subiectes of this lande and such as are naturalized and enfranchised amongst vs. Therefore if this proofe were good why they ought not to be dealt with according to law thē may al the prysons be discharged and euery malefactor hath by his birth a sealed pardon for all crimes that he may commit But he addeth they are not only Subiectes but also duetifull and honest This dependeth vpon the tryall of their cause which the law according to all righteous iustice hauing condemned as worthie such punishment as it layeth vpon them His priuate and vniust clearinge of them for good and obedient yea readie to die at her Maiesties feete and for your H. can not be sufficient Which testimonie would to God it might be truely geuen to them all Then surely there would be more hope to reclaim them to obedience vnto God and to her Highnesse But notwithstanding it be true that there are a number of those which are mis led in their ignorance to the lyking of superstition otherwise duetifull at the least in outward shew hetherto yet the vnsound and trayterous hearts of a number also haue bene discouered in the rebellions in the North and in Ireland yea further also by manifold practises both against the whole state and the Royall person of her M. and of sundry of your H. Whereof certaine profe hath bene made both heretofore and of late aswell in the K. Bench by the iust conuiction and condemnation of the traytors there arraigned al pretended Catholickes Iesuites and Priestes as also at Chensforde in Essex by like sentence against the priest Who should haue bene as Iudas was to the Romane bandes a Captaine a leader to a Company of Romanes altogether both in superstitious Faith and Infidel like disloyalty to so horrible an acte as any true Subiects hart cannot but abhorre euen to remember Whereunto adding the doubtful answeres and obstinate silence that commonly are made and vsed by such as haue had this interrogatory ministred vnto them Whether in case of the Popes commandement and the threatning of his excommunication to the contrary they woulde take armes with him or any sent by him against hir M. or with her H. agaynst the Pope we may worthely feare what affection of loyal duetie obedience may be in many of the rest which haue not yet beene demaunded that question And in deeede it can not be that such of them as haue the Roman faith not in ignorance but in some knowledge of the treasonnable grounds it resteth vpon without denial of the Pope to be Gods vicar and of all their holies should be faithful Subiectes to her H. and this state abyding as it doth by the grace of God in the true profession of the Gospel Therfore it is not inough to say it is onely their cōscience in religion they stand in to prooue them good and loyall subiects For though euery profession of religion doe not ouerthrowe the state they are vnder maintayning another Religion yet there are also some professions which can in no sort bee permitted by authoritie without the certaine ouerthrowe and ruine of the state where it is allowed The profession of the gospell may be tollerated by any prince or state in the world without any daunger to them For our doctrine holdeth nothing that may impugne their lawfull right and authoritie but contrariwise teacheth all due honour and obedience to be giuen to them and that for conscience sake Wherfore both they maye suffer the excercyse of it without daunger yea to the greate establishing of their states and thrones in assurance and consequently also such professors maye be faythfull and loyall subiectes yea euen to heathen princes as the Apostles and the fathers of the Primitiue Church were But an Anabaptist that holdeth there ought to bee no magistrate though he allege a thousād times he standeth but for his conscience religion yet bycause his conscience and religion is such as the principles and grounds of it are contrarie to all States and authority the magistrate cannot endure such a conscience and religion without the certaine daunger of hauing the mace and scepter wroong out of his hands Much like to this is the cause of our pretended catholickes For notwitstanding they allowe of Magistrates of authoritie in generall yet I say they hold a faith and doctrine the maximaes and rules whereof are as opposite to the present state of this lande in particuler as are the principles of the Anabaptists against all estate and dignitie The proofe whereof is manifest in these two pointes The first is that the state nowe established within this realme professeth by the gracious goodnes of almighty God the seruice of him according to the truth of the gospell and agreeably hereunto that the lawfull heyres of the crowne of this noble land are souerayne in their estate and dignitie to see all causes and persons within their kingdome and dominion both ecclesiasticall and ciuil ordred and gouerned according to the commandementes of God without subiection to any forren power of prince or priest whatsoeuer The second is that euerie one of the pretended catholique and Romaine faith vpon paine of damnation is to beleeue the B. of Roome who is a forreyne prince and Prelate to vs to haue supreame authoritie ouer all the church of Christ as his generall vicar vpon earth and consequentlie to beleeue that the K. and Q. of this noble land are to bee subiect vnto him to receiue that religion which he wil deliuer them to obey his censures that so far as that in case of his excommunicating depriuing of them they are to leaue their crowne to an other Yea further that as absolued from their othe and allegeance at his commaundement the naturall and sworne subiects ought to put such his sentence of depriuation in execution against their liege and naturall prince Which two points being so contrarie the one to the other how is it possible that any of these Romaine Catholickes knowing and beleeuing particularlye this point of their doctrine can be a true and a faithfull Subiect to our Soueraigne Ladye ELIZABETH against whom such most vnlawfull and wicked sentence hath bene already by two of their Popes pronounced and sought by all meanes to be put in execution Which things well considered I doubt not but your LL. see it to be great wisedome not to proue their fidelitie in a kingdome and so rare a iewell as hir maiesties person is for all their flattering speches of being ready to spend their life and their goods in hir quarrell but rather to keepe a vigilant and ielous eye open ouer them night and day that they may not bee able how willing soeuer they would be to do any thing to the annoyance of her royal person and of this noble state kingdome Wherfore as touching their persōs though they be the naturall subiectes of this state yet if they offend the godlie lawes thereof in refusing to serue God with vs
