recouered the Arke of God from contēpt receiued in the time of Iudges of Saul placed it more comely he appointed Priests Leuites singers and doore-keepers to minister in the tabernacle of the lord He aduised kings to looke vnto their duties Psal 2 And now ye kings vnderstād be learned which iudge the land serue the Lord in feare c. Salomon did beare the highest charge in religion Salomon Asa and Iehosaphat tooke charge of religion not onely in building the Lords Temple but also in consecrating hallowing of the same What should I speak of Asa who hauing the charge of religion did rid away the Idols out of all the land of Iuda Beniamin 2. Chro. 6 2. Chro. 15 2. Chro. 29.30.81 c. And of Iehosophat who tooke away the hil-altars and groues out of Iuda Of Ezechias who following the footsteps of his father Dauid in the beginning of his raign the first yeare and first moneth opened and refurnished the gates of Gods house commaunded the priestes to heare him to become holy to cleanse the Lords house and to rid all filthines out of his sanctuarie appointed Leuits with cymbals Psalters harps according to the ordinance of the king his father The like is written of Iosias who vsed the same power authority in the like case Now then since it is so cleare Iohn 12.18 Rom. 13.1 that kings princes are the seruants of God established in authority girded by him with a bawdrier to the end that not only honesty of life should be maintained opposed to violence dissolution but that the true seruice of God should be aduanced contrary to idolatry superstitiō Therfore they ought with all the power which God hath giuen thē to vphold the holy ministery worship of God as wel in vprightnes of discipline as purity of doctrine that both may be cōformable to the word of the Lord testified by Christ his Apostles without adding or clipping or altering consequently bridle as much as they can punish according to the exigence of the case the perturbers of the peace of the Church For religiō belongs not to the left but to the right hād of a prince neither is there any crown so curiously wrought or cunningly set with precious pearles that can half so beautifie a princes person as to seek to promote the glory of the lord and to take these Foxes which seeke to vndermine his vineyard The seruants of Benhadad king of Syria 1. King 20 Traitors make mercy the groundworke of mischiefe what wrong soeuer they had offered to Israel yet fallen into the lapse would reuiue and recomfort themselues with these words Behold we haue heard say that the kings of Israell are mercifull kings let vs therefore put sackcloth about our loins and ropes about our neckes and go to the king of Israell it may be that he will saue our liues Thus standing vpon what may be and not what ought to be what peraduenture he would and not what they deserued they make mercie the ground plot of mischiefe But the king is reproued and it is told him thy life shall go for his life and thy people for his people No lesse are those runnagate ruffians to be regarded with thē which welcome and intertaine them For as the practise of the one is to steale away the hearts of subiects so the mark that the other aime at is to lend them their hands against their countrie if time should serue their turne The Almightie God preserue her Maiestie and euermore increase all zeale in her for the punishment of his her enemies that as Asa commaunded all such to be slaine as would not serue the God of Israell as Darius deliuered Daniel 1. King 15 Daniel 6 Daniel 4 2. King 19 2. King 23 and cast his enemies into the den of the Lions as Nabuchadnezzar serued him who by proclamation forbad any in his Dominion to blaspheme the true and very God as Ezechias and Iosias serued him by ouerthrowing the groues and the places that were set vp contrarie to Gods commaundement So she with Dauid hating Gods enemies with a perfect hatred may seeke to root them out more and more and as alreadie she hath broken downe the lofts that were builded to idolatrie ouerthrowne polluted and defiled the altars defaced the vessels that were made for Baal and for the host of heauen so she may cut vp the verie roots of iniquitie and expell the Cananites that the Common-wealth of Israell be not troubled O let not the glozing speech of any ambitious parasite dazle her highnesse eies nor boulster vp poperie by a false perswasion to further clemencie but let him be dishonoured in a day that is not truly zealous for the honour of his God and let him die the death that wisheth not her Maiesties throne to stand steadie as the seat of Salomon and you that feare the Lord and loue his truth say Amen Furthermore as the foresight of her Highnes most honourable counsell hath appeared in shielding vs from forraine foes so ought their chiefe circumspection to be seen in shielding vs from domesticall feare Then shall we being free in our bowels from sedition at home be stronger to withstand forraine power abroad It is not a safe thing to lay the bridle vpon the necke of such dangerous practitioners by whom both prince your selues our liues our countrie our fortunes may be hazarded in an instant execution of discipline is a perfit mithridate against al dangerous conspiracies insurrections seditions rebellions and all popish pollicies Correct saith Bensyra a wise man with a nod and a foole with a club there hath been mildnesse and lenitie shewed long enough there hath been becking and nodding and notting long enough but the froward will not receiue information What remaineth then but an hammer or an hatchet or a club execution I meane of Iustice against these household enemies Your H. shall rightly propose to your selues the example of Moses who for the like cause hanged vp the princes of the people teaching thereby all good rulers to make them examples in suffering who haue been the ringleaders in offending Here also to you the graue sages of this land may rightly a lesson be read I meane the Iudges placed ouer Gods people to iudge soundly substantially betwixt brethren and brethren vnto whom God hath after a sort lent his name and his seat The dutie of Iudges in hunting the Foxe to teach you chiefly to regard and maintaine his owne honour If it be your duties to punish theeues murtherers and such like perturbers of the peace of the Common-wealth then much more the vnderminers of the Lords vineyard grosse Idolaters hollow hearted votaries disloyal persons whose liberties prosperities in a Christian Church what can it elfe argue but that iustice is turned into iugling and true religion either into heathenish prophanenes or Romish superstition You may not forget that
