heads like burning coales that were bewitched with such preachings he protesteth vnto them not hiding his face nor dissembling his name Behold I Paul say vnto you that if yee be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing If he coulde not sustaine a little leaven in the lumpe as there hee calleth it what would he haue said of poyson I meane of an impious blasphemous sacrilegious manner of worship when this was rather curious frivolous and ceremonious When Moses and Christ togither were so offensiue vnto him he would never haue heard of a reconciliation betweene Christ and Belial light darknes righteousnes vnrighteousnes beleevers infidels the temple of God idols the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils the table of the Lord the table of Devils in the coÌ„munion wherof he noteth an impossibility in both his epistles to the Corinthians I will not stand to dispute how vnpossible it is for any either person or state to serue two maisters the one not subordinate to the other but flatly repugnant say for example God and Mammon or Melchom or Baal or any the like abomination Must they not vse a ballance a ballaÌ„ce a conscience a coÌ„science that do so go after two waies But what danger ensueth vpon such confected religions halting consciences as Elias named theÌ„ they may best learne both by word and deed from that zealous God who hath taken expresse order against strange Gods executed his fierce wrath vpon those that haue offered but strange fire and ordayned his law strictly to be kept without declining to the right hand or to the lefte and himselfe will be served alone without corrivals of his glory with al our heart soule and strength as he hath often enioyned There is but one Lord one mediatour one spirit one baptisme one supper one faith al in vnity The body and state is then strongest when the multitude of beleevers haue but one hart one soule amongst them all shall one people within the same land and vnder the same government sunder distract themselues into many religions Or can the Lord bee at vnitie with that people where immunity is given to deale in the manner or matter of his service otherwise then he hath prescribed Nazianzen writeth that many people lying rouÌ„d about theÌ„ as a circle about the ceÌ„ter did much obserue marvel at the Cappadocians not only for their sound faith but for the gift of coÌ„cord which God bestowed vpon theÌ„ For because they thought aright of the Trinity defended it iointly against the Arrians they were defended by the Trinity theÌ„selues Clemens Alexandrinus wisheth much happines to the king of the Scythians vvhosoever that Anachatsis were vvho tooke a citizen of his for imitating some Greekish effoeminate sacrifices offered to the mother of the Gods hung him vp by the necke shot him through with arrowes because he had both corrupted himselfe amongst the Grecians infected others with the like disease The counsaile which Mecoenas gaue to Augustus the Emperour is very sage the reasons by him alleaged such as touch the quickest vâ—ine of the question in hand Put his words into the mouth of some other man whose lips an Angell hath touched with a cole from the altar of the Lord the holy ghost sanctified they are then right worthy to be accounted of Thus he exhorteth The divine godhead see that thou reverence thy selfe according to the lawes of thy countrey cause others to do the like And those that change any thing in matters appertaining thereunto hate correct not only in behalfe of the Gods whom whosoeuer neglecteth he will never regard oughte els but because such as bring in new Gods draw others also to alteration change And hence come conspiracies seditions conventicles things not expedient to a government Religion is the truest band betwixt man and man the knot of al coÌ„munion coÌ„sociation Now what coniunction of mindes can there be what attonement of iudgements what inward peace syncere charity harty god-speed in that disparity of religions where one house hath Iewes an other Samaritans some calling vpon God some vpon Angels Saints creeping to crosses bowing to images so burning in emulation for their severall services as fire and water shall sooner agree then their iudgments affections Let our laws be grounded vpon the law of God it wil be the greatest safety of our land to enact as the Athenians sometimes did that whosoeuer should speak one word of their God beside their lawes should be punished vnmercifully for it It hath beene a favourable compromission of men more partiall then wise that the questions betwixt Rome and the reformed churches might easily be accorded I finde it not And I will be bolde to say as Tully somtimes of the Stoickes Academickes That the coÌ„tentioÌ„ between vs is not for bouÌ„ds but for the whole possession inheritaÌ„ce whether God or maÌ„ grace or nature the bloud of Christ or the merits of saints written verity or vnwritten vanities the ordinaÌ„ce of the most high in authorizing princes or the Buls of Popes in deposing them