by hooke or by crooke one waye 〈◊〉 an other For as thoughe it were a â—â—all matter to deuoure and at a morâ—ll to choppe vppe the quicke to gnawe 〈◊〉 theyr bones and as the Prophet â—yth to breake them in péeces and â—st them in a potte to make themselues â—oath wythall they wyll also resemâ—le the Crowes and praye vppon â—e deade carkasses For what is to â—ée called a deuouryng of men a liue if â—hys be not That no maÌ„ be he neuer so pore without present pay might either haue his châ—â— christned or bishopped as they term 〈◊〉 nor any be priested nor maried nor â—â—ceiue the Communion nor be anoylâ— lastely which is a moste euident argâ—ment of the insatiable couetousnesse 〈◊〉 these gréedy cormorants might not bâ— buried and layde in the earthe which 〈◊〉 common to al men except these fellow had their mony paide afore hande bâ— specially if a poore man ought any peâ—tithe firste fruite or any other Church duety he shoulde not haue Christian bâ—riall before he hadde satisfied thereforâ— And then also I beséech you what chantic did they shewe to the deade after aâ— this forsoothe they woulde make the executours pay for their Masses and Dâ—â—ges for their singing and chaunting foâ— crosse and crosse cloth for bell and candle light for soule knells for sensing foâ—beare and beare cloth wyth infinite other polling recknings that these shauen Syres and these pedling Mercers haâ— learned in the schoole of Satan their Syreâ— And this is the cause moste myghtye Prince why a number haue willingly â—parted out of your Maiesties Realme 〈◊〉 Spaine sorowing to sée before theyr â—â—es so manye and so horrible abuses in â—e Popish Church and hauing no hope 〈◊〉 redresse in so curelesse a case for suche 〈◊〉 durste either priuyly or openly make â—eyr mone to others or declare their â—dgement in religion â—asted the Inquiâ—â—ours tiranny therfore some being exeâ—â—ted by fire quicke some strangled to â—â—athe some perishing vppon the racke â—nd other their tormentes inexplicable â—me by the filth and corruption of the prison others moste cruelly intreated at â—he Gaolers handes and yet of all the â—est this is most slaunderous and greaâ—â—st dishonour to your Maiesty that all â—â—ese tyrannies are countenaunced with â—our aucthoritie and by vertue of your â—ighnesse commission as the common â—â—ying is that your Maiestye is the auâ—hor thereof and the Inquisitours but â—oure instrumentes For they saye that â—our Maiesty hath straightely charged â—nd commaunded that all suche persons as shall holde opinion that these thingeâ— that be aboue named bée abuses and desire to liue in that fréedome of consciencâ— wherein God hathe placed vs by the Gospel of hys sonne Christe shoulde suffer imprisonment tortures death in mostâ— cruell sorte that can be deuised And therfore it behooueth your Maiesty greatly most gracious Prince to take notice of this cause which our aduersaries for the respect of their own priuate lucre séek by al means to kéep from your knowledge fearing that our cause being knowen they gaines would ceasse before your grace authoryze by Commission suche vniustâ— Iudges and not to permitte that they shold sit of life and death ouer them who can best declare to your grace the subtill practises of thys generation bycause they knowe them beste It is reported in histories that Hadrian the Emperor who knew not Christ nor his religion neuerthelesse woulde not reiecte the supplications and bylles of petition exhibited vnto hym by the Christians Neyther did Pontius Pilate that Iewe enter into iudgemente of â—ure Sauioure Christ before he hadde â—y orderly Processe and as it were â—y due fourme demaunded of the parâ—ye hym selfe what hys cause was â—utting apart out of the place of iudgeâ—ente all his accusers Festus and Felix twoo chiefe Rulers among the Romaynes and Lieutenauntes of the Prouynces woulde â—ot condemne S. Paule till they hadde wyth pacience hearde hym pleade hys owne cause Neyther woulde youre moste noble progenitoure and late Emperour Charles the fyfthe of moste famous memorye bée quiete in hys mynde before â—ée hadde hearde Luther speake for â—ymselfe in hys Maiestyes owne presence And also as it is reported of â—enne of verye good credite dyd priâ—ately séeke to vnderstande the whole â—ate of hys cause at Luthers owne â—outhe Whervpon Pope Paulus the thirde of â—hat name began to haue him more than halfe in a ielousy and to conceiue some displeasure towardes hym frowned vppon him fouly therefore in so much that he lette not to threaten the Emperour tâ— remember hym for suffering an heretike to speake in hys presence though in hys owne cause The whyche is an euident argument of a full weake and an vniuste quarrell when a man refuseth to haue his cause referred to the debating and determinations of indifferent iudges For if the Pope and his Clergy maintaine a righteous quarrell why dare he not referre it to the iudgement of Kings and Princes why fléeth he the triall therof why is he afraide to come to conference and haue hys cause fréely debated in a generall councell where the controuersies of religion might be debated and disputed of and euerye man be hearde to speake his opinion according to the truth of the Gospell without feare or danger of their tyranny What impediment was ther thinke you why the East churches of Greece Macedonia Asia Africa Constantinople and Antioche woulde not gyue their consent to the primacie of the â—pedo me not giue their consent naye 〈◊〉 at moued theÌ„ with might and maine â—withstande that ambitious nation of 〈◊〉 Romishe Supremacie by vertue â—â—ereof say they we may displace kings â—o Emperours from their Kingdomes 〈◊〉 Empires wée maye spoile them of â—â—ir Crownes we may take the sword â—t of their handes and dispose all that â—â—me at our owne pleasures and at our â—illes giue the spoyle thereof where it â—â—easeth vs And yet Princes and Poâ—â—ntates being drunke with the Babilonicall harlot doe kisse hys féete honour â—im in earth like a God and so do terme â—im the God of the earth their most hoâ— father and supreame Bishop and beâ—â—g falsely perswaded that hée can not â—â—re doe therefore thinke that the poore â—rotestants are iustly condemned by his â—ome bycause they will not fall downe â—nd worship the enimy of God thinking â—hat all Princes may with very good iuâ—tice and with a iuste conscience execute â—ll things that are commaunded by him and that the inquisitours likewise mâ— doe the same by vertue of theyr commision O mercifull God what a blyndneâ— is this O how sharp are thy iudgmenâ— O Lord that hang ouer our heads the men being worse blinded inwardly as in more grosse and palpable mists of iâ—noraunce than the outwarde mistes aâ— darkenesse that the people of Egipt weâ— in shoulde notwithstanding thinke the did as perfectly sée the truthe as the Suâ— at middaye and on the other syde iudgâ— them to be blinde that haue the true an perfect light euen the spirite of Christ â–ª giue light to
heauenly word that we haue witnes in our conscience that God calleth vs to do it for thē he himself will cloth vs with the affectiō of his Apostle who to gaine and reduce his brethren would not sticke almost to abandon his proper helth euen so when we féele such a zeale moue in vs euen then also shall we proue in our selues that God will blesse our enterprises Let vs thē embrace peace entertaine mutuall accord seing that as there is nothing that leuyeth a more sharpe warre within vs than our owne discordes disdaines partialities so of the contrary if we marche vnder the ensigne of charitie supporting one another in our infirmities it shall be moste hard either to breake our aray or put vs to flight For as Salomon sayth the accord of thrée strings is very harde to breake My litle childrē I am yet for a litle time with you you shal serch me but as I said to the Iewes that whither I go they could not come I saye also the same vnto you now giuing you this new cōmandemēt that you loue one another as I saye I haue loued you to the ende also that you loue one another By this all men shall know that you are my disciples if you loue one another That is the principall mark of our christianity all others that we may inuent may be folowed of the hipocrites but this is inimitable bicause it is peculiar only to the regenerate and those that be renued by the spirit of god Be you desirous of the most excellent giftes I wil shew you a way yet more excellent If I speak the languages of mē and Angels and haue not charitie I am as the mettall that soundes or Cimball that tinks And if