purelie as euer men did since the time of the Apostles the verie Bishoppes their enemies being taken to witnesse What though they will not followe them in popishe trifles Is this a iuste cause why Christe by them should not be preached Was there euer the like example in Christes Church that none should preache Christe vnlesse hee woulde weare such a cappe a tippet such a Cope and a Surplesse Of Antichristes munckerie or other corrupte tymes we talke not neyther in a Christian reformation maye they be once looked backe vnto Let them repent therefore that hinder the preaching of Christ for any such cause For Christ wil not suffer it vnaduenged Bernarde Yet because al Bishoppes in Englande and many good Preachers whiche once had refused this apparell yet nowe by occasion haue receyued it agayne and but a fewe there bee that yet still refuse it Therefore it seemeth to be more expedient and lesse daunger of offence in the Church to bringe a fewe of small estimation to a conformitie with the Bishoppes and theyr great number so esteemed than to suffer inferiours to differ from the Bishoppes and chiefe Prelates Mil. When Peter and Paule were at Antioche they both did eat meate with the Gentiles But at the comming of certayne from Iames Peter fearing them of the circumcision withdrew himselfe so that other Iewes there and Barnabas also were brought into the same dissimulation Then Paule withstoode Peter openly as worthy of reproche for giuing of an example to the Gentiles to keepe Iewish obseruations Wherefore if right proceeding in the truth of the Gospel haue made both these parties once to agree in leauing of Popishe apparaile as it did Paule Peter in leauing of Iewish rites and then feare and respect of some persons mooue now the one parte as Peter was mooued to shrink back to rites reiected in such a case the most expediente way to auoyde all daunger is without regarde of person multitude feare or fauour to keepe and maintayn the truth of the gospell with sinceritie and libertie vnseparable from the same as did Paule at that time Bern. But christian obedience requireth the obseruation of all things indifferent cōmaunded by authoritie And these thinges they say are indifferent Mil. Washing of handes amongest the Iewes was a thing much more indifferent of it selfe than this apparaile not so much abused of the Pharisees as this of the papistes Yet this being commaunded and vrged by them that had authoritie our Mayster Christ defēdeth the not obseruing of it and chargeth the maintainers of it with the breaking of Gods commaūdements for their owne traditions and with hipocrisie and the blinde leading the blinde And so concludeth as may appeare euidently that the authoritie and obedience of christians standeth neither in commaunding nor obseruing but rather in rooting vp all superstitious abuses Bern. But the case standeth thus that authoritie will not Nowe if the Prince might be thereto perswaded the Bishops seeme that they would bee glad to abolishe these Garmentes and all such as thou speakest of But if the Prince will force al Ministers to receaue them or else put them from their liuings and ministerie then it seemeth better to keepe the ministerie and liuings and the libertie of sincere doctrine with this apparaill than without it to lose all and to leaue the church destitute and so sore offende the Prince that hath restored the preachers and the preaching of Christs Gospell Mil. Thus haue the London Ministers the hartes consciences of the Bishops of their side by thy graunt Now if y e Bishops and preachers respecting God the cause onlie haue wished and perswaded not to vse this apparel as Ioab did not to number the people and yet respecting y e Princes commaundement cōtrarie to their former mind should yelde indeede as Ioab did then were it to be feared such sequele of plagues ouer y e people with great griefe to the Prince as was then in Iuda These thinges thus considered moue many good preachers to be cōstante and syncere as in minde doctrine so in conuersation and manners reprouing and refusing all popish trashe especially the furniture of that Idolatrous blasphemous and trayterous priesthoode moste pestilent enimie to al christian authoritie Princely dignitie And therefore many good Preachers be rather resolued for preseruation of the Prince and people from the wrath of God by losing of liuings liues to cōfirme their doctrine truelie taught than keeping liuings with flatterie endaungering the Prince people to build bring againe y t which by faithfull preaching they haue destroyed So can not such preachers be put to silēce their dedes stil declaring cōfirming their doctrine nor y e church by thē destitute who are so readie to confirme true doctrine w t syncere rites maners whiche ought to giue no offence to a godly Prince or people whose safetie next vnto gods glorie is chieflie herein sought Bern. I heard M. Doctor say that y e London ministers made many argumentes but they could not proue their Minors I praye thee what meant he by that worde for I vnderstand him not And what were their arguments tell me if thou knowest For