were before you c. O good father Browne qv his mother howe haue you been persecuted for the wordes sake what persecution haue you suffered froÌ„ time to tyme But the Lorde be praysed for your deliuerie and coÌ„stancie in quiet suffering thereof The prophetes christ saith hath been so handled Therefore be of good chere maÌ„ take no thought â–ª For one daie I truste we shall all be mery in the lord and shal haue the dewe of the worde once more be sprinckled vpon our faces at what tyme I trust we shal be eueÌ„ with these shauelyng priestes shaue their crownes a litle deper Yes mother qv Browne I am of good chere for I haue good cause so to be for I am cheryshed of suche good women as yeare that I lacke nothyng And howe then can I be sorrowfull hauing such cause to be mery in the lorde In the meane tyme certen other Sisterwiues I thinke thei wer for their apparayle were freese roabes and certen marchantmen tarried in the courte withoute one asking another wheÌ„ the preaching time was And we hearing of some sermon towardes leauing Brownes communication with â—is mother walked vp and doune in the courte Not long after Browne coÌ„meth forth with his mother and sister and Iacke prentise also with his testament â–ª Browne wente into the Stable where tarrying a while belyke in doing his busynes anone he called in the coÌ„gregacion amoÌ„ges them thrust we Where Browne leanynge vpon hys horsebacke whiche was a iade scarse worth syxe pence sitting vpoÌ„ the maunger he beganne to alledge certen places of Ecclesiastes withoute booke one vpon another in heapes Then beganne he to talke of thre Religions The one he termed my lorde Chauncelors religion the other Cranmers Latymers and Ridleys religion And the thirde he called goddes Religion My lorde Chauncelors he sayde was nought Cranmers the others religion not good but Goddes religion was best With suche other vayne woordes not worthy the tyme in rehersal And hearing this beastly talke we departed lamenting the great folly of the people whiche in this sorte dyd dayly spende their tyme too heare suche lying spirites And goyng homewardes we met dyuers companies both of meÌ„ and women of purpose going to Islyngton to heare the sermon of this peltig prophet But within a whyle after I heard saye thys father Browne his brood with the congregacion were remoued from that place and were dispersed into corners Truly pitie it is he is suffred in this sort to range the countreis without restrainte not only for corrupting the people with ill opinions but also for disseminating his vaine Prophecies to excite rumors But this opinion I haue of Browne that he had rather liue a proude confessor then burne a stinking martyr With many such similitudes of Godlines manye of the protestantes in our tyme be inspired Here myght also be rehersed the zeale that the lame maÌ„ that was burnt of late at Stratford had when he called for his croche too haue the same likewise to be burned with him thinking without the same he could not meritie the crown of martirdome And thus they haue certen resemblances of godlines and deny the power thereof And in vsing these their counterfait zeales they doo not onely mocke with God but they deceyue his poore people with inceÌ„sing their frayle natures with a thousand mo of these their practises whiche here I omytte And these their folyshe deuyses are so folyshe if they be duely marked that nothing can be more folishe And if it be well consydered any IndiffereÌ„t man may sone discerne to what ende their purpose is to directe the same for th ende is either to bringe their conceyued opinioÌ„s in credite with the world or els to sturre vp wicked brutes and lies vpon the magistrates suche as please not their fancies to make vproares and comocions within the realme Therby to reedefie their coÌ„fused churche or els to seke the destructioÌ„ of this said noble realme and vs all the people thereof And coÌ„cerning the other vices whiche are of these sortes of meÌ„ wherof saint Paule prophecied because they be partly described before I purpose nowe to conclude exhorting all men that entende to aspire to saluacion to waye diligently the premisses Firste to consider the vnitie of Christes churche whiche in all thinges touching our faith vniformely doth agree and to consider the sundrie factions of y â— protestantes vpon the fayth wherin they do not agree Waye their falshode in alleging the places of the scriptures onely to say euil of the churche and to misreport the same Ponder the wordes whiche S. Paule prophesieth vpon sondrye heretikes whiche should come denying marriage and eatyng of meates to bee vtterly nought and howe maliciously they applye the same vpon the Churche whiche with honourable wordes doth commend them bothe Perceiue aduisedly with your selues what cause the Protestantes haue to shorten their lyues by fyer and what cause they haue to call their iuste punishementes persecutions And consider with youre selues the state of Christes Churche in the beginnyng and the state thereof at this present which in one vnitie of doctrine is all one thoughe not then so firme as it is nowe Waye also the folly of the vngodly whiche presumptuously chalenge to them selues the tytle of Martyrs and more fondly offer themselues to y e fier not coÌ„pelled thervnto as the true Martyrs were but obstinately as who would saye in the despite of the Churche Examine with your selues also what faith the church of Christ teacheth whether it denieth God refuseth the sonne or contempneth the holy ghost as Infideles and other miscreantes do Emonges whiche infideles if these menne suffered then more truely they might name themselues Martyrs But the churche professeth with more sinceritie that God whiche they do that Christe that holy ghost that they do The Churche dothe teache the sacramentes to be in numbre vii as the scripture leadeth and as the Apostles tradicions and holy doctours do