A TOILE FOR TWO-LEGGED FOXES Wherein their noisome properties their hunting and vnkenelling with the duties of the principall hunters and guardians of the spirituall vineyard is liuelie discouered for the comfort of all her Highnes trustie and true-hearted subiects and their encouragement against all Popish practises By I. B. Preacher of the word of God CANTICLES 2.15 Take vs these Foxes and these young Cubs which destroy these vines while our vines bud forth 2. CHRON. 15.8 Asa made a law in his time that whosoeuer would not seeke the Lord God of Israel should be slaine whether he were small or great man or woman A Maxima As Poperie and treacherie goe hand in hand whilest Poperie is kept vnder so Poperie and crueltie are companions vnseparable if once Poperie get the vpper hand LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man 1600. TO ALL FIRME AND FAITHFVLL LOVERS OF TRVE RELIGION and loyaltie encrease of peace and ioy in Christ Iesus MAnifold haue been the opinions of men concerning the soueraigne good and welfare of mankinde Different opinions about mans soueraigne good Epicures The swinish Epicures sought it in sensualitie and carnall delights and to couer their shame haue bestowed great trauaile to disguise their lady pleasure and to make her goe for an honest woman Stoiks The Stoicks placed their welfare in morall vertue and in the right reigning of reason as though man were made for himselfe and not for common societie fearing least their surmised felicitie should fall to the ground they haue sought to vnderprop it with health wealth strength courage measurable pleasure c. The Peripateticks Peripateticks make two sorts of blessednes the one consisting in action which is politike or ciuill the other in contemplation which they call wisdome The Academicks Academicks or Platonists mount somewhat higher and considering that contemplation is but a continuall wrastling sometimes against the obscuritie of things and sometimes against the dimnes of our minds say that felicitie is to be ioyned vnto God and to become like vnto him who is the furthest end the highest top the vttermost bound of all blessednes Thus some of them haue groped in the darknes of this world for that which cannot be found here and others haue soared aloft but yet far too short in finding out that resting poynt whereat euery one ought to aime True religion the meanes to attaine our well fare and what true religion is How thē must we attaine vnto it surely by that which they knew not that is to wit true religiō which is the right rule of seruing God of reuniting mā vnto him that he may be saued of the which true religion there be three especiall marks so much the more worthy of deepe impression in our minds because many foolish ceremonies haue disguised themselues in the attire of true religion The first marke is The first marke of true religion to worship the onely God of Israel wherein behold how Sathan hath tyrannized ouer mankind in making mē forge as many gods as they had fancies as that people in Africke who worshipped that which they met first in the morning or the Assyrians that worshipped as many gods as they had townes or the Persians Mans vanitie being destitute of Gods word that worshipped as many gods as there be fires in the earth or stars in the skie or the Aegyptiās that worshipped as many gods as they had plants or trees or the Romans who subduing nations wan their superstitions so became the sinck-pan of Idolatries In a word the diuell by Gods permission so deluded the world that some made gods of their goods some worshipped the beasts which God gaue them for their benefite some builded Temples to their passions some made gods of themselues some deified their kings as the Aegyptians their king Apis the Babylonians their Belus the Macedonians their Cabyrus the Latines their Faunus the Sabines their Saucus the Romans their Quirinus what Christians will not shudder at the rememberance of such mysteries when Euripides could speake thus Euripides Thou Neptune and thou Iupiter likewise with other gods whom faining words disguise If that due Iustice vnto you were doone both heauē temples should be emptie soone Then the first chiefe note of the true religion is that the true immortall God be onely worshipped who founded the earth and stretched out his meat-line ouer it who shutteth vp the sea within the banks and boundeth the waters who maketh light and darknes holdeth backe the Pleiades and vnbindeth Orion who spreadeth out the heauens like a curtaine and maketh his chambers in the depths who maketh the windes his messengers and the elements his seruants This I say is the true God who in his worship admitteth no collaterall companions and as for the rest gods in name and not in nature they are like vnto dog leaches which professe but the curing of one disease onely or common craftsmen which professe but the skill of some one mysterie The second marke of true religion is The second marke of true religion that we serue this onely God aright As for the Philosophers they also were pricking at this poynt but so that they were alwaies