not only not the best kind of government, but the very bane and destruction of all government.  The cause of this change in men’s opinions may be drawn from the general nature of error, disguised and clothed with the name of truth; which did mightily and violently possess men at first, but afterwards, the weakness thereof being by time discovered, it lost that reputation, which before it had gained.  As by the outside of an house the passers-by are oftentimes deceived, till they see the conveniency of the rooms within; so, by the very name of discipline and reformation, men were drawn at first to cast a fancy towards it, but now they have not contented themselves only to pass by and behold afar off the fore-front of this reformed house; they have entered it, even at the special request of the master-workmen and chief-builders thereof:  they have perused the rooms, the lights, the conveniences, and they find them not answerable to that report which was made of them, nor to that opinion which upon report they had conceived:  so as now the discipline, which at first triumphed over all, being unmasked, beginneth to droop, and hang down her head.

[Sidenote:  Causes]

[Sidenote:  Gregory Martin]

The cause of change in opinion concerning the discipline is proper to the learned, or to such as by them have been instructed.  Another cause there is more open, and more apparent to the view of all, namely, the course of practice, which the Reformers have had with us from the beginning.  The first degree was only some small difference about the cap and surplice; but not such as either bred division in the Church, or tended to the ruin of the government established.  This was peaceable; the next degree more stirring.  Admonitions were directed to the Parliament in peremptory sort against our whole form of regiment.  In defence of them, volumes were published in English and in Latin:  yet this was no more than writing.  Devices were set on foot to erect the practice of the discipline without authority; yet herein some regard of modesty, some moderation was used.  Behold at length it brake forth into open outrage, first in writing by Martin;[2] in whose kind of dealing these things may be observed:  1.  That whereas Thomas Cartwright and others his great masters, had always before set out the discipline as a Queen, and as the daughter of God; he contrariwise, to make her more acceptable to the people, brought her forth as a Vice[3] upon the stage. 2.  This conceit of his was grounded—­as may be supposed—­upon this rare policy, that seeing the discipline was by writing refuted, in Parliament rejected, in secret corners hunted out and decried, it was imagined that by open railing,—­which to the vulgar is commonly most plausible,—­the State Ecclesiastical might have been drawn into such contempt and hatred, as the overthrow thereof should have been most grateful to all men, and in a manner desired by all the common people. 3.  It may be