the fruit therof appeare but reiect it and make it a reproch and cast it away from vs and therfore is it that the Lord doth cast vs away that we are vnwise that we please our selues with our own deuises and follow our owne imaginatiōs and perish because we haue not vnderstanding to heare y e instruction of the Lords word but like ignorant mē disallow it and cast it behinde the backe The consideration hereof moueth mée to say somewhat of the holy Scriptures whyche are the bright Sunne of God whiche bring light vnto our wayes and comforte to all parts of our life and saluation to our soules In whiche is made knowen vnto vs our estate and the mercie of God in Christe our Sauiour witnessed That we may the better sée the path whiche wée haue to walke in my meaning is truely and plainely and shortly to shewe you what Auctoritie and Maiestie the worde of God beareth then what Profite we maye reape by it also howe needeful it is that we be wel instructed in the holy Scriptures and what Pleasure and Delectation a Christian conscience may finde in them and lastle whether they be darke and doubtfull or plaine and easie for youre vnderstanding that when we know the Maiestie and Auctoritie of the worde and what comforte and profitte GOD giueth vs by it we depriue not our selues thereof by oure vnthankefulnesse nor close vp our eyes that we sée it not but heare it in reuerence and in feare that it may be fruitfull in vs and we receiue it not in vaine The Scriptures are the worde of God What title can ther be of greater value what may be said of them to make them of greater auctoritie thā to say The Lord hath spoken them That they came not by the wil of men but holie men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost At the worde or Proclamation of an earthly Prince we stand vppe and vaile our bonnets and giue good eare to it we are bounde so to doe it is oure duetie such honour belongeth to the powers that are placed to rule ouer vs for they are ordained of God And who soeuer resisteth them resssteth the ordinance of God If we shoulde haue a reuelation and heare an Angell speake vnto vs how carefull would we be to marke and remember and be able to declare the words of the Aungel yet is an Aungel but a glorious creature and not God And what is a King greate and mightie yet mortall and subiecte to death creature and not God And what is a King great and mightie yet mortall and subiecte to death His breath departeth and his name shal perishe Bothe he and his worde his power and his puissance shall haue an ende But the word of the Gospell is not as the worde of an earthly Prince It is of more Maiestie than the word of an Angel The Apostle sayeth If the worde spoken by Aungels was stedfaste and euerie transgression disobediēce receiued a iust recompence of rewarde how shall wee escape if wee neglecte so great saluation whiche at the firste beganne to bee preached by the Lorde and was confirmed vnto vs by them that hearde him God saith by the Prophet Esay My word shal accomplish that whiche I will and it shal prosper in the thing whereto I sent it And the same Prophet saith The worde of God shall stand for euer And It is more easie that Heauen and Earth passe awaie than that one title of the Lawe shoulde faile sayth our fauiour For it is the worde of the liuing and almightie God of the God of Hostes whyche hathe done whatsoeuer pleased him bothe in heauen and in earth By thys worde he maketh hys will knowen I haue not spoken of my selfe sayeth Christe but the Father whiche sente mee gaue mee a commaundemente what I shoulde saye and what I shoulde speake And againe If I hadde not come and spoken vnto them they shoulde not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sinne No man hath séene God at any time He is inuisible no eie can reach vnto him The onelye begotten sonne whyche is in the bosome of hys Father he hath declared him he hathe shewed vs the throne of grace that wée may seeke for mercie and finde grace in time of néede he hath disclosed vnto vs the will of his father He hath lefte vnto vs and ordained that we should heare his holy worde Thys word the Angelles and blessed spirits vsed when they came down from Heauen to speake vnto the people when they came to the blessed Uirgine and to Ioseph and to others they spake as it was written in the Prophetes and in the Scriptures of God they thought not their owne auctoritie sufficient but they tooke credite to theyr saying and auctoritie to their message oute of the worde of God This Worde the Prophetes vouched and alleadged to the people Albeit they were sanctified in their mothers wombe albeit God had endued them with his heauenly spirite although a Seraphin came vnto one of them and touched his mouth with a hote coale albeit he sawe the Lorde sitting vpon an high throne yet they woulde not speake as of themselues but onelye in the name of the Lord for thus they vsed to say The Lord hath spoken this is the worde of the Lorde Heare what the Lorde saith Sainct Paule albeit hée was taken vppe into the third Heauen and into Paradise and hearde wordes that are not lawefull for man to vtter yet he wrote not his owne words to the Churches of Rome of Corinth and Thessalonica and of other places but deliuered which had receiued and taught them according to the Scriptures This word is the true Manna it is the bread which came downe from Heauen it is the key of the kingdom of heauen it is the sauour of life vnto life it is the power of God vnto saluation In it God sheweth vnto vs hys mighte hys wisedome and his glorie By it he wil be knowen of vs. By it he will be honored of his creaturs Whatsoeuer truth is brought vnto vs contrarie to the word of God it is not truth but falsehoode and errour whatsoeuer honour done vnto God disagréeth from the honor required by his worde it is not honour vnto God but blasphemie As Christ saith In vaine they worship me teaching for doctrines mens precepts By Esay God saith Who required this at your hands And by Ieremie I spake not vnto your Fathers nor commaunded them when I brought them out of the lande of Aegipt concerning burnt offerings Sacrifices But this thing commaunded I them saying obey my voice and I will bee your God and yee shall be my people and walke yee in all the wayes whiche I haue commaunded you that it may bee well vnto you Againe What is the Chaffe to the Wheate saith the Lord What are your dreames to be weighed with the truth of God Search the
