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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01175	The restorer of the French estate discouering the true causes of these vvarres in France & other countries, and deliuering the right course of restoring peace and quiet to all Christendome: wherein are handled these principall questions touching religion, policie, and iustice: whether it be lawfull to sweare, and keepe promise to heretikes, to force mens consciences for religion sake, to liue with, and dwell nigh heretikes, to breake the order of succession to the Crowne bycause of religion, or no. Who be schismatikes; and of the chiefe poincts of religion. How we are to iudge of the schisme in Christendome at this day. Lastly, the conclusion conteining notable admonitions to the clergie, nobles, magistrates, people, and King of France. Translated out of French. Ecclesiæ & reipub. D.	Hurault, Michel, d. 1592, attributed name.	1589 (1589)	STC 11289; ESTC S102588	139,883	174

were kings of Israel the people of God Thus haue Gods people geuen faith to Pagans and kept it and haue bene chastised of God for presuming to breake it there is as good reason at least to keepe faith to them that are reputed hereticks for the hereticke is not more abhominable then the Pagan and Infidell ad withall the histories aboue cited iustifying the like obseruation of loyaltie towards heretickes conuict and deemed such We sweare we hold vp our hands to God now since it is to God that wee sweare and not to men why then doo we respect the qualitie of men Let vs not therefore stay vpon the qualitie of persons euen as our selues desire of the Lord to performe vs his promises without regard to our vnworthines for the holy Ghost likewise in all th'examples of promises wel kept yeldeth this onely reason for all one or other hath sworne It becommeth vs not rashly to slippe aside from the charge of Gods commandements We shal enioy more rest honour and libertie in seruing God than by shifting off our shoulders the yoke of his lawes The commandement is manifest Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine it is noted that this is a principall commandement of the law one of those two that haue a threatning penaltie annexed I wil not holde him guiltlesse saith he that taketh my name in vaine The religion of an othe hath euermore and euery where bene esteemed to haue such power ouer the consciences honor and reputation of men that after an othe taken none durst doubt of the trueth of matters deposed or sworne An othe determineth the whole variance it is vnchangeable as saith S. Paul Heb. 6. By this onely warrant strangers dare meete together without suspition and become companions and friends hereby neighbors and friends continue neighborhood and friendship hereby th' enemie walketh in securitie of life amids the fury and weapons of his mortall foe this is the onely caueat and prouiso required of Kings Princes and Nations of Gouernors Bailiffes and Stewardes of Iudges and Magistrates this is the onely meane to treate of peace among armes to conclude and mainteine the same He that sweareth by the name of God doeth assure others that his wordes are true euen as God himselfe is the trueth he taketh God for his witnesse and iudge he praieth him to confound and sinke his soule to the bottomles pit of hel if he doeth not keepe and make good his word so farre as in him shall lye Our forefathers in olde time shewed by their ceremonies that they so conceiued it He that taketh the name of God in vaine either beleeues there is no God at al or els accounts him a lier void of might and in effect defies him Now men that are naturally liars and voide of might if they know themselues so reputed o● thinke that others beleeue them not they will rage and take on marueilouslie they wil stirre vp the coles fling the fire about hazard their quiet honor goods this present life and all th'unspeakeable ioyes to be hoped for in the life to come to haue amendes for such supposed iniuries God that is true almightie and most ielous of his honor what wil he doo trow yee Periured persons are noted hated and shunned as well of them that feele the damage of their faithlesnesse as of them to whom profite comes by their periurie if any profite may come of periurie The Aegyptians to declare how much they detested faithlesse persons digressed from their generall rules and ordinarie iustice for it was a ground in their law to punish each offender in that part or member which was chiefe instrument of th' offence and so it should haue sufficed them onely to plague the tongue of the periured neuerthelesse they put him to death vtterlie excluding all ransome of his life for anie price whatsoeuer If some law-makers haue not laide vpon them any like penaltie it was because they durst not for albeit they reknowledged that th' offence of this crime might greatly touch both the societie of men and euerie particular person thereof yet they principally considered how this sinne directly respecteth the diuine maiesty that for so much as to God the othe vow was made from him therfore being called to witnes they awaite for vengeance Thus you venture to perseuere in a sinne intollerable to God man the razer of religion and humane felowship Hereupō ye wil perhaps replie that since the pacifications ye haue sworne other contrarie othes from which later othes by a more strong reason ye may not depart but I wil reserue the assoyling of this your obiection to the conclusion of this discourse Meane while let vs examine the groundes whereon the maine stay of your doctrine proposed doeth stande and we shall finde them rotten and ruinous Let vs consider what befell the king of Hungarie and al Christendome for hauing too simply obeyed Pope Eugenius This king of Hungarie had fought with daunted and vanquished the Turke had compelled him to make a peace honourable beneficiall aduantageable and conuenient for all Christendome howbeit by commaundement of the Pope for