Countie addressed himselfe to this last course which indeede was the last course of that daie and for cuer to the king for the staues beeing broken and the King his vizzard suddenly falling off so doth the Lord worke to bring his iudgements to pasle one of the shiuers pearsed his head vnto the braines and suddenly so festered that no surgeons could cure the same Thus the King lost one of those eyes where with he threatned to haue seene the burning of those persoÌ„s died also of that hurt 8 Neither may we here well omit the death of Charles the ninth of that name King of France in whose time by whose meanes that bloodie massacre before mentioned was done in Paris and in many other cities of France For as the King had delighted himselfe in the blood of his Saints so himselfe also in his youth at the age of 25. yeares died of a most grieuous bleeding Many other the like examples are recorded by M. Fox both of our owne countrie and also of other nations of some that were stricken with madnes of some that did hang or drowne themselues and of other that died in despaire most fearefully and that in such manner as that all the world might see the iust iudgement of God against them both for their religion and also their malicious persecuting of such as were of our religion 9 To these will I adde an other example not yet written by any but yet as trew as any of the former whereof not with standing some are knowne to all the world and also no lesse worthie the writing then the former At great Wenham in Suffolke in the daies of King Henrie the eight there dwelt one M. Cardinal whose wife hauing heard one M. Worthe a godly man good preacher preach at Hadley about some three myles from thence at her returne home entreated her husbande one daie to request M. Worthe to come and preach with them Master Cardinall though at the first fearing some danger of law yet at the last yeelded and indeede proceeded and procured M. Worth to come thither The parson of the saide Wenham beeing popish withstood M. VVorth beeing come saying that no such should preach there M. Cardinal intreated but the parson denied beeing like â—o the dogge in the manger that wil neither eate â—aie himselfe nor suffer the horse at the racke to eate any So I saie this parson as some also doe â—n these daies neither would nor could doe good himselfe neither would suffer any other â—o doe any At length M. Cardinall seeing the parson so wilfull and obstinate saide that M. VVorth should preach doe the parson what he could to the contrarie and come what daunger would come In fine they went all to Church and many other vpon knowledge of M. VVorth his preaching were assembled Now when M. VVorth should begin his sermon the parson according to his froward word for the disturbing of him went toward the high altar to saie masle VVhat followed a most worthie example of God his iustice For presently before all the people assembled the Lord smote this popish parson for dead for the time drawing his mouth vp to his eare and so made him past saying of masse Notwithstanding beeing carried out of the church for auoiding further trouble of the congregation he was within little time recouered of his life yet neuer recouered his witts and senses but liuing long after continued a foole all the daies of his life and turned the spit 〈◊〉 was imploied vpon some other seruice in the saide M. Cardinall his house euer after I haue heard this of many very credible persons who had often heard it from M. VVorth long time after euen in this Queenes daies viccar of Dedham in Essex and of many other that were present at that sermon and were eye witnesses of the iudgement Some also are yet liuing about VVenham aforesaid that knew it 10 I might adde many other examples of God his iudgements against like persons for like cause but these shall be sufficient For by these who seeth not that hath any eyes at all to see in what account poperie is with the Lord Let all men therefore by these examples take heede that they deceiue not themselues Let not them blindfold their owne eyes that they may not see the things thus manifest Let them not disgrace the reports of M. Fox sith many things written by him are also written by other before him from whome he borrowed that which he did write Some things of his are samous and knowne to all men I am not ignorant that M. Fox in writing some things vpon the report of others might sometime erre And although his slippe in such things be taken great hold of by the Papists who there by take occasion to disgrace all the truth he hath written to couer their owne crueltie to conceale God his iudgements to harden themselues in poperie and the more easily to draw other to be of this minde yet let the wise and true Christian consider that it was by the deuills great policie to mooue some no doubt in colour of synceritie and pretending a minde of helping M. Fox in that worthie worke to informe him with some vntruths that by his writing of them vpon such information all the rest of his writing might be in disgrace as being in like manner vntrue This no doubt was the subtiltie of the old serpent and of his viperous litter so to disgrace that noble worke and so to obscure those euident examples of Gods disalowance of their religion as though he had written no truth when the most of the things by him chronicled