the Ministers of the Reformation some there are of great zeale and learning such as haue suffred much for the puritie which they haue taught haue bene content with litle whereby they deserue great commendation Neither desire I any more but that still they may be more and more carefull for the peace of the Church for such contentions there haue bene euē among the Reformed as haue not greatly auailed to edification and herein I greatly commend Bucer yea and honor his ashes for he would neuer leane to any the partialities among the Reformed but bare him selfe quietly betweene both parts and neuer innouated any thing in the state of the Clergie Neither should we endeuor to triumph ouer our brethren but ouer our enemies For my part I would not seeke to triumph ouer the Clergie but ouer the Papacie which is the Beast ouer whom we are promised to triumph in the Reuelation And as for the Clergie I wish by reasonable offers and iust admonitions to induce them to participate with vs in the triumph ouer the Beast by renouncing her superstitions As for the English gouernment I say that it is grounded vpon Gods word so farre foorth as it concerneth the state of the Clergie instituted in the olde Testament and confirmed in the Newe And concerning the gouernment of the French Church so much as concerneth the equalitie of Ministers it hath the like foundation in Gods word namely in the example of the Apostles which may suffise to authorise both these formes of estate albeit in seuerall times and places None can denie but the Apostles among them selues were equall as concerning authoritie albeit there were an order for their presedence When the Apostles first planted the Church the same being small in affliction there were not as yet any other Bishops Priestes or Deacons but them selues they were the Bishops and Deacons and together serued the tables Those men therfore whom God raiseth vp to plant a Church can do no better then after the example of the Apostles to beare them selues in equall authoritie for this cause haue the French Ministers planters of the reformed Church in Fraunce vsurped it howbeit prouisionally for it is a matter auowed that they hold their discipline but by prouision reseruing libertie to alter it according to the accurrences But the equalitie that rested among the Bishops in the primitiue Church did increase as the Churches increased and thereof proceeded the creation of Deacons and afterward of other Bishops and Priests yet ceased not the Apostles equalitie in authoritie but they that were created had not like authoritie with the Apostles But the Apostles remained as soueraine Bishops neither was there any greater then they Hereof do I inferre that in the state of a mighty peaceable church as is the Church of England or as the Church of France or such like might be if God should call them to reformation the state of the Clergie ought to be preserued for equalitie would be hurtful to the state and in time breede confusion But as the Apostles continued in this perfect equalitie so long as their new planted Church was small so should equalitie be applied in the planting of a Church or so long as the Church continueth small or vnder persecution yet may it also be admitted as not repugnant to God word sith it hath takē place in the Church in those places where alreadie it is receaued rather then to innouate any thing I say therefore that euen in the Apostles time the state of the Clergie increased as the Church increased Neither was the gouernement vnder the bondage of Egypt during the peace of the land of Canaan alike for the Israelites had first Iudges and as their state increased they had Kings God him selfe likewise first dwelt as a shepheard in a Tabernacle built by Moses but afterward as a king in a house built by Salomon And the tree of life beareth twelue fruicts according to the twelue seasons of the yeare whereby we are taught that such as haue charge of the Lords garden must vse the fruictes thereof according to their seasons It is also to be thought that the Ministers of the Reformation which planted Reformation in Fraunce had respect to their businesse and to the worke they tooke in hand when they brought in this equalitie which was to plant a Church and to begin after the maner of the Apostles when they planted the Church at Hierusalem as also they meant not to reuerse the state of the Clergie either to submit it to their orders whensoeuer the Clergie or whole state of France should happen to admit Reformation But their purpose hath tended to ouerthrowe superstition and in the meane time to beare them selues according to their simple equalitie which in deede was the true meane to Reforme the Church whereas had they meant both to abolish superstition and to reuerse the state of the Clergie they should with one hand haue reformed the Church and with the other haue deformed the state And they that presumed that Reformation must needes subuert the state of the Clergie conceaued that foreiudgement out of season and without any sufficient cause their foreiudgement hath bred great calamities in