secrete polling and vndermining the Church of Iesu Christ. And if it be a great punishment sent from God vpon thee thy wife thy children thy house or family thy countrie or people though thou haue not sinned lately notoriouslie yet remember what thou hast done long since thinke that long since thou inclosedst such a fielde from thy poore neighbours that that thou tookest the goodes lands and priuiledges from such a Church there giuen to maintaine the worshippe of the Lorde therewith remember that though it were long since yet with the Lord a thousand yeares is but as one day and therefore now hee punisheth thee euen with as perfect iustice as if the deede were nowe in dooing before his face Would to God that men woulde hereby learne to feare the Lord and to tremble at his secrete iudgement that they woulde cast off the loue of this wicked worlde which corrupteth their consciences and poisoneth their owne soules that they woulde leaue this fained kinde of repenting in worde onelie and repent in deede which is restoring with Zacheus foure folde and vndooing that which they haue done to the vttermost of their power If the loue of the Lords blessinges will not incite them to good life yet let the fcare of his heauie iudgementes deterre them from sinne Let vs not looke on those great and grieuous examples which I haue nowe rehearsed thinking those were long since in times past and that in forraine nations beyond the seas for if we looke well we shall see that as many plagues pestilences and other contagious diseases of the bodie haue beene brought ouer sea into this fortunate Iland so also this most contagious and deadly maladie of bodie and soule came ouer and rooted it selfe in this lande long since Wee haue store of examples at home and one shall serue for the perfecting of this period William Rufus the third sonne of the Conquerour after hee had ouercome his enemies and their resistance diuers times beeing returned out of Fraunce and quietly enioying the Scepter of this land afterward hee liued in ioy and triumph and for the more suppliance of his pleasure and pastime he to inlarge his Forrest pulled downe foure Abbeies seauenteene parish Churches and all the Townes belonging to the same Quo quisque peccat eodem saepe plectitur modo Oft times a man is punished the same way by which hee offendeth and so was hee for in the same Forrest where these Churches stood which hee pulled downe and in the same disport or pastime for which he dissolued them he was slaine by the glauncing of an arrow shot at a Deare by a Knight so that hee fell downe therewith on the grounde giuing onelie one grone Some write that in the same place where he fell downe and died in olde time there had beene a faire Church which with others in his Fathers time were dissolued for the enlarging of the said Forrest in which Forrest also a litle before the Kings Nephew was slaine by the like chaunce This Kings Father and he both minded to haue made this a fâ—ire goodly Forrest fit for the disport and hunting of a king but the Churche of Christe and the houses of his poore Subiects stood in his waie His officers and sycophants considering what would come rouling into their purses that way said it was very meete it should be so so it was But alas it proued a small pleasure of the father which ended with the deadlie groning of his sonne a simple pastime for the king to haue his bodie wounded with the piercing arrow to the death Pleasure bought with griefe is seldome kindly and gaine procured with the displeasure of the Almighty doth neuer profite The hearts of the wicked lust after their owne bane and wanton pleasure poisoneth hir owne Nurse The flower of flesh florisheth not an houre and the fall thereof is griefe to the eie The wisedome of this world compoundeth cares and the height of their deuises want successe Most mens fancie wearieth the spirite and their welthiest wish is perfect disquietnes He which magnifieth himself seeketh his owne decaie because the chaire of pride is placed on slipperie ice Hee which gathereth vnrighteous goodes for his children pierceth the heart of his owne flesh and who so taketh away his neigbours possession he diggeth vp the roote of his owne posteritie Hee which neglecteth his maker choketh his soule and hee which taketh from the Church shall not prosper vppon earth his bodie shall decaâ—e without his bloud shall drie vp within his marowe shall consume within his bones his musicke shall bee groning daie and night his feeding shall be loathsomnes of meate his wish shal be O that I were as yonder poore man his comfort that his good daies bee past his recreation one pang vpon an other his glad tidings the death of his children his consolation the loathing of his friends his hope the feare of death and vnlesse hee repent his ende shall bee despairre of eternall life Who so mindeth to liue with Iesus Christ eternally in heauen aboue and in this life mindeth to see good daies let him walke the way of the righteous and marke the fruitlesse paths of the wicked Frst of all let him keepe his hands from violating holie things and behold the miserable ende of those which doe the contrarie Let him reade the holie Gospell of Saint Mathewe and in reading let him marke diligentlie in marking diligentlie let him vnderstand truelie what our Sauiour Christ meaneth when hee saith yee fooles whether is the golde holie or the Temple which sanctifieth the golde and whether is the gift holie or the Altar which sanctifieth the gift If the Temple make the ornaments holie then the walles the woode the stone of the which the Temple doth consist is holie if the Altar doe sanctifie the gift then that which belongeth to the maintaining of the Altar is sanctified they which minister ther at are to be reputed holy If by our sauior Christ his speach those things be true then they be holie men which build vp the Lords house and they be wicked which pull downe the same according to that old verse Ecclesias Christi quas fundauêrâ— parentes Heu malè diripiunt gnati pietate carentes The godlie Fathers builded vp the Churches of Christ and the vngodlie children haue pulled them downe But marke the end of all those which walked this way and learne to keepe thy conscience cleare from this gracelesse fact The Lord inflicted manie plagues on them whilest they liued here and when they were once deade their honour vanished like smoake and was buried with them in the graue As their bodies consumed in the earth euen so their infamie did spring vp out of the ground their goods wasted like waxe in the fire and like snow before the Sunne their posteritie became like the grasse growing on the house top which withereth before it â—ee ripe Nether was this only the
