veritie of the christian doctrin as it is said that there must be euen heresies among vs that they whiche are perfect among vs might be knowen By that meanes we will not here denie but that alwayes ther hath ben some smal contention in the doctrine as it appeared that for the same cause was the counsell of the Apostles assembled together To conclude the scripture doth declare the difference whiche was offered betwene Peter and Paul Apostles And the Christian histories doe make mention of some little controuersies concerning the doing of the religion betwéene Peter Alexandrinus and Myletus Epiphanius and Chrisostome Hierome Augustine but we do exhort the Christians not to abuse the giftes of GOD through vaine glorie or contention for to be séene and estéemed the one aboue the other On the other side to humble them selues vnder the wisedome of him which hath saide that he hath not determined with himselfe to knowe any other thing saue Iesus Christe and him crucified And in an other place of the same Epistle he saith be assured that the kindome of God is not in words but in the power of the spirit Nowe the remedie helpe in such differences as Cyprian saith is to haue recourse to the beginning of Iesus Christ and of his gospel to the tradition of the Apostles To the end that from thence may rise and come foorth the reason of our doing whereof the order hath taken his beginning For inasmuch as Iesus Christ ought to be heard aboue all we ought not to consider that which some haue done before vs But that which Iesus Christ hath done obserued which is before all Insomuch that we must cast all the counsailes opinions definitions of men vnto the holy scriptures and in the to depose put downe all hautinesse arrogancie and enuious contencion and where it shal happen that the holy scripture hath nothing concluded determined In that case they ought to follow the manner and fashion of the most auncient Churches with whom the Apostles haue bene conuersant To conclude when the tradition of the apostles do faile they must beléeue the tradition of the churches which haue bene ruled and gouerned be the disciples and successours of the Apostles or those which haue had charge of them beholde how they ought to resolue the doubtes cōtrouersies which are in the Churches rather then by vaine disputations and vnprofitable contentions which do serue to none other end but to engender strifes And it maketh me afraide howe that in these latter dayes for the ignoraunce and calamitie of the time they haue thought to declare and expounde the darke places of the scripture and the debates moued in the Churche by questions of naturall Philosophie rather then by the scripture rightly vnderstanded and applied vnto his true sense Also Sainct Paule doeth admonishe and warne vs to beware least any man come and spoile vs through Philosophie and deceitfull vanitie through the traditions of men according to the ordinaunces of the worlde not after Christ Also sithens the Apostles Tertulian an auncient authour hath called the Philosophers the patriarkes of heriticks Also Saint Hierome hath confessed that the opinions of heritickes are founde amonge the subtilties of Aristotle and of Crisippus I will content my selfe at this time with the witnesse of a certeine Philosopher whereof mention is made in the counsaile of Nyce who being wonne and brought to the christian religion yea without any kinde of disputation by a poore simple and foolish man as the texte saith and being asked how the same was happened vnto him forasmuch as before the most learned men of the counsaile could not vāquish ouercome him by disputations and naturall philosophie aunswered that as long as they did speake against him by subtiltie of reasones he knewe verie well to aunswere to the arguments of his aduersaries by the same meanes But when the vertue was manifested vnto him by the mouth of him which hath pronounced it the words could not resist vertue nor man coulde speake against God. The same doth learne vs first of all to submitte our selues vnto the auncient church and best reformed as it is saide in Sainct Iohn my shepe heare my voice Secondly not to do any thing through enuie contention or vaine glorie but to beare with a patient minde one an other in all méekenesse and humilitie Thirdly not to presume so much that they would applie and referre the christian doctrine or rule the doing of our religion to mannes philosophie but to bring it againe to the true beginning and originall of the Scripture and to the traduction of Iesus Christe and of his successours Finally to beléeue that although that the slaunders and herisies doe come and happen vnto the church as well for the aduauncement of Gods glorie as for to proue and trie the true faithful christians yet truely he which is the causer thereof shall beare the condemnation Wherfore inasmuch as the scripture doth teach vs that the multitude of them that beléeued in the primatiue church were of one heart and of one soule that from thence we haue taken the beginning of our religion and doctrine going about and endeuouringe our selues as much as in vs is possible and according to the portion and measure of the giftes and graces which we haue receiued of the Lorde to make our selues agréeable confirmable to that auncient church insomuch that we being all of one minde may liue in peace and loue in the which we are called and the God of loue and peace shal be with vs Amen GALATH. 