are altered religion mournes because her best seruants want their wages For they neuer gaue so fast as now they take away Sublatis studiorum praemijs ipsa studiae pereunt saith Cornelius Tacitus and substraction is become a great part of patrons study The conclusiō like to follow such polling premisses is the decay of learning piety religiō the bringing in of al Atheisme error Barbarisme For they which would study diuinitie aboue all when they see that the Church hath scarce the fauour of an ordinarie ward yea when they behold the contempt the beggerlines vexatiō and miserable want of the ministery are glad to fall to phisicke or law or some other trade Gen. 48 7 What shall I say of you You are worse thē Pharao for he had a care of his priests howsoeuer the world went with the rest You are not so kind to ministers of the gospel as Iesabel that painted harlot 1. King 18.19 These shall rise in iudgement against you Iud. 17. was to the prophets of the groues for she fed foure hundred at her table you are not half so religious as Micha was superstitious for he maintained his priests You shew that you haue lesse loue to religion then they papists haue to superstition The kite is your cognisance who being greedy and rauenous yet mounteth aloft as though he would touch the gliding clouds but yet when he flieth a matchlesse pitch he hath his eies fixed below on the earth spying and prying for a carrion carcasse euen so you soare aloft in your contemplation and in a certain counterfeit sanctimony seeme to be raised and carried aboue the clouds yet so long as you can find in your harts to play the part-stake patrons to spoile the Church to seeke to enrich your selues by such robberies they are no better it is an infallible signe that you are worldlings and earthly minded seeking your owne gaine and priuate profit For Gods loue let this be reformed that we may know you by another cognisance The last and best sort of patrons are such as account them worthie of double honour which rule well The best sort of patrones 1. Tim. 5.17 that hold the labourer worthie of his hire that no man goeth to warfare on his owne charges 1. Cor 1 from the 5 verse to the 15 that husbandmen should eate of the fruit of such vineyardes as they themselues planted that sheppeheards should eat of the milke of their owne flockes that sowers of spirituall things which are the greater are well worthy to reape carnal things which are the lesser that they which serue at the altar are worthie to liue by the altar These for their cognisance may fitly giue some rare bird I had almost said the blacke Swan but it shall be the Eagle for she mounteth on hie and falleth not on the ground but to seeke her necessarie food and being satisfied straightway soareth aloft euē so the minds of these are occupied in heauen all superfluous cares being cast apart they indeed wish the prosperity of Ierusalem the happy florishing state of the Church O Lord almightie encrease the number of these and in thy mercy conuert or in iustice confound such Church-robbers as sauor nothing but their own gain as daily indeuour to take away the reward of knowledge are the death of thousand thousands of souls stir vp O Lord thy faithful seruant our dread soueraigne that with Nehemiah she may thrust out all such Eliashibs as abuse the Church in this manner Nehem. 13.14 and euerie Tobiah linked in affinity with them that thy seruants may haue their own portions and that thou maist not be mocked so we thy workmanship and sheep of thy pasture for so great a mercy shal praise thee fer euer Amen CHAPTER 12. The dutie of Christian Magistrates as well Soueraigne as others in hunting and taking the two-legged Foxes THere be two sorts of men which say that the charge of Religion belongeth not to the office of the magistrate First they which vnder pretence of their annointed cleargie and priuiledged priesthood cannot abide to haue their abuses reformed Secondly they which eyther are infected with some heresie or else are willing to dally with heretikes The first sort doe onely require of the magistrate to maintaine and defend their degrees The second sort holdeth that the magistrate ought onely to meddle with the maintenance of publike peace and not to regard what others beleeue or not beleeue But the true Church teacheth that the charge of publike religion doth not in part Charge of religion belongeth to the Magistrate but principally and most of all belong vnto the magistrate which thing the holy scripture approueth Moses the first generall magistrate of the Israelites God gaue the order of religion to Moses not to Aaron who did not represent the person of a priest which was put vnto Aaron but of the superiour power like vnto the authoritie of a king did giue the order of al religion vnto the people appointed vnto Aaron the order of the priests what they