Church his vnity is nothing but a conspiracie and their hye consistory as the cōsistory of the hie priests cōfederat together against Christ and against his Apostles or as the agreemēt betwene Core Dathan Abiram with their rebellious companies against Moses and Aaron Further I say their Church is so farre off from that vnitie and agreement which he boasteth off that contrarywise it hath beene and is full of contentions and controuersies Which if we consider in the publike state of their Church is most manifest in the infinit varietie difference of Saintes meanes of saluation chosen to worship and to trust vnto by sundry Nations Townes companies and persons as it liked them best Likewise by the diuers Missales Breuiaries and Ceremonies vsed amongst them Further also by their sundry sectes of Monkes Nunnes which they haue so multiplied of late whereas not many hundred yeares agoe they had onely the order of Bennet But especially in the Popes counsels vniuersities and brotherhoodes of Monkes and Freers it appeareth that the Lorde burst their Church as a vessell of claye and an earthen pot stricken with a barre of yron into so many peeces and fitters that there scarse remayneth whole any one potsheard so big as might serue to fetch fire withall The agreement of the Popes was such about Formosus that for some yeares euery Pope disanulled his predecessors actes they condemned one another yea they followed their cause with such bitter mallice Platina their owne writer reporting it that Formosus was takē vp after his death and burned and his ashes cast into the riuer The scisme of two or three Popes at once which continued so many yeares and occupyed all Christian Princes to the perpetuall infamie of their malitious discordes doth witnesse to all posteritie how farre their Church is from this vnitie they would boast off Further their booke of decrees though Gratiā would force them to agree declareth what contrarie and repugnant sentences haue beene pronounced by them in sundry causes and poynts of great importance And this hath beene the vnitie of the Popes amongst themselues with others they haue agreed thus They haue moued and mainteyned wars both with Kinges and Kesars and those both Greeke French and Germans Many counsels haue beene excomunicated by them and they againe by the counsels Most famous and noble Churches haue likewise had experience what bitter spirit of contention and discorde hath possessed them They haue alienated and cleane cut off the renoumed Churches of Asia whereof a great manie were planted with the Apostles owne handes In like manner haue they contended and striuen with the Churches of Africa And in Europe the seate of their impietie neyther the Churches of Germanye Fraunce England Denmarke nor sondrie other but haue beene deuided and rent a sunder with their quarrels and in a manner brought to waste by meanes of the controuersies they haue had with them and others raysed and nourished by them But especially their owne Italy as other monumentes and the pertialities and factions of the Guelphes and Gibellines and their present estate doth witnesse Moreouer Clement the fift maintayned a great contention with the famous vniuersitie of Paris about his indulgences And other of them had a great quarrell with the begging Fryers concerning the order of Monkery And this hath beene the vnitie which the Popes haue had amongst themselues and with others Their Councels also as being the vnquiet bodie of so restlesse and contentious a head haue beene at variance one with annother as those of Basile and Constance and sondrie others Their Monkes and Fryers haue had greate warres both amongst themselues and with others both with the Popes themselues with the vniuersities and with their cheefe Prelates as that which they had with Gad with Clement the fift with the vniuersitie of Paris and the Archb. of Arnach with whome they agreed litle better then the Popes Nuntie at Paris this last yeare agreed with the Dominicans to the most shamefull reproch of their whole Church The Canonistes and the Scholemen byte one another according to the Apostle till they be consumed one of another The Scholemen they are also diuided amongst themselues into Reales and Nominals and acording to their captaines vnder whose auncient bāner they fight some are Thomists some Scotists some hold of Occam This is not according to him that said Ioh. 14.27 My peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you Is Christ diuided According to these publike examples 1. Cor. 1.13 their priuat Doctors writers haue behaued thēselues euē of late yeares in writing one against another as Catharinus an Archb. and one of the Popes Minions Dominicus de Soto confessor to Charles the fift Caietanus Tapperus Pighius with sundrie other and the Fathers of the Councell of Trent all which so agreed that according as it is saide of Ismaell their handes were euery one against all others and all others against them Their agreement was like that which was amongst the Babilonians after the Lorde had striken them with the confusion of their tongues that one vnderstoode not another and like the discorde of the Madianites who thrust euery man his sworde into the side of his owne Countryman Which their contentions and debates were of no small matters but of originall sinne of iustification by faith of the certayntie of hope of the vertue of the death of Christ of the vertue of Baptisme of the supremacie of the higher authoritie of the Pope or of the Counsels of the Church or of the Scripture of the residence of Bishoppes and such like I might here also shewe howe their doctrine disagreeth with it selfe one poynt ouerthrowing another but this may suffice to rebuke the vanitie of the boast of their agreement and to laye out some part of the euidences which I am to shew against them to proue that their Church is not that friend that Doue that Spouse of Christ which is but one whereof they so often vaunt but a contentious and quarrellous company at continuall warres with others and amonst themselues as the posteritie of Ismael and as the host and tents of Madian Nowe let vs see with what dissention hee can charge our Church in Englād Wherin if he would haue proceeded soundly to the iust charging of vs he ought if he had bene able to haue brought out the publike confession and articles of faith agreed vnto in King Edwardes time and haue shewed any in England that professing the Gospell dissenteth from them Or if he would haue vs to answere for all that professe our faith in all the world yet ought he to haue sought out the ancient recordes and authentike confessions of faith which the professors in the seuerall Countries where they are haue exhibited by common consent and agreement vnto their Princes But being not able so to doe as shall appeare after in the particulers that hee alleadgeth he seeketh some fewe places out of the infinite
together to roote out the true profession of the Gospell if it were possible out of the earth The execution whereof hath not beene forgotten from time to time in all places professing the trueth nor is not neglected euen to this day as meanes and occasions may serue them to bring their most vngodly bloudy purpose to passe To which their ende they haue hetherto run with so vyolent a course as it appeareth neither the feare of God nor any respect of men which worthely holdeth others from such extremities could restrayne them from most desperate actes and full of all tragicall immanitie Christian and Catholique Kinges and States in Stile and Title haue byn stirred vp against their naturall Subiectes to persecute them with fire and sworde to the hazarde of their owne Estates Such hath beene the furye and vyolence wherewith this cause hath been carryed Ciuill warres haue beene kindled in all partes where the Gospell hath beene by any number professed thorowe their false accusations of most duetifull Subiectes as enemies to the State of their Rulers to alienate their fauor from them so as there is none of these parts of Europe which are next about vs which hath not beene afire and some are yet wasting and consuming in this flame By meanes wherof haue been infinite confusions and moste barbarous crueltyes committed the Brother not sparinge his naturall Brother nor the Father the bloud of his owne Sonne Calamitie and destruction haue beene in their wayes as it is in the Prophet Esay 59.7 and the way of peace they haue not knowen The base by their occasion hath despysed the Noble and the vyle him that was honorable yea the refuse and swéep of the worlde haue been set vp by their practyses to procure in most trayterous manner the death of the worthies of the earth Many a noble Prince by these Catholique practisers Executioners of the Counsell of Trent haue beene shot with dagges pistoles and other shot and most cruelly slaine Thus they dealt with the religious and courteous Earle of Morray Buch. rerum Scot. lib. 19. Regent of Scotland whose death was perswaded and counselled by the Pope and the Cardinall of Lorrayne and who after was trayterously slayne by the Archbishop of S. Andrewes Neuew by whom he was shot out of a windowe as he tooke his horse ouer against the place where he lodged Thus also dealt they with the godly wise Admyrall of Fraunce who in like manner ryding in the streete was shot out of a windowe and after in tyme of peace nay of a Royall mariage of a K. most cruelly slaine and so shamefully outraged after hee was murthered as seldome or neuer was any enemy in time of most deadly warre I might adde here the destroying of a noble Prince of great hope by consent of his own father poysoning of the vertuous Q. of Nauarra with many practises against the K. her son other Princes Here also I might worthely mention the most horrible and barbarous slaughters which they haue committed in the pursuing of their wicked and diuelish resolution against the gospel But to leaue at this time the tragedies which they haue played in other partes by the treasonnable assaultes and deathes of many famous Princes and the cruell massacrees and butcheries of many thousandes of the people I will remember the reader chiefly of such things as haue beene done by them here at home and are best knowen vnto vs. Wherin to let passe the imprisonment and hard vsage which sometime they vsed her most excellent M. with in the time of her sister and now repent them of nothing more then that it was no worse and the fires they made in those dayes with the flesh and bones of their owne Countreymen for the truethes sake whereof I shall speake by occasion more fully hereafter and sundry other matters not so commonly knowen of plats and attempts against the Royall person of her M. and also of some of your H I will onely mention certaine euydent and notorious actes whereby the deposition of her H. from her estate and dignitie which from God by her iust right and title and to the great ioy of al her good Subiects her Grace doth most lawfully enioy hath beene attempted