too wide or too short for which of them euer said that God is a spirite and ought to be serued in spirite True it is they set downe many morall precepts for direction of mens manners but when they come to the matters of God they either speake of them dreamingly or deeme of them ouerthwartly yea the seruices of God inuented by man are but so many childish imaginations not onely vnbeseeming the maiestie of God but farre inferiour to the discretion of a man as gaming 's stage plaies running of horses sword playings wrastlings buffetings and such like Aristotle in his metaphysicks commendeth a certaine answere of Symonides to Hieron King of Sicilie which was that none but God ought to haue skill of things that are aboue nature much lesse then to dispose of Religion that is to shew the meanes how to surmount nature The countrie clowne should shew himselfe ridiculous if hee should take vpon him to set downe how his Prince should be serued and yet is he a man as well as his Prince differing in state and not in nature What is to be said then of man being a worme lesse then a worme in respect of the euerliuing God if he will needs prescribe him his seruice Surely as none can see the sunne but by the helpe of the sunne so none can serue God The third marke of religion but by the light of his word There is a third marke without the which religion although in it selfe the path to saluation is nothing else but a booke wherein we reade the sentence of our owne deaths Therefore religion must shew vs a meanes to satisfie Gods Iustice without the which not onely all other religions but euen that which conteineth the true seruice
accusers intemperate fierce despisers of them which are good traitours headie hy minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a show of godlinesse but haue denyed the power thereof these are they which giue the Lord Iesus after a sorte the curtesie of Iudas Math. 26. These are like to Simon the sorcerer who walkt with Phillip like an Apostle Act. 8. but wrought with money like a wordling like to Achabs wife who went most demurely when the would speake with the Prophets Why hypocrits are well likened to Foxes And surely as in other respectes so in this these pargetted professours of the gospell are rightly called Foxes because as the Foxe his skin is more worth then his carcasse so their skinnes that is their outward profession is more worth than their conuersations Truth it is these after a sort haue cast off the Pope with his superstitiōs The Idolatrie of gospelling hypocrites but they haue not put vpon them Iesus Christ with his righteousnes They haue renounced the Idols of wood and stone but harbour Idols as dangerous in their hearts couetousnes theft crueltie fornication vncleannes wantonnes and such like goddesses There is a mightie generation of these kind of Foxes in this land and these late yeares of scarcitie and dearth hath laid open the hearts of many of them These deere years haue laid open many deceitfull hearts who contrarie to their holy professions and to the power of religion haue taken their aduantage of the time and made a pray of the poore without all mercie not caring to passe away their birth-rights for Esaus soup nor to sell paradise for a licorous morsell But what should I need to broach the hypocrisie of this people since they themselues without common care of their holy callings to the great shame of themselues haue cried at the market crosse But ye Gourmandisers Grubbers and grinders of the poore ye craftie priers into the needie mans extremitie to make your gaine of his paine and your commoditie of his miserie you cunning contriuers for priuate profit ye artificiall forgers of dearth and famine deuourers of mens quicke and liue flesh how long wil you presume to come into Gods house as if you were of it Ye false fingerers sellers with false sleights false measures false weights terrigenae fratres adorers of your God Māmon when wil you shake off the cloake of hypocrisie Ye tiplers tauern hunters ye epicurean cōpanions beastly belli-gods ye quarrel broachers and action threatners ye bellowes of hell fire which liue by setting others on pleading which beat your braines to lengthē the perchment as long as you can how long shall the Lord suffer you to appeare in his house in which there is nothing but peace and equitie Ye leasemongers rent-rackers ye enclosers and make-beggars neuer well at ease vntill yee haue taken possession of Naboth his vineyard ye towne-batterers ioyners of house to house and land to land vntill there be no place for the poore whē will you leaue to come to Sermons for a shew and to make religion a cloake for such horrible impietie You are bastard children and not the true generation of Iacob Therfore presume not to say that you are the sonnes of Abraham for if you thus walke the diuell is your father It is you that haue opened the mouthes of our enemies whose blind charitie layeth so hard to your lame faith you haue caused the gospell to be ill spoken of and the name of our God to be blasphemed the Lord reforme your hearts and grant you greater mercy On the other side you that by the grace of God are not guiltie of this great contempt be diligent earnest true and faithfull in your duties towards Almightie God who in the day appointed shall set you with his Angels for euer to praise him and shall cast the polluted and vncleane out of his Church This great God and righteous iudge saue vs from the temptations of Sathan that we may cleaue vnto him in faith and truth Amen CHAPTER 7. The vnkenelling of the Foxe and the dutie of the terriers HAuing before declared the conditions and manners of these Foxes which destroy the vines it followeth next in order that we speake something concerning the vnkenelling of these Romish Foxes which of all other are most daungerous to the state both of Church and Common-wealth