410 OBSERVATIONS ON A LIBEL. 



of England is not gathered in the name of Christ, 

 but of Antichrist; and that if the prince or magis 

 trate under her do refuse or defer to reform the 

 Church, the people may, without her consent, take 

 the reformation into their own hands : and hereto 

 he addeth the fanatical pageant of Racket. And 

 this is the effect of this accusation in this point. 



For answer where unto, first, it must be remem 

 bered that the Church of God hath been in all ages 

 subject to contentions and schisms : the tares were 

 not sown but where the wheat was sown before. 

 Our Saviour Christ delivered it for an ill note 

 to have outward peace ; saying, &quot; when a strong 

 &quot; man is in possession of the house,&quot; meaning the 

 devil, &quot; all things are in peace.&quot; Tt is the condition 

 of the Church to be ever under trials ; and there 

 are but two trials ; the one of persecution, the other 

 of scandal and contention; and when the one ceaseth, 

 the other succeedeth: nay, there is scarce anyone 

 epistle of St. Paul s unto the churches, but con- 

 taineth some reprehension of unnecessary and schis- 

 matical controversies. So likewise in the reign 

 of Constantine the Great, after the time that the 

 Church had obtained peace from persecution, straight 

 entered sundry questions and controversies, about no 

 less matters than the essential parts of the faith, and 

 the high mysteries of the Trinity. But reason 

 teacheth us, that in ignorance and implied belief it 

 is easy to agree, as colours agree in the dark : or if 

 any country decline into atheism, then controversies 

 wax dainty, because men do think religion scarce 



