the Subiecte from their othe and obedience to their lawfull Prince and filled their Countries with insurrection and rebellions againste them I neede not to vouche many authors for their so notorious actes whiche cannot bee forgotten whiles the famous memorie of the Henries and Frederickes Emperours and also sundrie Kynges bothe in Fraunce and in this noble lande so dishonoured and iniuried by theim shall continue But if all monumentes of tymes past were forgotten this present age doeth furnishe so many examples of their vnfaithful disobedience to Princes both in other partes and here at home as I can want no euidence againste hym in this matter For their continual practises of rebellion their procuryng of Bulles from Roome against her Maiestie their writyng of Libells and infamous bookes to the dishonour of her highnesse renowned Father and many other suche dealynges of theirs maie sufficiently beare witnesse hereof Therefore it is to late now for them to plaie the Hypocrites and pretende to aduaunce the honour and state of Princes whereas their Religion hath so intreated other Princes abroade as hath beene declared and so offended their owne naturall Prince at home as her Maiestie hath beene constrained to make straight lawes for her moste necessarie and iust defence against them They should now cūningly perswade they sought to aduaunce the ciuill authoritie of Princes whereas Kinges and Emperours haue had almost continuall warres with thē to keepe thetr own For through their ambition thei neuer contented themselues with their own place but would affect bothe the swordes seekyng and bearyng the honourable charges of the ciuill estate their Consistories vsurpyng the lawfull iurisdiction of Princes so as the Kynges of this lande haue been constrained to prouide for their authoritie by lawes of Premunire and suche like to bridle their intollerable and ambicious vsurpation Therefore of all other he might best haue left out this Article For it is manifest thei were neuer longer freendes to Princes thē thei might abuse them as their vassalles to bee the Ministers of their wickednesse And so muche for aunswere to this point Of sinnes veniall and mortall and of concupiscence The nineth Article is the differences of sinne and of concupiscences whiche he saith is of no smal importaunce to a Christian cōmonwealth whose ende saieth he is to kepe men within the limites of vertue and honestie All this I graunt with this addition that the duetie of the Magistrate is not onely to regard that the life of his subiectes bee ciuill and honest but also that it be religious and godly Therfore we are taught to praie for theim that wee maie liue vnder theim a peaceable life not onely in all honestie but also in all godlinesse or true worshippe of GOD as the woorde vsed by the Apostle doeth signifie And to the Roma the Magistrate is declared to be the Minister of God for the praise and punishement of those that doe well and ill without restraint Whereby the Apostle sheweth it to be the duetie of the Magistrate to protecte and incourage not onely quiet and ciuill men but also and that chiefly those whiche most endeuour to liue in the feare of God in his true worshipp and obedience Whiche duetie what Magistrate soeuer shall not performe but moste dislike with and discourage the godlie whiche shine as lights afore a wicked generation standeth giltie and aunswerable before God for the abuse of the aucthoritie he hath receiued of GOD especially for this purpose to bee a comfort to suche as moste zealously and sincerely seeke to serue him On the other part for the punishment of euil the Magistrate is boūd to punish transgressors accordyng to the qualitie of their offence not onely Theeues and Murderers and disturbers of the Common peace but also profane Atheistes contemners of all that is holy al Heretickes and obstinate recusantes to serue hym in the holie and publique excercises of true religion stubborne Idolaters whiche what Magistrate soeuer shall not do is guiltie of absoluyng the wicked whiche the Lorde will require at their hands Therefore the king was cōmaunded to take a copie of the whole lawe and not of the second Table onely that he should looke to the execution as well of the firste Table yea and that in the firste place as to the seconde Which we see in the holie Storie to haue beene executed by the zealous noble Kynges of Israell and Iuda commaunding by their authoritie the purgyng of the lande of Idolatrie the settyng vp and restoryng Gods true Religion and seruice and the iust execution of the Priestes of Baall And of Asa it is written that he made a lawe after he had restored the state of Religion that whosoeuer should not seeke the Lorde God of their fathers that is worship him in suche order as by the lawe of Moises was commaunded that he should dye for it Thus muche I haue thought necessarie by the waie to set doune touching this matter vpon occasion of the Magistrates office vnder God restrained by this author to the procuryng of a Ciuill life onely emongest their Subiectes referryng all abuses of the Churche and of the seruice of God to their supreme Pastour as thei call hym Now let vs see the diuerse doctrine of theim and vs touchyng bothe these poinctes Of sinne he saieth thei teache some are mortall and some veniall and we teach that al are mortall I graunt this to be their and our doctrine but the exposition of it and the conclusion he inferreth would bee well obserued If by mortall and veniall sinnes thei vnderstood onely that there is greate difference of sinnes and that some are more greeuous and therefore with greater seueritie to be punished then others some againe are lesse and not to bee punished with like horrible tormentes as the other we were well agreed For this appeareth to bee our doctrine by the confession of our Churches and all our good