I haue the gift of prophecie and know all secretes and euery science if I had such faith as I might transport the mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing if I distribute al my goodes to the reliefe of the poore deliuer my body to be burned and haue not charity it profiteth me nothing Charity is not easily incenied to anger but she is mylde Charitie is not enuious Charity is not insolent she swelleth not with anger she doth not vse hirselfe dishonestly she searcheth not hir profit she is not despitefull she thinkes no euill She taketh no pleasure in iniustice but reioyceth in the truth she endureth all beléeueth all hopeth for all and suffreth all Charitie neuer falleth And a little after he sayth These thrée things remaine Faith hope and charitie wherof the greatest is charitie Those be the effectes of Christian charitie which is neyther vaine opinion nor curtesie in outwarde shewe but rather a vertue bringing forth wonderfull fruites Touching brotherly Charitie there is no gret néede I write to you therof seing you are taught of God to loue one another for euen so you do towards all your brethren which be in Macedonie Brethrē we exhort you to surmount more more with diligence to liue peaceably If the vnction of the spirit of God haue not yet taught you to loue your neighbors let vs feare that our doctrine is not rather learned of men than in the schoole of God. He that sayth he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darkenesse to thys houre who loueth his brother remayneth in the light and falleth not but he that hateth his brother walketh in darknesse and knoweth not whither he goeth for the darknesse hath blinded his eyes By this are manifested the children of God and the children of the diuel Who soeuer doth not iustice and loueth not his brother is not of God for this is it you haue hearde preached frō the beginning that we loue one another not as Caine which was called wicked and killed his brother for what cause did he kil him for that his works were wicked and his brothers were iust Brethren maruel not if your brother hate you in that we loue our brethrē we know we are transferred frō death to life who loueth not his brother dwelleth in death who hateth his brother is a murtherer And you knowe that no murtherer hath eternall life remayning within him by this we knowe his charitie that he hath giuen his life for vs we ought also to hazard our liues for our brethren And this is a most certaine and ample explication of the mark of our christianitie which may serue as a touchstone to assure vs of our adoption Hate maketh quarels but charity couereth all grudges This witnesse doth teach vs that the roote of dissentions and debates is the default of christian charity which doth not only couer outward sins but also the ignorances of the vnderstāding The furious man moueth contention but the pacient man appeaseth quarrell this is a looking glasse wherein we may beholde the troublesome mindes of our time who vpon small causes will stirre vp straunge quarels and debates Welbeloued let vs loue one another for charitie is of God and who loueth is borne of God and knoweth God and he that loueth not knoweth not God for God is charity In this is manifested the charitie of God towards vs that he hath sent his only son into the world to th end we may liue by him In this is charity not that we haue loued god but bicause he hath loued vs sent his son to be the appointment for our sinnes Welbeloued if God haue so loued vs we ought also to loue one an other Neuer any mā hath séene god If we loue one another God dwelleth in vs his charitie is accomplished in vs by this we know that we dwell in him he in vs that he hath giuen vs of his holy spirit And a litle after If any say that he loueth God hateth his brother he is a lyer for if he loue not his brother whō he séeth how can he loue God whom he séeth not And we haue this commandement of him that he that loueth God loueth also his brother this text hath no néede of interpretation but rather of proofe examinatiō wherin let euery mā sound and proue his heart whether these wordes be with him or against him Thou shalt not sée the oxe or shepe of thy brother straied out of the way hide thée from them but thou shalt bring thē againe to thy brother And if thy brother be not thy neighbor thou knowe him not then shalt thou leade thē within thy house suffer them to remaine with thée vntill thy brother demaund them then thou shalt restore thē to him thou shalt doe in like maner to his Asse to his garments al the lost things of thy brother which he hath lost thou founde neither must thou hyde them thou shalt not sée the Asse or oxe of thy brother falne in the way hide thée from them but thou shalt helpe to lift thē vp with him If the Lord commaund that
¶ A Supplication exhibited to the moste Mightie Prince Philip king of Spain c. VVherin is contained the summe of our Christian Religion for the profession whereof the Protestants in the lowe Countries of Flaunders c. doe suffer persecution vvyth the meanes to acquiet and appease the troubles in those partes THERE IS ANNEXED AN Epistle written to the Ministers of Antwerpe which are called of the Confession of Auspurge concerning the Supper of our Sauiour Iesus Christ VVRITTEN IN FRENCH AND Latine by Anthonie Corranus of Siuill professor of Diuinitie ¶ Imprinted at London by Francis Coldocke and Henrie Bynneman ANNO. 1577. ¶ To the Christian and vnaffectionate Reader THE Author was determined to prefixe before these treatises an Apology wherin he declareth and defendeth certaine places specially chalenged in theÌ„ which his defence for certaine respectes he hath reserued to be imprinted with the Latine Copie which by Gods grace shall shortlye come forth and in the mean time referreth this as it is to the iudgement of the learned and vnpartiall Reader To the most mightie and most victorious Philip King of Spayne HAuing had certayne intelligence aswel by coÌ„mon report as the speciall letters of diuers Citizens of Antwerpe most migâ—tie Prince and my most dread soueraigne how miraculously farre beyond the exspectatioÌ„ of man God had made a way for the frée passage preaching of his holy Gospell in your Maiesties lowe countreys I determined with my selfe at the earnest persuasion of my friends setting all my other businesse aside to take my iourney thither both that I might be partaker with many others seruing God there sincerely and truely of that great ioy and coÌ„solation which â—hey receiued and enioyed through the â—xcéeding mercie and goodnesse of almighty God powred vpoÌ„ your graces subiects withall to my simple power further as much as in me lay this spiritual buylding of Gods house coÌ„sidering that God had appointed me to this vocatioÌ„ For since my departure out of Spaine which is now .xij. yéeres past I protest vnto your highnesse truely sincerely that there was nothing in the whole world that I more earnestly desired prayed for than that which at this present I behold sée before mine eies trusting that this singular grace benefit of God shal not alwayes be conteyned in this so smal a couÌ„trie but froÌ„ thence in processe of time shall be deriued into your M. whole realme of Spayne so that the true sincere knowledge of Iesu Christe may there likewise shine be manifested therwith al superstition all blinde false worshipping of God banished exiled which by the wilfull ignorance of men for wante of the knowledge of Gods worde were crept into our religion and like wéedes had quite ouergrowen it Finally I haue good hope that this chaunge alteratioÌ„ of the world shal stir vp your Maiestie to heare the pitiful coÌ„playnts lamentatioÌ„s of your faithful obedient subiects to haue compassion of the calamities of so many miserable soules as being your most faithful and obedient subiects are notwithstanding oppressed with diuers kindes of tormeÌ„ts persecutions banishment confiscation of goods landes that more is to be lameÌ„ted are before their cause lawfully heard against right reason coÌ„deÌ„ned executed most horribly by the moste extreme cruell kindes of death that caÌ„ be deuised As for the iudges which sitte in this coÌ„mission of life and death in this wise condemne the poore innocents they beare your grace in haÌ„d that the determinations of these causes dothe not appertaine to Kings or Princes notwithstanding that the holy Scriptures teach the contrary and shewe that it is the office and duetie of Kings Princes and all other rulers and Magistrates chiefly and before all other things