prescribe The Churche in nothing concernyng the substaÌ„ce of religioÌ„ doth varie or altar The churche teacheth that the inuisible bodye of Christ sytting at the right hand of God the father is here in the visible formes of breade wyne inuisibly contained in the sacrament of the Altare the dearest iewel whiche Christe lefte vpon earth and offered of the Preist in a lyuely and pure sacrifice at Masse to God the father for the comfort of the whole churche accordyng to the prophecie of Malachie the prophete speaking in the name of God the father these wordes I haue no wyll and pleasure in you and I wyll receiue no offering or rewarde at your hande From the rising of the sunne to the setting my name is great emonges the GeÌ„tiles and in euery place there shal be sacrifice done and a pure and cleane oblatioÌ„ shal be offered to my name The churche also teacheth the adoration of this moste pure sacrifice
anye true christian to poure out a foūtaine of teares to bewayle the calamitie thereof Whose ruyne is exceded so farre that it withdraweth mannes expectaciō to loke for amendement vnles God of his great mercy supernaturally do worke the restitucion aswell of the common wealth politike as also of the true and catholike fayth charitie and good liuyng Agamemnon might now double his exclamaciō in these dayes as Seneca reporteth which is Good life lawe good ordre godlines fayth are nowe decayed Therfore calling to my remembraūce this our carefull case I mused with my selfe what might be the cause thereof and sodaynly occurred to my remembraunce the comfortable promyses of God the father made to the obseruers of his lawes and commaundementes And likewyse I considered hys intollerable threateninges to y ◠breakers of the same Then comparing the wretchednes of our lyues to the sinceritie of his holy preceptes I fynde a marueylous difference Good life was neuer in such cōtempte malice at no tyme bare suche rule the godly neuer more dispysed finally God neuer more dishonoured nor his catholike fayth at any tyme had in so lytle regarde especially of such as moste arrogantly chalenge to thēselfes the name of true christians who in very deede are of all christianitie moste barren To whome the wordes of Christ may be wel applyed where he sayeth If I had not come vnto thē they shuld haue had no synne in them but nowe their synne doth remayne Whiche woordes are verely verified in those false christians which not onely in faith do erre but also moste obstinatly seme to defende the same In whome errour is turned to heresye and of weake and fraile mē are become obstinate heretikes It is by nature geuen to menne in somme thynges to erre but to persiste therein it is againste nature For sayth Tully we be al drawē and ledde to aspire vnto knowledge wherin to passe other we thinke it a goodly matter but to slyde to erre to be ignorant to be deceiued wee counte it euil dishonest Therfore sayth he one thyng is to bee auoyded therein which is that we take not thynges wee knowe not as thoughe wee knewe them and rashely assent to them Wherfore deliberation and aduisement is to bee required in suche causes Nowe then it is the office and duetie of mā to apply his will to the grace of God by whō truth is reueled in tyme wherevnto he ought to consent but to resist his synne doth remaine which is the sinne of Infidelitie a synne doubtles whiche most displeaseth God as appeareth by his plagues executed by his wrath vpon all sortes of infideles But nowe to drawe neare vnto the purpose whiche chiefly is to displaye the factious opinions of suche which not only do erre but also cōtinue in errour and seke with to the and nayle to defendethe same For whose infidelitie God at this daye doeth so sore plague the worlde chiefly this realme whiche for vertue good liuing sake hath bene worthely nominated Decus mundi y ◠floure of the worlde Nowe forasmuche as I know that thei which cōmonly do erre beyng reproued therefore wyll immediately make as thoughe they were ignorant what heresie is sometyme wyll demaunde what heresye is or who is an heretyke To whome if answere be made according to the diffinition of lerned men It is any false or wrong opinion whiche any man choseth to him selfe to defende against the catholike fayth of the vniuersall church Truth in dede say they But what meaneth the catholike church Then answere is made It is that congregacion whiche wholy dothe agre in one vnitie of fayth and ministracion of sacramentes Whiche answer when they likwise affirme Then procede they to know whether it be knowen or vnknowen and so furth Doubtlesse the catholike church is so knowen to y ◠worlde that neither heretike nor other miscreant can pleate ignoraunce to learne that truth whiche leadeth to saluation For the Churche is like vnto a castle stāding vpō an hyll whiche cannot be hyd Whiche hyll is cut out of the harde rocke and exalted so high that is replenisheth y ◠yerth as the prophete Daniel sayth It is resēbled also by the psalmist to a tabernacle placed in the sonne so shyning throughout the world that it can by no cloude or tēpest be obscured It is also as Paule sayth the foundation and pyller of truth and can not be deceyued thoughe her aduersaries allege the contrary Full well doth the late moste famous mā Lodouicus Viues say I doo and wyll stande sayth he to the true iudgement of the churche although I sawe to the contrary a moste manifest reason I may be deceyued as I am diuers times but the church in those thynges whiche tende to religion can not bee deceyued Therfore the churche beyng soo manifestly knowen as it cannot be hidden so replenished and garnished with truth as it is the very foundation and piller of truth with what face or countenaunce can the aduersaries therof stande in contencion therewith Unlesse they be infected w t Circes cuppes or els by her enchantmētes transformed into the shape of swyne But nowe these swinishe aduersaries