writers and that agreably to the holy scriptures For so our sauiour teacheth vs that the firste Table whiche is of dueties immediatly respectyng God is the greatest and cheefest commaundement and that the ignoraunt seruaunt is to be beaten but with fewe stripes but he that knoweth and yet doeth not his maisters will is to be beaten with many stripes Likewise of suche people and Cities as shall contemne and refuse the holie doctrine of the Gospell our sauiour saieth it shall bee easier in that daie for Tyre and Sidon for Sodom and Gomorrha then for that Citie Whereby it appeareth that there is a greate difference of sinnes Which we so acknowledge as that we graunt euery pretept to bee greater then other accordyng to the place it hath in the twoo Tables and consequently the transgression of it to bee greater then the breach of any that follow it Yet if the cōparison be made of sinnes in like degree and proportiō offendyng against both as of thought with thought acte with acte and these in their diuers kindes as
the greatest transgression of the one with the greatest breache of the other and so likewise in the reste keepyng a due rate and equalitie of sinnes that are matched together Therefore notwithstandyng wee esteeme not sinne light but all in their natures mortall and deadly yet wee make a great difference of sinnes Wherefore if thei vnderstoode by this distinction no other matter but to make a difference that some should bee greater then others thei haue no cause to striue with vs. And for this what commoditie it maie bryng to a cōmon weale we are in the blessing of God to looke for it this beyng our doctrine But thei vnderstande it farre otherwise as appeareth by the Counsell of Trent and by this aucthour For bothe determine mortal to be suche as by their natures and in iustice deserue euerlastyng death wherein we also agree But the poinct of variaunce is in this that thei saie all sinnes are not mortall but that there are sinnes whiche in iustice are not to bee punished with euerlastyng death whiche kinde of sinne thei call veniall Not vnderstandyng that God for Christes sake doeth forgiue it those whiche beleeue for so wee graunt that al are veniall For to the beleeuer all shall be forgiuen and there shall be no imputation of any sinne but takyng it in this sense which I haue declared in which I deny any sinne to be veniall affirme all to be mortall whiche our doctrine is groūded vpon the worde of God For this is generall of all sinne whiche the Apostle without exception of any saieth that the paine of sinne is death meanyng euerlastyng as it appeareth there by the mention of life euerlastyng life in the same place And thus the Apostle taught according to the lawe wherin it is saied expressely cursed bee he that abideth not in all that is commaunded in this Lawe But saieth he though your doctrine bee true yet doeth it not stande with good pollcie whiche is to kepe men in vertue and honestie as ours doth Because if al be mortall who will striue against sinne whereas admittyng all not to bee mortall though a man be caried into a veniall sinne yet would he striue to refraine from mortall consideryng it bringeth damnatiō And though this Romane doctrine be false yet doeth it more incourage men to striue against sinne But I saie this is to reason like an Atheiste For as I haue often saied before there can be no doctrine fit to procure the blessing of God to any state whervpon dependeth the wealth peace and honour of euery people and common wealth but only that which is of God And therfore whatsoeuer he maie suppose in our or their doctrine to bee for or against a state the truthe muste needes bee that all thynges reckened and in the ende it can neuer proue a good doctrine for any state that God hath not taught nor that vnproffitable whiche he hath deliuered vs. But I saie further that our doctrine in the Nature of the doctrine it self is more to restrainyng frō vice then that of theirs For what greater incouragement can there bee in all good reason and pollicie to sinne then impietie what stronger restraint then greeuous punishement Therfore their doctrine whiche teacheth so many sinnes negligences and ignoraunces not to bee in the iustice of the Lawe of God guiltie of death must needes hereby giue incouragement to continue in ignoraunce in negligences and other suche like offences But ours whiche truely teacheth the wrathe of God and euerlastyng death to depende vpon it muste needes bee more forceble to stirre vp all men to be carefull to auoide to the vttermoste of the grace thei haue receiued all maner of sinne and if the lesse muche more the greater whiche haue more greeuous condemnation But he and the rest of these Romanists in faith in allegiaunce suppose by makyng all sinnes to be punished with death that all are taught to be equall whiche is nothyng so For that death is not like vnto this whiche is of the naturall soule and bodie and of the life of the naturall man but it is a deadly castyng out of the presence and fauour of God with whom onely is life that which in deede and truth maie be so called for the comforte that is in it whereas the other is suche a life as some which liue in it wishe rather for death and would digge for it As Iob speaketh if thei might finde it and desire that the Moūtaines might couer them and the Hilles hide them from the wrath of God liyng vppon them Therfore if it be possible for men in the naturall death of the bodie to deuise greate difference of tormentes so as notwithstandyng all suffer death yet one maie endure without comparison greater tormentes in it then an other How much more in this case both by the natur of the death which thei suffer and by the almightie power of God is it possible that notwithstandyng all sinnes bee punished with death yet there should be sundrie kindes of that death the tormentes