which at the same time in all the worlde professe by publike ministerie Christian religion as a most graue reuerent testimony ought worthily to be regarded by all her modest and humble children Yet because it may bee subiect to error in some poynt yea most substantiall and materiall poyntes as the experience of the apostasie which the Apostle prophecied off doth sufficiētly declare euen that can be no sufficient warrant of the truth Only the written word of God is sufficient which alone hath this prerogatiue aboue all creatures to certifie assure our consciences in matters of religiō Whereby we being taught the faith which wee haue belieued as wee are readie thorowe the grace of God to make good at all times before all men our faith can not be any newe or perticuler opinion as he wrongfully chargeth it but is the auncient and generall faith of the Church which hath testimony giuen vnto it by the lawe and by al the Prophets which spake from Moses to Samuell Rom. 3.22 Act. 3.24 and those which folowed after These are auncient Fathers in deede whose heades are all white as woll In comparison of whom the fathers they boast off haue neuer a one of them a graye haire vpon his heade they may seeme to haue beene borne but yesterdaye In which respect according to the Lawe Leuit. 19.32 they are to rise vp and giue place and doe their duetie to these who are aged Fathers in deede For where as simply there is nothing auncient but that which is euerlasting and all other thinges are auncient in respect and in comparison of that which is yonger Wee most truly affirme our faith to be so farre more auncient then theirs as that for euery hundreth yeares their doctrine is olde which at this day the Church of Roome teacheth that which our Churches professe is auncient 1000. as being the faith of the righteousnes of God witnessed vnto by the lawe and by the Prophetes Therefore if it had neuer bene heard of in England before and though it haue beene condemned by that vngodly Pius Quintus and his successor of like impietie Rom. 3.21 and their folowers as Christ was by Caiphas and the Apostles by Annas and his whole consistory yet remaineth it still and shall remaine for euer no newe nor perticuler opinion but the auncient and generall faith of the Church the Apostolicall and propheticall doctrine whereby in all partes of the world haue beene and shall be saued whosoeuer were appoynted to euerlasting life For which cause godly hath it beene procured by your HH and established by her highnesse authoritie amongst vs as was the obedience of the lawe by Iosias when it was founde after that it had beene lost by negligence of the priestes for certaine yeares In like sort the true Gospell being found againe which had beene lost by the negligence of their Priestes if not also by their malice and for the furtherance of their pompe and riches which it serued not for hath beene in deed aduised by the right Reuerend Synod of the ministerie of this our whole Nation and restored to his former auncient authoritie by the high Court of Parliament enacting ordeyning by statute the approbation and allowance of it Which if it haue bene done as here he cōplayneth without tryall or disputation and confuting of the aduersary openly the blame is to be laide vpon none but themselues For who can make a coward to fight he may be challenged hee may haue his day appoynted and by some meanes be brought into the fielde but if his heart shall faile him when he seeth his enimie in the face and that the euill quarrell he commeth in doth take away his courage so that he yeeld himselfe to the pleasure of his aduersary without striking of any stroke hath he after any reason to complayne that he was not fought withall Euen so it is not vnknowne to your HH and to this whole state that our aduersaries were called to disputation and the day appoynted at which also they came as if they would haue disputed but belike considering there is no wisedome against the Lord nor power that can preuaile against his truth they began to picke quarrels to auoyde the brunt of the battell and forsooke the fielde refusing to dispute Our reuerend Fathers of worthie memory Cranmer Ridley Latimer c. dealt not so with them in Q. Maries dayes but encountred with them both in the conuocation house also at Oxford to their shamefull foyle and iust reproch howsoeuer after they hauing the lawe in their owne handes did most vniust and cruell execution vpon them by burning them in the fire An argument voyde of all reason and full of vyolence and wrong which yet by the grace of God they fully answered receyuing vertue from aboue and being fortified with an heroicall magnanimitie and a most christian and noble spirit whereby they endured the cruell torment of the flaming fire with great patience and comfort reioycing they were vouchsafed not onely to belieue but also to suffer and that vnto death and so cruel a death for the testimony of the Lord Iesu and the witnesse of his truth And yet these men according to the Prouerbe that he that flyeth may fight againe not being ashamed that men should remember the foyle of that day when they were not able to stand with those who were appoynted to dispute with them now as if they had gotten new hart of grace some good armor of proofe which euen the verie word of God the spiritual sword wherby we fight against these men were not able to pearce haue nothing in their mouthes nor in their pennes but disputation whereof if they came to it againe as their late chāplan did I doubt not but they would haue soone inough But of this I haue ocasion to speak more herafter Now let vs proceede to his other reasons The other two reasons which are debated by him more at large are of vnity and pollicie both which he affirmeth to bee in their religion denyeth to be in ours For vnitie I say as in the other that neyther if they had that vnitie agreement amongst themselues wherof they boast that they were thereby sufficiently warranted and then that they haue it not Of the other part that in ours is the true vnitie which is in veritie For the first that al agreemēt is no sufficient proofe of the goodnesse of the matter wherein they agree it may easily appeare for that al malefactors haue a kinde of agréement So likewise haue the enimies of the Gospel of Christ as the Apostles out of the 2. Psal declare that the Iewes the Romaines the auncient enimies of Christ that the Gentiles the people of Israel the state ciuil ecclesiasticall did al agrée cōspire together against God against his annointed Therfore except he can proue that faith wherein they agree to be the true ancient faith of Gods
the blessing of God be sufficiently prouided to attende their studies for the seruice of the people in the ministerie of the gospel it is a most necessarie dutie which the people owe to them againe to see that they suche as depēd vpon them may sufficiently honestly liue in theyr seruice as may be seemly for the good credit of the worthie calling which God hath called them vnto The contrary whereof as I haue said wee haue from thē who by impropriating the liuings of the Ministers from the places where vnto they appertein haue left the ministery so marueylously vnprouided as that in some places there are to be found many parishes together whereof all the liuings that now remaine to thē for such vse are not sufficiēt for the compitent maintenance of one man his family which lamentable estate of our ministery must needs be an infinite hinderance to the Gospel both in the iustice of GOD who will punishe so great a contempt of his worde and so carelesse a negligence of the saluation of the people and also in the nature of the thing it selfe For by this occasion such as are in some acceptable measure able to doe good seruice in the ministery withdrawe themselues from it For perceyuyng it to bee suche a calling as besides the manifolde burdens lying vpon all faithfull ministers dooing their duties is subiect to beggerie also and the discredit and other inconueniences that followe it they bestowe them selues in some other lawefull calling wherein doeing their dueties they may be able to liue both in wealth and credite by which meanes this insufficient and vnlearned ministerie whiche nowe so pestereth the land is entred into the possession of the Churche to the infinite hinderance of the Gospel and the losse of thousandes of the soules whiche Christ Iesu hath redeemed with his precious blood Which spoyle of the Church notwithstanding it to be so sore a wound as yet since the beginning of the restoring of the gospel amongest vs could not bee healed yet our hope and most humble prayer to God is that her maiestie by your HH mediation vnto her highnesse may so relieue it with her precious balme so binde it vp with her gracious handes as in time it may bee cured healed againe I am bolde to speake of your H H. mediation in this cause as in other places of such like because the dutie I owe to Almightie God and to the Lorde Iesu his only begotten sonne whom I am called to serue doth necessarily inforce me to it But it doth greatly comfort incourage mee in the performance of so necessary a duetye that I doubt not but your godly wisedomes doe consider the seruice of GOD to bee the right ende and vse of the high and honourable seates wherein hys owne right hande hath placed you Which the Lord ingrauing in your noble and Christian mindes surely hauing of God this honorable fauour to be so neere her highnesse your HH will godly and faithfully aduise her grace both of the necessary cause of the redresse of suche other matters and namely of this that all the people vnder her H. Dominions may haue the meanes by a godly sufficient learned ministerie planted amongest them to come to the knowledge and faith whereby they may the better obey God and her Ma. and saue their soules for euer to euerlasting life Whiche so necessarie seruice of Almightie GOD of her Excellente Maiestie and of the Churche of Christe amongest vs as it is nowe attended and looked for of your HH into whose handes not next vnder her Highnes God hath committed the managing guiding of this noble state and kingdome so no doubt but in that day it will be required when the Lord shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead Wherefore my good LL. as before in the behalfe of the whole Church professing the Gospel so now agayne for the Churche within her Ma. moste noble dominions of Eng. and Irel. I moste humbly vpon my knees beseech your HH to take so to hart this estate of the Church and ministery amongest vs that all abuses beyng remoued good order established all duetifull subiects may besides all other blessinges whiche nowe they enioy by your LL. meanes haue this so woorthy a cause also to prayse GOD for hauing sette so Godlye and H. Gouernours ouer them It hath a promyse to breake the Bread vnto the hungrye and to make the thrysty drinke and not to turne away the eare from him that cryeth for reliefe in his necessity Nowe so it is that this Churche in manye of her children cryeth for bread euen for the bread of life and there is no man that breaketh it vnto thē the tongues of many cleaue to their roofe for thirst whiche they are in daunger to perish in and no man giueth them the pure water of life to quicken their soules And as our Churche heretofore by other meanes hath cryed oftentimes euen till shee haue almost lost her voyce so now agayne she cryeth by this most humble supplication to your Honours to regarde her necessitie if wealth peace wisdome authoritie or any other thing be needeful for this worke the Lorde hath bountifully furnished the lād with al that needeth Some reasonable way without the iniurie of any might by your wisdomes be found whereby euery parishe might recouer againe their own to the maintenaunce of a worthy ministerie amongste them Alas that for anye cause so manye soules of the people committed to your charge should perishe Wherfore my good Lords turne your eares I beseech you to heare the humble suite of this Church that the Lord your redeemer may turn his eares vnto you in the day when you shall call vppon him So shall the saued soules of thousandes prayse God for you so shall the Lord blesse you and your noble posteritie and so both all this and suche other slaunderous mouthes shall be stopped which are now so wide open against vs. To the aunswering to whome I returne againe for my moste humble request relying vpō the godly zeale and wisdomes of your Honours 6. of raysing of rents The sixt Article is of raysing rentes which hee saieth their religion prohibiteth except vpon some great cause and with great moderation euen to the solemne cursing of them and woulde insinuate that ours alloweth it The cōmoditie of which not raysing of rentes aboue measure and to the extreame vsing of the Tenauntes he saieth is manifest to bee great in a common wealth For the commoditie that commeth of it I graunt but for the doctrine I affirm that ours doeth in no sorte more fauour any extreame raysing of rents then theirs A moderate rysing of them in the raysing of the pryces of all other thinges wee allowe as they doe when it is necessarye and moderate for otherwise it shoulde bee better with the Tenante then with the Lord. And them selues when they let their farmes of the old rent were wont to binde