fruite of them selues of the earth and of their cattell and that they should enlarge their dominion from sea to sea and from one floud to an other Of the other parte Deu. 28. if they did not kéepe the law of the Lorde their God his iudgements and his statutes which he had commaunded them then the Lord threatned to bring vpon them the plagues of Egipt to cursse them in all that they should deale withall to cast them out of the land which he had caused their Fathers to possesse and making wast their citties yea their sanctuaries and their countrye to bring vppon them famine and hunger nakednesse and pouertie dissolution and captiuitie These and such like sayinges of the lawe so vehemently vttered vnto al Israell with taking heauen and earth to witnesse Deu. 30.19 that thus they shoulde finde it in the ende doe plainely testifie that such religion must néedes be good for the establishing and prospering a common weale which the Lorde him selfe hath left vnto vs with promise of blessinge to those that kéepe it and contrarywise that no false seruice of him can bée good for any state but that it continually prouoketh the curse indignation of God against it Therefore was the K. commaunded to take a copye of the lawe to haue it by him and to reade in it all the dayes of hys lyfe that he might learne to feare the Lord his God to obserue all his wordes and statutes by dooing of theÌ„ that his mind might not be lift vp aboue his brethren nor he departe froÌ„ it to the right hande or to the left that he might prolonge his dayes in his kingdome and hys Sonnes in the middest of Israell Deu. 17.18 19.20 Iosua 1.8 To lyke effecte was it sayde vnto Iosua lette not the booke of thys Lawe departe out of thy mouthe but meditate in it night day that thou mayest diligentlye obserue as it is written in it For then thou shalte prosper in thy wayes and haue successe in thy affayres Whereby lykewise it is euident that the blessyng of Kynges and Princes dependeth hereupon so that they onely which worshyppe the Lorde aryght accordynge to hys woorde Psal 2.10 11.12 haue promise of blessynge for it bothe of thys lyfe and of the life to come For this cause the Prophet exhorteth Kynges to bée wyse and Counsellers to bée well aduysed that they worshyppe GOD and hys annointed denouncyng vnto the Ennemies the almightye power of Christe to the confusion of all that sette themselues agaynste hym whereby hée shoulde bee able as easelye to breake them as a Manne wyth a barre of Yron dooth dashe in peeces a Potte of earth To thys purpose notable is the speeche of Asaria the Prophet 2. Chro. 15 vnto Kynge Asa and to all Iuda and Beniamin when the Lorde hadde miraculouslye foyled the innumerable multitude of theyr ennemyes The LORDE sayeth hée hath beene wyth you while yee haue béene wyth hym 1 Sam 2 30 and yf yee wyll yett seeke hym hée wyll bée readye for you but yf yée forsake him hée will forsake you Accordynge to that whych the Manne of God had sayde hereof before 1. Sam. 15 23 26.28 Psal â—8 2. Sam. 22 I wyll honour those which honour mée and dispise those which dispise me Thys was sealed in the castinge away of Saule and the choosing and prosperous successe of Dauid as he often acknowledgeth Lykewise in Salomon the moste wise and Politique Prynce that euer sat in the seate of Dauid 1. Reg. 10 or ruled anye people in the woorlde who because hée fullye established the seruice of GOD accordynge to all that hadde bene commaunded by the Prophets The Lorde also established his seate increased his glory aboue all the kinges of the earth till hee beganne to decline from the Lord his God and broughte the abhominable Idoles of the straunge women whom hée looued into his owne kingdome houses and worshipped theÌ„ for then the Lorde raysed vppe hys seruaunte against him who also in the dayes of hys Sonne so rente awaye tenne Tribes of Israell from the house of Dauid 2. Chr. 12 5 that they neuer returned vnto it agayne Thys was the spéeche of the Prophet Shemaiah to Roboam hys counsellers and the people of Iudah thus sayeth the Lorde you haue forsaken mée therefore wyll I also abandon you and giue you into the hande of Senacherib which was perfourmed but in mercye vppon their repentaunce 2 Chr. 13 Abiah obiected againste Jeroboam that he coulde not prosper because hée hadde erected Idoles in hys kingdome and had made hym Priestes contrarye to the lawe and assureth hym selfe of Gods assistaunce agaynste hym for thys reason because they had the Lorde for theyr God who was theyr Captayne and his lawfull Priestes the sonnes of Aaron sounding the Lordes Trumpettes in the fielde before them Therefore sayeth hée yée chyldren of Israell fighte not agaynst the Lorde the God of your Fathers for ye can not prosper And accordinglye it is added that the Isralites were ouerthrowne hauinge 50000. chosen men of warre slayne and the Iewes were strengthned because as sayth the storye they rested vpon the Lorde God of their Fathers Diuerse was the estate of the affayres of Asa accordinge as hee walked with God prosperinge when hee trusted in God and decayinge when hee followed the vayne dyscourse of fleshe and bloode and soughte to the Asserians for helpe The same is alwayes dylygentlye noted in the lyues of the reste of the Kinges Amazia Azaria Ioas Ezechia Iehosophat Manasses and the reste euen to the deportation and caryinge awaye into captiuitie of bothe the houses of Israell and Iuda wyth theyr Kynges for false worshyppe 2. Reg. 17 2. Chr. 36 and dysobedyence vnto the woorde of the Lorde theyr GOD as it is notablye declared in manye places of the holye storye and of the Prophets These and infinite suche lyke examples which are in the Bookes of Kynges For which woulde to God all Chrystian Princes and they re Counsellers dyd dyligentlye reade them and cause them to bee reade and expounded vnto them do declare true pyetye to bée the verye base and foundatyon of all sounde Wysedome and Pollicye and Impyetye what shewe soeuer it haue of outwarde profitte and commoditye for a season yett indeede and in the ende to bée the verye cause of ruine and ouerthrowe to all estates and kingdomes The reason whereof is manifeste because all Kynges and Princes hold theyr Crownes and Scepters at the wyll and pleasure of GOD who is Kynge of Kynges and Lorde of Lords as it is wrytten by mée Kynges doo raigne Pro. 8 15. Dan. 4.32 and as Nebuchadnezer by proofe and the iuste chastisement of hys pryde in beeinge caste oute seauen yeares from hys kyngdome to lyue wyth the Beastes of the fielde confesseth that GOD dysposeth of the Crownes and Kyngdomes of the world gyuynge and takynge them to and from when it pleaseth him As therefore the
