holy Ghost the festiuall dayes throughout the yere like as they yet remayne in the Church at this day some in commemoration of Christes Natiuety some of his circumsicion some of his Death some of his Resurrection and some of his Assention into heauen c. Likewise they ordayned other Festiuall dayes in commemoration of the deaths and martirdomes of holy saints videlicet Prophets Apostles Euangelists Martirs and confessors c. They haue also ordayned holy sacraments and ceremonyes together vvith an vniformity of God-service to be vsed in the Church onely to houlde in memory before the People in their right significations those holy things vvhich the gospel of Iesu Christ requireth in the Deede of all men and yet notwithstanding vvere then almost of all People forgotten Moreouer they ordayned and established that the Gospells and Epistles c. should be as a New Testament coadioyned to the olde and read dayly in the Churches for holy scripture and so to be taken for euer they also ordayned and built many Churches for holy vse Fastings prayers Almesdeeds confession of sinnes vvith contricion and satisfaction to be made for the same with many other good things more vvhich vvere too longe to resyte And now right noble and honourable audience in what Feare obedience and reasonablenes the People vvere houlden euen vntill this our last Age vnder Catholick Religion and her sacraments and ceremâ—nyes I need not much to speake of but vvill rather leaue it to the Iudgmenâ— and consideration of all those that be vvise and of auncient yeares among you knew their conuersation And therefore to be shorte I hold my Catholique Religion to be of most antiquety ordayned by the consent of the holy Ghost and grounded vpon the Trueth And thus I conclude who soe houldeth vpon the Catholiq Religion In his Right Institucion he houldeth vpon the True Religion And who soe houldeth vpon the Catholique Church houldeth vpon the true Churche And thus he ended Balt. Now surely neighbour Benion if this vvere his talke and if this be true vvhich he hath sayd then this is the Catholique Religion as I thincke layd on such a ground or foundacion bringing also with it such antiquety that I know not presently to the contrary but he is lyke to beare a ray the best game yet vvould I gladly heare how the protestant could answere this matter Ben. Then the Protestant after humble submission c. sayd O most excellent Prince together vvith all you Honourable and worshipfull let me freely speake before you It is not vnknowne vnto you all at this present that this Popish Religion although I graunt she mought happely haue had some reasonable ground in her first Institution hath bâ—n since that tyme diuersly sondry wisâ— altred patched in somuch as sondry Popes haue added sundry seremonyes Videlicet some holy water some holy bread some other haue set vp as bookes fot the vnlearned to looke vpon certaine Images some haue graunted that oblations should be made vnto them some other that sight should be set before them other some haue alowed for the vnlearned beades for to nomber theyr prayers withall And some haue likewise for monyes cause graunted out perdon for sinnes some in one maner some in an other yea and their service wherin they ment to serve God was in a language that the People vnderstood not what should I speaka of Masses Trentalts and Dirges to be sung for the Dead Hallowing of Palmes of Crosses Churches and Church-yeards likewise of Christning and hallowing of Bells c. And this superstition continued like as he sayd therin right well till Mr. Doctor Martin Luther that famous Clarke vvho hath disclosed all their superstition Idolatry Couitousnes and whordome c. vvhich tyme vve God be thancked haue had for the most part this our protestant Religion vvherin the Gospell or Trueth is sincearely Preached all superstition Idolatry and abhomination altogether put downe and god service in the mother tongue so that now euery Carter Cobler can whistle and sing psalmes and euery man can reason and talke of the scriptures in euery place freely where they come yea moreouer euery Bishop and Minister may haue his wife c. And now right honorable Audience what fruites and freedom this our liberty of the gospell hath brought vvith it since we began to preach I need not to resyte but vvill referre that and all that I haue sayd vnto your vvisdoms to consider of Thus I conclude Right Noble and vvorshipfull that my Religion set out and allowed by the Kinge and his Counsell hath his ground and foundacion from Christ and his Apostles and therefore of greater antiquitie then the Catholike Religion by an hundred yeares and more and is therefore the best and the gospell vvhich vve preach say I that is the Trueth And therewith he made an end Balt Lord haue mercy on vs vvhat shall vve say that are vnlearned in this troublesome tyme of so many Religions and Opinions or vvhom shal vve beleeue For now if this vvere his tale and