then I know full well that many false hearts would be found lurking vnder painted hoodes and cakes of foule cancred malice vnder meale mouthed protestations neither would it bee troublesome to finde out a two-legged Foxe or if the coles of long festered choler were of that condition as that being heaped together in their malicious minds they could blister their tongues or scald their lippes we should neede no further search to finde out a Romaine catholike Howbeit although they haue no windowes in their brestes wherethrough wee may see into euery corner of their consciences how they packe and shuffle now and as it is greatly to be feared meane to cut also if Poperie should get the vpper hand yea although they shrowd their wicked deuises with a vaile of obscuritie and contriue their cruell crafts in tenebris yet if that foresight and circumspection be had which the subtiltie of such househould enemies requireth I doubt not but it shal be easie to espie the Woolfe though he wander in sheepes clothing by the manner of his howling and the Asse though he iet in the Lions skinne by the length of his eares Before I proceede further A linsie woolsie religion I will here admonish that kinde of our gospellers that are of a linsie woolsie religion common pedlars and patchers of Christ his coate which had no seame in deede Who because they are better affected to the state then the former I would be loath to tearme them Foxes and yet hauing no warrant for a particoloured profession I may not honour them with the title of sound Christians you shall know them by these colours They hold it a matter of charitie to say God haue mercie on the soules of the dead and show them their errour then they reply what shall we bid the deuill goe with them Their aue maria sticks close betwixt their teeth though their Pater Noster was forgot many yeeres agoe They cannot be well perswaded of children dieng without Baptisme therfore they cry out for headlong hast to the ministratiō of this sacrament They wil not beleeue that it is a sinfull and superstitious thing to sweare by the Saints and euery other creature and when they are tould that it is a robbing God of his honour they fall a woundering at the verie first principles of religion Thus the Serpent gets his ground by creeping and where Sathan cannot get an ell he will take an ynch hoping by little ynches of superstition in the end to make vp an ell of Idolatrie and thus by little and little Poperie hath stolne into the Church Those that are thus tainted I exhort in the feare of God to reade the scriptures and to heare his word the knowledge whereof is able to purge them from these filthie dregs of the Babilonish cup. Hauing spoken of Foxes hereticall Foxes schismaticall who most of all endaunger the saftie of the Church it followeth that we entreat of Foxes schismaticall which of late yeares haue peeped out of their denne to the disturbance of our peace These are they whom in auncient time they called Catharists as also the Donatist Browinsts Brownistes wee commonly call them imagining a perfect beautie of a Church in this world and seuering themselues from all others as if in their particular conuenticles this perfection were to be found in whom behold a two fould errour First in that from the Churches blemish by indirect consequence they conclude her nullitie Two fold errour This is a grosse absurditie Secondly in that these mote catchers see a mote in the eye of an other and will not see the beame in their owne eyes this is blind singularitie For if they speake of manners they should know that how corrupt so euer they are either in the pastour or in the sheepe they may not inforce this outragious conclusion that where such corruptions are found there is a nullitie of the Church so long I say as the life of the Church is that is so long as the truth is there taught Christ his truth the life of the church Math. 23.2 Of this the Lord himselfe is witnes speaking to the Scribes and Pharises so long as they sit in the chaire of Moses that is to say so long as they teach the doctrine of Moses doe you saith he that which they say but doe not that which they doe although there be no cause but that a man may withdraw himselfe from such infectious companions as Paul admonisheth 1. Cor. 5.11 Psal 17.4 Psal 1.1 as Dauid sheweth by his owne practise and warneth vs to do the like Againe if they speake of imperfection of doctrine many circumstances are to be considered before wee depriue any assemblie great or small of the name of a Church In the Church of Corinth not onely touching manners the discipline of the Church was loosly obserued 1. Cor. 15.17 sinceritie of preaching by an affected kinde of babbling was much prophaned but also a pro and con houlden touching the resurrection of the flesh an article of such weight that withouten it the preaching of the word should be in vaine and yet Corinth houlds the name of a Church The Galathians were most of them turned aside by the false Apostles from free iustification which is the principall ground-plat of the christian Church and yet notwithstanding Saint Paul giues them the name of a Church The like is to be seene by that which the Apostle writeth to Timothie 1. Tim. 4. 2. Pet. 2. Iude. also by the second of Saint Peter and that of Saint Iude that there were home-bred enemies and false Disciples in the bosome of the Church which for all this neither lost the name nor nature of true Churches But the case is otherwise in a body rotten in the noblest parts as the synagogs of the Iewes which stubbornly resisted the preaching of the Apostle from which for this cause he disioyned the Church of Ephesus or as that sinfull assembly that sits vpon the seuen hills Acts. 19.9 From what Church we ought to separate our selues and opposeth it selfe directly against the kingdome of Christ whose name with a desperate impudencie it boroweth for which cause we haue it in iust execration following the doctrine of the Apostle But I neede not to pursue these schismatikes the name of almightie God bee magnified this land is well washed from them O Lord show mercie still to this Church and send vs also a stronge purging pill for Poperie and superstition Then shall wee see Ierusalem in prosperitie and the hearts of thy faithfull seruants shall be replenished with gladnesse Foxes called scabd sheepe The last sort of Foxes are those which before I called scabd sheepe Saint Paul prophecieth of these that in the last dayes should come perillous times 2. Tim. 3.1.2.3 men should be louers of their owne selues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobediēt to parēts vnthankfull vnholie without naturall affection truce breakers false