to sette foorth good true doctrine accordyng to the lawes conteyned in the first table and the same so set forth to authorise and cause to be published and consequently to gouerne their subiectes with Iustice and with equitie to defend them The whiche thing it is vnpossible for any euer to performe without the true knowledge of Gods diuine Maiestie as the very HeatheÌ„s theÌ„selues iudge which were only learned instructed after the law of nature Justitia sayth Tully nec in regno nec in Repub retineri aut conseruari potest nisi iactis ante verae pietatis fundamentis Vnneth can iustice be kept or maintayned either in kingdome or coÌ„moÌ„wealth but where true religion is first of all planted and rooted And truly this is the very same true doctrine seruice of God which I sée preached in your Maiesties low countreys which causeth me assuredly to hope that all other thinges will haue like happie successe that your Maiestie by this occasion will vnderstande and determine this cause and purge Christian religioÌ„ in banishing and rooting out all the abuses and errours which haue crepte in by little litle and corrupted al Christendome Wherefore most noble Prince vpon my comming to Antwerpe many meÌ„ did greatly meruayle thinking it a thing scarse credible that one of the Spanish nation borne bredde there shoulde embrace the Gospell so desirously and so earnestly maintayne it that he boldly durst professe himselfe a publicke Preacher of the same And forasmuch as the bruite of this strange noueltie was so common that it came to your Maiesties eares as I coniecture and perhaps many a false slaunder and misreporte added therewith all I thought it not amisse for me to take occasion of this my comming to Antwerpe to breake this long silence whiche I haue kepte these whole .xij. yéeres to the entent to purge my selfe vnto your Maiestie and to iustifie the doctrine which I professe and that by writing Wherefore in most humble maner I beséeche your highnesse my gracious soueraigne to take in good parte this writing of mine your most humble and faithfull subiect wherin I haue declared the causes aswell that moued me to departe out of Spayne as to resort hither into your countrey of FlauÌ„ders For I take God to witnesse my comming to your Maiesties citie of Antwerpe was not for any desire of newfanglenesse or to disquiet the state but by the preaching of the Gospell to pacifie them that were offended to make a quiet end of quarels and controuersies that were risen among them to my power to caulme appease the hurlyburly whiche was nowe begon to cause vnitie peace where was discorde and dissention and to discharge the duetie whiche I ought bothe to God and to your Maiestie as I doubt not but your highnesse shal in tyme right well perceiue But chiefly my desire was in very déede to professe openly and to preach the doctrine of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe accordyng to the measure of his grace the knowledge that he had giuen me therin And now concerning the first point that I haue purposed to entreate of I wil â—eclarâ— vnto your Maiestie
their vnderstaÌ„dyng Who senses also and vnderstaÌ„dyngs they daâ— go about to blind and to captiuate leaâ— happily they shoulde espie their iugling and treacheries naye plucke their eyâ— rather out of their heads molest vex diâ—quiet torment kill and slea those by finâ— and sworde and by all kind of torments whome God accompteth to bée of hyâ— flocke and hathe béene maruellously carefull and tender ouer to bryng them vppe to foster and cherishe them and 〈◊〉 encrease their number and for whose â—ke Iesus Christe the euerlasting sonne 〈◊〉 the almightye father hath shedde hys â—oste precious bloude to worke their reâ—â—emption and saluation And then began 〈◊〉 thus to thinke secretely wyth my selfe What meaning haue these fellows with â—â—em If wée bée heretikes as they acâ—ompt vs to be why haue they no comâ—assion of our soules forasmuch as they â—éeke not only not to saue our bodies but work our vtter destructioÌ„ Why do they putte vs to death perseuering in oure opinions and iudgementes whyche they â—all Hereticall especiallye beyng perâ—waded as they are that our opinions be damnable Why labour they not raâ—her to teache vs the truthe and to bring vs backe into the ryghte pathe agayne Why are they not contented to spoyle vs of oure lyues but imagine howe they maye doe it in moste despitefull and cruell sorte that can bée deuised to the ende that they myght driue men into desperation whose saluation they might driue men into desperation whose saluation ought of Christian charitie to be moste deare vnto them Nowâ— surely so it hath pleased God to order it that these men shoulde bestirre them iâ— this sorte like furies and helhounds that they maye declare themselues to bée thâ— séede and generatioÌ„ of Sathan their Sire who hath bene a murtherer from the very beginning the broode of Cain subiecte to the curse of whome God in the laste daye at his comming to iudgement will aske a strayghte accompte for the innocent bloud of his Saints shedde here in earth by them and reuenge al the whole from innocent Abel to the very laste of his Prophets and Martyres As our sauiour Christe doth moste manifestly declare speakyng to the Pharisies Verily I saye vnto you it shal come vpon thys generation from the bloud of iust Abel to the bloude of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias whome you haue slaine betwixte the Temple and the Aultar Wherefore in most humble manner I pray and beséech your Maiestie most gracious soueraigne not to defile nor embrewe your â—ndes with the bloud of your moste inâ—cent subiects nor to permit and suffer â—y longer that these limmes and miniâ—ers of the Deuill the deadly enimies 〈◊〉 God shoulde abuse your gentlenesse â—nd good inclination any longer Let not 〈◊〉 great and so horrible cruelties be praâ—ised and countenaunced wyth your auâ—horitie Cast not the shéepe committed â—nto you by God into the mouthes of â—hose moste rauening Wolues leaue not â—ehinde you so lamentable a memoriall to your posteritie that your grace should be registred among them that voluntaâ—ily and after their owne luste and pleasure haue by all meanes persecuted the true Christians the children of God and put them to death lette it neuer be saide that good men haue bene vniustly oppressed without cause knowen but only pretended contrary both to Gods lawe and mans and that in your Maiesties moste Princely throne and consistory For besides that this corrupte kinde of dealyng in the seate of iudgement will séeme most monstrous most detestable and most vnreasonable to theÌ„ that shall follow there is a worse thing greately to bée feared least God the Lord of hostes the moste myghtye and strong defence of Israell will laye so greate and so horrible Plagues vpon these moste cruell and vniust Iudges and vppon their issue theyr realms and dominions that it shal remain as an example for al posterity that shall come after the memory of them shal not be worne out while the world endureth No more then is the memory of Pharao that was drouned in the depth of the sea or of Nabuchodonozor that was transformed into a brute beaste or at the leaste whyche is as much in effect giuen ouer to brutish and beastly delyghts and exercises or of Holofernes whose heade was striken from his shoulders by the hands of a séely woman or of Herode that was eaten vp with wormes of Nero Caligula Iulianus other like tyraÌ„ts It is therfore a good lessoÌ„ in this case to beware to be wise by other mens exaÌ„ples For it is a great grace of God to learne by the mishaps of other men as it were at the handes of a scolemaster what is best for our owne behoofes The whiche your grace may easily learne most mighty prince if it may plese you to cast your eie aside to behold the miserable calamities whiche in youre memorie haue hapned vnto them that haue persecuted and vexed the church of god Nam tua res agitur paries cuÌ„ proxmus ardet as the common saying is When thy neighbours house is on fire take héed of thine owne But to returne to my purpose these are the chiefe occasions that enforced me to leaue Spayne and to betake my selfe to the wide worlde and to wander as a Pilgrime and stranger in forrain countreyes In the whiche trauayle for the space of tenne yeares besides great sicknesse I haue suffered extreme Pouertie and haue bene constrayned to becom as an infant again and to learne to speak straÌ„ge languages to be able to vnderstand others to expresse mine owne mynde The which things notwithstanding