reward of those which defaced the Temple of the Lorde and decaied his holy Ministerie but it is most plaine and euident by sundrie auncient histories that in all ages when wisdome learning and religion once gaue place to worldly pollicie when the vertues of the mind were subdued to the force of flesh when vertuous life waxed out of vse and sensualitie increased when the bodie robbed the soule and the naturall man imprisoned the freedome of the spirite when the pride of the worlde mainteined it selfe with the goods of the Church then shortly after followed the vtter subuersion of the whole common wealth Therefore let sinfull man looke downe vpon himselfe with great humilitie let the pride of corruptible flesh strike saile in time leâ—t with the sodaine puffes and pirreies of vnnaturall windes which commonlie rise from such mens hearts it be violently driuen into the swift currents of perdition whose end is the gulfe of eternall sorrowe Let not worldly men goe on daie by daie minding nothing else but earth and earthly ioies like brutish beastes which haue no vnderstanding but let them looke vp vnto heauen from whence commeth our ioy and true felicitie let them consider that which the Philosopher gathered by plaine reason that man consisteth not of bodie onelie neither that his beginning is meere naturall as is the stone the flower the tree the oxe the asse but that he is indued with a soule of heauenly and angelicall substance made vnto eternitie that his stature was framed vpright and his countenance erected to the heauens to the ende that aboue all thinges hee shoulde haue a diligent eie vnto God his Creatour who dwelleth in the heauen aboue and a speciall regard vnto his diuine worshippe which hee hath appointed heere belowe That this duetie is inioined him from the day of his birth to the day of his death that in obseruing the same is life and in neglecting it is death not the death onely of the bodie but the eternall death both of bodie and soule If this be so how diligently ought we to looke about vs how readie to walke the steppes of our Sauiour Christ whose meate and drinke was to doe the will of God here an earth howe willing should we bee and desirous to imitate those godly Christians of the primatiue Church who sold their goods and their lands laying them downe at the Apostles feete or their successours which imploied themselues their goods and their lands on the diuine seruice and reuerent Temple of Iesu Christ Let no man presume so farre in his blind zeale altogether deuoid of knowledge and sauering rather the doctrine of men then of God to say that God dwelleth not in temples made with hands neither is he worshipped with outwarde worship but in truth and spirite thereby most prophanely concluding that we ought to put no religion in outward things or to ascribe any holines to the same Wee haue heard that the Temple sanctifieth the gold thereof and if any man doubt of the same let him adde prophane hands vnto the arke though vnder colour to holde it vp and trie with Oza whether he shall presently be stroken from the Lord with sodaine death Or let him but holde out his hande against the Prophet and trie with Roboam whether it will be presently dried vp or no. Though the Lorde strike thee not presently with Oza or at thy returne chaunge thee into a Leaper as white as â—nowe with Gehesey though he doth not accurse thee as hee did the figtree yet assure thy selfe that with the burning sinnes of thy body the winges of thy soule wherewith thou shouldest flie vp into heauen shall bee scorched thy heart shall melt thy conscience shall burne and thou shalt be consumed in the great daie of the Lord. Let all men knowe this for a truth that those which diminish the worshippe of God heere vppon earth the Lord will cut of the line of their posteritie in this life and blot out their portion in the lande of the liuing If this be fearefull O ye sonnes of men then let the daily remembraunce thereof enter into your brestes let it sinke downe into your harts and ransacke your inward spirits that ye may therby learne to kisse the louing son of your saluation to imbrace his manifolde mercies and to tremble at his iudgements Say not God is mercifull and therein abuse him he is farre off and therefore deny him a thousand yeares with him is but a daie and therewith forget him but remember with your selues and consider wiselie that all his wordes are truth and hee hath saide long since I come and I will not staye behold I come quickly He hath girt vp his loynes he hath taken his two edged sword into his hande his trumpet is now ready to sound that great alarum of the day of iudgement His thousand thousandes of angels are ready to deuide the heauens to inflame the aire to dry vp the waters and to shake the earth with all the kingdoms therein and now he is comming euen at the doore Though some may thinke that my penne declyneth to this fading conclusion rather by course of stile than for the euidence of truth therein contayned for the glorie of Iesu Christ or for our dutifull readines against the day of our saluation yet in so great daunger remaine not doubtfull through the flattering shew of sinfull delusions But rather sith it greatly concerneth our soules health let vs harken to that plaine voice of truth when you see these things then thinke that your redemption is at hand and bee yee perswaded fully of the same by euident reason by that which you see with your eyes which you heare with your eares which you haue felt with your sensuall bodies not many yeares since And now after the meditation thereof more truly vnderstand with your harts Whereby you are forewarned hereof euen by secret thoughts when you lie in your beds considering that the bridegroome of our eternal saluation is at hand Cast off the loue of this present world scarce go backe into thine owne house to thy wife and thy little children if thou bee at home within thy doores goe not out into the field to see thy cattell or into the streets to bid thy friends farewell or looke once aside from this present comfort the redemption of all the godly Resolue thy selfe to giue account to come to iudgement for nowe the course of this worlde by all computation is run out all flesh is come to an ende And would you haue it set more plainely before your face Lift vp your eies and you shall see that long since the figge tree is budded the fields are all white vnto haruest the heauens are shrunke in their seat and waxen olde like a garment If you yet doubt that the world is not at the point to bee dissolued or that there is no such present appearance why wee should looke for a newe heauen
Councell hath foreseene the daunger and set downe the sentence of eternall trueth in these wordes Hee which shall not wiselie foresee this euident daunger of eternall damnarion to his owne soule and contrarie to this sentence take awaie the goods and possessions once giuen to the Church or vniustlye deteyne the same vnlesse hee make present restitution to the church so soone as he can let him be strucken with the curse which the wrathfull iudge of all the world shall inflict on all the soules of the wicked at the day of doome and let these goods bee a curse to him which gaue them from the Church which receaued them and which possessed them Neither let him finde anye protection for his crime before the tribunall seate of Iesu Christ because without all feare of God and regard of his holie worshippe against lawe and right hee hath taken awaie the goods of the Church giuen to maintaine the holie worship of the Lord and to feede the hungrie bodies and soules of the poore innocent people Generallie saith the same Councell whosoeuer shall presume to confiscate to spoyle or to take anie thing consecrated to holie vse or belonging to the Church vnlesse hee truelie repenting correct and amend his wicked facte so soone as hee can and that by restitution to the same Church let him bee subiect to the greeuous curse and censure of the Church Likewise those which enter on the goods of the Church and detaine them through the gifte the authoritie the commission of Kinges and Princes obtaining them by tirannicall force from the Church leauing them to theyr heyres and posteritie as though they were theyr owne inheritaunce vnlesse with speedie repentaunce they restore the Lords possession vnto his Church being first admonished by the holy Bishop let him be accursed for euer and accounted as an infidell according to that commandement