of the one to bee in comparison in them selues alwaies horrible more easie and tollerable then an other Which our Sauiour Christ expressely teacheth speaking of the punishment of Sodom and suche as should with contempt refuse the Gospell Wherefore that beyng an offence of their ignoraunce not of our doctrine it is not to bee imputed vnto it And so notwithstandyng any thyng is saied by hym or can bee saied by any to the contrary our doctrine in this point is most fit and strong for the restraint of sinne and their impunitie moste daungerous by incouragement to smaller offences to draw men also in tyme to the easier committyng of the greater Besides in this their doctrine it is to be noted that thei teache the sprincklyng with a little Holly water to be sufficient to take awaie those sinnes whereby the precious death of our Sauiour Christ is in this behalfe made of none effect For if thei bee not mortall sinnes the punishment whereof in the iustice of God is death then Christ dyed not for them and if he did then it followeth bothe that thei are mortall and death the rewarde and stipende of them and also that the guilt of them can not bee otherwise washed out but with the true Yssope sprincklyng vs with the most precious bloud of the sonne of God whiche purgeth all our sinnes The second poinct in this nineth Article is of the doctrine of cōcupiscence which he saieth that we affirme to be truely sinne euen in the regenerate and thei saie in the regenerate that is as this man affirmeth it in Christians after Baptisme as if al that are washed with the water of Baptisme are also borne againe whiche is no more true then that all receiuyng the Lordes Supper should receiue also the Spirite of Christ which the Apostle denyeth to be no sinne except that concupiscence bee consented vnto I acknowledge this to be our doctrine whiche
bee imbraced for Religions sake and not for policie and that therefore how soeuer it please GOD to deale with those whiche shall receiue it in this life thei are notwithstandyng to abide by that truthe whereby onely their soules maie bee saued to euerlastyng life and also that the doctrine and practise of true Religion bothe by the nature thereof and by reason of the promise of blessyng annexed to it aboue is the only religion which may prosper a K. or common wealth therefore no false worship what shewe so euer it may haue of some particuler cōmodity for a season can in trueth and in the end proue commodious to it I proceede further to answeare that he obiecteth of certayne particular commodities and discommodities of our holy faith and their Idolatrous superstition The first point he dealeth with is of restitution of goodes wrongfully gotten An answeare to the first point of the aduersaries profitable doctrine for a common weale which their Churche he saith teacheth so precisely as neither by absolution nor dispensation of any Prelate hee may bee pardoned without will of restitution but dying so is esteemed a reprobate and not prayed for in their Churche And this faith hee is their doctrine the commodities whereof hee adioyneth but first let vs examyne both our doctrines That their doctrine and practise is such as hee here affirmeth I deny for they haue sundry waies to hinder the actuall restitution of goodes wrongfully gotten Whereof that is chiefe and principall whiche hee heere denieth of the dispensations of the chiefe Prelate for if his Fatherhoode may dispense with the sinnes to be committed in time to come and giue a sealed pardon afore the offence as it is notoriously knowen to all the worlde he taketh vpon him to doe if neede be the buls thē selues may bee shewed other most sufficient and strong proofes of it are to be made then in case of any wrōg extortion theft vsury brybery Symony or such like after committed he hath his pardon afore hand and is dispensed with for it many yeares before hee haue done the deede Further he that may dispense with the greater may surely pardō the lesse but his Fatherhoode taketh vpon him to dispense with greater sinnes then these for proofe wherof all the world is wittnesse of his dispensation with marriage of the neece and that he gaue leaue to the brother to marry with his brothers wife can not hee then dispence wiih a petilarcin or a bribe What power they affirme hee hath herein appeareth by theyr shamelesse Flatterers that attribute vnto him power to dispense with al things and that what soeuer GOD maye geue pardon of that may hee As for his owne prophane holinesse it is as the Canons say a Sacriledge to dispute of his doynges whose offences sayeth the Canon are to be excused as the thefte of the Hebrewes the murders of Sampson and the incest of Lot If the Pope bee a Theefe or an Extortioner and yet to be excused as the Israelites then if he dispense with all he maye not bee accused And if his murder and incest bee not to bee iudged who shal iudge him for giuing pardon for extortion Their Canons teache that hee hath full power of God to dispense aboue right and lawe and make iustice of iniustice in chaunging and correcting of rightes He alone hath the right to take from one and giue to another all the worlde is his Dioces he is the ordinary of all hauing full and entyre power in thinges spirituall and temporall For he is L. of L. and K. of K. hauing the right of K. ouer his Subiectes Hee is all and aboue all and it is necessarye to Saluation to bee Subiect to the Pope of Rome seeyng that God the Pope haue but one consistory I am loth to turne vp this dunghill and such lyke the odyous noysome stinke whereof may infect the worlde but that as the Prophete saith their owne dung is to be caste in their faces What a shamefull and Diuelishe presumption is this to take vppon him these things and yet this man woulde make vs beleeue that no Prelate can dispense for goodes vniustly gottē True it