are as cleare as the sunne is in the midst of the brightest sommer day But albeit some be giuen ouer in the iust iudgement of God to beleeue truthes to be lies because they haue embraced lies for truthes yet I hope that such as belong vnto the Lord though perhaps by such deuises they haue beene abused will now make better vse of these examples that I haue set downe and the like Thus much for those works of God against poperie and Papists whereby he hath as it were immediately testified his dislike of both THE FOVRTH BRANCH OF the tenth argument touching the workes of God for our religion NOwe although by the former workes God hath also testified his approbation of our religion yet let vs nowe further consider and marke diligently what he hath directly done for our religion the professours thereof Truly such haue beene the great and mightie works of God for our religion that as the Prophet saith God is knowne in Iudah his name is great in Israel psal 76. And againe The Lord loueth the gates of Sion aboue all the habitation of Iacob glorious things are spoken of the citi of God psal 87. 2 3. So also it may be said of many particular persons that haue boldly professed and stoutly maintained our religion and chiefly of those cities countries and kingdoms
saie his pride be considered against men as before it hath beene noted against God For how can he that lifteth himselfe aboue God or at the least matcheth himselfe in all things with God make any account of men This pride of his against men is so well knowne to all that fewe words thereof will suffice For how doth he entertaine the ambassadours of all Princes sent vnto him or any other that goe to see his holines what curtesie doth he shew them Forsooth he vouchsafeth nothing vnto them but onely the kissing of his filthie foote Therefore if the Earle of Wylshire his dogge at the holding forth of the Pope his foote to be kissed of some there present had bitten it cleane off as he ranne took it into his mouth had he not beene as worthie thereof as Iezabel was to be wholly eaten and deuoured of dogges How also doth his pride appeare in riding vpon mens shoulders as thinking the earth too base for his princely foote to tread thereon and all other creatures almost too vyle to beare his diuine person What shall we say also of his triple crowne of most pure golde set with all pretious stones not like to the thornie crowne that Christ did weare but farre passing all the diademes of all other Princes yea what further shall we say of his monstrous abusing of the Emperours from time to time when they were greater then now they are Hath he not made them with their wiues and children to waite many daies togither at his court gates as if they had beene beggers at some rich man his dore crauing an almes of some small peece of siluer or of bread and cheese Hath he not sent them whither it pleased himselfe to doe their penance inioyned by him Hath he not commanded them what seruice he would as if they had not onely beene his pages but also his lackies Hath he not commanded them to hold his sâ—yrrop and rewarded them with a blow on the eare for holding the wrong styrrop Hath he not troad on their necks hath he not crowned them with his feete will any doubt of these things because they are reported by M. Fox in the booke of Martyrs Let him knowe that M. Fox hath these things out of the bookes of other euen of their owne religion which haue written more largely of these things then M. Fox could doâ— So it pleased God to haue the memoriall of his intollerable pride preserued by his owne brood that the posteritie might make the lesse doubt thereof Againe what shall I saie of the right which he chalengeth to himselfe for aduancing and deposing for setting vp and putting downe Kings and Princes at his pleasure what shall I saie of those bulls excommunications and hellish but yet foolish thunder bolts against the Lord his annointed ouer vs for the cursing of her Maiesties owne person and discharging all her subiects of all obedience vnto her what shall I saie of the continuall debate contention strife and warres which alwaies he hath made betwixt Princes May this fellow truly saie as our Sauiour saith Matth. 11. 29. Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart Nay rather he may truly saie Take heede of me for I am proud and haughtie in heart May he also saie as the Prophet Dauid saith Psal 131. Lord mine eyes are not haughtie neither are mine eyes loftie c Nay rather also he may make a cleane contrarie hymne to be sung in a contrarie tune Saint Peter whose successour he vaunteth himselfe commaunded all men to submit themselues to Kings and to honour them 1. Pet. 2. 13 and 17. But he commandeth all Kings to submit themselues to him and to honour him Saint Peter beeing iustly reprehended by Saint Paul Galat. 2. 14. did patiently take the same reprehension and after that wrote neuerthelesse of Saint Paul 2. Pet. 3. 