Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	damnation_n	drink_v	eat_v	10,899	5	8.2264	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01175	The restorer of the French estate discouering the true causes of these vvarres in France & other countries, and deliuering the right course of restoring peace and quiet to all Christendome: wherein are handled these principall questions touching religion, policie, and iustice: whether it be lawfull to sweare, and keepe promise to heretikes, to force mens consciences for religion sake, to liue with, and dwell nigh heretikes, to breake the order of succession to the Crowne bycause of religion, or no. Who be schismatikes; and of the chiefe poincts of religion. How we are to iudge of the schisme in Christendome at this day. Lastly, the conclusion conteining notable admonitions to the clergie, nobles, magistrates, people, and King of France. Translated out of French. Ecclesiæ & reipub. D.	Hurault, Michel, d. 1592, attributed name.	1589 (1589)	STC 11289; ESTC S102588	139,883	174

are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread He saith not that the bread and wine are the body and bloud but that they are the communion of the body and bloud these wordes can none otherwise be interpreted but that the bread and wine signifie the communion of the body and bloud seing that the bread wine can not be the communion for the communion is a thing spirituall hath no being but in the spirite and consideration of man which can not agree with the bread Againe if we must ground this doctrine on the letter the wine is not the communion of the bloud that which is the bloud as you say is the chalice The same Apostle saith in another place I haue receiued of the Lord that which I also haue deliuered to you to wit that the Lord Iesus in the same night that he was betrayed tooke bread whē he had giuen thanks he brake it said take eat this is my body which is broken for you this doo ye in remembrance of me After the same maner also he tooke the cup when he had supped saying this cup is the new Testament in my bloud this do as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me for as often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shew the Lords death til he come Wherefore whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily shal be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup for he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because he discerneth not the Lords body See here againe how the Lord commaundeth by th'Apostle that the holy supper be made in remembrance of him likewise he saith not wine he saith the cup. See here also how the cup or the wine is not the bloud but the new Testament in the bloud of the Lord. Further the bread and the cup are there named still the bread and the cup before and after the blessing distributing eating and drinking which sheweth vs that albeit the bread and wine signifie the body and bloud of our Sauiour they remayn notwithstanding in their true and natural substance they remaine bread and wine halowed neuertheles for the vse sake but no way varied altred for the substance Had they bene transubstātiated into the body bloud th'Apostle after the celebration after the participating had not said as often as ye shal eate this bread drink this cup whosoeuer shall eate this bread drink this cup he would haue said as oftē as ye shall eat this body drink this bloud whosoeuer shal eat this body and drinke this bloud True it is that he saith he that shall eat and drinke vnworthily shal be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord but that is to shew how this eating and drinking is holy and sacred representing to vs the death and passion of the Lord th' oblation and suffering of the body the sheading of the bloud of Iesus Christ the nourishment of the soule This teacheth vs our dutie to take this bread and this wine with an holy and religious reuerence for the question in this sacrament standeth vpon the body and bloud of our Sauiour and not so much on bread wine which are not but signes And here behold why the holy Ghost saith freely that bread and wine are the body and bloud of the Lord. But now commeth a place very notable and vnanswereable a most expresse and pregnant place to them which are acquainted with the Lords voyce In S. Iohn ye may read Iohn 6. how Iesus Christ preching in the synagogue at Capernaū hauing said I am the liuing bread the bread that I wil giue is my flesh then the Iewes stroue amōgst thēselues saying how can this mā giue vs his flesh to eate then Iesus sayd vnto thē except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you whosoeuer eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting and I will raise him vp at the last day for my flesh is meat indeed my bloud is drinke indeed many therefore of his disciples when they heard this said this is an hard saying who can heare it But Iesus knowing within himselfe that his disciples murmured at this said vnto thē doth this offend you what if ye shall see the Sonne of man ascend where he was