shall take place We haue altar against altar liturgie against liturgy praiers against praiers doctrine against doctrine potentate against potentate Pope against Prince Religion against Religion subiection against subiection faith against faith so diametrally opposed as the Northerne and Southerne poles shall sooner meet togither then our opinions standing as they do can be reconciled Looke vpon Fraunce and nether Germany for the proofe hereof The effusion of so much Christian bloud the eversion dissipation of so many noble houses the commotions and tumults of so many yeares whence haue they sprung The reason or pretence at least of those murthers massacres wasts tragedies hath beene contrary religions If this be the fruit then shall every subiect in a realme be priviledged in his house to haue a God to himselfe a priest to himselfe a worship to himselfe as Micah had in Ephraim shall hee beleeue and pray and obey shall he both feare God honor his king as himselfe listeth But what will yee doe in this case Their mindes are as free as the Emperours Every man is a king in his own house as Telemachus said his conscience is his castle and fortresse nothing is so voluntarie as religion wherein if the minde be averse it is now no religion We maie shifte the bodies of men from place to place wee cannot change their mindes Wee shall sooner enforce stockes and stones to speake vnto vs. Advise will doe more then threatning and faith commeth rather by perswasion then by compulsion I graunt it Therefore first speake to the conscience by good counsell but if the eare of the conscience bee stopt with wax shake the whole house about her and raise her vp speak to the eares of the body inheritance liberty let the body tel the
LECTVRES VPON IONAS DELIVERED AT YORKE In the yeare of our Lorde 1594. By JOHN KINGE Newlie corrected and amended Printed at Oxford by IOSEPH BARNES and are to be solde in Paules Church-yarde at the signe of the Bible 1599. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR THOMAS EGERTON KNIGHT LORD KEEPER OF THE GREAT SEALE MY very singular good Lord such honor and happines in this world as may vndoubtedly be accompanied with the happinesse and honour of Saintes in the world to come RIGHT Honourable in this prodigall and intemperate age of the vvorlde wherein every man writeth more than neede is and chooseth such patronage to his writinges as his heart fancieth If I haue taken the like libertie to my selfe both of setting my labours openly in the eies of men and your Honours eies especially over my labours I hope because it is not my private fault your Lordshippe will either forget to espie or not narrowly examine it The number of bookes written in these daies without number I say not more then the worlde can holde for it even emptieth it selfe of reason and moderation to giue place to this bookish folly and serveth vnder the vanitie thereof but more than well vse the titles whereof but to haue red or seene were the sufficient labour of our vnsufficient liues did earnestlie treate with mee to giue some rest to the Reader and not to devide him into more choice of bookes the plentie whereof hath alreadie rather hurte then furthered him and kept him barer of knowledge For much reading is but a wearinesse to the flesh and there is no ende of making or perusing many bookes For mine owne part I coulde haue beene wel content not to haue added more fulnesse to the sea nor to haue trained the credulous Reader along with the hope of a new seeming booke which in name and edition and fashion because the file hath a little otherwise beene drawne over it may so bee but touching the substance that of the Preacher was long since true and togither with the growth of the worlde receiveth dailie more strength That that is hath beene and there is no new thing vnder the sunne But as we all write learned and vnlearned crow-poets and py-poetesses though but our owne follies and ignoraunces and to purchase the credite of writers some as madde as the sea some out their owne shame and vncurable reproch whose vnhonest treatises fitter for the fire then the bookes of Protagoras presses are daily oppressed with the worlde burthened and the patience of modest and religious eares implacably offended so the ambitious curiositie of readers for their partes calling forth bookes as the hardnes of the Iewish heartes occasioned the libell of divorce and a kinde of Athenian humor both in learned and vnlearned of harkening after the Mart asking of the Stationers what new thinges thereby threatning as it were continually to giue over reading if there want variety to feede and draw them on made me the more willing to goe with the streame of the time and to set them some later taske wherein if their pleasure be their idler howres may be occupied My end and purpose therein if charitie interpret for mee will be found nothing lesse than vaine ostentation Because I haue spoken at times and may hereafter againe if God giue leaue and grace the meditations of my hearte