exercise himselfe daye and night The Lawe of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimonie of the Lorde is sure and giueth wisedome vnto the simple This is the rule of our faith without this our faith is but a fantasie and no faith for faith is by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Therefore Christe saith Search the Scriptures they are they that testifie of me There shall ye finde testimonie of my doctrine there shal ye know what is the wil of my heauenlye Father and there shall you receiue the comforte for euerlasting life Againe He that followeth mee shall not walke in darkenesse but shall haue the light of life If a man keepe my word he shal know the truth hee shall neuer see death Therefore Baruch saith O Israel wee are blessed for the things that are acceptable vnto God are declared vnto vs. This is thy blessednesse herein hath God shewed his fauour vnto thée he hathe reuealed the secreats of hys will vnto thée and hath put his worde in thy mouth He sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgements vnto Israell hee hathe not dealte so with euerie nation neyther haue they knowen hys Iudgementes Therefore the Prophet Dauid teacheth vs to pray vnto God for the knowledge of his worde Shewe mee thy wayes O Lord and teache me thy pathes Take not thy holie spirite from mee and incline my hearte vnto thy testimonies Giue mee vnderstanding that I maye learne thy commaundementes open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Lawe And Lighten mine eies that I sleepe not in death that I maye discerne betwéene safetie and daunger that I may knowe truth to be the truth and error to be error Thus I haue declared parte of that profite which groweth to vs by the word of God but it doeth not onelye directe our iudgement in the triall of truth but dothe also graffe in vs a boldenesse and constancie in the defence of the truth Salomon saieth A foole chaungeth as the Moone He is alwayes vnstable and inconstant he knoweth not neither what to do nor what to beleue he is somtimes ful sometimes emptie turneth and changeth as the Moone He buildeth and layeth his foundation vppon the sande therfore his house falleth to the ground He halteth on both sides somtimes worshippeth God and sometimes worshippeth Baal he is neither hotte nor colde he ebbeth and floweth like the waues of the sea he doubteth and staggereth resteth in nothing He knoweth not the truth he knoweth not that the scripturs are the word of God so he wandereth in the darke and knoweth not the way in which he walketh He hath no féeling no hart no vnderstāding He is vnfaithful towards God and kepeth no faith towards man he is wauering in all hys wayes And why because he knoweth not the wil of God nor hath the light of his word to guide his féete But a wise man is one and stedfast as the sunne He buildeth his house vppon a rocke and that rocke is Iesus Christe the sonne of God Therefore his house is neuer shaken downe Be the storme or tempest neuer so rough yet it shall stand faste like Mount Sion because his truste is in the name of the Lord. He knoweth that his name is written in the Booke of Life he knoweth that he belongeth to the Lords Shéepefolde and that no man can take him away out of the Lordes hand In this boldenesse Dauid sayeth Thoughe I shoulde walke thorough the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no euill for thou arte wyth mee thy rodde and thy staffe they comforte mee And againe the Lord is my light and my saluation whome shall I feare And againe Except thy lawes had bene my delight I should now haue perished in mine affliction when Ezechias heard y ◠proud message of Sennacherib sent to him his people by Rahshaketh that they should not obey Ezech. nor trust to him when he said The Lord wil deliuer you and let not thy GOD deceiue thee in whom thou trustest hee wente vp into the house of the Lord and prayed vnto the Lorde to saue hym and hys people out of their handes that al the kingdomes of the earth might know that hee is GOD alone Euen so the Apostle Whether wee liue or die wee are the Lordes And in this boldenesse our sauiour Christe setled himselfe to beare their reproches and to carry his Crosse Father if thou wilte take away this cup frō me neuerthelesse not my wil but thine bee done Thus they that are taught by the word of God to put their trust in the Lorde and are thereby rooted and setled in him can not be remoued by any practise of Sathan but stand fast and continue for euer Which shal more plainely appeare if we looke backe into the times of persecution and beholde the boldenesse of constancie of the Sainctes of God They were brought before Magistrates caste into prisōs spoiled of their goods cruelly murthered Some were hanged vppon gibbets some run through with swords some torn with wild horses some drowned in the water and some burnt in the fire They were hated of all men for the name of Christ. They were despised as the filth of the worlde and dung of the earth Yet continued they faithfull and constant They armed their heartes with the comforte of Gods worde therby wer they able to resist in the euil day They were faithfull vntil death therefore GOD gaue them a Crowne of glorie When they were called before Kings and Princes and others of auctoritie and commaunded to forsake the trueth they had learned and the comfort which they tooke in the truth they aunswered in this manner O my gratious Lorde I would faine do your commandement I am your subiect I haue done faithfull seruice with my body with my goods but I cannot serue you against God He is King of Kings Lord of Lords He is my Lord before whom I stande I haue put my life in his handes He hathe forbidden me to doe this thing whiche you commaunde I cannot therefore doe it Iudge vprightly whether it be méete to obey you rather than God My liuing my wife my children and my life are deare vnto me I am a man like others and haue mine affections Yet neither liuing nor wife nor children nor my life is so deare vnto me as the glorie of God I am but a pore worme yet am I the worke of his handes God hathe putte his worde in my mouth I may not deny it I may not beare false witnesse against the Lord. My life is not deare vnto me in respect of the trueth I knowe if I shoulde deny him to saue my life I shoulde lose it and if I lose my life for his sake I shall finde it That which your auctoritie shal lay vpon me is not done without his will All the haires of my head are