honour of a large dominion then euer the Kinge of Iuda did The Assirians the firste Monarchie of the world ruled in a manner all Nacions for many yeares many Kinges succéedinge one an other in the royall seate of Assiria After them arose the Persians who subduing the Assirians obtained the Monarchie and raigned likewise a space succéeding one an other Then came the Grecians who preuayling against the Persians made themselues maisters of thē and almost of the world Last of all the Romaine Empire abolishing the former succéeded in the souerantie possessed it first in Roome and after in Constantinople againe in the West to that decayed estate which now remaineth of it whē the great Turke had seased vpon Constantinople and all the East part of the Empire So Tamerlan the Tartarian had a time as also many other horrible Tirantes wherein they prospered That these prospered for a season he cannot deny as he accounteth prosperitie but I think hee wyll not say that the detestable profession of Mahomet or the Pagan Heathen abhominations of the Monarches vnto Constantine in the Roman Empyre were the cause of their prosperitie It is manyfest they were not but rather the cause of their finall ruyne and ouerthrow as not ceasing to call for vengeance to God vntil he with his Thunderbolt from Heauen had striken thē What was the cause then Surelye this the goodnesse of God who dooth good euen to the vnthankfull and vngodly who letteth his Rayne to fall-vppon the Féeld of the iust and vniust and causeth his Sonne to shine vpon the Christian and vpon the Heathē An other may be that the Lorde purposing to execute his iust Iudgements vppon the Kinges of the earth for their Idolatries oppressions violences murders adulteries and all such lyke their impieties raysed vp from time to time as hee dooth also euen vnto this daye some to serue him in the execution of his high Iustice vpon thē For which cause the Lorde doth make some Nation to growe stronge and mightie as the Okes of the Forest that hee may vse it for a Staffe in his hande to chastice the Nations Whiche when it hath perfourmed hee casteth it into the fire and rayseth vp another for the consuming of them These are the true reasons the Lordes mercy and Iustice which caused them for a time to florish as the Ceder in Libanus which after he cut downe and so grubbed by the Rootes that the place of many of them is no more to be knowne and not their wicked Idolatries which the Lorde alwayes abhorred euen so doo I say of all the Kinges that haue receiued Poperie and haue prospered for a season that not their Idolatrie and Heresie but that the goodnesse of God dooing well vnto his enemies that his Iustice to punish those that loue not the trueth was the cause of any prosperitie that euer they enioyed Againe I saye that if the Bookes bee well looked it wyll easily bée founde that their pretended Catholike Faith and Roman Religion hath beene pernicious to most noble states and in the verye nature of the doctrine and the practise of it is contrarye to the wealth liberty honour and authoritye of any state or kingdome The Romaine Empyre may sufficiently beare witnes of it For the Empyre hauinge pitty to see that Church créepinge as it did in the begynning vpon the ground suffered it to growe vp by it and to embrace it as the Yuie doth vpon the Oake as some haue well compared it whereof the Empyre being amighty trée indede felt not at first any annoyance but now hath declared that it hath sucked it in such sorte as it hath drawne out all the iuyce and vygure of it and broughte it nowe to a withered stocke scarce able to beare the barren braunches that are vpon it For by meanes of excōmunicating and cursing the Emporors by gyuing the Empyre to whome it pleased them by forcing warres betweene the house of Fraunce and the Empire and other the noble houses of Europe the Pope hath broughte to passe that nowe there is no Emperor at all at Roome but him selfe As for other kingdomes in Europe that haue prospered nowe séeme most to florish I say thereto it rose and ryseth from other causes for it is manifest by all storyes that the Popes haue bene the very firebrands to set them afyre sowing causes of warres betwene thē They haue bene the very insatiable leaches of theyr treasure which could neuer be satisfyed Tyrants that haue oppressed not onely the lawfull libertye of the people but also the royall power and aucthority of their Princes yea of Kinges and Emperors Wherefore neither Asia Greece Egypt Africk Hungarie nor anye other haue bene ouerthrowne for abandoning that superstition neither is it to be feared of any Country that in these dayes haue altered and reformed themselues herein but the admitting and receiuing of this superstition with other wicked Heresies or the chaunging it not for better but for the worse the contempt of the worde of God and of his holye doctrine of the Gospell which euery where impugneth this as it appeareth by S. Iohn hath indeede remoued the Candlesticke and the true light from amongst them and wyll doe likewise from euerye nation that shall not bringe forth the worthy fruits thereof And thus as many other Nations héertofore so it may well bee that both the Countries néere vnto vs for refusing to haue Christ to raigne ouer them yea and al the worlde for the lyke contempt may be plagued with horrible calamyties These may iustlye bringe wrath vppon any Nations not the reforming of Popish superstitions accordynge to the trueth and sinceritie of the Gospell And thus muche for his experiences of this imagyned prosperitie of Popishe States his fyrste proofe in this Question Nowe let vs examine his seconde reason This Argument is from the cause which may make any State to florishe whiche hee aleadgeth to bee vnitie and affirmeth the Churche of Rome to haue the meanes to kéepe it and the professors of the Gospell to want both it and the meanes therof Whereunto I answer as to the same Argument alleadged before that not euery agréement and consent is pleasing to God or profitable to men For there are agréements in Idolatrie in adulterie in robberie in conspiracie in murders and in all iniquitie which are all odious to God and hatefull to men and of this sort is the vnitie that is amongst them which is no better then a conspyracie against GOD and his Poeple to mayntaine Heresie and all iniquitie but let him shew vs a vnitie amongst them of Brethren not of Freres so falselye called but of Brethren that are the Sonnes of one heauenlye Father the heyres annexed with Christ yea and by him alone of that same fayth and church pertakers of the same Holy worde doctrine and Sacraments and then I will confesse that vnytie to bée both pleasant and profitable as it is in 133. Psalme And that the Lorde
