says: 'In King James's time when four (sic) Scotch presbyters were to be consecrated bishops at Lambeth, 'twas moved they might be first ordained presbyters again, but overruled—'twas without need.'
Lord Bacon's[1] remarks on the subject are worth quoting also, as those of a man of the very highest intellect of his time, and also from his position and occupation likely to be well informed as to the actual state of the facts. He wrote ' an Advertisement touching the controversies of the Church of England,' according to Mr. Spedding, about 1589, occasioned by the 'Martin Marprelate' tracts. In it he says of the controversies themselves that 'they are not touching the high mysteries of the faith, … neither are they concerning the great parts of the worship of God of which it is true that "non servatur unitas in credendo, nisi eadem est in colendo," such as were the controversies of the East and West Churches touching images, and such as are many of those between the Church of Rome and us, as about the adoration of the Sacrament and the like. But we contend about ceremonies and things indifferent, about the external policy of government of the Church.' Again (pp. 86-7), he points out the growth of extreme views on both sides thus: 'It may be remembered that on their part who call for reformation' (i.e., the Puritan party) 'was first propounded some dislike of certain ceremonies supposed to be superstitious; some complaint of dumb ministers who possess rich benefices, and some invectives against the idle and monastical continuance within the Universities by those who had livings to be resided upon, and such-like abuses. Thence they went on to condemn the government of bishops as an hierarchy remaining to us of the corruptions of the Roman Church, and to except to sundry institutions as not sufficiently delivered from the pollution of former times. And lastly they advanced to define of an only and perpetual form of policy in the Church, which without consideration of possibility or foresight of peril or perturbation of the Church and State must be erected and planted of the magistrate. Here they stay. Others, not able to keep footing in so steep a ground, descend further. That the same must be entered into and accepted of the people at their peril, without the attending of the establishment of authority; and so in the meantime they refuse to communicate with us, as reputing us to have no Church. This hath been the progression on that side—I mean the generality, for I know some persons (being of the nature not