works and bookes written by some of our profession which may seeme to haue a shew of repugnance betwene themselues If a man should deale thus not onely with their wrangling writers which are full of quarrels controuersies but euen with the ancient and learned fathers it were an easie matter to note a multitude of differences and contrarieties in them in matters of greater importance then any hee chargeth vs withall He hath made choyse especially of three in whose workes hee will shew a difference in some poynts These three are the famous and worthie Clarkes of blessed memorie in the Church of God M. Luther P. Melancthon â— Sam. 23.8.9.10.11 and Iohn Caluin Three such worthies in the Campe and Tentes of the Lorde God of Hostes as Ioshab Eleazer and Shammah are reported to haue beene in the Hoast of Dauid For though many haue done worthily and therefore may iustly bee accounted in the honorable places of the thirtie of Dauids worthie Soldiers and some of them of the second thrée yet hardly haue they attayned to these three Of which three Luther and Melancton were the burning Lampes and the shining lights of Germany Luther cleare as the light shined first as in a darke place and as the appearing of the day to those which sate in the shadow of death He was endued of God with a spirit of power as Elias so as he stoode not onely against 400. false Prophets of Baal but against almost 400000. The Lorde had made him as he had done Ieremy a defensed Citie and as a piller of yron and wall of brasse to al the Kings Princes Priests and people of Europe He was a chosen instrument in the Lordes hande an elect vessell euen a vessell of gold made of God to beare his name before Princes and rulers and to present the truth of the Gospell to Kinges and Kesars as he did at Wormes in the imperiall assemblie to Charles the fift to the Princes Electors and other the great States and Princes of Germanie If hee were rude in speach as he truly wrote to Erasmus yet was hee not so in knowledge Nay both his skill in diuinitie was profound and his tongue was eloquent to vtter it Notwithstanding as the elect vessell so first called â— Cor. 12.7 and the Doctor of the Gentiles least hee should bee lifted vp with the Reuelations which had beene shewed vnto him in Paradise being rapt into the third heauens receyued some blowes and buffets of the Aungell of Sathan so no maruell if the Lorde suffered Luther likewise some other way to take a blowe of Sathan and in some respect to be foiled that he might humble him and teach vs to trust in God and not in men Iacob hauing seene the face of God in Peniell Gen. 32.24 and wrastled with him all the night yea preuayled against him by which victorie he got that new and honorable name of Israell whereby to this day he is more renoumed in the Church then all the Affricani Germanici which had their praise of men yet caried not away such a victory and so great glory without such a blowe that he halted of after all the dayes of his life In like maner this worthie Israelite so sawe God and so wrastled to his euerlasting prayse before God and man as yet he halted and was blemished in some part al the dayes of his life Which was for the humbling of him that the sight which hee had seene as in Peniel that the Reuelations which he had as if he had beene taken to the third Heauen and Paradise of God should not lift him vp aboue measure and that the Church hereby shuld be instructed to depend vpon no mortall creature but onely vpon the Lorde Therefore if hee fayled in a poynt or two this is not so much to be obiected against him much lesse against vs as his name is to be esteemed for the fauour he was vouchsafed of God to be his chosen instrument vnto vs to discouer so farre as he did the truth which our aduersaries had drowned in the bottom of the sea His spirit indéed was vehement and hote as fire his style and pen as a sharpe two edged sworde in his hand and cut like a Rasor which was giuen him of God to cut in sunder the Troupes and companies of the enimies of the Gospell Which if he were not alwaies able so to wealde and handle but that sometime also the sworde fell vpon those whome hee ought not onely not to haue hurt but to haue defended it was his weakenesse and infirmitie yet such as ought not to preiudice his other honorable seruice done to God and to his Church against their enimies And so much the lesse ought it to bee preiudiciall because sometimes hee founde his vehemency that waye not very wel bestowed and sought to heale againe the woundes which he had made Which hee did both at other times subscribing to the same poynts he had oppugned as appeareth by sundrie letters of diuers men and by the sollemne agréement made with the Churches of Heluâ—tia and Suenia and by his owne confession to Melancton as it is sufficiently testifyed at his last farewell from him before his death Melancton the second light of Germany was giuen of God as a great blessing and helpe to Luther in all his battailes who was faithfull to him as was Ionathan to Dauid He was excellently learned not onely in Diuinitie but also in the tongues and sciences and generally in all good learning as appeareth by his worthie labours in them vnto this day For what arte or science was not polished with his learned hand He fyled the tongue with his precepts of rhetorike He made reason more reasonable by his skilfull rules of logike He lift vp our heads to behold the Starres taught vs to looke backe into the times that are past Finally all good learning receyued helpe of his excellent wit God gaue him a soffter and a milder spirit a nature more easie to be dealt with louely and amiable gratious and curteous to all men Whereby the Lord ioyning those two excellent wittes of contrarie nature together so tempered them both as they might bee fittest for his seruice Luthers fierie nature needefull for him being to stande in the Front of all the battell least it should haue beene too hot was mittigated with a gratious aspect of this sweete nature of the other and a fitte cast of his temperat beames for the purpose Whereby hee so increased the light and aswaged the heate of Luther that the Church of God receyued great benefit by their happy coniunction 2. Re. 3.19 For when Luthers vehement spirit was moued as was the spirit of Elizeus when Iehoram came to aske counsell of him then Melanctons company and conuersation mittigated his extreme heats and hye displeasures euen as the musike which pacifyed Elizeus and quyeted his minde that was sore offended So of the other part wheras Melanctons méekenesse was
in daunger to bee turned into coldnesse of zeale Psal 6 and feare to professe the truth which God had made knowne vnto him Luther was to him as the Aungel was to the Prophet Esay Es 6. which by the burning coales of the Lordes Altar kindled and inflamed his zeale For by his noble spirit of magnanimitie he strengthned and fortifyed the other against the feare of flesh and bloud Such was the comfort and benefit which they receyued of their mutuall giftes to the great edification of the Church And this is the golden payre of two of the worthiest Ministers of the Gospel that Germany hath brought forth in any age Out of whose large volumes the pretended differences obiected vnto vs are taken and gathered The third is Iohn Caluin one of the soundest Diuines and of deepest iudgement in matters of religion both of doctrine and of discipline that God gaue to his Church this thousand yeares whose good name is in déed as the wise man saith a most sweete and excellent oyntment Eccle. 7.3 For howsoeuer Bolsec and the slaunderous defender of the late Censure haue rayled in the spirit of Semei against him and sought to their power to spoyle and marre this pretious oyntment yet all that are of the Church in these partes of Europe smell the sauour of it as the Apostles did the narde of Marie Iohn 2.3 which she powred vpon the heade of our Sauiour Christ and as they that were in the Temple did the sweete and fragrant odor of the holy oyntment when it was powred out vpon Aarons heade Ex. 30.23.24 25.30 Psal 133.2 and trickled downe to the hemme of his garment This worthie man of God like a goodly Starre rising first in Fraunce and after ascending to Geneua where also it went downe so shined in his time in the middes of the Church as if all the Firmament thereof had beene but one Starre and as if in all the Cope of Heauen there had shined none other And these three worthies of all the Lordes hoste at once this weake Authour hath specially chosen to encounter and to deface with contrarietie to themselues and one with another putting his trust as it seemeth in this that his surmysed contrarieties should neuer come to be examined The poyntes wherein hee chargeth them with contrarietie are of the Sacramentes and first in generall of the number of them whereof hee affirmeth that Luther acknowledged but one Caluin two Melancton three or foure For Caluin I confesse hee saith there are but two and in deede there are neyther more nor lesse For a Sacrament being a seale of our Communion with Christ Rom. 4.11 it can not bee shewed that our Sauiour Christ appoynted any more or lesse Seales of the righteousnesse that is by faith and our coniunction with him then onely two namely Baptisme and the Supper of the Lorde Which without any manner of question or difference is manifestly declared to bee the generall iudgement of the Churches professing the Gospell by the booke of the harmony of the confessions of their faith Which hauing beene long agoe exhibited to the seuerall Princes of the Countries states and kingdomes where these Churches are are nowe of late very profitably published to the iust conuiction of all such as slaunder the reformed Churches to be variably distracted rent in sonder with infinit differences of faith For it appeareth by that most profitable labor that the Lorde hath knit and vnited them together with a holy vnitie both sweete as the oyntment of Aaron and also profitable and rich as the due of Sion Psal 133. and of Hermon By which pleasant hermony of the confessions both of this Church and many others it appeareth that the generall iudgement and faith of our Churches acknowledgeth onely two Sacraments Wherein the Churches of God agreeing so well together the diuers opinion of a particular man or two if it were so culd not preiudice their holy vnitie in the faith But how vntrue it is that is here obiected to Luther Melancton will plainly be discouered For Luther that hee euer helde or taught that there should bee but one Sacrament as the Authour chargeth I say is an vniust slaunderous accusatiō In the places hee alleadgeth for his proofe in the beginning of his booke of the Babilonicall captiuitie after the denying of the seauen Sacraments and graunting of three which he there expresly nameth Baptisme the Lords Supper and Penance His wordes are these Although saith hee if I would speake after the vse of the scripture I should haue but one Sacrament and three Sacramentall signes whereof more largely in his time By which wordes it is euident that Luther ment nothing lesse then to teach but one Sacrament in that sense wee here speake of a Sacrament which conteyneth in it both the signe of the Sacrament or holy thing signifyed by it and also the Sacrament or holy thing