vniuersall long-lasting corruptions reuoltes are ordinary in the Church that when the Church forsaketh the word of God then God withdraweth frō her his holy spirit that whē God hath called frō her his holy spirit the more she hasteth forward the further she wandreth frō the right path the more encreaseth her corruptiō that in her selfe no meane may be found to repaire her ruines or returne her into the right way if the Lord takes her not by the had guides her aright to the forsaken way by his spirit word We learne also that after the Lord hath lōg cōceled frō men the time of their corruptiō ignorance he hath geuen thē ouer to the vanitie of their minds which boast braue it with the bare titles of his Church Religiō renewing his Church in the meane season neuerthelesse in miraculous sort by his immediat and extraordinary callings as those of Noë Abraham Moses Ezechias Iosias and others We learne againe that Gods promises are tyed neither to persons nor places but onely to his elect and the same doth Iesus Christ most plainly teach in S. Matthew by the similitudes of the husbandmen to whom the housholder did let out his vineyard Math. 21. and them that were bidden to the mariage seing therefore your fathers and ye forsook the humilitie of true Christians to puff vp your selues with pride of the flesh seing ye gaue ouer the glorifying of the Lord in his word power and mercy to glorifie your selues in your carnall inuentions by your freewill and meritorious works let it not seeme straunge to you that God hath left your fathers and you in the miseries of ignoraunce 4. Esd 8. For Esdras prophesieth that many miseries and calamities remayne for them that shall liue in the later times because they shall walk in great pride ye runne after mans traditions ye bring nothing forth but wild grapes your hands are full of bloud you haue troden downe the righteous all your deuises are against God to prouoke th' eyes of his Maiestie ye put bitter for sweet ye haue no feare of God but through the commaundement receiued of men ye leaue the doctrine of God which ye haue heard from the beginning ye demaund more of him then he hath appointed ye haue left the faith ye fulfill the measure of your fathers sinnes ye teach all things rather then the word of God ye can not abide to be ruled thereby ye gaze and spend the time on fables and vaine toyes ye are wed to your owne insolent willes ye blame the way of truth and in couetousnesse ye make marchandise of mens soules with feyned wordes then leaue to think it strāge that the curse of God pursueth you by blindnes of hart Leuit. 26. ignorāce errors In the like case to yours Moses threatned the children of Israël that God would forsake thē On like occasiō prophesied Isay Isay 1.5.8.28 that the Lord would curse his Church and oppresse it with the spirite of sleepe would shut her eyes would couer the Prophets the chief of the seers would make her to stumble against his word would shut darkē the book would make the wisdome to perish frō the wise vnderstanding from the prudēt would hyde his eyes would not heare would take away the hedge from about his vineyard would breake the wall thereof it should be trodē down Math. 23. Luke 3.4 Esdr 5.7 This was the reason that Iesus Christ gaue the Iewes wherfore they were refused Likewise in Esdras we are certified that in the later times the land shal be barren frō faith that wit shall hide it selfe vnderstāding depart into his secret chāber it shal be songht of many and yet not be found that men shall obteine nothing because saith he men haue taken to them the thoughts of vanitie and haue purposed in themselues the deceits and traynes of sinne and touching these things haue said to the Lord that he was not In like maner S. Peter treating of th'instruments of Antichrist which forsake the way of the Lord 2. Pet. 2. saith that they should priuily bring into the Church damnable heresies calleth them welles without water and clouds carred about with a tempest to whom the black darknesse is reserued for euer How then could they keepe the right way that had no other guides S. Iohn saith 1. Iohn 2. if that which we haue heard from the beginning shall remaine in vs we shall also continue in the Sonne and in the Father 2. Tim. 6. If any mā saith S. Paul teacheth otherwise cōsenteth not to the holesome words of our Lord and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse he is puft vp and knoweth nothing but doteth about questions and strife of wordes and a litle after he calleth them men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth which thinke that gaine is godlines to this purpose I wil say by the way that cleare-sighted persons can quickly discerne that the decrees and diuers doctrines of your Church are for the most part founded vpon gayne In summe sith ye haue despised the waters of Siloë marueil not that ye are fallen and welnigh drowned in the floud and bottomlesse gulfe of mens traditions ye haue left the piller and prop of the Lord your iniquitie is like a swelling in an high wall whose breaking cōmeth sodainly ye haue set naught by the hallowed fire of God to seek out another of your own kindling marueil not that ye walke not in the light but stumble in the darke and sith ye draw nigh to the deuill and draw backe from God marueil not that the deuill drawes nigh to you and God drawes backe from you Finally for that ye haue abused Gods promisses presuming to take him at his word without caring for the condition wherewith he gaue his word and thinking him tied by his promise to be with you and you not bound by the condition to obey him therefore hath that presumption entangled your soules within the cordes of vanitie and hampred you in those iniquities and curses which we daily see But all these inducements and considerations are yet too low for matters so high The secret cause of th'estrangings from God of your reuolts of the Church are past the reach of mans reason it is the bottomlesse sea of Gods counsell and therefore must bee treated of in another sort Why should wee aske how it may come to passe which wee see is come to passe why should we aske how it could be that the Church lost her way so long time since our Lord the Prophets and Apostles assured vs that so it should be such questioning doth vtter the mistrust of Gods prophesies lurking in our vnbeleeuing hearts Iesus Christ foretold vs Matth. 24. Marc. 13. Luke 21. many false Prophets should come and seduce many that iniquitie should abound that charity should be colde that th'abomination of desolation should be set
earth with the rod of my mouth and will slay the wicked with the breath of my lips Esdras reporteth in his vision 4. Esd 13. that our Lord seing all nations arising against him lifted not his hand held no sword nor warlike instrument but cast out of his mouth as it were a flash of fire which finally consumed all nations This is the stone cut without hands Dan. 2. that must bruise the iron the copper the earth Apoc 19. the siluer and the gold The sword that must confound heretiks procedeth from the mouth of God Iesus Christ accepted this sword reiected forbad th' other Th'Apostles neither had nor sought any other 2. Pet. 3. It is the word that made and preserueth the world as S. Peter saith The word of grace is mighty to edifie 1. Cor. 4. hath begotten the faithfull to Iesus Christ by the Gospell saith S. Paul Our weapons saith he are not carnall materiall 2. Cor. 10. but spirituall The Lord cleanseth washeth his Church by his word Ephes 5. When he reckneth vp the workemen and instruments of the Church weapons of Christen mē he makes no mention of robbers murtherers massacrers men of warre and their materiall armes 1. Cor. 12. but he remembreth Apostles Prophets and Doctors vertues healings knowledge of tongs administration of Sacraments Ephes 6. truth iustice peace faith hope charitic saluation the spirite the word of God and prayer When he speaketh of the workmanship of the Church he vseth these termes to plant 1. Cor. 3. to water to geue increase c. Such wordes are in no wise sutable to warlike violence For somuch then as we neither ought nor may build in the house of God with armes and that we must build with the word of God which is all sufficient necessary and commaunded let vs not dissobey th'auctoritie of the sacred Scripture the commaundements of our soueraigne God the conduct of his holy spirite according to th' example of of our Lord of his Apostles and of his Church arme we our selues with the word of God the sword of the spirite with humilitie patience and holines of life build we the Church euery one of vs to th'vttermost extent of his abilitie with these instruments And if any gainstand this our trauail with intent to frustrate our hope purpose to reuerse our worke or to build by vs and not with vs let vs pray and continue with increase of earnest desire But now me thinks I heare you say what neede more wordes these two cases are now cleare and vndoubted the one that we should not enterprise to force mens consciences the other that Clergie men should not seeke the preseruation of the Church otherwise than by spirituall armes but by this discourse or any other I cannot conceiue that the Magistrate is prohibited to destroy the body of an heretike or schismatike and consequently that our king is not permitted to employ his armes and armies against the Reformed which are reputed such I graunt you in some sort that the text of the Euangelist afore cited to this purpose seemeth more to bind the Ecclesiastical person than the Magistrate But that which I haue discoursed to you how the Church from Adam to Christ neuer vsed the force of flesh and bloud and of material armes for to multiplie and augment it selfe and for to ruine the infidels in detestation of their naughtie religion makes directlie aswel against the Magistrate as the Churchman For so much as Adam Seth Enos Noe Abraham Isaac and Iacob were not onelie Patriarkes but also were kings Gouernors and Magistrates of peoples Iosua the Iudges and kings of Israel who absteyned from such violence in behalfe of their borderers had the right of magistracie ouer them as alredie hath bene noted Notwithstanding it shall not be amisse to treate more particularly touching this power of the Magistrate ouer heretikes and infidels But first I take it for confessed that our Ecclesiasticall persons are guiltie of great error and enormitie at this instant in that they manage and imploy materiall armes inioyne and sweare euery one to put on armour for the ruine of the Reformed setting sorth and leading in their owne persons the bands of men of warre yea whole armies About whose heads ye may cōmonly see their weapons flourish with as much pride hatred and furie as the most barbarous Seculars can shew Proceed we then to the power of the Magistrate First the reformed wil answere you for their bookes actions approue that such is their doctrine and discipline how the Magistrate hath a iust lawfull vocation from God to condemne and put to death the heretike and schismatike and that if he neglect or refuse to execute this his duetie being able to performe the same he then misregardeth and offendeth the law of God and his owne calling and deserueth blame and punishment But withall they affirme and mainteine that before the magistrate proceedeth to such executions he must patiently heare them that are suspected of heresie or schisme they must cause them to be conuinced by the word of God in holy assured and free assemblies perswade them pray for them with patience awaite Gods pleasure for their conuersion and after if they persist still then is it not onely lawfull but also necessarie to deliuer them ouer to death they affirme also that as for themselues they were neuer called nor heard in a Counsel free and assured for them they haue not bene conuinced by holy Scripture that when ye called them it was onely to heare their condemnation the Iudges to whom ye sent them were deafe and trusted rather to loude clamors than sound arguments Againe that when yee haue conferred with them ye haue made exception to th'authoritic of Gods word according to which word they haue got th'upper hand in all that hath bene propounded that ye haue delayd crost the disputations conferences as fearing to be vtterly conuinced and being required ye would not returne it seemeth say they that ye could not abide the light of the trueth which was set before your eyes that therefore ye shrunke aside and hid your heads not daring to appeare but with playne or priuie force All which allegations they offer to verifie by the vnpartiall histories and autentike records of this time concerning the affaires of religiō as wel in Germanie as in this Realm and elswhere throughout Europe Now for my part touching this power of the Magistrate I pray you consider that the Gospel commaunds not the death of heretikes and infidels so expresly as the law According to the law they must not be suffered to liue til the morow but by the Gospel patience long tarying is chieflie prescribed in such pursuites as appeareth by the places aboue cited and speciallie by the answere of Iesus Christ to th'Apostles S. Iames and S. Iohn and by the doctrine of S. Paul Luke 9. 2. Tim. 2. Ye
