authoritie in causes of the Churche that without checke of our Soueraigne yea with her Maiesties good lyking wee doubte not we heere maintaine and defende the same by the scriptures and ouerthrowe your proude Prelates vsurpation thereby Yee shoulde therefore haue done that heere dealing with her 〈◊〉 at least which you and your Author going by supposition lightly neuer doe to wit haue shewed who this supreme Pastour is and haue proued the Pope to bee hee In the meane whyle as we graunt the supreme chiefe Pastor in Christ his Church supreme and chiefe authoritie in causes of the same so insteede of your Romame Pope wee ascribe that title and office to Jesus Christe alone by the warrant of GOD his ho-spirite and word which call him Archpastor or chiefe and Supreme Pastour and finde not that title imparted in the newe Testament to any in Churche Ministerie much lesse to the Pope of Rome If you nowe finde as good warrant for your Pope in God his booke lay it vs downe and wee wil yeelde But that neither haue you hitherto done neither yet shall yee be able to doe wrangle as long and as much as yee will your best daies are past For the rest wee reporte vs to any indifferent bodie whether it bee more to God his glorie and beseeming God his people the Churche to holde with the Scriptures that Iesus Christe alone the sonne of God is the Arche and chiefe Shepheard or without warrant of Scripture to giue the same to the Pope Nowe Syr and when the Lawes of this Realme giue to the Princes heere their Soueraigntie and require the subiects to acknowledge the same in this Church and Realme and the Kinges and Queenes from time to time challenge and accept the same neither doe the one professe to giue nor the other to take Gods place or Christes from them nor yet so much as to incroch vpō the Church ministerie in taking authoritie to Preache administer Sacraments and execute other Church Ministeries functions yea by meanes of your malicious interpretation the contrary is protested but according to dutie from God to maintaine and see those thinges doone by Pastours and suche as to whome those charges likewise from God do appertaine not admitting therewhilest which is your griefe the immunities that the Popes aforetime haue giuen Cleargie men in exempting them from the ciuil authoritie and iurisdiction What haue faithfull subiects heerein to repine at What haue they to plaine of Yeelde with vs vnto it and yee shall finde wee haue all great cause to praise God for her Maiestie and for ciuill authoritie wee denie then that any forraigne Prince and Potentate Ecclesiasticall or Ciuil if yee will is aboue her Maiestie and her people in these her dominions in any manner of causes or haue to deale here but vnder her by her leaue liking And to God his glory our cōforts haue we still w t all thākfulnes to obserue that her Maiestie doeth not sit in mens consciences nor professe to make lawes to binde the same as your supreme pastour doth but leaueth cōscience to God Christ his spirite and worde to be ruled and framed thereby without further pressing the same then the expresse woordè of God doth in so much that for her Maiesties owne respect in matters 〈◊〉 vnto her soule and conscience she yeeldeth her selfe obediently to heare receyue and obey as euery other christian the voice of God and Christ speaking vnto her in y e holy scriptures by true pastours and other ministers meere Church gouernours leauing to them there seuerall charges whole without diminishing any part therof as reason is Nowe sir if the Pope and Popelings namely her Maiesties natural borne subiects especially by their vnnatural styrres to the danger of her Royall person and the state of the Church and Realme haue caused any lawes to be made that be preiudiciall to their attempts let them thanke themselues and leaue their busie and perillous practises neyther pretend conscience where no good consciēce cā be nor thinke y t the Prince hath to giue ouer her Royal prerogatiues or to altar the state for their pleasure this is the very state of this matter If this can not call you home nor content you we say further that the supreme pastour yee haue made choise of for it is not hard to guesse at your meaning though your wordes be doubtfull is a woolfe or woorse then a wolfe To giue your Pope supreme authority in this Church besides that it is treason against her Maiestie and the state it is to commit the poore lambes to no better then the rauening wolues keeping Howe many good lambes hee and his whelpes deuoured here in a very fewe yeeres when he had last to doe with this sheepefolde the memory and smart is yet freshe and before 〈◊〉 eyes The more haue we to praise God for our dread soueraigne y e in tender care of God his sheepe and lambs and her maiesties shee hath eased our neckes and shoulders of that yoke and hell like bondage Besides this M. Howlet where you giue to the Pope as supreame Pastour supreame authoritie in causes of the Churche yee had neede to explayne this some what playner for your owne religions sake and those of your side as whether the Pope bee aboue the Counsell or the Counsell aboue the Pope Also what ye call Churche causes and whether yee denie his supremacie aboue Emperours Kinges and so foorth in other then Churche causes or yee subiecte him to them Whether as Peter his Successour yee giue him all Peter his Patrimonie and priueleges c. and so because as one Pope sayeth and your Cannon lawe approoueth Christ committed to blessed Peter no where in deede the right both of worldly and heauenly Empire will yee abridge that or no What should I speake of your Reliques yee may say of all as yee doe of one a seely paire of beades seely and single stuffe surely Why make yee such accompt of this seely ware that is but tromperie and trashe cast such baggage from you and there is an ende of all troubles for that Yee talke of the Catholike religion and of your owne religion saying my religion Lieth the Catholike religion and yours in these pointes in deede M. Howlet yee heere name will yee needes lie in perpetuall prison leese goods landes and life for the same After by eareshrift to your Ghostly father yee bee discharged of lawfull and duetifull obedience to our Soueraigne as vice gerent in God his place to whom yee owe obedience for conscience sake as to God him selfe whose roome she possesseth as the substitute and Angel of God thus speake ye some tymes to yeelde the same to a Priest and proude prelate to a forrainer and forerunner to Antichrist if not himselfe rather to the Pope of Rome that hath nothing to doe with Englishe subiectes after this inuerted and peruerted othe and bowe You call it your reconciliation Lieth your religion
iudge and as many as thereafter and according thereunto list to iudge and as much say I of Schismatikes in Augustines wordes thus if you will whether we be Schismatiks or you neither I nor thou but let Christ be asked that hee may iudge or shewe his Church In the application of this to vs and our assemblies and to your men that haunt the same yee say The communion of the Church confisteth in three thinges that all christians haue one sacrifice one and the selfe same seruice of God There bee greater in warde spirituall thinges wherein the vnitie of the Church doth 〈◊〉 consist In the vnitie of the spirit one heart one minde loue peace consent in one Christian doctrine fayth c. But let vs see these that yee thought made for your purpose What is the sacrifice yee meane If it be that which Christ offered vpon the Crosse to his Father for the redemption of the worlde wee say it is common to all Christians all are partakers of it and we are directed thereunto contially both by doctrine and also by the vse of the Supper among vs. If you meane the Sacrifice of your blasphemous masse thē thank we God y t we are free frō it as frō a most abhominable blasphemie The giuing vp of our bodies A liuing Sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God c. The sacrifice of distributing and doing good the sacrifice of Praise and thankesgiuing c. These grounded on Gods word in vse among vs are belike no sacrifices we haue no sacrifice at al say you none w t you but your massing sacrifice as seemeth we are al made priests though to offer vp these spirituall sacrifices wherewith God is pleased You haue of your selues without all warrant of Gods worde erected a massing priesthood Keep it we bid you to your selues Of Sacraments we haue in deede but two Baptisme and the Lords Supper As those which Christ instituted and lefte in his Church we acknowledge not your number of seuen sacraments for that the word warranteth them not Those that Christ hath lefte the lesse they haue of your superstitions and ceremonies the more neerely they be administred according to Christes Institution the better is God pleased therewith the better are wee contented also Thus speaketh the holy Ghost of the benefite and of the vnitie represented and bestowed on the Church in our sacraments of Baptisme and the Lordes Supper In one Spirit are wee all baptised into one body and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit And agayne we that are many are one breade and one bodie because we all are partakers of one breade therhood c. Let the reader cōpare your translation with Cyprians or M. Hardings translation if yee will to see your slight then considering all circumstances Let him iudge whether Cyprians time beare anie such orders and degrees as ye imagine to be aboue a Byshop in those times Thus writeth and speaketh Cyprian in the assembly of many byshops in those daies at Carthage in coūsel which is also repeated by Augustine None of vs appointeth him self to be a bishop of bishops or driueth his fellowes w t tyrannous feare to necessitie of obedience seeing euery Byshop according to his free libertie and power is at his own choyse as one that can not bee iudged of another as hee him selfe also can not iudge another But let vs all looke for the iudgement of our Lord Jesus Christ who one alone hath power both to place vs in the gouernement of his Church and to iudge also of our doyng Here is more plaine wordes for the equalitie of Byshoppes in those dayes and against that one Byshop shoulde bee iudge ouer all other Byshops then can be pickt out of the other place for an vniuersall or generall Pastour ouer all or thorough the worlde yea here is plainly shewed there was no one Bishop of Bishops or iudge ouer his fellowe Byshops in those dayes And that the Byshop of Rome was fellowe Byshop and Brother with therest and so reputed and called And let none cauill on that y t this Epistle was written to the Byshoppe of Rome and therfore these words by a prerogatiue are to be vnderstood of him when as Cyprian vseth the same testimonies to shewe the dignitie and authoritie of a Byshop in his owne respect and speaking of himselfe and sayth whence sprang and spring Schismes and 〈◊〉 but hence whilest the Byshop that is one and gouerneth the church is contemned by the proude presumption of certaine men and a man vouchsafed with honour of God is iudged of vnworthie men This Cyprian of himfelfe being Byshop of Carthage whome though Christians seemed then to name their Pope as is reported yet I thinke these men doe not nor will not accompt him general Pastour of all the world nor to haue such preeminence and prerogatiue as they chalenge to the Pope at this day heade of the Church c. For al this Rome must needes haue that alone he nor none els shall haue it It is not the worde of one Byshop wherewith Cyprian here calleth himself much lesse of one Priest as this Reasoners place reporteth that will enforce that he woulde gather or such iurisdiction and authoritie as he imagineth where findeth hee one generall Pastour ouer al the worlde not here sure Is not your general Pastours soueraintie y t you dreame of grounded on Peters supremacie whereof there is not one worde in all the scriptures and doth not this noble Martyre Saint Cyprian aboue thirteene hundred yeeres agoe say thus of the Apostles The rest were that that Peter was endewed with all honour and power and after him another Father speaking of the Byshops sayeth where euer they bee they are of one and the same merite or estimation and of the same Priesthod and Ministerie The whole brotherhood was that particular congregation where hee was Byshop of whom hee treateth were it the Bishop of Rome or any other Bishop For there is one Bishopricke a part whreof is throughly holden of euery one in particular saith Cyprian but let Cyprian and his place goe which is at large answered by other for them that list to see more Let this man if he will gaine his cause against vs reason soundely out of the scripturs and booke of God which he can not doe and that maketh him to seeke these outleapes But when all is sayde the best and surest holde for this generall Byshop ouer all is that wicked Emperour Phocas and his authoritie and gift to Boniface a pope of Rome many C. yeres after Cyprians time Considering the course that this Reasoner holdeth howe easie it is to answere all that he bringeth foorth and that the same is alreadie answered elsewhere by diuers in their bookes and lately by a godly and learned brother for troubling the reader ouer long and not to repeat one the same things
