rebels shoulde heare the aduise of wyse men and geue place vnto theyr iudgement and folowe the example of obedient subiectes as reason is that they whose vnderstandyng is blinded with so euyll an affection shoulde geue place to them that be of sound iudgement and that the worse shoulde geue place to the better and so myght Realmes continue in long obedience peace and quietnesse But what yf the prince be vndiscrete and euil in deede and it also euident to all mens eyes that he so is I aske agayne what yf it be long of the wickednesse of the subiectes that the prince is vndiscrete and euyll Shal the subiectes both by their wickednesse prouoke God for their deserued punishment to geue them an vndiscrete or euyll prince and also rebell agaynst hym and withall agaynst God who for the punishment of their sinnes dyd geue them suche a prince Wyll you heare the scriptures concernyng this poynt God say the holy scriptures maketh a wicked man to raigne for the sinnes of the people Agayne God geueth a prince in his anger meanyng an euyll one and taketh away a prince in his displeasure meanyng speciallye when he taketh away a good prince for the sinnes of the people as in our memorie he toke away our good Josias kyng Edwarde in his young and good yeres for our wickednesse And contrarilye the scriptures do teache that God geueth wysdome vnto princes and maketh a wyse and good kyng to raigne ouer that people whom he loueth and who loueth hym Agayne yf the people obey God both they and theyr kyng shall prosper and be safe els both shal perishe sayth God by the mouth of Samuel Here you see that GOD placeth aswell euyll princes as good and for what cause he doth both If we therefore wyll haue a good prince eyther to be geuen vs or to continue nowe we haue suche a one let vs by our obedience to God and to our prince moue God thereunto If we wyll haue an euyll prince when God shall sende such a one taken away and a good in his place let vs take away our wickednesse whiche prouoketh God to place such a one ouer vs God wyll eyther displace hym or of an euyll prince make hym a good prince so that we first wyll chaunge our euyll into good For wyll you heare the scriptures The heart of the prince is in Gods hande which way soeuer it shall please hym he turneth it Thus say the scriptures wherfore let vs turne from our synnes vnto the Lorde with all our heartes and he wyl turne the heart of the prince vnto our quiet and wealth Els for subiectes to deserue through theyr synnes to haue an euyll prince then to rebel against hym were double and treble euyll by prouokyng GOD more to plague them Nay let vs eyther deserue to haue a good prince or let vs patiently suffer and obey suche as we deserue And whether the prince be good or euill let vs accordyng to the counsel of the holy scriptures pray for the prince for his continuaunce and increase in goodnesse yf he be good and for his amendement yf he be euyll Wyll you heare the scriptures concerning this most necessarie poynt I exhort therefore sayth saint Paul that aboue all thinges prayers supplications intercessions and geuing of thankes be had for all men for kynges and all that are in aucthoritie that we maye liue a quiet and peaceable lyfe with all godlinesse for that is good and acceptable in the syght of GOD our sauiour c. This is Saint Paules councel And who I pray you was prince ouer the moste part of Christians when Gods holye spirite by saint Paules pen gaue them this lesson Forsoothe Caligula Clodius or Nero who were not onlye no Christians but Pagans and also eyther foolishe rulers or most cruel tyrauntes Wyl you yet heare the worde of God to the Jewes when they were prisoners vnder Nabuchodonozor kyng of Babylon after he had slaine their king nobles parentes chyldren and kynsfolkes burned theyr countrey cities yea Hierusalem it selfe and the holy temple and had caryed the residue remayning aliue captiues with hym vnto Babylon Wyll you heare yet what the prophete Baruch sayth vnto Gods people being in this captiuitie Pray you sayth the prophete for the lyfe of Nabuchodonozor kyng of Babylon and for the lyfe of Balthaser his sonne that theyr dayes may be as the dayes of heauen vpon the earth that God also may geue vs strength and lighten our eyes that we may liue vnder the defence of Nabuchodonozor kyng of Babylon and vnder the protection of Balthaser his sonne that we may long do them seruice and finde fauour in their syght Praye for vs also vnto the Lorde our God for we haue sinned agaynst the Lorde our god Thus farre the prophete Baruch his wordes whiche are spoken by hym vnto the people of God of that kyng who was an heathen a tyraunt and cruell oppressour of them and had ben a murtherer of many thousandes of theyr nation and a destroyer of their countrey with a confession that theyr sinnes had deserued suche a prince to raigne ouer them And shall the olde Christians by saint Paules exhortation pray for Caligula Clodius or Nero Shall the Jewes pray for Nabuchodonozor these Emperours and kynges beyng straungers vnto them beyng Pagans and Infidels beyng murtherers tyrauntes and cruell oppressours of them and the destroyers of their countrey countreymen and kinsmen the burners of theyr villages townes cities and temples And shall not we pray for the long prosperous and godly raigne of our naturall prince No straunger whiche is obserued as a great blessing in the scriptures of our Christian our most gratious Soueraigne no heathen nor Pagan prince Shall we not praye for the health of our moste mercifull moste louyng Soueraigne the preseruer of vs and our countrey in so long peace quietnesse and securitie no cruell person no tyraunt no spoyler of our goodes no shedder of our blooddes no burner and destroyer of our Townes Cities and Countrey as were those for whom yet as ye haue hearde Christians beyng theyr subiectes ought to praye Let vs not commit so great ingratitude agaynst GOD and our Soueraigne as not continually to thanke GOD for this gouernment and for his great and continuall benefites and blessinges powred vpon vs by suche gouernment Let vs not commit so great a sinne agaynst God agaynst our selues and our countrey as not to praye continuallye vnto GOD for the long continuaunce of so gratious a ruler vnto vs and our countrey Els shall we be vnworthie any longer to enioy those benefites and blessinges of God whiche hytherto we haue had by her and shal be most worthy to fall into all those mischeefes and miseries which we and our countrey haue by Gods grace through her gouernment hytherto escaped What shall we say of those subiectes may we call them by the name of subiectes Who neyther be thankful nor make any
the world assembled a counsell of Germans at Frankford and there procured the spanishe councel against images afore mentioned to be condemned by the name of the Foelician heresie for that Foelix Bishop of Aquitania was chiefe in that councell obteyned that the actes of the second Nicene counsel asâ—eÌ„bled by Hyrene the holie Empresse whom ye hearde of before and the sentence of the bishop of Rome for images might be receaued For much after this sort do the papistes report of the historie of the councell of Frankforde Notwithstanding the booke of Carolus magnus his owne writing as the tytle sheweth whiche is nowe put in print and commonly in mens handes sheweth the iudgement of that prince and of the whole councel of Frankforde also to be against images against the second councell of Nice assembled by Hyrene for images and calleth it an arrogant foolishe and vngodly councel and declareth the assemble of the councell of Frankforde to haue ben directly made and gathered against that Nicene councell the errours of the same So that it must needes folow that either there were in one princes time two councels assembled at Frankforde one contrarie to another whiche by no historie doth appeare or els that after their custome the Popes and Papistes haue most shamefully corrupted that councell as their manner is to handle not onely councels but also all histories and wrytinges of the olde Doctours falsifiyng and corrupting them for the mayntenaunce of their wicked and vngodlie purposes as hath in tymes of late come to lyght and doeth in our dayes more and more continuallye appeare most euidentlie Let the forged gyft of Constantine and the notable attempt to falsifie the first Nicene councell for the Popes supremacie practised by Popes in Saynte Augustines tyme be a witnes hereof which practise in deede had then taken effect had not the diligence and wisedome of saynt Augustine and other learned and godly bishoppes in A 〈…〉 rike by their great labour and charges also resisted and stopped the same Nowe to come towardes an ende of this historie and to shewe you the principall poynte that came to passe by the maintenaunce of images Where as from Constantinus Magnus tyme vntil that day al aucthoritie imperiall princely dominion of the empire of Rome remayned coÌ„tinually in the right and possession of the Emperours who had their continuaunce and seat imperiall at Constantinople the citie royall Leo the third then Bishop of Rome seing the Greeke Emperours so vent agaynst his Gods of golde and syluer tymber and stone and hauyng the kyng of the Francons or Frenchemen named Charles whose power was exceeding