that all things be restored S. Paul saith Col. 3. seeke the things that are on high where Iesus Christ sitteth at the hand of God for himselfe had said to his Apostles Iohn 16. I go to my father and ye shall see me no more yet a litle while and ye shall see me for I go to my father and elswhere Math. 23. I say vnto you that from hence-forth ye shall not see me vntill ye say blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord Acts. 1. and in another place this Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come as ye haue seen him go into heauen if the Lord is corporally present in the bread and wine of the supper if he is here below within the Priests pixe or betweene their hands why beleeue we that he is at the right hand of the father why do we looke for his comming from heauen to iudge the quicke and dead why say th'Apostles that heauen must conteine Iesus Christ vntill the time that all things be restored why say they that he is sitting at the right hand of God if he appeareth continually why should they affirme that the second time of his appearing shal be for iudgement why doth he say himselfe yet a litle while and you shall see me no more for I go to the father when is that time among the Papistes wherein they see him not why do the Angels say this Iesus which is taken vp from you to heauen shall come euen so as ye haue seen him go vp to heauen who hath seen him come downe from heauen to shut himselfe within the bread as he was seen go vp to heauen The Pope putteth his onely trust in this aunswere the Lord saith he can make his body be in the bread ergò he is there Behold a very proper meane to proue readily all kinds of heresies phantasies and mockeries and in deed if we were sure that his will is to haue his body here below in the bread in places innumerable aboue at his fathets right hand and so to haue his body to be spirituall we would not doubt of his power to performe it but we can find no-where this wil of his contrari-wise he teacheth vs that his body is in heauen that in the supper we must lift vp our soules on high to the right hand of God there to eate spiritually and by faith as hath benesaid he teacheth vs that his body is a true body 2. Iohn 4. euery spirit saith S. Iohn which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God such a spirit is the spirit of Antichrist thus let vs ensue his will without enquiring of his power Furthermore if we might certeinely see the body or the'effects of the presence of the body and bloud of our Lord in the holy supper in the bread and wine thereof we would not argue at all either of his power or of his will but we see nothing saue bread like to bread both within and without in and throughout euery part in colour other qualities of nature nourishable and corruptible the host of the Masse nourisheth man nourisheth wormes as bread doth corrupteth and putrifieth as bread which we may not beleeue of our Sauiours glorified body Withall if the body of the Lord were in the bread so many miracles should daily and hourely ensue Luke 8. as would make it past doubt they that touched his garments onely felt his wonderfull vertue with farre more likelihood should they that touch his body feele it but we can see no such effects the Popes Bishops and Priests haue assayed to deriue from it oracles and miracles but still they found it nothing els saue bread they haue chafed thereat so farre-forth as to cast the host into the fire Finally I see no such necessitie for the celebration of the supper that the body should be here below really within the bread no more then in old time Christ was in the labe or at this day the bloud of Christ is in the water of baptisme The faithfull doe effectually receiue in baptisme the washing of the bloud of Christ by faith although nothing but water be administred in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost euen so the faithfull may partake in the grace iustification death passion in the body bloud of the Lord by spirituall eating through faith as well yea more cōmodiously then by the reall eating of the body For in this behalfe it behoueth the Spirit by his miraculous operatiō not onely to transubstantiate the body and make it present at the same time in places infinit but also to turne this corporall food into spirit for the spirituall sustenance of the spirit of man which is the principall end of the supper of the death passion of the Lord. It is more agreable to the order established by God in the nature of all things and more consonant to his counsels reueled in his word to lift vp our soules by faith to nourish them with his body and bloud to fill them with his grace and merite of his death and passion to notifie such inward actions by the outward signes of bread and wine then to confound the properties of both natures to make him a body euerywhere present which to be onely pertaineth to his diuinitie to abase his glorious body and subiect it to a world of phantasies profanations and iniuries to haue it broken and torne chewed and swalowed and further to change that body into spirit for the nourishment of the spirit Behold here how the Pope with too-much boldnes and no necessitie aduentureth to commit idolatrie himselfe and to make them grose idolaters which follow him in his doctrine in that he adoreth the bread of the supper euen as the body of Iesus Christ More safe it is to adore it at the right hand of God seing the Scripture assureth vs most certainely that he is there Idolatrie is a sinne too horrible that any man should so freely giue ouer himselfe to the same In such ventrous cases when there is any suspition of idolatrie feare to sinne ought aboue all to ouer-rule our worldly wisdome Away then with this doctrine of the Pope so contrary to th'articles of the Christiā beliefe and all the holy Scripture away with this doctrine that destroyeth the veritie of our Lords body and is suspected ye conuinced of Idolatrie The Pope willeth vs to haue images of Angels Whether we ought to haue images for deuotion sake Saincts and of God himselfe within our Churches vpon our altars within our chappels and priuat closets for prayer He willeth vs to honour and serue these images with such deuotion ceremonies as in effect differeth not from adoration or diuine-honour We find no iote in the Scripture conformable to this doctrine but we find there commaundements ynow most flatly forbidding vs to receiue it Leuit.
haue be fallen certeine Lords of our time are so many punishmēts of their desloyaltie We see their misfortunes neither can we be ignorant of their trecherie we know elswhere the wretched ends of the periured as of Lisander Hannibal Siphax Caracalla and of Hebert th' Earle of Vermandois of th'Earles of Charolois Saint Paul and of others innumerable A Iew of this our age hath imputed all the miseries wherein those of his nation are wrapped to their faithlesnes Vnworthy is he the reputation of a faithful Christian that will violate his faith makes no reckning of it vnworthy is he to receiue faith of God or finde faith among men that knowes not how to keepe it They say that sinne is knowen by its trayne that sinne is the penaltie of sinne but chiefly that is verified of faithlesnes To this purpose do the Hebrues aduise men aboue all to beware of this vice for hauing crept once into their acquaintance by and by it growes familiar customary and domesticall We haue obserued that euer since this doctrine was receiued in so great a Synod of Bishops vnfaithfull disloyalty hath borne sway in all that hath byn done or treated among all the Potentats of Christendome among all Christians welnigh the Bishops are the chief heades thereof the euill from thence is descended to the members and so from member to member throughout the whole body I shame to say how since ye haue receiued and practised this goodly distinction ye haue mortgaged or rather forfeicted the honour and commendation of troth and fidelitie purchased so dearely and carefully amōg all nations by your predecessours Ye are at this day among all nations as a vessell wherein is no pleasure commoditie nor assurance Ye reteine the solemnitie of othes by custome ye leaue the truth by malice Shame will not suffer me to pursue this point any further Yet one thing will I add that faithlesnesse iustly bringes the faithlesse person in suspect that he fayles in faith towardes Iesus Christ for as one of the ancientes sayd none loseth his faith saue he that had it not Then my children ye that are Christians by the grace of God geue no place to Paynims in vertuous actes which nature reason law custome necessitie and your soueraigne Lord God do inioyne you so expresly folow the examples propounded by the holy Ghost to fortifie you against the subtil quirks wisedome of the flesh beleeue it not to be permitted which God forbiddeth and with indignation punisheth eschue not his cōmaundementes but eschue his wrath frame not his word to your passions to your reuenges to your ambition but frame your selues to it and by it rule your desires CHAP. II. Whether mens consciences ought to be compelled for Religion and how the Magistrate should be employed agaynst heretikes BVt ye wil tell me perhaps that ye are not moued to begin this warre by disloyaltie nor by desire of reuenge nor by other euill passion but through zele ye beare to the glory of God to th' aduancement of the kingdome of his sonne our Lord to th'edificatiō of his Church through the charitie ye beare towards all men whom ye fayne would haue to be all good Christians whō ye would marshal in the Church vnder th' obedience of God or cut of the refusers to cease all blasphemies and abominations that they commit against his diuine Maiestie and to purchase assured tranquillitie to all the faithfull The holy Ghost foreseing as it seemeth your excuses saith that Saul assaied to destroy the Gabaonits through a zele he bare to the children of Israell and Iuda this his deuotion was deemed sinne against God the Israelites and namely the children of Saul incurred Gods displeasure for this sinne 2. Reg. 21. as hath byn sayd Moreouer the Iewes persecuting the Christians euen then when they crucified the Messias were inflamed with a most ardent affection towards God and their Temple by this their affection th' execution thereof they deserued the wrath estranging curse and punishment of God S. Paule speaking of them and of th' euill they did to the faithfull saith Rom. 10. I will beare th'Israelites witnesse that they haue the zele of God but not after knowledge Ioh. 16. Iesus Christ said to his Apostles the houre commeth that whosoeuer shal put you to death shall thinke he doth God high seruice 〈◊〉 suppose you that this zele did excuse the murtherers of the Apostles 2 Reg. 6. Likewise with very great zele did Oza stretch forth his had to vphold the Ark of the Lord howbeit he was punished Zele then is so sclender an excuse of sinne that it selfe is sinne if it be not directed by sound skill knowledge Man is not licensed to seeke th' execution of whatsoeuer himself conceiueth shall serue the glory of God He must learne and know by Gods word what he is to desire whereto his indeuors must tend what way he is to take what meanes he must vse It is well done to couet and seeke th' aduancement of Gods kingdome th'accōplishment of his Church it greatly concerneth vs to behold the number of the faithful very soone fulfilled for the glory of God and our owne sanctification glorificatiō but yet let it be done with discretion The holy Ghost is the chief workemaister in building the Church let him controll vs let the meanes that he hath taught conduct vs we can not be ignorant if we but cōsider how he hath proceded euer since the creation of the world to the building of the Church the house of God He would neuer be serued with the violence of men of fire of sword and of the halter to compell men to enter into the Church Adam Seth and Enos enforced not Cain to returne to God after he was plunged in dispayre when he had forsaken God his countrie and consequently the Church by reason of his sinne Noe vsed not weapons to compell the people to turne to God but praiers and preachings in the name of the Lord he laboured to conuert them by words and examples of godlines he manaced them not with his owne wrath or with his owne armes but with the wrath and armes of th' Almighty Abraham longed with all his hart to see th' effect of Gods promises he saw in spirit already the Church filled with nations innumerable he beheld about him great power he fought he ouercame but yet he neuer attempted to bring men to God by armes The children of Israel fought vanquished conquered and destroied many nations yet where can ye finde that they went about to constraine one onely man of so many peoples to suffer their circumcision and become one of their Church if they had propounded to th'Ammonits Moabites Philistins and to the Syrians which would haue yeelded to all conditions of peace for to liue peaceably by them thus wee will leaue you in peace in your houses and families among your wiues and children we will leaue you your goods your