saith 1. Cor. 11. that there must be heresies that they which are approued might be knowne 1. Corin. 11. Where also that of Augustine is worthie remembrance let vs vse heretikes saith he not to that end to approue their errours but that by defending the Catholickes doctrine against their deceits we may be more watchful and warie because it is most truly written there must be heresies that the tried approued may be manifested or discouered from the holow harts amongst you Let vs vse this benefit of Gods prouidence for heretikes are made of such as would erre or be naught thogh they were in the Church but being out they profit vs exceedingly not by teaching the truth which they know not but by stirring vp the carnall in the Church to seeke truth and the spirituall to cleare the truth Thus then it is apparant that both the weaker and the stronger the carnall and the spirituall may profit by heresies and schismes which the Lord suffereth in his Church the one by learning the other by teaching for they shall trie our faith and our loue whether we be counterfeits dissemblers whether we wil be suddainly wind-shaken whether we will forsake the truth and follow falsehood or whether faith be grounded in our hearts or no For like as in the time of Moses God suffered great magitians to be in Aegypt that he might make his owne power more euident in Moses so he suffereth heretikes as sorcerers or enchanters to be in the Church that the power of praier of faith of loue of zeale might be more apparant A crab oftentimes carrieth the coat of an apple and is not well knowne but by the taste copper hath the colour of gold is not so well tried as by the touch an hypocrite may lurcke vnder the shadow of a beleeuer and is not throughly manifested vntill his faith be tried but the beliefe of Gods children is like vnto the glaze-worme which glittereth most brightly in the darkest night or like the lampe that giues most light in the darke But some will say alas we are no clearkes and in these diuisions and disputings here is euery one alledging scripture for himselfe what shall we doe or what course shall we take that are vnlearned For the better helping of you in this hazard first looke whether euerie one alledgeth scripture or no for that goeth for scripture many times with the Catholicks which is no more to be found in the booke of the Bible thē Paradise in hell Secondly know them to be false teachers which for confirmation of doctrine of faith alledge any other testimonies ouer and besides the scriptures for mans writings are no further to be credited then they bring warrant from the word of God which containeth the whole counsell of God touching our saluation If they reply that all is not written which the Apostles taught answere them with that which is said by the Apostle who requireth nothing besides the scriptures to make the man of God complete then compare their vnwritten traditions with Gods written truth the light will straight discouer their darknes Thirdly if the interpretations be repugnant so as one or more of them must needs be erronious then conferre scripture with scripture and expounde scripture by scripture as Christ teacheth and lastly referre the whole vnto the correspondency of the articles of faith the briefe abridgments of christian religion and then if thou bringest with thee a teachable minde and a desire to learne in humilitie thou shalt not erre but finde Christ in his owne home that is in his word The second reason why the Lord suffereth his Church to be troubled with deceitfull companions is his proportionable iustice against the vnbeleeuers And that Saint Paul meaneth when he saith that when men haue no minde to obey God and his truth 2. Thess 2.10 hee sendeth them false prophets euen with an efficacie and speedines of errour The beguiling of Achab showeth this euidently Who is it saith God that shall deceiue Achab as if he should say I see that he will needs be drawne vnto the bottome of hell for the wretch was defiled with his Idols had peruerted Gods seruice was full of all stubbornnes 2. King 22.2 and malice against the prophets would receiue no admonition Therefore God seeing him a man forlorne sendeth a lying spirit to beguile him But here marke one thing especially comfortable to Gods childrē that when God had giuen Sathan commission to execute his vengeance vpō the vnbeleeuers he not onely giueth him leaue to punish them with losse of goods sicknes of bodie c. but giues powre to leade them into errour vtterly to deceiue them and to carrie them away with lies This is apparant in the historie of the triall of Iob where Sathan his first commission is to touch his goods and the second to touch his body but he may not meddle with his soule Thus you see it standeth both with the manifestation both of the mercie and iustice of God to send deceitfull workmen into his Church CHAPTER 9. Eight reasons vnaunswerable prouing all perfect papists rotten-hearted subiects to all true christian princes THere is a kinde of people who faine would that Dauid should alwaies sing of mercie that as it may seeme by excessiue clemencie our Soueraigne might nourish a serpent in her owne bosome Wherefore although this matter hath been handled heretofore of such learned and godly men as tender the saftie of her Maiestie and the flourishing state of her trustie and true harted subiects yet since the argument fits this place so well I haue thought good to lend my hand to my brethren and to proue that no perfect papists can be sound faithfull subiects to their christian princes And I say perfect papists because that euerie one that is blemished or holdeth any one errour or article of doctrine that the Pope holdeth as perhappes purgatorie or prayer for the dead is in that article a papist Yet I count not euery one that thus is taynted within the compasse of false heartednes to the realme or vnder the title of traiterous papists for manie otherwise sound subiects are not purged from all infections wherwith the whorish Church hath poisoned them wherfore the cōsequent reasons must be vnderstood of perfit papists whose hearts since they be Italianated I thus frame my first reason to proue them rotten hearted subiects The first reason prouing perfit papists traiterous subiects to Christian Princes ALl good subiects which obey for conscience as euery one ought to doe must haue their consciences enfomed by the word of God But perfit papists hate our assemblies despise the preaching of the word which should direct their consciences both in dutie towards God and loyaltie towards their prince and in stead thereof entertaine a strange worship Therefore perfit papists cannot bee sound hearted subiects I haue heard wise men say that there is no knot of theeues so dangerous as when there is