this be true vvhich he hath sayd doubtlesse he hath so firmely and groundly sayd his plat forme that in myne opinion no man liuing can remoue it or goe beyond him And therefore I see not to the contrary but that he must needs goe away vvith the victory otherwise I am much deceaued yet I pray thee let me heare vvhat the other could say Ben. Then stood vp the Puritan and after submission done he sayd most high and renoumed Prince together with you all that be Honourable and worshipfull like as ye haue heard these 2. men tell their tales concerning the ground of their Religions and the Trueth euen so I beseech you heare me It is vvell knowen vnto you all that I haue bin euen for the Lord my God his cause zealous this 30 yeares and more in so much as I haue bin expulced the Vniversityes depriued of my liuings runne here and there euen for my Conscience cause c and therefore haue matter so well against thee O King and thy Lawes as also against them both and their Religions that haue here spoken As fâ—r thee thou settest vp superstitious lawes vvhich are not correspondent to Gods lawes and therefore I will not obey them And now to answere the Catholike and his Antichristian Religion I need not for asmuch as the Protestant hath sufficiently answered him But as conserning the Protestant and his Religion vvhich he so extolleth aboue all other I am right vvel able to reproue him almost in an 100. places vvhich he hath altogether taken out of the Romish sincke or stincking Popish puddle like as you may easily smell from wence they came if you do but a little holde vp your heads and beholde the situation of your Churches how they yet stand East and West your steeples also full of Bells your Quiers and Alters together vvith Coaps vestments and cornerd caps Tippets Rotchets Sirplusses processions singings organs c.
what should I speake of their superstitious names Videlicet my Lord of Canterburyes grace my Lord Yorcks grace my Lord Bishop Mr. Deane Mr. Subdeane Mr. Archdeacon Mr. Commosary Dr. such-a-on Mr. Soueraigne Mr. Parson Mr. Vicker c. and to be shorte vvat soeuer the protestant vseth so vvel in his seruice as in his ministration of Sacraments and Ceremonyes they are all counterfeyted out of Papistry and are therefore no better to be termed then rotten Raggs of the Romish Church For that cause right Honourable audience I beseech you in the bowels of Iesu Christ that you vvoulde once ouerthrowe and cleane roote out for euer all such Antichristan memorials aforesayd of that Babilonish hoore so that nothing remayne vpon the Earth in any remembrance of her And then may you reforme Religion as we shall Instruct you after the maner of the best reformed Churches in all Europe And vntill that tyme we wil neyther obey you nor your lawes and Institutions for in such case say we it is better to obey God then men And thus I conclude Right Noble and worshipfull forasmuch as our zeyle standeth more towards God and his lawes then towards the lawes and ordinances of men Therefore we who are aboue in our ministration men or Angels doe holde our Religion to be the best because we seeke the reformation of the Church in all things that are amisse and moreouer we haue our foundation from Ezechia Iosia Iudas Machabeus c. and for that cause of greater antiquitie then them both And our ministration which we vse and teach among our Colleges in our exercises and nightly conventikles is the Trueth And here I end comitting all things herein touched to your vvisdoms to consider of And so departed Balt. O Lord what shall I saye or vpon what Religion shall I now staye me wherby I mought now find out the Trueth then hath he so vnfolded it in such sorte also layde his ground so sure that all men vvhich heareth him as I conjecture must needs thinke that he vvhich is so zealous for Gods cause feareth not to reproue the King to his face seeketh the reformation of the Church and also bringeth vvith him the greatest antiquitie is like to preuayle and also winne the best game Yet vvould I fayne heare what the 4◠could saye to all these profound and groundly reasons but alas what should a playne Plowman saye among such high learned Prelats Notwithstanding of fellowship let me heare what the foolish fellowe could say or what answer he could make that I might laugh a little Ben. Last of all stood vp this playne Plowman whose Religion was vnknowen although he had bin so long tyme by all these 3 aforsayd suspected bruted for an Heretique And falling downe vpon his knees he sayd O most puissant Prince together vvith all your Honorable and vvorshipfull in this present Parlament assembled Are you desyerous in this contentious and troublesome tyme wherin all Iniquity doth abounde and wherin also so many Religions sects and opinions are out of flesh and bloud entred or taken on among the Children of men to vnderstand the best Religion as also the Trueth and what thing the Trueth is to th end that God mought