68 OF THE PACIFICATION OF THE CHURCH. 



ment, and knoweth as well the measure of things as 

 the nature of them ; it is surely a needless fear. 

 For they need not doubt but your majesty, with th6 

 advice of your council, will discern what things are 

 intermingled like the tares amongst the wheat, which 

 have their roots so enwrapped and entangled, as the 

 one cannot be pulled up without endangering the 

 other ; and what are mingled but as the chaff and 

 the corn, which need but a fan to sift and sever them. 

 So much therefore for the first point, of no reforma 

 tion to be admitted at all. 



For the second point, that there should be but 

 one form of discipline in all churches, and that im 

 posed by necessity of a commandment and prescript 

 out of the word of God ; it is a matter volumes have 

 been compiled of, and therefore cannot receive a 

 brief redargution. I for my part do confess, that in 

 revolving the Scriptures I could never find any such 

 thing : but that God had left the like liberty to the 

 Church government, as he had done to the civil 

 government ; to be varied according to time, and 

 place, and accidents, which nevertheless his high 

 and divine providence doth order and dispose. For 

 all civil governments are restrained from God unto 

 the general grounds of justice and manners ; but the 

 policies and forms of them are left free : so that mo- 

 na,rchies and kingdoms, senates and seignories, 

 popular states, and communalities, are lawful, and 

 where they are planted ought to be maintained in 

 violate. 



So likewise in Church matters, the substance of 



