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cause_n	efficient_a	faith_n	justification_n	3,392	5	9.4028	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19367	A supplication exhibited to the most mightie Prince Philip king of Spain &c. VVherin is contained the summe of our Christian religion, for theprofession 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 Corronus of Siuill, professor of Diuinitie.	Corro, Antonio del, 1527-1591.; Corro, Antonio del, 1527-1591. Epistle or godlie admonition, to the pastoures of the Flemish Church in Antwerp. aut	1577 (1577)	STC 5791; ESTC S116690	149,833	422

foure certaine pointes and that more to reueale the slender edification that their readers may hope for of such lessons than to encumber our selues with the confutation of such vanities Touching that which you say of our inheritance of the originall sin and frée will lost the worlde it selfe doth declare well inough at this daye that euery one hath gotten a good lumpe of the inheritance of the corruption of Adam and the originall sinne as they call it and your writings shewe that you haue had youre parte thereof And I beléeue as you say that men nowe a dayes haue not any Frée will séeing it maye be further beléeued that there be a great many that haue slender sense and well worse vnderstanding as being altogither ruled and caried ouer by their affections Touching the matter of the incarnation of the sonne of God and redemption of man I coulde well haue pardoned you the obmission of the subtill questions you vse therein searching curiously the house wherein Christe dwelleth Item what make we of ascension or the signification of this worde heauen or the righte hande of God so that you woulde teache vs the true meane to receyue Iesus Christ into our selues séeing it pleaseth him in respecte of his goodnesse to make his dwelling in the hearts of the faythful and regenerate Otherways of what vse is Iesus Christe to vs being so far from the hart of man as you make him B. 4. Touching youre place of iustifying fayth I vnderstande not your language where you say that only fayth by meane whereof we take as of a hande the benefite of Iesus Christe to obtaine iustification regeneratiō and health the whiche indéede is true but immediatly after you say that by the Sacramentes are imputed and applied to vs the iustice and merite of Iesus Christe B. 4. Item in the same doctrine of Iustification you say it is a moste harde question to know what is that true Iustice which makes vs iust and agréeable to god with atteinment of eternall life but I had rather that without so many argumentes confutations and subtilties you hadde shewed to the poore and ignorant people what is the christian iustice and by what meane shée is giuen to vs B. 5. In the tractate of good workes you saye that the workes which men oughte to call good are those whyche God demaundes in hys worde and that those which be regenerate and guided by the spirite of God are they whiche shewe the fruites of a good Trée I beléeue it well and conclude vpon your saying that who hath not zeale loue charitie who suffereth not all things with pacience taketh euery thing in the best part couereth the faults of his neighbor and laboureth not to put peace in place of dissention can not haue regeneration And touching the rest of your questions whether good workes concurre in iustification as a cause formall or efficient the simple people haue not to doe contenting themselues wyth this beliefe that regeneration and faith without good works is a méere hipocrisie thing dead and that it is necessary that our new obedience serue as witnesse of our reconciliation and iustification Nowe deare brethren as I am voide of intent herein eyther to examine or exaggerate the newnesse of youre confession and much lesse to confute it by argumentes so I will leaue to the consideration of the Reader youre excuse in cutting off the commandement of the liuing God vnder pretext of certaine gloses and distinctions vnworthy to be vttered for here we doe not dispute whether the commaundement not to make anye images of veneration be a commandement particular or an appendix of an other whether it be ceremoniall or morall but wée will here mayntaine that it is an audacitie moste cursed to cut off from the law of oure God any one worde séeing specially that that summe and content of cōmandement is so shorte and compēdious that it conteineth but ten commandemētes the which if god woulde haue abridged he knew better how to do it than wée and therfore such as vndertake to