it selfe for such hee playnely confesseth three Baptisme the Lords Supper and Penance But by one Sacracrament vnderstandeth the matter and substance of the sacramentall signs which is in deede but one namely our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ Which manifestly discouereth the simplicitie of this Authour if not hauing redde nor eonsidered the place himselfe he vouched it vpon confidence of the collection of some other or his verie euill conscience if knowing this to bee Luthers meaning hee haue so wrongfully and vniustly slaundered him Thus for one Sacrament hee hath his answere Nowe to that hee obiecteth of three or foure For foure hee cyteth Melanctons common places where Melancton hauing named three Baptisme the Lords Supper and Penance hee addeth after these wordes It liketh mee most that ordinacion also bee added whereunto he annexeth this reason that it is commaunded of God and that great promise is made to the ministry and preaching of the word For answere whereunto it is to be noted that first in the place alledged hee nameth onely three then after adioyneth this that he could like also the ordinance of the ministeries for the commaundement of God to ordayne Ministers and the promise of God to assist and blesse the Ministery of such as are lawfully called were also named a Sacrament Which importeth as if hee had said that in some sense ordination also may be called a Sacrament Further the confession of Ausb and the Apologie of it as he truly alledgeth both endyted by Melancton maketh mention onely of three Whereby it appeareth that Melancton taught not simply foure but onely three and that the name of a Sacrament in some sense might bee attributed to the fourth and for teaching sake as he speaketh in his Apologie in the title of the number vse of Sacraments Where handling this matter expresly hee vseth these words wee doe not thinke it any great matter although some for teaching doe otherwise number so that they duely keepe the things which are deliuered in the Scriptures neyther did the auncient Fathers number
alwayes the same By which place it appeareth that Melancton so that the holy things which are left by the scripture to bee vsed by vs bee obserued esteemed it not greatly materiall for the name of a Sacrament to how many or how fewe of these things it were attributed wherein hee leaneth vpon the iudgment of the ancient Fathers who all agreed not of the certaine number of those things which shoulde bee called by this name It appeareth then that Melancton in this place did not properly call Ordination of the Ministers a Sacrament but in this freedome and libertie whereof hee speaketh not binding himselfe straightly to the sense of the worde but vsing it as hee thought good for more plainenesse of teaching that which hee would haue vnderstood But yet hee will say it remayneth that there are three by Luther and Melancton To this I answere that it is true that this is the ordinarie speach of them both when they speake of the number of sacraments to reakon three namely Baptisme Luth. de cap. Boh. the Lords Supper and Penance but in such sense as being well considered it shal appeare they swerue nothing at all from the generall iudgement of the faith of all our Churches This I shewe by a place of Luther in the ende of his booke of the Captiuitie Where hauing saide before of Babilon that in some sense there are many things which may be called Sacramēts he addeth these words yet properly it hath bene thought good to call those only Sacramentes which haue promises with signes annexed vnto them The rest bicause they are not tyed vnto signes are naked promises Whereby it commeth to passe that if wee will speake exactly there are onely two Sacramentes in the Church of God Baptisme and the Bread Seeing that in these onely wee see both the Signes ordeyned of God and the promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes for the Sacrament of Penance which I haue reakoned with these two wanteth a Signe visible and instituted of God and so goeth forward to proue against the Scoolemen by their owne difinition of a Sacrament which requireth such a visible signe that Penance can bee no Sacrament Whereby it appeareth that when Luther and Melancton name any more then two they speake it in a more generall and improper signification of the worde But when they teach exactly and attribute the name to no more then the true difinition of a Sacrament doth agree vnto that then they hold and teach onely two that is Baptisme and the Lords Supper as Caluin doth as all the reformed Churches doe holde and beleeue Which may suffise for an answere to his cauell of difference in our Churches and amongst these learned writers concerning the number of the Sacraments The second obiection of difference is of certaine Sacraments in perticuler and that of two of Penance and of orders Concerning which two that Luther and Melancton sometime call thē Sacraments and sometimes not hee hath his answere alreadie that it is in such sense as they differ not from the vniuersall iudgement and faith of the Church or one of them from another which may be his sufficient answere to all the places which to his purpose hee alledgeth out of them As for Caluin 4.14.18.19.20 that hee should call orders an vnordinarie Sacrament it is so farre off to proue that he pretendeth that it confirmeth my answere For Caluin speaking of Sacraments sheweth that in a generall signification this name may comprehend all manner of Signes giuen of God for better assurance of his promise of which sort he nameth the Rainebowe the Fleece of Gedeon and such like but saith hee I speake here onely of those which are the ordinarie Sacraments of the whole church And a litle after the Sacraments of the Iewes being abolished two Sacraments are instituted in the Church namely Baptisme and the Lords Supper I speake saith hee of those which are appoynted for the vse of the whole Church For as for laying on of handes whereby the Ministers are ordayned as I doe not vnwillingly suffer it to bee called a Sacrament so doe I not number it among the ordinarie Sacraments Wherin it is manifest that Melancton and Caluin agree betweene themselues and both of them with the faith of the Church Thus all men may see that we are not as sheepe broken out of the fold scattered vpon the Mountaines and wandering euery one a seuerall way in our opinions nor giddy as it liketh this writer slaunderously to terme vs but wee are in the Folde kept carefully vnder one sheepeheard vnited in one God one Lorde one faith one Baptisme and the same hope of life euerlasting For further proofe whereof I beseech the learned reader that would be satisfyed to reade the Hermony of the Confessions of all the Churches which this day make profession of the Gospell in Europe And thus much for the vnitie amongst vs and their bitter yea and bloudy dissention contrary to that hee boasteth of themselues and slaundereth vs. Now remayneth the second argument of this sorte and the last of all his proofes of the good policie that is in Popery Which though it bee so much more largely laide out then any of the other as it seemeth to be the principall and the rest to haue serued but to make the way before it and to helpe him to vtter this his falsly named wisedome and pollicie yet hee will fondly seeme to fall into it by occasion of hauing named policie once a litle before But in deed his true reason is that if it were possible hee may deceaue your HH with a name of pollicie and wisedome because your HH being wise haue a speciall eye and as hee speaketh perticuler regard vnto pollicie But the graue and deepe iudgement that God hath giuen your HH wil easily discouer his pretended policie to be but a vaine fancy cause your wisdoms to abide stil immouable in the loue of the true lawfull holy wisedome which your HH most worthely regard For who can better prise and esteeme so exceeding gifts more then your LL. who by the vse thereof all this happie time of her Ma. raigne haue found it to bee a most necessarie and profitable gift for the maintenance of a Christian Commonwealth Which as this Authour his friends haue found to their smal reioycing so the duetiful subiects acknowledge it to the glory of God to the worthy prayse of your HH to al posteritie and to our singular comfort For except the Lorde had saued vs and made your HH carefull wise to preuent and disapoynt their wicked malicious practises against vs this State and Church may iustly say with the Church of Israell that now long agoe they had deuoured and swallowed vs vp quicke Therefore as wee haue tasted the sweet fruit of this principall spirit of gouernement wherewith the Lorde hath furnished you from aboue so our dayly prayers to God for all your HH are that hee may dayly more and
Tennaunte at wyll hath no better pollicye then to please hys Lorde of whome hee holdeth so the greateste pollicye and soundest wysedome that maye bée vsed by Kynges and Prynces is to please the Lorde oure GOD in all obedience and namelye in the zealous aduauncemente of hys true religyon and seruice Therefore wycked and deuilyshe is thys rule and not to bee patyentlye hearde of Christyan Prynces that false Relygyon or anye dysobedyence vnto GOD Idolatry Hipocrisie Tyrannye or anye such lyke canne establyshe the seate of any Kinge or bring securitie wealth and honoure to anye state or people or that true religion and godlines that iustice and equitie shoulde diminishe any of these and make the state weaker or lesse assured To longe hath this moste false and wicked doctrine abused Princes of weake iudgement to the turninge of theire golde into drosse and their honor into dishonor for what can be more vnwise vnhonorable and vnprofitable in the ende then Idolatry dissimulation Iniustice and tyrannye Or what can be more vnwise and vnhonorable then a state whose wisedome is nothinge but déepe hipocrisie periury and licence of all impietie On the other parte what canne bee more wyse or honourable then a P and state by whome true relygion is zealouslye and sincerelye aduaunced iustyce vprightlye admynistred the royall othe woorde and promise of a P inviolablye obserued vertue rewarded vice punished good lawes wiselye made ryghtly construed and duelye executed and so good a course of gouernment with all christian and noble magnanimitie maintayned and auoued For surelye these two which conteyne all the rest religion and iustice pietie and equitie are the moste precious Pearles that may annorne the crownes of Princes they are Pillers stronge as Iacin and Boos which were erected in the Temple and are named of theyr stabilitye and strengthe wherby theyr state is vpholden Salomon the royall Patron of all true state and honoure by wysedome and vnderstandynge by counsell and magnanimitye by knowledge and the feare of the Lorde as by the sixe steppes of hys regall throne which were made for that purpose ascended into that glorious seate as it was noted by the Lyons at hys féete on eyther side aboue all Kynges of the earthe and satte hym downe as a Kyng of Kyngs and Lorde of Lordes Whose glorye so sittynge was suche as he séemed to bée a newe Adam reentred into the Paradyse of God or as the sonne of God whose glorye in a sorte was represented in him In which example the Lorde hath sealed vnto vs the assuraunce of the promise hée hath made to honor Princes which honoure him and to cause the states to prosper and to flourishe which builde vpp the Temple of the Lorde and neglecte not anye thynge which hee hath commaunded for the furtheraunce and aduauncement of it And as in olde tyme these promises were confirmed in the glorious and happy kyngdome of Salomon So may wée truely acknowledge to the greate glorye of GOD a notable testimonie of the fulfillynge of them in the blessed kyngedome of our moost noble Queene whome the Lorde hath so wonderfully blest to haue as it séemeth some notable example also in these dayes to seale agayne vnto all the worlde the certayne trueth of thys doctrine That happie is the King Prince vvhose God is the Lord For howe richlye hath the Lorde blessed her highnes and her people in comparison of all the Kinges and nations rounde aboute vs wyth peace and aboundaunce accordinge to the prayer of the Psalme for Ierusalem are in all the walles and Palaces