I do not so much mislike your side as I did thou doest answere me so fullie to al y t I demaūd Mil. I wil plainly tell thee some of their arguments thou shalt finde in thē so good reason that thou shalt not bee able to denie them whatsoeuer M. Doctor or M. Proctor do say They reason thus as thou mayst see in this Table where thou mayest perceyue the first sentence of the argument to be called the Maior the second the Minor And the Minors for the moste parte are open to the senses and experience of all menne that will not be blinde of wilfulnesse so that they neede no further demonstration but onely Geometricall such as maister Beza vseth with that Asse Heshutius As for the first Minor that this Popishe ordure doeth not edifie we haue the experiēce in all mens sight by Paules Church in London and the glorious shewes there like as in all the Cathedrall Churches in England where these things are most vsed the people are least edified in Christ because they continewe ignoraunt of Christ being satisfied with their olde superstitious shewes and therefore are most vnreadie and vnmeete to receaue anie profite by Christes wordes and Sacramentes Where contrariwise in all suche Churches where these thinges are caste away the people growe more in knowledge and come by greater numbers with greater reuerence to receaue the holy Sacramentes Bern. I heare manie saye so I can not denie Mil. But learne once to see with thyne owne eyes Whether doest thou think that the Copes and the Surplesses the Piping and the singing within Paules Churche or the preaching onely without this geare in the Churchyarde doth more edifie Bern. Truelie no man dare denie but that the worde doth more edifie But these things
suche as are well instructed in Christ Iesus alreadie And the Lorde our GOD without them and their trashe can furnish his Churche whiche is his owne house and familie if wee coulde turne to him vnfeignedlie by Godlie prayer as oure Sauiour Christe teacheth That we should praye the Lorde of the Vyneyearde to thrust forth labourers into his Vineyeard Whiche hee graunte of his great mercies and turne their hartes or staye theyr enterprises that striue agaynst Gods businesse eyther of malice or of ignoraunce AMEN AMEN But nowe fellowe Bernarde that thou mayest know that the London Ministers and other their Brethren in the Countrie haue iuste cause to speake and preache as they doe againste the Popishe trashe that yet remayneth here mayest thou reade in this Table following moe than an hundred poyntes of Poperie vnreformed in Englande So that poperie hauinge yet so manie sprowtes and braunches amongst vs will surelie spreade agayne if these and such like faythefull Ministers bee put to silence They were godlie men and are so coūted nowe after their deathe that heawed downe the great trees of Poperie And shall these bee iudged euill men that would digge vp the rootes and sprowtes of Poperie to cause it neuer to growe agayne if it be possible It is not onelie for the Cappe the Surplesse that they contend but agaynste all these poyntes of Poperie wherevnto they are vrged to subscribe by generall tearmes So that the Gospell shoulde bee tyed by their Subscriptions to spreade no further neyther for the reformation of the Ministerie nor for the recouering of true Discipline nor for the abolishing of such wicked superstitions as these be which do followe ¶ An hundred pointes of Poperie yet remayning which deforme the Englishe reformation 1 FIrste the Popishe names and offices The Archebishop or Primate of Englande whose office stādeth not so much in preaching as in graunting of Licenses and Dispensations according to the common lawe c. 2 Secōdlie that he is called Lords grace or Gratious Lorde contrarie to the commaūdement of Christ Luc. 22. 25. 3 Thirdlie that the other Bishoppes are called Lords haue dominatiō and exercise authoritie ouer their Brethren contrarie to the commaundement of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 20. 25. 1. Pet. 5. vers 4. 4 That they haue the honours of Countie Palatines c. contrarie to the example of the Apostles and the Aposto like preachers both of olde times and of our times in al reformed churches 5 The glorious Chauncelor his craftie courtes 6 The proude Deane and his office 7 The Subdeane with his 8 The Chaunter 9 The Cannon 10 The pettie Canon 11 The Virgerer 12 Rector Chori 13 The Epistler that doeth reade some patche of the Epistle 14 The Gospellar that doth read some peece of the Gospell 15 The Querister 16 The Quier or Cage wherein they do separate them selues from the Congregation and cause the worde not to be vnderstood of the people 17 The singing Clearkes 18 The Organiste 19 The Organ Blower 20 The Commissarie and his court 21 The Summoner or Apparitor 22 The Parson 23 The Vicar 24 The Chapleyne 25 The idle Reader 26 The Parish Priest 27 The Prebendarie stipendaries Pencioners that sell benefices 28 The Beadmen at burialles and afterwarde 29 The hired Mourners in their mourning garments c. So that here is nothing taken of Christe nor his Apostles neyther concerning names nor office but onlie of