trusting in the mercies of God I haue bothe willingly and paciently accepted and suffered knowing assuredly that the Disciples souldiours of Christ cannot be in better estate and condition than their Maister and Captaine hathe bin And this is the cause why the world that is naturally enclined to malice and spight refuseth to be at league with me For if I were a worldling then surely woulde the worlde embrace me as one of his broode would commend and extoll me would sette me alofte in honour and authoritie would endue me with riches and would yéeld me at full al other commodities and pleasures as it is accustomed to do to his own But I for my part render vnto almighty God moste hartye thanks for that it hath pleased him fréely and of his mere grace without anye desert of mine to imprinte in my hearte true and perfecte faith by the which I do not onely stedfastly beléeue in his dearly beloued sonne and in his Gospel but also do manifestly abide suffer al thinges for his name sake and am made partaker of his Crosse Howbeit in all thys my long trauayle there is nothyng that séemeth to me so vnséemely as that suche as be aboute your Maiestie and of your Counsel shoulde vse suche diligence sparing neyther for labour and coste to apprehend and to clappe in prison a number of vs Spaniards that haue fled your Realme and
his yonger son Iacob when he felte hym arayed in the garments of his brother Esau Therefore when man hathe obtained this honour nowe standeth hée no more in feare of Gods terrible examples againste synners his seuere and straight iudgements but perceiueth Christ to be appointed by God a iudge of all meÌ„ who is ioyned vnto man by a strong faith for what sentence may wée thinke in reason that the redemer of the whole bodye will giue against his owne members when as this aucthoritie of life and death is not committed vnto him of our mercifull father not to destroy and condempne those that put their truste in him but to saue and preserue them rather and to enriche them wyth the benefite of euerlastyng life Hée therefore takyng vppon hym the partes both of an aduocate and a iudge vnto man doth easyly absolue vs of all our offences and pronounceth them iust for whose sake hee offered hymselfe vnto death that hée might satisfye the iustice of man notwithstandyng this pardon procéedeth not of anye mans merits or good workes for all that be borne of the olde Adam are guiltie of disobedience rebelling agaynste God nor of anye fastings or watchings or pilgrimages or satisfactions or offrings or masses or merites of holye men or holye women muche lesse of Monkes or Nunnes for what are anye of all these able to perfourme that is not of hys owne nature damnable and simply to be abhorred but it is that alonly swéete and comfortable voice Thy faith hath saued thée departe in peace and securitie and beware henceforthe and sinne no more leaste a worse thing fall to thée whiche is as muche to saye that after thou hast receiued grace from heauen and doste beléeue that thou arte partaker of my redemption be thou farre from al guilte and crime and from the paine due for the same and that of frée grace and mercy wythout all respecte of deserte yet in suche sort that thou haue earnest consideration howe dearely thou oughtest to estéeme that bonde whereby thou arte fast ioyned vnto me in whych respect thou arte adopted vnto the number of the children of my father to be an inheritour of the kingdome of heauen a member of my bodye and a partaker of my righteousnesse and therefore sée thou bring forth the fruites of innocencie and of repentaunce such as shal bée agreable vnto the roote of liuely faith and returne not to thy olde naughtinesse least some worse thyng happen vnto thée Loe thys is the sentence of Christe moste gratious soueraigne whiche the faithfull here pronounced and doe receiue by faith wherevppon they receiue such solace and comforte in their minds that if they happen to be troubled in conscience with remorse of theyr sinnes they séeke none other remedy than out of the worde of God whence perfect healthe is onely to bée soughte and founde The whyche doctrine so necessary and comfortable moste mightie Prince hath so inflamed the hearts of your Maiesties subiectes in the lowe countreis with such a feruent zeale of pietie and godlinesse that vnderstaÌ„ding howe shamefully they haue bene abused in a matter of so greate importance they make this humble petition vnto youre Maiestie that it woulde please the same to permit vnto them onely the libertie of theyr consciences and the preachyng of the Gospell whereby they might without pillage or tiranny be conducted the safe and ready way to eternall saluation And surely it séemeth a very vnreasonable matter that so honest and godly a zeale shoulde bée persecuted with so greuous exactions and penalties and not rather be both fauoured and furthered with his due praise coÌ„mendatioÌ„ And therfore your maiestie hath earnestly to consider howe almightie God wâ—ll deale with those persoÌ„s which do so cruelly tormeÌ„t and murder meÌ„ that are both created after his owne likenes and redemed with the most precious bloud of his only son for none other cause but onely for that they professe this heauenly doctrine Of the doctrine of Iustification as the Popishe Church doth teach it FOr the better vnderstanding of thys whole matter and the cause of the greate diuersitye of opinions hereabout I will with as muche breuitie as I can declare the determinations of the Papistes concerning Iustification Fyrste they define it in this wise that Iustification is the passage of a synner from vnrighteousnesse vnto righteousnesse wherof they say there be foure partes that is to saye motion of fréewill contrition infusion of grace remission of sinne The two firste to procéede from him that is to bée Iustified The latter two from the Iustifier and those two first to be as it were the causes preparing the harte of man to receiue the grace of god Moreouer they say that there bée thrée principall causes which concurre in the Iustification of sinners namely God the sinner and the Church God which poureth out his mercies wherby the sinne is forgiuen and sheweth his iustice exacting a satisfaction eyther in this life or after that is to saye in Purgatorie the which â—oo vertues as they glose are signified 〈◊〉 those two disciples which Christ sent â—efore hym into euerye Citie and place â—hether he himselfe shuld come Luk. 10. â—or that say they which then was done â—rporally is now perfourmed spiritualâ— Also on the behalfe of the sinner there â—â—e twoo thinges required loue and sorâ—we the which say they are lyke the â—ones of the Mille wherewith sinne iâ—â—ound as was figured in Deutero 24. â—ikewise there be two things that come â—â—om the Church The merits of Christe â—nd of the Saintes holy men and holye â—omen who forasmuche as they hadde â—ore store of good works than they stoode 〈◊〉 néed of themselues left the surplusage 〈◊〉 the custodye of the Churche that they â—ight be destributed among such as waÌ„â—ed SecoÌ„darily the church by the hands â—f the Pope and of Byshops graunteth â—ardons and indulgences vnto sinners â—uaileable so farre as the wordes of the â—ame doe purporte And yet among these â—octours there haue béene some whiche haue affirmed faith to be the foundation of oure Iustification and yet seruing vs in steade of a preparatiue to apprehende and receiue the fauour and loue of God wherof righteousnesse doth procéede the which he gyueth vs in coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of our loue towardes him Here I omit an infinite number of curious questioÌ„s which rather make the doctrine of our iustificatioÌ„ obscure than bring any light to the vnderstaÌ„ding therof specially to such as being indued with the spirit of god séeke after true righteousnes with the whole affection of their heart as may appeare most euidently aswel by the councel of Trent as also by the Interim offered vnto the Protestantes It shall bée sufficient to touche onely by name the palpable mists wherewithall the schoolemen blinde the eies of the simple people As when they dispute whether a man bée iustified in a moment or it require a long processe