of Englande Psal 122 Such a peace and such a plentye as our Fathers neuer knewe nor our Chronicles reporte to haue beene in the dayes of anye of her Maiesties moste noble Auncestors before her Our owne Countrye yéeldeth vs aboundance of all thinges that growe at home and forreine Nations serue vs wyth plentye of all commodities abroade So that what soeuer is in the Easte or West what soeuer in a manner is vnder the Poles or betweene them wée haue it brought vnto vs. Which continuinge so manye yeares in so calme a peace must néedes haue excéedingly enriched the land with wealth and treasure The peace of it is miraculous in so greate and longe troubles of all our neighbours about vs and in so manye Plots and practises layd and vndertakē by the Church of Roome and the rebellious Children thereof for the disturbaunce of our peace Further also the Lorde hath gyuen her highnes that honoure and glorye that neuer anye of her noble progenitours attayned vnto whych is in her owne so happye estate to sitte as iudge and honourable arbitratoure of the causes and controuersies of the greatest Kynges of Europe and of all her neyghbours weyinge the Ballaunce as it pleaseth her And what is the cause of all these so calme a peace so rich a treasure and so exceedinge greate honoure Surely the cause is the same for which the noble Kynge Ezechias was blessed likewise with ritches and honor Ezechias opened the doore of the temple of the Lorde which Ahaz his Father hadde shutte vppe Hée caste out the Sirian Aulters and sette vppe agayne the Aulter of the Lorde in hys place hee purged the Temple from the Idoles and abhominations wherewith it hadde bene polluted hee caused the presence Breade to be sette vppon the presence Table before the Lorde the Lampes of the golden Candlesticke to shyne and gyue lyghte in the Temple of the Lorde hee called home againe the Priestes and Leuites whiche were scattered abroade and appointed liberall prouision and mayntenance for them 2. Chr. 31 21 Finallye in all the worke which hée beganne for the seruice of the house of GOD in séeking his God bothe in the Lawe and in the cōmaundements hée exercised him selfe with all his soule and was prospered In lyke manner it hath pleased God that her highnes shoulde caste out of hys Temple amongste vs theyr Roomishe Aulters they re Idoles of Golde and Siluer of Woode and of Stone Legendes and lyinge Fables the abhominations of the Masse and all the wycked and heriticall doctrine of the Churche of Roome seruice in straunge and vnknowne tongue wyth a thousande superstitions vsed in it In steede whereof her Maiestie hath broughte in prayers in our owne tongue the holye woorde of God to be reade and truelye expounded vnto vs. The Sacramentes which are the seales of the Gospell duely administred the pure cleane and vndefiled Water of Baptisme the Lordes Table furnished as the royall Table of a Kynge at the marryage of hys Sonne wyth the swéete breade of the finest of the Wheate and wyth Wyne of a Grape of mooste noble kynde that is wyth the precious bodye and bloode of our Sauioure Christ Iesu Her highnes hath calde backe agayne the Ministers of the Gospell sled as Elias sometime dyd into the Wildernesse so to sundrye places where they mighte finde the Lorde as hee sawe hym in the Rocke in Mounte Horeb. Further also her
in redressing whatsoeuer may be amis in the churches of the gospel by such reformatiō recouering thousands of our pore brethren who now sitting in the darknes of that spiritual Egipt as in the vale shadow of death by such occasiō might haue their eies opened to discern where the body is whervnto as Egles they might resort also to all posteritie who hauing the holy faith of Christ according to the truth of the gospel as an enestimable treasure left cōmitted to their trust to be deliuered ouer frō age to age to the end of the world shold haue infinite cause to glorify praise God for so vnspeakable a benefite reuerently to kéep with al honor the famous names of their so christian noble P. predecessors in euerlasting memory Which so honourable an enterprise for the seruice of God the infinit cōmodity of the church tho I be not worthy vpō my knées to make any such motion vnto your H. yet apprehēding the seruice to be as I haue declared with your Ll fauors as knéeling before your most noble court in al humility reuerēce I most hūbly beseech your H. for the zeal you beare to God to his only Son Christ Iesu for the loue to the faith of the Gospel wherby in a blessed hope you wait attēd for the saluation of your soules for the pity you must néeds haue to see the renting of Christendom into so many sundry sects and partial opinions to the certen perill of the euerlasting destruction of many finally for the happy direction not onely of your owne noble children childrens childrē of your own country but of al the posterity of Christendom yea of al the world to whom the knowledge hereof may come that it may please your good Lordships to become the honourable means mediators to her moste excellent maiesty to vndertake this so christian and famous an enterprise to see it performed to the great glory of almightye God the saluation of all such as he hath appointed to euerlasting life It hath pleased God to giue her maiestye a royall K. with the treasure peace that neuer anye of her noble progenitors in such sort enioied before her wherby of all the princes professing the gospell her maiesty is most able to vndertake and perfourm so worthy an enterprise Besides her highnes honor for her moste worthye desertes is suche with them all as no doubt but the rather if her Maiestie enter into this action thei will also most gladly and willingly imbarke them selues into it and sende the chiefe of the ministerie within their dominiōs for excellent giftes of God requisite for so greate a businesse into her noble Realme to further that holie fruitfull and famous worke with all the meanes whiche God hath giuen thē This shall make her grace of all Princes next vnto Solomō in honor for the buildyng of the Lordes house and vnto Constantine surnamed the Great not onely for the glory of his great victories but also for his great zeale to aduaunce the Gospell When the Church was greeuously molested with the moste wicked Secte of Arrians this Constātine the great one of her Maiesties most noble Auncestors called a Generall Counsell of all Christian Kynges and Prouinces euen that most auncient famous and reuerende Counsell of Nice whereby the detestable heresie of Arrius was condemned that most true holy doctrine of our sauior Christ to bee God was notably confirmed and the daungerous troubles of the churche were in tyme happely appeased This holie and memorable example of so mightie a prince and one of her Maiesties most noble Progenitors maie bee a worthie president for her Highnesse to followe beyng a thing whiche GOD hath implanted in all noble Natures if a House Nation or Kingdome haue been honourable for any special vertue whiche hath shined in them to bee carefull to maintaine that honour wonne vnto it But there was neuer any more noble acte vertue nor honour neither in this nor in any other Kingdome or Prince whatsoeuer that maie be more glorious to the posteritie that shall maintaine it And no waie so fitly can it be maintained as it maie if it would please her Maiestie to vse her treasure her honour and creditt with all good Princes professyng the Gospell whiche GOD no doubt hath giuen her for suche vse as he did to Salomon for the buildyng of his spirituall house whiche is his Churche to so hie a seruice of immortall fame with all posteritie Wherefore beyng a matter so full of true honour to performe and so worthie for your HH to procure I hope and wish with all my harte euen for your HH sake that it may please GOD to moue and dispose your noble myndes to take in hande the sollicitation of so greate a seruice to God and his Churche and that the Lorde would vouchsafe your HH so greate fauour as to be his Speakers in suche a cause I would gladly dwell still in this my moste humble sute or the sute rather of the whole Church of Christ offered to your Lorshippes by my vnworthie hande and particulerly callyng vppon you by the names of the honourable places which vnder her highnesse you most worthely occupie moste humbly beseeche suche of you my good Lordes whiche haue fauour with her Maiestis in suites to imploye that fauour which GOD hath giuen you with her highnesse in this as worthie a suite as euer was vndertaken and suche as diffray her roiall charges for the Common seruice of the publicke state of the Churche and Kyngdome or write and seale her highnesse royall Letters and Pattentes cheerefully to incourage her Maiestie to the imploiyng of some parte of her riche treasure in so holy and noble an acte to offer cherefully your owne seruice to the furtheraunce of it Whiche maie be accoumpted to you of GOD as the noble giftes bestowed by the Princes of the Tribes at the settyng vp of the Tabernacle and againe at the buildyng of the Temple in the tyme of Dauid But because I rather wishe your Lordshippes giftes should be free cheerefull and voluntarie as beyng giuen to the Tabernacle and Temple of God then strained by importunacie of suite Therefore most humblie and earnestly praiyng God to direct your HH I leaue and conclude this cause wherevnto by occasion I haue a little disgressed with this onely woorde that if you shall become the lordes spokesmen in this the Lorde Iesu shall aboundantly reward you for it by being your Mediator for the forgiuenesse of your sinnes and the saluatiō of your soules with God his Father Thus leauyng this moste humble suite not of one nor of a fewe but of the whole Churche of Christe vnto your Lordshipps godly wisedomes I now returne againe to make aunswere to myne aduersarie To his former reasons without any sufficient reason that there must needes be infinite varieties of sondrie Sectes and opinions amongest vs He addeth this that wee
effecte whiche followed it of not esteeming of the commaundementes of GOD in comparyson of this moste vile and beggarlye tradition whereby it was againe fulfilled in that yee transgresse the commandements of God to keepe your own traditions Last of all for the damnable opinion of meryting by it the forgiuenesse of their sinne I conclude it to be neither godlinesse pollycye nor good reason to allowe it As for the true and right fasting commaunded by precepte and cōmended by examples in the sciptures vnto vs it were to be wished that as at somtimes namely in the great plague in London and at the earthquake there was a godlye entrance made by authoritie to the restoring of it vnto vs so it might bee fullye reestablished amōgst vs. The vse wherof in the auncient primitiue Chur. was eyther for supplication to turne away some present or imminent danger of war pestilence famine or any other great calamitie or for suite to obteine some great perticular blessing as gratious direction in the calling of such as should serue the church specially in the ministery preaching of the word or any such waightie extraordinarye requestes greatly concerning the good estate of the Churche Which occasions to seeke to GOD in this most humble earnest maner we see by experiēce do remain stil shal continue to the end of the world For both other great graces may vpon sundry occasions fal out to be so necessarye for the state of the Churche that this way were to bee taken to obtayne them oftentimes in respect of the ministery this would be requisite And for the other cause seeing we oftentimes so multiply our prouocations against God that in iustice he threatneth to poure out his plagues euen vpon his owne people so offending against him it were most necessary that the church had the right vse of this holie order restored to it againe that hereby the hot wrath and high displeasure of GOD against vs might be pacified Wherefore it were to be wished by all good meanes of all men to bee sought for that by the authoritie of the magistrate and aduise of the preachers of Gods worde vpon any such reasons eyther generally in the whole Lande if the cause be generall or particularly in the place where the occasion may bee that the people were aduised and commaunded vppon some day fitte for the purpose to surcease their worldly affayres as