townes and dominions prouided that ye renounce your idolatrie receiue our law the law of the Lord if not we will continually pursue by armes your end and destruction how many Proselits thinke you had they made what encrease had they brought to the Church They know it that doo know what power hath feare conceipt and perill ouer worldly men that know what multitudes haue by th' armes of th' Arabians Tartars Persians Mamalukes and Turkes bin ranged to Mahomets religion We can not say that th'Israelites wanted affection to the glory of God and auauncement of his kingdome for in other matters they sufficiently witnessed their deuotion Againe we can not say that they wanted force for God fought for them almost visibly there were men so valiant among them that their matches were neuer found nor fained otherwhere an hundred of theirs could discōfite ten thousand others 4. Reg. 6. one of them alone by praier did confound an infinit army of Syrians their warres were wonders But they knew that feare and force were not workemen of the house of God We can not doubt of the power of our Lord Iesus Christ he is God we can not doubt of his tender loue towards vs and th'edification of his Church he humbled himselfe infinitely being God he tooke vpon him humane nature and submitted himselfe to the miseries of the flesh except sinne suffering reproches torments and death euen the curse of God his father for our saluation he praied preached and wrought miracles for th'edification of the Church with one twinkling of an eye with one onely word he might haue compelled or confounded all men he might haue fought with twelue legions of Angels if it had bene his pleasure he might haue done to all as he did to S. Paul he did it not He forbad them that meant to vse force he lifted not vp his hand he handled no sword nor warlike weapon his will was not that armes should intermeddle in the kingdome of the word Thus we may not bring men to the house of God but by means allowed by Iesus Christ for none can go to God but by him he is the doore of the house of God The Apostles also haue witnessed to vs their earnest desire in that they abandoned the world themselues for our example and to winne vs bare with our infirmities obiected themselues to all daungers drad not th' assaults of the deuill the hate of the world the rigor of Magistrats the stormes of the sea the paine ignominie and terror of punishments no not the horrour of Hell for to edisie the house of God they prayed preached and interpreted they wrote they suffred and all to builde the Church as for carnall weapons they refused for so had their maister Christ inioyned when hee sent them to the conquest of peoples he commaunded them to goe alone without sundry garments without money without bread with a staffe onely in their hand and not with the feare and force of armes Euen so did the Lord rebuke his Apostles that craued leaue of him to pray for fire to fall downe from heauen on such as would not receiue them yee know not quoth he of what spirit ye are for the sonne of man came not to destroy soules but to saue them Prayers therefore preachings prophecies interpretations writinges miracles and sufferinges were the tooles wherewith th'Apostles built the house of God Yours are of a farre other sort they humbled themselues yee exalt your selues they prayed yee curse and commaund they preached expounded and writ yee say not a word yee shut yee hide the booke yee write with the sword they suffered yee make others suffer they were murthered yee are massacrers Thus haue ye forsaken the way of our Sauiour his Disciples Take heed that it be not told you that you folow in this behalf the way of Mahumet Mahumet said he was the greatest Prophet sent of God to constraine by violence of armes all those that would not submit themselues vnder the power of God by the preaching of his word to that purpose God had sent him three keyes of Iustice of Prophecie and of Victory Great is the appearance that this noueltie of forcing mens consciences is come out of Sathans shop For besides the noueltie thereof and slat repugnance against the doctrine and histories of the Bible it carieth th'infallible marke of Sathan th'executiō belyeth the promise Ye promise your selues to compell mens consciences and so bring them to God which can not be It is notorious that the materiall sword hath no power ouer the soule Ye may constraine the body to be present at the Masse to bow it self before your inuentions your images and relikes but ye can not enforce the conscience to consent to these bowings and seruices It is as if ye would weigh the firie flame The more ye assay to compell and enthrall the conscience the more free it remaines The Martyrs that were violently forced to stand by the sacrifices of Idols were not Pagans therefore So they that by compulsion become Christians are nothing lesse then Christians But admit ye could force mens consciences suppose ye by this meane to bring them to God Ye whose might and knowledge can not reach so farre as to the will of man yet do not accept a frend fayned or forced ye make no accompt in your houses and Lordships of submissions or homages founded on dissimuled pretence or fearefull cōstraint God that will principally reigne ouer our wils and full well knoweth them that deserueth and demaundeth to be loued of vs with all our heart with all our will with all our strength with all our soule with all our vnderstanding will he receiue these forced soules which ye bring him Christian Religion consisteth in faith nothing is more cōtrary to faith then force ye may compell mē to do or to speake but to make them to beleeue ye are neuer able Whoso beleeueth not can not be a Christian 1. Pet. 5. For which cause S. Peter commaundeth saying feed the flock not as hauing dominion ouer the Lords inheritance Let vs beleeue then that this is not the maner whereby God draweth receiueth men into his house whereby he enlargeth the limits of his empire The force that he employeth is spiritual sweet agreable and healthfull First he possesseth the will after he contenteth th'vnderstanding he ruleth the reason and so by degrees he becomes maister of such as he will and such as will him Th' empire of the consciences is gouerned by meanes of the word this is the scepter whereby Iesus Christ reigneth whereby he destroyeth the powers fortresses counsels and all highnesse that lifteth it selfe against the knowledge of God by the same all vnderstanding is enthralled to his obedience God by his Prophets hath so promised foretold My word saith he in Isay shall not returne to me in vaine Isa 11.55 2. Cor. 10. it shall do what I haue willed I will smite the
made Israell to sinne Micheas and Elias accompanied Achab and Ochosiah both Idolaters Our Sauiour Christ visited the countreys of the Iewes and soiourned among them euen when they were most corrupt and swarmed with sectes heresies as is sayd he communed with Saduces that denied the Resurrection he eat and disputed with Pharisies he liued with Publicanes he gratified and honored the Gentiles with his presence preaching and miracles Th'Apostles bestowed most part of their care paine power and knowledge to conferre and communicat with the Gentiles they built founded Churches among the Gentiles they left the faithfull in the same countrey the same towne the same house with the Gentiles they permitted to the Christen woman the mariage already made 1. Cor. 7. to abide with her infidell husband saying what knowest thou ô woman whether thou shalt saue thy husband or what knowest ô husband whether thou shalt saue thy wife Shall we be so hardie as to pronounce that all these holy exāples be so many faults which we ought not to folow shal we so arrogātly ouerweene our selues after so many holy precedēts as to force the sacred Scripture to speake that which it doth not deliuer vs a doctrine not onely contradictorie to it selfe but also contrary to possibilitie For if it teacheth that we ought not abide in the same countrey and towne with Pagans and heretikes the holy Scripture bindeth vs to a cōdition impossible Into what parcell of the world may we goe where are not Pagans insidels heretikes and schismatikes Th' East and South swarme with Heathnish Idolaters the West North haue so many sects as families In what town in what company shall we hope to find one cōmon vniforme and assured consent of the truth seing among the twelue Apostles visibly taught by our Lord by words miracles conuersation example of life one was found that durst doubt of the Gospell and attempt the abolishing and ouerthrow thereof that banded himselfe against the truth bountie and power of God endeuouring not onely to gainstand God like the Geants but also to put him to death How shall a man sort him selfe with a company well assured in truth rightnes of doctrine faith sith he can not discouer nor discerne the knowledge wills and beleef of men bycause of their hypocrisie and false semblant at this day in all dealings but principally in case of Religion Mar. 13. 2. Cor. 10. we liue in the time that wolues disguise themselues in sheepes clothing and Sathan trasformes himselfe into an Angell of light false Prophets borrow the cognisance of good and true Disciples they that know the truth and dare not speake confesse it are cōstrained to stāmer with the cōmon sort Behold how none but the holy Ghost can touch to the quick or truly reproue thē of sinne John 16. that beleeue not in God as S. Iohn writeth therfore it passeth mās power to discerne the faithfull from the infidell The Lord doth not say that at his cōming he shall finde all his elect gathered in one cōpany but that he will gather them frō all parts of th' earth Luke 17. that two shal be in one bed th' one takē th' other refused two shal be grinding in a mill th' one takē th' other refused Morcouer the holy Scripture assureth vs that the Lordes field can not be without darnell that the visible Church cā not be without corruption schismes without enemies within without that while she is in this world she cā not enioy the title of Triumphant that she is named Militāt so she is in deede for she hath continually to sight against innumerable enemies domestical forrein So saith Iesus Christ that his doctrine shal bring a great cōfusion of miscōceiuing Mat. 10. enmities cōtrarieties between Potētats dominions Marke 13. between the neerest kinred frends Luke 12. within priuat houses families for religion sake S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 11. there must be heresies amōgst vs to th' end that they which are approued may be made manifest Let vs thē leaue these delicacies dainty tendernes for another world and in the meane while apply submit our selues to the necessity of the prophesies whose accōplishmēt cannot be auoided let the exāple of the whole church cōfort vs let vs resolue our selues on that which cannot be otherwise during the tune we shal inhabit this earth Let this counsell of S. 2. Tim. 4. Paul to Timothie sound in our ears euermore They shall after their owne lustes get them an heape of teachers and shal turne their eares from the trueth and shall be geuen vnto fables but watch thou in all things suffer aduersitie doo the worke of an Euangelist and elswhere hold not the disobedient person as an enemie but admonish him as a brother He saith not despaire of him leaue the Church she abandon all but watch and trauaile admonish him brotherlie to the end the let be not in thee that the worke is vnperfect Although th' enemy hath forced our trēches baricados so that he is with vs pell mell that he is come to cope hand to hand we must not flie we must determine on the combat we must r'ally and stand strong to the Corps du gard hard by our chiefetaine within the shadow of our colours Seing then we cannot choose but be intermedled with heretikes we must watch ward and trauaile for our own defence against them we must geue th'onset with spirituall armes their presence must stirre vp and whet our carefulnes Seing the Church is militant it must not geue ground but abide where th' enemie is Who so flieth from his enemie and hath withdrawen himselfe so farre that he can not smite heare nor see him may not be termed militant or one that maketh warre We must keepe so close to our enemies that they see our fires heare the sound of our drummes and trumpets that they see heare and feele the glittering the noyse weight of our weapons Euen so the Church militāt ought to approach nigh the heretikes namelie by charitie that they heare and vnderstand the sound of Gods worde that they feele the vertue thereof to their confusion condemnation or conuersion If we should not draw nigh to infidels and heretikes after some sort or other God would not call so many as he doth daihe by the efficacie of his word which he makes them vnderstand publikly by exhortations sermons and seruices and priuatly by particular studies and conferences Let vs not be afraide of them the spirit of God is not a spirit of feare 2. Tim 1. the word of God is mightier than all things the primitiue Church required not to haue the Pagans banished but onely to be heard of them the vertue of the Gospel was not enfeebled by their speaking dealing and dwelling among them otherwise the combat is not appointed for the decay of the elect but for their