of our sauiour Christ if he will not heare the Church let him be to thee as an heathen or as an infidell therefore saith the councell it is not lawfull for the Emperour or anie true christian to attempt anie thing contrarie to the commaundementes of God neither to doe anie thing repugnant to the rules of the holy Prophets the Apostles and Euangelists Those which bee my sheepe saith our Sauiour Christ they heare my voice and those which be naturall children of the Church their hart will melte when they heare the voice of their mother crying in the streetes Our heauenly father he hath begotten vs in the spirite and our spirituall mother shee nourisheth vs with the sweete milke of the word of life Shee vttereth her voyce often and cryeth alowde in many places of the world but neuer so manifestly as when shee sheweth her countenaunce openlie to all the world in open generall councell gathered together in the holie Ghost You haue heard her voyce whileare and the sound thereof hath gone into all landes saying touch not mine annointed neither anie thing once dedicated to my holie worship Sponsus sponsam amat the bridegroome doth loue his spouse intirely Hee sheweth her his brest and reuealeth to her the secrets of his hart his wil is apparant vnto her she hath reuealed it at sundry times vnto her children Which times though they were diuers yet veritatis simplex est oratio her voice was is alwaies the same as appeareth by the councell of Aurialens whose wordes though they differre from the former yet the sence and sentence is the same first forewarning her eldest children of this grieuous sinne and then the other in their order after this manner Let no Clarke or spirituall pastour alienate any goodes belonging to the Church and least it should seeme true which some obiect that those which giue to the Church may also take away the same councel doth meete with that obiection in the 19. chapter in these wordes It is not lawfull for him which giueth anie thing to the Church or for his heires once for to require it backe again In like maner the second councell ☜ of Spale Those Churches which by tumultes and warres haue beene disturbed shal altogether retaine the selfe same liberties which they had before with all the possessions whether they bee possessed by any other Church or any others whatsoeuer The first councell of Paris hath giuen this resolute iudgement concerning Bishops goodes and therein the goods of the Church because the goods and possessions of Bishops are knowne to be the goods and possessions of the Church If any man shall violently intrude himselfe into them or by violence peruert them let him bee stroken with the curse of the holie Canon that he which would not followe the motion of his owne conscience at the least maye bee reclaimed by the holie constitutions of the Church Which offence least it shold seeme a smal sinne in the eyes of worldlye men or that the gaine gotten thereby might seeme to counteruaile the losse no man is so simple which seeth not plainely that this is a pleasaunt sinnefull thought leading to a bitter end as appeareth by the sentence of the same councell following Let no man be so farre from the seeking of his owne soules health or so willing to seeke eternall death that he should once desire enter or possesse any goods landes or commodities belonging to the church Though the councell of Magnutium seeme in the beginning by gentle words to mittigate the haynousnesse of the fact yet indeede the meaning is the same and in conclusion of the same weight as appeareth by their style in this manner If anie man doe presume to retaine diminish or take anie goodes landes or profites belonging to anie Church Colledge or any holie place let him bee excommunicated as a spoyler of the Church not once allowed to come neere the Church doore These milde wordes least they should animate the wicked they drawe a more fearefull iudgement after them as appeareth afterward in the same councell concluding thus If anie man diminish any thing belonging to the Church as a cruell murtherer of the poore let him bee accursed for euer This was the voice of the mother and her children haue learned to pronounce the same Saint Ambrose as it is written before affirmeth it vnlawfull for temporall men to possesse ecclesiasticall goods Saint Augustine writing on the Psalmes saith that when the last dedication of the house of God shall come then shall that safetie also bee giuen vnto it which was spoken in the seuenteenth chapter of the second booke of the Kinges after this manner I will appoint my place of worship with my people Israell and they shall dwell alone seperated from others and the sonne of iniquitie shall not presume to destroy it The scripture calleth the spoilers of the church the sonnes of iniquitie bicause the sonne of heauen hath not beheld a more vngodlie fact then the iniurie of the sonne done to the mother of the infantes to the nurse of
field Though thy number bee three to one and thou assure thy selfe to haue the daie yet if the forbidden Babilonish garment bee hidden in the tent rather then thou shouldest prosper therewith the starres in heauen euen the starres shall fight in order from heauen against thee as they did against Sisera the Riuers shall swell against thy comming which if thou enter they shall strike of the wheâ—es and carrie thine iron charrets cleane away The stones in the walles shall fight against thee at home and the foules of the ayre abroad thine enemie shall stand vpon the shore with his banner displaied whilest thou liest drowning in the deepe He shall march vnto the toppes of the highest hilles without losse of men or shedding of his bloud hee shall display his banner with triumphe hee shal descend in peace and refound his trumpet in his tente most courragiouslie Therefore let all true christians muse and meditate more wisely on the will of the Lord let them knowe that it is better to trust in the Lord alone then in any power of man that it is better to depend vpon the seruice of the Lord and the loue of his holie name then to put any confidence in Princes in power in authoritie in riches Let the trueth of the Lord be theyr light and let his looue be the way his holy Prophets their guiders in the same Let theÌ„ fight cheefely for the glory of the Lord and not theyr owne glory for his church and not their own possessions for their soueraigne and not their owne primacie for the realme and not for reuenge of priuate quarels or hope of higher rule Let their departurebe in peace vnfayned loue vnto the spouse of Iesu Christ at theyr going foorth let them not say that theyr garmentes theyr furniture theyr money their coine came from the church but let them looke backe into the lande and beholde the church from whence they sprang Let them pitty theyr mother in their hart and let them say with the sons of God peace bee with thee and sweete prosperitie O thou house and Citty of the Lord let their watch word be Domus dei and theyr great allarum Vincat veritas But let them not be christians onelie in word let not all their religion dwell in their mouth and nothing in their hartes and deedes let them not goe foorth laughing and leaue manie weeping eyes behinde them let them not bragge that they fight for the Church abroad whilest they are full of deadlie sinne within and weaken the foundation of the Church at home Can wee looue our father and yet spoile our elder brethren Can wee tender our mother and yet presse her teates so sore that in steede of sweete milke they droppe bloude Can wee cherishe the sucking childe and yet empoision the teate of