the Pope that Romane Antichriste The Court of Faculties 1 LIcenses to marie in tymes forbidden as in Lent 2 In Aduent 3 In Gange weeke 4 In Imbring dayes 5 Item Licences for mariage to persons forbiddē which cōteineth many points 6 Licenses to marie in places exempt 7 Popish diuorcements licensed 8 Dispensations to eate fleshe 9 And those writinges haue this poynte of Poperie Sana conscientia as though they had authoritie ouer mennes consciences 10 And all this for money and suche a summe of money as the poore men cā not reache vnto 11 Dispensations for boyes and doltes to haue benefices 12 Dispensation for non Residentes 13 Dispensations with them that doe not preache 14 Dualities 15 Trialities 16 Tollerations 17 Pluralities 18 Tot quots 19 A Lordshippe ouer the whole Cleargie and all their Courtes 20 Excōmunication for fees not paide 21 A sale of Absolutions for money 22 Both the Phisitions spirituall corporall must be consulted withall before you may haue license to eate flesh Which high poynte of Diuinitie was learned forth of Boston pardon 23 Buying and selling of aduowsons 24 The absolution of one man for another 25 Full power to dispense with all causes that the Bishoppe of Rome coulde dispēse with the Prince excepted whiche cōprehendeth manifolde poyntes of poysonfull Poperie 26 Brieflie the popishe enormities and deformities of this Courte are innumerable Wherefore we will labor no longer to account them The Commissarie his Courte 1 THis robbeth the Church of hir gouernement vsed both in the olde and newe Testament 2 Secondlie this is contrarie to Christes commaundement Dic Ecclesiae and to the example and doctrine of Paule to excommunicate alone 3 Thirdlie to absolue alone 4 To sitt in iudgement alone 5 To retract the sentence that with the inuocatiō of the name of God he hath pronounced 6 And to do this for money 7 To excommunicate for money matters and for trifles 8 To absolue without manifest repentaunce 9 To pole somethinge of euerie parishe 10 The poling of the Priestes 11 The light punishement of adulterie 12 The open knowne and continuall periurie of the Churchwardens committed in that Court 13 The committing of penaunce the Congregation not being satisfied 14 Dispensations for the tymes of Mariage forbidden and for not as king in the church 15 The poling of the Proctors 16 Of the Registers 17 Of the Apparitors 18 Of the Clearkes for writinge of Billes 19 Of the briberie in selling of bookes 20 The Prieste muste be sworne to his Ordinarie 21 The newe come Prieste muste paye tenne shillings for the sight of his letters of orders 22 All sentences for the moste parte are to be giuen by popishe Canon lawes whiche are intricate and infinite So that he that will wade further herein shall enter into a sea of poperie and shall see the decaye of Religion godlinesse creepe in by this Courte and that this is nothinge but a packe of poperie and a pudle of corruption Grosse pointes of poperie euident to all men 1 OLde Monkes and Friars and olde popishe priestes notorious idolatrers openlie periured persones haltinge hypocrites manifest Apostates are allowed in place of true and faithfull Pastors 2 An other sorte of vagabounde ministers of no place 3 Thirdlie the running and ridinge to be made Priestes and to prole for benefices 4 The common Symonie of the priestes many wayes 5 The spoyle of benefices by Patrones 6 Impropriations 7 The Parson robbeth the Parish the poore Vicar muste serue the cure and do the duetie 8 The Parson may
to god man whiche burned Gods holy Testament and murthered his Saintes and seruauntes We haue the lawe of god and man for vs. We are answered Nay your selues shalbe compelled to turne your cloathe your coates and cappes and to get you into his liuerie and to be like him in his garmentes O Elias that thou haddest liued or that thy spirit were amongst vs. The Papistes which are in the countreys glorie in theyr assemblies that the whotte gospellers shall now be dryuen to weare their attyres Let vs neuer giue them any cause of ioye though we shuld dye for it Moyses will not yeelde a hoofe of a beast in Gods busines He will not leaue a loupe of a Curtayne vnmade nor make a buttō or a claspe more or lesse Eleazar would not dissemble by eating of vnlawfull meates The faithful Israelites would not receyue so much as an Iuey bushe Cōtrariewise Origen carrying a braunche and professing that he bare it for Christe at the firste was compelled afterwards to open Idolatrie So cursed a thing it is to giue any place to the wicked All the Papistes that say they worship Christe in the crosse and God in the Sacrament doo still vnder these wordes continewe in Idolatrie Beware of deceytfull wordes that couer wicked purposes to drawe vs from Christian simplicitie And let vs stande constantly agaynst all abuses repent for our former coldnes in Religion and other sinnes and call for helpe from aboue For the arme of our Lorde is not shortned Wee are assured that wee seeke Gods glory and our aduersaries may see if they can see any thing that this thing whiche they seeke is not for Gods glory seeing the Papistes the