A Checke or reproofe of M. Howlets vntimely shreeching in her Maiesties eares with an answeare to the reasons alleadged in a discourse therunto annexed why Catholikes as they are called refuse to goe to church Wherein among other things the Papists traiterous and treacherous doctrine and demeanour towardes our Soueraigne and the State is somewhat at large vpon occasion vnfolded their diuelish pretended conscience also examined and the foundation thereof vndermined And lastly shevved that it is the duety of all true Christians and subiectes to haunt publike Church assemblies 2. Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost c. I Imprinted in London at the three Cranes in the Vintree by Thomas Dawson for Toby Smyth 1581. The Preface to the Reader IT is no maruell though that Antichrist the Pope of Rome seeing his kingdome of darknesse decay apace in these dayes and fearing the vtter ouerthrowe of it for euer being rowzed bestirre himselfe as hee doth He is in high place hath of some yeres growen too mightie in this world by his owne ambitious pride and the grace hee hath founde in the eies of great princes and their people God so iustly punishing mens ingratitude towardes his maiestie This lawlesse man therefore of whom I speake will no doubt leaue no meanes vnattempted so long as hee may to vpholde this his pompe and estate whiche thing will not in these daies be perfourmed without much ado especially when he cannot bee content to keepe himselfe within boundes that is as a Romane at home in his owne Citie and Countrie where hee dwelleth or as a Churche man in Church matters but will needes roue ouer the worlde sitting in Gods seate and hauing an Oare in euery mans boate as they say yea and ruffle euen among Monarques and great Princes and that in and for their kingdomes giuing the same taking placing displacing disposing c. at his will and pleasure But playing thus his parte like himselfe that is so impudently and Godlesly in the sight nowe of all the worlde bewraying himselfe to bee in deede that man of sinne that is prophesied of Gods spirit on the other side detecting and reuealing dayly vnto vs by the cleare light of the Gospell the treacherie and sleightes of this sonne of perdition some possible may maruell howe hee shoulde finde fauour grace and good liking with any that beare but a shewe of godlinesse and honestie sauing that wee are sufficiently admonished afore hande that the God of this worlde hath blinded the mindes of them that belesue not that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christe Iesus which is the image of God should not shine vnto them And againe because they that perishe haue not receiued the loue of the truth that they might be saued therefore God will sende them stronge delusion to 〈◊〉 lyes that al may bee damned which haue not beleeued the truth c. A necessary caueat to stay vs in these troublesome dayes on Gods truth immoueable and a iudgement of God with feare and trembling to be reuerensed of all So then such thinges as wee see come to passe at this day and set abrod for the vpholding of that beast the Pope of Rome and his rotten religion ought so little to seeme strange vnto the faithfull that being assured the Lorde will destroy that lawlesse man with the spirite of his mouth take him away by the appearing of his cōming We should take cōfort incouragemēt therby manfully rather oppose our selues against him his ministers euery one in our calling then bee any whit weakened by such accidents putting differēce as we are taught haue compassion of some and saue other with feare plucking them out of the fire and hate euen the garment spotted by the fleshe The moe stumbling blockes wee see Satan and his suppostes to cast before men the more diligent and paineful ought we againe to be in setting our hands shoulders to the worke for the remoouing thereof out of mens way if God at any time will giue suche as are intangled in the snares of the Diuell repentance to knowe the truth leauing euer in good hope the successe to God and his blessing The consideration heereof in confidence of Gods mercifull 〈◊〉 mooued mee though among his seruants of a thousande the vnfittest whyle other bee otherwise occupied to take in hande vppon request of diuers godly and well disposed to answere a certaine seditious booke of late imprinted and set out to the viewe of the worlde by I. Howlet the title whereof is A briefe discourse containing certaine reasons why Catholikes so hee calleth the earnest and hot Papistes heere in Englande reconciled of late yeeres vnto the Pope refuse to goe to Churche written by a learned vertuous man as hee saieth to a friend of his in Englande Whome hee nameth not neither the one nor the other Why not to her Maiestie as these men vse to suppose and wee must beleeue what they say The whole for the woorthinesse thereof forsooth with a long Epistle Dedicatorie is offered by I. H. To the Queenes most excellent Maiestie and printed as is pretended at Doway By Iohn Lyon with priuiledge Though wee knowe it was printed not at Doway but in Englande without priuiledge or good leaue yet wee may not say so nor doubte of the other such suppositions bee these Catholiques principles wee may not cal them in question nor iudge of them they be aboue our reache For the Authours name of these reasons because they list not to vtter the same I am not curious whether the same proceed from him that wrote the Dedicatory Epistle to her Maiestie or no it is not greatly material sauing if they did not M. Howlet seemeth to doe his fellowe some iniurie in taking out of his handes that which hee promiseth in his booke in the second place to performe and nowe omitteth to wit to shewe the way and meanes that Catholiques as he calleth thē haue to remedie or ease themselues of this affliction now laide vpon them for their consciences with reasons and motiues to induce her Maiesty the rather to tollerate them in their religiō in respect of God her selfe and her whole Realme This peece of dealing with her Maiestie shoulde haue come after the treatise sauing that M. Howlet either doubting of the performance or seeking that glorie as one loth to tarie so long or for some other respect gleaning as appeareth from his friend setteth the same out afore hande and putteth it in the forefronte For I. Howlets person who hath the chief dealing in publishing deliuering this whole matter vnto vs as one supposed to be a good faythfull and stout proctour for the Popish Church and a fit instrument to bring vs such an vnto warde and like a shrich Owle sodenly and vntimely to make a great noyse in her Maiesties eares or as hee in his fellowes names and vnluckie
Puritās will finde grace with you We once make but one religiō of those y t you cal protestāts Puritās meaning yet such stil that yee abuse not your self I say others as ioine godly knowledge with their zeale except we may do y e like with you whot cold Catholikes as ye cal them wee are troubled with so many sorts of you false Catholikes already that wee are lothe to make any more except yee needes will your selues Housholders of loue as better agreeing with your religiō thā with Christs Gospel we cast to your heape as we doe al other false religions which we condēne acknowledge no other than that I haue 〈◊〉 described you Summe The true religiō or the religion of Christ heere professed is but one your religion is not only one but many distinct religions saith euen your Angelical Doctor Talke no more therefore of foure religions in this Realme when but one is auowed heere there bee moe then foure or fiue either diuers religions and distinct in name 〈◊〉 c. not in a Realine but in one Citie Towne with you this is your glorie I trust you wil not charge y t religiō I haue shortly described to be a sect nor the professors therof to be Sectaries I am sure 〈◊〉 ye can not considering that neither it nor they holde of men nor of names by them deuised or by you put vppon them That hath been hitherto proper to you them of your religion If you impugne this Religion Take what name you will yee shal shewe your selues to bee neither true Christians nor good subiects Take heede vnto it it lyeth vppon you And let not that moue you because in the day and cleere light of the Gospel when you M. Howlet are gone Heresies appeare and bee espted that for the most parte were sowen in your tyme before in the night that is in the tyme of Ignorance and darkenesse It is the nature and propertie of the light to disclose and shewe things that otherwise lie hidde It is a blessing of God Againe you knowe where G O D hath a Churche the Deuill will haue a Chappell harde by And tares in the night are sowen in the same field euen among the good seede Heresies also must be euen among you saith the Scripture c. You say Of these foure sorts of men the Catholikes are the first the auncientest the more in number the most beneficiall to al the rest whome you accompt Heretiques Sectaries hauing begottē bred vp the other and deliuered to them this Realme conserued by Catholike religion these thousand yeres and more c. Here haue I to aske you who then be the fathers to all those supposed Sectaries and men of diuers religions that you say are at this day in this Realme Who but you Catholikes y t haue begotten them Whose children be they of whose bringing vp that are accompted to be of so diuers naughty religions whose but yours y t will be Catholikes who haue begotten and bred them vp Howe come these yee accompt Sectaries here and by this Realme howe you Catholikes deliuered it them if al the sortes of men yee recken vp were such Sectaries and naughty men in deede as yee accompt them to be they might wel bee accompted your broode but first syr wee must desire you to take out of your heape those that you cal Protestants and Puritans They wil call no man their father I tell you vpon earth as they be taught by their onely Maister Christe for there is but one father which is in heauen for the rest the more we looke vpon thē the better wee knowe them by the face and confesse them to bee the Ghostly children of you false Catholikes they bee so like you you bee the first yee say and the auncientest But the great Dragon syr that old Serpent called the Deuil and Satan as the holie Ghost speaketh is elder and before you againe You bee the more in number The serpents seede is greatly multiplyed but the womās seede I doubte not shal matche you wel ynough not shee that is the woman herself as your 〈◊〉 translation to commonly corrupt lewdly translateth the wordes and so ouerthrowes the true sense Of the battaile victorie and this whole matter reade the Reuelation of S. Iohn namely the 12. and 13. Chap. c. In Catholikes and Sectaries wee see the Ghostly fathers and their children Goe no higher to Grandsire and great Grandsire stay your wisedome I aduise you for opening your Pedegrue to much Onely as you Catholikes haue begotten bred vp Sectaries so I pray you at this time tell vs of whome ye begate them That is let vs learne who was their mother nurse whose breasts they suckt and vnder whome so vntoward impes were brought vp To saue your honesties and to make all alike father mother children Babylon or Rome in one word I thinke will serue all if not helpe me and teach me better I speake as your Doctours teach mee Howe beneficiall you Catholikes are to Protestantes or Gospellers amongest others your hot burning charitie where they stande to your curtesie sheweth and the bloodie daies here in Christes Martyres c. did sufficientlie expresse The more beneficiall you are to all the rest that are Sectaries the worse yee deserue of this Churche You plaine in another place of lawlesse proceeding and crie out of Riot heere you say you deliuered the Realme to them that 〈◊〉 it They tooke it not then by violence nor against your willes they did you no wrong Howe this Realme hath been conserued by Catholike religion 〈◊〉 thousand yeeres and more that should you haue shewed made plaine your wordes carry an ambiguitie Poperie once and your religion as it is professed and exercised at this day is not wee tell you so olde Againe Christians as wee professe our selues to bee holding of Christe and builte vpon the Prophets and Apostles c. Fetch the antiquitie of their religion not from a thousand yeeres agoe as you pretende to doe but from a very long tune before your 1000. yeeres and so may iustlier then yours hee called the olde religion This Realme hath from time to time been conserued by Gods mercifull and fatherly prouidence and blessing by wise and vertuous Princes and their good and wholesome lawes not by your blinde superstition rather then religion Gods Churche and true Christians sometime moe sometime fewer not in this Realme but throughout the whole worlde haue receiued and conserued Christes religion heere now professed and by mee more shortly described these fifteene hundred yeeres and more that I may goe somewhat aboue your thousande yeeres euen since the Ascension of the Lorde Iesus though after a diuers manner sometime and most commonly shrouded vnder the crosse sometime otherwise according to the dispensation and wisdome of the immortal God It is wisedome safetie for you not to goe