that we be the meÌ„bers of his misticall body The same Paule doth likewise testify in the epistle to the Corinths that Christe dothe speake in him whose power and vertue the Corinthians also did perceiue in his speache and warneth theÌ„ that they shoulde giue eare vnto Christe dwelling within theÌ„ for otherwise saith hée Christe will reiecte and refuse you Moreouer our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christe did likewise make his earnest requeste vnto his father and no doubt but he obtained it that those which were his might bée so coupled togyther in so sure and faste a bande that as hée and his father were one so they might also be one The manner and order of whiche societie Cyrill a very auntient doctour dothe very largely entreate of in hys treatise vppon the .17 Chapter of the Gospel after Iohn whether I referre the reader concerning the same And now I cannot otherwise thinke but that these phrases of speache vsuall in Paule and diuers auntient writers in the Churche shall in these our dayes be thought somewhat absurde and vnapte forasmuche as all labour now adays not to profite religion with the true and perfecte exercises of the mind but with ceremonies and suche like trashe deuised rather for vaine shewe and ostentation thaÌ„ vppon any godly purpose Wherevppon it groweth the oure aduersaries acknowledge no other communion of the body of Christe saue onely that whiche they say is exhibited in the holy supper vnto vs al. As they likewise know no other regeneration than that whyche they thinke is giuen in baptisme nor any other righteousnesse or iustification than that which is hid in Christe who is so farre distant from vs as heauen from earth wheras notwithstanding he that hathe not putte on Christe is voide of all iustice and innocencie the only pathes that leade vs vnto God neyther is it meruayle that these sayings of the Apostles and other the faithfull haue béene vnknowne vnto diuers For it is as easye a matter to teache the blinde to conceiue the brightnesse of the shining Sun beames by the comparison of other creatures which he hathe neuer séene as to teache men these things and perswade them therein whiche are onely addicte to the naturall diseases of the fleshe and therefore I doe moste hartily pray and beséech those that moue and prouoke youre Maiestie to persecute vs by all kind of torments and cruelties that they woulde firste learne the reason and cause of oure Iustification in the schoole of oure sauiour Christ before they procéed to condemne vs to be heretikes vnworthy this life or the societie and fellowship of men Of good workes after the doctrine of the Papistes AFter they haue thus fowly shamefully erred in thys chiefe foundation of our faith touching satisfaction and iustification they cannot possibly deliuer vnto vs anye true and certayne doctrine of good workes and yet notwithstandyng wée haue better cause to bewaile their blindnesse and vnmercifulnesse thaÌ„ to ieste thereat who falsely slaundering vs with the reiecting of good works haue taughte a doctrine of theyr owne deuise coÌ„cerning the same most pernicious and hurtefull vnto man. Therfore this they lay for the ground worke of this their doctrine that a man â—ustified maye safely and lawfullye perâ—ourme that which is riquired in the law â—f God after their owne fantasie and â—ccording to the power and strengthe of â—heir owne will that they by the aide and assistaunce of Gods grace are able to do workes meritorious de condigno as they call it In the mean while not one word of Christe Iesus and the presence of hys holye Spirite in the heartes of the faithfull wherevppon procéedeth all oure power and strength whatsoeuer the fruites of which fréewill they cal merites digna and therof do make thrée sortes The first sort they terme to be of congruence wherby we prepare our selues to receyue the grace of God The second of câ—ndignitiâ— as they call it or of deserte for bicause that the doer and worker thereof is worthye the grace of God and the increase therein The thirde kinde comprehendeth both the other two sorts of merits the whiche being compared with the rewards propounded for the same do easyly match theÌ„ in worthinesse excellency CoÌ„cerning the first sort they teach vâ— that a man of his ownefrée motion wilâ— may without the grace of God preparâ— and able himselfe to receiue the grace oâ— God so that a man onely doe hys endeuour and good wil. Again this preparation contayneth thrée partes The firstâ— that a man shoulde ceasse to committâ— sinne Secondly to abate his lust and wâ—â— to sinne Thirdely to endeuour hymselfâ— to imbrace righteousnesse likewise theâ— saye that thrée things are requisite in a man to the doing of a meritorious acte the minde that worketh it the frée will that moueth the minde the intention and purpose respecting a good end but of God and of hys holy spirite not one worde I warrant you And the workes that issue out of thys roote deserue thrée things remissioÌ„ of sin encrease of grace and possession of life euerlasting the which we merit by meane of charitie the excellencie of the work likewise of good works ther be two sorts either of commaundementes or but only of counsell or supererogation as they terme them bicause a man is not bound 〈◊〉 doe them but that Gods will is that 〈◊〉 shoulde merite so much the more And â—ese be the workes saye they whyche â—hriste taught hys disciples in the .5 of â—athew in this wise Blessed be the poore 〈◊〉 spirite for theirs is the Kingdome of â—eauen Blessed are they that mourne or they shall receiue comforte Blessed â—re the méeke in harte for they shall inâ—erite the earthe Blessed are they that â—unger and thirst for righteousnesse sake â—or they shall be satisfied Blessed are the â—leane in hearte for they shall sée God Blessed are the peacemakers for they â—hall be called the children of God Blesâ—ed are they that suffer persecution for â—heirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are ye when men persecute and reuile you and speake all euil vppon you slaundering you moste falsely for my sake reioice be glad for great is your rewarde in heaue for so hauen they persecuted the Prophets in olde time But by these and other like places of holy scripture vncoÌ„strued they gather the order and lyfe of Monkerie the vowes of chastitie obâ—dience pouertie full of all superstition 〈◊〉 this kind of life say they is perfecte anâ— most acceptable vnto God insomuche 〈◊〉 they coÌ„temne al other things in respect and call al other Christians worldlings and secular and lay people The residue of their good workes arâ— to fast in the holy time of Lente to abstein froÌ„ the eating of flesh at certain tymes in the weke which they cal the hoâ—â— wéeke to whip and scourge themselues to buylde Chappels found Chauntries giue lampes candle-lights to set before saints in
hir more aptly and truly this stepdame is procéeded so farre in crueltye and furour that she tormenteth maÌ„gleth destroieth hangeth draweth and burneth those whome it hathe pleased almightâ— God to send into the worlde and of hyâ— goodnesse fatherly prouidence to grauâ— the fruition of this life we moste humblâ— pray and beséeche your grace not to committe the matter ouer to hir to be determined doe not putte the sworde into hâ—â— handes nor gyue hir no suche countenaunce or aucthoritie whereby she maâ— vtter hir spite and malice and wreakâ— hirselfe vppon your Maiesties poore subiectes For the iudgements whiche shée vseth and desireth to putte in execution are suche as all lawes both of god and of man doe abhorre lette any man who 〈◊〉 liste peruse all auntient monuments and I beléeue he shall not finde anye Record wherin hath bene vsed anye suche procéeding in iudgement that the partie accused shuld be made iudge and haue power to condemne his accuser as we sée by experience is vsed and practised by the Romishe Churche in these affaires For we protestantes as we be called haue iuste cause to complaine of the popedome with all his appurtenaunces whyche hath bereâ—te vs of our life the saluatioÌ„ of all the â—ithfull that is to saye of Christ Iesus â—hiche hath made as it were porte sale 〈◊〉 him and chaunged hym into infinite â—tes of sundry shapes and formes Notâ—ithstanding al the Kings and Princes the world almost did put in commissiâ—â— and aucthoritie to iudge of this cause â—em whiche both be accused by vs and â—r greatest aduersaries we reproue the â—ste councels and conuince them of erâ—r and vntruths and yet are wée posted â—er to be iudged by them we blame the â—ardinals moste worthily for that they â—ue their handes and mouthes embruâ— and their clothes stayned with the â—oud of Martirs and they are appoinâ—d iudges ouer vs to determine the matâ—r depending in controuersie betwixt vs â—nd them we accuse the Bishops of saâ—ilege that whereas they ought of dutie 〈◊〉 féede the flocke of