to as manie and as chosen eares almost as these bookes can distract them vnto and these which I nowe publish were publicke enough before if the best day of the seven frequent concourse of people and the most intelligent auditory of the place vvherein I then lived may gaine them that credite So as this further promulgation of them is not much more then as the Gentiles besought Paule in the Actes the preaching of the same wordes an other sabbath day and some testimonie of my desire if the will of God so bee to doe a double good with my single and simple labours in that it grieveth mee not to write and repeate the same thinges And to adioine one reason more I shall never bee vnwilling to professe that I even owed the everlasting fruite of these vnworthie travailes to my former auditours who when I first sowed this seede amongst them did the office of good and thankefull grounde and received it with much gladnesse To whom since I vvent aside for a time farre from the natiue place both of my birth and breede as Jonas went to Niniveh to preach the preachinges of the Lorde or into the bellie of the fish out of his proper and naturall element to make his song so I to deliver these ordinarie and weekelie exercises amongest them the providence of God not suffering mee to fasten the cordes of mine often remooved tabernacle in those North-warde partes but sending mee home againe let it receiue favourable interpretation with all sortes of men that I send them backe but that labour which they paied for and therein the presence of my spirite pledge of mine hearte and an Epistle of that deserved loue and affection vvhich I iustlye beare them I trust no man shall take hurte heereby either nearer or father of excepte my selfe vvho haue chaunged my tongue into a penne and whereas I spake before with the gesture and countenance of a livinge man haue nowe buried my selfe in a dead letter of lesse effectuall perswasion But of my selfe nothing on either part I haue taken the counsaile of the wise neither to praise nor dispraise mine owne doinges The one hee saith is vanitie the other folly Thousandes will bee readie enough to ease mee of that paines the vncerteinty of whose iudgement I haue now put my poore estimation vpon either to stande or fall before them Howbeit I will not spare to acknoweledge that I haue done little heerein without good guides And as Iustus Lipsius spake of his Politicke centons in one sense all may bee mine in an other not much more then nothing For if ever I liked the waters of other mens vvelles I dranke of them deepely and what I added of mine owne either of reaching or exhortation I commende it to the good acceptance of the worlde with none other condition then the Emperour commended his sonnes sipromerebuntur if it shall deserue it Nowe the reasons which mooved mee to offer these my first fruites vnto your good Lordshippe may soone bee presumed though I name them not For when the eie that seeth you blesseth you and all tongues giue witnesse to your righteous dealing shoulde mine bee silent yea blessed bee the God of heaven that hath placed you vpon the seate of iustice to displace falshood and wrong The vine of our English Church spreadeth her branches with more chearefulnesse through the care which your honour hath over her You giue her milke without silver and breade without mony vvhich not many other patrons doe In this vnprofitable generation of ours wherein learning is praised and goeth naked men wondering at schollers
art but the painting of a graue or whiting of a rotten wall the cover and case to a lumpe of mortal flesh vaine and vnprofitable ornament I am weary of thy service thou haste made mee honourable in the sight of men thou canst worke me no reverence or estimation before the Lorde of hostes 6. It had beene enough to haue proceeded thus farre to haue stripte him into his weekely and ordinarie attire to haue gone like a common man as Ahab in the first of Kings chandged his apparrell that his enemies might not know him first the king of Niniveh doeth not so but hee that had silver and golde as the dust in the streete and precious stones as the gravell in the river Tigris to haue wrapt his body in and to haue glistred against the rayes of the sunne as Herode in his shininge gowne forgetteth the wardrobe of the Empire and goeth to the beggers presse humbleth himselfe like a bond-man one that had grounde at the mill coulde not haue taken a garment of baser condition hee putteth on sacke-cloath nay hee covereth himselfe vvith sacke-cloath sacke-cloath is all the apparrell hee weareth sacke-cloath is the diademe to his heade sacke-cloath the mantell to his backe from the crowne of the head to the plant of his foote there is nothing but sacke-cloath The king hath wounde his body in sack-cloath as a corps made ready for the buriall and fitter to lie in the ground then to liue and breath vpon the face of the earth Lastly when hee hath all done he lieth not on an heape of violets roses as the Sibarites were