there is no humane wit nor might which would not sooner melt and consume then be able to preserue this Realme otherwise then by obseruing that hath bene bene couenaunted and sworne Moreouer if ye be resolute to practise this doctrine ye shall make all our warres endelesse and immortall as well ciuill and domesticall for the reasons afore touched as the warres we may haue with the stranger be it the Switzer Almain Fleming English Scot Spaniard Italian or Turke for in manner all our neighbors doo differ in religion from vs and consequently heretikes or Infidels in our opinion perhaps they also esteeme vs for such Who then will treate with you concerning peace knowing this your resolution They will rather choose to miscary or make you miscary vnder the chargeable toile and daungers of warre then bee choked in the nets of your disloyaltie But how will ye excuse your selues towards God If it be euill done to promise faith to the Reformed wherefore haue yee sworne to them so solemly by actes often reiterated and by long spaces of time distinguished If ye alleage they compelled you ye can not auerre nor iustifie this compulsion yee haue alwaies bene maisters of the field of the townes and gouernments and which is to be noted the most part of the Pacifications haue bin made in their greatest weakenesse If it were impietie to agree with them yee should haue sooner suffred a thousand deaths then done it If yee say it was done to make them difarme and afterward to surprise and destroy them to th' aduancement and exaltation of your religion as many beleeue yee are abominable persons so to profane the othe which God hath ordained for a witnesse and assurance of the truth for an end of all variances for renewing of charitie offended and restablishment of peace and rest among men ye make it a bait for lying for treason and cruelty yee shall not ascend into Gods holy hill for ye sweare in deceipt The Romains in their auncient fashion of swearing and contracting alliances were wont to say ô Iupiter smite with thy lightening blast him whosoeuer in this company shall haue brought hither an intent to beguile his companion what must Pagans with more holinesse deale in a sacred oth then we Ye take not alone the name of God in vaine but ye also defile it so much as in you lieth making it the auctor and protector of your murderous disloyalties yee thinke yee may sport with mens liues by your othes it is with God with his glorious and magnificent name and with your owne saluation that yee sport it is your owne saluation that yee lose imagining to draw men on to their death make them fall on the poynt of your weapons lurking in the pit of your treasons yee draw on your owne heads the curse of God and plunge your selues head long in the fearefull dungion of darkenesse and eternall woe No euill ought to be done that good should come of it The very Paynims could say that no religion is accomplished by mischieuous wickednesse faithlesnesse is an impe of impietie impietie is directly opposite to religion then monstrous is their errour that thinke to vphold and augment religion through impietie Yee condemne the iudge that with his oth promiseth impunitie to malefactors prouided that they confesse and acknowledge the crimes they are accused of yee disanull all his processe reuerse it as erronious thus by your owne sentence yee incurre condemnation in that by othe yee haue assured rest and peace to the Reformed to the end that hauing abandoned their defences yee might afterward murther them by surprise and with more aduantage Neither can yee also pretend excuse by ignorance as not knowing the nullitie of your othes at the time ye sware for the doctrine and examples alleaged by your selues are of a date far more ancient then the troubles and Pacifications of this Realme Moreouer after your goodly fearch for that holesome doctrine to warrant you from shame and reproch vpon the breach that yee made of the former Pacifications yee haue againe notwithstanding treated and sworne peace with them manifold times that with more banning if yee brake it then euer afore But the likelihood is great that your violation of the peace comes not through religion more credible it is that your vnreconcileable enmities greedy aspiring mindes are the cause so that yee speake for God in fraud and plead for him in iniquitie yee enterprise to make the holy Scripture stoupe to the windes of your will and bende to the billowes tempests of your naughty passions yee force it to serue your commodities and fit your purposes to execute your râ—uenges and satisfie your ambition and auarice Let vs see notwithstanding if the doctrine yee propose is so necessary and certaine as ye make it I graunt you and aduow it that euery oth ought not to be obserued specially when the same importes therevpon the performance of some hainous sinne and doth directly preiudice the free passage of Gods word which we all are bound to seeke but reseruing these two inconueniences aboue we may in all things els giue our faith vndoubtedly to any whosoeuer being once giuen we ought to keepe it So that when we contend not directly against Gods glory and our owne saluation faith must be obserued Now the couenants with Heretiks and Infidels by letting them liue in peace and quiet without attempting them by materiall armes do not hinder the hope of our saluation nor offend the glory commaundements of God when we are vnable to cut them of by the ordinary way and power of the magistrate easily and without trouble detriment to the Church For though it be commaunded in the law that the Heretike be cut of which importeth a more strong reason forbidding to conuerse or deale with an heretike that ought to be vnderstood when we may commodiously destroy or expell him not disturbing the Church It is more tollerable more reasonable and agreable to Gods pleasure to suffer the heretike and infidell to liue and dwell by him then to make hauock in the Church and set a way wide open to a thousand a thousand confusions impieties other mischieuous villanies which warres brings with it leaues beit namely warre Ciuill This is that which the Patriarch of Constantinople named Atticus said vpon the like occasion that we must sometimes vpon some necessitie holde vs content with that which hapneth not to our liking that we must sometimes preferre vtilitie before strict iustice sometime encline to agreement to the peace and tranquilitie of the people preferring the peace of a Realme the peace of all the world before the precise obseruation of the wordes after the example of the Apostles that wisely dispenced with occasions and circumstances Better it is then to continue the vlcer open than close it vp to the hazard of the whole bodie Better it is to strike saile in the storme than