afore it is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the wordes that I speake to you are spirit and life but there are some among you which beleeue not Thus we can not doubt but that this manner of speaking to eat and drinke the body and bloud of the Lord is spirituall seeing the Lord doeth ascertaine it by name Ye are astonished saieth he at this saying of mine ye must eat and drinke my body and my bloud ye will find these wordes much more strange when I shall ascend into heauen with my body for then will it seeme to you a great deale harder to eat my body being so farre distant from you Ye must not conceiue my words so it is not my body that ye must eat it is the merit of the death and passion of my body it is my iustifying grace that ye must eat and receyue by faith and spiritually Iohn 6. wherewith ye must be quickened My words are spirit and life it is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing We may moreouer out of this place draw many other arguments to establish our beliefe that the words of eating and drinking the body and bloud of Iesus Christ ought not to be taken but spiritually were it needfull to confirme that which himselfe hath so cleerely expounded he saith if ye eate not the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye shal haue no life in you now to stay on the letter of these termes not take them spiritually would cause a great blasphemy to ensue for how many men are there in the world which neuer eat the body of Iesus Christ and yet haue life in them but our Sauiour in plaine termes saith they haue no life chuse then either to giue him the lye which were blasphemous or els confesse that he speaketh spiritually and that by life he meaneth spirituall life Which being so why do we not also acknowledge that these wordes of eating and drinking the body and bloud of the Lord are spirituall and ought to be vnderstood of th'eating and drinking which the soule doeth by faith specially seing he interpreteth himselfe both for th' one and th' other according to this sense for after he had spoken simplie of life he addeth he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting likewise after he had said fimplie that wee must eat and drinke his flesh and his

which sayd they needed not keepe themselues frō sinning Rom. 6. since they were vnder grace and not vnder the law proceedeth thus farre that he saith beyng made free from sinne ye are made seruaunts to righteousnes now to auouch these wordes that workes instifie vs is to make the spirit contrary to it selfe the Gospell to the Gospell S. Paul to S. Paul S. Iames to S. Iames which were no better then blasphemy against the spirit For as often as the purpose is to lay the ground-worke of the Gospell then the spirit saith specially and namely that it is by grace not by merit at all it is hard to reckē how oft this is affirmed in the gospel in S. Paul chiefly There is no likelihood that two or three places forced racked should balance or weigh downe infinit others specially considering the caueats aboue written least we mistake the meaning of those words and not forgetting that S. Paul hauing vsed those termes saith I speak after the maner of men for the infirmitle of your flesh S. Iames who in th' end cōcludeth that faith is perfected by works expresly teacheth vs that we cā not be saued by works saying in the same chapter that whosoeuer shall keep all the law shal faile in one poinct he shal be guil●y of all Now there i● no mā so holy that faileth not in some poinct of the law which cōsequently is not guilty of all And thus no hope of saluation may be built on works Conclude we then that works of thēselues 〈◊〉 nothing to saluation but do strēgthē accōplish witnes faith by which we receiue saluatiō Whether the body of Iesus Christ be really in the bread of the holy supper The Pope commaundeth to beleeue that the body bloud of Iesus Christ are really and in deed in the bread and wine of the supper He commaundeth that the bread of the supper be adored as God I maruéile that he makes not the wine be likewise adored for the reason of both is all one He hath ordeined a daily sacrifice of this body for to commend this sacrifice the more he hath prouided it a seruice of the church altar sacrificers priests and other officers priestly omaments oeremonies superstitions in words gestures in water fire otherthings being in-deed a mingle mangle of all religions that euer were He groūdeth his opiniō of the reall corporall presence of the body bloud and of the substantiall turning or chaunge of the truth of the bread wine into the substance truth of the body bloud of the Lord Math. 26. vpō these words of S. Matthew saying Iesus tooke bread after he had giuē thāks he brake it gaue it to his disciples and said take eat this is my body hauing taken the cup giuen thanks he gaue it them saying drinke ye all of it for this is my bloud of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Now they may easely iudge who peruse the holy scripture wholy with an open heart the eyes of whose vnderstanding are