the Nurâ—e which giueth it sucke Dooth hee looue his freende who while hee is gone into a farre countrie taketh his little childrens bread out of their handes their cloathes from their backes their houses ouer their heades If this question knocke at the doore by which wee would faine enter into the Church of Iesu Christ and the answere to the same bee the key which openeth the waie and sheweth vs the light of trueth whose beames shine cleerely from the sonne of God why shutte wee vp the fleshlie windowes of our heart with custome of this great sinne aboue the rest So that that the cleere beames of the sonne of God the bountie of his mercie the brightnesse of his glorie cannot once open our earthlie intralles or mooue our sinfull bowels to haue compassion on our tender nurse and most loouing mother if this be farre from your perswasion and you doubt of the same then open your eares and incline your hartes to the voyce of health and saluation lifte vp your eye liddes O yee worthies of the earth and comprehend the light which shineth in darknesse O yee Princes open your gates and yee the elect of the Lorde open your eternall doores and the true light of the God of glorie shall enter in Which when thou hast once beheld with thy mortall eye hauing therewith reade this small treatise rudelie written in hast with a posting pen aske no more the question is this true or shall I aunswer for goods thus taken or is it a blessed thing to giue vnto the Church and a cursed thing to take there fro In this conceite bee not highe minded but feare and tremble before the Lord looke how high the lord sitteth aboue all heauens and howe lowe thou art here on the earth Way that thou art in the earth a worme and no man that thy daies are but a spanne long and that one spanne is a continuall warefare hereunto applie this processe that when thou camest first into this world and werte verie young thy spirituall enemies were olde and subtill that they haue rather wonne then lost euer sithence and holde the same vantage of thee at this daie that they haue wounded thee sore and so sore that thou art not able to stand vpright in the way of life Therefore though thou be mightie and puissant yet in that thou art sore wounded refuse not the holesome oyle of the simple Samaritane which he powreth in thy woundes denye not his suppliant paines in binding them vp in setting thee on his horse which will bring thee to thy Inne and place of rest where thou wouldest be If he doe the best he can and laie out the finest coyne in his purse for thee though it be but two pence yet sith all this is doone for the bringing thee into the way from the which thou wert wandered the deliuering thee from euill and the sauing of thy life confesse the trueth which thou canst not denie the oyle is holesome the binding coÌ„fortable the man deuoute his dooing good his sayings true blessed bee the God of trueth Which because thy dooings shewe thou yet doubtest lesten but a little whilest I open before thine eyes the highe fountaine from whence the trueth of sure perswasion most gentlie floweth together with the plaine examples of auncient times which shewe most clerely in a glasse the true countenaunce of the well disposed minde the good life and happy death of all those which heretofore haue looued founded inriched nourished freede priuiledged adorned the church and contrarie the vglie shape the tirannous life and miserable death of those which persecuted the Christians pulling downe theyr temples pilling and powling the liuinges and freedomes of the Church of Iesu Christ here on earth Concerning this kinde of catterpillers Celsus of Verona had written plainely vnto the Duke and Senate of Venece In which short treatise sith we may euidently beholde the great deformitie of our age Sith his leaues be fewe his examples many his appliaunce plaine his conclusion true sithe it is nowe translated and set open before our eyes shewing vs this foule spot in
deinceps parentum solatio delectari Omnia pro Christi amore contempsi coepiiam esse vt Melchisedech sine patre sine matre sine genealogia Solum Deum patrem agnosco matrem non habeo nisi Ecclesiam It is not conuenient that I should hereafter take comfort in anie naturall parentes I loath all other thinges in regarde of the loue of Christ and nowe I am become like vnto Melchisedech without father without mother without kindred I haue no father but God neither anie mother besides the holy Church In these words he signifieth thus much that who hath created vs first and loued vs most wee ought to seeke him first and most to loue him and therfore sith our heauenly father is a liuing spirit and our mother trulie spiritual sith there is no loue comparable to his which leauing all creatures in heauen in earth gaue his life for vs or to hers which though she were ten times persecuted euen vnto death for our sake yet she louingly embraced vs In louing our spiritual parents before all other things let vs render like for like Let vs willingly reiect the sensuall entisements of the flesh disarming our selues of riches goods lands honour office authoritie yea our owne father and mother according to the flesh that wee maye serue our spirituall father and mother in the vnitie of the spirite This is a cleare glasse in which a christian maye beholde the degrees by which wee must passe thorow this vale of miserie vnto the kingdome of heauen and the rule is like vnto it for the first rule or direction of a christian soule vnto heauen is aboue all thinges to meditate with himselfe whether he be in the true way of eternall life or no. And therewith to consider with himselfe what he hath done what hee hath not doone and what hee ought to doe which who so wiselie weigheth hee shall finde it true that before all care and prouision of our sinfull bodies we ought most painefully to prouide for the health of our soules knowing assuredly that we must passe this earthly pilgrimage with suche religious care of our spirituall father and mother that therewith wee must restraine our affections from the woonted wishes of the worlde and weane them so from fleshlie corruptions with the true discipline of our spiritual nurse that neyther riches nor goods nor dominion nor power nor freinds nor enemies nor life nor death can once separate vs from the true worship of his holie name and the daily maintenance of the same This is the way easie to bee found out of all those which heede the same The ground is euen the path is plaine the degrees not many the passage easie O that the foote could bee content to follow the direction of the eye that the handmayd would be obedient to her mistrisse or that the flesh would but cease a little to resist the good motions of the spirite If wee could but a little yea I saye but a little sequester our selues from this worldly securitie which with her manifold charming pleasures hath lulled vs so long in the cradle of the flesh that wee are almost all fallen into a daungerous deade sleepe If we could but once beholde the Lorde as hee is in himselfe truth and equitie or but once thinke of him aright of his woonderfull maiestie supported with eternall sanctimonie holines and righteousnesse If the Lorde of his great mercie would but once open our eyes and let vs see this heauenly obiect we should be so farre from offending his maiestie and decaying his church that for euer after wee would loath this earthly dungeon of our bodie ful of deadly destructions and pleasaunt miseries wee shoulde then more truely know God and Iesu Christ whom hee hath sent wee should bee able to discerne the honourable the