telleth expressely Yee may bee compelled to perfourme that ye haue promised and holde that yee haue once receiued And bringeth good testimonies against you out of Augustine You I say that haue been baptized into the fayth of Christ not of Rome nor the Popish church and hardely any one of you founde within this Realme or among you English Romanistes that being of age now leaue this Realme that haue not in the time of the profession of the Gospel here gone to Church and done other actes of our religion at one time or other in blessed king Edwards dayes now or both Againe yee know that your D. Thomas his manner in his summe commonly is after he hath obiected agaynst the truth to set on the contra ry side that he taketh to be the truth in this question after he hath out of other men obiected That Infidelles are by no meanes to be compelled to the fayth he addeth as it were of his own But of the cōtrarie side is y t which is sayd in the. 14. of Luke Goe out into the wayes and hedges compell them to come in that my house may bee filled But men enter into the house of God that is into the holy church by fayth Therefore some saith he are to be com pelled to the fayth This haue I set downe that you may see what vātage you haue by sending vs to your S. Thomas and your other doctours for indeed sir to shew you might here haue spared wel enough in your margin Omnes doct I could further alleadge to the contrary your subtil Doctor Iohn Scot who had great followers He holdeth herein that it were godly and well done If Infidels were compelled of their Princes with threats feare to faith religiō Euen against your D. Thomas that you here set vs downe You knowe or may knowe howe common a thing it is in your religion not in this Article onely to finde the Scotists against the Thomists Doctor against Doctor c. But I had rather vnfoulde my selfe and the reader out of these contradictions and braules of your Popishe wryters then sticke therein Her Maiestie besides that she simply and vtterly taketh not vpon her by force and violence to compell to fayth as though shee coulde giue and imprint the same in mens heartes though shee set forth maynteine and binde all her subiectes to outwarde meanes and exercises of religion as I haue sayde thereby shewing what shee wisheth and driueth vnto which shee also vseth her self neither sitteth shee in the conscience of any which is proper to your Pope his lawes and your religion besides that her Maiestie is free herein I say Shee moreouer vseth her selfe in this case so godly so wisely so vprightly and so moderately towards you that deserue so ill as if any faulte may iustly bee founde it is in this that some of you are not straightlier lookt vnto and more roundlier proceeded withall But her Maiestie is wise ynough Zizebutus a prince is commended in one of the councelles and in your owne Decrees and counted very religious in compelling to Christianitie This is that in summe I woulde say vnto you for answere in this matter For as much as there is no societie of people so barbarous lyghtly that liue without some outwarde exercise of Religion and God hath beautified and commended Ciuill Magistrates in kingdomes Common wealthes and Cities vnder the tytle of Gods and hath ordayned them as his Ministers for our good that we may receiue prayse frō autortie in doyng well and in doing otherwise stande in feare as who beareth not the swoorde in vayne for hee is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill Againe forasmuch as this Image of God is in nothing more seene namely in publike persons those of Autoritie then in procuring promoting aduancing dayly of Gods honour and seruice by their power and by giuing shewing good exāple to others for which cause principally they are aduanced as on a mountain placed in Royall chaire that therefore I say those Christian Kings Queens whō God hath called to this honor to be Foster Fathers and Nurses to his Churche and people doe well and very acceptable seruice to GOD and are highly highly to bee commended and heartily and continually to bee prayed for of all for that the aduersarie on the other side is mightie and suttle not onely for ranging them selues to Gods holy and true Religion taken out of the sacred Scriptures and the outward exercises of the same but for inducing also by the wisedome and power giuen them of GOD all people and personnes subiect to them vnto the like by making good and wholsome lawes by encouragement and by feare according as the qualitie and circumstance of place tyme and person require without all tyranny and vsurpation of the roome and place of the most high God of heauen ouer mens consciences on the one side and yet without all loosenesse on the other side in omitting such oportunitie and meanes as God offereth for the benefite of the holye people the Saintes of the moste High I speake of these and of suche as are by office called to publique and high charge among them in Churche cōmon wealth euen christian Kings Queens c. Of whō thus it is prophecied The kingdome and dominion and the greatnes of the kingdome vnder the whole heauen shall be giuen to the holy people of the most high whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and all powers shall serue and obey him This seemeth to bee spoken of Christ his kingdome and the time of the Gospel c. Nowe this consecrating of her selfe and her authoritie wholly to GOD and his seruice to the benefite of his Church is it and it alone which her Maiestie in this case of many yeeres hath stil doth to Gods glory her singular cōmendation put in executiō amōg vs her people growing I hope dayly from good to better And this is that also which no honest faithfull good man can iustly bee offended withall This haue I if not ouerthrowne in your opinion perhappes your bulwarkes yet sufficiently for this matter cleared the trueth I trust her Maiestie also and the state against your vniust quarrels and slanders 13 Nowe proceede I with your wordes Besides this say you as no wise Noble man after many Ages of quiet possession would suffer another to recouer his Barronie without shewinge of verie good euidence So wee in reason are not to bee blamed if wee 〈◊〉 helde the possession of the Catholike Churche in Englande for these thousand yeres by our aduer saries confession do stande with them yet and require some euidence before we consent to giue vp the same Hereto they haue shewed vs none but onely woordes and forgerie they entred into possession without tryall of the tytle they thrust vs out before sentence or proofe wee crye out of the
great matters and personages Meane personages be no fit matter for their high stile and yet God bee thanked among them of countenance and great calling there are not so many so vnwise in this case as they woulde make men beleeue that abstaine from comming to Church and refuse the oth of Allegeance It is a sort of Runneagates of very meane calling that liue for most part on exhibitiō almes of other mē at Rome Rhemes c. Say this man here what he will as long as hee will they shal be iudged at the last day with a more indifferent vpright iudgement at Gods hands thē by their own corrupt consciēces or vaine opinions fancies False also is y t he saith that these men sticke to their faith sworne vnto God in their oth of Baptisme which because I treate of elswhere I referre the Reader to y t place Neere onely I note that this man maketh but two degrees of a publike faith or othe and that truly one to God the other to the ciuile magistrate vnder God which he calleth Englishe Subiectes secondarie faith and allegeance sworne vnto her highnes as to the substitute of God according to the distribution of our Sauiour Christe in the Gospell Giue to Caesar the things whiche are Caesars and giue vnto God those that are Gods I woulde hee and his fellowes woulde haue kept them to this simplicitie and honest dealing still Then shoulde they not vpon a late reconcilement to the Pope and Poperie by a third faith and othe contrary to both these haue so vnnaturally and vnchristianly shaken of obedience to God and her Maiestie First her Maiestie in Gods name commaundeth that they shoulde haunt Church assemblies and heare the preaching of the Gospel pray with the congregation and receiue Christes Sacraments Baptisme and the Lordes Supper make publike confession of the christian faith c. according to order heere taken by her Maiestie and y e State after the rule of the Gospell In refusing to doe this they breake their first oth and promise of Baptisme if they there made any to God as seemeth they confesse they did Next her Maiestie requireth that they shoulde by oth acknowledge her soueraigntie as Gods substitute ouer them that they should returne home into their Natiue countrie liue vnder their and our most naturall and gracious Queene with other true hearted English Subieets Shee cannot be yeelded vnto nor obeyed heerein by them They make another substitute vnto god here ouer English subiects besides her maiestie in matters of obediēce to their prince her lawes They doe offer her Maiestie great wrong who by their owne confession giue vnto her the seconde place the second othe may not shee iustly require at their handes to keepe their secondarie fayth and Alleageance sworne vnto her highnesse as to the Substitute of God Let them neuer talke of their obedient and well meaning mindes that voluntarily and violently so freely runne to the breaking of their secondarie fayth and alleagiance sworne vnto their ciuil Magistrate call it they as they list It can bee adiudged in deed and truth no lesse then Periurie and they in taking this wrong course periured and forsworne men It is a great worde and a high with these men to talke of their obedient and well meaning mindes Let them leaue their good intentes and well meaning mindes without all warrant of Gods booke yea commonly contrary therevnto and let her Maiestie haue them obedient according to the wordes and well meaning of the Scriptures and shee will be content to quite their well meaning myndes otherwise Yf neither the scripture nor her maiesties laws according to the Scriptures nor I that at this time put thē in minde of their dueties towards both can auaile At least with them that delight in ancient fathers let the testimonie of that most ancient father among other teaching them their duetie according to the doctrine of the Scriptures preuaile with them herein who speaking of the cheefe Ciuill Maiestrate in his time and of the Christians vsage in obedience and duetifulnesse towardes him being an enimie to the Gospell and a persecutour in those dayes wryteth thus wee reuerence or honoure the Emperour as a man next vnto God and inferiour or lesse then God onely For so is he greater then all men whilest he is lesse thē the onely true God Let Papistes embrace followe