The which we shall performe the better if we still compare a Foxe with a Foxe Now first of all it is well knowne to Foxe-hunters that the Foxe holds the strongest couerts that he flieth from the field as a beast which trusteth not in the swiftnes of his legs Properties of a Foxe when he is in chase nor the strength of his bodie that he wheeleth about the thickets and though he find none other helpe but a bush he wil flie to it for his safegard so it is with this kind of cattell for being hunted they runne abroad here and there but especially fly from the fields into the woods Whither the two-legged Foxes flie being hunted enquiring where there is one that makes no conscience of his ministerie that will be content for handfuls of barley and morsels of bread for tyth cockes and tyth sheaues to cloake a Catholickes knauerie enquiring also where there is an vntaught people fit for all religions and all princes raignes and consequently apt to swallow a bait of poisoned perswasion that is a couert for a Catholick thither flock the Foxes and feed without feare Againe another propertie of the Foxe is How the Foxes make their kenels to make his denne in the ground that is hard to dig as in galt clay or such like earth the passage into his earth being streight and going very farre in before it come to his couch hauing also many holes thorow which to vnearth himselfe Euen so it is with this kind they make their burrowes strong they haue so many streight passages so many muses so many winding corners so many turnings so many interturnings and starting holes that it is a matter full of difficultie to find the couch of a Catholicke Hard to vnkenell a Foxe-priest especially of a Priest or Iesuite In so much as I may iustly say of them as Caesar said of the Scythians difficilius est inuenire quam superare It is harder to find them than to foile them For experience hath taught vs that when it hath beene a matter vndoubted that a Foxe priest hath beene readie to say masse and therefore his denne hath beene compassed the terriers haue winded him and all his pretie trinkets haue been found prepared for so great a peece of worke yet in the ende the Foxe would not be found Perhaps he serues the hunters now and then as the fish called the Cuttle serues the fisherman which when she is like to be taken casteth forth a slimie humor like vnto ynke and so darkning the vpper part of the water and dazeling
the fishermans eies marres his aime and escapeth the daunger Which sithens it is so the greater the care ought to be that there be such godly wisedome and cunning in hunting them such toiles such nets as are fit for such seruice that there be such ministers as are able to handle the sword of gods word with both hāds that is to say be able to confirme the established Great need of good Foxe-hunters to reclaime the back-sliders to confute the aduersarie and if the will of God be to transforme the Foxes into sheepe such magistrates as haue a zeale to fence and hedge in the vineyard of the Lord of hostes from the subtill inuasions and vnderminings of these noysome vermine such toyles as are able to hold both the great and little Foxes For where blinde guides are placed in the watch towre and the basest liues are in the highest roomes there Foxes indaunger the flocke and many times finde more fauour then stands with the preseruation of the sheepe or safe continuing state of the best affected subiectes Pursiuants Parators In this place fit occasion is offered to speake neither may I passe it ouer with silence of a couple of terriers appointed for the hunting and vnkenelling of these Foxes whose true and hot hunting of them as it is rightly to be commended where it is to be found so the contrary doth breed great corruption in the Church and is much to be lamēted For the better redressing of these deformities which are too manifest bringing of these terriers into good hūting it would be carefullie respected of them that haue power to reforme it that they buy not their places for this is an approued truth that they will sell deare in the retaile which they bought in the grosse that is will sucke profit out of the vilest things cut mens garments off by the skirts for desire of gain hereby haue rushed horrible incōueniences both into church cōmonwealth Againe the Foxe hath many wiles wherby to make these Foxe-hounds at a fault or to hunt counter especially he hath a mixture made of cogworth broad way Vox populi penimate together with a few ratle flowers called goold maries or mary-goolds which being steeped in a little diuels milke cast into their eies makes them starke blind stops their sents hence it commeth to passe that popery beareth such swindge because papists can pay wel that adultery fornication scape without punishment because wantons haue money I say no more let this be a watch-word to them whom it especially concerneth CHAPTER 8. The principall reasons why God suffereth home-bred enemies to be in the bosome of his Church fit to be considered of such as are not throughly perswaded in this point IF the Christian Church be impugned by open enemies as Iewes Turkes Tartarians and such as haue opēly renounced the person of the great sonne of God and are cut off as rotten members men not greatly regard it But when such as are bred and nourished in the bosome of the Church seeke to vndermine and supplant it those household conflicts home-bred battailes are they which trouble many in these daies Household conflictes trouble many weake Christians O say they here is so much arguing and disputing such diuisions and diuersities of opinions that a man knowes not which way to turne himselfe To helpe such as without any good cause are thus put to a gaze They must first vnderstand that it is the will of God that his Church shall not be free from these inward offences and secondarily know the principall reasons