5. c. If we doe bite and deuoure one another let vs take heed least we be consumed one off another A prayer O Lord which art not the God of confusion but of peace yea whiche hast taught vs by thy welbeloued sonne that euerie kingdome deuided within it selfe shal be desolate Giue vs grace that we all being vnited by one loue and vnitie of doctrine our enimies may knowe that not onely we are the true disciples of thy sonne But that they may witnesse by workes that the church to the which thou hast incorporated vs by one faith one baptisme one God and father of all that beléeue is the true christian church and the piller and staye of the trueth to the end that we all being ioyned together in loue in all riches of the certitude of vnderstanding may increase in thy knowledge and be ioyned altogether as liuely stones for to be made an holy temple Offering vnto thée a sacrifice of praise that is the fruit of our lippes confessing his name Through our Lord Iesus Christe to whom be glory for euer Amen THAT IT IS THE DVETIE of a chrstian prince to watch take good heede that the estate of the religion doe abide cōtinue vndefiled impoluted as well in the true seruing of God as
¶ A CHRISTIAN DISCOVRSE vpon certeine poynts of RELIGION Presented vnto the most high puissant Lorde the Prince of Conde Translated out of French into English by Iohn Brooke of Asâ—he next Sandwich 1578. 1. PETER 4. b. ¶ As euery man hath receaued the gift minister the same one to an other as good ministers of the manifold grace of God. ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas East the 6. daye of Iune 1578. ¶ TO THE RIGHT HONOrable and his singuler good Ladie and Mistres the Countesse of Oxenforde Iohn Brooke wisheth longe and blessed life with increase of much honoure c. WHEN first true intent of bounden dutie and entire zeale had quickened and pricked me forward to present your Ladishippe with the dedication of this smal volume Right honorable and my verie good Ladie I grewe full of doubtes in my selfe whether to proceede and go forwarde or els to surcease and reuoke my presumed enterprise And abiding sometime in this vncerteine and vndetermined conclusion one while adaunted and suppressed with the vnworthinesse of the woorke in respect of mine owne labours beeing an vnlearned translation an other while animated and encouraged by the godlinesse of the matter comprehended and included therein then pulled backe and in manner put to silence by many doubtes of presumptioÌ„ rudenesse or rashnesse eftsoones againe imboldened and harted on partly by duetie to vnfolde and shewe my willing minde partly by certeine knowledge and dayly report of your Ladiships good inclination to vertue and godlinesse wherevnto adioyned the great fame of your singuler humilitie manifolde curtesie leaning at length onely to this staffe I wounde in time out of this doubtfull Laborinth of inconstant passions and became plainely resolued in the processe and going forwarde of this mine enterprise wherevnto I was yet the rather and more easely induced for that as within the hard and vntoothsome bone is included the sweete marrowe and as the vnsauorie shell comprehendeth the pleasant kirnell so vnder the rough and vnsmothed grace of mine vnlearned stile is shrowded much wisdome vertue godlinesse and in the simplicitie and plainnesse of my translation many profitable examples and holesome lessons conteined worthy to be embraced and followed of all men It came vnto my handes right honorable in the French and is entituled A ChristiaÌ„ Discourse vpon certein points of Religion Which title draue mee first to the ouerrunning of the matter and then finding the whole summe and contentes so well agreeing with the nomination I thought if I could put him on an English â—abite I might thereby pleasure and profite diuers of my natiue countrie men studious in the Scriptures to the contentation I trust of many to the offence of no vertuous and well disposed person May it therefore please you to admit the same into your fauourable acceptance and that vnder your ensigne it may haue safe conduct to enioye publication and free passage This request beeiâ—g graunted allowed of your good Ladiship Let captious Zoilus cauill or finde fault Let hatefull hereticke with all his forcible inuectiues subtil argumeÌ„ts straunge reasons diswade and seeke to oppugne impaire or discredite the matter Let proude Papist with all his authoritie abiure curse condemne both booke author to the fire Our immunitie protection defence resteth in