to be put in execution against her Whereof was a solemne instrumēt writing called the Popes Bul which was first certified by his messenger being an English priest and after set vp here in London by an English Catholick traytor By which Bull her M. is declared excommunicated Sand. l. 7. de ris Mo. deposed by him from her Royall state Crowne and dignitie her Subiectes are absolued from their oth and allegiance vnto her the land interdited and left to him that could put this sentence in execution and seaze vpon it Which whē the neighbour Princes either occupyed at home or cōsidering the consequence of making war with so mighty a Princes haue not aduaunced thēselues to put in execution the Pope hath from time to time laboured to stir vp some of her M. own Subiects against her to execute this wicked sentence vpon her Hereof arose the rebellion in the North which by the grace of God and by the meanes of your H. wisdome was disappoynted and iust execution done vpon some of the Rebels After this another Pope succéeding in impiety his predecessor raysed of late a new rebellion in Ireland bearing name of his falsly named Holynes hauing leaders and companies at the Popes wages and Peters keyes for their ensigne and vpon their forte against which also the sword of the Lord and of Gedeon preuailed For a third to be raised euen in the bowels and hart of this noble land sundry English fugitues haue bene entertained of the pope Wherof some haue iustified these insurections Sand. L. 7. de v. sib Monar Bristow and accounted all the Rebels executed for Martires in their printed bookes yea themselues as it is saide haue beene in Campe against her Maiestie with them as trumpets of sedition Others are bestowed in Seminaries some to teach and some to learne to serue the Pope against God against our Souerraigne and against their owne Countrie For which purpose so soone as they are readie they are sent ouer hither to withdraw her Maiesties subiectes from the duety they owe to their naturall Prince and to confesse and reconcile them as they terme it to the obedience of a forraine power Which practise of confessing and reconciling to the Pope in secret your HH for the excellent wisedome God hath endued you with for the preseruation of her highnes our whole Church from the mouth of the Lyon that would deuour vs do euidently see to be as dangerous a practise for the laying of a newe plat of rebellion as may be deuysed Therefore lately vpon these and such like greate and necessarie causes enforcing it was enacted that such Priestes and Catholikes or any other pretending whatsoeuer they may pretend as shall be
Tennaunte at wyll hath no better pollicye then to please hys Lorde of whome hee holdeth so the greateste pollicye and soundest wysedome that maye bée vsed by Kynges and Prynces is to please the Lorde oure GOD in all obedience and namelye in the zealous aduauncemente of hys true religyon and seruice Therefore wycked and deuilyshe is thys rule and not to bee patyentlye hearde of Christyan Prynces that false Relygyon or anye dysobedyence vnto GOD Idolatry Hipocrisie Tyrannye or anye such lyke canne establyshe the seate of any Kinge or bring securitie wealth and honoure to anye state or people or that true religion and godlines that iustice and equitie shoulde diminishe any of these and make the state weaker or lesse assured To longe hath this moste false and wicked doctrine abused Princes of weake iudgement to the turninge of theire golde into drosse and their honor into dishonor for what can be more vnwise vnhonorable and vnprofitable in the ende then Idolatry dissimulation Iniustice and tyrannye Or what can be more vnwise and vnhonorable then a state whose wisedome is nothinge but déepe hipocrisie periury and licence of all impietie On the other parte what canne bee more wyse or honourable then a P and state by whome true relygion is zealouslye and sincerelye aduaunced iustyce vprightlye admynistred the royall othe woorde and promise of a P inviolablye obserued vertue rewarded vice punished good lawes wiselye made ryghtly construed and duelye executed and so good a course of gouernment with all christian and noble magnanimitie maintayned and auoued For surelye these two which conteyne all the rest religion and iustice pietie and equitie are the moste precious Pearles that may annorne the crownes of Princes they are Pillers stronge as Iacin and Boos which were erected in the Temple and are named of theyr stabilitye and strengthe wherby theyr state is vpholden Salomon the royall Patron of all true state and honoure by wysedome and vnderstandynge by counsell and magnanimitye by knowledge and the feare of the Lorde as by the sixe steppes of hys regall throne which were made for that purpose ascended into that glorious seate as it was noted by the Lyons at hys féete on eyther side aboue all Kynges of the earthe and satte hym downe as a Kyng of Kyngs and Lorde of Lordes Whose glorye so sittynge was suche as he séemed to bée a newe Adam reentred into the Paradyse of God or as the sonne of God whose glorye in a sorte was represented in him In which example the Lorde hath sealed vnto vs the assuraunce of the promise hée hath made to honor Princes which honoure him and to cause the states to prosper and to flourishe which builde vpp the Temple of the Lorde and neglecte not anye thynge which hee hath commaunded for the furtheraunce and aduauncement of it And as in olde tyme these promises were confirmed in the glorious and happy kyngdome of Salomon So may wée truely acknowledge to the greate glorye of GOD a notable testimonie of the fulfillynge of them in the blessed kyngedome of our moost noble Queene whome the Lorde hath so wonderfully blest to haue as it séemeth some notable example also in these dayes to seale agayne vnto all the worlde the certayne trueth of thys doctrine That happie is the King Prince vvhose God is the Lord For howe richlye hath the Lorde blessed her highnes and her people in comparison of all the Kinges and nations rounde aboute vs wyth peace and aboundaunce accordinge to the prayer of the Psalme for Ierusalem are in all the walles and Palaces of Englande Psal 122 Such a peace and such a plentye as our Fathers neuer knewe nor our Chronicles reporte to haue beene in the dayes of anye of her Maiesties moste noble Auncestors before her Our owne Countrye yéeldeth vs aboundance of all thinges that growe at home and forreine Nations serue vs wyth plentye of all commodities abroade So that what soeuer is in the Easte or West what soeuer in a manner is vnder the Poles or betweene them wée haue it brought vnto vs. Which continuinge so manye yeares in so calme a peace must néedes haue excéedingly enriched the land with wealth and treasure The peace of it is miraculous in so greate and longe troubles of all our neighbours about vs and in so manye Plots and practises layd and vndertakē by the Church of Roome and the rebellious Children thereof for the disturbaunce of our peace Further also the Lorde hath gyuen her highnes that honoure and glorye that neuer anye of her noble progenitours attayned vnto whych is in her owne so happye estate to sitte as iudge and honourable arbitratoure of the causes and controuersies of the greatest Kynges of Europe and of all her neyghbours weyinge the Ballaunce as it pleaseth her And what is the cause of all these so calme a peace so rich a treasure and so exceedinge greate honoure Surely the cause is the same for which the noble Kynge Ezechias was blessed likewise with ritches and honor Ezechias opened the doore of the temple of the Lorde which Ahaz his Father hadde shutte vppe Hée caste out the Sirian Aulters and sette vppe agayne the Aulter of the Lorde in hys place hee purged the Temple from the Idoles and abhominations wherewith it hadde bene polluted hee caused the presence Breade to be sette vppon the presence Table before the Lorde the Lampes of the golden Candlesticke to shyne and gyue lyghte in the Temple of the Lorde hee called home againe the Priestes and Leuites whiche were scattered abroade and appointed liberall prouision and mayntenance for them 2. Chr. 31 21 Finallye in all the worke which hée beganne for the seruice of the house of GOD in séeking his God bothe in the Lawe and in the cōmaundements hée exercised him selfe with all his soule and was prospered In lyke manner it hath pleased God that her highnes shoulde caste out of hys Temple amongste vs theyr Roomishe Aulters they re Idoles of Golde and Siluer of Woode and of Stone Legendes and lyinge Fables the abhominations of the Masse and all the wycked and heriticall doctrine of the Churche of Roome seruice in straunge and vnknowne tongue wyth a thousande superstitions vsed in it In steede whereof her Maiestie hath broughte in prayers in our owne tongue the holye woorde of God to be reade and truelye expounded vnto vs. The Sacramentes which are the seales of the Gospell duely administred the pure cleane and vndefiled Water of Baptisme the Lordes Table furnished as the royall Table of a Kynge at the marryage of hys Sonne wyth the swéete breade of the finest of the Wheate and wyth Wyne of a Grape of mooste noble kynde that is wyth the precious bodye and bloode of our Sauioure Christ Iesu Her highnes hath calde backe agayne the Ministers of the Gospell sled as Elias sometime dyd into the Wildernesse so to sundrye places where they mighte finde the Lorde as hee sawe hym in the Rocke in Mounte Horeb. Further also her
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
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
¶ 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
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
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
