exhorting herevnto gathering to this end al the chief reasons which ought to ioyne vnite the faithful one with an other as one God one Lorde Iesu Eph. 4 4.5.6 one faith one baptisme one body one spirite one hope of their calling wold neuer haue forgotten this whervpon it seemeth by theÌ„ that al this vnity should depend of one supreme pastor whom all ought to obey As this reason of vnity is alleaged for the pope so is it for all the rest of his hierarchie the very image of the beast that is of the RomaÌ„e empire some shadow of the glory wherof this Antichrist would haue expressed in his Prelates after him to whom it hath as much reason as in himself Pity it is that in so faire and cleare a lighte of the day and in this fulnesse of the brightnesse of the sunne any state shoulde not sée that as not beeing appointed of God to be any meanes of the intertaining of good agreement in the Church so contrarywise thorow his wrath and iust iudgment for the peruerting of his lawfull and holy ordinances which onely should rule the church in these cases that it hath been and yet is the most effectuall instrument of Satan to hinder the prosperous and flourishing estate of the gospel For hereby in his supreame Vicar vppon earth he sitteth as the strong man of whome we reade in the Gospel harnesed and armed in the middest of his hall and Pallaice possessing al his house in peace till his weapons wherin he trusteth most whereof this is chiefe be taken from him by our sauiour Christe who is stronger then he and so cast out of his possession The ambition of P. and of the people hath béen one cause to vphold it so long who as the prophet coÌ„plaineth delight in it and take pleasure to haue it so that their priestes should exercise authoritie by their pomp increase the state honor of theÌ„ both An other the weakenes of iudgement euen in those which were wise who seeing worldly states thus gouerned and not knowing the ordinaunces of our sauiour Christe in this case thought it a thing conuenâ—ent And it is to be feared that the allowaunce of this popishe hierarchie springeth in some pretending to be Catholicke from a most bitter roote as seeing hereby that thorow the giftes they receiue of them they shall alwayes haue them at commaundement to apply religion as may be fittest to serue their turn But wheÌ„ the Lorde shall of his goodnes vouchsafe to weâ—de out this roote of wormewood out of their harts and to lighten their eies with true knowledge they shall see both that to be true which hath been in this matter declared and further that this supremacy and whole hierarchy as it is no meanes of vnity in trueth so is it the very cause of keeping out the truth in so many places and detaining the knowledge of God vniustly and in captiuitie For whereas the fathers in their couÌ„cels bind themselues by a solemne oth to do nothing against the present state of the Pope and his Church and that the greatest parte of the abuses which are to be reformed in the Church of Rome are such as their supreme pastor his Hierarchy are guilty of if they call neuer so manye counsels for the purpose Vrspergensis yet if they be sworne vowed one to another to maintaine al their abhominatioÌ„s stil and yet all men be to follow the determination of the pope his prelats what hope is ther that euer they shold condemne them selues their gainful errors what losse soeuer it be to the world For as if things were reformed according to the truth of the Gospel his fatherhood shold part with his triple crown and leaue his riding vpoÌ„ mens shoulders so euery member of his body for his place in it must make lesse of more theÌ„ they would be willing to parte withall Wherefore their couÌ„cels are but for the establishing of their own kingdoÌ„ in the world And as are their general councels such are their national lesser synodes of like men for like purposes To consult of the best way for the reformation of abuses of furthering the seruice of God and of his people not a worde is amongst them For the chiefe abuses are in themselues It were to be wished therfore that all Christian P. or if suche as pretend to bee catholique wil not yet at the least they which make holy profession of the trueth of the Gospell as farre as this aduise may be necessary for them regarded the reformation of so great abuses and established the onely lawfull discipline in the Church which is the meane that Christ hath appointed for the kéeping of the vnity of the spirite in the bonde of peace Further where he blameth vs to receiue no mans exposition but our owne and to despise councelles he is to vnderstande that wee receiue the exposition of anye man bee he neuer so simple whiche is agreeable to the word of God We allow desire we hold expedient and necessarye lawfull holy méetings of conferences of synodes councels would most willingly that our cause might be debated in a free lawful and generall Councell Which woulde to God we might see if it be the Lordes good pleasure so assembled and ordered by the meane of Christian Princes as the worde of God preuailing and all our controuersies taken awaye there might be but one flocke and one solde as there is but one shepheard Christe Iesu And if this cannot be obtained wtout most vnequal conditions of appointing him to be iudg of our cause whoÌ„ we are to charge before God his whol parliment of saints and the reuerend assembly of such a generall and frée counsel as we according to Gods word do desire to be the very same Antichrist whom the scriptures foretold shold come for iust punishmeÌ„t of the wicked by hauing power to seduce into errors apostasie suche as had not the loue of the truth and the very head of that harlot whom S. Iohn painteth out in her colours in the reuelatioÌ„ which hath made al kingdoms drunk with the cup of her fornicatioÌ„s we must for that remit ourselues to the gret day of trial wheÌ„ Christ shal come with thousands of his mighty angels to iudg the quick the dead and before men angels before heaueÌ„ earth al creatures bearing witnes of his iustice giue sentence with vs against our aduersaries But if this so greatly to be desired throw their vnreasonable demaÌ„ds to be iudges in their own cause being to stand arraigned endited of high treason against God al the states of christendom theÌ„ wold to God yet it might be obteined of such christian P. as profes the gospel that there might be a general free councel of al the churches wtin their dominions The benefit wherof thorow the blessing of god must néeds be inestimable both to the preseÌ„t state of the church
was not Ieroboams Religion therefore the true Religion and the other false no nor more profitable for theim For whether was it more profite to enioye onely for a shorte tyme the ease in tariyng at home and to saue the trauaile and coste of goyng to Ierusalem then by obeiyng the Commaundement of God in yeeldyng to hym the seruice whiche he required to depende vpon hym and thereby to bee assured to haue safely kepte that whiche for the present thei enioyed and to dwell in the lande accordyng to the promise bothe thei and their posteritie for euer Or whether brought theim greater hurte in the ende true Religion whiche required their trauell and coste to worship at Ierusalem or Ieroboās Idoll whiche in the ende did caste them out of the lande and their children for euer leadyng them captiues into Assiria and makyng theim subiecte to the iuste punishement of euerlastyng death To haue tarried still in Egipt seemed to some to stande better with the wealthe and prosperitie of the people of Israell to enioye that thei had gotten there the space of fower hundred yeres thei had dwelte in it then with so many troubles carriages of their housholde stuffe and cattell into so huge a deserte to worship there But the seruice of GOD required it and in the ende it was farre more proffitable for them For in steede of beeyng slaues to the Egyptians who putt them into their Bricke houses of Claie and into their Furnace of Iron thei obtained a goodlie lande of their owne where thei dwelte as a free people euery one sitting vnder his owne Vine and drinkyng the water of his owne Well Abraham might haue thought it better to haue tarried still in Vr of the Chaldeans then to go thence he knewe not whether Yet the obedience of GOD required hym to leaue his owne Countrey whiche the Idolatrie of his Countrey did not exact of hym And in the ende not onely in regard of the life to come but euen of this life it fell out to his farre greater benefite then if he had not borne that harde condition as it seemed at the firste and tarried still For after and by this meanes GOD made Abraham a Father of many Nations his Seede as the Sande of the Sea and the Starres of heauen in multitude naie he gaue hym a sonne in whom bothe he and all Nations should bee blessed So the Apostles were cōmaunded to leaue all and followe Christ as in some sorte many other oftentymes are likewise to doe A hard Religion would this man saie and standeth nether with any reason or pollicie but is against their commoditie and best estate yet is not Christes Religion therefore to bee impugned For whatsoeuer it requireth yet is it the onely true Religion and therefore that whiche onely hath the promise of the blessyng of God annexed vnto it as the Apostles finally proued and all shall likewise proue whiche followe hym It semed good policie to some of the kinges of Iuda to be in league with the mightie kyng of Assiria and to confederate them selues with the people of the natiōs whiche true Religion did not suffer nor allowe yet was it not the lesse the onely true Religion no nor had not been in the ende lesse profitable for their state For if thei had obeyed God and depended vpon hym then had thei continewed the Kyngdome in their lande whereas euen by their pollicie thei were caste out of it and despersed abroade Thei had been better to haue contented them selues Esa 8. with the softe runnyng and shallowe water of Silo whiche thei so muche despised for then thei had not been carried awaie to Babell But Euphrates was a goodlie deepe water a swifte flood a noble streame therefore thei desired to drinke of it and to washe theim selues in it but to their owne destruction For this strong streame tooke their feete from them carried them awaie into captiuitie There are many whiche by suche wicked pollicies forslow yea neglect the reformation of Superstition of Idolatrie of Popishe abuses and enormities of the Churche within their Dominion Thei are afraied innouations should breede daunger to their estate and therefore thei choose rather with the indignation of God to let al alone and suffer a state once established so to continue then to alter abuses and disorders though GOD and true Religion require it Yet shall suche pollicies in the ende be founde to haue no sound wisedome in theim when GOD accordyng to his woorde shall visite suche a Nation and bee auenged of them for all their impieties By like reason a man that liketh not of christianitie because thei muste suffer persecution whiche will liue godlie in Christ Iesu and because the waie is straight and narrowe maie with as good colour pretende to haue iuste matter to refuse it But christian faithe and the narrowe waie in all holie and sound wisedome are notwithstandyng to bee chosen and the broade waie wherein a man seemeth to walke at his ease for a season to be refused For in the ende he shall proue it true whiche Salomon saieth that there is a waie whiche seemeth good vnto a man the ende whereof is destruction as there are lippes that still Honie but the feete of the same bodie leade into hell It is therefore meere profaunesse Atheisme to measure religiō by euery commoditie and so farre to receiue it and so ofte to chaunge it as in the vaine discourse of fleshe and blood it seemeth to stande or not to stand with our profite For this is the profane spirite of Esau to make but a pollicie of Religion and a seruaunt to our selues But true Religiō is to be receiued for it self because God hath cōmaunded it and so farre and in suche sorte as he hath prescribed what daungers or discommodities soeuer profane infidelitie and the foolishe discourse of the naturall man whiche as the Apostle Peter saieth is poore blinde and can not se farre of in these matters shall fancie and imagine Naie though in deede for triall of our faithe more precious then gold and for the honour of his name in our patience the Lorde should see it good to excercise his people with sundrie afflictions for how soeuer for suche secrete and yet alwaies iuste causes the Lorde shall see good to deale with any Nation yet in the ende if thei serue the Lorde thei shall finde it to bee moste for their comforte bothe in this life and in the life to come And therefore this remaineth alwaies firme that whatsoeuer the naturall man and carnall pollicie shall iudge yet true Religion in the groundes of the doctrine and in the exercise and practise of it is not contrary to the florishyng estate of a commonwealth but bothe in the nature of it and by meanes of the promise of blessyng annexed vnto it is the Religion by whiche alone Kyngdomes and Common-wealthes maie truely prosper and florishe Thus wishyng to bee vnderstoode of all men that Religion is to
publike causes I sawe there were also many contrarye presidents and that of many worthy men who in like times had stoode in the gap and in the breach against the enemie Moreouer Neh. 4.16.17 I considered this our time to be like that wherof we read in the booke of Neemie wherein because of the often and hot charges of these Samaritanes enuying the raysing vp againe of the new Ierusalem out of the ruines wherin they had ioy to see it we are constrayned so to buylde it as we may stand also redy armed to make head against the enemie and to beate him backe when he shal assayle vs. Which because the learned will see to be no matter of game and striuing for the golden pen but a necessarye seruice of God and his church I hope they will be satisfied better with that which may bee sure for defence then faire for shewe But chieflye this is my hope of all your H. both for the graue wisdome God hath endued you with and for the accustomed fauour you are wont to shewe to all such as to their power doe endeuour faithfully to serue the Lord. As for the enemie I know in deede his malice is bitter and his pen foule and shameful For so both others of them and especially the defendant of the late censure hath notoriously testified in his wicked slaunders of as worthie men as the sunne hath seene anye in this age of their profession But seing it lieth not in vs to make them modest and that we are called in good and il report yea in life and death to serue God his church I willingly commit any iniurie that may be done me by them for his cause to him to whome the punishment thereof appertaineth Iude Epist and who as Enoch prophecied long agoe commeth with thousands of his Saintes to doe iustice vpon them all and to reprooue those which are wicked amongst them of all the deedes which they haue wickedly committed and all the hard speaches which wicked sinners haue spoken against him Wherefore being satisfied for these doubtes and knowing no other sufficient cause to the contrary I haue thought this defence to be my most bounden duetie to almightie God to her most excellent M. to your H. and to this whole state and church Therefore I haue resolued by your LL. good fauour seeing no man els so long time had vndertaken to deale with this Plaintife to maintaine against him to my small power the glory of God in the iust defence of his trueth the honor of the authority I haue named in their most lawfull proceedings against such as vntruely are called Catholiques Thus hauing before your H. most humbly rendred some reson of this my doing I come now to ioyne with mine aduersarie The effecte of this Authours purpose is as he himselfe declareth in the beginning of his booke The answere and hath béene touched before in presenting your LL. with the Epistle intituled of the persecution in Englande with this treatise of his own is to complaine of intollerable extremities vsed agaynst the pretended Catholiques for their only conscience sake as he affirmeth and also to become suter to your Honors in behalfe of their cause that if for the time it may not be receyued as he thinketh it worthy yet at the least it may not be so hardly intreated as hee woulde make the world beleue it hath beene hetherto Which their cause being not of the thinges of this life wherin reason and discourse may trie and discerne but of religion he ought to haue taken his reasons to perswade the religion he would maintaine to bee good out of the holy and sacred bookes