blessed the singular prerogatiue which hee hath giuen to his spowse And therwith wee should striue to yeelde her the first fruits of our best and greatest endeuours wee shoulde looke about vs aâ—d see more clearly how farre the heathen haue gone before vs in their kinde concerning religion how farre we are fallen in these daies from the rules of nature and true philosophy from the examples of the holy fathers the olde patriarkes the true prophets the blessed apostles the christiaÌ„ emperors the reuerend Bishops whilest we embrace this present worlde and make desolate his holie Church with the ministerie thereof Let vs knowe that wee are heere placed in a strife of obtaining double pleasure and double paine the pleasure of the sense worketh sinne and sinne is the parent of death but the minde flieth higher vnto the heauenly hilles euen to the top of that high Olimpus from whence commeth our health These two contrary desires bee the cause of mans disquietnes in this life shewing plainly that the flesh euermore striueth against the spirite with such perfect discord that whatsoeuer maintaineth the one destroieth the other that which delighteth the one displeaseth the other that which exalteth the one depresseth the other So that though the spirite bee willing yet the flesh is verie weake and vnable to walke this straite and narrow way of eternal life yea so weake that Saint Paule in the middest of this battell crieth out that which I would doe that I doe not and that which I would not that I do O wretch that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of sinne euen the grace and mercie of God thorowe Iesu Christ our Lord. Let vs therefore cast of this coate of sinne with the workes of darkenes and put vpon vs the armour of light now in this most daungerous day wherein charitie is waxen so colde and iniquitie so hoat that we scarse count it any sinne to take away the maintenance of the Church of Iesu Christ. The naturall Philosopher teacheth trulie that euerie compound bodie consisteth of two parts of matter and forme affirming that the forme is the more excellent part of nature The Logitian considering with Plato that matter is a note of corruption affirmeth that the forme is worthie to rule The morall Philosopher writeth thus Animal autem primum constat â—x animo corpore quorum illud quidem imperat natura hoc quidem paret animus imper at corpori herili imperio mens antem appetitui ciuili regio a man consisteth cheefelie of minde of bodie the minde by nature dooth rule the bodie by nature dooth obaie concluding thus Imperet sapiens let the strong in bodie take paines but let learned wisedome rule In Aegipt the best Astrologers were had in greatest honour and as it appeareth by Hermes the first lawe giuer of the Aegiptians such were commonly chosen Kinges So likewise with the Chaldeans with the Assirianes with the Romanes and Indianes the heauenlie vertues and giftes of the minde were in highest honour so that as Plato writeth they counted that common wealth happie in which either Kinges were
yeeld that this fruitfull braunch did spring from Helynaes roote For she not onely adueÌ„tured her owne person in mightie warres against the Infidels farther than that sexe dooth commonly affoord but she sent into the wide west Ocean sea to the 7 fortunate Ilands to the Atlantich IlaÌ„ds bearing far north by west gaining them all their people to the christian religioÌ„ which neuer heard of Christ before In which Ilandes to the end that after they had tasted the sweete milke of the Gospell of Christ they might be fed with stronger meat hauing built and erected many parish churches besides diuers goodly colledges she founded and erected in Granata foure Cathedrall churches in the fortunate Ilandes two in the Indian Ilandes three in Affrike she wonne Mellam a most strong defenced towne she wonne from the Turke the Iland Cephalena sometimes Vlisses inheritance amongst the Grecians and most louingly she restored it to the Venetians whose sometimes it was Shee wonne the Citie and tower of Ostia violently deteined from the Romanes by a tyrant restoring it vnto the Bishop of Rome she enacted that there should bee but one religion in her dominions one faith one forme of diuine worship and thervpon notwithstanding the great tribute which came yearely into her treasurie from the Iewes she expelled from her dominions all the Iewes which dwelt there euen to the number of six hundred thousands also shee offered to all Sarasins and Mahometists either freely to depart out of her dominions or to become Christians Wherby after some time and diligent preaching within one yeare of the Sarasins there were conuerted and baptised aboue twentie hundred thousand Lastly shee gaue to the adorning of the temple built ouer the sepulcher of our sauiour Christ foure costly syndones which whilest she was with child she did spin weaued afterward with hir own hands in token of her dutifull obedience towards him O most fruitful and vertuous Lady which shunned neither colde nor heat nor wars nor weapons nor wearying of hir selfe nor spending her treasure her time her life so that she might increase the church of Christ and make his name known amongst the Gentils Therefore the Lord looked down from heauen vpon her with his louing countenance giuing her all that her heart desired heere vppon earth with most happie successe till at the length after her long prosperous and victorious raigne shee which had leade her life most vertuously yeelded her soule into the hands of Iesu Christ most willingly After whose most happy death her childrens children were raised by the Lord vnto the seate and title of Earles Dukes Kings and Emperours This right renowned Lady was born in the yere of our Lord 1448 departed this life 1504 at which time also florished in England that most vertuous Princesse the Ladie Margaret Countesse of Richmond and Darbie mother to king Henrie the seauenth This deuout Princesse beeing replenished with heauenlie graces well knowing that the high honor of flesh and bloud is but a glistering cloude of vanitie leauing the transitorie delights of the world shee betooke her selfe wholly to the seruice and worship of God Shee fell downe often on her knees secretlie in her closet bowed her selfe most humbly before him in his holie Temple powring out her complaints together with the penetentiall Psalmes of Dauid humblie requesting the Lord in her prayers that hee would looke downe with his louing compassion on his holie Church mercifully forgiuing the sinnes of his people This shee did daily ordinarily faithfully sincerely To her diuine meditations she adioyned often fastings with many thousands of mercifull deedes to the poore hearing their crie willing that they might haue accesse vnto her helping them to their right against the mightiest of their Countrie of what calling place honor or office soeuer they were Her house most princely and solemnly ordered her vertuous statutes set downe by her godly Counsel and signed with her owne hand as it is to be seene at this day the Chappell was most reuerently regarded of all other places and not of her alone but of all her honorable retinue her hower appointed for praier no pleasure no businesse no embassage no King nor Keisar could once interrupt No oth within her dores nor any word or deed which might offend the King of heauen And yet those vsuall recreations which might verie well beseeme the better sort of Christians Her house thus wel reformed according to the disposion of her heauenlie mind though she waxed in years yet shee walked forth of her doores into the haruest