necessarie And all Princes are bounde to make suche Lawes as serue herevnto Then followeth the loue of our neighbour as the rule of the seconde whiche loue yet must bee in GOD in Christ and in veritie For cursed is that concorde that is in falshoode in hypocrisie in Idolatrie or briberie Yea cursed is that concorde and cursed is that Policie that hath not Gods worde to warrante it For it is darkenesse and vanitie What fellowship hath lighte with darkenesse Righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse What concorde hath God with Beliall Christ and Antichriste the sincere Gospeller and the polluted Papist Wherefore separate your selues from them touche none of their filthie geare so haue you a promise that God will receaue you and be a father vnto you There is no suche warraunte of youre Proctors policies And howe canne this be a good policie to compell the Ministers of God agaynste Gods warrante to bee like the Idolatrous Priestes and to weare their garishe geare Howe canne they bee like that blasphemous Priesthoode whiche fighte with all force agaynste that Priesthoode and labour by all meanes to abolishe it Or how can this bee a good policie to bring Gods plagues vpon Englande to set Godly men at variaunce to stay and hinder the course of Gods worde to cause the enemies Harding his fellowes to triumphe and to waite for an ouerthrowe of both partes But the mayntenaunce of these supersticious and idolatrous monumentes causeth all this therefore there is in them no good policie but a manifest hastening of Gods great plagues that haue so long hanged ouer Englande Bern. I can see no cause why Gods plagues should come vpon Englande for this seing the most part of poperie is put down and we liue quietly Mil. Is not this a great plague of God thinkest thou that the cheefest Gospellers are together by the eares one spoileth another of liberty and liuing and the papistes true quietly indeed laugh in their sleeues Is not this a plague that where there bee so few Preachers of Gods Gospel in so great a realme the most paynefull labourers are put to silence by them that should seeke for labourers And as the Israelites destroying many of the Amorrhites and Canaanites according to Gods commaundemente yet liuing quietly for a while with the rest and leauing some relikes and remnaunts of thē by their own negligēce fond affection and foolish policie were continually corrupted polluted and plagued with these wicked remnauntes by Gods iust iudgement So is it to be feared here in Englande that the abolishing of muche Poperie according to Gods will and the reseruing of some superstitious and idolatrous reliques of the same by negligence affection or policie to haue quietnesse should cause this realme still to be poluted corrupted and plagued with papistes and poperie Bern. If you could prooue these thinges supersticious and idolatrous you said somewhat to the purpose But that I cannot see Mil. Was there any thing more idolatrous or superstitious about the Idols than the disguised garmentes the Coape and the Surplesse wherein they were censed and serued Were not they so mishapen and altered in forme from all other garmentes that they were in fashion monstrous to any other vse but about those Idols combersom and superfluous Wilt thou be blind within and without Haste thou not seene them occupied about the idols an hundred times Agayn to prooue them superstitious or idolatrous small disputation serueth to thē that will graunt poperie to be superstition and idolatrie For wherein played the Papistes all their popish pageauntes but in this garishe geare And Dauid counteth himselfe poluted with the naming of the Idolles Therefore woulde hee neuer commaunde any of his subiects to weare any of their garments The serpent was accursed because it was an instrumente of Sathan to tempte man to sinne and so is this garishe geare that hath tempted man to superstition and Idolatrie Not but that the serpent and the Diuel also the idoll and the Idolothite the Coape or Surplesse and the matters wherof they are made are good by creation but in that all these are altered from their creation to bee the instrumentes of sinne they haue gotten straunge names formes for the Idols and so the Diuell to be scrued therein so are they superstitious Idolatrous and abhominable And for their Cappes and Tippets were they not for that idolatrous and blasphemous Priesthoode them that take profite by the same as they are now appointed for you English Chaplaynes Bern. Nay man thou wotest not what thou sayest for many yong Schollers did weare thē in the Vniuersities that were no Priestes at all Mil. Though yong schollers in the Vniuersities were compelled to weare them as Nouices in the Popes Schoole and religion and were for the most part sworne to the Pope by the order of their houses yet when they were once maryed and so paste Popishe priesting were they Bachelers Maysters or Doctors they ceased by order to weare them Thus at all tymes the idolatrous Papistes appoynted this your politicall apparell for their owne sworne children For this cause it is sayd that Bonner was muche agreeued at those men whiche were not of his religion yet would weare these garments and apparaile For said he they are Ornamentes belonging onely to our Religion And therefore after his scoffing maner hee counted them the honester men that woulde not weare them nor challenge that to themselues which was none of theirs If any did forsake the Pope were he Bishop or Archbishop they plucked these rags from him with all violence as they did from Cranmer Ridley and Hooper So that it is no good policie for this Realme of Englande that are enemies to the Pope and the Pope vnto it to leaue so many Souldiers in their enemies liueries Neither is it good policie of the Gospellers that weare this geare to continue in that liuerie forth of the which of necessitie they must be turned by their owne bande if any Queene Mary which GOD forbid raigne ouer vs. But consider betimes you that maintain this filthie ware that there bee many that wayte for it which will reioyce to see you stripped out of these cloutes as they haue done at your brethren and that is y e cause that they holde what they can of their pope and sow sedition amongest the Gospellers Therefore I can see small policie and lesse safetie to ioyne with such false fellowes in so fonde apparaile And I would be loth to be matched with suche companyons in my charge at Barwick I cannot hate the enemie and loue his Ensignes and what plainer Ensignes haue we of the popish priesthoode than these garments that you would thrust vpon the backes necks and heads of christian souldiers I abhorre them to the Diuell as his vndoubted instrumentes to holde the people in superstition to cloake a filthie life and to sow discorde amongst brethren Bern. But I trow that I haue reade in Saint Paule
to bring Christian men into bondage that they may not refuse such thinges as are against their conscience Fourthlie if they giue any offence In the which foure things against these garmentes we may take exceptions And for these and such like causes the Apostles forbadde both Iewes and Gentiles euen all the Christians things offered vnto Idolles in their firste Decrees to teach by theyr factes and deedes the same that they had spoken in wordes that the Idolles and al that to them belonged ought to be abhorred of all true Christians And therefore in the same place it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the filthines of Idolles Bern. Paule giueth leaue to eate y e meate offered vnto Idolles afterwarde Mil. Yea after this there arose a doubte amongest the brethren whether they might eate such fleshe as was solde in the market and so eaten at the tables amongest other meates vnknowne to haue come from anie Idole Which was a farre other thing than the vsing of these thinges about the Sacramentes To this the Apostle aunswereth that as the earth and all that therein is belongeth to the Lord so may man vse al meates creatures receiuing them w t thankes giuing at the Lordes hande to his glorie without anie further care whēce they come so that none be thereby offended But if any man do tell thee that it is a thing once dedicate to the Idolles thou mayest not vse it And hereby it appeareth that the creatures though they haue bin abused that beare no name nor forme of any abuse neither giue offence by the vsing of thē may be reteined But if they haue the forme shewe or name of things Idolatrous they are to be abhorred for two causes The one least we should seeme to haue any part or communion with the Idolaters which were against the glorie of our God The other least the weake brother be boldened to vse the thinges sacrificed to Idolles And so thy weake Brother perishe