A second admonition to the parliament

And therefore it is allowed and commanded to Christian men / to try all ^y* things / and to hold that which is good / whosoever forb•dde without exception / Prince / or other / so that if we examine every thing done in this church of God in England §20by the word of God / and hold that which is good / though the law be offended / that law is to be reformed / and not we to be punished / for whatsoever our persons or places be / if our matters we deal in / be Gods / her majesty we trust / remembereth what the scripture saith: he that despiseth you * ^zdespiseth me / and he that receiveth you / receiveth me. As we know this case to be clear / so we trust and daily pray / that God will open her majesties heart / to consider of it and us. But to these men again / let them show us (if they can) by what authority they may enjoin us (if God his word bear them to be magistrates) to observe the book of Common³ prayers / both in matter and manner / as in their last Canons they forbid their ministers to depart from one or other? it is wicked to say no worse of it / so to attribute to a book / in deed •ulled out of the vile popish service book / with ⟨p. 10⟩some certain rubrics and glosses of their own devise / such authority as only is due to God his book: and indictments / imprisonments / and such extremities used against them which break it / is cruel persecution of the members⁴ of Jesus Christ. And of all other grievous enormities laid upon this church of God in England / this is the greatest / that it is not lawful to utter that which we learn truly out of the scriptures. We must be in danger of a §10premunire if we follow not the laws of the land / though they be against the scriptures / and in danger of a twelve months imprisonment / if we speak against the book of common prayer / though it be against the word of God. In deed if there were order taken for conferences /