of the canonicall scriptures 2. Tim. 3.17 For of these we reade that they are able to make vs wise vnto saluation thorow the faith that is in Christ Iesus as the Apostle addeth in the same place they are giuen by inspiration from God to furnish vs and to make vs fully able to instruct in that which is truth and to conuict whatsoeuer agreeth not with it Therefore as in question of mettall the touch stone is called for to shew the good and to discouer the badde so should he haue touched with this true onely touch both our mettall and his that that which is base or fine in eyther religion might haue bene discerned In doubtful controuersies in the law they were commanded to repaire vnto the hie priest into whose brest the Lorde had put Vrim and Thummim Exod. 28.30 whereby he was able to giue aunswere in all causes Christ is our hie Priest and the holy scriptures as being that wisedome of God to be reuealed to vs the Vrim and Thummim whereby we are answered as by Oracle from God in al our controuersies Therefore in this most weightie cause counsell ought to haue bene sought for there where the brest of Christ is open vnto vs and where a perfecter light then that of Vrim Thummim shineth to our most safe direction Esay 8.9.10 But this Author that we may know by the testimony of the Prophet Esay that there is no sparke of true light in him leaueth the lawe the testimony and seeketh to humane reason as to a cunning enchantres and as Saul to seeke answere hee goeth from the liuing vnto the deade Heb. 4.12 Ephe. 2.1 for the worde of God is liuing and the sonnes of men are borne deade in their sins But let vs see his reasons such as they are and howsoeuer he would flie the saymasters furnace the subtile weight yet bycause we know there is no other certain way to try what goodnes it may be of that hee bringeth we must make a say of it by the fire of the Lords altar and weigh euery thing by the weightes of his sanctuarie The reasons he bringeth are principally two Reasons vsed to perswade fauor towardes the Romane catholiques whereof the one is of the punishment laide vpon them and the other of the cause wherin they stand He toucheth briefly two other reasons which are of lesse moment rather of complemēt circumstance thē of any great weighte or substance in this question which are of the person of the ende For if it fall out as by Gods grace I vndertake to show that the punishment and the cause is such as that these falsly named Catholiques are dealt with in iustice and that mitigated with great moderation and clemencie then do these with all receaue their answere Yet something I will answere perticularly to these reasons and first to that which is taken of the persons of those who are punished In this he alleadgeth that they are of our owne bloude and Nation The first reason answered and borne subiects of the lande Wherein what doth hee pleade for them that may not be with as good reason brought for all malefactors which the lawe doth punish And to whom els doth the lawe extende but to the borne
so much more if they shall also declare themselues vnnaturall Romaine both in allegeance and religion there is no cause by the word of God why in respect thereof they should not be dealt with by the lawfull Magistrat ordained of God for the punishment of all offenders according to the lawe prouided in this behalfe And thus much for the persons Now for the end He denyeth your LL. shall euer attaine to that you pretende 2 Reasons answered by this punishment that is to bring such Catholiques to conformitie in matters of religion but rather be further off The reason whereof he addeth that such constrainte to do against their conscience and iudgement whereby he saith they must be tryed at the latter day is the losse of their soules the memorie of which iniurie can not but breede a deepe greefe and detestation of the thing they may haue beene so forced vnto But his reason shall be after considered First let vs weigh that he determineth no good will to be done vpon them by any punishment Experience in deed hath declared it to bee too true in some yet no man can iustly say therefore that there is no vse of punishmēt For both many others hereby are kept in duety that they do not in like sorte fall away and who can tell what it may please God to worke euen in them hereafter by this meanes which haue not yet profited by it Sure I am it hath done good to many in times past who by this meanes haue beene recouered from their vnduetiful disobedience vnto a godly reformation And the authoritie amongst vs doing like duety vpon the same commandement of God to punish the obstinat Heritike and Idolater what reason is there why we should not hope of like effect and fruit of it now that hath come of it at other times To let former times passe vnder the K. of Iuda and Israell Austen acknowledgeth often and plainely that the Discipline of the Magistrate had bene profitable to many of the Donatistes And if saith he it haue not profited some Ep. 48. is the medicine to be neglected bicause the pestilent contagion of certaine is incurable So likewise some amongst vs thorow the goodnes of God haue receyued profit by this meanes But if other some for the obstinat hardnes of their heart that can not repent will neuer be reclaimed is the meanes therefore to be neglected which may be profitable to many As for the reason he addeth that to be constrayned to doe against their conscience doth make them further off and more detest that which they haue so cōmitted can not hold in such as receaue profit by the correction of their offence For they will thinke themselues most bounde to your H. all the dayes of their life whose meanes herein God hath vsed to bring thē out of the horrible darkenes and shadowe of death wherein they sate before into the Gospels most glorious and marueylous light To the rest if it be not profitable yet haue your H. done the worthie duetie of Christian Magistrates wherein you may quyetly rest and with great comfort For the Lord requireth nothing but obedience of vs and reserueth the blessing of all good meanes to him selfe to bestow in such measure as seemeth best to his heauenly will Thus I would leaue this reason but that there is a worde yet to be added to a speach of conscience which this Authour hath boldly set down here that is that at the latter day a man shall be tryed by his conscience and iudgement which he referreth to this end to obstinat such as haue apprehended a liking of the pretēded catholike faith and a dislike of ours as if they offended not by this recusance hauing their consciēce so perswaded the verie grounde of all libertinisme that authority should not compell them to do that which is against their conscience for feare of condēning their soules abusing to this end the places of the Apost in the 2. 14. to the Rom. for the 2. the Apostle there doth not affirme that a man shall be iudged in the daye by an erroneous conscience iudgement but by a conscience witnessing either to clearing or condēning agréeably to the law of God Which appeareth both by his word in that he calleth it the law of God written in their hart by the whole purpose of that place which is to shew al both Iewes Gentiles to stand condemned by the Lawe of God the Iewes by the law written in tables of stone the Gentiles euen wtout that by the same law written in their harts Wherfore it is vtterly vntrue to affirme that any man shal be iudged by his conscience or iudgement whatsoeuer it be True it is that whatsoeuer a man doth he ought to do it of an vndoubted faith grounded vpon the word of God that such his doing is pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ and whatsoeuer he doth otherwise is sinne because it is not of faith nor this true perswasion of doing wel which is the plaine meaning of the other place in the 14. But hereof followeth not that he that is mis-led by an erroneous conscience shal be iudged and cleared according to it or that the Christian Magistrate ought not to require any lawfull duetie of the subiect what conscience soeuer he haue of it that the doing of such a thing is good or euill For it is not the erroneous or good conscience whereby we shall be iudged otherwise then by all our deedes both good and euill but it is the lawe of God against which if any man transgres either ignorantly or wilfully he is made guilty of sin and subiect to the sentence of condemnatiō by the lawe Which lawe our recusantes are conuicted gréeuously to offend because they breake it in not giuing to God the honour which belongeth vnto him in refusing his holy worde and Sacramentes and with them Christ Iesus and his redemption offred thereby vnto them not keeping the Lordes Sabaothes and disobeyinge the good commaundement of authoritie requyring the performance of so many holy dueties of thē Which sins though they ignorantly commit as not knowing that they sinne in such recusance but rather being perswaded that their so doing is a high seruice of God acceptable vnto him yet shall not their ignorance excuse them for the Lord wil surely beat euery seruant that doth not his Masters will Luk. 12.18 yea though he know it not because his ignorance is not of the creation of God but of his owne corruption originally drawne from Adam Neyther shall this good entent excuse them any more then the Iewe which ignorantly crucifying Christ and persecuting the Apostles were perswaded they did God great seruice For it is obedience that the Lord requireth which who soeuer yealdeth not vpon what cause or pretence soeuer is giltie by the Law On the other parte if retayninge still that wicked perswasion that to ioyne with vs in the seruice of
honour of a large dominion then euer the Kinge of Iuda did The Assirians the firste Monarchie of the world ruled in a manner all Nacions for many yeares many Kinges succéedinge one an other in the royall seate of Assiria After them arose the Persians who subduing the Assirians obtained the Monarchie and raigned likewise a space succéeding one an other Then came the Grecians who preuayling against the Persians made themselues maisters of thē and almost of the world Last of all the Romaine Empire abolishing the former succéeded in the souerantie possessed it first in Roome and after in Constantinople againe in the West to that decayed estate which now remaineth of it whē the great Turke had seased vpon Constantinople and all the East part of the Empire So Tamerlan the Tartarian had a time as also many other horrible Tirantes wherein they prospered That these prospered for a season he cannot deny as he accounteth prosperitie but I think hee wyll not say that the detestable profession of Mahomet or the Pagan Heathen abhominations of the Monarches vnto Constantine in the Roman Empyre were the cause of their prosperitie It is manyfest they were not but rather the cause of their finall ruyne and ouerthrow as not ceasing to call for vengeance to God vntil he with his Thunderbolt from Heauen had striken thē What was the cause then Surelye this the goodnesse of God who dooth good euen to the vnthankfull and vngodly who letteth his Rayne to fall-vppon the Féeld of the iust and vniust and causeth his Sonne to shine vpon the Christian and vpon the Heathē An other may be that the Lorde purposing to execute his iust Iudgements vppon the Kinges of the earth for their Idolatries oppressions violences murders adulteries and all such lyke their impieties raysed vp from time to time as hee dooth also euen vnto this daye some to serue him in the execution of his high Iustice vpon thē For which cause the Lorde doth make some Nation to growe stronge and mightie as the Okes of the Forest that hee may vse it for a Staffe in his hande to chastice the Nations Whiche when it hath perfourmed hee casteth it into the fire and rayseth vp another for the consuming of them These are the true reasons the Lordes mercy and Iustice which caused them for a time to florish as the Ceder in Libanus which after he cut downe and so grubbed by the Rootes that the place of many of them is no more to be knowne and not their wicked Idolatries which the Lorde alwayes abhorred euen so doo I say of all the Kinges that haue receiued Poperie and haue prospered for a season that not their Idolatrie and Heresie but that the goodnesse of God dooing well vnto his enemies that his Iustice to punish those that loue not the trueth was the cause of any prosperitie that euer they enioyed Againe I saye that if the Bookes bee well looked it wyll easily bée founde that their pretended Catholike Faith and Roman Religion hath beene pernicious to most noble states and in the verye nature of the doctrine and the practise of it is contrarye to the wealth liberty honour and authoritye of any state or kingdome The Romaine Empyre may sufficiently beare witnes of it For the Empyre hauinge pitty to see that Church créepinge as it did in the begynning vpon the ground suffered it to growe vp by it and to embrace it as the Yuie doth vpon the Oake as some haue well compared it whereof the Empyre being amighty trée indede felt not at first any annoyance but now hath declared that it hath sucked it in such sorte as it hath drawne out all the iuyce and vygure of it and broughte it nowe to a withered stocke scarce able to beare the barren braunches that are vpon it For by meanes of excōmunicating and cursing the Emporors by gyuing the Empyre to whome it pleased them by forcing warres betweene the house of Fraunce and the Empire and other the noble houses of Europe the Pope hath broughte to passe that nowe there is no Emperor at all at Roome but him selfe As for other kingdomes in Europe that haue prospered nowe séeme most to florish I say thereto it rose and ryseth from other causes for it is manifest by all storyes that the Popes haue bene the very firebrands to set them afyre sowing causes of warres betwene thē They haue bene the very insatiable leaches of theyr treasure which could neuer be satisfyed Tyrants that haue oppressed not onely the lawfull libertye of the people but also the royall power and aucthority of their Princes yea of Kinges and Emperors Wherefore neither Asia Greece Egypt Africk Hungarie nor anye other haue bene ouerthrowne for abandoning that superstition neither is it to be feared of any Country that in these dayes haue altered and reformed themselues herein but the admitting and receiuing of this superstition with other wicked Heresies or the chaunging it not for better but for the worse the contempt of the worde of God and of his holye doctrine of the Gospell which euery where impugneth this as it appeareth by S. Iohn hath indeede remoued the Candlesticke and the true light from amongst them and wyll doe likewise from euerye nation that shall not bringe forth the worthy fruits thereof And thus as many other Nations héertofore so it may well bee that both the Countries néere vnto vs for refusing to haue Christ to raigne ouer them yea and al the worlde for the lyke contempt may be plagued with horrible calamyties These may iustlye bringe wrath vppon any Nations not the reforming of Popish superstitions accordynge to the trueth and sinceritie of the Gospell And thus muche for his experiences of this imagyned prosperitie of Popishe States his fyrste proofe in this Question Nowe let vs examine his seconde reason This Argument is from the cause which may make any State to florishe whiche hee aleadgeth to bee vnitie and affirmeth the Churche of Rome to haue the meanes to kéepe it and the professors of the Gospell to want both it and the meanes therof Whereunto I answer as to the same Argument alleadged before that not euery agréement and consent is pleasing to God or profitable to men For there are agréements in Idolatrie in adulterie in robberie in conspiracie in murders and in all iniquitie which are all odious to God and hatefull to men and of this sort is the vnitie that is amongst them which is no better then a conspyracie against GOD and his Poeple to mayntaine Heresie and all iniquitie but let him shew vs a vnitie amongst them of Brethren not of Freres so falselye called but of Brethren that are the Sonnes of one heauenlye Father the heyres annexed with Christ yea and by him alone of that same fayth and church pertakers of the same Holy worde doctrine and Sacraments and then I will confesse that vnytie to bée both pleasant and profitable as it is in 133. Psalme And that the Lorde