enemies of God do so desire it and glory in it that we whom they most hate can not be safe but vnder their garmentes We are assured that wee seeke Gods glory when wee followe Christe his Apostles and Prophetes who euer dispised these Pharisaicall outward faces and visardes Christe findeth faulte with the garments of the Pharisees Paul counteth all his Pharisaicall shewe to bee dounge Zacharie sayeth that the false Prophete shalbe ashamed of his prophecy and forsake his garmentes wherein he deceyued And shall the true Prophets be faine to creepe into their cowles For by the same authoritie that the Queene commaundeth one she may commaunde any peece of Popery so that she name it policie But Ezechias and Iosias knewe no such authoritie They saye that it is for pollicie and I do easely beleue it that they do care lesse for Christes Religion than for pollicie But let them beware that they follow not Ieroboam that made such like Priestes for policie as would do as he commaunded them Achaz of pollicie brought such an Aultar into Ierusalem as he did see at Damascus where he had ouercome the Idolaters and their Idolles But cursed was his pollicie and so are they all that will retayne any thing of their old Idolatrie Nabuchodonozors Idoll was set vp for vnitie pollicie But without the warraunt of Gods holy word there is neither good vnitie nor pollicie That godly Father Bucer calleth the Tenthes and first Fruites sacriledge and robberie though they bee kept still for pollicie The Crosse and Candlestickes vpon the Queenes altar are superstitious though they bee kept there I wott not for what pollicie The adoration of the Sacrament in the Countreys where they knocke and kneele to a wafer is a Popishe pollicie That VVomen baptize that pluralities tot quots impropriations non residences dispensations suspensions excommunications and absolutions for money are graunted it is euill like as are many other enormities borowed from Rome which remayne in the name of pollicie All these thinges were abhorred as Popishe superstious and Idolatrie among our Englishe Gospellers both Bishoppes and others when they were vnder Goos rodde in pouertie But they haue nowe learned Courtly Diuinitie to grounde all vppon pollicie Humble them agayne O Lorde that they do not forget thee nor thi poore people whom thou hast so dearely bought whiche by these their policies are blinded and careth for no more but that they may haue this superstitious shew which is still so maynteyned Let him mumble as he list if he be thus apparelled all his seruice is good ynough otherwise it is nothing worth Thus cause you them to perishe by your pollicies for whome Christ hath dyed Furthermore if Popery be superstitious and Idolatrous euill and wicked as yet there was neuer a worse thing in the worlde then are we commaunded to absteyne from all participation thereof and from all the shewe thereof Ab omni specie mall that is from all shewe of wickednes These garmentes were the shewe of their blasphemous priesthood herein they dyd sing and saye their superstitious Idolatrous seruice they dyd sence theyr Idolles and helpe forwarde their Idolatrous Masses What pollicie can it bee then to weare this geare but a superstitious wicked Popish pollicie They do it for policie they say that theyr Priests may be knowen and magnified of men Did not the Pharisees vse the same pollicie to do all theyr workes and make all their garmentes both Philacteris vpon theyr heads and theyr wyde and syde Robes and borders that they might be more aspectable and notorious to the people but theyr woo is threatened aboue all other sinners To such hypocrites as beyng voyde of all true holynesse delite in all outwarde shewes theyr curse is most inculcate Their pollicie is that the Priestes shall weare white in the Churches to signifie theyr vertue their purenes holynesse and when they go forth of the Church they muste weare blacke gownes and blacke hornes for contrary pollicies and for diuers significations Our Maister Christes pollicie was expressed in one worde Feede Feede Feede and the Prophetes before and the Apostles afterwarde If Christ be the wisedome of the Father the true Ministers shalbe well ynough knowen by that one marke which he giueth And if he haue not that marke better vnknowen then knowen both for him selfe others therefore lett them not saye for shame that they seeke gods glorie Christes will or the edification of his Church by their pollicie Whyles they threaten and stoppe the spreading of Gods worde and feeding of Christes flocke commaunded by writing to excommunicate the most faythful labourers in the planting of the gospell because they will not weare the ragges of Poperie to expulse the most valiaunt Souldiours agaynst the Romishe Antichrist the most earnest ouerthrowers of the kingdome of Satan which standeth in sinne and blindnes O beware you that wilbe Lordes ouer the flockes that you be not sore punished for your pryde towardes your brethren and your cowardlinesse in gods cause that for Princes pleasures pompose liuings do turne Poperie into pollicie and to become our persecutours vnder the cloake of pollicie It were better to loose your liuings then to displease god in persecuting of your brethren and hinder the course of the
