beareth vs wytnesse that we haue often walked according to the fleshe but also at the very same tyme when we seme to our selues to be conuerted we can not certaynely say that no relikes of syn do remayne in vs. But this certaynly we reade Rom. 8. They which walke in the fleshe can not please God These men wyll demaund this question agayne of me what then The fourthe obiection of heretykes for theyr speciall fayth do you councell vs to despeare God forbydd But as I deny constantly that any man is bound to beleue certaynely that his synnes be forgyuen so do I affyrme with no les stedfastnes that euery faythefull man doing his indeuoure as muche as in hym lyeth ought of dutie in this lyfe with a strong sure hope to looke for the forgyuenes of synnes and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlasting But this hope of oures ought not to be fastned vpon oure selues but vpon God whome when we do beholde we be moste certayne that he is faytfull bothe in his promises and also in his threatninges But when we loke vpon oure selues it can not be but we must nedes tremble and quake consydering oure weaknes and fraylnes thoughe we were gyltie of none other thyng For seing we knowe the Lucifer the noblest Aungell in heauen did fall that Salomon the wysest man that euer was dyd commit folly that the children of Israell God his most deare chosen people were forsakē and seing we vnderstand this also that God oweth vs no more seruice continually to defend vs to ayde vs with his grace to saue cōduict vs in the way of euerlasting lyfe then he dyd ether them afore rehersed ether Iudas called to be an Apostle ether Saul elected Kyng ether Nicolas appointed to be Deacon we can not be voyde of all feare specially seyng God dothe warne vs by hys chosen vessel Beare not thy selffe to bolde but feare Rom. 11. for seyng that God spared not the naturall braunches happly nether wyll he spare the. Philip. 2. Seing by the same vessell he exhorteth vs that with tremblyng shakyng we worke oure owne saluatiō seing also he pronounceth by an other that man to be blessed which allway stādeth in awe Pro. 28. Yet for all that this tremblyng muste not put vs cleane oute of comforte but make vs more obedient to Christ styr vp oure hope toward hym that euery one of vs may say with blessed Iob Iob. 13. Althoughe he sholde kyll me yet will I hope in hym But if this seme to any man a straunge opinion because I councell men not boldly to beleue and to assure them selues but wyll euery man to haue a sure certayne hope that in this worlde he shall obtayne remission of his synnes and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlasting let hym thus vnderstand my meaning that we can beleue nothing well and rightly I speake of the Catholyke belefe which may proue false and be other wyse then we do beleue but we may rightly hope for those thinges which many tymes chaunce cleane contrary to oure hope Therefore seyng it may be that a man may stedfastly beleue certaynelye beare hymselfe in hand that he is in the fauoure of God and yet this his opinion may deceaue hym we be rather commaunded to hope then to beleue For the cause of faythe consisteth in truthe reueled as it were of God But the moste sufficient cause of hope consisteth in possibilitie and lykelyhode of obtayning that thyng which a man may hope for by reason of God his commaundiment and promisse Agayne if you take vnderstand fidem faythe for fiducia truste or confidence as these men some to vnderstand it Caluin vpō the first of thō ca. 5 then fiducia that is trust excludeth all feare and hope hathe feare to wayte vpon her to cary vp her trayne Wherefore we be better commaunded to loke for the remission of oure synnes with a certayne and sure hope then with a certayne and sure faythe Althoughe truly nether any man is forbydden to beleue so that he be not alltogether careles Caluin in his institutiōs cap. 5. and recheles In this mynde Caluin hym selffe semeth to be when he sayth God doth cōmaund vs so to be certayne that we cast not of all care agayne in an other place Whē we do teache that fayth ought to be sure and certayne we do imagine no suche fayth as is deuyded farr from all doubt nether any suche securitie which is cut of frō all care but we say rather that faythfull men haue cōtinuall warr with they re owne mistrust doubtfullnes so farr of is it that we do lay any suche soft pillowes vnder they re consciences that they sholde fele no disquietnes of mynde at all Agayne notwithstandyng how greatly so euer they be trobled and vexed in conscience we deny that they faynte or fayle from that truste which we haue conceued of the mercie of God The coūcel of Trent in the fyft session 9 cap. But I think it good here to recite what the Father 's assembled at the generall councell of Trent haue determined vpon this matter These be theire wordes Although it be necessary to beleue that synnes nether be forgyuē nether euer were released but frely by the mercye of God