made Israell to sinne Micheas and Elias accompanied Achab and Ochosiah both Idolaters Our Sauiour Christ visited the countreys of the Iewes and soiourned among them euen when they were most corrupt and swarmed with sectes heresies as is sayd he communed with Saduces that denied the Resurrection he eat and disputed with Pharisies he liued with Publicanes he gratified and honored the Gentiles with his presence preaching and miracles Th'Apostles bestowed most part of their care paine power and knowledge to conferre and communicat with the Gentiles they built founded Churches among the Gentiles they left the faithfull in the same countrey the same towne the same house with the Gentiles they permitted to the Christen woman the mariage already made 1. Cor. 7. to abide with her infidell husband saying what knowest thou ô woman whether thou shalt saue thy husband or what knowest ô husband whether thou shalt saue thy wife Shall we be so hardie as to pronounce that all these holy exāples be so many faults which we ought not to folow shal we so arrogātly ouerweene our selues after so many holy precedēts as to force the sacred Scripture to speake that which it doth not deliuer vs a doctrine not onely contradictorie to it selfe but also contrary to possibilitie For if it teacheth that we ought not abide in the same countrey and towne with Pagans and heretikes the holy Scripture bindeth vs to a cōdition impossible Into what parcell of the world may we goe where are not Pagans insidels heretikes and schismatikes Th' East and South swarme with Heathnish Idolaters the West North haue so many sects as families In what town in what company shall we hope to find one cōmon vniforme and assured consent of the truth seing among the twelue Apostles visibly taught by our Lord by words miracles conuersation example of life one was found that durst doubt of the Gospell and attempt the abolishing and ouerthrow thereof that banded himselfe against the truth bountie and power of God endeuouring not onely to gainstand God like the Geants but also to put him to death How shall a man sort him selfe with a company well assured in truth rightnes of doctrine faith sith he can not discouer nor discerne the knowledge wills and beleef of men bycause of their hypocrisie and false semblant at this day in all dealings but principally in case of Religion Mar. 13. 2. Cor. 10. we liue in the time that wolues disguise themselues in sheepes clothing and Sathan trasformes himselfe into an Angell of light false Prophets borrow the cognisance of good and true Disciples they that know the truth and dare not speake confesse it are cōstrained to stāmer with the cōmon sort Behold how none but the holy Ghost can touch to the quick or truly reproue thē of sinne John 16. that beleeue not in God as S. Iohn writeth therfore it passeth mās power to discerne the faithfull from the infidell The Lord doth not say that at his cōming he shall finde all his elect gathered in one cōpany but that he will gather them frō all parts of th' earth Luke 17. that two shal be in one bed th' one takē th' other refused two shal be grinding in a mill th' one takē th' other refused Morcouer the holy Scripture assureth vs that the Lordes field can not be without darnell that the visible Church cā not be without corruption schismes without enemies within without that while she is in this world she cā not enioy the title of Triumphant that she is named Militāt so she is in deede for she hath continually to sight against innumerable enemies domestical forrein So saith Iesus Christ that his doctrine shal bring a great cōfusion of miscōceiuing Mat. 10. enmities cōtrarieties between Potētats dominions Marke 13. between the neerest kinred frends Luke 12. within priuat houses families for religion sake S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 11. there must be heresies amōgst vs to th' end that they which are approued may be made manifest Let vs thē leaue these delicacies dainty tendernes for another world and in the meane while apply submit our selues to the necessity of the prophesies whose accōplishmēt cannot be auoided let the exāple of the whole church cōfort vs let vs resolue our selues on that which cannot be otherwise during the tune we shal inhabit this earth Let this counsell of S. 2. Tim. 4. Paul to Timothie sound in our ears euermore They shall after their owne lustes get them an heape of teachers and shal turne their eares from the trueth and shall be geuen vnto fables but watch thou in all things suffer aduersitie doo the worke of an Euangelist and elswhere hold not the disobedient person as an enemie but admonish him as a brother He saith not despaire of him leaue the Church she abandon all but watch and trauaile admonish him brotherlie to the end the let be not in thee that the worke is vnperfect Although th' enemy hath forced our trēches baricados so that he is with vs pell mell that he is come to cope hand to hand we must not flie we must determine on the combat we must r'ally and stand strong to the Corps du gard hard by our chiefetaine within the shadow of our colours Seing then we cannot choose but be intermedled with heretikes we must watch ward and trauaile for our own defence against them we must geue th'onset with spirituall armes their presence must stirre vp and whet our carefulnes Seing the Church is militant it must not geue ground but abide where th' enemie is Who so flieth from his enemie and hath withdrawen himselfe so farre that he can not smite heare nor see him may not be termed militant or one that maketh warre We must keepe so close to our enemies that they see our fires heare the sound of our drummes and trumpets that they see heare and feele the glittering the noyse weight of our weapons Euen so the Church militāt ought to approach nigh the heretikes namelie by charitie that they heare and vnderstand the sound of Gods worde that they feele the vertue thereof to their confusion condemnation or conuersion If we should not draw nigh to infidels and heretikes after some sort or other God would not call so many as he doth daihe by the efficacie of his word which he makes them vnderstand publikly by exhortations sermons and seruices and priuatly by particular studies and conferences Let vs not be afraide of them the spirit of God is not a spirit of feare 2. Tim 1. the word of God is mightier than all things the primitiue Church required not to haue the Pagans banished but onely to be heard of them the vertue of the Gospel was not enfeebled by their speaking dealing and dwelling among them otherwise the combat is not appointed for the decay of the elect but for their
which sayd they needed not keepe themselues froÌ„ sinning Rom. 6. since they were vnder grace and not vnder the law proceedeth thus farre that he saith beyng made free from sinne ye are made seruaunts to righteousnes now to auouch these wordes that workes instifie vs is to make the spirit contrary to it selfe the Gospell to the Gospell S. Paul to S. Paul S. Iames to S. Iames which were no better then blasphemy against the spirit For as often as the purpose is to lay the ground-worke of the Gospell then the spirit saith specially and namely that it is by grace not by merit at all it is hard to reckeÌ„ how oft this is affirmed in the gospel in S. Paul chiefly There is no likelihood that two or three places forced racked should balance or weigh downe infinit others specially considering the caueats aboue written least we mistake the meaning of those words and not forgetting that S. Paul hauing vsed those termes saith I speak after the maner of men for the infirmitle of your flesh S. Iames who in th' end coÌ„cludeth that faith is perfected by works expresly teacheth vs that we caÌ„ not be saued by works saying in the same chapter that whosoeuer shall keep all the law shal faile in one poinct he shal be guilâ—y of all Now there iâ— no maÌ„ so holy that faileth not in some poinct of the law which coÌ„sequently is not guilty of all And thus no hope of saluation may be built on works Conclude we then that works of theÌ„selues 〈◊〉 nothing to saluation but do