is that they cannot indeede but that he taketh vppon him to be able to doe it is too too manifest For besides that hath beene alleadged out of the Canons if wee regard either his dealing in this age or in former times we shal find he hath not onely giuen pardon for the doing of it but expresly commanded committed such violent wrongful oppressiōs what part of Europe hath not the Pope oppressed with as grieuous exactions as euer Roboam did Israel His little finger hath been heauier to the people which admitted his tyrannie then the whole bodie of any other tyrant For they haue beaten their people with rods but he hath scourged them with whippes of wyre Oftentimes both this noble Island other greate states kingdoms of the West haue groned vnder these his burdēs as the Israelites did vnder the exactions of Pharao the Egyptians grieuously complained of thē besides many vniust paimēts which he hath imposed vpon the people he hath not spared to do wrōg to Princes thēselues that in their regal crownes dignities taking thē from whom he liked to spoyle bestowing them vpon whō it pleased him as sundry exāples of the K. of Englād of France yea of the Emperours doe aboundantly testifie yet he wil seeme an enemy to thefte and himselfe cōmit spoiles robberies like those which the pirate obiected to Alexander The warre for recouery of the holy land the Pope hath bin Author incourager of with giuing for that purpose pardons of sins to al that would fight in the quarrell of what an infinitie of warres vniust oppressions haue they beene causes both in other places in the West Indies wherby their own story since the inuasiō of such as he hath sent thither hath bin partly by warres partly by cunning and crafty dealing toyling the people with extreame labor to the death wasted cōsumed of that poore and harmles people 1500000. But these warres they will say were lawfull tēding to the inlarging of the faith of Christ which is cleane contrary For besides that if they receaue that faith he bringeth they shal be litle the better if it were indeed the true faith of Christ which they would plant there yet for that reason it were not lawfull to inuade a people with whom there is no cause of any other iust quarrell For God hath as wel determined the dominions of Princes as he hath the possessions of priuate mē without which parke wherin they are impaled by him they may not walk without iust cause of their necessarye defence Wherefore this was very bolde that hee durste affirme no Prelate to haue power to forgiue it Nay not onelye the Pope taketh this vppon him but euerye hedge Priest will vsurpe a
to bee agreeable to the Scriptures it appeareth by this that whatsoeuer the lawe forbiddeth is sinne for of the lawe is the knowledge of sinne but this concupiscence is forbidden by the lawe This the Aduersarie will not graunt but I proue it thus There are but two cōcupiscences forbidden one with consent and an other with out whereof that whiche is with consent is forbidden in the former commaundements Which appeareth by the expositiō of the seuenth Commaundement by our Sauiour Christ in the sixth of Matthewe who sheweth the lustyng after a Woman in harte that is with consent to be Adultery and the breache of the seuenth Commaundement Therefore it followeth the other is forbidden in the last And in deede if the same concupiscence were forbidden in the former and no other in this then should there not bee tenne Preceptes and Commaundementes but onely nine This also the Apostle teacheth who declareth how harde it was for hym to finde the height and depth the length and breadth of the corruption that is in the nature of man till he rightly vnderstood this Commaundement For thereby he plainely sheweth the moste secrete poyson of our nature to bee discouered by this Which can be no other then the very continuall springyng and wellyng vp of vnlawfull lustes euen before the harte resolutely agree vnto them Otherwise ther might bee in vs a motion and a power not standyng with the loue of GOD nor of our Neighbour without offence to GOD. Whiche can not bee the Lawe requiryng of vs that perfect holinesse of nature wherein we were created And surely if the Apostle had not esteemed this rebellion in his nature to bee sinne and mortall sinne he would neuer haue cōplained so greeuously of his estate in respect of it both in other places as he doth and especially in the seuenth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines in a greate parte of it and in the ende criyng Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death Their doctrine beyng contrarie hath no maner of grounde in the Scripture For as for the first of Iames it is plaine he speaketh of suche a sinne as sheweth it self in an open and outward act to be sinne As for S. Austine though his authoritie nor any other Fathers maie be sufficient to warrant any doctrine to be of God yet takyng hym alleadged not for any suche purpose but as a witnesse of the doctrine taught and receiued in the Churche at his tyme I graunt he so writeth of concupiscence as except his writynges be well examined and conferred together a man would thinke he were of the opinion of our Aduersarie But beyng examined it will be found that his iudgemēt is with vs namely that this concupiscence is truely sinne and that he so taught the church in his tyme as it appeareth in sondrie places What discommoditte then can it bee to a Commonwealth to haue the people truely taught to knowe the greate corruption of our nature or what benefitt can it bee that thei should not vnderstand their wretched estate Surely none but this that for wāt of this thei should bee puffed vp in a pride of their owne free will and good workes and so not to regarde the inestimable benefitt and comforte of the death of Christ The Aduersarie alleadgeth in deede that if it be so that a man sinne