they want â—uthoritie or their purses be not well â—ined but be not deceiued for such litâ—le sparkes may serue the Popes turne â—y being kindled to a flame and that is wilines is a ware of The Iuie creeâ—ing along the ground beginning at â—he first to compasse the lowest part of the oke at the last by getting ground ouerpeereth the highest branch pierceth still the pith sucketh the sap to the ruine of the whole trunke so these subtill Foxes by insinuation and sugred speeches seeke first to enter into the coÌ„sciences of persons inferiour hoping by daily addition of newe addicted fooles to the fleshpots of Egypt to fortifie their faction but indeed the marke that they leuell at is to rase vp the foundation of our peace and to ouer-peare the head of her royall person Fourthly the subtiltie of the Foxe is herein discerned because perswading men vnto vertue and reuoking them from vice The Foxe is a counseller for his owne aduantage he doth it for his owne aduantage and then especially seeketh the spoile of the Church So that fitlie they may be resembled vnto theeues trauelling by the hie way and lighting into true meaning coÌ„panie can talke of simple dealing of sober liuing of the reward of the vertuous of the punishmeÌ„t of the vitious to the inteÌ„t that vnsuspected they may take their bootyat vnawares or to the craftie gamester who suffereth the simple man to winne for a while that afterward being greedy of play he may lurch him as he listeth Euen so these deceiptful workmen speake some good things but they intermeddle euill things they speak the truth but to scatter lies to root theÌ„ in mens harts as Sinen in Virgil mingled falshood with truth that he might more easily entrap the Troians they speake peace with their mouths but haue conceiued mischief in their harts they can say salue frater with Ioab aue Rabbi with Iudas when their purpose is to stab with the one and to betraie with the other To conclude they are deceiptfull merchants which vtter euill wares and set them out with lying words to make them saileable Wherefore as Paul commaunded the diuel to silence although he spoke truth least that his vttering of truth might aduantage his lying and gaine credit to his kingdome and as Iesus Christ sharpely rebuked the diuel saying vnto him we know who thou art teaching vs not to giue eare vnto the diuell although he tell the troth so let the rulers which regard the honour of the highest labour earnestly to hinder the course of these seducing spirits which are scattered in our land and to put the diuel to silence in them that his people be not beguiled and drawne away to straunge worship The Foxe craftily disswades from religion and loialtie Another of their wiles is in their manner of perswasion first against religion secondly against loialty Against religioÌ„ by whispering into the eares of the seduced Church agreement councels coÌ„sent fathers harmony teachers credit vniuersality antiquitie vnity apostolical traditioÌ„s all which an alblasted Moter hath trict trimly in colours hauing put as it were an new coat vpon an old deformed bodie as if where the asse had put vpon him the Lions skin the world could not discerne him by the length of his eares but the name of God be magnified he is discouered and his new vernished leaden dagger stabd in the intrals of his holy mother My purpose in this pamphlet is rather to discouer the wickednes of English Italionates then to dispute against the wilfull obstinacie of any Catholike champion yet because this is the dust that Master Allablaster with others more cast in the eies of our countrimen to put them quite out or at leastwise to bleare them I will briefely scatter it and so proceed in my former course Church agreement an old Motiue to the popish faith remoued and confuted BY the Church they would haue you to vnderstand the Church of Rome The Catholickes in their brags vnderstand by the Church the Romish Church for her eminencie and then when they tell you that the Church agrees the Church degrees the Church cannot erre all this in their language is to be spoken of the Romish Church Now if this proud Moter or any other of his fraternitie can bring you any prophecie or promise by which this her priuiledge may appeare that Rome is the mother Citie of the vniuersall Church Vrge this against a Romane Catholike as she was of the ancient Romane Empyre as also that this is her prerogatiue that she caÌ„not erre theÌ„ haue they done some thing but they may assoone find Paradise in hell as anie such text in the scripture Contrariwise she is poynted at 2. Thes 2.3 Apoca. 17. as by that finger to be the seat of apostasie by Saint Paul 2. Thess 2.3 vers and by Saint Iohn in the Apocalypse Rome the sea of Apostasie yea by many auncient fathers Greeke and Latine albeit they in their times saw not that was before their eyes Againe if it were lawfull for men why should Rome rather be chosen then Ierusalem the first and the auncientest of the Churches called of the prophets the citie of God Esay 2. from whence the word of God should goe fourth into all the world founded by Saint Peter and the rest of the Apostles or rather than Antioch Acts. where were named the first christians and where it is apparant that Peter and Paul liued Sirs what can you say for your selues faith sometimes florished at Rome And what then so did it at Ierusalem at Antioch at Ephesus c. But was not Ierusalem turned into Ieruskaker Was not Bethel that is the house of the Lord turned into Bethauen the house of iniquitie Is not the candlesticke remoued from those famous Churches of Asia Ephesus Pergamus Thiatira Philadelphia c. These places are altered for wickednesse and Rome for bad life and bad religion And thou Rome though sometimes faithfull art now the Queene of pride the nurse of â—dolatries the mother of whoredomes â—he shop of heresies Romes abhominations where the enteâ—ance into Gods house that is the scripâ—ures wherein he hath placed his eternall truth is forbidden vnto his people where the Church is not onely made a place of merchandise of mens soules â—ut is changed into a shop of more abâ—ominable Idolatrie than euer was amongst the pagans themselues where â—he true Iesus Christ is changed into a â—ead and sencelesse thing hauing neiâ—her head nor feete which cannot keep â—t selfe from the talents of theeues nor â—et from the teeth of mice and rattes which perisheth of it selfe if it be not â—he sooner deuoured But here some fauorit of poperie will â—ell you What if the Pope sit in Peters chaire that the Pope sits in Peters â—haire answere him that so did the Pharisees in Moyses seate Matt. 23. yet neuer â—he better no iot the holier for all that â—o that I may iustly