correct his stile and accuse him of prolixitie giue sufficient proofe of their abhominable temeritie But let vs nowe come to the principall poynte of your debate and auncient question the which vpon a brauery you séeme to renue vppon euery purpose and place without hauing respect to the gret slaunder of those that bée weake Firste you vtter the summe of your confession of the Supper in these wordes Credimus igitur Christo affirmante quòd corpus sanguis eius verè ac realiter in sacra Coena adsit deturque externo modo accipiendum cùm Pane vino non fide tantùm aut spiritualiter idque tam ab indignis quàm à dignis sumantur contraria docentes cum Augustana confessione consentiendo damnamus That is to saye Wée beléeue in Chryste who assureth vs that his body and bloud be truly and really in the sacred Supper and that it is gyuen vs in taking it outwardly wyth the bread and wine not only with faith and spirituallye the whyche body is eaten aswell of the vnworthy as of those that be worthy And those that shall teache the contrary wée sticking to the confession of Auspurge do condemne them Sée here my brethren youre goodlye entrie of the article of your supper whiche we may not improperly liken to that of the newe inquisitors who condemne anathematize excommunicate and call Heretikes and cut off from the communion of the Churche all those whiche receiue not their cōfession which me think you doe also as of purpose to maintayne yours of Auspurge as though it were a fifth Gospel or new article of the Créed What shall we say brethrē to these matters haue you no shame that men of good iudgement and vnderstandyng shoulde reade suche arrogant and rashe wordes Who are they that haue se● the authour of the confession of Auspurge or that of yours in such aucthoritie or degrée of the Churche that they may pronounce sentence of damnation agaynste suche as will not admitte theyr interpretation vppon a place or Texte of the Scripture What is hée of anye iudgement at all who will not feare to forsake the tyrannie of the Papistes to euer into an nther almoste of like condition Wée call the Pope Antichriste tyrant and butcher of mens consciences bycause that wythout libertie to heare men speake he cōdemneth and excommunicateth them and yet your doings are nothing inferior to his crueltie in pronouncing condemnation not onely agaynste your enimies but also againste suche as you receiue for youre brethren and companions in the worke of the Lorde and w●o no lesse for the duety of Christians than to take away the slaunder from the Churche of Christe doe searche by all theyr possible meanes to lyue in loue and friendshippe with you I coulde willingly say to the authour of youre confession as the Apostle sayth my brother my friend what art thou that condemns the seruants of another

speake o● Christe Whether thys propositio● bée true Christe was from the béeginnyng whether it bée more aptely● sayde that hée is compounded o● bothe natures or consysteth or is commixte or knitte togyther and combined or as it were gellied or moul●ed or coupled and conioyned Howe muche better were it to omit these moti●ns and vaine questions and to content ●ur selues with that which the Apostles ●aue taught vs whiche affirme vnto vs 〈◊〉 plaine termes that Christe accordyng ●o the fleshe was made or begotten of the ●éed of Dauid and is the true son of God ●lmighty according to the spirite and so ●y thys meanes contenting our selues with this simplicitie of speach should en●euour our selues to expresse Christ him ●elfe that is to say practise moste perfect ●olynesse and innocency in our liues and ●onuersation Besides this in how darke ●nd doubtfull termes do these blind Sco●istes dispute and reason of the foure in●tants of nature as also where they goe ●boute to proue that this worde person ●oth not signifie relatione Origenis neyther ●he common relation c. Many more examples of like impious and wicked dis●utations procéeding from the idle curio●itie of this Scotist might here be alledged but bycause the matter it selfe is blasphemous and too vnreuerent in r●spect of the person of Christe but also 〈◊〉 vttered with suche termes as the common people can in no wise vnderstande for our mother tongue will not ministe● words to vtter so fond and nice conce●● withall I haue thought good to retourn● to matters more euident leauing the● and other such like toys as the religio● is full fraught For to what purpose is 〈◊〉 vainely to spende the tyme aboute disputing of Gods greatenesse and howe infinite he is of soch motions and mere imaginations