will obiecte saiyng Syr those which you name heretikes we will proue to bee the true congregaciō And this is their profe We allege preache vtter ▪ or talke of nothing but scripture whiche can not deceiue vs whereby we are the true churche and not you which cal your selfes catholikes Whiche reason semeth to them so infallible that it cannot be auoyded But forasmuch as the knowledge of all truth ouerthrow◠of heresie dependeth vpon the thaucthoritie of the church both for the knowledge of the scriptures and also for the exposition of the same I purpose breifly to say somewhat therin The head of the churche is Christ who by the Apostles was preached to all nations of whō also his doctrine was receiued at least of so many as were conuerted to the fayth The conuerters of whom were the Apostles which in the beginnyng were the mysticall bodye of Christ their head who then beyng the Churche exalted their voyces in suche sorte as it penetrated the whole yearth their wordes extended to the endes of the worlde The succession of whiche Apostles haue continued from tyme to tyme in vnitie of the same fayth Whiche fayth is left vnto the Churche as permanent for euer therby to strēgthen the weake and to confounde the proude to establishe the electe to ouerthrowe all misbeleuers sectes hereticall whiche sectes not onely abuse the open places of that liuely worde but also do falsly expounde the darke mistical places therof as S. Peter wytnesseth of s Paules Epistles But if these ▪ good felowes wyll nedes be of Christes churche as arrogantly thei presume by their owne cōfession They must haue one vnitie of doctrine as y ◠churche hath whiche
at Paules for their opinioÌ„s against the Sacrament of the altar .iiii. Sussex men the one of thâ— was a duche man dwelled besydes Lewes who being demaunded amonge others what baptisme was the one aunswered it was a Sacrament then he was demaunded whether a man myght be a christian without it yea doutles qv he For it is but an externe signe and worketh litle grace For said he lyke as a man doeth washe his handes in a basen of water signifying that the handes are cleane so the chylde is wasshed at baptisme to accomplyshe the exterior figure Then was obiected vnto him the saying of christ vnles a maÌ„ be borne agayn with water the holy ghoste he could not be saued Tushe sayth he the water profiteth nothyng it is the holy ghoste that woorketh Who with the rest moste worthely were condempned and burned in Sussex Fynally there be many other opinions not worthy the rehersall deuysed by the protestantes and for the mayntenance therof how many do we se for lacke of grace wylfully without anye feare of God or man precipitate themselfes into the temporall fyer without any respecte or due consideracion of the life to come And God wâ—te some of them demaunded questions of their beliefe they cannot tel what to say Suche is the iniquitie of oute tyme. It is before declared the sondry opinioÌ„s of many who altogether boaste themselues too be of the true Churche Whose opinions partely I haue noted to set before mennes eies the exâ— crable factions of their malignaunt churche to thintent they may consider that the catholique churche is of one faith of one spirite of one iudgemeÌ„t not lacerated deuided or torne but whole and intier From the whiche who soeuer departeth procureth vnto himselfe dampnacion For without the churche is no saluacion Nowe touchyng the vnitie and concorde of the churche it contynueth in the very same state as it dyd in the primatiue churche as we rede howe the Apostles were all of one coÌ„sent and one mynde Which vnitie as they theÌ„ did imbrace placing the same as a sure tokeÌ„ or badge to know y â— church so loke what churche let it haue neuer so glorious titles beyng without that it is euident that it is no churche but rather a denne of theues Christ leuing y â— world and asceÌ„ding vp to his father be sides his seuerall admonicioÌ„s to his Apostles during the tyme of his coÌ„uersacion vpon earth preached peace saying haue peace among you c. Paule in all his epistles perswadeth vnitie Which may perswade any good harte to acknowlege the catholike church to be that churche where all men may learne the truthe of the gospel religioÌ„ fayth SacrameÌ„tes al other kindes of rites or ceremonies Whiche churche coÌ„tempneth all sortes of Heretikes and other miscreantes and standeth vnremouable notwithstanding theyr wycked dartes fethered with mischiefe dayly throwen against her But it behoueth saith s Paule that there shuld be heresies amoÌ„ges you to trye make manifest those that be constante Therfore no maruayll thoughe now thei beare such swinge For in the latter daies saith he there shal be perilous tymes wherein some shal departe from the faith and shall geue hede to spirites of error and deuelyshe doctrine of them which speake false through hypocrisie hauynge their consciences marked with an hote yron forbidding menne to marry and commaunding to absteyne from meates whiche God hathe created to bee receiued with thankes geuyng c. But the Protestantes tournynge thys place from theimselfes they woulde proue the Papisticall Churche for so thei terme it to be those heretikes whiche sainte Paule here gyueth warning of Doe not the papistes saye they euen as saint Paule saieth forbid matrimony which he saith is holy in al mene And yet they prohibite priestes nuÌ„nes other religious to marry prouing themselfes therby to be those of whom Paule did propherye And doo they not lykewyse forbid meates to be eaten whiche God hath created too be receyued with thaÌ„kesgeuyng c. In this sorte these credible gentelmen handled this place to discredite the catholyke church and to allure all men with their pleasante outcries to cast of libertie to offende God to offeÌ„de the magistrates to breake all lawes to vndoe commen welthes to make dearthe and scarcitie finallye â–ª to doe what they lyste But