manifestation and glory and for th'aduauncement of the spirituall kingdome We haue a captaine that cannot be put to the worse if he lets the enemie approach it is not to the hazard of being vanquished and we with him it is for to trie the valour of his soldiers to discerne the faithfull from others Let vs not doubt if we belong to him he wil neuer lose vs. Notwithstanding it is good for euery one to trie and sound him selfe and as he feeleth in his heart th' assurance and motion of Gods spirit so to go forwarde to the medley If the Apostles Bishops and Ministers of the Church had bene so delicate and tender as we would be both Afrik and Europ had not yet bene washed from the steine of Arianisme we had neuer heard the souÌ„d of the Gospel we should not haue bene so nigh as we are to th' accomplishment of our Sauiours Prophecie Mar. 13. that all nations must heare the noise of his voice there should be no Christen Church neither should any haue bene for all these things could not haue come to passe without communicating with Pagans and Insidels as hath bene saide Phisitions do visite the sicke so should they that are able succor persons spiritually diseased howbeit discreetly wisely according to the doctrine of S. Paul to haunt them for their soule-health for th' aduancement of Christ his kingdome measuring their haunt according to th'assuraÌ„ce knowledge ability that God hath geuen them lomtly there is no occasion to dispaire of the recouerse and conuersion of them of this time for God hath rescued and healed soules more desperatly sicke than they Finally let vs ponder how Popes in this doctrine haue bene contrarie to theÌ„selues which maketh vs doubt that sometimes they applie their doctrines to their passions and to their commoditie as soone as to the veritie Councels Popes Emperours Kings of Fraunce and the greater part of other Kings Lords of Europe haue permitted the Iewes to dwell in Cities of Christendome to erect them Sinagogues and exercise their religion there are of them moreouer at Rome where the Pope holdeth his See they haue bene receiued and comprised within Christen Common-wealths they haue bene admitted to the power and part-taking of generall and particular policies the Emperours by their lawes and ordinances approoued of the Pope haue called them to publike charges honors and dignities with Christians and ouer them Furthermore Popes haue not only receiued into Christendome the enemies of the Gospel but haue also licensed Christians to seeke them dwell and traffike with them and for that ende to trauerse all the compasse of the world to aduenture al the dangers of th' earth the sea the aire of men and of beastes So the Portugals with th' allowance of Pope Alexander the sixt traffikt with the Affricans the Sauadges and the IndiaÌ„s built dwelling towers forts among them Away then with your opinion it gainsayeth the letter and sence of the holy Scripture it gainestandeth the actions of our Lord of his Prophetes Apostles and of th' olde Church it is contrary to the power of the Church it is impossible to be performed in this world it is contrarie to it selfe and is condemned by their contrary actes that were th'auctors Admit that it were best most profitable for the Church if the nuÌ„ber were fulfilled if it delayed not hir glory that she were quite separated froÌ„ infidels and heretikes yet sith this fulnes of contentment and triumph is kept in store for another world we must acknowledge that where we are commaunded to separate our selues froÌ„ them it is chiefly meant of Ecclesiasticall separation to th' end they may haue the mark of enemies and not the separation ciuile politik Lo here againe how the Lord instructeth vs wherein to communicat with them and wherein to deuide our selues from them Loue saith he your enemies Mat. 5. that ye may be the children of your father which is in heauen for he maketh his sunne to arise vpon th' euill and the good sendeth rayne on the iust and vniust Then as the Lord denies them not thinges common to all men the ayre th' earth the light and the water but denyeth them his holy spirit which he reserueth for his chosen so let vs not reiect those their societies that concerne but this world and are necessary to all men as they are men though not as the elect of God specially considering that we can not commodiously and without putting the Church in perill of ruine driue them wholy out from vs. God hath left them to the world tarying for their conuersion let vs leaue them by the Church tarying for their repentance and Gods grace to bring them in Meane while let vs with spirituall weapons with watchings and labours hinder th'executioÌ„ of their attempts Let vs make a rampar round about the Church of holines of life ioyned with earnest prayers and godly exhortations CHAP. IIII. Whether the order established in successions and namely of the Crowne ought to be broken bycause of Religion I Know that there yet remaineth dissension in your soule and that yee are not resolute Lo here your doubt well say yee be it that we must liue nigh heretikes and infidels seing otherwise it may not be and that it seemeth necessarie for th' aduancement of the kingdome of Christ yet must we trauaile as Saint Paul appointeth and do the worke of Euangelists to let them from plucking downe the building of the Church yea to let them from building in the house of God if it were possible Perhaps it is tolerable to liue with them vnder one politike gouernement prouided that we haue at the least equall power with them but it is intolerable to be commaunded by them by cause that seemeth preiudiciall to th' aduancement of the soueraigne auctoritie of Gods word For the most part of men conforme themselues to the manâ—r and Religion of their Princes By common obseruation all peoples require in their Emperours Kings gouernours not to vary froÌ„ them in ReligioÌ„ Th'Ægyptians approued not their king till he had learned and assented to the Religion of their Priestes likewise the Persians Indians and euery nation welnigh Ye alledge surther that the bond of Religion betweene kings and their subiects being rent in sunder and taken away there is nothing but confusion there is no more will and consent it is nought els saue force and tyranny that Religion aboue all things doth perswade and conteine subiects in obedience as appeareth by most Empires Monarchies and common wealthes begun enlarged and mainteined rather by Religion then by iustice and armes that in consideration hereof kings submitted them selues to the heads and Princes of their Religion or els were intitled them selues Princes of Priests and Sacrificers So did the Spartan and Romain kings call themselues soueraigne sacrificers Mahumet his successors the Caliphes Sultans the Sophies of Persia the kings of Calicut and of AEthiopia called
personall succession of Bishops succeeding th'Apostles he hath reteyned the name of Christian and yet neuerthelesse is returned and also turneth those that are his to the vomit and filthines of the Gentils It is written by Daniel S. Matthew and S. Paul Dan. 9. Math. 24.2 Thess 2. that Antichrist shall sit in the holy place in the temple and Church of God the Pope holdeth his See in the hart of Christendome in the Church prepared by th'Apostles he is Lord and President ouer all Christendome which is the temple of God It is written in Daniell Dan. 9. that the Lord shortly after his comming shal be slaine and shall haue nothing 4. Es 5.6 in Esdras that the places which were sowen shall soudainely appeare as they were not sowen the way of truth shal be hidden and the region shal be barren of faith and vnrighteousnesse shal be multiplied on that countrey thou seest and on that which at other times thou hast heard of vnrighteousnes with fornication shall be multiplied in the land Luke 21. Iesus Christ saith that after his visible conuersation with men the time of Antichrist should draw neere that his end should not come so soone 2. Thess 2. It is written by S. Paul that euen in his time Sathan wrought the mistery of iniquitie the beginnings of Antichrist by S. Iohn 1. Iohn 2. that there are many Antichrists already which from thence forth should be to the last tymes Also from th'age of th'Apostles there was couertly brought into the Church the doctrine and glory of men and a litle while after their decease the Bishop of Rome began openly to pretend clayme and plead for the Primacie Presidencie and power ouer all other Bishops not long after he obteined vsurped and declared himselfe chief of the Church and for to manifest publish settle mainteine and augment his power he made many decrees preiudiciall and contrary to the Gospell to the doctrine and policie of the primitiue Church for to cause his power and doctrine to appeare and preuaile euery where he smothered and abolished on earth the power doctrine of the Lord he withdrew the keyes of knowledge like as he would not enter himselfe so he forbad them to enter that would Thus is vnderstanding sled away ignorance and vice come in place hauing regained the dominion ouer vs. Behold againe how it is no straunge thing that the Pope hath reigned so long sith Antichrist ought to begin shortly after the first comming of our Lord and endure long till a time and many times and halfe a time Dan. 7.2 Thess 2. as Daniel saith It is written that Antichrist the sonne of perdition shall list himselfe aboue all that which is called God or is worshipped so farre as to sit in the temple of God as God shewing himselfe that he is God The Pope doth name himselfe God in earth onely but in effect doth behaue himselfe as God ouer all he geueth altereth and repealeth lawes he geueth priuileges goods estats fauours he geueth good seasons and bad by his power by his blessings cursings he threateneth kings punisheth summoneth chaungeth and supplanteth them and that which belongeth to God the king of kings he wil be adored on earth so is he God in earth He saith he hath power ouer the deuill he can take soules out of hell out of the company and dominion of the deuill which can not apperteine but to Iesus Christ and so is he God in hell He assureth vs that he can send soules into Paradise whatsoeuer infidelitie is in them whatsoeuer sinne they committed in this world by his great Iubiles by certeine beadrols of prayers and ceremonies by money therefore nameth himselfe ghostly Father of soules It is God that is our father who by his grace exceeding bountie and mercy hath called chosen vs to be in his Paradise it is our Lord Iesus who by the great loue he beareth vs by his death and passion hath purchased for vs opened vs the gate guideth and bringeth vs thither through the faith we haue in him and which he geueth vs by his holy spirite Thus the Pope is God in Paradise is God ouer all He sitteth in the Temple of God as we haue said for that he ruleth ouer all Christendome being the Temple of God He aduaunceth himselfe aboue all that is called God aboue Iudges and Magistrats which are called Gods in Scripture they can not be Iudges without vndertaking his mark allowing well testifying of it and without swearing fealtie to him lawes and Iudgements depend on him Kings and Emperours are likewise called Gods in Scripture yet he exalteth himselfe aboue them the maner is to kisse the Kings hand th' Emperours knee and the Popes foote he crowneth and blesseth them he maks them promise and sweare fealtie that they will yeld him all reuerence obedience and seruice Lewes of Bauaria th'Emperour was excommunicated for hauing taken on him the gouernance of th' Empire before he had performed th'othe of subiection or as some history writers say for not hauing auowed the Pope for soueraigne Iudge of the variance touching th' Empire betweene him and Frederik of Austrich Frederik the second was excōmunicated for presuming to iourney into Asia without taking leaue of the Pope And to knit vp all in a word there are no Kings nor Emperours but by him for he deliuereth their Realmes in pray at his pleasure he depriueth and restoreth them their subiects at his lust He exalts him selfe aboue Angels he commaunds them peremptorily He exalts him selfe aboue th'Apostles and other Saincts in Paradise at his bidding they must runne trot and sollicite euen as he will as though their Saincting honour and saluation depended on him He racketh gloseth interpreteth chaungeth choppeth and defaceth the word of God as best fitteth his fansie he repealeth the law he disguiseth correcteth enlargeth and despenceth against the lawes and commaundements of God God must not be obeyed but as pleaseth the Pope He abolisheth the Gospell the merite of our Lords death and passion he ascribeth to the workes of men and to the obedience they beare him and his foolish inuentions and ceremonies Th' election of the faithfull belongeth to God no more the Pope hath vsurped and limited the same He Saincteth whom he please he hath arrogated to himselfe the office of sanctifier aboue the holy Ghost He maketh or thinks to make the like stirres and alterations in Heauen as he doeth here below he carieth at his girdle the seuen keyes and seuen seales of the seuen Churches saying it is his ofsice to shut and open the Churches Lo how he lifteth vp himselfe aboue all that is called God Thus the markes which as S. Paule teacheth should be in Antichrist 4. Esdr 8. are found in the Pope See here also the Prophesie of Esdras verisied that the miseries of the last times should happen by occasion of great pride It is written in Daniel Dan.