effecte whiche followed it of not esteeming of the commaundementes of GOD in comparyson of this moste vile and beggarlye tradition whereby it was againe fulfilled in that yee transgresse the commandements of God to keepe your own traditions Last of all for the damnable opinion of meryting by it the forgiuenesse of their sinne I conclude it to be neither godlinesse pollycye nor good reason to allowe it As for the true and right fasting commaunded by precepte and cōmended by examples in the sciptures vnto vs it were to be wished that as at somtimes namely in the great plague in London and at the earthquake there was a godlye entrance made by authoritie to the restoring of it vnto vs so it might bee fullye reestablished amōgst vs. The vse wherof in the auncient primitiue Chur. was eyther for supplication to turne away some present or imminent danger of war pestilence famine or any other great calamitie or for suite to obteine some great perticular blessing as gratious direction in the calling of such as should serue the church specially in the ministery preaching of the word or any such waightie extraordinarye requestes greatly concerning the good estate of the Churche Which occasions to seeke to GOD in this most humble earnest maner we see by experiēce do remain stil shal continue to the end of the world For both other great graces may vpon sundry occasions fal out to be so necessarye for the state of the Churche that this way were to bee taken to obtayne them oftentimes in respect of the ministery this would be requisite And for the other cause seeing we oftentimes so multiply our prouocations against God that in iustice he threatneth to poure out his plagues euen vpon his owne people so offending against him it were most necessary that the church had the right vse of this holie order restored to it againe that hereby the hot wrath and high displeasure of GOD against vs might be pacified Wherefore it were to be wished by all good meanes of all men to bee sought for that by the authoritie of the magistrate and aduise of the preachers of Gods worde vpon any such reasons eyther generally in the whole Lande if the cause be generall or particularly in the place where the occasion may bee that the people were aduised and commaunded vppon some day fitte for the purpose to surcease their worldly affayres as they doe vppon a Sabbaoth or holie day to fast vnto the euening to the ende that they may assemble them selues at the houres accustomed vppon suche daies to the Churche to heare the worde of God fitly for the time zealously preached and also to make their earnest prayers to God for the fauour they would obtayne and their most humble supplication with rent and contrite heartes in teares strong crying in the spirit to turne away such his heauy indignatiō from vs as we may lye vnder or feare to fall vppon vs. To take one example of many in the scriptures Io. 2. we reade in the prophecy of Ioel that the L. threatning a famine exhorteth the people hereunto vpon hope that if they sought him earnestly they shoulde finde him gracious and mercifull long suffering and of greate goodnes In the same place declaring that he beyng angry no flesh could be able to beare it he giueth thē cōmandemēt therof in these words Wherefore euē now saith the L. be ye turned vnto me with al your hart in fasting weaping lamentatiō a litle after soūd the trūpet in Sion appoint a fast proclaim a holiday gather the people ordaine an assēbly call together the aged the litle ones euen those which such the brests let the bridegrome come out of his chamber the bride out of her chāber Let the pristes the ministers of the Lord weepe betweene the altar the porch say O Lorde spare thy people and geue not ouer thy possession to reproche that the Gentiles should rule ouer thē why shold they say amongest the nations where is their God Thus farre the prophet in the name of God whiche I haue thought good to set down here that in cōsideratiō therof it may be vnderstood to be a cōmādemēt of God giuē to the magistrates preachers of Gods word that both of thē according to the duties of their seueral calling should vpō like occasion aduise appoint such a day of fast wherein the people shold humble themselues in true repētance seeke with mighty prayers deliuerance frō the punishment threatned or lying vpon them Which is so much the more necessary at this time to be knowē for that we see that the wrath of God hath broken out vpon vs of late as a flaming fire in visiting vs with the grieuous visitatiō of that pestilēce both in this citie of London and sundry other places of this land Which visitation since the great plague hath cōtinued in this Citie wasting the Inhabitants as a small fire now the space of 15. yeares cōtinually and sometimes raging more fiercely as it did of late And surely there are many iuste causes to feare least the L. may commaunde this furnace to be heated yet seuen tymes more and that the Angell of GOD which hath stoode ouer this Citie with his drawen swoorde to strike it not onely a fewe daies as hee did in the time of Dauid ouer Ierusalem but so manye yeares may stil pursue his execution if all holie and lawfull meanes bee not vsed to mittigate the Lords displeasure towards vs. wherefore most humbly I beseech your Honours as one who by your LL. Honourable fauour haue a parte and lotte in the ministerie within this Citie that by your Godly meanes suche order may bee taken that both at all tymes heereafter vppon like occasion signified before vnto your HH and namely at this present vpon so vrgent necessary cause as we are now pressed withall suche dayes of faste and holy assemblies may be appointed Wherein the people thorowe the blessing of God vppon the woorde zealously preached vnto them humbling their soules in true repentance as in sackloth ashes before the Lord and the Lords seruants in the midst of them praying for thē as it is in Ioel O Lord spare thy people c. It is to be hoped that such repentance prayers may stand as Aaron with his holy censors did in like case of plague in the gap and in the breach betweene the liuing and the dead that the Angell of the Lorde strike no more of vs downe with this fearefull hande and sword wherewith wee haue seene alreadie so manie slaine and fall downe on euery side round aboute vs. A wise K. sayth our Sauiour in the gospell seeing a mightier King then himselfe comming against him with so many thousands as he is not able in any sort to meete him in the filde while hee is yet a farre off sendeth an ambassage vnto him for peace Therefore seeing the Lorde of
intelligence being the most certain as vttered of conscience and most priuy as put only into a priests ear so manye imploied herein bringeth to passe that no P. in the world hath the vnderstāding by al the means he can possibly vse of the affaires of the state next to him or with whom he hath most to do which the pope hath of al the states K. where his religion is maintained Which intelligēce as euery mean man may easily vnderstād being a matter of so great importance in al causes publike priuate it is to be considered howe easy a matter it is for him by means herof to disturb the quiet estate of any natiō or K. at his plesure For which cause of late he hath sent in new Confessors shriuers and absoluers who vnder pretence hereof may both vnderstand the secrets of the land and deliuer Agnus deis grains medalls to his reconciled as tokens of their conspiracie Whereby they maye bee prepared for a daye to rise vp againste the lande disturb the quietnesse of it Which is so euident a meanes to disquiet a state as I esteme that none which wil receiue their auriculer confession can bee longer quiet then it shall please the Pope Herevnto if we adioyne the consideration of the infinite power whiche most vngodly and iniuriously to al states this R. church giueth to their pope it wil easely appeare how contrary their doctrine and practise is to the welfare of all K. cōmon weales For their doctrine is as I haue partly touched before to shew the repugnance of popery the hie authoritie and souerainetie of any state and here repeate because the same is also against the peace and quietnes of all commons that in certain cases the pope may depose P. frō their imperial seats thrones of iustice and giue their crownes and K. vnto others Their doctrine is that hee may absolue al subiectes of such P. from their alleageance and oth made vnto them yea that hee may excomminicate all such subiects as shall obey the authoritie lawes and commaundements of such a Prince And their practise agreeth with their doctrin For thus they dealt both with diuers other P. here to fore and thus also of late the impietie of Pius the fift brake forth to the excommunicating and depriuing her Ma in his proud bul much like the blasphemous letters of Rabs sent to king Ezechias yea to the accursing of all such her graces loyal subiects as according to their most bounden duety obey her wholsome lawes and statutes in these words We charge and forbid all and euery the Nobles and subiectes and people and others afore said that they be not so hardy as to obey her or her will or commandementes or Lawes vppon paine of like cursse vppon them Which clause of that presumptuous and wicked writ is so important in the cause we are now in hand withall that I desire all those that shal read this to take good héede vnto it For how can this author affirme that there should be cause to tollerate the rebellious practisers of this wicked forraine P. Seeing it cannot be in any reason that they can be faithful dutiful subiects to her maiesty which obey this execrable bull For he can not be a liege man nor a dutiful subiect of her maiesty that will not obey her lawes and statutes and take her for his natural and lawful P. and much lesse he that shal perswade others herevnto But none of those which are reconciled to this their R church may doe so and their priestes and seminarie men perswade them there vnto Therefore no such reconciled papistes much lesse they which reconcile them can be good and obedient subiectes of her Ma. That such as are recōciled to their church may not bee obedient to her H appeareth by the Popes bul curssing excommunicating out of their church al such as do obey her H. laws where vpon it followeth that they which are reconciled are reconciled vpon that condition For otherwyse in case of their obedience they are accursed but the reconciled are not in case of excommunication therefore they haue denied their obedience Howe can it bee then that this doctrine may be tollerated that her maiesties subiects by such means shoulde bee drawne from obedience of her lawes and acknowledging her lawfull power ouer them without the certain hazard of the state Christ and his Apostles neuer taught any such doctrine or practise as this is The primatiue Church neuer heard of it Ambrose that worthy bishop of Millayne When hee for a cruell murder and massacre of the Citizens of Thessal had excommunicated Theod. the Emperour yet did he not take vppon him to depose him from his Emperiall Crowne and dignitye but howsoeuer in the charge of his ministery hee declared him to haue no right to the Lordes table and suche other Spiritual diet and entertainment of Gods children yet as touching the things of this life hee reuerenced his authority and was obedient to him in all thinges But of this practise of the Romish Churche except it be of their owne doing I suppose there is no president to be shewed from Christ to this day Further as touching the strength of a Lande to resist her enemies the practise of this Romish fayth doth bothe weaken it for people and impouerishe it for treasure where it is receyued This may appeare if we cal to minde that which hee boasteth of in this example that is the greate number of Priestes Professors Votaries and other supersticious persons whom he falsly calleth religious which waited and attended vppon them The number wherof aryseth by his owne account to so many thousandes and all exempted from the seruice of the P. warres yea and from anye contribution and payment to maintaine them could not be but a great infeebling to the state Further they al being restrained from marriage wherby either if they had no childrē or not daring to auow then most cruelly murdered them the posteritie coulde not multiply any thing in such sort as if it had beene lawful for them to marry But this wise politicke esteemeth it a high point of wisdome to diminish the multitude of Christ people of the children of Abraham which is promised as a blessing to be multiplied as the Starrs of heauen that cannot be numbred Concerning the treasure of the land it is not his eating of whit meat that can recōpence the great infinite summes of treasure which their pretended catholique religion by a thousand means drew from al the states K. where it was receiued For the ordinary reuenews and profits of their religious men as he falsly calleth them rose here to one third of all the land more in the raigne of the noble K. Henry the eight The furniture of their churches with so many surplesses and Copes of all sortes of riche stuffe such as no King or Prince coulde wear better then many of them were of Their great
¶ AN ANSWERE TO A SVPPLICAtorie Epistle of G. T. for the pretended Catholiques written to the right Honorable Lords of her Maiesties priuy Councell By VVATER TRAVERS Minister of the worde of God Rom. 13.4 If thou do euill feare for he beareth not the sworde for nought for he is the Minister of God to take vengeaunce on him that doth euill Apoc. 19.20.21 But the Beast was taken and with him the false Prophet that wrought myracles before him VVhereby he deceiued them that receiued the Beasts marke and them that worshipped his image These were aliue cast into a lake of fire burning with brimstone And the remnant were slaine with the sword of him that sitteth vppon the horse which commeth out of his mouth and all the foules were filled full with their fleshe AT LONDON Printed for Tobie Smith dwelling in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Crane ¶ An Answere to a Popish Treatise touching the persecution of Catholikes in England written to the R. H. LL. of her Maiesties priuie Councell The Preface to the R. H. LL. of the Counsell WHeras Right Honorable the reformation of those which refuse to serue God with vs in such holy exercises of religion as for this purpose are established amongest vs hath bene carefully sought by some punishment of their obstinacie according to the good lawes prouided in this behalfe there are which complaine of this moderate seueritie and both vnfitly vnduetifully terme it by the hatefull and odious name of persecution Of which sort one hath written a whole treatise of this matter by way of an Epistle to his friende which he intitleth of the persecution of Catholiques in England In which discourse the Authour is not afraide to offer most shamefull wrong to many faithfull officers of her Maiesties iustice charging them with rigorous and cruell dealing who haue soberly and temperatly caried themselues in the execution of such lawes vpon them as their ill merit had worthily made them subiect vnto By which bold slaunders he giueth himselfe occasion so to complaine and cry out of the persecution of Catholiques in England as if God had not set ouer vs and them a gratious Ladie of famous renoume for mildenes and clemencie who seeketh onely by a reasonable correction to winne them to obedience first to almightie God and then to her lawfull authoritie but rather some cruell Nero or persecuting Diocletian that desired nothing but their destruction and their bloud Which notwithstanding it can not be vnknowne to any that liue in this state to be a complaint most vniust and vntrue yet hath there stept vp an other as he would seeme to be an abetter a voucher of that most slaunderous libel yea a translator a printer a publisher of it vnto others who herein hath worse prouided for the credit of their vntruth then his authour had done before him For he first had cunningly put his large speach into the bosome of his fellow as ready as it séemeth to be abused as he was willing to deceiue him hauing the credulity of his friend the secrecy of his writing to conceale some part of his offence But this translator by printing and publishing of it and namely in our English tongue hath laide them both open to the iust reproofe and condemnation of all the lande For what English man will not now condemne them both for false witnesses against the church of God and their own countrie when they shall reade or heare them in so many things to be so fowly defamed contrary to the knowledge of all the lande but especially I maruell with what face hee coulde once offer to present it to the reuerend senate of your most honourable chamber For howsoeuer he might flatter himselfe to bee able to make some of the people affected to his cause and dwelling farre from these parts to beleue some peece of his slanders yet coulde hee