And thus will I make an end〈1 line〉〈1 line〉, leauing to the consideration and indifferent waying of the in∣different reader, how true it is that I haue before propounded, that our Archbishops, Metropo∣litanes, Archdeacons, Bishops, haue besides the names almoste nothing common 〈◊〉〈◊〉 those, which haue bene in 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉lder tymes, before the sunne of the Gospell beganne to be maruelously darke∣ned, by the stinking mistes which the Diuell sent forth out of the bottomlesse pit, to blynde the eyes of men, that they should not see the shame and nakednesse of that purpled whoore, which in the per∣son of the Cleargie, long before she gatte into hir seate, prepared hir selfe by payntyng hi〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 writhen face, with the colours of these gorgeous titles, and with the shewe of magnificall and worldly pompe. For the Diuell knewe well inough, that if he should haue set vp one onely Byshop in that seate of perdition, and lefte all the reste in that simplicitie, wherein God had appoynted them, that his eldest sonne shoulde neyther haue had any way to get into that, and when he had gotten it, yet beyng as it were an owle amongst a sorte of byrdes, should haue bene quickly discouered.
And I also leaue it to the iudgement of the learned and indifferent Reader, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 consider by that, which I haue sayde before, how vntrue all this is, that you here af∣firme, (I speake of these degrées and offices as they be nowe vsed in this Churche of England) if there be any difference, it is bycause they haue not so large and ample iu∣risdiction and authoritie now, as they had then.
Sathan worketh by sundrie meanes, and spareth no fetches to bring to passe his* 1.1 purpose. Under the pretence of zeale, he hath ingendred sectes and schismes: vnder the title of puritie & perfection, he hath brought in heresie: vnder the cloake of simplicitie, he hath spread abrode many kindes of idolatrie and superstition: vnder the shadow of humilitie, he hath couered vntollerable ambition, and marueylous arrogancie: and what soeuer he bringeth to passe, commonly he doth it vnder the colour of vertue, and of that which is good: and therefore I thinke that euen vnder the names and titles of lawfull degrees and calling, he hath established vnlawfull authoritie: but neyther is true zeale, puritie, perfection, simplicitie, humilitie, nor yet lawfull degrées and cal∣lings therefore to be condemned. Viti〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 (as Cyprian sayeth) vicin〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 sunt virtutibus: Vices* 1.2 be very nigh vnto vertues: and the one laboureth to imitate the other, but we must not therefore the lesse estéeme of vertue, but rather learne prudently to discerne what is the difference betwixt the one and the other. If we haue not learned this lesson, what state in the common wealth, what office, what degrée of person, nay what kinde of go∣uernment shall we allowe? it is the greatest folly in the worlde to condemne the thing it selfe, bycause of the abuse.