wont to do nor vpon a couch beautified deckt with the tapestry of Egypt neither goeth he into the temple of Niniveh to cleaue to the dust of the pauement nor shutteth himselfe into his closet to grovell vpon the flore therof but he sitteth dwelleth abideth in an heape of ashes sacke-cloath was the ground ashes is the garnish lace and welt to all his garments A wonderfull alteration from a king of the earth to a worme of the earth from a robe to sacke-cloath from a throne to a dunghill from sitting in estate to lying in ashes from the pompe of a monarch to the image of a caitife he whom all the reverence of the world attended vpon to whom the knee was bowed the head vncovered the bodye prostrated who had as manie salutations as the firmament starres God saue the kinge longe liue the Emperour throweth away his crowne his scepter his maiestie with all the signes and solemnities thereto belonging and in effect rebuketh himselfe Why art thou prowde O earth and ashes Humble thy spirite see thy mortalitie tremble before the presence of that God who sendeth terrour into the heartes and confusion into the faces of all earthlye potentates To make an ende for I haue ever for the most part against my meaning and purpose offended you with prolixitye of speech I haue briefly two instructions to commende vnto you the one to the magistrates in particular that they serue God as beseemeth magistrates It is not the sworde scepter and robe nor the highest roume and other preheminence that maketh a magistrate but as he doeth make lawes so hee must take lawes contrary to the minde of lavvlesse Caracalla and be a rule both to others and himselfe as the king of Niniveh in this present example is first and formost in the service of God The other in general to all sortes of men The king of Niniveh you heare for whome the silver and golde and riches of the earth are provided for who should enioy these rather then princes goeth from his throne and putteth on sacke-cloath about him as one that must giue account to the highest God like those of the meanest condition I haue saide yee are GODS but yee shall die like vulgar men and sitteth in ashes as one not forgetting his first foundation that as he was bred of the ashes so to ashes he must returne My brethren let not the pompe of the worlde deceaue you whither it stand in authority or opulency or voluptuousnesse of life I say let it not deceiue you As the fresh rivers runne into the salt sea so shall all the honours of the world ende in basenesse all the pleasures of the vvorlde ende in bitternesse all the treasures of the worlde in emptinesse all the garmentes of the world in nakednesse and finally al the viands and delicates of the world in lothsomnesse and rottennesse Throw away your robes and costly caparisons you Kinges and Queenes of the earth you that are such not by the ordinaunce of God but by your owne vsurpation that take such honour vpon you not beeing called thereto but beare the bravery of princes the royalty of Salomon vpon your backes throw away your robes least he giue you a rent that gaue you a garment and cloth you with worse then leprosie that hath hitherto cloathed you with honour and beautie But why doe I spende my time in so impertinent and vnprofitable exhortation fashion brought them in these disguisementes I meane and fashion must beare them out or nothing will doe it Fashion is the best preacher and oratour of our age I woulde to God our preaching were in fashion to for then I am sure it would winne both men and women we vse all the fashions therein that our commission can extende vnto we preach season and not season wee bring forth olde and newe wee giue milke and strong meate we come in a spirite of gentlenesse and with a rod we entreate we threaten wee preach mercie we preach iudgement all these fashions we vse and yet without successe But the fashion of the world preacheth and perswadeth with more effect Fashion brought in silkes and velvelts at one time and fashion brought in russets and graâ—es at another fashion brought in deepe ruffes and shallow ruffes thicke ruffes and thinne ruffes double ruffes and no ruffes fashion brought in the verdingale and carried out the verdingale and hath againe revived the verdingale from death and placed it behinde like a rudder or sterne to the body in some so bigge that the vessell is scarse able to beare it Thus whilst wee fashion our selues after this worlde and every garish devise therein or rather after the devill himselfe for these are Satanae ingenia the inventions of sathan not of man It is to be feared that when God shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead hee will not knowe those who haue so defaced and multiplyed that simple fashion which hee created Opus hoc meum non est nec haec imago mea this is not my workemanshippe nor this the similitude I first made The Lorde is king let all the kings of the earth ascribe glory vnto him he rideth vpon the cherubins let all their chariots and chaires of estate stoope before him he hath put on glorious apparell let all their glistering and counterfaite ornamentes