streÌ„gtheÌ„ accoÌ„plish witnes faith by which we receiue saluatioÌ„ Whether the body of Iesus Christ be really in the bread of the holy supper The Pope commaundeth to beleeue that the body bloud of Iesus Christ are really and in deed in the bread and wine of the supper He commaundeth that the bread of the supper be adored as God I maruéile that he makes not the wine be likewise adored for the reason of both is all one He hath ordeined a daily sacrifice of this body for to commend this sacrifice the more he hath prouided it a seruice of the church altar sacrificers priests and other officers priestly omaments oeremonies superstitions in words gestures in water fire otherthings being in-deed a mingle mangle of all religions that euer were He grouÌ„deth his opinioÌ„ of the reall corporall presence of the body bloud and of the substantiall turning or chaunge of the truth of the bread wine into the substance truth of the body bloud of the Lord Math. 26. vpoÌ„ these words of S. Matthew saying Iesus tooke bread after he had giueÌ„ thaÌ„ks he brake it gaue it to his disciples and said take eat this is my body hauing taken the cup giuen thanks he gaue it them saying drinke ye all of it for this is my bloud of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Now they may easely iudge who peruse the holy scripture wholy with an open heart the eyes of whose vnderstanding are not dym that this doctrine of the Pope tooke his beginning being in the phantasie of man rather then in the Scripture For if we gather and compare together whatsoeuer the Scripture doth conteine touching the Lordes supper we shall finde that the body is not in the bread but is at the right hand of God and yet the faithfull do eate and drinke spiritually and by faith the body and bloud of our Sauiour receiuing therewith the merite of his death and passioÌ„ and are nourished spiritually by his grace and that the bread and wine are set forth for signes of the Sacrament to signifie to vs that as bread and wine nourish vs for our temporall life so the body bloud of the Lord do nourish vs for the life euerlasting and as there is an vnion meeting together of many bodies in the bread in the wine eueÌ„ so should there be an vnion and agreement among the faithfull in communicating of the body and bloud of the Lord. WheÌ„ Iesus Chirst had said this is my body Math. 16. Mar. 14. this is my bloud of the new testament he addeth I say vnto you I will not drinke hence-forth of this fruict of the vine I will not drinke more of the fruict of the vine vntill that day when I shall drinke it new with you in my fathers kingdome These wordes taken either spiritually or after the letter do sufficiently declare that the wine is not turned into the bloud of our Sauiour for he calleth it still the fruict of the vine And in Saint Luke to discouer vnto vs more clearely that this Luke 22. speach is figuratiue he saith this is my body do this in remembrance of me this cup is the new testament in my bloud which is shed for you he saith not the cup is my bloud but it is the new testament in my bloud that is to say it is a representation a signe of my bloud a testament a title and contract of new alliance in my bloud This sense and vnderstanding is not beside the purpose for he celebrated that same day with his disciples th' ancient Sacrament of the passe-ouer lambe which represented the lambe of God that should come to make vs through his death passioÌ„ to passe out of this traÌ„sitory world full of miseries boÌ„dage into th' other would full of surpassing ioy and libertie And for that this auncient Sacrament of the passe-ouer lambe was to take an end forthwith by his death he instituted the new sacrament of the new testament of the new league or alliance be gaue them bread and wine for signes of the spirituall nourishment which they were necessarily to receiue in the body and bloud of our Sauiour And as in the old alliance or testament the lambe was not Christ but onely represented the Christ so the bread and wine of the new testament are not the body and bloud but signifie and represent the body and bloud of Christ This interpretation is confirmed moreouer by these wordes do this in remembraunce of me it is ordinary to commend by signes and resemblances the memory of things absent and not of things present on th' other side if we are to take the words in S. Luke literally without admitting any expositioÌ„ beside the letter the wine is no more the bloud it is now the cup it must then be coÌ„fessed that these words are figuratiue and subiect to another interpretation then the naturall fignification of the letter will bearens there be any figure in S. Luke there may be also the like in S. Matthew It is written in S. Paul the cup of blessing which we blesse 1. Cor. 10. is it not the communion of the body of Christ the bread which we breaked is it not the communion of the body of Christ for we thâ—t are many
that all things be restored S. Paul saith Col. 3. seeke the things that are on high where Iesus Christ sitteth at the hand of God for himselfe had said to his Apostles Iohn 16. I go to my father and ye shall see me no more yet a litle while and ye shall see me for I go to my father and elswhere Math. 23. I say vnto you that from hence-forth ye shall not see me vntill ye say blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord Acts. 1. and in another place this Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come as ye haue seen him go into heauen if the Lord is corporally present in the bread and wine of the supper if he is here below within the Priests pixe or betweene their hands why beleeue we that he is at the right hand of the father why do we looke for his comming from heauen to iudge the quicke and dead why say th'Apostles that heauen must conteine Iesus Christ vntill the time that all things be restored why say they that he is sitting at the right hand of God if he appeareth continually why should they affirme that the second time of his appearing shal be for iudgement why doth he say himselfe yet a litle while and you shall see me no more for I go to the father when is that time among the Papistes wherein they see him not why do the Angels say this Iesus which is taken vp from you to heauen shall come euen so as ye haue seen him go vp to heauen who hath seen him come downe from heauen to shut himselfe within the bread as he was seen go vp to heauen The Pope putteth his onely trust in this aunswere the Lord saith he can make his body be in the bread ergò he is there Behold a very proper meane to proue readily all kinds of heresies phantasies and mockeries and in deed if we were sure that his will is to haue his body here below in the bread in places innumerable aboue at his fathets right hand and so to haue his body to be spirituall we would not doubt of his power to performe it but we can find no-where this wil of his contrari-wise he teacheth vs that his body is in heauen that in the supper we must lift vp our soules on high to the right hand of God there to eate spiritually and by faith as hath benesaid he teacheth vs that his body is a true body 2. Iohn 4. euery spirit saith S. Iohn which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God such a spirit is the spirit of Antichrist thus let vs ensue his will without enquiring of his power Furthermore if we might certeinely see the body or the'effects of the presence of the body and bloud of our Lord in the holy