the considerations aforesaid he departed from that peace he violated his faith and promise geuen he denounced warre to Amurath he presented himselfe in fielde better assisted thā before both with men with hope they ioyned in fight he lost the battell 30. thousand of his soldiers were deuoured by the sword himselfe there slaine his head carried on a Launces point along all the Countrie the Turke gaue not armes ouer till he had wasted and by conquest dismembred from Christendome the Empire of Greece Hungarie a portion of high Germanie and sundrie other Countries the Popes Legate being bringer of this gay doctrine was strangely descried and slaine when he deemed himselfe out of danger hauing escaped the brunt of the battell Such euents weighed and compared with the commandements of God th'examples here afore produced which certifie vs of his will may make one iudge religiouslie enough that God was displeased at their vnreuerend regard of his name and that thereby he would teach and make vs vnderstand that faith should be holden more deare of vs than all worldlie things We haue as good reason after so manie miseries heard seene and felt in religion and temporall affaires throughout all Europe as well in generall as particular to thinke that they haue happened in all or in part bycause of the infidelitie executed with crueltie against them who vnder the faith of the Potentats of Christendome presented themselues at the Councell of Constance with intention hope not to cope with th' aduersarie or defende their cause but by the word of God and further sithence that time against an infinite number of Christians that haue disloyally bene martyred in Germany Fraunce Spaine Italy in England Scotland Flanders and other countreys What know we whether the misfortunes of warre and other notable calamities that

their breastes abandoning their auncient and goodlie patrimonies their purchases so agreeable their houses so commodious their mouables so costlie winding them selues at length out of the armes of their kinred friendes and neighbors after they had susteined the conflict with reasons and considerations had bedewed themselues with teares their bowels yerning and heartes forespent with sighes and sobs and albeit liuing had deemed themselues as dead one for the other had recommended themselues to God some trauailing towardes Germanie others towardes England perswaded to finde more courtesie charitie pitie mercie and succour amid the wilde forrestes of Almaine amid the surges of the sea among them that are reputed naturall and sworne foes of all Frenchmen than in their owne Realme their natiue Soile in their own Citie of their owne king of their owne Countriemen and felow Citizens Euery one curseth his chaunce yea they rather that tarie than they that are gone as bereft of the incredible comfort they receiued by the companie of their friends absent The wife hath lost her husband the mother her sonne being her stay the brother his brother being his ioy the father in law forgoing his sonne in lawe must abide the charge of his daughters maintenance she neither maried nor in state to marrie Aliance and amities are made voide families are confounded At the same instant beholde mee couered ouer with armies in whom is found nor respect nor mercie nor law nor faith nothing but insolence but crueltie but violence trecherie being in deede nought els saue a vacation not frō armes but for armes They make warre as though they neuer hoped for nor euer would haue peace they cōmit violences and iniuries irreparable they cause enmities irrecōcilable the Nobles know not one another as persons meerly vnacquainted do deeme thēselues no longer neighbours there is no house be it noble or meane that is not shiuered in peeces that is not betrayed surprised forced and sacked finde me him out that is not streined and wringed as it were in a presse to extract from him his substance the Cities are turmoiled for their pride the man the Prince the King desireth to be letten into his Citie and can not It seemes I am at an end rather dead then aliue they vse me as if I were past feeling they make gashes in my skin on all partes they make the scales leape from my bones they labour not but to burie the dead and sinke the liuing in bottomles darknes they build not but to destroy other buildings euery where are diches trenches mynes troupes and bandes But all this is but one of the actes of the Tragedie Behold here the other partie arising vp which beginneth to appeare which is werie of retiring to beare of the blowes it is more knowen and auowed with me then it was euernt consisteth of all my Princes what countenaunce soeuer they make of a great number of my peaceabler children they want not frends both within without the Realme euen more then is supposed They say that all the Allemaignes the Switzers the English and Scotts are raised armed mustred and comming for their cause as if none should rest behind of all these nations in a maner saue old folke women and children If they should bring as much euill will as power without doubt I am vndone Alas I haue not life enough to sustaine so mightie an assault of sicknesse It behoueth by remedies to preuent the fit it behoueth by good counsell to remoue frō these Princes prouoked all occasion that may egge them on while they are yet not moued too much nor banded together hitherto they haue neither spoken nor done any thing as more inclined to peace then warre they restraine so much as they may the motions of their choler th' execution of their power Let me intreat you my children not to plead our cause by armes not to hazard our selues on the doubtfull euents of battaile Victories in ciuill warre bring no commoditie but to two or three they vndo the rest and specially the people Otherwise how great soeuer the hap and aduantage of the victors be they must alwayes come to agreement in th' end Get he the maistrie that may I am desolated for euer I feare the victory as much as confusion be the