as these be or of the relation and foundacions of the Trinitie and th● vnspeakeable beginning of the worde whether it tooke being at an instant o● by processe of tyme by waye of procéeding or generation These and such other like what vse I beséeche you can the● haue either to the building or beautifying of the Church of God notwithstanding sée the mischiefe how this their philosophie preuaileth and those ioyly diuines thinke vs altogither vnlearned bicause we hold our selues contented onl● with the pure and perfect word reiecting ●homas Aquinas with his curious questi●ns Scotus with his subtil and sophistical ●rgumentes Durandus with his follies ●nd diuers others of that sorte with their ●oste impudent vanities Of the lawe of God and the force therof AFterwards when god perceiued that mankinde was become almost sense●esse in so much that he neither was tou●hed with his own misery and calamity ●or of himselfe vnderstoode what should become of him except their mindes were cherished and comforted with the hope of his promisses besides to the ende that hée might chose vnto himselfe a people as it were specially and peculiarly apart from the rest After he had deliuered the Israelits out of the captiuitie and bondage of Pharao he made a lawe which he established and published in mount Sinay The force wherof was to awake such as slept securely in synne to accuse and reproue them to proue whole mankinde guiltye before the throne and Maiestye of God that thereby they mighte learne to séeke righteousnesse and innocencye whereof they were altogither destitute at the onely mercies of God when euery one should acknowlege in his own cōscience know by his own experiēce the naturall corruption deprauation of his minde by the iudgement and manifestation of the lawe Secondarily to the end that the faithfull and chosen of God shold be taught by the law as by a most excellent and learned schoolemaister what exercises and dueties God requireth at the handes of hys children bycause no man shoulde deuise of his owne fantasie and imagination any newe seruice of God other than was by the law of God prescribed and appointed The summe and effecte of whiche doctrine albeit the holy Apostle hath plainly and sufficientlye declared in hys Epistles yet haue these vnlerned doctours broughte in méere Iudaisme and Paganisme into Christian religion For they teache vs that the lawe was giuen vs onely to this intent that we shoulde ●alke in good workes by the which men night not only be acceptable in the sight ●f God but iustified also before him And herevpon they take occasion to ●aunder vs as though we should affirme ●ood workes to be néedelesse and shoulde withdrawe men from the studye and ex●rcise of vertue and lette them loose to all ●icenciousnesse Whereas we studye all we can and vse all our endeuour to shew ●he people that suche as bée regenerate oughte duely to beée conuersaunte in good workes and in godly exercises bothe to tame the lustes and concupiscences of their myndes and to engender a mutuall loue and charitie among men as also confirme and establish euery particular mans conscience in the perswasion of his election and to retaine Gods spirite the better in their mindes by whose good motion and direction their willes mighte the rather bée alwayes pliable and conformable to doe all good and godlye exercises of true godlynesse and vertue And yet wée flattely denye that these works be the cause of our iustification but rather the effectes the fignes and tokens of true faith settled in our heartes euen as by good fruites it appeareth tha● the trées bée good where they doe procéede Of the Ceremonies and Sacrifices of the olde Testament MOreouer whereas the corrupte and peruerse nature of man was suche that of hymselfe hée coulde not putte hys whole affiaunce and truste in God thinking it a matter of very great difficultie almoste of impossibilitie to bée delyuered from the bondage and slauerye of Sathan the tiranny of sinne and the yoke of the lawe whiche required a paye aboue his power to wit puritie sinceritie and holinesse bothe of mynde and bodye the Lorde did institute Ceremonies and sacrifices and burnt offerings by the whiche men shoulde be admonished and putte in mind that he standeth in néed of some mediatour and redemer by whose means he might bée loosed out of all the bondes and snares wherein he was entangled ●taine true and perfect libertie And to ●e intent that he might be led as it were ●y the hand to the knowlege of his Mes●as and Sauiour he set before his eyes ●sible ceremonies wherein as in a Ta●le wée mighte beholde the person the ●ffice and the moste singuler and super●●cellent effects of the said Sauiour and ●edemer Christ Iesus to wit the sacri●ice and order of sacrifying the Sanctu●ry the propiciation the vaile the table ●he shewe breade with other suche lyke Of the Popishe Ceremonies ANd now I beséech you compare the Popishe Ceremonies and these togi●her and no doubte ye shall well perceiue ●t to be true that Augustine complayned of in his time that they are growen to so great a multitude and swarme that they are not onely equall in

