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cause_n	aaron_n	lord_n	preach_v	15	3	9.7829	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A18700	An exhortation to all menne to take hede and beware of rebellion wherein are set forth the causes, that commonlye moue men to rebellion, and that no cause is there, that ought to moue any man there vnto. With a discourse of the miserable effectes, that ensue thereof, and of the wretched ende, that all rebelles comme to, moste necessary to be redde in this seditiouse [and] troublesome tyme, made by Iohn Christoferson. At the ende whereof are ioyned two godlye prayers, one for the Quenes highnes, verye conuenient to be sayd dayly of all her louing and faythfull subiectes, and an other for the good [and] quiete estate of the whole realme. Read the whole, and then iudge.	Christopherson, John, d. 1558.	1554 (1554)	STC 5207; ESTC S117507	113,228	472

they haue For he were a very foolishe marchaunt me thynke that when he passeth by the sea hath a fayre wind to driue him to the cōmon hauen where he shoulde arriue wold leaue his cōmon course and trustyng that by saylyng throughe a certeyne daungerous sea he shuld come to a cōtrye where he shoulde fynde muche riches and althoughe he were in maner assured that in that peryllous passage he shulde drowne his shyppe and hym selfe to yet wold he aduēture and so loose all the substaunce that wyth great trauayle he had gotten before Wherfore all they that by rebellion seke to be riche seke in dede to be poore Insomuche that suche haue no cause why they shoulde rebell but greate cause haue they why they shuld by all meanes auoyde rebelliō both for that they most greuously offende theyr lord God therby also that when soeuer it chaunseth they stand in daunger of loosyng all that they haue and theyr lyues to And as for ryches seynge it oftentimes hurteth manye y t haue it and that it is a greate care both safely to kepe it and godlye to bestowe it I meruayle that men eyther make so muche of it or wyll by vnlawfull meanes go aboute to get it For saynte Augustyne sayeth That yf we lacke worldly ryches let vs not by wycked wayes seke it here in this worlde and yf we haue it let vs by good dedes doyng lay it vp in heauen Whych thyng consydered let all riche men contente them selfes with that y ● they haue and care more for the well bestowynge of it then for the gettynge of more and alway beware that neyther by rebellion nor by no other vnlawfull meanes they seke for ryches But nowe let vs see what cause they haue to rebell that be sore oppressed with taxes and tributes with pollynge pilling with rentes raysed and with pastures enclosed such perhappes haue cause to complayne but no cause at all to make rebellion but put the cace that y ● prince be a noughty man and so sore infected w e the sinne of couetousnes that he passeth not howe he come by money so that he haue it so polleth the people with sore subsidies to satisfie hys vnsaciable auarice withal must men therfore being thus piteously pylled reuenge their owne quarell and rebell agaynste hym and goo aboute so to set thē selfes at libertie or rather putte their whole matter to god pray to hym earnestlye to be their succoure For it is wrytten of the children of Israell when they were in Aegypte and were w t intollerable laboure and trauayle very sore afflicted by Pharao king of that contry howe that thei went vnto hym complained of their grefe made humble requeste that they myght be more easely delt with but nothinge got they at his hande but a frowarde answere And albeit that they coulde haue no remedy yet wold they not rebell agaynst him but went to Moyses and Aarō made their cōplaynt to them said Oure lorde loke vpon vs. and iudge our cause by reason wherof Moyses sayd to god why lorde d●ste thou suffre thy people thus to be troubled Then sayde oure lorde god to hym agayne Tell the children of Israell that I wyll both leade them oute of the paynfull prison of the Aegyptiās wherin they be so sore afflicted and also deliuer them oute of their thaldome and bondage ▪ If men that be vnder an euill prince wolde earnestly weye this storye they might learne two profytable lessōs of it one to make their complaynt to y e prince and humbly desire him to relieue them and not by force to resist him and rashely to rebel agaynst him another to committe their matter to god and complayne to hym and truste suerly that he will at lengthe deliuer them from their trouble as he dydde the children of Israell Agayne y e chyldren of Israel when they were made slaues to Chusan Rasathaun the kyng of Mesopotamia and lyued vnder hym in sore seruitude the space of viij yeare they went not about to ryse agaynst hym and so to deliuer them selfes oute of bondage but called to GOD for helpe and succoure and he deliuered them by the