many of vs cannot prophecie nor instructe the people nay many will not take muche paines that way and some dare stop the mouthes of the true Prophets and Preachers because they labour to roote forth the remnaunts and reliques of the false prophets Peter crieth to his fellow Elders to be examples of the flock not following filthie lucre nor shewing themselues as Lordes ouer Gods heritage What filthie gaine seeke you and how many wayes How are you Lords in names in commaundementes in spoyling and robbing true preachers and casting of them into prison Our Maister Christ saith you shall not be such Runne not headlong with the popishe Prelates and sworne enemies from Christ and your Brethren Are those papisticall Garmentes so poisonfull that of persecuted Paules they can make persecuting Saules if they be once cast ouer your shoulders Abhorre such poyson all you that be of God Diuers of the Bishops that now bee did once loue and cherish their Brethren and bare the crosse of Christ with them whome now they molest persecute ioyning hands with the wicked worldlinges What is the cause of this chaunge In whome is this mutabilitie The one sorte remaineth the same men in Apparaile not altered nor in harts chaunged but in worde and deede as they are wont to doe detesting sinne and wickednesse preaching the Gospell with al faythfull diligence Let them take heede which forsake the fellowship of such to ioyn themselues with the contemners of the gospell the fornicators and the couetous with Papistes or with others that walke not with straight steppes but by their halting are turned out of the way and whiche shewing themselues neither hote nor colde must be vomited out These Godly Ministers call vppon the high Prelates for eccleasistical Discipline and to haue the Churche reformed as our Maister Christ appoynteth Your proctors and maintainers will haue none other Discipline than the Pope had which was gainfull to the purse and so groweth the corruption of maners worse and worse These crie for the election of Ministers by their learning and maners according to Pauls rule and that the drunkards and filthy couetous the periured the blasphemers and such like be not suffred in the Ministerie your side will not be so rigorous for then they coulde not haue such chopping Chapleins neither could they themselues keepe in their hands so many Benefices To make an ende of a matter that is infinite and endlesse these Ministers of Christ as they themselues are faythfull Laborers so teache they that hee that laboureth not should not eate of the fatte of the flock your proctors approue and maintain you that be loiterers to deuoure the churche goods the sweat of poore mens labors and doe allowe proprietaries improprietaries drones to sucke the Hony combe yea they maynteyne hogs dogs Wolues Foxes Symoniaks Vsurers men women boyes to spoile the poore lambes of Christ of al foode both spirituall and corporal and vnder the cloake of a few popish ceremonies they couer all carnall filthines as though god could or would be satisfied with ceremonies trifles This is the wisedome wherein your side agaynst Christes Ministers haue to glorie and if this be wisedome that you follow than are the other in greate follie But I doe feare that M. Examinator his side must heare Apage Satan ea quae sunt hominū nō Dei sapit Your humane wisedome that you boaste of is not of god therefore it is diuelish Bern. Did not I tell thee before y t thou couldest be welcome to no good companie neither that thou canst get any substanciall liuing vnlesse thou leaue this rayling Mil. I knowe the olde Prouerbe that flatterie getteth friendes and truth getteth hatred and that the greatest part call good euill and euill good But I care not for such good companie with whom whosoeuer are partakers to cōmunicate with thē in their sinnes they shall haue their portion also of their plagues Thou I haue bin wretched sinners in our youth God hath spared vs long and many times and now hath set his marks vpon vs to call vs euery houre to repentaunce and shall we prouoke him with new and straunge sinnes that where strēgth of body fayleth that wee can no longer follow the lustes of the fleshe we shoulde ioyne our selues with the Papistes the spirituall Sodomites to tempt God worse ten times then before Bern. I pray thee Miles hold thy peace thou makest mee tremble with thy terrible words and by calling old things to remembraunce And I tell thee that though the Papists were Theeues and Robbers and Sodomites and soule quellers and what thou wilt yet are we none such for we do all for policie Mil. Nay all your doinges are not policie Haue you no religion your church seruice is not policie and in the Archebishops aduertisements you haue lawes temporal meere ecclesiasticall your fasting dayes are not mere policie for your Archbishop graūteth dispensations for fortie shillinges that men may eate flesh in the dayes forbidden Sana conscientia as though he had authoritie ouer mens