that we be the mēbers 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 thē that they shoulde giue eare vnto Christe dwelling within thē 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 thā 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 thā to ieste thereat who falsely slaundering vs with the reiecting of good works haue taughte a doctrine of theyr owne deuise cōcerning the same most pernicious and hurtefull vnto man. Therfore this they lay for the ground worke of this their doctrine that a man ●ustified maye safely and lawfullye per●ourme that which is riquired in the law ●f God after their owne fantasie and ●ccording to the power and strengthe of ●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 c●ndigniti● 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 thē in worthinesse excellency Cōcerning the first sort they teach v● that a man of his ownefrée motion wil● may without the grace of God prepar● and able himselfe to receiue the grace o● God so that a man onely doe hys endeuour and good wil. Again this preparation contayneth thrée partes The first● that a man shoulde ceasse to committ● sinne Secondly to abate his lust and w●● to sinne Thirdely to endeuour hymself● to imbrace righteousnesse likewise the● 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 remissiō 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 ●ese be the workes saye they whyche ●hriste taught hys disciples in the .5 of ●athew in this wise Blessed be the poore 〈◊〉 spirite for theirs is the Kingdome of ●eauen Blessed are they that mourne or they shall receiue comforte Blessed ●re the méeke in harte for they shall in●erite the earthe Blessed are they that ●unger and thirst for righteousnesse sake ●or they shall be satisfied Blessed are the ●leane in hearte for they shall sée God Blessed are the peacemakers for they ●hall be called the children of God Bles●ed are they that suffer persecution for ●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 vncōstrued they gather the order and lyfe of Monkerie the vowes of chastitie ob●dience pouertie full of all superstition 〈◊〉 this kind of life say they is perfecte an● most acceptable vnto God insomuche 〈◊〉 they cōtemne al other things in respect and call al other Christians worldlings and secular and lay people The residue of their good workes ar● to fast in the holy time of Lente to abstein frō the eating of flesh at certain tymes in the weke which they cal the ho●● wéeke to whip and scourge themselues to buylde Chappels found Chauntries giue lampes candle-lights to set before saints in

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 mē 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 vnderstāding 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 cōmendatiō And therfore your maiestie hath earnestly to consider howe almightie God w●ll deale with those persōs which do so cruelly tormēt and murder mē 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 ●oo vertues as they glose are signified 〈◊〉 those two disciples which Christ sent ●efore hym into euerye Citie and place ●hether he himselfe shuld come Luk. 10. ●or that say they which then was done ●rporally is now perfourmed spiritual● Also on the behalfe of the sinner there ●●e twoo thinges required loue and sor●we the which say they are lyke the ●ones of the Mille wherewith sinne i●●ound as was figured in Deutero 24. ●ikewise there be two things that come ●●om the Church The merits of Christe ●nd of the Saintes holy men and holye ●omen who forasmuche as they hadde ●ore store of good works than they stoode 〈◊〉 néed of themselues left the surplusage 〈◊〉 the custodye of the Churche that they ●ight be destributed among such as wā●ed Secōdarily the church by the hands ●f the Pope and of Byshops graunteth ●ardons and indulgences vnto sinners ●uaileable so farre as the wordes of the ●ame doe purporte And yet among these ●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 cōsideratiō of our loue towardes him Here I omit an infinite number of curious questiōs which rather make the doctrine of our iustificatiō obscure than bring any light to the vnderstāding 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