7. that Antichrist shall thinke he may change times lawes Who so heedfully marketh the doctrine policie and seruice of the Romane Church shall not find there any consormitie or agreablenes with the Gospel but contrarietie almost throughout all the Gospell speaketh neither of Masse Purgatorie calling vpon Saincts nor of Prayers for the dead Images or Holy water nor of wax tapers or processions pilgrimages nor of Munkeries of the Altar or Priestly ornamēts the word baptisme holy supper are not administred in the Romane Church according to the cōmandements ordmances vsage of our Lord of his Apostles Primitine Church The Gospell preacheth nothing but grace and free-guift the Pope commaundeth nothing but merite and monie The Gospell requireth not of men but faith to receiue saluation good workes to giue witnes of their election iustification new-birth fanctification and loue towardes God the Pope knowes not what this Faith means it brings him no aduantage he therefore speakes but of workes The Gospell preacheth not but the worde and commaundeth not but the commaundements of God forbiddeth the Traditions of men by name the Pope commandeth not but the Traditions of men nay he conceleth yea sometimes forbiddeth the cōmaundements of God It is not much aboue threescore yeares ago that in the Church of God there was no talke of God in the Churches of Christ no talke was of Christ to the flock of Iesus Christ the voice of the Lord of their great Shepheard was not declared nor read nor heard nor vnderstood the Bishops and Doctors that gaue themselues to studie mused on nothing else saue prophane learning and philosophie on vanities fained inuentions phantasies and subtilties of the flesh all prayers diuine-worships masses and Church-seruices were made to the dead and them alone who were in the Popes good grace but in chiefe to those that had in their life time most trauailed to extoll aduance his sacred See by violences lies fables false miracles other deceiptfull trumperies The Apostles baptised with pure water in the name of the Father of the Sonne and holy Ghost the Pope hath intermingled therewith his creame salt spittle and so many idle ceremonies besides that the Baptisme of the Apostles may seeme welnigh lost The holy Supper likewise is so disguised that the simple Gospeller can discerne therein nothing that comes of God The Pope also hath altered the yeares moneths daies applying the histories of the Gospell to th'obseruations of Astronomers and motions of the Moone and Sunne Behold how the Pope hath gone about to change times and lawes both that of Moses and this of our Lord Iesus Christ euen the Gospell and th' accomplishment thereof wherein th'vnderstanding of the Prophesie doth chiefly consist It is written that the Spirit speaketh euidently 1. Tim. 4. that in the or read of an enmitie pursued with more diuelish malice than that of Gregorie the seuenth against Henry the sourth Onely because this Emperor would preserue the rights and prerogatiue of th' Empire against his attēpts he excommunicated him he stirred vp al the Lords and Bishops against him compelling euery one with threates to become his sworne enemie commaunding against him manifold treasons at last through his threates assayes and enterprises he inforced him to come woolward and barefoot to fall downe at his feet with great scornfulnes and disgrace made him endure th'miurie of the wether and reproches of men and yet these submissions and suffrances notwithstanding he continued his pursuites more furiouslie than afore For after he had out-weried many Lords brought them to their end in making warre on him he incited his owne sonne Henry the fift and with his superstitions commaundements and threatnings he so hampered and bewitched the wit and iudgement of this youth that he durst warre on his owne father besiege betray and take him dispoyle him of his Imperiall diguitie and make him ende his dayes in great sorrow and captiuitie which moued a learned personage of that time to cry out the sonne hath betrayed dispoyled and done his father to death not by the commandement of any barbarous tyrant of any Phalares but by the counsell of the most holy father of Rome adding reioyce ye ô Caligula and Nero for the Pope of Rome playeth such prankes that there shal be no more remembrance of your crueltie The hatred of Gregorie the ninth against the Emperor Frederik the second passed likewise al comparison in stifnes and frowardnes of stomach he preached the Croissado against the Emperor promising glorie and eternall life to them that would rise in armes against him he excōmunicated him oftentimes the Princes and Bishops of Germanie were a whole yeere in praying him to mollifie his minde receiue Frederik to fauor he reiected them all with their petition so holy so carefully and humbly offred and sued they neuer had come to an end had they not geuen for that purpose sixescore thousand pounds of golde The Popes egged on with a vehement lust of reuenge mounted to this step of furie and vngodlines that they empoysoned the host or Sacrament of th altar whereby they brought one Emperor to his bane Pope Iohn the thirteenth caused one Cardinals nose to be cut off and anothers hand for hauing purposed in the Consistorie to geue him some admonitions touching his whordome he spent the most part of his life in minding committing all sorts of such vncleannes and ended his life in adultery for he was taken with the manner and slayne in the very acte The whoredomes adulteries incests and sodomies of Pope Iulio the third are knowen th' Italians printed and published them in Rome in euery corner of the streets Nothing euer came to the Pope amisse prouided he might draw profit out of i◠When Robert had inuaded the landes of his nephew and ward the County of Puglia and Calabria an Orphan the Pope excommunicated and further threatned him with his materiall sword this Robert knowing the force credit natural propertie and intent of Popes came to him and gaue him Beneuent and Troy a portion of his bootie the Pope thereupon reuoked his thundring sentence honored him with his amitie and blessing and iudged th'vsurpation made by the vncle vpon the neuew his ward and an Orphan to be an action holy and full of deuotion It hath euer bene an heresie to be the Popes neighbour for any that had land in his good Grace and liking had no power to defend it for then must other Lords warre on such an heretik and not leaue him so long as a foot of land were left him as they tendered his holines good Grace The proofe may easely be made by histories that Popes haue vsurped encroched on all the Seigneuries of Christēdome at least on the greater part Thus the Popes palace is full of robberies pray and spoiles which he hath raked by no other titles then impietie iniustice violence neuerthelesse he calleth it his rights S. Peters
doth all things the good th'euil but those things that we call euill and are euill in vs are good in him All actions considered in God are most iust and most good they come from on high most pure and most cleane they corrupt and defile themselues here below vnder the Sun amid the malice of men of Satan According to this Isay 10. after God in Isay had said that Senacherib should serue him to chastise his Church he addeth but he thinketh not so neither doth his heart esteeme it so but he imagineth to destroy and cut of not a few nations for he saith are not my Princes altogether kings and a few lines after shall not I as I haue done to Samaria and to the idols thereof so do to Ierusalem and to the idols thereof but when the Lord hath accomplished all his worke vpon mount Sion and Ierusalem I will visit the fruict of the proud heart of the king of Assur and his glorious and proud lookes Likewise though th'actions of Cyrus were euill considering he made warre for his owne ambitions sake spoiled nations of that whereto he had no right yet were those actions good in God For those peoples had well deserued this punishment through their wicked life and aboue all their Idolatry and namely the Medes who had entreated his people so roughly and therefore he deliuered them out of captiuity by such actions of Cyrus which is another reason of the goodnes in them Isay 45. I haue raised him vp saith the Lord in righteousnesse The actions of Pharao in that he rebelled so often against the ordinance of God were most euill but if we consider them as comming from God they are most good most iust profitable to th'edifying of the Church Exod. 9.10.11 For by these means the Lord plagued Pharao for the wrongfull oppression done to his people he multiplied his wonders in the land of Aegypt he shewed his power to his Church and his loue towardes the same he made his power knowen in Pharao that his name might bee declared throughout the worlde In like sort Rom. 9. Gen. 27. Ioseph was sold by his brethren prouoked thereto with enuy they bare him but God by this their sinne brought Ioseph into Aegypt preserued Iacob and his whole Church from the dearth Gen. 45. saued their liues by an excellent deliuerance This deede was most lewd in the brethren of Ioseph but most good in God profitable and necessarie to his Church this is that which Ioseph faith to his brethren when ye purposed euill against me God disposed it to good The euils and miseries which God sendeth to his Church to his Elect being considered in the will and intention of the persecutors are actions most euill but if we weigh them by the iustice and bounty of God they are iust and profitable For by the same are th'Elect admonished of their faults and instructed that they can not stand without Gods grace and that th' effect of their hopes is reserued them in an other world in the meane while they are by those afflictiōs stayed in th' obedience of God their feare is renewed and their loue and deuotion made more earnest then afore The children of God do marke and espie in all the sinnes and imperfections of men as it were through the clouds certaine beames of iustice and bountic comming from God which make them affirme that all commeth from God 2. Cor. 12. So S. Paul saith that God had giuen him a prick in the flesh the messenger of Sathan to buffet him and that it was to th' end he should not glorifie himselfe aboue measure and that the power of Christ might be made perfect in his infirmitie Rom. 11. Whereunto that hath relation which he saith that the Lord hath enclosed all in vnbeliese to th' end he might haue mercy vpon all So the stubbernesse of the Iewes in them is most bad in God it is good and necessary for vs being Gentils By the fall of the Iewes saith S. Paul saluation commeth vnto the Gentils This is saith he a great secret that partly blindnesse of heart is come to Israel vntil the fulnesse of the Gentils be come in So the condemnation and passion of Christ is our iustification and soule-health Antichrist and his doctors by their seducings commit most detestable sinnes and yet do such seducings serue to the glory of God 2. Thess 2. S. Paul writeth that God will send a strong power of delusion to the doctrine of Antichrist that all might be damned which beleeued not the trueth Then let vs acknowledge with the Scripture that whatsocuer is done God doeth it and that both the good and the euill are done for his iustice This is that great secrete of the Apostle Paul which hath not bene communicated to the Pope This is that which Dauid speaketh of Psal 76. that the rage of mā shal turne to the praise of God But albeit cuill actions doo turne to Gods iustice let vs not for all that be the lesse carefull to eschew them For men cease not to be culpable of the euil in their actions seeing that in the deede doing they are not moued thereto by the true zele of Gods iustice but by the deuill by sin by their concupiscences wicked desires They serue God not thinking of his seruice at al as hath bene noted of Senacherib for our selues let vs serue him in deede and in will of set purpose and not at auenture and as though we thought not of it let vs betake our hearts and hands to the mouing and guyding of his holy spirit let vs obey his word and we shall doe well Iud. 1. Whether mā may do that which is good and how let vs serue him as Iuda and not as Adonibezec The Pope teacheth vs that man of himselfe may doe that which is good Thus it sufficed him not impiouslie to abridge the power of God by the former partition he proceedeth yet to another abridgement thereof by this doctrine Whereas he affirmed before that all good actions come from God now he learneth vs that man may also doo them of himselfe But the holy Scripture teacheth vs quite contrarie that man neither can nor doeth bring any good thing to passe that he is the seruant of sinne that it is God which worketh the good that is in vs and that commeth from vs that by the sinne of Adam we haue bene made subiect to sinne that sinne and Gods curse haue so corrupted our nature that it neither knoweth nor can nor doeth any thing cls saue sinne but that God by his grace by his holy spirite geueth vnto those that are his a certaine light of vnderstanding which striueth against sinne howbeit sinne most often ouercommeth this light that God will haue it so to the end his power may be perfected in our infirmitie and that we glorifie our selues in him and his grace and not in our selues