for Christ his sake yet must not we saye that he is quyted of hys synnes which maketh hys boaste only leaueth on the certayne confidēce of forgiuenes of hys synnes seyng bothe of the heritykes also the scismatykes this vayne detestable confydence may be holden hereafter and at this present day is mayntayned preached moste ernestly contrary to the faythe doctryne of the Catholyke churche Nether is this to be affirmed that they which be truly iustified ought withoute all doubt to make theire accompt that they be made perfect and none other to be absolued from hys synnes and to be iustified but hym which certaynly doth beleue that he his assoyled and made ryghteouse and that this onlye faythe is cause of his absolution and iustification as thoughe that he which dothe not beleue this did doubt of God his promises of the vertue of Christ his deathe resurrection For as no good man ought to doubt of God hys mercy of Christ hys merytes of the vertue and poure of the Sacramentes so euery man whilest he cōsydereth hym selffe weygheth hys owne weakenes and vnaptnes may well feare that he is not in God his fauoure Seing no man can knowe with suche certaynete of faythe as may not be deceaued whether he haue obtayned the fauoure of God The holy Fathers do not here exclude euery kynde of certaynte An explication of the wordes of the Synode but the certaynete of that fayth only which can not be deceaued With suche certaynte they deny that any man can knowe that he is in the fauoure of God But that a man may knowe after a morall and probable certaynete or by
man to kyll hymselffe then to suffer that wyllingly at an other man his handes Experience teacheth vs that the dyuell hath bene so strong with many that they haue drowned hanged them selues For example sake Iudas hanged hym selffe no doubt by the suggestion of the dyuell Yet for all that I think it a thing more to be wondered at that he coulde put this in his hart to betray his master then to hang him selffe The coÌ„stancie of Martyrs is one thing and the hardenes of hart of heretykes is an other thing Therefore there is no lykelyhode betwene the stedfastnes of Martyrs and the stubbornnes of these heretykes Because godlynes in them but hardnes of hart in these doth worke contempt of deathe Nether haue the Anabaptistes of oure tyme swarued from theyr predecessours nether haue they bene lesse stoute and cherefull in sustayning all kynde of death in the behalffe of theyr faythe Iustus Menius as among other one Iustus Menius an eye wytnesse of this thing hathe left in wryting in that booke in the which he confuteth theyr heresyes So by and by euen at the beginning the Anabaptistes heresye began to be very hott of spyryt and after warde so often as it burned the heate of it was nothing cooled or abated But so was it not with the SacrameÌ„taries whose cheyfetayne fyrst founder whereas one Berengariê was aboute fyue hundred yeares agone so farre of is it that his disciples dyd offer theyr lyfe with lyke cherefulnes to all kynde of hazard aduenture that we reade how theyr great Doctor hym selffe dyd twyse recant forsweare his error who not long after being taken with a deadly disease lying on his deathe bed at the poynte of deathe shewed him selffe to be meruaylously sory that he had ledde so manye people in to so fowle an error and the reporte is that he vttered these wordes depelye syghing O my God to day shalt thou appeare to me ether to my saluation as I hope throughe my repentaunce or elles to my greuouse damnation as I feare for them whome I haue deceaued with my peruerse doctrine whome I could not reclame bake agayne to the true way of thy Sacrament as Ihon Gerson doth declare wryting against Romantius de Rosa They haue begone first of all in these oure dayes to bragg boast of they re Martyrs whome notwithstanding bothe for theyr numbre also for the coÌ„mendation of theyr sufferaunce and pacience in punishment the Anabaptistes of olde tyme haue excelled and these of oure age do so farr surmouÌ„t that if they wold make a Martyrologe of they re brethern Yet M. Fox his Martyrologe is a great boke they might make greater volumes then the SacrameÌ„taries It is to no purpose therfore that Caluine bosteth of the certainete of his doctrine bycause the truste of it maketh men to feare nether the terroure of deathe nether the iudgement seate of God It is not worthe a strawe that he vaunteth him selffe of the persecutioÌ„s which he suffreth that he calleth his flock sely sheape appoynted to the slaughter For the Anabaptistes do speake more braggly and do more stoutely all these thynges haue done it many yeares agone before any maÌ„ heard tell of the Sacramentaries Reade who that lysteth the epistle of the Petilian which saynt Augustyn confuteth August in the .2 boke against the letters of PetiliaÌ„ 19. 