Christe they do féed â—emselues and their own bellies and yet â—ey fit in iudgement hereof and are not â—shamed to pronounce sentence of vs to â—e tormented and oppressed by al means and for the furtheraunce and spéedie exâ—cution therof they sticke not to entertaiâ— an army to make pay with our spoiles nor shame not to iustify the same to be agreable to equitie conscience In whicâ— case I wot not whych way to tourne mâ— what to do or say or deuise in such a casâ— Is this according to the iustice equitie iâ— differency that shulde be in such a prince aâ— your maiesty is that iustice equitie shoulâ— be so long peruerted without redresse duâ— correction be countenanced with your coÌ„mandement as these men affirme whicâ— they abuse to the spoiling of men of theâ— liues liberty goods And whereas otheâ— princes wer letted either by seditioÌ„ or câ—uil war other troblesom affairs that theâ— haue no leisure to atteÌ„d to our coÌ„plainteâ— against the papists with such patience indifferency as they ought to do in suche 〈◊〉 case it semeth that god hath reserued coÌ„miâ—â—ed the same vnto your maiesty that you shulâ— lay aside al other your affairs diligeÌ„tly be occupied herein And in this behalfe I besech your maiestie to take héed lest if iâ— be great to your dishonor to staÌ„d in nedâ— oâ— the repetitioÌ„ of the example of forraine â—â—nike Princes in this case We reade â—ithridates sometime K. of Pontus did â—rne 22. sundry laÌ„guages to the ende that might be able to read vnderstand the â—â—plications exhibited vnto hym by any his subiects of what nation or country â—euer they were and do iustice to eche of â—e accordingly Phillip the king of Maâ—onie thought it the chiefest thing that â—pertained to the maiestie of a king to 〈◊〉 daily in his chaire of estate at certaine â—ures to minister iustice to all his subâ—cts according to equitie whose son Alex â—â—â—er folowing his fathers steps did beâ—ow certaine houres of the day to heare â—termine the complaints quarrells of â—s subiects vsing to stop the one eare biâ—use as be said he reserued it for the defenâ—â—nt TheÌ„ if those heatheÌ„ princes the knew â—t Christe nor Christian religion did 〈◊〉 greatlye endeuoure themselues to apâ—ease the controuersies that arose amoÌ„g â—heir subiectes Howe muche the rather â—ight your maiestie being a ChrstiaÌ„ K. 〈◊〉 encline your eares and vse al diligence to decide this quarrell of so great impoâ—taunce that it concerneth the saluatioâ— of all But I moste humbly beséech youâ— maiestie diligently to peruse the precept that Moses wrote by Gods expresse commaundement concerning the institutioâ— and dutie of a Prince Deut. 17. speakinâ— to the Israelites in this wise When thoâ— art come into the lande whiche the Lorâ— youre God giueth you and enioyest 〈◊〉 and dwellest therein if thou shalt saye I will sette a King ouer me lyke as aâ— the nations that are about me then thoâ— shalt make him King whome the Lord thy God shall choose euen one from amoÌ„â— thy brethren shalt thou make King ouâ— thée and thou maist not set one which iâ— not of thy brethren but he shall not muâ—tiplye horses to hymselfe nor bryng thâ— people agayne to Egipt to encrease thâ— number of horses forasmuch as the lorâ— hathe saide vnto you Ye shall hencefortâ— go no more that waye also hée ought noâ— to multiply wiues to himselfe least hyâ— hearte tourne away neither shall he gather him siluer and golde too muche anâ— when he is set vpon the seate of his kingdome he shall write him oute a copie of this law in a book before the priests and it shall be with him and he ought to reade therein all the dayes of hys life that hée may learne to feare the Lorde and obey all the wordes of this lawe and these ordinances for to do them and that his hart arise not againste his brethren and that hée tourne from the commaundement to the right hand nor to the lefte but that he may prolong his dayes in his kingdome he and his childreÌ„ in the throne of Israel Whereby your maiestie may easily pâ—rceiue what is the proper and peculiar office of Kings and Princes and what affection they oughte to beare towards the study of holy scripture wherein is contained the expresse will of God that all men alike shoulde giue themselues to the earneste sâ—â—dy and care of religion pietie iustice and equitie againste whyche lawe of God they offende whyche denye the reading of holy scripture and the decidyng of controuersies in religion to appertaine vnto Kings and Princes It is your office moste mightye Prince to take awaye from these vniuste iudges of the Romishe Courtes if a manne maye call them iudges that are manifestly deprehended in sacrilege It is your office I say to take from them this authoritie of iudgemente as due to youre selfe and other princes
in their dominions of auntieÌ„t right that your maiestie might with indifferencye determine all these controuersies bring home again peace and traÌ„quilitie vnto your countreis reléeue and succour poore men that are moste cruelly persecuted racked spoiled wounded and condemned to the stake breake the furye and outragious tiranny of these Termagants whiche vnder the colour and pretence of Christian religion doe persecute those that accompte nothyng so deare or precious vnto them as Christian religion Otherwise vnlesse youre Maiestie prouide some presente remedye for these calamities what other issue can youre Maiesty looke for of these things but that in stéede of moste faithfull subiectes to obey you and such as wil be prest and readie to spende both life and goods in yours Maiesties quarrell you shall in the ende be no kyng of men but onely of corses some hanging on the gibbet or gallowes some murthered in corners some burned vnto ashes For this one thing haue the inquisitours and their complices béene deuising and practising continually and no doubt of it will as they haue begun long since bring to passe that these spoils of mens goods wherby youre Maiestie and youre Kingdome shoulde haue reaped greate commoditie shall be transported into forraine Countries to the greate decay of you and your realme of Spaine And what doeth youre Maiestye thinke to bée the destruction of your people the decaye of your realme the empairing of youre Maiestye and dammage to youre moste royall person if thys bée not the verye confusion of all they that preferred the Monarchie that is to saye that kynde of gouernement and that state wherein one ruleth were moued so to do by the similitude likenesse of maÌ„s body For the king or chiefe ruler in a common wealth maye aptely bée resembled to the heade in the naturall body the Subiectes likewise to the inferiour members And this similitude besides the resemblaunce of preeminence and of subiection doeth sufficiently declare vnto vs howe greate concorde and what affection ought to bée betwixt the rulers the subiects how vnresonable a thing is it theÌ„ how vnsemely that the King shoulde wyth hys owne handes delyuer hys owne sworde into the handes of a madde man wyth the whiche he may cutte in sunder the members of the Princes owne bodye mangle them disseuer them one peece from an other and yet hée as one without sense beholde it with his eies and permit it who woulde not iustly meruaile at so greate follie and madnesse or can youre Maiestye be ignorant hereof that you are the person that playeth the same part in committing to the inquisitors your aucthoritie and power as it were a naked sword into their handes wherewith they maye cutte and hewe in péeces your Subiectes the very members of that bodye wherof youre Maiestie is the heade to the greate decaye of your people and weakening of your estate For example wherof it may please your maiestie to consider the kingdoms nexte aboute whose power and strength being by these means empaired and decayed both by lande and sea haue fallen into moste miserable calamities and haue bene constrained to praye aide of their enimies to succoure them in their extremities I omitte here to declare howe farre this disagréeth from the good and iuste kinde of gouernment described by the wise and beste learned in those affaires for subiectes to bée not onely not defended preserued and vnder the protection of their soueraignes nor aduaunced by them but spoiled oppressed and most cruelly put to death and murthered Aristotle in the bookes which he wrote of the state of common weales recordeth not without great detestation of so horrible a facte that certaine Barbarians in time paste vsed this maner that whosoeuer entred into any place of regiment before all things shoulde