consciences vnlesse they haue his license And vnlesse hypocrisie may be counted policie there bee many thinges in your reformation that will be founde fonde policie for what is this that both the phisition of body and soule must bee consulted withall before you may eate flesh was not this once playne poperie And what is the common babling of the Priestes that cannot read to edification and therefore make all the English seruice like the old Mattins and Masse Is it not that whiche Esaiah speaketh Because this people come neare me with their mouthes and honour mee with their lips but haue remooued their hartes from me and their feare towardes me was taught by the preceptes of men therefore will I worke a wonder amongst this people for the wisedome of their wise men shall perish and the vnderstanding of their prudent shalbe hid And let vs consider to whome God speaketh by his Prophe tthese wordes Is it not to a people that had no open Idolatrie at that present neither yet mumbled their prayers in a tongue not vnderstoode as did the papistes But to y e Iewes that read song the psalmes scriptures in their own mother tongue howbeit they babled onely with the tongue like hypocrits the words were as it were of a booke fast sealed Such trifling is nowe amongest you Englishe Chaplains For when you haue reade ouer one place of the Scripture fortie times yet you and your hearers are neuer the wiser You say you haue done your seruice as sayd the papistes Now if you keepe this hypocriticall shew onely for policie and make it to serue you politikely to win your liuings or for to keepe the people in some feare as Machiuel that Italian dogge doth teache you may perceaue by this Texte of Isaiah that Gods wrath will be the reward of your policie Likewise you keepe Bona ecclesiae by policie and do
the Lorde can be rightly ministred without a surples And what policie call you this to maintain so fonde opinions of the people Bern. The Queene doeth commaunde it for policie not for any Superstition howsoeuer the fonde people doe abuse it Mil. Ah that your politicall Proctors eyes are so blinded that they cannot see that so long as the supersticious things remain that superstition which hath bin so long rooted in the hartes of the people wherevnto man is so prone by nature can neuer be taken away And therefore it were a most necessarie policie for the Queenes Maiestie and all Christian Princes to roote out from the eyes of the people all the monuments of superstition Idolatrie according to gods commaundement and the words of the first Iniunctions Thus Moses Ezekiah and Iosiah destroyed the Idolls and the Idolatrous monumentes euen the Serpent set vp by Gods commaūdement a signe of Christ and a Sacrament of Gods fauour and mercie And Iehu killeth the Idolatrous priests in their priestly garmentes For none of these good Rulers could thinke that theyr commaundement was able to turne superstition into policie neyther had they any such power or authoritie because God had commaunded the contrarie Besides this to looke vppon the matter rightly ther is nothing that toucheth Christes religion more neare than the maner of making of Ministers and the forme of the ministring of the Sacramentes Wherefore nothing is further from policie like as in the appointing of these twayne Christes simplicitie is cleane contrarie to humane policie Therfore is it no marueyle though mans wisedome do not like it I haue also reade in a Booke of that Godly Father Martin Bucer whome your side boasteth of so muche that the tenthes and the firste fruites taken from the Benefices are sacriledge and robberie though they bee called meere policie All is not good policie that beareth the name of policie For these wicked impropriations pluralities of Benefices adoration of the Sacrament excommunication and absolution for money many moe popish practises haue nowe the name of policie But cursed is that policie that maynteineth any popish polling idlenesse superstition or Idolatrie Bern. Why may not a King cōmanud such thinges for good purposes that the Pope hath abused Mil. Both the commaunder the obeyer haue theyr limits in Christ not against Christ in the feare of the Lord not against the will of the Lorde to edification not to destruction Howbeit it were too long to aunswere all that maye herein bee sayde and the euils are too euident so that muche needeth not But this must all Christian Princes knowe that the King him selfe is bound to haue Gods booke hy him continually and thereby to directe his policie that he turne neither to the righte hande nor to the lefte For when he casteth away the worde of God from his policie there is no wisedome therein I coulde tell you further of licences and dispensations and other Popishe Lawes whiche are couered with the cloake of policie Howebeit all this is but a cropping of that Romish Rainoldes eares and so to bring in an English Poperie Bern. Nay Miles you are far ouerseene to call this an English poperie For you are bound not onely to obey your Prince for feare of punishment but also for conscience sake Mil. This sentence of the Apostle doth bind