99. chap. he shall see howe many complayntes he made for the persecution of his brethern howe he calleth the Catholyke Prestes blody buchers which made meanes to the Emperoures Do not our Englyshe Protestantes so lykewyse to deale so cruelly with his innocent lambes whome he glorieth to by and purchase heauen with theyr punishmentes and blodesheding Let hym reade also the epistles of Gaudentius against the which S. Augustyn wrytt two bookes he shall fynde there Aug. lib. 1. 5. chap. that he writeth how his disciples reioysed that for the faythe of Christ they suffred the persecutors that for the comfort of theyr congregation they abuse the saynges of Christ and of S. Paule Blessed be they whiche suffer persecutioÌ„ Matth. 5.3 Tim. 3. They which wyll lyue Godlyly in Chryst Iesu do suffer persecution But it is to be noted Augustin epist 48. that Sainte Augustyne saythe If it were allway laudable to suffer persecution he wolde not adde for rigteousnes Agayne PersecutioÌ„ some tyme necessarie if it were alway blame worthy to do persecution it sholde not be wrytten in the holy scriptures A slaunderer of his neighboure priuily hym dyd I persecute Therefore sometyme he that dothe suffer it is vnrighteouse and he which dothe practise it is righteouse But with oute doubt the euell men haue allway persecuted the good and the good haue persecuted the euell men They hurtyng by doyng of iniury these seking amendement by disciplyne They outeragiously these discretely they gyuing place to their malitiouse affection these applying them selues wholy to charitie For he which murdreth careth not howe he teareth but he which healeth taketh aduysemeÌ„t howe he launseth for he cutteth the whole and sownde partes but this cutteth the rotting and feastring partes The wycked men kylled the Prophetes and the Prophetes kylled the wycked men the Iues scourged Christ and Christ scourged the Iues. Men gaue vp the Apostles to mans poure and authoritie and the Apostles gaue men vp to the poure and thraldome of the dyuell In all these doinges what is to be marked Martyrs be made not by lykenes of punishement but of cause but which of them dyd striue for the truthe which of them for iniquitie which of them mynded to hurt and auoy which of them purposed to amend and redresse Therefore not the lykenes af punishment maketh Martyrs for an heynouse offender may haue lyke punishment to a martyr but yet an vnlyke cause Three hanged on the crosse one a Sauioure the second to be saued the laste to be damned Therefore who so departeth from the church to heretykes and Scismatykes allthoughe afterwarde he be kylled for the name of Christ beyng oute of the boundes of the churche and deuided from charitie he can not saythe S. Cyprian Cyprian in his .4 boke .2 epist be crowned when he dyeth They can not remayne with God which wolde not lyue agreably in the churche of God Althoughe they be throwen in to the fyar and brent Cyp. of the simplicitye of prelates thoughe thei be torne in peaces with wilde beastes that shall be no crowne of faythe but a punishement of infidelitie That shal be no honorable end of religiouse vertue but a destruction for desperation Suche an one may be kylled but he can not be crouned Therefore they haue no ryght to chalendge vnto them the glory of Martyrs which be so far from the cause and quarrell of Martyrs which haue not doubted to suffer deathe for dyuelishe diuision So then nowe you haue three Gospelles and them greatly disagreing among them selues Yf you beholde their
wolde haue men beleue that to be the worde of God which he dyd teache and not that which Philipp dyd teache seing he toke himselffe to be as good in euery poynte as Philip So that there was no cause why hys saying sholde not as well be receaued for the worde of God as Philip his saying Especially seing Philip as in many other thinges Tuentie opinions of the confessionistes cōcerning iustification so in the docttyne of iustification was neuer stayde in one opinion He sayth that there be twentie diuerse opinions of Melancthon concernyng this one artcle and he reciteth fouretene sundrie opinions of his scollers in that boke which he dyd wryte agaynst one Niericorar For saythe he so sone as they spied one place of scripture in the which there was any mention of Iustice by by of it they made a newe Iustice For an example one did reade Abraham beleued it was imputed to hym for ryghteousnes by and by he gathered oute of this one place .ij. kyndes of righteousnes one of this worde beleued so that he sayde that faythe was oure Iustice an other of the worde was imputed so that he sayde that God dyd impute his iustice to vs to accoumpt vs iuste all thoughe we were not and that this was oure ryghteousnes An other dyd reade we be iustified by his blood strayght way he gathered that the pretiouse blode of Christ is oure ryghteousnes An other dyd reade as by the disobedience of one we were made manye synners so by the obedience of one many shall be made ryghteousne by and by he taught that the obedience of Christ was oure ryghteousnes An other did reade he dyd ryse agayne for oure iustification the Resurrection