supper in the bread and wine thereof we would not argue at all either of his power or of his will but we see nothing saue bread like to bread both within and without in and throughout euery part in colour other qualities of nature nourishable and corruptible the host of the Masse nourisheth man nourisheth wormes as bread doth corrupteth and putrifieth as bread which we may not beleeue of our Sauiours glorified body Withall if the body of the Lord were in the bread so many miracles should daily and hourely ensue Luke 8. as would make it past doubt they that touched his garments onely felt his wonderfull vertue with farre more likelihood should they that touch his body feele it but we can see no such effects the Popes Bishops and Priests haue assayed to deriue from it oracles and miracles but still they found it nothing els saue bread they haue chafed thereat so farre-forth as to cast the host into the fire Finally I see no such necessitie for the celebration of the supper that the body should be here below really within the bread no more then in old time Christ was in the labe or at this day the bloud of Christ is in the water of baptisme The faithfull doe effectually receiue in baptisme the washing of the bloud of Christ by faith although nothing but water be administred in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost euen so the faithfull may partake in the grace iustification death passion in the body bloud of the Lord by spirituall eating through faith as well yea more cōmodiously then by the reall eating of the body For in this behalfe it behoueth the Spirit by his miraculous operatiō not onely to transubstantiate the body and make it present at the same time in places infinit but also to turne this corporall food into spirit for the spirituall sustenance of the spirit of man which is the principall end of the supper of the death passion of the Lord. It is more agreable to the order established by God in the nature of all things and more consonant to his counsels reueled in his word to lift vp our soules by faith to nourish them with his body and bloud to fill them with his grace and merite of his death and passion to notifie such inward actions by the outward signes of bread and wine then to confound the properties of both natures to make him a body euerywhere present which to be onely pertaineth to his diuinitie to abase his glorious body and subiect it to a world of phantasies profanations and iniuries to haue it broken and torne chewed and swalowed and further to change that body into spirit for the nourishment of the spirit Behold here how the Pope with too-much boldnes and no necessitie aduentureth to commit idolatrie himselfe and to make them grose idolaters which follow him in his doctrine in that he adoreth the bread of the supper euen as the body of Iesus Christ More safe it is to adore it at the right hand of God seing the Scripture assureth vs most certainely that he is there Idolatrie is a sinne too horrible that any man should so freely giue ouer himselfe to the same In such ventrous cases when there is any suspition of idolatrie feare to sinne ought aboue all to ouer-rule our worldly wisdome Away then with this doctrine of the Pope so contrary to th'articles of the Christiā beliefe and all the holy Scripture away with this doctrine that destroyeth the veritie of our Lords body and is suspected ye conuinced of Idolatrie The Pope willeth vs to haue images of Angels Whether we ought to haue images for deuotion sake Saincts and of God himselfe within our Churches vpon our altars within our chappels and priuat closets for prayer He willeth vs to honour and serue these images with such deuotion ceremonies as in effect differeth not from adoration or diuine-honour We find no iote in the Scripture conformable to this doctrine but we find there commaundements ynow most flatly forbidding vs to receiue it Leuit.
if it had bene in the Popes power to cause all the bookes of Gods word to be burned he had done it without doubt vpon the selfe same reason that moued the Senate of Rome to burne certeine Greeke books found within the tumbe of Numa Pompilius for the Senate feared least these bookes treating of true wisedome would haue disclosed th' abuses of their Religion and crakt the credit which the Romain people gaue to it and thereby shrewdly disioint their state euen so it stood the Pope in hand to feare lest the making of the holy Scripture manifest and common should pull down and bring to naught his doctrine his auctoritie and state and and this is the true cause why he can abide in no wise but striues with might and mayn against publishing of the holy Scripture Then let the bookes be lest open in our coÌ„mon language let them be written that all persons without exception may see search theÌ„ as the Prophets foretold should be in the time vnder Christ let vs vtter and show the Lords secret abroad let vs further th' accomplishment of the Prophesie of Ieremie cited by S. Paul Ierem. 31. Heb. 8. that in the time vnder Christ all shall know the Lord from the least to the greatest Isay and that of Isay saying all th' earth shal be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. Now againe Whether we ought to pray and prayse God in a tongue which we vnderstand not the Pope willeth that Priestes Chanons Munkes and other officers of the Church shall do their Church seruices in the Latin tongue shall say and sing Masse Laudes and Praiers in the Latin tongue euen in a strange tongue which most Frenchmen vnderstand not But the Scripture willeth the contrarie 1. Cor. 14. The Apostle saith that they which speake in the Church in a strange tongue and vnknowen are barbarians to them whom they speake to that they speake in the ayer that they are vnprofitable that they ought to holde their peace if the trumpet saith he geue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe to battaile So likewise you by the tongue except ye vtter words that haue signification how shall it be vnderstoode what is spoken If I pray saith th'Apostle in a strange tongue my spirite prayeth but mine vnderstanding is without fruict What is it then I will pray with the spirite but I will pray with th'understanding also els when thou blessest with the spirite how shall he that occupieth the roome of th'unlearned say Amen at thy geuing of thanks seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest for thou verily geuest thanks well but the other is not edified These words are so carefully spoken that no doubt is left but that we ought to pray and praise God in the Church onely in a tongue which all doo vnderstand We finde in Saint Marke and Saint Iames Mar. 11. that prayer without faith is vnfruictfull and sinne before God and elsewhere Iac. 1. that there can be no faith without knowledge they then that pray in Latine not vnderstanding what they pray pray without faith for they pray without knowledge Rom. 10. and thus their prayer is vnfruictfull yea it is sinnefull Let vs not vnaduisedly forgo the fruict which prayer affoordeth them that vse it as they ought let vs not marre this meane nor misuse this duety so necessary to a Christian and let vs pray and praise God in our knowen and common tongue with spirite vnderstanding and faith The Pope forbiddeth marriage to persons innumerable Whether marriage ought to be forbidden to Priests Clergymen and other religious persons men and women and to them namely that serue at the altar