A VIEWE OF A SEDITIOVS Bul sent into Englande from Pius Quintus Bishop of Rome ANNO. 1569. Taken by the reuerende Father in God IOHN IEWEL late Bishop of SALISBVRIE Wherevnto is added A short Treatise of the holy Scriptures Both which he deliuered in diuers Sermons in his Cathedral Church of Salisburie Anno. 1570. AT LONDON Printed by R. Newberie H. Bynneman ANNO. 1582. To the godlie Reader THE present state of these our dayes and the honourable and reuerent loue that euery one of vs subiectes oweth to so gratious a Prince as GOD in mercy hath set ouer vs hath caused this small worke to be persented vnto thee gentle Reader For it carrieth in it selfe and bringeth vnto thee a ripping vp and an vnfoulding of that seditious BVL of Pius Quinius that was set vp and published by FELTON a rebellious traitour in the twelfth yeare of hir Maiesties raigne to withdraw thee from the obedience and loue that thou owest to hir Maiestie to hir Lawes and godlie proceedinges and to this Realme thy deare Countrie To whiche is also adioined an other Treatise of the Holy Scriptures Wherein is shewed thee the authoritie and the profit and the pleasure and the necessitie of the word of God Both these the reuerend Father in GOD D. IEWEL late Bishop of SARVM deliuered to that Church and people in the great care he had to do his Maisters seruice to keepe the people committed to his charge from incurring such offence to GOD or vndutifulnes to hir Maiestie or their own euerlasting damnation His meaning herein was good toward theÌ„ not doubt but they reapt the comfortable fruit of his godlie trauailes The like mayest thou gather to thy selfe by direction of the same his speeches thus drawn into short and compendious forme if thou wilt reade them with diligence and iudgement If thou learne to humble thy selfe before GOD and to seeke wisdome of hym if thou searche the scriptures and make them thy guides to leade thee through the desert and wide sea of this life as thou arte aduertised by the later thou shalt soone espie the daunger of all such practises towardes disloialtie aud rebellion whereto the BVL driueth thee which is disclosed in the former For it is not only sayde by the wise man The feare of the Lorde is the beginning of wisedome but also set down by the Prophet They haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in them that is therefore men become foolish and do such things as are vnmeete because they care not for the word of God and therefore Dauid in his experience so confesseth that by the commaundemeÌ„ts of God he was made wiser than his enimies and had more vnderstanding than al his teachers because the testimonies of the Lord were euer with him and he did meditate them If thou settle thy heart to like and do those things which please God if thou haue the loue of his word hee wil teache thee the way wherein thou shouldst walke in obedience to him and in dutie to hir Maiestie our dread Soueraigne his seruant I trust thou wilte take good instructions out of these twoo Treatises to thy duty and zeale to them both and be thankful to God for that learned Father who hath lefte a light vnto thee both in ex-example and by these and other his workes whose steppes if thou shalt follow thou shalt liue godly and die with comforte as a good seruaunt of thy mercifull GOD and Father The benefites of his great trauailes taken in time of his life are thine And vnto the ende he ceassed not to continue in the faith whiche he before professed For as I one of many yet liuing can testifie in the daye and night before his departure out of this worlde hee expounded the Lordes prayer and gaue short notes vpon the 71. Psalme to such as were by him He thought good to say somwhat at that time of his Bookes written by him and set forth in Print and also of his Preaching In both which seruices done by him to the glory of God and thy comfort he made protestation of his good conscience whiche euen then as he declared witnessed and shoulde witnesse with him before God that he dealt simply and plainely hauing God only before his eies and seeking the defence of the Ghospel of Christ and that the truth thereof might bee opened and maintayned And farther gaue thankes to God that made him his seruaunt in so greate a worke and then visited him by this messenger of death whiles he was doing the message of God in visiting his Dioecese that then hee called him to reste from his labours when his weake body was spent and worne out in setting forth the glory of God for which he many times prayed it woulde pleasâ— God to let him be offred in sacrifice Hee was at that time verye feruent in Prayer which he poured out before the Lord aboundantly and in great faith crying often Lorde let thy seruant now depart in peace Lord let thy seruant now come to thee I haue not so liued that I am ashamed to liue neither am I afrayd to die for we haue a gratious Lord. There is laide vppe for mee a crowne of righteousnesse Christ is my righteousnesse Thy will be done ô Lorde for mine is frayle With many other suche godlye speehes In the extremitie of his disease he shewed great pacience and when his voice fayled that hee lay speechelesse hee lifted vp his handes and eyes in witnesse of his consent to those prayers whiche were made Thus being vertuously occupied and wholly resting himselfe vpon the mercies of God through Iesâ—s Christ our sauior he rendred vp his soule to God the 23. of September 1571. Be thou thankful to God for giuing his Church so worthy an instrument of his glorie and bee carefull to follow the good doctrine which he left behinde him not only in this that commeth forth at this present but in all other his Bookes whiche haue beene set forth before or shall be put foorth hereafter to thy benefit and increase of godlinesse 27. Ian. 1582. North Crowlie Thine in the Lord IO GARBRAND A VIEVV OF A SEDITIOVS BVL SENT INTO ENGLANDE WHiles I opened vnto you y e words of y e Apostle That daye shall not come except ther come a departing firste that man of sinne bee disclosed euen the sonne of perdition which is an aduersarie and is exalted aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he shall sit as God in the Temple of God beare in hand that he is God there came to my hands a copie of a Bull latelye sente into this Realme by the Bishop of Rome I read it and weighed it throughly and founde it to be a matter of greate blasphemie against God and a practise to work much vnquietnesse sedition and treason againste our blessed and prosperous gouernment For it deposeth the Queens Maiestie whome GOD long