abhominations for which after they might condemne them to the fire But we confer with them as desirous to delyuer their soules from the wrath to come and their present estate from such punishment as the law doth lay vpon them Releeuing of the prisoners of Christ was thorowe their extreme dealing an occasion to sundrie of great troubles But who hath heard of any Act. and Mo. who for this onely cause hath fallen into any trouble amongst vs. They killed fiue prisoners for the Gospell at Canterbury with famine and miserably relieued the rest for any torment As in time of imprysonment not one of theirs hath bene offered any for religions sake In deed if vnder color of conscience they haue intermedled so far in matters of State as that they haue bene to be tainted of treason it may be such haue beene examined vpon the Rack according to the auncient order both of this and other States in like cases that therby they might be constrayned to confesse that to the safety of many which otherwise they would obstinately conceale to the ouerthrowe of their Countrey Whereof not hauing vs in suspicion at any time but persecuting vs only for the Gospels sake yet some with Ioseph haue had the yron enter into their soule and other with Paul and Silas haue beene layd in the dungeons and there also had their feete put into the stockes Act. 16.25 singing to God as if they had byn in heauen Act. 5. I might name also a great nūber who with Peter and Iohn were whipped and scourged and reioyced that they were vouchsafed to suffer for the word of the Lord Iesu whereof as there were many so a young child amongst the rest was so sore beaten that he dyed of it who before his death was sent to his father whom they had put in the stockes in Lollards Tower Actes and Mo. setting a dish of water by him with a stone in it not much vnlike that of the Iewes which as they read said of Ieremie let vs put wood into his bread to torment the poore man with the pittiful sight of his child so shamefully beaten and many other such foule extremities I could remember them off How they dealt with Hun as it is like with some other which dyed in pryson is partly vnderstoode to their iust reproch and will be plainly discouered in the day when all secretes shal be reuealed It were to long to examine their like dealings in other countreys therfore I referre the Reader to their stories and namely to the 6. and 9. Chapters of the Spanish Inquisition where he shall see what close prysons what spare and lothsome dyet what strange and barbarous extremities are vsed by them The last poynt of the comparyson of vsage is in the execution of death which hee sayth hath beene done of their part in all fauor for iust reproofe wherof let the gentle Reader looke ouer the Storie of D. Tayler who being cruelly vsed all the way he went to execution there being ready for it was stroken a great stroke vpon the head with a waster and hurt againe with a fagot cast at him which light vpon his head brake his face that the bloud ran downe after stricken vpon the lips and last of all so smitten with a Halbard that hys braynes fell out But of all other horrible was the execution of the Garnesey woman Perotine both in her own person in that she was executed being great with child also in her child which being taken vp out of the fire viewed by the offycers was to the perpetual reproach of their most barbarous cruelty cast againe to his mother into the fire In elder time also terible was the executiō death of Sir Iohn Oldcastle the worthie L. Cobham is a witnesse to all ages of their barbarous executions It were to long to rehearse the stories of their most cruell executions in other Countries in all ages Therefore I referre the reader to the bookes themselues namely to the 12. chap. of the Spanish Inquisition Only two examples I will set down for a shewe one of more auncient time and the other of verie late In the low Countries at Tourney Bertram a zealous professor of the Gospell found such fauour as this man speaketh in his execution that after many rackings and tormentes before he had his right hande and foot pressed and mishapen with hot irons his tongue cut of his mouth stopt with a ball of iron his body let vp and downe to the fire till it was burned to ashes which were cast into the riuer Of late in the yeare 1581. at Roome Atkines an English man a zealous professor of the Gospell for a like matter as Bertrames was before which was the taking of their masse Idol from their altar and throwing it vpon the ground had this fauour shewed him in his execution that al the way he went to it as it is reported by such as saw it there were foure did nothing but thrust at his naked body with burning Torches and by a deuise for the purpose was burned so as his legges were burned first that the Tyrantes might feede their eyes with a horrible spectacle of so strange tormentes of the constant Martyr witnesse of Christ this hath bene their execution with al fauour Thus we see the chastisement layd vpon them is the rod of a tender most louing mother correcting her obstinate sonnes to bring thē to her obediēce duety but they haue beaten the true church of God with Scorpions as the Sirians did to the Israelites in Galaad they haue threshed it with flayles of yron Their greatest restraint is such I speak of those which are restrained for matter of religiō that they haue cōuenient roomes houses with gardēs to walke in but they thrust our poore brethren into their darkest dungeōs into the caues holes of the earth as into the dens of Dragons Their dyet is liberall and such as pleaseth them selues to haue but they so fedde the true Church of God in their time and yet doe where their authoritie may serue that she might and yet may in such places renewe the complaint of the olde church of Israell and of her cheefe heade and captaine Christ Iesus I haue eaten ashes as breade and mingled my drinke with weeping They gaue me gall and wormewoode to eate Psal 22. and vineger for to drinke they opened their mouthes vpon me as roaring Lyons they made me so spare that I might tell my bones my heart melted in me like waxe my tongue did cleaue to the roofe of my mouth for drought and I sate me downe vpon the earth Psal 2◠and in the dust But the Lorde whose right hand worketh such changes and alterations hath had compassion of our estate in this land his name be praysed for it and hath opened the prison doores he hath deliuered those which were vowed to death when his appoynted time was come
in redressing whatsoeuer may be amis in the churches of the gospel by such reformatiō recouering thousands of our pore brethren who now sitting in the darknes of that spiritual Egipt as in the vale shadow of death by such occasiō might haue their eies opened to discern where the body is whervnto as Egles they might resort also to all posteritie who hauing the holy faith of Christ according to the truth of the gospel as an enestimable treasure left cōmitted to their trust to be deliuered ouer frō age to age to the end of the world shold haue infinite cause to glorify praise God for so vnspeakable a benefite reuerently to kéep with al honor the famous names of their so christian noble P. predecessors in euerlasting memory Which so honourable an enterprise for the seruice of God the infinit cōmodity of the church tho I be not worthy vpō my knées to make any such motion vnto your H. yet apprehēding the seruice to be as I haue declared with your Ll fauors as knéeling before your most noble court in al humility reuerēce I most hūbly beseech your H. for the zeal you beare to God to his only Son Christ Iesu for the loue to the faith of the Gospel wherby in a blessed hope you wait attēd for the saluation of your soules for the pity you must néeds haue to see the renting of Christendom into so many sundry sects and partial opinions to the certen perill of the euerlasting destruction of many finally for the happy direction not onely of your owne noble children childrens childrē of your own country but of al the posterity of Christendom yea of al the world to whom the knowledge hereof may come that it may please your good Lordships to become the honourable means mediators to her moste excellent maiesty to vndertake this so christian and famous an enterprise to see it performed to the great glory of almightye God the saluation of all such as he hath appointed to euerlasting life It hath pleased God to giue her maiestye a royall K. with the treasure peace that neuer anye of her noble progenitors in such sort enioied before her wherby of all the princes professing the gospell her maiesty is most able to vndertake and perfourm so worthy an enterprise Besides her highnes honor for her moste worthye desertes is suche with them all as no doubt but the rather if her Maiestie enter into this action thei will also most gladly and willingly imbarke them selues into it and sende the chiefe of the ministerie within their dominiōs for excellent giftes of God requisite for so greate a businesse into her noble Realme to further that holie fruitfull and famous worke with all the meanes whiche God hath giuen thē This shall make her grace of all Princes next vnto Solomō in honor for the buildyng of the Lordes house and vnto Constantine surnamed the Great not onely for the glory of his great victories but also for his great zeale to aduaunce the Gospell When the Church was greeuously molested with the moste wicked Secte of Arrians this Constātine the great one of her Maiesties most noble Auncestors called a Generall Counsell of all Christian Kynges and Prouinces euen that most auncient famous and reuerende Counsell of Nice whereby the detestable heresie of Arrius was condemned that most true holy doctrine of our sauior Christ to bee God was notably confirmed and the daungerous troubles of the churche were in tyme happely appeased This holie and memorable example of so mightie a prince and one of her Maiesties most noble Progenitors maie bee a worthie president for her Highnesse to followe beyng a thing whiche GOD hath implanted in all noble Natures if a House Nation or Kingdome haue been honourable for any special vertue whiche hath shined in them to bee carefull to maintaine that honour wonne vnto it But there was neuer any more noble acte vertue nor honour neither in this nor in any other Kingdome or Prince whatsoeuer that maie be more glorious to the posteritie that shall maintaine it And no waie so fitly can it be maintained as it maie if it would please her Maiestie to vse her treasure her honour and creditt with all good Princes professyng the Gospell whiche GOD no doubt hath giuen her for suche vse as he did to Salomon for the buildyng of his spirituall house whiche is his Churche to so hie a seruice of immortall fame with all posteritie Wherefore beyng a matter so full of true honour to performe and so worthie for your HH to procure I hope and wish with all my harte euen for your HH sake that it may please GOD to moue and dispose your noble myndes to take in hande the sollicitation of so greate a seruice to God and his Churche and that the Lorde would vouchsafe your HH so greate fauour as to be his Speakers in suche a cause I would gladly dwell still in this my moste humble sute or the sute rather of the whole Church of Christ offered to your Lorshippes by my vnworthie hande and particulerly callyng vppon you by the names of the honourable places which vnder her highnesse you most worthely occupie moste humbly beseeche suche of you my good Lordes whiche haue fauour with her Maiestis in suites to imploye that fauour which GOD hath giuen you with her highnesse in this as worthie a suite as euer was vndertaken and suche as diffray her roiall charges for the Common seruice of the publicke state of the Churche and Kyngdome or write and seale her highnesse royall Letters and Pattentes cheerefully to incourage her Maiestie to the imploiyng of some parte of her riche treasure in so holy and noble an acte to offer cherefully your owne seruice to the furtheraunce of it Whiche maie be accoumpted to you of GOD as the noble giftes bestowed by the Princes of the Tribes at the settyng vp of the Tabernacle and againe at the buildyng of the Temple in the tyme of Dauid But because I rather wishe your Lordshippes giftes should be free cheerefull and voluntarie as beyng giuen to the Tabernacle and Temple of God then strained by importunacie of suite Therefore most humblie and earnestly praiyng God to direct your HH I leaue and conclude this cause wherevnto by occasion I haue a little disgressed with this onely woorde that if you shall become the lordes spokesmen in this the Lorde Iesu shall aboundantly reward you for it by being your Mediator for the forgiuenesse of your sinnes and the saluatiō of your soules with God his Father Thus leauyng this moste humble suite not of one nor of a fewe but of the whole Churche of Christe vnto your Lordshipps godly wisedomes I now returne againe to make aunswere to myne aduersarie To his former reasons without any sufficient reason that there must needes be infinite varieties of sondrie Sectes and opinions amongest vs He addeth this that wee