as also to them that enter into any religious order there is no coÌ„maundement of God so straightly kept as this countermaund of the Pope is The holy Scripture permitteth marriage to all men and womeÌ„ and namely to Sacrificers Leuites to priests and Bishops We finde it written that to marry is no sinne that marriage is honourable among all After S. 1 Cor. 7. Paul had commended virginitie to wit chastitie which ye terme Celibat Heb. 13. or single life he presently addeth 1. Cor. 7. and this I speake for your owne commoditie not to tangle you in a snare but that ye followe that which is honest In the same Chapter he biddeth all persons to marry that cannot absteine for saith he it is better to marry theÌ„ to burne And againe to take away all scruple he warranteth euery man that if he marry he sinneth not and euery virgin that if she marry she sinneth not 1 Tim. 5. And in another place he passeth further not permitting but bidding young widowes to marrie that they geue no occasion to the aduersarie to speake euil It is knowen how great cleannesse was required in Priests Leuits in the olde Testament and chiefly in the high Priest God permitted them to marry neuerthelesse and for their marriage ordeyned certaine lawes â—euit 21. The Leuites saith God shall not take to wife an whore or one polluted neither shall they marry a woman diuorced from her husband and elswhere the high Priest shall take to wife a virgine and shall not take a widow neither one diuorced neither a whore nor one polluted but hee shall take to wife a virgine of his people In the new Testament is written 1. Tim. 3. that a Bishop must be vnreproueable the husbande of one wife one that can rule his owne house honestly hauing children vnder obedience with all honestie for if any cannot rule his owne house how shall he care for the Church of God These later wordes doo plainly confute them that durst wrest the former to wit the husband of one wife as if the Apostle had meant the Bishop must be Bishop of one Church in which glosse is no colour but euidently corrupteth the text is contrary to their owne practise for the place conteyneth a rehearsall of qualities whereby a man meete to be a Bishop may be discerned from one vnmeete and among the rest this is put as principall namely his care and discretion to gouerne wel his wife family and children for saith th'Apostle if he cannot rule his owne house well how shall he care for the Church of God It is also contrary to their own practise For if it be true as their glosse importeth that a Bishop must be Bishop of one Church then are they not Apostolike Bishops that will be Bishops of many Churches much lesse the Pope that will be Bishop of all Churches better it were then for them to cast away their glose then change their practise Moreouer S. Paul admonisheth Titus his disciple to ordeine Priestes or Elders in euery Citie as he appointed him and then he addeth if any be vnreprouable the husband of one wife hauing faithfull children which are not slaundered of riot neither are disobedient for a Bishop must be vnreproueable As
against Licinius Emperour of the East and by consequence their Emperour and souerargne Magistrate so farre forth that Licinius was put to flight which is an history that locketh their lips who boast so much of this maxime that whole prouinces may not stand in defence of their religion against their Prince For Licinius was lawfull Emperour of th' East without all controuersie euen when Constantine made warre on him to cause him to surcease his persecutions against his Christian subiects and Constantine was not Emperour then but of Italie Afrike France Spaine Moreouer most certaine it is that Licinius was Emperour of th' East long before Constantine was declared Emperour of the West neuerthelesse he vndertooke this warre against Licinius at th'instance of th' East Churches and was blessed of God We read againe to this same purpose how the Christians of Persia oppressed with intollerable afflictions by their king had recourse to the Romains crauing succour of them and praying thē to pitie their extreme necessity the Bishop of Constantinople laboured so to Theodosius th'Emperour that he vndertook their protection Theodosius made warre on the king of Persia obtayned many miraculous victories and in fine compelled him to entreat his Christen subiects more gently The Reformed pretend to haue at this day as good reason to appeale to the king of Nauarre th'Almains and other their neighbors for protection and defence And although hitherto ye haue surmounted them in number of victories yet that iustifieth your quarell neuer the more Apoc. 13. For it is written of Antichrist that for a time he shall haue th'vpperhand ouer th'elect But rather mark the successe if ye haue got some victories they haue had victories also they are come neerer their end and purpose then you The right of the cause is not alwaies auowed by the victorie The Beniamites mainteining a most vnrighteous quarrell remained in two battailes maisters of the field Iud. 20. in the third they were quite defeicted Th'Israelits ouercame and were ouercomen Heb. 11. the Scripture teacheth they ouercame through the iustice of their quarell assisted with faith and assurance of Gods fauour againe they were ouercome more often through the desert of their sinnes making them vnworthy of Gods fauour then th'iniustice of their cause How know we whether th'enterchaunged course of our victories and mishap of the Reformed haue not come to passe rather by reason of their sinnes then by any vnrighteous quarell they mainteined in this warre CHAP. III. Whether it be lawfull with good conscience to liue with heretikes or nigh them PEraduenture ye will tell me that my counsaile is a snare of sinne bicause ye gather by my discourse that a man may conuerse with heretikes which is prohibited in many places of the Gospell My children if yee will yeeld as much to reason as ye doe to your passions yee will vpon this doubt stand contented with those arguments examples by me already proposed when I proued that we might lawfully graunt and keepe faith to heretikes there I haue sufficiently taught that in France it is impossible to sequester the Reformed from the Catholikes without destruction of France there also haue I recited the reasons for which we haue determined sometimes to liue in peace with them and wherefore likewise all our neighbours haue taken the selfe same resolution and continue still therein and do find it better for them to keepe it then we to haue left it Neuthereles to make it plaine that I am no lesse earnest to desire and seeke your conuersion and safetie then your selues are earnest to reteine and recall the causes of your confusion and wrack and also to make good that my substantiall reasons do in number and weight exceede those emptie shadowes that make a great muster in your passionat conceipts I am content for your sakes to handle againe more particularly this question to wit whether we may with good conscience conuerse with heretikes or nigh them I reknowledge that it is written Take heed least any men seduce you go not be not partakers with them take heed that none ouertake you auoyd an heretike after the first and second admonition who so disobeyeth the Church let him be to thee as an Heathen person Publican Mat. 24. Ephes 5. Col. 2. Tit. 3. Mat. 18. This is in summe the whole doctrine of the Gospell in this behalfe Now so it is that