you may know what the cry of the beasts was That which David speaketh of the heavens and firmament day and night Psalm 19. that they declare the glory of God and shew forth his handy workes least any shoulde mistake hee explaineth in the thirde verse They haue neither speech nor language yet without these is their voice hearde so wee may say of these beastes that though they cried not vnto the Lorde as the men did yet they cryed after their vsage R. Iarhi hath a conceipt that they tyed their dammes and their foles asunder and said before the Lorde of the worlde vnlesse thou take pittie on vs wee will not pittie these I will not thinke them so vnwise to haue conditioned with God but I will easily admit that they might parte the olde and the yong and doe all that was to bee doone to fill the aire with lamentable outcrying To acquite the king and his counsaile from folly or distraction of their wittes in this so vnvsuall and vnreasonable an acte I shewed you the manner and nature of sorrow before how gladly it seeketh companions Est aliquid socios habuisse doloris It is no little comfort in discomforts not to be left alone in lamenting and to see all thinges turned into mourning that are neare about vs. For as vvee desire nothing more then heavines of spirite in such a case and the cheerefulnes of any thing is as welcome vnto vs as prickels to our eies so vvee blesse that creature whatsoever it is that will helpe to feede vs in our melancholike humors Wee wish fountaines of water in the heades both of men and beastes to be a patterne for our imitation and to draw vs forward in our well-pleasing pensivenes And as in the contrary affection when the name of God was highly to be magnified and there was iust cause to exult and triumph David contâ—â—ted not himselfe with the secret of his owne spirit or with aw kiâ—g his lute and harpe to praise the Lorde but hee desired the harmâ—â—ny of heaven and earth to bee added vnto it so did the childâ—â—â— of Babylon in their songe O all yee workes of the Lorde blesse yee 〈◊〉 Lorde praise him and magnifie him for ever So did the Prophetâ— in their writings Reioyce O heavens showte yee lower partes of the earth burst forth into praises yee mountaines ye forrestes and every tree therein Even so is the nature of griefe never so well pleased as when all the pleasures of the worlde are exiled Shee calleth heaven aboue too weepe the earth beneath to lament beasts to pine away rockes to cleaue in twaine the mouÌ„taines to giue none other Eccho but lamentations the rivers to runne with teares and all the fruits of the earth to bee changed into worm-wood and bitternesse And as it mooveth the affection so it instructeth our vnderstanding also it putteth vs in minde of the hugenesse and horrour of sinne howe dangerous the contagion thereof is to touch not onely our selues but all the creatures of God that belong vnto vs. It is for our sinnes sake that the whole creature Rom. 8. is subiect vnder vanitye that is a fliting and vnstable condition and not onely vnder vanity but vnder corruption yea vnder a bondage and thraldome of corruption not of it selfe but for him that hath subiected it which is either God offended with sinne or man that provoked him and it groneth with vs and travaileth togither in birth and putteth out the head to looke and watch for the revelation of the sonne of God because that is the time vvhen her service shal be ended Genesis 3. besides the curse of the serpent the curse of Eue the curse of Adam in his ovvne person In the sweate of thy face thou shalt eate thy bread that is all callinges of life shall bee laborious and painefull vnto thee and thou shalt eate the hearbe of the fielde common and wast not the fruites of the garden as thou didst before and thistles and briers shall the earth bring foorth vnto thee though thou spende thy labour to the contrarie it is added in the same place maledicta esto terra propter te the earth which thou treadest vpon and vvhich is free from deserving the curse the earth which was made before thee and thou made of the earth cursed bee that earth for thy sake Likewise Genesis the sixte when the Lorde â—aw the wickednesse of man howe greately it was encreased then it repented the LORDE that ever hee had made man and hee was sorrie in his hearte therefore he saide I vvill destroie from of the earth the man whome I haue created hee stayeth not there but from man to beast from creeping thinge to the soule of the heaven for I repente that I haue made them not onely the man but these that were created for mans vse Beholde the vngraciousnesse of sinnefull man VVee were made the Lordes and rulers of the earth both of the fruites and of the people and living creatures thereof vvee haue dominion over all the vvoorkes of GODS handes all thinges are put in subiection vnder our feete all sheepe and oxen yea and the beastes of the fielde the birdes of the aire and