issue what it will the French shal be defeated Come hither my children harken to me we may not doubt but that the wrath of God pursueth vs seing the stripes he geueth vs the pestilence rageth within the sword without the famine throughout and these are but threats in comparison of more boystrous blowes prepared by him for vs yet leaue we our senceles obstinacie bestow we our endeuour betweene the threat and stripe the stripe shall not light bestow we our endeuour betweene stroke and stroke the woundes shall cease and turne to blessings Let vs wittingly and in good earnest know feele our owne euill the cause thereof let vs be humbled and search out the remedie Do ye not vnderstand that in one moneth of warre we offend more the diuine maiestie then in a whole age of peace Vnderstand ye not that peace brings all good warre all euill If ye doubt it marke the pictures and greetings of your ancesters compare your discommodities with the cōmodities of your fathers Let vs seeke then this peace to that end boldly peece meale try examine our euill enmities search the remedy therefore Let vs suck out the sense swalow the wise sentence CHAP. 1. Whether faith may lawfully be geuen and holden to heretikes YE haue broken the peace so solemnely sworne I speake to you my children that haue bene induced to begin this warre ye haue falsed your faith ye haue taken the name of God in vayne for that say you a man neither may nor should promise nor keepe faith towards heretickes and Infidels according to the resolution taken and practised in the Councell of Constance Anno. 1414. againe according to th' aduise and commaundement executed by Pope Eugenius the fourth to Vladislaus king of Hungary about xxx yeares afterward Ye say this is a doctrine receiued so solemnly confirmed by so many reasons auctorities approued by so many actes continued by so many yeares that now it is no tyme to doubt thereof My children this defense can not warrant you from vices and infamous reproches damnable before God men For if ye bring in and so freely receiue such distinctions in promises and othes ye open a gap to all maner of miseries cōfusions in all Estates but principally in this Realme where are few houses families townes cities gouernements few companies publick or particular that are not bound by such othes few or no mariages successions felowships and other couenantes whose suit enterteinement and assurance depend not on such othes For in all these things they that we haue called heretickes be confusedly intermedled with the Catholikes So that I may say with truth

shall hardly finde in the Gospel one commaundement to condemne the heretike to death but ye shall finde there as it were qualifications restraints vpon that commādement of the Law It is written in S. Matthew if he hearkeneth not to thee Mat. 18. tell it the Church and if he hearkeneth not to the Church let him be to thee as an Ethnik and Publican it is not written deliuer him into the hands of the Iustice or of th'Executioner it is lesse written massacre him S. Paul saith in the times of heresies watch trauaile doo the worke of an Euangelist he saith not make leagues and conspiracies commaund and mustre armies dispatch al with th' edge of the sword The number of peruerse heretikes was great in the Apostles time their writings are full of complaints against them But what Did they therefore runne to these extremities of raysing powers to roote them out No they punished a fewe to restraine the rest not by the sword which was forbidden them but by the wonderfull power of the word These extraordinarie actes are lessons for our ordinarie Magistrates whensoeuer they meet with multitudes infected with heresie first to vse lenitie leasure and labour to winne them all if it may be than to punish the Arch-heretikes by death to the terror of the residue and euermore to beware that he make no generall executions For so shal he imitate th'Apostles administration of iustice in cases of religiō nay he shal imitate his Lord God who if he sometimes send sodain vēgeāce on a few for their wickednes misbeleef yet doth he long time patiently abide the conuersion of innumerable others Again how know we the time of Gods calling the election belongeth not peculiarly now a dayes to any certain natiō the gate lies open to all he brings into his vineyard some in the morning others at noone and some at night If the people of God had in old time destroyed all the Gentils they had withall destroyed so many Churches which since haue bene gathered of Gentils How know we whether he that is at this day an heretike or schismatike shall be so an yeare hence How know we whether God will call his children neuewes or his neuewes children He that had consumed with fire the townes of Europe infected with Arianisme for certaine hundred yeeres how much had he hindered the kingdome of our Sauiour the fulfilling of the number of the faithfull seing that out of those Townes the Lord hath taken daily doth take some to finish his accompt If ye tell me that all lewd persons guilty and conuict of other crimes may stand on those pretences to auoyd or make blunt the Magistrates sword I will answere you that betweene heresie and other common crimes th'ods is very great For the heretike put to death without pause seemeth to die in a harde case and few there are of them that make shew of repentance while breath is in their bodie and no maruaile For their hearts are so hardened that they had rather leaue their life then their opinion And can ye persuade them to repent who will acknowledge no offence As for other malefactors their crimes are open to their conscience their faults proceeded not of error in saith but of frailty in flesh That they acknowledge them is one good step to repentance that they are sory for them is another as good that they haue faith they professe in wordes that they die true Christians charitie willeth vs to presume and leaue the rest to God Behold therefore the cause why the greatest penalty