make the Temporall Prince heade of all whiche is oftentymes a child and maie easely bee driuen as the windes shall blowe hym Wherein he doeth vs as greate wrōg as in the former For as he vniustly charged vs there with not obeiyng any Pastour not receiuyng the expositions of the Fathers nor determinations of Councels who teache obedience to all lawfull Pastors and bothe receiue and vse all other good meanes to the vnderstandyng of the holie Scriptures as farre as thei maie so helpe vs and especially of the lawful Councelles and learned Fathers though wee giue no Pastour the place of Christ nor any Councel or Father that which is due onely to the word of God So likewise he doeth in this place chargyng vs to giue to Caesar that whiche is due to GOD. True it is we acknowledge the lawfull Kinges Queenes of this land in respect of any earthly power to be next and immediatly vnder God and our Sauiour Christ ouer all persons and in al causes as well Ecclesiasticall as ciuill supreme heads and gouernours that by their authoritie all the will and cōmaundements of GOD maie bee executed and obeyed Wherein nothyng lesse is ment then to derogate from our Sauiour Christ any parte of the hye honour and prerogatiue that appertaineth to the Kyng of Heauen whiche is to subdue our spirituall enemies vnder our feete to animate and quicken the whole body with his most holy Spirite giuyng life and strength to euery parte and member of the bodie to doe that worke for which it is placed in it or to rule it otherwise then he hath appointed But the meanyng is to acknowledge in them that iust and lawfull authoritie whiche the Churche of Roome taketh from them and whiche GOD hath giuen vnto them and all the noble Kynges of Israell and Iuda did with good right and interest exercise and inioye Wee are farre frō perswadyng our Princes to take the holy Censures into their handes a presumption for whiche Vzza the Kyng was striken with Leaprosie by the hande of God But yet wee acknowledge as wee ought notwithstanding thei doe not exercise nor maie not exercise the office of the Ministerie in their owne persones yet are thei the Lieutenauntes of God to see hym worshipped and obeyed by all persones as thei ought to obeye hym and by punishment to force the Transgressours to the doyng of suche duttie as belongeth vnto their places and callyng And thus we read that Dauid and Sulomon Ezekia Iosius and other worthie Kynges did Who reformyng the state of Religion whiche had been polluted and defiled before with shamefull Idolatries appoincted the Priestes and Leuites euery one to doe his office accordyng to his function and charge Agreeably whereunto the Apostle teacheth that euery soule ought to bee subiect to the hyer powers Whereby it is manifest that he comprehendeth the Ministers of what name soeuer thei bee as well as others And our Sauiour Christ submittyng hymself vnto them what professour is it that should not obeye them but suche a Seruaunt as will be better then his Lorde and suche a Scholler as will bee aboue his Maister Herein therefore we giue nothyng vnto them but theirs whiche God the Lorde of all hath bestowed vpon them And therefore if a Childe as Iosias was be Kyng wee acknowledge and reuerence the authoritie in hym aswell as in Dauid or Salomon Wherein wee yeelding our obedience to God and to that authoritie which GOD hath sett ouer vs can giue hereby no cause of innouations as he blameth vs or daungerous hazardes to a Common-wealth nor hinder any good meanes of keepyng the Churche in a holie vnitie But monsterous in deede is the heade whiche thei make appoinctyng one man sometymes who often were vnfitte for any little charge to bee heade and gouernour of all the worlde and that in all causes bothe Temporall and Spirituall A thyng without all comparison more vnfitt and absurde then if a Sculler should bee taken from the Thames to be made Admirall of all the Ocean Sea Nay a thyng vtterly impossible for the infinite varietie of tongues and of causes and the great distaunce of places And what power doe thei attribute to this monstrous head of the worlde surely that which thei can not giue without beyng giltie of blasphemie and high Treason against our Sauiour Christe in makyng common his regalities and honors of giuyng Lawes to the Church ruling the conscience and sittyng in the middest of the Temple of God with the Vicar of Rome whiche maie not be attributed neither to any man of what giftes soeuer nor to any Angell or creature in the worlde Moreouer thei offende also against the state of worldlie Princes withdrawyng their alleagiaunce from thē as a nomber of them doe now from her Maiestie to giue it to this head and raising for it many Insurrections Rebellions and Treasons in the state and many quarrelles contentions and Scismes in the Churche Wherefore seyng that the true causes of all holie vnitie and agreement are with vs and not with them that is the obediēce to God and his holy word and a desire of free Christian and lawful cōferences Sinodes and Councelles and that the promises of blessyng are giuen to the precious faith we holde and not to their wicked false worshippe I conclude that these his general reasons are vtterly insufficient to proue that benefite by meanes of vnitie to bee in their Romishe faith for a Commonwealth whiche he pretendeth or to disproue it to be in the Gospell of our Sauiour Christe which through his grace we professe Now he proceedeth to particuler commodities of a Chistian state Particuler commondities alleadged to growe to a Common wealth by Poperie which he saith their Religion bryngeth vnto it and ours the contrary inconueniences makyng the comparison in our owne Countrey Which if I graunted all yet were not his generall position true that their Religion doeth make a Commonwealth to prosper and ours doth hinder it sufficiently proued For Idolatrie and Paganisme maie in some respect bryng a commoditie whiche true Religion will not yeelde Shall wee then esteeme Religion by that whiche in some one regarde is best for our ease profite and peace Ieroboam perswaded the tenne Tribes by suche a like reason to leaue the true Religion whiche GOD had deliuered vnto them by Moses and the Prophetes and to receiue the worshippe of the Idolles whiche he had errected because his Idolatrous Religion brought them this particuler commoditie that thei might tarie at home in their houses and auoyde greate charge cost and expenses in goyng from Dan or Bethel the vttermost partes of the lande of Israell to worshippe in Ierusalem whereas the other required of them at certaine tymes in the yeare to leaue all they had with greate perrill and daunger of beyng spoyled of all in their absence as he would haue had them to think and to take a greate and costly iourney to their so greate expenses and trauaile Yet