bee imbraced for Religions sake and not for policie and that therefore how soeuer it please GOD to deale with those whiche shall receiue it in this life thei are notwithstandyng to abide by that truthe whereby onely their soules maie bee saued to euerlastyng life and also that the doctrine and practise of true Religion bothe by the nature thereof and by reason of the promise of blessyng annexed to it aboue is the only religion which may prosper a K. or common wealth therefore no false worship what shewe so euer it may haue of some particuler cōmodity for a season can in trueth and in the end proue commodious to it I proceede further to answeare that he obiecteth of certayne particular commodities and discommodities of our holy faith and their Idolatrous superstition The first point he dealeth with is of restitution of goodes wrongfully gotten An answeare to the first point of the aduersaries profitable doctrine for a common weale which their Churche he saith teacheth so precisely as neither by absolution nor dispensation of any Prelate hee may bee pardoned without will of restitution but dying so is esteemed a reprobate and not prayed for in their Churche And this faith hee is their doctrine the commodities whereof hee adioyneth but first let vs examyne both our doctrines That their doctrine and practise is such as hee here affirmeth I deny for they haue sundry waies to hinder the actuall restitution of goodes wrongfully gotten Whereof that is chiefe and principall whiche hee heere denieth of the dispensations of the chiefe Prelate for if his Fatherhoode may dispense with the sinnes to be committed in time to come and giue a sealed pardon afore the offence as it is notoriously knowen to all the worlde he taketh vpon him to doe if neede be the buls thē selues may bee shewed other most sufficient and strong proofes of it are to be made then in case of any wrōg extortion theft vsury brybery Symony or such like after committed he hath his pardon afore hand and is dispensed with for it many yeares before hee haue done the deede Further he that may dispense with the greater may surely pardō the lesse but his Fatherhoode taketh vpon him to dispense with greater sinnes then these for proofe wherof all the world is wittnesse of his dispensation with marriage of the neece and that he gaue leaue to the brother to marry with his brothers wife can not hee then dispence wiih a petilarcin or a bribe What power they affirme hee hath herein appeareth by theyr shamelesse Flatterers that attribute vnto him power to dispense with al things and that what soeuer GOD maye geue pardon of that may hee As for his owne prophane holinesse it is as the Canons say a Sacriledge to dispute of his doynges whose offences sayeth the Canon are to be excused as the thefte of the Hebrewes the murders of Sampson and the incest of Lot If the Pope bee a Theefe or an Extortioner and yet to be excused as the Israelites then if he dispense with all he maye not bee accused And if his murder and incest bee not to bee iudged who shal iudge him for giuing pardon for extortion Their Canons teache that hee hath full power of God to dispense aboue right and lawe and make iustice of iniustice in chaunging and correcting of rightes He alone hath the right to take from one and giue to another all the worlde is his Dioces he is the ordinary of all hauing full and entyre power in thinges spirituall and temporall For he is L. of L. and K. of K. hauing the right of K. ouer his Subiectes Hee is all and aboue all and it is necessarye to Saluation to bee Subiect to the Pope of Rome seeyng that God the Pope haue but one consistory I am loth to turne vp this dunghill and such lyke the odyous noysome stinke whereof may infect the worlde but that as the Prophete saith their owne dung is to be caste in their faces What a shamefull and Diuelishe presumption is this to take vppon him these things and yet this man woulde make vs beleeue that no Prelate can dispense for goodes vniustly gottē True it is that they cannot indeede but that he taketh vppon him to be able to doe it is too too manifest For besides that hath beene alleadged out of the Canons if wee regard either his dealing in this age or in former times we shal find he hath not onely giuen pardon for the doing of it but expresly commanded committed such violent wrongful oppressiōs what part of Europe hath not the Pope oppressed with as grieuous exactions as euer Roboam did Israel His little finger hath been heauier to the people which admitted his tyrannie then the whole bodie of any other tyrant For they haue beaten their people with rods but he hath scourged them with whippes of wyre Oftentimes both this noble Island other greate states kingdoms of the West haue groned vnder these his burdēs as the Israelites did vnder the exactions of Pharao the Egyptians grieuously complained of thē besides many vniust paimēts which he hath imposed vpon the people he hath not spared to do wrōg to Princes thēselues that in their regal crownes dignities taking thē from whom he liked to spoyle bestowing them vpon whō it pleased him as sundry exāples of the K. of Englād of France yea of the Emperours doe aboundantly testifie yet he wil seeme an enemy to thefte and himselfe cōmit spoiles robberies like those which the pirate obiected to Alexander The warre for recouery of the holy land the Pope hath bin Author incourager of with giuing for that purpose pardons of sins to al that would fight in the quarrell of what an infinitie of warres vniust oppressions haue they beene causes both in other places in the West Indies wherby their own story since the inuasiō of such as he hath sent thither hath bin partly by warres partly by cunning and crafty dealing toyling the people with extreame labor to the death wasted cōsumed of that poore and harmles people 1500000. But these warres they will say were lawfull tēding to the inlarging of the faith of Christ which is cleane contrary For besides that if they receaue that faith he bringeth they shal be litle the better if it were indeed the true faith of Christ which they would plant there yet for that reason it were not lawfull to inuade a people with whom there is no cause of any other iust quarrell For God hath as wel determined the dominions of Princes as he hath the possessions of priuate mē without which parke wherin they are impaled by him they may not walk without iust cause of their necessarye defence Wherefore this was very bolde that hee durste affirme no Prelate to haue power to forgiue it Nay not onelye the Pope taketh this vppon him but euerye hedge Priest will vsurpe a
a two edged sword to the diuision of the soule and of the spirit of the ioynts and of the marrowe of the thoughts and cogitations of the hart For there is no creature hidden in his sight but all things naked and as cut vp in anatomy before him with whō we haue to deale His confirmation is a fond lewd tale of a priest that was cōmitted not for any such matter as he pretendeth but for being discouered to be suspicious of beeing a dealer in the popishe practises against the state And thus much for his first point The second point of vowes The second is their doctrine of the obseruation of vowes made to god which they teach being made of thingss lawful honest possible ought to be kept If this were their doctrine thē shoulde our doctrine in this point agree and consequētly the benefit of it to be reaped aswell by vs as by thē but their doctrine accounteth the vowes of pilgrimages of offering to Idols which they call saints a thousande suche like abhominations honest lawful vowes being in deed wicked prophanations of the name seruice of God in this behalf Likewise they hold that a vow of perpetual single life is an honest lawfull possible vow but in al such as in their single life cānot cōtein it is neither honest nor lawful The commādemēt of god by the apstole is contrary to it if they conteine not let them mary speaking in the forme where in commaundements are vttered But he will say it is possible by spirituall exercise so to preuaile against the lust of the fleshe as the single lyfe may be both honest and lawfull I graunt in some to whome God shall vouchsafe it it may beso but God hath made no promise to giue anye man that gifte what exercise soeuer he vse to obtaine it Therefore such vowes as hauing beene vngodly and vndiscreetely made of perpetuall sole lyfe by any not hauing the gift of continēce if for a time not hauing it al his life and bynding him to continue in restlesse burning and vnquietnesse distracting him from all his businesse and disabling him from doing any acceptable seruice to God or men but flaming in his lustes and defyling continually his soule and his bodye with dishonourable thoughtes and deedes We affirme in deede that such vowes hauing been rashly vnaduisedly and vngodly made ought discreetly and godly to be broken that the lawefull remedy appoynted of God being vsed he may possesse his soule and bodye in cleannesse and honour in the honourable and vndefiled estate of marriage who in his single life was not able to doe it And all this we teach most agreeably to the scriptures Contrariwise they teach that such a vow is neuer for any cause to be broken casting a snare vpon the conscience which the Apostle would not doe and forcing a state of life contrary to Gods commandement The consequēce wherof what it hath beene heauen and earth can witnesse against them whether the spirituall fornications of this whore of Babilō as s Iohn speaketh in his Reuelation or the fornications of her body committed by this occasiō of vowes of single lyfe were more may wel be doubted but in both she hath iustified her two elder Sisters Egypt for Idolatry and Sodome for the vile and shamefull abuses of the body I am loth to discouer the filthy nakednesse and shame of this harlot La polygamie le cabinet du Roy. Balesvotaries in suche sorte as she deserueth and therefore referre the Reader to such Writers as haue not spared to stripppe her and laye open her iust confusion to all the worlde As the Authours of the polygamie of the Popish Churches and