what ment they hereby Euen to handle the matter as the Sirenes dyd whereof Homere speaketh whose voyces were so pleasant that with their songes they allured all passengers whiche sayled by the seas where they haunted to approche vnto theim and beyng within their thraldome their custome was to drowne both them and their shyppes Euen so oure late pleasant Sirenes in all pulpetes vsed such pleasant songes and alluremeÌ„tes enteÌ„ding therby not onely to nosell the bodye with al kyndes of bellychere but also to make them to forget both God and man so procure Hell mouth to opeÌ„ swallow vp both bodie and soule Nowe I would gladly learne of theim whether the heretikes of whome s Paule prophecied did vtterly forbidde marriage to all men women or not If they answere yea as thei cannot chose then they cannot proue that the catholyke churche forbideth marriage to al meÌ„ For who is it priest religious man or womaÌ„ but that once in their life tyme they were at libertie either to marrie or lyue chast So that the choice of either state is free to doe as the grace of GOD shall worke in them Nowe agayne if they affirme the papistes to forbid marriage to some as to prietes nonnes and other votaries therin shewing themselfes to be those wherof sainte Paule affirmeth truthe it is the Churche forbiddeth all such to marrie not discommending matrimonÌ„ie tóo suche as maye laufullye take it But forasmuche as they haue bounde themselfes by vowe and promesse to the contrarie therfore because they mighte not incurre into the lapse of daÌ„pnation as Paule reporteth it is the charitee of the churche to forbid theÌ„ marrye as S. Paules rule prescribeth who knew howe straitly the scripture chargeth suche as haue made vowes to kepe them And for that cause he saieth the wydowe hath dampnation if she marrye after she is receiued into the Churche to bee founde of the goodes therof bycause she vnloseth chastite and therfore he calleth it her fyrst faieth in respecte of the seconde made too man by marriage Whereby it is playne that S. Paule cannot meane by his prophecie that the churche is hereticall in forbiddyng the professed and vowed to marrye as they teache For then they muste nedes proue Paule to bee an heretike O cancred stomakes festred througheoute with malice But wyll you see theyr shyftes Paule saith receiue no widowes into the churche vnder .lx. yeare olde c. and after he sayeth the yonger widowes refuse c. Here saye they takynge anye into the church vnder .lx. yere old Paules precepte is broken Wherby they
that are taken in are at liberty to marrye This is Poinettes doctrine in his booke of the defence of priestes marriage But what manne is he thoughe he be halfe madde but he may perceiue their follye Herein I will aske whether the olde wydowe hauynge the age that S. Paule nameth if she marrye doeth incurre the daunger of dampnacion Wherevnto if they aunswere yea then howe chaunceth it that some of them notwithstaÌ„ding their vowes beyng of that age yea and aboue to not fearing daÌ„pnation dyd marrye But what shal men iudge of them If rashe iudgemeÌ„t myght conioyne with rashe doctrine truly a man myght speake rashely But let God iudge For wher as saint Paule doeth vehemently exhorte all wydowes to the vowe of chastite excepteth no age touching that profession but onely in respecte of suche as should be found by the goodes of the churche nowe cometh in ruffling Poynet with his double mariage two wyues at a clappe and maketh S. Paule to correct that whiche fyrst so earnestly he taught and will haue wydowes to vowe chastitie no more except they were at the least xl yeres of age But if a question may be asked I pray you sir of what age was Timothe when S. Paule exhorted him to lyue chaste Was he xl Was Paule xl yeres when he sayd I wyll haue all meÌ„ to be as I am my self Were they also lx yeres old a pece that saint Paule spake vnto Well to confounde Poynet here a worde or twayne of Chrysostome vpoÌ„ that place Saint Paule sayth he forbyddeth suche wydowes and driueth them from that purpose not because he would that there should In grauÌ„ting wherof they proue themselfes lyers For the catholike churche whiche they call papistical doth neither forbyd flesh nor fyshe to be eaten at suche tymes as by the same is prescribed But for the vnderstaÌ„ding of this place of S. Paule touching certain which should come forbyd marriage meates to be eaten it is to wete there were in the primatiue churche false prophetes whiche affirmed that the olde lawe was as necessarely to be obserued as the new as Ebion Cherinthus and the Nazares who folowyng the vses of the Grekes abstained froÌ„ meates which were suffocate of whom s Paule speaketh saiyng There were some which beleued that certein meates naturally were vnclene such was Tacianus Eustacheus Priscillianus There were also a sect called Manichaei who not onely refused Fleshe but also Egges mylke chese and the like Another sect also called Scueriani vtterly forbad wyne as vnlawfull Another secte also called Cathari affirmed that to eate Fleshe Egges Mylke althoughe it were great necessitie was a deadly synne And these and suche like were they of whom Paule speaketh For the churche forbiddeth none of these to be eaten but at certain tymes which is both praised in scripture aswell to please God as also to profite enriche the common welth To abstaine from meates coÌ„monly called fasting is a thing much acceptable to God and in scripture estsoâ—es perswaded The children of Israel were coÌ„maunded by God as it appeareth in Leuiticus to abstaine froÌ„ meates is not the man and woman when they go about to do sacrifice coÌ„maunded to abstaine froÌ„ wynes Christ himselfe biddeth vs to watche pray because we knowe not the houre Put vpoÌ„ you sayth Paul our sauiour Christ haue no desire to the fulfilling of the desires of the flesh And thei which be of Christ let them crucifie their owne flesh by