subiectes of this lande and such as are naturalized and enfranchised amongst vs. Therefore if this proofe were good why they ought not to be dealt with according to law thē may al the prysons be discharged and euery malefactor hath by his birth a sealed pardon for all crimes that he may commit But he addeth they are not only Subiectes but also duetifull and honest This dependeth vpon the tryall of their cause which the law according to all righteous iustice hauing condemned as worthie such punishment as it layeth vpon them His priuate and vniust clearinge of them for good and obedient yea readie to die at her Maiesties feete and for your H. can not be sufficient Which testimonie would to God it might be truely geuen to them all Then surely there would be more hope to reclaim them to obedience vnto God and to her Highnesse But notwithstanding it be true that there are a number of those which are mis led in their ignorance to the lyking of superstition otherwise duetifull at the least in outward shew hetherto yet the vnsound and trayterous hearts of a number also haue bene discouered in the rebellions in the North and in Ireland yea further also by manifold practises both against the whole state and the Royall person of her M. and of sundry of your H. Whereof certaine profe hath bene made both heretofore and of late aswell in the K. Bench by the iust conuiction and condemnation of the traytors there arraigned al pretended Catholickes Iesuites and Priestes as also at Chensforde in Essex by like sentence against the priest Who should haue bene as Iudas was to the Romane bandes a Captaine a leader to a Company of Romanes altogether both in superstitious Faith and Infidel like disloyalty to so horrible an acte as any true Subiects hart cannot but abhorre euen to remember Whereunto adding the doubtful answeres and obstinate silence that commonly are made and vsed by such as haue had this interrogatory ministred vnto them Whether in case of the Popes commandement and the threatning of his excommunication to the contrary they woulde take armes with him or any sent by him against hir M. or with her H. agaynst the Pope we may worthely feare what affection of loyal duetie obedience may be in many of the rest which haue not yet beene demaunded that question And in deeede it can not be that such of them as haue the Roman faith not in ignorance but in some knowledge of the treasonnable grounds it resteth vpon without denial of the Pope to be Gods vicar and of all their holies should be faithful Subiectes to her H. and this state abyding as it doth by the grace of God in the true profession of the Gospel Therfore it is not inough to say it is onely their cōscience in religion they stand in to prooue them good and loyall subiects For though euery profession of religion doe not ouerthrowe the state they are vnder maintayning another Religion yet there are also some professions which can in no sort bee permitted by authoritie without the certaine ouerthrowe and ruine of the state where it is allowed The profession of the gospell may be tollerated by any prince or state in the world without any daunger to them For our doctrine holdeth nothing that may impugne their lawfull right and authoritie but contrariwise teacheth all due honour and obedience to be giuen to them and that for conscience sake Wherfore both they maye suffer the excercyse of it without daunger yea to the greate establishing of their states and thrones in assurance and consequently also such professors maye be faythfull and loyall subiectes yea euen to heathen princes as the Apostles and the fathers of the Primitiue Church were But an Anabaptist that holdeth there ought to bee no magistrate though he allege a thousād times he standeth but for his conscience religion yet bycause his conscience and religion is such as the principles and grounds of it are contrarie to all States and authority the magistrate cannot endure such a conscience and religion without the certaine daunger of hauing the mace and scepter wroong out of his hands Much like to this is the cause of our pretended catholickes For notwitstanding they allowe of Magistrates of authoritie in generall yet I say they hold a faith and doctrine the maximaes and rules whereof are as opposite to the present state of this lande in particuler as are the principles of the Anabaptists against all estate and dignitie The proofe whereof is manifest in these two pointes The first is that the state nowe established within this realme professeth by the gracious goodnes of almighty God the seruice of him according to the truth of the gospell and agreeably hereunto that the lawfull heyres of the crowne of this noble land are souerayne in their estate and dignitie to see all causes and persons within their kingdome and dominion both ecclesiasticall and ciuil ordred and gouerned according to the commandementes of God without subiection to any forren power of prince or priest whatsoeuer The second is that euerie one of the pretended catholique and Romaine faith vpon paine of damnation is to beleeue the B. of Roome who is a forreyne prince and Prelate to vs to haue supreame authoritie ouer all the church of Christ as his generall vicar vpon earth and consequentlie to beleeue that the K. and Q. of this noble land are to bee subiect vnto him to receiue that religion which he wil deliuer them to obey his censures that so far as that in case of his excommunicating depriuing of them they are to leaue their crowne to an other Yea further that as absolued from their othe and allegeance at his commaundement the naturall and sworne subiects ought to put such his sentence of depriuation in execution against their liege and naturall prince Which two points being so contrarie the one to the other how is it possible that any of these Romaine Catholickes knowing and beleeuing particularlye this point of their doctrine can be a true and a faithfull Subiect to our Soueraigne Ladye ELIZABETH against whom such most vnlawfull and wicked sentence hath bene already by two of their Popes pronounced and sought by all meanes to be put in execution Which things well considered I doubt not but your LL. see it to be great wisedome not to proue their fidelitie in a kingdome and so rare a iewell as hir maiesties person is for all their flattering speches of being ready to spend their life and their goods in hir quarrell but rather to keepe a vigilant and ielous eye open ouer them night and day that they may not bee able how willing soeuer they would be to do any thing to the annoyance of her royal person and of this noble state kingdome Wherfore as touching their persōs though they be the naturall subiectes of this state yet if they offend the godlie lawes thereof in refusing to serue God with vs