be honoured therin Then I beseech you of your clemencie heare me speake You haue heard of these 3. one being contrary to an other speake the very best that in them was for the aduouching of their Religion and the Trueth And now as touching the first namely the Catholike he hath out of a good zeale brought in so nere as he could conjecture the first ground of the Catholik Religion and the long continuance thereof declaring also that the sacraments Ioan. 14 a. b c 1. Ioan. 3.4 a.b.c. signes ceremonyes and seruices of the same Church were ordeyned onely to keepe in memory things passed c. euen like as the seruices and sacraments ceremoniall of the old lawe were in the beginning ordeyned to keepe in memorie things that thē were to come c. Notwithstanding the good life wherevpon all sacraments signes ceremonies or shadowes figuratiue in the Catholik church did point vpon and vvhich also the holy scripture doe require and whereout the dutifull obedience towards God and Gouernours doth proceed was of this Catholicke now in these last dayes altogether forsaken rejected and forgotten euen like as it vvent also in times before with the disobedient and vnbeleeuing jewes so hath he forsaken the Trueth vvhereupon he sayth his Religion was grounded And therefore the Lorde hath now no pleasure in this Apostated Catholik nor yet in his absurd Religion vvherevpon it is now come to passe that the 2. namely this Protestant beholding the many-maner abuses and disorderlynesse of life which hath bin now in these latter dayes found in this Cotholique and his Religion and for the vvhich no doubt he hath receiued greate chastisment of the Lord and his Ministers hath declared forth to his great reproach many of the same abuses before you all very rightly as they vvere and moreouer out of a great zeale hath commended his owne Religion for the best which thou O king hast now appointed and set vp among vs Videlicet the declaring forth of the gospell and holy scriptures among vs. The seruice vsed and read in the mother tongue to thend all mought heare and vnderstand what is sayd and then followe the same vvhich is good as likewise the sacraments ceremonies ministred in the same tongue to thend all subjects mought be holden vnder godly and manly obedience and hue according to the scriptures in one vniformity of Religion according to the kings good meaning therein Psalm 1. and. 15.24 Math. 25. d. ◠All these say I were it accomplished in the deed and in the Trueth is a very good Religion also vvere very vvell sayde of him as out of a singuler good zeale Notwithstanding the vvhile this Protestant vvhich can readily reproue an other by the scripture vvalketh forth still in all malitiousnes of life although he boaste neuer so much of Light Life Liberty Psa 15. Ioan. 12. g. Rom. 8. b. Math. 7. d. 1. Cor. 6. b. Collo 3. a. 2. Tim. 3. a. Freedome by Christe he remayneth notwithstanding in darkenes and is the seruant of sinne or bondslaue of Sathan vvhat should I say of the couitousnes that vvorshipping of Images Enuie Pride Extortion Symony Vsery Whoredome together vvith all maner of Iniquity that now doth abound in this Protestant so vvell among the Clergie as the Layetie Thus may vve see that he likevvise in rejecting the good life Ioan. 14 a. 12. g. Gal. 2. d. Math. 5. 2. Ioan. 4. b. vvhich all the holy scriptures do requier and witnes and were vpon also all the holy scriptures as also al sacraments ceremonies figures or shadowes that good are do signifie figure forth point vpon hath rejected the Trueth And novv beholde I pray you what fruits haue insued since this liberty
of life hath bin taken on For the longer this Protestant hath preached vnto the people the worse the liues of the same people are become Ioan. 8 a 13 a â— Esd 16 â— Math. 3.4 experience hath taught vs and no maruell for he in forsaking the good life hath there withal forsaken the Trueth and for that cause onelie the Lorde hath no pleasure in this licencious Protestant nor yet in his absurd Religion And as touching the 3. namely the Puritan for as much as he vvill not liue as a subject vnder all good lawes and ordinances of Kings Magistrates Rom 13. 1. Pet. 2. 2. Pet. 2. Tit. 3 a. 2. Tim. 3. a. b. 1. Ioan. 3. a. 4. b. Ioan. 14. 1. Ioan. 4. b. and therefore hath out of enuious persumption and rebellious heart forsaken the obedience and godlie lyfe due to God and gouernors notwithstanding it is required of vs all in holy scripture so hath he in lyke maner there vvith all forsaken the Trueth it vvere too muche to name how many honest hearted and true faythfull subjects to their Prince haue bin by this Puritan belyed slaundered persecuted and imprisoned for that they held them to obedience and the good lyfe like as they were taught Mala 3.4 Psa 50. â— Ioan. 13. â— and would neuer consent to his rebellyous doctrine nor come to his nightly conuentikles and therefore although he out of his great zeale sought the reformation of the Church and yet he himself not reformed vnto obedience and godlines of lyfe God hath no more pleasure in this disobedient Puritan nor yet in his absurd Religion 4. Esd 16. c. Thus you may see Right Noble 1. Cor. 3. d. Ioan. 8. d. Mar. 8. d. Ioan. 15. a. Ioan. 14. a. Ioan. 8. d. Luc. 8. b. Mar. 4. b. Matth. 