of the Cabinete and Bale our countreimanne in his votaries haue done For which causes worthilye saide a Bishop of their owne that there was greater reason to allow them againe to marye then euer there was to forbid them For which and the like causes we also say that such vowes as binde men to liue in a wicked and vncleane life not onely lawfully maye but in duetie ought no lesse to bee broken then the wicked vowes of Herode and of the 40. men which had vowed the killing of Paule the Apostle As for other vowes that are lawefully made may be kept in the feare of god we teach they ought inuiolably to be obserued denouncing to those which shall not keepe them that the Lorde will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine And this touching vowes is the doctrine of both our Churches The commodities of their doctrine saieth hee is iuste and true dealing with men who wil reason thus with them selues that if a vowe to GOD be to be kept then also a promyse whiche is a kinde of vowe that byndeth more then any obligation to a man is to be obserued The benefit of not their but of our doctrine I graunt by an exercise of the feare of God in keeping lawefull vowes maye bee a meanes to woorke faythfull and iust dealinges amongst men Which if the professours of the Gospell should not vse their blame offence should be exceeding great to lie in darkenesse after the day be broken and the Sunne bee vpp But yet the doctrine remayneth still without reproofe which teacheth faithfulnesse both to God and man But this kinde of reasoning affirmatiuely from the greater to the lesse that if they will keepe promise to God they will keepe also to men is such as cannot deserue the logicke Lecture in either of their Seminarie Colledges And that a word and as we commonly speake a bare word and promise shoulde binde more then a solemned instrument and obligation as he writeth is neither good diuinitie nor humanitie And this is my aunswere to the seconde poynte The third and fourth he pretendeth to be great common welth poyntes as hee tearmeth them but let vs see what they are The 3. is of abstinence whereof they teach that 106. dayes in the yeare flesh is to bee abstayned from and the vse thereof forborne for punishing the bodye for the more feruent seruing of God beesids the religious obseruances perticuler deuotions the commoditie whereof hee saieth is inestimable to a common wealth For aunswer to this I saye that let the cōmoditie of it be what it may be we haue as many besides euery Wedensday thorowe out the yeare wherin a certeine rate is appointed to be obserued of fishe which wee haue more then they to counterpease their obseruaunces and deuotions But whereas he saieth they abstain from fleshe to punish the bodye for more feruent seruing of God This is a new deuice of this old learning that when men will more seuerelye serue God at certeine tymes then other they should then abstain from flesh For that purpose of fasting we read to haue bin cōmāded at such times but of abstinence from flesh in no place This neither our Sauiour Christ nor his Apostles nor anye other of the
holy Priestes or Prophets before them did comaund The Nazarites in deede for the time of their vowe abstayned from wine and strong drinke by the expresse commaundement of God But yet their profession beeing to serue God more exactlye at such tymes were not commanded to abstain from flesh Neyther was this generally commanded at any time to al the Iewes but a rule for such particulars as should take this vow of the Narite vppon them these contrariwise when they will giue them selues the more to punishe their bodyes and to serue God abstain from fleshe and leaue free the vse of wyne and of all fishe wherof many are more deintie then anye fleshe for which cause the Grecians called their dayntiest and finest feeding men eaters of fishe and all other iunkettes of infinite varietie And as they left them free so they forgate not for the most part to vse their lybertie no not their obseruaunces whereas a temperate and sober dyet of Beefe and Mutton breade at home would neuer haue coste halfe so much as the forreine commodities of wines and delicates of al sorte nor pamper the bodye or make it so vnfitte for any good seruice Which abstinence how it punished their bodyes appeared well in them for their Abbotes and Monkes and other such like were commonlye not the worst fead nor in worst lyking By which kinde of punishing the bodye and abstayning from flesh many times they grew so proude as that they coulde not abstaine from other flesh which God in deed had forbidden them This was but a meere hypocrisie vnder coulour of a straite lyfe to vse a diet that the Epicure and Philoxenus culd not haue wshied a better nor daintier for their own mouth The excesse and daintinesse of which diet being taken out of that hee reckoneth the sauing of flesh woulde come to I suppose that whiche woulde remayne ouer and aboue that woulde proue but a small matter of benefit to a common Wealth As for their obseruing of this and other pollitike and Ecclesiasticall lawes for conscience sake is after in the eight article vpon more expresse and full occasion to be answered His vnreuerent speeches of the Nobles and Iudges of the Lande and of Ecclesiasticall personnes is not anye theirs but his owne iust reproche to touch all degrees and States of the Lande without anye cause For in the myddenyght of Poperye and the verye deepest blindenesse it was lawefull to haue a lycense vppon such dayes to eate fleshe whiche beeing had it was no offence What reason then why they that haue lycense and take heede of offence shoulde nowe bee thought for to transgresse for to God in it selfe and without contempte of the authoritie of the Magistrate it is no sinne as after is more fully to be declared Concerning fasting which is the 4. article it is to bed vnderstood that the Church of God alwayes kept it by abstaining from all manner of meate and drinke vnto the euening which was in deed a fast when as theirs is onely the forbearing of their Supper when they haue well dined or rather the eating at one glutton meale the sober diet of 2. ordinary meales By which account nothing is gayned to the common Wealth but sinne and the punyshment due vnto it But if it were not so yet for so little a gaine nay for no gaine the right order of true fasting were to bee altered into a superstitious faste of certeine dayes and tymes which of necessitie and vppon payne of euerlasting death shoulde be obserued And of this there is vtterlye no neede in the common Wealth GOD hauing so abundauntlye blessed the Lande with all store of all victuall necessary for the vse of our life This were an necessarye pollycie in tyme of famyne good counsell for a shipp that had spent her victualles or a besieged Citie to wey euery man his meat to share him at his pittaunce for one meale a daye But to lay this vpon a free people whom GOD hath blessed with a land of Ryuers of Mylke and Honny to eate but one meale a daye for almoste halfe the yeare is no necessarye pollicye for this lande and people Naye neyther necessarye nor fitte but in cause of distresse as I sayde before neyther for this nor for anye other For with what reason or conscience shoulde the labouring man that hath helde the plough by the end all the daye or traueiled faithfullye in anye other good calling for the seruice of the Common Wealth and to prouide for his owne necessities and those which depende vppon him comming weary and trauayled home at nyght so great a parte of the yeare bee sent fainte and feeble to his reste and not according to the blessing of GOD eate the fruit of his labour Whye shoulde hee not strengthen his hearte with a sober relyefe and gyue the due portion to his houshold to his wife the moste precious parte of his possession as the vine of his house his children stāding like Oliue planttes rounde aboute his Table and his seruauntes after they haue wayted on him and after he haue eaten and dronk that they also eate for the refreshing of their faynt weary bodyes so cōfort him self after his wearie trauail with his houshold This sauing is no husbandry at al where there is meate enough to withdrawe from the people that which in al lawe of God of nature and of nations is due vnto them and necessary for the intertainment of their bodyes in health and strength to be able for the seruice of such calling as they are called to in the Common Wealth This was neuer thought anye needefull pollycie in Israel as populous as it should seeme by the Stories and more then Englande and hauing infinite more cause without comparison of spendinge the prouision of the Lande by so manye Sacrifices and oblations as they were bounde to offer then we haue which are bounde to none of those things whereof if an estimate were made I think it wold fal out that such sacrifices offrings spēt more of their victual thē their 160. dais of abstinence saued al the yeare And besides this that there is no necessarye nor lawefull pollycie in it expereince hath taught vs that it hath beene cause of damnable superstition houldinge men in that captiuitie that they thought it a greater offence to eate flesh in any of those dayes or to eate any thinge at night then eyther to commit adultery or murder or to break any of Gods commaundements Wherefore the superstitious fast which this good husbande for a Common W. woulde perswade is vtterly needelesse in regarde of the great store of the Land thorowe the blessing of GOD and vnlawefull as beeing contrarye to al law and example of anye well pollycied state and gouernement that euer was in the worlde to take from him that laboureth without anye cause so ordinarylye his necessarye foode It is also vngodlye for the snare it casteth vppon mennes consciences and for the
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