helpe of Othoniel And after that likewise whē they were brought into bondage by Eglon the kyng of Moab and lyued vnder hym in great thraldome misery .xviij. whole yeares together they made no insurrection agaynste hym that by that meanes they myghte be deliuered but humblye suited to God for ayde who mercifully lokyng vpon them delyuered them by the handes of Aod the sonne of Gera. Wherfore yf it chaunce at any time that an euil Prince hath the gouernement of a realme let the people first make theyr humble petition to the prince and beseche hym to be fauourable to them and yf that wyl not auayle them to seke then to his counseyle and cōplayne vnto them desyryng them to gyue him good aduertisemēt and entreate hym to be good to hys subiectes for oftentymes good counseyle maye do muche in suche a cace And let them neuer contrary to gods wyll pleasure eyther iudge of their Princes cōditions because God is his iudge nor seditiously lyfte vy theyr swordes agaynste hym but folowynge the example of the chyldren of Israel let them wholy referre their cause to God make their humble petition to hym to be relieued and they shal vndoub●edlye at his handes haue remedye Furthermore it were wysedome too thinke yea we must neades beleue it to that Princes are appoynted by God for Salomon sayth in the person of wisdome which is God him selfe That by me kynges haue their rule And then to ponder wel with our selfes for what purpose God hath sent vs suche a wicked prince whether through our noughtye lyfe we haue deserued to haue such a noughtye ruler or y t God hathe suffred him to reygne ouer vs for a trial of oure patience If we haue deserued by our noughtye demeanour to haue suche one as it may well be that we haue for Iob sayth ▪ that god sendeth a noughty dissembling ruler for the synnes of the people then let vs do penaunce betyme and by feruent prayer aske God hartely of pardon desyre hym that whē he hath wel punished vs to be merciful vnto vs and deliuer vs from our misery alway earnestly beseche hym to giue y ● prince grace to amend for so shal we both helpe to saue him our selfes to Agayn if such one be suffred to rule ouer vs for a trial of oure patience thē leest we loose our patience the reward therof w t al let vs patiētly beare him by patient suffringe encrease our patience Furthermore yf be that we be by him so sore afflicted that we can not possibly beare suche a burden anye longer then muste we call to God for helpe and comfort ▪ At whych tyme wythout doubte he wyll saye thus For the misery that the neady

in daunger wyllyngly to cast out some of hys goodes but that he had leuer loose some parte for sauynge of the reste then loose altogether and hym selfe to Wherfore all suche as feare punishment it is better for thē with a shorte punishmente to paye their raunsom then w t vnlawful eschewinge thereof fall in daunger of perpetual punishmēt Cause then haue they none yf they well consider to make rebellion for feare of punyshement Some there hath bene in the world that by reason they did see their prince lacke good qualities or for that he was croked or deformed or that he was a noughty vicious liuer haue rebelled because they thoughte by y ● meanes to get thē another But such litle remēbred the sayinges of Salomon Iob y t I recited before of whyche the one telleth vs that kynges and rulers be appoynted by God and the other that God oftentimes sendeth a noughtye dissemblyng Prince for the synnes of the people For yf the prince lacke good qualities it is not oure part to fynde faute with him but to desire GOD to sende him better Or yf he be deformed we blame the worke of God yf we disprayse him For he made not him selfe but god made him Or yf he lyue vitiouslye we be bounde to praye God hartely that he wil vouchesafe to amende him and to send him good counseyle that maye and wyll earnestlye admonyshe him As for to rebell agaynst him because Goddes lawe and the lawes of manne to do expresselye forbydde it we oughte euermore to auoyde But now let vs well weye the cause of those that rebell for religion sake whyche is thought to some a mooste vrgent weyghtye cause Here men wyll saye that yf they be constreyned by superiour powe●s to forsake anye parte of their fayth by which they are wel assured to be saued that then they must rather obeye God then man and put their lyues in ieoperdie rather thē they wil leaue their religion This is verye wel sayde and euerye Christen man must so do But howe shuld we obeye rather God then man or howe ought we to put our lyues in ieoperdie Must we take the sworde in oure handes and playe the part that Peter did at the takyng of oure Sauiour shall it not be sayde then vnto vs as it was sayd to S. Peter at the same time Put vp your swordes For whosoeuer taketh a sword intending to smite therwyth shall peryshe