great in the west countries very appliable to his mynde for causes here after appearing vnder the pretence that they of Constantinople were for that matter of images vnder the Popes ban curse and therefore vnworthy to be emperours or to beare rule and for that the emperours of Grece being farre of were not redye at a beche to defende the Pope agaynst the Lumbardes his enemies and other with whom he had variaunce This Leo the thirde I saye attempted a thyng exceeding straunge and vnhearde of before and of incredible boldnesse and presumption For he by his papall aucthoritie doth translate the gouernement of the Empire and the crowne and name imperiall from the Greekes and geueth it vnto Charles the great kyng of the Francons not with out the coÌ„sent of the forenamed Hyrene empresse of Grece who also sought to be ioyned in mariage with the said Charles For the which cause the sayd Hyrene was by the Lordes of Grece deposed and banished as one that had betrayed the empire as ye before haue heard And the said princes of Grece did after the depriuation of the sayde Hyrene by common consent elect and create as they alwayes had done an Emperour named Nycaephorus whom the Bishop of Rome and they of the west would not acknowledge for their Emperour for they had alredy created them another and so there became two Emperours And the empire whiche was before one was diuided into two partes vppon occasion of idols images and the worshipping of them Euen as the kingdome of the Israelites was in olde tyme for the lyke cause of Idolatrie diuided in King Roboam his tyme And so the Byshoppe of Rome hauing the fauour of Charles the great by this meanes assured to him was wonderously enhaunced in poweâ— and aucthoritie and did in all the west Church specially in Italie what he lust where images were set vp garnished and worshipped of al sorts of men But images were not so fast set vp and so much honoured in Italie and the west but Nycaephorus emperour of Constantinople and his successours Scauratius the two Michaels Leo Theophilus and other emperours their successours in the empire of Grece continually pulled them downe brake them burned them and destroyed them as fast And when Theodorus Emperour would at the councel of Lions haue agreed with the Bishop of Rome and haue set vp images he was by the nobles of the empire of Grece depriued and another chosen in his place and so rose agelousie suspition grudge hatred and enmitie betwene the christians and empires of the East countries and west which could neuer be quenched nor pacified So that when the Sarasens first and afterwarde the Turkes inuaded the Christians the one part of christendome would not helpe the other By reasoÌ„ wherof at the last the noble empire of Grece and the citie imperial Constantinople was lost and is come into the hands of the infidels who now haue ouerrunne almost all christendome and possessing past the middle of Hungarie whiche is part of the west empire do hang ouer all our heades to the vtter daunger of all christendome Thus we see what a sea of mischiefes the maintenaunce of images hath brought with it what an horrible scisme betweene the east and the west Churche what an hatred betwene one christian and another councels agaynst councels churche agaynst church christians agaynst christians princes against princes rebellions treasons vnnaturall and most cruell murders the daughter digging vp and burning her father the Emperours bodye the mother for loue of idols most abominably murdering her owne sonne being an Emperour at the last the tearing in sunder of Christendome and the empire into two peeces till the Infidels Sarasens and Turkes common enemies to bothe partes haue most cruellye vanquished destroyed and subdued the one parte the whole empire of Grece Asia the lesse Thrasia Macedonia Epirus and manye other great and goodlye countries and prouinces and haue wonne a great peece of the other empire and put the whole in dreadfull feare and most horrible daunger For it is not without a iust and great cause to be dread leaste as the Empire of Rome was euen for the lyke cause of images and the worshyppyng of them torne in peeces and diuided as was for Idolatry the kyngdome of Israel in olde tyme diuided so lyke
women shortly after fell on heapes to worshyppyng of them And at the last the learned also were caryed away with the publique errour as with a violent streame or fludde And at the seconde counsell Nicene the Byshoppes and Cleargie decreed that images shoulde be worshypped and so by occasion of these stumblyng blockes not onlye the vnlearned and simple but the learned and wyse not the people onlye but the Byshoppes not the sheepe but also the shepheardes them selues who shoulde haue ben guydes in the ryght way and lyght to shyne in darkenesse beyng blynded by the be witching of images as blynde guydes of the blynde fell both into the pitte of damnable idolatrie In the whiche all the worlde as it were drowned contynued vntylourage by the space of aboue eight hundred yeres vnspoken agaynst in a maner And this successe had Gregories order whiche mischeefe had neuer come to passe had Byshoppe Serenus way ben taken and all idols and images ben vtterly destroyed and abolished for no man worshippeth that that is not And thus you see how from hauing of images priuately it came to publique settyng of them vp in Churches and Temples although without harme at the fyrste as was then of some wyse and learned men iudged and from simple hauing them there it came at the last to worshippyng of them Firste by the rude people who specially as the Scriptures teacheth are in daunger of superstition and idolatrie and afterwardes by the Byshoppes the learned and by the whole Cleargie So that laytie and Clearge learned and vnlearned all ages sectes and degrees of men women and children of whole Christendome an horrible and most dreadfull thyng to thynke haue ben at once drowned in abhominable idolatrie of all other vices most detested of God and moste damnable to man and that by the space of eight hundred yeres and more And to this end is come that beginning of settyng vp of images in Churches then iudged harmelesse in experience proued not onlye harmefull but exitious and pestilent and to the destruction and subuertion of all good religion vniuersaliye So that I conclude as it may be possible in some one Citie or litle Countrey to haue images set vp in temples and Churches and yet idolatrie by earnest and continual preachyng of Gods true worde and the sincere Gospel of our sauiour Christe may be kept away for a short tyme So is it impossible that images once set vp and suffred in temples and Churches any great countreys muche lesse the whole worlde can any long tyme be kepte from idolatrie And the godly wyll respect not onely their owne Citie Countrey and time and the health of men of their age but be carefull for all places and tymes and the saluation of men of all ages At the leaste they wyll not lay such stumblyng blockes and snares for the feete of other countreymen and ages whiche experience hath alredie proued to haue ben the ruine of the worlde Wherefore I make a generall conclusion of all that I haue hitherto sayde yf the stumblyng blockes and poysons of mens soules by settyng vp of images wyl be many yea infinite yf they be suffered and the warnynges of the same stumblyng blockes and remedies for the sayde poysons by preachyng but fewe as is alredy declared yf the stumblyng blockes be easy to be layde the poysons soone prouided and the warnynges and remedies harde to knowe or come by yf the stumblyng blockes lye continuallye in the way and poyson be redye at hand euery where and warnynges and remedies but seldome geuen and if all men be more redy of them selues to stumble and be offended then to be warned all men more redie to drynke of the poyson then to taste of the remedie as is before partly and shall hereafter more fully be declared and so in fine the poyson continually and deepely drunke of many the remedie seldome and fayntly tasted of a fewe Howe can it be but infinite of the weake and infirme shal be offended infinite by ruine shall breake their neckes infinite by deadly vâ—nome be poysoned in their soules And howe is the charitie of God or loue of our neyghbour in our heartes then if when we may remoue suche daungerous stumbling blockes suche pestilent poysons we wyll not remoue them What shall I saye of them whiche wyll laye stumbling blockes where before was none and set snares for the feete nay for the soules of weake and simple ones and worke the daunger of their eternal ruine for whom our Sauiour Christe shed his precious blood where better it were that the artes of painting playstering caruing grauing and foundyng had neuer ben founde nor vsed then one of them whose soules in the syght of God are so precious should by occasion of image or picture perishe and be loste And thus is it declared that preachyng can not possiblye stay idolatrie if images be set vp publiquely in Temples and Churches And as true is it that no other remedye as wrytyng agaynst idolatrie counsels assembled decrees made agaynste it seuere lawes lykewyse and proclamations of princes and Emperours neyther extreame punyshmentes and penalties nor anye other remedye coulde or can be possiblie