people of God the flocke of Christ and ●is beloued spouse the Churche whyche ●●ey ought with their power and might ●oth to defende and aduaunce And here ●t is worthy the noting to shew the diffe●ence whyche Christe putteth betwixte Christian and Ethnicke Princes in these ●ordes The Kings of forrayn nations saith he doe beare rule ouer them in so muche that they bée both gracious wyth ●he people for their greate authoritie and ●y an honourable title are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye beneficiall Howbeit I woulde haue you bend another waye ●hat the more one of you shall excell another hée béehaue hymselfe so muche the more lowely and perswade himself that ●he rather occupyeth the place of a minister vnto other than a ruler of others and this lesson did Christ teache his apostles howe muche more reasonable is it than to apply this to al Princes and magistrates For they are not sette beside their chaire by this commandement but are called to the consideration of the●● owne weale and to moderation and boūtifulnesse that calling often to their remembraunce and duely considering tha● they haue obtained this preeminence aboue others by the onely grace and f●● of God and that they ouer whome the● beare rule are not brute beastes but 〈◊〉 created of God of the selfe same nature that they themselues be of and that the● shal be herafter partakers al of one kingdome and are the brethren of Christe whiche did aswell shead his moste precious bloud for the moste base and simple soule as for the moste mightie King an● Prince of the worlde Finallye that they are the members of one Churche as i● they were the partes of a naturall bodye whereof none ought proudlye to aduance it selfe aboue the reste but with all modestie of minde temperaunce mildenesse and gentlenesse guide and gouerne their common wealth to the common weale of their subiects yet in such wise that they do or enterprise nothing contrary to the cōmaundement of god who is king Lord Param●unt aboue al other kings prin●● of the earth It is reported by the hi●riagraphers that when Octauius Au●stus hearde a flatterer on a tyme call 〈◊〉 lord he refused the title desiring rather be accompted a fellow citizen and ma●strate among his subiectes than to bée ●ffed vp with pride of so hautie a name ●owbeit we without flattery desire to gyue ●to our princes the most honorable and ●rincely stile that wée can deuise foras●uche as wée knowe that their power ●d aucthoritie is established by Gods ●orde so that they in like sort would take ●tie and compassiō vpon their poore sub●●ctes making their humble supplicati●●s and in moste lamentable wise com●●ayning themselues vnto them and not ●●ffer them before the cause bée hearde ●r that they haue pleaded in their owne ●efence to bée so wrongfully and shame●ull putte to execution And if this reason ●ught to moue al Christian princes to en●line to mercy howe much more oughte your Maiestie be persuaded to extēd mercye fauor towardes your poore afflicted subiectes For with howe many notabl● and princelye giftes and ornaments ha●● God blessed and endewed your Maiestie● to the ende that being so furnished y●● should employ them to the defence of hy● Churche either in part or in whole wit● suche feruente zeale as appertaineth 〈◊〉 that behalfe I omitte here the occasion I ha●● offred to speake of the excellencie and antiquitie of your maiesties house and familie I will not enter into the discour●● of the moste notable and famous victorie● and triumphes of your moste noble progenitors namely and especiallye of th● moste redoubted Emperour father vnt● your maiestie whose famous memori● wyll bée conueied to al the posteritie continued for euer one only vertue will I speake of which I thinke praise worthy among the residue of your moste noble qualities ornamēts namely your maiesties moste honourable inclination to gentlenes curtesie and bountifulnesse which the hipocrits pharisies vnder the cloke shadow of religiō go about to extinguishe i● your grace rob your maiestie of the due ●erued renowne cōmendation for the ●ne and by taking the sword out of your ●iesties hand abuse the same to the great ●rogation of your maiesties honour to 〈◊〉 sheding of muche bloud in your domi●ons both far and néere boasting that ●ey doe it by lawfull commission and 〈◊〉 your Maiesties aucthoritie and war●t If they that be