by the sworde ▪ Had not Peter think you as good cause to defend his mayster Christ as anye man hath to defende his fayth and religion Yes truelye For yf we haue any cause to defend our fayth by the sworde then as good cause had saynte Peter therewyth to defende our sauioure the author of fayth Why dyd not the holy Apostles when they were commaūded that they shulde preache no more in Christes name that they were beaten for the same defende them selfes by stronge hande and fight with their enemyes in such a good quarell Or why did they patiently suffre persecution and went their waye much reioysyng that they were thought worthye to suffre rebuke and displeasure for the name of Iesu It is not in thys warre y t menne make for their Lorde Christ as it is in the warre betwixte prince and prince For in the warre of worldly princes suche alway gette the victory as eyther by force beate downe their enemyes or by policye putte them to flyght But in Christes warre those wynne the fielde that beare awaye the strokes he that suffreth most getteth y e moste noble victory For the blessed martyr Ignatius when he was conueyed out of Syria to Rome by tenne rigorous and rough souldyars whome for theyr crueltye he calleth tenne leopardes and was miserablye torne in peaces by wylde beastes ▪ got a more excellent victorye then euer dyd eyther Scipio Africanus or Pompeius Magnus two of the mooste noble captaynes of the Romaynes And yet dyd he neuer eyther grudge at the matter or giue them euil wordes or lyfte vp hys hande to smyte eyther man or beast but most feruently desyred to be beatē buffeted to be assaulted him selfe tormented For by that meanes was he assured that he shoulde receaue at Christes hande the victorious crowne in martyrdome as it doth wel appeare by his owne wordes in an epystle that he wrote to y e Romaynes wherin he saith thus Wolde to god I had y e beastes y t are prepared to deuoure me whome shortlye to find out is mine earnest desire whome I shall flatter make muche of to thintente they may out of hand deuoure me For I wolde not they shulde so handle me as they haue done other whome for feare thei did not ones touche But if so be they be lothe to medle with me I shal prouoke them to teare me Pardō me good frendes I praye you for I know wh●t is expediente for me Nowe begynne I to be Christes So surely it fareth in a cōmon welth when as the people grudge y t their heades gouernours lyue at ease and eate vp al as they thinke that they wyth muche toyle and trauayle haue gotten iudging him to be an ydle and an vnnecessarye membre therfore do they cōspire rebel agaynst him So y t therby it cometh to passe y ● with miserable spoyle cruel bloudshede y e members of all the common welthe are in short space most miserably cōsumed wasted Therfore lette no man that eyther loueth god his contry or hym selfe when as he is oppressed go aboute to seke remedy by rebellion seinge y t both his cause is very nought and that therby he shall not only prouoke Goddes wrath agaynst hym but also put his contry and hym selfe to in ieopardye of destroynge But nowe there be an other sort that are so sore inflamed with ambition desire of honor y t thei think euery howre a day and euery day a yeare vntyll they may winne their wicked purpose They be like to men that be sicke of a feruent burninge feuer whiche drinke styl and euer are drye and the more that they drink the more they desier to drink Euen so it fareth wyth ambitiouse folke whiche yf they come to anye worshippefull estate are not so contented but labour by al maner of meanes still to clyme higher when neyther by flattery nor frindshippe nor liberall rewardes they cā satisfie their wretched desier then fall they to conspiracy folow the steppes of cursed Catiline whiche made men wene that he mynded to reforme the common welthe of Rome restore y e libertie therof when he intended nothinge elles but to put downe the noble and wise rulers of y e citie and place him selfe his complices in their honorable rowines But he was shortly spied out and by the wyse policye of Cicero cleane disappoynted of hys purpose What made Caesar and Pompeye the great to make ciuil warre but

