in Englande our gracious Queene Elizâ—beth To kingly parents Pet. 2. the Lord â—â—th â—â—â—â—aunded charged vs to giue 〈…〉 tribute obedience wil◠〈…〉 silence suf◠〈…〉 hony ney◠〈…〉 raigne 〈…〉 they be neither Christians nor comfortable to their subiects but Heathen Princes Idolatrous kings or cruell TyraÌ„ts as these and many suth other places doe proue 1. Sam. 10.25.8.11.12.13 Iere. 29.7 Exod. 21. Psal 20.82 Eccle. 9. Pro. 6.24 Ma. 21.21 Mar. 12.17 Luc. 20.25 Ro. 13.1 1. Pet. 2.13.17 1. Tim. 2.1.2.3 And the disobedience hereto draweth Gods vengeaunce as the Apostle saith and the scripture proueth as the plagues of Corah Dathan and Abiram by the very hande of God from heauen doe testifie his hate of disobedience in earth to his appointed Magistrates Yea our fealtye and allegeaunce ought to be such vnto them as we permit not an euill thought to possesse nay not to enter our bosomes 〈…〉 â—m For the byrds of th◠〈…〉 shall â—cle 10. bewray ei◠〈…〉 â—ll reue◠〈…〉 â—n 18.9 sho◠〈…〉 either equall or aboue God but forsomuch as he is the Lorde omnipotent ouer all therefore it cannot be that man or Angell canne graunt either freedome against this commaunded duetye or in any sorte to discharge vs of the same yet naye the lesse that manne of sinne the Antichrist of Rome doth take vpon him in his Bulles both thither and into Fraunce to doe the one and the other And he hath hereby besotted many fine witts and made dronken into this rebellion not a fewe able persons to haue serued her Maiestie in much better sort But I beseech you Syr Pope by what aucthoritye doe you discharge our english subiectes of their moste bounden dutie to her Maiestie their naturall Soueraigne sith you are but an Italian Priest or Bishop haue no place much lesse setth Regall power in England His friendes do aunswere 〈◊〉 him thus That â—ee is the Vicar 〈…〉 earth Surely sir but not 〈…〉 For the scrip◠〈…〉 sente an◠〈…〉 to the ende of the worlde Mar. 16.20 Hebr. 13.21 And for the ciuill gouernement hee confirmed that Regiment he founde as of olde by himselfe established commaunding euery nation to obeye their superiour powers and to giue their King that whiche is his Yea and Christ himselfe for example to all Christians though hee bee freedome it selfe and Subiecte to no creature but soueraigne ouer all yet both himselfe and his Peter Mat. 17.25 he paid tribute money teaching by the miracle of the fishe that all possible meanes must be made by sea and land of euery subiect bond or free to our duety vnto our Caesar least wee shoulde in any suche sorte offende them And for the spirituall gouernement hee neuer committed it vnto one alone no not among the 12. Apostles but rather reprooued that ambition in them and sette this downe for a lawe that whiche of them shoulde hunger after heâ—d shippe he shoulde 〈◊〉 farre depre◠〈◊〉 his 〈…〉 hadd◠〈…〉 And when he sent out to preach he gaue equall commission saying Goe yee Mat. 20 2â— Mat. 16.15 and preache and baptise c. And the Apostle Paule sayth not that Christ hath sette not onely one Vycarre in his absence till his returne But ascending and leading Captiuitye Captiue Ephe. 4 hee hath giuen not one gifte to one vniuersall Pastor or Elder vppon the whole Churche but giftes to menne as that in the persone of many his holy spirite maye raigne and rule in the heartes of all that feare him Hee hath therefore geuen some to bee Apostles some Prophets some Euangelistes and some Pastours and Teachers that in this Aristocratia his spirite might gouerne his Church not in a Monarchy as the Pope would haue it Neither doth that place so often alleaged serue his turne Tibi dabo claues c. Mâ—t. 26. For besides that these keyes haue no power to shut vp the Pallace from the Prince nor Royall kings from their Regall digniâ—ies or yet other men from their earth 〈…〉 But are giuen to open 〈…〉 of the Gospell by the office of preaching and to shutte out of Gods congregation for a time suche as doe continue to heare his voice and to obey his holy commaund