this heauenly truth vttered by our Sauiour Christ vnder the name of God and Caesar whiche are but two this being likewise repeated afterwarde by the Apostle vnder the name of God and the king and heere by this father of God the Emperour kept still keepe this moderation rule and stick therto without talking of God the Pope and then the Emperour the King Prince and Ciuill Magistrate for that is but an ill Commentarie that corrupteth the text In that which remayneth is the Argument of this Discoursing letter expressed c. The Authour promiseth most briefly to touch three thinges in this letter to his friende First what cause or reason the Catholiks haue to stande as they doe in the Refusal of thinges offered them especially of going to the Church Secondely what way or meanes they may vse to remedie or ease themselues of this affliction nowe layde ' vpon them for their consciences so hee termeth their stubburnesse Thirdely if that way or meanes doe not preuaile then howe they ought to beare and endure the same Wee see the grounde of the whole letter that is nowe published and made a Treatise or Discourse As it wel may bee so called for in deede he that euen nowe promised most briefly to touche three thinges in this letter hath so amplie discoursed trotting vp and downe in his first course that wearying himselfe partly by euill disposition of bodye as he sayde elsewhere partly by other sudden busines falling vpon him he was both inforced to leaue the place and the matter and tyme fayling him and he saying more of the first point then hee purposed at the beginning the Messēger also that brought that that was written awaye being as seemeth in poste haste he forgate likewise belike what he had promised at the beginning and therevpon eyther himselfe or some other for him rather as appeareth is forced to excuse the omission of the seconde and thirde part promised at the beginning Thus haue wee a treatise hereof borne out of time maymed and more then halfe a Monster You that are so great schoolemen and Orators shoulde haue learned at the least out of Tullie that to omit any thing in deuiding is a very great fault Yet two things are here cleane omitted or two partes of your owne diuision c. It helpeth you not if you Scholasticall men bee Scholastically or Schoolelike followed to say you haue reckened vs vppe all three partes that you purposed to treate of for we reply that you promised to treate of all three Nowe to runne such
Oracle according to Christs answere so you beeleeue geuen Fryer Thomas by the mouth of the Image of the crucifixe Thou hast written well of me Thomas Furdermore if one woulde enter into more particular examination of that you say it were not harde to improoue this your subtile exposition and by as good ground to ascribe to the father authority to the sonn natiuitie or with the scripture power grace which you appropriate to the father and the holy Ghost And to the holy Ghost communitie of the father the son vnitie societie charitie or else power which you ascribe here to the father as it may be to both the father and the holy Ghost c. This were not hard for him to do y t were disposed to dally w t the Scriptures and truth of God as you do drawing y t same into diuers vncertain expositiōs too irreligeously Gregory hath not one word of sin against the holy Ghost in place ye quote I graunt you he speaketh of insirmitie ignorance and purpose but euery sinne done aduisedly or of purpose is not sinne against the holy Ghost I pray you sir if these your catholikes did commit a sinne and that a greeuous sinne in haunting Protestants churches which I trust they doe with better and more religious minds than you iudge or hereafter at least will Iudge nothing beefore the time vntill the Lorde come c. and so sinne not at all But serue God faythfully But I say put the case there be some such naughtie men then God amende them But why I pray you may they not be iudged to do y t they do of humane frailtie as did Peter seeing you say they doe it for feare fauour or some worldly cause This is but hard freedome harde election and hardly to be called meere will and malice if al these termes be admitted to define sinne against the holy Ghost Augustines modestie noted by Thomas would haue beseemed you This is a deepe question let the light of exposition thereof be sought for of the Lorde I tel you beloued there is not possible a greater nor a harder questiō in al the holy Scriptures Thus far Augustine Whose description both Petrus Lombardus and Thomas auowe and like better then I doe youres There seeme ywis moe thinges required in the description of it than you heere expresse In your heat you shake vp these your catholikes God make them wise and you shall gaine little eyther by them or by that kinde of handling It is better going to the Popes hell or by his pretended sending thither than by his that is able to destroy both body and soule in hell fire Wherefore let vs feare him that is the eternall God which alone hath power to saue and to destroy I speake not all this while to defend any man in doing against conscience any thing or if these men haue so shaken off al reniorce of conscience that they are lulled a sleepe in securitie I with them to awake to learne a better religion which is ioyned with conscience I answere the aduersaries vniust charge and threat and hope the best of such as communicate with Christes church and religion here professed or shewe them whereto they haue at least to trust I woulde haue none flatter themselues in euill which these men cariyng such a conscience as he here speaketh of or suche a minde and not altering the same doe and are in a dangerous case for nourishing such a serpent in their bosome as is poperie and yet dissemble with all the worlde in pretending to be of another religion The mans talke here hauing been possible abrode a shriuing of many or taken it frō them that haue so done and so knowing their consciences better then we that liue among them and are dayly conuersant with them for that we sift not their consciences may make one doubte there bee manye hollowe harted Catholikes among vs or worldlinges rather and Atheistes for in deed such are vtterly without God haue no cōscience at al. I wishe them therefore to looke about thē men may be damned many a one is damned for other sins thē the sin against the holy Ghost how euer they sinne that greeuously I dare not say they sinne against the holy Ghost for al this or may not ' be good mē in time to cōe Thus make I mine argumēt against y e aduersarie Nothing supposed to be done of feare fauour or other passiō can be iustly called sin against the holy Ghost The Catholikes cōmunicating w t our churches is a thing supposed to be done of feare fauour or other passion euen by this man and other of that syde Therefore the Catholikes communicating with our Churches can not bee iustly called sinne against the holy Ghost Thus far of those that you accompt the worst and to to badde Catholikes I pray God we may find them good Christians And yet if they haue learned any euill they haue learned it of your religion and in your schoole I haue beene herein the longer bicause the whole booke seemeth to be written against this kinde of men God open their eyes they may see knowe and discerne their friendes from their foes bee carefull and watchfull amending at least in time to come that which is amisse The third sort of catholikes or the seconde as you tearm them quite leauing out such as your selfe are agree but in one of the three points I spake of before dissent in two they iudge all religions beside theyr owne say you false erronious damnable this haue they cōmon with other Romane catholikes but they thinke it lawfull for some worldly respect as for sauing their offices dignities liberties credits or the like to shewe themselues conformable men in going to church and other church proceedinges here c. thinking also other too scrupulous that stand in refusal of y e same This make you y e proper difference of these from other catholikes Nowe as they agree with the rest in the first point so in going to church taking othe communicating c. they disagree from hot Catholikes and agree therein with those I haue at large discoursed of euen now te The more I perceiue they acquaint them selues with the Gospell of Christ here professed and receiued the more dutifull they shewe them selues to her Matestie the worse bee they liked of you but the matter is not great Albeit these agree no better with you hot Catholikes but dissent in mo pointes then the other that went afore yet ye thought it pollicie belike hauing so scourged and taken vp those somewhat here to spare these men least you should do your religion too much hurt if you should fal too farre out with all besides your selues In places elsewhere you take them vp very sharply thogh but here thinking good to forbe are least you should want another mayne branche of your tree yee haue thought good to make
this Treatile for them and take paynes to set downe Reasons for the due reforming of them being in better hope then of the former but if all thinges bee well considered there will bee found falshood in felowship and very hollow dealing You cut them off from you and yet you woulde fayne holde them in still what opinion you hot Catholikes haue of all besides your selues euen such of your owne side whom ye speake farest vnto let me be bolde shortly to giue here a taste Generally you count no better of all them that goe to Churche heere for what respect soeuer other then such as the Pope will allowe whereof you speake and we shall see more in your qualifications afterwardes then of Apostataes renouncers of the Catholike religion perfidious betrayers of Gods Catholike cause traytours to God no Christians Heathen men and Publicanes c. And yet good sir all these as badde as they bee are byrdes of one feather and one neste Schollers of your owne teaching and none of our religion yea they defie it as you suppose hollowe geare still and nothing but hollowe Catholikes All the Catholikes in Englande that goe to Church directly denie their religion yea the yeelding therein is a flatte and euident denying of God and of his fayth And yet they remaine be accounted Catholiks stil what a religion call you that wherein men may denie not onely their religion but God and his fayth too and yet be of the religion stil Your Catholikes you speake of be such yet bee they in your heape still that is Catholikes and of the Catholike Religion They bee out of the Church so without hope of Saluation Scismatikes excommunicate persons and yet Catholiks still and of no other religion A good religion sure and a commendable is that they holde who bee Atheists and godlesse men in your opinion if they be not which directly and slatly renounce God and his fayth and yet iudge all other religions false and erronious besides their owne opinion and will neuerthelesse communicate with the same for some worldly respect and condenme other that will not doe as they doe Nowe if Athiests c. bee Catholikes I can not tell what to make of you Catholikes you bee neyther fishe nor fleshe nor yet I weene good redde hering as they say the wrong and perillous perswaūon that these men are sayde here to bee in builded onely on their owne fantasie may beseeme a fantasticall religion not grounded on Gods woorde but on vnwrttten verities traditions doctrines of men custom multitude c. as popery is Litle reformatiō as hithetto may serue such a deformed religion for these two sortes of Catholikes as you call them wee thinke yee doe in the one as in the other that is but imagine and goe all by supposition it is your Clearklie dealing whereof you heare what I say The aduise that I can giue them is that they leaue not only that perillous perswasion of communicating with contrary Religions but also and principally their Popery and the opinion they haue of that religion which as the rest is builded onely on fantasie Nowe haue wee viewed your Catholikes that you haue set vs here downe agreeing all in Poperie though but ill fauouredly and among them selues also hardely if your reasons following proceede from such a Catholike minde as you haue described vs in these men surely they are hollowe and can carrie no great waight with them with such as liue here in her maiesties dominions I verily think they can litle or nothing at all preuaile if they haue especially any wisedome or feare of God