abstinence The fathers of the olde lawe in all thinges they weÌ„t about vsed the armour of abstinence especiallye to ouerthrowe Goddes enemies The people of Israel beyng coÌ„maunded of Samuel to fast ouercame their enemies Iudas Machabeus beyng about to fight with Gorgias as sone as he had fasted he obtained the victorie Daniel fastyng thre wekes receiued a vision from the Lord. Achab by fasting wearing of sackeclothe lamentacion obtained forgeuenes of his synnes Iudith by that armour vanquished Holofernes And Hester after thre dayes fast coÌ„uerted Assuerus furor into temperaunce Many other of the good fathers exercised that weapon to confound their enemies But our countremen suche cheifly as had y â— gospel moste in their mouthes so ouersawe the Gospell that all these good places with innumerable mo were quite ouerseen I praye God to put suche grace into their myndes that hereafter they may no more ouersee y â— coÌ„fortable places of scripture written for our erudition comfort but with diligence peruse them with more diligence put them in practise Doubtles nature is satisfied w t a smale porcion if man will captiuate his owne sensualitie and bridle his affections True are y â— wordes of Seneca Nature is content with a litle whose coÌ„tentacion if thou do oppresse with superfluitie â–ª it will coÌ„uert into thinges noysome Folowe not Sardanapalus W t his belly chere nor yet Epicurus whoo counted the blessednes of this life to consist in pleasures of the body but rather let vs folow the exaÌ„ple of a sort of people called Essaei who liued with suche abstinence that their life was prolonged into yeres infinite or els the good lyues of the godly fathers Antonius Paulus suche like who continually liued in desert with rotes and other thynne fare Let vs learne of the Persians how to abstaine Who when they went about to attempt any enterprise besides bread did eate nothing els but Nasturtium which is an herbe called Cresses supposing that thereby their spirites were made more quicke liuely It were to be wished that all meÌ„ entending either to praye vnto god for any temporal coÌ„moditie or els for any heauenly treasure or to do any good worke would folowe the Churches example therin that is before to begynne with fasting and to eate Nasturtium that is to say to exhilarate their spirites by fast to performe their intent Then might they accomplishe Tobyas saying that prayer ioyned with fastyng and almesdedes is profitable Thus abstinence and fastyng is vniuer sally commended aswell by prophane men as by diuine Therfore in this thyng the Churche cannot be those heretikes wherof Paule prophesieth For it prohibiteth not meates vtterly but it geueth a certain prescription ordre foreseyng mans frailtie which were it not brought in seruitude by suche meanes it would not voluntarely for the most part indue any godly inclinacion For ordre as well in thinges natural as supernatural hath euer had suche preeminence that thereby the incomprehensible maiestie of GOD as it were by a bryght leme of a torche or candle is declared to the blinde inhabitantes of the worlde In framyng of all thinges sayth Tully in apt and conuenient places ordre is to be required So that the churche by the administration of the holye ghoste from tyme to tyme to preuent mannes imbecillitie hathe chosen out certaine tymes for
that rather then they would forsake their drossie diuinitie whiche they haue gathered by their curiositie they thoughte with fagotes to ende their lyues miserably And in this kynde of death they so arrogātly reioyce that they be so bolde to compare themselfes with the Martyrs of christes church But forasmuche as this is a cause whiche of some men is thought marueilous that men should die in the quarel of religion and therefore the quarell good It shall be worth the traueill to say somwhat therein rather for the ignorance of the vnskilful then for the matter itself As in the bodye of a common welth politike if anye malefactor these or murderer be founde giltie in the cryme or offēce wherin he is accused forthwith the lawe doth prosecute by the verdicte of the .xii. men and sentence of death is pronoūced for his deserte as a man not worthye too lyue being an enemie to y ◠weale publike Euen so in the church of Christe whiche is the spirituall kingdome suche malefactours and miscreantes as do trāsgresse the faith other holsome constitucions enacted first by the prouidence of the holye Ghoste and afterwarde diligently put in execution by the holy Patriarches Bysshops and other gouernors of the same are iustly by the censure of the same cōmitted to the politike magistrates to be punished either by death or els by some other meanes laufull for the same as enemies to God haters of his true religion and cōtemners of all good ordres The Heathen being noseled in their supersticions vaine veneration of their fained goddes yet bare suche reuerence to their religion that in no wyse thei could abide the despisers therof The Atheniens for that Alcibiades a stoute capteine in their warres was supposed to haue neglected the sacrifices of Ceres was in his absence by death cōdempned The iust Socrates lykewyse was condēpned for the like insomuch that Xenophon writing of him marueiled muche therof considering he bare himselfe so vpright If the Heathen had suche a regarde to their fayned religions what woulde they haue doone if they had knowen the true and liuing god our creator And what oughte we christians to doe touching the contemners of our true religion Christe himselfe commaundeth that if any man doth not geue attendance to the churches admonition he willeth him to be taken for an Heathen and publicane Therfore if that man be worthy to be taken for a Publicane or Heathē persone which wyll not here the churche Then the heretike whiche not onely is incorrigible but also a contemptuous persone against God and his churche is worthye the name of an