had gottē this fleshly libertie then heresye went forward apace But yf they well weye howe many haue bene deceaued by them and how sore except they repent they shalbe punished for euery of them they me think shulde haue good cause to put sacke cloth vpon them and to lye them downe at the church dore as one Grebolius dyd and praye all menne that entre in there to treade vpon them as being vnsauery salte And after in open audience to cōfesse their false doctrine that they haue preached and willingly to recante the same and giue all men warning to beware of it and to returne to their mother the Catholike Churche agayne And thus both to pacifie Goddes wrath agaynste them and also to brynge all suche to the sure and sounde fayth of the Churche as they haue throughe theyr wycked preachynges vtterly diuided therefro Moreouer hath not this carnall libertie broughte to passe likewise that menne that abhorred fasting beynge delicately fedde wold to satisfie their wanton lustes be diuorced from their wiues yea and after marry agayne their wyues beynge as yet alyue And had they not maysters that wolde teache them this and preache the same openly and make bookes in maynteynaunce of suche abhomination Whyche maysters tolde them that there were two sortes of fornication for whiche men or women might be diuorced one carnal another spiritual Carnall as whē the wise had commited aduoutry with another man or the husbande with another woman Spiritual when the woman ▪ or man was a papist and an enemye to Goddes worde as they called it For which two kindes of fornication men and women to might lawfulli sayd these iolye maysters be diuorced and marry agayne So that both the husband whensoeuer hym lyste might at his pleasure cast of his wife and take another and also the wyfe in lyke maner take another husbande Was not this very holsome doctrine I pray you and mete to be preached in pulpittes set forth in bookes and the authours therof worthy to be compared with Saynt Paule as they were of many for theyr famouse preaching God gyue grace to all christen people to beware of such maysters lest by them they be ledde or euer they be aware ▪ streight to the deuyll the great mayster of al such mischeuouse doctrine of which as he is the first father and founder so all they that eyther teache it or embrace it shall in conclusion except they earnestly repent be partakers with hym of the painfull pitte of hell Besides this it wold pitie anye good mans hart to thinke what disorder disobedience came of this liberty Wold not the seruauntes controll their maysters and tel them when they were chekked for leauing their busines vndone y t they had bene occupied eyther in readynge gods word or in hearing some sermon yea so godly lessons hadde they learned since they had tasted of this newe doctrine y e very few of their maysters could after truste them And if y e mayster were a catholike mā one that feared god then wold his seruaunte if he were of a contrary iudgemēt handel hym like awarde and in maner make a loute of him and do his busynesse as he list and when he lyste and lette it be vndone if he list For the mayster fearing that he shuld haue displeasure by him durst neyther put hym away from hym nor ones asmuch as rebuke hym for any matter After the same sorte dyd children order their parentes wyues their husbandes and subiectes their magystrates So that the fete ruled the head and the cart was set before y e horse For childrē when they had bene brought vp in schole a while with some lewd Lutherane ▪ then would they write letters to their catholike parentes and exhorte them in the lordes name to leaue their papistry and blind ignoraunce that they were in and fall at lenght to folow goddes worde and gladly to receaue the truth And if the parentes would not folowe this their childishe aduise streight way would they not let to talke with their companyons and tell them that their parentes were blinde papistes Yea and make a mery mockinge stocke of them lay my father is an old doting foole ▪ and will fast vpon the fryday and my mother goeth alwayes mumblinge on her beades But you shall se me of another sorte I warraunt you For I will neuer folowe no suche superstitiouse folye nor walke in the Papisticall pathes of my parentes Were not men well at ease trow you when they had bestowed a great deale of money vpon suche graceles graftes who neyther feared god nor reuerenced their parentes Thus did mens wyues to that were become systers of the new fraternitye order their husbandes For where as the husbande dyd not fauoure their secte then would the wyfe no longer go to schole with hym in silence as Saynt Paule byddeth her but would boldlye fall to teache hym and tell hym of his duety And many of them were offended with Saynte Paule that hadde commaunded them that they shuld holde their peace in the churches For gladly would they haue preached if they might haue bene suffred as some of thē neuertheles did in corners At which tyme also y e deuil for y e better furtheraūce of heresy piked out two sorts of people that shuld in tauernes and innes at commentables and in open stretes set forwarde his purpose as wel as false preachers dyd in the pulpet that is to say minstrels and players of enterludes The one to singe pestilente and abhominable songes and the other to set forth openly before mens eyes the wicked blasphemye that they had cōtriued for the defacing of all rites ceremonies and all the whole order vsed in the