point how farre the auncientest and holiest men next after the Apostles are to be listened vnto heare Augustine himself How farre the ancient fathers are to be harkened vnto by the iudgemeÌ„t of Augustine where he saith That the testimonies of Cyprian and Agrippinus are not to be alledged as if it were not lawfull otherwise to thinke if they perhaps shall speake otherwise then the truth doth require And in an other place he saith That we ought not to beleeue the Catholike Doctours if they shall auouch any thing contrarie to the Canonicall scriptures and confesseth that in his owne bookes many things may be found which without rashnes may iustly be censured Teachers credit a popish snare to entangle the ignorant and a baite to drawe them from searching of the scriptures O Foxes full of all subtiltie for hence it is that you haue forbidden the scriptures to be read in the vulgar tongue and such as all Christians vnderstand The common faith of the Catholike and moreouer haue taught â—t to be sufficient to beleeue what your Church beleeueth without inquisition what it is and to credit your teachers without search of the scriptures but proâ—ided a man haue a good meaning reâ—erre himselfe to the articles of your â—aith kneele downe before a crucifix â—e apt to say an Aue Maria or a Pater â—oster O then behold a merit by and â—y atchieued Iohn 4.24 1. Cor. 16.13 Ephes 16. 1. Pet. 3.9 and Gods wrath appeaâ—ed Is this to serue God in spirit and â—n truth Is this which you teach the â—aith by which we stand which must â—eat backe the fierie darts of the enemies namely to build vpon the affiâ—nce of Bellarmine Stapleton Allablaster Indeed if you could bring the matter to this passe that in stead of Sic dicit Dominus exercituum sic dicit Dominus Deus vester Papa that is in stead of thus saith the Lord of hostes thus saith your Lord God the Pope and in stead of os Domini locutum est The next way to make all the world papistes the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Os Bellarminianum veâ— StapletonianuÌ„ dixit the mouth of Bellarmine or Stapleton hath said it then is iâ— likely that all christendoÌ„ shal be papists shortly nay Atheists perhaps for I am sure of all your teachers the Pope musâ— haue the credit And then what if his holines be as deuoutly minded as Paul thâ— third Paulus 3. who lying on his death bed said he should shortly vnderstand whether there were a God in heaueÌ„ or no wherof he had alwaies doubted or as Iohn 22. who taught that mens soules did sleepe with their bodies Iohn 22. Iohn 23. Atheists or Iohn the twentie three who taught that men died after the manner of beastes for which heresie and many more flagitious deeds he was depriued of his papall iurisdiction in Concilio Constantiensi What if the Pope were thus minded and so would proclaime it I say vndoubtedly all the world as noster magistellus Allablaster would beare vs in hand are bound to beleeue him But wee are taught to search the scriptures 1. Iohn 5. and to try the spirits both by commaundement and example by the light whereof all this your darknes hath been and shall be discouered Iohn 4. Vniuersalitie a false marke of the true Church THere are no greater deceiuers in the world then they who to discerne the true Church members whereof wee ought to be if we will be saued from the false from the which we ought to separate our selues if we will not be damned stand wholy vpon a multitude For if in worldly affaires more fooles are to be found then wise how is it then when the point concerneth supernaturall goodnes and wisedome If the aduersarie will not credit Christ himselfe speaking in plaine tearmes of the broad way which leadeth to destruction through which many passe and the narrow gate that leadeth vnto life which fewe doe finde yet perpetuall experience might better teach them then to stand vpon vniuersalitie as a marke of the true Church when the deluge came vpon the world The greater number the worser whether was paucitie or multitude a marke of the Church what was Abrahams house in comparison of the Cananites what was Israell to comprise hypocrites in the number in respect of the whole world what Church was the multitude a marke of when Christ being in the earth in his person the rulers reiected him and the multitude cryed away with him away with him crucifie him crucifie him what multitude was the number of sixescore persons when the Christian Church began To conclude when these proude boasters of their great numbers shall well haue counted what they are in comparison of the rest of the world which acknowledge not the Messias then may they proue if they will not maliciously erre that the multitude is rather to be suspected then reckoned a true note of the true Church Antiquitie of religion a vaine brag of Romaine Catholickes MEn time without mind haue accustomed to commend themâ—â—lues vnder the name of antiquitie specially vnto the ignorant whose â—gnorance also they doe abuse and â—â—us it commeth to passe by Gods iust â—â—dgment that they who will not suffer â—hemselues to be taught take many â—â—mes that for latter which was forâ—er and for new which is old such are â—â—ey of whom Peter speaketh who said â—f that time when a man spake vnto â—â—eÌ„ concerning the comming of Christ 〈◊〉 iudge the world that all things were â—s they are now since the first fathers â—hich thing is false saith he 2. Pet. 3.4 for they â—â—ould know that the world was not â—reated in such sort as now it is and â—hat God hath alreadie executed an â—orrible Iudgment on the corruption â—hereof Ier. 44.17 In like sorte they reproched â—eremie that he had mard all with his â—ew preaching yea and when they â—eare Christ himselfe they say what kinde of new doctrine is this Mark 1.17 Iohn 5.39 but he bids them search the scriptures for they speak of him In like sort say these great asses that will know nothing what new doctrine is this you teach where was the new Church of yours threescore yeares ago before Luther ran out and like a fugitiue fled from his mother behold their common language We answere them that primum quodque verissimum The protestants would that the prophets Christ and his Apostles should end all controuersies And we will appeale vnto Moses Dauid the prophets apostles and auncient fathers to be tried for the antiquitie of our religion if they dare put the controuersie by them to be ended Looke what forme of seruice was in the Tabernacle and Salomons temple in their time and whether it commeth nearer our seruice or the Popes portuis they read Moses and the prophets and expounded them and doe not we so we haue nothing touching the substance of religion but we are able