why he will haue it so Although our God as he is the God of order and not of confusion commendeth and deliuereth vnto vs his discipline yet notwithstanding he suffereth the hypocrites for a time to haue their being amongst the faithfull vntill the full restoring and reforming of his kingdome in the last day The Church shall not be free from offences Math. 13. Which thing is taught by that of our Lord Iesus Christ where he resembleth the kingdome of heauen to a net cast into the sea and gathering all kind of fishes c. to a field wherin whilest the good husbandman soweth his wheat the enuious came and scattered his teares The Apostles also haue foretold the same that the Church of God shall be pestered with pestilent enemies and that they shall come with an efficacy of errour This know saith saint Paul that in the latter daies some shall depart from the faith 1. Tim. 4.1.2.3 and shall giue heed vnto spirits of error and doctrines of deuils which speake lies through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned off with a hot yron c. But there were false prophets saith Saint Peter 2. Pet. 2.1.2.3 also among the people euen as there shall bee false teachers among you Which priuily shall bring in damnable heresies euen denying the Lord that hath bought them and bring vpon themselues swift damnation The mysterie of iniquitie began to worke in the Apostles time 1. Iohn 4.1.2 Thus the misterie of iniquitie began to worke in the Apostles times as appeareth in Col. 2. Galath 1. Therefore Saint Iohn exhorteth not to beleeue euerie spirit but trie the spirits whether they are of God for many false Prophets are gone out into the world And why should this trouble you so much Doe you not see that the cockle the corn growe both in one field the lillie and the thorne both on one ground the blossome and the blast both on one tree the flowre and the weed both in one garden the sheepe and the goates doe feed both in one pasture know you not that in one arke were beasts cleane and vncleane and that the Apostle saith that in one house be vessels of honour and vessels of dishonour then wonder not to see the good and the bad mingled together but consider the reasons giue God the glorie and take heed to thy faith There be two principall reasons why the Lord suffereth these houshold enemies to be in the midst of his vineyard the first is for the probation and trial of his seruants whether they be vnfainedly coupled vnto him in the spirituall bond of faith and of loue Deut. 13. If there arise amongst you saith Moses a Prophet or c. Thou shalt not harkē vnto the words of that Prophet or vnto that dreamer of dreams For the Lord your God proueth you to know whether you loue the Lord your God with al your heart with all your soule And indeed it is necassarie that we be kept in continual exercise of faith and praier of patience and constancie and therefore is it said that the Lord would not cast out before his people of Israel any of the natiōs which Iosua left when he died that through them he might proue Israell whether they would keepe his waies to walke therein or no And to this effect Saint Paul
saith 1. Cor. 11. that there must be heresies that they which are approued might be knowne 1. Corin. 11. Where also that of Augustine is worthie remembrance let vs vse heretikes saith he not to that end to approue their errours but that by defending the Catholickes doctrine against their deceits we may be more watchful and warie because it is most truly written there must be heresies that the tried approued may be manifested or discouered from the holow harts amongst you Let vs vse this benefit of Gods prouidence for heretikes are made of such as would erre or be naught thogh they were in the Church but being out they profit vs exceedingly not by teaching the truth which they know not but by stirring vp the carnall in the Church to seeke truth and the spirituall to cleare the truth Thus then it is apparant that both the weaker and the stronger the carnall and the spirituall may profit by heresies and schismes which the Lord suffereth in his Church the one by learning the other by teaching for they shall trie our faith and our loue whether we be counterfeits dissemblers whether we wil be suddainly wind-shaken whether we will forsake the truth and follow falsehood or whether faith be grounded in our hearts or no For like as in the time of Moses God suffered great magitians to be in Aegypt that he might make his owne power more euident in Moses so he suffereth heretikes as sorcerers or enchanters to be in the Church that the power of praier of faith of loue of zeale might be more apparant A crab oftentimes carrieth the coat of an apple and is not well knowne but by the taste copper hath the colour of gold is not so well tried as by the touch an hypocrite may lurcke vnder the shadow of a beleeuer and is not throughly manifested vntill his faith be tried but the beliefe of Gods children is like vnto the glaze-worme which glittereth most brightly in the darkest night or like the lampe that giues most light in the darke But some will say alas we are no clearkes and in these diuisions and disputings here is euery one alledging scripture for himselfe what shall we doe or what course shall we take that are vnlearned For the better helping of you in this hazard first looke whether euerie one alledgeth scripture or no for that goeth for scripture many times with the Catholicks which is no more to be found in the booke of the Bible thē Paradise in hell Secondly know them to be false teachers which for confirmation of doctrine of faith alledge any other testimonies ouer and besides the scriptures for mans writings are no further to be credited then they bring warrant from the word of God which containeth the whole counsell of God touching our saluation If they reply that all is not written which the