neuer be in anye hope so to abuse your H. who of your owne knoledge vnderstanding are able to conuict him of so many vntruthes Which notwithstanding this Author fearing no rebuke nor shame for it as speking out of a vaut or frō vnder a maske by concealing of his name hath imboldned him selfe to offer it euen vnto your Honors with an other discourse of his owne which he entituleth an Epistle to the Councell The substance of which his treatise is that the cause of our pretended Catholiques is such as it deserueth not the extremities which vpon the credit by like of his Author hee complaineth to be vsed against thē but rather is worthy to be well intreated if for the tyme it may not haue all the honour hee esteemeth to belong vnto it Of which two epistles the one being written in latine to a friend concerning this pretended persecution of Catholiques in Englande hath beene alreadie sufficiently answered by that reuerend Father Maister Doctor Humfrey in his late booke of Iesuitisme or of the practises of the church of Roome The other remaining yet vnanswered I was moued by some of my Friendes to the cause to take paines to make answere to it Which at the first I confesse I was loath to take vpon me notwithstanding I sawe the great aduantage I should haue of mine aduersary in the maintenance of a most holy and honourable quarrell For considering so many excellent wittes and so well able to deale in these causes to sit quyetly at their bookes or peaceably to edifie the Church by preaching of the gospel whether it be that they feare the diuers euents of writing by reason of the exquisite iudgements of the learned and the bitter malice of the enimy or that they esteeme it vnprofitable for the Church to leaue or slack their other worthy labours to striue with a contentious aduersary that will neuer be satisfied me thought their exāple was a good president for him to follow that commeth so farre behinde so many of them in al sufficiency for this purpose But especially I was willing to haue wtdrawen my selfe for the reuerence I most worthily haue of the graue sentences of your H. which I saw I could not escape dealing in a matter wherewith your H. table is seazed alreadie For knowing mine owne weakenes I iustly feared to beginne my simple practise of this kinde of pleadinge in so high and honourable a Court and before such Iudges whose wisedomes can so easily discouer any want of those which come before them But when on the other side I set before me the price of the cause which we striue for the qualitie of my vocation calling the most vnworthy slaunders wherew t the enimy chargeth the sacred truth of God and the lawful authoritie of this land I could not see that any of the former reasons ought so farre to preuaile with me as to withdrawe me from a seruice so holy so duetifull and so necessarie as I iudged this to be For as for the examples of such as like not to deale in these
God as it is now established amongst vs is a wicked a sinful act yet notwithstanding for feare of punishment they conforme themselues they offend and are guilty though not of sin against the holy ghost Howlet as some late Puritan Seminarist doth affirme yet of sinne great and grieuous not in doing the thing which is lawfull and good but because they do it not well and Christianly that is in faith and true perswasion that such their doing is pleasing to God but contrariwise condemning it in their heart as vnlawfull them selues of hipocrisie so that while they dwell in that perswasion they can do nothing that may be acceptable vnto God Therefore such as are desirous to please him are with prayer to examine this their perswasion by the holy scriptures whereby finding as vndoubtedly they shall in due time whom the Lord will saue that it is not according to god they ought to chaunge their mindes by true repentance and then doing the dueties requyred of them in faith and certaine knowledge of pleasing God in them their doings shal be godly and acceptable in Christ Iesus But if they cōtinew obstinat still yet is not authority to be blamed for compelling them as the noble Kings Asa and Iosia did commaund and compel the people by seueritie of their lawes and punishments to serue the Lord what ignorant and vngodly perswasion so euer they haue to the contrary For this duety God requireth at the Magistrates hand to whom hee hath not committed his sword in vaine and in it selfe it is so necessarie that if this pretence were sufficient cause why men should be respected not onely the Magistrate should become gilty of not doing the duetie which God requireth of them but also no Christian estate or pollicie coulde stand For this would soone bee euery mans answere in case of being enioyned any thing concerning God or men howe holy or iust so euer it were that did dislike him that his cōscience is against it Therefore it can be no cause by the word of God after the procuring of such meanes for their instruction by the Gospell sincerely duely preached vnto thē as our Sauiour Christ hath appointed for the calling of men from their errors to the knowledge of the truth why your H. should forbeare eyther to require so godly a duety of them or to punish the disobediēt as their offence may deserue At their own peril be it if thorow ignorāce or wilfulnes they take darkenes for light and light for darkenes Such commandement punishment for disobedience is not of it selfe hurtfull vnto them but rather greatly profitable both by telling them what they ought to do and by threatning and punishing the obstinat whereby some may be wakened more seriously to examine their conscience so come to yeald obedience vnto God and to the law And thus far haue I dealt with his circumstances Now remayn his two other reasōs which are of substance and weight in deede in this matter if he were able to make them good For the one is a iustification of their cause the other a chalenge of the punishment layd vpon them But first hee blameth her M. iustice as extreeme and keeping no proportiō with the offence wherewith they are charged and secondarily mayntayneth their cause not onely to deserue no such punishment but to be worthy of all fauor First therefore I am to examine what he sayeth agaynst her M. iustice You persecute heauely saith hee vnto your H. and that in such measure as the like hath scarce been mentioned in Christianitie before albeit in some poynts more couertly then some other did This persecution he setteth out after by comparyson of the discipline as hee wryteth of the Catholicke church namely in the time of Queene Mary affirming this persecutiō in all respects far to surmount ouerreach that to be both greater incōparably more greeuous To the same effect he addeth many other like speeches in the end of his epistle which there shal receiue their answere By which complaint a man would thinke that might worthely be thought so if it exceede so far as he affyrmeth that most cruell and bloudie persecution of the true Catholicks and constant Martirs of God in Queen Maries time But of this he geueth occasion to speake more fully hereafter Now to answere his most vniust and slaunderous accusatiō of the iustice done vpon them I deny this to be tru wherw t he would charge the present State which I deny not only because they are no Catholiques and therfore no punishment of them can be properly called persecution but a iust execution of obstinate heretickes but also because that for meere conscience and matter of Religion no such thing is done or hath been done to any man since her M. most peaceable and happy Raigne Hee complayneth of the rackinges and stretching of their ioyntes the renting and dispersing of their bowels the dismembring of the partes of their bodies and maketh many such like greeuous complaints What may be done to such of them as are wilfull and obstinate seducers I leaue to your wisdomes to consider This being true that such are Heretickes seducing and deceiuing in as dangerous matters for men to be abused in as euer did any Heretickes before them which both hath beene often heretofore and may at any time b◠sufficient argumentes and vnanswerable of their part be prooued against thē But yet I say further that notwithstanding that it is so far of that these tragicall complaints should be true that no one of all their Catholickes for cause of his conscience and religion onely being no otherwise an offēder against the lawes hath lost either life or limme since the happie day of her M. coronation vntill this time All which gracious time there hath not beene for recusance nor for being at masse nor yet for saying masse how often soeuer they so offend neither by former Statutes nor those of the last Parliamēt which they most complaine off any further punishment appointed then of los of libertie and goods True it is that her Maiestye by the Sage aduise of youre Honours and of her whole Nobility and Commons hath prouyded by lawe for the punishmēt of such pretended Catholiques as shal be found gilty of any treasonnable practise against her H. estate and person being forced by most vrgent causes and many dangerous attempts of theirs dayly pressing her thereunto For considering first the bloudy resolution of the Councell of Trent the dayly attempts to put it in execution there was great and most worthy cause why your H. should seeke by all godly prouision to preuent their intended mischiefe The secret and detestable decrée of that Tridentine conspiracy against God and against his annointed was to make a League amongst all the Princes whom they had made drunck with the golden cup of their fornicatiō Buch. rerum Scot. lib. 17. to confer their meanes and ioyne all their forces
world can testify For what part of the world hath not hard of our Sufferings and the furious and fiery wrath wherewith the enimie persecuted vs for no other cause then for the Gospels sake Some in deed fled as Iacob from the wrath of his brother Esau and thorow the goodnes of God escaped their bloudy handes But they which remayned were slaine for Gods sake as saith the Prophet all the day long and counted as sheepe appointed for the slaughter Psal 44.22 In Spaine and Italie the chéefe seates of the bloudy inquisition besides many which were openly murdered poysons strangling in prisons drowning in riuers and sondrie other secret executions which came not to so open knowledge of the world according to the depth most suttle practises of Satan are reasonably thought to haue destroyed many more then haue beene consumed by the light fires of England Fraunce and Flaunders haue had also as hot a Furnace amongst them as that of Nebucad-nezers was whereinto they haue cast a great multitude of those which would not fall downe before their golden Image But besides those which they haue burned who can number the thousands and ten thousands which their bloudy sword in their so long and cruell warres haue deuoured The slaughters of Fraunce especially their cruell masacrees for of whome we haue so strang a thing we must haue also the name wherby they terme it haue beene so barbarous so many that I know not how to expresse the sauage cruelties and tragicall immanities committed in them except I should here leaue my paper all in bloud as the Paynters workers of tapestry do their table and their Tapistry when they come to paynte and worke so strange and horrible cruelties as no arte nor Instrumēt no pencill nor néedle is able to expres Thus being prouoked by mine aduersary I haue briefly touched and in generall the tyrannous and bloudy actes of this cruell generation For the more full declaration whereof I must referre the gentle Reader to the stories of the seuerall Countreys where these horrible persecutions haue beene exercised and especially to the worthy worke of the Actes and Monumentes of Martyrs written by the reuerend and learned M. Fox in our own language for the purpose I haue now in hand it may suffice thus generally to haue poynted as it were to the opening of the fift Seale and to haue shewed some view of the infinite number of the soules which lye behind the Altar and cry night and day vnto God with the voice of the bloud of Abel that the Lorde woulde require all this bloud which they haue so cruelly and vnnaturally shed at the handes of this posterity of Cain Wherby seeing it appeareth that for the onely cause of Religion they haue murthered so many that they haue made all Europe to runne with the bloud of the Prophets as Manasses did the streetes of Ierusalem and that of the other part there hath beene hetherto no proceeding against them for like cause to the shedding of one drop of their bloud all indifferent Iudges may see the bold vanity of this Plaintife in affirming our dealings towards them to ouerreach any their persecution of vs and to be incomparably more grieuous And yet this notwithstanding the aduersary hauing receaued all good for all euill done to vs cannot be ignorant off yet their Aduocate is bold to make comparison not only generally but also perticulerly concerning the persons in the number and quallitie of such as haue suffered and the maner of their vsage both in their imprisonment and in the execution Wherein first he alledgeth that manye were tollerated by them This was not any charitie in them but it was the gracious goodnes of God our most merciful father who would not suffer thē so to shake our Oliue tree but that there shoulde remaine some still vpon the tree nor so to vintage and gather the grapes of his vineyeard but that there should still be hidden here a cluster and there an other some few grapes vnder the leaues that shoulde not be gathered But what tolleration vpon hope of their repentance hath bene extended and is dayly towards them I report me to the conscience of euerie one who vnderstandeth how many there are that need this fauour and hath compared the number of thē with the number of such as haue bene called to question for these matters The second point of his comparyson of the persons is of men with men whereby he meaneth the condition and estate of such as haue suffered wherin he may remember the imprisonment of her Ma. vnder whose shadowe thorowe the goodnesse of God we are now refreshed from the burning heates wherw t they consumed vs. In which estate her highnes had so many lyōs mouthes opened against her as except the Lord had shut them in time we had neuer seene these happy dayes He may remember also the departure out of the land both of some other of the Nobilitie and of the Duches Grace of Suffolke Likewise the right reuerend Cranmer and his companions which were not so vsed in pryson that they coulde boast as some of theirs haue done that they neuer fared better nor liued more at their ease but after a hard imprysonment were burned in the fire for the testimony of the Gospell We boast not of any but of the Lord ◠Cor. 1. as knowing what our calling is yet doe we reioyce glorifie God with speciall thankesgeuing when he geueth so rare a blessing to those which are of great power and authority that they not onely do beleeue but also suffer for his names sake In which respect I haue thought good to answere thus much to this second point of his comparyson Further touching the vsage of such as came in troble for religiō in their time he affirmeth it to haue beene ciuil for the prisons they were committed vnto the conferēces vsed with thē the relieuing and not tormenting of them in tyme of their imprisonment and last of all in their execution with all fauor But if such vsage as we haue had at their handes in all these respects be their ciuilitie how great neede had we to pray and to prouyde that we haue not experience of their cruelty The prysons whereinto they cast those whom they had bond as Paul with chaines for the Gospell Lollordes Tower Colehouse c. were the cōmon Gaoyles and prysons of all malefactors nay some of them such as for the horror and annoyance of them they were not wont to sende the most guilty offenders into But now they I speake of such as are called to question for religion haue conuenient holesome roomes yea large houses and faire gardens for their pleasure as they vse it for their pastyme Their conferences were either threatenings or snares of death whereby they sought to extort a denyall of the trueth by terror or by deceitfull wordes to drawe out some free speach against some of their