thorowe thy knowledge for whome Christ died Thus may we note two sortes of Idolothites or things belōging to Idolls Some haue their names and formes chaunged frō common vsage and so by forme name do retaine the memoriall of the idolles whose names and memorie God will haue to be abolished Such are properlie called the monumēts of Idolatrie These ought by Gods lawe and mans lawe here in Englande to be done awaye or with dishonor at te least to be defaced The seconde are such as neither are altered in forme nor name the whiche may still be vsed as the flesh solde in the market and eaten at the table these maye be called indifferent so that in the vse of thē no brother be offended nor against his conscience vrged But the creatures that are called gods are accursed and maye not be vsed All the Idolles were creatures yet by Moyses Paule they are called Diuels Therefore the partaking with them is the partaking with Deuilles and the verie places where the Idolles were worshipped were detestable and are called hell afterwarde Their great Idoll wherevnto King Ahaziah sent in honor called Baalzebub by his worshippers was by the godlie Iewes that hated Idolatrie called the chiefe of the Deuilles and so his name continued Such hatred did they beare to all thinges apperteyning to the Idolles Therefore biddeth Moses to destroye all those Idolatrous monumentes And Isaiah biddeth vs to counte their idolatrous Ephod which was y e chief garment of their Priest as a menstruous cloute and vtterlie defie it Therefore this geare that beareth the names formes still of their Idolothites can not bee named amongest the things indifferent though we graunt the substaunce and matter of them of it selfe indifferent neyther can they bee commaunded to be vsed in the ministerie or Sacramentes which are matters of Religion in any wise Bern. Yes If the Prince commaund it Mil. Gideon was a Prince who made and commaunded an Ephod a riche robe or garment for a Prieste and appoynted it for his citie Ophra But this was the cause of the destruction of him and his house For as we reade Abimelech the sonne of his Concubine did vsurpe the Kingdome and did slaye seuentie and niene of his brethren the sonnes of his Father Gideon vpon one stone Then this Abimelech after hee had thus cruellie slayne his brethren his Mothers kinred that had set him vppe and destroyed the Citie Shechem that had made him King he had his deathes wounde by a Woman yet woulde hee haue his Page to runne him thorowe with his sworde moste desperately so the whole familie perished moste miserablie And no man can alledge any other cause against Gideon but onelie that which the holy Ghoste giueth that hee made this Priestes garment and appoynted it for his Citie without any warraunte of Gods worde of a good intent onely So sore and perillous a thing it is to deale in Gods matters by mans fantasie Nadab and Abihu for the taking of fire which God had not commaunded were sodenlie burned with fire from heauen Vzza was sodainlie slaine because he would helpe forwarde Gods worke by his good intent without Gods warraunte King Saul dealeth in sacrifice a matter of religion without Gods commaundement but by y e same wise policie that is alleadged for the garmentes to reteyne the people together yet for this cause loseth he his kingdome Also King Vzziah is striken with Leprosie and cast out with shame because he dealeth in sacrifices matters of Religion without gods worde by his Princelie authoritie Thus God will haue the Princes to knowe that they are but men therefore that they may not medle in his matters without his word and commaundement For as Samuel said to Saul so saieth he still vnto all Hath the Lorde as great pleasure in Sacrifices as when his voyce is harkened vnto and obeyed Beholde to obeye is better than sacrifice and to hearken is better than the fatte of Rammes For transgression and rebellion against Gods worde is as witchcrafte and idolatrie Wherefore thus saieth God by his seruaunt Moses to Kings to al others That whiche I do commaunde thee that onelie shalt thou do thou shalt put nothing too it nor take nothing from it Loe this is the grounde of true Religion And in matters of policie also ther must be some discretion For the Prince commaunded the two Captaines and their hundred souldiours to fetch Eliiah vnto him a thinge that may seeme indifferent but the fire of God deuoured them So Kings haue their law howe farre they shall commaund And the subiectes by the same may knowe howe to obey For God when he setteth vp Princes hath not giuē ouer his owne right and authoritie They are but his stewardes and Bayliues to see his will executed in al things not their owne lustes and pleasures In euill commaundements therefore to disobey them is none iniurie vnto them Bern. Me thinke I smell a ratte in
A PLEASAVNT DIALOGVE Betweene a Souldior of Barwicke and an English Chaplaine Wherein are largely handled laide open such reasons as are brought in for maintenaunce of popishe Traditions in our Eng. Church Also is collected as in a short table 120. particular corruptions yet remaining in our saide Church with sundrie other matters necessarie to be knowen of all persons Togither with a letter of the same Author placed before this booke in vvay of a Preface 1. Cor. 6. v. 15. What cōcord hath Christ with Belial 1581. To my Reuerent Fathers and Brethren in Christ Master Couerdale Mai. Turner M. Whittingham M. Sampson M. Doctor Humphrey M. Leauer M. Crowley and others that labour to roote out the weedes of Poperie Grace and Peace BEcause wee are created for Gods glorie and the edification one of another in Christe and are all bounde to serue therevnto by wealth or woe life or death chieflie they to whom God hath giuen the greater giftes whom he hath called to greater roomes are most boūden to be zealous for gods glorie with godly ielousie to present the church spouse of Christ vnder their charge a pure Virgin to Christ hir husband and that by no subtiltie as the Apostle warneth they should bee corrupted from the simplicitie in Christ Therefore I nothing doubting of your zeale and diligence my reuerende Fathers deare Brethrē who being in authoritie are first called to the battell to striue for Gods glorie and the edification of his people against the Romishe reliques and ragges of Antichrist but that yee will couragiously and constantly in Christ throwe out these ragges of Gods enemies And I do further require you in the name of God so farre as my simplicitie may be bolde to require your wisedomes that ye will by this occasion laye open other as great enormities that we all knowe and labour to race out all the dregges and remnauntes of transformed Poperie that are crept into Englande by the too much lenitie of them that wilbe accounted the Lordes of the Cleargie And for my part by the grace and power of my God though I sinfull wretch haue no such giftes nor authoritie as can much further the cause or comfort you in your godlie trauailes yet shall I and many more with me pray for you and with our simple giftes will desire you that we may ioyne together with you to suffer togither in so good a cause that is so much for gods glorie and the edificatiō of his Church in the pure simplicitie of Christes worde and Sacramentes wherein our enemies and persecutours are straūgly bewitched I wote not by what diuelishe cuppe that they do make such a diuersitie betwixt Christs wordes and his Sacramentes that they can not thinke the worde of God to be safely inough preached honorably inough handled without cappe Cope or surplesse but that the Sacramentes the Marrying the Burying the Churching of women and other church seruice as they call it muste needes be declared with Crossing with Coping with Surplessing with kneeling with prety wafer kakes other knackes of Poperie O Paule that thou wert aliue thou durst tell these politicke gentlemen that there hath bin to much labour bestowed vpon them in vayne Thou durst say vnto them as thou diddest to the Corinthes That they éate not the Lordes supper but playe a pageaunt of their owne to blinde the people and keepe them still in superstition farre from the simplicitie of Christes supper to make the selie soules beleeue that they haue an Englishe Masse and so put no difference betwixt trueth and falshoode betwixt Christ Antichrist betwixt God and the Deuill They are straungly bewitched I saye that will binde their Englishe priesthoode and sacramentes to garments but much more enchaunted that can finde no garments to please them but such as haue bin openly poluted with Poperie superstition and Idolatrie But most of all in this poynt shall their madnes appeare to al posteritie because they make these Antichristes ragges Causa sine qua non in Christes holy Ministerie so that these