deuised for the auoydyng of idolatrie if images be publiquely set vp and suffered For concernyng wrytyng agaynste images and idolatrie to them committed there hath ben alleaged vnto you in the second part of this treatise a great manye of places out of Tertulian Origene Lactantius S. Augustine Epiphanius S. Ambrose Clemens and diuers other learned holy byshops and doctours of the Churche And besides these all histories ecclesiasticall and bookes of other godlye and learned byshoppes and Doctours are full of notable examples and sentences agaynst images and the worshyppyng of them And as they haue moste earnestly wrytten so dyd they sincerely and most diligently in their time teache and preache accordyng to their wrytynges and examples For they were then preachyng Byshops and more often seene in pulpittes then in prynces palaces more often occupyed in his legacie who sayde go ye into the whole world and preache the Gospell to all men then in imbassages and affayres of princes of this worlde And as they were moste zealous and diligent so were they of excellent learnyng and godlynes of lyse and by both of great aucthoritie and credite with the people and so of more force and lykelyhood to perswade the people and the people more lyke to beleue and folowe their doctrine But if their preachynges coulde not helpe muche lesse could their writynges which do but come to the knowledge of a fewe that be learned in comparison to continuall preachyng whereof the whole multitude is partaker Neyther dyd the old fathers Byshoppes Doctours seuerallye onlye by preachyng and wrytyng but also together great numbers of them assembled in synodes and counsels make decrees and ecclesiasticall lawes agaynst images and the worshipping of them neyther dyd they so once or twyse but diuers times and in diuers ages and countreys
maynteyners and worshyppers haue vsed and vse the same outwarde rites maner of honouryng and worshipping theyr images as the Gentiles dyd vse before their idols and that therefore they commit idolatrie aswell inwardly and outwardlye as dyd the wycked Gentiles idolaters And concerning the first part of the idolatrious opinions of our image maynteyners What I pray you be suche saintes with vs to whom we attribute the defence of certayne countreyes spoylyng God of his due honour herein but Dij tutelares of the Gentiles idolaters Suche as were Belus to the Babylonians and Assyrians O siris and Isis to the Egyptians Vulcane to the Lemnians and such other What be such saintes to whom the sauegarde of certayne cities are appointed but Dij praesides with the Gentiles idolaters Suche as were at Delphos Apollo at Athens Minerua at Carthage Iuno at Rome Quirinus c. What be such saints to whom contrary to the vse of the primitiue Churche Temples and Churches be buylded and aulters erected but Dij patroni of the Gentiles idolaters Such as were in the Capitol Iupiter in Paphus temple Venus in Ephesus temple Diana such lyke Alas we seeme in thus thynkyng and doyng to haue learned our religion not out of Gods worde but out of the Pagan poets who say Excessere omnes aditis arisque relictis Dij quibus imperium hoc steterat c. That is to say All the gods by whose desence this Empire stoode are gone out of the temples and haue forsaken their aulters And where one saint hath images in diuers places the same saint hath diuers names thereof moste lyke to the Gentiles When you heare of our Lady of Walsingham our Lady of Ipswich our Lady of Wilsdon suche other what is it but an imitation of the Gentiles idolaters Diana Agrotera Diana Coriphea Diana Ephesia c. Venus Cipria Venus Paphia Venus Gnidia Whereby is euidently meant that the saint for the image sake shoulde in those places yea in the images them selues haue a dwellyng whiche is the grounde of theyr idolatrie For where no images be they haue no such meanes Terentius varro sheweth that there were three hundred Iupiters in his tyme there were no fewer Veneres and Dianae we had no fewer Christophers Ladies and Marie Magdalens and other saintes Oenomaus and Hesiodus shewe that in theyr time there were thirtie thousande Gods. I thinke we had no fewer saintes to whom we gaue the honour due to god And they haue not only spoyled the true liuing God of his due honour in temples cities countreyes and landes by suche deuises and inuentions as the Gentiles idolaters haue done before them but the Sea and waters haue aswell speciall saintes with them as they had Gods with the Gentiles Neptune Tritron Nereus Castor Pollux Venus and suche other In whose places be come saint Christopher saint Clement and diuers other and specially our Lady to whom shypmen syng Aue maris stella Neyther hath the fyre scaped theyr idolatrious inuentions For in steade of Vulcane and Vesta the Gentiles gods of the fyre our men haue placed saint Agatha and make letters on her day for to quenche fyre with Euerye artificer and profession hath his speciall saint as a peculier god As for example scollers haue saint Nicholas and saint Gregorie paynters saint Luke neyther lacke souldiers theyr Mars nor louers theyr Venus amongest Christians All diseases haue theyr speciall saintes as gods the curers of them The pockes saint Roche the fallyng euyll saint Cornelis the toothe ache saint Appoline c. neyther do beastes and cattell lacke theyr Gods with vs for saint Loy is the horseleache and saint Anthonie the swinehearde c. Where is Gods prouidence and due honour in the meane season who sayth The heauens be myne and the earth is myne the whole worlde and al that in it is I do geue victorie and I put to flight of me be al councels and helpe c. Except I kepe the citie in vayne doth he watch that kepeth it thou Lorde shalt saue both men and beastes But we haue left hym neyther heauen nor earth nor water nor countrey nor citie peace no warre to rule and gouerne neyther men nor beastes nor theyr diseases to cure that a godlye man myght iustlye for zelous indignation crye out O heauen O earth and seas what madnesse and wickednesse agaynst God are men fallen into What dishonour do the creatures to theyr creator and maker And yf we remember God sometime yet because we doubt of his habilitie or will to helpe we ioyne to hym another helper as he were a nowne adiectiue vsyng these sayinges suche as learne God and saint Nicholas be my speede such as neese God helpe and saint John to the horse God and saint Loy saue thee Thus are we become like horses and moyles whiche haue no vnderstandyng For is there not one God only who by his power and wysdome made all thynges and by his prouidence gouerneth the same and by his goodnes maynteyneth and saueth them Be not all thynges of hym by hym and through hym Why doest thou turne from the creatour to the creatures This is the maner of the Gentiles idolaters but thou art a Christian and therefore by Christe alone hast accesse to God the father and helpe of him only These thynges are not wrytten to any reproche of the saintes them selues who were the true seruauntes of God and dyd geue all honour to him taking none vnto themselues and are blessed soules with God but against our foolishnes and wickednes makyng of the true seruauntes of God false gods by attributyng to them the power and honour whiche is Gods and due to hym only And for that we haue suche opinions of the power and redy helpe of saintes al our Legendes Hymnes Sequences and Masses dyd conteyne stories laudes and prayses of them and prayers to them yea and sermons also altogether of them and to theyr prayses Gods worde beyng cleane layde asyde And this we do altogether agreeable to the saintes as dyd the Gentiles idolaters to theyr false gods For these opinions whiche men haue had of mortall persons were they neuer so holye the olde moste godlye and learned Christians haue written agaynst the faygned gods of the Gentiles and Christian princes haue destroyed theyr images who yf they were nowe lyuyng woulde doubtlesse lykewyse both wryte agaynst our false opinions of saintes and also destroye theyr images For it is euident that our image maynteyners haue the same opinion of saintes whiche the Gentiles had of theyr false gods and thereby are moued to make them images as the Gentiles dyd If aunswere be made that they make saintes but intercessours to God and meanes for suche thynges as they woulde obteyne of God that is euen after the Gentiles idolatrious vsage to make them of saintes gods called Dij Medioximi to be meane intercessours and helpers to God as though he dyd not heare or shoulde be weerye yf he