allotted heretikes except a very few in the primitiue Church was banishment till the time of pope Pelagius that fate in the Pontificall sea about the yeare of grace 557 who was the first that ordeined they should from thenceforth be punished with death and till that time though most heresies had already made their inrodes and inuasions yet among them were few heretikes condemned to death And to say the truth this maner of dealing of the primitiue Church well weighed shall appeare founded on manifold reasons and auctorities which I let passe at this present Now this discourse importeth at least that ye should not proceede so hastily in such pursuites as ye are wont and yet will not I conclude that heretiks must be left vnpunished But contrariwise do affirme that the Magistrate ought with his sword to smite the heretike duely conuinced Howbeit my former caueat must alwaies be remembred that the Magistrate is not to attempt any such exemplary punishment when it may bring the Church Estate to confusion hauok and ruine in which occurrent our Sauiours doctrine is to be practized that is to leaue the darnell in the field till the day of haruest and not seeke to roote it out for feare of plucking vp or spoiling the good corne that growes among And that conformably to the histories cited as well of th' Emperours Maximian Galerius Constantius Constantine the great Iouinian Valentinian Valens and others as of Charles the fifth Maximilian and Rodolph now reigning conformably also to the proceedings of the most part of our neighbors agreeably moreouer to the maturest and most deliberate Arrestes of all our soueraigne courts geuen in the beginning of these ciuill warres all which histories I need not repeat It were good that the Church and Magistrate agree to iudge and represse heretikes it is true but it behoues the word of God to be receiued into their company and be president among them as being chiefe of the three Crownes that are in the world and to iudge according to the same for somuch as to it onely belongeth to decide all differences of religion for sith it is the seruice of God and his glory which in true religion is sought we must be directed by his cōmaundement and not by mans where they be contrary Most seemely it is that Iustice should mainteyne the Church that Moses and Aaron should be brethren but yet Iustice must not vniustly fauour the Church Exod. 32. Moses must not blush to rebuke his brother Aaron sharply if he forsaketh Gods commaundements to assist th'importunities of mens fansies it must not be that through their mutuall support euill counterpeized the one of them should ouerthrow the other and the whole common-wealth with all it is expedient that Moses and Aaron viz. Iustice and the Church should linke themselues against heretikes in such wise that the Church incurre no daunger For in case of euident perill men must attend the extraordinary hand of God Num. 16. as they did in behalfe of the great multitude which fauoured the strife about the Priesthood For had they vndiscretly put hand to weapon they should haue greatly troubled and hazarded the whole body of the Church they had buried many of the faithfull vnder the heapes of th' other and therefore they addressed their prayers to the Lord and cōmitted the cause to him To be short our loue to the Church as is

kindlers of your choler motioners of your cōmotions I was afraide to anger you ouermuch at the beginning of my discourse I haue examined your actions as if they wholy aymed at heretiks It is time to wink no more nor to conceale my meaning the salues haue mortified the inflamation of the wound your hot cōtentious humors begin to coole and qualifie ye begin to know your malady that furie reigned in your zele among your determinations being not leueled by the word and cōmandements of God that the same zele of yours was without warrant in danger of reproose curse punishment the knowledge of your owne cuill lessening thereof should haue purchased in you an hope of recouery and extreme longing to attaine thereto by any paines what so euer Th' acknowledgement of your errors ought to haue brought withall your trust and desire of repentance and your will redie to yeeld to seuere aduertisements requisite for that end Ouerrule therefore your passionate mindes and listen to me Let vs search your wounds throughly let vs encounter your disease with medicines of true contrarietie and fight with it to the vttrance let vs proceed to the soundations of your errors and see whether they be well grounded Examine we frankly whether the Reformed be heretikes and schismatiks either one or other without pausing on formalitie or proceedings to be had against them for of such matters inough is spoken asore and therein the iudgementes of trueth are not most often found Ye mainteine that they are heretikes and schismatikes for so much as they allow not the doctrine of the Catholik Apostolik and Romane Church and will not become of the body and yeeld to the discipline of that Church They say they are of the Catholik or vniuerfall Church doe beleue in the doctrine of Iesus Christ of his Apostles and of the whole Primitiue Church and doe yeeld to the gouernment and order of the same They repute the Roman Church at this day most abhominable We will limit your controuersie and say frankly that ye suppose thē heretikes and schismatikes because they auow not the Pope and his doctrine nor will bow vnder his authoritie nor enter into his Church For it shall appeare by the conclusion of this treatise more cleerely that herein consisteth the controuersie Forbeare me a little while to discourse with you as if I were a Reformed and to declare in breefe the reasons why the Reformed will none of the Pope nor his doctrine And be not offended if now and then I vse their tearmes and manner of speech for since the question in this behalfe leadeth vs to speake for them we must speake like them The Prophesies say they were not written for nothing the holy Ghost is trueth it selfe there shall not one onely word of all that he hath endited remaine vnperformed heauen earth shall faile Mat. 24. Marke 13. Luke 21. but the words of the Lord shall not faile Now so it is that himselfe hath forewarned vs how there should happen a great oppression in the Church a seducing almost generall and an abhomination most great The same is likewise foretold by the Prophets Dan. 7. 