an obedience to God and to the King Deut. 13. ◠c Deut. 17.5 Likewise the authoritie of the lawe of Moses commaunding to put to death the false Prophet and the Idolater Asa made a statute in his time that whosoeuer did not seeke the Lord vnderstanding therby a renouncing of Idolatrie and a worshipping of the only true God according to his lawe should dy the death Which as it was lawfull then and in them yea duetifull and necessarie euen so vpon like ground is it as lawful duetifull for all Christian Princes now to make like statuts vpō the same warrant for the gouernement of the Nation and people committed to them There is no cause then why hee should make so light of our nationall statuts being the true and liuely vse of the lawe of God by this meanes renewed and recouering his force againe by such proceedinges It appeareth therefore by these reasons that the authoritie is sufficient and strong whereby they are punished yea and such as may well warrant a further proceeding against so many of thē as may be iustly condemned for heretikes that part of the Cannon lawe standing now as well in force as it did in the time of their tirannie and giuing vs that power against them which they neuer could haue of it lawfully against vs whom they could neuer conuict of any error And thus much for answere to the authoritie whereupon both our proceedings are grounded being the first of the two reasons he alledgeth Now come we to the other argumēt which is of the difference of the cause betwene them vs the principall poynt of all this treatise Foure Reasons of the aduersary for their cause The difference hee noteth is in foure poyntes whereof two which are the antiquitie and vniuersallitie of their faith he doth but lightly touch by the way the other two of vnitie and pollicie he discourseth off more at larg Whose steps because I haue bound my selfe to follow somewhat I must answere to the former before I proceede to the other two wherein hee seemeth to haue more confidence Our faith saith he is the only Religion of our forefathers Answere to the 1. which is Antiquity in England To this I answere First it is not true and then if it were yet it can be no suffycient reason for thē nor against our cause For the first it appeareth by the resistāce which the auncyent Britons made to Austen the Monke the Pope of Romes Messenger or Nuntio hither and the whole discourse of that Story Which sheweth that they which were before the Conquest receaued neither his Supremacy nor his faith that frō the beginning of Christianity in the lande to that time the religion had bene free from most of their corruptions Their trāsubstantiatiō the Saxons which after preuailed belieued not as appeareth by a sermon found written in the Saxon tongue appointed in their time to be vttred vnto the people at Easter before the Communion and published now in print by authority to all the world for proofe thereof But I put the case our Forefathers had neuer had other Religion in England were this a suffycient reason to prooue it good If it be then many supersticious abhominations of the Heathen may be iustified and acknowledged good Religion The cursed false worship of Mahomet in Asia hath contynued as long as the Idolatrous superstition of the Church of Roome yet were it vtterly impertinent for the posteritie liuing this day in those partes to alleadge this reason that it is the onely religion of their forefathers in Asia When the Apostles came preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles they had bene a people in the ages generations before that time in respect of the true knowledge of religiō neglected not regarded of God Act. 17.30 hauing in a maner frō the beginning of the world which was 4000. yeares continued in their Idolatrie Yet was this no sufficient cause to continue in it still and despise the Gospell as a newe faith Which though it had not beene vouchsafed thē before yet was more auncient then their wicked superstitions Contrariwise it was fit for them the longer they had lyen in darkenesse and in the vale of the shadowe of death with so much more ioy to see and beholde the Sunne when it beganne to rise in their countries Euen so notwithstanding it were true that darkenes had couered this lande in all the time of our forefathers yet now that we their children haue the fauour to see this glorious Sunne to rise in our horizon and to see his comming forth like the comming forth of a Bridegrome out of his chamber Psa 19.5 or of some worthy knight and Champion setting out to runne his course Should we loue darkenes more thē light refuse the riches of gods mercy most fréely bountifully bestowed vpō vs. Nay we ought rather to celebrate the goodnes of god towardes vs with euerlasting prayses for that he hath reuealed to vs the misterie hidden from so many ages and vnknowne so long to the world as it is nowe reuealed and our owne happinesse whose eyes doe see the light of the Gentiles the glory of Israell whose eares do heare the wisedome that is greater then Salamons Thinges which in deede many of our forefathers especially in some late hundred yeares haue not sene nor heard and wee nowe by the grace of God doe see and heare them The same may be saide of their generallitie namely that first it is not true Answere to the 2. generallitie that this their faith was left vs by the generall consent of all Christendome and then that generality in it selfe sufficeth not to proue religion good For the first it is manifest by the holy scriptures that the Apostles who as it appeareth by their writinges preached the doctrine which wee professe neuer taught their superstition hauing left vs no one poynt of all that which is properly their faith and wherein they differ from vs. The auncient fathers testify I speake of the most auncient of them such partes of Christendome as they liued and taught in to haue belieued no such faith The Stories of the Church make mention of Christian Churches in Asia and in Afrike and some partes of Europe also which neuer receyued the faith of the Church of Roome that is that which is properly the Romish faith and wherein it dissenteth from vs as neyther their supremacie nor Idolatrie nor sundrie such other poyntes which are the beautie and crowne of popery Therefore it is vntrue that they haue it left them by a general cōsent Further all generalitie in it selfe is not sufficient to iustify a matter of faith What hath bene and yet is more generall in the world then Mahometisme and Paganisme which yet Christian men for all the generalitie of it do worthily according to Gods worde detest and abhorre The general consent of the whole Church I meane of all the holy assemblies