our owne workes The Lord saith Ioh. 15. Iac. 1. we cannot beare good fruite of our selues S. Iames warneth erre not my deare brethren euery good geuing euery perfect gift is from aboue S. Paul sayth Rom. 8. Col. 1. Rom. 6. that to sinne is to walke after the maner of men that he doeth not the good thing which hee would but the euill which hee would not that it is sinne which dwelleth in him that in his flesh dwelleth no goodnes that they which are carnall or in the flesh cannot please God that they are in the flesh which haue not the spirit of Christ that we know not our selues what we ought to pray for that the concupiscence of the flesh is enmitie against God that we are seruants of sinne Dauid saith Psalm 14.40.18 that none doth good no not one that what men doe in the presumption of their heart and in their counsels is sinne Thus we may not attribute any good deedes to our owne nature but it is God that worketh in vs that which is good Math. 14. If the Lord had not taken S. Peter by the hand he had perished in the Sea in like fort if God vpholdeth vs not we should sinke into the bottomlesse sea of our concupiscences into the sea of our sinnes into the sea of our froward and defiled nature if God should not call vs as he did Adam we should flie from him and doe nothing els but depart from him so farre as we could I am the light of the world Ioh. 8.15 saith our Sauiour he that followeth me walketh not in darknes if ye bide not in me as the branches in the vine-stock ye can bring foorth no fruite 2. Cor. 3. S. Paul saith that euery good thought is of God that the holy spirit prayeth for vs because we know not what we ought to pray for Rom. 8. that without this spirite we are enemies to God in thought and in euill workes that with this spirit he fighteth against the law of his mēbers Col. 1. this is that vnderstanding which maketh the inwarde man Rom. 7. wherwith he serueth God that God geueth the will the performance that he it is which geueth the holy spirit worketh his vertues in vs that whatsoeuer he did was done by the grace of God Iac. 4. And S. Iames biddeth vs limit all our affaires euen the most cōmon with this cōdition if the Lord will And this doth the Hebrewes ordinarily admonish by the parable of a Bridegroome who said absolutely I will sleepe with my spouse this night and when one of their wisemen aduised him to say if God will he wilfully replyed that is in my will and power will he or will he not it shal be done but they were scarce in bed together when they both died from whence they haue this Prouerbe among them the Bridegroome gets himselfe to bed and wots not what may him bestead Moreouer they teach how the duetie of him that prayeth is to referre the issue of his request expresly to the will of God and neuer to make his prayer peremptory without exception which is to be vnderstood when it is not euident that the holy Ghost hath endited our prayer but hereby appeareth their opiniō that man knoweth not what he ought to craue and therefore is bound to referre not his actions alone Psalon 51. Psal 119. but his petitions also and wishes to the will of God So Dauid craueth of God a cleane hart and to haue a right spirit renewed within him he craueth his holy spirit that he may prayse the Lord and that his praier may be acceptable to him The faithfull haue euermore confessed that all their good came from God the same is most common in the Scripture Psal 118. it is the voice of the righteous saith Dauid Vertuous and holy men haue alway in the Church bene named men of God specially among the Hebrues who called them likewise men of mercy as if they would haue sayd God bestowed on them more grace and mercy than on others contrariwise it is the voice of Antichrist to glorifie the flesh to glorifie man as saith S. Peter as it is the voice of true Christians 2 Pet. 2. that our good commeth from aboue it is not in vs it is not of vs it is none of ours Finally we learne in the Scripture that the Lords will is not to grant vs full and perfect victory ouer sinne in this world least we should proudly brag of the merit of workes He giueth vs his holy spirite and sometimes also true victorie ouer sinne to encourage vs against despaire in our continuall battaile but the principall end is that hauing felt our owne feebleforce and acknowledged our want of power we might with our whole hart repaire to him and finding how vaine it is to repose trust in any els we should of necessitie be driuen to confesse that we can not be saued but by him which would lead vs with S. Paul to this depth of contemplation Rom. 7. who shall deliuer vs from the bodie of this death For so S. Paul confessed that although he was endued with the holy spirit neuerthelesse for the most part he did not that which he would and whereas he imputeth the same to sinne that dwelt in him he confesseth himselfe a sinner So doeth the Scripture report to vs the sinnes of holy persons Prophets and Apostles enriched with the holy spirit And S. Paul saith that God gaue him a prick in the flesh 2. Cor. 1. the messenger of Sathan to buffet him because he should not be exalted out of measure and therefore was his prayer excluded which he made for his deliuerance vnto God thus I be sought the Lord thrise that it might depart from me and he said vnto me my grace is sufficiēt for thee for my power is made perfect through weaknesse and therfore the Apostle became resolute to reioice in his infirmities Let vs come to S. Iohn who writeth if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs we make God a lier his word is not in vs. 1. Cor. 1. It is writtē also that the Lord hath chosen the weak vile things of this world to th' end that he which glorifieth himselfe should glorifie himselfe to the Lord. Rom. 8. 2. Cor. 5. And in that regard doth the Apostle call the holy spirit giuen in this world by God to his elect the earnest penny or first fruicts of the spirit And in very truth if we were willing and able to giue assured iudgement of our selues if we were not vnwilling to bring to light things that are hidden and the counsels of our hearts we should perceiue and iudge that what resistāce by the grace of God soeuer we make we quaile and yeeld not withstanding for the most part There streameth daily amids our willes and our zele I wote
not what sensualitie concupiscence enuie and infidelitie that steyneth our workes So that if all our actions should be examined by the word of God not one of them should be found able to stand before his iustice But if we iudge not nor confesse them now delay of time wil not amend or abolish their guilt the presence of the Lord how late soeuer he commeth will force vs to confesse for he can well discouer and iudge them Herevpon we may conclude that in our nature is no goodnes that the vnderstanding and good we haue descendeth from on high is brought by the holy spirite that the measure of the same spirit which we enioy in this world is as nothing in comparison of that we hope for is but a skantling a glimse a surface or smattring and as it were a smacke to make vs seeke hope and ardently long for that fulnesse of perfection which abideth vs in the world to come It sufficeth not the Pope to teach that man of himselfe may do some good thing Whether a man by his works may merit ought at Gods hand but he will haue vs further to beleeue that man may do good works inow to saue himselfe to satisfie the iustice of God to repaire and wipe away the sins and steines of his soule of his flesh and of his predecessors to merit not only for himself but also for many mo that vnmeafureable blisse and glory euerlasting which the wit of ma is vnable to copreliend Lo here a flatte contrarietic of the Pope to Christ lo here a doctrine bearing the right stampe of Antichrist lo here the diuinitie that brings the traffike of Church-men in request who keepe shop for open sale of mens saluation and make marchandise of their soules through couetousnes by fayned words as S. 2. Pes. 2. Peter hath foreshewed We did sufficiently deface this doctrine when we proued afore that man could doe no good that for the little good which commeth from man it is God that doeth it in him and by him Howbeit the holy Scripture informeth vs how God gaue his law to men not for to geue life iustifie and saue them by the same Gal. 2.3 but to make them know the vnablenes frailtic and corruption of their nature and to force them to acknowledge it impossible for man to performe his obedience to the maiestie of God to satisfie his debt to the iustice of God and to escape eternal death which should compel them with all humblenes to crie and craue forgeuenes grace and mercie Obedience to the law was inioyned vpon paine of death Iac. 2. it is said that whosoeuer shall keepe the whole law and yet fayleth in one poynt he is guilty of all Now there is not one man found be he Prophet or Apostle Gal. 3. which hath not disobeyed many commandements of the law and therefore th'Apostle saith that the Scripture hath shut vp all vnder sin that the promise by faith in Christ Iesus might be geuen to them that beleeue There is none iust no not one all are vnder sin Rom. 3. 1. Iohn 1. Isay 43. we deceiue our selues we make God a lyer if we say we haue no sinne Let vs be iudged together saith the Lord in Isay count thou that thou mayst be iustified thy first father hath sinned and thy teachers haue transgressed against me or bettayed my cause The Prophets and Apostles haue all frankly acknowledged themselues sinners they could neither accomplish the law nor be saued thereby This acknowledgement of himselfe his corruption sinne weakenes hath prouoked and enforced man to cry for mercie to the Lord and say with Dauid and Paul Psal 32. Rom. 4. blessed are they whose iniquities are forgeuen and wose sinnes are couered blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne Againe haue mercy on me haue mercy on me Psalm 52. for my soul trusteth in thee with Esdras there is no man among them that be borne but he hath done wickedly 4. Esd 8. nor any that doeth confesse thee which hath not done amisse for in this ô Lord thy righteousnes and thy goodnes shal be praysed if thou be mercifull vntothem which haue not the substance of good workes 4. Esd 7. and elswhere if God were not aboundant in his mercies the world could not contime nor they that haue the possession thereof No man can humble himselfe enough before God no man can too basely esteeme himselfe before his most glorious maiestie pride did put the Pharifee farre from God humilitie brought the Publican neere him pride caried our first Father out of the most honourable subiection of the Lord. Pride is the originall and cause of Antichrist and of backsliding as saith Esdras 6. Esd 8. Our Lord God hath fought so openly and with so great care against this opinion of merite by workes that I am astonied with wonder that men who say they are Christians durst thinke decree publish and receiue the same He hath aduertised vs that if we should accomplish the whole law yet could we not merit any thing at his hand After he had declared in S. Luke Luc. 17. that the master will not thanke that seruant nor thinke himselfe beholding to him because he did that which was commaunded him he addeth so likewise ye when ye haue done all those things which are commaunded you say we are vnprofitable scruants wee haue done that which was our ductie to doe Luc. 18. What made the Pharisie reiected but the confidence he had in his workes The most praise-worthie and allowable works are martyrdomes and sufferings Rom. 8. now th'Apostle teacheth vs that those sufferings are not worthie of the glorie to come Gal. 2. Gal. 5. agayne that no flesh shal be iustified by the works of the law that whosoeuer will be iustified by the law are abolished from Christ and are fallen from grace that they despise the spirite of grace Heb. 10. that if righteousnes is by the law Iesus Christ died in vaine Gal. 2. Hee seemeth angry with a most vehement zele against the Galatians who busied their mindes about merits of workes he calleth them foolish in that they would leaue the spirit to walke after the flesh he vrgeth them he threateneth them by infinite arguments he concludeth that no man is iustified towards God by workes This is the doctrine published also with so great earnestnes in all th'epistle to the Hebrewes Then let vs condemne this doctrine of the Pope it exalteth the flesh it placeth the power of flesh and bloud in place where God should be it disanulleth and maketh voyde the loue the comming the word the death and passion and merite thereof the grace mercie of Christ Iesus It is scornefully to abase spitefully to defie the election and councels the iustice and mercie of the Lord it is to despise the spirite of grace it is to goe about to assaile
