same He that denieth me before man I will likewise deny him before my father in heauen he that confesseth me before man I likewise will acknowledge him before my father in heauen That man that weareth the cognisance of a noble man and vnder him is protected from diuerse that lie in waite to slay him and receauing sundrie benefits of him doeth in eury place reuile and slaunder him he is vnworthy of his benefites already receaued so wee that beare the cognisance of Christ vnder him are protected from three capitall enemies the world the flesh and the diuel that continually lye in waite to kill both soule and body doe keepe the coÌ„panie of his professed enemies and associate our selues with pride luxurie and prodigality and with them little esteeme of him and his Crosse we approue our selues vnprofitable seruaÌ„ts and greater iniurie then these vnto him cannot be offered If we professe Christ in outward shewe for feare of the Rigour of some penall statute and in our harts doe not beleeue in him this profession of ours serueth not So the diuels likewise know him and acknowledge him yet they beleeue not in him In the meane season we are secure euery one doubteth not his owne estate cathedra Mosis the chaire of Moses and we haue Abraham to our father but these auaile not diuision is crept in among vs a kingdome deuided in it selfe cannot stand concordia res paruae crescunt discordia mazimae dilabuntur Antioch a famous Citty as you may read in the 11. of the Acts. in that the faithful beleeuing were called Christians a Citty greatly honored for ReligioÌ„ in so much it was had in so great honour and reputation that the patriarch had vnder him 14 metropolitanes as Volaterane in his 11. book reporteth there were an hundred and fifty Bishops The Cittie double walled for it had foure hundred and threefcore strong towers and three hundred threescore beautifull Churches but what of these they were at diuisioÌ„ some followed the doctrin of Nestorius others relied wholly vpoÌ„ Macarius denying the sonne of God that redeemed them Insomuch that God being offeÌ„ded with theÌ„ he seÌ„t Cosroe king of Persia inuaded the Citty ouerthroweth it put the inhabitaÌ„ts to fire sword this eueÌ„t had schism diuision To let passe Constantinople coÌ„quered by the Turke to omit the Empire of Trapezâ—â—t vanquished by him in that the inhabitants disseuered themselues in matters of ReligioÌ„ in that the Greeke Church dissented from the latin the Emperor of ConstaÌ„tinople came with the Patriarch to a councel holden at Florence in Italy there confirmed the vnity of both Churches what followed Marcus B. of Ephesus kindled sedition peruerted the Empire in 14. years after made great variance among theÌ„ insomuch that the Turke came suddainly vpon theÌ„ coÌ„quered the Empire and put them al to the sword the Emperour in fleeing away was slaine his head caried vpon a pole in derision his wife daughters reserued to satisfie their carnall appetite This is the ende of sects and schisme In the time of Iohn the 9. Pope of Rome Platina in vita Joh. 9. when as barbarisme had ouer run all Italy insomuch that we read nothing worthy memory to haue beene done in that age that is recoÌ„meÌ„ded to posterity there was fouÌ„d a monster in proportion like vnto a man his head excepted and that was like vnto a dog the which resembled the estate and condition of that time for so long as in hand and foote we cary the shape of a man if wee haue not that reason and discretion that is giuen vnto vs by God but according to our appetite follw that which is not expedient for vs we approue our selues in the end more like beasts then men the question at this day betwixt vs the church of Rome is whether we fel froÌ„ theÌ„ or they from vs. There is say they no change no innouatious in our doctrin that which was deliuered vnto vs we haue receaued that which we receaued haue we preached beleeued Is this true all of theÌ„ agree in it what is the reason that in their Masse of late years there haue bene such sundry innouations alterations Leo the 10. defended in his time that order of the Masse which was secunduÌ„ vsum Sarum so did ClemeÌ„t the 7. yet Paulus the 4. he began to vary a little from it Afterwarde came Pius the 5. and he sub anathemate sanxit none to be authenticall but that which hee allowed Gregory the 13. he liked not of his he set out one according as he thought expedieÌ„t afterward Sixtus 5. he caused a new one to printed at Rome with his additioÌ„s which in the year 1588. was printed by Plantine at Andwerp Tho Stapleton he exclameth against vs for our ofteÌ„ chaÌ„ge In that HeÌ„ry the 8. lest his 6. articles in force Edw. the 6. he put theÌ„ not in executioÌ„ her M. hath varied froÌ„ theÌ„ both Beloued I knowe no chaÌ„ge or alteratioÌ„ in our doctrine the book of coÌ„moÌ„ praier is the saÌ„e now that it was at the first hir M. hath defeÌ„ded it agaiÌ„st the monarchs of Europe in great lenity she hath gouerned vs peace hath lodged within the wals of our Citties I pray God long to continue the same euen to the last generation Gregory Martin in his discouery of corruptions seemeth to sport at the seueral editions of our English Bibles in that there is no harmony or coÌ„sent betweene them The words may vary but the sense is one the same and he whosoeuer he be forraine or domestique that shall goe about to alter a knowen and receaued trueth a white leprosie shall marke his forehead as we haue beene taught so haue we beleeued and he that addeth to this booke God shall adde vnto him all the plagues conteined therein and hee that taketh any thing away God shal likewise race out his name out of the book of life and giue vnto him his portion in the burning lake with hypocrites and foxes No Priest may marry diuerse haue maintayned the same so Alphonsus Viruesius aduersus Lutheri dogmata affirmeth and Perionius l. 2. topic theolog the Greeke Church haue allowed thereof Our late Canonists haue founde out a newe deuise that it is not lawfull for a Monk or a priest to marry openly but priuatly minori cum dispendio aliud esse aiunt cum occulto Monachus duxit vxorem quia tunc magis praesumitur delo peccasse quam intellectus errore So holdeth Francis Squilla de fide catholica cap. 15. Ludouicus Carer tractatu de haereticis numero 38. I could lay open seuerall repugnaÌ„ces among theÌ„ all which will sufficiently approue this that in the Church of Rome there haue beene and are at this day to be fouÌ„d sundry and diuers innouations Let vs beloued be firme and resolute in the trueth if any offer vnto vs any other doctrine tending to schisme and dissension refuse the same and as Basil