almightie God the high Iudge of all And for the cleernesse of this matter we referre vs vnto his most holy and pure woorde and sacred Scriptures Wherefore trusting the sinceritie and trueth of the matter shal counteruaile the plainnesse of the interpretation and that the consideâ—ation of my zeale and bounden duetie aboue rehearsed shal abanndon all suspect of arrogancie and rashnesse I leaue for this time to trouble your Ladiship beseechinge the Almightie to blesse you with longe and manie happie yaeres in this life and the reward of Vertue in the life to come Your Ladiships seruaunt all to commaunde Iohn Brooke ¶ TO HIS SAIDE LORDE the Prince of Conde the author sendeth health IF feare doth make vs vnderstand the voice and as Dauid doeth witnesse that hee did erre and go wronge before that he was afflicted and troubled what can we lesse do after so many cyuil warres and persecutions of our owne countrey men yea rather houshould seruantes but to magnifie the Lord and dayly to meditate or studie vpon the maruels of his puissance and goodnes If say I Moses and Debora being sette at libertie and enfranchised srom the tyranny of the Egyptians and Chananeans did consecrate of late vnto God so many goodlye canticles and spirituall songes what can wee lesse do in this same meane time of religion but alwayes to offer vnto him sacrifices of thankes giuing That is to say the fruite of oure lippes confessinge his name And vnto whom ought wee to direct such writings but vnto those vnto whom the Lorde hath drawen from the middest of the waters and reserued from among them that are killed for to restore the ruins and decaied places of his second temple and to reestabish and set vp againe the true vsage of the Christian religion Beholde O Christian Prince wherfore I haue dedicated vnto thee this litle worke hauing first premeditated to the honour of him from whom doth proceede euerie good and perfect gift Assuring my selfe that thou wilt receiue it in as good part as the Lord did the two mites of that poore widow mencioned in the gospell Furthermore I doe not care what opinion men haue so that it be agreable to that true Iudge which doth not iudge men according to the sight of his eyes neither doth reproue a matter at the first hearing but doeth iudge all thinges in equitie and righteousnesse Our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom be glory for euer Amen A BRIEF ADVERTISMENT wherein is shewed that we ought not to abuse the holy Scripture but to apply it to his proper vse 2. TIMOTH 2. Ch. â—5 ¶ Studie to shew thy selfe laudable vnto God a workeman that needeth not to be ashamed deuiding the word of trueth iustly FOrasmuche as the holy Scripture doth teach vs that the wordes of the Lord are pure words euen as the siluer whiche from the earth is tryed and puryfied seuen tymes in the fyre and the gospell is the puissaunce of God to the saluation and health of all that beleue therein insomuch that the Prophets speaking of the dignitie of the Herolds and Embassadours of the gospel doe crye out O howe beautifull are the féete of the Embassadour that bringeth the message from the mounteine and proclameth peace â–ª that bryngeth the good tidinges and preacheth health and sayth vnto Sion Thy God is the king The wyse suche as haue taught others shall glyster as the shining of Heauen and those that haue instructed the multitude vnto godlynes shal be as the starres world without ende Truely we may perceiue with our eyes what default it is to declare or shew forth the ordinaunces of the Lord
sorts of men so that they do referre it to his right vse In that respect there doth consist and lye a merueilous wisdome and discretion chiefly for the respect of the ministers of god For as Clement saith one ought not to take any sense newe and straunge from the scripture for to confirme it by the scripture but to take or choose from the scripture the true natural sense of the veritie And as Sainct Hilarie doth write that he doth reade rightly the holy scripture which doth vnderstand the sense and meaning of the scripture by the same meanes and will not take from or put to the scripture a straunge sense or contrarie vnto the same Such are the wordes of the songes of the spouse of the Lord the which we may ofte refer rather and to apply it to some disordinate pleasure than to the fruite of a feruent loue or charitie I wyll recite besides that whiche is before thrée or foure notable examples of the olde lawe First that of the Prophete Fsaie vnto whom the Lord did commaunde to loose off the sackcloth from his loynes and to put off his shoes from his féete and to goe naked and bare foote The other is of the Prophet Ieremie vnto whome the Lorde did declare expresly that he did make bands and chaines and put them about his necke and did sende them to the kinge of Edom. The third shal be of Oseas vnto whom the same Lorde did ordeine and commaunde to take an Harlot to his wife The last shall be of Ezechiel vnto whom the Lord