not dym that this doctrine of the Pope tooke his beginning being in the phantasie of man rather then in the Scripture For if we gather and compare together whatsoeuer the Scripture doth conteine touching the Lordes supper we shall finde that the body is not in the bread but is at the right hand of God and yet the faithfull do eate and drinke spiritually and by faith the body and bloud of our Sauiour receiuing therewith the merite of his death and passiō and are nourished spiritually by his grace and that the bread and wine are set forth for signes of the Sacrament to signifie to vs that as bread and wine nourish vs for our temporall life so the body bloud of the Lord do nourish vs for the life euerlasting and as there is an vnion meeting together of many bodies in the bread in the wine euē so should there be an vnion and agreement among the faithfull in communicating of the body and bloud of the Lord. Whē Iesus Chirst had said this is my body Math. 16. Mar. 14. this is my bloud of the new testament he addeth I say vnto you I will not drinke hence-forth of this fruict of the vine I will not drinke more of the fruict of the vine vntill that day when I shall drinke it new with you in my fathers kingdome These wordes taken either spiritually or after the letter do sufficiently declare that the wine is not turned into the bloud of our Sauiour for he calleth it still the fruict of the vine And in Saint Luke to discouer vnto vs more clearely that this Luke 22. speach is figuratiue he saith this is my body do this in remembrance of me this cup is the new testament in my bloud which is shed for you he saith not the cup is my bloud but it is the new testament in my bloud that is to say it is a representation a signe of my bloud a testament a title and contract of new alliance in my bloud This sense and vnderstanding is not beside the purpose for he celebrated that same day with his disciples th' ancient Sacrament of the passe-ouer lambe which represented the lambe of God that should come to make vs through his death passiō to passe out of this trāsitory world full of miseries bōdage into th' other would full of surpassing ioy and libertie And for that this auncient Sacrament of the passe-ouer lambe was to take an end forthwith by his death he instituted the new sacrament of the new testament of the new league or alliance be gaue them bread and wine for signes of the spirituall nourishment which they were necessarily to receiue in the body and bloud of our Sauiour And as in the old alliance or testament the lambe was not Christ but onely represented the Christ so the bread and wine of the new testament are not the body and bloud but signifie and represent the body and bloud of Christ This interpretation is confirmed moreouer by these wordes do this in remembraunce of me it is ordinary to commend by signes and resemblances the memory of things absent and not of things present on th' other side if we are to take the words in S. Luke literally without admitting any expositiō beside the letter the wine is no more the bloud it is now the cup it must then be cōfessed that these words are figuratiue and subiect to another interpretation then the naturall fignification of the letter will bearens there be any figure in S. Luke there may be also the like in S. Matthew It is written in S. Paul the cup of blessing which we blesse 1. Cor. 10. is it not the communion of the body of Christ the bread which we breaked is it not the communion of the body of Christ for we th●t are many

bloud he addeth ye shal not eate my body being the bread descended from heauen as your fathers did eat Manna that is to say ye shall not eat it with carnall teeth as your fathers did eat Manna for they did eat that carnally but ye shall eat this spiritually Moreouer to shew that this speach is spirituall and that his body and bloud should be taken spiritually and by faith he saith I am the bread of life he that commeth to me shall haue no hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall haue no thirst for there he speaketh of spirituall hunger and thirst and referreth all to faith On th' other side if we take the body and bloud of our Sauiour carnally with the mouth it should folow that S. Paul is contrary to Christ For he saith 2. Cor. 7. that by eating and drinking we profit nothing to Christ that meate maketh vs not acceptable to God if wee eate sayth hee it aduantageth vs not and if we doo not eate wee haue neuer the lesse and yet in S. Iohn Christ sayth Iohn 6. that if wee eate not his flesh wee shall not haue life euerlasting In like sort S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 11. that whosoeuer shall eate vnworthily the bread of the supper he shal be guiltie of the Lords body and yet Christ teacheth vs. that whatsoeuer entreth by the mouth Math. 15. defileth not the man We cannot agree S. Paul with Christ the holy Ghost with himselfe if we affirme not that the Lord and S. Paul doo speake in the one place to wit concerning the supper of spirituall eating and in the other of corporall eating In