shall make an English Priest be he neuer such a dolt or villaine as we haue very many and without these Romishe reliques not Paule him selfe as one of them did blaspheme and the reste in effect do plainly affirme Well by Gods power wee haue fought with the wolues for these and such like Popishe chaffe and God hath giuen the victorie wee haue nowe to do with the Foxes let vs not feare There is no crafte cunning or pollicie against the Lorde We haue Christ and his Apostles and al the Prophetes euer stryuing against the hypocrites of their tyme on our side A strawe for Popishe policie We haue the worde of God to warrant vs to roote out all monumentes of superstition and Idolatrie and are charged to abhorre them to count them accursed and to defye them and deteste them as a menstruous cloathe They haue not the worde of God And what wisedome is in them sayeth God by his Prophete Ieremie They talke of obedience and concord but there is no obedience against the Lord nor any concorde to be desired but where Gods glorie and veritie is preferred Else better to haue all the worlde to runne in hurlie burlie and heauen and earth to shake then one iote of Gods glorie should decay so farre as in vs lyeth Wee haue their owne lawes and proclamations to roote out all monumentes of superstition and Idolatrie and their owne wordes are contrarie to these their owne doings They repent the reformatiō proclaimed as did the Israelites They buylde agayne that which they once destroyed And this do they openly that all the worlde may wonder at their follie But what they do secretly God will one day haue declared openly yea they make the name of God and his doctrine that we professe to be euill spoken of already by many of their doinges Their iudgement hasteth that for such causes persecute Gods true Preachers Wherfore let vs not feare their threateninges There can none persecute vs for this trashe but such as are neyther whot nor colde and then they shalbe vomited out vnlesse their zeale increase or they that are Atheistes such as haue no god before their eies but their god is their belly And those are worldpleasers or open Papistes whom God hath giuen vp to a reprobate sense Wherefore we must thus take it that they are gods roddes for our sinnes because wee haue bin no more zealous in Gods cause nor carefull to seeke his glorie That wolfe winchester his butcher Boner fought once against vs. for the groundes of this geare but loe howe the Lorde within two or three yeeres ouerthrew them all to giue vs courage to goe forwarde We are to slacke and negligent That monster remayneth is fedde as the Papistes saye for their sakes And we graunt that his paūche is fedde for some secrete purpose We do crye kill this traytour enemie to the Crowne to the Realme
to god man whiche burned Gods holy Testament and murthered his Saintes and seruauntes We haue the lawe of god and man for vs. We are answered Nay your selues shalbe compelled to turne your cloathe your coates and cappes and to get you into his liuerie and to be like him in his garmentes O Elias that thou haddest liued or that thy spirit were amongst vs. The Papistes which are in the countreys glorie in theyr assemblies that the whotte gospellers shall now be dryuen to weare their attyres Let vs neuer giue them any cause of ioye though we shuld dye for it Moyses will not yeelde a hoofe of a beast in Gods busines He will not leaue a loupe of a Curtayne vnmade nor make a buttō or a claspe more or lesse Eleazar would not dissemble by eating of vnlawfull meates The faithful Israelites would not receyue so much as an Iuey bushe Cōtrariewise Origen carrying a braunche and professing that he bare it for Christe at the firste was compelled afterwards to open Idolatrie So cursed a thing it is to giue any place to the wicked All the Papistes that say they worship Christe in the crosse and God in the Sacrament doo still vnder these wordes continewe in Idolatrie Beware of deceytfull wordes that couer wicked purposes to drawe vs from Christian simplicitie And let vs stande constantly agaynst all abuses repent for our former coldnes in Religion and other sinnes and call for helpe from aboue For the arme of our Lorde is not shortned Wee are assured that wee seeke Gods glory and our aduersaries may see if they can see any thing that this thing whiche they seeke is not for Gods glory seeing the Papistes the enemies of God do so desire it and glory in it that we whom they most hate can not be safe but vnder their garmentes We are assured that wee seeke Gods glory when wee followe Christe his Apostles and Prophetes who euer dispised these Pharisaicall outward faces and visardes Christe findeth faulte with the garments of the Pharisees Paul counteth all his Pharisaicall shewe to bee dounge Zacharie sayeth that the false Prophete shalbe ashamed of his prophecy and forsake his garmentes wherein he deceyued And shall the true Prophets be faine to creepe into their cowles For by the same authoritie that the Queene commaundeth one she may commaunde any peece of Popery so that she name it policie But Ezechias and Iosias knewe no such authoritie They saye that it is for pollicie and I do easely beleue it that they do care lesse for Christes Religion than for pollicie But let them beware that they follow not Ieroboam that made such like Priestes for policie as would do as he commaunded them Achaz of pollicie brought such an Aultar into Ierusalem as he did see at Damascus where he had ouercome the Idolaters and their Idolles But cursed was his pollicie and so are they all that will retayne any thing of their old Idolatrie Nabuchodonozors Idoll was set vp for vnitie pollicie But without the warraunt of Gods holy word there is neither good vnitie nor pollicie That godly Father Bucer calleth the Tenthes and first Fruites sacriledge and robberie though they bee kept still for pollicie The Crosse and Candlestickes vpon the Queenes altar are superstitious though they bee kept there I wott not for what pollicie The adoration of the Sacrament in the Countreys where they knocke and kneele to a wafer is a Popishe pollicie That VVomen baptize that pluralities tot quots impropriations non residences dispensations suspensions excommunications and absolutions for money are graunted it is euill like as are many other enormities borowed from Rome which remayne in the name of pollicie All these thinges were abhorred as Popishe superstious and Idolatrie among our Englishe Gospellers both Bishoppes and others when they were vnder Goos rodde in pouertie But they haue nowe learned Courtly Diuinitie to grounde all vppon pollicie Humble them agayne O Lorde that they do not forget thee nor thi poore people whom thou hast so dearely bought whiche by these their policies are blinded and careth for no more but that they may haue this superstitious shew which is still so maynteyned Let him mumble as he list if he be thus apparelled all his seruice is good ynough otherwise it is nothing worth Thus cause you them to perishe by your pollicies for whome Christ hath dyed Furthermore if Popery be superstitious and Idolatrous euill and wicked as yet there was neuer a worse thing in the worlde then are we commaunded to absteyne from all participation thereof and from all the shewe thereof Ab omni specie mall that is from all shewe of wickednes These garmentes were the shewe of their blasphemous priesthood herein they dyd sing and saye their superstitious Idolatrous seruice they dyd sence theyr Idolles and helpe forwarde their Idolatrous Masses What pollicie can it bee then to weare this geare but a superstitious wicked Popish pollicie They do it for policie they say that theyr Priests may be knowen and magnified of men Did not the Pharisees vse the same pollicie to do all theyr workes and make all their garmentes both Philacteris vpon theyr heads and theyr wyde and syde Robes and borders that they might be more aspectable and notorious to the people but theyr woo is threatened aboue all other sinners To such hypocrites as beyng voyde of all true holynesse delite in all outwarde shewes theyr curse is most inculcate Their pollicie is that the Priestes shall weare white in the Churches to signifie theyr vertue their purenes holynesse and when they go forth of the Church they muste weare blacke gownes and blacke hornes for contrary pollicies and for diuers significations Our Maister Christes pollicie was expressed in one worde Feede Feede Feede and the Prophetes before and the Apostles afterwarde If Christ be the wisedome of the Father the true Ministers shalbe well ynough knowen by that one marke which he giueth And if he haue not that marke better vnknowen then knowen both for him selfe others therefore lett them not saye for shame that they seeke gods glorie Christes will or the edification of his Church by their pollicie Whyles they threaten and stoppe the spreading of Gods worde and feeding of Christes flocke commaunded by writing to excommunicate the most faythful labourers in the planting of the gospell because they will not weare the ragges of Poperie to expulse the most valiaunt Souldiours agaynst the Romishe Antichrist the most earnest ouerthrowers of the kingdome of Satan which standeth in sinne and blindnes O beware you that wilbe Lordes ouer the flockes that you be not sore punished for your pryde towardes your brethren and your cowardlinesse in gods cause that for Princes pleasures pompose liuings do turne Poperie into pollicie and to become our persecutours vnder the cloake of pollicie It were better to loose your liuings then to displease god in persecuting of your brethren and hinder the course of the