sayth he of Christ is oure iustification An other dyd reade the holy ghost shall reproue the worlde for iustice because I go to my father he affirmed by and by that the goyng of Christ to his father is oure iustice An other dyd reade that we be made ryghteouse withoute desertes by the grace of God he doubted not to holde that the grace and mercye of God was oure iustice An other did reade to shewe his iustice for the remission of many synnes before cōmitted Forthewith he taught that Remission of synnes was oure iustice An other dyd reade by his blue stripes we be made hole he defended oute of hand that the woundes of Christ was oure ryghteousnes Nowe therefore he saythe that he hathe rekoned vp nyne kyndes of iustifications gathered oute of the scriptures disagreing one from an other and yet for all that he hathe not recited all He reherseth afterward what euery one deuised of hys owne heade Some saythe he say that ryghteousnes is the work of God the whiche he worketh in Christ Other that God receaueth vs to euerlasting lyffe other that the meritte of Christ other speake of an other certayne meane ryghteousnes but they can not tell what it meaneth So Osiander rehearseth fourtene opinions of iustification that which he hym selffe is Author of is the fyftene But accordyng to the rekoning which he maketh in hys confutation of the boke which Philip set oute agaynst hym they shall be in all one and twentie Now iudge you most excellent Kyng for so muche as they do so bycker among them selues Howe perillouse a thing it is to beleue sectaries stryuyng about great matters not aboute the moue shyne in the water as the common saying is but by theyr owne confession aboute the cheife article of Christian doctrine which contayneth the whole sum of the Ghospell iudge you I say what a perillouse thing it is to put any of these men in trust with oure soules which being start vp of late do not only swarue from the chefe masters of theyr congregation but also disagree in them selues as we see howe many tymes Melancthon hath turned his cote in this one opinion of iustification Luther sayth it is a sure argumēt that the doctryn of the Sacramētaries proceded from the dyuel because he tolde seauen or eyght sectes of them and for because that euen in the begynnyng it was dispersed in to so manye heades But we haue rekoned vp not seauen but twyse seauē sectes that of Lutherās cōcerning one article of iustificatiō which conteyneth the whole sum of the Ghospell In all there be foure tyme seauen sectes lackyng but one contrarye one to the other aboute other matters One Gespar Querchamer a lay man Citezin of Hallis Six thirtye cōtrary opinions aboute receauing vnder bothe kyndes or vnder one gathered together six and thirtye contrary places vpon one only article which is of the receauing vnder one or bothe kyndes in the Sacrament of the Altar If any man wyll add these six thirtie opinions to the other seuen and twentye there shal be in all three score three And yet howe many sectes be there whiche we haue not rekoned and wyl any man doubt that the dyuell was the author of this doctryne Take hede moste Godly Prince that you thinck not that these men striue for God his cause or that they busye theyr braynes to further and enlarge the worde of God There is nothing further oute of they re thought Glorie is the marke which sectaries shote at but this is the marke the which moste of them pryck at that they may aduaunce theyr owne glory that they maye vtter to the rude people theyr worde in stede of the worde of God they haue called theyr names sayth the prophet vpon yearthe Psal 48. To this end they wrest all they re wytte the they may make all the world ring with theyr name that it may be sayde this is the confession of Melancthon this of Brentius this of Osiander for I wyll now say nothing of the Zuinglians whome they take to be as greate heritykes as the Anabaptistes my talke is only of the Lutherans whome they also iudge to be heritykes no other verdicte do all other Christians gyue of them Of them therefore speake I that euen they be they neuer so lapped in shepe skynnes yet euery one of them hathe theyr hand on theyr halffe penye not regarding the thinges appartayning to Iesu Christ The cōfession of Augusta pleaseth not all the Lutherans euery one of them hūteth after their owne honoure and not after the glory of Christ Wherefore euē they allthoughe chekens hatched in one nest of Luther yet all of them haue not one confession For it is as cleare as the daye that none receaued the confession of Augusta but the churches of Saxonie No it was not receaued so muche as in the citie of Augusta where it was fyrst presented to the Emperoure for that citie semeth rather to weyghe more with the Zuinglians The Citie Augusta hathe mo Suenckfel feldiās the Lutherans and it is sayde that there be founde mo of the confession of Suenefelde then of the confession of Augusta Whiche I think was a cause that for so much as Philipp
