MOST gracious & most Christian Queen, we have not without great grief understood, that the fire of contention about certain garments, which we thought had been quenched long agone, is now again to the incredible offence of the godly, as it were raised from hell, and kindled a fresh in your Majesties Kingdom, and that the occasion of this fire is, because your most gracious Majesty being persuaded by some, otherwise great men, and carried with a zeal (but certainly not according to knowledge) to retain unity in religion, hath now more then ever before resolved and decreed, yea doth will and command that all †Bishops and Ministers of the Churches shall in divine service putt on the white and linen garments which the Popish Priests use now in Popery; yea that it is to be feared, least this fire be so kindled, and cast its flame so far and wide, that all the Churches of that most large and mighty kingdom, to the perpetual disgrace of your most renowned Majesty, be set on a flaming fire: ⟨p. 44⟩seeing the most part of the Bishops, men greatly renowned for all kind of learning and godliness, had rather leave their office and place in the Church, then against their own conscience, admit of such garments, or at the least signs of Idolatry and Popish superstition, and so defile themselves wi•h them, and give offence to the weak by their example. Now what other thing will this be, then by retaining of these garments, to destroy the whole body of the Church? For without doubt that is Satan's intent, by casting a seed of dissentions amongst the Bishops. And that he aimed at the infancy of the Church, by stirring up discord between the East and West Churches, about the Passover and other Ceremonies of that kind. Therefore Irenaeus Bishop of Lions, had just cause in his Epistle sent out of France to Rome, sharply to reprove Victor the Pope of Rome, because he out of a kind of zeal, but not according to knowledge, was minded to excommunicate all the Churches of Asia, because they celebrated not the Passover just at the same time, as they at Rome did. For this was nothing but by an unseasonable desire to retain the same Ceremonies in all Churches to rent and tear a pieces the unity of the Churches.
MOST gracious & most Christian Queene, we have not without great griefe understood, that the fire of contention about certaine garments, which we thought had beene quenched long agone, is now againe to the incredible offence of the godly, as it were raised from hell, and kindled a fresh in your Majesties Kingdome, and that the occasion of this fire is, because your most gracious Majesty being perswaded by some, otherwise great men, and carried with a zeal (but certainly not according to knowledge) to retaine unity in religion, hath now more then ever before resolved and decreed, yea doth will and command that all †Bishops and Ministers of the Churches shall in divine service putt on the white and linnen garments which the Popish Priests use now in Poperie; yea that it is to be feared, least this fire be so kindled, and cast its flame so farre and wide, that all the Churches of that most large and mighty kingdome, to the perpetuall disgrace of your most renowned Majesty, be sett on a flaming fire: ⟨p. 44⟩seeing the most part of the Bishops, men greatly renowmed for all kinde of learning and godlines, had rather leave their office and place in the Church, then against their owne conscience, admit of such garments, or at the least signes of Idolatry and Popish superstition, and so defile themselves wi•h them, and give offence to the weak by their example. Now what other thing will this be, then by retaining of these garments, to destroy the whole body of the Church? For without doubt that is Satans intent, by casting a seed of dissentions amongst the Bishops. And that hee aimed at the infancie of the Church, by stirring up discord betweene the East and West Churches, about the Passover and other Ceremonies of that kind. Therfore Irenaeus Bishop of Lions, had just cause in his Epistle sent out of France to Rome, sharply to reprove Victor the Pope of Rome, because he out of a kind of zeale, but not according to knowledge, was minded to excommunicate all the Churches of Asia, because they celebrated not the Passeover just at the same time, as they at Rome did. For this was nothing but by an unseasonable desire to retaine the same Ceremonies in all Churches to rent and teare a peeces the unity of the Churches.
- †Zanchius it is like was misinformed, for Bishops have bin the chief devisers and advisers.