paines in trauailes in perils and diligence M. Examinator whosoeuer hee was should not thus against reason haue railed on such whome their very enemies the papistes doe reuerence for their payns their care and diligence Aske at the Churches of Antline Peter Bartholmewe and at other Churches also what painefull trauailes from time to time they haue sustayned what perils in the plague they aduentured Haue not the poore sick persons and prisoners by them bin comforted and the people most diligently instructed If this be true as it is most true for the reuerence of him whose seruants they are they should haue bin more gently handled and more brotherly aunswered then thus to haue bin called fooles at y e first word though in some pointes they had fayled as men and not satisfied the great wisedome of M. Examinator Nether doth the Rhethoricall Arte of your M. teache him thus rudely to begin with them whome he shoulde perswade neither Christian charitie if either of you were euer entred into that Schoole doeth permitte you to call your Brother Foole as you may reade in our Sauiour Christ his firste Sermon Math. 5. which hee beginneth with blessing and not with brauling Bern. Maister Examinator is a wyse Gentleman and he sawe some cause why he called them fooles I warraunt you Mil. I graunt that it is counted a faulte amongest the wise of the worlde to bee so earnestlie and diligentlie occupied in preaching And for this cause the wise kinsmen of Christ called him madde would needs binde him and therfore your high Priests who are the accusers Iaylors and Iudges to these persecuted persons preache so seldome But the Spirite of God giueth an other commaūdement saying I charge thee therefore before God and his sonne Iesus Christ which shall iudge the quicke the dead at his appearing and in his kingdome Preache the worde bee instant in season and out of season improue rebuke exhorte with all long suffering and doctrine This and such like commaundements of God hath caused these good men and many others of their sorte to take theyr liues in their hands as Iob speaketh some to lose their liues and all to yeoparde theyr liues in that late plague of London when you Foure horned Gentlemen fled from your cures and hyred Iornemen in your places At what time these men shewed thē selues the good sheepheardes ieopardinge their liues for the sheepe and you were foūd hyreliuges taking stil the gayne but flying from the perilles Is this say you the cause Or is it rather for that they rebuked Poperie Idolatrie all kinde of sinne so sharpely were so feruent and zealous With the which earnestnes against sinne superstition and hypocrisie the halting gospellers and luke warme worldlinges must needes be offended and count them fooles and mad men as Festus did Paule and the olde worlde the Prophetes For the wisedome of God in his seruaunts hath euer in this poynte by y e world bin counted follie And alwayes the politike wise gentlemen count it their safetie to be like in religion with the multitude And therefore are bolde to mixe together many religions of Christ and Antichrist of God and the Deuill yea and some of them dare saye that both were good and both in their tymes to bee obeyed O miserable blindnes that nowe when light is come into the worlde men will not caste awaye the workes and fruites of darknesse and repent of them Either is this the cause that when the people haue bin taught these thirtie yeares in Englande that the Pope is the Romane Antichrist whose name ought not to remain in our bookes nor to bee spoken with our mouthes vnlesse it were in detestation now after so long trauaile against this enemie of Christe by their fathers their Brethren and themselues they seeing few or none going forwarde to roote out the remnaunts of Antichrist but many stande at a stay many casting away their weapons so that the Enemie gathereth courage many souldiors to shrinke backe not onely wearing Antichristes liueries but following that Romish Balaams couetousnesse and that old popish pompe with other his cursed conditions these faithfull Ministers will not be partakers of their sinnes least they receaue part of their plagues Loe this is the crime this is the fault lo this is the foolishnesse wherwith your wise and prudent Examinator is able to charge these true and faithfull Ministers of God If I knew what your proctor were whether he be a priest of y e popish order or of the English order or a man of the lay and lewd sort as the papists are wont to tearm them I could shew in him greater lewdnesse and more follie than you or he can proue in thē But because I doe not know his person I will answere the cause of Christs seruants and let him and you alone to your Lord and Maister giuing you both warning that you shall giue an answere before y e great Iudge for that which you doe or say agaynste these his little ones whome you call fooles But to the matter aunswere me playn Is it not meete that they which should bring others to the obedience of Christ should firste practise in themselues the same obedience and that they shoulde doe nothing without the warrant and commaundement of Christ that so not only by doctrin but also by their example of obedience they may teach their auditors only to depend vpon Christ Bern. No man will denie this thing to be meete and reasonable Mil. This is the summe of the request and supplication of the Godly Ministers of London as farre as I can heare that after so long preaching of Christ in London almost these thirtie yeares they may put in practise the doctrine of Christ and minister his holy sacraments in that simplicitie that Christ and his Apostles hath left thē without the ceremonies and garmentes abused by the papistes the enemies of Christs his Gospell which cannot in any wise make for edification in Christ that seeing their Fathers and Brethren and they with their own mouthes haue so long cried out against all popish Ceremonies as kneeling before the sacrament whereby much idolatrie hath bin and is committed as the ministration in the wafer cake whereby the people hath bin brought into vayne imaginations and haue not felt the comforte that our Sauiour Christ would haue sensibly to be presented in the vsual bread of many graines and many crummes making one body and being the vsuall foode as also against other monumentes of superstition and idolatrie as the garments of the popish priesthoode and of the popish Masse Nowe I say at the length after so many yeares teaching and so much blood of Gods Saintes sheade for the abolishing of Antichrist they themselues should not be compelled to giue any signification in their owne persons and bodies that they haue any concorde or agreement with that Romane Antichrist but that they go before their flocke to practise in worke