should do what they should not do Wherby it appeareth that the care of the order of religiō doth rather belong vnto the superior magistrat then vnto the degree of priesthood I know they will say that Moses did dispose all these things at Gods commaundement It is true but I will be answered againe why God gaue not the commaundement for order of religion vnto Aaron whom he had consecrated to be a priest rather then vnto Moses So then this rather sheweth that the charge of the institution and gouernance belonges vnto the magistrate but the institution charge and ministration belongs vnto the priests Againe after the death of Moses the charge of religion belonged not to Eleasar the Priest but to Iehosua the magistrate who was of the tribe of Ephraim Iosua 5 and not of Leui by whose commaundement the children of Israell were the second time circumcised the Ark of God carried by the priests the altars builded the people sanctified and the rest of the lawes fulfilled which Moses prescribed Againe Iehosua charged them to feare the Lord Iosua 8 and to serue him with an vpright and faithfull heart Iehosua charged them to rid out of the way all straunge gods Iehosua renewed the couenant betweene God and his people and compiled the words of the couenant into the booke of Gods law True it is that the office of magistracie and priesthood both were ioyned together in the person of Samuel 1. Sam. 1. but yet he being at that time the chiefe man in Israell iudged and determined as a magistrate taught and sacrificed as a priest Dauid a patterne for good magistrats The ordering of religion by Dauid and vnto whom Christian rulers ought to haue an eie for godlinesse 2. Sam. 6 had the authority of disposing setting forth true religion 1. Chro. 16 1. Cho. 22.23.24.25 he
a whore in the companie There is none so arrant a whore in the world as the strumpet of Babilon Perfit papists the woorst knot of theeues and why who is an actuall dealer in wicked and vngodly practises against all Kings and kingdomes Then whether hearts hating Gods truth which should rightly enforme them and carousing of this whorish cup which doth strangly enchaunt them be faithfull to her princely person or peace of this realme I commend it to the iudgment of all them that loue our prosperitie The second reason THey that beleeue the Pope to haue the disposition of Gods sentence Papists beleeue the Popes sentence of excōmunication against the Queene doe also suppose that Queene Elizabeth is not lawfull Queene of England because the Pope doth not accept her so But our Romish catholikes beleeue that the Pope hath power to anathematize and to dispose the sentence of excommunication and consequently hold that her Maiestie is not lawfull Queene of England because the Pope doth not so accept her Therefore perfect papists are traiterously minded to the happie state of England This reason would be deeplie pondered for since the old Foxe hath excommunicated and cursed her royall person and the yong Foxes beleeue also according to his distilled opinion into their mindes that hee doth this pro suo iure then this is the consequent that all their kindnesse and courtesies all friendly countenances and conformities all loyaltie and allegiance all seruice and obedience is but from hollow hearts extorted and not in any true loue performed either to the saftie of the Queenes Maiestie or to the fortifying of this land against foraine danger because they carrie no other opinion of her and her louing people than the Pope himselfe hath published In good sooth this geare would make worke for the hangeman if it were thoroughly sifted for of necessitie to this confession of traitorousnes must all be driuen that meane to continew perfect papists The third reason THey that carie a countenance conformable to her Maiesties lawes no longer then it stands with the Popes pleasure Papisty obedience but at the Popes pleasure can bee no true harted subiects But perfit Papists obey her Maiesties lawes no longer then it stands with the liking of the Pope as the Iesuit Hart sometimes confessed Therefore perfect Papists can bee no good subiects Here let the true subiects vnderstand that the Pope hath powred an opinion into his papists Greater cause to feare then to trust them that Kings and princes if he dispence with them may breake their faith and promise that nulla fides est seruanda cum haereticis no faith is to be kept with Gods friends and his foes that Papists with liberall permission may sweare and vnsweare if aduantageable oportunitie doe occurre which since that they do beleeue to stād in his power to dispence withall and that he is both able to pardō them and willing to reward them yea that it is within his reach not onely to giue them the kingdome of England but the kingdome of heauen also then let them sweare their protestations are not worth the