hath commaunded his blessinge to bée amongst them euen lyfe for euer But the meanes of this vnitie he affirmeth theyr Romaine Churche to haue and denyeth to bee in the Churches that professe the Gospell The meanes and causes of vnitie he appointeth to be these 2. vnderstanding scriptures accordinge to the expossitions of their forefathers and obeying the determination of one supreme Pastor with the generall councels of Christan Prelates which kéepeth their Church in vnitie and the contrary causes to bée amongst vs and to rend vs into infinit varitie of oppinions How it is with vs I will after shewe but first how it is with them The two meanes which he nameth in effect are but one For if there arise question of any exposition of the fathers who shall deciude the matter shall not this supreme Pastor of theirs with his generall councell determine aswell of the sence of the fathers as they referre to them th' exposition of the scriptures No doubt he meaneth as their scholemen write of the Pope to put all thinges vnder the féete of him that is supreme that he myght be little lesse then the Angels crowned with glorye and honoure Nay they make Angels also subiect vnto him that at his commaundement they should come downe from heauen to fet soules out of Purgatorie and to carrie them vp with them to heauen againe as if this supreme Pastor stoode at the toppe of Iacobs ladder one of the speciall honours and regalities of our Sauiour Christ and had the Angels of God discendinge downe and ascendinge vp vnto him and at his commaundement For the exposition of the fathers vnderstandinge by this name such as liued before the Apostasie we receiue them as farre as either the aucthoritie of the holy scriptures or of the fathers themselues will suffer vs. And further neither wée nor any other ought to receiue them To admit euery exposition made by any father for good and sound or euery point of doctrine deliuered by them for Christian and Orthodoxe I thinke the aduersarie himselfe wil be ashamed to doo it For there are not a fewe matters in them euen the verye best of them contrarie to the expresse word of God euen the Church of Roome giuing sentence And the fathers themselues retractinge in their latter yeares that they wrote afore and such as succéeded correcting and that many times iustlye that had beene written by those which were before them What vnitye may this be that should reste vppon authors not agréeing neyther with them selues nor one of them with an other It were needels here to repeate the sentences of the Fathers so often alledged on our part wherein they testifye that they profite wryting and wryte styll profiting that they woulde haue euery man to reade theyr works as they reade other mens where they agree wyth the holye Canonicall Scriptures to receiue them where they disagrée to leaue them The reason whereof is such as neither the fathers coulde take more neither wee giue more vnto them For the holy scripture as it is not of priuate inspiration but of the inspiration of the holy Ghost deliuered by holy personages qualified with lawfull calling frō God to be his authenticall witnesses of his truth vnto vs so likewise as S. Peter declareth it is not of priuate exposition 2. Pet. 1.20.21 This place I know is depraued by thē against vs as if our expositiōs were al priuate theirs only publick which are made by the Pope and his coūcel But the Apostles meaning there is plaine to oppose priuate to the inspiration of the holy ghost and to the persons of such as were qualified by a calling immediatly frō God to be the publik instruments and Ministers of it vnto vs. Which as it is plaine to be the sence of priuate in the mentiō that is made there of deliuering the scriptures so likewise is it to be vnderstood in the exposition of them Whereby appeareth that the exposition and no other is of publicke authoritie and to be receaued which proceedeth from the holy Ghost and is giuen by the Prophetes and Apostles tho it be so auowed to be but by one man and contrariwise the sense that is repugnant or not agréeing to this is a méere priuat sense tho made by as great Godly and learned a general councell as euer was which appeareth by the memorable story of Paphuntius and the most famous councell of Nice altering their determination concerning the forbidding of the mariage of ministers at his speech discouering their error and leauing it free according to the true sence of the scriptures whereof Paphuntius did admonish them Therfore I affirme the sence of the scriptures only to be receiued which may be shewed to be of the spirit of God is grounded vpon the writings of the holy cannonical scriptures Now the way to attaine to this sence is by earnest praier to God diligent study especially of the text it self and then also of al other helpes which may further to the attaining of the true vnderstanding of it Of which sort are the tongs and the arts Grammer wherby the Etimoligie and proprietie of euery seuerall word may be known and the Syntaxis that is the cōiunction and disposition of one with an other wherby the natural sence as far as the art may helpe may be vnderstood Rhetoricke to discern the tropes of seueral words which with great grace besides their first significatiō are applied to note some other thing and the figures wherewith the sentences are many times made sharpe to rebuke power ful to perswade fitly applied to bend and bow the mind to that which is intreated without the knowledge wherof many times the ful meaning of the sentence cannot be vnderstood Logicke to know how euery thing is affected to an other in a seueral regard or in the disposition of thē together to discerne of thē acording to their placing as if in a sentence of truth or vntruth of it if in profe of a thing whether it be forcible strong to proue or no or if in a longer discourse of the confusiō or the good order sute of the treatise Thus all these arts are great helpes to him that wil labor hapely with any great fruit of knowlege either in this or any other study Further also al other good sciences whatsoeuer bring a furtherāce herevnto For as when the scripture speaketh of the creatures he that hath skil in natural philosophie shal be better able to vnderstād that which is spokē then another the discriptiō of sundry places shal be better conceiued by him that hath sight in Cosmogrophie so is it of al other good sciences skils in the world the knowledge wherof doth bring his gift vnto vs to further vs in this study so furnished ought he to be that shold be an interpreter of the scriptures And as he is to vse those helpes of tongues and humane sciences so especially to labour the learned