fishes of the sea and vvhatsoever vvalketh through the pathes of the sea but wee haue chandged our governemente into tyranny and are not content with the rule vnlesse vvee seeke the spoile nor vvith the vse and commodity vnlesse we worke the ruine and wracke of our poore bond-servantes Quid meruistis oves saieth Pythagoras in the Poet what haue our harmelesse sheepe and oxen deserved at our handes thus to be misused But we the nocent wretches of the worlde workers of all iniquitie deserving not roddes but scorpions cause innocency it selfe to bee scourged for our transgressions But that the providence of God restraineth them it is a marvaile that they breake not their league and shake of their yoke of obedience towardes vs and vvith their hornes and hoofes and other naturall artillerie make warre vpon vs as their vnrighteous Lordes whome it sufficeth not to haue vsed their service alone vnlesse wee plundge them besides into such vndeserved vengeance Againe the punishing of their beastes vvas to adde something to their owne punishmente for vvhen these are not fed and nourished and kept in heart not onely the beast but the owner himselfe smarteth for it Vndoubtedly it is a blessing to men that their oxen are stronge to labour their horses swifte to the race their asses and camelles meete for their burthens that their bullocke engendreth without fayling their covve calveth vvithout casting their sheepe bring forth thousandes and tenne thousandes in their streetes and it is a curse on the other side to be berefte of these commodities as in the fift plague of Egypt Now then a parte of the vvealth and substaunce of Niniveh consisting in these beastes by reason of the service they enioyed and profit they reaped thereby doeth not the afflicting of
the sight of God speake we in Christ. Againe vvee walke not in craftinesse neither handle vvee the worde of God deceiptfullie but in the declaration of the truth vvee approoue our selues to every mans conscience in the sighte of God Nay to every conscience of men that is bee the conscience good or bad light or darkenesse they shall haue no iust cause against vs. What needeth longer discourse the sonne of God himselfe Ioh. 18. confesseth before Pilate For this cause am I borne and for this cause came I into the vvorlde that I mighte beare vvitnesse vnto the truth For when the truth of God is wronged then the advise of Cyprian taketh place wee must not holde our peace least it begin to savour not of modestie and shamefastnesse but distrust of our cause that wee keepe silence And vvhilst vvee are carelesse to refute false criminations vvee seeme to acknowledge the crime The trueth of Christians is comparably fairer than that Helen of the Greekes and the Martyres of our Church haue foughte more constantly in her quarrell against Sodome than ever those nobles and Princes for Helen against the Troianes There was never prophet true nor false in Israell nor Canaan but tooke it a greate reproach and stayne vnto them to bee toucht with falshood Micheas whome neither the court-like perswasions of the Eunuch that went for him nor the consent of foure hundred prophetes nor the favour of tvvo kings nor danger of his owne heade coulde drawe from the word of God standeth firmely in defence of the trueth Zedechias the false prophet in seeming as earnestly for the trueth likevvise yet these as contrary one to the other as Hiena and the dogge the one saieth goe to Ramoth Gilead and prosper the other sayth if thou returne in saftie the LORDE hath not sent mee The one to expresse it in life and by a visible signe maketh hornes of yron and telleth Ahab vvith these thou shalt push at Aram till thou haste destroyed him the other hath also an Image and a vision whereby to describe it I savv all Israell scattered vpon the mountaines like sheepe that had no shephearde Yet both for the truth Ieremy and Hanany agreeing like fire and vvater the one bidding the king to goe vnto Babylon the other advising the contrary the one sending fetters to the king and the nobles the other pulling the yoke from the necke of Ieremy and saying thus shall the yoke of Babell bee broken the one affirming the other denying yet both are champians for the trueth The devill a lyar and the father of lyes vvho abode not in the trueth because there is no trueth in him vvho vvhen he speaketh a lye speaketh of his ovvne that is his naturall and mother tongue is lying Ioh. 8. yet hee transformeth himselfe into an Angell of lighte therefore it is no greate thinge sayeth the Apostle though his ministers transforme themselues as though they vvere the ministers of righteousnesse vvhose ende shall bee according to their workes Christ is truth indeede Antichrist truth pretended The dayly exclamations of the Donatistes in Africke against the Orthodoxe and sounde beleevers was that they vvere traitours against the holy bookes and themselues the propugners of them Augustine answereth traitours not by conviction but by confiction and false accusation of their