Apostles taught answere them with that which is said by the Apostle who requireth nothing besides the scriptures to make the man of God complete then compare their vnwritten traditions with Gods written truth the light will straight discouer their darknes Thirdly if the interpretations be repugnant so as one or more of them must needs be erronious then conferre scripture with scripture and expounde scripture by scripture as Christ teacheth and lastly referre the whole vnto the correspondency of the articles of faith the briefe abridgments of christian religion and then if thou bringest with thee a teachable minde and a desire to learne in humilitie thou shalt not erre but finde Christ in his owne home that is in his word The second reason why the Lord suffereth his Church to be troubled with deceitfull companions is his proportionable iustice against the vnbeleeuers And that Saint Paul meaneth when he saith that when men haue no minde to obey God and his truth 2. Thess 2.10 hee sendeth them false prophets euen with an efficacie and speedines of errour The beguiling of Achab showeth this euidently Who is it saith God that shall deceiue Achab as if he should say I see that he will needs be drawne vnto the bottome of hell for the wretch was defiled with his Idols had peruerted Gods seruice was full of all stubbornnes 2. King 22.2 and malice against the prophets would receiue no admonition Therefore God seeing him a man forlorne sendeth a lying spirit to beguile him But here marke one thing especially comfortable to Gods childrē that when God had giuen Sathan commission to execute his vengeance vpō the vnbeleeuers he not onely giueth him leaue to punish them with losse of goods sicknes of bodie c. but giues powre to leade them into errour vtterly to deceiue them and to carrie them away with lies This is apparant in the historie of the triall of Iob where Sathan his first commission is to touch his goods and the second to touch his body but he may not meddle with his soule Thus you see it standeth both with the manifestation both of the mercie and iustice of God to send deceitfull workmen into his Church CHAPTER 9. Eight reasons vnaunswerable prouing all perfect papists rotten-hearted subiects to all true christian princes THere is a kinde of people who faine would that Dauid should alwaies sing of mercie that as it may seeme by excessiue clemencie our Soueraigne might nourish a serpent in her owne bosome Wherefore although this matter hath been handled heretofore of such learned and godly men as tender the saftie of her Maiestie and the flourishing state of her trustie and true harted subiects yet since the argument fits this place so well I haue thought good to lend my hand to my brethren and to proue that no perfect papists can be sound faithfull subiects to their christian princes And I say perfect papists because that euerie one that is blemished or holdeth any one errour or article of doctrine that the Pope holdeth as perhappes purgatorie or prayer for the dead is in that article a papist Yet I count not euery one that thus is taynted within the compasse of false heartednes to the realme or vnder the title of traiterous papists for manie otherwise sound subiects are not purged from all infections wherwith the whorish Church hath poisoned them wherfore the cōsequent reasons must be vnderstood of perfit papists whose hearts since they be Italianated I thus frame my first reason to proue them rotten hearted subiects The first reason prouing perfit papists traiterous subiects to Christian Princes ALl good subiects which obey for conscience as euery one ought to doe must haue their consciences enfomed by the word of God But perfit papists hate our assemblies despise the preaching of the word which should direct their consciences both in dutie towards God and loyaltie towards their prince and in stead thereof entertaine a strange worship Therefore perfit papists cannot bee sound hearted subiects I haue heard wise men say that there is no knot of theeues so dangerous as when there is
How the papistes play the traitors against the priesthood of Christ For first demaund of them how the fruites of this originall rancour are washed away they wil tel you by the sufferings of Iesus Christ Wish themselues further to declare their meaning then the diuell sheweth his hornes that before appeared like an Angell and there ariseth by and by a smokie distinction out of the bottomlesse pit Popish distinction of sinnes mortall and veniall of sinnes some mortall some veniall whereby the glorie o◠Christ his passion is darkened For veniall sinnes say they deserue but temporall punishment whereof a man by some displeasance of them is washed with an holy water sprinckle or a Bishops blessing or with saying à mea culpa or by some petite penance c. Thus these Catholicke physitions in steed of vsing one purgatiue remedie without which euerie sinne becommeth deadly cast mens soules into a lethargie depriued of all true sense and motion as the emperiall Practickes vse the medicine which they call Narcoticall that is to say Popish distinction of sinnes going before Baptisme and after such as benumme and dead the diseased vntill they become past feeling They haue a second distinction of sinnes going before baptisme and of sinnes committed after as also between the guilt and the paine satisfactorie Popish distinction betwixt guilt plaine satisfactorie and all to this end to derogate from Christes worke of our redemption and to make that which proceedeth from vs of some worthinesse and merit How sinnes going before Baptisme are pardoned according to the schoole of Rome and how after which they call a worke of condignitie As for sinnes going before Baptisme they grant that they are pardoned throughly in regard of the guilt and the paine and that by some meanes of the vertue of the sacred water with the