accusers intemperate fierce despisers of them which are good traitours headie hy minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a show of godlinesse but haue denyed the power thereof these are they which giue the Lord Iesus after a sorte the curtesie of Iudas Math. 26. These are like to Simon the sorcerer who walkt with Phillip like an Apostle Act. 8. but wrought with money like a wordling like to Achabs wife who went most demurely when the would speake with the Prophets Why hypocrits are well likened to Foxes And surely as in other respectes so in this these pargetted professours of the gospell are rightly called Foxes because as the Foxe his skin is more worth then his carcasse so their skinnes that is their outward profession is more worth than their conuersations Truth it is these after a sort haue cast off the Pope with his superstitiōs The Idolatrie of gospelling hypocrites but they haue not put vpon them Iesus Christ with his righteousnes They haue renounced the Idols of wood and stone but harbour Idols as dangerous in their hearts couetousnes theft crueltie fornication vncleannes wantonnes and such like goddesses There is a mightie generation of these kind of Foxes in this land and these late yeares of scarcitie and dearth hath laid open the hearts of many of them These deere years haue laid open many deceitfull hearts who contrarie to their holy professions and to the power of religion haue taken their aduantage of the time and made a pray of the poore without all mercie not caring to passe away their birth-rights for Esaus soup nor to sell paradise for a licorous morsell But what should I need to broach the hypocrisie of this people since they themselues without common care of their holy callings to the great shame of themselues haue cried at the market crosse But ye Gourmandisers Grubbers and grinders of the poore ye craftie priers into the needie mans extremitie to make your gaine of his paine and your commoditie of his miserie you cunning contriuers for priuate profit ye artificiall forgers of dearth and famine deuourers of mens quicke and liue flesh how long wil you presume to come into Gods house as if you were of it Ye false fingerers sellers with false sleights false measures false weights terrigenae fratres adorers of your God Māmon when wil you shake off the cloake of hypocrisie Ye tiplers tauern hunters ye epicurean cōpanions beastly belli-gods ye quarrel broachers and action threatners ye bellowes of hell fire which liue by setting others on pleading which beat your braines to lengthē the perchment as long as you can how long shall the Lord suffer you to appeare in his house in which there is nothing but peace and equitie Ye leasemongers rent-rackers ye enclosers and make-beggars neuer well at ease vntill yee haue taken possession of Naboth his vineyard ye towne-batterers ioyners of house to house and land to land vntill there be no place for the poore whē will you leaue to come to Sermons for a shew and to make religion a cloake for such horrible impietie You are bastard children and not the true generation of Iacob Therfore presume not to say that you are the sonnes of Abraham for if you thus walke the diuell is your father It is you that haue opened the mouthes of our enemies whose blind charitie layeth so hard to your lame faith you haue caused the gospell to be ill spoken of and the name of our God to be blasphemed the Lord reforme your hearts and grant you greater mercy On the other side you that by the grace of God are not guiltie of this great contempt be diligent earnest true and faithfull in your duties towards Almightie God who in the day appointed shall set you with his Angels for euer to praise him and shall cast the polluted and vncleane out of his Church This great God and righteous iudge saue vs from the temptations of Sathan that we may cleaue vnto him in faith and truth Amen CHAPTER 7. The vnkenelling of the Foxe and the dutie of the terriers HAuing before declared the conditions and manners of these Foxes which destroy the vines it followeth next in order that we speake something concerning the vnkenelling of these Romish Foxes which of all other are most daungerous to the state both of Church and Common-wealth The which we shall performe the better if we still compare a Foxe with a Foxe Now first of all it is well knowne to Foxe-hunters that the Foxe holds the strongest couerts that he flieth from the field as a beast which trusteth not in the swiftnes of his legs Properties of a Foxe when he is in chase nor the strength of his bodie that he wheeleth about the thickets and though he find none other helpe but a bush he wil flie to it for his safegard so it is with this kind of cattell for being hunted they runne abroad here and there but especially fly from the fields into the woods Whither the two-legged Foxes flie being hunted enquiring where there is one that makes no conscience of his ministerie that will be content for handfuls of barley and morsels of bread for tyth cockes and tyth sheaues to cloake a Catholickes knauerie enquiring also where there is an vntaught people fit for all religions and all princes raignes and consequently apt to swallow a bait of poisoned perswasion that is a couert for a Catholick thither flock the Foxes and feed without feare Againe another propertie of the Foxe is How the Foxes make their kenels to make his denne in the ground that is hard to dig as in galt clay or such like earth the passage into his earth being streight and going very farre in before it come to his couch hauing also many holes thorow which to vnearth himselfe Euen so it is with this kind they make their burrowes strong they haue so many streight passages so many muses so many winding corners so many turnings so many interturnings and starting holes that it is a matter full of difficultie to find the couch of a Catholicke Hard to vnkenell a Foxe-priest especially of a Priest or Iesuite In so much as I may iustly say of them as Caesar said of the Scythians difficilius est inuenire quam superare It is harder to find them than to foile them For experience hath taught vs that when it hath beene a matter vndoubted that a Foxe priest hath beene readie to say masse and therefore his denne hath beene compassed the terriers haue winded him and all his pretie trinkets haue been found prepared for so great a peece of worke yet in the ende the Foxe would not be found Perhaps he serues the hunters now and then as the fish called the Cuttle serues the fisherman which when she is like to be taken casteth forth a slimie humor like vnto ynke and so darkning the vpper part of the water and dazeling