Fraunce Wherupon I inferre that he which would take occasion of the equalitie brought in into Fraunce to reuerse the estate of the Episcopall Clergie among the Reformed shall greatly wrong the cause of those who therevnder haue reformed Fraunce and had neuer that intent as also they should resemble the dogges that would go into the vineyard but carie a yoke at their neckes that keepeth them out for they should carie with them the let that should hinder them from compassing their intents for there is nothing that hindereth from achiuing to perfection but it may be accomplished without preiudice to the state Iesus Christ taught perfection yet spake he neuer against the state but alwayes excepted it saying that these things we must do yet not leaue the others vndone neither can there be any good thing done with the ouerthrow of the state but may more commodiously be done without preiudice to the state And Christ when they came to tempt him excepted the state not onely in Ecclesiasticall causes but also in Ciuill saying Giue vnto Cesar that belongeth to Cesar and to God that belongeth to God as also he would take no notice of Ciuill iudgement when he was required to agree a man with his brother teaching vs by his example discretly to vse circumspection in time and place As also it were but a bad consequent to say there be abuses in the state and therefore we must subuert the state but it were a good consequent to say there be abuses in the state they must then be corrected albeit without preiudice to the state I say the reason is not altogether like when there be superstitions contrary to conscience for then must we forsake them and separate our selues therefro according to that which is
equall with him selfe I say then that the Ecclesiasticall dignities haue place euen to the highest but not vniuersall which vsurpeth dominion euen ouer kinges yea so farre forth as to dispose of their scepters and crownes and I will proue my saying thus The high Priesthood of Aaron was subiect to the iudgemēt seat of Moses and the kingdome of Iuda Also in the law which God set downe there was no Priesthood aboue the kinges and that by reason of the law sith that vnder the principalitie of Moses there was a high Priesthood therfore it followeth that vnder euery Christian soueraigne principalitie there should be a chief Bishop yet not so as to acknowledge any vniuersall Bishop Sith also that Iesus Christ would not ordeine any to be greatest among the Apostles it followeth that there ought not to be the greatest among the chief And Iesus Christ forbiddeth his Apostles to vsurpe dominion the vniuersall Bishopricke is therfore no lawfull order but a cōfusion engēdred by Babell If any mā will alledge the pretended donation of Constantine the great I aunswere that many impugne it as false besides that a couenant cā not be of any force to abuse or to vse it cōtrary to good maners as the Pope striueth to vphold superstition repugnant to all good maners and true godlinesse yea the ingratitude of the receauer of the donation maketh the donation voyde but the Popes haue practised all ingratitude against the Emperors procuring their subiectes many times to rebell prescribing their Empires working their deathes betraying of them as Fredericke Barbarossa was betrayed to the Turke and treading vpon their throates with such other ingratefull insolencies Againe the Emperour hath no authoritie in Fraunce he can not then giue the Pope any there In Fraunce Constantines authoritie is vnknowen neither doth any man giue that which he hath not nor can transferre any further right then his own But if he beare him selfe vpon the authoritie of Doctors I will alledge one Doctour euen S. Gregory who saith that the first that shall take vpon him to be vniuersall Bishop shall be the forerunner of Antichrist If they alledge the Coūcels I answere that some of them haue improued the Popes authoritie albeit some others assembled by the Popes driftes and practises haue approued it And admit the Councels had without contradiction approued it yet let vs looke whether their Decrees be grounded vpō Gods word for in that case we must obey them as also if they be not contrary to Gods word But Iesus Christ expressely forbiddeth such dominion then may no Councell authorise it For S. Paule saith that he may doe nothing contrary to the truth how then shall the Councels be of force against Christes expresse prohibition Againe in Fraunce the king hath the Ciuill dominion and the Parliamentes haue no dominion but the iurisdictiō likewise in England the Queene hath the dominion and the Bishops the Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction But the authoritie which the Pope vsurpeth is a dominion which exalteth it selfe aboue kinges and therefore by Gods word expresly forbidden Thus hath the Pope no right neither any colour in Gods word neither is there any king or prince by Gods word subiect vnto him no not so much as any chief Bishop that is bound to acknowledge him But all kinges and soueraigne princes may in their kingdomes and principalities establish chief