action it selfe of Baptisme But as for the sinnes committed after baptisme the guilt and trespasse is pardoned the paine satisfactorie remaines to be paid partly in this life partly after death but in a coyne which hath the Popes image and superscription In this life by pater nosters Note well aues pilgrimages fastings foundations and other paines imposed in eare confession after death he must pay the remainder in purgatorie Yea but he that is there they say can merit no longer what shall become of the poore soule then Why he must be fetcht out of the fire by praiers and good works of the liuing And what good works are those Masses Requiems Dirges holy water and such great deuotions But how many shall fetch them out They cannot tell that yet they haue taxed seuerall mortall sinnes at a certaine number of daies and yeares But what if he be come out alreadie Tush that is not the losse of a requiem or masse It shall be set vpon the tale of another score to be allowed other But who hath the bestowing of them For sooth the merchant royall of pardōs the Pope holy father Cold comfort for poore papistes But what shall become of the poore that is able to giue nothing to haue these great deuotions after his death Mary he were best to merit well in his life for no peny no Pater noster vnlesse it please the Merchant to bestow an almes of his ouerplusse Then if all this be sound wherto serueth the satisfaction of Christ O sir wot you not why to make all these afore named pretie trinkets auaileable and to send you for a season into purgatorie where as you should haue gone into hell for euer O treason Besides the spirit of lying hath so controuled and countermaunded the obligation once made for all by Iesus Christ that he hath borne men in hand that the same must euery day be really and actually reiterated And whereas the supper of the Lord was ordained True vse of the Lords Supper first that we should be made partakers of that mysticall vnion of Iesus Christ together with all his merits vnto eternall life and secondly to celebrate with solemne thankesgiuing his onely and holy sacrifice once for all made they insteed of this haue thrust in their Masse wherein they say their priestes make a full satisfacton both for the quick and dead Popish priests do more by their Masse then Christ by his merits if you list to beleeue them which Masse of theirs is of greater efficacy then the first oblatiō which the sacrificer himselfe offered vpon the crosse seeing in his as they say the paine satisfactorie is reserued still to be paied but theirs maketh an entire satisfaction O intollerable treason Alas O Lord how long wilt thou beare it The second point of our redemption is sanctification The protestāts doctrine concerning sanctification It is also called regeneratiō or new birth because by it we become new mē as touching the qualities of the soule For as man made not himselfe at the first but the power of God the creator no more is man able to make himselfe a new creature but this is by the power of him who is made vnto vs sanctification 1. Cor. 1.30 For the bringing of this to passe we teach that the corruption of nature in the first Adam is abolished in the flesh of the high priest the second Adam in whom wee being vnited by faith fulfill the law by meerely free imputation 1. Cor. 1.30 Secondly the Lord Iesus Christ drawing vs vnto him by his holy spirit formeth in vs both to will and to doe Ephe. 1.18 Psal 51.12 2. Cor. 5.17 Act. 26.18 Ephes 5.8 enlightening the eies of our vnderstanding framing a cleane heart within vs making vs from the head to the foot new creatures bringing vs out of darkenes into light and from death vnto life Altogether the Catholicke Sophistes contradict this truth Ephes 2 1.5 The sophists absurdities touching new birth teaching that our nature is not wholly slaued vnto sinne but onely feebled by the fall of the first man And so they make our nature but like a lame man and the grace of God as a paire of crutches to establish their owne merits Againe they say that originall sin is really abolished by the water of outward baptisme with the words and the Chrisme c. as much say they of actuall sinnes going before baptisme Note well and loth them in those that are of ripe discretion before they be baptised prouided alway that they be not in mortall sinne Thus first they see not our originall malady Secondly they sophisticate the remedie both in making a miserable mingle-mangle of mans pure naturals Gods supernaturall grace Thirdly in giuing power to a sound of words sprinkling of water And lastly in substituting their own toies in the place of the Lord Iesus Fie on thē presumptuous traitors Protestants doctrine touching Christ his intercession There is yet his intercession which is so called because the vertue and power of his sacrifice is alwaies before God Secondly
the Egyptians and what was the end of it Then conferre the same with our times and consider what kingdomes what princes what cities what people haue been ouerthrowne because they haue so confederated to their owne destruction The reason is because God hath been out of the league The sixt argument No perfect peace by kindling of Gods wrath and swaging of mans TO continue a realme in prosperitie by kindling of Gods wrath and asswaging of mans anger cannot stand with christian pollicie But by slacknes of punishment against Church enemies Gods wrath is kindled howsoeuer mans may seeme to be asswaged Therefore c. If wicked tyrants as one saith be onely rods in the hand of the Lord according to that of the prophet O Assur the rod of my furie and the staffe of my wrath then should the hand rather be pacified then the rodde but if it were possible that the rodde could bee pleased against the will of the hand then were it to be feared that the hand should cast the rodde away and take a beetle or a mawle or an hammer or