enemies Dioscorus crieth out himselfe an heretique in the Councell of Chalcedon I defende the opinions of the holy fathers I haue their testimonies not by snatches or at the seconde hande but vttered in their owne bookes I am cast out vvith the holy fathers as if truth it selfe had beene condemned in the condemnation of Dioscorus So is it at this day the Prophets of BabyloÌ„ though they haue received the marke of the beast in their foreheades that all the worlde may knowe them to bee such yet as Cyprian in his Epistle to Iubaianus wrote of the Novatian heretique that after an apish manner hee taketh vnto him the authority of the Church so these by the like imitation take vnto them the Church trueth Scriptures Fathers all antiquity consent perpetuity vnto the ende of the world and rather than the worlde shall thinke that they deale not truely in defense of truth they spend both conscience and sometime life vpon it O quantum tegmen est falsitatis O howe greate a shew doth falshod make For our owne partes vvho by the grace of God are that wee are put in chardge for the gathering togither of Gods Saintes if we be harmed in our goodes or good names or in the carriage of our liues or in our wiues and children as sometimes the maner is we accompt them our private wronges and easilye may digest them It hath beene done in the greene in all the times that haue beene ever of olde much more in the drie they haue called the maister of the house Belzebub much more those of the housholde We preach not our selues but Christ Iesus the Lorde and our selues your servauntes for Iesus sake and for his sake we will endure it We are fooles for Christs sake and you are wise wee are weake and you are strong you are honourable and we despised Be it so But we will never abide that the honour of Christ Iesus himselfe shal be wounded through our loines that the rebukes which fall vpon vs shal redound to his disgrace that his gospell and truth shall be defamed the doctrine which we preach discredited our calling reproached which though in vessels of earth yet he hath sanctified and blessed to such a worke I meane the saving of soules as by the pollicy of man all forcible engins could never haue beene coÌ„passed How vsual a thing it is vpon every light surmise not only to chardge vs for false prophets but because we are prophets at al to coÌ„teÌ„ne vs to disdain vs for that wherin we are most to be 〈◊〉 I report me to that common phrase of speech when if men will shooâ—â—oorâ—h arrowes against vs with poisoned heads even bitter sharpe worâ—es they thinke it the greatest ignominy to cal vs Priests or Ministers Herein if the zeale of gods house his holy ordinaÌ„ce coÌ„sume vs if the maintenance of his cause our calling beare vs away make vs forget the spirit of gentlenes for a time let no man blame vs. For is our office dishonored amongst you We tel them whosoever they be as David told Michol who scorned him for dancing before the Arke it was before the Lord which chose me rather than thy father and all his house commaunded mee to be ruler over the people And therefore I will play before the Lord and I will yet be more vile than thus and will bee low in mine owne sighte It is before the Lord that we are Priestes and Ministers to serue in his house and at his table who hath chosen vs rather than their fathers and whole stocke to serue in this office And therefore we will
handes but at your feete to your feete submitte their neckes and hold your stirrops or that Princes shoulde eate bread vnder your tables like dogges I shame almost to report that a skar-crow in an hedge should thus terrifie Eagles Wher was then the effect of that praier which David made in the Psalme O Lord giue thy iudgement vnto the king wheÌ„ the kings of the earth were so bewitched and enchanted with that cup of fornicatioÌ„ Christ though the iudge of the quicke and dead refused to be a iudge in a private inheritance who made me a iudge or divider over you these wil be iudges and disposers of Kingdomes Empires Dukedomes and put Rodolph for Henry Pipin for Childericke one for another at their pleasures And when they haue so done no man must iudge of their actions why because the disciple is not aboue his maister Let not a priest giue an accusation against a Bishop not a Deacon against a priest not a sub-deacon against a Deacon not an Acolyth against a sub-deacon not an exorcist against an Acolyth but as for the highest prelate hee shal be iudged by no man because it is vvritten non est discipulus c. So did the Devill apply the scriptures The Apostles all concurre in one manner of teaching let every soule be subiect to the higher powers hee meaneth of temporall powers because they beare the sword require tribute Chrysostome expoundeth it of all sortes of soules both secular religious Submit your selues to every ordinance of man feare God honour the king let prayer and supplcation bee made for all men for kinges those that are in authority that wee may leade a quiet and peaceable life vnder