by these wordes we are commaunded onely to beware of seducers of their philosophie and humane reasons of their traditions and fables not to be astonished and ouercome at their false miracles not to consent nor partake with them in their doctrine and ceremonies and not to admit them into our more priuate familiar communications conference and alliances howbeit these places import no prohibition wherby Christians are forbidden to dwell or soiourne with infidels heretiks or schismatikes in the same realme in the same common-wealth in the same countrie in the same towne otherwise we must also affirme that the Church of God hath continually disobeyed this prohibition and that our Lord and his Apostles liued not consormably to their doctrine which were blasphemy to thinke much more to say Abel liued with Cain the reprobate Seth and Enos men of God dwelt confusedly among other children of Adam that liued in a maner all without reason law religion as there appetite lead them like bruit beastes made gyddy with the stroke of Gods curse Noe dwelt with continually preached to the old world whose execrable impieties opened the windowes of heauen and abhominable transgressions brought the seas to transgresse their boundes the riuers their bankes the fountaines their brinkes conspiring against nature to ouerwhelme their cursed carcasses with an vniuersall sloud Ahraham the father of the chosen of the Lord out of many as one grape of the cluster and a plant out of great people 4 Esd 9. did liue frequent conuerse and traffik with many misbeleeuing nations Isaac did eat make and sweare alliance with th' infidell Abimelek Iacob abode with the idolater Laban serued him maried his daughters he visited his brother Esau reiected by God he gratified him with offers and presents he called him his Lord. The Israelits dwelt and liued among th'Aegyptiens Canaanits Syrians Assirians Medes Persians they concluded leagues with the Greekes Romains they I say that were forbidden more expresly then we they erected Synagogues in all regions they were not able to withstand the manifold changes in their Religion euen within their principall Citie within the shadow of their temple they were defiled with idolatries heresies and schismes they saw themselues sundred into many sectes of Pharisies Saduces and Essens The Prophets haunted the Palaces of the kings of Iuda and Israell though they had cleane forsaken the Lordes way Samuel conuersed with Saul Ahias and other Prophetes frequented Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat and patron of Idolatrie reuolt and ingratitude against God and his soueraigne he that
bloud he addeth ye shal not eate my body being the bread descended from heauen as your fathers did eat Manna that is to say ye shall not eat it with carnall teeth as your fathers did eat Manna for they did eat that carnally but ye shall eat this spiritually Moreouer to shew that this speach is spirituall and that his body and bloud should be taken spiritually and by faith he saith I am the bread of life he that commeth to me shall haue no hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall haue no thirst for there he speaketh of spirituall hunger and thirst and referreth all to faith On th' other side if we take the body and bloud of our Sauiour carnally with the mouth it should folow that S. Paul is contrary to Christ For he saith 2. Cor. 7. that by eating and drinking we profit nothing to Christ that meate maketh vs not acceptable to God if wee eate sayth hee it aduantageth vs not and if we doo not eate wee haue neuer the lesse and yet in S. Iohn Christ sayth Iohn 6. that if wee eate not his flesh wee shall not haue life euerlasting In like sort S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 11. that whosoeuer shall eate vnworthily the bread of the supper he shal be guiltie of the Lords body and yet Christ teacheth vs. that whatsoeuer entreth by the mouth Math. 15. defileth not the man We cannot agree S. Paul with Christ the holy Ghost with himselfe if we affirme not that the Lord and S. Paul doo speake in the one place to wit concerning the supper of spirituall eating and in the other of corporall eating In such wise that S. Paules doctrine remayneth true where he saith that by eating and drinking we profit nothing towarde Christ albeit that we must eate and drinke the body and bloud of our Sauiour as himselfe saith for it is spiritually that we must eate and drinke of which maner of eating drinking the Apostle purposed not to speake at all in this place the doctrine of Christ also abideth sure that whatsoeuer entreth by the mouth defileth not the soule albeit th'Apostle saith that whosoeuer receiueth the bread of the supper vnworthely maketh himselfe guilty of the Lords body for the abuse which is committed in receiuing the bread of the supper is principally considered in the soule conscience and faith Lo this speech of the holy supper is like to that of Iesus to Nicodemus Iohn 3. truely I say to thee that he which is not borne againe cannot see the kingdom of God How may a mā saith Nicodernus be born whē he is old can he enter againe into his mothers wombe be borne Iesus answereth truely truly I say vnto thee that whosoeuer is not borne of water and of the spirite he cannot enter into the kingdome of God that which is borne of flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit Maruell not at that which I haue told thee we must be borne from aboue the winde bloweth where it will and thou hearest the voice but knowest not from whence it commeth nor whither it goeth euen so is euery man that is borne of the spirit We all agree that this maner of being borne againe is spirituall for otherwise it should be against nature Now so it is that we haue many mo reasons and considerations which enforce vs to beleeue that this maner of eating and drinking the body and bloud of Iesus Christ is spirituall For besides that the holy Ghost hath declared the one and the other forme of speech to be spirituall it is altogether impossible in nature that one body should be turned into another diuers in kind by words and in a moment This cannot be in nature that a liuing body should become of the substance of any other body without death or corruption it cannot haue change from substance into substance without corruptiō without being not that which it was afore Ioh. 12. the Lord himself saith it is a thing impossible The Pope saith not that by this transubstantiation the body of Christ dieth and corrupteth that were to heape vp too many blasphemies and heresies one vpon another and were it so Christ were to die and suffer infinite times Heb. 9.10 which is flat against the scripture For it is written that he died once for all that he made one onely oblation of his body that there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne that he liueth for euer at the right hand of God His body is glorified it is no more subiect to suffering and corruption Againe we see not the bread corrupt it appeareth after the breaking and blessing as faire and vnaltred bread as afore On the other part it is impossible in nature that a body such as we ought to beleeue that of Iesus Christ hath bene and is to wit a true body can at the selfe same time be in diuers places If the body of Christ is in the bread of the supper it is in places innumerable at the same time it is in heauen it is in earth in sundry infinit parts thereof This properly is to deny