haue enough to do to prouide for themselues and their children as many times for all their care they are so little able to do as they leaue a nūber of poore orphanes behynd thē at the charge of the parish Touching thē I graunt it in part to be true that he saith of their hospitality offals buyldings but I deny their single life to haue bin the only cause or any greate cause of it For if they had contented themselues with such conuenient maintenance as had beene fit for their calling notwithstanding their single life they should neuer haue bin able to haue kept the houses he speaketh of haue builded churches with the surplussage of their liuings But this it was that made thē rich they woorshipped him that promised our sauiour Christ vpō like conditiō to giue him al the K. glory of the worlde They were neuer satisfied like the graue but heaped liuing vpon liuing office vppon office and that with the iniury and wrong of all the worlde They impropriated benefices and annexed them to their Abbeyes monasteries other places to their prelacies dignities a thing vtterly vnlawfull For how should it be lawful when the poore parish as he saith giueth the tithe of al they haue to the end they may haue a mā of God amongest them who may teache them the right way to serue and honour God and to saue their soules that this tithe should be taken from them and giuen to an idle cloyster of Friers or other that doe no duetie for it and leaue the poore people spoyled of their goodes and vnfurnished of one that should be their guide to euerlasting life By which prophane couetousnesse they made them selues guiltie not onely of their robbery of the goodes of the people which they enioyed without any iust title but also of the destruction of their soules in taking from them the meanes wherby they might be taught vnto saluation And shall wee then esteeme it a great liberalitie that if anie of the poore parishe had occasion to trauell by them that way to make him drinke or to giue him a meales meate Euen as one that had robbed a man shoulde giue him a pennie when hee mette him in the high way These are the cuppes and dishes for whiche our Sauiour Christ thundereth in the Gospell Yee Scribes Pharisies and Hypocrites you make cleane the outside of the cups and dishes but within they are full of robbery and wrong for indeede those theyr cuppes and dishes so filled were full of spoyle nay of bloud and that of the soules of menne whiche is one of the commodities they occupie as it is in the Reuelation Apoc. 18.3 with like impietie they annexed benefices vnto their Abbeyes and other houses and dignities by Popish dispensations of commendamus non residences Pluralities tot quots other more the like abhominations And not content herewith they had a thousande other cunning shiftes howe to drawe the riches of the people yea the wealth of all the lande into their handes as it well appeared at the putting of them downe in the late raigne of the renowmed K. Henry the eight It was signified to the King in a supplication how those iolly idle beggers as they are called there had robbed all the poore of the lande al the hospitalles and other almes houses and that they had drawn more then the third part of the whole lande into their possession With this manie times the common Wealth founde it selfe agreeued and prouided diuers and sundrie good lawes as of mortmayne mortuaries and sundry others against their couetousnesse because they gathered all to them as if they woulde haue dwelt alone in the lande and yet exempted themselues from the burdēs charges of the Common W. Therefore in this excesse couetousnesse and insatiable spoyle if for pollicy to keepe the more quietly the possession of so greate riches in their handes they spared some meales and offalles to the poore people or buylded Colledges and Abbayes they cannot bee esteemed to haue increased the wealth and riches of the people whom so diuersly they spoyled and impouerished It had beene as it is nowe without comparison more profitable for the common wealth that euery man had enioyed his propriety in suche a portion as the Lord by any good title shall blesse him with by tylling and manuring whereof hee might haue beene able to maynteyne the estate GOD hath called him vnto and not to stande wayting for offalles But this was indeede a politike poynt for theyr owne gayne For heereby they assured theyr estate by such benefits and pleasures and bound men the more to depende vpon them and to fauour their wicked superstition for the gayne sake Nowe if married ministers doe not the like what hinderance is this to the common wealth which hath in a great parte recouered agayne into her owne handes the landes and liuinges whereby that Hospitality was kept and these houses buylded whiche in all good reason must needes bee both more profitable and more honourable for the common wealth For that euery man sitteth at home in his owne house and eateth the fruite of his owne ground and drinketh his owne water is it not a thousand tymes more profitable and more to his iust contentation yea and more honourable then to seeke it els where and to haue it at an other mās doore Further if of that liuing they lawfully inioy the ministers prouide competently for their house childrē Doth not the lawe of God and of all nations allowe them so to doe Yea bynde them to it For he that prouideth not for his house sayeth the Apostle hath denyed the fayth and is woorse then an Infidell As for the pouertie of our ministery whereby hee obiecteth that many times they leaue a number of poore orphanes at the Parishes charges notwithstanding in the ministery a number be sufficiētly prouided Yet is it indeed to be acknowledge that our ministerie in many places is greatly vnprouided contrary to the cōmandemēt of God to the iust cause of feare of his indignation against vs for it if it bee not some way in tyme relieued But this especially ariseth of the spoile which they made by impropriating the liuing of so many particular churches to the maintenance of their cloisters nests of their superstitious corruptions for remedie wherof we are most hūmble cōtinuall suters to god the authority he hath set ouer vs as indeed it must be acknowledged that in all christiā dutie the minister ought to be mainteined For the Lord hath expresly cōmāded both in the law in the gospel that the Preachers of the Gospell should to liue of their holy labours To which duetie oftentimes the people are exhorted encouraged with promise of increase of blessing if they bee carefull that the Leuite which is amōgst thē be not forsaken And surely seeing they leaue as they ought all other trades wherein occupying thēselues they might thorow
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
the greatest transgression of the one with the greatest breache of the other and so likewise in the reste keepyng a due rate and equalitie of sinnes that are matched together Therefore notwithstandyng wee esteeme not sinne light but all in their natures mortall and deadly yet wee make a great difference of sinnes Wherefore if thei vnderstoode by this distinction no other matter but to make a difference that some should bee greater then others thei haue no cause to striue with vs. And for this what commoditie it maie bryng to a cōmon weale we are in the blessing of God to looke for it this beyng our doctrine But thei vnderstande it farre otherwise as appeareth by the Counsell of Trent and by this aucthour For bothe determine mortal to be suche as by their natures and in iustice deserue euerlastyng death wherein we also agree But the poinct of variaunce is in this that thei saie all sinnes are not mortall but that there are sinnes whiche in iustice are not to bee punished with euerlastyng death whiche kinde of sinne thei call veniall Not vnderstandyng that God for Christes sake doeth forgiue it those whiche beleeue for so wee graunt that al are veniall For to the beleeuer all shall be forgiuen and there shall be no imputation of any sinne but takyng it in this sense which I haue declared in which I deny any sinne to be veniall affirme all to be mortall whiche our doctrine is groūded vpon the worde of God For this is generall of all sinne whiche the Apostle without exception of any saieth that the paine of sinne is death meanyng euerlastyng as it appeareth there by the mention of life euerlastyng life in the same place And thus the Apostle taught according to the lawe wherin it is saied expressely cursed bee he that abideth not in all that is commaunded in this Lawe But saieth he though your doctrine bee true yet doeth it not stande with good pollcie whiche is to kepe men in vertue and honestie as ours doth Because if al be mortall who will striue against sinne whereas admittyng all not to bee mortall though a man be caried into a veniall sinne yet would he striue to refraine from mortall consideryng it bringeth damnatiō And though this Romane doctrine be false yet doeth it more incourage men to striue against sinne But I saie this is to reason like an Atheiste For as I haue often saied before there can be no doctrine fit to procure the blessing of God to any state whervpon dependeth the wealth peace and honour of euery people and common wealth but only that which is of God And therfore whatsoeuer he maie suppose in our or their doctrine to bee for or against a state the truthe muste needes bee that all thynges reckened and in the ende it can neuer proue a good doctrine for any state that God hath not taught nor that vnproffitable whiche he hath deliuered vs. But I saie further that our doctrine in the Nature of the doctrine it self is more to restrainyng frō vice then that of theirs For what greater incouragement can there bee in all good reason and pollicie to sinne then impietie what stronger restraint then greeuous punishement Therfore their doctrine whiche teacheth so many sinnes negligences and ignoraunces not to bee in the iustice of the Lawe of God guiltie of death must needes hereby giue incouragement to continue in ignoraunce in negligences and other suche like offences But ours whiche truely teacheth the wrathe of God and euerlastyng death to depende vpon it muste needes bee more forceble to stirre vp all men to be carefull to auoide to the vttermoste of the grace thei haue receiued all maner of sinne and if the lesse muche more the greater whiche haue more greeuous condemnation But he and the rest of these Romanists in faith in allegiaunce suppose by makyng all sinnes to be punished with death that all are taught to be equall whiche is nothyng so For that death is not like vnto this whiche is of the naturall soule and bodie and of the life of the naturall man but it is a deadly castyng out of the presence and fauour of God with whom onely is life that which in deede and truth maie be so called for the comforte that is in it whereas the other is suche a life as some which liue in it wishe rather for death and would digge for it As Iob speaketh if thei might finde it and desire that the Moūtaines might couer them and the Hilles hide them from the wrath of God liyng vppon them Therfore if it be possible for men in the naturall death of the bodie to deuise greate difference of tormentes so as notwithstandyng all suffer death yet one maie endure without comparison greater tormentes in it then an other How much more in this case both by the natur of the death which thei suffer and by the almightie power of God is it possible that notwithstandyng all sinnes bee punished with death yet there should be sundrie kindes of that death the tormentes of the one to bee in comparison in them selues alwaies horrible more easie and tollerable then an other Which our Sauiour Christ expressely teacheth speaking of the punishment of Sodom and suche as should with contempt refuse the Gospell Wherefore that beyng an offence of their ignoraunce not of our doctrine it is not to bee imputed vnto it And so notwithstandyng any thyng is saied by hym or can bee saied by any to the contrary our doctrine in this point is most fit and strong for the restraint of sinne and their impunitie moste daungerous by incouragement to smaller offences to draw men also in tyme to the easier committyng of the greater Besides in this their doctrine it is to be noted that thei teache the sprincklyng with a little Holly water to be sufficient to take awaie those sinnes whereby the precious death of our Sauiour Christ is in this behalfe made of none effect For if thei bee not mortall sinnes the punishment whereof in the iustice of God is death then Christ dyed not for them and if he did then it followeth bothe that thei are mortall and death the rewarde and stipende of them and also that the guilt of them can not bee otherwise washed out but with the true Yssope sprincklyng vs with the most precious bloud of the sonne of God whiche purgeth all our sinnes The second poinct in this nineth Article is of the doctrine of cōcupiscence which he saieth that we affirme to be truely sinne euen in the regenerate and thei saie in the regenerate that is as this man affirmeth it in Christians after Baptisme as if al that are washed with the water of Baptisme are also borne againe whiche is no more true then that all receiuyng the Lordes Supper should receiue also the Spirite of Christ which the Apostle denyeth to be no sinne except that concupiscence bee consented vnto I acknowledge this to be our doctrine whiche