and in Germanie Will these men be more holye than so manye Bishoppes and Sainctes and Martirs and Patriarkes and Prophets and Apostles whyche by theyr example haue approued and commended vnto vs thys diuine ordinaunce Let euery man consider the strength of his owne dessell for whiche he shall render account before God in that Consistorie where we shall be iudged not by the lawes of Rome but by the lawes of God our owne conscience accusing or excusing vs. Paule sayth If they can not abstaine let them marry it is better to marry than to burne The name of Uirginitie is commendable but euery thing is not as it sheweth I protest before the liuing GOD which is the Iudge of the quicke and the dead that no filthinesse vnder the Sunne is comparable to forced Uirginitie I condemne not but rather highly commende single life No doubt there are many true Uirgins holy in body and holy in spirite but yet al are not Uirgins which liue vnmarried as Hierome séemeth to note Eliguntur mariti in sacerdotium non nego c. Such as are married are chosen into the Priestehode I deny not For Virgins are not to bee so muche accompted of as Priestes And againe But why say you in giuing of priestly orders is one whiche is a Virgin oftentimes refused and another whiche is married admitted It may bee because his doings are not agreeable to his Virginitie or bicause he is thoght to be a Virgin yet is not or bicause his virginity is infamous So much saith Hierome for reasō why married mē were preferred to orders of the Church before others whiche carried the shewe of Virginitie Now to conclude this we say our lawes after the counsell of the Apostle finding so many examples in al ages of the godly which were married and the notable inconueniences which grewe by forced chastitie haue giuen libertie that those who haue not the gifte of Chastitie to auoide Fornication may marry But no law made among vs hath forbiddē Virginitie or Single life This is the thyrtéenth vntruth And so haue you in these fewe words the number whiche I spake of euen fiue vntruths in litle more than fiue words First that we haue no Sacrifice This is not true For we haue the Sacrifice of the death and bloud of Christ a Sacrifice which lasteth for euer Againe that we haue no Prayers This is vntrue For we call vppon the name of the Lorde We glorifie God euen the Father of our Lore Iesus Christe God grant all the Churches in Christendome may do the like Againe that we haue no Fasting This is vntrue Our doctrine requireth fasting our lawes command it we commend it Againe They make no difference of Meates This is vntrue For we haue not putte downe one Fish day and we haue appointed 50. more than our forefathers kept Againe Single life is abolished This is vntrue for a Minister may liue single if he wil there is no law to the cōtrary God graunt our liues may be single and simple and pleasing him else we are like painted graues faire and holy without but within ful of stincking carren Nowe let vs procéede You haue heard 13. vntruths and maye we thinke that he which hath vttered so much falshode will stay there Eadem occupato regno supremi Ecclesiae capitis locum in omni Anglia eiusque praecipuam authoritatem atque iurisdictionem monstrosè sibi vsurpans regnum ipsum rursum in miserū exitiū reuocauit She the Quenes Maiestie inuaded the kingdome and by vsurping monstrously the place of the supreame heade of the Churche in all Englande and the chiefe aucthoritie and iurisdiction of the same hathe againe broughte the saide Realme into miserable destruction You must kéepe reconing for here to the 13. vntruths he giueth thrée others more wicked and slaunderous than the rest Hathe Queene Elizabeth inuaded the Realme O vaine man Is it beséeming for Christs Uicar to speake so vntruely What sendeth he such tales vnto vs who know the trueth and can reproue him Did hir Maiestie inuade this realme Came she by force and violence to hir Crowne No childe so simple but he may controll him herein Was not Quene Marie hir Sister Was not King Edwarde hir Brother Was not King Henrie hir naturall Father and King Henrie the 7. hir Grandfather Is shée not the right inheritour of both the houses queorke and Lancaster Hath shée not both the Roses that is bothe the Titles to the kingdome enclosed in one Did not the whole body of the Counsell take their Oath to hir xxxv yeres agoe Was not the Crown due to hir by inheritance and by succession and by the laws of this Realme Did not hir Father warrante it to hir by Wil as to his daughter Did not Queene Marie by expresse wordes leaue it to hir as to hir Sister Did not the whole Noblitie of the Realme confirme it Did not Queene Maries Byshops knéele downe before hir and acknowledge hir to be their naturall and lawfull Queene Did not you Did not all the Commons of this Realme willingly of your selues make Bonfiers ring your Belles and clap your handes for ioy Did not the children and little Babes crie out in your stréetes God saue Queeene Elizabeth Howe then dareth the Pope a wilfull Frier a wilfull and vnlearned Frier how dareth he say that Queene Elizabeth is no lawfull Queene but didde inuade this Realme with force and violence O good and gratious Ladie what Host had she what Capitaine what Souldiours what weapon was worne what Sworde drawne what Speare bente what Banner displayed what Trumpet sounded Shée entred to hir right peaceably hath raigned in greate peace saue that Pope Pius hath practised hir trouble by certaine rebels and traitors But God doth mercifully peserue hir to the confusion of hir enimies to the comforte of hir subiectes and the adnauncement of his glorie Yong men and Maydens Olde men and children may sée and saye Pope Pius is a forger a reporter of vntruth hathe no regarde what he saith or doth that he is paste al shame and hath no seare of God Againe Supremi capitis locum vsurpans Taking vpō hir the place of the supreme head This is vntrue Here laye a chase If the Pope goe forwarde he wil winne the game Where is shée euer called the supreme head Peruse the actes of Parliament the Recordes the Rolles and the Writs of Chauncerie or Exchequer which passe in hir Graces name where is she euer called the supreame heade of the Church No no brethren she refuseth it she woulde not haue it nor bée so called Why then doth Christes Uicar blaze and spreade abroade so grosse vntruth why shoulde he say Queene Eliz. maketh hir selfe the head of the Church Nay yet more Monstrose praecipuam eius auctoritatem atque iurisdictionē vsurpans Taking vpon hir monstrously the chiefe authoritie and iurisdiction of the same Here I might well say O monstrum hominis