effecte whiche followed it of not esteeming of the commaundementes of GOD in comparyson of this moste vile and beggarlye tradition whereby it was againe fulfilled in that yee transgresse the commandements of God to keepe your own traditions Last of all for the damnable opinion of meryting by it the forgiuenesse of their sinne I conclude it to be neither godlinesse pollycye nor good reason to allowe it As for the true and right fasting commaunded by precepte and cōmended by examples in the sciptures vnto vs it were to be wished that as at somtimes namely in the great plague in London and at the earthquake there was a godlye entrance made by authoritie to the restoring of it vnto vs so it might bee fullye reestablished amōgst vs. The vse wherof in the auncient primitiue Chur. was eyther for supplication to turne away some present or imminent danger of war pestilence famine or any other great calamitie or for suite to obteine some great perticular blessing as gratious direction in the calling of such as should serue the church specially in the ministery preaching of the word or any such waightie extraordinarye requestes greatly concerning the good estate of the Churche Which occasions to seeke to GOD in this most humble earnest maner we see by experiēce do remain stil shal continue to the end of the world For both other great graces may vpon sundry occasions fal out to be so necessarye for the state of the Churche that this way were to bee taken to obtayne them oftentimes in respect of the ministery this would be requisite And for the other cause seeing we oftentimes so multiply our prouocations against God that in iustice he threatneth to poure out his plagues euen vpon his owne people so offending against him it were most necessary that the church had the right vse of this holie order restored to it againe that hereby the hot wrath and high displeasure of GOD against vs might be pacified Wherefore it were to be wished by all good meanes of all men to bee sought for that by the authoritie of the magistrate and aduise of the preachers of Gods worde vpon any such reasons eyther generally in the whole Lande if the cause be generall or particularly in the place where the occasion may bee that the people were aduised and commaunded vppon some day fitte for the purpose to surcease their worldly affayres as they doe vppon a Sabbaoth or holie day to fast vnto the euening to the ende that they may assemble them selues at the houres accustomed vppon suche daies to the Churche to heare the worde of God fitly for the time zealously preached and also to make their earnest prayers to God for the fauour they would obtayne and their most humble supplication with rent and contrite heartes in teares strong crying in the spirit to turne away such his heauy indignatiō from vs as we may lye vnder or feare to fall vppon vs. To take one example of many in the scriptures Io. 2. we reade in the prophecy of Ioel that the L. threatning a famine exhorteth the people hereunto vpon hope that if they sought him earnestly they shoulde finde him gracious and mercifull long suffering and of greate goodnes In the same place declaring that he beyng angry no flesh could be able to beare it he giueth thē cōmandemēt therof in these words Wherefore euē now saith the L. be ye turned vnto me with al your hart in fasting weaping lamentatiō a litle after soūd the trūpet in Sion appoint a fast proclaim a holiday gather the people ordaine an assēbly call together the aged the litle ones euen those which such the brests let the bridegrome come out of his chamber the bride out of her chāber Let the pristes the ministers of the Lord weepe betweene the altar the porch say O Lorde spare thy people and geue not ouer thy possession to reproche that the Gentiles should rule ouer thē why shold they say amongest the nations where is their God Thus farre the prophet in the name of God whiche I haue thought good to set down here that in cōsideratiō therof it may be vnderstood to be a cōmādemēt of God giuē to the magistrates preachers of Gods word that both of thē according to the duties of their seueral calling should vpō like occasion aduise appoint such a day of fast wherein the people shold humble themselues in true repētance seeke with mighty prayers deliuerance frō the punishment threatned or lying vpon them Which is so much the more necessary at this time to be knowē for that we see that the wrath of God hath broken out vpon vs of late as a flaming fire in visiting vs with the grieuous visitatiō of that pestilēce both in this citie of London and sundry other places of this land Which visitation since the great plague hath cōtinued in this Citie wasting the Inhabitants as a small fire now the space of 15. yeares cōtinually and sometimes raging more fiercely as it did of late And surely there are many iuste causes to feare least the L. may commaunde this furnace to be heated yet seuen tymes more and that the Angell of GOD which hath stoode ouer this Citie with his drawen swoorde to strike it not onely a fewe daies as hee did in the time of Dauid ouer Ierusalem but so manye yeares may stil pursue his execution if all holie and lawfull meanes bee not vsed to mittigate the Lords displeasure towards vs. wherefore most humbly I beseech your Honours as one who by your LL. Honourable fauour haue a parte and lotte in the ministerie within this Citie that by your Godly meanes suche order may bee taken that both at all tymes heereafter vppon like occasion signified before vnto your HH and namely at this present vpon so vrgent necessary cause as we are now pressed withall suche dayes of faste and holy assemblies may be appointed Wherein the people thorowe the blessing of God vppon the woorde zealously preached vnto them humbling their soules in true repentance as in sackloth ashes before the Lord and the Lords seruants in the midst of them praying for thē as it is in Ioel O Lord spare thy people c. It is to be hoped that such repentance prayers may stand as Aaron with his holy censors did in like case of plague in the gap and in the breach betweene the liuing and the dead that the Angell of the Lorde strike no more of vs downe with this fearefull hande and sword wherewith wee haue seene alreadie so manie slaine and fall downe on euery side round aboute vs. A wise K. sayth our Sauiour in the gospell seeing a mightier King then himselfe comming against him with so many thousands as he is not able in any sort to meete him in the filde while hee is yet a farre off sendeth an ambassage vnto him for peace Therefore seeing the Lorde of