and breake in vpon the Lord in his own Paradise 2. Pet. 2. it is to deny the Lord that hath bought vs as saith S. Peter that to bring into the Church the merit of works is according to the same S. Peters saying to tempt God Acts 15. to lay a yoke on the Disciples neckes which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare it is to ouerthrow the counsel holden by the Apostles in the Citie of Ierusalem wherein was concluded that saluation depended not of workes but onely of the grace of the Lord. Let vs refuse this pride of the flesh least we be abolished of Christ and fall from grace Leaue we these marks of Antichrist to the Pope leaue we him with all the wicked to awayte for the merite of their works while we with all the faithfull awayte for the grace and mercy of God Let vs not deceiue our selues but confesse that all are shut vp in vnbeleefe that Iesus Christ might shew mercie vpon all Then let vs flie vnto him both willingly and for necessitie sake And as we triumph with S. Paul in our infirmitie and in the glorie and mercy of Christ Iesus so let vs notwithstanding bid our flesh battaile and continually fight against it with the first fruicts of the spirit to the encrease of our sanctification so farre as our power wil extend And let vs meditate with vnderstanding these wordes of Esdras let not the sinner say that he hath not sinned 4. Esd 16. for coales of fire shall burne vpon his head which saith I haue not sinned before the Lord God and his glory But learne wee by the holy Scripture the order and cause of our saluation first how Paradise is open to them onely whom God hath called chosen and predestinated to saluatioÌ„ that saluation is freely geuen to men that Iesus hath purchased it for the elect by his suffering and death that the holy Ghost inableth the elect to receiue the merite of our Saulours death and passion by faith Finally learne we to what ende good works are commended and commanded to man Iesus Christ saith in S. Iohn all that the Father giueth me Of Election and Praedestination Iohn 6. shall come to me and him that commeth to me I cast not aways none can come to me except my Father which hath sent â—e draweth him none can come to me except it be giuen vnto him of my Father Iohn 1. the faithfull are not borne of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but are borns of God againe glorifie thy sonne that he may giue euerlasting life to all them whom thou hast giuen him I haue made thy name manifest to men whom thou hast giuen me of the world I pray not for the world but for them whom thou hast giuen me Ioh. 13. ye are happy saith he to his Apostles I speake not of ye all Math. 11. Mat. 20.22 I know whom I haue chosen and in Matthew I giue thee thankes for that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and hast reueled them to little-ones moreouer many are called but few are chosen when S. Peter confessed him to be the Christ the sonne of the liuing God Math. 16. he saith blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and bloud hath not reueled it to thee but my Father which is in heauen It is written by S. Paul 1. Cor. 1.2 Cor. 5. 2. Thess 2. Rom. 8. that we are in Iesus Christ that it is God which hath set vs apart to saluation that God hath chosen vs from the beginning to saluation that whom he knew afore them hath he praedestinated to be made like to th' image of his sonne that God did chuse the children before they were borne Rom. 9. and hauing not as yet done good or euill that the purpose of God might abide according to th' election not by workes but by him that calleth that there is a remnant he meaneth of Israelites through th' election of grace Rom. 11. that which Israel sought for he obteined not but th' election obteined it Isai 43. I euen I am the Lord and beside me there is no Sauiour I haue declared and I haue saued and I haue shewed I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for myne owne sake It is God that worketh in vs the will and the deede after his good pleasure But notwithstanding this truth so euident the Papists say that there is no such election and predestination for that it would folow that God should be vniust in chusing some rather then others and that he should lay the euill to their charge whom he made to do it and who neither could nor can withstand his will I am amazed to behold among men any so arrogantly ouer-seene as to plead and protest in this sort against God to make him iust after their maner and to imagine that his word is contrary to his iustice How dare we suppose and propose these doubtes seeing the Lord the Apostles and Prophetes did specially foresee and condemne them by name together with the very same inconueniences and reasons which the Popish Doctors alleage Mat. 20. The parable of the day-labourers was propouÌ„ded by our Sauiour to this end your coÌ„plaint is lesse to be admitted then that of the day-labourers They coÌ„plained to their maister that those which came not till the euening caried away as great reward as they who had borne the burden of the day the heat of the Sunne the master answered to one of them my friend I do thee no wrong diddest thou not couenaunt with me for a penny take that which thine is and go thy way I will giue as much to this last as to thee is it not lawfull for me to do what I will with mine owne goods is thine eye euill because I am good the last shall be first and the first shal be last for many are called but few are chosen Thus since we all deserue eternall death what wrong doeth the Lord to them whom he leaueth therein if men had any right to Paradise there should be some shewe of reason for that which ye say but sith they haue no right thereto that the whole right belongeth to God wherefore will ye prye into his liberalitie and controll him in the bestowing of his owne him that is all-good all-iust and all-mighty Rom. 9. After that S. Paul had bene very long in declaring and prouing election predestination how God had-chosen men yer they were borne and when they had done neither good nor euill that the purpose of God might remaine according to election he addeth what shall we say then is there vnrighteousnes with God God forbid for he saith to Moses I will haue mercy on him to whom I will shew mercy and I will haue compassion on him on whom I will haue compassion so then it is not in him that willeth nor
are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread He saith not that the bread and wine are the body and bloud but that they are the communion of the body and bloud these wordes can none otherwise be interpreted but that the bread and wine signifie the communion of the body and bloud seing that the bread wine can not be the communion for the communion is a thing spirituall hath no being but in the spirite and consideration of man which can not agree with the bread Againe if we must ground this doctrine on the letter the wine is not the communion of the bloud that which is the bloud as you say is the chalice The same Apostle saith in another place I haue receiued of the Lord that which I also haue deliuered to you to wit that the Lord Iesus in the same night that he was betrayed tooke bread whē he had giuen thanks he brake it said take eat this is my body which is broken for you this doo ye in remembrance of me After the same maner also he tooke the cup when he had supped saying this cup is the new Testament in my bloud this do as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me for as often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shew the Lords death til he come Wherefore whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily shal be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup for he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because he discerneth not the Lords body See here againe how the Lord commaundeth by th'Apostle that the holy supper be made in remembrance of him likewise he saith not wine he saith the cup. See here also how the cup or the wine is not the bloud but the new Testament in the bloud of the Lord. Further the bread and the cup are there named still the bread and the cup before and after the blessing distributing eating and drinking which sheweth vs that albeit the bread and wine signifie the body and bloud of our Sauiour they remayn notwithstanding in their true and natural substance they remaine bread and wine halowed neuertheles for the vse sake but no way varied altred for the substance Had they bene transubstātiated into the body bloud th'Apostle after the celebration after the participating had not said as often as ye shal eate this bread drink this cup whosoeuer shall eate this bread drink this cup he would haue said as oftē as ye shall eat this body drink this bloud whosoeuer shal eat this body and drinke this bloud True it is that he saith he that shall eat and drinke vnworthily shal be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord but that is to shew how this eating and drinking is holy and sacred representing to vs the death and passion of the Lord th' oblation and suffering of the body the sheading of the bloud of Iesus Christ the nourishment of the soule This teacheth vs our dutie to take this bread and this wine with an holy and religious reuerence for the question in this sacrament standeth vpon the body and bloud of our Sauiour and not so much on bread wine which are not but signes And here behold why the holy Ghost saith freely that bread and wine are the body and bloud of the Lord. But now commeth a place very notable and vnanswereable a most expresse and pregnant place to them which are acquainted with the Lords voyce In S. Iohn ye may read Iohn 6. how Iesus Christ preching in the synagogue at Capernaū hauing said I am the liuing bread the bread that I wil giue is my flesh then the Iewes stroue amōgst thēselues saying how can this mā giue vs his flesh to eate then Iesus sayd vnto thē except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you whosoeuer eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting and I will raise him vp at the last day for my flesh is meat indeed my bloud is drinke indeed many therefore of his disciples when they heard this said this is an hard saying who can heare it But Iesus knowing within himselfe that his disciples murmured at this said vnto thē doth this offend you what if ye shall see the Sonne of man ascend where he was afore it is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the wordes that I speake to you are spirit and life but there are some among you which beleeue not Thus we can not doubt but that this manner of speaking to eat and drinke the body and bloud of the Lord is spirituall seeing the Lord doeth ascertaine it by name Ye are astonished saieth he at this saying of mine ye must eat and drinke my body and my bloud ye will find these wordes much more strange when I shall ascend into heauen with my body for then will it seeme to you a great deale harder to eat my body being so farre distant from you Ye must not conceiue my words so it is not my body that ye must eat it is the merit of the death and passion of my body it is my iustifying grace that ye must eat and receyue by faith and spiritually Iohn 6. wherewith ye must be quickened My words are spirit and life it is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing We may moreouer out of this place draw many other arguments to establish our beliefe that the words of eating and drinking the body and bloud of Iesus Christ ought not to be taken but spiritually were it needfull to confirme that which himselfe hath so cleerely expounded he saith if ye eate not the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye shal haue no life in you now to stay on the letter of these termes not take them spiritually would cause a great blasphemy to ensue for how many men are there in the world which neuer eat the body of Iesus Christ and yet haue life in them but our Sauiour in plaine termes saith they haue no life chuse then either to giue him the lye which were blasphemous or els confesse that he speaketh spiritually and that by life he meaneth spirituall life Which being so why do we not also acknowledge that these wordes of eating and drinking the body and bloud of the Lord are spirituall and ought to be vnderstood of th'eating and drinking which the soule doeth by faith specially seing he interpreteth himselfe both for th' one and th' other according to this sense for after he had spoken simplie of life he addeth he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting likewise after he had said fimplie that wee must eat and drinke his flesh and his