writing aduersus Anomaeos Sabillianos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ himselfe hath so taught vs The Apostles of christ haue so preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fathers in the primitiue church haue obserued the sāe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let it be sufficiēt then for thee to say I haue bene thus taught The Apostle Saint Peter obserueth two especiall properties in them the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their intemperancy they shall be so licentious in their doctrine that they care not what they speake the second is their couetousnesse they preach vnto you saieth the Apostle not to saue your soules but to saue themselues to enrich themselues and these are two notable tokens to discerne a false teacher A riotous and luxurious person ouerthroweth himselfe in his prodigality so these riotous and luxurious preachers they ouerthrow themselues in their superfluities he that in diputatiō hath once made a breach into any absurdity he wil not spare to swallow many so these hauing erred in the principal points of christian religion care not what they say A foole saieth Salomon he is lauish of his tongue and hee that is vnaduised in his speach shall feele mischiefes Dauid attributeth to a slaunderous tongue a fit reward and that is hoat consuming coales Saint Iames in his third cap. A horse saith he is an vnruly beast if once he haue the bit in his mouth will turne according to the will of the rider a ship a huge and vast vessell is ruled in the sea by a little peece of timber the tongue is a little member and it polluteth the whole body There are few years in the which our physicians doe not giue out that there is a new disease insomuch they are ignorant how and in what order to proceede This sommer past diuerse haue beene infected with a dangerous malady tearmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their tongues haue had such a shaking ague that seldome they were at rest Hee saieth the Apostle that offendeth not vvith his tongue he is a perfect man Homer obserueth that Irus the begger was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that vsed no measure in speaking but in Menelaus he noteth this in him that he vsed to speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 few words yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euery word weighed a pounde Augustine in xlv Sermon ad fratres in eremo describeth sundry incōueniences that haue happened vnto diuers by this excessiue riot videte fratres saith he quanta mala habet lingua brethren sundry are the inconueniences that the tongue bringeth In bono magna est in malo mors est laudable in a good man but present death it is in a wicked man Diabolus vnde cecedit Can you tel me how the diuell came by his fall numquid adulterium fecit assure your selues he committed no adultery numquid furtum fecit theft he neuer committed diabolus non propter hoc cecidit the diuill was not expelled out of heauen for these things sed propter linguam cum dixit in caelum ascendam super sydera ponā thronum meum ero altissimo onely his tongue was in fault when he saied hee would ascend vp into heauen and place his seate aboue the starres and be equall to God himselfe In the Church of England there is but one vniforme consent of praier ratified by autority yet that forme and order of praier cannot by no meanes be receaued For we wil pray as we are disposed This mans praier is effectuall it conteineth in it all things that are requisite to corporall sustenance or spirituall comfort The prayer prescribed in the Church by authority they are thankesgiuings for victories obteyned by Dauid or else if of late yeares they haue beene set downe they doe not concerne the state of the present time Againe diuerse are so addicted to their own fātasies that if it be not adorned with variety of choise words and beautified with metaphors contayning sundry and diuerse repetitions they doe not regarde the same Our cōming to the Church is to praise God with one vniforme consent of praier one man he hath writen praiers and so he praieth to himselfe Another he deuiseth a praier as he kneeleth if the preacher be not as they require they will not repaire to heare him One man he commēdeth the order of praiers prescribed by the faithfull brethren of the Church of Scotland another alloweth not so well of that as he doeth of certaine praiers that were priuily printed of late yeares in fine so they may deface the vniforme order of praier in the booke of common prayer they could bee content to receaue any order whatsoeuer John Penry his vnlerned confutation of Master D. Bancroftes sermon Iohn Penrie hath of late set forth a paltry pamphlet carying a shew of a confutation of a learned Sermon preached out of this place by a learned and a reuerende man wherein hee inueigheth against notable and learned pointes of doctrine the which the poore seely soule doeth not vnderstand And to aggrauate the matter hee desireth them vnto whose hands his booke shall come to peruse the Collect appointed for Saint Michaell the Archangell