the synne of Adam a will in man whereby he is freely and willyngly carried to that he doeth but this will I saie is of it self carried willyngly to no goodnesse but onely and alwaies to euill Therfore beeyng deade in respecte of any good whē after the will chuseth well this worke we teache not to bee of Grace preuentyng and assistyng but to bee wholie the woorke of grace For as if the spirite of life should reenter into a deade man who after should rise and walke and dooe other thynges agreeyng to a liuyng man it can not bee saied these actions proceade partely from the spirit whiche is inspired into him partly from the deade bodie For what helpe or furtheraunce can death bryng to an action of life So also the Spirite of God reenteryng into vs who are borne dead in our synnes and wee after liuyng in some measure the life of GOD by the same spirite it cannot bee saied that our will choosyng to doe that whiche is good or any other naturall facultie dooyng in any measure the will of God that it doeth it partly of it self partly of the spirite inspired into vs but the honor of suche actions is wholy due to that spirite That wee will is of our nature but that our will doeth will that whiche is holy and good is not partly of vs and partly of the Grace assistyng but it is wholie the woorke of Grace Yet is it the goodnesse of God to call it ours that is wrought in him by vs because it is not wrought without vs neither are we as an axe or deade instrument in the Lordes hande but the powers of our naturall soule tendyng of theim selues wholy to that whiche is euill are tourned by the grace and power of God to that whiche is good Whiche doctrine as it is moste true so doeth it giue to God the honour whiche belongeth vnto him Neither is it a hinderaunce to good woorkes that God be acknowledged the onely aucthour and woorker of theim But saieth he more like a Philosopher and naturall man then a Christian and a Diuine except it bee in a mannes power to doe well it must needes vtterly discourage hym from doyng good workes The answere wherof is that those whiche beleeue cannot but bee fruitfull in good woorkes notwithstandyng thei dooe not to the dishonour of GOD arrogate to themselues the praise of thē For as a man that is quickened with a liuyng soule can not but doe the woorkes and actions of a liuyng man so also thei which haue receiued the spirite of Christe whereby thei haue beleeued notwithstandyng thei bee not incoraged by this reason vnto it that of their former deade nature thei are able to heare see or vnderstande yet of the nature of that spirite thei cannot but dooe the actions of that life whiche that spirite doeth quicken and animate thē withall And as a branche of a wilde Oliue taken frō his owne stocke and implanted into a naturall Oliue notwithstandyng that of it self it bring no maner of helpe to beare a right Oliue but rather whatsoeuer power is in it is contrarie therevnto Yet of the nature of the right Oliue it cannot beeyng a liuely braunche of it but beare right Oliues Euen so it fareth with vs. Rom. 11. For wee are by nature wilde Oliues and our Sauiour Christe is the true and naturall Oliue Tree into whom beyng grafted by faithe shall we saie it wil neuer beare any fruite excepte the former wilde and sauage nature it had before in his owne stocke maie bee furtheraunce to it No but that nature beyng mortified and altered by the power of the true Oliue we cannot beyng liuely braunches in this Oliue of GOD but we must beare right and kindly fruites accordyng to the nature of the stock wee are receiued into Further as the nature of the spirite whiche wee are vouchsafed doeth leade vs to it so our indeuour is stirred vp herevnto in thākfulnesse vnto God for our saluation whiche he hath assured vnto vs by the power of the spirite giuen vs to the daie of our rededemption Therfore because we owe our selues wholie vnto hym that hath so derely bought vs and so graciously saued vs we are to apply our selues to all good workes wherby God our redemer may be glorified in vs. Whose glory if it be precious in our eyes as it worthely ought to bee more then heauen and earth wee cannot want prouocation to doe those thinges which he hath commaunded Now for the laste poinct of this Article of merite and the reward of heauen we say in deede that the doctrine of Merite and to teach that life euerlasting should be a reward deserued by our good works is a doctrine that maketh voyd in effect the death of Christ The benefite whereof by this meanes shal be onely this to procure vs this fauour with God that vppon condition that we doe suche and suche woorkes that then he will giue vs his Kyngdome for our woorkes sake whiche is a doctrine that of al other doeth moste discouer Antechrist as it is moste opposite to the doctrine and honour of Christe For wee are taught by hym that when wee haue doen all wee can doe wee are to acknowledge that wee are but vnprofitable seruauntes and thei teach that their seruice is worthie a reward and what reward of the kyngdome of heauen the glorie of God and of ioyes euerlastyng and vnspeakeable Thei teache these thynges to bee but a small purchase a little money giuen to their Corban the buildyng of a Monasterie or Abbey for a sort of Idle and Supersticious Friers to abuse the world and thynges many tymes of the iust desert of euerlastyng death to bee the worthie price of Gods kyngdome that is in effect that an Abbey a Seminarie College or suche like should be as muche worthe as the precious bloud of the Soonne of God Thus in deede we teache not nor whatsoeuer should become of all the states of the worlde ought not to teache it beeyng the proude doctrine of that presumpteous Antechriste guiltie of hye treason against the Imperiall state croune and dignitie of the kyng of heauen and earth Whose fauour and grace if we should saie wee had deserued we should account it little worthe and should take from hym his moste due and high honour of our saluation and be moste vnworthie his grace bestowed vpō vs. But saieth he who will be zealous of good workes if there be no reward of them in heauē I aunswere if there were none yet ought wee in thankfulnesse to GOD for our first Creation diligently to applie our selues to dooe his will and obeye his Commaundementes As also all cteatures sett forthe his glory in their kinde notwithstādyng there bee no rewarde promised them in heauen But I saie further that wee doe not teache that there is no reward for good workes but contrariwise that the reward of them is so exceedyng greate in heauen that no good deede shall bee