had wrytten an other confession more theÌ„ six yeares agone to be presented to the councel of Trent thei gaue this tytle to the boke Brentius maketh a new Confession A confession of the churches of Saxonie But Brentius althoughe he also wolde seme not to iarre froÌ„ Luthers doctrine yet wolde not he content hym selffe with that which was wrytten in the selffe same Towne from whence Luthers Gospell did fyrst procede But he dyd wryte a seuerall confession not in his owne name but in the name of his Prince which he also propounded to the assemble of the TrideÌ„tine Councell And this is worthie to be marked that nether GreÌ„tius nether Vrbanus Regius nether Osiander were sworne to the coÌ„fession of Augusta For they thought that it sholde disgrace them much to followe any forme of fayth prescribed of Philip seing euery one of them had this conceipt of hymselffe that they had profyted more in the study of holy scripture then Philip had done therefore eche of them thought hym selffe to be as able as he to wryte a peculiar confession of his faythe So these men whylst euerye one of them was more carefull to blase abroade hys owne name theÌ„ to fynde oute and further the knowledg of the truthe thei dissenting euery one not only froÌ„ hym selffe but also from their Master Luther yea in substantiall poyntes of ChristiaÌ„ religion thought it lawfull for euery one of them to forge a newe faythe Petrus a Soto why he wrote against the Confession of Brent and to deuise a confession by themselues A certayne learned Spanyard named Petrê a Soto who neuer had learned any other then the Catholyke fayth dyd well perceaue this that Melancthon was autor of one confession Brentius of an other it gaue hym greate wonder that eche of them held so diuerse coÌ„fessions for so much as both of them dyd confesse Luther to be theyr Master thys semed a moÌ„strouse thinge vnto hym He wolde not haue maruayled halffe so much if the Zuinglians had seuerally sette abroade they re confession as they dyd aboue twentie yeares agone at what tyme the Protestantes dyd exhibite the confession of theire faythe to the Emperoure For as I haue saide before the Lutherans counte them heretikes and they lyke wyse the Lutherans But when this was done of them which made theire boaste that they dyd profes the same Gospel which Luther first inuented that made hym stand almoste in a mase that they which were scollers all of one scole dyd not consent in one confession of their faythe And because many men had this opinion of the duke of Wirtenberdge vnder whose name Brentius dyd sette oute his confession that he suarued not from the Christian right ruled faythe I meane from that faythe which we haue left to vs from hand to hand of oure forefathers as they haue receaued it of the Apostles Petrus a Soto being bothe a godly man and also bearyng an ernest zeale to Christian religion dyd take it very heuily at the hart that the Prince whome all men iudged to beare a singular goode wyll to the Catholyke faythe sholde suffer hym selffe so to be seduced with the persuations of Brentius and his Brotherhode that he wolde rather after a newe fashion gyue vp to the Concell a newe confession of his faythe then to rest and settell hym selffe in the Catholyke faythe which he had learned of his forefathers Wherefore the aforesayde Petrus a Soto coulde not refrayne hym selffe but must nedes put in prynt the defence of his faythe which not withstaÌ„ding was not his owne alone but also the faythe of the Catholyke churche Petrus a Soto his order in writing The which boke he prouyded so to be wrytten that on the one syde it contayned the confession of the Princes preachers on the other syde the confession of the Catholykes On the one syde he dyd set the doctryn of the duke on the other syde the Doctryn of the Catholyke faythe on the one page that autorities of Scripture seming to serue for them on the other many autorities fortifying his fayth On the one parte the testimonies of the auncient Doctors makyng for them on the other parte the wytnesses of the same doctoures weyghing with hym agaynst them The Prince of Wirtenberdge in the boke set oute by BreÌ„tius vnder his name saith that he mynded to make all the worlde witnes of his ernest â—esyre in raysing vp and furtheryng the true and godly doctrine Petrus a Soto his admonicyoÌ„ to the Prince of wirtenberdge Petrus in his Scholies taking an aduauÌ„tage at these wordes saythe that doctrin was fyrst to haue bene agreed vpon fyrst you sholde haue made youre rekoning that the doctrine which you mynded to further and aduaunce sholde be in euery poynte godly especially now in these dayes in the which euery man may see that it is called in to question whiche is the true and vncounterfeited doctrine Knowe this for a certaynete moste worthie Prince that lyke as youre ministers do iudge that doctrine to be wycked which the Catholykes embrace so the Catholykes esteme that doctrine which you endeuoure to promote and aduauÌ„ce nether