they doe vppon a Sabbaoth or holie day to fast vnto the euening to the ende that they may assemble them selues at the houres accustomed vppon suche daies to the Churche to heare the worde of God fitly for the time zealously preached and also to make their earnest prayers to God for the fauour they would obtayne and their most humble supplication with rent and contrite heartes in teares strong crying in the spirit to turne away such his heauy indignatiō from vs as we may lye vnder or feare to fall vppon vs. To take one example of many in the scriptures Io. 2. we reade in the prophecy of Ioel that the L. threatning a famine exhorteth the people hereunto vpon hope that if they sought him earnestly they shoulde finde him gracious and mercifull long suffering and of greate goodnes In the same place declaring that he beyng angry no flesh could be able to beare it he giueth thē cōmandemēt therof in these words Wherefore euē now saith the L. be ye turned vnto me with al your hart in fasting weaping lamentatiō a litle after soūd the trūpet in Sion appoint a fast proclaim a holiday gather the people ordaine an assēbly call together the aged the litle ones euen those which such the brests let the bridegrome come out of his chamber the bride out of her chāber Let the pristes the ministers of the Lord weepe betweene the altar the porch say O Lorde spare thy people and geue not ouer thy possession to reproche that the Gentiles should rule ouer thē why shold they say amongest the nations where is their God Thus farre the prophet in the name of God whiche I haue thought good to set down here that in cōsideratiō therof it may be vnderstood to be a cōmādemēt of God giuē to the magistrates preachers of Gods word that both of thē according to the duties of their seueral calling should vpō like occasion aduise appoint such a day of fast wherein the people shold humble themselues in true repētance seeke with mighty prayers deliuerance frō the punishment threatned or lying vpon them Which is so much the more necessary at this time to be knowē for that we see that the wrath of God hath broken out vpon vs of late as a flaming fire in visiting vs with the grieuous visitatiō of that pestilēce both in this citie of London and sundry other places of this land Which visitation since the great plague hath cōtinued in this Citie wasting the Inhabitants as a small fire now the space of 15. yeares cōtinually and sometimes raging more fiercely as it did of late And surely there are many iuste causes to feare least the L. may commaunde this furnace to be heated yet seuen tymes more and that the Angell of GOD which hath stoode ouer this Citie with his drawen swoorde to strike it not onely a fewe daies as hee did in the time of Dauid ouer Ierusalem but so manye yeares may stil pursue his execution if all holie and lawfull meanes bee not vsed to mittigate the Lords displeasure towards vs. wherefore most humbly I beseech your Honours as one who by your LL. Honourable fauour haue a parte and lotte in the ministerie within this Citie that by your Godly meanes suche order may bee taken that both at all tymes heereafter vppon like occasion signified before vnto your HH and namely at this present vpon so vrgent necessary cause as we are now pressed withall suche dayes of faste and holy assemblies may be appointed Wherein the people thorowe the blessing of God vppon the woorde zealously preached vnto them humbling their soules in true repentance as in sackloth ashes before the Lord and the Lords seruants in the midst of them praying for thē as it is in Ioel O Lord spare thy people c. It is to be hoped that such repentance prayers may stand as Aaron with his holy censors did in like case of plague in the gap and in the breach betweene the liuing and the dead that the Angell of the Lorde strike no more of vs downe with this fearefull hande and sword wherewith wee haue seene alreadie so manie slaine and fall downe on euery side round aboute vs. A wise K. sayth our Sauiour in the gospell seeing a mightier King then himselfe comming against him with so many thousands as he is not able in any sort to meete him in the filde while hee is yet a farre off sendeth an ambassage vnto him for peace Therefore seeing the Lorde of
Hostes is already come out against vs with his armies which we are in no sort able to encounter it were wisedome for vs while it is yet time to sēd out an ambassage of praiers of teares and of true repentance to make our peace and reconciliation with him to restore vs to his gracious and accustomed fauour againe Why shoulde we carry till the firste begotten in euery house bee slaine as it came to passe in the day of the vnrepentance of Egypt or til the Angel of Zennacharib be sent amongest vs and that thousands fall down besides vs at our right hand and at our left Thus I am bold as in the dutie of my calling to god to his church But yet with al humilitie an reuerence as speaking to thē of whō it is writtē You are Gods to stirre vp your godly wisedomes to the remembrance of the duety which at this time the Lord God requireth of vs. Now I returne to my answere againe wherein I haue alreadie shewed the R. fast not only to want commandement promise or exāple in the word of God to approue it but also to be ful of damnable and pharysaicall hypocrisie and pride further briefly proued referring the good Reader that is desirous to be more fully instructed herein to a godly and learned treatise written expresly of this matter in our own language both commandement promise example for the true and right order of fast Wherby it is euident that the one prouoketh vengeance against a superstitious people and the other mercy the blessing of God wherupō dependeth the good estate of euery common wealth to those which are truely humbled Therefore I will proceed now forward to the fift article of his comparison The fift point of sole life The fift is that their doctrine commandeth sole life to all cleargie men and religious people as he speketh meaning priests cloisterers such of the Laitie as were officers amōgst them wherof he noteth a double cōmodity But first for their doctrine I say it is expresly contrary to the woorde of God which doth declare the gifte of continencie to be giuen but to a few therfore not to so very great a number as he speaketh of accoūteth of Priestes Monks Friers Nuns other officers attendant vpon thē Wherupon I conclude this doctrine to be flat contrary to the rule of the apostle who saith for auoyding of fornication let euery man haue his owne wife and euery woman her owne husband And againe If they do not contein let thē marry Nowe let him tell mee what may come of disobeying the commandement of God despising his holy ordenance graciously prouided for remedie of incontinēcie Surely euē that which experiēce hath declared with was such as it is maruel the L. hath not iudged that filthie and whorishe Churche with the iudgement of an adultres many yeres ago But he supposing thē all to haue liued chast contrary to the doctrine of our Sauiour Christ as hath ben daclared sheweth a great commoditie of it in that the multitude of the people by such meanes was greatly diminished But Sal. commended by the holy ghoste for a wise pollitike prince saith the honor of a king is in the multitude of his subiects And common reason doeth sufficientlye teache it that the strength and power of a prince is in the great number of his people as the experience of al ages and stories of al times doth plainely testifie Therfore being so very great a number as he saith and as they were in deede what high point of policie this may be I think few can vnderstand Now of the other part our doctrine is such as we leaue it free to all men according as they shall finde them selues to bee called of God and beste able to serue him and his people in that place they ar appointed vnto either to marry or to abstaine If any man haue that rare gift of continencie while the Lorde continueth that fauour towards him he may vse his blessing Againe they that finde themselues to neede the help of marryiage that they may liue in holines and in honour as the Lorde hath commanded wee teach according to the doctrine of the Apostle that it is a diuelishe doctrine to forbid them marriage and affirme it to bee honorable amongst al men without any exception of degree or calling And surely if this commandement thou shalt not commit adultrie be giuen vnto all men If all bee to possesse by the commandement of God their vessels in honour then they which without marriage cannot liue chaste and holy not onely lawfully may but of necessarie duetie ought to marry In whiche estate to feare the increase of the L. people is to feare the blessing of the Lord. For as a blessing was it promised to Abraham that his seede should bee as the sande of the Sea in multitude and as the Starres of heauen which is oftentimes also noted as a greate fauour bestowed vppon the people of Israel both by Moses and by the Prophets Which being as it is a blessing to the land in any of the people so is it especially to the ministers of the word 1. Tim. 3. if according to their duetie the exhortation of the Apostle they bring vp their children in awe and feare of God free from any iust charge of ryot intemperance with all grace comelinesse and decent honestie who otherwyse are vnworthie to haue charge of the Church and house of God For then the common wealth shall bee happie not onely for that the people thereof are mnny but that they are both many and those both wise and godly And what greater strength can any state or P. inioy then then such a people As for his feare that there shoulde want prouision for them all if it were so no godlinesse nor wisedome coulde cast this inconuenience vpon them rather then others But this feare as it is voide of all reason so is it full of infidelitie and conuicted by the present experience For thorow the blessing of God the abundance of all store is heere so exceeding great notwithstanding both this increase of people nowe so many yeeres against which he disputeth and a greate multitude of godly strangers that our neyghbours also taste of the comfort of it Whereas in the late time of their fastes and sole life notwithstanding al their pollicies of sauing the prouision by their dayes of abstinence and fasting and forbidding the marriage of so great a number of the people yet the land was sore visited with famine And this for answere to his first commoditie The second commodity he presumeth to rise to the common Wealth of the single life of their cleargie is that they are able to keepe hospitalitie to spare the offalles of their liuings as leases copie holdes and suche like and to builde Colledges Churches and other Monumentes of pietie the contrarye inconuenience he sayeth the married life of our ministers bringeth who