before their eyes for them y t being in heart of your religion do cleane contrary thervnto I wot not howe easily they will be led by you but surely if they will depende vppon God and his woorde they neede neither feare your threates nor regarde your Reasons for any value or waight that is in the same But before I enter into the particular examination of your nine Reasons hauing respect to the rude and simple sort I wil make bolde to set downe a reason contrary vnto yours whereby I meane to shewe that all men here liuing if they bee not too farre gone are bounde to haunt Church assemblies and the exercises of Religion vsed among vs. And yet before I set downe my reason both for the iust defence and cleering of her Maiestie and the State heere against such quarelpikers as you be And also for y t better satisfiyng of all her Maiesties duetifull subiectes and people I say to gods glory y t her maiestie y t state haue not pretēded to renounce Poperie a hollowe and rotten religion grounded vpon whatsoeuer not vppon Gods holie worde surely contayned in the Canonicall Scriptures as at this day is cleare to all that haue eyes to see to establishe another Religion though not so badde as Poperie yet not auowable deuised eyther by her selfe or by any other men but professeth to set vp the onely true religion of Iesus Christ taken out of the Scriptures Her Maiestie and the State haue and doe declare to the worlde dayly that in steede of mens inuentions and glorious shewes or voluntary Religion and will woorship as the Apostle noteth Superstition Shee and they esteeme the worde of God alone to bee the foundation of true religion The Apologie of this Church of Englande The Articles of religion set foorth by publike authoritie and suche other writings doe sufficiently proue this godly purpose and meaning and euen of late in the proclamation for the recalling home of her Maiesties subiectes from beyonde the seas c. is the same by expresse words mencioned None though the Papistes and enemies woulde make the worlde beleeue so are here called to the King and Queenes religion but with her Maiestie all degrees and persons are called to Gods and Christes true religion onely which shee with her people professeth Actes of Parliament and Statutes are not set into Churches in steade of Masse bookes Grayles Legends Portuises Images c. But the Sacred Byble the booke of the High and Immortall God of Heauen faithfully translated into the mother tongue to be read expounded heard and vnderstood of all to the vnspeakable comfort her Maiesties Ciuill Ministers As counsellers Judges Justices and so forth are not the Churche Ministers but spiritual Pastors and Teachers which are and by faithfull preaching ought to shewe themselues to bee the faythfull Ministers of Christ Iesus the Prince of Pastours or Shepheard and Byshop of our Soules Her Maiestie hath not taken away the Popes Antichristian office and vsurped tytle here to set her selfe in his place nor to take on the other side Christes office in hande or to infeoffe her selfe of his titles who leaueth euen to Christs Ministers their proper functions and charges whole of preaching the worde administring the Sacraments publike prayer Church discipline how euer this wrangler and his fellowes would beare the worlde in hande
all Church Ministerie and functions are heere exercised by meere lay men and yet in the meane while her Maiestie accounteth iustly it to be her office and duetie and to appertaine to a kingly authoritie according to the high dignitie of her royall throne and princely estate calling to moderate by al meanes to assist according to Gods holy worde and to see the same faithfully executed by euery particular in their degree which who so 〈◊〉 or deny her Maiestie prouoke Gods heauie wrath and displeasure and she we them selues vnwoorthy to liue much lesse to enioy so great blessinges vnder so gracious a Soueraigne She taketh only y t which is by Gods word due to Princes and Ciuill Magistrates shee will suffer no one besides her selfe to be the chiefe Gouernour in her dominions vnder God Christ and the worde call yee him Prince or Prelate shee requireth her subiectes first and principally to be Gods faithfull seruauntes in duely and reuerently keeping the exercises of true Christian religion euery one in their calling expressed in the two Cables of Gods holy commaundementes which by her authoritie giuen of God shee mainteyueth and like a godly Prynce purposeth still so to doe Next vnfaynedlye to acknowledge the Soueraigntie giuen to her Maiestie from God for all outwarde and Ciuill pollicie in her dominions This iustly may shee chalenge and more she requireth not and who is there that iustly can refuse or denie her Maiesty this Out of Gods booke rere religion confirme faith edifie conscience growe and profite dayly in godly knowledge and practise thereof In summe walke in single vprightnesse of heart with God and man and where this is the more seene there are the parties the better liked and commended by her Maiestie the State y t both God may bee the truelyer serued her Maiestie obeyed and others by good example in life and conuersation edified This is that I say briefly that the profession of religion here at this day in her Matestie the State and her people is no newe profession nor any other but such as is common with the Patriarches Prophetes Apostles and all Gods faythful people that haue liued in any age and is warranted by Gods holy worde written Nowe if in bending and contendyng hereto her Maiestie the State and people euery one in their place haue not thorowly and fully attayned to their purpose in reformation and practise hitherto yet is not the profession and purpose to be blamed yea their will and affection is much to be commended and they to be encouraged and stirred vp to growe dayly from good to better in these cold naughty daies while other seeing in so waightie and necessarie a matter many and great abuses sit still and either maintaine or winke thereat Prayer in this great worke is of all and aboue all to be adioyned and such helpe of Godly knowledge wisedome counsell and other giftes as God bestoweth on any woulde bee brought forth to the aduauncement of this heauenly worke euery one keeping his boundes and calling The foule and filthie dung hill of Poperie and superstition is not so soone voy ded our sinnes are the onely or the greatest impediment and let of the full finishing of this worke if there bee any thing wanting it is our heartie repentance and vnfayned turning to GOD with thankfull heartes expressed in wordes and deedes for the graces 〈◊〉 vpon vs. In the meane while where the profession I haue spokē of is and the worke taken in hande and entred as wee see here among vs I say there are none but very obstinate and wilfull men that will refuse to come to the publike Churche assemblies to heare the worde of God preached the Sacraments of Christe and publike prayers c. comfortablie administred which that I may in other wordes somewhat formally for our aduersaries pleasure expresse thus now I frame my reason None supposed to haue Gods feare before their eies to haue care of their owne saluation to haue respect to her Maiestie and their dutie towardes so vertuous and gracious a Soueraigne her godly wholsome lawes Againe to haue due and charitable consideration of the Church of God and their Christian brethrē and common honesty among men No such I say can or ought to refuse to come to church exercises vsed here amōg vs at this day But all persons of what state or condition soeuer they be liuing in Englande are supposed to be such that is to haue Gods feare before their eies to haue care of their owne saluation to haue respect to her Maiestie and their dutie towardes so vertuous and gracious a Soueraigne and her godly and wholesome lawes Againe to haue due and charitable consideration of the churche of God and their christian brethren and common honestie among men Wherefore no persons of what state and condition soeuer they ve liuing in Englande can or ought to refuse to come to Churche exercises vsed here amongst vs at this day The conclusion or the sequell of this argument and reason being so well grounded the aduersaries cannot nor will not I thinke denie me if they will let them turne mee to the proofe of the goodnesse thereof or of the fourme of any argument I haue made them The grounde of the first part of mine argument and the reason is because amongst other godly thinges as publike prayers prouision for the poore c. Here is professed and set foorth principally in Church assemblies the Ministerie or Preaching of Gods holy worde Gospel professed the obedient hearing and receyuing thereof with the administration of Christes Sacraments according to the rule of Gods booke which be notes exercises of Gods true and faithfull congregation whereunto euery true christian ought to associate and ioyne himselfe The seconde or middle part of my reason there is none I take it would be thought so wicked as to make question or doubt of Though the 〈◊〉 and flender dealing of our aduersarie in particularly seeking to find out faultes in our church exercise in his seuenth reason bee a sufficient cleering therof to him and his worde with those y t list aduisedly and with indifferency to weigh y e same when they see he 〈◊〉 chargeth it and 〈◊〉 it vntouched for ought he 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 we shall see God willing when 〈◊〉 come thither yet because I haue not to regarde the aduersarie only but some other also and among the rest suche especially as are sunple rude somwhat ignorant Therefore will I bee bold a little to wade here in the proofe of the particular partes of that peece of mine argument wherein may seeme any 〈◊〉 or to shew the head of the fountaine spring whēce the whole is deriued Marke well the argument namely the first part of it for some furder better proofe whereof I note this that followeth None that are supposed to haue Gods feare before their eyes will refuse to come to Churche heere Why so For
because God is the authour of such assemblies requireth this dutie is present there and blesseth the same This if comparison bee made is proued not only by the practise and example of Gods people in all ages vnder the Lawe and the Prophets before Christes comming in the fleshe in going then to the Tabernacle the temple c. and of the Disciples and faithful after Christes Ascention as the story of the Actes of the Apostles doth witnesse according to whose direction and steppes so neere as we may heerein we professe and endeuour our selues to walke But by the expresse doctrine of our Sauiour Christe himselfe also Verily I say vnto you that if two of you shal agree in earth vpon any thing whatsoeuer they shall desire it shalbe giuen them of my father whiche is in heauen for where two or three are gathered togeather in my name there am I in the midst of them c. Now that we are bounde to honour loue obey worship God according as he appointeth vs deserue very euil in doing the contrary none I trust doubt then surely can none iustly doubt of this point of comming together to heare our dutie tolde vs out of Gods booke by preaching to make publik confessiō of our sinnes of y e christian faith to make prayers to God for our necessities others namely those of his church to giue him thanks and prayse his name in Psalmes to celebrate the Sacraments of Baptisine and the Lordes Supper c. which be the substance and principall ends of our Church meetings The next point is of the care of our saluation which none also I trust among vs be voide of Then cannot they doubt likewise whether they ought to practise and vse such outward meanes as God hath appointed to bring men to saluation by Publike church assemblies were first instituted and appointed of God for our vse and for our good and the principal thinges there to be vsed are the preaching of y e Gospell and the ministering of the Sacraments to wit Baptisme and the Lordes Supper according to Christes holy institution for the 〈◊〉 and increase of our faith whereof they are seales as the cōmission giuen to the Apostles their 〈◊〉 practise and the vse of the Primitiue Church sufficiently declare And in this respect is the Gospell called not onely the worde of God but the worde of 〈◊〉 also of grace of faith of saluation c As that which is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth c. If then we will receiue the