Heathen man according to Christes owne sentence and not worthy to lyue or be conuersant amonges christians If not worthy too lyue then he is worthye death In the olde lawe we reade in Deuteronomie this sentence That man which is proude and will not obey the priestes cōmandement which that time doth minister to thy lorde thy God the iudgement of the iudge let hym die wherin thou shalt take away an euell out of Israell Also in another place it is wrytten The Prophete whiche beyng inflate with arrogance wyll speake those thinges in my name which I haue not commaūded him let him be put to death Forasmuche then as al proude mē cōtemning the churches anthoritie and the priest are by the manifest scriptures worthy to be slayne then it is not contrary to Gods woorde as the brethren affirme to punishe anye man for his opinions S. Paule admonisheth vs yea entreateth vs too take heede of thē which sowe sedicion amōges the people to eschewe their cōpanie for such as they be do not serue their lord Christ but their owne belly seducing the mindes of the innocent with swete talke and faire perswasiōs Suche are our martyrs in these dayes who in their lyfe tyme go aboute nothinge els but to sowe sedicion either conspiracie againste their prince and magistrates or els to peruerte the innocent with their vaine perswasiōs folishe talke I would to God saieth Paule that thei which trouble you wer cutte of from the congregacion The whiche wordes of s Paule semeth to bee an infallible rule touching the punishment of heretikes But our men not regarding the discommodities whiche myght ensue by meanes of their false perswasions crye out with one voyce saying VVhat crueltie is this to put to death the brethren in christ where do we reade in scriptures that christ or his Apostles sought the death of any man Therefore saie they it is mere tyrannie thus to persecute the litle flocke the chosen and elect vessels of God crying by the waie as they passe to deaah Be cōstant dere brethren be constante in the faith sticke to it it is not this temporall paine which you ought to regarde your brekefast is sharpe your supper shal be merye Therefore the lorde strengthen you With these suche like vayne woordes they brynge the poore men in suche foles paradise that thei with suche vaine arrogance and small Charitee sticke not to aduenture themselfes into the fiery flambes O ye folishe and blynde Galathiens who hath so bewytched you too thynke that that man whiche sticketh to hys opinion to death and sealeth the same with his bloude as you terme it therefore his opinion is good But to answere your fōde obiection touching Christe his Apostles whether they soughte the death of anye man or not ye shal be answered by s Augustine For the Donatistes in his tyme iustlye condempned for their heresies alleged the very lyke obiection whom he answered thus What Emperour thē did beleue in Christe The cause why the Apostles required not the death of heretikes was for that the sworde of Heathen Prynces dyd not serue the Gospel But assoue as Constantine the fyrst christian Emperour was baptized the catholykes then cried out agaynste heretikes For if Emperours do punishe theft murder rape adulterie and periurie why shuld thei not as well punyshe heresie and sacrilege Thus saint Augustine allegeth the cause whye heresye was not punyshed in the primatiue churche For if the Princes then had yelded to the Gospell not followed their supersticious Idolatrye doubtles the quarell of Goddes enemies had been reuenged aswell as nowe And yet wee reade that one thynge was obserued then aswell as nowe whiche was that all vayne and curious bokes wherof we want no stoore at thys presente were burned openlye before al menne and the summe which the bokes die amount vnto was fyue hundreth thousande pence as appereth in the Actes of thapostles But here to note whether it be the cause or els the death that maketh a martyr we will alledge the saying of the late Prophete ofte by the protestantes cōpared to the old Prophetes called Latymer in his booke of sermons made before the late kynges maiestie Edwarde the sixte where shamefully raylyng vpon a dead man syr Thomas Seamer lorde Admyrall
laufullye Then to execute it vpon the vnrightuous which committed any falte against the Gospell whiche reproueth true religioÌ„ is a thing moste laufull whiche fautes are adiudged by the churche worthy excommunication that is to say to cut them of whiche are obstinate as s Paule wysheth Titus Nowe if the lawe be good to cut them of as rotteÌ„ branches which either be authors of sectes or offenders otherwise the lawe iudging them worthy death then it is a thing perswaded by scriptur to burne suche braunches which are dampned by their owne iudgemeÌ„t no iniurie done to th one or thotheâ— but charitie in cuttig them of that thei should sinne no more in y â— like faultes to encresse their own daÌ„pnation VVe wold not saith saynt Augustine haue them cut of meaning heretikes from the other ioyntes and meÌ„bers of the body but forasmuche as the wounde by cutting away the dead flesh may soner be healed then if it were suffered to remaine stil Therfore a more holsom remedy is foùd with a short paine to ease the grief then to suffer it to fester and rankcâ—e the other membres So it appereth that it is a most pestilent error to thinke that noone for any opinion or conscience oughte too be put to death But peraduenture they wyll alledge agayne saying why doth God say which is the lorde of the haruest suffre the cockle and the good corne to growe together till the haruesâ— leste you pull vp the good corne therwith â–ª Doutles euen for this cause We se by experience when seedes good and bad are throweÌ„ vpon the earth together whyle they be yonge it is daungerous to plucke vp the one leste the other be plucked vp also But iâ— they be suffered to growe till the good corne haue a stronge roote then the cockle growing