13. b. Esa 6. c. Ioan. 12. f. g. Honourable and vvorshipfull how euery one in his vvay seeketh religiously after the Trueth if he myght any way fynde it And againe you may see also that the Trueth is neuerthelesse hid from them all And why for if we consider of the Scriptures vnto all those that walke without the true lyfe and godly obedience which is required in gods holy vvord all things chaunce in similitudes parables and closed bookes because that men should not see with their earthly eyes or myndes nor heare with their earthly eares or thoughts nor yet comprehende in theyr darke stony harts the secrete works of the Holy Spirit of Christ. Ioan. 14. b.c. 1. Pet. 2. Rom. 13. a. 2. Tâ—â— 3. a For that cause all People that are zelous for Religion for the Trueths sake be they what they be or dwell they where they shall so they loue God and desyer to liue vnder obedience to the King and his good lawes or at the leastwise liueth quietly and harmelesly among the People bearing a true and faithfull heart to the Prince of the Land are to be borne withall in their ignorant zeale for Conscience sake in asmuch as all good gifts proceed from God yea and moreouer Math. 13. for that the tyme of haruest is at hand in the vvhich the Lord vvill send out his Angels to gather together the good wheat into his barnes to burne the weeds with vnquenchable fyer Ioan. 1. a. b. 14. a. Ioan. 5. c. 6. e. f. Ioan. 17. 2. Ioan. 4. b. For doubtles the Trueth it self wherabout men so striue is an other maner of thing then flesh and bloud was euer able to fynd out for it is the louely lyfe or being of God or of his holy word vvhich lyfe is the thing as I sayd before that all sacrifices signes or shadowes in the whole lawe as also the Sacraments and ceremonyes of the new Testament ordained in the Christian Catholicke Church together with all that the holy scriptures Ioan. 3. a b. c. d. c. Ioan. 16. d. e. f 17. c. â—1 c. Gen. 2. b. 3. a. Prov. 3. c. Apo. 2. b. â— Cor. 15. c. Gen. 3. 2 Cor. 1. d. 3. a. b. c. Deut. 1â— a. b 1. Tit. 3. a. 1. Pet 2. â— Cor. 13. Matth. 7. b. Ioan. 13. d. 14 15. Gal. 2. d. e. Ioan â— â— Gen. 2 b. â— a. d 〈…〉 1â— a. b c. do â—oynt vpon signify and requier at all our Hands I say once agayne the louely lyfe of God or of his holy worde is the very Trueth namely Iesus Christ It is also the Tree of lyfe that was plaÌ„ted in the beginning in the midst of the Paradise or Lust-garden of the Lord which tree of lyfe euen like as the first through the disobedience in the knowledge hath lost the same euen so the second man through the obedience in the lyfe winneth the same agayne it is very true And therefore to liue in Obedience to God and his holy vvord also in obedience to the King and his good lawes and ordinances and to loue myne neighbour as myne owne selfe also to deale louingly vprightly vvith all men like as I vvould be dealt with all is the effect of my religion grounded vpon the Trueth vvhich obedience had his originall from Adam Abell Seth Noah Abraham c and is also confirmed by Christ and his Apostles c. and therefore shal continue for euer Ioan. 13 c. 14 a 15. a. b. c 1. Cor. 13. 2. Ioan. 3. a.b. c. 4 a.b. Thus I conclude that my Religion in the good lyfe goeth beyond them all so farre as the Heauens from the Earth or the Light from Darknes also that all maner of Religious people boast they neuer somuch of their Religions Preachings Seruices Sacraments Seremonyes Freedomes by Christ or elswhat that are found vvithout this obedience to God and Gouernours Ioan 8. a. 〈◊〉 8 d. â—oan 14 a b. 1. Cor. 13. Eph 4 a.b. c. 6. b c. Ioan 〈…〉 Colo. 1. c. 2. b. vvithout this goodlyfe aforesayd or at the least haue not any earnest inclination thereto somuch as they may in the Lord the Religion their God seruice and all els that they boast vpon is nothing worth in the Lords sight and the cause is they haue forsaken the Trueth vvhich is the flower and beauty of all good Religions yeâ— and is all in all Now haue I shewed you Right High and Honorable the inconfutable ground of my Religion which God of his gracious goodnes hath made knowen vnto me 1 Cor. 13. 2. c. 13. Ioan 13. c. 14. a. b. and for the vvhich I haue bin long suspected together vvith the vnfallible Trueth vvherout all right obedience vnto God and Gouernours proseedeth and vvherout also the right repentance appeareth Gal 2. d. 3. a. b d Ioan. 14 a b. Gal. â— â— Colo 1 c. Ioan. 8. d. 15. a. and the true and liuing fayth is alwayes working by loue so well towards God and Christ also towards my neighbour and vvherunto I meane by the grace of God to indevour my self night and day by prayer and supplication