paring of a rotten apple their obedience is but at the Popes ad placitum Whereupon ariseth a good caueat that we rather tie short then trust a two-legged Foxe The fourth reason THey that receiue entertaine read and recommend such lying libels and hart-stealing pamphlets Papists reade and recommend popish libels as wherby her Maiesties right is impeached her regiment reuiled her title of supremacie defaced her faith defamed christian religion nourished by her called hereticall deuilish and damnable and the professours thereof worse then nullifidians and infidelious Atheists can be no good subiects But this is the dealing of our perfect Papists Therefore the conclusion followeth that such can be no good subiects Manie wicked and traitrous pamphlets haue beene scattered in this realme to darken the glorie of the Lords annoynted to weaken the good willes of her highnes louing subiects to winne worthlesse male-contented malicious wretches treacherously to conspire with our sworne enemies whereby to fortifie the Romish faction These haue and doe want no fauourers to scatter them in corners to send them to their louers to commend their substantialnes as matters vnaunswerable both such merchants as send them and such brokers as vtter such Babilonish wares are right worthie to pay their heart bloud for custome The fift reason THey that receiue pardons Papists receiue pardons to free them from loyaltie absolutions and such like stuffe to exempt and free themselues from loyall obedience are but subiects in show watching their times to worke their owne willes But our absolute Romaine catholikes receiue pardons and absolutions to acquite them from dutifull allegiance Therefore shake a perfit papist out of the masking weede of his pretended conformitie and then shall you finde that an heart deuoutly affected to the Romish religion is as deeply infected with the venome of treason Gregorie 13. Pius 5. Sixtus 5. The dealings of the Popes is not vnknowne of Gregorie the 13. Pius 5. and Sixtus 5. who labouring our subuersion by Englands vnnaturall children haue sent their pardons and absolutions to free them from subiection a thing abhorring from all religion hated of the heathen the age present loathes it and succeeding posteritie shall be astonished to heare of such cruelties The sixt reason The Pope erecteth seminaries for the hatching of foxe-Foxe-priests and catholikes receiue them to nursing THey for whose catholike good the Pope pretends the erecting of his seminaries and therefore receiue from thence such subtill treacherous and disloyall wretches as infect them with poyson and perswade them to treason cannot bee faithfull and true hearted subiects But the Pope maketh his catholikes beleeue that he erecteth seminaries for their good and they also receiue and entertaine his Iesuits and Foxe-preists issuing out of those dennes of Idolatrie Therefore the conclusion followeth that such can be no good subiects Parsons Campion and Hart Parsons Campion with the rest cast in the Popes mould and fitted for the seruice of the beast that sits vpon the seuen hilles haue wanted no entertainment in this land in their times although there were nothing more intended of them then this namely to set the subiects against their prince Englishmen against their owne countrie as leaue was giuen to Parsons and Campion by Gregorie 13. 1580. Aprill 14. to interpret the Bull of Pius quintus The seuenth reason THey that are wearie of these dayes Papists gape for a golden day and liue inhope of another world which in their ordinarie by-word they call their golden day or yeare of Iubilee can be no faithfull subiects to her by whose gracious gouernment these dayes are continued But the papists are wearie of these daies and languish in looking for their golden day which almightie God send them in leaden haste Therefore papists can bee no good subiects That the papists are wearie
if once it catch the heart roote it will eate out all goodnes all care all loue all zeale and indignation against sin Hence groweth nonresidencie swallowing downe of steeples as easie as the hungrie doth his crummes Loue of the world choakes care of painfull preaching Hence instead of hunting the Foxe there is hunting for promotion and preferment hunting for the profits and pleasures of this present life hunting for honour and for hundreds scratching of consciences in beating of the bushes for many benefices wheeling about the thickets to spie the couch of a prebendary or a deanrie c. and therefore hath it come to passe that some which haue had salt in them that is vnderstanding knowledge and zeale haue lost it through the perswasion of him that said All this will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me there being now no more relish in them then there is tast in the white of an egge And what shall we say then of them