So when this promise was performed it was giuen in common to al the Apostles with him in equality Christ saying to them altogether Receiue ye not thou Peter alone or first or aboue the rest the holy ghost whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted c. Thus Christ and his Apostles left the state of his Churche And if it should be otherwise I must needes woÌ„der at Peter his softnes that hauing such authority aboue the rest giuen him of Christ he would beare so base a mind as to suffer not onely his equalls to vsurpe his preheminence but his inferiours the Elders in the Churche to vse asmuch power in doctrine and gouernment Ecclesiasticall as he Or yet that hee woulde not excommunicat the Apostle Paule Gall. 1. for reprouing him openly before the people in Antioch Surely the very reason wâ—â—châ—â—â— that as hee was 〈…〉 a shrewde che◠〈…〉 he was of an heauenly spirit and tooke reproofe as a medicine to that disease and neuer sette himselfe aboue his brethren but ioyned himselfe with his inferiours for calling yet equall in power saying 1. Pet. 5.1 The Elders which are among you I beseeche which am also a fellowe Elder c. Consenior is your vulgare translation Feede the flocke c. Not as Lordes ouer Gods herytage but that yee may be ensamples to the flocke And when that chiefe shepheard shall appeare ye shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory Note this good brethren Peter is but a fellowe Elder with his brethren Heb. 13.20 and doth so entitle himselfe And note also that he referreth the name of chief princely or heade to the onely Shephearde of our soules Iesus Christ alone And to conclude this point if Christ gaue not any one the preheminence of all if hee appointed not a Monarchye but a Churche gouernement Aristoâ—â—â—ticall videlicet to rule by sundry 〈…〉 no larger keyes then the rest if he tooke no more vppon him then a fellowe Elder if hee became not a comptroler of the whole Church but was vnder the censure of his brethren that did discerne him how canne it come to passe were hee Peter his successour as Symon Magus doth rather challenge him that vnder the name of Peter the Apostle whose limitation by Gods spirite was ouer the Iewes and Paules commission rather more Bishoplike ouer the Gentiles this Antichrist of Rome shoulde haue such aucthoritye ouer our soueraigne so farre distant from his territorye or Bishopricke as to excommunicate her Maiestie to discrownize her Royall person and to release her subiectes from the bondes of their alleageaunce and as it fitteth the nature of that monstrous Hydra to sanctifie as saintes all such cursed soules as woulde embrue their handes in her right Innocent bloude The
aunswere is still because hee is Christes ministeriall heade in his vniuersall Churche therefore hee may aâ—â— doth excommunicate 〈…〉 and also depose her of her Crowne and dignitye If he bee demaunded who hath endowed him with this power these miserable Traytours say it is giuen him by Christ Iesus our Lorde so saith the Pope himselfe in the Canon lawe Pastoralis cura c. Câ—â—mâ—nt de 〈…〉 the Pastorall care of the whole Christian Churche is by the diuine power and commission laide vpon vs. Againe De necâ—ssâ—tâ—te credenduÌ„ c. It is of necessity to be beleeued that euery creature is subiect to the Bishoppe of Rome Aâ—ayne the Pope is sette ouer all aswâ—ll ouer all Nations as kingdomes 〈◊〉 de maâ—â— obâ—di And agayne the Pope hath power to transferre kingdomes at his pleasure and to sende one king into anothers kingdome The Pope of Rome hath in him Clâ—ment c. pâ—storal de ie iudic c. 2. ibid the whole Monarchie of both powers spirituall temporall These bee blasphemous and thrasonicall braggs But this proude insolent challenge if we confer with Iesus Christs modesty coÌ„maundement to his Apostles we shall easily perceiue that from him neither Peter or Pope canne haue such commission The kings of the nations raigne ouer them saith Christ and they that bee great exercise