of the Lord wherby the way looking vp she viewed the height fairnes of the temples wel thinking in her wise and Godlie meditation that there were many goodly places deuoid of worthy persons and many faire walles but not so many well learned as they should be Her thought was good her intent godlie her successe was happy And what was that shee seeing the haruest great and the laborers few forthwith shee thought to send more laborers into the field of the Lord. And how Shee pulled not downe manie litle Celles to build vp one great Colledge as did the Cardinall who liued not to see the end of his worke once begon but wisely waying the great inconuenience of walles without men men without religioÌ„ religioÌ„ without knowledge knowledge without spirituall pastors she founded an excellent colledge in our vniuersit of CaÌ„bridge after the name number of Christ and his xii Apostles endowing it with goodly landes possessions with statutes and rules of vertuous life to the end that by her meanes many good and skilfâ—ll workmen might goe forth into the haruest of the Lord. This branch of true christian charitie increased so much was so acceptable in the sight of God that by the view therof she framed a more solemne portraiture in her breast for not long after she stil meditating how she might best gratify the Lord of light who had put downe her foes and replenished her hart with ioy and gladnes according to the true rule of profiting in the schole of Christ she went from vertue to vertue from strength to strength euen a litle before her death raising vp a most solmne sumptuous colledge by her will founding therein seauenty fellowes according to the number of the seauentie Disciples sent out by our Sauiour Christ into the world to preach the Gospel for the good weale and prosperous maintenance whereof shee gaue very rich ancient faire and good lands Shee left them holsome and worthie statutes whereby a vertuous life might bee practised and all knowledge aswel of tongues as of sciences might by her godly deuotion bee more happily attained Lastly hauing bestowed great landes possessions for the maintenance of lectures in Hebrewe in Greeke in Latine in Arethmetike Rhetorike Logicke Philosophie Geometrie Mathematick Phisick Astronomy Diuinity and such disputations with other profitable exercises belonging to the same She cleaped this latter colledge by
sith the taking from the Church is the despoiling of God our Creatour The punishment sent on such offendours must needs be much more grieuous then that which vsually is sent to man for his vsuall and naturall infirmity Wee haue behelde the good blessinges of the Lord bestowed on those his louing seruants who in their liues and doings expressed their tender loue vnto his temple and let vs not now loath to behold the euill desteny of those who from time to time haue striuen against the Lord his holy church After the open enemies which sought with force of arms and authoritie to suppresse the Gospel of Iesu Christ had shewed their force against the church stoning some and imprisoning others whipping scourging banishing cruelly persecuting the rest Then Sathan striking saile drawing in his ensigne of open warre and defiance sought by pollicie to keepe down the church of Christ now springing in the east He raised sundry damnable heresies which increased so long intangled so many poore Christians that the church of Christ which whilom did shine most cleare and bright by the mistie cloudes of heresie begun to be eclipsed Sed exitus act a probat the haruest doth shew the goodnes of the seede the life dooth proue the vertue of the minde the death ofttimes doth shew the course of naughtie life Let vs leaue the force of Herod in the fielde and a while consider what became of them which colourably weakened the church in the towne Arrius that notable heretike he most blasphemously sought the disgrace of the holie blessed glorious Trinitie affirming inequality of the three persons and detracting from the eternitie of Iesus Christ. This opinion entred the Christian flocke infecting farre and neere in most nations So that the heretike had many seeming Christians on his part and that with great glorie till at the length when hee should come to be restored to the church as he went in the streete with great pride and countenance of many friends of a sodaine he went aside to the priuie where his belly violently burst in sunder his guts came out and he fell downe dead most miserably as it was presently seene of all the people What should I here rehearâ—e the wicked liues of those arch-heretikes who though they florished in the worlde for a while yet in that they did striue against the sonne of God and sought to diminish his maiestie their raigne was not so glorious as their ende was miserable Nestorius florished greatly and his heresie spred it selfe mightily amongst the people but when this shining cloud was once well shaken with the tempest sent from God hee was sent into banishment in the which hee beeing often taken captiue by the barbarous people the citie burnt ouer his head and his life euery houâ—e in the heathens hand he fel into a most deadly contagion insomuch that his tong was eaten out of his head with wormes with which he ended his miserable life Let not worldly minded men flatter themselues and feed their humour with the contag on of this disease saying these were heretâ—call men schollers of no great account but rulers and those that bee of authoritie they are wiser Surely those men were worldly wise men and in their profession very learned in great authoritie and account amongst many nations and though they had bene higher in degree yet let al men know that the Lorde counteth not of earthly honour neither spareth any man for his great authoritie This appeareth plainely in Maximinius that cruell persecuter of the Christians Who after he had cruelly persecuted the Church therewith pulling down the temples of the Christians the Lorde laide his heauy hand vpon him so that of a sodain there brake out of his body a mortall vlcer with a corrupte humour rotting his bowels besides an incredible number of crawling wormes gnawing him within and corrupting him in such sort that his body breath sent from them a mortall stinch his bodie was so lothsome to bee seene that fewe physitions could abide to look on him Those which ventured to come neere they dyed with the contagious smell of his filthie corrupt body This misery at length caused him to remeÌ„ber his wicked crueltie committed against Iesu Christ and his holy church Therefore feeling some remoâ—se in his conscience first hee confessed his sinnes vnto almighty God Secondly hee commaunded that the persecution of the Christians should cease and that of their obedience to the imperiall authoritie they should reedifie the Churches of the Christians in which hee requested them to pray to the Lorde for him Though the Lorde inflicted this horrible sicknesse on him with his ignominious flight in the battaile he casting away the imperiall habite and deniyng it to bee his yet in that hee had some remorse of his sinne though distreyned on all sides with greeuous horrours his ende was not so fearefull as was the euent of that wicked Emperour Iulian the Apostara who after manie wicked cruelties and deadlie pollicies practised against the church of Christ proceeding with his puissant armie of valiant souldiers towardes Persia hauing passed the Riuer before hee wist hee was in a wildernesse where hee wanting guides for his armie after a few daies his whole companie was so distressed for want of victualles that