vs in conscience to haue a loue and reuerence vnto our Prince as vnto Gods Lieuetenaunt and of a faithfull harte conscience to obay him and to assiste him with our bodies and to ayd him with our goods so long as he doth this office in maintening good things good persons and punishing euil men and wicked doings For this cause doe we paye tribute sayth Paule that the Prince may be able to mainteine the good and to punish the euill as Gods Minister For example All the people were bound to assiste Moses in destroying the Idolaters and that Idoll in the wildernesse to helpe him with their goods in the making of the Tabernacle and to ayde Iehu in destroying the Idolatrous priestes and Temple of Baal and to obey Hezekiah and Iosiah in the destroying of the Idolles and Idolatrous monumentes in their times But no man was bound to obeye Ieroboam Ahab Iehoram Ahaz or any of y e wicked kings commaunding any superstition or idolatrie though for conscience sake because GOD placeth euill men ouer vs for our sinnes we may neuer ceasse to do our duties towardes them which is firste to giue vnto God our selues wholie then to giue vnto Caesar that which apparteyneth vnto him such tribute and seruice as is requisite As cōcerning wicked commaundements we must say That we must obeye God rather than man For Israel is sore threatened that Gods wrath shal come vpon them because they walked after the commaundement of the King And though Iosiah had taken away all the Idolatries and superstions which Manasseh his Graunfather had set vp and his Father Amon had maintayned yet was it so farre of that the cōmandement of those two wicked Kinges coulde excuse the people that notwithstanding some repentaunce in the dayes of Iosiah the Lorde turned not from the fierce wrath where with he was angry against Iuda and Ierusalem but put them foorth of his sight for the sinnes of Manasseh Whereby wee may see that we may not obey any wicked commaundement of any Prince vnlesse we will expose our selues to Gods heauie displeasure as that people did whiche obeyed the commaundement of Manasseh Wherefore as our conscience doth binde vs to obey the Prince commaunding good thinges and punishing the euill so doth our conscience which shall accuse or excuse at the great day teache vs that withoute any resisting euen praying to God for the euill Prince we may disobey any such commandement as may in any wise withdrawe vs from our duetie towarde God as we haue a manifest example of Daniel and his three companions refusing courtly delicates and in other their actes afterwarde As also wee haue this playne commaundemente to abstayne from all shewe of euill Yet doe wee graunt as I sayde before that in all Godly policies wee doe owe obedience in the bestowing of all that we haue Bern. What callest thou Godlie policies Mil. All Godly policies are furtherances to the keeping of Gods commaūdmēts wherein the cheefe and firste is the precise honouring of the true God and therefore the abolishing and abhorring of all Idols and of all their monuments Bern. Is not loue charitie and concord the fulfilling of the law And these are made for loue and concorde therefore this is a policie furthering Gods law and commaundements and so I heard Maister Doctor reason with a Minister Mil. Sir Bernard I did maruell where you had gotten this Logick and Diuinitie But first I doe aunswere that for the keeping of the first table the loue of God that I spake of before and therefore the detestation of Idols and al idolatrous monuments is
to bring Christian men into bondage that they may not refuse such thinges as are against their conscience Fourthlie if they giue any offence In the which foure things against these garmentes we may take exceptions And for these and such like causes the Apostles forbadde both Iewes and Gentiles euen all the Christians things offered vnto Idolles in their firste Decrees to teach by theyr factes and deedes the same that they had spoken in wordes that the Idolles and al that to them belonged ought to be abhorred of all true Christians And therefore in the same place it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the filthines of Idolles Bern. Paule giueth leaue to eate y e meate offered vnto Idolles afterwarde Mil. Yea after this there arose a doubte amongest the brethren whether they might eate such fleshe as was solde in the market and so eaten at the tables amongest other meates vnknowne to haue come from anie Idole Which was a farre other thing than the vsing of these thinges about the Sacramentes To this the Apostle aunswereth that as the earth and all that therein is belongeth to the Lord so may man vse al meates creatures receiuing them w t thankes giuing at the Lordes hande to his glorie without anie further care whēce they come so that none be thereby offended But if any man do tell thee that it is a thing once dedicate to the Idolles thou mayest not vse it And hereby it appeareth that the creatures though they haue bin abused that beare no name nor forme of any abuse neither giue offence by the vsing of thē may be reteined But if they haue the forme shewe or