aucthoritye ouer them but it shall not bee so with you but hee that will bee chiefe amonge you let him bee your Minister euen as the sonne of manne came not to bee ministred vnto but to minister And according to this course when hee sent them to preache into the worlde after his assention he made no one chiefe of them to aunswere his place of Prerogatiue ouer the rest but reseruing that romth to himselfe saying beholde Mat. 28.20 saying beholde I am with you to the ende of the worlde hee gaue to them one equall commission and place goe yee and preache yee the Gospell Mat. 28.19.20 baptize yee and doe you teach them to obserue all that I haue commaunded you But good christians marke wel that I shall say and I trust you will saye with me the neither Peter nor Pope can be Christs successor to haue his whole aucthoritye sole ouer all The Bishop of Rome doth saye that by the aucthoritye of Christ hee is Peters successour the Prymatâ— of the worlde But agaâ—ne I askâ— by what right If hee saye by the scriptures why did not Peter then practise it or why did all the Bishops of Rome vntill the supposed donation by Constantine not once dreame of it And what reason then hath his owne Lawe to shut vnder hard censure such as shal presume this title vnto them For the decree reporting it from Chrysostome saith Quicunque desiderauerit primatuÌ„ in terra inuenerit confusionem in coâ—lo Dust 4. c. multi qui cunque Whosoeuer shall hunger after primacie in earth shall finde confusion in heauen Neyther shall he be numbred among the seruants of Christ which contendeth for supremacie Again the Bishop of the first or chiefe seat shall not be called either the prince of Priests or the high or chiefe Priest or any such like name but onely the bishop of Rome himselfe be called vniuersal And surely if the holy scriptures had giuen such preheminence to Peter and his successors both the first Church and Councels aswell Nyce as Constantinoâ—le of Ephesus as Calcedon had bene veâ—y iniurious to the holy Apostle and his successors and further not to the posteritie in the Church onely but also to their owne deserued credites all which time and councels as knowing no such matter did giue prerogatiue to euerie Bishop in his owne sea onely Concil Nicen p. 315. c. 6. Brut Ful. 153. Eph. Synod an 431. c. vltimo Concil Calced au 450. and to euerie Patriarke in his own prouince alone and made equall the other Patriarkes with the Patriarke of Rome And if they haue it by successioÌ„ I aske whether of doctrine or place or person or one or al For doctrine I am sure there is as greate difference betweene Peters doctrine and the Popes for many yeares past as is betwixt truth falshood As for example Thou shalt not kill but honour the king was Peters doctrine but the Popes is Thou shalt not honour but kil the Queene Elizabeth if so thou canst as the Cardinals letter to that traytor Pary is most apparaunt But if he succeede not in doctrine his other succession is of no value yet what other succession can he haue By the cyuill lawe it appeareth that there bee 3. sortes of succession L. vlt. d. de exeâ—ot rei rend L. 1. c. in locum vz. Successores Iuriâ— Rei muneris personalis The first sorte are called successors vniuersall and these be as heires D. quod legat l. 7 â—â— de iure inâ—and l. priuilegio 27. c. de decut l. 10. The seconde sorte are of matters or goodes acquyred or giuen by Legatorie meanes and these bee called successors in part or particular The third sort are of personall giftes these be called successors in function They now which be successors of the first or second sort haue their right and authority of those whose successors they be L. qui in Ius â—â—2 c. â—â— reg 〈…〉 whether they be vniuersall or singular But the thiâ—â—e sorte haue not their succession in râ—â—ht of theyr antecessâ—rs but of those of whome they are chosen and are so placed in theyr antecessors Roomes whether it be the succession of Magistrates Tutors Church-men or such like For the