such wise that S. Paules doctrine remayneth true where he saith that by eating and drinking we profit nothing towarde Christ albeit that we must eate and drinke the body and bloud of our Sauiour as himselfe saith for it is spiritually that we must eate and drinke of which maner of eating drinking the Apostle purposed not to speake at all in this place the doctrine of Christ also abideth sure that whatsoeuer entreth by the mouth defileth not the soule albeit th'Apostle saith that whosoeuer receiueth the bread of the supper vnworthely maketh himselfe guilty of the Lords body for the abuse which is committed in receiuing the bread of the supper is principally considered in the soule conscience and faith Lo this speech of the holy supper is like to that of Iesus to Nicodemus Iohn 3. truely I say to thee that he which is not borne againe cannot see the kingdom of God How may a mā saith Nicodernus be born whē he is old can he enter againe into his mothers wombe be borne Iesus answereth truely truly I say vnto thee that whosoeuer is not borne of water and of the spirite he cannot enter into the kingdome of God that which is borne of flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit Maruell not at that which I haue told thee we must be borne from aboue the winde bloweth where it will and thou hearest the voice but knowest not from whence it commeth nor whither it goeth euen so is euery man that is borne of the spirit We all agree that this maner of being borne againe is spirituall for otherwise it should be against nature Now so it is that we haue many mo reasons and considerations which enforce vs to beleeue that this maner of eating and drinking the body and bloud of Iesus Christ is spirituall For besides that the holy Ghost hath declared the one and the other forme of speech to be spirituall it is altogether impossible in nature that one body should be turned into another diuers in kind by words and in a moment This cannot be in nature that a liuing body should become of the substance of any other body without death or corruption it cannot haue change from substance into substance without corruptiō without being not that which it was afore Ioh. 12. the Lord himself saith it is a thing impossible The Pope saith not that by this transubstantiation the body of Christ dieth and corrupteth that were to heape vp too many blasphemies and heresies one vpon another and were it so Christ were to die and suffer infinite times Heb. 9.10 which is flat against the scripture For it is written that he died once for all that he made one onely oblation of his body that there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne that he liueth for euer at the right hand of God His body is glorified it is no more subiect to suffering and corruption Againe we see not the bread corrupt it appeareth after the breaking and blessing as faire and vnaltred bread as afore On the other part it is impossible in nature that a body such as we ought to beleeue that of Iesus Christ hath bene and is to wit a true body can at the selfe same time be in diuers places If the body of Christ is in the bread of the supper it is in places innumerable at the same time it is in heauen it is in earth in sundry infinit parts thereof This properly is to deny Iesus Christ to become in the flesh 2. Ioh. 4. which is a marke of Antichrist as saith S. Iohn Is there any thing more contrarie to sense to reason to charitie to godlines to the feare honor loue which we by duetie must beare towards God is there any thing more impossible tha to breake chew and swalow the body of our Lord his glorified body to breake teare rend it in peeces to make him die whom the Apostles assure vs eternally doth liue at the right hād of God the curse of God hath bene yet is on them that did put him once to death think ye Ioh. 19. that put him to death euery day so much as in you lieth to escape the curse of God If Christ his body is in the bread the prophesie cited by S. Iohn ye shall not breake a bone of him is in great ieoperdie for the Priestes vndiscretly breake the bread without looking where the bones be It appeareth of old that in the law of Moses Leuis 4.5 they did not eat of the beast which was sacrificed for sinne to foreshew that the true sacrifice for sinne should be made by Iesus Christ of whose body we should not eate hereupon S. Paul Heb. 13. after the recitall of this auncient sacrifice saith we haue an altar whereof they may not eate which serue in the tabernacle Let vs consider withall that the corporall presence of Iesus Christ in the bread and wine of the holy supper here below is contrary to th'articles of the faith for we beleeue that Iesus Christ is ascended into heauen that he sitteth on the right hand of the father Act. 3. that he shall come to iudge the quick and the dead Let vs confider how S. Peter saith that the heauen must conteine Iesus Christ vntill the time