of his diuelish practises to worke rebellion treasons among vs we may well thinke hee dealeth the like with other places when he draweth them to serue his turne Hunc vnum super omnes gentes principem constituit qui euellat destruat c. He hath appointed him onely Peter and his Successour the Byshop of Rome Prince ouer all nations to plucke vp and to destroy to roote out and throw downe to build plant No doubt this cōmissiō is large There can be no greater authority giuen in matters of the world But this authority hath no man God kéepeth it to himselfe By me Kings raigne and Princes decree iustice They beare my name they drawe my sword they are my Ministers to take vengeance on him that doth euill their hearts are in my hands I turne them whether soeuer it pleaseth me I take the praiers supplications and intercession for Kinges and for all that are in authoritie that men may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines and honestie Daniel telleth King Nabuchodonosor that the most high beareth rule ouer the kingdomes of men and giueth it to whomsoeuer hee will Wherefore doth hée not giue this glorie vnto God Wherefore saith he I will goe vp and be like vnto the highest I wil exalt my selfe and shew my selfe that I am God I haue saith he a déede of gifte The wordes set downe by the Prophet Hieremie are my warrant to place and depose whom I will And he doth not onely say thus but as if it were too small and base a title to set the name of God or of our Sauiour Christ before the wordes of his priuiledge he kéepeth his feete from y e ground and raiseth alofte and ietteth in the ayre aboue as though he were one of the spirituall wickednesses which are in the hie places and saith Regnans in excelsis cui data est omnis in caelo in terra potestas c. Hee that ruleth in the heights to whom al power is giuen both in heauen in earth c. Let him not deceiue you with vaine wordes You shall witnesse against him that hée taketh the name of the Lorde his God in vaine For if any worde in that péece of Scripture be spoken either of Prince or remouing of Princes if y e whole sense of those words cary any greater authoritie to the Pope than to the Bishop of any other place or to the simplest Minister in the world let me be no more credited Marke therefore sée howe boldly and fondly Pope Pius séeketh to mocke the worlde First he sayth Deus constituit me vnum Principem super gentes God hath appoynted me alone to be Prince ouer the nations Here is a shamelesse falsifying of Gods words The Prophet saith I haue set thee ouer the nations The Pope thrusteth in thrée words more Me alone and Prince that so he and none but he may reuel and rule in all places Reade the place of the Prophet if you haue your bookes The wordes are I set thee ouer the nations They say nothing neither of the Pope nor of Peters Successour nor of one alone nor of Prince All these the Pope hath péeced of his owne deuise But Salomon warneth him Put nothing to his words least he reproue thee and thou be founde a lyar Also S. Iohn telleth him If any man shall adde vnto these thinges GOD shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this Booke Whose wordes or what euidence will hée not corrupt which dareth in such presumption to handle the worde of GOD deceitfullye and without shame sende it foorth so into the worlde As for Hieremie the Prophete vnto whom God spake the wordes which the Pope sendeth vs will Pius say that hée was a Prince and had auctoritie ouer nations and kingdomes will hee saye that Hieremie depriued Princes and thrust them from their royall seates Hieremie did no such thing But al contrarie he suffered persecution not onely of the Princes but of the wicked people Pashur smote him and put him in the stockes Hee was in derision dayly euery one mocked him Hée hearde the rayling of many and feare came on him on euery side All his familiars laye in waite for him y e so they might preuaile against him and execute their vengeance vpon him Hee moneth his case before God saying howe is it that I came forth of the wombe to see labour and sorowe that my dayes should be consumed with shame And in the sixe and twentith Chapter all the people were gathered against Hieremie in the house of y ◠Lord then the Priestes and the Prophets and all the people tooke him and saide thou shalt die the death Was al this done vnto him by rebellion as against their Prince was it because he had vsed him selfe proudely or cruelly in matters of temporal gouernement was it not rather because he stoode in the Courte of the Lords house where the Lorde had sent him to Prophecie and saide to all the people the wordes of the Lorde of Hostes. Was it not because hee prophecied in the name of the Lorde Woulde Pope Pius be thus set ouer nations add kingdomes would he bée smitten and put into the stockes rayled at woulde he haue his dayes consumed in shame woulde he be let downe with cords into the dungeon where was no water but mire and so sticke fast in the mire woulde he haue his friendes mone his case to the King and tell what euill hath bene done to him in that they haue cast him into the dungeon say he dyeth for hunger in the place where hée is would he I say thus be set ouer nations and kingdomes or wil he say that Hieremie suffering these reproches of the Rulers and the Priests and the people did enioy an earthly peace and possesse a worldly kingdome or will hee say that God mocked his Prophet whē he saide vnto him This day I set thee ouer nations The words therefore must néeds haue an other meaning and what that meaning is who is better able to declare than Hieremie him selfe The Lord stretched out his hād touched my mouth and the Lorde saide vnto me beholde I haue put my words in thy mouth I haue ordained thee to be a Prophet vnto the nations Thou shalt go to all that I shall sende thee and what soeuer I command thee thou shalt speake Be not afraide of their faces For I this daye haue made thee a defensed Citie and an iron piller and walles of brasse against the whole lande against the Kinges of Iuda and against the Princes thereof against the Priestes thereof and against the people of the lande For they shall fight against thee but shall not preuaile against thee For I am with thee sayeth the Lorde Such auctoritie had he ouer the nations to be their Prophet to speake what the Lorde commaunded to reproue them without feare In like auctoritie