4 Esd 11. Apo. 13.17 chiesly by Daniel Esdras and S. Iohn in his Reuelation that immediatly after the first comming of the Lord a certaine power should arise that should bruise and spoyle the Lorde Saints thinking to change the times and the law and which should reigne with great tyrannie This is that great beast which speaketh high things and blasphemies against the Lord which should maintaine battell against the faithfull and vanquish them and should seduce or misleade by words fables false miracles and fauors of this world and should with armes subdue many Nations This is that strūpet so proud in attire in precious ornaments of gold stone in painted shew in word in power full of abhomination with whō the kings dwellers vpon earth haue committed whoredome and haue made themselues drunke with the wine of her leacherous dissolutenes in her cup of abhomination Of her haue th'Apostles aduertised vs 2. Pet. 2. 2. Thes 2. 1. Iohn 2.4 Iude. chiesly S. Peter S. Paul S. Iohn and S. Iude who haue spoken so manifestly of Antichrist that they conceale nought saue the name they haue described the Apostasie or reuolt the sonne of perdition his originall the cause of his perdition his pride his power the departing his manifestation or reuealing his fal Let vs then beleeue that there hath bene and now is an Antichrist which oppresseth this long time the trueth the Church and the faithfull which hath cut of Christ and taken all from him as Daniel faith It is written by Daniel and Esdras Dan. 9.7 4. Esd 11.10 how Antichrist should spring out of the fourth Monarchie and should as it were contemne and set vp the same againe no man doubteth that the fourth Monarchie is that of Italie or Rome the dreame of Nabuchodonosor expounded by Daniel makes it vndoubted Daniel 2. The Pope was aduaunced at Rome first by Phocas the murtherer of his Prince the Emperors succeeding some of their owne will others by his cunning fetches the rest through plaine force left him Italie and the citie of Rome where he stablished his court these Emperours made themselues their Empire subiect to the Pope together withall the Kings I ords and people of Christendome he calleth himselfe neither Emperour nor King but claymeth a soueraingtie ouer Emperours and kings and this is proued by infinit histories apparant by the Bull sent from Pope Boniface to Philip the Faire as also by Pope Clements proud answere to th'Embassadours of Lewis of Bauaria the Emperour Behold the greatnes of Rome the sourth Monarchie thus renewed and replanted behold also the Prophesie Apoc. 17. that Antichrist should be set aboue kings accomplished It is written by S. Iohn and S. Peter 1. Iohn 2. 2. Pet. 2. that out of the Church Antichrist should arise that he should be a successor of th'Apostles speaking of Antichrist and his retinue they say they are gone forth from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of ours they would haue taried with vs. Verily if they after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world thorough the acknowledging of our Lord Sauior Iesus Christ are yet tangled againe therein and are ouercome their later end is worse with them than the beginning For better had it bene for them not to haue acknowledged the way of righteousnes then after they haue acknowleged it to turne from the holy commaundement giuen to them But it is come to them according to the true prouerb The dogge is returned to his owne vomit the sow that was washed to the wallowing in the myre The Pope is borne and descended of the Church and of the Apostles of the Church of Rome built by the Apostles he hath exalted himselfe in th' order and

Lord gardeth them day and night I tell you that you fret fume to no end and imagine vaine things ye conceiue chaff and bring forth stubble your counsels shall deuoure you as fire God shall come forth as a geant and shall lift vp his wrath as a man of warre and shall triumph he shall scatter you abroad deuour you he shall make you eat your own flesh make you dronken with your owne bloud he shall take the cup of rage frō their hand make you drink the dregs he shall leaue your name in execration to the chosen he shall breake your stafe and persecute you without ceasing he shall sweepe you with a broome that destroyeth the earth shall swallow vp your pursuings the end thereof shall turne to ioy and gladnesse for the faithfull to euerlasting condemnation teares gnashing of teeth and horrible torments for the persecutors for you if ye continue your euil beginnings I iudge you not I leaue you to the iudgement of the Lord by his Prophets and by wise Salomon Sap. 17. who saith thus when the vnrighteous thought to haue thine holy people in subiection they were bound with the bands of darkenesse and long night and being shut vp vnder the roofe did lie there to escape the euerlasting prouidence there doeth the wiseman declare that the faithfull do not but taste of miseries in comparison of the persecutours that are made drunken therewith if then ye esteeme their miserie great iudge with trembling feare how much greater miserie abideth you 2. Thes 1. S. Paul also iudgeth you when he saith that it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble the faithfull and to them that are troubled rest with the Apostles when God shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeaunce vnto them that do not know God and which obey not vnto the Gospel of Iesus Christ which shal be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence and from the glorie of his power Likewise Luke 7. our Sauiour himselfe iudgeth you with these