is there among them a lesser number of credible men then among youres so that at leaste you do not put to youre helping hand to further true and godly doctryne but ether wycked doctryne by the wytnes of the Catholykes ether doubtfull vncertayne as your selff of necessitie must confesse Therfore were it not more wysdome for you ether to leaue of this interpryse or at the leaste suspend youre iudgement and humbly abyde tyll God dyd lyghteÌ„ youre harte with the beames of his grace and to obtayne that at God his handes with charitable workes and deuoute prayers The wordes of the Prince which he addeth immediatlye to the wordes before rehearsed oute of his boke be these For all be it we be not ignorant that there is a certayne differeÌ„ce betwene Ciuil and Ecclesiasticall offices yet for so muche as the kingly Prophet dothe most wysely exhorte vs saying Psal 2. Nowe you Kynges vnderstand be you learned which be iudges of the yearth serue our Lorde in trembling feare we ought not to despyse that heauenly voyce c. And Petrus taking aduauÌ„tage at these wordes also saythe in this wyse but fyrst you ought perfectly to haue knoweÌ„ what difference this was It is very certayne that a temporall Magistrate hath nothing to doo with discussing definyng doubtes in matters of fayth Ciuil and Ecclesiastical gouuernement be not all one for this is the charge dutie of Ecclesiastical Gouernoures Polityke Princes ought to learne of them to stand vnto theire determination otherwyse thei haue cause to feare that which followeth the wordes before alleadged in the same place lest oure Lorde be angry against them they peryshe froÌ„ the right way for these threatninges dothe God thunder against Princes which do not apprehend learning and knowledge But what is more vndescrete and oute
thinges but of diuine thinges These thinges afore sayd be common to them to the but these which follow are proper to thy selffe Thou lyest in saying thou art a Christian thou art a nue ennimie of Christ thou art that foreruÌ„ner of Antichrist thou behauest thy selff lyke one of his priuie councell Thou forgest a faythe leading a faytheles lyfe thou hast vnhappy learning inoughe but no skyl at all invertue thou crepest in to mennes bosomes with a goodly tytle thou sleast vnder the pretence of religion thou workest nothing elles but wyckednes Being a false preacher of Christ thou puttest oute the candell of Christian fayth And in a fewe leaues after I woulde nowe fayne knowe of the Constantius in wath faythe thou art settled For I knowe not they faythe by reason that thou hast chaunged it so many tymes by the whiche chaungeable tymes euerye man hathe run hedlong as it were by stepe stares downe in to the bothomelesse pyt of blasphemie For after the first determination of true fayth thou dydest put oute a nue faythe to making calling together a nue Councel at Antioche But it is with you as it is with vnskilful builders which being not able to discerne a thing when it is well fynd faulte allway where none is pullyng allwayes downe which allwayes they must repayre reedifie agayne an in the booke following Surely it sholde become youre gentlenes to heare the voyces of them which make lowde exclamatioÌ„s vnto you I am a Catholyke many crye thus in England who me ChristeÌ„dome hopeth that oure graciouse Quene wyll at the laste here I wyll be no heretyke I am a Christian not an Arrian it is better for me to lese my lyfe in this worlde then by the compulsion of any one priuate man I sholde stayne and defyle the chaste virginitie of syncere veritie Nowe you haue heard what manner of seruauntes the Bishopes of that tyme Liberius Hosius Athanasius Hilariê were Howe stoutely they dyd withstand the wicked entrepryses not of any one Prince Lorde of one land A comparison betwene the olde churche with the church of oure time in defeÌ„ding the ecclesiastical autoritie doctryne but the Emperoure of the whole worlde how coragiously one of them durst say Take not vpon the o Emperoure to rule the roste in Ecclesiasticall matters tel not vs what we haue to do in such cases but rather learne those thinges at vs. What if they were a liue in oure age which almoste is no lesse accursed then theire age was yf they dyd see not only euery prouince but also euery citie almost to haue a seuerall faythe by them selues and to prescribe what the councell sholde do and determyne I say what wold they then do no doubt they wolde say the very same thinges which they sayde before we we be Catholykes not heretykes we be Christians not Lutherans or Brentians better were it for vs to suffer deathe then through any priuate man his compulsion bereaue the truth of her maydenhode dyd Ambrose in the lyke case behaue hym selff vnlykely the younger Valentinianê Emperoure when he was yet but a chylde vy the inforcyng of his mother almost toke vpon hym to iudge of matters of faythe What sayde Ambrosius to this Dalmatius sayth he the Tribune and Notarye brought me a message from youre