many of them died with hunger and thirst diuers fell downe languished as they went by the way The most fled and he was found in a solitarie place sore wounded crying out with griefe and rauing furiously blaspheming God his Creator railing on the god Mars and saying that Apollo was a lying god At length feeling the extreame pains of death come vpon him his guttes issuing out of his wound which most men thinke was inflicted on him by the angell of God hee tooke his handful of his owne bloud and did cast it vp into the aire crying out Vicisti Galilee vicisti Though I haue conquered thy Christians and pulled downe many of thy Temples yet nowe at length O Galilean at length thou hast ouercomed mee This may wel be true say some yet the sequel not so sure sith this irreligious Emperour most Atheisticallie opposed himselfe against Christ and in defiance of him spoiled his pore flocke and the holie church which they tooke for a sanctuarie But to destroy the temples of the heathen to fier the churches of heretickes and those which are not of a good Religion that is no such offence before God But rather I thinke wee ought to pull them downe You thinke yea and I do constantly affirme the contrary In this difference of opinions let the art of Logicke bee the framer of our arguments and the rules of eternall truth our direction to the same Let selfe wil bath her selfe in her owne bloud Let arrogancie drownd her selfe in the deep let ignorant zeale flye far from hence into the wildernesse let sophistrie betake her to a dead sleepe and let
contrarie you shall easilie see that in no age in no time past they were vsed so beggerlie and so vnworthilie But if in auncient time men were so religious in their errour howe deuout thinke you they would haue bene in the sincere worship of the true euer liuing God Such manner of men ought we to be which doe not worship fained idols or diuels as they did but that great creator the maker of heauen earth all things therein Wherefore I desire O most noble prince I desire most earnestly euen for that great goodwill which I beare to you your commonwelth that you and those which be of your opinion would alter your minds and take better councell concerning the church the clergie the landes and goodes once dedicated to the same Although you are not moued with those examples of your ancestors yet at the least let your late losses present calamites ioined with ill successe be a sufficient warning vnto you For I doubt of my truth am sore afraid least if you go on with the same mind and purpose as you haue begun you shal suffer greater aduersities euen as those which are of a farre better disposition haue plainly foreshewed vnto you In like manner as it is recorded it hath fallen out very daungerously to others in times past for S. Augustine writeth in his booke intituled De ciuitate Dei there was a great plague in Rome both of women and of beastes so that through the huge number of those which died they doubted that all liuing creatures would finallie perish and further also that winter was so exceeding colde that the snowe which was extraordinarie laye of a great deapth euen in the market place for the space of fortie daies and Tyber was frozen ouer verie harde and thicke Then they saie it was aunswered that the cause of the plague was in that many priuate men possessed and dwelt in manie religious houses which being shortlie after restored to their true vse foorthwith that great and wonderfull plague ceased Qu. Fuluius Flaccus as Valerius writeth left a notable example behind him euen an example to all posteritie concerning the contempt of religion For this man though he were the controler of the citie yet he scaped not vnpunished in that while he was in office he tooke the marble pillers of Iunoes temple in the citie Locrine and wickedly placed them in that house which he built at Rome For immediately after this fact he fel into a phrensie and was starke madde euer after with fierce mad passions still consuming till at the length hee hearing that of his two sonnes which were soldiers in Ilirium the one was dead the other most grieuously sicke he died most miserably By which great daunger the Senate and people of Rome not a little mooued decreed presently that the marble pillers should bee carried to Iunoes temple from whence they came that thereby the impious fact of the Censour might be corrected and by that excellent example they might note vnto their posterity that whatsoeuer is once dedicated to the immortall God cannot without great impietie be altered in anie wise though it bee imployed to some other honest and very good vses And if anie should bee so wicked and irreligious that they should attempt to violate prophane holie thinges yet they should vnderstand that the Senate would take it greeuously that they would be fully reuenged of theÌ„ for the same euen vnto death On the contrarie Xenophon writeth finely and excellently concerning Agesilaus that famous Emperour that hee alwaies with great diligence and studie did seeke to reuerence the temples of his enemies thinking it reason that the immortall God ought to bee trulie worshipped aswell amongst his enemies as amongst his friendes And likewise the religious and deuout persons euen amongest his enemies he would not suffer them in any wise to bee molested for he said it was vnreasonable and a most barbarous crueltie to take any one thing from the Temples and holy Churches or that the priestes should bee at any charges or losse in any respect Wherefore hee hated such wicked church-robbers euen vnto the death hoping thereby to vanquish his enemies and to strengthen his owne power the which conclusion prooued true as appeareth by that which is excellently written of Mithridates in the life of Lucullus translated out of Greeke into Latine by Leonard Iustinian that noble conncellor and father of your common wealth for whilest hee assaulted the citie of the Ciziceâ—anes being tributorie to the people of Rome and that with an exceeding great power both by sea and lande by and by a sodaine tempest rising and his victualles failing hee was vtterlie vanquished by Lucullus the greatest part of his armie being spoiled and destroied in the fight Afterward when he thought to saue his life only by flying againe hee was so afflicted with a straunge sodayne tempest that leauing the ship in which hee was which through the outragiousnesse of the tempest was almost readie to sincke hee was constrained to yeelde himselfe into the handes of pirats They report that Diana worthily afflicted him with that great ouerthrowe and calamitie which they accounted a goddesse because most iniuriouslie and irreligiouslie euen with wicked handes hee spoiled her temple and presumed to take her ymage from thence No lesse horrible chaunce there was amongest the Romane armie euen on the like occasion For when Carthage a professed enemie to the Romanes at length was woon of them by force of armes a certaine Romane Souldier contemning Religion in the spoiling of the Citie was not afraide to committe sacriledge taking away the goulden vesture from Apollo who was woorshipped as a GOD of all men but he escaped not long vnpunished for that wicked fact in that the most righteous God of his iust iudgement brought it so to passe that the handes of this church-robber were found cutte off amongest the peeces of the vesture wherby other afterwardes might bee taught how carefully wee ought to keepe our handes from violating holie thinges Wee may alledge manie such like examples out of holie Scriptures especiallie as it is written in the booke of the Machabees Antiochus that wicked king yeeldeth vs a plaine example which vaunted himselfe so prowdlie and so arrogantlie aboue all measure that hee seemed to himselfe as though hee could commaund the flowing of the seas and reach the heauens with his finger This man contemning the holie religion of the true and eternall God was not afraide with wicked and prophane handes to spoile that faire and famous Temple of the Iewes Though hee hoped to escape the vengeance of God yet he escaped not long for of a sodaine hee was stricken with so daungerous horrible plague that out of his bodie there issued abundance of woormes and with most horrible torment to him they issued out of his flesh hee yet liuing Hee beeing woonderfully mooued with this plaine and manifest punishment sent from