vp therwith may be easely discerned without daunger of hurtyng the good corne the cockle may be roted out Euen so in the infancie of the churche at suche tyme as the fayth was not throughly roted in the hartes of men muche lenite and genlenes was vsed in ouercommynge the stubburnes of heretikes least the weake christians not fully instructed in the fayth might haue falleÌ„ therby So that there was no sharpnes shewed vpoÌ„ any till the time of Maximus theÌ„perour by whose authorite heretikes began to bee odible and were cut of by the teÌ„porall swoorde After whome Theodosius Valentinianus Martianus the like Emperours raigned in whose times also lawes were made for the punyshyng of heretikes and such as were authors of euill doctrine the cause was for that the fayeth of Iesus began firmely to take holde aswell in Emperoures Kynges and Princes as also in others And the churche as it is nowe soo growen that it hathe soo stronge roote that hell gates shall not preuayle againste it that is too saye neyther the persecution of tyrantes nor the peruersite of heretikes can ouerthrowe it the churche I saye nowe beyng in this state that heretikes maye easly be discerned as cockle is in haruest which is then weded for ouergrowing the good corne doth by by excommunication cut them of as scripture commaundeth For euery peruerse doctrine is as saint Hierome saith LeaueÌ„ And leanen oughte to bee taken from the doughe A sparckle as soone as is doth appeare ought to be quenched rotten flesh ought to be cut awaye a skabby shepe ought too be repealed from the flocke least the house the doughthe body the flocke be throughly corrupted do burne do putrifie and marre Arrius in Alexandria was but one sparcle but because it was not immediatly put out y â— flame therof destroyed the hole worlde What mercy is this to fauour â—â— to bryng all other in peril of their liues Meaning heretikes who if they myght bee suffered too reigne would bryng all thynges to ruine as is aforesayd Of that mynde is Chrisostome that eloquent Atlas one of the pillers of goddes veritie saying Haue you not hearde saieth he that he whiche in the olde testament gathered styckes vpoÌ„ the Sabboth daye for that he offended that one commaundement was destroyed with extreame death Haue you not heard also that Ozi whiche did but staye vp the Arke from falling was immediatly stroken starke dead because he toke vpon hym an vnfit ministerie Therefore dothe the violacion of the Saboth and the touchyng of the Arke so muche offende God that the offendours could obtayne no pardon What Pardon and excuse shall he haue then that doth corrupte holsome doctrine and in place thereof soweth wycked opinions Thus Chrysostome and the other Doctours of Christes churche iudge them whiche by their euell suggestions corrupte the symple membres of the churche worthy temporall deathe and punyshement Then that opinion whiche the Protestantes conceyue of their owne brayne vpon the aforesayde parable of the gospell and also that no man oughte too suffer death for his conscience is quite frustrate of none effecte And because our heretikes wil nedes haue their men to be taken for martyrs some of them counterfayting the trade of the auncient state of the true churche gather together the burnt bones of these stynking martyrs entendyng thereby by lyke to shryne the same or to preserue them for relykes that at suche a tyme as wheÌ„ an heretike is burnt ye shal see a route enclosing the fyer for that purpose And when the fyer is done they lye wallowyng like pygges in a stie to scrape in that hereticall dongehill for the sayde bones Yea and as it is reported some gossyps and fellowe disciples of these wicked apostles vse the same nexte to their hartes in the mornyng beyng grated in a cuppe of Ale too preserue them from the chyncoughe and suche other maladies incident to suche hoote burning stomakes A prety medicine apte for such brainesicke pacientes Thei may be well compared to Artemisia of whome we rede in Aulus Gellius which was wife to Mausolê° king of Caria who when her husbande was dead she was of such an affectioÌ„ being beyond al measure rapt w t his loue that after the funeralles was done she gathered together all the bones and ashes of her husbande and minglinge the same with perfumes and other swete odours she dranke them vp declaring by suche outwarde tokens her immesurable affection Many of our gosseps taken with the same spirite in loue not with their owne husbandes whose lyke examples I neuer herd of but with their mery martyrs that for their sakes they care not to quaffe vppe the poudet of their durtye bones too declare their burning affections A pityfull case and wyth teares too be lamented that the innumerable relyques of Christes true martirs were so wyckedlye neglected as they haue bene in the late malicious tyme. But thei were theÌ„ rediculous to these sortes of menne who cryed oute with al wehemence to what purpose are the reseruacion of the dead bones and so contempning the reliques of thapostles Iohn Baptist and