commaunded him to sléepe sometime vpon the right side sometime vpon the left side to eate Barly cakes and to strike them with mans doūge Things truely that one should finde very straunge farre from the veritie were not but the lawe hauinge the shadowe of the good thinges to come be the thinges which are ther presented giuing an assured witnesse that all doth serue for our instruction and learning If any doth demaunde wherefore the Lorde hath not giuen hys holy Scripture in all or by all more easie familiar I do answere with Basil that the same was to the ende that our spirit being occupied to meditate vnderstand such secretes of the scripture should draw it so much the more from euill things and hurtfull For as it dayly happeneth or chaunceth that the things which are gotten with greate paine and labour are best estéemed and set by and those are more durable and wyll continue longer whiche are brought forth by longe space and continuaunce of tyme. To be shorte as that which is offered at commaundement without any trauayle is despised there will bee also daunger that the carnall men would not abuse the holy scripture without knowledging the price and worthines of the same Euen saith Basil as the Lord would not that we should hate and abandon incontynently as other brute beastes all that which is necessarie vnto the vse of mans lyfe but is willyng and desirous that man doe resist such defalte by hys industrie and laboure Euen so the Lorde hath lefte a certeine difficultnesse and hardnesse in the scripture to the end that our spirite should exercise it selfe more more to the knowledge of the veritie That is the cause wherefore the scripture doth not permit euery one to teach And sainct Hierome doth complaine of some which doe presume first rather to teath then to learne And the Lord hath made some to bée Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some shéeperds and some teachers And all are not Prophets and teachers and all do not speake with diuerse tongues and al doe not interprete but the selfe same spirite doth all those thinges diuiding to euery man seuerall giftes euen as he wyll To the end that as euery man hath receyued the gifte minister the same one to an other as good ministers of the manyfolde grace of God. Furthermore the same doth declare verie wel that we ought to haue in great honour and reuerence the holy Scripture and not to abuse it as do the Panims of their writinges I do meane to all matters of laughing bawdry and dyssolution For Sainct Paul doth not suffer that any fylthy communication should procéed out of our mouthes but that which is good to edifie with all to the end that it may giue fauour and grace vnto the hearers yea and doth expresly forbid that fornication and all vncleannesse or couetousnesse bée not once named among vs neither filthynesse neither folish talking neither gestinge which are not comely Also he would not that wée should mingle the holy wordes of the Scripture with so many vile and dissolute matters For as saith Sainct Ambrose although that it haue pleasures pleasaunt and honest yet notwithstanding they are very farre from the Christian and ecclesiasticall rule bicause that that which we can not finde in the holy scriptures we ought not to vsurp To that purpose Eusebius doth recite the example of a Tragicall Poet named Theodotus who in applying certeine places of the Hebrewes vnto a fable was taken blinde and beléeuing that the same affliction and punishement was happened vnto him for the same occasion did acknowledge his sins as that good aucthour saith that with in a litle while after his sight was restored to him againe What shall we say of those which do wrest the holy scripture after their own fātasie do abuse it to the arte of the Magicians inuocations of wicked spirits Although that the Apostle doth admonish and warn them so many tymes that rightuousnesse hath no felowship with vnrightuousnesse or light hath no company with darkenesse or what concorde hath Christe with Belial either what parte hath hee that beléeueth with an Infidel or howe agréeth the Temple of God with images Also that such disciplines are forbydden throughout the whole scripture I wil not forget those which do abuse it to their priuate and perticular profite as did of late the Scribes and Pharises who vnder the coloure of paying their dismes and tythes which the Lorde did vow for the seruice of his Temple do defraude deceiue in the meane time theyr proper owne parentes of the dutie which nature hath commaunded thē according as Iesus Christ did rebuke thē saying But ye say euery man shall say vnto his father and mother that which thou desirest of mée to helpe thée with is giuen GOD and so shall he not honoure his father or his mother And thus haue yée made that the commaundement of God is without effect thorough your traditions As at this day many of the Romishe Church doe handle the places of the scripture not so much for to establishe the kingdome of the sonne of GOD as for to maintaine their vtilitie and profite and truely it is very harde that amonge such people one may finde the true wysdome For as Iob sayth wysdome is not found nor the