the greatest transgression of the one with the greatest breache of the other and so likewise in the reste keepyng a due rate and equalitie of sinnes that are matched together Therefore notwithstandyng wee esteeme not sinne light but all in their natures mortall and deadly yet wee make a great difference of sinnes Wherefore if thei vnderstoode by this distinction no other matter but to make a difference that some should bee greater then others thei haue no cause to striue with vs. And for this what commoditie it maie bryng to a cōmon weale we are in the blessing of God to looke for it this beyng our doctrine But thei vnderstande it farre otherwise as appeareth by the Counsell of Trent and by this aucthour For bothe determine mortal to be suche as by their natures and in iustice deserue euerlastyng death wherein we also agree But the poinct of variaunce is in this that thei saie all sinnes are not mortall but that there are sinnes whiche in iustice are not to bee punished with euerlastyng death whiche kinde of sinne thei call veniall Not vnderstandyng that God for Christes sake doeth forgiue it those whiche beleeue for so wee graunt that al are veniall For to the beleeuer all shall be forgiuen and there shall be no imputation of any sinne but takyng it in this sense which I haue declared in which I deny any sinne to be veniall affirme all to be mortall whiche our doctrine is groūded vpon the worde of God For this is generall of all sinne whiche the Apostle without exception of any saieth that the paine of sinne is death meanyng euerlastyng as it appeareth there by the mention of life euerlastyng life in the same place And thus the Apostle taught according to the lawe wherin it is saied expressely cursed bee he that abideth not in all that is commaunded in this Lawe But saieth he though your doctrine bee true yet doeth it not stande with good pollcie whiche is to kepe men in vertue and honestie as ours doth Because if al be mortall who will striue against sinne whereas admittyng all not to bee mortall though a man be caried into a veniall sinne yet would he striue to refraine from mortall consideryng it bringeth damnatiō And though this Romane doctrine be false yet doeth it more incourage men to striue against sinne But I saie this is to reason like an Atheiste For as I haue often saied before there can be no doctrine fit to procure the blessing of God to any state whervpon dependeth the wealth peace and honour of euery people and common wealth but only that which is of God And therfore whatsoeuer he maie suppose in our or their doctrine to bee for or against a state the truthe muste needes bee that all thynges reckened and in the ende it can neuer proue a good doctrine for any state that God hath not taught nor that vnproffitable whiche he hath deliuered vs. But I saie further that our doctrine in the Nature of the doctrine it self is more to restrainyng frō vice then that of theirs For what greater incouragement can there bee in all good reason and pollicie to sinne then impietie what stronger restraint then greeuous punishement Therfore their doctrine whiche teacheth so many sinnes negligences and ignoraunces not to bee in the iustice of the Lawe of God guiltie of death must needes hereby giue incouragement to continue in ignoraunce in negligences and other suche like offences But ours whiche truely teacheth the wrathe of God and euerlastyng death to depende vpon it muste needes bee more forceble to stirre vp all men to be carefull to auoide to the vttermoste of the grace thei haue receiued all maner of sinne and if the lesse muche more the greater whiche haue more greeuous condemnation But he and the rest of these Romanists in faith in allegiaunce suppose by makyng all sinnes to be punished with death that all are taught to be equall whiche is nothyng so For that death is not like vnto this whiche is of the naturall soule and bodie and of the life of the naturall man but it is a deadly castyng out of the presence and fauour of God with whom onely is life that which in deede and truth maie be so called for the comforte that is in it whereas the other is suche a life as some which liue in it wishe rather for death and would digge for it As Iob speaketh if thei might finde it and desire that the Moūtaines might couer them and the Hilles hide them from the wrath of God liyng vppon them Therfore if it be possible for men in the naturall death of the bodie to deuise greate difference of tormentes so as notwithstandyng all suffer death yet one maie endure without comparison greater tormentes in it then an other How much more in this case both by the natur of the death which thei suffer and by the almightie power of God is it possible that notwithstandyng all sinnes bee punished with death yet there should be sundrie kindes of that death the tormentes of the one to bee in comparison in them selues alwaies horrible more easie and tollerable then an other Which our Sauiour Christ expressely teacheth speaking of the punishment of Sodom and suche as should with contempt refuse the Gospell Wherefore that beyng an offence of their ignoraunce not of our doctrine it is not to bee imputed vnto it And so notwithstandyng any thyng is saied by hym or can bee saied by any to the contrary our doctrine in this point is most fit and strong for the restraint of sinne and their impunitie moste daungerous by incouragement to smaller offences to draw men also in tyme to the easier committyng of the greater Besides in this their doctrine it is to be noted that thei teache the sprincklyng with a little Holly water to be sufficient to take awaie those sinnes whereby the precious death of our Sauiour Christ is in this behalfe made of none effect For if thei bee not mortall sinnes the punishment whereof in the iustice of God is death then Christ dyed not for them and if he did then it followeth bothe that thei are mortall and death the rewarde and stipende of them and also that the guilt of them can not bee otherwise washed out but with the true Yssope sprincklyng vs with the most precious bloud of the sonne of God whiche purgeth all our sinnes The second poinct in this nineth Article is of the doctrine of cōcupiscence which he saieth that we affirme to be truely sinne euen in the regenerate and thei saie in the regenerate that is as this man affirmeth it in Christians after Baptisme as if al that are washed with the water of Baptisme are also borne againe whiche is no more true then that all receiuyng the Lordes Supper should receiue also the Spirite of Christ which the Apostle denyeth to be no sinne except that concupiscence bee consented vnto I acknowledge this to be our doctrine whiche
both he and al nations shoulde be blessed What discourses would a natural man here make to hinder with himselfe the credite of this promise Howe manye strong bulwarks and fortresses of fleshe and bloud and how many hie and mighty conceites of the naturall man as the Apostle saith were to bee ouerthrowne and beaten downe to the ground that Abram should beleeue this And how much more that by the death of Christ Iesu we should haue life euerlasting so many as beleeue in him by his shame and dishonour glory and praise by his woundse the cure healing of ours by his warres and agonies quietnesse and euerlasting peace Of all the things that God hath commanded this most needeth the mighty hande of God to worke it and maintaine it as in deede of all other it doth giue most glory vnto him But faith being so easy a matter with them they wel shew how little they vnderstande it For our doctrine that by fayth only in Christe al our sinns are forgiuen I acknowledge it to be true and glorifie God who hath wrought in vs by the powerfull work of his grace so to beleeue For this is our peace with him That this doctrine is holy and true it appeareth in that the Apostle hauing confirmed that Abraham was iustified by fayth inferreth vppon it that by the same Dauid pronounceth men to be happy namely because true happines is in hauing our sinnes forgiuen which we attaine vnto by faith in Christ Thus saieth the Apostle Peter to him al the prophets beare witnesse that forgiuenesse of sinnes is giuen to euery one that beleeueth in him Therefore the doctrine is sound and holy which when we teach we declare also in case of repentaunce what the fruites are of this faith whereby in deede we repent namely a sorrow for hauing sinned against God which striketh and woundeth the hart with a grief detestation of the wickednes committed and kindleth in it a loue and desire to doe those thinges which God hath commanded Finally such are the effectes of this fayth in repentaunce which the Apostle noteth to haue beene in those of Corinth 2. Cor. 10. As for auriculer confession which enforceth men of necessitie to confesse their sinnes one by one in the Priestes eare we teache it in deede for no parte of repentaunce because wee haue no commandement promise nor example for it In deede we bynde not men to this rehearsal and discouerie of their sinne vnto the minister which we esteeme to bee but a very tiranny ouer the conscience and exhort them onelye according to the example of Dauid to make their wickednesse knowne vnto God which suffiseth Yet if any bee so tempted as he standeth in need of councel of comfort and shall open his hart to the godly and faithfull minister they are not denied the comfort that may bee giuen them in this respect but vppon discerning of theire true repentaunce The minister is to assure his cōscience in his word of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes declaring the promise of the Gospell which is of grace and pardon to all that doe repent And this is the vse of that which Christe our Sauiour left vnto vs in the power of the keyes in regarde of particuler comfort A degenerate imitation wherof only is in their absolution which hee calleth a Sacrament without al reason For a sacramēt being a seale of the Gospell hath an outward creture applied to assure the promise vnto vs which shoulde haue some resemblaunce to the promise which is sealed by it as we see to be in the water of baptism and in the bread and wyne in the Lordes supper Another part of repentaunce they make to be satisfaction concerning which we teach that if it haue regard to the partie inquired be it eyther any priuate man or the whole congregation offended by so notorious offence then we teache I say that the discipline left vs by our Sauiour Christ doth require it For in such case bindeth that of our Sauiour tell the Church and leaue thy gift at the alter and be firste reconciled to thy brother much more therefore to the brotherhood which is the church and the felowship of all the brethren As for such a satisfaction as he mencioneth here of some temporall punishment in this lyfe to satisfie the iustice of God for sinne wee affirme and that moste truely according to the scripture that whatsoeuer is imagined of such satisfaction is highly derrogatory to the precious death of our Sauiour Christe who onely is the satisfaction for our sins which one point of their doctrine declareth they little vnderstand what the iustice of God and what sinne is that think it may so easely be satisfied for He nameth three satisfactory workes of praier almes affliction of the bodie wherby he saith they satsfy for their sins which are euen the depths of satan in this Rom. saith For what may be more derogatory to the crosse of our sauiour Christ and his sacrifice once offred vpon it for all wherby he hath fully satisfied for the sinnes of al that shall be saued and payed the vttermost farthing of their debt then that a man should take that vpon him which neither man nor Angell were able to beare that is to satisfie for his sinnes To whom it may be truely said which the prophet Ieremie saide to the hipocrite people of his time That is colour thy synnes neuer so well yet how shouldest thou say I haue not defyled me I haue not followed straunge Gods beholde thy way in that valley know what thou hast done Washe thy selfe with Snow water and make thee cleane with sope or the fullers scouring Hearbe yea gylt thy selfe ouer with Goulde And as Iob when hee had another manner of feeling of sinne and of the gilt of man in the sight of God then they seem to haue when they haue done all their satisfactory works and haue sought to washe them selues cleane with al as with snow water the Lord shal take and plunge thē into the ditch hee will tumble them in the myre and filth of the streetes that is discouer them to be most foule and vncleane Let S. Iohn teach suche men Apoc. 3. that tho they thinke they are rich yet that indeed they are naked and beggerly that they may seek to him for fine gold which shall indéede be able to enrich him with true riches that possesseth it and for a sute of apparel that shal indéed couer their shame giue them a comely presence in the sighte of God Prayer is a holy part of the seruice of God whereby we call vpon God according to his comandement in certaine assurance to be hearde of him but that this should be any work which God in iustice should receiue for satisfaction is a wicked fancy of the church of R. and from the beginning vnknowne in the Church of God Almes is a duety which God hath commanded in thankfulnesse of the loue and fauour we