that neuer had any salt at all in them neuer any loue any knowledge any zeale surely they be vnprofitable seruants worthie to be cast out of the temple of God as filth and dounge For what breedes greater contempt against God or discredit to his Gospel what more reuiues a catholikes hope to returne vnto Babilon or encourageth the traitours to the accomplishment of their practises then the blindnes ignorance and impietie of the ministerie how commeth it to passe that foolish people retain their old liking to their fathers old faith yong imps haue the like opinion powred into them and consequently as it may seeme easie to be drawne from their dutifull loyaltie to the loue of a stranger but because they haue wanted such as should rightly enforme them can the inestimable treasurie of a mightie prince be seene in the beggarlines of a base Embassadour can the aduersarie of the Gospell be drawne from falsehood and errour by him that knowes not I had almost said beleeues not the truth can a papist be reduced from his worshipping of idols by him that is no better then an idoll himselfe can the carnall gospeller the wanton libertine the prophane heart the beastly Epicure be brought to continencie modesty and sobriety by such which rather binde them in the cordes of iniquitie Lastly if to know God and according to that knowledge to serue him be the ground-worke of all true obedience how is it then possible that they whose consciences were neuer seasoned with any religion should yeelde either to God or their prince any dutifull subiection Saint Paul saith that he had begotten the Church of the Galathians Gal. 4.9 1. Cor. 4.15 and called himselfe the father of the Corinthians in regarde of the ministerie because hee had begotten them by the preaching of the Gospell Such fathers such children such as are the seedmen such seede they doe sowe Where olde wilie Foxes such as whose loue to religion may be iustly suspected are admitted into this great calling there poperie is sowne in stead of the Gospel and Foxes growe vp in steade of sound christians where blinde guides are made ministers such as haue no more knowledge then idolles of woode and stone preachers as they call them of idiots there must needes bee poore knowledge of God and suspected dutifulnes to the prince The great hurt and dishonour that these bring to the Church of God no man can with effectuall words display it nor plentie of teares lament it all sermons exhortations reprehensions doe rather aggrauate their condemnations then worke any reformation We reade that the Emperour Commodus was so cunning in darting that hauing gotten stones for the exercise of his hand many citizens did assemble to see him throw whose dexteritie was such that hee neuer cast at wilde beastes and missed his marke nor gaue any wound that was not deadly It is to be wished that euery one that rebuketh sinne should leuell so straight as did this Emperour that neuer threw but he hit neuer hit but he wounded so should the reader with the Romans neither see one monster twise galled neither any sin recouer the first wound If darters at deformities could wound as deadlie as they aime directly this monstrous monster had been vanquished long ere this day but alas it liueth ô yet it liueth liueth to nourish papisme atheisme and epicurisme If any maruaile at this how such are aduanced to houlde the helme as are scarce worthie to sit in the sincke hoysed into Moses chaire that are more meet to sit at Gamaliels feete called to feede with the dugge of the Gospell before they themselues be well weaned and sent to fight the Lords battles before they haue one stone to sling against Golias that is one scripture to resist the tempter withall let him vnderstand that this is either because the heartes of patrones are limed with the loue of this world which makes them not care whom they present or many Bishops haue such motes in their eyes that they cannot well see whom they blesse I am loth to rake in this dounghill of buying selling of benefices the which is a sufficient testimonie if there were no more that men haue as much true loue to religion as euer had Machiauell Fiue sorts of patrones of benefices There are diuers sorts that giue spirituall promotions in this land some are our great Catholickes whose care to send good ministers into the Church I durst sweare for them is as great as the Foxe euer had to feede the lambes And how can it stand with their blind religion to send good ministers into the true Christian Church but rather to dishonour and deface it by sending in the basest such as haue neither Vrim nor Thummim neither brighnesse of knowledge nor vprightnes of life It is said that Ieroboam made Israel to sinne that is to contemne religion and why because he made priestes of the basest of the people Therfore the diuell knowes well that if he can get