15. But the Pope to preuent all such reprehensions and to stoppe the mouthes of all men that no man may dare to finde any fault with him chalengeth this as a speciall prerogatiue as we haue heard before that no man may saie vnto him Why dost thou so 6 That which hath bin said of him may also be said of his Cardinalls Bishops other of his traine Like master like man They are all of one broode of the same nature of the same spirite Such also as the Pope himselfe is such haue bin many of his whelps here in England From whom haue all treasons come all insurrections all rebellions all conspiracies against her Maiesties person the whole state of the land Haue they not come from Iesuits Seminary priests and as they call them catholique noble-men and gentlemen It cannot be denied What also shall we say of the murther of the late French king by a Iacobine fryer and of other like practises of the Papists against their Soueraignes in other countries Can the Protestant be iustly charged with any such things against their princes though popish As for that of the Duke of Suffolke against Queene Marie as it was before the title of Queene Marie was thoroughly knowne so all men know what colour of reason he had to doe as he did by the will and testament of that noble Prince king Edward the sixth Besides it is also knowne how soone and willingly he yeelded himselfe As for the Ladie Iane how innocent shee was in that action the Chronicles of our land doe testifie Touching Sir Thomas Wyat he intended no hurt against the person of Queene Marie but by his oath to the will and testament of king Henrie the eight thinking himselfe bound to doe whatsoeuer he could for the hindring of all forraine gouernment he did therefore withstand the comming in of the Spanyard Concerning the late tumult of Hacket and his two associates as Hacket himselfe was iustly executed so the other two were condemned of all men in that behalfe and therefore all men see how farre this differeth from the continuall practises and heynous treasons of the Papists allowed and iustified in their open writings as appeareth by Cardinall Allin his booke of that matter and likewise approoued warranted by the Pope himselfe the head as they say of their Church 7 To leaue this 5. coÌ„mandement let vs come to the next wherein the Lord forbiddeth all crueltie and commandeth all mercie as likewise he doth in many other places Doe they therefore I meane the Pope and Papists as they are Papists behaue themselues any better in obseruation of this commaundement then all the former No certenly but such as their pride is such is their crueltie As the Scripture oftentimes ioyneth these two euills togither so also they concurre in them For it may be truly saide of them as the Prophet writeth of his time psal 73. 6. Pride is as a chayne vnto them and crueltie couereth them as a garment This is manifest by that which hath beene before spoken of the persequution of the Protestants in our owne land of the
Massacre in France of the Spanish inquisition of the dispensations graunted by the Pope for the murthering of her Maiestie and of the villanous killing of the French king For further proofe also of the crueltie of the Catholike Prince the king of Spayne in all those places where he raigneth by right or wrong by inheritance or violence and vsurpation I referre the reader to the late booke of the intertainment of English fugitiues by the Spanyard In this booke the Spanish crueltie is both largely described and also exactly penned Therefore this booke beeing so lately come forth and handling this matter so well I doe onely referre the reader hereunto Yea the Papists haue not onely beene cruell to the liuing but also to the deade For doe not all men know that they digged vp the bones of Bucer and Paulus Phagius sommoned them beeing dead long before to appeare in their Court and condemned them and at last buried their bones solemnely at Cambridge Did they not also digge vp the bodie of one Margaret Elyot that had died in prison did they not I saie digge vp her bodie after that it was buried three or foure daies and so burnt the same Is such crueltie a note of that religion that is acceptable to him that hath commaunded his children to be mercifull as himselfe is mercifull Touching the seauenth commandement not to speake of the filthie adulteries fornications incests and such like abominations of particular persons euen of their Cardinalls Bishops whereof some haue beene taken in adulterie the next night after they haue much inueighed against the marriage of ministers others haue beene taken in ginnes as they haue climed windowes to defile other mens wiues yea not to speake of the like filthines of the Pope his owne holines that hath beene taken in the very acte of adulterie and slaine at that very instant Not I saie to speake of these and other the like things all the world knoweth that their whole Church doth allowe Stewes and houses of bawdrie where any man may haue his whore according to his abilitie to giue for them some for twentie shillings some for tenne shillings some for tenne groates yea for sixe pence Any olde men that knew the Stewes here in our owne lande at London and all trauellers into other countreies can witnesse these thinges I feate also that many trauellers knowe the trueth of these things too much The Apostles condemne all fornication and wantonnesse yea they commaund the Church not to suffer one such filthie person amongst them least by one many be defiled and made to fall from the grace of God 1. Cor. 5. 4 c. Hebr. 12. 