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
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
and Massy crosses of siluer gold their Idols of finest mettals most exquisite workmanship the rather to deceiue the people as if they had been aliue Their other ordinarie charges of waxe incense Orgaines the plate and Iewels of their Abbeys Pryories other supersticious houses were of infinite valure and price as I think the court of augmentation might sufficiētly testifie Beside al these the extraordinary charges of appeals folowing sutes at R. the paimentes imposed by most tirannous oppression both of the king nobles al the people of this land to their most iust and gréeuous complaint as appereth by their letters drawn out of this other K. by names of Peter pence Palles collatiōs first fruits a 1000 such crafty and subtle titles most extreeme exactions did so impouerishe the state as both the K. the Nobles and all the people did often and greeuously cōplaine as finding in deed the Court of Rome to be the very leech that suckt the bloud of all the land and could neuer be satisfied Of this we haue sundry statutes testifying the popes proceedings here to haue beene to the defuming of the Kings person the derogatiō and minishing of the Kinges crowne and regalities the destruction of the law and all his realm the appayring confounding of the auncient lawes customs vsages franchises of the Realme Further that by them the nobilitie gentrie were impeached in their Patronages and other rightes The commons and subiectes trauailed in body and impouerished in their goods deuine seruice Hospitallity and Almesse deeds hindered the benefices of holy Church wasted and destroyed the riches and treasure of the Realme carryed away as also the leige Personnes of the Kinges councell with out his assent whereby the Realme was left destitute as well of councell as of substaunce to the destruction of the same Lyke complaint hath beene made in Fraunce also at sundry tymes and namely by Phillip le Bell in that famous act of his which was called Pragmatica sanctio Which paymentes are now greatly encreased Where accounting the Churches of the French tongue in the lowe Countries with them Le cabinet du Roy Des Finances the ordinary reuenue of the cleargie came to about a two hundred Millians of French Crownes Germany and the state of the Empyre helde at Norinberge made complaint of an hundred Greuaunces sent a note of them to the Pope with a request to be eased of suche exactions and practises of impouershing the people as the Pope and his cleargie did continually charge them with and that the people might be left in their auncient and lawfull freedome and libertie by his meanes or else they woulde aduise them selues how to helpe it because they coulde not nor woulde not anye longer beare suche theire intollerable burdens Whereby it may appeare howe contrarye this Romishe doctrine and practise is to all good estates and pollicies In deede in respect of their owne Antichristian kingdome I must needes confesse that for the establishment continuance security wealth and honour of it there coulde nothing haue beene deuised more politique or fit by anye Sathans meanes whose depthes their Popes and Prelates vnderstood then that which was deuised by them For what coulde be fitter for them then this doctrine of the Popes supremacie ouer all of his fulnesse of power of receiuing both the scriptures and their exposition of thē of obeying that hee commāded of not iudging him tho he carried ten thousand to hell of deuout ignorance of iudging heretickes who so euer spake against them of pursuing and persecuting them with fire and swoorde of purgatorie Auriculer confession priuiledges of his Cleargie the Pompe and idlenesse of his Hierarchie and of all their most subtle and Serpentlike contriued false worship The practises of Egipt toyling Israell with all base seruice and villanie and of killing their male children or of the barbarouse tyranny of wasting the West Indies was not nor is not more subtlely and diuelishly deuised to detaine those free Nations in perpetuall bondage and slauerie then their Romishe doctrine and practise was to haue established the kingdome of Antichrist and to haue detained the people of God in euerlasting seruitude and slauerie both of body and soule Thus then we see that for pietie and true religion the doctrin of the Church of Rome that is in effect of the Pope who is steare man of this shippe Concerning their power to make any writinges Canonicall scriptures to make new Articles of Christian fayth to appoynt God to be serued according to their owne deuises and imagination of men of ignoraunce to be the Mother of deuotion of worshipping of Idols and Sauiours of so many sortes Finally of all their false worship is a Pharisaicall leauen to be purged out of all Christian Churches and states the Cup of spirituall fornications that all Kinges and Princes are to take heede of to bee partakers of it that they bee not partakers of their plagues And for Christian honesty of lyfe and duetyes towardes men their doctrine of absolutions of dispensations of satisfactions and of Sanctuaries are for the impunitie or easie discharge of all malefactors so great causes of all abhominations and wickednesse and particulerly their sundry rules and orders of hypocrisie contention and idlenesse their constrayned abstinencie from marryage of all enormityes of vncleanenesse and infinite murders and such like other causes of speciall offences that the waters of Noe did not so high drowne all the olde worlde as those floudes of wickednesse which by such occasions had rysen did ouer flow all such kingdomes and Nations as this doctrine of theirs like a Sea of sinne mighte breake into For other thinges how much a doe haue our Pr. had to prouide by all the wysedome that was possible to be vsed to make lawes and statutes against the daungers that this their religion continually threatned against the state They sought to maintaine their lawfull and most iust authoritie by forbiding appeals from their courtes by premunire other such like seuere and rigorous lawes yet necessarie for the garding of their authoritie from the breaking in of these men whom yet no defence could hold out They sought to maintain the wealth of their people subiects by lawes of mortuaryes other such like necessarie lawes and statutes least these men shoulde draw all the riches of the land vnto them And yet neither coulde the premunire sufficiently represse their proud ambition nor the mortmaine their insatiable couetousnesse So that their wealth intelligence and power considered it appeareth to be the same mighty hand and stretched out arme of God that hath deliuered vs which freed Israell from the slauish subiection of Pharao and of the land of Egipt which being so no maruail the Christian princes whose eyes God hath opened to see the light of the Gospell doe not tollerate theire Religion and the practise of it For besides the impiety of it for which it is simply
to their callynges to looke to the doynges of these busie and sedicious Seminaristes and to further suche lawfull iustice against them as they maye by their vnlawfull deedes make them selues subiecte vnto and that your HH accordyng to the noble care you haue had hitherto of the maintenaunce of Gods true Religion of the sacred person of her most excellent Maiestie and of all the people against al which thei haue wickedly set them selues will still holde your eyes open night and daie ouer them to discouer the secrete practises of their enemies and to bryng to knowledge and iustice their vngodly and cruell deuises whiche thei conspire of vnder pretence of their confession Concernyng triall of disputation he chargeth vs with two thynges that wee refuse all triall by writyng preachyng or lawfull disputation and that wee are readie onely when we haue the aduauntage What triall he could make of any cause by preachyng I can not tell except he haue a confidence in persuasible wordes of humaine learnyng and supposeth that if it were as free for thē to preach as it is for vs that then thei should worke miracles For to trie the truth of pointes of Religion by preachyng I think was neuer taken for any waie of triall since the Gospell was first preached Therefore this part of their three waies he might well haue spared except he hope of suche their abilitie If he haue any suche confidence he is to learne that the Apostles preuailed not by preachyng in suche order but that their speeche was such as caried with it an euidence read and vnderstoode in the hartes of the hearers that thei spake by the spirite of God For their doctrine as also our sauiour Christs before was with power not as that of the Scribes and Pharises And therefore if he haue hope in this his hope is a Spiders webbe and as a brokē Reede that wil deceiue him There were many eloquent Oratours many profounde Philosophers and many wisemen accordyng to humaine reason when the Apostles were sent to preache And thei came against them neither with persuasible woordes of mannes teachyng nor with any depe Philosophicall skill nor with any greate reachyng witte but with the worde of the Crosse as farre from any outwarde pompe of speeche as the Crosse of Christ was frō any worldly honor Yet by this woorde bare and naked in shewe by this breathe of the Lordes mouthe thei preuailed against all the enemies of the Gospel and subdued the wise and deepe the flowyng and eloquent men to the obedience of the faithe of Christe Therefore hauyng not this worde for hym but against hym if he had the tongues of Angelles yet should he no more preuaile to the subuertyng of the faithe of the electe of God then either Tertullus the Oratour or