y e thing which they haue taught in wordes for the banishing from their owne bodies at the least such thinges as they knowe not grounded on Gods worde but mans meere inuentions superstitions idolatrical papisticall and therefore very hurtful to Christs flocke committed to their charge because that such traditions are only cloakes to the transgression of Gods commaundementes Now must we the seruauntes of Christ reason with you the proctors of Antichrists inuentions what foolishnesse you can finde in this their request And that wee may agree what is Wisedome and what is Follie and so iudge who is the Foole and who is Wise let vs first consider your own texts of foolishnesse that your Proctor beginneth his preface withall Aunswere not a foole according to his foolishnesse least thou also be like him which may be vnderstand that thou mayst not be like the foole neither in worde nor deede Nowe if I can prooue the Papistes in their religion and their apish apparaile to be fooles then I trust also I shall obtayne that I maye neither defende their cause by word nor deede and he that doth defende them aunswereth to their foolishnesse and is partaker of their follies If the texte be vnderstande that we may not raile against the raging Foole as also the scripture giueth by this texte then may we learne to giue place to those that raile against Christs ministers and not to handle them as their follie deserueth but yet to warne them of their perill and to desire them to beware that they bee not wise in their owne conceites for then is there more hope of a Foole then of such Wisardes Bern. I cannot reason with Scriptures fellow Miles but me thinke that they are starke fooles that wil loose so good liuings for a cappe of two shillinges or a Surples that shall cost them nothing Mil. Oh olde Bernarde thou speakest grosely according to thy capacitie But by the same chapter of Salomon we that fight against Antichrist may exhort you that you be not like dogges turning to your vomite of beggerly traditions and popish trash for so vse the fooles to returne to their foolishnesse sayth Salomon And we counsell you eftsoone to learne of the word of God what is the true wisedome and to imbrace this wisedome once known to striue for it vnto the death as the scripture exhorteth in an other place for hath not God made the wisedome of this world foolishnesse Doth he not say that hee will cast away the wisedome of the wise and destroy it and that he will take the wise in their owne wilines and that the foolishnesse of God is wiser than men and God hath not called many wise after the fleshe but hath chosen the foolish thinges of the world to confound the wise and the weake to confounde the strong and vile thinges in the worlde and despised that no fleshe shoulde reioyce Wherefore we must seeke first of al the true wisedome which resteth not in mans brain but in Gods brest whiche hee hath by his worde vttered vnto man and is otherwise altogether hid from him as the Lorde speaketh by his Prophet Isaiah saying My thoughts are not your thoughtes neither my wayes your wayes sayth the Lorde for as the heauens are higher then the earth so are my waies higher thē your waies and my thoughts aboue your thoughts Then must we runne to the word of God onely to know which is the Wisedome that God alloweth that is to hearken vnto the lawes and ordinaunces that God doth teache and to put nothing to his worde nor take any thing therefrom Therefore crieth this wisdome of God by Salomon O yee foolishe how long will ye loue foolishnesse and the skornefull take pleasure in skorning c. Because they hated knowledge and did not chuse the feare of the Lord they wold none of my counsell but despised all my correction therefore shall they eat of the fruite of their owne wayes and bee filled with their owne deuises Beholde it is the worde of God and therefore the true wisedome that the London Ministers do follow But you and the Papistes following your owne deuises are filled therewith and content your selues and so are yee giuen vp to maintaine superstitious vanities but suche God hateth And for these London Ministers may I say as Paule sayde to the Corinthians You suffer fooles gladly because that you are wise c. You are the Ministers of Christ I speake it as a foole they are more in labours more aboundaunt in stripes aboue measure in prison more plenteouslie and in death oft I could say more Bern. It was neuer good world with vs Priestes since euerie souldier and euery Seruingmā could talk so much of the scripture and these foolishe Ministers are the cause thereof which would make all men as wise as themselues Mil. Of your state and such as you bee which can onely be known by cloutes and garmentes and neither can teache nor will learn we wil speake anon But marke thou this matter that we haue in hande This is the true wisedome allowed before God and all good men to seeke counsell at Gods worde and to suspect our wittes of foolishnesse according to the saying of Salomon That the wise man heareth coūsel though the foole seeke no further but thinke his owne way right Agayne sayeth he Heare counsell and receiue instruction that thou maist be wise in the latter ende For many deuises are in mans harte but the counsell of the Lord shall stande It is the counsell of the Lord his word that bringeth wisedome to the simple saith Dauid This counsell of the Lord teacheth the yong man to direct his wayes and maketh the childe wiser than his teacher that knoweth not the will of the Lorde For as this is the only ground of true wisedome to knowe gods will and therein to reste So is it the cause of all follie to swarue from the same And this is the cause that the foole maketh a mocke of sinne that he walketh in darknesse And the foole thus walking by y e way thinketh al other to be fooles sayth Salomō afterwarde Euen so do you foolishe priests and foolish maintainers of superstitious vanities because you haue none other ground but your owne brayne your owne will and your owne good intentes You thinke that the Lōdon Ministers we that take their parts are so foolish as your selues are y e we should only stay vpō our owne wits wills Nay we settle our consciences herein vpon the expresse commaundement of God and the examples of the most godly in all ages and especially vppon our Mayster Christe and his Apostles And as poore and vnlearned a souldier as I am yet shalt thou know that I haue ynough to say againste them And as the christian souldiers vnder Iulian that wicked Emperor would not yeelde to any shew of superstition not so muche as in the taking of their wages to burne a little
witnesse but your owne selues who when you went apparailed as they doe thought them as honest and godly as any of you were Cast off therefore this bloudie Beastes geare y t maketh you so cruell against your Brethren and call them no more by the odious names of those monstrous Heretikes Donatistes Andians Rogatians and Circumcellians whose Heresies your own consciences must needs confesse that these true Preachers of Christe doe hate but consider deepely in your hartes and know assuredly that there is one Lord and Iudge of you and them before whome this matter must once be tried and all men that knowe them and haue heard their doctrine shalbe compelled to cleare them before this heauenly Iudge of all these vile slaunders Who hath spoken or written more plainely againste the Anabaptistes the Libertines and other fonde sectes than they haue done who hath more euidently taught and oftener called vppon the true obedience to their superiors Doe they require any thing but onely the same that Bucer Martyr Alasco Caluin Bullinger Beza Viret Gualter Musculus and all the reformed Churches doe practise How can they then be called Anabaptistes Bern. They call the London Ministers eyther Anabaptistes or Iohnabaptistes It is the one I am sure I cannot tel what they meane Mil. They cannot be without great malice called Anabaptistes who haue written and preached so plainly and purely against that perilous sect against the Rebaptizing of children against y e Iustificatiō of works againste their fonde Communitie agaynst their lawlesse life that they call Spirituall agaynste their deniall of Christian men to beare rule for these are the cheefe of their opinyons agaynste the whiche these godly men haue cōtinuallie preached and these errors will nowe spreade doubtlesse seeing that so many good Preachers are put to silence Howe be it in very deede there is some cause why they may bee likened to Iohn Baptist for he though he were of the Priestes linage yet did hee renounce all their glorious garmentes to begin our Christian Religion in all pouertie and simplicitie and herein our men followe his example euidently Bern. But they say that your men denie to obeye Magistrates as doe the Anabaptistes Mil. Nay there is great difference The Anabaptistes denie all power and gouernement of ciuile Magistrates as a thing vnlawfull Our Ministers say that this power and gouernment is an Ordinaunce of God most necessarie and most lawfull therefore they quietly suffer all euill at the handes of the Magistrates onely refusing to doe euill at their commaundement Thus did Iohn Baptist thus did Peter and Iohn the Euangelist professing that they must obeye God rather then man Now God commandeth that we shall not do like the Idolaters which caused Eliah and all the good Fathers to haue their sacrifices and Ceremonies apart but to cause them to turne to vs and not we to turne to them to abstain from all shew of euill which caused Daniell to open his windowes and Eleazar to forbeare the eating of lawfull fleshe Yea God commaundeth to roote out the monumentes of superstition and idolatrie and not to spare the Idolaters thēselues This caused Iehoiada the Priest to do that which he did God will haue the idolatrous Priestes and their names to be abolished God will haue the false