so much more if they shall also declare themselues vnnaturall Romaine both in allegeance and religion there is no cause by the word of God why in respect thereof they should not be dealt with by the lawfull Magistrat ordained of God for the punishment of all offenders according to the lawe prouided in this behalfe And thus much for the persons Now for the end He denyeth your LL. shall euer attaine to that you pretende 2 Reasons answered by this punishment that is to bring such Catholiques to conformitie in matters of religion but rather be further off The reason whereof he addeth that such constrainte to do against their conscience and iudgement whereby he saith they must be tryed at the latter day is the losse of their soules the memorie of which iniurie can not but breede a deepe greefe and detestation of the thing they may haue beene so forced vnto But his reason shall be after considered First let vs weigh that he determineth no good will to be done vpon them by any punishment Experience in deed hath declared it to bee too true in some yet no man can iustly say therefore that there is no vse of punishmēt For both many others hereby are kept in duety that they do not in like sorte fall away and who can tell what it may please God to worke euen in them hereafter by this meanes which haue not yet profited by it Sure I am it hath done good to many in times past who by this meanes haue beene recouered from their vnduetiful disobedience vnto a godly reformation And the authoritie amongst vs doing like duety vpon the same commandement of God to punish the obstinat Heritike and Idolater what reason is there why we should not hope of like effect and fruit of it now that hath come of it at other times To let former times passe vnder the K. of Iuda and Israell Austen acknowledgeth often and plainely that the Discipline of the Magistrate had bene profitable to many of the Donatistes And if saith he it haue not profited some Ep. 48. is the medicine to be neglected bicause the pestilent contagion of certaine is incurable So likewise some amongst vs thorow the goodnes of God haue receyued profit by this meanes But if other some for the obstinat hardnes of their heart that can not repent will neuer be reclaimed is the meanes therefore to be neglected which may be profitable to many As for the reason he addeth that to be constrayned to doe against their conscience doth make them further off and more detest that which they haue so cōmitted can not hold in such as receaue profit by the correction of their offence For they will thinke themselues most bounde to your H. all the dayes of their life whose meanes herein God hath vsed to bring thē out of the horrible darkenes and shadowe of death wherein they sate before into the Gospels most glorious and marueylous light To the rest if it be not profitable yet haue your H. done the worthie duetie of Christian Magistrates wherein you may quyetly rest and with great comfort For the Lord requireth nothing but obedience of vs and reserueth the blessing of all good meanes to him selfe to bestow in such measure as seemeth best to his heauenly will Thus I would leaue this reason but that there is a worde yet to be added to a speach of conscience which this Authour hath boldly set down here that is that at the latter day a man shall be tryed by his conscience and iudgement which he referreth to this end to obstinat such as haue apprehended a liking of the pretēded catholike faith and a dislike of ours as if they offended not by this recusance hauing their consciēce so perswaded the verie grounde of all libertinisme that authority should not compell them to do that which is against their conscience for feare of condēning their soules abusing to this end the places of the Apost in the 2. 14. to the Rom. for the 2. the Apostle there doth not affirme that a man shall be iudged in the daye by an erroneous conscience iudgement but by a conscience witnessing either to clearing or condēning agréeably to the law of God Which appeareth both by his word in that he calleth it the law of God written in their hart by the whole purpose of that place which is to shew al both Iewes Gentiles to stand condemned by the Lawe of God the Iewes by the law written in tables of stone the Gentiles euen wtout that by the same law written in their harts Wherfore it is vtterly vntrue to affirme that any man shal be iudged by his conscience or iudgement whatsoeuer it be True it is that whatsoeuer a man doth he ought to do it of an vndoubted faith grounded vpon the word of God that such his doing is pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ and whatsoeuer he doth otherwise is sinne because it is not of faith nor this true perswasion of doing wel which is the plaine meaning of the other place in the 14. But hereof followeth not that he that is mis-led by an erroneous conscience shal be iudged and cleared according to it or that the Christian Magistrate ought not to require any lawfull duetie of the subiect what conscience soeuer he haue of it that the doing of such a thing is good or euill For it is not the erroneous