the false Apostles in the Churche of Corinth did against Paule the true seruaunt of Christe If the armour we fight with against thē were but carnall as theirs is wherewith thei striue against vs then might thei hope in deede to match learnyng with learnyng skill with skill knowledge with knowledge Eloquence with Eloquēce finally any of these giftes cōmon vnto all men with as greate giftes to maintaine warre against vs. 2. Cor. 10. ◠But the weapons of our warfare are spirituall and through the might of him that worketh all thynges of power to ouerthrowe euery high Tower and euery strong Bulwark that is exalted against it To vs it is who professe by the grace of God and teach the Gospell to whom is promised Mat. 10. and to whō it hath often been performed a mouth and wisedome against whiche all our enemies should not be able to stande Wee are the weake ones by whom the Lorde confoundeth the strong the base by whom the noble the thinges of no accompt by whom he ouerthroweth those of greatest reckenyng in their opinion that the glory maie be the lordes Besides he must nedes think vs verie loose and dissolute in the administration and discipline of the Churche that should thinke it a likely matter to persuade that thei should bee suffered to come emongest vs to preache their wicked heresies of Idolatrie and all abhominations Where did the Apostles euer suffer this in any church established by thē Where did euer christian prince hauyng receiued the truth wittyngly and willyngly admitte false Apostles and erronious teachers emongest their people If the woorde of God had not made vs thus wise yet might wee haue learned this of all the worlde and of theim selues Thei themselues doe thei suffer the true Preachers of the Gospell freely and without restraint to preache emongest thē Did thei euer offer this at Rome or in any parte where their Idolatrie is established If the children of darcknesse haue so muche vnderstandyng to maintaine their Kyngdome of blindnesse muche more the childrē of light ought to be able to discerne of that whiche appertaineth to the mainteinaunce of the kyngdome of Christe This then neuer hauyng been any waie of triall nor in deede beyng not of that nature to trie a truthe there remaineth to satisfie hym for the reste He requireth yet a triall by disputation and that in twoo sortes by writyng or speeche For triall by disputation it hath been admitted alwaies and many tymes offered by the professours of the Gospell vnto them and that in bothe sortes of speaking writyng Martin Luther Phililp Melancthon Luthers worthie companion with sondrie others of the learned famous men of Germanie maintained the most holy and honorable cause of the Gospell by disputation before many of the great states of Germanie against as subtill cunnyng Instruments of Satan as euer since haue risen vp to oppugne the truthe of the Gospell In Fraunce at Poyssie Theodore Beze Peter Martir men of rare excellencie of knowledge and vtteraunce with sondrie other worthy learned menne so disputed this cause with the choise of Sorbone and of all the Papistes of Fraunce as the Cardinal of Loraine hym self wished that Beza that day had bin dombe or some of his auditours noting the chiefest had been deafe meaning thereby that God by him that daie had so laied open the truth and disciphered their errours as he feared least those that were in aucthoritie should haue receiued it I leaue to mention the disputation of Zwinglius Oecolampadius and others at Bearne Basile Strausborough and other free Citees In all which the Lorde so assisted his seruauntes the ministers of the Gospell as vpon suche triall the truthe was found to be with them And to speake here of the like at home in Kyng Edwardes tyme and also in Queene Maries when thei brought those worthy men and constant Martyrs of Christ Cranmer Ridley and Latimer and others to dispute at Oxford with the most vnreasonable inequalitie that might be yet thei so receiued and put out all the fierie dartes of the Deuill and his instrumentes cast against thē and so foiled and wounded their enemies that bothe all
that were present whose eyes the Lorde had vouchsafed to open to see the truthe and whosoeuer shall yet reade it to this daie maie easily see that the sheilde of faithe was their defence that thei fought valiauntly with the sworde of the spirite to the confusion of those that stroue againste theim And though their bodies were vsed afterward at the pleasure of their aduersaries hauyng no regard of their callyng no reuerence of their learnyng no respecte of their age yet after the example of Samson and the true Samson Christ Iesus by death thei obtained victorie against theim In the beginnyng of the happie raigne of her Maiestie now sittyng in the Royall seate of her Fathers their Bishoppes and greatest Clerkes were prouoked and appoincted by aucthoritie to dispute if thei were able to maintain their doctrine with suche ministers of the Gospell as were called to deale with them in it Which action as it appeareth by the storie and testimonie of many that were present at it was so fōdly and ridiculously handled on the parte of the greatest Pillers of their pretended Catholike Churche that al men maruell that the memorie of the confusion and shame of that daie doeth not with hold them once to moue the matter of disputatiō with vs. For after a little impertinent speeche thei gaue ouer their cause in the plain field But thei saie he that runneth awaie maie fight againe and so peraduenture these men haue now gotten more harte of grace then thei had before or els these Romistes and Remistes thinke peraduenture their Bishops were vnlearned but that thei in so many yeres trauell and study abroad haue better furnished theim selues for the battaill But their weakenesse was notably discouered in their greate Champion and Father Iesuite who offeryng defiaunce with Goliah to the hoste of Israell as if the staffe of his Speare had been as a Weauers beame he was bolde to caste vs his Gloue and throw vs his Gauntlet to prouoke vs to fight with hym boastyng to maintaine his cause by Scripture Councells Fathers by all Lawes Common Ciuill and Canon and all Stories A man would thinke suche a Chāpion had been able to haue doen great matters but whē he was after encountred with his glorie was tourned to shame and the Diuinitie he boasted of was founde to bee but certaine of the boldest and moste vnreasonable asseuerations of the fondest and moste absurde distinctions that euer were heard of wherby he supposed to haue been well armed againste all obiections For a taste whereof I offer the gentle Reader some fewe whiche I heard beeyng present at the disputation In the matters of iustification of faithe onely whereas he had falsly and slanderously charged vs of late to haue brought into the Church this new doctrine of iustification by faith onely and that there were places cited out of the Fathers Greeke and Latin who liued aboue 1000. yeares agoe expresly hauyng these words that faithe onely iustifieth He aunswered that it was to bee vnderstoode of the vngodly wherein hauyng confessed a truthe for so the Apostle saieth that God iustifieth the vngodly by faithe that is holdeth hym godly in Christ in whom he beleeueth who in himself is vngodly by suggestiō of his companion he fought againe to ouerthrowe that he had saied by a fond distinction of two iustifications a thyng meerely deuised in the braine of man For who euer read in the Scriptures that a man is iustified before God any more then once but that thei whō GOD had once reputed for iust he holdeth them so for euer Otherwise the reason of the Apostles iustification by faithe were nothyng if the Iewes might haue aunswered thus that when he was first conuerted from Idolatrie Abraham was in deede iustified by faithe onely but after he was circumcised and had offered vp his sonne he was iustified againe and that was by his workes but this was a fancy not once dreamed of by them Therefore the Apostle taketh it for a grounde that beyng once iustified by faith onely he was alwaies iustified before God by faithe alone An other folly of a suche like distinction was ioyned with this that onely in the Fathers alleadged shatteth out onely the workes goyng before his faith whereby he forgat that he ouerthrewe their workes of congruitie whiche thei pretende to confirme out of Cornelius exāple but not the grace giuen together with faith whiche is hope and charitie whiche aunswere is as flat contrarie to the doctrine of the Apostle as darkenesse is to light For if Abraham were iustified by faithe hope and charitie then was he not iustified without the woorkes of the lawe for hope and charitie are workes of the lawe It is contrarie also to their owne doctrine for if the first iustification be by faithe hope and charitie what second iustification can there be or what other thyng will thei require besides faithe hope and charitie to iustifie with a seconde iustification This seconde iustification he would haue confirmed by the helpe of their vulgare Latine translation whiche hath Qui iustus est iustificetur adhuc but very corruptly for the Greeke is he that doeth iustice let him doe iustice stil as if he should saie he that doth well let hym doe well still and he that doeth ill lett hym doe ill still whiche is as farre from the question of iustification as the East is from the West In the question of transubstanciation to the place of Ireneus that there is a spirituall thyng in the Sacrament and also a materiall whiche he expresly speaketh of the very substaunce of bread His aunswere was that the materiall thing was the accidentes that appeared the whitenesse lightnesse roundnesse c. To Oregen affirmyng that whiche is receiued at the mouthe to goe to the stomacke and to nourishe the bodie and to bee cast into the draught His aunswere was that the accidentes doe nourishe and that the accidentes are voyded Contrary to all lawe and order of nature whiche God hath appointed For it is no more possible that accidents being not in any substance should nourishe as it is that darkenesse should at the same tyme bee bothe darkenesse and light To Theodor affirmyng the nature and substaunce of the bread to remaine He aunswered that Theodor vnderstoode it of the substaunce of the accidentes and a generall substaunce whereby an accident hath a beyng and not of the speciall substaunce of bread whereas it is as cleare as the daie at noone that Theodor meant plainly that the very substaunce of the bread remaineth still in the speciall substaunce of breade and is not altered otherwise then in the vse whereto it is applied that is that beyng naturally appoincted of GOD for the feedyng of the bodie it hath hereby the institution of that Sacrament a heauenly vse whiche is to feede our soules A nomber of these fonde and vnreasonable absurde and vnlearned distinctiōs of his I could alledge but thei are now at large reported and published to
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