against Licinius Emperour of the East and by consequence their Emperour and souerargne Magistrate so farre forth that Licinius was put to flight which is an history that locketh their lips who boast so much of this maxime that whole prouinces may not stand in defence of their religion against their Prince For Licinius was lawfull Emperour of th' East without all controuersie euen when Constantine made warre on him to cause him to surcease his persecutions against his Christian subiects and Constantine was not Emperour then but of Italie Afrike France Spaine Moreouer most certaine it is that Licinius was Emperour of th' East long before Constantine was declared Emperour of the West neuerthelesse he vndertooke this warre against Licinius at th'instance of th' East Churches and was blessed of God We read againe to this same purpose how the Christians of Persia oppressed with intollerable afflictions by their king had recourse to the Romains crauing succour of them and praying thē to pitie their extreme necessity the Bishop of Constantinople laboured so to Theodosius th'Emperour that he vndertook their protection Theodosius made warre on the king of Persia obtayned many miraculous victories and in fine compelled him to entreat his Christen subiects more gently The Reformed pretend to haue at this day as good reason to appeale to the king of Nauarre th'Almains and other their neighbors for protection and defence And although hitherto ye haue surmounted them in number of victories yet that iustifieth your quarell neuer the more Apoc. 13. For it is written of Antichrist that for a time he shall haue th'vpperhand ouer th'elect But rather mark the successe if ye haue got some victories they haue had victories also they are come neerer their end and purpose then you The right of the cause is not alwaies auowed by the victorie The Beniamites mainteining a most vnrighteous quarrell remained in two battailes maisters of the field Iud. 20. in the third they were quite defeicted Th'Israelits ouercame and were ouercomen Heb. 11. the Scripture teacheth they ouercame through the iustice of their quarell assisted with faith and assurance of Gods fauour againe they were ouercome more often through the desert of their sinnes making them vnworthy of Gods fauour then th'iniustice of their cause How know we whether th'enterchaunged course of our victories and mishap of the Reformed haue not come to passe rather by reason of their sinnes then by any vnrighteous quarell they mainteined in this warre CHAP. III. Whether it be lawfull with good conscience to liue with heretikes or nigh them PEraduenture ye will tell me that my counsaile is a snare of sinne bicause ye gather by my discourse that a man may conuerse with heretikes which is prohibited in many places of the Gospell My children if yee will yeeld as much to reason as ye doe to your passions yee will vpon this doubt stand contented with those arguments examples by me already proposed when I proued that we might lawfully graunt and keepe faith to heretikes there I haue sufficiently taught that in France it is impossible to sequester the Reformed from the Catholikes without destruction of France there also haue I recited the reasons for which we haue determined sometimes to liue in peace with them and wherefore likewise all our neighbours haue taken the selfe same resolution and continue still therein and do find it better for them to keepe it then we to haue left it Neuthereles to make it plaine that I am no lesse earnest to desire and seeke your conuersion and safetie then your selues are earnest to reteine and recall the causes of your confusion and wrack and also to make good that my substantiall reasons do in number and weight exceede those emptie shadowes that make a great muster in your passionat conceipts I am content for your sakes to handle againe more particularly this question to wit whether we may with good conscience conuerse with heretikes or nigh them I reknowledge that it is written Take heed least any men seduce you go not be not partakers with them take heed that none ouertake you auoyd an heretike after the first and second admonition who so disobeyeth the Church let him be to thee as an Heathen person Publican Mat. 24. Ephes 5. Col. 2. Tit. 3. Mat. 18. This is in summe the whole doctrine of the Gospell in this behalfe Now so it is that by these wordes we are commaunded onely to beware of seducers of their philosophie and humane reasons of their traditions and fables not to be astonished and ouercome at their false miracles not to consent nor partake with them in their doctrine and ceremonies and not to admit them into our more priuate familiar communications conference and alliances howbeit these places import no prohibition wherby Christians are forbidden to dwell or soiourne with infidels heretiks or schismatikes in the same realme in the same common-wealth in the same countrie in the same towne otherwise we must also affirme that the Church of God hath continually disobeyed this prohibition and that our Lord and his Apostles liued not consormably to their doctrine which were blasphemy to thinke much more to say Abel liued with Cain the reprobate Seth and Enos men of God dwelt confusedly