grace desyring me that I sholde chose Iudges lyke as Aurentius had done Yet he tolde not theyr names whiche were required to be iudges but he sayde thus much that theyr sholde be a controuersie in the Consistory which shold be determined by youre iudgement to whome as I suppose I shape a resonable answer nether any maÌ„ ought to counte me obstinate in saying that which youre father of worthye memory hath vttered not onlye by worde of mouthe but also hathe enacted by his lawes In matters of faythe or of any Ecclesiastical order he ought to iudge whiche nether is vnequall in office nor vnlyke in lawe For these be the wordes of the decree whiche his meanyng was that Prestes sholde be iudges of Prestes Besyde this if it hapned that any Byshop were coÌ„playned on and that a tryall or examination shold be made of his manners and behauyoure he wolde also that suche a cause shold be iudged by an other Byshop Therefore who dothe answer youre grace stubbornely he which desyreth to haue you lyke youre father or he whiche wolde haue you vnlyke to hym onles peraduenture some man do think that the verdict of such an Emperoure is not worthe a strawe whose fayth was proued by his stedfast constant confessioÌ„ whose wysdome is also praysed farre and neare for profyting bettryng the coÌ„mon weale haue you heard most gentle Emperoure that lay men haue at anye tyme set as iudges ouer an Bishop in causes of faythe Therefore arre we so wone with courte holy water that is fayre and flattring wordes that we sholde forgette oure prestly authoritie that which God hathe gyuen me sholde I put it from my selff to an other If a lay man must teache a Bishop what followeth ergo let a lay man dispute ergo let a Byshop stand by as an auditor ergo let a Byshopp learne his lesson of a lay man But truly if we wyl peruse ether the whole course of holy scriptures ether the Cronicles of olde tyme what man can deny Byshoppes iudges ouer Emperours in matters of faythe but that in cases of faythe I saye in cases of faythe Bishopes were wont to be iudges ouer Emperoures and not Emperoures ouer Bishopes By God his grace you shall lyue tyll you be an olde man and then shal you be able to iudge what manner of Bishop he is which can be content that the key of prestly preemineÌ„ce shold hang at lay mennes girdles Your father being a man come to ful rypenes of yeares sayd as God dyd put him in mynde it is not myne office to be iudge betwene Bishopes Your grace sayth now I ought to iudge Amb. Epit. 33. Saint Ambrose doth not only write these thynges but also he dyd vtter them by worde of mouthe as he him selffe declareth writing to his syster neuer troble your selff Emperoure sayth he thinkyng that you haue any imperial authoritie ouer diuyne thynges Extoll not your selffe Mat. 22. submitt youre selffe to God it is wrytten Gyue to God that which is due vnto God gyue to Cesar that which appartayneth to Cesar What was this to say but euen as Petrê a Soto semed to saye come behynde me Sathan this he dyd not by letters only whiche blushe not but euen face to face in his presence Caluin prayseth Petrus a Soto Althoughe that Caluin be as sworne an enimie to our syde as you Brentius for youre harte yet bothe he highely commend the singular modestie and wysdome of this holye fryar Petrus a Soto ioyned with a ioly couragiousnes stoutenes of mynde He denyeth saythe Caluine the Emperoure to be a mete iudge of so weyghtie a
kyngdome he dyd not only shewe greate reuerence to the Bishop as Paulus Diaconus wryteth but also was obedient to his coÌ„maundimentes See for God his sake what a thing this is Those to whome Barbarouse kynges being very deadly ennimyes dyd think it theire dutie to do so greate honoure that they wolde fullfyll theire commaundimeÌ„tes no otherwyse then if they had taken them to be theire Masters the very same Brentius who in God hys name wyll be counted a Gospeller wolde not haue them in any honest reasonable roume of seruauntes but be accompted boÌ„dslaues and pesauntes Dothe not he here go beyond all barbarians sauage people with thys his barbarousnes Act. 10. I myght here speake of Petre whome Cornelius dyd worshippe of the godly honoures gyuen to Paule and Barnabas but I wyll graunt you that which you wolde haue me M. Brentius Byshoppes in respect of they re dutye be paynefull seruantes that we Byshoppes be seruauntes nether is there any kynde of seruauÌ„tes that taketh greather paynes that is more set to his taske the suffreth greater trobles of body and mynde For what carking caryng haue not Bishoppes whilst they watche for the soules of them which be coÌ„mitted to their charge for the whiche they knowe they shall gyue accoumpt for so muche as it is sayde to euery one of them take hede to this man who if he shal miscarry thy soule shall be punished for his 3. of the kynges cap. â—0 Ezech. 