your maiesties mor●ll enimies durste enterprise thus much ●n would in no wise suffer it can your ●aiestie abide that these so shamefull ●ings should be not only attempted but ●t in executiō by and against your own ●aturall subiectes vnder your maiesties ●ountenaunce and vnder coloure of your ●ucthoritie And nowe that your maiesty ●ath intelligēce herof it behoueth you to ●e vigilant be redie willing to with●tande these iniuries in this wise offered ●o your subiectes to the performaunce wherof your Maiestie hathe no néede of ●nye prouision in warlike sorte nor no ●rmed men nor greate barbed horses to ●erue in fielde to the endomaging of your realme and spoile of your towns and p●ple neither yet to entertaine any stran● and forraine souldiors For your real● is full of many faithfull and moste obe●ent subiectes Neyther is it any forrai● Countrey appertaining to your swor● enimies that you shall inuade hereby 〈◊〉 aboute the banishement of Turkes a● Infidells oute of youre Realme and t● confines therof but to remoue and aba●don out of all Christian congregation all idolatrie and doting superstition a● the vaine fantasies and deuises of ma● idle braine And therfore our quarrell ●ing not agaynste bodylye ennimies b● ghostly and spirituall wée shall haue 〈◊〉 vse either of brasen péeces or pikes 〈◊〉 stéele armoure one onely sworde w●● suffise vs to witte the sworde of t● Spirite euen the worde by the whyc● wée maye easilye brydle Sathan a● breake his iawes quench his fiery dart● deface all Idolatrye and superstitio● and plucke it vppe by the rootes T● whych sword both beautifull and to t● eye and seruiceable to be vsed if it plea● your maiestie to take about you I hope 〈◊〉 it wil shortly come to passe that you ●●l bring all your subiects of youre lowe ●ūtreys without the losse of any one mā 〈◊〉 sheading one drop of bloud to be most ●edient to the law word of God as they ●me bin heretofore most loyall with all ●●etifull submission vnto youre Maie●es edicts and ordinances whose dayly ●ayers vnto God are only that it would ●ease youre Maiestie to entermedle in ●ese matters that are in controuersy and 〈◊〉 determinine them with equitie as it ●all séeme beste to your wisedome vsing ●fficient iudges on either parte that by ●iendely and indifferent comparison of ●●th the doctrines of the Papists and of ●e Protestants the euill part may yelde 〈◊〉 the good and your Maiestie sitte an in●ifferent arbitratour betwixt them But perhappes our aduersaries will ●ake

answere that there is henceforth 〈◊〉 cause of triall by disputation for asmuch as our religion hath ben long ago ●●ndemned by many generall Councels and by all vniuersities namely and principally at the councell of Constance at which tyme by the sentence and awa● of that Councell Iohn Husse and Hiero● of Prage were burned for maynteyn● that error which Luther of late ren● likewise at the counsell of Trent was ●●thers heresy condemned so that there ●●maineth nothing but present deathe 〈◊〉 them that shal shewe themselues diso●dient to the decrées and determinatio● of councels forasmuche as they are ●●come rebells and haue fallen from t● faith of their holye mother Churche the whiche it is not vnknowen how th● all this their tiranny they shew to war● vs hathe taken hys originall and beg●ning whiche if a man woulde enter m● narrowly into the consideration of a● diligently weighe the words thereof t● shoulde easily perceiue there is no suc● matter of importance why princes shu● not be forwarde and willing to defen● their subiectes from those lyons mouth which beare themselues so bolde boa● of the name of the Churche touchin● the preiudice of the Vniuersities whic● accompte oure doctrine hereticall and so condemne it They do al know rig●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 ●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 ●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 Constāce all the world knoweth of what dispositiō 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 condēned 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 assēbly 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 variāce and dissention among thē 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 assēbled 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 banishemēt murder and lastly fire and fagots But to whom I beséeche you do they send these their fiery dartes Forsooth euen vnto suche a● with hartie sorrowe and griefe doe complaine againste them and accuse them o● 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 such● councells