or good conscience whereby we shall be iudged otherwise then by all our deedes both good and euill but it is the lawe of God against which if any man transgres either ignorantly or wilfully he is made guilty of sin and subiect to the sentence of condemnatiō by the lawe Which lawe our recusantes are conuicted gréeuously to offend because they breake it in not giuing to God the honour which belongeth vnto him in refusing his holy worde and Sacramentes and with them Christ Iesus and his redemption offred thereby vnto them not keeping the Lordes Sabaothes and disobeyinge the good commaundement of authoritie requyring the performance of so many holy dueties of thē Which sins though they ignorantly commit as not knowing that they sinne in such recusance but rather being perswaded that their so doing is a high seruice of God acceptable vnto him yet shall not their ignorance excuse them for the Lord wil surely beat euery seruant that doth not his Masters will Luk. 12.18 yea though he know it not because his ignorance is not of the creation of God but of his owne corruption originally drawne from Adam Neyther shall this good entent excuse them any more then the Iewe which ignorantly crucifying Christ and persecuting the Apostles were perswaded they did God great seruice For it is obedience that the Lord requireth which who soeuer yealdeth not vpon what cause or pretence soeuer is giltie by the Law On the other parte if retayninge still that wicked perswasion that to ioyne with vs in the seruice of
together to roote out the true profession of the Gospell if it were possible out of the earth The execution whereof hath not beene forgotten from time to time in all places professing the trueth nor is not neglected euen to this day as meanes and occasions may serue them to bring their most vngodly bloudy purpose to passe To which their ende they haue hetherto run with so vyolent a course as it appeareth neither the feare of God nor any respect of men which worthely holdeth others from such extremities could restrayne them from most desperate actes and full of all tragicall immanitie Christian and Catholique Kinges and States in Stile and Title haue byn stirred vp against their naturall Subiectes to persecute them with fire and sworde to the hazarde of their owne Estates Such hath beene the furye and vyolence wherewith this cause hath been carryed Ciuill warres haue beene kindled in all partes where the Gospell hath beene by any number professed thorowe their false accusations of most duetifull Subiectes as enemies to the State of their Rulers to alienate their fauor from them so as there is none of these parts of Europe which are next about vs which hath not beene afire and some are yet wasting and consuming in this flame By meanes wherof haue been infinite confusions and moste barbarous crueltyes committed the Brother not sparinge his naturall Brother nor the Father the bloud of his owne Sonne Calamitie and destruction haue beene in their wayes as it is in the Prophet Esay 59.7 and the way of peace they haue not knowen The base by their occasion hath despysed the Noble and the vyle him that was honorable yea the refuse and swéep of the worlde haue been set vp by their practyses to procure in most trayterous manner the death of the worthies of the earth Many a noble Prince by these Catholique practisers Executioners of the Counsell of Trent haue beene shot with dagges pistoles and other shot and most cruelly slaine Thus they dealt with the religious and courteous Earle of Morray Buch. rerum Scot. lib. 19. Regent of Scotland whose death was perswaded and counselled by the Pope and the Cardinall of Lorrayne and who after was trayterously slayne by the Archbishop of S. Andrewes Neuew by whom he was shot out of a windowe as he tooke his horse ouer against the place where he lodged Thus also dealt they with the godly wise Admyrall of Fraunce who in like manner ryding in the streete was shot out of a windowe and after in tyme of peace nay of a Royall mariage of a K. most cruelly slaine and so shamefully outraged after hee was murthered as seldome or neuer was any enemy in time of most deadly warre I might adde here the destroying of a noble Prince of great hope by consent of his own father poysoning of the vertuous Q. of Nauarra with many practises against the K. her son other Princes Here also I might worthely mention the most horrible and barbarous slaughters which they haue committed in the pursuing of their wicked and diuelish resolution against the gospel But to leaue at this time the tragedies which they haue played in other partes by the treasonnable assaultes and deathes of many famous Princes and the cruell massacrees and butcheries of many thousandes of the people I will remember the reader chiefly of such things as haue beene done by them here at home and are best knowen vnto vs. Wherin to let passe the imprisonment and hard vsage which sometime they vsed her most excellent M. with in the time of her sister and now repent them of nothing more then that it was no worse and the fires they made in those dayes with the flesh and bones of their owne Countreymen for the truethes sake whereof I shall speake by occasion more fully hereafter and sundry other matters not so commonly knowen of plats and attempts against the Royall person of her M. and also of some of your H I will onely mention certaine euydent and notorious actes whereby the deposition of her H. from her estate and dignitie which from God by her iust right and title and to the great ioy of al her good Subiects her Grace doth most lawfully enioy hath beene attempted to be put in execution against her Whereof was a solemne instrumēt writing called the Popes Bul which was first certified by his messenger being an English priest and after set vp here in London by an English Catholick traytor By which