euen without consent that then a man is discouraged to make resistaunce for that no man saith he wil striue against that whiche he can not auoyde that is about the resistaunce of mortall sinne whiche he can not auoyde if concupiscence be sinne and euery sinne be mortall I aunswere not withstandyng bothe these be true as thei are most true that yet the courage of resistaunce is not hereby taken awaie For the Apostle that confessed and taught bothe though he founde it a tedious combate and sweate in a maner water and bloud vnder his Harnesse so as he complained sometymes that he sawe a lawe in his members leading in captiuitie the lawe of his mynde and in this regarde cried O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death desiryng hereby as it were the ende of his warfare Yet did he not therfore giue ouer the fielde and yeeld hym self to sinne Naie rather the newe or the yong man whiche God had begotten in hym by his spirite valiauntly behaued himself in the battell oftentymes puttyng his aduersarie to the flight and by faithe assuryng hymself of the victorie in Christ Iesu And euen as a worthie knight and Champiō is not discouraged with the valure of his enemie but rather reioyceth in it knowyng his victorie shall be the greater So thei that are not cowardes in this spirituall warre but valiant in Christ their noble courage is so much the more stirred vp as thei see their enemie to be great and mightie that the honor of their victorie and triumphe in Christ maie be the greater Wherby it appeareth that our doctrine can in no sorte bee any hinderaunce to vertue or incouragemēt to vice But theirs must needes bee a great breeder of vice and extinguisher of vertue whiche perswadeth men that that is no sinne whiche is in deede sinne For hereby thei neglect the first motions and open the first doore and entraunce freely vnto sinne which it were the best spirituall pollicie to resist in the beginnyng whereof thei must needes be carefull which know it to be sinne and the other secure and carelesse whiche take it to bee no synne Therefore not ours but their doctrine openeth a wide gate to synne whiche is yet greatly enlarged by that he addeth in the ende of this Article that no man will striue against that whiche he can not auoyde For if this be so and that it is most euident that while we liue we can not amende this rebellion of our corrupt nature to the law of God then his councell is that all mē giue ouer striuing any more against sinne seeing they cannot with all their stryuing auoyd it But we are otherwise taught that tho we can not auoyde that sinne dwell in our mortall bodies yet to striue that it doe not raigne nor exercise Dominion ouer vs but that we striue againste it euen to bloud as the Apostle sayth and euen vnto death In the tenth place 10 Of reward of good and euill works in this life in the world to come comparison is made betweene our doctrine and theirs in the punishment of sinne in this life in the world to come and the reward of holines in heauen For the first he affirmeth that we say only faith in Christ is necessary for the obtaining of the forgiuenesse of sinne and this he sayth is an easie point How easie it is may appeare in the example of Abraham who was to beleeue that of his dead body there should spring children like the starres of heauen for multitude and that he should haue a seed in whome
loste no not to the bestowyng of a Cupp of cold water in the name of a Disciple For as the sonne heire of the father for al his seruice receiueth a most large recompēce of his inheritance so muche more the inheritaunce of GOD must needes bee a moste bountifull recompence of all our seruice to hym Yet notwithstandyng the inheritaunce is not accounted due to the natural child frō his father for any desert of his but because he is his sonne So likewise the inheritaunce of Gods kingdome yea muche lesse without all comparison neuer can be earned by vs or deserued by any workes we can doe but shal be giuen vs because we are sonnes and heires to God by faithe in Christ Iesu So the inheritaunce is bothe a gifte and a rewarde a gifte because it is in euery respecte vndeserued and a rewarde because he that hath dooen nothyng in deede but endeuoured to doe some small parte of his duetie and yet receiueth that whiche could not be due vnto hym cannot saie that he is vnrewarded And thus our Sauiour teacheth in the Gospell that the penie was the reward and the penie was giuen hym that bare no heate and burden of the daie but wrought onely one hower An howers worke could not deserue the wages and reward appointed for hym that should worke the whole daie yet he receiuing it of meere gift can not say but that his howers labour was moste bountifully rewarded Euerlastyng life was promised to the doers of the Lawe this worke wee doe not yet it pleaseth God of his goodnesse to giue as well to vs that haue not doen it as if wee had doen it can we saie then that any thyng we haue dooen is lefte vnrewarded Thus it is plaine that giuyng to God the honour whiche is due vnto hym wee acknowledge also the reward to be great in heauen And therfore though we doe not incourage any mercinarie duetie but exhorte to a thankefull and cherefull obedience vnto God yet the benefite that maie arise to any Commonwealthe by this doctrine that our labour shall not be loste in the Lorde is to bee reaped of the doctrine that we teache Now followeth the twelueth and laste Article whiche is of Eareshrifte or Auricular Confession 12. Of auriculer confession Concernyng whiche thei teache it to bee necessarie for euerie Christian manne once in the yere at the least to Confesse hymself to a Priest telling hym euery fault in perticuler that he hath committed and this thei teache to bee so necessarie as if a man conceale any he cā not receiue absolution for it but that sinne remaineth