Prophets ashamed of their garments wherein they haue deceiued Now though some Bishops or some ciuile power will cōmaunde these Ministers to doe the contrarie they doe not resist the powers but only aunswere with the Apostles whether it be right in the sight of God to obey you rather then God iudge ye Howbeit this is the olde crafte of satan to charge Gods seruauntes as factious and seditious Elijah Elisha Michaiah Isaiah and Ieremiah and all the true Prophets haue thus bin charged when the priestes could not cause the Princes to imprison thē or to slay them yet would they charge them as Amaziah did Amos and Caunturburie of late did Leauer y t they should not preache neare the court and the great Citie where the Prince was Yea Christ and his Apostles who preached most perfecte obedience to God and to Gouernoures were counted blasphemers of God and despisers of superiours Samaritanes and workers with Diuels Therefore they must be content to be rayled vpon and reuiled in this worlde by pharisaical hypocrites as their Maister was before them and all his faithfull seruauntes As for them they follow their M. Christ his Apostles in all simplicitie and puritie of life and doctrin praying for their enemies and still going forwarde in the Lordes businesse whereas you followe the Phariseies and Papistes counterfeite hypocrisie and crueltie againste Christes seruauntes They crie Come out from that Romish Babilon looke not back to that spirituall Sodome flee from thence touche none of that polluted ware The Pope is Antichrist and all that popish trash is poyson Antichrist and Christe can haue no agreement neither can their seruaunts haue any concorde Your men soberly say that the Bishop of Rome may not be opēly professed nor prayed agaynste and therefore you haue put out of your Letanie the prayer againste the Bishop of Rome and his detestable enormities but yet his liueries may be worne and many of his lawes and traditions must needes be reteyned Christes ministers doe crie with their Maister Christ Pasce Pasce Pasce which you graunte Sir Bernard that you vnderstand not But your Archeprelate of Caunturburie as all England supposeth by his doinges iudgeth this precept plaine follie They crie with the Apostle Peter to all pastors Curates Pascite Pascite feede as much as lieth in you the flock of Christ Your side say Reade by thy selfe or by thy Iorneyman or thy hireling that may serue two or three parishes singe in a Surplesse ring two or three peales at the Burialles play vppon the Organes chaunte in the Quire c. This geare is easily done and pleaseth well the multitude The Apostle Paule sayeth of himselfe in the respecte of all Christ his true Ministers that he hath a Stewardship committed vnto him and therefore crieth Woe vnto mee If I doe not preache the Gospell As for you and your side you thinke this is a very small matter and suppose that this maye bee done Per se vel per alium though GOD sayeth playnelie Thou thy selfe shalte tell them of their synnes or else will I require the blood of them that perishe at thy handes Agayne Paule sayth preache tempestiue intempestiue in season and out of season You say foure times in a yeare will serue to hire a preacher or at the least to reade Homilies And where God by Malachie commaundeth that the lips of the Priest should keepe knowledge and that the people shal require the law at his mouth You require little or nothing of your English Priestes but to saye the Catechisme and to weare a Cappe Coape and Tippet God sayth by Salomon Where there is no Prophecie the people perish But you say
the Lorde can be rightly ministred without a surples And what policie call you this to maintain so fonde opinions of the people Bern. The Queene doeth commaunde it for policie not for any Superstition howsoeuer the fonde people doe abuse it Mil. Ah that your politicall Proctors eyes are so blinded that they cannot see that so long as the supersticious things remain that superstition which hath bin so long rooted in the hartes of the people wherevnto man is so prone by nature can neuer be taken away And therefore it were a most necessarie policie for the Queenes Maiestie and all Christian Princes to roote out from the eyes of the people all the monuments of superstition Idolatrie according to gods commaundement and the words of the first Iniunctions Thus Moses Ezekiah and Iosiah destroyed the Idolls and the Idolatrous monumentes euen the Serpent set vp by Gods commaūdement a signe of Christ and a Sacrament of Gods fauour and mercie And Iehu killeth the Idolatrous priests in their priestly garmentes For none of these good Rulers could thinke that theyr commaundement was able to turne superstition into policie neyther had they any such power or authoritie because God had commaunded the contrarie Besides this to looke vppon the matter rightly ther is nothing that toucheth Christes religion more neare than the maner of making of Ministers and the forme of the ministring of the Sacramentes Wherefore nothing is further from policie like as in the appointing of these twayne Christes simplicitie is cleane contrarie to humane policie Therfore is it no marueyle though mans wisedome do not like it I haue also reade in a Booke of that Godly Father Martin Bucer whome your side boasteth of so muche that the tenthes and the firste fruites taken from the Benefices are sacriledge and robberie though they bee called meere policie All is not good policie that beareth the name of policie For these wicked impropriations pluralities of Benefices adoration of the Sacrament excommunication and absolution for money many moe popish practises haue nowe the name of policie But cursed is that policie that maynteineth any popish polling idlenesse superstition or Idolatrie Bern. Why may not a King cōmanud such thinges for good purposes that the Pope hath abused Mil. Both the commaunder the obeyer haue theyr limits in Christ not against Christ in the feare of the Lord not against the will of the Lorde to edification not to destruction Howbeit it were too long to aunswere all that maye herein bee sayde and the euils are too euident so that muche needeth not But this must all Christian Princes knowe that the King him selfe is bound to haue Gods booke hy him continually and thereby to directe his policie that he turne neither to the righte hande nor to the lefte For when he casteth away the worde of God from his policie there is no wisedome therein I coulde tell you further of licences and dispensations and other Popishe Lawes whiche are couered with the cloake of policie Howebeit all this is but a cropping of that Romish Rainoldes eares and so to bring in an English Poperie Bern. Nay Miles you are far ouerseene to call this an English poperie For you are bound not onely to obey your Prince for feare of punishment but also for conscience sake Mil. This sentence of the Apostle doth bind vs in conscience to haue a loue and reuerence vnto our Prince as vnto Gods Lieuetenaunt and of a faithfull harte conscience to obay him and to assiste him with our bodies and to ayd him with our goods so long as he doth this office in maintening good things good persons and punishing euil men and wicked doings For this cause doe we paye tribute sayth Paule that the Prince may be able to mainteine the good and to punish the euill as Gods Minister For example All the people were bound to assiste Moses in destroying the Idolaters and that Idoll in the wildernesse to helpe him with their goods in the making of the Tabernacle and to ayde Iehu in destroying the Idolatrous priestes and Temple of Baal and to obey Hezekiah and Iosiah in the destroying of the Idolles and Idolatrous monumentes in their times But no man was bound to obeye Ieroboam Ahab Iehoram Ahaz or any of y e wicked kings commaunding any superstition or idolatrie though for conscience sake because GOD placeth euill men ouer vs for our sinnes we may neuer ceasse to do our duties towardes them which is firste to giue vnto God our selues wholie then to giue vnto Caesar that which apparteyneth vnto him such tribute and seruice as is requisite As cōcerning wicked commaundements we must say That we must obeye God rather than man For Israel is sore threatened that Gods wrath shal come vpon them because they walked after the commaundement of the King And though Iosiah had taken away all the Idolatries and superstions which Manasseh his Graunfather had set vp and his Father Amon had maintayned yet was it so farre of that the cōmandement of those two wicked Kinges coulde excuse the people that notwithstanding some repentaunce in the dayes of Iosiah the Lorde turned not from the fierce wrath where with he was angry against Iuda and Ierusalem but put them foorth of his sight for the sinnes of Manasseh Whereby wee