Bull her M. is declared excommunicated Sand. l. 7. de ris Mo. deposed by him from her Royall state Crowne and dignitie her Subiectes are absolued from their oth and allegiance vnto her the land interdited and left to him that could put this sentence in execution and seaze vpon it Which whē the neighbour Princes either occupyed at home or cōsidering the consequence of making war with so mighty a Princes haue not aduaunced thēselues to put in execution the Pope hath from time to time laboured to stir vp some of her M. own Subiects against her to execute this wicked sentence vpon her Hereof arose the rebellion in the North which by the grace of God and by the meanes of your H. wisdome was disappoynted and iust execution done vpon some of the Rebels After this another Pope succéeding in impiety his predecessor raysed of late a new rebellion in Ireland bearing name of his falsly named Holynes hauing leaders and companies at the Popes wages and Peters keyes for their ensigne and vpon their forte against which also the sword of the Lord and of Gedeon preuailed For a third to be raised euen in the bowels and hart of this noble land sundry English fugitues haue bene entertained of the pope Wherof some haue iustified these insurections Sand. L. 7. de v. sib Monar Bristow and accounted all the Rebels executed for Martires in their printed bookes yea themselues as it is saide haue beene in Campe against her Maiestie with them as trumpets of sedition Others are bestowed in Seminaries some to teach and some to learne to serue the Pope against God against our Souerraigne and against their owne Countrie For which purpose so soone as they are readie they are sent ouer hither to withdraw her Maiesties subiectes from the duety they owe to their naturall Prince and to confesse and reconcile them as they terme it to the obedience of a forraine power Which practise of confessing and reconciling to the Pope in secret your HH for the excellent wisedome God hath endued you with for the preseruation of her highnes our whole Church from the mouth of the Lyon that would deuour vs do euidently see to be as dangerous a practise for the laying of a newe plat of rebellion as may be deuysed Therefore lately vpon these and such like greate and necessarie causes enforcing it was enacted that such Priestes and Catholikes or any other pretending whatsoeuer they may pretend as shall be
conuicted so to withdraw the subiectes from our natural Prince to any forren subiection should be held giltie of hye treason against her Ma. state and dignitie executed accordingly Whereupon you HH keeping a vigilant and a carefull eye ouer those men and finding some of them giltie of treason both by that and other auncient lawes of this lande haue in deede caused iustice notwithstanding their pretence of holy conscience and religion according to all law and equitie to be done vpon them For as other malefactors escape not the seueritie of the lawe whatsoeuer they may be or pretended to be whether Catholikes or of our owne profession if they be iustly conuicted to bee fellons or murderers so likewise who soeuer by due tryall of the law hath beene found to be guiltie of treason notwithstāding they haue bene pretended Catholikes and some of them annoynted Priestes and father Iesuites which they haue boasted could not be touched yet haue they béene condemned and executed according to their demerites This then being the estate of the pretended Catholikes this day amongst vs what hoat persecution is this that he complaineth of what numbers are these that are persecuted except all the Catholike Rebels and Traytors as Saunders doth make his reakoning and other malefactors be comprehended in this number And so in deede I graunt some of these Catholikes after the qualitie and condition of their offence haue beene dealt with according to the auncient lawes and customes of this lande But this is an accounte voyde of all reason to esteeme that which is the punishment of treason of murder of felony and other such like offences to bée laide vpon them for their religion and conscience only Which hath béene hetherto so spared as some of them being founde guiltie of treason and condemned for it vpō declaring thē selues to stande so affected towardes her highnes touching their obeeience as they would neyther with the Pope nor any other take armes against her notwithstanding they remaine stil such as they were for their conscience and religion yet thorow her Maiesties exceeding clemency haue obtayned pardon after their conuiction of high treason Wherefore seing for conscience of popery onely no man hath beene touched in life nor member but onely punished by fine and imprisonment and that the iust execution of Traytors Rebels Murderers Fellons be they pretended Catholiques or whatsoeuer they be can in no reason be termed persecution I worthily conclude that the complaint of this accuser is without all cause and reason and his charge and accusation of the state most vndutifull slaunderous and vniust Now because hee will needes call to the remembrance of God and men the bloudy sinnes of their fathers sinnes as redde as crimsin and scarlet that is the fearefull and horrible persecution of the professors of the Gospell and compare the proceeding of their Catholiques against vs with ours against them both generally in other places and at other times and perticularly in England in Q. Maries daies and taketh vpon him to iustifie that our dealinges against them doe farre surmount their persecuting of vs and is incomperable more grieuous I must needes here stand a litle to compare them though it bee in deede a thing in it selfe as shall appeare voyde of all reason once to enter into the comparison of them togither What hath bene done in England against them since the time of her Maiesties raigne I haue already declared namely