still vpō hym And this he saieth is the very hedge and wall of all vertuous and good life whiche he pretendeth to proue by many particularities but first for their doctrine the vse and benefite of it shall bee after examined And first I wishe them to agree amongest them selues that it maie bee determined betweene them whether it be of the Commaundement of God or not or rather howsoeuer thei agree or disagree I affirme it hath no maner of ground in the worde of God Where we are onely taught to confesse our sinnes vnto GOD and to poore out our hartes before him that the Lorde maie bee mercifull vnto vs. Further also in the publique congregation bothe together with the rest of the Church and perticulerly vppon repentaunce of some notorious offence and priuately one vnto another And therein wee receiue and finde thorowe the good blessyng of God great comforte and commoditie in vsing of them But this confessiō that a man should rehearse in a Priestes eare all his sinnes once a yeare Neither was it cōmaunded of our Sauiour Christe nor vniuersally vsed in the West Church till about 300. yeares agoe And if this be the very lock of all honestie and vertue as he saith and the very hedge of wel doyng how could so many Churches Christian States haue wanted it so long Was there no vertue nor honestie for 1200. yeres after Christ in such places as had not receiued it It is not to be thought to come to his commodities that thei wanted meanes for redresse both of priuate and publique offences all that while Neither doth the Gospell whiche teacheth no suche matter as this is Leaue the Church vnfurnished of meanes to redresse all offences that come to knowledge which is by the godly exercise of that lawfull discipline whiche our Sauiour Christ appointed to be vsed in his Church whiche in deede is bothe the locke and keye of al good life next to the power of the word preached Whereas therfore we are taught by the Gospell to preache saluation to those which beleeue and walke accordyng to that faithe and contrariwise destruction to come vppon euery soule that shall not beleeue nor walke accordyng to the commaundement we haue receiued and to denounce this to all Estates and Dignities to those whiche are of priuate and publique calling who can not but finde them selues to be summoned by it to the tribunall seate of God and haue their hartes oft touched withall to true repentaunce It can not bee saied then without this newe founde deuise of auriculer Confession wee haue no meanes of good life amongest vs. Heb. 4. The liuyng worde of God that striketh deepe to the partyng betweene the soule and the spirite shall it be esteemed nothyng worth without this Confession Peter by this wrought through the grace of God suche a compunction in the hartes of 3000. in one daie that thei came and humbled them selues in true repentaunce acknowledged their sinnes in hauyng crucified the Sonne of GOD and receiued the Faith and Baptisme in the name of Christ Many suche like examples might bee vouched out of the Scriptures of mightie and powerfull workes and effectes of the word preached Whereby it appeareth that the Churches wherein it is truely taught as by the grace of God it is amongest vs are not without not onely some but not with out the cheefest and most principall meanes to keepe the people of God in due obedience of hym For further meanes of discipline as we acknowledge what the right order is whiche God hath commaunded and bothe see and are hartily greeued to see in so noble a parte of the Churche as this is and after so long continuance of the Gospell preached amongest vs greate abuses contrarie vnto it So wee cease not to bee most humble and continuall suters to God and to the authoritie he hath set ouer vs that we maie enioy it Which being in the vse thereof and in the ordinaunce of our Sauiour Christ so necessarie for the seruice of God and the saluation of men wee hope that the equitie and necessitie of that wee sue for beeyng throughly vnderstood the Lord wil dispose the hartes of so Christian authoritie as wee are subiect vnto most willyngly to graunt it For want whereof as your HH see how wyde the enemies mouth is opened against vs so the humble
doctrine profitable for a christian state to be receiued to shew it to be of God Other wyse without consideration of the truth of it to say how false so euer it be yet is it good for the state or how good so euer it be yet is it ill for the state and wil bring innouations troubles and pouertie this is to reason like one that hath no God And if he went to reason thus like an Atheist hee were vtterly vnworthye any aunswere and hath offered your Hh. the greatest wrong that a christian nobility could be offered once to think that the shew of his commodities to the state should carry your H. to the liking of that false worship and superstitiō that is against God his holy truth Therfore what soeuer he imagine to the contrary the question whether it bee good for a Christian common wealth and kingdome I haue answered pertinently in shewing theire doctrine first to bee false and hereticall Which ground beeing first laid I haue ioyned in that issue he desired declaring further that as by the cursse and wrath of God which must needes shake and ouerturne the seates of such mighty ones as shall dare to haue wars with the almighty in setting vp a false idolat worship which he hath forbidden So also that their doctrine it selfe and the practise of it in the very nature of them both is against all good pollicie of any Christian state and onely fit for the establshment securitie of their Antechristian kingdome For further euidence wherof I haue thought good here to gather together with some enlargement of lyke matters that hath bin touched in seueral places concerning this matter already That being to be vewed in one sight it may the better be