make the Temporall Prince heade of all whiche is oftentymes a child and maie easely bee driuen as the windes shall blowe hym Wherein he doeth vs as greate wrōg as in the former For as he vniustly charged vs there with not obeiyng any Pastour not receiuyng the expositions of the Fathers nor determinations of Councels who teache obedience to all lawfull Pastors and bothe receiue and vse all other good meanes to the vnderstandyng of the holie Scriptures as farre as thei maie so helpe vs and especially of the lawful Councelles and learned Fathers though wee giue no Pastour the place of Christ nor any Councel or Father that which is due onely to the word of God So likewise he doeth in this place chargyng vs to giue to Caesar that whiche is due to GOD. True it is we acknowledge the lawfull Kinges Queenes of this land in respect of any earthly power to be next and immediatly vnder God and our Sauiour Christ ouer all persons and in al causes as well Ecclesiasticall as ciuill supreme heads and gouernours that by their authoritie all the will and cōmaundements of GOD maie bee executed and obeyed Wherein nothyng lesse is ment then to derogate from our Sauiour Christ any parte of the hye honour and prerogatiue that appertaineth to the Kyng of Heauen whiche is to subdue our spirituall enemies vnder our feete to animate and quicken the whole body with his most holy Spirite giuyng life and strength to euery parte and member of the bodie to doe that worke for which it is placed in it or to rule it otherwise then he hath appointed But the meanyng is to acknowledge in them that iust and lawfull authoritie whiche the Churche of Roome taketh from them and whiche GOD hath giuen vnto them and all the noble Kynges of Israell and Iuda did with good right and interest exercise and inioye Wee are farre frō perswadyng our Princes to take the holy Censures into their handes a presumption for whiche Vzza the Kyng was striken with Leaprosie by the hande of God But yet wee acknowledge as wee ought notwithstanding thei doe not exercise nor maie not exercise the office of the Ministerie in their owne persones yet are thei the Lieutenauntes of God to see hym worshipped and obeyed by all persones as thei ought to obeye hym and by punishment to force the Transgressours to the doyng of suche duttie as belongeth vnto their places and callyng And thus we read that Dauid and Sulomon Ezekia Iosius and other worthie Kynges did Who reformyng the state of Religion whiche had been polluted and defiled before with shamefull Idolatries appoincted the Priestes and Leuites euery one to doe his office accordyng to his function and charge Agreeably whereunto the Apostle teacheth that euery soule ought to bee subiect to the hyer powers Whereby it is manifest that he comprehendeth the Ministers of what name soeuer thei bee as well as others And our Sauiour Christ submittyng hymself vnto them what professour is it that should not obeye them but suche a Seruaunt as will be better then his Lorde and suche a Scholler as will bee aboue his Maister Herein therefore we giue nothyng vnto them but theirs whiche God the Lorde of all hath bestowed vpon them And therefore if a Childe as Iosias was be Kyng wee acknowledge and reuerence the authoritie in hym aswell as in Dauid or Salomon Wherein wee yeelding our obedience to God and to that authoritie which GOD hath sett ouer vs can giue hereby no cause of innouations as he blameth vs or daungerous hazardes to a Common-wealth nor hinder any good meanes of keepyng the Churche in a holie vnitie But monsterous in deede is the heade whiche thei make appoinctyng one man sometymes who often were vnfitte for any little charge to bee heade and gouernour of all the worlde and that in all causes bothe Temporall and Spirituall A thyng without all comparison more vnfitt and absurde then if a Sculler should bee taken from the Thames to be made Admirall of all the Ocean Sea Nay a thyng vtterly impossible for the infinite varietie of tongues and of causes and the great distaunce of places And what power doe thei attribute to this monstrous head of the worlde surely that which thei can not giue without beyng giltie of blasphemie and high Treason against our Sauiour Christe in makyng common his regalities and honors of giuyng Lawes to the Church ruling the conscience and sittyng in the middest of the Temple of God with the Vicar of Rome whiche maie not be attributed neither to any man of what giftes soeuer nor to any Angell or creature in the worlde Moreouer thei offende also against the state of worldlie Princes withdrawyng their alleagiaunce from thē as a nomber of them doe now from her Maiestie to giue it to this head and raising for it many Insurrections Rebellions and Treasons in the state and many quarrelles contentions and Scismes in the Churche Wherefore seyng that the true causes of all holie vnitie and agreement are with vs and not with them that is the obediēce to God and his holy word and a desire of free Christian and lawful cōferences Sinodes and Councelles and that the promises of blessyng are giuen to the precious faith we holde and not to their wicked false worshippe I conclude that these his general reasons are vtterly insufficient to proue that benefite by meanes of vnitie to bee in their Romishe faith for a Commonwealth whiche he pretendeth or to disproue it to be in the Gospell of our Sauiour Christe which through his grace we professe Now he proceedeth to particuler commodities of a Chistian state Particuler commondities alleadged to growe to a Common wealth by Poperie which he saith their Religion bryngeth vnto it and ours the contrary inconueniences makyng the comparison in our owne Countrey Which if I graunted all yet were not his generall position true that their Religion doeth make a Commonwealth to prosper and ours doth hinder it sufficiently proued For Idolatrie and Paganisme maie in some respect bryng a commoditie whiche true Religion will not yeelde Shall wee then esteeme Religion by that whiche in some one regarde is best for our ease profite and peace Ieroboam perswaded the tenne Tribes by suche a like reason to leaue the true Religion whiche GOD had deliuered vnto them by Moses and the Prophetes and to receiue the worshippe of the Idolles whiche he had errected because his Idolatrous Religion brought them this particuler commoditie that thei might tarie at home in their houses and auoyde greate charge cost and expenses in goyng from Dan or Bethel the vttermost partes of the lande of Israell to worshippe in Ierusalem whereas the other required of them at certaine tymes in the yeare to leaue all they had with greate perrill and daunger of beyng spoyled of all in their absence as he would haue had them to think and to take a greate and costly iourney to their so greate expenses and trauaile Yet