that no one hath yet beene touched in his body for matter of his conscience onely being neyther Rebell nor Traytor nor Murderer nor otherwise giltie of crymes capitall and worthie of death by all good Lawes The same is iustly to be affirmed of the dayes of that most noble Prince of famous memory for his rare pietie in so tender yeares King Edwarde the sixt her Maiesties worthie Brother that in the fewe yeares of his happie raigne there was not one of these Romaine Catholiques for onely matter of religion put to death or any torment of body Nor before him in the dayes of their renoumed Father King Henry the eight were any of their Catholiques put to death except a fewe which were executed for the supremacie being a matter of State and not of religion as hauing no maner of grounde for it in the worde of God and giuing a dangerous interest for the Kinges Quéenes of this Land to a forreine power As for other Kingdomes and States professing the Gospell this Authour him selfe doth acknowledge their proceedinges against them not to haue béene vnto bloude Now then let vs in the other part consider the generall and perticuler proceeding of these pretended Catholikes against our brethren not for any crime of iust desert of death but onely for their most holy faith Which though I can not here lay out at large being the argument of so many great bookes and volumes as are written of them yet I may giue the gentle Reader a generall viewe of their bloudy actes of perpetuall infamie to their pretended Catholike profession The townes of Merindall and Cabrieres with 22. other Townes and Villages were most tiranously destroyed without respect of men women or children In Cabrieres a thousand persons were slaine whereby some estimat may be made of the number which might be murdered in the rest Of which so horrible waste and so much innocent bloud most cruelly shedde there was vtterly no other cause but that the godly people of that Countrie had seperated themselues from the abhominations of the Church of Roome and sought to serue the Lorde according to his worde Likewise the people of the valleyes of Lucerne Angrogne S. Mart. Perous others were pursued with hoat persecution and cruell warres by the instigation of the Pope for many yeares Both these being faithfull and duetifull to their Princes onely for the godly faith which they professed were in most sauage and vnnaturall manner persecuted and destroyed by them Besides those who were slaine in the bloudie warres which they made for the maintenance of theire Romane superstitions in Germanie and in Scotland the Stories of those countries report sundrie cruell executions to haue beene done vpon many faithfull seruantes of God onely for the testimonie of the truth In our owne countrie since the beginning of the restoring of the knowledg of the Gospel amongst vs especially in Q. M. daies what hath bene the state of our Church what hath the enimy laid to our charge surely we were neuer charged with any treason but the only cause of our persecutiō was the refusing al cōfidēce in our selues or any other creature we belieued to be saued only by the pretious death of our Sauiour Christ and that we refused to bowe downe before their Idols and to worship them These and such like matters merely concerning religion and the true faith of the Gospell were the thinges which were laide to our charge and no other And for these causes how cruelly they haue vsed vs all the
abhominations for which after they might condemne them to the fire But we confer with them as desirous to delyuer their soules from the wrath to come and their present estate from such punishment as the law doth lay vpon them Releeuing of the prisoners of Christ was thorowe their extreme dealing an occasion to sundrie of great troubles But who hath heard of any Act. and Mo. who for this onely cause hath fallen into any trouble amongst vs. They killed fiue prisoners for the Gospell at Canterbury with famine and miserably relieued the rest for any torment As in time of imprysonment not one of theirs hath bene offered any for religions sake In deed if vnder color of conscience they haue intermedled so far in matters of State as that they haue bene to be tainted of treason it may be such haue beene examined vpon the Rack according to the auncient order both of this and other States in like cases that therby they might be constrayned to confesse that to the safety of many which otherwise they would obstinately conceale to the ouerthrowe of their Countrey Whereof not hauing vs in suspicion at any time but persecuting vs only for the Gospels sake yet some with Ioseph haue had the yron enter into their soule and other with Paul and Silas haue beene layd in the dungeons and there also had their feete put into the stockes Act. 16.25 singing to God as if they had byn in heauen Act. 5. I might name also a great nūber who with Peter and Iohn were whipped and scourged and reioyced that they were vouchsafed to suffer for the word of the Lord Iesu whereof as there were many so a young child amongst the rest was so sore beaten that he dyed of it who before his death was sent to his father whom they had put in the stockes in Lollards Tower Actes and Mo. setting a dish of water by him with a stone in it not much vnlike that of the Iewes which as they read said of Ieremie let vs put wood into his bread to torment the poore man with the pittiful sight of his child so shamefully beaten and many other such foule extremities I could remember them off How they dealt with Hun as it is like with some other which dyed in pryson is partly vnderstoode to their iust reproch and will be plainly discouered in the day when all secretes shal be reuealed It were to long to examine their like dealings in other countreys therfore I referre the Reader to their stories and namely to the 6. and 