among other children of Adam that liued in a maner all without reason law religion as there appetite lead them like bruit beastes made gyddy with the stroke of Gods curse Noe dwelt with continually preached to the old world whose execrable impieties opened the windowes of heauen and abhominable transgressions brought the seas to transgresse their boundes the riuers their bankes the fountaines their brinkes conspiring against nature to ouerwhelme their cursed carcasses with an vniuersall sloud Ahraham the father of the chosen of the Lord out of many as one grape of the cluster and a plant out of great people 4 Esd 9. did liue frequent conuerse and traffik with many misbeleeuing nations Isaac did eat make and sweare alliance with th' infidell Abimelek Iacob abode with the idolater Laban serued him maried his daughters he visited his brother Esau reiected by God he gratified him with offers and presents he called him his Lord. The Israelits dwelt and liued among th'Aegyptiens Canaanits Syrians Assirians Medes Persians they concluded leagues with the Greekes Romains they I say that were forbidden more expresly then we they erected Synagogues in all regions they were not able to withstand the manifold changes in their Religion euen within their principall Citie within the shadow of their temple they were defiled with idolatries heresies and schismes they saw themselues sundred into many sectes of Pharisies Saduces and Essens The Prophets haunted the Palaces of the kings of Iuda and Israell though they had cleane forsaken the Lordes way Samuel conuersed with Saul Ahias and other Prophetes frequented Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat and patron of Idolatrie reuolt and ingratitude against God and his soueraigne he that

Aegypt to Canaan The people of Israel were deteyned in hard thraldome by th' Egyptians worne and welnigh consumed by the wildernes fought with by nations fubdued by th' Assyrians kept out of their country by the Medes sent home by the Persians they hyred their freedome of the Greekes were maistred and finally scattred of the Romaines The Christian Church began in an Estate most defaced then of al the world in Iury vnder the tyrannie of Priests and their partakers vnder the tyranny of Kings of that countrie of Deputie-Consuls Lieutenants of the Romain Emperours In fine th' Arabians Tartares and Turkes chased the Church out of Iury she entred other Prouinces of Asia in all humilitie and sufferance there she was oppressed by the gouernours people from thence expelled by the Turkes she is come into Europe where she hath found no fewer enemies then elswhere It is so farre of that the Church hath founded Empyres that rather she hath ruined them not of her set purpose but because th' inhabitants of the earth cou'd not endure her they smote themselues against her and so are sheeuered in peeces the Church hath alwaies bene as a cup of poyson to al the peoples round about her Zach. 12. as an heauy stone to them whosoeuer hath assaied to lift it vp hath bene torne asunder kingdomes haue bene eclypsed dismembred and suddamly come to naught how great mighty rich soeuer they were but the Church notwithstanding hath mainteined her selfe from the beginning of the world she hath euer yet continued and for euer wil continue what so euer her weaknes and pouertie is here below she hath neuer bene but an hādfull of lowly creatures and vnmiglitie and yet hath God preserued her maugre the huge multitude force and victories of those peoples that poured out their whole power vpon her to crush her quite they perished she hath escaped a douzen or thirteene meane persons without weapons and help of hande haue new-built her amid mens furie armes and torments Nations had no other care but to hinder them their scepters and swords were broken and blunted with bidding and striking they haue wrought their owne ruine the Church hath passed on her way she hath atteyned the port and land she hath bene preserued as pleased God Learne we therefore in no wise to mingle the cause of temporall gouernments with the cause of the Church learne we that true religion soloweth not fortune nor scepters ne leaneth on them but contrarily that scepters shun and reiect it that she takes not her encrease of them but contrariwise is proyned by them that God knowes well to mainteine and augment her as he iudgeth expedient all crossing gain-strise of worldly powers notwithstanding I wil not say that the crownes of this world and religion meete not God permitteth it sometime for to refresh his people afflicted and with fighting against their miseries tired and to shew that he is wel able if he will to geue them the contentments of this world but by and by remembring the frailtie of the flesh apt to corrupt if it be not exercised he sundereth them to certifie her also that she lay hold on contentation elswhere than here below the histories of the Bible are our lessons for all these things Then let not religion be to vs any more a cloked pretence to worke vnrighteousnesse to peruert the order of successions