bee imbraced for Religions sake and not for policie and that therefore how soeuer it please GOD to deale with those whiche shall receiue it in this life thei are notwithstandyng to abide by that truthe whereby onely their soules maie bee saued to euerlastyng life and also that the doctrine and practise of true Religion bothe by the nature thereof and by reason of the promise of blessyng annexed to it aboue is the only religion which may prosper a K. or common wealth therefore no false worship what shewe so euer it may haue of some particuler cōmodity for a season can in trueth and in the end proue commodious to it I proceede further to answeare that he obiecteth of certayne particular commodities and discommodities of our holy faith and their Idolatrous superstition The first point he dealeth with is of restitution of goodes wrongfully gotten An answeare to the first point of the aduersaries profitable doctrine for a common weale which their Churche he saith teacheth so precisely as neither by absolution nor dispensation of any Prelate hee may bee pardoned without will of restitution but dying so is esteemed a reprobate and not prayed for in their Churche And this faith hee is their doctrine the commodities whereof hee adioyneth but first let vs examyne both our doctrines That their doctrine and practise is such as hee here affirmeth I deny for they haue sundry waies to hinder the actuall restitution of goodes wrongfully gotten Whereof that is chiefe and principall whiche hee heere denieth of the dispensations of the chiefe Prelate for if his Fatherhoode may dispense with the sinnes to be committed in time to come and giue a sealed pardon afore the offence as it is notoriously knowen to all the worlde he taketh vpon him to doe if neede be the buls thē selues may bee shewed other most sufficient and strong proofes of it are to be made then in case of any wrōg extortion theft vsury brybery Symony or such like after committed he hath his pardon afore hand and is dispensed with for it many yeares before hee haue done the deede Further he that may dispense with the greater may surely pardō the lesse but his Fatherhoode taketh vpon him to dispense with greater sinnes then these for proofe wherof all the world is wittnesse of his dispensation with marriage of the neece and that he gaue leaue to the brother to marry with his brothers wife can not hee then dispence wiih a petilarcin or a bribe What power they affirme hee hath herein appeareth by theyr shamelesse Flatterers that attribute vnto him power to dispense with al things and that what soeuer GOD maye geue pardon of that may hee As for his owne prophane holinesse it is as the Canons say a Sacriledge to dispute of his doynges whose offences sayeth the Canon are to be excused as the thefte of the Hebrewes the murders of Sampson and the incest of Lot If the Pope bee a Theefe or an Extortioner and yet to be excused as the Israelites then if he dispense with all he maye not bee accused And if his murder and incest bee not to bee iudged who shal iudge him for giuing pardon for extortion Their Canons teache that hee hath full power of God to dispense aboue right and lawe and make iustice of iniustice in chaunging and correcting of rightes He alone hath the right to take from one and giue to another all the worlde is his Dioces he is the ordinary of all hauing full and entyre power in thinges spirituall and temporall For he is L. of L. and K. of K. hauing the right of K. ouer his Subiectes Hee is all and aboue all and it is necessarye to Saluation to bee Subiect to the Pope of Rome seeyng that God the Pope haue but one consistory I am loth to turne vp this dunghill and such lyke the odyous noysome stinke whereof may infect the worlde but that as the Prophete saith their owne dung is to be caste in their faces What a shamefull and Diuelishe presumption is this to take vppon him these things and yet this man woulde make vs beleeue that no Prelate can dispense for goodes vniustly gottē True it is that they cannot indeede but that he taketh vppon him to be able to doe it is too too manifest For besides that hath beene alleadged out of the Canons if wee regard either his dealing in this age or in former times we shal find he hath not onely giuen pardon for the doing of it but expresly commanded committed such violent wrongful oppressiōs what part of Europe hath not the Pope oppressed with as grieuous exactions as euer Roboam did Israel His little finger hath been heauier to the people which admitted his tyrannie then the whole bodie of any other tyrant For they haue beaten their people with rods but he hath scourged them with whippes of wyre Oftentimes both this noble Island other greate states kingdoms of the West haue groned vnder these his burdēs as the Israelites did vnder the exactions of Pharao the Egyptians grieuously complained of thē besides many vniust paimēts which he hath imposed vpon the people he hath not spared to do wrōg to Princes thēselues that in their regal crownes dignities taking thē from whom he liked to spoyle bestowing them vpon whō it pleased him as sundry exāples of the K. of Englād of France yea of the Emperours doe aboundantly testifie yet he wil seeme an enemy to thefte and himselfe cōmit spoiles robberies like those which the pirate obiected to Alexander The warre for recouery of the holy land the Pope hath bin Author incourager of with giuing for that purpose pardons of sins to al that would fight in the quarrell of what an infinitie of warres vniust oppressions haue they beene causes both in other places in the West Indies wherby their own story since the inuasiō of such as he hath sent thither hath bin partly by warres partly by cunning and crafty dealing toyling the people with extreame labor to the death wasted cōsumed of that poore and harmles people 1500000. But these warres they will say were lawfull tēding to the inlarging of the faith of Christ which is cleane contrary For besides that if they receaue that faith he bringeth they shal be litle the better if it were indeed the true faith of Christ which they would plant there yet for that reason it were not lawfull to inuade a people with whom there is no cause of any other iust quarrell For God hath as wel determined the dominions of Princes as he hath the possessions of priuate mē without which parke wherin they are impaled by him they may not walk without iust cause of their necessarye defence Wherefore this was very bolde that hee durste affirme no Prelate to haue power to forgiue it Nay not onelye the Pope taketh this vppon him but euerye hedge Priest will vsurpe a