16. How much lesse then should the Church suffer whole houses and great companies of many harlots Hither also appertaine the abhominable dispensations that the Pope hath graunted for vnlawefull incestuous marriages contrarie to the written worde of God yea and to very nature it selfe the which also he might as well haue graunted for the marriage of a man with a beast Can all these things so contrarie to the expresse Scriptures be saide to be done by that spirit by inspiration whereof the Scriptures were giuen 9 To come to the eight commandement against theft all iniustice against our neighbour in his goods they offend as much herein as in the former For by what authoritie or right doth the Pope himselfe his Cardinalls Bishops Abbots Pryors Monks Fryers Priests Canons Peticanons and other of his generation gather such great masses and infinite summes of money of all sorts of people as they doe For what doe they either for soule or bodie worthy any thank much lesse worthie so great and ample reward The King of Spayne also the Pope his eldest sonne yet not his heyre though his fellow heyre of the blacke and darke kingdome by what authoritie or right or colour of either or of both hath he by his force and violence gotten all those forraigne kingdomes which he hath gotten and which he holdeth as vniustly as he hath got them But what neede I thus to accuse the persons of the Pope and papists of the transgression of this commaundement their religion it selfe especially at the wel-spring thereof is altogether couetousnes It is an olde saying that Omnia venalia Romae and this saying though it be old yet is it not moldie or cast away by them but fresh and as it were new baked and therfore as much set by and as much fedde vpon by the daintiest mouthes amongst them as euer it was yea many of them that thinke scorne of much other good and daintie meate doe feede of this as sauourly and hungerly as if they had not had a good meales meat an whole yeare before But I forget my selfe to speake of their persons whē I charged their religion of couetousnes I saie therefore that couetousnes is the foode and the very life of poperie For in poperie what is not to be bought for money To omit the common sale of all their preferments euen of the popedome it selfe who knoweth not that masses dirges trentalls forgiuenes of sinnes release from Purgatorie and heauen it selfe as poperie maketh men beleeue may be had for money Hence it is that the former generall prouerbe All things are to be sold at Rome hath brought forth another in wordes more particular but in sense and meaning as large and generall No penie no pater noster whereby is signified that in poperie the very least thing is not to be had graiis that is freely and without money and no maruaile for sith they teach that God himselfe giueth not heauen freely and without merits why should their religion giue the commodity it hath without siluer Neither in poperie may a man haue onely pardon for any sinne committed but also a dispensation and license for the committing and doing of any thing how wicked and vniust soeuer it be as hath bin touched before How contrarie is this manner of dealing as well to the practise of holy men in the scriptures as to the other doctrine of the scriptures Elisha refused the gift of Naaman offered and vrged vpon him though Naaman had first recouered his health by the meanes of Elisha The Pope taketh where nothing is offered and for which nothing is performed S. Peter also beeing offered money by Simon the sorcerer for power that on whome soeuer he did laie his hand he might receiue the holy Ghost answered with great indignation Thy money perish with thee c. Act. 8. 20. The Pope is not onely readie to sell greater matters for money then those gifts of the holy Ghost or at the least to take money for words onely of greater matters but also is so greedie to sell them that he will rage and roare like a lyon if money be not offered vnasked or not presently paide as soone as it is demanded Can we therefore thinke that the Pope taketh all such things by the same spirit wherby Elisha and Peter refused that
it well beseemeth the wisdome of God sith it is altogether vnsauorie and vnpleasant vnto the naturall man sith from the breaking thereof through the Sodomiticall and Egyptiacall darknesse of poperie it hath most brightly shined in those gifts of God his spirit which were vniuersally and almost wholly eclipsed when poperie was spread ouer the face of the earth sith God hath auenged the hatred thereof vpon the heads of the Papists that especially hated it sith God hath mightily vpheld blessed and prospered such persons and places as haue most boldly and constantly professed and embraced it finally since God hath openly pleaded the cause thereof against such as haue oppugned it miraculously preseruing the professours thereof so oppugned by their aduersaries fearefully confounding the aduersaries I doe therefore againe conclude in behalfe of our religion that it is of God and acceptable vnto him The generall arguments vsed by the Papists for defence of poperie drawne from antiquitie vniuersalitie and vnitie are now stale yea battered in peeces by those that haue often substantially and plentifully confuted them Therefore I meane not to encrease this treatise and so to make further worke for the reader by setting downe any answer vnto them THE FIRST VSE CONCERning generally all of our religion both weake and strong THese things now written and whereby I haue prooued the falshood of poperie and likewise shewed the truth of our religion I wish profitable vnto all both to those that professe themselues of our religion and also to those that neither are nor professe themselues to be Of those that professe themselues to be of our religion some are faint weake and wauering others are strong and well grounded or at the least such as haue neuer doubted our religion to be of God The first sort I doe now wish to be as the second that is by these things that now I haue written so confirmed and established in the loue liking and constant profession of our religion so keeping as it were by force against all force whereby they shall be assaulted this profession of their hope Hebr. 10. 