make the Temporall Prince heade of all whiche is oftentymes a child and maie easely bee driuen as the windes shall blowe hym Wherein he doeth vs as greate wrōg as in the former For as he vniustly charged vs there with not obeiyng any Pastour not receiuyng the expositions of the Fathers nor determinations of Councels who teache obedience to all lawfull Pastors and bothe receiue and vse all other good meanes to the vnderstandyng of the holie Scriptures as farre as thei maie so helpe vs and especially of the lawful Councelles and learned Fathers though wee giue no Pastour the place of Christ nor any Councel or Father that which is due onely to the word of God So likewise he doeth in this place chargyng vs to giue to Caesar that whiche is due to GOD. True it is we acknowledge the lawfull Kinges Queenes of this land in respect of any earthly power to be next and immediatly vnder God and our Sauiour Christ ouer all persons and in al causes as well Ecclesiasticall as ciuill supreme heads and gouernours that by their authoritie all the will and cōmaundements of GOD maie bee executed and obeyed Wherein nothyng lesse is ment then to derogate from our Sauiour Christ any parte of the hye honour and prerogatiue that appertaineth to the Kyng of Heauen whiche is to subdue our spirituall enemies vnder our feete to animate and quicken the whole body with his most holy Spirite giuyng life and strength to euery parte and member of the bodie to doe that worke for which it is placed in it or to rule it otherwise then he hath appointed But the meanyng is to acknowledge in them that iust and lawfull authoritie whiche the Churche of Roome taketh from them and whiche GOD hath giuen vnto them and all the noble Kynges of Israell and Iuda did with good right and interest exercise and inioye Wee are farre frō perswadyng our Princes to take the holy Censures into their handes a presumption for whiche Vzza the Kyng was striken with Leaprosie by the hande of God But yet wee acknowledge as wee ought notwithstanding thei doe not exercise nor maie not exercise the office of the Ministerie in their owne persones yet are thei the Lieutenauntes of God to see hym worshipped and obeyed by all persones as thei ought to obeye hym and by punishment to force the Transgressours to the doyng of suche duttie as belongeth vnto their places and callyng And thus we read that Dauid and Sulomon Ezekia Iosius and other worthie Kynges did Who reformyng the state of Religion whiche had been polluted and defiled before with shamefull Idolatries appoincted the Priestes and Leuites euery one to doe his office accordyng to his function and charge Agreeably whereunto the Apostle teacheth that euery soule ought to bee subiect to the hyer powers Whereby it is manifest that he comprehendeth the Ministers of what name soeuer thei bee as well as others And our Sauiour Christ submittyng hymself vnto them what professour is it that should not obeye them but suche a Seruaunt as will be better then his Lorde and suche a Scholler as will bee aboue his Maister Herein therefore we giue nothyng vnto them but theirs whiche God the Lorde of all hath bestowed vpon them And therefore if a Childe as Iosias was be Kyng wee acknowledge and reuerence the authoritie in hym aswell as in Dauid or Salomon Wherein wee yeelding our obedience to God and to that authoritie which GOD hath sett ouer vs can giue hereby no cause of innouations as he blameth vs or daungerous hazardes to a Common-wealth nor hinder any good meanes of keepyng the Churche in a holie vnitie But monsterous in deede is the heade whiche thei make appoinctyng one man sometymes who often were vnfitte for any little charge to bee heade and gouernour of all the worlde and that in all causes bothe Temporall and Spirituall A thyng without all comparison more vnfitt and absurde then if a Sculler should bee taken from the Thames to be made Admirall of all the Ocean Sea Nay a thyng vtterly impossible for the infinite varietie of tongues and of causes and the great distaunce of places And what power doe thei attribute to this monstrous head of the worlde surely that which thei can not giue without beyng giltie of blasphemie and high Treason against our Sauiour Christe in makyng common his regalities and honors of giuyng Lawes to the Church ruling the conscience and sittyng in the middest of the Temple of God with the Vicar of Rome whiche maie not be attributed neither to any man of what giftes soeuer nor to any Angell or creature in the worlde Moreouer thei offende also against the state of worldlie Princes withdrawyng their alleagiaunce from thē as a nomber of them doe now from her Maiestie to giue it to this head and raising for it many Insurrections Rebellions and Treasons in the state and many quarrelles contentions and Scismes in the Churche Wherefore seyng that the true causes of all holie vnitie and agreement are with vs and not with them that is the obediēce to God and his holy word and a desire of free Christian and lawful cōferences Sinodes and Councelles and that the promises of blessyng are giuen to the precious faith we holde and not to their wicked false worshippe I conclude that these his general reasons are vtterly insufficient to proue that benefite by meanes of vnitie to bee in their Romishe faith for a Commonwealth whiche he pretendeth or to disproue it to be in the Gospell of our Sauiour Christe which through his grace we professe Now he proceedeth to particuler commodities of a Chistian state Particuler commondities alleadged to growe to a Common wealth by Poperie which he saith their Religion bryngeth vnto it and ours the contrary inconueniences makyng the comparison in our owne Countrey Which if I graunted all yet were not his generall position true that their Religion doeth make a Commonwealth to prosper and ours doth hinder it sufficiently proued For Idolatrie and Paganisme maie in some respect bryng a commoditie whiche true Religion will not yeelde Shall wee then esteeme Religion by that whiche in some one regarde is best for our ease profite and peace Ieroboam perswaded the tenne Tribes by suche a like reason to leaue the true Religion whiche GOD had deliuered vnto them by Moses and the Prophetes and to receiue the worshippe of the Idolles whiche he had errected because his Idolatrous Religion brought them this particuler commoditie that thei might tarie at home in their houses and auoyde greate charge cost and expenses in goyng from Dan or Bethel the vttermost partes of the lande of Israell to worshippe in Ierusalem whereas the other required of them at certaine tymes in the yeare to leaue all they had with greate perrill and daunger of beyng spoyled of all in their absence as he would haue had them to think and to take a greate and costly iourney to their so greate expenses and trauaile Yet
the blessing of God be sufficiently prouided to attende their studies for the seruice of the people in the ministerie of the gospel it is a most necessarie dutie which the people owe to them againe to see that they suche as depēd vpon them may sufficiently honestly liue in theyr seruice as may be seemly for the good credit of the worthie calling which God hath called them vnto The contrary whereof as I haue said wee haue from thē who by impropriating the liuings of the Ministers from the places where vnto they appertein haue left the ministery so marueylously vnprouided as that in some places there are to be found many parishes together whereof all the liuings that now remaine to thē for such vse are not sufficiēt for the compitent maintenance of one man his family which lamentable estate of our ministery must needs be an infinite hinderance to the Gospel both in the iustice of GOD who will punishe so great a contempt of his worde and so carelesse a negligence of the saluation of the people and also in the nature of the thing it selfe For by this occasion such as are in some acceptable measure able to doe good seruice in the ministery withdrawe themselues from it For perceyuyng it to bee suche a calling as besides the manifolde burdens lying vpon all faithfull ministers dooing their duties is subiect to beggerie also and the discredit and other inconueniences that followe it they bestowe them selues in some other lawefull calling wherein doeing their dueties they may be able to liue both in wealth and credite by which meanes this insufficient and vnlearned ministerie whiche nowe so pestereth the land is entred into the possession of the Churche to the infinite hinderance of the Gospel and the losse of thousandes of the soules whiche Christ Iesu hath redeemed with his precious blood Which spoyle of the Church notwithstanding it to be so sore a wound as yet since the beginning of the restoring of the gospel amongest vs could not bee healed yet our hope and most humble prayer to God is that her maiestie by your HH mediation vnto her highnesse may so relieue it with her precious balme so binde it vp with her gracious handes as in time it may bee cured healed againe I am bolde to speake of your H H. mediation in this cause as in other places of such like because the dutie I owe to Almightie God and to the Lorde Iesu his only begotten sonne whom I am called to serue doth necessarily inforce me to it But it doth greatly comfort incourage mee in the performance of so necessary a duetye that I doubt not but your godly wisedomes doe consider the seruice of GOD to bee the right ende and vse of the high and honourable seates wherein hys owne right hande hath placed you Which the Lord ingrauing in your noble and Christian mindes surely hauing of God this honorable fauour to be so neere her highnesse your HH will godly and faithfully aduise her grace both of the necessary cause of the redresse of suche other matters and namely of this that all the people vnder her H. Dominions may haue the meanes by a godly sufficient learned ministerie planted amongest them to come to the knowledge and faith whereby they may the better obey God and her Ma. and saue their soules for euer to euerlasting life Whiche so necessarie seruice of Almightie GOD of her Excellente Maiestie and of the Churche of Christe amongest vs as it is nowe attended and looked for of your HH into whose handes not next vnder her Highnes God hath committed the managing guiding of this noble state and kingdome so no doubt but in that day it will be required when the Lord shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead Wherefore my good LL. as before in the behalfe of the whole Church professing the Gospel so now agayne for the Churche within her Ma. moste noble dominions of Eng. and Irel. I moste humbly vpon my knees beseech your HH to take so to hart this estate of the Church and ministery amongest vs that all abuses beyng remoued good order established all duetifull subiects may besides all other blessinges whiche nowe they enioy by your LL. meanes haue this so woorthy a cause also to prayse GOD for hauing sette so Godlye and H. Gouernours ouer them It hath a promyse to breake the Bread vnto the hungrye and to make the thrysty drinke and not to turne away the eare from him that cryeth for reliefe in his necessity Nowe so it is that this Churche in manye of her children cryeth for bread euen for the bread of life and there is no man that breaketh it vnto thē the tongues of many cleaue to their roofe for thirst whiche they are in daunger to perish in and no man giueth them the pure water of life to quicken their soules And as our Churche heretofore by other meanes hath cryed oftentimes euen till shee haue almost lost her voyce so now agayne she cryeth by this most humble supplication to your Honours to regarde her necessitie if wealth peace wisdome authoritie or any other thing be needeful for this worke the Lorde hath bountifully furnished the lād with al that needeth Some reasonable way without the iniurie of any might by your wisdomes be found whereby euery parishe might recouer againe their own to the maintenaunce of a worthy ministerie amongste them Alas that for anye cause so manye soules of the people committed to your charge should perishe Wherfore my good Lords turne your eares I beseech you to heare the humble suite of this Church that the Lord your redeemer may turn his eares vnto you in the day when you shall call vppon him So shall the saued soules of thousandes prayse God for you so shall the Lord blesse you and your noble posteritie and so both all this and suche other slaunderous mouthes shall be stopped which are now so wide open against vs. To the aunswering to whome I returne againe for my moste humble request relying vpō the godly zeale and wisdomes of your Honours 6. of raysing of rents The sixt Article is of raysing rentes which hee saieth their religion prohibiteth except vpon some great cause and with great moderation euen to the solemne cursing of them and woulde insinuate that ours alloweth it The cōmoditie of which not raysing of rentes aboue measure and to the extreame vsing of the Tenauntes he saieth is manifest to bee great in a common wealth For the commoditie that commeth of it I graunt but for the doctrine I affirm that ours doeth in no sorte more fauour any extreame raysing of rents then theirs A moderate rysing of them in the raysing of the pryces of all other thinges wee allowe as they doe when it is necessarye and moderate for otherwise it shoulde bee better with the Tenante then with the Lord. And them selues when they let their farmes of the old rent were wont to binde
their Tenants also to deliuer their corne and victualles at an old price But any oppression iniustice extremitie extortion we neuer allowed but as often as good occasiō serueth not only once a yeare as he saieth they doe declare such offenders accursed according to the scripturs to more iust cause of feare and terrour then their bull canne strike into them by denouncing vnto them that the greedy rauenours and vniuste persons shall not inherite the kingdome of heauen Therfore whatsoeuer the commoditie of it may be to a cōmon W. it reapeth no lesse from our doctrine pracise then theirs nay so much more from vs then them as there is more preaching against all iniury with vs then eeuer was with them Seauenthly The 7. of diuorcement hee compareth vs for diuorcements concerning which their Church holdeth that after lawefull marryage there maye be cause of separation from comming together yet saith he ther can be none graunted to the breaking of the marriage and giuing leaue to marrye againe The benefit whereof is a restraint saith hee of many mischiefes Of the other part he affyrmeth our Churche to practise the contrary wherof the cōtrary inconueniences of vniuste diuorces and adulteries follow I answer that our Church yet hath herein no other practcie in our courts thē they left us in their cannon lawe being after such diuorce maried againe excepte the prouision of a statute of Henry the 8. maye helpe the innocent which is of not making voyd any marriage but for the causes allowed by the word of god which I take to be so equall and godlye as I think they them selues nor any other can iustly blame it otherwise our law practise in this matter differeth not from theirs And therefore if there bee anye commoditie of it our Church may enioye it In deede I graunt that we teach agreeably to the Scriptures that in case of adulterie committed the partie innocent is at lybertie as touching his conscience to bee deuorced and marryed to another but to the guiltie we giue no such libertie but leaue the partie to the iustice of the Magistrate whereof no manner of inconuenience can arise The 8. of obedience to magistrates Now followeth a point in the eight place about obedience to Magistrates wher vnto their doctrine hee saith is very profitable and ours very hurtefull Howe their doctrine and practise dealeth with Magistrates is of longe time by the light of the Gospell so discouered as they shal bee hardly able to make the world beleeue now that Magistrates are beholding vnto them euen as the Corinthes were to the false Apostles of whom the Apostle saieth ye suffer euen if a man bryng you into bondage if a man deceiue you if a man take your goodes if a man exalt hym self aboue you if a man smite your vpon the face For as for takyng thei not onely tooke whatsoeuer Princes offered but extorted of them and their subiectes withall importunacie and extremitie And for bryngyng into bondage thei estemed all kynges to be but their vassalles and the Pope to be Kyng of Kynges and Lorde of lordes as muche greater then the Emperour as the Sonne exceedeth the Moone Therfore the Pope hath vsed them thereafter as Pages and footmen to waite and attende vppon hym for meanest seruices while he rode in his Pontificalibus He hath made theim kisse his feete and an Emperour to stande three daies barefoote at his gates before he could be admitted and then trode vpon his necke when he humbled hymself vnto hym abusing that Scripture to his pride thou shalt tread vppon the Basiliscke and stampe the Dragon vnder thy feete He hath plaied at Tennis with their Crounes