liken me that I I should be like him saith the holy one we ought not to think saith S. Paul that the Godhead is like vnto gold Act. 17. or siluer or stone grauen by art and the inuention of man It is high time than for vs to giue ouer all these images and content our selues with the Word which is the true image of God it is in vayne to looke for any liuely shew or feeling at the dead works of mens hands it is the holy Ghost that imprinteth in our myndes all right knowledge and from whom we feele all true comfort let vs craue it of him and leaue crouching to images Let vs not make our selues more wise thē th'Apostles to seeke for meanes to perswade which they haue neither sought nor cōmaunded there is yet among vs great likelihood of idolatry the feare of sinne therfore ought to ouer-rule our wisdome Let that suffice vs which the word doth teach Col. 3. Let our conuersation be in heauen saith Saint Paul let not our soules lye groueling on earthly thinges The true knowledge and adoration of the the faithfull is in spirit as Dauid and Iesus Christ say Psal 51. Iohn 4. and take we heed of prouoking the ielousie of God lest we feele th' effect of his threatnings let vs condemne images which offend God and make the silly people hainously to sinne let vs take this sclander and offence quite out of the Church and say with Isay images shal be broken all to peeces The Pope willeth vs to call vpon Angels and Saincts as mediators and intercessors Whether we ought to pray to or call vpon Angels and Saincts and for that end to direct to them our prayers with himnes praises and all other kindes of deuotion We finde no such matter in the holy Scripture but doo finde the scripture against it both in substance of sence and forme of words The Israelites vnder the law were not yet so assured of the bountie grace and familiaritie of God towards men as we are at this day since the comming of our Sauiour They durst not come nigh the mountaine they durst not touch the Arke of the couenant they durst not enter into the Oratorie into the sanctum sanctorum the most holy place fearing to be swallowed vp of death according to the threatnings made and experiences seene of them they had heard no speach in a manner but of the seueritie and iustice of God all that they had seene and heard of the Lord was but terror astonishment and trembling as saith S. Paul Heb. 12. They had most worthy and famous persons by whom many miracles were done in their sight of whom it seemed they held their religion the knowledge of God the law honor life rest goods as Moses Iosua Gedeon Dauid Salomon Elias Eliseus many others But aboue all they had Moses who had by the power of God miraculously brought them out of the bondage of Aegypt that made them on drie foote passe woonderfullie through the red sea that prouided them bread flesh and drinke in the wildernes deliuered them the law of the Lord with whom they saw him familiarly talke that brought them to the land of promise and many times while he liued called on God for them and appeased him what great power vertue and high degree of knowledge the Israelites attributed to Moses aboue all others except the Messias is knowen Howbeit we find not that after his death they directed any prayers to him they made neither to him nor to others any bowing or seruice that I speake not of diuine worships which ye shew euery day to an infinite multitude of Saincts The Israelites sought him after his death neither in heauen or earth they called not on him as their Mediator or intercessor they made no images of him to whom they might bring candles make prayers and sing hymnés with crowching and deuotion but here-against the holy Ghost aduertiseth vs that he was buried in the valley of Nebo in the land of Moab Deut. 34. and that none knew his Sepulchre to this day least the people should fall into idolatrie towards him because of the miracles which the Lorde did by him Th'Israelites called not on Abraham Isaac and Iacob for whose sake the Lord chose them for his people And we that are Christians by the grace of God that are come to the hil of Sion Heb. 12. as saith S. Paul and to the heauenly Ierusalem the Citie of the liuing God to the company of many millions of Angels to the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God who is iudge of all and to the spirits of the iust sanctified and to Iesus Christ the Mediator of the new Testament that cannot doubt of the goodnes gentlenes and familiaritie of our God of our Mediator that know his office and his will as hauing liued and conuersed with him in this world as hauing heard and touched him yet notwithstanding doo call vpon Saincts and Angels we leaue the Lord to run after them we adore the sepulchres bones and garments of Saincts wee shrine them in siluer and golde we enrich them with pretious stones we preach and commend them more than Christ wee runne after stockes stones and metall we carry them more solemnly than that which we thinke to be the Lords body wee salute them we kneele on the ground before all these things Thus we beseech the Angels and Saincts to make request for vs and honor them in spirit and in flesh in dust and rottennesr there aboue in heauen here beneath on earth in their bones sepulchres garments in as deuout manner as we are able We receiue nor holde it of the Israelites nor of th' old Testament neither holde we it of the new nor yet of the Apostles or Primitiue Church whereunto we should haue chiefe regard to rule our deuotions by It is written Act. 3. that after S. Peter and S. Iohn had healed him that was a creeple from his birth the people amazed thereat did run to them and that S. Peter beholding the same said to the people ye men of Israel why maruell ye at this or why looke ye so stedfastly on vs as though by our owne power or holines we had made this man to walke the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob the God of our fathers hath glorified his sonne Iesus and a little after his name hath made this man sound whom ye see and know through faith in his name and the faith which is by him hath geuē to this man perfect health it is written Act. 10. that Saint Peter being entred into the house of Cornelius the Centurion Gornelius cast himselfe downe at his feete to adore or worship him but Saint Peter tooke him vp saying arise I also my selfe am a man Act. 17. Saint Paul and Barnabas hauing healed a creeple in Listra being a Citie of the countrie of Lycaonia the
if it had bene in the Popes power to cause all the bookes of Gods word to be burned he had done it without doubt vpon the selfe same reason that moued the Senate of Rome to burne certeine Greeke books found within the tumbe of Numa Pompilius for the Senate feared least these bookes treating of true wisedome would haue disclosed th' abuses of their Religion and crakt the credit which the Romain people gaue to it and thereby shrewdly disioint their state euen so it stood the Pope in hand to feare lest the making of the holy Scripture manifest and common should pull down and bring to naught his doctrine his auctoritie and state and and this is the true cause why he can abide in no wise but striues with might and mayn against publishing of the holy Scripture Then let the bookes be lest open in our coÌ„mon language let them be written that all persons without exception may see search theÌ„ as the Prophets foretold should be in the time vnder Christ let vs vtter and show the Lords secret abroad let vs further th' accomplishment of the Prophesie of Ieremie cited by S. Paul Ierem. 31. Heb. 8. that in the time vnder Christ all shall know the Lord from the least to the greatest Isay and that of Isay saying all th' earth shal be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. Now againe Whether we ought to pray and prayse God in a tongue which we vnderstand not the Pope willeth that Priestes Chanons Munkes and other officers of the Church shall do their Church seruices in the Latin tongue shall say and sing Masse Laudes and Praiers in the Latin tongue euen in a strange tongue which most Frenchmen vnderstand not But the Scripture willeth the contrarie 1. Cor. 14. The Apostle saith that they which speake in the Church in a strange tongue and vnknowen are barbarians to them whom they speake to that they speake in the ayer that they are vnprofitable that they ought to holde their peace if the trumpet saith he geue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe to battaile So likewise you by the tongue except ye vtter words that haue signification how shall it be vnderstoode what is spoken If I pray saith th'Apostle in a strange tongue my spirite prayeth but mine vnderstanding is without fruict What is it then I will pray with the spirite but I will pray with th'understanding also els when thou blessest with the spirite how shall he that occupieth the roome of th'unlearned say Amen at thy geuing of thanks seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest for thou verily geuest thanks well but the other is not edified These words are so carefully spoken that no doubt is left but that we ought to pray and praise God in the Church onely in a tongue which all doo vnderstand We finde in Saint Marke and Saint Iames Mar. 11. that prayer without faith is vnfruictfull and sinne before God and elsewhere Iac. 1. that there can be no faith without knowledge they then that pray in Latine not vnderstanding what they pray pray without faith for they pray without knowledge Rom. 10. and thus their prayer is vnfruictfull yea it is sinnefull Let vs not vnaduisedly forgo the fruict which prayer affoordeth them that vse it as they ought let vs not marre this meane nor misuse this duety so necessary to a Christian and let vs pray and praise God in our knowen and common tongue with spirite vnderstanding and faith The Pope forbiddeth marriage to persons innumerable Whether marriage ought to be forbidden to Priests Clergymen and other religious persons men and women and to them namely that serue at the altar as also to them that enter into any religious order there is no coÌ„maundement of God so straightly kept as this countermaund of the Pope is The holy Scripture permitteth marriage to all men and womeÌ„ and namely to Sacrificers Leuites to priests and Bishops We finde it written that to marry is no sinne that marriage is honourable among all After S. 1 Cor. 7. Paul had commended virginitie to wit chastitie which ye terme Celibat Heb. 13. or single life he presently addeth 1. Cor. 7. and this I speake for your owne commoditie not to tangle you in a snare but that ye followe that which is honest In the same Chapter he biddeth all persons to marry that cannot absteine for saith he it is better to marry theÌ„ to burne And againe to take away all scruple he warranteth euery man that if he marry he sinneth not and euery virgin that if she marry she sinneth not 1 Tim. 5. And in another place he passeth further not permitting but bidding young widowes to marrie that they geue no occasion to the aduersarie to speake euil It is knowen how great cleannesse was required in Priests Leuits in the olde Testament and chiefly in the high Priest God permitted them to marry neuerthelesse and for their marriage ordeyned certaine lawes â—euit 21. The Leuites saith God shall not take to wife an whore or one polluted neither shall they marry a woman diuorced from her husband and elswhere the high Priest shall take to wife a virgine and shall not take a widow neither one diuorced neither a whore nor one polluted but hee shall take to wife a virgine of his people In the new Testament is written 1. Tim. 3. that a Bishop must be vnreproueable the husbande of one wife one that can rule his owne house honestly hauing children vnder obedience with all honestie for if any cannot rule his owne house how shall he care for the Church of God These later wordes doo plainly confute them that durst wrest the former to wit the husband of one wife as if the Apostle had meant the Bishop must be Bishop of one Church in which glosse is no colour but euidently corrupteth the text is contrary to their owne practise for the place conteyneth a rehearsall of qualities whereby a man meete to be a Bishop may be discerned from one vnmeete and among the rest this is put as principall namely his care and discretion to gouerne wel his wife family and children for saith th'Apostle if he cannot rule his owne house well how shall he care for the Church of God It is also contrary to their own practise For if it be true as their glosse importeth that a Bishop must be Bishop of one Church then are they not Apostolike Bishops that will be Bishops of many Churches much lesse the Pope that will be Bishop of all Churches better it were then for them to cast away their glose then change their practise Moreouer S. Paul admonisheth Titus his disciple to ordeine Priestes or Elders in euery Citie as he appointed him and then he addeth if any be vnreprouable the husband of one wife hauing faithfull children which are not slaundered of riot neither are disobedient for a Bishop must be vnreproueable As