the fishermans eies marres his aime and escapeth the daunger Which sithens it is so the greater the care ought to be that there be such godly wisedome and cunning in hunting them such toiles such nets as are fit for such seruice that there be such ministers as are able to handle the sword of gods word with both hāds that is to say be able to confirme the established Great need of good Foxe-hunters to reclaime the back-sliders to confute the aduersarie and if the will of God be to transforme the Foxes into sheepe such magistrates as haue a zeale to fence and hedge in the vineyard of the Lord of hostes from the subtill inuasions and vnderminings of these noysome vermine such toyles as are able to hold both the great and little Foxes For where blinde guides are placed in the watch towre and the basest liues are in the highest roomes there Foxes indaunger the flocke and many times finde more fauour then stands with the preseruation of the sheepe or safe continuing state of the best affected subiectes Pursiuants Parators In this place fit occasion is offered to speake neither may I passe it ouer with silence of a couple of terriers appointed for the hunting and vnkenelling of these Foxes whose true and hot hunting of them as it is rightly to be commended where it is to be found so the contrary doth breed great corruption in the Church and is much to be lamēted For the better redressing of these deformities which are too manifest bringing of these terriers into good hūting it would be carefullie respected of them that haue power to reforme it that they buy not their places for this is an approued truth that they will sell deare in the retaile which they bought in the grosse that is will sucke profit out of the vilest things cut mens garments off by the skirts for desire of gain hereby haue rushed horrible incōueniences both into church cōmonwealth Againe the Foxe hath many wiles wherby to make these Foxe-hounds at a fault or to hunt counter especially he hath a mixture made of cogworth broad way Vox populi penimate together with a few ratle flowers called goold maries or mary-goolds which being steeped in a little diuels milke cast into their eies makes them starke blind stops their sents hence it commeth to passe that popery beareth such swindge because papists can pay wel that adultery fornication scape without punishment because wantons haue money I say no more let this be a watch-word to them whom it especially concerneth CHAPTER 8. The principall reasons why God suffereth home-bred enemies to be in the bosome of his Church fit to be considered of such as are not throughly perswaded in this point IF the Christian Church be impugned by open enemies as Iewes Turkes Tartarians and such as haue opēly renounced the person of the great sonne of God and are cut off as rotten members men not greatly regard it But when such as are bred and nourished in the bosome of the Church seeke to vndermine and supplant it those household conflicts home-bred battailes are they which trouble many in these daies Household conflictes trouble many weake Christians O say they here is so much arguing and disputing such diuisions and diuersities of opinions that a man knowes not which way to turne himselfe To helpe such as without any good cause are thus put to a gaze They must first vnderstand that it is the will of God that his Church shall not be free from these inward offences and secondarily know the principall reasons why he will haue it so Although our God as he is the God of order and not of confusion commendeth and deliuereth vnto vs his discipline yet notwithstanding he suffereth the hypocrites for a time to haue their being amongst the faithfull vntill the full restoring and reforming of his kingdome in the last day The Church shall not be free from offences Math. 13. Which thing is taught by that of our Lord Iesus Christ where he resembleth the kingdome of heauen to a net cast into the sea and gathering all kind of fishes c. to a field wherin whilest the good husbandman soweth his wheat the enuious came and scattered his teares The Apostles also haue foretold the same that the Church of God shall be pestered with pestilent enemies and that they shall come with an efficacy of errour This know saith saint Paul that in the latter daies some shall depart from the faith 1. Tim. 4.1.2.3 and shall giue heed vnto spirits of error and doctrines of deuils which speake lies through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned off with a hot yron c. But there were false prophets saith Saint Peter 2. Pet. 2.1.2.3 also among the people euen as there shall bee false teachers among you Which priuily shall bring in damnable heresies euen denying the Lord that hath bought them and bring vpon themselues swift damnation The mysterie of iniquitie began to worke in the Apostles time 1. Iohn 4.1.2 Thus the misterie of iniquitie began to worke in the Apostles times as appeareth in Col. 2. Galath 1. Therefore Saint Iohn exhorteth not to beleeue euerie spirit but trie the spirits whether they are of God for many false Prophets are gone out into the world And why should this trouble you so much Doe you not see that the cockle the corn growe both in one field the lillie and the thorne both on one ground the blossome and the blast both on one tree the flowre and the weed both in one garden the sheepe and the goates doe feed both in one pasture know you not that in one arke were beasts cleane and vncleane and that the Apostle saith that in one house be vessels of honour and vessels of dishonour then wonder not to see the good and the bad mingled together but consider the reasons giue God the glorie and take heed to thy faith There be two principall reasons why the Lord suffereth these houshold enemies to be in the midst of his vineyard the first is for the probation and trial of his seruants whether they be vnfainedly coupled vnto him in the spirituall bond of faith and of loue Deut. 13. If there arise amongst you saith Moses a Prophet or c. Thou shalt not harkē vnto the words of that Prophet or vnto that dreamer of dreams For the Lord your God proueth you to know whether you loue the Lord your God with al your heart with all your soule And indeed it is necassarie that we be kept in continual exercise of faith and praier of patience and constancie and therefore is it said that the Lord would not cast out before his people of Israel any of the natiōs which Iosua left when he died that through them he might proue Israell whether they would keepe his waies to walke therein or no And to this effect Saint Paul