priestes to be made of the refuse he shal bring people to condemne preachers and prophecying priests and religion Here let our Bishops be circumspect to sift narrowly when the patrone giues the Foxe for his cognisance There is a second sort of patrons open adorers of their god Mammon Mammonistes patrones described These are as good to Gods Church as the former Indeed I must confesse that when they giue their spiritual promotions all their care is to get a mā of gifts O gifts gifts nothing at all respected with these Merchants but gifts My meaning as no mystery Si nihil attuleris ibis Homere foras If you haue no gifts the passage is plain you must pack Can we find saith Pharao such a man as this meaning Ioseph for his excellencie in whom is the spirit of God Gen. 41.38 thou shalt be ouer my house And can we find such a man as this saith a sacrilegious patrone meaning a Sir Iohn lacke Latin
of these dayes and times wish the death of her Maiestie and alteration of state and gouernment there needes no further proofe then their conspiracies Beleeue them without further proofe their treasons and secret attempts their platformes and practises for forraine inuasion whereby it is euident that these are the dayes of their griefe and sorow and that they regarde the saftie neither of prince nor countrie so they may returne to the flesh pots of Egypt and eate their fill with peaceable freedome The eight reason THey that regarde not into what subiection slauerie shame and dishonour her highenes Papists regard no state so that poperie may preuaile her kingdome and subiects be brought vnto so that â—heir blinde worship and pageant of papistrie may bee erected can bee no good subiects But perfect papists neither regard Maiestie of the prince nor dignitie of the nobles nor grauitie of age nor difference of sexe nor excellencie of learning so that poperie may be set vp in stead of the Gospell Therefore such can be no good subiects The desperate dealings and damnable practises of papists heretofore prooue plainly Wofull experience that allegiance to their prince cannot keepe them from treason the dutie of loue to their naturall countrie cannot withdraw them from fauouring rebellion at home nor lincking with straungers abroade that the dutie of obedience of children to parents or of parents affection to children cannot keepe them from vnnaturall crueltie that the dutie of mutuall loue and societie betwixt the husband and wife cannot remoue them from monstrous immanitie that the dutie of kinde and naturall pittie cannot stay a papists hands from murdering feeble sexe tender babes or reuerent age lastlie that the duty of familiaritie in youth of frendship in grauer yeares of continuall societie during all the life passed cannot stay a papists hands from sacrificing his dearest frendes Nay which is more not onely are they contented to yeeld their bracelets and earerings to the framing of the golden calfe as did Israell nor to offer their frends in sacrifice as did that vnnaturall King of Moab in offering his sonnes to asswage the ire of his angrie Gods but to make their owne liues a pray to their enemies as did the Athenians when they accorded by casting of lots to giue themselues to bee deuoured of that gastly monster Minotaurus Wherefore since it is so cleare a case that the consciences of these catholikes are altogether Romish that they hold the Popes excoÌ„munication against our dread soueraigne the Queenes Maiestie to be lawfull that they yeeld their obedience no longer then durante beneplacito of the Pope that they receiue and recommend such libels as deface our Church abuse her highnes person and all her louing subiects that they receiue pardons to exempt themselues from dutifull obedience that they receiue and entertaine the enemies of this realme Iesuits seminarie priests that they looke for a golden day and long for an alteration that they care not to conspire at home with traitours and to plot abroad with straungers whereby to conuey the crowne to a forrayner sithens I say this is so then two conclusions do follow first that euery perfect papist is a secret traitour to his prince and countrie And secondarily that it is a safer way to trusse then to trust a two-legged Fox Our gracious God that hath hitherto protected vs blesse her Maiestie and her honorable priuie counsel that through their wisdomes zeale and courage Gods glorie may be promoted the vndermining of these Foxes which destroy our vines soundly sifted and secret traitours sharply punished Then shal EnglaÌ„d lesse feare her ruine which God forbid by strangers force when vengeance deserued shal strongly sease on household foes nay els may EnglaÌ„d more suspect the weakning of her present state by nourishing a viper in her owne bowels then Spanish power or any els who gnash their teeth at her peace and welfare CHAPTER 