office and place is personall which is supplied with watchfulnes of the soule Now I demaund of the Lord Pope by what kind of successioÌ„ he is Christes successor or Peters before him Christs heyre Peter cannot be L. 1. d. de Herod vend because his Lorde Christ lyueth for euer and doth not resigne his righte to hym â—anie other neyther canne hee suffer to haue companions in his dignitie Heb. 7.24 Wherefore Leo the Pope hath shamefully saide this blasphemie that Christ hath giuen to Peter Sermone 3. de Anix ass 10. Heb. 7.24 a woonderfull fellowship of his power Much lesse canne the Pope be either his successor or Peters in vniuersall or in particular since Christ neuer gaue to him that prerogatiue but ambition hath begot him that name which first began at Constantinople after tooke roote at Rome And the Councell of Calcedon doth freely affirm Conc. Calcedon An. 451. rent c. 28. that the Bishop of Rome had his honour not from Peter but from the emperiall seat saying because Rome then raigned ouer all therefore the Fathers gaue her Church the greatest honour and first place but nowe perswaded by the same rule we giue say they to the new Rome in Constantinople equall degree in honor and place with the auncient Rome in Italie As for the third sort of succession the Pope hath naught to do
and yet therefore neyther was he deposed his kingdome by Priest or people or was it lawfull to cease to doe him seruice Saule I meane the king of Israell Samuel denounced the Lords excommunicatioÌ„ saying The Lord hath cast thee out from being king 1. Sam. 15.23 the Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day and hath giuen it to thy neighbour Psal 28. that is better then thou Here is if yee note it a famous excommunication by the Lorde decreed and denounced by the Prophet Samuel against Saule Yet for all this God neyther commaunded Samuel or yet Samuel the Subiectes of Saule to â—â—ll backe their subiection from 〈…〉 lâ—wfull king Fo◠〈…〉 lyfe the◠〈…〉 And t◠〈…〉 the 〈…〉 pretended his death as doe our present Catholikes This assertion is confirmed moste surely by the holie annointed Dauid himselfe and that by his oth to Abner the Counceller of Saule and Captaine of his bande moste sharplie reproouing him for his shamefull sleepe in the daungerous Campe saying Abner hearest thou not 1. Sam. 26.14 And art thou a man And who is like thee in Israel so trusted of the king or put in suche aucthoritie Wherefore then hast thou not kepte thy Lorde the King Note that he confesseth Saule notwithstanding his excommunication still yet to bee Abner his Lorde and king also For there came one to destroye the King thy Lorde This is not well done of thee As the Lorde lyue 〈…〉 woorthie to dye becauâ—◠〈…〉 your Mayâ—◠〈…〉 〈…〉 Dâ—â—id the 〈…〉 â—â—yth 〈…〉 his seruaunt Behold beloued by how manye repetitions Dauid confirmeth Saules authoritie ouer his seruauntes in Court his Subiects in Campe yea and ouer Dauid himselfe though hee bee the heire apparaunt to the Crowne and the successor to Saule euen by the Lords coÌ„maundement so annointed To Abner he saith Saule is thy Lord he saith not he was before he was caste out and before my day of annointment but Saule is still thy LORDE and king Secondly hee saith to the whole seruantes and subiectes of Saule As the Lorde liueth 1. Sam. 26.16 yee are guiltye of death for your vnfaithfulnes to your present Prince and Lorde euen for this that yee haue not doone him more faithful seruice that ye haue not kept his life better to who 〈…〉 this present yee◠〈…〉 â—â—ce and lo◠〈…〉 of yo◠〈…〉 bo◠〈…〉 〈…〉 â—ding place hee is sayth Dauid your Maister your King and stil the Lords annointed Wherefore your fealtie in faithfulnesse is still his giue Caesar therefore his owne And though hee doth mee greate wrong and seeketh my lyfe and though I haue in my band Abishay and his fellowes 1. Sam. 26.8 which as men deuoide of godlinesse and bounden dutie in hope of helpe by mee theyr future Prince doe hunger the death and offer to