How the papistes play the traitors against the priesthood of Christ For first demaund of them how the fruites of this originall rancour are washed away they wil tel you by the sufferings of Iesus Christ Wish themselues further to declare their meaning then the diuell sheweth his hornes that before appeared like an Angell and there ariseth by and by a smokie distinction out of the bottomlesse pit Popish distinction of sinnes mortall and veniall of sinnes some mortall some veniall whereby the glorie o◠Christ his passion is darkened For veniall sinnes say they deserue but temporall punishment whereof a man by some displeasance of them is washed with an holy water sprinckle or a Bishops blessing or with saying à mea culpa or by some petite penance c. Thus these Catholicke physitions in steed of vsing one purgatiue remedie without which euerie sinne becommeth deadly cast mens soules into a lethargie depriued of all true sense and motion as the emperiall Practickes vse the medicine which they call Narcoticall that is to say Popish distinction of sinnes going before Baptisme and after such as benumme and dead the diseased vntill they become past feeling They haue a second distinction of sinnes going before baptisme and of sinnes committed after as also between the guilt and the paine satisfactorie Popish distinction betwixt guilt plaine satisfactorie and all to this end to derogate from Christes worke of our redemption and to make that which proceedeth from vs of some worthinesse and merit How sinnes going before Baptisme are pardoned according to the schoole of Rome and how after which they call a worke of condignitie As for sinnes going before Baptisme they grant that they are pardoned throughly in regard of the guilt and the paine and that by some meanes of the vertue of the sacred water with the action it selfe of Baptisme But as for the sinnes committed after baptisme the guilt and trespasse is pardoned the paine satisfactorie remaines to be paid partly in this life partly after death but in a coyne which hath the Popes image and superscription In this life by pater nosters Note well aues pilgrimages fastings foundations and other paines imposed in eare confession after death he must pay the remainder in purgatorie Yea but he that is there they say can merit no longer what shall become of the poore soule then Why he must be fetcht out of the fire by praiers and good works of the liuing And what good works are those Masses Requiems Dirges holy water and such great deuotions But how many shall fetch them out They cannot tell that yet they haue taxed seuerall mortall sinnes at a certaine number of daies and yeares But what if he be come out alreadie Tush that is not the losse of a requiem or masse It shall be set vpon the tale of another score to be allowed other But who hath the bestowing of them For sooth the merchant royall of pardōs the Pope holy father Cold comfort for poore papistes But what shall become of the poore that is able to giue nothing to haue these great deuotions after his death Mary he were best to merit well in his life for no peny no Pater noster vnlesse it please the Merchant to bestow an almes of his ouerplusse Then if all this be sound wherto serueth the satisfaction of Christ O sir wot you not why to make all these afore named pretie trinkets auaileable and to send you for a season into purgatorie where as you should haue gone into hell for euer O treason Besides the spirit of lying hath so controuled and countermaunded the obligation once made for all by Iesus Christ that he hath borne men in hand that the same must euery day be really and actually reiterated And whereas the supper of the Lord was ordained True vse of the Lords Supper first that we should be made partakers of that mysticall vnion of Iesus Christ together with all his merits vnto eternall life and secondly to celebrate with solemne thankesgiuing his onely and holy sacrifice once for all made they insteed of this haue thrust in their Masse wherein they say their priestes make a full satisfacton both for the quick and dead Popish priests do more by their Masse then Christ by his merits if you list to beleeue them which Masse of theirs is of greater efficacy then the first oblatiō which the sacrificer himselfe offered vpon the crosse seeing in his as they say the paine satisfactorie is reserued still to be paied but theirs maketh an entire satisfaction O intollerable treason Alas O Lord how long wilt thou beare it The second point of our redemption is sanctification The protestāts doctrine concerning sanctification It is also called regeneratiō or new birth because by it we become new mē as touching the qualities of the soule For as man made not himselfe at the first but the power of God the creator no more is man able to make himselfe a new creature but this is by the power of him who is made vnto vs sanctification 1. Cor. 1.30 For the bringing of this to passe we teach that the corruption of nature in the first Adam is abolished in the flesh of the high priest the second Adam in whom wee being vnited by faith fulfill the law by meerely free imputation 1. Cor. 1.30 Secondly the Lord Iesus Christ drawing vs vnto him by his holy spirit formeth in vs both to will and to doe Ephe. 1.18 Psal 51.12 2. Cor. 5.17 Act. 26.18 Ephes 5.8 enlightening the eies of our vnderstanding framing a cleane heart within vs making vs from the head to the foot new creatures bringing vs out of darkenes into light and from death vnto life Altogether the Catholicke Sophistes contradict this truth Ephes 2 1.5 The sophists absurdities touching new birth teaching that our nature is not wholly slaued vnto sinne but onely feebled by the fall of the first man And so they make our nature but like a lame man and the grace of God as a paire of crutches to establish their owne merits Againe they say that originall sin is really abolished by the water of outward baptisme with the words and the Chrisme c. as much say they of actuall sinnes going before baptisme Note well and loth them in those that are of ripe discretion before they be baptised prouided alway that they be not in mortall sinne Thus first they see not our originall malady Secondly they sophisticate the remedie both in making a miserable mingle-mangle of mans pure naturals Gods supernaturall grace Thirdly in giuing power to a sound of words sprinkling of water And lastly in substituting their own toies in the place of the Lord Iesus Fie on thē presumptuous traitors Protestants doctrine touching Christ his intercession There is yet his intercession which is so called because the vertue and power of his sacrifice is alwaies before God Secondly