9. Chapters of the Spanish Inquisition where he shall see what close prysons what spare and lothsome dyet what strange and barbarous extremities are vsed by them The last poynt of the comparyson of vsage is in the execution of death which hee sayth hath beene done of their part in all fauor for iust reproofe wherof let the gentle Reader looke ouer the Storie of D. Tayler who being cruelly vsed all the way he went to execution there being ready for it was stroken a great stroke vpon the head with a waster and hurt againe with a fagot cast at him which light vpon his head brake his face that the bloud ran downe after stricken vpon the lips and last of all so smitten with a Halbard that hys braynes fell out But of all other horrible was the execution of the Garnesey woman Perotine both in her own person in that she was executed being great with child also in her child which being taken vp out of the fire viewed by the offycers was to the perpetual reproach of their most barbarous cruelty cast againe to his mother into the fire In elder time also terible was the executiō death of Sir Iohn Oldcastle the worthie L. Cobham is a witnesse to all ages of their barbarous executions It were to long to rehearse the stories of their most cruell executions in other Countries in all ages Therefore I referre the reader to the bookes themselues namely to the 12. chap. of the Spanish Inquisition Only two examples I will set down for a shewe one of more auncient time and the other of verie late In the low Countries at Tourney Bertram a zealous professor of the Gospell found such fauour as this man speaketh in his execution that after many rackings and tormentes before he had his right hande and foot pressed and mishapen with hot irons his tongue cut of his mouth stopt with a ball of iron his body let vp and downe to the fire till it was burned to ashes which were cast into the riuer Of late in the yeare 1581. at Roome Atkines an English man a zealous professor of the Gospell for a like matter as Bertrames was before which was the taking of their masse Idol from their altar and throwing it vpon the ground had this fauour shewed him in his execution that al the way he went to it as it is reported by such as saw it there were foure did nothing but thrust at his naked body with burning Torches and by a deuise for the purpose was burned so as his legges were burned first that the Tyrantes might feede their eyes with a horrible spectacle of so strange tormentes of the constant Martyr witnesse of Christ this hath bene their execution with al fauour Thus we see the chastisement layd vpon them is the rod of a tender most louing mother correcting her obstinate sonnes to bring thē to her obediēce duety but they haue beaten the true church of God with Scorpions as the Sirians did to the Israelites in Galaad they haue threshed it with flayles of yron Their greatest restraint is such I speak of those which are restrained for matter of religiō that they haue cōuenient roomes houses with gardēs to walke in but they thrust our poore brethren into their darkest dungeōs into the caues holes of the earth as into the dens of Dragons Their dyet is liberall and such as pleaseth them selues to haue but they so fedde the true Church of God in their time and yet doe where their authoritie may serue that she might and yet may in such places renewe the complaint of the olde church of Israell and of her cheefe heade and captaine Christ Iesus I haue eaten ashes as breade and mingled my drinke with weeping They gaue me gall and wormewoode to eate Psal 22. and vineger for to drinke they opened their mouthes vpon me as roaring Lyons they made me so spare that I might tell my bones my heart melted in me like waxe my tongue did cleaue to the roofe of my mouth for drought and I sate me downe vpon the earth Psal 2◠and in the dust But the Lorde whose right hand worketh such changes and alterations hath had compassion of our estate in this land his name be praysed for it and hath opened the prison doores he hath deliuered those which were vowed to death when his appoynted time was come
whiche shall be alleadged Herevnto maie be added if there bee cause the testimonies of the Councelles Fathers Stories or other authorities of credite not to argue or proue any truthe or to cōuince or disproue any vntruthe for this appertaineth to God not to man to his infallible woorde and not to the writinges of men who are all liars but as witnesses to testifie what the doctrine of the Churche was in suche a question in the sondrie ages times of the church Which beyng doen by either partie then that either of them bothe aunswere the argumentes of the other and strengthen again his owne in suche place as the aduerse partie shall thinke to be weake Which passyng thus to and fro till bothe haue said what thei are able for thē selues will leaue suche a meanes for those whiche are willing to informe their cōsciences of the truthe as by gods grace it wil be easie to discerne His secōd reason wherby it maie appeare that their standyng in this cause is not without substanciall warrant is noted to be the vncertaintie of temporall fauor in matters of Religiō but that sectiō wherevpon it is noted conteineth no suche matter but onely this that it is not inough to perswade them that we saie we haue the Gospell because other also condemne vs and saie thei haue it we are not ignoraunte that euery one maketh claime to haue the Gospell and condemne those whiche ioyne not with them Amōgest whom that he reckeneth Luther and a Scholer of his I referre him to my answere where this is alledged of hym before which answere maie serue for his Scholer too As for the Trinitaries and Anabaptistes it is but his his malice and hatred against the Gospell to recken vs with theim whom wee are as vnlike in all their vngodly opiniōs as thei are vnlike the