iudged and discerned For better vnderstanding wherof it is to be considered that the good estate of a Christian K. or common welth is to be holy in religion and al duties immediately respecting God honest in all conuersation amongst men free for libertie strong for forces quyet for peace and rich for treasure All which points make a state honourable and happie But the R. doctrine and practise bringeth in a false worship of God al wickednes loosenesse of life tyrannie bondage wars trouble weaknesse and vnhabilitie to resist the enemy finally néede and pouerty all which must needes make any state vnhonourable and vnhappie That their faith is vnholy therfore maketh their people such that doth receiue it appereth by the worship of Idols of bread of wood and of stone by the ignorance of all sorts amongst them and the maintayning of it to be mother of deuotion by their iustifications thorow their owne workes and so many other bye means besids that only sweete sacrifice of Christ Iesu in a word by al their fals worship which is wholly nothing but a seruice deuised by men and not prescribed by the worde of God And as in regard of God it is an vnholy and prophane worshippe hauing no ground of his word so is it the cause of al dishonesty and wicked conuersation amongst men Which may appeare not onely in the iustice of God with whom it is righteous to giue ouer to all shame of iniquitie and abhomination those which haue not helde his honour in any due respect but haue made it common to Idols and by experience which hath made proof of all vngodly and loose behauiour to bee euen in their holiest Cloisters but also by their very doctrine and practise of it This may easely be discerned by any that shall compare with that holy discipline which is taught in the Gospel their discipline which is moste loose and desolute except it be in that which may keepe still the conscience in bōdage and captiuity of ignorance superstition and Idolatry For as the discipline of Christ is the speciall meanes next to the true preaching of the word of all godlinesse and honestie both to be preserued amongst men and also to be restored after a declination and decay so that Antichristian disorder and confusion in all the chiefe parts therof is next to their false and hereticall doctrine the greatest cause that all impietie and wickednesse both first entred into the Church and yet can not be driuen out that the ancient estate of the Church may be recouered and restored againe But I will leaue other points which were to long to enter into here note but one speciall corruption of their discipline Wherby iudgement may be giuen of the rest This is that Antichristian supremacie wherby the man of sinne in the deuilishe pride of his seat challengeth vnto himselfe fulnes of power and soueraintie of iurisdiction to doe what pleaseth him and to dispense with what he list For what greater encouragement can there be to sinne then that a man may be sure for a little mony and a very little in deed to haue a sealed pardon not onely for any wickednesse committed but also for all he shall commit al his life and many hundreth yeares after so foolishly and absurdly wicked is their doctrine and practise If a man by going a pilgrimage or saying so many times ouer his beades or fasting so many dayes or giuing so much to the priestes and seminary men If I say by these and such like meanes a man may satisfie for his sinnes who will be restrayned from any wickednes or be careful of the amending of his lyfe Thus one point of the supremacie is as a roote of wormewood and an original cause of an infinitie of trāsgressions sinns Which being thorow the iustice of God and the very nature of sinne enemy to al good pollices whose end is to represse sinne what neede we further proofe that the practise of this Romishe religion must needes be the poyson of all such states which doe receiue it But no maruaile tho so infinite a power of the Pope be so great a cause of sinne For the very authoritie of absolucion whiche euery Prieste hath is more fruitfull this way to encouragement and increase of wickednesse then that any good state or policie may beare it I speake not here of the daunger of dishonestie and vncleannesse by reason of their secreet confessions For which that worthye Nectareus abolished the vse of it out of the Churche of Constantinople but of the power that they take vpon them to absolue malefactors from sinne wherby it must needs be greatly encouraged That desperate and Deuelishe Iaureguy the Spanyarde purposed to haue done vppon the noble Prince of Oraunge For if euery Priest haue such a power to absolue from sinne any wicked limme of Sathan that shall dare in his deuilish boldnesse to attempt the executiō of mischiefs against most H. personages most noble Princes what wickednesse is there that these absoluers wil not dispence with and what security for any P. or state where such priests and absoluters may be endured likewise their doctrin of satisfactory workes must néeds be a great emboldning vnto