God at the length hee remembred himselfe and at the last when hee could not abide his owne stinke it is meete saith hee to bee obedient vnto the Lord and for a mortall man not to seeme a God vnto himselfe Furthermore hee promised that hee would adorne the Temple whose ornamentes and pretious plate hee had taken away a little before most wickedlie with many and wonderfull giftes and that hee would abundantlie supply all the charges belonging to the sacrifice with his owne reuenewes and to conclude that hee would be circumcised But when after so manie barbarous mischiefes and outragious spoilings of the Church hee seemed vnworthie of mercie he ended his wicked life as he was worthie The like also happened to Heliâ—dorus Legate to the King as wee reade in the same Booke in the like matter for beeing sent of the King to take the treasure of the Church whilest hee executed his commission committed to him verie stoutlie as manie as obeyed his sacrilegious commission presentle euen by the power of God rushing downe they were amazed and cleane confounded Heliodorus a sodaine sight appearing vnto him from heauen forthwith was stricken to the ground verie sore wounded in sundrie places of his bodie then without all hope of life a great number of souldiers thronging about him with a few he was draweÌ„ out of the place halfe dead which imediatly before hee entred with great pride and hawtinesse by and by through the prayers of the priestes he recouering hauing vowed manie thinges his commission not executed hee returned with his armie vnto the king where when hee had priuatlie and publiquely signified the apparition which hee had from heauen and which hee had felt in himselfe through the handy worke of God the king asked him what messenger hee thought meetest to goe againe to Ierusalem on this businesse Saith hee if you haue any enemie or traitor to your person send him thither for though he escape aliue yet he shall returne well whipped sith in that place there is some diuine power and Godheade for the most mightie Creator of heauen and earth which ruleth and disposeth all thinges by his great prouidence wisedome is the sure keeper safe defendor of that place Whosoeuer therefore without respect of religion shall offer force vnto him or violent hands let them not think to sâ—ape vnpunished for hee pursueth them in such sort afflicteth them with so great calamities intollerable torments vntil they suffer iust punishment for their deserts Of this matter you neede none other witnesse than my selfe which made triall not not long since in mine owne person I am afraid O most noble Prince least that which as I said did lately chance vnto Heliodorus may also be the sorowful lot of those which exact tribute froÌ„ religious meÌ„ houses both because they attempt that froÌ„ which if they were wise they should kede themselues free but especially because some men rush vpon it outragiously without al respect of religion or their poore estate I am perswaded it is farre inough from the intent and purpose of your noble most wise Senate that through these exactions the priests and ministers of God which are continually busied in diuine functions for the soules health of all men should suffer any iniurie But yet in priuate conferences I haue rather obserued it that by this meanes and vnhonest endeuor they seek to gratifie your noble Senate Wherfore their actions seeme too austere too cruell and vnreasonable For vnles their money be ready euen at the appointed daye presently there commeth in the vnmercifull receiuers of such exactors they offer force and violence to the poore priests they raile on them they miscall them they wound them with contumelious and opprobrious speeches they violently take away their goodes and houshold stuffe they prise it they sell it their gaine is almost more than the value of the paiment O wonderfull impietie before this age neuer once heard of O great crueltie woorthie to bee reuenged with great punishment Those which doe these things are they to be called Christians can we perswade our selues that God will forget such haynous offences other sinnes although they be greeuous yet the Lords wrath being once pacified by true repentaunce they are put away But if thou haue once lifted vp thine handes to spoile holie thinges then then it is high time for thee to tremble before the face of the wrathful God the reuenger of all impietie will come sodainely he will take full punishment on theÌ„ euen in his straight and fearefull iudgement and now for the better and more certaine knowledge of this thing we may well remember that most vnhappie death and destruction of Cn Pompeius on whom fortune at the first blush did laugh so fauourablie that as Tullie saith there is no man to be thought so fond which within himself would wish such and so many high honours as God himselfe bestowed most plentifullie on Pompey and yet because as Liuie writeth and Iosephus the most cleare excellent historiographer of the Hebrews he went about to take away the riches costly iewels out of the temple he purchased a miserable death vnto himself For how sore a battail and how vnhappie successe had hee euer after against Iulius Caesar in Thesalia and other places also how miserably his head was strucke off by Ptolomie being but a boy in whom hee reposed great hope it is verie plaine and manifest The like euils or as I may saie sisters vnto these were those which happened to M. Crassus going to warre against the Parthians who were professed enimies to the Romaines He going to war when by the waie he had spoiled the foresaid temple of the Iewes and as Iosephus writeth amongst other things had taken the golden piller out of the temple which waied an hundred and fiftie pound waight in massie gold and had broke it in pieces and most wickedlie paid his souldiers therewith afterward he fought against the Parthians with so hard and euill successe that amongst al the great losses and ill aduentures of the Romaines his is also numbred and recorded For first of all his deare sonne whom he loued tenderly was slaine in the battaile before his face and manie legions of the Romaine Soldiers euen the flower of their chiualrie were then also most pittifullie slaine manie of theiâ— ensignes were taken by the enemie the rest of that armie which scaped the slaughter of the battaile by flight were scattered into Armenia Silicea Syria At the length Crassus himselfe by the iust iudgement of almightie God being taken of his enemies chose rather to kill himselfe then to be captiue to the barbarous people For he thrusting the riding wand wherewith he did beat his horse deep in at his eie with that strange kinde of death ended his wicked life Afterward his wretched head and his right hande once cut off by the barbarous people and brought to the king Aristonicus his