true Churche of Christ and her moste holy faith But this were an aunswere if we had nothing but the bare word and boastyng of the Gospell Wee haue made God be praised for it sufficient profe to all equall Iudges that it is bothe in woorde and in deede the true Gospell and pure woorde of GOD and the lawe of the lorde whiche is now the Religion through the goodnesse whiche hath visited vs from aboue established and preached emōgst vs. The twoo next sections haue some matter in them like this title for in the firste of thē he affirmeth the holie Religion whiche is now established to haue been brought in by an noble man after king Henries daies whiche he saieth could doe moste by bryngyng in twoo Caluinistes as he tearmeth them to read in the two Vniuersities here Whiche he so laieth out as if we had no other staie for Religion but that noble mannes pleasure who he saith if he would haue brought in twoo of any other secte might aswell haue established it whervpon he cōcludeth that seyng that seculer magistrate nor temporall law is no sufficiēt ground in religiō there is no cause but thei should be excused to continue stil in their opinion as thei doe And thus he retourneth againe to his request of disputation But first for this his second reason He maie remember hym self that their Dagon was fallen to the grounde though not with so greate hurte as after euen in the tyme and raigne of Kyng Henry the eight of noble memorie So that to speake in any reason he cannot laie the foundation of the Gospell now emongest vs vpon the onely meanes of the noble manne whom he noteth He might haue remembred that worthie thinges wer doen in K. H. tyme. For God had giuē that noble king besides his owne abilitie to discouer the ambitious pride and greedie couetousnesse of the Clergie the repugnance of the Popes supremacie with the souerantie of his roiall croune and dignitie the abhominations of the Dispensations of the Pope and sondrie suche like weightie and materiall poinctes of true Religion For GOD gaue vnto hym by sides some other meanes chiefe furtheraunce to the sight of these thynges by that moste vertuous and excellent Princes Ladie Anne Bulleyne the moste honourable mother of our dreade Soueraine Ladie now raignyng ouer vs whose eyes God hauyng opened to see the truthe her religious and zealous mynde louyng the wisedome that is greater then Salomon whiche the famous Queene of Saba was so delighted with and beeyng carefull for Gods people as Queene Hester was a worthy meanes to draw the noble kyng to better iudgement and knowledge in Religion then he had been of before whiche was also Godlie continued by the good and gracious Ladie Queene Katherine Par. Further also besides many other he had two as wise faithfull coūsailors as euer had Christian kyng before hym The one that reuerend and learned father Crāmer and the other the wise lord Cromwel counsellours worthie of eternall memorie for their Religious stout and wise dealyng against the misterie of iniquitie For hauing not to do onely with the Popes Consistory and Vestrie with his Cannon lawe beggerly wardrope with his discipline ceremonies but with his whole bodie with his whole house and tēple and that so rooted and groūded as if the foūdations of it had been layd in the centre of the earth yet God poured suche a Christian magnanimitie into their noble hartes to vndertake and such a sound iudgement to deuise the way to performe the ouerthrowe of it and to vndermine those deepe foundations as if the lord had giuen theim a pouder to rende vp those stately houses as Bulwerkes of Sathan and Castles of superstition and Idolatrie which seemed to haue been builded to continue to the ende of the worlde Further the Gospell was taught bothe in other places and also here in Englande and was receiued beleued and professed most constantly to the death by sondrie true professors of it and constaunt martyrs of Christe long before that tyme he speaketh of Wherefore there is no reason to make the entrance of those two readers the beginning of true religiō with vs. Moreouer also in the beginnyng of the raigne of that noble princely king Edward Who knoweth not that the state of religiō was established within this land by act of Parlament before the commyng in of those readers into the vniuersitees so that this reason is vtterly voide of all reason to make thē the beginnyng of religion emongst vs who came in twoo yeres after it had been throughly and quietly established as it is at this present daie After in deede by the worthie meanes of the noble Duke of Sommersett Lorde Protector and the right reuerend Cranmer twoo famous clearkes that then were of the moste renoumed for their vertue and learnyng in all these partes of Europe Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr wer procured ouer and placed the one in Cambridge the other in Oxford to the greate seruice of almightie God and of this his Churche For thei accordyng to the Apostles exhortatiō deliuered ouer a forme of sound doctrine to many