sinne For if sinne which the prophet said could not be satisfied for tho a man shold giue riuers of Oyle and thousands of shéepe Oxen yea tho he shoulde giue his first begotten sonne or his own life for the redemption of it may so easely be redéemed by giuing some part of the wicked mammon to building of Abbeis or maintaining of Masses seminaries and such like which in deed greatly encreseth their sinn by strengthning such abominatiōs Men must néeds bee hereby made more carelesse of their wickednesse and more encouraged to offend Whervnto also their sanctuaries priuiledged places do greatly encourage For if any malefactor may haue any such defence against all iustice and protection for his ill doing how is it possible that all wickednes shoulde not be prouoked by it Whereby it being plaine that impunitie is the cause of incouragement to offenders and that the practise of the R. religion is thus discouered to be such as it setteth the transgressor free from all feare of the wrath of God and the iudgement to come by their dispensations indulgences absolutions and satisfactory workes and from all ecclesiastical punishment for a litle mony by making markets of their said Buls and pardons and from the iustice of the ciuill magistrats by sanctuaries and in al their clergy by exemptiōs imunitees priuiledges and appeals to the seate of R It must needes be hereby most manifest that the practise of their religion is as a breach that is made by the sea wherby al maner of impietie and wickednes of life doth so violently flow into the common wealth wher it is receiued that it is not possible to make resistaunce against it Whervpon I conclude that seeing by his owne confession this Romish fayth in the doctrine and discipline of it both thorow the iustice of God who cannot but from heauen reueale his wrath vppon so great vngodlinesse and in the very nature and practise of their religion must néeds be the most certaine ruine and ouerthrowe of all K. and states where it is established I might alledge here other particular causes of the breaches of some certain commaundement as their disordered orders of Monkes Fryars their vnlawfull vowes and constrained single life to be causes of hypocrisies adultries fornications and a 1000. abhominations of vncleannes But I leaue these and such like to the consideration of the discreete reader and proceede forwarde to other points Wherein I affirme the practise of their religion not to stand with any good pollicie Next to the honor of God a vertuous conuersation wherof haue beene spoken alreadye nothing can or ought to be more regarded in a state thē the souerainty of the state and freedome of the people Which by the doctrin of the Gospell is maintained and established For so we teach according to the doctrine of the apostles that euery soul and person be subiect to the ciuil magistrates both to the K. as most excellent and souerain and to those which are sent from him Wherby both the souerainty of the state is maintained in directing commanding with in the Dominion which God hath giuen them without controulment of any forraine power the lawful liberty of the people For the people obeying the authority which God hath made them subiect vnto they neede not to be suters for any causes in the court of any straunge P. they are not to be taxed by them but in euery their respect are free from the bondage of anye forraine commaundement whatsoeuer But the Romish religion nether leaueth P. soueraine in their estates nor the people frée in their liberty For by the doctrin and practise of their religion K. and princes are but vassals and as feodataryes to the pope in their K. and dominions they are to receiue thē of him and leaue them at his pleasure Hee hath authority to dispense of all their Crownes and Kingdomes to set vppe and put downe as it seemeth best to him And as this is set downe for good lawe in their Canons so haue they not failed to practise it as hath appeared Further also they take from them the dealing with al ecclesiastical causes drawing them all to the Sea court of R. euen to the bestowing of ecclesiastical liuings at his pleasure by means wherof both the emperors of the R. empire other P. the K. of this lād haue bin fain to plead such causes as they haue had with their subiects without their own land further also they took vpō thē to impose paimēts vpon their subiects besids a thousand oppressions of their soules which they miserablie tyrannised with lawes of abstinence for conscience sake from meates and from marriage commaundemente of cōfessing their sins in shrift the rest of the ordināces of their will worship wherby the pore people were oppressed with great bondage and the P. were so manye and diuers waies impeached in their crown and dignity Further in a well pollicied estate it is required that it bee maintained in peace and yet so that in case of warre they may bee strong bothe in men and treasure to defend and repulse the violence of their enemies This the Gospel teacheth being the gospel of peace wherby men are not only reconciled vnto God but also one to another according to the worthy testimonies which both the Prophets and Apostles beare vnto it in this behalfe And as the Doctrine is peace both with God and amongst men so the practise of it can not in any sort disturbe or hazard the peace of the state where it is receiued but with al security establish it Likewise hath it nothing in all the doctrin practise of it contrary to the strength of a cōmon weale For it teacheth marriage to be honourable amongest all men and the honour of a P. to be in the multitude of his subiects and exempteth none by any pretended authority of forrain power from the seruice of their country Concerning riches tresure it doth not impouerish requiring only a competent prouisiō for the pastors and doctors of the church Which as it is necessary for their seruice and most due by the expresse commaundement of God so riseth it to no great charges of a common weal. But the R. religion practise of it is against al these For if the stories euen of their own wickedest writers may bee credited as they oughte most of al to be against thēselues that B. of R. haue bin the cause of al the wars that haue bin in Europe these 100 yeres And indéed what estate cā be in security or quietnes wherein a forraine P. shall haue intelligence of all the secretes of the lande But wheresoeuer the R. religion is euerye Prieste is an intelligencer and a spye for the pope who both by other means especially by their auriculer confession come to vnderstand the deepest secrets of euery state and K. of euery City and town village house familye person within the land Which kind of