikers of the godly Reformation in religion now established; wifhing, indeed, that there were no preachers at all; and fo by depraving the ministers impugn religion, Non aperto Marte, fed Cuniculis; i. e. not by open oppofition, but by fecret undermining. Much like to the popifh bishops in your father's time, who would have had the English tranflation of the bible called in, as evil tranflated: and the new tranflating thereof to have been committed to themselves; which they never intended to perform. "A number there is, (and that is exceeding great) whereof some are altogether worldly-minded, and only bent covetoufly to gather worldly goods and poffeffions, ferving mammon and not GOD. And another great fum have given over themselves to all carnal, vain, diffolute, and lafcivious life, Voluptatis amatores, magis quam Dei; i. e. lovers of pleasure rather than God: Et que semitipfos dediderunt ad patrandum omnem Immunditiam cum aviditate; i. e. and who have given over themselves to commit all uncleanness with greedinefs: And because the preaching of GOD's word, which to all Chriftian confciences is fweet and delectable, is to them (having Cau teriatis Confcientias; i. e. confciences feared) bitter and grievous. For as St Ambrofe faith, Quomodo poffunt Verba Dei dulcia efse in faucibus tuis, in quibus eft Amaritudo Nequitia; i.e. how can the word of GOD be sweet in his mouth, in which is the bitterness of fin? Therefore they with alfo, that there were no preachers at all. But because they dare not directly condemn the office of preaching, fo exprefsly commanded by GOD's word, (før that were open blafphemy) they turn themfelves altogether; and with the fame meaning as the other do, to take exceptions against the persons of them that be admitted to preach. "But GOD forbid, Madam, that you fhould open your ears to any of thefe wicked perfuafions; or any way go about to diminish the preaching of Chrift's gofpel: For that would ruinate altogether at the length. Quum defecerit Prophetia, diffipatibur Populus; i. e. when prophefy shall fail, the people fhall perish, faith Solemon. "Now number; and in June, the archbishop was sequestered from his office, and confined to his house by an order of the "Now, where it is thought, that the reading of the godly homilies, fet forth by public authority, may fuffice, I continue of the fame mind I was, when I laft attended upon your majefty. The reading of the homilies hath his commodity; but is nothing comparable to the office of preaching. The godly preacher is termed in the gofpel, Fidelis Servus & prudens, qui novit Famulitio Domini Cibum demenfum dare in tempore: i. e. a faithful fervant, who knoweth how to give his Lord's family their apportioned food in feafon. Who can apply his fpeech according to the diversity of times, places, and hearers; which cannot be done in homilies: Exhortations, reprehenfions, and perfuafions are uttered with more affection, to the moving of the hearers, in fermons than in homilies. Befides, homilies were devised by the godly bifhops in your brother's time, only to fupply neceffity, for want of preachers; and are by the ftatute not to be preferred, but to give place to fermons, whenfoever they may be had; and were never thought in themselves alone to contain fufficient inftruction for the church of England. For it was then found, as it is found now, that this church of England hath been by appropriations, and that not without facrilege, fpoiled of the livings which at first were appointed to the office of preaching and teaching. Which appropriations were first annexed to abbies; and after came to the crown; and now are difperfed to private men's poffeffions, without hope to reduce the fame to the original inftitution. So as at this day, in mine own opinion, where one church is able to yield fufficient living to a learned preacher, there are at least seven churches unable to do the fame: And in many parishes of your realm, where there be feven or eight hundred fouls, (the more is the pity) there are not eight pounds a year reserved for a minister. In fuch parishes, it is not poffible to place able preachers, for want of convenient ftipend. If every flock might have a preaching paftor, which is rather to be wished than hoped for, then were reading of homilies altogether unneceffary. But to supply that want of preaching of GOD's word, which is the food of the foul, growing upon the neceflities afore-mentioned, both in your brother's time, and in your time, certain godly homilies have been devifed, that the people fhould not be altogether deftitute of inftruction: For it is an old and true proverb, Better half a loaf than no bread.' "Now for the second point, which is concerning the learned exercifes and conference amongst the minifters of the church; I have confulted with divers of my brethren, the bishops, by letters; who think the fame as I do, viz, a thing profitable to the church, and therefore expedient to be continued. And I truft your majefty will think the like, when your highnefs fhall be informed of the manner and order thereof; what authority it hath of the fcriptures; what commodity it bringeth with it; and what incommodities will follow, if it be clear taken away. "The authors of this exercife, are the bifhops of the diocefes where the fame is ufed, who both by the law of GOD, and by the canon and conftitutions of the church now in force, have authority to appoint exercises to their inferior minifters, for increafe of learning and knowledge in the fcriptures, as to them feemeth most expedient. For that pertaineth ad difciplinam clericalem; to the difcipline of minifters. The times appointed for the affembly is once a month, or once in twelve or fifteen days, at the dif cretion of the ordinary. The time of the exercife is two hours. The place, the church of the town appointed for the affembly. The matter intreated f, is as followeth. Some text of fcripture, before appointed to be fpoken of, |