disobedience Some of them haue beene executed according to the auncient lawes of this land without any extraordinary extremitie nay rather with fauor in case of high treasō And yet of this sort the epistle of the persecution in England Whervnto he referreth him selfe For proofe wherof he mentioneth only pretended Catholiques that haue been so executed In deed since some more vpon like reason their cause being first iudicially heard at the K. bench and orderly proceeded in according to the course of law and iustice in such case beeing found guilty of hie treason receiued like execution And this is the greatest extremety which they can complaine of to this day But he denieth that any one act word or thought was founde in them of treason wherin he is conuicted of manifest truth both by so many as were officers of her maiesties iustice vpon them and by their owne confessions as well of other matter as also of reconciling of diuers her highnesse subiects to the pope as it appeareth by that hath bin published hereof by authoritie Whereby they acknowledge the Popes most vniust sentēce against her H. as lawfull draw her Ma. subiects from her obedience which the law of this land hath declared to bee high treason againste her Highnes royall crowne and dignitie Nether is it heere inough to say that they do it in conscience of their religion for in many good consciences they can not do it the B. of Rome by the worde of God hauing no more to do in England then any minister in Englād hath to do in Rome And if without the word of God they will be caried in such a course as cannot stand in any truth of religion or sound pollicie with the safetie of the state and securitie of oure moste lawfull Soueraigne oure whole common Wealth and Countrie should they cry out as if extreame cruelty were executed vpon them if their excuse of a pretensed conscience be not taken for a sufficient aunswer These cries complaints might worthely haue bene made by the poore faithful people of Merindall of the valley of Anagrogne the rest when the Popes executioners wasted destroied 7. townes of theirs Also by our brethren in Q. Maries daies which were burnt by dosens together in a fire Likewise by our brethren cruelly without any forme or processe of iustice murdred and slain in the late butcheries and massacres of France Then was it time to haue shewed compassion but the bowels of Christ were not in them Then was a time to haue shewd pitty but their merciles harts were void of grace mercye They were filled with gal and bitternes no fire was hot inough for them no sworde was sharp ynough The honourable and the common was all one to them the learned and vnlearned the reuerēd age and the comly youth the man and the woman the father and the sonne the mother and the babe borne out of time and murdered as soone as hee was born by their sauage and barbarous crueltie These cry yet behinde the altar against them O Lord when wilt thou reuenge our bloud and the Lord will not refuse to hear them and reuenge their cause vpon their bloudy enemies in the day of his wrath Another reason is alleaged of the fauour they find in the Indies and vnder the Turke which I haue aunswered before and answere here again that neither do they suffer that doctrine and practise of their religion which they holde in these parts neither if they did are Christian P. to rule their Subiectes by the examples of Turks and heathen but by the law of God Who hath giuen to them this commandement to be obserued in all their dominion that neither anye man nor his children nor seruaunts that neyther home borne or strangers be suffered to prophane his Sabboth and to pollute his holy seruice leest the rest of the people of the lande learne of them and so the wrath of God come suddenly vpon vs for being accessaries to Idolatrie As for the tolleration of the Iews whosoeuer they be that suffer the exercise of their religion with the blasphemies they commonly vse against Christ make themselues giltie of al their wickednes which the Lord keepe this lande from as well as from the abhomination of the masse But they maye remember that their Holye Father can tollerate the Blasphemye of the Iews and the filthinesse of all the Curtesains and Stewes and take a yeerely rent of them for it and for no respect will allowe the exercise of our most holy religion eyther in his own dominions or wheresoeuer he may preuaile againste vs but by all meanes seeke to burne all the professors of it to ashes and to shed their bloude as water to runne downe the Streetes Further if no protestāt Prince elswhere haue executed any of these Catholiks for religiō as he cōfesseth no more hath any for the cause bin put to death with vs as I haue shewed alredy which being so that neuer any professyng the Gospell put any of them to death for meere matter of their conscience let the Lorde iudge the wicked seruaunt by his own mouth Now for the barbarous crueltie and most sauage immanitie vsed by them against vs we haue shewed againe that pacience towardes thē hitherto as we haue not touched the life of any one of them But if the Catholiques had practised Rebellions and Treasons in the Dominions of other Princes professyng the Gospel as thei haue doen here with vs no doubt but thei should haue found the same reward of their wickednesse that thei haue doen here For our doctrine it is vtterly vntrue that any of the churches professyng the Gospell or this of England vnder persecution did euer thinke it vnlawfull to put to deathe a Rebell and a Traytour Naie it hath beene alwaies taught in all the reformed Churches that bothe thei and also obstinate Heretickes amongest whom thei haue alwaies accounted and doe still account all obstinate and wilfull spreadors of the Romishe faithe sett doune by the Councell of Trent are moste worthie of death that as it is in the Lawe the false Prophett and the seducyng Idolater maie bee taken from amongest vs that all Israell maie heere and feare and not dare to committ the like Wee acknowledge in deede faithe to be the gift of God whiche commeth by the preachyng of the Gospell by Ministers sent by the commaundement of God but we do not therefore think it vnlawfull for the Magistrate to execute the Lordes iust vengeaunce vppon the obstinate Heretickes and seducyng Idolaters Repentaunce and holinesse of life is also the gift of GOD and commeth by the same meanes and yet the Magistrate not onely in a good conscience maie but in duetie to God ought as he will answere it to him that shal iudge the quicke and the dead drawe out the Lordes sworde of execution of iustice and of vengeaunce against all ill doers to wounde and to kill accordyng to the qualities of the