holy Priestes or Prophets before them did comaund The Nazarites in deede for the time of their vowe abstayned from wine and strong drinke by the expresse commaundement of God But yet their profession beeing to serue God more exactlye at such tymes were not commanded to abstain from flesh Neyther was this generally commanded at any time to al the Iewes but a rule for such particulars as should take this vow of the Narite vppon them these contrariwise when they will giue them selues the more to punishe their bodyes and to serue God abstain from fleshe and leaue free the vse of wyne and of all fishe wherof many are more deintie then anye fleshe for which cause the Grecians called their dayntiest and finest feeding men eaters of fishe and all other iunkettes of infinite varietie And as they left them free so they forgate not for the most part to vse their lybertie no not their obseruaunces whereas a temperate and sober dyet of Beefe and Mutton breade at home would neuer haue coste halfe so much as the forreine commodities of wines and delicates of al sorte nor pamper the bodye or make it so vnfitte for any good seruice Which abstinence how it punished their bodyes appeared well in them for their Abbotes and Monkes and other such like were commonlye not the worst fead nor in worst lyking By which kinde of punishing the bodye and abstayning from flesh many times they grew so proude as that they coulde not abstaine from other flesh which God in deed had forbidden them This was but a meere hypocrisie vnder coulour of a straite lyfe to vse a diet that the Epicure and Philoxenus culd not haue wshied a better nor daintier for their own mouth The excesse and daintinesse of which diet being taken out of that hee reckoneth the sauing of flesh woulde come to I suppose that whiche woulde remayne ouer and aboue that woulde proue but a small matter of benefit to a common Wealth As for their obseruing of this and other pollitike and Ecclesiasticall lawes for conscience sake is after in the eight article vpon more expresse and full occasion to be answered His vnreuerent speeches of the Nobles and Iudges of the Lande and of Ecclesiasticall personnes is not anye theirs but his owne iust reproche to touch all degrees and States of the Lande without anye cause For in the myddenyght of Poperye and the verye deepest blindenesse it was lawefull to haue a lycense vppon such dayes to eate fleshe whiche beeing had it was no offence What reason then why they that haue lycense and take heede of offence shoulde nowe bee thought for to transgresse for to God in it selfe and without contempte of the authoritie of the Magistrate it is no sinne as after is more fully to be declared Concerning fasting which is the 4. article it is to bed vnderstood that the Church of God alwayes kept it by abstaining from all manner of meate and drinke vnto the euening which was in deed a fast when as theirs is onely the forbearing of their Supper when they haue well dined or rather the eating at one glutton meale the sober diet of 2. ordinary meales By which account nothing is gayned to the common Wealth but sinne and the punyshment due vnto it But if it were not so yet for so little a gaine nay for no gaine the right order of true fasting were to bee altered into a superstitious faste of certeine dayes and tymes which of necessitie and vppon payne of euerlasting death shoulde be obserued And of this there is vtterlye no neede in the common Wealth GOD hauing so abundauntlye blessed the Lande with all store of all victuall necessary for the vse of our life This were an necessarye pollycie in tyme of famyne good counsell for a shipp that had spent her victualles or a besieged Citie to wey euery man his meat to share him at his pittaunce for one meale a daye But to lay this vpon a free people whom GOD hath blessed with a land of Ryuers of Mylke and Honny to eate but one meale a daye for almoste halfe the yeare is no necessarye pollicye for this lande and people Naye neyther necessarye nor fitte but in cause of distresse as I sayde before neyther for this nor for anye other For with what reason or conscience shoulde the labouring man that hath helde the plough by the end all the daye or traueiled faithfullye in anye other good calling for the seruice of the Common Wealth and to prouide for his owne necessities and those which depende vppon him comming weary and trauayled home at nyght so great a parte of the yeare bee sent fainte and feeble to his reste and not according to the blessing of GOD eate the fruit of his labour Whye shoulde hee not strengthen his hearte with a sober relyefe and gyue the due portion to his houshold to his wife the moste precious parte of his possession as the vine of his house his children stāding like Oliue planttes rounde aboute his Table and his seruauntes after they haue wayted on him and after he haue eaten and dronk that they also eate for the refreshing of their faynt weary bodyes so cōfort him self after his wearie trauail with his houshold This sauing is no husbandry at al where there is meate enough to withdrawe from the people that which in al lawe of God of nature and of nations is due vnto them and necessary for the intertainment of their bodyes in health and strength to be able for the seruice of such calling as they are called to in the Common Wealth This was neuer thought anye needefull pollycie in Israel as populous as it should seeme by the Stories and more then Englande and hauing infinite more cause without comparison of spendinge the prouision of the Lande by so manye Sacrifices and oblations as they were bounde to offer then we haue which are bounde to none of those things whereof if an estimate were made I think it wold fal out that such sacrifices offrings spēt more of their victual thē their 160. dais of abstinence saued al the yeare And besides this that there is no necessarye nor lawefull pollycie in it expereince hath taught vs that it hath beene cause of damnable superstition houldinge men in that captiuitie that they thought it a greater offence to eate flesh in any of those dayes or to eate any thinge at night then eyther to commit adultery or murder or to break any of Gods commaundements Wherefore the superstitious fast which this good husbande for a Common W. woulde perswade is vtterly needelesse in regarde of the great store of the Land thorowe the blessing of GOD and vnlawefull as beeing contrarye to al law and example of anye well pollycied state and gouernement that euer was in the worlde to take from him that laboureth without anye cause so ordinarylye his necessarye foode It is also vngodlye for the snare it casteth vppon mennes consciences and for the