sinne For if sinne which the prophet said could not be satisfied for tho a man shold giue riuers of Oyle and thousands of shéepe Oxen yea tho he shoulde giue his first begotten sonne or his own life for the redemption of it may so easely be redéemed by giuing some part of the wicked mammon to building of Abbeis or maintaining of Masses seminaries and such like which in deed greatly encreseth their sinn by strengthning such abominatiōs Men must néeds bee hereby made more carelesse of their wickednesse and more encouraged to offend Whervnto also their sanctuaries priuiledged places do greatly encourage For if any malefactor may haue any such defence against all iustice and protection for his ill doing how is it possible that all wickednes shoulde not be prouoked by it Whereby it being plaine that impunitie is the cause of incouragement to offenders and that the practise of the R. religion is thus discouered to be such as it setteth the transgressor free from all feare of the wrath of God and the iudgement to come by their dispensations indulgences absolutions and satisfactory workes and from all ecclesiastical punishment for a litle mony by making markets of their said Buls and pardons and from the iustice of the ciuill magistrats by sanctuaries and in al their clergy by exemptiōs imunitees priuiledges and appeals to the seate of R It must needes be hereby most manifest that the practise of their religion is as a breach that is made by the sea wherby al maner of impietie and wickednes of life doth so violently flow into the common wealth wher it is receiued that it is not possible to make resistaunce against it Whervpon I conclude that seeing by his owne confession this Romish fayth in the doctrine and discipline of it both thorow the iustice of God who cannot but from heauen reueale his wrath vppon so great vngodlinesse and in the very nature and practise of their religion must néeds be the most certaine ruine and ouerthrowe of all K. and states where it is established I might alledge here other particular causes of the breaches of some certain commaundement as their disordered orders of Monkes Fryars their vnlawfull vowes and constrained single life to be causes of hypocrisies adultries fornications and a 1000. abhominations of vncleannes But I leaue these and such like to the consideration of the discreete reader and proceede forwarde to other points Wherein I affirme the practise of their religion not to stand with any good pollicie Next to the honor of God a vertuous conuersation wherof haue beene spoken alreadye nothing can or ought to be more regarded in a state thē the souerainty of the state and freedome of the people Which by the doctrin of the Gospell is maintained and established For so we teach according to the doctrine of the apostles that euery soul and person be subiect to the ciuil magistrates both to the K. as most excellent and souerain and to those which are sent from him Wherby both the souerainty of the state is maintained in directing commanding with in the Dominion which God hath giuen them without controulment of any forraine power the lawful liberty of the people For the people obeying the authority which God hath made them subiect vnto they neede not to be suters for any causes in the court of any straunge P. they are not to be taxed by them but in euery their respect are free from the bondage of anye forraine commaundement whatsoeuer But the Romish religion nether leaueth P. soueraine in their estates nor the people frée in their liberty For by the doctrin and practise of their religion K. and princes are but vassals and as feodataryes to the pope in their K. and dominions they are to receiue thē of him and leaue them at his pleasure Hee hath authority to dispense of all their Crownes and Kingdomes to set vppe and put downe as it seemeth best to him And as this is set downe for good lawe in their Canons so haue they not failed to practise it as hath appeared Further also they take from them the dealing with al ecclesiastical causes drawing them all to the Sea court of R. euen to the bestowing of ecclesiastical liuings at his pleasure by means wherof both the emperors of the R. empire other P. the K. of this lād haue bin fain to plead such causes as they haue had with their subiects without their own land further also they took vpō thē to impose paimēts vpon their subiects besids a thousand oppressions of their soules which they miserablie tyrannised with lawes of abstinence for conscience sake from meates and from marriage commaundemente of cōfessing their sins in shrift the rest of the ordināces of their will worship wherby the pore people were oppressed with great bondage and the P. were so manye and diuers waies impeached in their crown and dignity Further in a well pollicied estate it is required that it bee maintained in peace and yet so that in case of warre they may bee strong bothe in men and treasure to defend and repulse the violence of their enemies This the Gospel teacheth being the gospel of peace wherby men are not only reconciled vnto God but also one to another according to the worthy testimonies which both the Prophets and Apostles beare vnto it in this behalfe And as the Doctrine is peace both with God and amongst men so the practise of it can not in any sort disturbe or hazard the peace of the state where it is receiued but with al security establish it Likewise hath it nothing in all the doctrin practise of it contrary to the strength of a cōmon weale For it teacheth marriage to be honourable amongest all men and the honour of a P. to be in the multitude of his subiects and exempteth none by any pretended authority of forrain power from the seruice of their country Concerning riches tresure it doth not impouerish requiring only a competent prouisiō for the pastors and doctors of the church Which as it is necessary for their seruice and most due by the expresse commaundement of God so riseth it to no great charges of a common weal. But the R. religion practise of it is against al these For if the stories euen of their own wickedest writers may bee credited as they oughte most of al to be against thēselues that B. of R. haue bin the cause of al the wars that haue bin in Europe these 100 yeres And indéed what estate cā be in security or quietnes wherein a forraine P. shall haue intelligence of all the secretes of the lande But wheresoeuer the R. religion is euerye Prieste is an intelligencer and a spye for the pope who both by other means especially by their auriculer confession come to vnderstand the deepest secrets of euery state and K. of euery City and town village house familye person within the land Which kind of