our selues that at the last daye euery man shall receaue of God for his labour done in true faith a greater rewarde then his workes haue deserued And because somewhat shall nowe be spoken of one particuler good woorke whose commendation is both in the lawe and in the Gospell thus muche is sayde in the beginning generally of all good workes First to remoue out of the way of the simple and vnlearned this daungerous stumbling blocke that anye man should go about to purchase or bye heauen with his workes Secondly to take away so nyghe as may be from enuious myndes and slaunderous tongues all iust occasion of slaunderous speaking as though good workes were reiected This good worke which now shall be entreated of is Fasting whiche is founde in the scriptures to be of two sortes The one outwarde parteyning to the body the other inward in the hart and mynde This outward fast is an abstinence from meate drinke and all naturall foode yea from al delicious pleasures delectations worldly When this outward fast parteyneth to one particuler man or to a few and not to the whole number of the people for causes whiche hereafter shal be declared then it is called a priuate fast But when the whole multitude of men women and children in a towneship of Citie yea though a whole countrey do faste it is called a publique fast Suche was that fast whiche the whole multitude of the children of Israel were commaunded to keepe the tenth daye of the seuenth moneth because almightie God appoynted that daye to be a clensing day a day of an atonement a tyme of reconciliation a day wherein the people were cleansed from their sinnes The order and maner how it was done is written in the xvi and. xxiii Chapter of Leuiticus That day the people did lament mourne weepe and bewayle their former sinnes And whosoeuer vpon that day did not humble his soule bewayling his sinnes as is sayd abstayning from all bodyly foode vntill the euening that soule sayeth almightie God should be destroyed from among his people We do not reade that Moyses ordayned by order of lawe any dayes of publique fast throughout the whole yere more then that one day The Jewes notwithstanding had more tymes of common fasting whiche the Prophete Zacharie reciteth to be the fast of the fourth the fast of the fifth the fast of the seuenth and the fast of the tenth moneth But for that it appeareth not in the leuiticall lawe when they were instituted it is to be iudged that those other times of fasting more then the fast of the seuenth moneth were ordeyned among the Jewes by the appoyntment of their gouernours rather of deuotion then by any open commaundement geuen from god Upon the ordinaunce of this general fast good men tooke occasion to appoynt to them selues priuate fastes at suche tymes as they did eyther earnestlye lament and bewayle their sinfull lyues or did addict them selues to more feruent prayer that it might please God to turne his wrath from them when eyther they were admonished and brought to the consideration therof by the preaching of the Prophetes or otherwise when they sawe present daunger to hange ouer their heades This sorowfulnes of heart ioyned with fasting they vttered sometyme by their outwade behauiour and gesture of body putting on sackcloth sprinckling them selues with ashes and dust and sitting or lying vppon the earth For when good men feele in them selues the heauy burden of sinne see dampnation to be the rewarde of it and beholde with the eye of their mynde the horrour of hell they tremble they quake and are inwardly touched with sorowfulnesse of heart for their offences and cannot but accuse them selues and open this their griefe vnto almyghtie God and call vnto him for mercye This being done seriously their mynde is so occupyed partly with sorrowe and heauinesse partly with an earnest desyre to be deliuered from this daunger of hell and damnation that all lust of meate and drinke is layde apart and lothsomnesse of all worldlye thinges and pleasures commeth in place so that nothing then liketh them more then to weepe to lament to mourne and both with wordes and behauiour of bodye to shewe them selues weary of this lyfe Thus did Dauid fast when he made intercession to almightie God for the chyldes lyfe begotten in adultrie of Bethsabe Vrias wyfe King Achab fasted after this sorte when it repented him of murdering of Naboth bewayling his owne sinfull doinges Suche was the Niniuites fast brought to repentaunce by Ionas preaching When fourtie thousande of the Israelites were slayne in battaile against the Beniamites the scripture sayeth All the children of Israel and the whole multitude of people went out to Bethel and sate there weeping before the Lord and fasted all that daye vntill nyght So did Daniel Hester Nehemias and many others in the olde testament fast But if anye man will saye it is true so they fasted in deede but we are not nowe vnder that yoke of the lawe we are set at libertie by the freedome of the Gospell therfore those rites and customes of the olde lawe bynde not vs except it can be shewed by the scriptures of the new Testament or by examples out of the same that fasting nowe vnder the Gospell is a restraint of meate drynke and all bodily foode and pleasures frō the body as before First that we ought to fast is a trueth more manifest then that it should here neede to be proued the scriptures whiche teache the same are euident The doubt therfore that is is whether when we fast we ought to withhold from our bodyes all meat and drinke duryng the time of our fast or no That we ought so to do may be well gathered vppon a question moued by the Pharisees to Christ and by his aunswere againe to the same Why say they do Johns Disciples fast often praye and we lykewyse but thy disciples eate and drinke and fast not at all In this smoothe question they coutch vp subtilly this argument or reason Who so fasteth not that man is not of god For fasting and prayer are workes bothe commended and commaunded of GOD in his scriptures and all good men from Moyses till this time as well the prophetes as others haue exercised them selues in these workes John also and his disciples at this daye do fast oft and pray muche and so do we the Pharisees in lyke maner But thy disciples fast not at all whiche if thou wilt denye we can easylye proue it For whosoeuer eateth and drinketh fasteth not Thy disciples eate and drinke therefore they fast not Of this we conclude say they necessaryly that neyther art thou nor yet the disciples of god Christe maketh aunswere saying Can ye make that the children of the weddyng shal fast while the brydegrome is with them The dayes shall come when the bridegrome shal be taken from them In those dayes shall they faste Our sauiour Christe like a good maister
be not vnderstanded of them that be present they can not thereby be edified For as when the trumpet that is blowen in the feelde geueth an vncertaine sounde no man is therby stirred vp to prepare him selfe to the fight And as when an instrument of musicke maketh no distinct sound no man can tel what is piped Euen so when prayers or administration of sacramentes shal be in a tongue vnknowen to the hearers which of them shal be thereby stirred vp to lyft vp his minde to God and to begge with the Minister at Gods hand those things which in the wordes of his prayers the minister asketh Or who shall in the ministration of the Sacramentes vnderstande what inuisible grace is to be craued of the hearer to be wrought in the inwarde man Cruely no man at al. For sayth S. Paul he that speaketh in a tongue vnknowen shal be vnto the hearer an alient whiche in a Christian congregation is a great absurditie For we are not straungers one to another but we are the citizens of the saintes of the householde of GOD yea and members of one bodye And therfore whiles our minister is in rehersing the prayer that is made in the name of vs all we must geue diligent eare to the wordes spoken by him and in hearte begge at Gods hande those thinges that he beggeth in wordes And to signifie that we so do we say Amen at the ende of the prayer that he maketh in the name of vs al. And this thing can we not do for edification vnlesse we vnderstand what is spoken Therfore it is required of necessitie that the common praier be had in a tongue that the hearers do vnderstande If euer it had ben tollerable to vse strange tongues in the congregations the same myght haue ben in the time of Paul the other apostles when they were miraculously endued with the gift of tongues For it might then haue perswaded some to imbrace the Gospell when they had hearde men that were Hebrues borne vnlearned speake the Greke the Latin other languages But Paul thought it not tollerable then And shall we vse it now when no man commeth by the knowledge of tongues other wyse then by diligent earnest study God forbid For we should by that meanes bring all our Church exercises to friuolus superstition and make them altogether vnfruitefull Luke writeth that when Peter and John were discharged by the Princes and high Priestes of Hierusalem they came to their felowes tolde them al that the princes of the priestes and elders had spoken vnto them Which when they heard they lyfted vp their voyce together to God with one assent and sayde Lord thou arthe that hast made heauen and earth the sea and all thinges that are in them c. Thus coulde they not haue done yf they had prayed in a straunge tongue that they had not vnderstande And no doubt of it they dyd not all speake with seuerall voyces but some one of them spake in the name of them all the rest geuing diligent eare to his wordes consented therunto and therefore it is sayd that they lifted vp their voyce together Saint Luke saith not Their voices as many but their voice as one That one voyce therefore was in suche language as they al vnderstood other wyse they coulde not haue lifted it vp with the consent of their heartes For no man can geue consent of the thing he knoweth not As touching the times before the comming of Christe there was neuer man yet that would affirme that