take a solemne othe that he shoulde do nor saye nothing in fauour and behalfe of the people nor séeke to kéepe concorde and loue among the people as though loue and felowship would rather cause breach of lawes than hatred and enmitie What would Aristotle saye then if hée were alyue among vs againe Is it not like hée would saye that the Princes of Christendome are of the same minde affection and purpose and that they had determined conspired and vowed the same with a solemne othe that the people shoulde haue none more deadly foe and enimy vnto them than the prince and ruler by whose sufferance commandement or negligence or dissembling or authoritie euery good man shuld either be hanged or banished or imprisoned causelese without desert or crime eyther of fellonie or murder or adultery or anye suche like offences but onely bicause hée is contented wyth hazarde of life and goodes rather to obey the commandement of God than in leauing them to folowe the vaine fantasies and deuises of mans braine and the doctrine of false hipocrites the whiche thing shoulde bée more manifeste than the lighte of the â—aye euen to Princes themselues if before they were haled so violentlye to most horrible execution they myght be herein the defence of their cause and innocency Béesydes what pleasure can a prince take which feareth not to incurre the hatred of hys Subiectes and whose conscience pricketh hym that hys people loue or regarde hym not as theyr father or Captayne but hate him as their ennimye how can it bée that that woman shoulde beare anye good affection towardes hym whose tyranny hath bene the cause that theyr béeloued husbandes haue béene haled out of theyr armes and putte to moste cruell deathe howe can children honor hym that haue séene their pareÌ„ts most cruelly persecuted and slaine before their faces al by his vnmercifulnesse Will not all the whole people bée loath to put their life and goods in ieopardye for him who hath wronged and iniuried theÌ„ most spitefully The consideration whereof if it be but of small force to moue your Maiestie thoughe they be very weightie and worthy the marking of all sortes of people yet let the name of Christian religion of Christian beliefe yea the name of Christ moue you wherwith we flatter and please our selues and vaunt our selues aboue other This barbarous tyranny leaue it to infidells the very name of Christe shoulde be of force sufficient to moue your Maiestie beléeuing in Christe and therof bearing the name of a Christian to haue an earneste zeale and ardent affection to embrace mercie charitie and méekenesse of heartâ— What was meant by the ceremonie of the olde lawe when it was commaunded that Princes ere they tooke vppon them the gouernement of the state should be annoynted wyth oile anye other thing but in following the qualitie of the oile they shal deserue the good will of the people by lenitie mildenesse and gentlenesse and consider that the vertue of the oile is to supple the olde sores not to make any gréene woundes And doubtlesse ChristiaÌ„ Princes oughte to be so muche the more of gentlenesse mildenesse and cherefulnesse bycause they haue in chardge the
answere that there is henceforth 〈◊〉 cause of triall by disputation for asmuch as our religion hath ben long ago â—â—ndemned by many generall Councels and by all vniuersities namely and principally at the councell of Constance at which tyme by the sentence and awaâ— of that Councell Iohn Husse and Hieroâ— of Prage were burned for maynteynâ— that error which Luther of late renâ— likewise at the counsell of Trent was â—â—thers heresy condemned so that there â—â—maineth nothing but present deathe 〈◊〉 them that shal shewe themselues disoâ—dient to the decrées and determinatioâ— of councels forasmuche as they are â—â—come rebells and haue fallen from tâ— faith of their holye mother Churche the whiche it is not vnknowen how thâ— all this their tiranny they shew to warâ— vs hathe taken hys originall and begâ—ning whiche if a man woulde enter mâ— narrowly into the consideration of aâ— diligently weighe the words thereof tâ— shoulde easily perceiue there is no sucâ— matter of importance why princes shuâ— not be forwarde and willing to defenâ— their subiectes from those lyons mouth which beare themselues so bolde boaâ— of the name of the Churche touchinâ— the preiudice of the Vniuersities whicâ— accompte oure doctrine hereticall and so condemne it They do al know rigâ—t wel and their consciences maye beare them sufficient record that they speak not what they thinke but for feare of punishment or losse of their prefermentes and dignities or confiscation of goods or for shame or losse of lyfe are enforced agaynste their conscience as might appeare most manifestlye in the condemnation of that moste learned and godlye Doctour Iohn Egidio of Arragon chiefe Cannon preacher in the Cathedrall Churche in Siuil where certaine that were iudges and arbritratours in the matter whom the Inquisitours do call Qualifiers of the cause repenting themselues of the iniurie offered to that good and godly man did afterwardes make protestation accordyng to the truth whiche was also the cause that a certayne diuine called Maestro Blanco was burned and Doctour Constantino de la Fuente after he had bin long time tossed to and fro and vexed by the inquisitours and caught a great sicknesse by reason of the continuall filth and stench of hys prison at the lengthe tooke hys death of the same And for the selfe same cause lykewise were Ieronymo de Caro and Luys de Metina bothe Monkes of the order of Sainct Dominick executed wyth dyuers other learned and godlye persons whose names youre Maiestie is right well acquainted withall It may therfore please youre highenesse to consider thus muche that if these men hadde indifferent iustice ministred vnto them and frée pardon of spéeche to speake frankclye what they thoughte they woulde haue spoken most notably in defence of the truth For the diuines and clergie of Spaine had sufficient trial aswell of their excellent learning as of their singuler vertue And here I omitte to speake of the great residue who agréeing in the same profession of faith whiche the Protestantes of Germany doe professe dydde with greate constancye of hearte and stoutnesse of courage ende their miserable life by a far more ioyfull and glorious deathe amiddes the flames of fire And among these diuines there and vniuersitie you shall perhaps fynd some good men and yet some so simple and rude â—diots God wot that they thinke it againste Gods forbod to bée but one dram wiser than their maysters whyche like shepe that followe the belwether depend wholly either of the Deane or rector as they call him of the Vniuiuersitie or of â—he Abbot or prior of the couent or some famous and notable doctour or graduat And who knoweth not that these bée the Popes owne tender dearlings which besturre them on al sides to kepe the coales of Purgatorye alwayes alyue What iudgement then can they gyue on the other side for the other partie whiche acknowledgeth no other Purgatorie than the bloude of Iesus Christe by the whiche all men of all tymes and ages were purged from the filthe of theyr synnes and delyuered from eternall deathe and damnation Concerning the councell of ConstaÌ„ce all the world knoweth of what dispositioÌ„ Pope Iohn was and what earnest suters Antipopes against hym for the popedome and what decrées and constitutions were made at the same assembly as also how all they that were at the same counsell wer affected in religion it is euident to all the worlde in that they condeÌ„ned those men to be burned who laboured earnestly to haue enormities of the churche reformed and came not thither nother of themselues wythout sendyng for but vnder promise of their safeconducte safely to returne again In somuch that that counsell is termed of many men in theyr writings a petie counsell declaring therby that it was not an asseÌ„bly of the pastors and ministers of the Gospell for the reformation and amendemente of the decayed estate of the Churche but rather of furious and diuellishe persons to ouerthrowe the poore remanent of the church forasmuche as at the same most troublesome time thrée Popes were at greate variaÌ„ce and dissention among theÌ„ selues proclaymed open warre one agaynste an other were all of them remoued and in their places was Martine the fifte substituted Pope But to speake somewhat in a generalitie concerning counsels it is a playne matter that he that is guiltie will neuer giue sentence against himselfe And therfore the Counsell