tossing them from one to an other as it pleased hym accordyng as it appeareth in our Stories and the Cronicles of Fraunce And in like maner with the sacred imperiall Croune taking it from the Grecians and giuyng it to the Lumbards then taking it from them and giuing it to the Frenche and from them againe to the Germaines and from one house of the Lordes of Germany to an other He hath vsed them in all respectes as pleased hym and as if thei had helde their Crounes of his kayes he hath made them fight his warres at their owne cost and charges Wherefore hauyng thus abused the sacred and supreme authoritie of soueraigne Magistrates how should this Sollicitor of the Pope perswade that their Religion is profitable for Princes or how can he think to make them beleeue the Gospel to be contrarie vnto them whereby thei are Princes in deede subiect to no forreine power within their owne Dominion but the immediate Liutenaunts of almightie God Which hauyng in deede set their Crounes with great honour vpon their head assured their Sceptors in their handes and established their royall Seates vnderneath them It can not be but godly Magistrates must needes acknowledge thankfully to GOD and to his truthe the benefite receiued And therefore not onely not admitt any Popishe enchantment to the cōtrarie but to glorifie almightie God in the zealous aduauncement of the Gospell whereby thei are aduaunced again to the hye Seates from whiche thei were deposed by the Romishe faithe to bee the footestoole of a Priest But lett vs heare what cunnnyng charme he hath prepared for this purpose We teache saieth he that al Lawes of Magistrates whiche are of thynges good or indifferent yea or not expresly contrary to Gods commaundement are to bee obeyed with that conscience that a man that willyngly breaketh theim openly or secretely should think he sinneth against God because he is Gods Minister I acknowledge their doctrine but I require their grounde But he will saie whether the doctrine bee true or false yet is it profitable for Princes and States I aunswere hym as before that it is an infallible rule and to bee cōstantly and inuiolably obserued by all that are not Atheistes that there is no doctrine profitable to a Common wealth that is not godly and sound what shewe of profite soeuer it may séeme to haue for a season Therfore bothe in this and in the rest if he would haue perswaded their doctrine to bee for a Common wealth he should first haue proued it true otherwise he might offer vs vnder this pretēce the wicked doctrine of Mahomet If he haue no other rule but this it is for the obedience of Kynges and Princes whether the doctrine be true or false I saie that there is no obedience good nor profitable for Magistrates to bee giuen vnto them If wee will iudge of goodnesse and profite by the worde of God as wee ought to doe but onely that whiche God hath appoincted that subiectes should giue to their Princes Therefore before it can be iudged whither of our doctrines be more profitable we must bebate the matter whither of them is better warranted by the woorde of God Our doctrine concernyng the duetie and obedience of subiectes vnto their lawfull Magistrates as it appeareth by the
doctrine profitable for a christian state to be receiued to shew it to be of God Other wyse without consideration of the truth of it to say how false so euer it be yet is it good for the state or how good so euer it be yet is it ill for the state and wil bring innouations troubles and pouertie this is to reason like one that hath no God And if he went to reason thus like an Atheist hee were vtterly vnworthye any aunswere and hath offered your Hh. the greatest wrong that a christian nobility could be offered once to think that the shew of his commodities to the state should carry your H. to the liking of that false worship and superstitiō that is against God his holy truth Therfore what soeuer he imagine to the contrary the question whether it bee good for a Christian common wealth and kingdome I haue answered pertinently in shewing theire doctrine first to bee false and hereticall Which ground beeing first laid I haue ioyned in that issue he desired declaring further that as by the cursse and wrath of God which must needes shake and ouerturne the seates of such mighty ones as shall dare to haue wars with the almighty in setting vp a false idolat worship which he hath forbidden So also that their doctrine it selfe and the practise of it in the very nature of them both is against all good pollicie of any Christian state and onely fit for the establshment securitie of their Antechristian kingdome For further euidence wherof I haue thought good here to gather together with some enlargement of lyke matters that hath bin touched in seueral places concerning this matter already That being to be vewed in one sight it may the better be iudged and discerned For better vnderstanding wherof it is to be considered that the good estate of a Christian K. or common welth is to be holy in religion and al duties immediately respecting God honest in all conuersation amongst men free for libertie strong for forces quyet for peace and rich for treasure All which points make a state honourable and happie But the R. doctrine and practise bringeth in a false worship of God al wickednes loosenesse of life tyrannie bondage wars trouble weaknesse and vnhabilitie to resist the enemy finally néede and pouerty all which must needes make any state vnhonourable and vnhappie That their faith is vnholy therfore maketh their people such that doth receiue it appereth by the worship of Idols of bread of wood and of stone by the ignorance of all sorts amongst them and the maintayning of it to be mother of deuotion by their iustifications thorow their owne workes and so many other bye means besids that only sweete sacrifice of Christ Iesu in a word by al their fals worship which is wholly nothing but a seruice deuised by men and not prescribed by the worde of God And as in regard of God it is an vnholy and prophane worshippe hauing no ground of his word so is it the cause of al dishonesty and wicked conuersation amongst men Which may appeare not onely in the iustice of God with whom it is righteous to giue ouer to all shame of iniquitie and abhomination those which haue not helde his honour in any due respect but haue made it common to Idols and by experience which hath made proof of all vngodly and loose behauiour to bee euen in their holiest Cloisters but also by their very doctrine and practise of it This may easely be discerned by any that shall compare with that holy discipline which is taught in the Gospel their discipline which is moste loose and desolute except it be in that which may keepe still the conscience in bōdage and captiuity of ignorance superstition and Idolatry For as the discipline of Christ is the speciall meanes next to the true preaching of the word of all godlinesse and honestie both to be preserued amongst men and also to be restored after a declination and decay so that Antichristian disorder and confusion in all the chiefe parts therof is next to their false and hereticall doctrine the greatest cause that all impietie and wickednesse both first entred into the Church and yet can not be driuen out that the ancient estate of the Church may be recouered and restored againe But I will leaue other points which were to long to enter into here note but one speciall corruption of their discipline Wherby iudgement may be giuen of the rest This is that Antichristian supremacie wherby the man of sinne in the deuilishe pride of his seat challengeth vnto himselfe fulnes of power and soueraintie of iurisdiction to doe what pleaseth him and to dispense with what he list For what greater encouragement can there be to sinne then that a man may be sure for a little mony and a very little in deed to haue a sealed pardon not onely for any wickednesse committed but also for all he shall commit al his life and many hundreth yeares after so foolishly and absurdly wicked is their doctrine and practise If a man by going a pilgrimage or saying so many times ouer his beades or fasting so many dayes or giuing so much to the priestes and seminary men If I say by these and such like meanes a man may satisfie for his sinnes who will be restrayned from any wickednes or be careful of the amending of his lyfe Thus one point of the supremacie is as a roote of wormewood and an original cause of an infinitie of trāsgressions sinns Which being thorow the iustice of God and the very nature of sinne enemy to al good pollices whose end is to represse sinne what neede we further proofe that the practise of this Romishe religion must needes be the poyson of all such states which doe receiue it But no maruaile tho so infinite a power of the Pope be so great a cause of sinne For the very authoritie of absolucion whiche euery Prieste hath is more fruitfull this way to encouragement and increase of wickednesse then that any good state or policie may beare it I speake not here of the daunger of dishonestie and vncleannesse by reason of their secreet confessions For which that worthye Nectareus abolished the vse of it out of the Churche of Constantinople but of the power that they take vpon them to absolue malefactors from sinne wherby it must needs be greatly encouraged That desperate and Deuelishe Iaureguy the Spanyarde purposed to haue done vppon the noble Prince of Oraunge For if euery Priest haue such a power to absolue from sinne any wicked limme of Sathan that shall dare in his deuilish boldnesse to attempt the executiō of mischiefs against most H. personages most noble Princes what wickednesse is there that these absoluers wil not dispence with and what security for any P. or state where such priests and absoluters may be endured likewise their doctrin of satisfactory workes must néeds be a great emboldning vnto
sinne For if sinne which the prophet said could not be satisfied for tho a man shold giue riuers of Oyle and thousands of shéepe Oxen yea tho he shoulde giue his first begotten sonne or his own life for the redemption of it may so easely be redéemed by giuing some part of the wicked mammon to building of Abbeis or maintaining of Masses seminaries and such like which in deed greatly encreseth their sinn by strengthning such abominatiōs Men must néeds bee hereby made more carelesse of their wickednesse and more encouraged to offend Whervnto also their sanctuaries priuiledged places do greatly encourage For if any malefactor may haue any such defence against all iustice and protection for his ill doing how is it possible that all wickednes shoulde not be prouoked by it Whereby it being plaine that impunitie is the cause of incouragement to offenders and that the practise of the R. religion is thus discouered to be such as it setteth the transgressor free from all feare of the wrath of God and the iudgement to come by their dispensations indulgences absolutions and satisfactory workes and from all ecclesiastical punishment for a litle mony by making markets of their said Buls and pardons and from the iustice of the ciuill magistrats by sanctuaries and in al their clergy by exemptiōs imunitees priuiledges and appeals to the seate of R It must needes be hereby most manifest that the practise of their religion is as a breach that is made by the sea wherby al maner of impietie and wickednes of life doth so violently flow into the common wealth wher it is receiued that it is not possible to make resistaunce against it Whervpon I conclude that seeing by his owne confession this Romish fayth in the doctrine and discipline of it both thorow the iustice of God who cannot but from heauen reueale his wrath vppon so great vngodlinesse and in the very nature and practise of their religion must néeds be the most certaine ruine and ouerthrowe of all K. and states where it is established I might alledge here other particular causes of the breaches of some certain commaundement as their disordered orders of Monkes Fryars their vnlawfull vowes and constrained single life to be causes of hypocrisies adultries fornications and a 1000. abhominations of vncleannes But I leaue these and such like to the consideration of the discreete reader and proceede forwarde to other points Wherein I affirme the practise of their religion not to stand with any good pollicie Next to the honor of God a vertuous conuersation wherof haue beene spoken alreadye nothing can or ought to be more regarded in a state thē the souerainty of the state and freedome of the people Which by the doctrin of the Gospell is maintained and established For so we teach according to the doctrine of the apostles that euery soul and person be subiect to the ciuil magistrates both to the K. as most excellent and souerain and to those which are sent from him Wherby both the souerainty of the state is maintained in directing commanding with in the Dominion which God hath giuen them without controulment of any forraine power the lawful liberty of the people For the people obeying the authority which God hath made them subiect vnto they neede not to be suters for any causes in the court of any straunge P. they are not to be taxed by them but in euery their respect are free from the bondage of anye forraine commaundement whatsoeuer But the Romish religion nether leaueth P. soueraine in their estates nor the people frée in their liberty For by the doctrin and practise of their religion K. and princes are but vassals and as feodataryes to the pope in their K. and dominions they are to receiue thē of him and leaue them at his pleasure Hee hath authority to dispense of all their Crownes and Kingdomes to set vppe and put downe as it seemeth best to him And as this is set downe for good lawe in their Canons so haue they not failed to practise it as hath appeared Further also they take from them the dealing with al ecclesiastical causes drawing them all to the Sea court of R. euen to the bestowing of ecclesiastical liuings at his pleasure by means wherof both the emperors of the R. empire other P. the K. of this lād haue bin fain to plead such causes as they haue had with their subiects without their own land further also they took vpō thē to impose paimēts vpon their subiects besids a thousand oppressions of their soules which they miserablie tyrannised with lawes of abstinence for conscience sake from meates and from marriage commaundemente of cōfessing their sins in shrift the rest of the ordināces of their will worship wherby the pore people were oppressed with great bondage and the P. were so manye and diuers waies impeached in their crown and dignity Further in a well pollicied estate it is required that it bee maintained in peace and yet so that in case of warre they may bee strong bothe in men and treasure to defend and repulse the violence of their enemies This the Gospel teacheth being the gospel of peace wherby men are not only reconciled vnto God but also one to another according to the worthy testimonies which both the Prophets and Apostles beare vnto it in this behalfe And as the Doctrine is peace both with God and amongst men so the practise of it can not in any sort disturbe or hazard the peace of the state where it is receiued but with al security establish it Likewise hath it nothing in all the doctrin practise of it contrary to the strength of a cōmon weale For it teacheth marriage to be honourable amongest all men and the honour of a P. to be in the multitude of his subiects and exempteth none by any pretended authority of forrain power from the seruice of their country Concerning riches tresure it doth not impouerish requiring only a competent prouisiō for the pastors and doctors of the church Which as it is necessary for their seruice and most due by the expresse commaundement of God so riseth it to no great charges of a common weal. But the R. religion practise of it is against al these For if the stories euen of their own wickedest writers may bee credited as they oughte most of al to be against thēselues that B. of R. haue bin the cause of al the wars that haue bin in Europe these 100 yeres And indéed what estate cā be in security or quietnes wherein a forraine P. shall haue intelligence of all the secretes of the lande But wheresoeuer the R. religion is euerye Prieste is an intelligencer and a spye for the pope who both by other means especially by their auriculer confession come to vnderstand the deepest secrets of euery state and K. of euery City and town village house familye person within the land Which kind of