3. And that also in Ezechiel sone of man I haue set the in watche ouer the howse of Israel if when I say vnto the wycked thou shalt dye the deathe and thou neglect to tell my sayinges vnto hym that he may returne from his wycked waye that wycked man shall die in his owne wickednes but his blood wyll I requyre at thy handes Ezech. 38. For so muche as Byshopes be not ignorant of these and suche lyke sayinges with which God threatneth euell pastoures assuredly their labour is greate and the troble of the mynde greater then any man can beleue for so muche as euery man knoweth that the tyme shall once come when it shall be sayde vnto hym Hiere 13. where is thy flocke which was gyuen the where is thy noble cattel What wilt thou say for thy selffe when he shall come and visite the for thou doste teache agaynst thy selffe thou doste instruct to thine owne distruction Shal not sorrowes come vpon the as vpon a woman trauayling of chylde Beleue me o Brentius that when a good Byshop careful for his owne healthe and the healthe of the people Heretykes do greatly encrease the laboure of Byshopes calleth these thinges in to his mynde he feleth incredible stinges of sorrowe in his hart specially in these dayes wherein you haue made thys yoke of bondage ly more heauily vpon oure neckes whilst one of you say behold here is Christ an other nay he is there the third tushe he is in the priuie parlers Mat. 24. the fourthe no loke yonder he is in the wyldernes With that which youre waueryng wordes you haue so bewitched the sely shepe that nowe in many places they knowe not were Christ is especially in those places where contrary to the playne and euident worde of God you haue taught them not be ruled by theire shephardes Whereby it is nowe come to passe that many be growen to suche boldnes and madnes that they say they be the Bishopes and Pastors of their owne soules that they shal gyue accompt for them not the Bishoppes what losenes of lyfe sectaries haue brought the people vnto to So that they arre become vnto them selues in stede of doctoures in stede of Pastoures in stede of couÌ„celles they bynde them selues they lose theire owne consciences as they please and because you gyue them powre to iudge of doctrine what so euer boke cometh in to theire handes they followe suche faythe as that boke teacheth them This man is of the Confession of Augusta an other of Brentius belefe an other of Ostanders an other of Tigurine an other of the Anabaptistes or the Citie of Munster an other of the brethern Waldenses or Picardes an other of the Seruetian confession To be shorte Hilar. to Constan laste boke that which Hilarius dyd wryte of his age may be also verified of oure age There be nowe so many faythes as they re be fansies there be so many doctrines as there be manners there bud out so many causes of blasphemy as there be vyces whilst faythes ether be ordayned as we wyll or be vnderstanded as we wil. And whereas there is but one faythe as there is but one God one Lorde one Baptisme we go a stray from that fayth which is one only and whyst manye faythes be forged they be come from naught all to none at all To this poynte haue you brought the worlde Brencius whilst euery one of you studie to deuise a sundry Confession of youre faythe you arre cause of this miserable and perillouse state of the Churche and if the Byshopes were loden with anye burden of bondage before you haue holpen to make it weyghe much more heauye But loke how much more heauie the yoke of theyr seruitude is the greater they re trauayle is the more honoure is due vnto them Therefore lyke as all wayes vnder wycked tyrauntes whether they were suche as dyd openlye persecute Christ or being fayned fauourers of Christ dyd vtterly race out the fayth of Christ they were no better estemed then seruauntes they were vexed with the same or rather greater punishmentes then naughtie seruauntes were so howe many so euer good Kynges Emperoures reyned they dyd gyue vnto them hyghe honoure and reuerence euen as among all other we reade that Constantinus worthily called great was wont to do FINIS DEO GRATIAS AMEN ORATIO R. SHACKLOCKI PRO REGINA REGNO ET toto Christianismo MAGNE DEVS qui magna facis qui pectora Regum Flectere celsa potes teneraeque similima caerae Reddere Reginam diuino flamine nostram Imbue flexibilemque illi concedito mentem Mentem quae dubiae fidei nouitate relicta Antiquum repetat fontem fluuiumque salubrem Qui viua de rupe fluit petraque perenni Faece carens omni nam pura Ecclesia Christi Virgo manet semper Christo dignissima sponsa Igneus ille tuus demissus ab aethere status Concremet errores omnes sub tegmine veri Occultos nostros confirma pace Britannos Hostibus oppressis omnes errore sepultos Ad superos reuoca cunctos Pax alma tumultus Comprimat positis vigeat Concordia bellis Sacra Tridentini valeant Edicta Senatus Quae Patres sanxêre pij Regesque potentes Rata volunt optata bonis inuisa malignis Sit tandeÌ„ propriae memor Anglia nostra salutis Partibus omissis toti consentiat orbi Turca tumet iam Turca fremit nunc Turca minatur Christe tuam defende fidem fideique patronos