Bishops after the maner and example of England I haue before shewed that the state of the Clergie is no cause of our separation from those whom in Fraunce we call Catholickes and therefore the abuse may be thought to be the cause but it is not for there is no gouernement wherein there may not be abuse but the abuse simply it not sufficient cause of schisme We know that there was neuer any more excellent gouernement then the same which God established yet did the childrē of Hely the high Priest cōmit great abuses defiling the women appointed to watch the tabernacle against the peoples willes and contrary to the custome established in the law chusing such meates as they liked in the Priestes kettles The people cōplained hereof yet made they no schisme as in deede they ought not and now if we were to complaine of the Catholickes but for their simple abuses we should haue no cause to make any schisme well might we haue occasion to cōplaine yet not therefore to separate our selues It may be thought also that ceremonies are the cause of our separation from the Catholickes yet are they not so howbeit I make great difference betweene ceremonies and superstitions for superstition is forbidden by Gods word so are not ceremonies for there be three kindes of simple ceremonies one Legall an other Euangelicall and the third indifferent yet not contrary to the word of God The Legall are abolished as concerning the letter but doe remaine as concerning the spirite cōsidering that their truth is eternall abideth for euer as the word of God The Euangelicall as the Sacraments are necessarie And others there are which be indifferent as not forbiddē by the word of God for the which one should not condemne an other The same are such as are vsed in sundry Reformed places as in Englād Switzerland and els where In which ceremonies the Reformed faithfull ought to haue respect to modestie one to beare with an other according to the rule of S. Paul who saith Let not him that eateth not despise him that eateth and he that eateth let him not reproue him that eateth not that is to say let not one condemne an other True it is that there be foolish and trifling ceremonies as in Baptisme to put the spatle of the Priest into the childes mouth when as sometimes the Priest shall be halfe a lazare halfe rotten and haue rotten teeth or a stincking or corrupt breath which can not but be daungerous for the child and therefore vpon so villanous a custome the father may sometimes take occasion not to cleaue thereto as also there be garments which being worne vpon any signification and for distinction in callinges are ceremonies but if we attribute any vertue vnto them they be superstition The cause thē of our separation cōsisteth not in the state of the Clergie neither in the abuses nor in the ceremonies but in the superstition Superstition do I call all worshipping of false Gods false worshipping of the true God or euery worship contrary to the word of God As for the word superstition it is a Latin word and may be taken diuerslly It may be takē for that which in Latin is called Superstitum parentatio that is to say the suruiuours funerals there hence transferring it to any other false worship or rather super statutū cultum extranea prophana adiectio taking super in stead of praeter or contra which signifieth all worship that is added besides the same which God hath established The Greekes do call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the worshipping
chastitie and such like and the same will breed his destruction I confesse that Gods word admitteth Ecclesiasticall dignities eueÌ„ to the soueraignetie after the order of Iethro but it admitteth not any domination of an vniuersall Bishop neuerthelesse if there were no controuersie but the degree yea and albeit there were some abuses yet might it be borne but seing it mainteineth such superstitioÌ„s as are directly repugnant to Gods word for the same tyraÌ„niseth the faithfull it can not be borne neither can we doe better then to abandon it as the enemy to Christ and his truth yet doe I say that albeit he will renounce all superstitions yet ought not the faithfull to be bound to obey him for no man can lay vpoÌ„ the faithfull the yoke which the Lord hath not layd vpon them but I say that this degree were more tolerable then the superstitions which are the doctrines of deuils But to omit all matter of Religion and conscience and to come to the state wherefore serueth the Papacie but to trouble the state of Kings Princes It hath put the King of Spaine to great charges and made him buy a reproch very deare It hath made him to arme him selfe to take a fall and to stoope vnder a womans arme It maketh him to mainteine an Inquisition which is but a Popish tyranny and can not but breed his destruction But what good hath he done in Fraunce in causing the subiectes to enter League against their king yea and arming the king against him selfe for by destroying his Reformed subiectes what doth he destroy but him selfe And had the king employed those forces against others that he hath employed against