eyther the people of God or other had their prayers or administrations of sacraments or sacrifices in a tongue that they them selues vnderstood not As for the time since Christe tyll that vsurped power of Rome began to spreade it selfe and to enforce al the nations of Europe to haue the Romishe language in admiration it appeareth by the consent of the most auncient learned writers that there was no straunge or vnknowen tongue vsed in the congregations of Christians Instinus martyr who liued about 160. yeres after Christ sayth thus of the administration of the Lordes supper in his time Upon the Sunday assembles are made both of them that dwel in cities and of thē that dwell in the countrey also Amongst whō as much as may be the writinges of the apostles prophets are read Afterwards when the reader doth ceasse the chiefe minister maketh an exhortatiō exhorting them to folow so honest things After this we ryse altogether and offer prayers which being ended as we haue saide bread and wine and water are brought foorth Then the head minister offereth prayers thankesgeuing with al his power the people aunswere Amē These wordes with their circumstaunces beyng duely consydered do declare plainly that not only the scriptures were read in a knowen tongue but also that praier was made in the same in the congregations of Iustines tyme Basilius magnus and Iohannes Chrisostomus dyd in theyr tyme prescribe publique orders of publique administration which they call Liturgies and in them they appoynted the people to aunswere to the prayers of the Minister sometime Amen sometyme Lorde haue mercie vppon vs sometyme and with thy spirite and we haue our heartes lyfted vp vnto the Lorde c. Which aunsweres the people coulde not haue made in due time yf the praiers had not ben in a tongue that they vnderstoode The same Basil writing to the Cleargie of Neocaesaria sayth thus of his vsage in common prayer appoynting one to beginne the song the rest folow And so with diuers songes prayers passing ouer the night at the dawnyng of the day altogether euen as it were with one mouth and one heart they sing vnto the Lorde a song of confession euery man framing vnto him selfe meete wordes of repentaunce In another place he sayth If the Sea be faire howe is not the assemble of the congregation muche more fayre in which a ioyned sounde of men women and children as it were of the waues beating on the shore is sent forth in our prayers vnto our God Marke his wordes A ioyned sounde sayth he of men women and children Which can not be vnlesse they all vnderstande the tongue wherein the prayer is sayde And Chrisostome vppon the wordes of Paul sayth So soone as the people heare these words worlde without ende they all do forthwith aunswere Amen This coulde they not do vnlesse they vnderstood the worde spoken by the priest Dionisius sayth that hymnes were sayde of the whole multitude of people in the administration of the Communion Ciprian sayth the Priest doth prepare the mindes of the brethren with a preface before the prayer saying Lyft vp your heartes That whyles the people doth aunswere VVe haue our heartes lyfted vp to the Lord they be admonished that they ought to thinke on none other thing then the Lorde Saint Ambrose wryting vppon the wordes of saint Paul sayth This is it that
Christe the same is not his And by turnyng the wordes it maye be as truely sayd If any man be not of Christe the same hath not his spirite Nowe to discerne who are truely his and who not we haue this rule geuen vs that his sheepe do alwayes heare his voyce And saint John sayth He that is of God heareth Gods worde Whereof it foloweth that the popes in not hearing Christes voyce as they ought to do but preferring their owne decrees before the expresse worde of God do playnely argue to the worlde that they are not of Christe nor yet possessed with his spirite But here they wyll alleage for them selues that there are diuers necessarie poyntes not expressed in holy scripture whiche were left to the reuelation of the holy ghost Who beyng geuen to the Churche accordyng to Christes promise hath taught many thynges from tyme to tyme which the apostles coulde not then beare To this we may easily aunswere by the playne wordes of Christe teachyng vs that the proper office of the holy ghoste is not to institute and bring in newe ordinaunces contrary to his doctrine before taught but to expound declare those thynges whiche he had before taught so that they might be wel truely vnderstode When the holy ghost sayth he shall come he shall leade you into all trueth What trueth doth he meane Any other then he him self had before expressed in his word No. For he sayth He shal take of myne and shew it vnto you Agayne he shall bryng you in remembraunce of all thynges that I haue tolde you it is not then the duetie and part of any christian vnder pretence of the holy ghost to bryng in his owne dreames and phantasies into the Churche but he must diligently prouide that his doctrine decrees be agreeable to Christes holye testament Otherwise in making the holy ghost the aucthour thereof he doth blaspheme and belye the holy ghost to his owne condempnation Now to leaue their doctrine and come to other poyntes What shall we thynke or iudge of the popes intollerable pryde The scripture sayth that God resisteth the proude and sheweth grace to the humble Also it pronounceth them blessed which are poore in spirite promising that they which humble them selues shal be exalted And Christe our sauiour wylieth all his to learne of hym because he is humble and meeke As for pryde saint Gregorie sayth it is the roote of all mischeefe And saint Augustines iudgement is this that it maketh men deuilles Can any man then whiche eyther hath or shall reade the popes lyues iustly say that they had the holy ghoste within them First as touching that they wil be tearmed vniuersall byshoppes and heades of all Christian Churches through the world we haue the iudgement of Gregory expresly against them who wrytyng to Maritius the Emperour condemneth John bishop of Constantinople in that behalfe calling him the prince of pryde Lucifers successour and the forerunner of Antechriste Saint Barnarde also agreeing thereunto sayth What greater pride can there be then that one man should preferre his owne iudgement before the whole congregation as though he onlye had the spirite of God And Chrisostome pronounceth a terrible sentence agaynst them affyrming playnly that whosoeuer seeketh to be cheefe in earth shall finde confusion in heauen and that he whiche striueth for the supremacie shall not be reputed among the seruauntes of Christe Agayne he sayth To desire a good worke it is good but to couet the cheefe degree of honour it is mere vanitie Do not these places sufficiently conuince their outragious pride in vsurping to them selues a superioritie aboue all other aswell ministers and byshops as kynges also and Emperours But as the Lion is knowne by his clawes so let vs learne to knowe these men by their deedes What shall we say of hym that made the noble kyng Dandalus to be tyed by the necke with a chayne and to lye flat downe before his table there to gnaw bones lyke a dogge Shal we thynke that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuil Such a tyraunt was pope Clement the sixt What shall we say of hym that proudly and contemptuously trode Fredericke the Emperour vnder his feete applying the vearse of the Psalme vnto him selfe Thou shalt go vpon the Lion and the Adder the young Lion the Dragon thou shalt tread vnder thy foote Shal we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Alexander the thirde What shall we say of him that armed and animated the sonne against the father causing him to be taken to be cruelly famished to death contrary to the law both God and also of nature Shall we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Pascall the seconde What shall we saye of hym that came into his popedome lyke a foxe that raigned lyke a Lion and dyed lyke a dogge Shal we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Boniface the eyght What shall we say of hym that made Henrye the Emperour with his wyfe and his young childe to stande at the gates of the Citie in the rough winter bare footed and bare legged only clothed in lincie wolâ—ie eatyng nothyng from mornyng to nyght and that for the space of three dayes Shal we say that he had Gods holy spirite within hym and not rather the spirite of the deuyll Suche a tyraunt was pope Hildebrande moste worthy to be called a fyrebrand if we shal tearme him as he hath best deserued Many other examples might here be alleaged As of pope Jone the harlot that was delyuered of a chylde in the hygh streate goyng solempnly in procession Of pope Iulius the seconde that wilfully cast Saint Peters keyes into the ryuer Tiberis Ofpope Vrban the sixte that caused fiue Cardinals to be put in sackes and cruelly drowned Of pope Sergius the thirde that persecuted the dead bodye of Formosius his predecessour when it had ben buried eight yeres Of Pope John the. xiiii of that name who hauing his enemy deliuered into his handes caused him first to be stripped starke naked his beard to be shauen and to be hanged vp a whole day by the heere then to be set vpon an Asse with his face backward towardes the taile to be caryed round about the Citie in dispite to be miserablye beaten with roddes laste of all to be thrust out of his countrye and to be banished for euer But to conclude and make an ende ye shall breefly take this shorte lesson Wheresoeuer ye fynde the spirite of arrogancye and pryde the spirite of enuye hatred contention crueltie murder extortion witchcraft necromancie c. Assure your selues that there is the spirite of the