Harmonie of our confessions is this That subiectes are bounde to be subiect vnto all lawfull Magistrates hye or lowe good or euill and that not onely for angre that is for feare of the punishement whiche the Magistrate maie punishe the Rebellious with but also for conscience sake Whiche woordes of the Apostle for conscience sake we thus vnderstande Magistrates are ministers of God appoincted and ordeined by hym for defence and praise of the good and for iuste punishement and execution of the wicked Therefore he that shall resiste the Magistrate shal bee giltie in conscience of makyng resistance againste God Further also God in his moste holy Lawe of the ten Commaundementes vnder the precept of honoryng our Parentes doeth commaūde vs as to do to other all suche duties whiche for any perticuler respect we owe vnto thē as the Apostle expoundeth it in the same place so chiefly to yeeld vnto Magistrates all dueties belōgyng vnto them emongest whiche subiection and obedience is the principall By whiche commaundment as by all the preceptes of the Morall Lawe of God our conscience standeth bound before hym to giue to Magistrates whiche are the Ministers of his Iustice in punishmentes or rewarders properly cōcernyng this life suche duetie as by the right of their place ministerie and seruice vnder hym doeth appertaine vnto theim Of whiche sorte are subiection obedience loue honor paimentes seruice praiers and suche like declared by the worde of God to belong to their hye and honourable callyng And all suche we affirme Subiectes ought not against their willes and for feare but hartely and chearfully to giue vnto them for conscience sake as knowyng theim to bee appoincted of GOD and for conscience of Gods Commaundement whiche bindeth vs vnto it For God because he is our creatour and reedemer bothe of our soules and bodies hath iuste aucthoritie to giue lawes whiche should binde them bothe and as he hath right to commaund our soules and bodies so is he able to punishe bothe for the breache and transgression of his lawe Therefore worthely Saincte Iames saieth that there is one Lawgiuer who cā saue and destroye that is euerlastyngly and that but one onely For this conscience of the Commaundement of God all the Prophetes and Apostles yea our Sauior hym self was subiecte vnto Magistrates and so taught al men to giue to Cesar that which is his By whose doctrine and example we must willyngly euen for conscience of the ordinaunce and commaundement of God of what callyng soeuer we be that professe the Gospell submit our selues in all humilitie and reuerence vnto them and their lawes whatsoeuer not repugnaunte to the Commaundementes of almightie GOD. We seke not by any maner of pretēce to exēpt our selues from their Courtes and aucthoritie nor from bearing the burden and charges whiche thei lawfully laye vpō all their Subiectes for the necessarie seruice of the Commonwealthe We hold Princes notwithstandyng any censure of the Churche to remaine our lawfull Princes still in the possession and right of their Croune state and dignities as before and the subiectes bounde in conscience of the ordenance and commaundement of God to obeie them as their lawfull Princes yea though thei bee Heathen men and to performe al the good dueties of Subiectes vnto them bothe in their goodes and bodies And this by the grace of GOD is bothe our doctrine and practise well and soundly grounded vpon the holie worde of God contrary to which no churche professing the Gospell no good writer neither Caluine whom he noteth nor any other haue taught or mainteined any doctrine Now let vs compare the doctrine and practise of the pretended Catholikes with ours Their Cleargie howsoeuer as this man goeth about thei would binde heauie burdens like the Pharisies vpon other mennes shoulders yet would thei not touche theim with one of their fingers Thei would in deede haue other men beleue thei ought to haue a conscience not onely of the Lawe of God but of humaine Lawes whiche muste holde onely till the Pope doe discharge theim for then thei teache thei maie depose euen the highest from their places and that by force of Armes But their Cleargie that binde other men thus exempte theim selues from the Courtes of ciuill Magistrates from paiementes and other seruices due vnto them and giue all suche dueties to a forrain Ecclesiastical Court and to the Popes chamber Thei content not theim selues with suche Priuiledges as their lawfull Prince and Countrie shall see cause to bestowe vpon theim but challenge of right and dutie freedome from all Ciuill burdens by vertue of their Cleargie Thei compound with the Popes Chamber for suche thynges as thei paie and in all respectes carrie theim selues as subiectes to the Pope and to none other And thus thei vse the Ciuill Magistrate euen whē thei deale best with them and whiles thei are ministers of their superstition and crueltie But if thei once displease theim a little and that the Pope begin to Thunder and Excommunicate then thei depose kynges and Emperours from their Regall seates and Imperiall thrones thei holde theim no more for lawfull Princes thei absolue and sette free all their Subiectes from their othe and obedience due vnto them thei Excomunicate and curse all suche as shall obeye any their lawes or by any acte yeelde the duetie of a subiect vnto them Finally thei cōmaunde the subiectes to take Armes against suche their Princes and by force and violence to take their Crounes from their heddes and sette them vpon some other And thus as other heretofore haue dealte with the twoo Henries and Frederickes Emperours with Philip le Bell and other the Frenche kynges and with sondrie kinges of this noble lande So also he that of late did sitt and he that now sitteth in the chaire of Pestilence haue dealte with our Soueraigne Ladie and Queene Elizabeth This then being their doctrine and practise and ours so contrarie to it whereby according to the right due vnto Princes from God wee honour and obeye them and thei to the hye offence of God and men dishonor and depose euen at their pleasure How can any man touche vs in any respecte as wantyng duetie in this behalfe or excuse these Catholique Traitors and Heritickes from beeyng giltie of hye Treason against the Croune and dignitie of all lawful Princes as thei are also against the honour of God and his sonne Christ Iesus But this Author chargeth vs that Caluin saieth No law of man can binde the conscience Whereof saith he it must needes followe that the obedience wee yeeld is onely for pollicie and feare For aunswere whereunto I denie the consequent and affirme the first not to proue or inferre the second For the first if bothe Caluin and we saie that there is but one Lawgiuer Saint Iames hath taught it before vs and giueth an euident reason of it whiche is that there is but one who euerlastyngly is able to saue and to destroye For his law onely can binde the soule