warneth thée The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the instruction of his mother let the Rauens of the valley plucke it out the yong Eagles eate it Hath God blessed thée in Wealth Art thou rich Reade the Scriptures they will teach thée Be not high minded and trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs aboundantly all things to enioy Againe Trust not in oppression and robberie be not vaine if riches increase set not your hart thereon Thou shalt depart and leaue them behinde thée they shal forsake thée Thou shalt dye thou knowest not howe soone Salomon sheweth thée Riches auayle not in the day of wrath but righteousnes deliuereth from death Art thou poore and sufferest scarsitie in this worlde Reade the Scriptures they will teache thée Say with Iob. Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne againe Learne of Salomon Better is little with righteousnes than great reuenues without equitie And againe Better is the poore that walketh in his vprightnesse than he that peruerteth his wayes though he be rich S. Paul saith Godlinesse is great gaine if a man be content with that hee hath for wee brought nothing into the world and it is certaine that we cary nothing out And againe Let him that is poore labour and worke with his hands the thing which is good that hée may haue to giue to him that néedeth Art thou a Marchant Usest thou to buye and sell Reade the Scriptures they will teach thée This is the will of God that no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter Thou shalt learne that diuers weights and diuers measures are abhomination vnto the Lorde and deceiptfull balances are not good Art thou an Vsurer thy case is harde yet heare the Scriptures they wil teach thée God commaundeth thée thus If thou lende mony to my people to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an Vsurer vnto him yee shall not oppresse him with vsurie Againe if thy brother be impouerished and fallen in decaye with thee thou shalt relieue him thou shalt take no Vsurie of him nor vantage thou shalt not lend him thy vittailes for encrease but thou shalt feare thy God that thy brother may liue with thee And Whatsoeuer yee woulde that men should do vnto you eueÌ„ so do ye to theÌ„ And He that giueth his money vnto Vsurie shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Art thou a Fornicatour liuest in adultery Reade the Scriptures they will teach thée He that committeth fornicatioÌ„ saith S. Paul sinneth against his own bodie Know you not that your bodie is the TeÌ„ple of the holy Ghost Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ Shal I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot God forbid As hee which hath called you is holy so bee â—e holy in all maner of conuersation saith S. Peter The reason is set downe by S. Paul For this is the will of God euen you holines and that you shoulde absteine from fornication that you may be holy both in bodie and in spirit And Whoremongers adulterers God will iudge They shall haue no inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God Art thou a seruant Reade the Scriptures they wil teach thée Seruants be obedient vnto theÌ„ that are your Maisters according to the flesh in all things not with eie seruice as men pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God And whatsoeuer ye do doe it hartely as vnto the Lorde and not vnto men Againe please your Maisters not aunswering againe be no pickers but shewe all good faithfulnesse that you may adorne the doctrine of God our sauiour in al things Art thou proude Reade the Scriptures they wil teach thée Be not high minded but feare What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it why reioicest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it and learne of me that I am meeke humble in hart And God resisteth the proude but giueth grace to the humble Art thou in aduersitie Read the Scriptures Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord will deliuer him out of them all And he shal call vppon me and I will heare him I will be with him in trouble I will deliuer him and glorifie him And Saint Peter telleth thée the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the righteous his eares are open to their prayers God is faithfull which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able but will giue the issue with the teÌ„tation that yee may bee able to beare it The Lorde is neare vnto all them that call vpon him yea to all that call vppon him in truth Art thou A sinner hast thou offended God reade the Scriptures they will teach thée Hate the euill and loue the good And againe flie from euill and do good and dwell for euer Rise vp and go to thy father and saie vnto him Father I haue sinned against Heauen against thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne Doest thou dispaire of the mercye of God reade the Scriptures they will teache thée Christ telleth thée I came not to cal the righteous but sinners to repentance Againe Come vnto me al ye that are wearie and laden and I will ease you At what houre soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne from the bottome of his heart I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance saith the Lord. Againe I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his waye and liue And the Lorde is good to all and his mercies are ouer al his workes Art thou going out of this life reade the Scriptures they will teach thée I am the resurrection and the life hee that beleeueth in me though he were deade yet shall hee liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in mee shall neuer dye Saye with Sainct Paule Christe is to mee bothe in life and in death aduauntage I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ. What shoulde I saye more of the Scriptures how profitable and comfortable they be in all cases and parts of our life in aduersitie in prosperitie in life and in death they are our especiall comfort If we must fight they are a sworde if we hunger they are meate if we thirst they are drinke if we haue no dwelling place they are a house if we be naked they are a garment if we be in darknesse they be light vnto our going They are comfortable to kings to subiects to old men to yong men to maÌ„ and to wife to father to childe to maister and seruant to captaine and souldiour to preacher and people to the learned to the vnlearned to the wise and