is assistaunt daily or alwaies vnto his and vnto his church in what aduersitie so euer it bée according as hée hath promised in Esaie where hée sayeth I will make this couenant with thē saith the Lord my spirite that is come vpon thée and the wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall neuer go out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy childrens childrē frō this time foorth for euer more According vnto that which Iesus Christ hath promised vnto his saying I am with you alway euen vntil the ende of the world and in an other place Iesus saith I will not leaue you comfortlesse Furthermore it is openly knowen though that the Lord do tarie yet neuerthelesse he doth put and fasten certeine markes and lymits vnto the wicked tyrantes that which they cannot passe The which this scripture doth teach vnto vs which did appeare vnto Balthazar béeing set in his bancket with the princes of his people and his concubines by the which Daniel did declare vnto Balthazar that GOD hath numbred his kingdome and brought it to an ende that he hath waied in the balance his dooings and those of Nabuchodonosor his father Where we shal note in the first palce that the lord doth permitte and suffer often times that the wicked shoulde fulfill the measure of their Fathers deferring their punishment vnto the thirde and fourth generation Secondly that the Lorde is not slacke to fulfill his promise as some men count slacknesse but is patient to vs warde and woulde haue no man lost but woulde receiue all men to repentance Thirdly that we must not limit and appoint the time of the mercy of the Lord nor to binde the counsailes of our God As the quéene Iudith doth very well declare vnto the inhabitauntes of Bethulia but to submit our selues vnder the mightie hande of GOD that he may exalte vs when the time is come and to cast all our care vppon him for he careth for vs Finally that wée must beléeue that God woulde be exalted in the patience of his and knowen to bée the onely soueraigne Lord aboue all in the destruction of the wicked according as the scripture saith that GOD standeth wayting that hée may haue mercy vppon vs and lifteth himselfe vp that hée may receiue vs to grace For the Lorde GOD is righteous happie are all they that waite for him And in the booke of Exodus the Lorde sayde vnto Pharao for this cause I haue constituted thee for to make thee knowe my power and strength and to declare my name throughout all the worlde I doe speake vnto those who by our exile banishment and losse of our goods haue thought euen hitherto to constraine vs vnto an extréeme indigence and pouertie and do not consider howe the Lorde hath led his people in the wildernesse fortie yeres their clothes did not wax old vpon them nor their shooes are waxed old vpon their féet Besids this they do imbraide and reproue vnto vs our exile and banishment as if the paine did note the persons of infamie and not the cause Vnto the which we may aunswere with that great Oratour of the latines that the townes and Cities are those which are ruled by all right equitie and iustice which are the true sinowes and cordes of all common wealthes and without which the kingdomes and cities can no more endure then the bodie without life consequently that we haue not bene driuen from towns and cities in asmuch as in them as saith Salust of the citie of Rome there was no difference of the good from the euill but ambition and couetuousnesse did possesse all the rewards of vertue the which doth approch nigh vnto the sentence of Sainct Augustine where hée doth declare that the kingdomes without iustice are the verie dennes and retraytes of theues robbers I do report me vnto the cruelties more then barbarous and Scythian which haue béene executed euen here in the best towns of this realme within thrée yeare past in the meane time they do aunswere vs that they wil not endure suffer two religions To the first place I woulde demaunde of them willingly if it doth apperteine vnto them to make the lawe vnto the king and if they may doe it without charge of conscience and faulte of rebellion Secondly if the religion that they do obserue and kéepe be not a double religion Finally if our doctrine and the foundation of the same be any other then the same of the prophets and Apostles if I say we doe acknowledge any other head in our Church then Iesus Christe and him crucified As touching the first it is most certeine that it belongeth vnto the higher powers to giue the lawe vnto their subiectes not the subiects to giue vnto them the law for they do beare the sworde as the seruants of God for to do iustice in the wrath of him which doth euill vnto such doth apperteine to discerne iustice for they are sent of God for the punishment of euill doers and vnto the laude and praise of them that do well Which