in denying to Princes Lords that which is their due If we haue sound it reasonable in iustice which concerneth priuate persons not to depriue the sonne brother neuew cousen or other kinsman reformed of the inheritance and whole succession of his father or other of his kin being Papist why practise we not the very same iustice in the succession of the Crowne the reason of both is all one the greatnes of the person fee or land causeth not difference in iustice Th'angle or corner is the reason of the whole Figure as then th'angle point of the greater square is equall to the'angle point of the lesse euen so in like difficultie the same reason holdeth betweene the great and the small But consider we yet your opinion on another side Doubtlesse all power is ordeyned of God as S. Paul saith Rom. 13. It is God that geues and translates the scepter from person to person from familie to familie and from nation to nation He taketh kings away and establisheth kings as saith Daniel Dan. 2. By him are aduanced Emperors Kings Princes Gouernors and Magistrates that is his seruants though most commonly they liue not agreeably to him but he vseth them as swordes that see not what they cut He stirred vp th' Assyrian kings to chastice the Israchtes the Medes to punish the Assyrians the Persians to deliuer his people He stirred vp good Princes to refresh chearish and fauor his Church the cruel and persecuting to correct and cleanse proine and pare away her pride riot couetise ambition and false semblant In his secrete counsell are made the particion of Prouinces on earth he sent Tamberlane into Asia Attila into Europe and the Visigothes into Afrike Sith kings are geuen and sent by him they are to be obeyed without enquiring what they be chiefly when they come by order accustomed for them we may not doubt of his will good and faithful Subiects do neuer refuse to obey a Gouernor sent them by their king they take notice but of the letters cōmission of their king by greater reason are we bound to receiue them that God hath sent vs without enquirie of their worthinesse or desert For kings both may and oft inough doo mistake in their clections and misse of their expectation and intents but with God it is not so he cannot be deceiued Euen he that absolutely commaundeth vs by his Apostles to obey them for conscience sake be it to suffer vexation and wrong onely because they be ordeined by him Rom. 13. Let euery one saith S. Paul submit himselfe to superior powers For there is no power but of God all powers that are be ordeyned of God and therefore he that resisteth power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist Tit. 3. doe procure their owne damnation And againe warn them that they be subiect to principalities and powers S. Peter saith submit your selues to al order of mē 1. Pet. 3. euen to suffer trouble iniustice for the name of God Obey Princes Lords say they for Gods for conscience sake It is not then for their religions sake that we must obey them it is for our religions sake it is for our conscience sake it is for Gods sake who hath commaunded it The holy Scripture affoordeth vs examples so expresse of th' obedience of the Church to all kings and Gouernors infidels persecutors tyrants and others that it may seeme the holy Ghost registred them expresly to resolue vs in this difficultie The Israelites Gods people were inioined by the Lord to auoid all

societies and alliances with infidels and Idolaters they had no commandement as had the Christians to communicate their religion to all nations also they ought to haue bene and so were of all people most ielous of the puritie of their religion and preseruation thereof neuerthelesse when their kings and successors forsooke the way of God for to sacrifice in the lugh places betaking themselues to idol-worship and seruing of strange Gods they stouped vnder the mightichand of God and receiued such kings as God would graunt them and therefore they neuer went about to expel their kings nor made exceptiō or resistāce to their successors for religions sake they endured the gouernment of Ieroboam Achab Ioram Ochosias Achas Manasses Amō many mo endued with nothing but vngodlines They impeached not the successiō of that most wicked idolatrous Iorā to the very deuout meek Iosaphat So succeeded Ochosias to Ioram Achas to Ioatham Manasses to Ezekias Amon to Manasses and Ioacham to Iosias Now we Christians are much more bound to th' obedience of all Magistrates either faithfull or misbeleeuers For our true profession is of humilitie subiection and obedience as th' Apostles in many places aboue cited and directed to vs haue prescribed But besides that hath Iesus Christ by his commaundements and actions stopped our mouth and ouerthrowen whatsoeuer may be proponed to excuse you or maintaine your opinion He being God Math. 17. Mar. 12. and able easily to reuerse all power acknowledged Tiberius for Emperour an idolater if euer any were he payed him Tribute and commaunded it to be payd him he bad that honour obedience and seruice due to Emperours should be yeelded