Iesus Christ to become in the flesh 2. Ioh. 4. which is a marke of Antichrist as saith S. Iohn Is there any thing more contrarie to sense to reason to charitie to godlines to the feare honor loue which we by duetie must beare towards God is there any thing more impossible tha to breake chew and swalow the body of our Lord his glorified body to breake teare rend it in peeces to make him die whom the Apostles assure vs eternally doth liue at the right hād of God the curse of God hath bene yet is on them that did put him once to death think ye Ioh. 19. that put him to death euery day so much as in you lieth to escape the curse of God If Christ his body is in the bread the prophesie cited by S. Iohn ye shall not breake a bone of him is in great ieoperdie for the Priestes vndiscretly breake the bread without looking where the bones be It appeareth of old that in the law of Moses Leuis 4.5 they did not eat of the beast which was sacrificed for sinne to foreshew that the true sacrifice for sinne should be made by Iesus Christ of whose body we should not eate hereupon S. Paul Heb. 13. after the recitall of this auncient sacrifice saith we haue an altar whereof they may not eate which serue in the tabernacle Let vs consider withall that the corporall presence of Iesus Christ in the bread and wine of the holy supper here below is contrary to th'articles of the faith for we beleeue that Iesus Christ is ascended into heauen that he sitteth on the right hand of the father Act. 3. that he shall come to iudge the quick and the dead Let vs confider how S. Peter saith that the heauen must conteine Iesus Christ vntill the time
yet went out of it for they neuer had entered into it But Antichrist was to be borne in the Church Marc. 13. Dan 9. Thess 4. Pet. 2. 1. Ioh. 2. was there to abide and reigne according to the prophesies of Iesus Christ of Daniel S. Paul S. Peter and S. Iohn The Pope was borne there went out from thence yet abideth reigneth there with great power pompe and tyranny The first weapons of Antichrist should be seducings and spirituall poysonings as the Apocalyps warneth vnder the name of the Whore and hir enticements which can not he applied to them that planted their false religion and performed all by fire sword and furie But the Pope hath layd the ground-worke and mayn-stay of his first and principall greatnes and power on will-worships on the show of counterfeit holinesse on false miracles seducing and bewitching peoples and nations with words and deeds well pleasing flesh and bloud as also with promisses and presents of goods and honors Other ring leaders of heresie as Arrius Maniche Pelagius and such like reigned not as Antichrist was to reigne in the temple of God with all excesse of power and glory they neuer exalted themselues aboue kings aboue all which is called God their seducings and oppressions were neuer so generall and continuall as the great Antichrist should bring to passe Take the paine your selfe for you ought it is as much as your saluatiō is worth to consider more heedfully the prophesies of Antichrist and compare the Gospell with that which they teach and practise in your Church ye will find that I tarry not on euery poinct but do ouerpasse farre moe matters then I touch your ghostly Fathers and Doctors like very Pharisees and hypocrites as they be for the most part do set vp against all these truths the defense of the Pharisees against Iesus Christ How can it be say your Doctors that so many holy fathers so many learned clerkes so many men so many peoples and countries haue consented to the doctrine of the Pope for so many hundred yeares if it were against God and against Holy-writ specially seing our Sauiour hath said behold I am with you vntill the end of the world This defense pleaseth flesh and bloud passing well the flesh fancieth them too well who teach that it is not ordinary for a man to wander out of the way to sinne and to go on in his wandring and sinne Vnder the warrant of this defence infinite soules doo stay waxe sluggish and are luld asleepe barking at such as would wake them out of this drousie disease But the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God 1. Cor. 3. 1. Cor. 2. and the naturall man perceyueth not the things of the spirit of God saith Sainct Paul flesh and bloud are blind and can not discerne these mysteries then let vs not consult herein with worldly wisedome or with flesh and bloud but with the spirite of God By this spirite in the holy historie wee are taught that Adam after his fall by sinne was somewhat relieued and reformed by the Lord that God by his Angels visibly did warne him and his children from time to tyme to walk and liue according to his commaundements with promise to restore and repaire the decay of mankind notwithstanding in lesse then two or three generations they forsooke the voyce and way of God and were corrupted after the imaginations and deuises of the flesh and this corruption lasted aboue sixteen hundred yeares Then the mercyfull Lord willing to shew his fauour towardes mankind repayred his Church renewed his commaundements to Noë and his children but againe within lesse then foure generatiōs the people went astray forgat God his commaundements A long time after that going astray the Lord called Abrahā restored his Church by him leauing the rest of all mankind in their corruption who remained therein till the comming of Christ for two thousand yeares and vpward The holy Ghost mereouer teacheth how after the Church was restored in Abraham confirmed in Moses and in all the children of Israëll there folowed many reuoltes in the Church of Israël euen as generall as the former aboue rehearsed for they seemed all to haue forsaken the right way insomuch as the faithfull appeared no-where these apostasies or backslidings endured some for two hundred yeares some more some lesse though the Lord in the meane while awaked them and called them againe by his Prophets Ye know further how the Greeks for the most part swarued ye count them for heretikes or infidels in maner al. Now so it is that th'Israëlites and Greekes may as well or better then you preuaile with these wordes of Christ I will be with you vntill the end of the world for as large and more expresse promises then that had bene made to th'Iraëlits and this promise pertained as well to the Greekes as to you because they were instructed in the Gospell before ye were and that more carefully and by mo Apostles then ye were and yet for all this both th'Israëlites Greeks are gone astray from the faith these many hundred yeares past which also hath befallen the Churches of Affrik who may chalenge to themselues th' assurance of those promises with as great reason as you may Besides that your owne Churches haue bene defiled and ouergrowé with heresies namely when the barbarous nations of the North and enemies of our faith left no face of a Church almost throughout Europe We must acknowledge therefore that such promises of God do neuer passe without this condition if ye abide in me in th' obedience of my word according to the doctrine of Moses Leuit. 26. Deut. 8. Isay 29. Els why should the Lord say in Isay to the children of Israel because this people come neare vnto me with their mouth and honour mee with their lips but haue remooued their heart farre from me their feare towardes me was taught by the precept of men therfore behold I will againe do a marueilous worke in this people euen a marueilous worke and a wonder for the wisedome of their wisemen shall perish and the vnderstanding of their prudent men shal be hid 30. and againe in the next chapter the Lord sheweth why they are plagued notwithstading his promises because saith he you haue cast of this word and trust in violence and wickednesse and stay thereupon therefore this iniquitie shal be vnto you as a breach that falleth or a swelling in an hye wall whose breaking commeth soundainly and in a moment 59. and in another place your iniquities haue separated betweene you your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you Ose 4. that he will not heare and in Osea seing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God I will also forget thy children Iohn 8. Also Iesus Christ saith if ye continue in my word ye are verely my Disciples Now let vs gather of all these histories sayings that