the aucthour of your mariage and surely the promise of releefe is at hand For Christe affyrmeth in his gospell Where two or three be gathered together in my name and be agreed what matter soeuer they praye for it shal be graunted them of my heauenly father Why therefore shouldest thou be afrayde of the daunger where thou hast so redy a promise and so nye an helpe Furthermore you must vnderstande how necessarie it is for Christian folke to beare Christes crosse For els we shall neuer feele how comfortable Gods helpe is vnto vs Therefore geue thankes to God for his great benefite in that ye haue taken vpon you this state of wedlocke and pray you instauntly that almyghtie God may luckely defende and maynteyne you therein that neyther ye be ouercommed with any temptation nor with any aduersitie But before all thynges take good heede that ye geue no occasion to the deuyll to let and hynder your prayers by discorde and discention For there is no stronger defence and stay in all our lyfe then is prayer in the which we may call for the helpe of God and obteyne it whereby we may winne his blessyng his grace his defence and protection so to continue therein to a better lyfe to come Which graunt vs he that died for vs all to whom be all honour and prayse for euer and euer Amen An Homilee against Idlenesse FOrasmuche as man beyng not borne to ease rest but to labour trauell is by corruption of nature through synne so farre degenerated growen out of kynde that he taketh idlenesse to be no euyl at all but rather a commendable thyng seemely for those that be wealthy therefore is greedyly imbraced of most part of men as agreeable to their sensuall affection all labour and trauayle is diligently auoyded as a thyng paynful repugnaunt to the pleasure of the flesh It is necessarie to be declared vnto you that by the ordinance of God which he hath set in the nature of man euery one ought in his lawful vocation and callyng to geue hymselfe to labour And that idlenes beyng repugnaunt to the same ordinaunce is a greeuous sinne also for the great inconueniences mischeefes which spryng thereof an intollerable euill to thintent that when ye vnderstande the same ye may diligently flee from it on the other part earnestlye applye your selues euery man in his vocation to honest labour and busynes which as it is enioyned vnto man by Gods appoyntment so it wanteth not his manyfold bleslynges sundry benefites Almyghtie God after that he had created mā put him into paradice that he might dresse kepe it But when he had transgressed gods commaundement eating the fruite of the tree which was forbidden hym almyghtie God foorth with did cast him out of paradice into this wofull vale of miserie enioyning him to labour the grounde that he was taken out of and to eate his bread in the sweate of his face all the dayes of his lyfe It is the appoyntment and wyll of God that euery man during the tyme of this mortall and transitorie lyfe should geue himself to some honest and godly exercise labour and euery one to do his owne busines to walke vpryghtly in his owne calling Man sayth Job is borne to labour And we are commaunded by Jesus Syrach not to hate painefull workes neyther husbandry or other such mysteries of trauaile which the highest hath created The wise man also exhorteth vs to drinke the waters of our owne cesterne and of the riuers that runne out of the middes of our owne well meanyng therby that we should lyue of our ownelabours not deuour the laboures of other Saint Paul hearing that among the Thessaloniās there were certayne that liued dissolutely out of order that is to say whiche dyd not worke but were busybodyes not getting their owne liuing with their owne trauaile but eating other mens bread of free coste dyd commaunde the said Thessalonians not only to withdrawe them selues and abstaine from the familier company of such inordinate persons but also that yf there were any such among them that would not labour the same shoulde not eate nor haue any liuing at other mens handes Whiche doctrine of S. Paul no doubt is grounded vppon the generall ordinaunce of God whiche is that euery man should labour And therfore it is to be obeyed of al men and no man can iustly exempt hym selfe from the same But when it is sayde al men should labour it is not so straightly meant that all men should vse handye labour But as there be diuers sortes of labour some of the minde some of the body and some of both So euery one except by reason of age debilitie of body or want of health he be vnapt to labour at all ought both for the getting of his owne liuyng honestly and for to profite others in some kind of labour to exercise him selfe accordyng as the vocation wherevnto God hath called hym shall require So that whosoeuer doth good to the common weale and societie of men with his industry and labour whether it be by gouerning the cōmon weale publiquely or by bearing publique office or ministerie or by doyng any cōmon necessary affayres of his countrey or by geuyng counsell or by teachyng instructing others or by what other meanes soeuer he be occupied so that a profite and benefite redound thereof vnto others the same person is not to be accompted idle though he worke no bodyly labour nor is to be denied his liuyng yf he attende his vocation though he worke not with his handes Bodyly labour is not required of them which by reason of their vocation and office are occupied in the labour of the minde to the profite and helpe of others Saint Paul exhorteth Timothie to esche we and refuse idle widowes which go about from house to house because they are not onlye idle but pratlers also and busybodyes speakyng thinges whiche are not comely The prophete Ezechiel declaring what the sinnes of the citie of Sodome were reckeneth idlenesse to be one of the principall The sinnes sayth he of Sodome were these Pride fulnes of meate aboundance and idlenesse These thynges had Sodome and her daughters meaning the cities subiect to her The horrible and straunge kynde of destruction of that citie and al the countrey about the same which was fyre and brimstone raigning from heauen most manifestly declareth what a greeuous sinne idlenesse is and ought to admonishe vs to flee from the same and embrace honest and godly labour But yf we geue our selues to idlenesse slouth to lurking and loitering to wylful wandering wastefull spending neuer setling our selues to honest labour but liuing like drone bees by the labours of other men then do we breake the Lordes cōmaundement we go astray from our vocation and incurre the daunger of Gods wrath and heauie displeasure to our endlesse destruction except by repentaunce we
token of his due and bounden obedience with denuntiation of death if he dyd transgresse breake the said lawe commaundement And as God would haue man to be his obedient subiect so did he make al earthly creatures subiect vnto man who kept their due obedience vnto man so long as man remayned in his obedience vnto god in the which obedience if man had continued stil there had ben no pouertie no diseases no sicknesse no death nor other miseries wherewith mankynde is nowe infinitely and most miserably afflicted and oppressed So here appeareth the originall kyngdome of God ouer angels and man and vniuersally ouer all thinges and of man ouer earthly creatures whiche God had made subiect vnto him and withall the felicitie and blessed state whiche angels man and all creatures had remayned in had they continued in due obedience vnto GOD theyr kyng For as long as in this fyrst kyngdome the subiectes continued in due obedience to God theyr kyng so long dyd God embrace all his subiectes with his loue fauour and grace whiche to enioy is perfect felicitie whereby it is euident that obedience is the principall vertue of all vertues and in deede the verye roote of all vertues and the cause of all felicitie But as all felicitie and blessednesse shoulde haue continued with the continuaunce of obedience so with the breache of obedience and breaking in of rebellion all vices and miseries dyd withall breake in and ouerwhelme the worlde The first aucthour of which rebellion the roote of all vices and mother of all mischeefes was Lucifer fyrst Gods most excellent creature and moste bounden subiect who by rebelling agaynst the maiestie of God of the bryghtest and most glorious angell is become the blackest and moste foulest feende deuill and from the heyght of heauen is fallen into the pit and bottome of hell Here you may see the first aucthour and founder of rebellion and the rewarde thereof here you maye see the graunde captayne and father of all rebels who perswadyng the folowyng of his rebellion agaynst GOD their creator and Lorde vnto our fyrst parentes Adam and Eue brought them in high displeasure with GOD wrought their exile and vanishment out of paradise a place of all pleasure and goodnesse