administration of the beissed Sacramentes Then the scripture being in suche folkes handes was sore studied not for amendement of life which they neuer mynded but partly to mayntayne their loude heresye wherwith they were infected partelye to controll the priestes whome they had in great derision and partlye to find faulte with other whē they had anye occasion at all For yf a man were a good vertuous priest he had bene better a great deale to haue liued amonge Turkes and Saracenes then amonge this kind of folke by reason that whensoeuer they mette with him in anye place they woulde aske him Nowe syr Iohn where fynde you your Masse in scripture or who gaue you aucthoritie to make god As though the prieste by his owne power had made Christes blessed body in the holye Sacramente of the aultare and not the holye worde of God And then woulde they saye beside it is pitie that anye suche popishe wretches lyues y e thus haue deceaued Christes flocke But nowe I warrante you must you turne your tippet laye away your olde mumpsimus and shutte vp youre portesse and your Masse boke to and putte awaye cleane your purgatory Masses You must nowe olde foole go to schole agayne

were so handled as would make anye good mans hearte sore to lament therefore Ouer thys muche pratinge made they of onelye fayth that thereby we were ●ustified whereof they talked so longe that at length a great many had no fayth at al. And in these matters were they so well practised y t when they talked of them in a pulpit they semed to the people very eloquent But yf they at anye tyme toke occasion as they dydde verye seldome to speake of deathe or deadlye sinne or of the feare of God and his terrible iudgemente or of good workes as of prayer fastinge and almose they were so baren in their talke that their auditours thought thē altogyther vnlearned as they were without fayle For so haue many of them comming to their triall well declared of late And althoughe they lacked sounde learninge yet lacked they no arrogant presūption For some of them woulde not lette to boaste that they were singulerly learned in Latine greke hebrew and say y t thei had red ouer all the ecclesiasticall writers and often tymes alledge thē for their purpose But how I pray you Eyther dyd they misconstrue and vntruely expounde the places that they alledged or at lest wise falsely alledged thē or elles cut the sentence in the middest that it mighte seme to make for their purpose and all that made agaynste them left they clean out And so like wise hādled they y e holy scripture to as it well appeareth in sondrye of their detestable and deuilishe bokes whosoeuer list to searche them But they were not the firste that thus went aboute to depraue both the scripture and also the old auncient writers For Asclepiades Theodotus Hermophilus and Apollonius olde heretikes of Artemones sect trauayled much in corruptinge the examples of holy scripture to the intent that they might bringe scriptures to cōfirme their abhominable opinions wythall And Denyse the byshop of Corinthe writeth thus of suche like men At the request of certayne bretherne I wrote certayne epistles which y e deuils Apostles haue filled ful of cockel darnil For some wordes haue they put out of them and some added vnto them for whom the wofull curse of Christe at the day of iudgemēt is reserued And no maruaile is it though they wente aboute to falsifye the scriptures of our lord and sauiour Iesus seing that they haue corrupted these pore simple writinges of mine whiche are not of such weight as those be Many authors could I alledge to declare y t heretikes haue alwayes played the like part both with the scriptures the good interpretors therof but here it nedeth not Som other were there of our new preachers whose presūptuouse arrogancie myght also be well knowen in that that many of them would preache and were neuer sent And a great meany that had in maner no learninge and as litle wit wold start vp into y e pulpet and tell the people that the spyrite moued them and then would they blaspheme and rayle as though they had bene possessed with an euil spirite as in dede it is very likely they were Such are wel described of Saint Peter after this sorte These be welles without water and mystes tossed with whorle wyndes for whome is reserued euerlastinge darkenesse For by vtteringe their presumptuouse bablinge they allure and catche such as through the cōcupiscence of the flesh are fallen in dede to folowe wanton pleasures and contynue in error And they promise other men liberty wheras they thē selfes are y e very slaues of filthye corruptiō Such godly maysters because they ranne and were not sent as the prophete saith came into the shepefold of Christ not by the dore but an other way so that Saynt Iohn the euangeliste if he had bene alyue would haue called them