the synne of Adam a will in man whereby he is freely and willyngly carried to that he doeth but this will I saie is of it self carried willyngly to no goodnesse but onely and alwaies to euill Therfore beeyng deade in respecte of any good whē after the will chuseth well this worke we teache not to bee of Grace preuentyng and assistyng but to bee wholie the woorke of grace For as if the spirite of life should reenter into a deade man who after should rise and walke and dooe other thynges agreeyng to a liuyng man it can not bee saied these actions proceade partely from the spirit whiche is inspired into him partly from the deade bodie For what helpe or furtheraunce can death bryng to an action of life So also the Spirite of God reenteryng into vs who are borne dead in our synnes and wee after liuyng in some measure the life of GOD by the same spirite it cannot bee saied that our will choosyng to doe that whiche is good or any other naturall facultie dooyng in any measure the will of God that it doeth it partly of it self partly of the spirite inspired into vs but the honor of suche actions is wholy due to that spirite That wee will is of our nature but that our will doeth will that whiche is holy and good is not partly of vs and partly of the Grace assistyng but it is wholie the woorke of Grace Yet is it the goodnesse of God to call it ours that is wrought in him by vs because it is not wrought without vs neither are we as an axe or deade instrument in the Lordes hande but the powers of our naturall soule tendyng of theim selues wholy to that whiche is euill are tourned by the grace and power of God to that whiche is good Whiche doctrine as it is moste true so doeth it giue to God the honour whiche belongeth vnto him Neither is it a hinderaunce to good woorkes that God be acknowledged the onely aucthour and woorker of theim But saieth he more like a Philosopher and naturall man then a Christian and a Diuine except it bee in a mannes power to doe well it must needes vtterly discourage hym from doyng good workes The answere wherof is that those whiche beleeue cannot but bee fruitfull in good woorkes notwithstandyng thei dooe not to the dishonour of GOD arrogate to themselues the praise of thē For as a man that is quickened with a liuyng soule can not but doe the woorkes and actions of a liuyng man so also thei which haue receiued the spirite of Christe whereby thei haue beleeued notwithstandyng thei bee not incoraged by this reason vnto it that of their former deade nature thei are able to heare see or vnderstande yet of the nature of that spirite thei cannot but dooe the actions of that life whiche that spirite doeth quicken and animate thē withall And as a branche of a wilde Oliue taken frō his owne stocke and implanted into a naturall Oliue notwithstandyng that of it self it bring no maner of helpe to beare a right Oliue but rather whatsoeuer power is in it is contrarie therevnto Yet of the nature of the right Oliue it cannot beeyng a liuely braunche of it but beare right Oliues Euen so it fareth with vs. Rom. 11. For wee are by nature wilde Oliues and our Sauiour Christe is the true and naturall Oliue Tree into whom beyng grafted by faithe shall we saie it wil neuer beare any fruite excepte the former wilde and sauage nature it had before in his owne stocke maie bee furtheraunce to it No but that nature beyng mortified and altered by the power of the true Oliue we cannot beyng liuely braunches in this Oliue of GOD but we must beare right and kindly fruites accordyng to the nature of the stock wee are receiued into Further as the nature of the spirite whiche wee are vouchsafed doeth leade vs to it so our indeuour is stirred vp herevnto in thākfulnesse vnto God for our saluation whiche he hath assured vnto vs by the power of the spirite giuen vs to the daie of our rededemption Therfore because we owe our selues wholie vnto hym that hath so derely bought vs and so graciously saued vs we are to apply our selues to all good workes wherby God our redemer may be glorified in vs. Whose glory if it be precious in our eyes as it worthely ought to bee more then heauen and earth wee cannot want prouocation to doe those thinges which he hath commaunded Now for the laste poinct of this Article of merite and the reward of heauen we say in deede that the doctrine of Merite and to teach that life euerlasting should be a reward deserued by our good works is a doctrine that maketh voyd in effect the death of Christ The benefite whereof by this meanes shal be onely this to procure vs this fauour with God that vppon condition that we doe suche and suche woorkes that then he will giue vs his Kyngdome for our woorkes sake whiche is a doctrine that of al other doeth moste discouer Antechrist as it is moste opposite to the doctrine and honour of Christe For wee are taught by hym that when wee haue doen all wee can doe wee are to acknowledge that wee are but vnprofitable seruauntes and thei teach that their seruice is worthie a reward and what reward of the kyngdome of heauen the glorie of God and of ioyes euerlastyng and vnspeakeable Thei teache these thynges to bee but a small purchase a little money giuen to their Corban the buildyng of a Monasterie or Abbey for a sort of Idle and Supersticious Friers to abuse the world and thynges many tymes of the iust desert of euerlastyng death to bee the worthie price of Gods kyngdome that is in effect that an Abbey a Seminarie College or suche like should be as muche worthe as the precious bloud of the Soonne of God Thus in deede we teache not nor whatsoeuer should become of all the states of the worlde ought not to teache it beeyng the proude doctrine of that presumpteous Antechriste guiltie of hye treason against the Imperiall state croune and dignitie of the kyng of heauen and earth Whose fauour and grace if we should saie wee had deserued we should account it little worthe and should take from hym his moste due and high honour of our saluation and be moste vnworthie his grace bestowed vpō vs. But saieth he who will be zealous of good workes if there be no reward of them in heauē I aunswere if there were none yet ought wee in thankfulnesse to GOD for our first Creation diligently to applie our selues to dooe his will and obeye his Commaundementes As also all cteatures sett forthe his glory in their kinde notwithstādyng there bee no rewarde promised them in heauen But I saie further that wee doe not teache that there is no reward for good workes but contrariwise that the reward of them is so exceedyng greate in heauen that no good deede shall bee
out the filthe and pollutions wherewith thei had defiled the Lordes Temple and to reforme it so as the primitiue and auncient beautie and holinesse of it maie shine and appeare in it again How should wee fall before them in the battaile or feare the daie of encountryng with them in disputation The Lord goeth out before our armies his holie Arke dwelleth emongest vs his siluer Trumpets sound continually in our eares Which are sure vndoubted arguments that as heretofore we haue often preuailed against them so now muche more that our enemie so oftentimes foiled bee he neuer so obstinate yet can neuer be able to hurte vs or if he doe it shal be onely thus accordyng to the promise he maie bruse our heele but we shall burst his head in péeces Thus much for his first way sf disputation wherein I haue shewed that oftentymes by conference in speeche thei haue fled before vs. Concerning disputatiō by writyng al the world is full of the learned workes of our worthy fathers and brethrē wherein thei haue bothe taught the truthe and worthely maintained it againste the wicked flaunders and obiection of the aduersarie and conuicted theim of as notorious and pernicious heresies as euer haue been since the misterie of Iniquitie began to woorke What should I recken vp here whiche are infinite the names whiche are written in the booke of life of our moste worthie fathers and brethren who beyonde the Seas haue aunswered all their Challengers confuted their erronious and hereticall writynges and cōfirmed the truth to abide for euer Our owne countriemen haue in like sort maintained the Lords most iuste and honourable quarrell againste all suche as from emongest our selues haue beene raised vp to blaspheme the truthe Cranmer that moste reuerende and learned Father aunswered Gardener in the question of the Lordes Supper to the iustifiyng of the truthe and his owne euerlasting praise with God and men and the iust confusion of his aduersarie For their bolde Hardyng in whom they trusted for a tyme wee had a precious Iewell riche in spirituall graces of infinite more valewe without comparison Their Marshalles Rastalles Dormans and the rest of that olde rabble and of this newe charge their Allens Bristowes and Campions haue all found men to aunswere them through the grace of God of suche godly learnyng sufficiencie and blessyng vppon their labours as by the Lordes mercie we maie saie with the Prophett Thei came about vs like Bees but are extinct as a fire of thornes thei came in confidence of them selues but in the name of the Lorde of Hostes we haue preuailed against them Wherefore hauyng thus been fought with at all the weapons wherein they supposed they had any skill and their shieldes beaten to their heades so often and pearced through what a wrangling contencious and obstinate Aduersarie is this that will yet renewe more chalenges and boast that we dare Neither abroade with neuer so muche securitie nor at home vppon our owne grounde shewe our selues in disputatiō against them Whether would they haue vs to goe to Roome or to Rhemes to dispute with them there What indifferent Iudges or witnesses maie wee haue to dispute of the goodnesse of the finest Wheate and the naughtinesse of weedes in a Seminarie of tares What securitie can we looke for at their handes whose Religion it is to deale vnfaithfully with vs and to breake any faithe of a holy Priest as thei would bee thought or the royall worde and faithe of Kynges and Princes to feede their cruell eyes to see vs burne in the middest of their flamyng fires Their Cannons teache that faithe is not to bee kept with an Heriticke and such they iudge vs as Tertulles did the Apostle And this is no olde forgotten Cannon and worne out of vse but reuiued by the wicked practise of the faithlesse councell of Constance and the disloyall Emperour Sigismund constrained by them to that dishonor cōtrary to his safe conduit graūted to those constant Martirs of Christ faithful plaine Ihon Hus and the learned and eloquēt Ierome of Prage If euer thei would keepe any faithe with vs thei would surely haue kept that beyng giuen in the worde and solemne instrument of an Emperour And if that were not sufficient what securitie will they giue vs or because wee can not safely rest vpon any warrant of theirs who so traiterously disloyally haue falsified their owne deede and therfore haue iustly lost their creditte with vs and are banckeruptes as touchyng their faithe Will thei because we neuer brake with them come to suche places as we shall appoint them If we shall wish thē to come to Geneua in Sauoy to Newstade in Bauire to Rochell in Fraunce or such like places wil thei not complaine that their audience can not bee indifferent what remaineth then but to dispute in writyng whiche as we haue doen hitherto to the iust defence of the truthe against them so by the grace of God some of vs wil be alwaies readie to doe hereafter But if thei would haue their bookes to pas fréely without restraint and all men to be allowed to reade them let thē first assure vs that thei will leaue it free for all suche as are abused by them to reade ours For we are not ignorant of their discipline though most dissolute where it should be straitest yet herein applied to the keping of the poore and ignorant which depend vppon them in that captiuitie that thei maie not once dare to reade our writynges least thei should be conuerted and repent that the Lorde might saue them For except a fewe whom thei estéeme desperate of beyng turned by any meanes to the truth thei restraine al with whom their discipline maie preuaile frō reading of our works If thei so straightly prouide to hinder the truth and to keepe captiue simple soules in their blind kyngdōe of darkenesse Muche more reason haue our Magistrates to prouide that the children of light bee not lead into darkenesse by them But if this discipline remainyng on bothe parties thei bee yet disposed to dispute to informe them selues in the truth if thei wil leaue this large maner of discoursing bitter taunts and other impertinent speeches not so fitt for tryall of a truthe and come to the sharpe poinctes of naked argumentes we are willyng to deale with them in suche order as maie be most indifferent for bothe and fittest for the information in truthe of all suche as shall after examine what hath past on bothe partes For whiche purpose it would be fittest that in euery question the contradictorie beyng taken the one parte for that whiche he holdeth in the question laied out his argumentes taken onely out of the holy Scriptures whiche is the onely competent Iudge in this cause concluded in good forme of Syllogisme without any further deduction of the matter then should be necessarie for the better vnderstanding of the termes which needes must be vsed of the application of the places