may see that we may not obey any wicked commaundement of any Prince vnlesse we will expose our selues to Gods heauie displeasure as that people did whiche obeyed the commaundement of Manasseh Wherefore as our conscience doth binde vs to obey the Prince commaunding good thinges and punishing the euill so doth our conscience which shall accuse or excuse at the great day teache vs that withoute any resisting euen praying to God for the euill Prince we may disobey any such commandement as may in any wise withdrawe vs from our duetie towarde God as we haue a manifest example of Daniel and his three companions refusing courtly delicates and in other their actes afterwarde As also wee haue this playne commaundemente to abstayne from all shewe of euill Yet doe wee graunt as I sayde before that in all Godly policies wee doe owe obedience in the bestowing of all that we haue Bern. What callest thou Godlie policies Mil. All Godly policies are furtherances to the keeping of Gods commaūdmēts wherein the cheefe and firste is the precise honouring of the true God and therefore the abolishing and abhorring of all Idols and of all their monuments Bern. Is not loue charitie and concord the fulfilling of the law And these are made for loue and concorde therefore this is a policie furthering Gods law and commaundements and so I heard Maister Doctor reason with a Minister Mil. Sir Bernard I did maruell where you had gotten this Logick and Diuinitie But first I doe aunswere that for the keeping of the first table the loue of God that I spake of before and therefore the detestation of Idols and al idolatrous monuments is
that wee maye not alwayes vse our libertie to the extremitie but muste doe some thinges for feare to offende other mens consciences which seemeth good policie Mil. It is true the holy Apostle Paule sayth in this maner Whatsoeuer is set before you eate asking no question for conscience sake But if any man say vnto you this is offered to idols eate it not because of him that shewed it and for the conscieÌ„ce sake the conscience I say not thine but of the other These words make cleane against you for first he telleth not as you aleadge what we must doe but what we must leaue vndone for other mens conscience For he teacheth that we may not vse these Idolothites that is thinges belonging to the Idols to offend any mans conscience but rather abstaine from such libertie and neither eate flesh nor do any thing that may offend our brother Now marke this matter that we haue in hand These popish geare were Idolothites thinges belonging to Idols in the wearing whereof many good mens consciences are offended and they openly tell you that they were thinges wherein the Idols were serued and that they are greeued to see you weare such liueries of Antichriste so they are offended in charitie and can not vse you as Brethren as they were wonte to doe Again the papistes and the weaker sort that haue not bin fullie taught doe still thinke and say and teache others that these are the things that belonged to their Masse and to other popish idolatrie and therefore al their poperie was not euill seeing Christes Ministers and Sacraments cannot be without them Thus their weake consciences are offended in fayth and thinke their olde idolatrie good and therefore cannot repent of it Wherefore for the consciences of others if there were no cause else you should abstain froÌ„ this libertie that you chalendge to your selues in these idolatrous garments like as Paule affirmeth that he woulde neuer eate flesh rather than he should be thoughte willingly and wittingly being once warned to eate any meate dedicate to Idols Bern. But hereby thou doest to much restraine our christian liberty seeing our conscience is free Mil. Although I might answere thee w t the saying of Ambrose It is lawful for thee with safe coÌ„scieÌ„ce thou mayst haue a wife yet if she play y e harlot she is to be reiected and cast away from thee Euen so the meate saith he if it be offered to an Idoll must be spit out This sentence of Ambrose agreeth with the decree of the Apostles commaunding to abstain from idolothites But Paul declareth that in coÌ„mon vsage where no maÌ„ is offended we haue a libertie to vse things that are offered vnto vs by the course and necessitie of this life as the creatures of GOD without doubtfulnesse Therefore I do graunt that the Surplesse or such like may be vsed in coÌ„moÌ„ businesses as to make it a Porters weede or to lappe some course thing therein as did Epiphanius with the vayle at Anablata or to giue to some poore man or woman that wante clouthes for their children But to vse it in the Sacramentes in Gods businesse is to make all the worlde to thinke that wee which would seeme reformers of Religion doo but trifle in Gods matters and that wee neyther doo abhorre Antichriste nor his hypocrisie Therefore as Iehu did well in turning the Idolatrous Temples into iakes and in polluting the garmentes with the bloud of the Priestes So should we procede in true reformations and all the faithfull Ministers of God should be Trumpets to stirre vs forwarde not clogges to drawe vs backwarde Bern. What you are to whote and to hastie you thinke that Rome may be builded vpon one day There bee many yet infirme and weake in Englande with whome the Gouernors must beare for a season vntill they bee stronger and that is very good police seeing they cannot reforme all thinges at once And because such thinges haue bin creeping in by little and little haue nowe bin long vsed they cannot be taken awaye but by a long continuaunce Mil. Nowe I doe aske thee in Gods name if thou doe thinke that they go about to builde Rome againe or to destroye it A thing is muche sooner destroyed then builded or canste thou tell mee this howe long they will bee weake or when all will bee strong It is almost fortie yeares since the Pope and poperie hath bin so long written and spoken against and about thirty yeres that his name as a thing most odious was commaunded by law of parliament to bee razed out of all Bookes and places in Englande and the Testament of Iesus Christ hath bin so long restored and published a-amongst vs. Now if men be not yet confirmed in the knowledge of Christe agaynste that Romane Antichrist the Pope and his blasphemous Priesthoode when will they be confirmed when they are fiftie or threescore yeares old peraduenture and haue bin taught so many yeares But you know that the most part die before fortie and who shal aunswere for them Either howe knowest thou that Gods word shall continue in Englande tenne or twentie yeares longer vntill men be no more weake Either wil you tarry till men learne it in another worlde Either is God so bounde to England that he will not forsake Englande as hee hath done his owne people and many other Nations for the greatnesse of their sins Nay thou murthering Englande that hast slaine so many of the seruauntes of God whiche called for the fruites of the Lordes Vineyarde and haste yet shewed no true fruites of repentaunce but sworne and forsworne thy selfe in sundrie Parliamentes and delightest stil in thy dregges and hatest them to this day that faithfully doe their office thou â—ust heare feele this terrible iudgement that the Lorde will let out his Vineyarde to others that will deliuer him the fruites in due season and that also which he spake to a people of greater holinesse than thou art The Kingdome of God shall bee taken away from you and giuen to a nation that shall bring forth the fruites thereof And O ye time takers time waiters which can finde no time to doe well alleadging the weakenesse of others beware that it be not your own weakenesse which wold fayne please both God and the worlde and therefore swim betwixt two waters Is it not yet time to build and purge Gods house when you haue alreadie builded ceeled and trimmed your own houses Beholde you may see in very short time where zeale and care of religioÌ„ is without halting al things are easily reformed after the word of God reuerently receaued Beware therefore that it be not of your own weakenesse that haue not yet learned rightly to hate those vayne traditions and superstitious shewes of the popish priesthoode but are content to be in such flauery your selues and so woulde haue all others rather then you will suffer any thing for the furtheraunce of the