theues And a thefe as the same euangelist writeth commeth for no other purpose but to steale to kyll and to distroye For first dyd they steale Christes shepe out of the folde that is to say out of the Catholike churche by carnall libertye whiche as I sayde before they craftlye named y e libertye of the gospell Then killed they their soules with pestilence doctrine and so at lengthe by their deuelishe diuises so blinded thē that they destroyed them all together And when they had thus miserably handled them they gloried in their graceles acte ▪ as though they had done god good seruyce But if they would remember what O●igene sayth concernyng suche men as they them selfes be and well wey his sayinge they shoulde haue good cause to leaue their glorying in malice and blindnes and fall to bewayle the miserable murder that they in Christes flocke haue committed For he sayth that the dānation of al those that haue eyther preached or wrytten heresye doth styll increase to the daye of iudgement that is to saye as longe as the contagion of theyr heresye dothe remayne and infect any man For the mo that perish through their doctrine the more greuouse shall their punishement be Which sentence I beseche our lord god y ● betime they maye earnestlie consider and y t eyther by reason learning and gentle exhortation or otherwise they may be brought to acknowledge their error and blindenes to detest it and to persuade other that haue bene deceaued by them to forsake it And let them heare what S. Cyprian writeth to Maximus and Nicostratus after this sorte Thynke not sayeth he that you defende Christes gospell while as you diuide your selfes from the flocke of Christe and from the peace and concorde thereof sithen that it is more fitte for the valiant and gloriouse souldiars of Christe to be wythin theyr owne tentes there abiding to do and prouide for those thynges togyther wyth other that are to be done and prouided for because that oure vnitie and concorde ought in no wyse to be cut asonder As for vs we can not forsake the Churche go forthe of it come to you Therfore we in al that we possible can exhort and pray you that you wyl returne to your mother the churche agayne Whych exhortation of saynte Cyprian God giue grace that those that haue by heresy diuided themselfes from Christes catholike churche maye gladlye heare and thereby be persuaded to come home and embrace the holesom doctrine of their deare mother y e blessed spouse of Christ. For what a comfort shuld it be for them selfes yea and what a greate ioye for all good Christen folkes yf they would forsake the synagoge of heresie repayre to Christes holye Churche agayne For sayncte Cyprian writeth that seing that Christ sayeth in the Gospell y t there is in heauen the greatest ioye that canne be for one synner that doeth penaunce howe much more ioye is there then both in heauen and in earthe for suche ▪ as with glorye and prayse returne to the churche of God agayne and by their example by their fayth and trial giue

of this realme that the sayd Wyllyam arryuing at the same tyme vpon the coastes of England easely entred into it and after one battayl foughtē with Harald toke it Or howe wanne the Turke all grece and toke the goodly cytye of Constantinople but only by meanes that the princes and rulers of that contry could not agree within themselfes And I praye god that the deadly dissension and cruell warre that is now in Christendom amonges the princes therof do not make awaye at the lengthe for the Turke to subdue all the reste of Christendome For nothing is there that maketh so much for his purpose as our ciuill warre and discorde Therfore let vs pray god earnestly that it wil please hym to pacifye the hartes of all christen princes And all we that be true English men let vs laye away our maliciouse heartes and betime reconcile vs one to another and seke not the meanes to destroye our countrye by discorde For as mariners that be in one shippe together yf they fal at variance when they be vpon the sea and euery one fight with another and care not what become of the shippe it is likely that when the tempeste commeth they shall al perishe and their shippe to Euen so when the inhabitauntes of one contrye are at debate within thē selfes and passe not at all for the daunger ▪ that is lyke to fal to their countrie then when they are by foreyne enemyes assaulted they are by and by or euer they be aware ouerthrowen and vanquished And then God sendeth vnto them the foure plages that he sayde he wold sende vpon the chyldren of Israell for their wyckednes that is to saye the sworde to kyll them dogges to teare their bodies byrdes of the ayre to eate them and wilde beastes of the earth to d●uoure them And after shall the whole countrie be spoyled of all her welthe and riches and become a slaue to her enemyes