offence So likewise ought he in this case And though conscience and Religion bee not putt in by tormentes yet maie one as Austen also cōfesseth hauyng his obstinacie chastened by the aucthoritie of the Magistrate bee stirred vpp to consider more seriously of the course he helde and by suche occasion growyng to a deeper exanimation of the cause through the grace of GOD attaine to the true faithe And if thei should not yet is not the punishment in vaine For by it many which otherwise by a dissolute lenity would be incouraged with impunitie and followe the same wicked waies are better aduised and kept from destruction els were it in vaine saied whiche I haue alledged before take awaie the euill one from amongst you that al Israell maie heare and feare and not dare to doe the like But stil he standeth vpō their cause vrging it to be vnworthie suche extremitie and why so because our fathers haue beene as giltie herein as thei hauyng professed the same auncient Religion that thei doe now But what is here in this reason that might not serue all Heathen men before the preaching of the Apostles amongest them most of thē yet to this daye If there were now any kingdome amongst thē reformed according to the Gospell some should still maintaine their auncient Idolatrie and pleade for them selues that they are no more giltie then their fathers and the fathers of their Magistrates had beene before them were this a sufficient cause why thei should be exempted from punishment If our fathers were deceiued by theim it standeth vs their children posteritie muche the more in hand to take heede of their damnable waies and doctrine It is more then we can aunswere that our fathers haue sinned It were wisedome therefore that wee tooke heede we ad not sinne to sinne Those were the tymes whiche the Lorde regarded not in respect of vouchsauing them this exceedyng fauour of the true knowledge of the Gospell but now he hath visited vs from aboue and called all men to Repentance Whiche gracious goodnesse of God toward this tyme it were fitter for them to acknowledge and receiue with thanckesgiuing then thus to obstinate themselues to fill vp the measure of their Fathers iniquitie that all the Idolatrie that hath been since the worshippyng of the golden Calfe at mount Horeb maie bee brought vppon theim Haue thei forgotten that it is written To daie if ye will heare his voice harden not your hartes as your fathers did in the wildernesse who tempted and prouoked God till he sware thei should not enter into his reste Againe he retourneth to the takyng awaie of that effecte whiche this Iustice pretendeth to woorke affirmyng vpon the woordes of Gamaliell that those men whiche of meere zeale as he saieth after the Apostles maner are come emongst vs to endaunger them selues to maintaine the faithe can not bee made desiste if their counsell be of God But I saie their counsell cannot bee of God because the Faithe thei seeke to maintaine is against God as giuyng to Idolls the honor of him of whō it is saied thou shalt worship the Lorde thy God and hym onely shalte thou serue and againste his anointed as settyng vp many Sauiours many Mediators whereas it is said there is saluation in no other and if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with God the Father who is Iesu Christe the righteous he is the propitiation for our sinnes Further I saie thei runne and are not sent of GOD who sendeth not any now adaies after the Apostles maner to preache in all the worlde Their ministerie was necessarie for a tyme that the voice of the Lorde might bee heard in all coastes and the sounde of it to the ende of the yearth But now that the world hath heard it their Ministerie is ceased and the Lorde calleth by their doctrine and the ministerie of Pastours and teachers of seuerall Congregations Therefore well might an vnskilfull Souldier bee father to these Iesuites that knewe not what he did For if he had vnderstoode any thyng of the woorde of God he should haue knowne that there is now no suche callyng whiche thei maie professe without more special warrāt thē thei haue any Therfore Gamaliell that honourable Counsellour and Senatour beeyng their Iudge thei must needes desist and al their purposes come to naught because thei are not of God Your lordships honorable meanes whiche hath releeued straūgers giueth hym hope that thei maye also finde some comfort of the same whiche I doubt not but if thei were as neere in faithe and the communion of Sainctes as these straungers are but thei should vndoubtedly finde at your honours handes But if thei that are of Dauids counsell and sit at his table lift vp their heeles againste hym a straunger that feareth God without all comparison is more deepely to taste of your Lorshipps honourable succour comfort then such a one though he were bred at home Now againe what the effects of these your Lordships proceadynges maie bee whiche for a farewell is diuersly exaggerated Firste in this life and then in the life to come In this life thei must needes he saith to speake plainly bee subiecte to horror obloquie grudge hatred diuers breaches and moste daungerous woundes as all extremities are wont to doe and after that it can woorke no estimation loue or securitie to your posteritie Is this a duetifull speeche of a suppliant vpon his knees as he pretendeth to bee before your honourable assembly or agreeth this well with his often protestations of reuerence and duetie But the lorde that hath hetherto blessed your honors notwithstandyng the curse of their chief cursers I doubte not but if your honours shall yet further indeauor to serue the lorde in the sincere aduaūcyng of his truthe and the iuste punishment of his enemies accordyng to the greate and honourable seruice he hath called you vnto but that the same Lorde whom you shall so serue will tourne awaie all these threates of hatred and woūdes in your owne persones and your posteritie from your honours and your noble children vpon an Idolatrous and bloudie generation that knowe hym not nor feare his name Therefore as our Sauior Christ speaketh in a like case when it was tolde hym that Herod threatned to kil him this Foxe is to remember that there are twelue howres in the daie wherin who so walketh can take no hurte Your honours all that professe the truthe walke vnder the shadowe and protection of the highest who hath numbred the heares of your head and without his will not one of theim shall fall vnto the ground Thei whiche receiue the truthe are to serue GOD in their sondrie callynges to the mainteinaunce of it in honour and dishonour in wealthe and woe in life and death If there fall out any dishonour it can not bee like the shame of the crosse of Christe If any woundes not like those precious woundes whiche he offered his holy body
the selfe to the greater against l. 22 The 3. point of abstinence aunswered pa. 194. M. lin 10. men pa. 193. lin 24. 160. P. 193. N. li. 11. God this is l. 13. seriously li. 15. then of necessitie p. 194. lin 3. Nazarite lin 14. obseruantes li. 16. bred at p. 195. N. li. 4. could not be wished p. 196. against l. 4. Aunswere to the 4. article whiche is of fasting p. 197. N. l. 26. housholde To. p. 199. N. l. 25. fulfilled that was saied yea pa. 209. O. lin 15. in the. lin 15. many pa. 216. O. lin 2. prouided yet lin 19. should line p. 228. O. lin 16. it be 222. O. lin 1. of l. 17. praie li. 19. a reasonable lin 28. not doe pa. 223. O. Practise pa. 224. O. lin 1. Lawe except the innocent again may haue helpe by thee Pa. 225. P. li. 17 and for p. 234. li. 2 depose thē pa. 240. P. li. 1. was smally regarded by them For all stories p. 241. Q li. 28. them It is to impudent that they pa. 243. Q li. 1. the subiectes pa. 246. Q. lin 16. Yet with this caution li. 16. God and pa. 247. Q. li. 22. declared they take it in pa. 249. Q. lin 6. impunitie pa. 252. li. 28. all merit so we confesse of grace a difference of glory in such as shal be saued p. 240. R. l. 1. iniured p. 238. l. 12. woundes p. 245. l. 16. derogatory p. 242. R. l. 5. faith p. 278. S. l. 19. redēption p. 283. li. 11. wherin first li. 17. God pa. 285. S. lin 3. it can not be but that they finde lin 20. faith and baptisme in p. 287. li. 22. all abh p. 288. S. li. 26 marchandise p. 269. T. li. 2. impertinent p. 273 T. li. 2 so greatly li. 7. popedome is p. 275. T. li. 17. dissolute l. 18 be in li. 26. decay p. 277. T against lin 22. read examples as in the text lin 27. And this yeare in the priestes which absolued afore hande that pag. 27. T. lin 1. for the murther which hee purposed lin 11. absoluers pag. 279. T. lin 26. that this R. faith pag. 280. T. lin 17. pointes wherein lin 25. established 281. T. lin 22. dispose line 24. downe whome and when it li. 27. many times hath pa. 282. T. li. 4. pleasure l. 8. land and haue had the benefices within their Country bestowed vppon straungers pa. 283. T. li. 28. these many 100. pa. 285. V. li. 6. the land li. 19◠with the hye li. 23. common wealths pa. 286. V. li. 9 much li. 12. Ezechias li 17. subiects and. pa. 288. V. li. 28. epistle p. 289. V l. 1. professed li. 4. aising rising l. 13. it most li. 19. Christen p 290. V. li. 7. was such lin 12. aliue li 21. vpon the k. the line 25. the treasure drawne lin 26. as well as other K. pa. 291. against lin 4. le secret des finances de france li. 9. at the diet held pa. 394. V. li. 8. ship concerning li 22. her plagues In the margent pa. 299. V. against li. 18. The second part of the whole epistle pag. 300. V. li. 27. li. pag. 321. lin 7 drawne p 323. X lin 7. the vngodly li. 8. these reconcilers conspire of li. 19. would pa. 325. X. lin 6 carnall pa. 328. X. lin 8. so was it also in the disputation in K. li. 9. time And in Q. lin 10. notwithstanding the. lin 12. Latimers to lin 17. enemies pa. 330. X. li. 6. be and was li. 23. matter li 24. by faith lin 26 pag. 331. li. 6. vngodly lin 22 Idolatry pa 332. X. li. 4. shutteth pa. 334 X. li. 7. heere by pa. 335. X. li. 3. it to their fayth pa. 336. X li. 16. well pa. 337. X. li. it was pa. 338. X li. 15. indifferencie li. 28. Libanus and the. pa. 339 Y. li. 3. dispise pa. 340 Y. lin 23. of pa. 343 Y. li. 9 Tertullius l. 22. vs our or l. 28 fayth p. 344. Y. li. 2 them pa. 345. Y. li. 8 their shamefull slaunders their bitter pa 346 Y against li 20 And thus much for answere to his first reason pa 347 li 1. it pa 348 Y li 26 by his pa. 349 Y li 5 further li 11 vs pa 354 Z li 2 Apostles li 11 God pa. 358 Z li 16 tares li 17 discern them at first li 19 vp pa 359 Z li 2 grounde li 5 when and who li 16 discerned li 20 seede li 27. experience li 28 herein pa 360 li 1 before of open errours which li 9 the li 10 family p. 363. l. 1. of it l. 9. bastardes Yet though l. 12. lesse p. 366. l. 12. Donatistes l. 17. and some l. 21. of such mightie li. 24. to the small degrees pa. 367. li. 11. of some p. 363. Aa l. 23. iust regiment l. 25. vnlawfull gouernment but. pa. 367. l. 8. nine and twentie l. 15. consequently their If. 16. an other p. 367. li. 15. Paschasius l. 23. transubstantiatiō p. 368. l. 16. to them pa. 370. l. 18. nor Tertullia maye pa. 371. l. 22. rest p. 371. l. 2. question l. 4. recken l. 21. Affrick p. 372. li. 2. remaineth whiche li. 9. reasons for pa. 375. l. 1. self for proofe hereof mentioneth onely three lin 5. benche and other her by courtes lin 13. manifest vntruth li. 28. any conscience pa. 375. l. 16. Angrogie p. 376. l. 8. tyme whiche thei murdered l. 28. nor pa. 378. li. 1. Sabboth l. 2. seruice Bb. p. 385. li. 15. doctrine vntrue that pa. 388. l. 10. calleth pa. 389. l. 12. l. 14. Iesus l. 22. earth p. 391. l. 4. to be li. 18. vnto same Lorde p. 396. l. 15. and that p. 397. l. 12. goods with l. 21. with a. l. 27. and lothe p. 398. li. 24. dead FINIS