them This is the summe of their doctrine Now either the Bishop of Rome hath not a soule to be subiect or he is a power aboue all powers and must commaund others And so in deede he vsurpeth abusing that place of the Psalme Omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius thou hast put all thinges in subiection vnder his feete all sheepe and oxen yea and the beasts of the field Where by oxen are meant Iewes and heretiques by beast of the field Pagans and infidelles by sheepe Christian both kings and subiects by birdes of the aire Angelles in heaven by fishes in the sea soules in purgatory I do wrong to your sober eares to fill them with such fables but subiection I am sure they deny if the whole world should be filled with bookes legall Evangelicall to admonish them Nay they will take both the law and gospell and make them speake vanity blasphemy meere contradiction rather than want authorities to vphold their kingdome Thus when Adrian set his foote in the necke of the Emperour he alleaged the words of the Psalme thou shalt tread vpon the adder the basiliske c. The Emperour highly sinned that he had not a sting to thrust forth against him and to tame his pride Iohn the 22. perverted the words of Christ to this purpose behold I haue set theeover kingdomes c. Innocentius the 3. fetcheth a prophecy of his vsurped Hierachie from the first creation God created two light in the firmament of heaven so in the firmament of the earth two rulers a greater light and a lesser light that is the Pope and the Emperour the one to governe the day the other the night that is the Pope to governe the Clergie the Emperour the laitie for this cause they say to shew the difference the Pope hath his vnction on the head the Emperour but on his armes· To leaue their glosses and devises let vs harken to their practise What a strange commauÌ„dement was that which Gregory the 7. sent forth we commaund that no man of what condition soever he be either king or Archbishop Bishop Duke Earle Marques or Knight be so hardly to resist our legates if any man do it we binde him with the bond of a curse not onely in his spirit but in his body and all his goods In excommunicating the Emperour then being he vsed this forme Henry the king sonne of Henry late Emperour I throw downe from all both imperiall and royall administration and I absolue from their othe of obedience all christians subiect to his authority and being requested to vse more mildnes in proceeding to excommunicate him answered for himselfe when Christ committed his church to Peter and said feed my sheepe did he exempte kinges afterward he calleth vpon Peter Paul saith vnto them go to now so vse the matter that all men may vnderstand if your selues haue power to binde loose in heaven that we may haue also power on earth both to take awaye and to giue Empires kingdomes principalities and whatsoever mortall men may haue Boniface the 8. whome Benevenutus called the tyrant over Priests Petrarch the terrour of kings nâ—mâ—d himselfe the Lord not only of FraÌ„ce but of the whole world Philip sirnamed the faire theÌ„ king of FraÌ„ce advised him not to vse that kind of speech to the overthrow of his kingdome Hence grew all those stirres and tumultes betweene them It is a notable admonition which Massonus there giveth in the knitting vp of his life I vvoulde wish the Bishoppes of the cittie not to make kings their enemies who are willing to be their friendes for let them not thinke that they are sent from GOD as bridles vnto kinges to maister them at their pleasure as wilde and vnbroken horses let them admonish and pray them and ther harty praiers shall bee insteede of commanding but to threaten terrifie raise vp armes is not beseeming Bishoppes Platina concludeth him almost to the same effect thus dieth Boniface vvhose endevours evermore were rather to bring in terrour than religion vpon Emperours kinges princes nations and peoples This Platina was a professed catholique living within a colledge at Rome that you may the lesse thinke the author willing to sâ—aunder them On a time vvhen Paul the seconde vvent about to pull downe that colledge hee besought the Pope that the matter might first bee hearde before the maisters of the rowels or other like iudges itané aâ—t nos ad iudices revocas What Is it come to this saieth hee doest thou call vs backe vnto iudges doest thou not knovvs that all the lavves are placed in the shrine of my breast Innocentius the sixt sendeth Carilas a Spanish Cardinall but withall a cardinall warriour into Italie to recover Saint Peters parrimonie if praiers were vnavaileable by force of armes for armes are the succours of Popes vvhen praiers vvill not serue Innocentius the seventh had a meeker spirite of vvhome Bapâ—ista Fulgosus vvrireth that such idle houres as hee had he bestowed in pruning his orcharde and wisheth that other Popes had done the like vvho vvere better pleased with making warre for it is fitter for the Bishopes of Rome to prune orchardes than men Iulius the 2.