into this wretched earth and vale of all miserie procured vnto them sorowes of their mindes mischeefes sicknesse diseases death of theyr bodies and whiche is farre more horrible then all worldly and bodyly mischeefes he had wrought thereby theyr eternall and euerlastyng death and dampnation had not GOD by the obedience of his sonne Jesus Christe repayred that whiche man by disobedience and rebellion had destroyed and so of his mercie had pardoned and forgeuen hym of whiche all and singuler the premises the holye scriptures do beare recorde in sundrye places Thus you do see that neither heauen nor paradise coulde suffer anye rebellion in them neyther be places for any rebels to remayne in Thus became rebellion as you see both the first and greatest and the verye roote of all other sinnes and the first and principall cause both of all worldlye and bodyly miseries sorowes diseases sicknesses and deathes and whiche is infinitely worse then all these as is sayde the very cause of death and dampnation eternall also After this breache of obedience to God and rebellion agaynst his maiestie all mischeefes and miseries breaking in therewith and ouerflowyng the worlde lest all thinges shoulde come vnto confusion and vtter ruine GOD foorthwith by lawes geuen vnto mankynde repayred agayne the rule and order of obedience thus by rebellion ouerthrowen and besides the obedience due vnto his maiestie he not onlye ordayned that in families and housholdes the wyfe shoulde be obedient vnto her husbande the chyldren vnto their parentes the seruauntes vnto their maisters but also when mankynde increased and spread it selfe more largely ouer the worlde he by his holye worde dyd constitute and ordayne in Cities and Countreys seuerall and speciall gouernours and rulers vnto whom the residue of his people shoulde be obedient As in readyng of the holye scriptures we shall finde in very many and almoste infinite places aswell of the olde Testament as of the newe that kynges and princes aswell the euill as the good do raigne by Gods ordinaunce and that subiectes are bounden to obey them that God doth geue princes wysdome great power and aucthoritie that God defendeth them agaynst their enemies and destroyeth their enemies horribly that the anger and displeasure of the prince is as the roaring of a Lion and the very messenger of death and that the subiect that prouoketh hym to displeasure sinneth agaynst his owne soule With many other thinges concernyng both the aucihoritie of princes and the duetie of subiectes But here let vs rehearse two speciall places out of the new Testament which may stand in steade of all other The first out of saint Paules Epistle to the Romanes and the. 1◠Chapter where he wryteth thus vnto all subiectes Let euery soule be subiect vnto the hygher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordeyned of god Whosoeuer therfore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God and they that resist shall receaue to them selues dampnation For princes are not to be feared for good workes but for euil Wylt thou then be without feare of the power Do well so shalt thou haue prayse of the same For he is the minister of GOD for thy wealth but yf thou do euill feare for he beareth not the sworde for naught for he is the minister of God to take vengeaunce vppon hym that doth euyll Wherefore ye muste be subiect not because of wrath only but also for conscience sake for for this cause ye pay also tribute for they are Gods ministers seruyng for the same purpose Geue to euery man therefore his duetie tribute to whom tribute belongeth custome to whom custome is due feare to whom feare belongeth honour to whom ye owe honour Thus farre are saint Paules wordes The seconde place is in saint Peters first Epistle and the second chapter whose wordes are these Submit yoūr selues vnto all maner ordinaunce of man for the lordes sake whether it be vnto the kyng as vnto the cheefe head eyther vnto rulers as vnto them that are sent of hym for the punishment of euyll doers but for the cheryshing of them that do well For so is the wyll of GOD that with well doyng ye may stoppe the mouthes of ignoraunt and foolishe men as free and not as hauing the libertie for a cloke of malitiousnesse but euen as the seruauntes of god Honour all men loue brotherly felowship feare GOD honour the kyng Seruauntes obey your maisters with feare not onlye yf they be good and curteous but also though they be frowarde Thus farre out of Saint Peter By these two places of the holy scriptures it is moste euident that Kinges Queenes and other Princes for he speaketh of
lawes are by rebels violated and broken that all sinnes possible to be committed against God or man be contayned in rebellion which sinnes yf a man list to name by the accustomed names of the seuen capitall or deadly sinnes as pride enuie wrath couetousnes slouth gluttonie and letcherie he shall finde them all in rebellion and amongst rebels For first as ambition and desyre to be aloft whiche is the propertie of pryde styrreth vp many mens myndes to rebellion so commeth it of a luciferian pryde and presumption that a fewe rebellious subiects should set themselues vp against the maiestie of theyr prince agaynst the wysedome of the counsellers agaynst the power and force of all nobilitie and the faythfull subiectes and people of the whole realme As for enuie wrath murther and desyre of blood and couetousnes of other mens goodes landes and lyuynges they are the inseparable accidentes of all rebelles and peculier properties that do vsually stirre vp wycked men vnto rebellion Nowe suche as by riotousnesse gluttonye drunkennesse excesse of apparell and vnthriftie games haue wasted their owne goodes vnthriftily the same are moste apte vnto and most desyrous of rebellion whereby they trust to come by other mens goodes vnlawfully and vyolentlye And where other gluttons and drunkardes take to muche of suche meates and drynkes as are serued to tables rebelles waste and consume in short space al corne in barnes feeldes orels wher whole garners whole storehouses whole cellers deuour whole flockes of sheepe whole droues of oxen and kyne And as rebels that are maryed leauyng their owne wyues at home do moste vngratiously so much more do vnmaryed men worse then any stallandes or horsses beyng now by rebellion set at libertie from correction of lawes whiche brydeled them before whiche abuse by force other mens wyues and daughters and rauishe virgins and maydens moste shamefully abhominably and damnably Thus all synnes by all names that synnes may be named and by all meanes that all synnes maye be committted and wrought do all wholly vppon heapes folowe rebellion and are to be founde altogether amongst rebelles Nowe whereas pestilence famine warre are by the holy scriptures declared to be the greatest worldly plagues and miseries that lightly can be it is euident that all the miseries that all these plagues haue in them do wholly altogether folowe rebellion wherin as all their miseries be so is there much more mischeefe then in them al. For it is knowne that in the resortyng of great companyes of men together whiche in rebellion happeneth both vppon the parte of true subiectes and of the rebelles by their close lying together and corruption of the ayre and place where they do lye with ordure and muche fylth in the hoatte weather and by vnholesome lodging and lying often vppon the grounde specially in cold and wette wethers in Wynter by their vnholesome diet and feedyng at all tymes and often by famine and lacke of meate and drinke in due tyme and again by takyng to muche at other tymes It is well knowne I say that aswell plagues and pestilences as all other kyndes of sicknesse and maladies by these meanes growe vpon and amongst men whereby mo men are consumed at the length then are by dint of sworde sodenly slayne in the feelde So that not onlye pestilences but also all other sicknesse diseases and maladies do folow rebellion which are muche more horrible then plagues pestilences and diseases sent directlye from god as hereafter shall appeare more plainelye And as for hunger and famine they are the peculier companions of rebellion for whiles rebels do in short tyme spoyle and consume al corne and necessarie prouision whiche men with their labours had gotten and appoynted vpon for their fyndyng the whole yere after and also do let all other men husbandmen and others from their husbandrie and other necessarie workes wherby prouision should be made for times to come who seeth not that extreame famine and hunger must needes shortly ensue and folowe rebellion Now whereas the wyse kyng and godly prophete Dauid iudged warre to be worse then either famine or pestilence for that these two are often suffered by God for mans amendment and be not sinnes of them selues but warres haue alwayes the synnes and mischeefes of men vpon the one syde or other ioyned with them and therfore is warre the greatest of these worldly mischeefes but of all warres ciuil warre is the worst and farre more abhominable yet is rebellion then anye ciuill warre beyng vn worthy the name of any warre so farre it exceedeth all warres in all naughtynesse in all mischeefe and in all abhomination And therfore our sauiour Christe denounceth desolation and destruction to