ende of our faith which is the saluation of our soules we must walke the way that leadeth thither and vse while we may those meanes that God hath appointed to bring vs thereto by contemning whereof wee shall shewe our selues to haue no care of our saluation For the benefit that redoundeth to men by this exercise remember what the Apostle writeth When the whole Churche is come togeather in one c. If all Prophesie and there come in one that beleeueth not or one vnlearned he is rebuked of al men and is iudged of all And so are the secretes of his heart made manifest and so he will fall downe on his face and worship God and say plainly that God is in you indeed And a little after Let all things be doone vnto edifiyng Wee as workers togeather beseech you with the holy Ghost that yee receiue not the grace of God in vaine and beholde nowe is the accepted time Behold nowe is the day of saluation c. The dutifull respect we ought to haue to our Soueraigne and the present State our common mother and her Maiesties godly lawes is next to bee considered which they that duly shal do besides other matter and occasion of thanksgiuing to God offered to euery one in priuate cannot besides refuse to haunt publike church assemblies That it pleaseth her Maiestie to haue care of our soules healths that are her Subiects to take paine to make lawes and set orders for the aduauncement thereof is the part of a good and blessed nurse in Gods church and a singular benefite to vs-warde It is nothing to cause Preachers and preaching of Christes Gospel to be sent abrode in al quarters of her Dominions c all must needes be in 〈◊〉 on our behalfes and so turne to our greater and more iust condemnation if we thankefully accept not and carefully vse to Gods glory and our owne profite this so great a grace of God offered and take the oportunitie Againe as dutie greatly bindeth vs to our princes soueraignes to obey their autoritie to honor them especially being godly so among other things haue wee to pray for them not in priuate onely but in publike also with other and thereby receiue we also great benefite many wayes Notable is that heauenly sentence of the blessed Apostle I exh ort therefore that first of all supplicatiōs praiers intercessions giuing of thanks be made for al men for kinges and for all that are in authoritie that we may liue a godly a quiet apeaceable life in al godlines honesty for this is good acceptable in the sight of God our Sauiour who will that all men shal bee saued and come to the knowledge of the truth c. This one sentence alone well weighed if there were no moe might suffice for the matter wee speake of They can surely be no friendes to the Queenes Maiestie and the State and so consequently not to themselues y t refuse in publike with other continually to pray for the prosperitie and good of her Highnesse and the State c. The last point is the Church of God and our christian brethren Countriemen others amongst whō we liue Unto whom I thinke there is no man doubteth but we ought to haue a charitable regard and like respect to our liuing honestly among thē Now what charitable regard is that to refuse in so holy as Church actions bee to ioyne with the Church where wee liue to 〈◊〉 from giuing publike testimonie of our faith and religion shewing our selues to the worlde in so doing to be of no religion And so by example to offende many wayes and many men the strong the weake the faithfull the vnbeleeuers c. When of dutie wee shoulde not onely auoide that but euery way 〈◊〉 all namely one another in all godlinesse and honestie vpon paine of Gods displeasure keepe entertaine and testifie by all meanes the vnitie we haue with Christes Churche which thinges are singularly perfourmed by vs in haunting Churche assemblies Let vs keepe the profession of our hope saith the Apostle without wauering for hee is faithfull that promised let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes not forsaking the fellowship that we haue among our selues as the maner of some is c. Though this be an ample matter and might very easily bee waded in at large yet
house citie and kingdome among men But this when it shal please God wil be as vnto vs al most comfortable so vnto our superiours very glorious and honourable to the procurement and continuance of Gods fauour and liberall blessings long among vs. I enter not into particulars because I am not to prescribe nor yet to distrust the Godlines wisedome and care of so religious a Prince and state as God hath giuen vs. For the rest therfore as in this imperfection and weakenes of mankind and the hardnes of the worke these cogitations these meditations these endeuours are in this case worthy and very necessary and meete for Christian Princes states and publique persons in Church and common welth often and much to bee occupied in euery one according to their place and calling so prouiding that they and their people Gods Churche bee not abused with mens inuentions and dreames in steede of Gods pure and holye worde So againe subiectes and priuate persons where this matter is attempted and taken in hand with vantage and to Gods glory with paine care laboured in dayly haue not onely with all thankefulnes and reuerent dutifulnes to acknowledge and accept this great blessing and goodnes of God in and by our Prince state with helpe of hartye prayer for successe to the delight and encouragement of Christian Magistrates and Superiours But further also if in thus proceeding all thinges euery way answer not the godly mindes and expectation of the faythfull to the full We haue first to lay the fault and hinderance where it is charging generally our selues and our owne 〈◊〉 therewith as the proper cause of all and farther euery one of vs particularly examining our selues haue to ioyne our seuer all sinnes with the sinnes of our peo ple and hartely as in publike so a parte to lament and be waile the matter in humble and plaine confession to God and in testifiyng to men as occasion is offered or dislike with that is amisse earnestly purposing and endeuouring to redresse that is amisse in our selues and to help the same in other as we maye keeping in all things the boundes and compasse of our calling Nexte beeing thus in all godlinesse and modestie affected haue wee to consider there whilest according to our bounden dutie wherein and howe farre wee maye and oughte to ioyne our selues in communion and fellowshippe with the Christian and holye Churche or Congregation wherein we liue in all Christian humilitie patience meekenesse bearing and forbearing without breaking the vnitie thereof so farre as is possible Christian and holy I call this Church in respect of that honour that God hath called it vnto and the good benefite of his holy worde Sacraments c. Wherewith hee hath vouchsafed to blesse the same not doubting in the meane while of good successe increase and dayly edification from God by these meanes so farre as he seeth expedient according to his promise though in the meane while there may be founde among vs but too many defects not in life and conuersation onely but in church policie and orders likewise which defectes like spots blemishes and staynes of the face we may behold not nowe adayes first but in these and some greater matters also euen in the Apostles times and afterwards in the olde and former Churches by themselues planted though in this behalf they be to be accounted sicke and imperfect which retaine yet still in Scripture the title and honour of Churches and of the church of God As for example The churches of the countrie of Asia in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn the churches of the Countrie of Galatia and of the Citie of Corinth and such like I speake not as though Churches shoulde or might please themselues in their follies or to flatter any I haue saide my minde thereof I tell here only what Christians particular dutie is for bearing in this behalfe where thinges be not too too intollerable especially this haue we well to consider of when we be not required by the Church authoritie to approue or imbrace in God his matters and religion any thing but that which is warranted by God his holy worde and we commended thereby in framing our consciences and liues according to that rule in all dutifulnesse towards God our Prince and other our neighbours And the Church they of authoritie likewise be content to heare and to be admonished of such defects and faultes wherein they may bee thought not to haue rightly applied nor iustly followed the rule of all reformation the worde of God so the same be Christianly doone and modestly as I haue said and we stil liue in good hope of redresse of that is a misse as the same may once be founde out perceiued and knowne by those to whome publike reformation thereof doth orderly appertaine which be the very same whom God hath placed in publike authoritie and calling Hereby is it not hard to be seene that I shut out of this account that Apostaticall vnholy Synagogue of Rome by the titles before mentioned as wherewith wee cannot ioyne our selues without renounsing the vnitie we haue with Christe and his holy vniuersall churche And againe we must thinke that they that excommunicate shut out and cut of from all Spirituall communion and societie with them outward and inwarde leauing them without all hope of reconciliation either in this worlde or in the worlde to come suche I say as are of one religion of one and the same profession with them that as they haue doone and doe so will no easiliar handle vs hence foorth seeke we peace as muche as we will and in vs lyeth The summe therefore of that we haue to rest vpon is that walking in God his feare in obedience and charitie towardes all men which is the effect of a Christian life we so edifie our selues and other with whom we liue in all godlinesse and honestie that in Godly zeale 〈◊〉 with wisedome and humblenesse of minde we take heed there whilest least declining or turning to much on one hande without neede we seperate our selues from the societie of them that approue and shewe them selues to be God his people vpon a dislike of some thinges amisse that lie not in our power or hands to redresse that bee priuate men if the same bee not intollerable to be borne with As they be when they plucke vp the very foundations of doctrine and the rootes of Christian Religion which doyng may be imputed to too much curiositie selfe loue and wilfulnesse c. Wee haue to take heede on the other hande for all this least by ioyning our selues vnto thē we receiue approue or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things confusedly euē abuses y t do or may creep in hand ouer head as they say w tout any distinction or differēce w t may argue wāt of knowledge zeale true godlines When I would expresse full my meaning herein I can vtter it in no better or fitter wordes then