him Are we greater and more honorable then Iesus Christ that we should peruert th' order of successions the lawes estate of the Realme to chuse vs as a king Iesus enquired not he stood not vpon the Emperours religion and other qualities he is God we be men we be what him pleaseth we be we haue no being nor qualitie belonging but by him he might by right haue excused himselfe after the lawes of the world of paying tribute as himselfe saith howbeit to th' end he should not offend the maiestie of kings he payed it but we not onely offend our Princes but also rather than acknowledge them we will seeke the ouerthrow of th' estate and any part thereof The Apostles acknowledged kings Lieutenants and Magistrates though insidels rendred them obedience S. Paul submitted himselfe to the gouernment and iurisdiction of the Emperours of Italie and their Lieutenants he sought out their priuiledges allowed their lawes and vsed them for his aid he appeared before them and vnder-went their iurisdiction and according to the order of the same yeelded himselfe at the Emperours feet whither to he had appealed And sithence then haue Christen Churches continued their dutie of obedience to Princes of the Countries they were in being Pagans and their persecutors We are bound not onely to obay but furthermore to pray for them 1. Tim. 2. thus S. Paul commaundeth I warne that afore all things requests prayers supplications thank esgiuing be made for all men for kings and all them that are set in auctoritie to wit though they be Idolaters though they persecute and imprison vs as hath bene said So the children of Israel hauing bene vanquished spoiled and led into captiuitie in the citie of Babylon the seat of all Idolatrie see how God commaundeth them by his prophet leremie Iorem. 29. craue for the peace of the citie into which I haue caused you to be translated and pray to the Lord for it Nay moreouer the Lord takes part against them that disobey their superiours he deemeth it an iniurie done to himselfe for good reason it is sith he sent them that he should conceiue displeasure at the disobedience showen them and therefore he threatneth the disobedient they shall procure themselues damnation saith S. Paul Admit though the kings were not our naturall and lawfull kings but by vsurpation by violence by title of conquest alone yet he threatneth and pardoneth not if we disobey them Euen so the Lord by way of reproch saith to his people by the prophet Baruch Bar. 2. Bow your shoulder and your necke and serue the king of Babilon and you shal be seated in the land which I gaue vnto your fathers but if ye do it not if ye hearken not to the voice of the Lord your God to serue the king of Babylon I will bring to passe that ye shall no more be in the cities of Iuda nor come out of the citie of lerusalem I will take from you the voice of mirth the voice of ioy the voice of the bridegrome the voice of the spouse all the land shal be without any signe they that inhabit the same Behold how he witnesseth his will that his people obey the idolatrous king Nabuchodonosor and threatneth fearefull penalties if they obey him not But threats alone sufficed him not it fortuned his people to reuolt against Nabuchodonosor he made them feele th' effect of all his threatnings and curses Ierusalem because of this reuolt was taken by force and sacked 4. Reg. 25. most of the Israelites put to the sword the rest enchained like captiues were led to Babilon where they endured a very long time intollerable slauery their king Sedekias was taken his eyes pluckt out and after ended his daies in most vile bondage Finally one cōsideration among the rest should make all Christians abhorre the disturbers of Estates vpon earth and such as rise against their Princes to impeach their auctoritie or force them to slie and should warne them carefully to beware that they forte not themselues with such That is 2. Thess 2. 2. Pet. 2. Iud. 1. our Lord Iesus Christ and his Apostles haue left written in many places that to rise against powers to consound trouble and go about to dispose them is a token of Antichrist Aduise your selues my children how ye may remoue from your Church the suspition hereof Let vs not say it is the Resormed that trouble our state that disobey the king his Lieutenants and Magistrates because they will not go to the Masse and make their profession For it is none of that wherein God willeth vs to obey earthly powers He imparteth kings this honour to take them for his Lieutenants in gouernment of the world but not in all gouernment he hath reserued to himselfe one parte which he will not haue them meddle with namely the gouernance of the highest parte of the soule of the conscience and religion he hath giuen herevpon his lawes and commaundements which he willeth to be preferred afore the commaundements of men he liketh not that men should enterprise ought ouer them he is aboue the kings of th' earth he is their Creator it is good reason that his commaundements should ouer-rule theirs For so S. Peter and S. Iohn being in all things else