him selfe he might with honour haue purchased an other kingdome as great as his owne and now haue bene at peace where he is still in trouble I say that the king hath seemed to fight against him selfe but not properly the king him selfe but the League For the king is a good Prince but the League hath against his will wrought matters to his hinderance Againe for what serueth the Papacie in Fraunce but to suck vp her treasures Fraunce would not be tributarie to the Emperour yet doth she pay tribute to the Empire in the Popes person who is but a creature of the Empire Vpon what reason are men to goe to Rome to decide Ecclesiasticall causes as if in France there were no man capable of such decisions If those of Rome be better why cause we them not to come into Fraunce but must still be at new charges to goe to Rome Nay why be not our Parliaments also traÌ„slated froÌ„ France to Rome peraduenture the Romaines may be more capable to decide Ciuill causes then the FrenchmeÌ„ or sith the Pope hath the honor to decide the Ecclesiastical causes we might giue the Emperour the deciding of the Ciuill but if the French be skilfull enough to decide Ciuill matters they caÌ„ wel enough shift with Ecclesiasticall if neede require But what doth the Papacie for the French Clergie but ouerthrow them by making them sell their temporalties wast their reuenues to enrich the League staruing them selues in vayne about rooting out the Reformation The Clergie warreth vpon me as a professour of Reformation but I pitie them seing how the Pope entangleth them and the League deuoureth them to the very bones How long is it since Christes Vicar became a Turke to seeke to mainteine his Religion by the sword And of all these foolish driftes the people smarteth most by encurring infinite losses and ouerthrowes vpon a foolish fansie that the Pope hath taken to ouerthrow Reformation with the sword I pray you if Reformation should haue bene ouerthrowen with the sword could one handfull of people haue stood these 28. yeares in Fraunce could they yet haue borne out if God had not holden them vp considering how oft they haue bene assaulted and as oft circumuented But who euer went about to roote out Reformation once planted in his countrie and hath not laboured in vayne Onely the Prince of Parma who thinketh to haue florished â—olily in the Low Countries but euery blossome becommeth not fruict neither will his stalke make any sheffe wherewith to enrich the garner Two thinges will ouerthrow him The one for that he hath banished Reformation the other because he hath hardly entreated the Catholickes by destroying their country boores as propounding this marke principle that better is a wast country theÌ„ a lost yet shall we see him leaue that which he hath gotten yea glad if he scape with his skinne This is a punishment that God hath inflicted vpon Spaine for persecuting the faithfull with the Inquisition that she might haue bene rich with the spoiles of the IndiaÌ„s had she not wasted them vpon the molesting of the Low Countryes If the kinges Parliaments were entangled in the Emperours handes he would employ all his power to recouer them and his Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction being snared in the Popes hand he laboureth not to recouer it the cause whereof seemeth to be onely because the setting them free may cost him nothing for he neede doe no more but forsake the Pope as the English Dutch haue done neither shall he be able to opeÌ„ his mouth and aske why doe you so True it is that the Popes estate is hurtfull and ruinous but it is not hurtfull to any but to those that be his partakers It is hurtfull to the king of Spaine in putting him to great charges and foolish expenses for nothing and to Fraunce in setting the whole state in trouble But what harme hath it done to England to the Reformed partes of Germanie or to Suitzerland it hath spit his venome bnt vpon his owne faction forsake him and he can hurt you no more True it is that at this time it seemeth hard to forsake the Pope because of the power of the League but giue ouer the League and let the King and Clergie abandon it and you shall soone see both League Papacy come to naught And I know though it stay a while that this will be the end of the game when all is done the League must vnleague it selfe and it will neuer vnleague it selfe but with the Popes destruction The Popes combat against the light of the Gospell witnessed by the Martirs and Reformed hath resembled the battell betweene the moth the candle which burneth first her winges and then her feete so as she can not leaue the game before she be wholy burnt So hath the Pope singed his winges in England Germanie and Suitzerland and can not but continue the game by the League vntill the whole body of the Papacie be burned you would say that the Pope and the moth are both sprong out of one double yolked egge they doe so resemble in their fight Thus much I will say that when the Martirs complained of the superstitions if the Pope had had any care to satisfie their complaintes his kingdome might haue continued But he