if the lawes haue so surely prouided against those which haue marred and defaced the edict or statute of a magistrate or a gouernour which doth not regarde but a thing altogether ciuile and politicke what punishment doe they deserue to haue which by assembles bands and companie of people and by feate of armes haue broken in this time all deuine and humaine lawes if the ciuile law doo punish gréeuouslie him which doth not obey the magistrate what paine cruell ynough can one ordeine for the magistrate which not onely hath wincked and dissembled at the wickednesse and faults of the people But for to do that without authoritie of the prince hath constituted made vnlawfull ordinances and lawes deuised thinges which be to hard to kéepe thorowe the which the poore are oppressed on euerie side and the innocentes of my people are therwith robbed in iudgement I will not here alledge the arest giuen against the vniust iudge which was slain and his skinne was hanged vppe ouer the iudgment seate for to be an example vnto others and for to learne his sonne to exercise iustice in all equitie and right it shall suffise me to conclude with the wise man which saith that an hard iudgment shall they haue that bere rule Mercie is graunted vnto the simple but they that be in authoritie shal be sore puninished and the mightie shall haue the sorer punishment As to the seconde matter there is no man that is wise which doubteth but that their religion is double not onely forasmuch as it is painted and set out with the vaile and false apperaunce of true religion but also forasmuch as it is builded and grounded partely vppon the commaundemēts of God partly vpon the traditions of men Insomuch that the vice is greater among them to leaue the traditions of men
matter what it is to let the true Christian religion I do meane those which are confirmable and agreable to the Christian rule and good manners On the contrarie I beséech them to remember a lawe of the Aegyptians by the which the kings of the countrie did adiure and sweare the iudges not to iudge any thing wrongfully yea when the king hath commaunded them expresly and if they do disalowe me in this matter I wil put before their eyes the exhortation which Iehosaphat made vnto the Iudges of Iuda admonishing and warning them to consider that they doe not exercise the iudgment of men but of GOD and that it shall be with them according to the thing iudged to haue the feare of the Lorde before their eyes to know that there is no vnrighteousnes in the Lord your god nor the regarding of persons nor taking of rewardes They haue written this lawe not with ynke but with the spirite of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of their heartes To the end that by their arrestes and Edictes they haue moued by that afore the people vnto a rage and furie more then barbarous and Scythian they may be also an occasion that hereafter the Christian people doe breake their swordes and speares to make sithes sickles and sawes thereof From that time foorth shall not one people lift vp weapon against another neither shall they learne to fight from thencefoorth but as the prophet Iob saith that we may all walke in the feare of the Lord let vs acknowledge also on our parte that God hath ben prouoked iustly against vs for our demerites and transgressions according as he doth menace and threaten some time his people by the Prophet that he wil take from them the Captein the Souldier the Iudge and the Prophet the wise and the aged man the worshipfull of fiftie yeare olde and the honourable the Senatours and men of vnderstanding the maisters of craftes and Oratoures and shall giue vnto them to be their Princes children and babes shall haue the rule ouer them The people shal be pilled and polled one shall euer be doing violence and wronge to an other The boye shall presume against the elder and the vile person against the honourable Bicause saith the Prophet that both their wordes and counseils are against the Lorde they prouoke the presence of his maiestie vnto anger Wherefore O Christian and faithfull people let vs consider our wayes and search them and let vs returne vnto the Lorde and bewaile vs for our sinnes Let vs lift vp our heartes with our handes vnto the Lorde that is in heauen saying We haue bene dissemblers and haue offended wilt thou therefore not be intreated thou hast conuerted vs in thy wrath and persecuted vs thou hast slaine vs without any fauour thou hast hidde thy selfe in a cloude that our prayers shoulde not goe thorowe thou hast made vs outcastes and to be dispised among the heathen All our enimies gape vppon vs feare and snare is come vpon vs yea dispite and destruction O Lorde be not so sore displeased and kéepe not our offences too long in thy remembrance but consider that we are all thy people The cities of thy Sanctuarie lie wast Syon is a wildernesse Ierusalem a desert Our holy house which is our beautie where our fathers praised thée is brent vp yea all our pleasures