reasoning in proouing matters wee had rather heare of good strong and sounde proofes by Syllogismes than by weake 〈◊〉 but let that also passe Let vs take such 〈◊〉 all argumentes as are offered vs. Prooue your similitude what it wil and as well as it can it prooueth not that you bring it in for Note your similitude your selfe and make the conclusion and you shall fee you prooue not that you propounded but reason from one thing to another or propound one thing and conclude another It is an vnlikely likelihood for the matter it is to be applied vnto if you would haue made it like to that it shoulde prooue or whiche you bring it for Thus seemeth me should you haue made it As a man perswading himselfe bodily foode to bee infectious to his bodie or dangerous may not vse the same So in doctrine perswading himselfe that it is heresie or false he may not heare and receiue the same or some such way And then haue I shewed the weakenes and folly of the argument before and giuen example thereof that I neede not repeate the 〈◊〉 I say good meate shall be wholesome for the bodie and necessary too perswade men themselues therein as they will And the sounde doctrine of the Gospell heere professed and preached shall be much more wholesome and necessarie for the soule to keep to your kinde of comparing persuade you your selues therin as you list The testimonies of scripture c. that ye alleadge make nothing to the contrary hereof 〈◊〉 fully against you and the venime and danger of Poperie and Popish doctrine and heresie The very 〈◊〉 of the text with a religious minde will 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 testimonie of your abusing the same and your 〈◊〉 and your followers heerein I maruaile not a little 〈◊〉 you grounding this your first reason vpon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same againe ouerthrowe perswasion For after you haue cited in one text by and by as it were by way of obiecting and answering without farther proceeding ye reason against perswasion If your men at least per swade themselues in that they thinke you will obtrude to your fellow and to vs too your perswasiō vnder the title of conscience not to be done against though it bee erroneous yee will not let other no not your fellowe rest in his persuasion Bide the law you make to other This is a very good touch to trie perswasiō and mens doings by the scriptures I would you would euer keepe that ground and trial in al y t matters in controuersie betweene you and vs That that which is done without warrant of scripture or is against scripture should be condemned reiected With this ouerthrowe we your perswasion here pretended with this ouerthrow we al your Reasons your whole religion and kingdōe of poperie mightily Popery y t is not grounded on holy scriptures nor followeth gods booke filleth mēs minds ful of vaine perswasions and their heades ful of ydle fancies which they that stay them selues vpon Gods holy word are free from their consciences clered As for example papists promise them selues many good thinges whereof they are in the end disapointed and so confounded for that they haue no warrant from God nor assurance of his worde Other limiting their hope keeping the same within the compasse of Gods worde and promise are not confounded but enioye the same and are blessed Blessed are they that put their trust in him Hope maketh not ashamed because it hath Gods promise going before Againe papistes and the vngod ly are afrayd where no feare is haue a faintnes and cowardlines in their heartes the sound of a leafe shaken chaseth them in 〈◊〉 they entangle and snare their constiences without neede whereas they that obserue 〈◊〉 and counsell that is heare Gods word stay vpon it and followe the 〈◊〉 as a light to guide them by c. are 〈◊〉 from such feare and liue in great and godly securitie Poperie it is alone and not Gods word that telleth them there is danger of infection in haunting our Church assemblies For your allegations and proofes out of the bookes that are Apocrypha which with you are as good and substantiall as Canonicall scriptures No distinction is to bee kept All is one with you I will not now charge you because the doctrine is true and agreeing to the Canonicall Scriptures and to be applied of our men to you and your religion as the rest yee heape together And yet yee must remember what Hierome in his prologues set before your owne translation of the Byble sayth of that booke of Iesus the sonne of Syrach and the like It were no hard matter to take the staffe here out of your handes and to beate your selfe withal As the diligent reader euen in this first reason may easilye perceiue So fitly doe these testimonies heere alleadged serue vs against you and can by no means bee forced against 〈◊〉 profession you may carry a persuasion to ground your reason vpon we shal haue y e truth y e matter to ground ours vpon Let me in passing take an example from you in answere for our dread Soueraigne and the States dealing here with you You tell vs of seucre lawes in the primitiue Churche made for prohibiting of corrupt and naughtie seruice sermons and reading of like bookes yee referre vs for proofe to the Emperours Martian and Iustinian and to the noble and zelous first Christian Emperour Constantine What doth her Maiestie other then followe those and like examples in forbidding your popish masse Your seditious bookes ful of poyson c. You say Constantine made it death for any man to read Arrius bookes and reason say you Are you angred that her maiestie dealeth not so with you and your bookes which are like If that bee the faulte it may be mended soone enough to your cost your Pope and Popishe heresie is no lesse dandgerous and hurtfull at this day then Arrius was then If you put her Maiestie in minde and call vpon such lawes to be made heere nowe 〈◊〉 like cause you maye quickely make a rodde for your selues the matter will hardely possible afterwarde bee 〈◊〉 with wordes or taken vp at your pleasures againe If you can do no more I counsel you yet to hold your peaces sit stil and be quiet For the rest where ye thunder out against 〈◊〉 Luther and iumble vp together the Professors of the Gospell in odious tearmes with other heretikes and sectaries of your broode as which your M. Howlet in the beginning of his Epistle Dedicatory to her Maiestie hath before confessed that yee neede not father the same heere on Lut her you doe but vtter your stomacke against Gods seruant in whom there were rare and excellent giftes of God and with whom and by whom his spirit mightily wrought for the aduancement of the Gospel in these later dayes shaking the very foundations of your Antichristiā kingdome It were not harde to shew here your errour
such commoditie reaped as is there to bee had it be answered among the rest bee the ende of the commaundement of the exaction and of the going to church what haue you to say there against Yf the Cōmissioners deale not onely equally but very mildely and courteously without too farre racking mens consciences and hoping that in exercises of religion and matters apperteining to God men will not play the hypocrites but haue farder respect then to make it an eye seruice outwardly to satisfie and please the worlde and knowing that comming to church they shall heare and finde better matter of instruction and so learne their dutie towardes G O D and their Prince they moue suche as by you are peruerted to come to churche what cause haue you or they to make such Tragicall adoe vpon this vpright and fauourable proceeding To playne of the seueritie and suche cruell extremitie of this State as neuer was hearde of in England before c. This confession of your owne mouth greatly condemneth you As you finde your owne religion to be but hypocrisie so imagine you of the religion here professed but amisse For her Maiestie and the lawes seeke not to make men hypocrites they delight in no such their meaning is to haue men religious to God warde and thereto tende their commaundements in this behalfe c. If you make going to churche heere to bee a renouncing of Popery and of your pretended catholike religion as you say it is we graunte and we wish as many as goe to church to leaue halting on both sides or dissembling to cast away that corrupt religion and all superstition out of their heartes to take a newe and better course and to testifie by that meanes and all other as they may their religious and honest minds to Godwarde the worlde which is so farre of that wee thinke too bee hurtfull vnto them as wee iudge it a singular benefits if they can consider thereof accordingly Where on the contrary part we iudge their not going to church or their going with another minde then wee haue expressed not only to bee to themselues dangerously hurtful and to others but impious also and wicked before God The other and seconde proofe yee take from those of your owne side that are heere indurance which being many in number and of long time suffering imprisonment for this onely thing as yee say doe make abstaining from church to bee a proper and peculiar signe of a true Catholike For what doth make a thing to be a proper and peculiar signe but the iudgement and opinion of men Heereto you adioyne your example of the Tauerne bushe to be the signe of wine wee answere the similitude is vnapt and vnlikely that is taken from signes and tokens of ciuill thinges appertaining to the vse of this life which are in mens power and will to dispose and order at their pleasure where it is otherwise in cases of Gods true religion for therein men haue not that libertie but must take the holy signes thereof from the holy God But you adde also your former example brought with you out of Italie of a Iewes yellowe Bonnet and ye fetche vs a thirde out of Turkie for to knowe a Turke and his profession by his yellowe Torbant which and all the like are vnseemely and vnfitt to match in this case with the true religion of Iesus Christ. Let then the worlde or men in ciuill and outwarde matters of this life make their representations and signes as they will let the like serue if yee will among the Iewes the Turkes In fidels Papistes Whose religion is pleasurable a will worship and consisting for the most part in ceremonies and deuises inuented by men Let them deuise and haue their proper and peculiar signes markes cognisances and badges to bee knowne by let vs abstaine from the same Let vs content our selues with those that we haue receiued from the Authour of our Religion Let vs religiously frequent and vse the same When our Sauiour Christ asketh whence the Baptisme of Iohn was whether from heauen or from men He noteth fitly the diuerse fountaines and beginning of signes in religiō The example of wearing a garlande in the Primitiue Church wherewith out of Tertulian yee amplifie the matter perteyneth as litle to the purpose as the rest For it was heathenishly wickedly made by the heathen a signe to distinguish them by and to represent their heathenish religion to the dammage of Christians and true Christian religion marke that wee speake still of publike religious signes not of other in outwarde ciuill thinges and for mens particular vses wherein men haue more libertie then in Gods religion and seruice prophane or ciuill matters wee here deale not with That such thinges haue beene and are from time to time done by the diuell and wicked men in wicked religion is not harde to be founde and that true Christians haue to abstaine from such markes and proper signes of superstitious and naughtie religion as for example frō your Popish ceremonies at this day may well and fitly bee prooued hereby and farder can ye not stretche it vnlesse ye coulde proue the haunting of holye Churche assemblies here first and principally to proceede from men or from the diuell Which you shall neuer be able to doe God himselfe being the Authour and the same being sufficiently grounded in his holie worde Make you and your compagnions of going to Churche here what you will and of abstayning there from We make thereof as God and his worde doe and no more If for your contempt of God her Maiestie and her wholsome lawes made for the abolishing of superstition and idolatrie ye suffer any thing Thanke your selues that so oppose your selues Blame 〈◊〉 God her Maiestie nor the State here therefore If for this onely thing your men suffer that they goe not to Church then suffer they not belike for defence of the Popes supremacie nor other pointes of Poperie if they doe then is it not for abstayning from Church onely which in deede is but a late taken vp scrupulositie among the moste of you yet let all marke and obserue that ye here affirme and giue vs that the onely thing Papistes suffer for here in Englande is for not going to Churche or abstaining therefrom A worthy cause to stande with the Prince and State in if all be well weighed The vanitie of the three next Reasons of Schisme participation and dissimulation do I nothing doubt but that euery Christian can easily espie and answere the same That therefore which hath been sayde before being well weighed I shall neede the lesse to tarrie thereupon If this discourser coulde as easily proue it to be Schisme to haunt our Churches vs to be Heretikes and those hollowe hearted that hauing afore time in the dayes of ignoraunce been of their Popish religion nowe haunt our Churches which wee yet hope well they doe of synceritie of heart If I say hee coulde as easily