kill the Lordes presente annoynted yet neyther will I suffer mine to doe so wickedly or yet my selfe to woorke his woe neyther can I with good conscience doe it For hee is my Lorde my mayster and my King I will therefore seeke to pacifie hys fury◠〈◊〉 petition if so I maye but 〈…〉 my peace 〈…〉 with the 〈…〉 slaughter agaâ—nst my 〈…〉 Lordes anoynted 〈…〉 Psal 19. I beseeche thee heare the wordes of his seruant If the Lord haue stirred thee vp against me let him smell the sauour of a sacrifice but if the childreÌ„ of men haue done it cursed bee they c. And as wee see Dauids conclusion for the still continuant dignitie of the excommunicated Saule so I pray you let vs obserue the hast and hate of Abishay who made no bones to shed the blood of the Lordes present annointed in colour of dutie loue to the future prince as more fit to raigne and lawfully elected But let vs with holy Dauid set the staffe of our rest in this his stay and defende the state and life of our presente Prince and that so muche the more for that our Elizabeth is blessed of God as by his myraculous hand for her wonderfull deliuerance he doth assure vs against the batte◠〈…〉 â—orde of the curs◠〈…〉 And 〈…〉 Ab◠〈…〉 Deliuer vs Lord saue our gracious Elizabeth for thy holy names sake Finally note this besotted it is not very difficulte to discerne Abyshaye whose course is to counterfeite obedience in ciuill sort to the present Dauid but in the meane hee sodainely selleth his former profession and hauing an eye to after helpe and present fauour he sorteth his shewe with other such and that of the sodaine as euery way bend their affection to the religion and disposition of their long hoped future Prince If any therefore thus far seduced do feather their winge against the present winde and sodainly shoote with Romish shaft though not with cried aime at the proffering pricke refusing our shot or once more to shoote with vs that dayly hitte the marke Doubt not to deeme them partiâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 â—â—st of the future side if ou◠〈…〉 to measure for 〈…〉 for thy 〈…〉 Abyshay 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 â—ut of 〈…〉 loyalty their hart is firmely set to wait the time and oportunity that their hands may shoote and occasion their crewe to shoute if they shall deadly hit that most precious But their long desired marke But Lord giue them quaking handes fearefull hartes starting bowes broken shaftes dreadful breasts yea all the sort of theÌ„ which purpose deadly shotte at the bosome of our gracious Elizabeth And further now deare brethren let vs call this Quare once againe into question so shall we see as before is said to our great comfort how vnable our papists be to perfect their proud attempt Quare Why doe you saith Dauid that so proudely which neuer can of your parts be atchieued your tumultes must bee ouerturned your meditations for murther shal be of no moment your banding shall sodâ—inel◠〈…〉 your consult or 〈…〉 â—sion and 〈…〉 our 〈…〉 chris◠〈…〉 whom the God of strength hath set vp decreed to maintaine He wil therfore laugh at your destruction wil speake to you by his anger vexe you in his sore displeasure he will destroye all you and yours which sought his ouerthrowe in his annointed breake you into yeeces as the potter doth his brittle fiery clay Wherfore be wise ye Princes c. EueÌ„ thus doth the Lord still speak alwayes hath against traytors hande for his annointed The conclusion of your conspiracy ye papists is as these traytors of old Come let vs break their bands asunder cast their coards froÌ„ vs. But your practise is proud your presumption is perillous but ridiculous for your purpose by indeuour appeareth to be no lesse thâ— to bereaue our Dauid Elizabeth the Lords annointed of her life our church of 〈…〉 his blessed gospel 〈…〉 possessed 〈…〉 â—mpiety 〈…〉 more 〈…〉 it 〈…〉 Let vs breake their bandes let vs cast their coards First beloued these words ioyning iust with our present Catholiques purpose doe offer