Keimåelia 'ekklåesiastika, The historical and miscellaneous tracts of the Reverend and learned Peter Heylyn, D.D. now collected into one volume ... : and an account of the life of the author, never before published : with an exact table to the whole.

THE INTRODUCTION, Shewing the Occasion, Method, and Design of the whole discourse.

My dear Hierophilus,

YOUR company is always very pleasing to me; but you are never better welcome han when you bring your doubts and scruples along with you; for by that means you put me to the studying of some point or other, whereby I benefit my self, if not profit you. And I remember at the time of your last being with me, you seemed much scandalized for the Church of England, telling me you were well assured that her Doctrine was most true and orthodox, her Government con∣form to the Word of God, and the best ages of the Church; and that her publick Liturgie was an Extract of the Primitive Forms; nothing in all the whole composure but what did tend to edification and Increase of piety. But for all this, you were unsatisfied (as you said) in the ways and means by which this Church proceeded in her Reformation; alleding, that you had heard it many times objected by some Partisans of the Church of Rome, that our Religion was meer Parlia∣mentarian, not regulated by Synodical Meetings, or the Authority of Councels, as in elder times; or as D. Harding said long since in his Answer unto B. Jewel, That we had a Parliament Religion, a Parliament Faith, and a Parliament Gospel: To which Scultinguis and some others after added, that we had none but Parliament Bishops, and a Parlia∣ment Clergy; that you were apt enough to think that the Papists made not all this noise without some ground for it, in regard you have observed some Parliaments in these latter days so mainly bent to catch at all occasions, whereby no manifest their powers in Ecclesiastical matters, especially in constituting the new Assembly of Divines and others. And finally, that you were heartily ashamed, that being so often choaked with these Objections, you neither knew how to traverse the ••ndictment, nor plead Not guilty to the Bill. Some other doubts you said you had, relating to the King the Pope, and the Protestant Churches, either too little or too much look'd after in our Reformation; but you were loth to trouble me with too much at once. And thereupon you did in∣treat me to bethink my self of some fit Plaister for the sore which did oft afflict you, religiously affirming that your desires proceeded not from curiosity, or an itch of know∣ledge, or out of any disaffection to the Power of Parliaments; but meerly from an ho∣nest zeal to the Church of England, whose credit and prosperity you did far prefer be∣fore your life, or whatsoever in this world could be dear unto you: Adding withal, that if I would take this pains for your satisfaction, and help you out of these perplexi∣ties which you were involved in, I should not only do good service to the Church it self, but to many a wavering member of it, whom these objections had much stagger∣ed

in their Resolutions. In fine, that you desired also to be informed how far the Par∣liaments had been interessed in these alterations of Religion, which hapned in the Reigns of K. Hen. VIII. K. Edw. VI. and Q. Elizabeth? What ground there was for all this clamour of the Papists? And whether the Houses, or either of them, have exercised of old any such Authority in matters of Ecclesiastical or Spiritual nature, as some of late have ascribed unto them? Which though it be a dangerous and invidi∣ous Subject (as the times now are) yet for your sake, and for the truth's, and for the honour of Parliaments, which seem to suffer much in the Popish calumny, I shall un∣dertake it; premising first, that I intend not to say any thing to the point of Right, whether or not the Parliament may lawfully meddle in such matters as concern Religion; but shall apply my self wholly unto matters of Fact, as they relate unto the Reformation here by law established. And for my method in this business, I shall first lay down by way of preamble, the form of calling of the Convocation of the Clergy here in England, that we may see by what Authority they proceed in their Constitutions, and then de∣clare what was acted by the Clergy in that Reformation: In which, I shall begin with the ejection of the Pope, and setling the Supremacy in the Crown Imperial of this Realm; descending next to the Translation of the Scriptures into the English tongue, the Reformation of the Church in Doctrinals and forms of Worship, and to proceed unto the Power of making Canons for the well ordering of the Clergy, and the direction of the people in the exercise of their Religion; concluding with an Answer to all such Ob∣jections (by what part soever they be made) as are most material. And in the can∣vassing of these points, I doubt not but it will appear unto you, that till these late busie and unfortunate times, in which every man intrudeth on the Priestly Function, the Parliaments did nothing at all either in making Canons, or in matters Doctrinal, or in Translation of the Scriptures: Next, that That little which they did in reference to the Forms and Times of Worship, was no more than the inflicting of some temporal or legal penalties on such as did neglect the one, or not conform unto the other, having been first digested and agreed upon in the Clergy way: And finally, that those Kings and Princes before remembred, by whose Authority the Parliaments did that little in those Forms and Times, did not act any thing in that kind themselves, but what was war∣ranted unto them by the Word of God, and the example of such godly and religious Emperors and other Christian Kings and Princes as flourished in the happiest times of Christianity. This is the sum of my design, which I shall follow in the order before laid down; assuring you that when you shall acquaint me with your other scruples, I will endeavour what I can for your satisfaction.