the world and these may serue for a taste of the abilitie of these men who would make the worlde beleeue thei come now so furninished to the battaile that if wee would meete them but once in the field the victorie were their owne Yet I remember whē one of theim alledged a place out of the Ephesians there was sent to this Champion a Greke Testament who ashamed to confesse his ignoraunce excused himself by the smalnesse of the print From whom beyng caried to the rest of them so from one to an other al their chief men being there not a man emongest them could be found that durste take vpon hym to render one poore sentence or twoo out of the Greeke Testament into Englishe Are not these bolde Champions to boaste so muche of learning to enter into a Countrie to conuerte them to the faithe to take vpon them to controll all our translations of the holie Scriptures as erronious and false and not one of so many of theim to vnderstande the originall tongues Hebrewe and Greke wherein thei were firste written by the holie men of God by whom thei were lefte vnto vs. How should thei bee able to disproue our translations who them selues can not tell what is rightly translated and what is not as hauyng no skill in the learned tongues out of the whiche thei are translated Are not these famous Clearkes greatly to bee feared in disputation that can not vouche their aucthors in the tongues wherein thei wrote Thei haue now founde a helpe for this Gregorie Martine hath knowledge inough for them all and the vulgare Latine is authenticall so made by the Councell of Trent that is by the power wherby thei may doe all thynges These helpes I doubt not but thei shal shortly se to be so poore shiftes as thei were best not let al lie vpō Martins skill least thei marre all but bryng vp others in the knowledge of the tongues who maie begin to learne theim soner then Martin did and to finde some better succour to shroud thēselues vnder then the authentike authoritie of their vulgare Latine text for this wil not serue them as I doubt not but thei shall vnderstand ere it be long But to retourne againe to this renewer of the challenge of disputation their cause beyng so slender as all the tongues of men and Aungelles are not able to make good and yet the Captaines of this their newe and late inuasion so vnfurnished of these meanes what reason can he haue thus to vaunt that we dare not admitte any triall or what cause hath he thus to boaste if he will consider that whiche I haue truely for this purpose afore reported of their Champion God beeyng witnesse and of myne owne knowledge He would faine excuse this shamefull vanitie of an ignoraunt and vnskilfull man in the matter he presumed to take vpon hym by saiyng he had been racked or il handled before he had no warnyng to forethinke hym self he was allowed no bookes nor equall Notaries nor suffered to oppose but assaulted with greate wordes sterne countenaunce bigge voice and vnciuill reuilyng For his Rackyng was suche as he was able after it to come and go of himself without any helpe For warnyng me thinke he should not greatly neede muche warnyng that made so proude a chalenge Goliah yet was wiser then so for he had about hym and with hym his weapons wherein he trusted and required not any warnyng but was readie and appoincted in all partes to maintaine his chalenge Yet this I can saie that he had sometymes as muche warnyng as thei whiche disputed with hym and this equitie vsed towardes hym that he hym self named one of the questions to bee disputed as the opponentes did the other He was offered to haue what bookes he would and desiryng none but Canisius Catechisme had it prouided for hym Whē any writing was there was no answere of his set doune but allowed of hym after that he had been demaūded whether that were his answere or no. To oppose was not for hym that had chosen his place to stand as at the barriers to aunswere all commers For woordes he would take none at any mannes hande so farre was he vnlike to hym that saied I became as a dumbe man and againe as the lambe before the shearer so opened he not his mouth And yet me thinke a greate worde or sterne countenaunce should not haue amased hym if he had seen hym that is inuisible The Prophet Ieremie had a face giuen hym like the Adamant that could not be daunted he was as a Lion whose countenaunce the beastes of the Forests are not able to looke vpon If he had come of the same message the Lorde would haue fortified his harte with a spirite of power that wordes and countenaūces should not haue daunted hym Therefore how soeuer he would excuse the matter thei whiche were witnesses of the dealyng with their chiefe Champion must needes in all indifference thinke if these men vpon euery challenge or offer bee not disputed with that there is some other reason in it then either the fear of any abilitie that is in theim or any weakenesse that is in vs. For it is the lorde that strengtheneth the weake that sheweth his power in infirmitie and calleth thynges that are not as if thei were On the other part it is he that throweth doune the mightie from their seates that maketh warre with the proude that breaketh the tallest Ships of the seas and felleth doune the mightiest Cedre in Libane and highest Okes in the Forrestes It is he that saueth by fewe as well as by many by those whom his enemies dispise as well as by meanes that might make them to tremble And seeyng as Abia saied to Ieroboam and all Israell that it is thei whiche haue made theim Priestes not of the tribe of Leui or of the Soonnes of Aaron but of the basest of the people that is not by any lawfull callyng but contrary to the worde of God and priestes not to GOD but to Idolles whiche haue put out the light of the golden Candlesticke in withholdyng the knowledge of the woorde that haue taken awaie the sweete breade loaues from the presence table and set leauened bread on for it takyng awaie the sinceritie and truthe of incorrupt doctrine life and bringyng in the leauen of the Phariseis naie thei that haue spoiled the Churche of God of the moste precious Cupp of the blood of the newe Testament that haue made voide the Crosse of Christe by their merites and profaned all that was holie in the Sanctuarie of the Lorde how should we feare how weake soeuer we seem to thē or be in deede to deale with them For seeing by the grace of God we haue been vouchsafed the fauour to kindle again the Lampe in the Temple of the Lorde to set the sweete bread vpon his Table to restore the blessed Cuppe of the precious blood of Christ to the Church again Finally to caste
and honourable Parentes it is no harde matter to poinct out bothe the Parentes and tyme of the natiuitie of it But as of a base sonne of a common Harlott no man can tell the father So their Romishe Superstition beyng the base issue of the whore of Bablilon no maruell though wee can not tell who it was that begot it That Harlot hath had so many louers as it is not easie for her selfe to tell who was father of her sondrie Bastards But though neither their father nor tyme of birthe be knowne is it therefore to bee concluded that thei are right and noble borne nothyng lesse But any other Parentes and Authours of our faithe then our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles neither he nor all the sonnes of Romulus at Roome nor of Remus at Rhemes shall euer bee able to shewe Thei maie easily shewe by whose blessed ministerie the Lorde of late hath restored vnto vs this Gospell again as it was easie in Iosias tyme to saie that the booke of the lawe was founde in Iosias tyme the 13. yeare of his reigne by Hilcia the Priest whiche was no preiudice to the lawe For if it had not been founde till of late when the Gospell accordyng to the truthe of it was found yet had it been neuerthelesse the law of God and that most holy and auncient law whiche had been giuen sometymes by the ministerie of Moses So likewise thei may name in what Kynges daies what yeare of his reigne Luther began to discouer the abhomination of the Popes indulgences after both he and others restored to vs againe after a lōg apostasie time of darknesse the knowledge of the truth yet were thei no Authors of it no more then Helcia of the law but Moses of the law and Christ of the Gospell whiche thei preached and other Authors shall thei neuer be able to shewe But for their Romishe faithe we will ioyne this issue with them to shewe it is not of Christ nor of his Apostles Further also notwithstandyng that thei and others who haue ruled the worlde haue wasted all the recordes of many auncient Writers that we can not haue the writynges of all that did controlle them and that in some fewe 100. yeares in the beginnyng their faithe crept in by little and little by soft and flowe paces and that with greate hypocrisie that it could not bee well discouered and therfore not easily controlled for suche tyme yet will wee shewe that when the buildyng and seede appeared aboue the grounde the seruauntes of God discouered Antichristes Sinagoge and his Tares and haue freely complained to the Lorde against it The reason why it is hard to discouer the Authors and tymes of the seuerall pointes of this Popishe heresie are these First it entered not into the Churche all at once but in sondry ages declined from the truthe of the Gospell till it came to this full apostasie wherein it hath beene now some hundred yeres The degrees of which declination were so small at the beginnyng that thei were not easily to be spied Reasons why this issue is not to be ioyned For as the grasse and wheate growe as wee reade in the Gospell yet no man can discerne the growyng of it or see how muche of it shooteth vp in a daie So likewise doe the Tares A man maie well discerne them when thei are growne but while thei are growing it is not easie to discerne Secondly the hypocriticall shewe that these beginnynges of declination caried with them was a greate meanes to deceiue the worlde For if it bee not easie to know the Wolfe in a Sheepes skinne nor the Beast in his shewe of two hornes like a Lambe nor the Angell of darknesse when he transformeth hymself like to an Aungell of light so most of all this hath place in little and small beginninges of Superstition couered and clothed with a shewe of good deuotion For these and suche like causes the auncient Fathers within the first 4. or 500. yeares tooke no greate heede to the little and small beginnynges that were then laied of this misterie of iniquitie Further also those tymes were exercised greatly in striuing with maine Heretickes seekyng to ouerturne openly the groundes and foundations of our faithe concernyng the twoo natures and vnitie of the persone of Christ Iesu Thei had to striue with Ebion Cerinthus Arius Eutiches Eunomius Nestorius and after with the Donasties Pelagians and many other who euidently and manifestly sought the subuersion of the chiefe groundes of Christianitie Wherfore hauyng to deale with many open enemies and of those some of greate abilitie to hurt the churche for speciall giftes of knoledge and eloquēce thei set them selues as there was great cause thei should to resist the forcible violence of those mightie enemies whereby it was scarse possible for those worthie learned fathers to take heede to those degrees of superstition that by little and little so suttely and hypocritically crept into the church Besides this if any of them did discerne the soft slidyng awaie from true religion and deuotion into superstition yet sure thei neuer feared the issue would haue been suche as experience hath taught vs. And if thei gaue any token of their dislike hereof the wastes and confusions of the world since that time haue been suche as it maie be well enough that some of them reproued more thē can now be shewed by any workes that are extant There were many worthie and famous mē which wrote infinite volumes of whō now little remaineth and some nothyng but their names Origen wrote exceedyng muche yet there remaineth now little in comparison of that he wrote and that which remaineth is so corrupted that it nothing aunswereth the famous reporte of learnyng which Origen had in the church in his tyme. To this maie be added that the B. of R. by meanes of the R. Emperors whiche were Monarches of the worlde with whom thei were in credit had the meanes to deface abolishe all writynges rolles and recordes whiche might hinder the growyng of their superstitions And that this is no vaine surmise of a thyng that might bee it appeareth that thei were so diligent to doe it as ther was nothyng so authentike and reuerende that for their purpose thei were not ready to corrupt and falsifie What was more reuerēd in Austens tyme then the famous councell of Nice and the Cannons agreed of by the Fathers assembled together in that reuerend Consistory Senate yet the B. of R. corrupted falsified the 9. Cannon of that Councell to lay the foūdations of the Primacy whiche thei pretended vnto ouer all Churches For so the Story reporteth that Faustine the B. of R. Legate or Deputie alledged that Cannon for the Supremacy which being after diligently sought for by Austen the rest of the Fathers was found to bee corrupted and so thei wrote vnto the B. whiche foule act to corrupt the Cannōs of so reuerende a Councell and to seeke to abuse
thus established as it commeth to passe that one errour giueth occasion of another rose anew question and controuersie of transubstantiation which was maruailously increased by the Canonists schoolemen till at the last to make vp their impiety Innocencius the third made transubstatiatiō the thirtenth article of the créed As for the authors of the sundry peeces of their Masse I referre him to Platina and their owne schoolmen who name the authours of the Sanctus Lutroitus collects other the seueral parts peeces of it By whom he may see that their masse was not brought to the forme it hath now till Gregories time who gaue it in a manner that fashion and forme which it hath at this present He reckoneth here six other pointes and first these three Purgatorie prayer for the deade and intercession of Saintes Whereof it is a maruaile how the third can agrée with the two former For if they be in purgatory and néed our prayers why shoulde we pray for them and seeke for their intercession But for the time of the beginning of those opinions I deny that any of them were vniuersally taught beleeued and practised in the Church of any auncient time I graunt indéed some learned men following their owne peculier opinion wrote of these questions long agoe Yet not so long as the aduersarie would haue vs beleeue But such their particuler iudgement I deny to haue beene the general faith and practise of the Church at such time Of Praier for the dead we read not in the most ancient fathers For the prayers which are mencioned in thē were ouer not for the dead were prayers of thankesgiuing for their faithfull departure not any request for helping of thē Soone after in déed it crept in but Aerius and some other reproouing of it tho the corruption of the time preuailed against them That the dead pray for vs before Origens time no mā taught yet he reporteth it not as the publique fayth of the church But as an opinion of an auncient Master of his of whome he hearde it whose authoritie drew some of the other fathers after into that opinion But of inuocation of Saintes there is no example in Origine Chrisostome Athanasius Tertulianus Austen nor Ierome Nay four hundred seuenty yeares after that a bishop of Affrick was condemned for an heretique amongst other pointes for this that hee maintayned the blessed Virgin was to be prayed vnto as Nic. reporteth Therefore it appeareth that these opinions came not from Christ nor so many hundred yeres after as hath beene declared which is more then we need to shew it being sufficient that they cā not be prooued to be of Christ For purgatory it appereth to haue come from the Egyptians the old Greeke poets of whom Plato receiued it and after Virgill and diuers of the heathen Philosophers and Poets Whereof some after receiuing the faith of Christ began to moue question of that which they had beleeued in Paganisme As Clement of Alexandria did which after Origine and Ierome sought by allegoricall expositions of the scriptures to confirme But Austen examining the seuerall points that Origine and his followers had set downe of Purgatory did plainly and truly confute sundry of the braunches of that opinion and so shaketh the credite of the other as he sheweth they haue no certain foundation in the scripture But this purgatorie of Origine was statly condemned by the fift generall counsel Whereby it appeareth there were many that controled this hethenish fancy For the rest of their doctrine of saluation by works and grace inherent it is the late diuinitie of their schoolemen and vnknown to all