an hatchet and beate vs to powder Many more reasons might be vsed to this purpose but these I thought at this time to alledge alwaies for mildnes and mercie reseruing a prerogatiue to my gratious soueraigne and her honorable councell a worthie vertue to a faithfull subiect but dangerous to a traytour For sedition groweth by suffering and clemencie is a spurre to rebellion I doe not disallow the sweete temperature of seueritie with mercie Seueritie tempered with mercy But yet it must not bee forgotten that the liues of princes are the liues of their common wealths whereby they must learne that being prodigall of their owne estates largiuntur ex alieno as a learned man hath said they giue that which is none of their owne to giue And therefore I dare auouch it that it is diuinitie and true christian pollicie to punish Gods and her highnes enemies and that her Maiestie and all christian princes in punishing of them shall retaine neuerthelesse by Gods word the names of milde and mercifull gouernours for if the children will needes bee so vnnaturall as to make their mother smart the mother shall show her selfe naturall in ministring due correction It is not good trusting them any longer who haue giuen her highnes and her realme so many earnests of their traiterous affections and forewarnings of their couert confederacies no no it is wisdome rather to follow the examples of miners which pursue the signes euery way It is wisedome to prouide a medicine before the sore as they spread in the ground till they be guided to the trunke or bodie of the mettall euen so to follow the appearances of suspitions and likelihoods vntill it be manifest what light made the shadow or what fire made the smoke A candles end not warilie snuffed a few imbers carelesly couched a few stickes not thorowly quenched haue brought many an househould to extreme woe and miserie wisedome will not stay till the flame being fed ouerpeere the hiest part of the roofe but will quench it before the strongest pillars be consumed then looke where the inconuenience lyeth and let Foxes rather be tyed short then hazard the deuouring of the flocke rather slippe off the branch sodainly then hazard the perishing of the whole bodie so shall you take a good course then treason and trecherous practises will not be so rife and such queasie stomackes as cannot brooke good counsell and wholsome exhortation but following euery disordered humor will be glad to keepe themselues within the compasse of christian dutie CHAPTER 11. Two principall gardiens of the spirituall vineyard by whom the Foxes must be taken ministers and magistrates wherein first of the duties of the ministers with an inditement found against many patrones of benefices THere be two principall hunters which the Lord of the vineyard vseth for the taking of these Foxes Ministers and Magistrates the one by the word the other by the sword By the word in reprouing their false doctrine by the true and in seeking to transforme them into sheepe by the sword in cutting off the putrified members least by their meanes the whole bodie be hazarded The first hunter is the Minister whose mouth and ministerie the Lord hath alwaies vsed to declare his will Ministers hunters of the spirituall Foxes and therfore they are called his mouth which for this cause in the holy scripture are diuersly named men of God seers prophets planters of the Lords vineyard builders of his house watchmen ouer his Citie husbandmen Pastours Doctors Ambassadours friendes of the bridgrome dealers in the marriage betweene Iesus Christ and his Church dispensers of the mysteries of God whose charge is vnderstood generally by the words of watching and feeding sometime more distinctly by attending vnto the word and praier Act. 6.4 2. Tim. 3.16 sometimes by the words of teaching improuing correcting and instructing sometimes by these words of watering and planting Therefore the Apostle calleth not this charge a dignitie 1. Cor. 3.6 1. Tim. 3.1 but a worke or busines And here orderly to proceed let me beseech you that are the chiefe fathers in our Church preferred to your places for your wisedome learning and grauities ouerseers of the flock bought with the precious bloud of Iesus Christ Act. 20. whose securitie in this busines hazardeth the health of the Church but circumspection shall daunt the pride of these wicked ones that seeke to bring vs into Babilon The wicked walke on euery side The papists speake proudly and neuer more proudly young ymps that neuer beheld papistrie in her brauest ruffe but haue sucked poyson from their mothers brests are not afraid to vomit blasphemies against the almightie let such Foxes be hunted helpe to reforme this for Gods glorie and seeke the recouerie of him that hath troad his foote awrie let not carefull preaching be choaked through desire of ambitious aspiring nor common care of the Church made sleepie through hungring after priuate profit why should they sleep and take their ease who ought to watch both for themselues and for others Againe I will speake to you learned brethren that hauing taken charge of christian soules properly are called hunters of the spirituall Wolues in sheepes cloathing and deceitful Foxes see that you oppose your selues against all theeues and robbers that seeke the spoyle of the Lords flocke against all tyrants that oppresse them al hypocrites in show godly but indeede prophane persons that giue offence by their deformities So shall you shunne those shamefull reproches which by Gods iust iudgment are fallen vpon many in these dayes yea so shall you shunne the great curses denounced against them which doe the worke of the Lord negligently and when the prince of pastours shall appeare you shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glorie And that you may the better performe this beware of the loue of this world it is like Aqua fortis