64 OF THE PACIFICATION OF THE CHURCH. 



shall speak, hoping that I shall not need to make 

 protestation of my mind and opinion ; That, until 

 your Majesty doth otherwise determine and order, 

 all actual and full obedience is to be given to eccle 

 siastical jurisdiction as it now standeth ; and, when 

 your Majesty hath determined and ordered, that 

 every good subject ought to rest satisfied, and ap 

 ply his obedience to your Majesty s laws, ordinances, 

 and royal commandments; nor of the dislike I have 

 of all immodest bitterness, peremptory presumption, 

 popular handling, and other courses, tending rather 

 to rumour and impression in the vulgar sort, than to 

 likelihood of effect joined with observation of duty. 



But before I enter into the points controverted, 

 I think good to remove, if it may be, two opinions, 

 which directly confront and oppone to reformation : 

 the one bringing it to a nullity, and the other to an 

 impossibility. The first is, that it is against good 

 policy to innovate any thing in Church matters ; the 

 other, that all reformation must be after one plat 

 form. 



For the first of these, it is excellently said by 

 the prophet ; &quot; State sup ;r vias antiquas, et videte, 

 quaenam sit via recta et vera, et ambulate in ea.&quot; So 

 as he doth not say, &quot; State super vias antiquas, et 

 ambulate in eis :&quot; For it is true, that with all wise 

 and moderate persons, custom and usage obtaineth 

 that reverence, as it is sufficient matter to move them 

 to make a stand, and to discover, and take a view ; 

 but it is no warrant to guide and conduct them : a 

 just ground, I say, it is of deliberation, but not of 