c. For Idols Idolaters you haue this word in y e very last booke and last chapter of the new Testament ver 15. Reuelatiō 2. Idols twise verse 14. 20. Let this serue to note your vntrue slander To woorship or religiously serue besides God we make the same an Idoll The outwarde representation also thereof or Image is in scriptures called an Idol Hee nameth an expresse place here where we shall find Images for Idols in the very last wordes of the fifth chapter of Saint Iohn his fyrst Epistle First that is but one place and one example which is a very bad proofe to shewe that wee translate Images for Idols throughout the scripture next thus it is read in our Church assemblies at this present what euer this lying quareller dreame euen in the Byble translated vnder her maiesties gouernement and printed with priuilege by her highnes Printer Richarde Iugge 1568. and. 1572. and set into Churches and there dayly read and expounded Babes keepe your selues from Idols Then are you not 〈◊〉 onely but a shamelesse lyer and a slanderer and abuser of the people So is it likewise translated in the english Bible printed at Geneua 1560. in the beginning of her maiesties happy raigne and dedicated vnto her highnes So is it translated in that worthie Theodore Beza his newe Testament dedicated also to our Soueraigne c. But how is it translated in your authenticall translation I pray you that must alone bee approoued and receiued without checke and all other in comparison therof reiected There is that faulte ye charge vs with if that be a faulte as in 〈◊〉 I iudge it to be none or not so greate Idole beeing the Greeke and Image the Latin and English word Then if any English Bybles haue left the word Idols and vsed the word Images in this place of S. Iohn yet is no more done thē you permit your selues and therfore yee need not call it manifest and wilfull corruption c. Except it be to discredite that you account your owne translation If that bee your griefe to see or heare the word Images in I. Iohn the. 5. 21. forbidden though it be not greatly materiall the circumstance considered yet to satisfie and please you if that will serue that word Image is remooued and the Greeke worde Idole kept in diuers of our english translations why mend you not your own common latin translation not here onely wherewith we charge you not but in infinite other places wherein the same is verye corrupt Where you would cleere your church of Idols and Idolatrie by his childish distinction betweene Idols and Images It is so wel answered as I neede adde nothing to that the Godly learned haue here of sayd Ye know it is Hierome his manner on the Prophets to applie to the times and persons vnder Christ that which is spoken of Idols and Idolatrie vnder the Prophets to shewe their are among Christians Idols Idolatours that wee neede not cast the same from vs to the Heathen as though Christendome were free frō Idols and Idolatours Which I would it were if it pleased God but wil neuer be so long as you maintain Images in churches the worship therof which is cleere plaine Idolatry In yours all other religions mans vaine fancie braine idle head is the source fountaine and first-shop to conceiue and 〈◊〉 Idols and Idolatry in afterward the hand is made an instrumēt to fashiō frame an outward forme or picture of that Lye which is there first conceiued c. Call the same a God an Idole an Image a Picture or what you will In grossenes in cunning there may be some diuersitie in effect al is flat Idolatry whatsoeuer we choose Let al y t world iudge who be shamlesse corruptors and wylfull to drawe yea to peruert the scripture to their owne purpose in this point that I talke of to goe 〈◊〉 further now They that heere translate Images as your vulgare translation 〈◊〉 and some other doe But not as I haue shewed the english Byble printed in her maiesties raigne and read at this day in our Churches as yee vniustly slander Or you Papists that for the retaining and maintaining of your Idolatry or Images and Image worship among the people haue quite rased out the second commandement of the ten agaynst Images and Idolatry or if you will haue it gentlier spoken haue left it out of those latin and english primers and bookes wherein the ten commandementes were expressed to be learned of the common people here in times past I know your shift for such forgerie but 〈◊〉 me thinketh haue let the wordes stand and follow in order as God pronounced and propounded the same to his people in the scriptures ten wordes are not many you might haue kept your shift for a better purpose if it so had pleased you For the matter as the scripture telleth vs that such stuffe teacheth lyes is contrary to the doctrine of the same scripture So Lactantius sayth vndoubtedly there is no religion where an Image is Images are voyde of religion c. And the Heathen and heretike charged the Christians in the primitiue Church with this that they had no Images as though Christians had beene too blame for being without Images who if they had had Images coulde not haue beene so charged or might haue answered at the least otherwise than they doe And as one of your owne men writeth out of Hierom almost all the ancient fathers condemned the woorshipping of Images for feare of Idolatry than the which no wickednes can be greater c. Famous is the story of Epiphanius translated into Latin by Hierom who cut in peeces the paynted vaile wherein the image of Christ or some saint was hanging at the dore of the Temple for that it was against the authoritie of the scriptures that a mans image should hang in the Church and against our religion sayth hee And more famous yet is the publike edict of sundry the olde christian Emperours in forbidding Images and the worship thereof not thinking it to pertaine to religion that the Image of any should be worshipped no not of Christ whose Image by name they forbad as in their decree is to be seene c. You see the hanging of Christes Image in the Church or any Saintes the worshipping also of such Images is condēned and forbidden Now would I know of you in what commandement the same is forbidden vnlesse it be in that which forbiddeth Idolatry Idols Plead against those of your side against these anciēt fathers y e emperours c. If ye needs wil Say what ye wil ye shal neuer be able to cleere your Images set vp in Temples from being Idols nor your woorshipping thereof from idolatry which you must doe better than hitherto before you can make vs beleeue the contrary or otherwise of them then the scriptures and antiquitie teach and report
goeth about to reckon your Popes decretall epistles in the number of Canonicall scriptures and to racke in Augustines authoritie to prooue that matter I thinke this geare and the like maye better and more iustly be accoūted of vs blasphemie against god thē our praiers to be kept frō the Pope and his infection of papistry But to conclude this point there is you say falshoode and blasphemie in our seruice and we sing and cause to be sung as though it were scripture and one of Dauids Psalmes a prayer made by man wherein wee haue seene howe you fayle and faulte greatly and yet can finde no vngodlinesse much lesse blasphemie in that prayer But were it sung as yee say what I pray you that are so precise and hard with vs were there therein done more than in your Popishe mattens How is your Te Deum made by man no scripture distinguished from Benedictus that is the holy Ghostes hymne and scripture You had neede then mend your owne seruice before you finde such fault with other Agayne whither will you leade and bring vs from this seruice that you seeme to finde fault with You had not neede bring vs to your Popish blasphemous seruice For then haue we made but an euill change You had neede to bring vs to a seruice voyde of all note of falshoode and blasphemy that charge ours so there with and are so squaymish and precise that you cannot abide our seruice It were too long vpon this occasion throughly to examine your Popish seruice yet let vs take a viewe in this matter that is in prayer and singing of Psalines and giue you for one example two Thomas Becket a naughtie proude Prelate is made a Saint and a Martyr by you hath his holy day and seruice Is not this among the rest a blasphemous praier with you By the bloode of Thomas which for thee he did spend make vs Christ to climbe whither Thomas did ascend If this geare be not blasphemous I knowe not what is For to leaue the making of a proude trayterous Prelate to his king a Saint to ordayne seruice c to Creatures in steede of the Creator To talke also of Thomas ascending to heauen what is it to desire Christ to bring vs to heauen by the blood of Thomas but by Idolatrie and blasphemie to staine Gods glory and to iniurie Christes merits and withall to delude and abuse Gods people Is not moreouer this verse sung by you in your Temples continually as it were out of one of Dauids Psalmes Viduam eius benedicens benedicam c I set downe the Latin because you sing it in Latin crauing herein pardon of the Reader and yet take it as I finde it corruptly and yet woorse translated in your English Primer printed here in former Popish daies that yee had beene as good haue left the ignorant people the Latin Primer alone and Beades still as to haue abused them with so corrupt an English translation Thus hath it the popish english Primer that I saw at the writing hereof distinguishing full ylfauouredlye the verses and disioyning the wordes that are to be ioyned together For the more plainenes I will set downe two verses This is my resting place for euermore Heere shall I dwell for I haue chosen it with blessing The widowe of it I shall blyke the poore people of it I shall fullfyll with breade False translation false printing false singing false saying All false and nothing but false agree well enough together and with a false religion The best in the worlde and therfore belike being admonished and called vppon for amendment you let it stande still such is your reforming and amending of thinges deforming and making them euer woorse and woorse The next fault you charge our seruice with is the lack of necessary thinges which it should haue in it Yee take example of a mans reciting of the Creede or Articles of the Beliefe If you leaue out one article as in effecte the Protestants say you doe the Article of descention into Hell all the whole Creede were naught thereby I aske you first what if I adde an Article more as you Papists doe whē you aske men how they beleeue in the Sacrament of the Alter c. Is not that as great a fault Next for answeare I report me to all the world whether we in effect or otherwise leaue out that Article Descended into hell in the Creede or teaching the people to recite it We bid or wishe them to leaue y t article out The creed or articles of y e beliefe are daily twise a day publikely recited in the Congregation by the Minister and the people in the mother tongue At morning and euening prayer Is not this article of descending into hell at both times expressed Looke vpon the booke come to Church and heare Wherfore you are a very slanderer heere in as you are euer But sir is all the Creede naught if that article be left out or any other How say you then to the creed of that famous general councel of Nice which leaueth out the Article of descending into hell that I say nothing of other partes of the Creede How say you to the like Creed in the first Councell at Constantinople How to Athanasius Creede that leaueth out these wordes Crucifyed Deade Buried c I trowe you will not condemne these formes of the Creed or Beliefe to prooue your saying true It were better you and your saying too should bee found false and faulty as you be heerein thē accuse so godly ancient forms of Beleife but to come neerer to you What say you to your owne seruice and the chiefest part thereof in your estimation If this be a fault prooue y e whole naught Thē is your masse naught your masse creed euē for this respect for you cannot finde Descended into hell in your Masse Creed nor died neyther nor yet the communion of Saintes And yet for all this is it among the rest of the best that is in your Masse It would be too long particularly to examine your propiciatorie sacrifice of the Masse which is a newe crucifiyng of Christ agayne as much as in you lyeth of which argument I speake a little after where you repeate and mention your Masse sacrifice againe and extoll it to the skie it is your precious Iewell your popish priesthood and priests finagogues or tēples aultars priests apparel vestments Sen sors Franckinsens c. which you here reckon vp and wee you say lacke in deede we doe so And we thanke God therefore sauing that we haue those which you cal temples wherin we 〈◊〉 for the exercises of our religion which are therfore called Churches with vs because Gods church and peo ple meete there the rest you bring no scriptures for which in steede of all that ye alleage is the foundation of our christian religion so called of Christ. Priests ye say and all were 〈◊〉 for