to the simple They are comfortable in peace in warre in heauinesse in ioy in health sicknesse in aboundance in pouertie in the day time in the night season in the towne in the wildernesse in companie and when thou art alone For they teach faith hope patience charitie sobrietie humilitie righteousnesse and all godlinesse They teach vs to liue and they teach vs to die Therefore hath Paule said well The whole Scripture is profitable It is full of great comforte It maketh the man of God absolute and perfect vnto al good workes Perfect in faith perfect in hope perfect in the loue of God of his neighbour perfect in his life and perfect in his death So great so large and ample and heauenly is the profite whyche we doe reape by the worde of God Nowe it followeth we consider howe necessarie and needefull it is for vs to be guided by the word of God in the whole trade of our life The worde of God is that vnto our soules whiche our soule is vnto our body As the body dyeth when the soule departeth so the soule of man dyeth when it hath not the knowledge of GOD. Man liueth not by breade onely but by euerie worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Beholde saith God I will sende a famine in the lande not a famine of breade nor a thirst of water but of hearing the word of the Lord. Their tongue shal wither their heart shall sterue they shal dye for hunger They shall wander from sea to sea and from the North vnto the East shall they runne to and fro to seeke the word of the Lord and shall not finde it They shall stumble at noone dayes as at the twilight they shall grope for the wall like the blind and truth shall fall in their streetes For howe shal they be saued vnlesse they call on the name of the Lord how shal they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued Howe shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard how shall they heare without a Preacher howe shall they preach except they be sent Chrysostom therefore saith Neither can it be I say it can not be that any man shall attaine to saluation except he be alwayes occupied in spiritual reading The wise man faith Where there is no prophecie the people decay Where the Scriptures are not opened when there is none that can edifye and exhort and comfort the people by the word of God they must néeds perish for they knowe not the waye in whiche they shoulde walke they know not whome to honour nor vpon whose name they shoulde call they know neyther what to beléeue nor what to do Hel hath enlarged it selfe and hathe opened hys mouth without measure and they that are wilfull and ignorant and the children of darkenesse goe downe into it They become thrall and captiues vnto Sathan Their hearte is bounde vp they vnderstande nothing theyr eies are shutte vppe they can sée nothing their eares are stopte vppe they can heare nothing They are carried away as a pray into Hel because they haue not y â— knowledge of God So doth Christe tell the Sadduces Yee are deceiued because you know not the Scriptures nor the power of GOD. Thus he teacheth that error is the child of ignorance The cause why you are so deceiued is because you knowe not the Scriptures You haue hated the light and loued darkenesse You haue neyther knowen the Father nor mée Hée that knoweth not the truth of God knoweth not God Herein in this case there is no plea of ignorance Ignorance shall not excuse vs. Chrysostome saith Dices non legi non est haec excusatio sed crimen Thou wilt saye I haue not read the Scriptures this is no excuse but a sinne Againe he sayeth This is the working of the Diuels inspiration hee woulde not suffer vs to see the treasure leaste wee shoulde gette the riches Therefore hee counsaileth vs that it vtterly auaileth vs nothing to heare the Lawes of God least that vppon the hearing hee may see our doing folowe Gregorie saieth Qui eâ—quae sunt domini nesciunt à domino nesciununtur Who so know not the things that pertaine vnto the Lorde be not knowen of the Lorde Origen also giueth reason of this practise of Sathan Vnto the Diuels it is a torment aboue all kindes of torments and a paine aboue all paines if they see any man reading the worde of God and with feruent studie searching the knowledge of Gods Lawe and the mysteries and secretes of the Scriptures Herein standeth all the flame of the Deuils in this fire they are tormented for they are seased and possessed of all them that remaine in ignorance Carneades a Philosopher was wont to say of his Mayster and Reader Chrisippus if it hadde not bene for Chrisippus I neuer hadde béene any body He was my Maister and teacher he made mée learned whatsoeuer I haue I haue it of him How much better may we vse the like words of the Scripture and say vnlesse it were for the worde of God our wisedom were nothing our knowlege were nothing Whatsoeuer we haue we haue it by the worde Without it our prayer were no prayer without it our Sacramentes were no Sacramentes our Faith were no Faith our Conscience were no Conscience our Churche were no Church Take awaye the light of the Sunne and what remaineth but darkenesse Heauen and Earth are darkned No man can sée his way or discerne the things about him Euen so if y â— word of God be taken away what remaineth but miserable confusion and deadlye ignoraunce When the Philistines had shorne the haires of Sampson they fell vppon him tooke him bounde him and plucked oute his eyes they daunced aboute him and made scorne and games of him We are Samson the strength of our haires is the knowledge of the will of GOD It is laide vp in our heades in the highest and principal part of vs if that be shorne off if we be kept from hearing reading and vnderstanding of the worde of God then will error superstition and all wickednesse get the vpper hande and fall vpon vs and bind vs and plucke out our eies and make scorne of vs and vtterlye destroy vs. When the people of Ierusalem were besieged and wanted foode to eate they fedde on Rats and Mice and many vnwholesome and filthie things A woman was driuen for wante of meate to doe a cruel part vpon hir own child she tooke hir own babe which was the fruit of hir own bodie killed it cut it in péeces dressed it and fed vpon it a lothsome meat especially for a mother to eate hir owne childe But she was driuen to it by extremitie and hunger it was so cruell a thing to lacke wherewith life mighte be preserued Euen so fared it with vs and our Fathers after it pleased God to take away his Gospel to send a