10. Twelue reasons prouing by diuinitie and true Christian pollicie that Foxes must be taken THe thing that our Catholickes chiefly doe aime at is that her highnes and her counsell may be deceiued by erronius pretence of pollicie and colour of clemencie that they may lurke vnder the shadow and be nourished as a Serpent in the bosome It is therefore heedfully to be respected that the Church of the diuell be not maintained with indulgence multiplied with foolish mercie but that it be kept vnder with sharpnes of discipline and correction that it grow not to such rankenesse as to choake the true Church Foolish mercy may marre all and clemencie may be great crueltie when it ouerfloweth to the hazard of Gods Children Where seueritie saith one goeth into loosnes their edifying goeth into destruction custom goeth into corruptioÌ„ law into conteÌ„pt mercy is laughed and godlinesse goeth into hypocrisie execution of lawes against Gods enemies and the enemies of this Church and Commonwealth is the marke that is leuelled at and why should it not be hit since diuinitie and godly pollicie wil haue it so Wherfore although this point hath been no doubt handled religiously and zealously of the learned both in preaching and in writing yet since it fitteth this place so well I purpose to speake of it briefely and distinctly and proue that both diuinitie and Christian pollicie require that sharpe execution be vsed in punishing the enemies of the Church The first reason prouing by diuinitie that lawes ought sharpely to be executed vpon papistes and all idolatrous heretikes God commaundeth Foxes to be 〈◊〉 THat which the Lord commandeth must be don without mammering staggering doubting or delay But he commaundeth Foxes to be taken and execution of lawes to be done against them Therefore Christian Princes and Magistrates doe but their duties in rooting out such noysome vermine as destroy the vines If there arise among you c. Deut. 13.1.2 Cantic 2.16 Deut. 7.1.2 Galat. 5.12 Take vs the Foxes the little Foxes which destroy the vines when the Lord shall haue brought into the land whither thou goest to possesse it c. I woulde saith the Apostle they were cut off which trouble you The second Reason THat which the godly magistrates haue done in defacing the Lords enemies and defilers of his worship Presidents for Christian rulers that ought stil to be performed of Christian rulers in the like cause But they haue remoued destroied the enemies of his truth and peruerters of his seruice as their examples may be remembred Therfore Christian magistrates in the same cause ought to shew the same zeale When the golden Calfe was erected to Idolatrie Moses Moses willed them to arme their hands and to sheath their swords in the intrals of their nearest kinsmen to make hauocke of their liues and he calleth it a sanctifying of their hands to the Lord. And how What manner of holines was that Truly euen to kill the Idolaters and to put the corrupters of religion to death And whom commaunded
he to doe it Euen the Leuites euen those which ought to haue been the mirrours of all pitie and compassion euen the priestes which God had dedicated to himselfe must be the executors of his rigor And vpō whom Euen vpon their owne kinsmen Thus the mildest man that euer was behaued himselfe against Gods enemies for he was zealous in the cause of the highest This was much but Asa Asa did as much as he For he put away the Sodomites and banished the Idolaters out of the land he remoued Maacha his mother and tooke the crowne from her head because she offered sacrifice to Priapus and gaue commandement that whosoeuer would not worship the Lord God of Israel should be slaine from the greatest to the smallest This was much but Iehu did as much as Asa For he killed all the Prophets of Baal and suffered not one of them to liue he defaced the Temple of their Gods and made a draught house of it for euer What wonderfull things did those good Kings Ezekias and Iosias in their daies The one spared not an Idolater in the land the other being but a young prince was so zealous in the behalfe of his God that he put the idolatrous priestes to death burnt their bones and sacrificed them vpon their owne Altars as the bookes of the Chronicles and Kings of Iuda do declare These are good presidents for Christian princes to follow neither was there more need at any time to draw the sword against prophaners of the Lords seruice For there is sprung vp a mightie generation of wicked and disloyall men to disturbe vs of disobedient and vntoward children to prouoke vs of deceitfull and halting hypocrites to disquiet vs of Romish Baalims stragling extrauagants to withdraw vs from the worship of our God The third Reason Papistes conuicted of high treason HIgh treasons are in their true natures offences against the highest Maiesty for treason is called crimen laesae