their coÌ„munion it was marueylous confuse For some of the coÌ„municantes wold stande some sit some knele some wold holde the cup himself some would receiue it at the ministers hande some of his nexte fellowe some would haue a short pece of bread some a thine some a thicke and thinne Some wold vse the ministration themselues some were contented too take it in the churche and some at their owne tables after souper according to the institucion Some would haue the wine to be droÌ„ke in pewter some in siluer and some in a glasse or trene dishe Some wold haue a table cloth to couer y â— bord some a towel and some neither of them both Thus in some they vsed the matter in suche sondry somes that the Total was nought Thus were they euer learning neuer able to come to the truthe But God seyng this their Babilonicall Tower of coÌ„fusion builded against his diuine maiestie and his churche did sodeinly and miraculouslye ouerthrowe all their confused deuises restoring truthe to her former state by the sprete of trueth whiche hath led and conducted his churche oute of manye daungerous and stormy seas into the hauen of tranquillytie in vnitie of truthe the true tryal of Gods sprete Which truthe the church learning of the sprite of trueth hath euer kepte and wylll kepe too the worldes ende where these truce breakers shal be euer learnynge and neuer able to come to the truthe COuetous they were as it were to be wished none wer nowe but whether they were so let al meÌ„ examine with theÌ„selfes If they wer not couetous what mente they to go about to make their bastard children legitimate by acte of parliamente and that their purchases of lande myghte be in as good effecte in the lawe as the landes of anye temporall lordes or other laye men meaning in th ende to adioyne lande to lande and to accumulate one possession vpon another Where learned they this trade Of the primatiue churche whereof they boste so much Learned they this in the scriptures wherof they do so muche glorye All thinges amonges the Apostles and other disciples were commen And dyd our ioly Apostles imitate them so well that of that which was coÌ„men to make it priuate to serue their own bellies A prety imitation They were wont to cry out vpon the liuinges of the late abbees monasteries saying they were the theues and spoylers of the realme But who shuld haue cryed out vpon them when they had so enriched themselfes with sondry patrimonies that their brattes and beggers chyldren shoulde haue proued gentlemen Truely if this case be well weyghed of graue sobre men they maye gesse at their marke They ought to haue bene by s Paules rule kepers of hospitalitie But what poore craftesman or other laborer vsed lesse A man myght aswell haue brooke his necke as his faste at their houses They kept such diete in their fare that none coulde gette anye reliefe at their doores but Venus and her sonne Cupide And to thintent others should be no kepers of hospitalitie also they vsed to call the same y â— pompouse practise of the prelates and suche like Yea but more couetous thei were yet For to fynde ryches they would neyther spare church nor steple dead mennes graues or other place What goodly monumentes haue these sacrilegers subuerted too hunte after pence the corrupter of mannes life What graues of honorable meÌ„ and byshops haue these men left vnouerthrowen to fynd that was none of theirs Surely I may compare them to Darius that couetous Monarche who too seeke money serched the â—ombe of Semiramis the quene of Assyria whiche buylded Babylon where he founde this poesie engrauen vpon the same VVhat kynge soeuer he be that lacketh money let him open this Monumente and take what he wyll Nowe Darius creditynge the wordes of the poesie caused the stoone of the graue to be remoued where hee founde no money but another saying wrytten vpon the inner part of the said stone conteyning these woordes Vnlesse thou haddest been an euell man vnsaciable of money thou wouldest neuer haue serched the graues of the dead O noble woman whiche not onely in her lyfe tyme hated thys filthie vice of auarice but also after her death hadde conuenient tauntes to reproue thesame I would she had seene the robery of dead men in our time committed by a sorte of huÌ„gry whelpes gredy after their pray The protestaÌ„tes were accustomed too saye the papistes were massemongers couetous in sellynge masses for grotes but thei themselfes were Gospelmongers in making royall and noble Sermons fyue or sixe in a day yea God knoweth suche stuffe that they prouoked more laughter then anye vice could vse feates in playing of his interlude Philippe Sannio wherof we reade in Xenophon could not deuise more toyes to make Calias guestes to laughe at then these merie panions deuised for their audieÌ„ce nor yet in the Serycusans dauncing wenche was more cuÌ„ning in deliting Critobulus Socrates and the rest with her sundrye harmonies then in these plesant ghospelmen was too exhilarate their fellowe disciples and brethren in Christe BOasters also they were and replenished with all kyndes of arrogant speche reuilinge all kinde of doctrine repugnant too theirs belying the auncient writers and generall counsayles rauing vpon the doctours of the church comparing themselfes to the Apostles saying where went Peter or Paule to schole why maye not we haue the spirite as well as they With suche other woordes presuming too affirme themselues hauing certayne textes of the newe or olde tesâ—amentes that they were as well learned as they that had studied diuinitie .xl. yeares Thus they semed to be doctors of the lawe not knowyng what they did say nor whereof they dyd affirme A marueyle it was too see the foolishe arrogance of some symple men whiche would not sticke out of the shomakers shoppe toe skippe into the pulpet yea some from treading of morter into the top of a tree to make a collation as they termed it but it myght haue ben called a collusioÌ„ for prophaning of gods holy worde and deceiuing the simple people Besides whatsoeuer in their owne conceiptes they hadde taken for a veritie the same wold thei proudly vtter and saye this is the ueritiâ— and that is the veritie crediting nothyng but their owne vaine expositions Vpon whom the wordes of the commâ—â—all poete maye be verifyed Nothing more wicked then a mâ—â— vndiscrete Onlesse it come of hymselfe he thynkes it vnmete PRoude also whose myndes were so exalted with arrogancie that no maÌ„ was thought worthy their company except he were of their sectes and opinioÌ„s They woulde heare no man except he would incline to fauoure their procedinges No doctours interpretacion could be admitted vpoÌ„ the places of scriptures but suche as were of their owne deuises The auncient fathers would not so proudely speake of their most godly workes as our