Iustice is pictured with a paire of ballances in one hand and a sword in the other to teach you that Iustice must returne to iudgement whether in regarding the good or punishing the euill Improbum hominē praestat non accusasse quà m absoluisse It is better not to haue accused then after accusation to acquite the malefactour but to dally with Church enemies presageth future daunger and in time may proue fatall to the state Let Moses also be your president who punished idolaters against God as sharpely as traitours against himselfe O Lord that a traitour to the kingdome of Christ Iesus should find a friend in a Christian Commonwealth but of Iudges Magistrates and gouernours it were vntollerable Shall a poore theefe packe to Tiburne for fiue shillings and one that if it were in his hand would strangle or cut the throat of the Church escape scot-free Tully truly said Magistratus indicat virum authoritie declareth a man what he is whether he loue equitie or briberie iustice or crueltie Authoritie trieth a man religion or superstition If a Lion his pawes if a Wolfe his iawes will betraie him if he loue the Church and religion he will draw the sword against her foes if he be an ambodexter he careth but a little for her friends Here therfore I require you that as you serue God in feare and loue his truth in heart that so you would promote his glorie in zeale and punish the offender according to the exigence of the case for as it is an horrible sinne with Pilate to iudge Christ guiltlesse and then to condemne him with Festus to approue Pauls cause and then to leaue him in prison in like sort it is a wicked thing in words to sentence the enemies of Christ and indeed to turne them loose to liue at their pleasures like Foxes amidst the flocke to try what hauocke they can make of all I may not pretermit in this place the great care and conscience that ought to be in election of Magistrates in Cities Burrowes and Townes endewed with such priuiledges Iethro points out the properties of them which should beare rule Thou shalt choose out amongst all the people men of courage Exod. 18 fearing God and hating couetousnes and them shalt thou make gouernours ouer the people The Israelits desired God to graunt vnto Iosua Iosua 1 being newly made their gouernour an heart to go in and out before them A necessarie praier for what an vgly thing were it to choose Verres a theefe to inueigh against robberie Crassus a miser to make his plea against couetousnesse Gracchus a traitour to giue sentence against treason Nero a tyrant to declaime against crueltie that is to picke out such to punish sinne as are more worthie of punishment themselues like vnto the whore hunting Iudges of Samaria mentioned by Ieremie Ier. 5 And I would to God that such were not the election in many places where officers are chosen Vntollerable abuses cōmitted in manie places as if men would picke rottennes out of an apple where election is made a matter of formalitie where wealth not wisedome riches not religion sufficiencie to feast them no abilitie to gouerne them is the leuell of their choice Hence grow such swarmes of Atheistes Epicures Papists in many quarters of this land as it is lamentable to behold For the reason why wicked men abound is because wicked men beare rule Lastly All good subiects must be Fox-hunters euerie good Christian that desireth the free passage of the gospell of Iesus Christ in respect whereof all pompous glorie is no better then dounghill filthinesse and euerie good subiect that desireth the prosperitie of her Royall person and peace of this Realme must shew forth the power both of religion and loyaltie in this worke of setting the toyle wherewith to take these Foxes And that you may do it with alacritie and cheerefulnesse doe but consider how the diuell the Pope and the Turke haue giuen their consentes to supplant and vndermine or else openlie to assault and inuade this vineyarde of the Lorde Let there bee a sacrifice proclaimed to the Queene of Heauen there will be no spare of cost or trauaile Young men will cut woode children will gather chippes women will fetch water olde men afforde wheat one will knead dough another heat the Ouen and all to sacrifice I say to the Queen of heauen Yea there liueth many amongst vs whose hearts are full of bitternesse because they may not sing salue regina These are they that vse wicked consultation in holy places prophane our Temples by lewde conference and make the house of praier a denne of theeues Priuie markes of Romish Foxes These are they that construe euerie accident to the aduantage of their owne purpose These are they that by their whispering tales woulde put men in feare when there is no cause of feare thinking to make men affraid of scarre-crowes But the name of God be praysed who is vnto this land euen a wall of Brasse who as he hath giuen vs religion from heauen as a crowne so hath it pleased him to strengthen this kingdome with loyaltie as a strong defence and yet more magnified be thy name O Lord our fortresse and deliuerer who when disloyall persons haue been founde endeuouring to prostitute our beautie to a straunger hast discouered the conspiracie and brought deserued destruction vpon the deuisers so Lord we beseech thee still to watch ouer vs. Amen CHAPTER 13 Two Toiles wherby Foxes must be taken 1 The word truly preached 2 Good lawes duly executed The miserable end of traitours THe gardiens and keepers of the spirituall vineyard as hath been declared ought to be in continual chase of these hurtfull beasts and not to leaue them vntill either they be transformed into sheepe or else driuen quite out The word of God the first toile wherewith to take Foxes that the whole flocke be not hazarded Now the first meanes to effect this is by pitching the haies and setting the toiles of the word of God by the light whereof their darknes may be discouered as also by the fire thereof the chaffe of their lies and falshood may be consumed Hereby you may see the necessitie of such a ministerie as is able to handle the sword of the word with both hands as is able to beget his people in the faith to confirme the established to strengthen the weake to reclaime the back-sliders and to confute the aduersarie that the enemie may no sooner peepe out his head but the sworde of the spirit may be readie to cut it off Yee famous Vniuersities eternized in Honours booke for deepe learning and feruent loue to Religion Almightie God make you still fruitefull that from you both as sisters endowed with like priuiledges crowned with like honour may proceed Foxe-hunters into euerie corner and quarter of this land Your children hitherto haue receiued all chalenges of Romane Champions and chased this noysome vermine that