maiestatis that is tending either to the destruction of their persons or defacement of their dignities But the papistes although they denie not the person yet debase they the authoritie of the sonne of God Therefore papistes are guiltie of highest treason How many and how horrible treasons they commit against Iesus Christ it will be too long to rehearse yet because euerie one to whose vew these my labours shal be offered may see how iustly they are conuicted I will but glance at some of the chiefest First of all therefore vnderstand you I speake to the vulgar sort which doe not so thoroughly cōceiue of these matters that the Apostolicall Church of Rome hath degraded our Lord Iesus of all his degrees Christ degraded of all his dignities by the Catholiks his dignitie royall his state propheticall and his priesthood In respect of his dignitie royall wee say that vnto him alone it appertaineth to commaund and forbid Iohn 13.13 1. Cor. 5.4 Apoc. 3.7 to iudge and absolue hauing the keyes to open to shut so that it is not lawfull for any no not for the Angels themselues to make a law to bind the conscience nor to establish in any point cōcerning the substance of it the gouernment of the Church The reason is euident because we are forbidden to ad or diminish any thing from the commaundementes of the lawgiuer as also to make new ordinances Deu. 4.2.12.32 Esay 29.13 Coloss 2.8 1. Cor. 7.23 and all the commandements of man in the matter of this spirituall kingdome are once for all declared to be nullities Now these traitours incroch vpon his prerogatiues Papistes traitours against Christ his roiall dignitie Christ more be holden to Pilate then to the Papistes Math. 26. by ordering the estate of the house of this king contrarie to his owne expresse will in eclipsing some of his lawes in establishing others altogether new So that Christ may seeme to be much and more beholden to Pilate then to these kind of teachers for he writ him king of the Iewes though he knew not what he did for which cause the Pharisees were angrie with him but these write him king of the Church yet they crown him with thornes and giue him a reed in steed of a scepter As for his propheticall soueraigne authoritie by the spirit of whom all the auncient Prophets spak who afterwards plenarily in his owne person declared the will of his father hath since his ascending into heauen vntill he returne not to teach but to iudge continued to declare the same vnto the world by his faithfull Apostles how is it possible more in this point to betray him whom we are bound to heare in paine of extermination Papists traitors to Christ his Propheticall state and how then first by falsifying that which he preached both by adding to and clipping from and secondly by forbidding his word to be read vnto all nations kindreds in a knowne language fearing say they least men should become heretikes that is least light ingender darkenes and truth lying and what is this but neither to enter themselues Math. 5. The priesthood of Christ according to the scriptures nor yet to let others and to hide the light vnder a bushell The third office which is his priesthood consisteth in two principal points In our redemption in his intercession our redemption hath two parts expiation and sanctification In expiation behold foure speciall points first that the word betokeneth a full and entire paiment of all that is due vnto God Secondly that which is due is death according to the sentence giuen by God himselfe Gen. 2.17 Rom. 5.12.6 23 vnderstanding by death not onely the separation of the soule from the bodie which is called the first death Genesis 3.19 whence followeth putrefaction of the bodie in the graue but the second death also which is the frightfull yre and malediction of God reuenging with all perpetuitie sinne in the bodie and soule of the sinner which horrible state is eternall in the diuell and the damned Thirdly this expiation betokeneth not the payment for one sinner but for all sinners I meane the elect which haue been are or shall be to the ende of the world not of one sinne but of all sinnes except that against the holy ghost which is vnpardonable Fourthly this paiment was to be offered by him who in respect of himselfe should be no way bound to this malediction but a pledge suretie for others Now of sinnes or debts to be paied there be two kindes Hebr 7.22 some originall some actuall originall sinne must be considered in two diuers respectes first touching the corruption of the whole man which is as it were the essence of this sinne Secondly touching that which followeth it namely that which makes vs children of wrath worthie of the curse of God from our conception This is it we teach and build out of the word of God In this behold how many waies the papistes play the traitors
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