23. without wauering that hereafter they be neuer carried about with diuers and strange doctrines Hebr. 13. 9. yea both these sorts of professours of our religion I wish to be much stronger in this profession assuring themselues that so long as this religion abideth in them so long they themselues shall continue in the sonne and in the father Hebr. 2. 24. and so long as they walke according to this religion so long they walke with God as Enoch did Gen. 5. 22. But forasmuch as our religion is of God and acceptable vnto him therefore they that fall away from it doe also depart from the liuing God and fall away from the grace of the same God Hebr. 3. 12. and 12. 15. and then doth there remaine no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersaries Heb. 10. 26 27. Let no man therefore that hath giuen his name to our religion deceiue himselfe neither suffer himselfe to be deceiued by any other either Papist or Atheist or of any other sect or heresie for surely it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Heb. 10. 31. it had beene better for such neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnes then after they haue knowne it to turne from the holy commaÌ„dements giuen vnto them 2. Pet. 2. 21. for the ende of such men shall be worse then the beginning 2 Neither would I haue this to be vnderstood onely of the soundnes and constancie of iudgement in our religion but also of the continuall abounding in the workes of the Lord 1. Cor. 15. 58. and the prouoking of our selues more and more to all loue and good workes Heb. 10. 24. such as our religion commendeth the despising whereof is the despising of God his commandements and the doing whereof is obedience not vnto man but vnto God himselfe Further I wish this that I haue written against poperie and for our religion may so confirme and strengthen all professours of our religion therein that if any of them haue wife or other friends yet remaining Papists they would praie more often and earnestly and euery other way by themselues and by other perhaps better able then themselues labour more diligently the conuersion of them then euer they haue done How doe all louing husbands and friends labour the health of their wiues or other friends beeing but bodily sicke the daunger whereof is nothing but this present death O then howe much more ought such husbands and friends to labour the recouerie of their wiues or other friends out of poperie a most grieuous sicknes of the soule the daunger whereof is eternall condemnation both of bodie and soule The like may be said touching those that are sicke of any errours or heresies contrarie or not agreeing to our religion as likewise of Atheists and such as are of no religion THE SECOND VSE CONCERning all great persons of our religion AS I wish this good generally to all of our religion so more especially such as are in any speciall place of honour and authoritie in church or common weale by such special place are able to doe some speciall good for the aduancemeÌ„t of our religion and the helping and countenancing the professours thereof as also for the weakning and repressing of poperie atheisme and such like such I say as are in any such special place I wish yea as it were vpoÌ„ my knees most humbly beseech and yet also boldly exhort in the name of this God whose religion I haue iustified vnto them all such I say againe I doe beseech and exhort to be of all Christian courage and boldnes for speaking and doing whatsoeuer lieth in them whereby to promote this religion and comfort and countenance the professours thereof To omit the famous and most worthie examples of many most zealous kings of Iuda of Ester a Queene by marriage yet as touching authoritie but as it were a ladie of honour of Iehoida likewise and Iâ—hoshua high priests of Ezra a scribe or inferiour priest to omit I say these and many other the like examples of zeale let them onely consider how boldly Ioseph an honourable counseller of Arimathea went vnto Pilate but an heathen deputie of an heathen Emperour and begged the bodie of Christ beeing dead that he might honourably burie the same Mark 15. 43. If he were so bold for the honouring of Christ as to goe to an heathen man how much more boldly ought men to goe to Christian Princes in causes wherby Christ Iesus and his gospel may haue any honour If he feared nothing wherein all likelihoode much was to be feared what shal be said of them that feare where there is no feare If he made no bones to speake for Christ to one that had before condemned Christ why should any sticke at speaking likewise for Christ to such