antiquitie which in such sense spake not of merite and of grace For the number of Sacraments the auncients vsing the worde not in so straite a sence manye times as we doe now in this question diuersly reckon them but none that keepeth precisely their account to reckon all their seuen for Sacraments and neither more nor lesse Thus thē he may vnderstād for his satisfaction in these pointes and the like might bee shewed in their worshipping of images the Communion in one kinde and of diuerse of the rest that which hee required at what time and by whom they were brought into the church Wherein also hee maye see in sundrye of them who opposed themselues to the proceedings of their Churche Whereof if he desire to see yet more hee may reade that Iltiricas hath written expresly and largely of this argument Who sheweth that sometimes all the Churches of France somtime the Churches of the East sometime the Churches of Asia and in them diuerse reuerende Fathers and famous Clearks as Policarpus Ireneus Austen and sundry others opposed themselues to this misterye of iniquitie then working in the Church of Rome To whose large discourse leauing him for further satisfaction in this matter I proceede nowe to that which remaineth Now to the rest which because in effect it is nothing but a complaint of extream dealing with them which I haue answered before and a request to your Hh. for a mittigation of it which your H wisedomes are to cōsider of I haue not much to answere to it yet briefly I haue thoght good to touche the reasons For which he would perswade their cause to be worthy more fauor which I call God to witnes I doe not here nor in any part of this aunswere of anye malice and hatred to them For I acknowledge them for our Countrymen and brethren in the fleshe and would be glad my life might be giuen for them to bring them to the true knowledge of God in Christ to the saluation of their soules But my purpose herein is faithfullye to discharge some part of my duty to Almighty God and to her excellent Maiestye and your Hh. in maintening to my smal power this most holy honourable quarrell of Gods aganst his enimies therby strēgthning as much as lyeth in mee the right hand of a holy iustice armed of God with a punishing swoord against all euil doers and especially such as euen to the with drawing of their duetifull obedience from their gracious naturall P. giue it to a forrainer obstinately refuse to worship God and followe after Idols and as drawē and seeke to seduce the simple with all their endeuour to fall into the same destruction with them He complayneth of great extremities with tragical speeches as the like rigour had neuer beene heard of in the worlde that they suffer onely as he sayth for their conscience sake But I haue shewed a fore and am agayn to put the gentle Reader in minde that for their Romishe faith no one in all the time of her highnes happy raigne hath been touched at all in his body For Treason in deed whereby they deny their obedience to her highnes and acknowledge themselues subiectes to the Bishop of Rome in many and most waighty cases and for seducing other to like
out the filthe and pollutions wherewith thei had defiled the Lordes Temple and to reforme it so as the primitiue and auncient beautie and holinesse of it maie shine and appeare in it again How should wee fall before them in the battaile or feare the daie of encountryng with them in disputation The Lord goeth out before our armies his holie Arke dwelleth emongest vs his siluer Trumpets sound continually in our eares Which are sure vndoubted arguments that as heretofore we haue often preuailed against them so now muche more that our enemie so oftentimes foiled bee he neuer so obstinate yet can neuer be able to hurte vs or if he doe it shal be onely thus accordyng to the promise he maie bruse our heele but we shall burst his head in péeces Thus much for his first way sf disputation wherein I haue shewed that oftentymes by conference in speeche thei haue fled before vs. Concerning disputatiō by writyng al the world is full of the learned workes of our worthy fathers and brethrē wherein thei haue bothe taught the truthe and worthely maintained it againste the wicked flaunders and obiection of the aduersarie and conuicted theim of as notorious and pernicious heresies as euer haue been since the misterie of Iniquitie began to woorke What should I recken vp here whiche are infinite the names whiche are written in the booke of life of our moste worthie fathers and brethren who beyonde the Seas haue aunswered all their Challengers confuted their erronious and hereticall writynges and cōfirmed the truth to abide for euer Our owne countriemen haue in like sort maintained the Lords most iuste and honourable quarrell againste all suche as from emongest our selues haue beene raised vp to blaspheme the truthe Cranmer that moste reuerende and learned Father aunswered Gardener in the question of the Lordes Supper to the iustifiyng of the truthe and his owne euerlasting praise with God and men and the iust confusion of his aduersarie For their bolde Hardyng in whom they trusted for a tyme wee had a precious Iewell riche in spirituall graces of infinite more valewe without comparison Their Marshalles Rastalles Dormans and the rest of that olde rabble and of this newe charge their Allens Bristowes and Campions haue all found men to aunswere them through the grace of God of suche godly learnyng sufficiencie and blessyng vppon their labours as by the Lordes mercie we maie saie with the Prophett Thei came about vs like Bees but are extinct as a fire of thornes thei came in confidence of them selues but in the name of the Lorde of Hostes we haue preuailed against them Wherefore hauyng thus been fought with at all the weapons wherein they supposed they had any skill and their shieldes beaten to their heades so often and pearced through what a wrangling contencious and obstinate Aduersarie is this that will yet renewe more chalenges and boast that we dare Neither abroade with neuer so muche securitie nor at home vppon our owne grounde shewe our selues in disputatiō against them Whether would they haue vs to goe to Roome or to Rhemes to dispute with them there What indifferent Iudges or witnesses maie wee haue to dispute of the goodnesse of the finest Wheate and the naughtinesse of weedes in a Seminarie of tares What securitie can we looke for at their handes whose Religion it is to deale vnfaithfully with vs and to breake any faithe of a holy Priest as thei would bee thought or the royall worde and faithe of Kynges and Princes to feede their cruell eyes to see vs burne in the middest of their flamyng fires Their Cannons teache that faithe is not to bee kept with an Heriticke and such they iudge vs as Tertulles did the Apostle And this is no olde forgotten Cannon and worne out of vse but reuiued by the wicked practise of the faithlesse councell of Constance and the disloyall Emperour Sigismund constrained by them to that dishonor cōtrary to his safe conduit graūted to those constant Martirs of Christ faithful plaine Ihon Hus and the learned and eloquēt Ierome of Prage If euer thei would keepe any faithe with vs thei would surely haue kept that beyng giuen in the worde and solemne instrument of an Emperour And if that were not sufficient what securitie will they giue vs or because wee can not safely rest vpon any warrant of theirs who so traiterously disloyally haue falsified their owne deede and therfore haue iustly lost their creditte with vs and are banckeruptes as touchyng their faithe Will thei because we neuer brake with them come to suche places as we shall appoint them If we shall wish thē to come to Geneua in Sauoy to Newstade in Bauire to Rochell in Fraunce or such like places wil thei not complaine that their audience can not bee indifferent what remaineth then but to dispute in writyng whiche as we haue doen hitherto to the iust defence of the truthe against them so by the grace of God some of vs wil be alwaies readie to doe hereafter But if thei would haue their bookes to pas fréely without restraint and all men to be allowed to reade them let thē first assure vs that thei will leaue it free for all suche as are abused by them to reade ours For we are not ignorant of their discipline though most dissolute where it should be straitest yet herein applied to the keping of the poore and ignorant which depend vppon them in that captiuitie that thei maie not once dare to reade our writynges least thei should be conuerted and repent that the Lorde might saue them For except a fewe whom thei estéeme desperate of beyng turned by any meanes to the truth thei restraine al with whom their discipline maie preuaile frō reading of our works If thei so straightly prouide to hinder the truth and to keepe captiue simple soules in their blind kyngdōe of darkenesse Muche more reason haue our Magistrates to prouide that the children of light bee not lead into darkenesse by them But if this discipline remainyng on bothe parties thei bee yet disposed to dispute to informe them selues in the truth if thei wil leaue this large maner of discoursing bitter taunts and other impertinent speeches not so fitt for tryall of a truthe and come to the sharpe poinctes of naked argumentes we are willyng to deale with them in suche order as maie be most indifferent for bothe and fittest for the information in truthe of all suche as shall after examine what hath past on bothe partes For whiche purpose it would be fittest that in euery question the contradictorie beyng taken the one parte for that whiche he holdeth in the question laied out his argumentes taken onely out of the holy Scriptures whiche is the onely competent Iudge in this cause concluded in good forme of Syllogisme without any further deduction of the matter then should be necessarie for the better vnderstanding of the termes which needes must be vsed of the application of the places
whiche shall be alleadged Herevnto maie be added if there bee cause the testimonies of the Councelles Fathers Stories or other authorities of credite not to argue or proue any truthe or to cōuince or disproue any vntruthe for this appertaineth to God not to man to his infallible woorde and not to the writinges of men who are all liars but as witnesses to testifie what the doctrine of the Churche was in suche a question in the sondrie ages times of the church Which beyng doen by either partie then that either of them bothe aunswere the argumentes of the other and strengthen again his owne in suche place as the aduerse partie shall thinke to be weake Which passyng thus to and fro till bothe haue said what thei are able for thē selues will leaue suche a meanes for those whiche are willing to informe their cōsciences of the truthe as by gods grace it wil be easie to discerne His secōd reason wherby it maie appeare that their standyng in this cause is not without substanciall warrant is noted to be the vncertaintie of temporall fauor in matters of Religiō but that sectiō wherevpon it is noted conteineth no suche matter but onely this that it is not inough to perswade them that we saie we haue the Gospell because other also condemne vs and saie thei haue it we are not ignoraunte that euery one maketh claime to haue the Gospell and condemne those whiche ioyne not with them Amōgest whom that he reckeneth Luther and a Scholer of his I referre him to my answere where this is alledged of hym before which answere maie serue for his Scholer too As for the Trinitaries and Anabaptistes it is but his his malice and hatred against the Gospell to recken vs with theim whom wee are as vnlike in all their vngodly opiniōs as thei are vnlike the true Churche of Christ and her moste holy faith But this were an aunswere if we had nothing but the bare word and boastyng of the Gospell Wee haue made God be praised for it sufficient profe to all equall Iudges that it is bothe in woorde and in deede the true Gospell and pure woorde of GOD and the lawe of the lorde whiche is now the Religion through the goodnesse whiche hath visited vs from aboue established and preached emōgst vs. The twoo next sections haue some matter in them like this title for in the firste of thē he affirmeth the holie Religion whiche is now established to haue been brought in by an noble man after king Henries daies whiche he saieth could doe moste by bryngyng in twoo Caluinistes as he tearmeth them to read in the two Vniuersities here Whiche he so laieth out as if we had no other staie for Religion but that noble mannes pleasure who he saith if he would haue brought in twoo of any other secte might aswell haue established it whervpon he cōcludeth that seyng that seculer magistrate nor temporall law is no sufficiēt ground in religiō there is no cause but thei should be excused to continue stil in their opinion as thei doe And thus he retourneth againe to his request of disputation But first for this his second reason He maie remember hym self that their Dagon was fallen to the grounde though not with so greate hurte as after euen in the tyme and raigne of Kyng Henry the eight of noble memorie So that to speake in any reason he cannot laie the foundation of the Gospell now emongest vs vpon the onely meanes of the noble manne whom he noteth He might haue remembred that worthie thinges wer doen in K. H. tyme. For God had giuē that noble king besides his owne abilitie to discouer the ambitious pride and greedie couetousnesse of the Clergie the repugnance of the Popes supremacie with the souerantie of his roiall croune and dignitie the abhominations of the Dispensations of the Pope and sondrie suche like weightie and materiall poinctes of true Religion For GOD gaue vnto hym by sides some other meanes chiefe furtheraunce to the sight of these thynges by that moste vertuous and excellent Princes Ladie Anne Bulleyne the moste honourable mother of our dreade Soueraine Ladie now raignyng ouer vs whose eyes God hauyng opened to see the truthe her religious and zealous mynde louyng the wisedome that is greater then Salomon whiche the famous Queene of Saba was so delighted with and beeyng carefull for Gods people as Queene Hester was a worthy meanes to draw the noble kyng to better iudgement and knowledge in Religion then he had been of before whiche was also Godlie continued by the good and gracious Ladie Queene Katherine Par. Further also besides many other he had two as wise faithfull coūsailors as euer had Christian kyng before hym The one that reuerend and learned father Crāmer and the other the wise lord Cromwel counsellours worthie of eternall memorie for their Religious stout and wise dealyng against the misterie of iniquitie For hauing not to do onely with the Popes Consistory and Vestrie with his Cannon lawe beggerly wardrope with his discipline ceremonies but with his whole bodie with his whole house and tēple and that so rooted and groūded as if the foūdations of it had been layd in the centre of the earth yet God poured suche a Christian magnanimitie into their noble hartes to vndertake and such a sound iudgement to deuise the way to performe the ouerthrowe of it and to vndermine those deepe foundations as if the lord had giuen theim a pouder to rende vp those stately houses as Bulwerkes of Sathan and Castles of superstition and Idolatrie which seemed to haue been builded to continue to the ende of the worlde Further the Gospell was taught bothe in other places and also here in Englande and was receiued beleued and professed most constantly to the death by sondrie true professors of it and constaunt martyrs of Christe long before that tyme he speaketh of Wherefore there is no reason to make the entrance of those two readers the beginning of true religiō with vs. Moreouer also in the beginnyng of the raigne of that noble princely king Edward Who knoweth not that the state of religiō was established within this land by act of Parlament before the commyng in of those readers into the vniuersitees so that this reason is vtterly voide of all reason to make thē the beginnyng of religion emongst vs who came in twoo yeres after it had been throughly and quietly established as it is at this present daie After in deede by the worthie meanes of the noble Duke of Sommersett Lorde Protector and the right reuerend Cranmer twoo famous clearkes that then were of the moste renoumed for their vertue and learnyng in all these partes of Europe Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr wer procured ouer and placed the one in Cambridge the other in Oxford to the greate seruice of almightie God and of this his Churche For thei accordyng to the Apostles exhortatiō deliuered ouer a forme of sound doctrine to many