that Realme that by sedition and rebellion is diuided in it selfe Nowe as I haue shewed before that pestilence and famine so is it yet more euident that all the calamities miseries and mischeefes of warre be more greeuous and do more folowe rebellion then anye other warre as beyng farre worse then all other warres For not onlye those ordinarye and vsuall mischeefe and miseseries of other warres do folowe rebellion as corne and other thynges necessarie to mans vse to be spoyled houses villages townes cities to be taken sacked burned destroyed not onlye many very wealthy men but whole countreyes to be impouerished and vtterly beggered manye thousandes of men to be slayne and murthered women and maydes to be vyolated and deflowred whiche thynges when they are done by forraigne enemies we do muche mourne as we haue great causes yet are al these miseries without any wyckednesse wrought by any our countreymen But when these mischeefes are wrought in rebellion by them that shoulde be freendes by countreymen by kynsmen by those that should defende their countrey and countreymen from suche miseries the miserie is nothyng so great as is the mischeefe and wyckednesse when the subiectes vnnaturally do rebel against their prince whose honour and lyfe they shoulde defende though it were with the losse of their owne lyues countreymen to disturbe the publique peace and quietnesse of their countrey for defence of whose quietnesse they shoulde spende their lyues the brother to seeke and often to worke the death of his brother the sonne of the father the father to seeke or procure the death of his sonnes beyng at mans age and by their faultes to disherite their innocent chyldren and kynsmen their heires for euer for whom they myght purchase lyuynges and landes as naturall parentes do take care and paynes and be at great costes and charges and vniuersally in stead of all quietnesse ioy and felicitie which do folow blessed peace and due obedience to bryng in all trouble sorowe disquietnesse of myndes and bodyes and al mischeefe and calamities to turne al good order vpsyde down to bryng all good lawes in contempt and to treade them vnder feete to oppresse all vertue and honestie and all vertuous and honest persons and to set al vice and wickednesse and all
the principall and most vsual causes as specially ambition and ignoraunce By ambition I meane the vnlawful and restles desire in men to be of higher estate then God hath geuen or appoynted vnto them By ignoraunce I meane no vnskilfulnesse in artes or sciences but the lacke of knowledge of Gods blessed wyll declared in his holye worde whiche teacheth both extremely to abhorre all rebellion as the roote of all mischeefe and specially to delyght in obedience as the begynnyng and foundation of all goodnesse as hath ben also before specified And as these are the two cheese causes of rebellion so are there specially two sortes of men in whom these vices do raigne by whom the deuill the aucthour of al euill doth cheefely stirre vp all disobedience and rebellion The restlesse ambitious hauing once determined by one meanes or other to atcheeue to theyr intended purpose when they can not by lawfull and peaceable meanes clime so hygh as they do desyre they attempt the same by force and violence wherein when they can not preuaile agaynst the ordinarie aucthoritie and power of lawfull princes and gouernours them selues alone they do seeke the ayde and helpe of the ignoraunt multitude abusing them to theyr wicked purpose Wherfore seeing a fewe ambitious and malitious are the aucthours heades and multitudes of ignoraunt men are the ministers and furtherers of rebellion the cheefe poynt of this part shal be aswell to notifie to the simple and ignorant men who they be that haue ben and be the vsuall aucthours of rebellion that they may knowe them and also to admonishe them to beware of the subtill suggestions of suche restles ambitious persons and so to flee them that rebellions though attempted by a fewe ambitious through the lack of mayntenaunce by any multitudes maye speedyly and easyly without any great labour daunger or domage be repressed and clearely extinguished It is well knowen as well by all histories as by dayly experience that none haue eyther more ambitiously aspired aboue Emperours Kinges and Princes nor haue more pernitiously moued the ignoraunt people to rebellion agaynst theyr Princes then certayne persons whiche falsely chalenge to them selues to be onlye counted and called spirituall I must therefore heare yet once agayne breefely put you good people in remembraunce out of Gods holye worde howe our Sauiour Jesus Christe and his holy Apostles the heades and cheefe of all true spirituall and ecclesiastical men behaued them selues towards the princes and rulers of their tyme though not the best gouernours that euer were that you be not ignoraunt whether they be the true disciples and folowers of Christe and his Apostles and so true spirituall men that eyther by ambition do so highly aspyre or do most malitiously teach or most pernitiously do execute rebellion agaynst theyr lawfull princes beyng the worst of all carnall workes and mischeuous deedes The holye scriptures do teache most expresly that our sauiour Christe him selfe and his apostle saint Paul saint Peter with others were vnto the magistrates and higher powers which ruled at their beyng vppon the earth both obedâ—â—nt them selues and dyd also diligently and earnestly exhort all other Christians to the lyke obedience vnto their princes and gouernours whereby it is euident that men of the Cleargie and ecclesiasticall ministers as theyr successours ought both them selues specially and before others to be obedient vnto their princes and also to exhort all others vnto the same Our sauiour Christe like wyse teachyng by his doctrine that his kingdome was not of this worlde dyd by his example in fleeing from those that would haue made him kyng confirme the same expresly also forbidding his Apostles and by them the whole Cleargie all princely dominion ouer people and nations and he and his holy Apostles like wyse namely Peter Paul dyd forbid vnto all ecclesiasticall ministers dominion ouer the Churche of Christe And in deede whiles that ecclesiasticall ministers continued in Christes Church in that order that is in Christes worde prescribed vnto them and in Christian kyngdomes kept them selues obedient to their owne princes as the holy scripture do teache them both was Christes Churche more cleare from ambitious emulations and contentions and the state of Christian kyngdomes lesse subiect vnto tumultes and rebellions But after that ambition and desyre of dominion entred once into ecclesiasticall ministers whose greatnes after the doctrine and example of our sauiour shoulde cheefely stande in humbling of them selues and that the Byshop of Rome being by the order of Gods worde none other then the bishop of that one see and diocesse and neuer yet well able to gouerne the same did by intollerable ambition chalenge not only to be the head of all the Churche dispersed throughout the worlde but also to be Lorde of all the kyngdomes of the worlde as is expresly set foorth in the booke of his owne Cannon lawes most contrary to the doctrine and example of our sauiour Christe whose Uicar and of his holy apostles namely Peter whose successour he pretendeth to be after his ambition entred and this chalenge once made by the Byshop of Rome he became at once the spoyler destroyer both of the Church which is the kyngdome of our sauiour Christe and of the Christian Empyre and all Christian kyngdomes as an vniuersall tyraunt ouer all And whereas before that chalenge made there was great amitie and loue amongst the Christians of al countreis herevpon began emulation and much hatred betweene the Bishop of Rome and his Cleargie and freendes on the one part and the Grecian Cleargie and Christians of the East on the other part for that they refused to acknowledge any such supreme aucthoritie of the Bishop of Rome ouer them the Bishop of Rome for this cause amongst other not onlye namyng them and taking them for schismatikes but also neuer ceassing to persecute them and the Emperours who had their see and continuaunce in Grece by stirring of the subiectes to rebellion agaynst their soueraigne lordes and by raysyng deadly hatred and most cruell warres betweene them and other Christian princes And when the Byshops of Rome had translated the title of the Emperour and as much as in them dyd lye the Empyre it selfe from their lorde the Emperour of Grece and of Rome also by ryght vnto the Christian princes of the West they became in short space no better vnto the West Emperours then they were before vnto the Emperours of Grece For the vsuall discharging of subiectes from their othe of fidelitie made vnto the Emperours of the West their soueraigne lordes by the Byshops of Rome the vnnaturall stirring vp of the subiectes vnto rebellion agaynst their princes yea of the sonne agaynst the father by the Byshoppe of Rome the most cruell and blooddy warres raysed amongst Christian princes of all kyngdomes the horrible murder of infinite thousandes of Christian men beyng slayne by Christians and whiche ensued therevpon the pitifull losses of so manye goodlye Cities countreys dominions