and commodities are wasted away remember not Lorde our offences but finish the worke which thou hast begunne in vs in this meane libertie of the religion that we may all sing in great hope and assurance with the Prophet Dauid mercie and truth are met together righteousnesse and peace kisse each other truth shal rise out of the earth and righteousnesse shall looke downe from heauen Graunt vs O Lorde that grace in the name and fauour of thy welbeloued sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe vnto whome be glorie for euer Amen ESAY 11. c. The Lord shall set vp a token among the Gentils and gather together the dispersed of Israel yea and of the outcastes of Iuda from the foure corners of the worlde A prayer O Lord which doest disperse and breake the counsells of the nations dost bring too nothing the enterprises of the people shed out the bowels of thy mercies vpon those which do fight daily against thée as their forefathers and woulde chase and driue thée from thy celestiall throne as the king of Babilon To conclude doe put and set them selues against thy sonne Christe teachers and liers as that sonne of perdition for to pull vp by the roote that which thou hast planted to destroy to ruinate that which thou hast builded to hinder and stop that which thou hast shed out euen vnto the vttermost ends of the earth yea do go about by all meanes to marre and to spill that which thou hast tried in the furnesse of the earth and purified seuen times in the fier to ad vnto that which thou hast ordeined in all integrie perfection To cōclud would suppresse abolish by force that which thou hast established for euer O Lord giue thē feare that they may acknowledg confesse him whom thou hast raised vp to set vp the kinreds of Iacob to restore the destruction of Israel and whom thou hast giuen for to lighten the Gentiles that he may be thy health vnto the end of the worlde our Lorde Iesus Christe vnto whome be glorie for euer Amen AN ADVERTISEMENT VNto these which doe crie dayly that wee must not suffer two religions Cap. 4. 1. TIMOTH 4. ¶ Therfore we labour and suffer rebuke bicause we beleeue in the liuing God which is the sauiour of all men but especially of all those that beleeue IT is most euident and knowen by the discourse of the holy scripture that as the Lord is true entire perfect so doth hée require of vs an acknowledging of him neither fained nor cloked That is the cause wherfore he did regard rather the sacrifice of Abel then of Cain did commaunde in the lawe that is written that wée must haue a perfecte and a iust measure and weightes and not to haue two manner of weightes he did rebuke Saul because that he did not wholy and fully accomplish his will and desire inasmuch as he did reserue some of the spoiles which they had gotten against the king of Amalech And in the Gospell is more praised the prayer of the Publican then that of the Pharisie To conclude in the booke of the Actes of the Apostles Ananias is punished bicause he deceiued the Apostles of the price of his possession In the same respect also we do greatly abhorre those which do mingle the sacrifice of the liuing God with that of Baal the doings of the Iewes with the fame of the Samaritans the baptisme with the circumcision the Christian lawe with that of Antichrist And yet
in the dispensation of his worde Cap. 8. IF that king Dauid be so much praised in the scripture bicause he prepared a place for the Arke of God and ordeined Leuits for to serue to make remembraunce to confesse and praise the Lorde for euer And Salomon his sonne is honoured and praised of all nations bicause he builded and consecrated vnto the Lord that proude sumpteous temple of Ierusalem To conclud if the remembrance of those good kings Ezechias and Iosias doth endure continue for euer bicause they haue forgotten nothing nor spared any thing to clense the Temple of the Lorde from all idolatrie and superstition of the Gentiles haue destroyed the aulters of the Balamites broken their images and comaunded the people to reade the booke of Gods appointment and to kéepe al the ordinaunces of god Truely the true christian princes ought to acknowledge and beléeue that their duetie is not onely to establishe the true religion but also to haue regarde and a respect that the Temple of God doe abide and continue impolluted and vndefiled from all kinde of Idolatrie and mans supersticion That is the cause wherefore the scripture doth commaunde so often the children of Israel to honour God in his temple and to abstaine and refraine themselues from the merchandise companie and societie of the vncircumcised people For as the church is the spouse for God and a pure and chaste virgine forasmuch truely as the sonne of God is deliuered vp of her So he woulde that she shoulde be kept vnto him irreprehensible holy and glorious aswel for the regarde of the true seruice which is due as for the respect that they ought to haue to his worde and vsage of the Sacraments ordeined in the