the world and these may serue for a taste of the abilitie of these men who would make the worlde beleeue thei come now so furninished to the battaile that if wee would meete them but once in the field the victorie were their owne Yet I remember whē one of theim alledged a place out of the Ephesians there was sent to this Champion a Greke Testament who ashamed to confesse his ignoraunce excused himself by the smalnesse of the print From whom beyng caried to the rest of them so from one to an other al their chief men being there not a man emongest them could be found that durste take vpon hym to render one poore sentence or twoo out of the Greeke Testament into Englishe Are not these bolde Champions to boaste so muche of learning to enter into a Countrie to conuerte them to the faithe to take vpon them to controll all our translations of the holie Scriptures as erronious and false and not one of so many of theim to vnderstande the originall tongues Hebrewe and Greke wherein thei were firste written by the holie men of God by whom thei were lefte vnto vs. How should thei bee able to disproue our translations who them selues can not tell what is rightly translated and what is not as hauyng no skill in the learned tongues out of the whiche thei are translated Are not these famous Clearkes greatly to bee feared in disputation that can not vouche their aucthors in the tongues wherein thei wrote Thei haue now founde a helpe for this Gregorie Martine hath knowledge inough for them all and the vulgare Latine is authenticall so made by the Councell of Trent that is by the power wherby thei may doe all thynges These helpes I doubt not but thei shal shortly se to be so poore shiftes as thei were best not let al lie vpō Martins skill least thei marre all but bryng vp others in the knowledge of the tongues who maie begin to learne theim soner then Martin did and to finde some better succour to shroud thēselues vnder then the authentike authoritie of their vulgare Latine text for this wil not serue them as I doubt not but thei shall vnderstand ere it be long But to retourne againe to this renewer of the challenge of disputation their cause beyng so slender as all the tongues of men and Aungelles are not able to make good and yet the Captaines of this their newe and late inuasion so vnfurnished of these meanes what reason can he haue thus to vaunt that we dare not admitte any triall or what cause hath he thus to boaste if he will consider that whiche I haue truely for this purpose afore reported of their Champion God beeyng witnesse and of myne owne knowledge He would faine excuse this shamefull vanitie of an ignoraunt and vnskilfull man in the matter he presumed to take vpon hym by saiyng he had been racked or il handled before he had no warnyng to forethinke hym self he was allowed no bookes nor equall Notaries nor suffered to oppose but assaulted with greate wordes sterne countenaunce bigge voice and vnciuill reuilyng For his Rackyng was suche as he was able after it to come and go of himself without any helpe For warnyng me thinke he should not greatly neede muche warnyng that made so proude a chalenge Goliah yet was wiser then so for he had about hym and with hym his weapons wherein he trusted and required not any warnyng but was readie and appoincted in all partes to maintaine his chalenge Yet this I can saie that he had sometymes as muche warnyng as thei whiche disputed with hym and this equitie vsed towardes hym that he hym self named one of the questions to bee disputed as the opponentes did the other He was offered to haue what bookes he would and desiryng none but Canisius Catechisme had it prouided for hym Whē any writing was there was no answere of his set doune but allowed of hym after that he had been demaūded whether that were his answere or no. To oppose was not for hym that had chosen his place to stand as at the barriers to aunswere all commers For woordes he would take none at any mannes hande so farre was he vnlike to hym that saied I became as a dumbe man and againe as the lambe before the shearer so opened he not his mouth And yet me thinke a greate worde or sterne countenaunce should not haue amased hym if he had seen hym that is inuisible The Prophet Ieremie had a face giuen hym like the Adamant that could not be daunted he was as a Lion whose countenaunce the beastes of the Forests are not able to looke vpon If he had come of the same message the Lorde would haue fortified his harte with a spirite of power that wordes and countenaūces should not haue daunted hym Therefore how soeuer he would excuse the matter thei whiche were witnesses of the dealyng with their chiefe Champion must needes in all indifference thinke if these men vpon euery challenge or offer bee not disputed with that there is some other reason in it then either the fear of any abilitie that is in theim or any weakenesse that is in vs. For it is the lorde that strengtheneth the weake that sheweth his power in infirmitie and calleth thynges that are not as if thei were On the other part it is he that throweth doune the mightie from their seates that maketh warre with the proude that breaketh the tallest Ships of the seas and felleth doune the mightiest Cedre in Libane and highest Okes in the Forrestes It is he that saueth by fewe as well as by many by those whom his enemies dispise as well as by meanes that might make them to tremble And seeyng as Abia saied to Ieroboam and all Israell that it is thei whiche haue made theim Priestes not of the tribe of Leui or of the Soonnes of Aaron but of the basest of the people that is not by any lawfull callyng but contrary to the worde of God and priestes not to GOD but to Idolles whiche haue put out the light of the golden Candlesticke in withholdyng the knowledge of the woorde that haue taken awaie the sweete breade loaues from the presence table and set leauened bread on for it takyng awaie the sinceritie and truthe of incorrupt doctrine life and bringyng in the leauen of the Phariseis naie thei that haue spoiled the Churche of God of the moste precious Cupp of the blood of the newe Testament that haue made voide the Crosse of Christe by their merites and profaned all that was holie in the Sanctuarie of the Lorde how should we feare how weake soeuer we seem to thē or be in deede to deale with them For seeing by the grace of God we haue been vouchsafed the fauour to kindle again the Lampe in the Temple of the Lorde to set the sweete bread vpon his Table to restore the blessed Cuppe of the precious blood of Christ to the Church again Finally to caste