things in the Scriptures are harde I deny it not It is very expedient that somewhat shoulde be couered to make vs more diligent in reading more desirous to vnderstand more feruent in prayer more willing to aske the iudgement of others and to presume the lesse of our owne iudgement Gregorie sayth Magnae vtilitatis est ipsa obscuritas eloquiorum Dei. Facit enim c. The hardenesse whiche is in the worde of God is verie profitable For it causeth a man to take that profite by paines which hee coulde not take with negligence If the vnderstanding were open and manifest it woulde be litle set by Cyrillus saith Omnia plana recta sunt illis qui cognitionem inuenerunt fatuis verò etiam facilimaâ— ob secura videntur All thinges are plaine and straight to them that haue founde knowledge but to such as are fooles the most easiest places seeme harde And againe Eaequae perspicua sunt difficilia sunt haereticis Quomodo enim in maleuolam animam intrabit sapâ—entia Those thinges which are plaine are harde vnto Heretiques For howe can wisedome enter into a wicked heart It is true which S. Peter hath saide some thinges are hard to be vnderstande But it is also true that they which peruert them vnto their own destruction are vnlearned and vnstable that is they to whom they are hard haue not their eyes opened that they may sée the light of the worde or they be wicked and turne the truth of God into lies and abuse the Scriptures to their owne damnation The Howlet séeth not by the brightnesse of the Sunne not because the Sunne beames are dark but for that his eyes are weak and cannot abide so cleare light it is therfore but a pretence and a colour for their ignorance and a meanes to deceiue the people more boldly with their errours when they charge the worde of God wyth darkenesse and hardnesse For how many hundred places are there which be as cleare as noone day God saith I am the Lord thy God thou shalt haue none other gods before me Thou shalt make thee no graueÌ„ image neither any similitude of things that are in heauen aboue neither that are in the earth beneath nor that are in the waters vnder the earth thou shalt neither bow downe to them neither serue them Againe he saith that is cursed that is made with hands both it and he that made it hee because he made it and it because it was called God being a corruptible thing And againe Cursed be al they that worship carued images and delight in vaine Gods This is the word of God What darkenesse is in any of these sayings God saith If thou lend mony to my people to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an Vsurer vnto him yee shall not oppresse him with vsurie Againe If a man hath not giuen forth vpon vsurie neither hath taken any encrease c. hee shall surely liue but hee that hath giuen forth vpoÌ„ vsurie or hath taken encrease shall he liue He shal not liue And the wages of sinne is death And the soule that sinneth it shall die And againe This yee knowe that no whoremongers neither vncleane person nor couetous person which is an Idolater hath any inheritaÌ„ce in the kingdome of Christ of God Let no man deceiue you with vaine wordes for for such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the childreÌ„ of disobedience These are the words of God and what darkenesse is in them Saint Paul saith If it be possible as much as in you lieth haue peace with all men Abhorre that which is euill and cleaue to that which is good auenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath Againe Let euerie soule bee subiect to the higher powers there is no power but of God He is the Minister of God for thy wealth but if thou doe euill feare for he beareth not the sworde for naught These bée the wordes of God what darkenesse is in them Saint Iohn saith Christ is the Lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the world And the bloud of Iesus Christ his son clenseth vs from al sinnes Saint Peter saith His owne selfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree that wee being deliuered from sinne should liue in righteousnesse Christe saith Aske and it shall bee giuen you seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you And againe Come vnto me all ye that are weake and laden and I will ease you The Prophet saith Whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shall bee saued These bée the words of God What darkenesse is in them What eye so simple but he may sée them The wayes of the Lorde are straight and his wordes plaine euen vnto the simple Câ—rysoft saieth Omnia clara plana sunt in scriptures diuinis quaecunque necessaria sunt manifest a sunt All things are cleare and plaine in the holy Scriptures Whatsoeuer things there is necessarie for vs is also manifest Some thinges are couered as men couer pretious stones and precious garmentes They are couered and yet we sée them Wée sée them and yet they are couered Yet all thinges that are necessarie are plaine and open Clemens saith Nullis caelatum est verbum lux est communis omnibus illucescit hominibus nullus est in verbo Cymmerius The worde of God is hid from no man It is a light common vnto all men there is no darkenesse in Gods worde Marke it is a common light and shineth to all men It is as bright and beautifull as the Sunne there is no dungeon or darknesse in it So sayth Irenaeus Scripturae in aperto sunt sine ambiguitate similitâ—r ab omnibus audiri possunt The Scriptures are plaine without doubtfulnesse and may be heard indifferently of all men All men may heare them euen all sortes of men without exception Where be they then which say it is not lawfull for the people to haue the worde of God and that the Scriptures are not méete for their reading they are breade they are drinke they nourish vnto euerlasting life great crueltie it is to sterue Gods people to death Are they vnfit to haue the Scriptures because they bée poore Christ sayth The poore receiue the gladde tidings of the Gospell And Blessed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdome of heauen They want riches and worldly glorie but God giueth his feare and grace to them as well as to the rich Are they vnfit to reade the Scriptures because they are not bred vp in other learning S. Paul saith I esteemed not to know any thing among you but Iesus Christ and him crucifyed The Prophet Dauid saith Blessed is the man ô Lord whom thou teachest in thy lawe And Christ saith Thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding