the Egyptians and what was the end of it Then conferre the same with our times and consider what kingdomes what princes what cities what people haue been ouerthrowne because they haue so confederated to their owne destruction The reason is because God hath been out of the league The sixt argument No perfect peace by kindling of Gods wrath and swaging of mans TO continue a realme in prosperitie by kindling of Gods wrath and asswaging of mans anger cannot stand with christian pollicie But by slacknes of punishment against Church enemies Gods wrath is kindled howsoeuer mans may seeme to be asswaged Therefore c. If wicked tyrants as one saith be onely rods in the hand of the Lord according to that of the prophet O Assur the rod of my furie and the staffe of my wrath then should the hand rather be pacified then the rodde but if it were possible that the rodde could bee pleased against the will of the hand then were it to be feared that the hand should cast the rodde away and take a beetle or a mawle or an hammer or an hatchet and beate vs to powder Many more reasons might be vsed to this purpose but these I thought at this time to alledge alwaies for mildnes and mercie reseruing a prerogatiue to my gratious soueraigne and her honorable councell a worthie vertue to a faithfull subiect but dangerous to a traytour For sedition groweth by suffering and clemencie is a spurre to rebellion I doe not disallow the sweete temperature of seueritie with mercie Seueritie tempered with mercy But yet it must not bee forgotten that the liues of princes are the liues of their common wealths whereby they must learne that being prodigall of their owne estates largiuntur ex alieno as a learned man hath said they giue that which is none of their owne to giue And therefore I dare auouch it that it is diuinitie and true christian pollicie to punish Gods and her highnes enemies and that her Maiestie and all christian princes in punishing of them shall retaine neuerthelesse by Gods word the names of milde and mercifull gouernours for if the children will needes bee so vnnaturall as to make their mother smart the mother shall show her selfe naturall in ministring due correction It is not good trusting them any longer who haue giuen her highnes and her realme so many earnests of their traiterous affections and forewarnings of their couert confederacies no no it is wisdome rather to follow the examples of miners which pursue the signes euery way It is wisedome to prouide a medicine before the sore as they spread in the ground till they be guided to the trunke or bodie of the mettall euen so to follow the appearances of suspitions and likelihoods vntill it be manifest what light made the shadow or what fire made the smoke A candles end not warilie snuffed a few imbers carelesly couched a few stickes not thorowly quenched haue brought many an househould to extreme woe and miserie wisedome will not stay till the flame being fed ouerpeere the hiest part of the roofe but will quench it before the strongest pillars be consumed then looke where the inconuenience lyeth and let Foxes rather be tyed short then hazard the deuouring of the flocke rather slippe off the branch sodainly then hazard the perishing of the whole bodie so shall you take a good course then treason and trecherous practises will not be so rife and such queasie stomackes as cannot brooke good counsell and wholsome exhortation but following euery disordered humor will be glad to keepe themselues within the compasse of christian dutie CHAPTER 11. Two principall gardiens of the spirituall vineyard by whom the Foxes must be taken ministers and magistrates wherein first of the duties of the ministers with an inditement found against many patrones of benefices THere be two principall hunters which the Lord of the vineyard vseth for the taking of these Foxes Ministers and Magistrates the one by the word the other by the sword By the word in reprouing their false doctrine by the true and in seeking to transforme them into sheepe by the sword in cutting off the putrified members least by their meanes the whole bodie be hazarded The first hunter is the Minister whose mouth and ministerie the Lord hath alwaies vsed to declare his will Ministers hunters of the spirituall Foxes and therfore they are called his mouth which for this cause in the holy scripture are diuersly named men of God seers prophets planters of the Lords vineyard builders of his house watchmen ouer his Citie husbandmen Pastours Doctors Ambassadours friendes of the bridgrome dealers in the marriage betweene Iesus Christ and his Church dispensers of the mysteries of God whose charge is vnderstood generally by the words of watching and feeding sometime more distinctly by attending vnto the word and praier Act. 6.4 2. Tim. 3.16 sometimes by the words of teaching improuing correcting and instructing sometimes by these words of watering and planting Therefore the Apostle calleth not this charge a dignitie 1. Cor. 3.6 1. Tim. 3.1 but a worke or busines And here orderly to proceed let me beseech you that are the chiefe fathers in our Church preferred to your places for your wisedome learning and grauities ouerseers of the flock bought with the precious bloud of Iesus Christ Act. 20. whose securitie in this busines hazardeth the health of the Church but circumspection shall daunt the pride of these wicked ones that seeke to bring vs into Babilon The wicked walke on euery side The papists speake proudly and neuer more proudly young ymps that neuer beheld papistrie in her brauest ruffe but haue sucked poyson from their mothers brests are not afraid to vomit blasphemies against the almightie let such Foxes be hunted helpe to reforme this for Gods glorie and seeke the recouerie of him that hath troad his foote awrie let not carefull preaching be choaked through desire of ambitious aspiring nor common care of the Church made sleepie through hungring after priuate profit why should they sleep and take their ease who ought to watch both for themselues and for others Againe I will speake to you learned brethren that hauing taken charge of christian soules properly are called hunters of the spirituall Wolues in sheepes cloathing and deceitful Foxes see that you oppose your selues against all theeues and robbers that seeke the spoyle of the Lords flocke against all tyrants that oppresse them al hypocrites in show godly but indeede prophane persons that giue offence by their deformities So shall you shunne those shamefull reproches which by Gods iust iudgment are fallen vpon many in these dayes yea so shall you shunne the great curses denounced against them which doe the worke of the Lord negligently and when the prince of pastours shall appeare you shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glorie And that you may the better performe this beware of the loue of this world it is like Aqua fortis
Iustice is pictured with a paire of ballances in one hand and a sword in the other to teach you that Iustice must returne to iudgement whether in regarding the good or punishing the euill Improbum hominē praestat non accusasse quà m absoluisse It is better not to haue accused then after accusation to acquite the malefactour but to dally with Church enemies presageth future daunger and in time may proue fatall to the state Let Moses also be your president who punished idolaters against God as sharpely as traitours against himselfe O Lord that a traitour to the kingdome of Christ Iesus should find a friend in a Christian Commonwealth but of Iudges Magistrates and gouernours it were vntollerable Shall a poore theefe packe to Tiburne for fiue shillings and one that if it were in his hand would strangle or cut the throat of the Church escape scot-free Tully truly said Magistratus indicat virum authoritie declareth a man what he is whether he loue equitie or briberie iustice or crueltie Authoritie trieth a man religion or superstition If a Lion his pawes if a Wolfe his iawes will betraie him if he loue the Church and religion he will draw the sword against her foes if he be an ambodexter he careth but a little for her friends Here therfore I require you that as you serue God in feare and loue his truth in heart that so you would promote his glorie in zeale and punish the offender according to the exigence of the case for as it is an horrible sinne with Pilate to iudge Christ guiltlesse and then to condemne him with Festus to approue Pauls cause and then to leaue him in prison in like sort it is a wicked thing in words to sentence the enemies of Christ and indeed to turne them loose to liue at their pleasures like Foxes amidst the flocke to try what hauocke they can make of all I may not pretermit in this place the great care and conscience that ought to be in election of Magistrates in Cities Burrowes and Townes endewed with such priuiledges Iethro points out the properties of them which should beare rule Thou shalt choose out amongst all the people men of courage Exod. 18 fearing God and hating couetousnes and them shalt thou make gouernours ouer the people The Israelits desired God to graunt vnto Iosua Iosua 1 being newly made their gouernour an heart to go in and out before them A necessarie praier for what an vgly thing were it to choose Verres a theefe to inueigh against robberie Crassus a miser to make his plea against couetousnesse Gracchus a traitour to giue sentence against treason Nero a tyrant to declaime against crueltie that is to picke out such to punish sinne as are more worthie of punishment themselues like vnto the whore hunting Iudges of Samaria mentioned by Ieremie Ier. 5 And I would to God that such were not the election in many places where officers are chosen Vntollerable abuses cōmitted in manie places as if men would picke rottennes out of an apple where election is made a matter of formalitie where wealth not wisedome riches not religion sufficiencie to feast them no abilitie to gouerne them is the leuell of their choice Hence grow such swarmes of Atheistes Epicures Papists in many quarters of this land as it is lamentable to behold For the reason why wicked men abound is because wicked men beare rule Lastly All good subiects must be Fox-hunters euerie good Christian that desireth the free passage of the gospell of Iesus Christ in respect whereof all pompous glorie is no better then dounghill filthinesse and euerie good subiect that desireth the prosperitie of her Royall person and peace of this Realme must shew forth the power both of religion and loyaltie in this worke of setting the toyle wherewith to take these Foxes And that you may do it with alacritie and cheerefulnesse doe but consider how the diuell the Pope and the Turke haue giuen their consentes to supplant and vndermine or else openlie to assault and inuade this vineyarde of the Lorde Let there bee a sacrifice proclaimed to the Queene of Heauen there will be no spare of cost or trauaile Young men will cut woode children will gather chippes women will fetch water olde men afforde wheat one will knead dough another heat the Ouen and all to sacrifice I say to the Queen of heauen Yea there liueth many amongst vs whose hearts are full of bitternesse because they may not sing salue regina These are they that vse wicked consultation in holy places prophane our Temples by lewde conference and make the house of praier a denne of theeues Priuie markes of Romish Foxes These are they that construe euerie accident to the aduantage of their owne purpose These are they that by their whispering tales woulde put men in feare when there is no cause of feare thinking to make men affraid of scarre-crowes But the name of God be praysed who is vnto this land euen a wall of Brasse who as he hath giuen vs religion from heauen as a crowne so hath it pleased him to strengthen this kingdome with loyaltie as a strong defence and yet more magnified be thy name O Lord our fortresse and deliuerer who when disloyall persons haue been founde endeuouring to prostitute our beautie to a straunger hast discouered the conspiracie and brought deserued destruction vpon the deuisers so Lord we beseech thee still to watch ouer vs. Amen CHAPTER 13 Two Toiles wherby Foxes must be taken 1 The word truly preached 2 Good lawes duly executed The miserable end of traitours THe gardiens and keepers of the spirituall vineyard as hath been declared ought to be in continual chase of these hurtfull beasts and not to leaue them vntill either they be transformed into sheepe or else driuen quite out The word of God the first toile wherewith to take Foxes that the whole flocke be not hazarded Now the first meanes to effect this is by pitching the haies and setting the toiles of the word of God by the light whereof their darknes may be discouered as also by the fire thereof the chaffe of their lies and falshood may be consumed Hereby you may see the necessitie of such a ministerie as is able to handle the sword of the word with both hands as is able to beget his people in the faith to confirme the established to strengthen the weake to reclaime the back-sliders and to confute the aduersarie that the enemie may no sooner peepe out his head but the sworde of the spirit may be readie to cut it off Yee famous Vniuersities eternized in Honours booke for deepe learning and feruent loue to Religion Almightie God make you still fruitefull that from you both as sisters endowed with like priuiledges crowned with like honour may proceed Foxe-hunters into euerie corner and quarter of this land Your children hitherto haue receiued all chalenges of Romane Champions and chased this noysome vermine that
point how farre the auncientest and holiest men next after the Apostles are to be listened vnto heare Augustine himself How farre the ancient fathers are to be harkened vnto by the iudgemeÌ„t of Augustine where he saith That the testimonies of Cyprian and Agrippinus are not to be alledged as if it were not lawfull otherwise to thinke if they perhaps shall speake otherwise then the truth doth require And in an other place he saith That we ought not to beleeue the Catholike Doctours if they shall auouch any thing contrarie to the Canonicall scriptures and confesseth that in his owne bookes many things may be found which without rashnes may iustly be censured Teachers credit a popish snare to entangle the ignorant and a baite to drawe them from searching of the scriptures O Foxes full of all subtiltie for hence it is that you haue forbidden the scriptures to be read in the vulgar tongue and such as all Christians vnderstand The common faith of the Catholike and moreouer haue taught â—t to be sufficient to beleeue what your Church beleeueth without inquisition what it is and to credit your teachers without search of the scriptures but proâ—ided a man haue a good meaning reâ—erre himselfe to the articles of your â—aith kneele downe before a crucifix â—e apt to say an Aue Maria or a Pater â—oster O then behold a merit by and â—y atchieued Iohn 4.24 1. Cor. 16.13 Ephes 16. 1. Pet. 3.9 and Gods wrath appeaâ—ed Is this to serue God in spirit and â—n truth Is this which you teach the â—aith by which we stand which must â—eat backe the fierie darts of the enemies namely to build vpon the affiâ—nce of Bellarmine Stapleton Allablaster Indeed if you could bring the matter to this passe that in stead of Sic dicit Dominus exercituum sic dicit Dominus Deus vester Papa that is in stead of thus saith the Lord of hostes thus saith your Lord God the Pope and in stead of os Domini locutum est The next way to make all the world papistes the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Os Bellarminianum veâ— StapletonianuÌ„ dixit the mouth of Bellarmine or Stapleton hath said it then is iâ— likely that all christendoÌ„ shal be papists shortly nay Atheists perhaps for I am sure of all your teachers the Pope musâ— haue the credit And then what if his holines be as deuoutly minded as Paul thâ— third Paulus 3. who lying on his death bed said he should shortly vnderstand whether there were a God in heaueÌ„ or no wherof he had alwaies doubted or as Iohn 22. who taught that mens soules did sleepe with their bodies Iohn 22. Iohn 23. Atheists or Iohn the twentie three who taught that men died after the manner of beastes for which heresie and many more flagitious deeds he was depriued of his papall iurisdiction in Concilio Constantiensi What if the Pope were thus minded and so would proclaime it I say vndoubtedly all the world as noster magistellus Allablaster would beare vs in hand are bound to beleeue him But wee are taught to search the scriptures 1. Iohn 5. and to try the spirits both by commaundement and example by the light whereof all this your darknes hath been and shall be discouered Iohn 4. Vniuersalitie a false marke of the true Church THere are no greater deceiuers in the world then they who to discerne the true Church members whereof wee ought to be if we will be saued from the false from the which we ought to separate our selues if we will not be damned stand wholy vpon a multitude For if in worldly affaires more fooles are to be found then wise how is it then when the point concerneth supernaturall goodnes and wisedome If the aduersarie will not credit Christ himselfe speaking in plaine tearmes of the broad way which leadeth to destruction through which many passe and the narrow gate that leadeth vnto life which fewe doe finde yet perpetuall experience might better teach them then to stand vpon vniuersalitie as a marke of the true Church when the deluge came vpon the world The greater number the worser whether was paucitie or multitude a marke of the Church what was Abrahams house in comparison of the Cananites what was Israell to comprise hypocrites in the number in respect of the whole world what Church was the multitude a marke of when Christ being in the earth in his person the rulers reiected him and the multitude cryed away with him away with him crucifie him crucifie him what multitude was the number of sixescore persons when the Christian Church began To conclude when these proude boasters of their great numbers shall well haue counted what they are in comparison of the rest of the world which acknowledge not the Messias then may they proue if they will not maliciously erre that the multitude is rather to be suspected then reckoned a true note of the true Church Antiquitie of religion a vaine brag of Romaine Catholickes MEn time without mind haue accustomed to commend themâ—â—lues vnder the name of antiquitie specially vnto the ignorant whose â—gnorance also they doe abuse and â—â—us it commeth to passe by Gods iust â—â—dgment that they who will not suffer â—hemselues to be taught take many â—â—mes that for latter which was forâ—er and for new which is old such are â—â—ey of whom Peter speaketh who said â—f that time when a man spake vnto â—â—eÌ„ concerning the comming of Christ 〈◊〉 iudge the world that all things were â—s they are now since the first fathers â—hich thing is false saith he 2. Pet. 3.4 for they â—â—ould know that the world was not â—reated in such sort as now it is and â—hat God hath alreadie executed an â—orrible Iudgment on the corruption â—hereof Ier. 44.17 In like sorte they reproched â—eremie that he had mard all with his â—ew preaching yea and when they â—eare Christ himselfe they say what kinde of new doctrine is this Mark 1.17 Iohn 5.39 but he bids them search the scriptures for they speak of him In like sort say these great asses that will know nothing what new doctrine is this you teach where was the new Church of yours threescore yeares ago before Luther ran out and like a fugitiue fled from his mother behold their common language We answere them that primum quodque verissimum The protestants would that the prophets Christ and his Apostles should end all controuersies And we will appeale vnto Moses Dauid the prophets apostles and auncient fathers to be tried for the antiquitie of our religion if they dare put the controuersie by them to be ended Looke what forme of seruice was in the Tabernacle and Salomons temple in their time and whether it commeth nearer our seruice or the Popes portuis they read Moses and the prophets and expounded them and doe not we so we haue nothing touching the substance of religion but we are able
accusers intemperate fierce despisers of them which are good traitours headie hy minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a show of godlinesse but haue denyed the power thereof these are they which giue the Lord Iesus after a sorte the curtesie of Iudas Math. 26. These are like to Simon the sorcerer who walkt with Phillip like an Apostle Act. 8. but wrought with money like a wordling like to Achabs wife who went most demurely when the would speake with the Prophets Why hypocrits are well likened to Foxes And surely as in other respectes so in this these pargetted professours of the gospell are rightly called Foxes because as the Foxe his skin is more worth then his carcasse so their skinnes that is their outward profession is more worth than their conuersations Truth it is these after a sort haue cast off the Pope with his superstitiōs The Idolatrie of gospelling hypocrites but they haue not put vpon them Iesus Christ with his righteousnes They haue renounced the Idols of wood and stone but harbour Idols as dangerous in their hearts couetousnes theft crueltie fornication vncleannes wantonnes and such like goddesses There is a mightie generation of these kind of Foxes in this land and these late yeares of scarcitie and dearth hath laid open the hearts of many of them These deere years haue laid open many deceitfull hearts who contrarie to their holy professions and to the power of religion haue taken their aduantage of the time and made a pray of the poore without all mercie not caring to passe away their birth-rights for Esaus soup nor to sell paradise for a licorous morsell But what should I need to broach the hypocrisie of this people since they themselues without common care of their holy callings to the great shame of themselues haue cried at the market crosse But ye Gourmandisers Grubbers and grinders of the poore ye craftie priers into the needie mans extremitie to make your gaine of his paine and your commoditie of his miserie you cunning contriuers for priuate profit ye artificiall forgers of dearth and famine deuourers of mens quicke and liue flesh how long wil you presume to come into Gods house as if you were of it Ye false fingerers sellers with false sleights false measures false weights terrigenae fratres adorers of your God Māmon when wil you shake off the cloake of hypocrisie Ye tiplers tauern hunters ye epicurean cōpanions beastly belli-gods ye quarrel broachers and action threatners ye bellowes of hell fire which liue by setting others on pleading which beat your braines to lengthē the perchment as long as you can how long shall the Lord suffer you to appeare in his house in which there is nothing but peace and equitie Ye leasemongers rent-rackers ye enclosers and make-beggars neuer well at ease vntill yee haue taken possession of Naboth his vineyard ye towne-batterers ioyners of house to house and land to land vntill there be no place for the poore whē will you leaue to come to Sermons for a shew and to make religion a cloake for such horrible impietie You are bastard children and not the true generation of Iacob Therfore presume not to say that you are the sonnes of Abraham for if you thus walke the diuell is your father It is you that haue opened the mouthes of our enemies whose blind charitie layeth so hard to your lame faith you haue caused the gospell to be ill spoken of and the name of our God to be blasphemed the Lord reforme your hearts and grant you greater mercy On the other side you that by the grace of God are not guiltie of this great contempt be diligent earnest true and faithfull in your duties towards Almightie God who in the day appointed shall set you with his Angels for euer to praise him and shall cast the polluted and vncleane out of his Church This great God and righteous iudge saue vs from the temptations of Sathan that we may cleaue vnto him in faith and truth Amen CHAPTER 7. The vnkenelling of the Foxe and the dutie of the terriers HAuing before declared the conditions and manners of these Foxes which destroy the vines it followeth next in order that we speake something concerning the vnkenelling of these Romish Foxes which of all other are most daungerous to the state both of Church and Common-wealth The which we shall performe the better if we still compare a Foxe with a Foxe Now first of all it is well knowne to Foxe-hunters that the Foxe holds the strongest couerts that he flieth from the field as a beast which trusteth not in the swiftnes of his legs Properties of a Foxe when he is in chase nor the strength of his bodie that he wheeleth about the thickets and though he find none other helpe but a bush he wil flie to it for his safegard so it is with this kind of cattell for being hunted they runne abroad here and there but especially fly from the fields into the woods Whither the two-legged Foxes flie being hunted enquiring where there is one that makes no conscience of his ministerie that will be content for handfuls of barley and morsels of bread for tyth cockes and tyth sheaues to cloake a Catholickes knauerie enquiring also where there is an vntaught people fit for all religions and all princes raignes and consequently apt to swallow a bait of poisoned perswasion that is a couert for a Catholick thither flock the Foxes and feed without feare Againe another propertie of the Foxe is How the Foxes make their kenels to make his denne in the ground that is hard to dig as in galt clay or such like earth the passage into his earth being streight and going very farre in before it come to his couch hauing also many holes thorow which to vnearth himselfe Euen so it is with this kind they make their burrowes strong they haue so many streight passages so many muses so many winding corners so many turnings so many interturnings and starting holes that it is a matter full of difficultie to find the couch of a Catholicke Hard to vnkenell a Foxe-priest especially of a Priest or Iesuite In so much as I may iustly say of them as Caesar said of the Scythians difficilius est inuenire quam superare It is harder to find them than to foile them For experience hath taught vs that when it hath beene a matter vndoubted that a Foxe priest hath beene readie to say masse and therefore his denne hath beene compassed the terriers haue winded him and all his pretie trinkets haue been found prepared for so great a peece of worke yet in the ende the Foxe would not be found Perhaps he serues the hunters now and then as the fish called the Cuttle serues the fisherman which when she is like to be taken casteth forth a slimie humor like vnto ynke and so darkning the vpper part of the water and dazeling
of these dayes and times wish the death of her Maiestie and alteration of state and gouernment there needes no further proofe then their conspiracies Beleeue them without further proofe their treasons and secret attempts their platformes and practises for forraine inuasion whereby it is euident that these are the dayes of their griefe and sorow and that they regarde the saftie neither of prince nor countrie so they may returne to the flesh pots of Egypt and eate their fill with peaceable freedome The eight reason THey that regarde not into what subiection slauerie shame and dishonour her highenes Papists regard no state so that poperie may preuaile her kingdome and subiects be brought vnto so that â—heir blinde worship and pageant of papistrie may bee erected can bee no good subiects But perfect papists neither regard Maiestie of the prince nor dignitie of the nobles nor grauitie of age nor difference of sexe nor excellencie of learning so that poperie may be set vp in stead of the Gospell Therefore such can be no good subiects The desperate dealings and damnable practises of papists heretofore prooue plainly Wofull experience that allegiance to their prince cannot keepe them from treason the dutie of loue to their naturall countrie cannot withdraw them from fauouring rebellion at home nor lincking with straungers abroade that the dutie of obedience of children to parents or of parents affection to children cannot keepe them from vnnaturall crueltie that the dutie of mutuall loue and societie betwixt the husband and wife cannot remoue them from monstrous immanitie that the dutie of kinde and naturall pittie cannot stay a papists hands from murdering feeble sexe tender babes or reuerent age lastlie that the duty of familiaritie in youth of frendship in grauer yeares of continuall societie during all the life passed cannot stay a papists hands from sacrificing his dearest frendes Nay which is more not onely are they contented to yeeld their bracelets and earerings to the framing of the golden calfe as did Israell nor to offer their frends in sacrifice as did that vnnaturall King of Moab in offering his sonnes to asswage the ire of his angrie Gods but to make their owne liues a pray to their enemies as did the Athenians when they accorded by casting of lots to giue themselues to bee deuoured of that gastly monster Minotaurus Wherefore since it is so cleare a case that the consciences of these catholikes are altogether Romish that they hold the Popes excoÌ„munication against our dread soueraigne the Queenes Maiestie to be lawfull that they yeeld their obedience no longer then durante beneplacito of the Pope that they receiue and recommend such libels as deface our Church abuse her highnes person and all her louing subiects that they receiue pardons to exempt themselues from dutifull obedience that they receiue and entertaine the enemies of this realme Iesuits seminarie priests that they looke for a golden day and long for an alteration that they care not to conspire at home with traitours and to plot abroad with straungers whereby to conuey the crowne to a forrayner sithens I say this is so then two conclusions do follow first that euery perfect papist is a secret traitour to his prince and countrie And secondarily that it is a safer way to trusse then to trust a two-legged Fox Our gracious God that hath hitherto protected vs blesse her Maiestie and her honorable priuie counsel that through their wisdomes zeale and courage Gods glorie may be promoted the vndermining of these Foxes which destroy our vines soundly sifted and secret traitours sharply punished Then shal EnglaÌ„d lesse feare her ruine which God forbid by strangers force when vengeance deserued shal strongly sease on household foes nay els may EnglaÌ„d more suspect the weakning of her present state by nourishing a viper in her owne bowels then Spanish power or any els who gnash their teeth at her peace and welfare CHAPTER 10. Twelue reasons prouing by diuinitie and true Christian pollicie that Foxes must be taken THe thing that our Catholickes chiefly doe aime at is that her highnes and her counsell may be deceiued by erronius pretence of pollicie and colour of clemencie that they may lurke vnder the shadow and be nourished as a Serpent in the bosome It is therefore heedfully to be respected that the Church of the diuell be not maintained with indulgence multiplied with foolish mercie but that it be kept vnder with sharpnes of discipline and correction that it grow not to such rankenesse as to choake the true Church Foolish mercy may marre all and clemencie may be great crueltie when it ouerfloweth to the hazard of Gods Children Where seueritie saith one goeth into loosnes their edifying goeth into destruction custom goeth into corruptioÌ„ law into conteÌ„pt mercy is laughed and godlinesse goeth into hypocrisie execution of lawes against Gods enemies and the enemies of this Church and Commonwealth is the marke that is leuelled at and why should it not be hit since diuinitie and godly pollicie wil haue it so Wherfore although this point hath been no doubt handled religiously and zealously of the learned both in preaching and in writing yet since it fitteth this place so well I purpose to speake of it briefely and distinctly and proue that both diuinitie and Christian pollicie require that sharpe execution be vsed in punishing the enemies of the Church The first reason prouing by diuinitie that lawes ought sharpely to be executed vpon papistes and all idolatrous heretikes God commaundeth Foxes to be 〈◊〉 THat which the Lord commandeth must be don without mammering staggering doubting or delay But he commaundeth Foxes to be taken and execution of lawes to be done against them Therefore Christian Princes and Magistrates doe but their duties in rooting out such noysome vermine as destroy the vines If there arise among you c. Deut. 13.1.2 Cantic 2.16 Deut. 7.1.2 Galat. 5.12 Take vs the Foxes the little Foxes which destroy the vines when the Lord shall haue brought into the land whither thou goest to possesse it c. I woulde saith the Apostle they were cut off which trouble you The second Reason THat which the godly magistrates haue done in defacing the Lords enemies and defilers of his worship Presidents for Christian rulers that ought stil to be performed of Christian rulers in the like cause But they haue remoued destroied the enemies of his truth and peruerters of his seruice as their examples may be remembred Therfore Christian magistrates in the same cause ought to shew the same zeale When the golden Calfe was erected to Idolatrie Moses Moses willed them to arme their hands and to sheath their swords in the intrals of their nearest kinsmen to make hauocke of their liues and he calleth it a sanctifying of their hands to the Lord. And how What manner of holines was that Truly euen to kill the Idolaters and to put the corrupters of religion to death And whom commaunded