name of things Idolatrous they are to be abhorred for two causes The one least we should seeme to haue any part or communion with the Idolaters which were against the glorie of our God The other least the weake brother be boldened to vse the thinges sacrificed to Idolles And so thy weake Brother perishe thorowe thy knowledge for whome Christ died Thus may we note two sortes of Idolothites or things belōging to Idolls Some haue their names and formes chaunged frō common vsage and so by forme name do retaine the memoriall of the idolles whose names and memorie God will haue to be abolished Such are properlie called the monumēts of Idolatrie These ought by Gods lawe and mans lawe here in Englande to be done awaye or with dishonor at te least to be defaced The seconde are such as neither are altered in forme nor name the whiche may still be vsed as the flesh solde in the market and eaten at the table these maye be called indifferent so that in the vse of thē no brother be offended nor against his conscience vrged But the creatures that are called gods are accursed and maye not be vsed All the Idolles were creatures yet by Moyses Paule they are called Diuels Therefore the partaking with them is the partaking with Deuilles and the verie places where the Idolles were worshipped were detestable and are called hell afterwarde Their great Idoll wherevnto King Ahaziah sent in honor called Baalzebub by his worshippers was by the godlie Iewes that hated Idolatrie called the chiefe of the Deuilles and so his name continued Such hatred did they beare to all thinges apperteyning to the Idolles Therefore biddeth Moses to destroye all those Idolatrous monumentes And Isaiah biddeth vs to counte their idolatrous Ephod which was y e chief garment of their Priest as a menstruous cloute and vtterlie defie it Therefore this geare that beareth the names formes still of their Idolothites can not bee named amongest the things indifferent though we graunt the substaunce and matter of them of it selfe indifferent neyther can they bee commaunded to be vsed in the ministerie or Sacramentes which are matters of Religion in any wise Bern. Yes If the Prince commaund it Mil. Gideon was a Prince who made and commaunded an Ephod a riche robe or garment for a Prieste and appoynted it for his citie Ophra But this was the cause of the destruction of him and his house For as we reade Abimelech the sonne of his Concubine did vsurpe the Kingdome and did slaye seuentie and niene of his brethren the sonnes of his Father Gideon vpon one stone Then this Abimelech after hee had thus cruellie slayne his brethren his Mothers kinred that had set him vppe and destroyed the Citie Shechem that had made him King he had his deathes wounde by a Woman yet woulde hee haue his Page to runne him thorowe with his sworde moste desperately so the whole familie perished moste miserablie And no man can alledge any other cause against Gideon but onelie that which the holy Ghoste giueth that hee made this Priestes garment and appoynted it for his Citie without any warraunte of Gods worde of a good intent onely So sore and perillous a thing it is to deale in Gods matters by mans fantasie Nadab and Abihu for the taking of fire which God had not commaunded were sodenlie burned with fire from heauen Vzza was sodainlie slaine because he would helpe forwarde Gods worke by his good intent without Gods warraunte King Saul dealeth in sacrifice a matter of religion without Gods commaundement but by y e same wise policie that is alleadged for the garmentes to reteyne the people together yet for this cause loseth he his kingdome Also King Vzziah is striken with Leprosie and cast out with shame because he dealeth in sacrifices matters of Religion without gods worde by his Princelie authoritie Thus God will haue the Princes to knowe that they are but men therefore that they may not medle in his matters without his word and commaundement For as Samuel said to Saul so saieth he still vnto all Hath the Lorde as great pleasure in Sacrifices as when his voyce is harkened vnto and obeyed Beholde to obeye is better than sacrifice and to hearken is better than the fatte of Rammes For transgression and rebellion against Gods worde is as witchcrafte and idolatrie Wherefore thus saieth God by his seruaunt Moses to Kings to al others That whiche I do commaunde thee that onelie shalt thou do thou shalt put nothing too it nor take nothing from it Loe this is the grounde of true Religion And in matters of policie also ther must be some discretion For the Prince commaunded the two Captaines and their hundred souldiours to fetch Eliiah vnto him a thinge that may seeme indifferent but the fire of God deuoured them So Kings haue their law howe farre they shall commaund And the subiectes by the same may knowe howe to obey For God when he setteth vp Princes hath not giuē ouer his owne right and authoritie They are but his stewardes and Bayliues to see his will executed in al things not their owne lustes and pleasures In euill commaundements therefore to disobey them is none iniurie vnto them Bern. Me thinke I smell a ratte in