wherein he saieth there is plainly set downe a plaine article of popery praier to Saints On the other side I desire you that at this day heare me at your comming home to peruse the collect if you can finde any one such point therein conteyned tending to his wordes I will recant this that I say if not I beseech you for Gods cause suspect these men that seeke nothing but the ouerthrow of Religion and the subuersion of the state yet all is not they would haue it you haue gotten the start of vs. Our bookes are forbidden our printing presses are taken from vs and our prolocutor T. C. is now in durance Libanius the Sophist made a Rhetoricall declamation adorned with tropes beautified with variety of sentences and the phrase of it selfe so fluent and copious that Iulian the Apostate perusing the same cried out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Libanius saieth he thou art aureus partus matris tuae I neuer heard of the like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the excellencie of thy declamation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what an inuincible argument hast thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue not seene so elegant a disposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so forth So these men T. C. hath ouerthrown them by the word of God if his tongue and pen were at liberty he is now better furnished then euer he was The presbytery of England should be furnished with sufficient preachers all scādals remoued the gouernement of the Church should peaceably be gouerned and the spirit of prophecy should not be extinguished Well I am assured of one thing I shall haue no thankes for my labour and I looke for none what I haue spoken is for the duty that I owe to the Church of God and to benefit the same The Apostle would haue vs to pray continually
lifting vp pure handes vnto heauen and as long as we heape one innouation vpon the necke of another so long we exceed in excessiue riot and blaspheme the way of truth The second thing that the Apostle obserueth in these false teachers is their couetousnesse a fault not tolerable in them that are appointed by God to instruct his people This vice it is too too common among vs. Our liuings are pared and little is reserued for vs patrones caÌ„ be content to keepe them in their owne hands or if they cannot he that is presented vnto it of necessity he must offer somewhat to the siluer shrine of Simon before his institution Others againe that haue sufficient they prouide for others heap vp riches for their childreÌ„ In the meane season open exclamatioÌ„s are souÌ„ded forth derogatory to the church her ministers HieroÌ„ writing vpoÌ„ the 143. Psa Videtis saith he magistros haereticorum nihil aliud facere nisi studere diuitijs diuitijs studeÌ„t paupereÌ„ ChristuÌ„ coÌ„teÌ„nunt it is the custoÌ„e of false teachers to heap vp riches in making greater accouÌ„t of this world theÌ„ they doe of Christ Couetousnes it hath ouerthrowen multitudes it is the root of al mischiefe vnde habeas quaerit nemo sed oportet habere so we haue it we care not how in what order we come by it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bern. in a treatise that he writeth de bonis desereÌ„dis deciphereth the estate of his time A gentleman saith hee hath 4. children This say they shall haue an aduousion of some coÌ„petent personage the other shall attend vpon my Lord Bishop vt ditetur de bonis domini ne in nostros liberos nostra diuidatur haereditas This shall attend in the Vniuersity vpon some one man that shall be heade of an house And in time it may so fall out that in delicijs delictis nutritus Archidia conatu dignus habeatur he shall be a fit man to bee an Archdeacon Another that by reason of his pouerty hath no frends vndique sedulus circuit rangeth vp and downe the country obsequitur blanditur simulat dissimulat with cap and knee he attendeth on his patrone if at the last he may intrude himselfe in patrimonium crucifixi bona domini vpon the goods of the Church quae sola ex omnibus hodie inueniuntur exposita the which alone at this day are laied open for euery one in the meane season he vnto whom these goods appertaine which is Christ peregre profectus est hee is gone abroade in plenilunio rediturus at the full moone he purposeth to returne and of all these he will seuerely exact his own If any think that I haue gone further theÌ„ I should he is deceaued Bernard de boâ—is deserendis these words are not mine but Bernards Saint Paul he pointeth at these teachers and telleth vs quae sua sunt quaerentes non quae Iesu Christi they seeke those things that concerne themselues and not those things which concerne the honour of god Such a one was Nicholas one of the seuen deacons and SimoÌ„ Magus if he could haue purchased the holy Ghost with his money he would not haue bene a loser Liuings of the Church are saleable ware in these daies sundry intrude themselues into liuinges of the which they are vnworthy Giezâ— in the 4. Reg. c. 5. for his simony was stricken with a leprosie Iudas in selling our redeÌ„ption hanged himselfe Simon Magus for his voluntary proffer hee was vtterly reiected by S. Peter Act. 8. Christ he draue away these money changers out of his temple Men so that they may obtain riches what waies they vse they care not Church lands are not greatly sought for but if they lie in their way they can easily be intreated to take them Our auncestores thought it works of charity to builde Churches their progeny vpon a zeale pull downe Churches ecclesias Christi quas fundauere parentes perdere nitunturnati pietate carentes I will leaue this and hasten to the thirde and last part of my diuision Let vs beloued liue together in Christian vnity verily saieth Christ if you loue one another then are you my Disciples let vs auoide al excesse whatsoeuer and euery one labour to maintain the truth for