Church And to that end are repeated so often in the scripture those two precepts that is to say Thou shalt haue none others Gods in my sight for I am a gelous god And this yée shall not doe euerye man that séemeth good in his owne eyes But whatsoeuer I commaund you that take héed yée doe and put nought therto nor take ought therfro declaring by those two preceptes that they ought not to mingle the seruice of God with the seruice of so many false gods or of creatures nor to ioyne compare the commaundements of God to the traditions of men For that occasion the Lord did complain of his people that they had polluted his temple by a false seruice and that their siluer was turned to drosse and their wine mixt with water And Iesus Christ did declare vnto the Scribes Pharises that they did transgresse the commaundementes through their traditions Béehold as I thinke whervnto chieflie the Christian Princes ought to endeuor themselues that is to say to purge clense the temple of God from a false seruice for to establish the true Religion to foresee prouide that the Christian doctrine be purely declared and that it be not defiled with so many of mens traditions I wil recite for this mater two examples the first shall bee of Ptolomaeus Philadelphus who caused the bookes of the Hebrewes to be translated in to the Gréeke for to aduaunce the religion of the people of God his doctrine furthermore did remit and set at libertie the Iewes which then were captiues in Egipt The second is of Constantine the Emperoure which did rise vp for the quarell of the christiaÌ„s against Licinius Cesar willing to compel and force all the world to follow the lawes of the Painyms Insomuch that Constantine hauing vanquished Licinius not only caused the state of the Religion to bee established but also the deede of Iustice which before was subuerted and marred through the tyrannie and cruelty of Dioclesian Maximinian Maximinius and Mazentius his predecessors And truely in this duety the christian princes cannot excuse themselues for if they are so diligent to foresee and prouide that theire Townes and Cities be not taken by their enimies shall not this bée their estate to bée careful diligent that Gods temple do abide and continue impoluted and vndefiled with Idolatrie and humaine superstition if that be the propertie of a vertuous Prince to watche diligentlie that his subiects be kept vnder his obedience without oppression iniurie shall not this be the true duetie of a Christian prince to kéepe that his subiectes be not hurte with the hammer of the whole world nor that they doe not drinke in that cup of gould of that great Babilon the mother of fornication and be dronke with the wine of her fornication To conclude if the Christian princes are so curious and carefull to beware that their subiectes be not giuen to wickednesse and turned from their obedience by straungers as of late was Dina the daughter of Iacob shall not they be carefull that they be not seduced and led here and there by straunge doctrines The spouse of the Lord doth crie out in the booke of the Canticles of Salomon Saying get ye Foxes yea the little Foxes that hurte the vines whilest that the vines do beare blossomes The Prophet Ezechiel doth complaine saying O Israel thy prophets are like the Foxes vppon the drie fielde And the christian princes will suffer so many false priestes which deuoure widows houses and that vnder a coulour of praying long prayâ—rs And of others whiche peruerte whole houses teaching things which they ought not bicause of filthy lucre Insomuch that those which ought to preach a gospel of peace doe preach a message of trouble and sedition amonge the Christians Those which ought to wéepe and be sorie for the sinnes of the people doe reioyce to sée euery where the bloode of the true Chrstians shead Those which doe take the qualitie of the Apostles and doe vaunce and boast themselues to be as shéepe among wolues wise I say as serpentes and innocent as doues doe deuoure the shéepe and doues of the Lord. Those vnto whom the Lorde hath not sent for a sworde but his worde doe arme themselues for to suppresse hys worde and the kingdome of his welbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Those vnto whom the Lorde commaunded to take nothing to succour them by the way neither staffe nor scrip neither bread neither money neither to haue two coates doe heape vp infinite treasures for to afflict and trouble the people of God They doo tithe the Mint Annise and Commin and leaue the weightier matters of the lawe vndone iudgment mercy and faith Bee astonished O ye heauens be afrayd and abashed at such a thing Those which doe boast and bragge themselues to be lawfull successors of those good auncient fathers doe make it a conscience to transgresse the least of the commaundements of men And doe make it no conscience vnder coloure of true religion to bringe to vtter ruine distruction the children of god And they dare not as they say to bée founde faultie in