of Trent whyche was purposely summoned asseÌ„bled agaynst them that impugne the authoritie of the Pope maye aptely be resembled to a confederacie of theues and murderers whiche assemble themselues togither in wods and deserte places and there condemne also the inhabitantes bothe of the Town and Countrey aboute them for that they lye in waite for them and séeke to bring them before the Magistrate to examination For what other thing do the Popes in all theyr counsells they call Fyrste and formoste they appoint some strong Citie for the purpose they prouide garrisons of Souldiours to guarde and to defende them from forraine force they banishe al out of that assemblye that would any wayes disagrée from them or if they admitte them it goeth néere to cost them their liues And when they bée met togither and mounted into their seats thence they sende their threates and curses lyke shunder boltes thicke and thréefolde to the greate disturbaunce and anoy of all the world threatning excommunication warre destruction banishemeÌ„t murder and lastly fire and fagots But to whom I beséeche you do they send these their fiery dartes Forsooth euen vnto suche aâ— with hartie sorrowe and griefe doe complaine againste them and accuse them oâ— moste horrible sacrilege whereby they haue berefte the poore Christian people of their onely health and comforte Christ Iesus for their own commoditie and aduantage that they might with more securitie satisfye theyr filthie mindes with riote ambition and all kinde of abhominable luste Wherefore I referre the matter to your most gracious consideration and iudgement whether anye suchâ— councells
the sense of their proper conscience wée assure our selues that the mouth of suche hypocrites cannot bring forth other than wordes of infection and full of taste of all euill for they as they are painted sepulchres so canne they not vomit vp other matter than such as is couertly couched within that is to say all infection and filthinesse And we are most certaine that those kinde of people addicted to Baall and contentment of their belly séeing the fall of their Marmit by little and little will enforce themselues to exclayme against them that discouer their abuses hypocrisies and villainous trumperies wée beléeue also that such supporters of Sathan who from the beginning hath bene the Author of dissention a louer of murther with desire of effusion of blud wil labor in the imitation of their father and maister and that vnder the pretence of the Gospell they will proclaime sedition trouble and as the Prophet sayth vomit furious matter against suche as stuffe not their bellies according to their fancies and fashions of custom Of such sorte of raylers we receyue no greate care séeing we are not ignoraunt wyth what iudgement and punishment God will visite them though he bée long for they be of that sorte of whome the Apostle Iude speaketh in hys Epistle Catholicke as vpon whom euill shall happen for they followe the traine of Cain they abandon theÌ„ selues into the error of the hyer of Balaam they shall perishe according to the contradiction of Core they are spottes at the Banket of the charitable and Faithfull féeding themselues without feare they are clouds without water caried away with euery winde trées whose fruite is rotten and of no commoditie pulled vp by the rootes and already dead they be raging waues of the sea giuing vp their villanies errant starres for whome is prepared the shadowes of the euerlasting darkenesse they are murmurers quarrellers walking according to their couetousnesse their mouthes pronouncing wordes of venemous substaunce and louing men â—uly for their profite they incense diâ—isions and are people of sensualitie â—â—parting nothing with the spirit they â—re the very painter and portrait which â—he Apostle speaketh of in suche sorte of â—reachers And therfore we doe esteme â—f them as they deserue not fearing any â—arme they can doe to the troupe or feâ—owship electe of God for they discouer â—â—fficientlye their poyson and the leuen â—f the Phariseys But touching you deare and honouâ—able brethren one worde procéeding â—rom your mouth pearceth the heart â—nd giueth vs cause of singular sorowe â—ith feare least the same stirre vp slaunâ—er to the flocke of Iesus Christ And â—â—o be to him that shall be the cause of â—uch slaunder agaynst one of the least â—t were better that such a one had fastned â—o his necke a great Milstone and caste â—nto the bottome of the sea than to be â—uffered to offend put dissention in the church which the Lord begins to norish â—n this town and who now being in hir cradle is in more necessity to be fed with the true word of God releued in hir afflictions comforted in hir persecutions than to be disquieted with subtill and curious questions diuisions and debates vpon the matter of our confession wherin as we both féele and sée the wonderfull benefits which the Lord hath layde both vpon you and vs hauing drawne vs ouâ— of the miserable quagmier and marish oâ— superstition and idolatrie amongest the Papistes so let vs wish that as true ministers of God we may employ our selues with one accorde to set forth the glorie of him who of prisoners of darknesse hath made vs happie members of his most cleare light If there be anye thing which you iudge not well vnderstanded of vs were it not better to come to conference with vs or vse brotherly admonition and conference than to exclayme in the Pulpitte and fill the Bookesellers shoppes with Inuectiues and Apologies of spite were it not better with inuocation of the name of the Lorde to compounde and order quietly the affaires of the aduauncement of his glorie than to â—uie warre against our selues with the â—â—t of the pen whose woundes are farre â—ore daungerous and incurable thaÌ„ the â—aylings eyther of the bowe or Crosâ—we bicause the one offendes but the â—odye and fleshe and the other péerceth â—th déepely and bloudily the renoume of â—e person which euerye one holdeth in â—lue more deare and precious than eyâ—er golde or siluer with all the riches in â—e worlde Alas miserable and wretched that wée â—re what condemnation what iudgemeÌ„t â—e we heape vppon our heades when â—e preach to the Souldiers to lay awaye â—heir armes and forbeare to offend comâ—on wealthes and we euen we our selâ—es do carie in our Inkhornes weapons â—ost sharpe with arrowes of poyson to â—hunder vpon such as doe not offer themâ—elues wholy to our aduise and opinions â—nd refuse to hazarde their fayth in the â—nterpretations which we make of Gods â—orde Thys arrogant ouerwéening is the cause why the Lorde suffereth that the fruite of our preachings is eyther none at all or at least of so little effecte that our Audience in their life and conuersation doe declare what slender knowledge and feare of GOD they learne by our exhortations God suffereth also to fall vpon vs Inquisitours and persecutors in the very same sorte that we presume to be the Censors of the fayth of others And bycause we will rule all the worlde by the touche of the Sentence and aduise of this or that man the Lorde incenseth the verye children themselues to call vs Parciall Sectatoures and Admiratours of the opinions of menne namyng some Martinistes some Caluinistes some Ozeandrines some Melancthonistes and some Brentiens with dyuers other lyke names and that with good righte bycause we haue not our eyes fixed on the onelye aduauncement of the glorye of Iesus Christe and his Church whiche is Catholike and vniuersall But euery one will deale aparte euery one entyce and drawe his audience aparte euerye one maintayne the renoume of his institutour and that which worse is euery one as supreme Iudge giues senteÌ„ce of condemnation withoute appeale against others Of thys miserable cause it commeth to passe that this Churche being at this day deliuered from the insupportable inquisition and tyrannie of the Papistes and that by the grace of GOD and goodnesse of our King and Soueraigne Magistrate we haue notwithstanding amongest our selues supreme inquisitors who with an arrogancie aboue the Phariseys call the other dogs and worldlings not considering belike such is their arrogancie that this word worldling or of the worlde signifieth a diuision and partition from the bodye of Christe according to that he himselfe doth saye that the worlde is his enimie and that he wil not pray for it Al which condemnation is fouÌ„ded vpon that that the worldlings as they call them wyll not conforme themselues to the administration of the Sacraments in theiâ— fashion nor giue