thundering words shall not God auenge his elect which crie day and night vnto him yea though he suffer long for thē I tell you he will auenge them quickly 4. Esd 15. Neither is the saying in Esdras to be omitted behold my people is lead as a flock to the slaughter as they do yet this day vnto my chosen so will I do also recompence them in their bosome thus saith the Lord God my right hand shall not spare the sinners neither shall the sword cease from them that shed innocent bloud vpon earth To be short heil awayteth for the great beast and them that warre for her the bottomlesse pit gapeth for great Babylon as in the Reuclation is declared at large The zele of the Lord of hostes shal bring these things to passe Come foorth then from her also ye other children of mine least ye be partakers of her plagues and swallowed vp with her Set your selues by the lambs side that ye may be partakers of his glory and rather follow trueth than shadowes showes and lies Behold the time of the Lord that cōmeth his fury burneth and is too heauie to beare his lips are filled with indignation and his tongue is like a deuouring fire his iudgement commeth on you smal time and occasion is left you to repent In steade of continuing your raging persecutions do as S. Paul did Act. 9. he had receiued a commission to destroy the faithfull that were at Damascus he armed himselfe and was accompanied with armed and violent men he iourneyed to performe his enterprise and lo he commeth to Damascus to search the faithfull out not to persecute but to loue them to conferre and be instructed with them being inflamed with loue towardes that doctrine that had afore inflamed him with hatred towards them And thus seeke ye the death and destruction of the Reformed no longer shun not their company any more but seeke them forth and draw nigh to them that ye may liue and be instructed with them in the puritie of the Gospell ye persecute the selfe same Christ the selfe same Gospel which S. Paul did and so may ye be called as he was if ye be of Gods chosen And seeing it is not the pleasure of God to geue our king a sonne in steade of raging as hetherto ye haue done because the Princes nighest the crowne are Reformed are Gospellers reioyce ye hoping that peraduenture God will vse this meane to aduaunce the kingdome of his word And be not afraide for that some Princes are wont to bring fire sword and the halter to inlarge their religion and make it preuaile for if they would do so they should hurt their religion they should sinne against God and his word according to which onely they rule their zele The word forbiddeth them as heretofore we largely declared to employ violence on the consciences the word teacheth them that it is strong inough to bring to God those that perteine to his election that the kingdome and conquest of consciences is reserued to the word and the holy Ghost and not to carnall weapons that the duetie of men herein is to inuite men to God mildly by preachings and admonitions by examples of good life and gentle behauiour and leaue the rest to the holy Ghost They know it not but too well what a displeasure it is to any to haue his conscience compelled and that such compulsion is vnprofitable yea bringeth forth effects cleane contrary to their hope that vse it For this cause in the lands vnder their obedience in their armies in their houses they let their Subiects and seruants liue in libertie of their consciences and exercise of their religion and doo receiue indifferently both the one and the other the Catholike and Reformed making vertue the onely difference wherby they chuse or refuse Againe why shoulde you feare to be hardly vsed by them that are your naturall and lawfull Princes hee that commeth to any possession lawfully dooth alway set before his eves in his enioyment the preseruation of that which he lawfully enioyeth yee know the goodnesse of their nature euen in warre the truth of their deserts hath bene so great and mighty as hath forced their very enemies to cōfesse it which is more to make it knowen to the world Aduersitie is the true scholemaister of vertue nothing in this world teacheth a man better how to vse his prosperitie thē his knowledge experiēce of the cōtrary ye know how lōg time they haue bin vnder this master ye know by their actions by the voice of the people by the witnes of all their enemies how much they haue profited in this discipline and namely the king of Nauarre I may speake it with th'acknowledgement of your consciences with the truth that he excelleth in all the parts required in a good Prince the choyse and wishes of men

and effects thereof are most mischieuous deadly that the feares and hopes thereof are false and vaine Shake of then your bondages visours and dissimulations take againe to you the libertie freedome that iustice and God haue granted For of God and of iustice ye hold your honours in chiefe and not of men ye dishonour it as much as in you lieth with dastardly cowardise ye are in Weales-publike and Monarchies that which reason is in man if reason hath lost her libertie if she be enchained man doth nothing but builde and hasten on his owne losse and ignominie Seeing then ye are fountaines from whom the reason is drawen wherewith this realme is gouerned keepe your soules cleere and free vnder the commaund of reason and iustice onely which is true libertie in deede and according to the same condēne the League all the Leagued And since that happy wisdome which foreseeth preuenteth perils could not obteine it at your hands let vnfortunate after-wit obteine it For ye begin to see to feele and to be oppressed with the miserable effects of the League and of your winking thereat Condemne it then freely euen as it is contrary to the commaundements of God to the lawes of nature and nations to the lawes customes and vsages of this land the intent of it is to ouerthrow and confound all a Countrey wasted say they of the League is better then a Countrey lost thinking that lost which