sinne For if sinne which the prophet said could not be satisfied for tho a man shold giue riuers of Oyle and thousands of shéepe Oxen yea tho he shoulde giue his first begotten sonne or his own life for the redemption of it may so easely be redéemed by giuing some part of the wicked mammon to building of Abbeis or maintaining of Masses seminaries and such like which in deed greatly encreseth their sinn by strengthning such abominatiōs Men must néeds bee hereby made more carelesse of their wickednesse and more encouraged to offend Whervnto also their sanctuaries priuiledged places do greatly encourage For if any malefactor may haue any such defence against all iustice and protection for his ill doing how is it possible that all wickednes shoulde not be prouoked by it Whereby it being plaine that impunitie is the cause of incouragement to offenders and that the practise of the R. religion is thus discouered to be such as it setteth the transgressor free from all feare of the wrath of God and the iudgement to come by their dispensations indulgences absolutions and satisfactory workes and from all ecclesiastical punishment for a litle mony by making markets of their said Buls and pardons and from the iustice of the ciuill magistrats by sanctuaries and in al their clergy by exemptiōs imunitees priuiledges and appeals to the seate of R It must needes be hereby most manifest that the practise of their religion is as a breach that is made by the sea wherby al maner of impietie and wickednes of life doth so violently flow into the common wealth wher it is receiued that it is not possible to make resistaunce against it Whervpon I conclude that seeing by his owne confession this Romish fayth in the doctrine and discipline of it both thorow the iustice of God who cannot but from heauen reueale his wrath vppon so great vngodlinesse and in the very nature and practise of their religion must néeds be the most certaine ruine and ouerthrowe of all K. and states where it is established I might alledge here other particular causes of the breaches of some certain commaundement as their disordered orders of Monkes Fryars their vnlawfull vowes and constrained single life to be causes of hypocrisies adultries fornications and a 1000. abhominations of vncleannes But I leaue these and such like to the consideration of the discreete reader and proceede forwarde to other points Wherein I affirme the practise of their religion not to stand with any good pollicie Next to the honor of God a vertuous conuersation wherof haue beene spoken alreadye nothing can or ought to be more regarded in a state thē the souerainty of the state and freedome of the people Which by the doctrin of the Gospell is maintained and established For so we teach according to the doctrine of the apostles that euery soul and person be subiect to the ciuil magistrates both to the K. as most excellent and souerain and to those which are sent from him Wherby both the souerainty of the state is maintained in directing commanding with in the Dominion which God hath giuen them without controulment of any forraine power the lawful liberty of the people For the people obeying the authority which God hath made them subiect vnto they neede not to be suters for any causes in the court of any straunge P. they are not to be taxed by them but in euery their respect are free from the bondage of anye forraine commaundement whatsoeuer But the Romish religion nether leaueth P. soueraine in their estates nor the people frée in their liberty For by the doctrin and practise of their religion K. and princes are but vassals and as feodataryes to the pope in their K. and dominions they are to receiue thē of him and leaue them at his pleasure Hee hath authority to dispense of all their Crownes and Kingdomes to set vppe and put downe as it seemeth best to him And as this is set downe for good lawe in their Canons so haue they not failed to practise it as hath appeared Further also they take from them the dealing with al ecclesiastical causes drawing them all to the Sea court of R. euen to the bestowing of ecclesiastical liuings at his pleasure by means wherof both the emperors of the R. empire other P. the K. of this lād haue bin fain to plead such causes as they haue had with their subiects without their own land further also they took vpō thē to impose paimēts vpon their subiects besids a thousand oppressions of their soules which they miserablie tyrannised with lawes of abstinence for conscience sake from meates and from marriage commaundemente of cōfessing their sins in shrift the rest of the ordināces of their will worship wherby the pore people were oppressed with great bondage and the P. were so manye and diuers waies impeached in their crown and dignity Further in a well pollicied estate it is required that it bee maintained in peace and yet so that in case of warre they may bee strong bothe in men and treasure to defend and repulse the violence of their enemies This the Gospel teacheth being the gospel of peace wherby men are not only reconciled vnto God but also one to another according to the worthy testimonies which both the Prophets and Apostles beare vnto it in this behalfe And as the Doctrine is peace both with God and amongst men so the practise of it can not in any sort disturbe or hazard the peace of the state where it is receiued but with al security establish it Likewise hath it nothing in all the doctrin practise of it contrary to the strength of a cōmon weale For it teacheth marriage to be honourable amongest all men and the honour of a P. to be in the multitude of his subiects and exempteth none by any pretended authority of forrain power from the seruice of their country Concerning riches tresure it doth not impouerish requiring only a competent prouisiō for the pastors and doctors of the church Which as it is necessary for their seruice and most due by the expresse commaundement of God so riseth it to no great charges of a common weal. But the R. religion practise of it is against al these For if the stories euen of their own wickedest writers may bee credited as they oughte most of al to be against thēselues that B. of R. haue bin the cause of al the wars that haue bin in Europe these 100 yeres And indéed what estate cā be in security or quietnes wherein a forraine P. shall haue intelligence of all the secretes of the lande But wheresoeuer the R. religion is euerye Prieste is an intelligencer and a spye for the pope who both by other means especially by their auriculer confession come to vnderstand the deepest secrets of euery state and K. of euery City and town village house familye person within the land Which kind of