5. de consecra cap. De his verò is writteÌ„ that in the yere 310 Clemens primus brought in Confirmation or Bishopping of children This Pope Clement affirmed that he was no christian that wilfullie left this vndone Pope Melciades came after affirmed it to be a more worthie sacrament than the sacrament of Baptisme Volateranus Platina Sabellicus Polidorus these do write that in the yeere 404 Pope Anastasius brought in Standinge at the Gospell Platina D. Barnes H. Pantateon these doo write that in the yere 530 Pope Bonifacius ordained To deuide the Chauncel from the body of the church Platina Durand D. Barnes H. PaÌ„tateon these do write that in the yere 603 pope Sabinian brought in Belles Vertue attributed to Belles First they stirre men to deuotion Secondlie they preserue the fruites Thirdly they keepe both the mindes and bodies of the faithfull from al daungers Fourthly they put to flight the hoastes of our enemies and dispatche all the subtilties of their euill willers Fifthlie they cause the boysterous windes hayle and all sharpe stormes the violent teÌ„pestes the terrible thuÌ„drings to cease Sixtly they driue away all wicked spirits and Deuilles Chronica Chro. Volateranus Platin. these do write that in the yere 653 Pope Vitalianus broght into y e church OrgaÌ„nes Christianus Massaeus Chro. mundi these do write that in the yere 796 pope AdriaÌ„ ordeyned the Surplesses Durandus Platina Volateranus Polidorus these do write that in the yeere 653 pope Gelasius brought in Prickesong pope Gregorie Playnesong pope Vitalianus Descant Platina Sabellicus Polidorus Gratianus these do write that in the yere 119. pope Alexander ordeyned vnleauened breade or rounde Cakes small saying this oblation the lesse it is the better is it Also why it is rounde like a penie Antonius saieth Because Christe was solde for thirtie pen. Durandus saith that it is made rounde because the earth is rounde And another sayth that the outwarde signe may signifie him that wanteth both beginninge ending Durandus Polidorus Pantateon these do write that in the yeere 375 pope Damasus brought in the church The firste prescript order for the seruice in the Quier Durandus Chroni Chron. these do write that in the yeere 1073 pope Gregorie the seueÌ„th brought in The prescript nuÌ„ber of psalmes and lessons Platina Massaeus Polidorus Pantateon these do write that in the yere 444 pope Leo or as some write pope Hillarius ordeyned the Gange dayes or Rogation weeke Durandus sayeth that pope Gregorie or Gelasius ordeyned the Collectes ordinarie Chroni Achil. Fasciculus temp these say that in the yeere 737 pope Zacharias ordeyned priestes Gownes Tippettes and Foure horned Cappes Haue at our Englishe prelates of pride Sabellicus writeth that in the yeere 251 pope Stephanus ordeyned Coapes and Vestimentes This man appointed no garmentes to be vsed in the church but hallowed garmentes In Chroni Graftoni is written that in the yeere 871 Pope Nicholas ConciliuÌ„ did forbid Mariage in Lent and at all other times Paule calleth it the doctrine of Deuils Decreta lib. 3. titul 1. cap. 10. PaÌ„tateon they saye that in the yeere 1214 Pope Honorius ordeyned Kneeling to the sacrament Here the sacrament was made an Idoll as Iewell saith in his first booke against Harding Sabellicus Polidorus Lib. Conciliorum Eusebius these do write that in the yere 139 Pope Telesphorus ordeyned Lent to be fasted before Easter Distinct 76. cap. Tenui Platina Sabellicus Polidorus D. Barnes these do say that in the yeere 206 pope Calixtin ordeined Imber fastes Platina and Volateranus do write that in the yeere 315 Pope Bonifacius ordeyned Wednesdayes Frydayes and Saterdayes fastes Polidorus and Pantateon these do write that in the yeere 425 Pope Bonifacius ordeyned Saintes eues fasted Mat. 26. 63. saith that Caiaphas the high Priest would haue Othes ex officio to wit to make men sweare to accuse them selues When Caiaphas could not get that which would suffise him at the false witnesses mouthes to put Christ to death then hee adiured him by the liuing God to tell if he were Christ Thomas Rudb and Iohan. Capg these do write that in the yeere 1098 Pope Vrbanus ordeyned Caunturburie to be the chiefe patriarchal Seate All popishe holy dayes had the like beginning as by Thomas Beacons booke of Reliques is to be seene All these Popes were Antichristes one after another and there are none of these Ceremonies and Monumentes of Idolatrie but came all from these Antichristes besides the Lordlie gouernement of Bishoppes Popishe Excommunications and Absolutions Pluralities Trialities Tot quots with such other Dispensations and Licenses Institutions Inductions Proxies and Senages c. These all fill the purse and were deuised of Antichriste to holde vp his kingdom All these do the Tradicioners still mainteyne directlie agaynste the commaundementes whiche Samuell as before is saide doeth affirme to bee wickednesse and Idolatrie The true Discipline by Gods word without the whiche no true Religion can be and which true reformed Churches doe holde and mainteyne haue the Traditioners vtterly excluded And therefore they can not truelie affirme and saye That they doe deteste all Antichristian Idolatrie neyther yet that they consent in all pointes of true doctrine with all godlie reformed churches wheÌ„ these mischiefes are mainteined true discipline banished which of necessitie must be ioyned ¶ A Prayer for the Faythefull O Lord God most mercifull Father we beseeche thee for the honour of thy holy Name to defende vs from that Antichrist of Rome and froÌ„ al his detestable enormities manners lawes garments ceremonies Destroye the counsel of al Papistes and Atheistes enemies of thy Gospell of this realme of EnglaÌ„d Disclose their mischiefes and subtill practises confounde their deuices let them be takeÌ„ in their own wylinesses and streÌ„gthen all those that maintayne the cause and quarell of thy Gospell with inuincible force and power of thi holie Spirite so that though they bee destitute at anie tyme of worldlie ayde and comforte that yet they fayle not to proceede and goe forward towardes that true godlinesse commaunded in thy holie worde with all simplicitie and sinceritie to thy honor and glorie the comforte of thine electe and the coÌ„fusion of thine enemies through Christ our Lorde and Sauiour Amen Amen And say from the harte AMEN FINIS A good desire Too true Our B. are Foxes Mat. 15. Phil. 3. Zacha. 13. 1. Reg. 12. 2. Reg 16. Daniel 3. Note this A perilous heresie 2. Tim. 4â— 2. A lamentable defectioÌ„ The request of the godly ministers 1 Cor. 1. 19. 25. 26. 27. Esa 55. 8. 9. Pro. 1. 22. Pro. 1 29. 30. 31. â— Cor. 11. 19 23. 11. Psal 19. 7. Psal 119 9. Fevv such Souldiers Marke this O ye Conformatistes Marke this 2. Pet. 2. Note this ye Magistrates Looke to this O yee Magistrates in time 2. Cor. 6. 17. Esa 52. 11. 1. Pet. 5. 2. Good stuffe for the Popes church 1. Pet. 5. 2. 3. Luk. 22. 26. Marke this good Reader praye for the same vvith vs. As Dios Grauet and such like Such as Parson Taylor Parson Buffin suche like Marke this prety stuffe Marke well Spirituall theeues the vvorste theeues Be vvarned O England Good couÌ„sell and the best policy The name of D. Turners Booke Note The more is the pitie Marke this O ye christian Magistrates and frame your policie to christianitie Note this Looke in the ende of this Booke Act. 4. 19. Marke vvell this and beare it avvaye Those that knovve not God his vvill bee blinde and see nor knovve no-nothing Vnlesse meÌ„ vvill bee blinde they must confesse this Psalm 16. Gen. 3. 14. Marke this ye Vniuersitie men Outvvarde notes to knovve Papistes The Surples may be vsed for a Porters vveede or such like necessarie garment Remember Qu. Maries daies O England and repent in time Looke to this O ye L. Bishops Marke this O yee Gentlemen Mark these similitudes Looke into all other reformed churches VVhat is this but hypocrisie 2. Cor. 6 14 15. 16. Examples of holy meÌ„ vvhiche detested Idolaters and their fashions and rites Iohn 2. 15. One principal question Reade the Tables in the ende of this booke Reue. 18. 4. 1. Cor. 10. 21. No Idolator or his Garmentes to be suffefered To many of this opinion God grauÌ„t vve may do this froÌ„ our hartes These Popish Garmentes refused in K. Edvvardes time Those that haue eies to see let them see Old Robert Bishop of Lincolne They svvarme throughout the laÌ„d God redres it vvhen his vvill is All vpright men coÌ„fesse this to be true Of indifferent things note A Christian aunsvvere and ought to be practised of al true Preachers The Apostles neuer sought to bring any estimation to theword by apparell The defenders of thes ceremonies haue their ovvn coÌ„sciences to vvitnes these things to be true None caÌ„ be to earnest in a good cause for God his Church Papists and the veriest asses moste redie to the ragges of Rome Christes church can not avvaye vvith names of Idolatries muche lesse vvith their ceremonies Indifferent thinges made intollerable four vvayes 1 2 3 4 Note this 1 2 Tvvo sorte of Idolothites 1 2 Nota. Good intenrs vvithout vvarraÌ„t displease God These traditions more vrged then God his coÌ„mauÌ„dementes Patcheries of popishe remnaunts aâ—…to be cast off vvith the Pope him selfe