offence So likewise ought he in this case And though conscience and Religion bee not putt in by tormentes yet maie one as Austen also cōfesseth hauyng his obstinacie chastened by the aucthoritie of the Magistrate bee stirred vpp to consider more seriously of the course he helde and by suche occasion growyng to a deeper exanimation of the cause through the grace of GOD attaine to the true faithe And if thei should not yet is not the punishment in vaine For by it many which otherwise by a dissolute lenity would be incouraged with impunitie and followe the same wicked waies are better aduised and kept from destruction els were it in vaine saied whiche I haue alledged before take awaie the euill one from amongst you that al Israell maie heare and feare and not dare to doe the like But stil he standeth vpō their cause vrging it to be vnworthie suche extremitie and why so because our fathers haue beene as giltie herein as thei hauyng professed the same auncient Religion that thei doe now But what is here in this reason that might not serue all Heathen men before the preaching of the Apostles amongest them most of thē yet to this daye If there were now any kingdome amongst thē reformed according to the Gospell some should still maintaine their auncient Idolatrie and pleade for them selues that they are no more giltie then their fathers and the fathers of their Magistrates had beene before them were this a sufficient cause why thei should be exempted from punishment If our fathers were deceiued by theim it standeth vs their children posteritie muche the more in hand to take heede of their damnable waies and doctrine It is more then we can aunswere that our fathers haue sinned It were wisedome therefore that wee tooke heede we ad not sinne to sinne Those were the tymes whiche the Lorde regarded not in respect of vouchsauing them this exceedyng fauour of the true knowledge of the Gospell but now he hath visited vs from aboue and called all men to Repentance Whiche gracious goodnesse of God toward this tyme it were fitter for them to acknowledge and receiue with thanckesgiuing then thus to obstinate themselues to fill vp the measure of their Fathers iniquitie that all the Idolatrie that hath been since the worshippyng of the golden Calfe at mount Horeb maie bee brought vppon theim Haue thei forgotten that it is written To daie if ye will heare his voice harden not your hartes as your fathers did in the wildernesse who tempted and prouoked God till he sware thei should not enter into his reste Againe he retourneth to the takyng awaie of that effecte whiche this Iustice pretendeth to woorke affirmyng vpon the woordes of Gamaliell that those men whiche of meere zeale as he saieth after the Apostles maner are come emongst vs to endaunger them selues to maintaine the faithe can not bee made desiste if their counsell be of God But I saie their counsell cannot bee of God because the Faithe thei seeke to maintaine is against God as giuyng to Idolls the honor of him of whō it is saied thou shalt worship the Lorde thy God and hym onely shalte thou serue and againste his anointed as settyng vp many Sauiours many Mediators whereas it is said there is saluation in no other and if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with God the Father who is Iesu Christe the righteous he is the propitiation for our sinnes Further I saie thei runne and are not sent of GOD who sendeth not any now adaies after the Apostles maner to preache in all the worlde Their ministerie was necessarie for a tyme that the voice of the Lorde might bee heard in all coastes and the sounde of it to the ende of the yearth But now that the world hath heard it their Ministerie is ceased and the Lorde calleth by their doctrine and the ministerie of Pastours and teachers of seuerall Congregations Therefore well might an vnskilfull Souldier bee father to these Iesuites that knewe not what he did For if he had vnderstoode any thyng of the woorde of God he should haue knowne that there is now no suche callyng whiche thei maie professe without more special warrāt thē thei haue any Therfore Gamaliell that honourable Counsellour and Senatour beeyng their Iudge thei must needes desist and al their purposes come to naught because thei are not of God Your lordships honorable meanes whiche hath releeued straūgers giueth hym hope that thei maye also finde some comfort of the same whiche I doubt not but if thei were as neere in faithe and the communion of Sainctes as these straungers are but thei should vndoubtedly finde at your honours handes But if thei that are of Dauids counsell and sit at his table lift vp their heeles againste hym a straunger that feareth God without all comparison is more deepely to taste of your Lorshipps honourable succour comfort then such a one though he were bred at home Now againe what the effects of these your Lordships proceadynges maie bee whiche for a farewell is diuersly exaggerated Firste in this life and then in the life to come In this life thei must needes he saith to speake plainly bee subiecte to horror obloquie grudge hatred diuers breaches and moste daungerous woundes as all extremities are wont to doe and after that it can woorke no estimation loue or securitie to your posteritie Is this a duetifull speeche of a suppliant vpon his knees as he pretendeth to bee before your honourable assembly or agreeth this well with his often protestations of reuerence and duetie But the lorde that hath hetherto blessed your honors notwithstandyng the curse of their chief cursers I doubte not but if your honours shall yet further indeauor to serue the lorde in the sincere aduaūcyng of his truthe and the iuste punishment of his enemies accordyng to the greate and honourable seruice he hath called you vnto but that the same Lorde whom you shall so serue will tourne awaie all these threates of hatred and woūdes in your owne persones and your posteritie from your honours and your noble children vpon an Idolatrous and bloudie generation that knowe hym not nor feare his name Therefore as our Sauior Christ speaketh in a like case when it was tolde hym that Herod threatned to kil him this Foxe is to remember that there are twelue howres in the daie wherin who so walketh can take no hurte Your honours all that professe the truthe walke vnder the shadowe and protection of the highest who hath numbred the heares of your head and without his will not one of theim shall fall vnto the ground Thei whiche receiue the truthe are to serue GOD in their sondrie callynges to the mainteinaunce of it in honour and dishonour in wealthe and woe in life and death If there fall out any dishonour it can not bee like the shame of the crosse of Christe If any woundes not like those precious woundes whiche he offered his holy body