they cannot catch I do not say decree and commaund that armies be sent against it but onely I say condemne it and so leaue it be resolued on peace geue this counsell to our king and leaue to God to the order of nature and to the law th' euent of the succession of the crown colour the League no lōger with your dissimulatiōs it will then remaine so naked filthie stinking that none will make account of it each one will reiect it and so shall we all liue in peace and so shall ye perceiue the restablishing of all estates in their former beautie and brightnes with the restoring of your greatnes authoritie and credite in this Realme the king all true Frenchmen will acknowledge themselues to holde their libertie name and safetie from God you And keepe your selues within the limites of ciuile iustice Assay not to confound your power with Gods to encroch vpon the rights belonging to the Lord or els he will discouer your shame he will take from you grace iudgement fauour and meanes he will take from you all Learne not to exceede the bounds of your auctority of the Romaine Iudge who is mentioned in the Acts the Iewes brought before him S. Paul saying Acts. 18. this felow perswadeth men to worship God otherwise than the law appointeth and as S. Paul was about to open his mouth Gallio for so was the Romane Iudge called said to the Iewes if it were a matter of wrong or an euil deed I would according to reason mainteine you but if it be a question of words and names and of your law looke ye to it your selues for I wil be no Iudge of those things he draue them frō the iudgement seat I cite not this example of Gallio as though ye should be carelesse to know the truth in religion as he was but that ye should proceed with indifferencie betweene both parties in cases not throughly knowen to you as he did And whereas he refused to heare that which belonged not to him to iudge although the partie accused was present much lesse ought ye to condemne that cause which ye may not define or those persons whom ye neuer heard speake in their owne defense Likewise as he draue those importunate accusers from the iudgement seat so ought ye to driue these imperious Leaguers from your seats of Iustice from your tables of counsell when they go about to driue you to trespasse the bounds of your dutie and inuade the king dome of the word which in all causes of Religion should iudge now as it shall iudge at the latter day Leaue then to the word of God alone that which pertayneth to the iurisdiction thereof and must be reserued thereto according to Gods commaundements And if ye proceede to take knowledge of religion let the word of God onely be the rule and squire of your proceedings On th' other side account them not condemned nor heretikes conuict nor iustly deliuered to your secular arme who are not condemned but by their aduersaries by their sworne enemies against the order and manner of iudgements Fauour no more with hazard to be ioinct persecutors them that trouble the Church and this Realme for no cause but their appetites reuenges and ambition and not for weeding of the Church as they pretend and yet that is not permitted them Vse no more the seruice of butcherly executioners of principall massacrers robbers and riflers for th' execution of the wrongs and oppressions of the League of th'excommunications and condemnations of the Clergy pronounced vpon no cause but fury and ye shall finde the blessing of God the fauour of your king the wishes applauses and praises of the people shall assist you in so doing rather then otherwise And ye my poore People murmur no more To the People mutter nor mutine no more within your Cities Boroughs and Villages to fauour with your outcries your wishes your trauail your armes and your life this damnable cōspiracie of the Leagued Ye feele to the quicke how vaine and deceiueable their propositions are They promised you discharge comfort liberty abundance case and quiet They said they would deale betweene the king and you to obteyne of his Maiestie the reformation of all things to your contentment and chiefly to the abolishment or diminishing of taxes And now see how their armies haue spoyled you of al your goods haue depriued you of the fruit of your labours haue gnawen you to the very boanes haue taken the bread and water out of your hands They haue and yet do constraine your king to encrease the taxes to draw bloud from you till the last drop to vrge you with all rigors wherewith he is extremely aggreeued Furthermore ye know and feele by the pestilence and famine which outragiously range among you that God alloweth not such conspiracies Beleeue me no other thing can come to you of the League except a most great and vnrecouerable desolation For this is ordinary that diuisions among great men whatsoeuer pretence they make work no other effect then wast of the coūtrie turmoyle losse ruine of the people the people alwaies play the principal part in the tragedies of Ciuil warres they serue in steed of the Chorus or Quier to bewaile their misfortune without ceasing great men consume them as fewell to maintaine the fire of their diuision the fire of their ambition Behold th' ordinary fruit and successe of enterprises which people vndertake or fauour against God his word and Iustice So long as the League shall