and repent her of her wyckednes when it shalbe to late and crye with Hieremye Why good Lorde is my sorowe endles and how chaunseth it that my plage is vncurable Therfore let al true harted Englishe men for the loue that we owe to GOD for the good will that we are bounde to beare to our prince and for the feruēt zeale that we haue to the safegarde of our countrye refrayne from discorde represse our rebelliouse heartes and beginne one to loue another one to do for another and neyther by discorde make a waye for our enemies nor by malice wyshe them to come agaynst vs but hartelye loue our most gratious soueraygne Ladye the Queene and most willingly obeye her loue our natiue countrye and gladly spend our goodes and liues in the defence thereof lette this deuelishe dissension reygne no longer amonge vs and consider that no commen welth can stande where it taketh place For a house or familie where discorde is dothe neuer prosper but by litle litle it commeth to misery Wherfore seing that almyghtye God of his mere goodnes hath sent vs such a vertuous Lady to reygne ouer vs and by her delyuered vs from bondage and tyrannie and by her broughte vs from blindnesse and heresye and by her reconciled vs to his spouse the Catholike Churche agayne and so by her saued both our bodies our soules it is al our partes to seke alwaies possible to set vs at peace and concorde which shal at length make our countrye to florishe a freshe to banyshe all malice and hatred all diuision and discorde whiche hath bene the cause of our miserye And firste those that be of the clergye as Bishops priestes and other ministers let them partly by diligente preachinge them selfes partly by sending learned men to preache partlie by godly visitations call home the people to true fayth agayne and teache them the feare of god whiche is farre to seke in many mens hartes For yf they ones feare GOD then wyll they easelye conforme them selfes to the godlye order of Christes churche and bothe serue God reuerently and also humblie obeye their prince For all these that so rage agaynste the blessed spouse of Christ and so blasphemouslye mocke the ministers thereof and so outragiouslye rayle agaynst the blessed misteries sacramentes therin and caste bookes and libels abroad and disperse false rumors euerye where as I sayd before both to maynteyne their heresye and also to sowe sedition therby they neyther loue GOD nor feare hym nor take anye care for eyther soule or body nor willinglye wil they obeye their prince For suche verely are the children of Core Dathan and Abyron who so sore grudged at Moyses Aaron for that they only shuld minister in the tabernacle of God But let thē yf euer they mind to be saued repent thē betime of their greuouse grudge maliciouse hatred that they beare to Christes Catholike churche lest eyther the earth open and swalow them vp as it dyd wyth Core Dathan Abyron or els at length whē they shal depart thys life hell open whych God forbid and most miserablye deuoure thē And lette all other that well knowe them folowe the xample of the people who seynge when Core Dathan and Abyron were swalowed vp fledde awaye and sayde Let vs gette vs hence lest perhappes the earth deuoure vs lykewyse Besyde let the clergye not onelye in their preaching but also in their liuinge so behaue them selfes as becometh the true mynysters of God to thintente they maye gyue suche example of al godlye vertue to Christes flocke that the same flocke being prouoked by their good workes may become such lyke as they be For as the Prophete Osee sayeth Suche as the people be suche are the priestes and contrary wise suche as the priestes be suche are the people For if the priestes be noughte the people be also nought but if the priestes be honest vertuouse and godly the people folowinge theyr example will become like vnto them Lette the noble and gentlemen also and all magistrates of this realme do their dueties to God and to their prince se all those that they haue cure ouer to be kepte in good ordre and to correct and punishe as apperteyneth to their office all them that be stubborne disobediente and speciallye suche as be rebelles to God and to his Catholike churche and then this realme shal not nede to feare any ciuil warre or rebellion and they in so doyng shall highly please GOD do their prince verye faythfull seruice and both get them selfes greate honor and also preserue the honorable state that they haue gotten But yf they be slacke herein and wynke at wycked folkes actes and namelye at those that be detestable in Goddes sight and iniuriouse to Christes holy churche and the catholike fayth then shall they vndoubtedly at lengthe loose al their honor loose their estimation putte their prince in daunger and their countrye to For when men that be in aucthoritie be slacke in maynteynyng and