vniuersall long-lasting corruptions reuoltes are ordinary in the Church that when the Church forsaketh the word of God then God withdraweth frō her his holy spirit that whē God hath called frō her his holy spirit the more she hasteth forward the further she wandreth frō the right path the more encreaseth her corruptiō that in her selfe no meane may be found to repaire her ruines or returne her into the right way if the Lord takes her not by the had guides her aright to the forsaken way by his spirit word We learne also that after the Lord hath lōg cōceled frō men the time of their corruptiō ignorance he hath geuen thē ouer to the vanitie of their minds which boast braue it with the bare titles of his Church Religiō renewing his Church in the meane season neuerthelesse in miraculous sort by his immediat and extraordinary callings as those of Noë Abraham Moses Ezechias Iosias and others We learne againe that Gods promises are tyed neither to persons nor places but onely to his elect and the same doth Iesus Christ most plainly teach in S. Matthew by the similitudes of the husbandmen to whom the housholder did let out his vineyard Math. 21. and them that were bidden to the mariage seing therefore your fathers and ye forsook the humilitie of true Christians to puff vp your selues with pride of the flesh seing ye gaue ouer the glorifying of the Lord in his word power and mercy to glorifie your selues in your carnall inuentions by your freewill and meritorious works let it not seeme straunge to you that God hath left your fathers and you in the miseries of ignoraunce 4. Esd 8. For Esdras prophesieth that many miseries and calamities remayne for them that shall liue in the later times because they shall walk in great pride ye runne after mans traditions ye bring nothing forth but wild grapes your hands are full of bloud you haue troden downe the righteous all your deuises are against God to prouoke th' eyes of his Maiestie ye put bitter for sweet ye haue no feare of God but through the commaundement receiued of men ye leaue the doctrine of God which ye haue heard from the beginning ye demaund more of him then he hath appointed ye haue left the faith ye fulfill the measure of your fathers sinnes ye teach all things rather then the word of God ye can not abide to be ruled thereby ye gaze and spend the time on fables and vaine toyes ye are wed to your owne insolent willes ye blame the way of truth and in couetousnesse ye make marchandise of mens soules with feyned wordes then leaue to think it strāge that the curse of God pursueth you by blindnes of hart Leuit. 26. ignorāce errors In the like case to yours Moses threatned the children of Israël that God would forsake thē On like occasiō prophesied Isay Isay 1.5.8.28 that the Lord would curse his Church and oppresse it with the spirite of sleepe would shut her eyes would couer the Prophets the chief of the seers would make her to stumble against his word would shut darkē the book would make the wisdome to perish frō the wise vnderstanding from the prudēt would hyde his eyes would not heare would take away the hedge from about his vineyard would breake the wall thereof it should be trodē down Math. 23. Luke 3.4 Esdr 5.7 This was the reason that Iesus Christ gaue the Iewes wherfore they were refused Likewise in Esdras we are certified that in the later times the land shal be barren frō faith that wit shall hide it selfe vnderstāding depart into his secret chāber it shal be songht of many and yet not be found that men shall obteine nothing because saith he men haue taken to them the thoughts of vanitie and haue purposed in themselues the deceits and traynes of sinne and touching these things haue said to the Lord that he was not In like maner S. Peter treating of th'instruments of Antichrist which forsake the way of the Lord 2. Pet. 2. saith that they should priuily bring into the Church damnable heresies calleth them welles without water and clouds carred about with a tempest to whom the black darknesse is reserued for euer How then could they keepe the right way that had no other guides S. Iohn saith 1. Iohn 2. if that which we haue heard from the beginning shall remaine in vs we shall also continue in the Sonne and in the Father 2. Tim. 6. If any mā saith S. Paul teacheth otherwise cōsenteth not to the holesome words of our Lord and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse he is puft vp and knoweth nothing but doteth about questions and strife of wordes and a litle after he calleth them men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth which thinke that gaine is godlines to this purpose I wil say by the way that cleare-sighted persons can quickly discerne that the decrees and diuers doctrines of your Church are for the most part founded vpon gayne In summe sith ye haue despised the waters of Siloë marueil not that ye are fallen and welnigh drowned in the floud and bottomlesse gulfe of mens traditions ye haue left the piller and prop of the Lord your iniquitie is like a swelling in an high wall whose breaking cōmeth sodainly ye haue set naught by the hallowed fire of God to seek out another of your own kindling marueil not that ye walke not in the light but stumble in the darke and sith ye draw nigh to the deuill and draw backe from God marueil not that the deuill drawes nigh to you and God drawes backe from you Finally for that ye haue abused Gods promisses presuming to take him at his word without caring for the condition wherewith he gaue his word and thinking him tied by his promise to be with you and you not bound by the condition to obey him therefore hath that presumption entangled your soules within the cordes of vanitie and hampred you in those iniquities and curses which we daily see But all these inducements and considerations are yet too low for matters so high The secret cause of th'estrangings from God of your reuolts of the Church are past the reach of mans reason it is the bottomlesse sea of Gods counsell and therefore must bee treated of in another sort Why should wee aske how it may come to passe which wee see is come to passe why should we aske how it could be that the Church lost her way so long time since our Lord the Prophets and Apostles assured vs that so it should be such questioning doth vtter the mistrust of Gods prophesies lurking in our vnbeleeuing hearts Iesus Christ foretold vs Matth. 24. Marc. 13. Luke 21. many false Prophets should come and seduce many that iniquitie should abound that charity should be colde that th'abomination of desolation should be set