haue be fallen certeine Lords of our time are so many punishmēts of their desloyaltie We see their misfortunes neither can we be ignorant of their trecherie we know elswhere the wretched ends of the periured as of Lisander Hannibal Siphax Caracalla and of Hebert th' Earle of Vermandois of th'Earles of Charolois Saint Paul and of others innumerable A Iew of this our age hath imputed all the miseries wherein those of his nation are wrapped to their faithlesnes Vnworthy is he the reputation of a faithful Christian that will violate his faith makes no reckning of it vnworthy is he to receiue faith of God or finde faith among men that knowes not how to keepe it They say that sinne is knowen by its trayne that sinne is the penaltie of sinne but chiefly that is verified of faithlesnes To this purpose do the Hebrues aduise men aboue all to beware of this vice for hauing crept once into their acquaintance by and by it growes familiar customary and domesticall We haue obserued that euer since this doctrine was receiued in so great a Synod of Bishops vnfaithfull disloyalty hath borne sway in all that hath byn done or treated among all the Potentats of Christendome among all Christians welnigh the Bishops are the chief heades thereof the euill from thence is descended to the members and so from member to member throughout the whole body I shame to say how since ye haue receiued and practised this goodly distinction ye haue mortgaged or rather forfeicted the honour and commendation of troth and fidelitie purchased so dearely and carefully amōg all nations by your predecessours Ye are at this day among all nations as a vessell wherein is no pleasure commoditie nor assurance Ye reteine the solemnitie of othes by custome ye leaue the truth by malice Shame will not suffer me to pursue this point any further Yet one thing will I add that faithlesnesse iustly bringes the faithlesse person in suspect that he fayles in faith towardes Iesus Christ for as one of the ancientes sayd none loseth his faith saue he that had it not Then my children ye that are Christians by the grace of God geue no place to Paynims in vertuous actes which nature reason law custome necessitie and your soueraigne Lord God do inioyne you so expresly folow the examples propounded by the holy Ghost to fortifie you against the subtil quirks wisedome of the flesh beleeue it not to be permitted which God forbiddeth and with indignation punisheth eschue not his cōmaundementes but eschue his wrath frame not his word to your passions to your reuenges to your ambition but frame your selues to it and by it rule your desires CHAP. II. Whether mens consciences ought to be compelled for Religion and how the Magistrate should be employed agaynst heretikes BVt ye wil tell me perhaps that ye are not moued to begin this warre by disloyaltie nor by desire of reuenge nor by other euill passion but through zele ye beare to the glory of God to th' aduancement of the kingdome of his sonne our Lord to th'edificatiō of his Church through the charitie ye beare towards all men whom ye fayne would haue to be all good Christians whō ye would marshal in the Church vnder th' obedience of God or cut of the refusers to cease all blasphemies and abominations that they commit against his diuine Maiestie and to purchase assured tranquillitie to all the faithfull The holy Ghost foreseing as it seemeth your excuses saith that Saul assaied to destroy the Gabaonits through a zele he bare to the children of Israell and Iuda this his deuotion was deemed sinne against God the Israelites and namely the children of Saul incurred Gods displeasure for this sinne 2. Reg. 21. as hath byn sayd Moreouer the Iewes persecuting the Christians euen then when they crucified the Messias were inflamed with a most ardent affection towards God and their Temple by this their affection th' execution thereof they deserued the wrath estranging curse and punishment of God S. Paule speaking of them and of th' euill they did to the faithfull saith Rom. 10. I will beare th'Israelites witnesse that they haue the zele of God but not after knowledge Ioh. 16. Iesus Christ said to his Apostles the houre commeth that whosoeuer shal put you to death shall thinke he doth God high seruice 〈◊〉 suppose you that this zele did excuse the murtherers of the Apostles 2 Reg. 6. Likewise with very great zele did Oza stretch forth his had to vphold the Ark of the Lord howbeit he was punished Zele then is so sclender an excuse of sinne that it selfe is sinne if it be not directed by sound skill knowledge Man is not licensed to seeke th' execution of whatsoeuer himself conceiueth shall serue the glory of God He must learne and know by Gods word what he is to desire whereto his indeuors must tend what way he is to take what meanes he must vse It is well done to couet and seeke th' aduancement of Gods kingdome th'accōplishment of his Church it greatly concerneth vs to behold the number of the faithful very soone fulfilled for the glory of God and our owne sanctification glorificatiō but yet let it be done with discretion The holy Ghost is the chief workemaister in building the Church let him controll vs let the meanes that he hath taught conduct vs we can not be ignorant if we but cōsider how he hath proceded euer since the creation of the world to the building of the Church the house of God He would neuer be serued with the violence of men of fire of sword and of the halter to compell men to enter into the Church Adam Seth and Enos enforced not Cain to returne to God after he was plunged in dispayre when he had forsaken God his countrie and consequently the Church by reason of his sinne Noe vsed not weapons to compell the people to turne to God but praiers and preachings in the name of the Lord he laboured to conuert them by words and examples of godlines he manaced them not with his owne wrath or with his owne armes but with the wrath and armes of th' Almighty Abraham longed with all his hart to see th' effect of Gods promises he saw in spirit already the Church filled with nations innumerable he beheld about him great power he fought he ouercame but yet he neuer attempted to bring men to God by armes The children of Israel fought vanquished conquered and destroied many nations yet where can ye finde that they went about to constraine one onely man of so many peoples to suffer their circumcision and become one of their Church if they had propounded to th'Ammonits Moabites Philistins and to the Syrians which would haue yeelded to all conditions of peace for to liue peaceably by them thus wee will leaue you in peace in your houses and families among your wiues and children we will leaue you your goods your