hée doth giue power and strength vnto his in the vertue and power of his woord to roote out breake off destroy and make wast to build vp and plant as he promised in Ieremy and afterward confirmed by the mouth of his sonne sending his Apostles through out the whole world Then let all those bée confounded and put to shame which doe thincke to abolish the true christian religion by force of armes or with a great companie of people or by threateninges For as an auncient author hath very wel written that it is no religion to constraine the religiō the which men ought to receiue with a willing heart our religion cannot be forced and constrayned by force of armes but by woordes As for vs bicause that the Gospell hath bene preached throughout the whole worlde amonge the horrible persecutions of the martyres and that the bloode of them hath bene the séede of the Church yea that the Church is come to her perfection and greatnesse by those persecutions and hath ben crowned by the punishments and witnesses of the true faythfull christians we do make it no doubt to mainteine and defende our religion by the same meanes by the which she hath bene established I doe meane by patience and gentlenesse in such sort that although that our enimies doe yet murmure yet we are assured that the gates of hell shall not ouercome vs forasmuch as the church is the house of God the pyller and ground of truth We doe beléeue also that the persecutions which we do suffer doe not serue for any other thing then to witnesse the tyrannie and crueltie of our enimies and to assure more and more the veritie of our doctrine in our constantnesse and patience Euen as the persecution of Lot did figure none other thing but the vtter subuersion of the Citie of Sodome The affliction of the Israelites did declare and teach none other thing but the wast and destruction of the people of Aegypt to be nigh at hand To conclude the blood of the prophets did demonstrate declare the vengeaunce of God vpon that citie of Ierusalem so goodly and excelent According to that which is saide in Iesus the sonne of Siraach that bicause of vnrighteous dealing wrong blasphemies and diuers deceites a realme shal be translated from one people to an other And sainct Paule doth shewe and declare that the thinges which haue happened vnto him are tourned to the great furthering of the Gospell So that his bands in Christ were famous through out all the iudgement hall and in al other places Insomuch that many of the brethren in the Lord were boldened through his bands and dare more franckly speake the word I do speake vnto those which doe thincke to abolysh the true christian religion by the bloode of the faithfull as some which are so madde and senselesse willing to quench the fire doe put into it oyle For the Lord is come to sende fire on the earth And what desireth he more but that it be kindled If he himselfe hath embraced it in the heartes of the faithful who shall quench it Finally who shall seperate them from the loue of Christ shal tribulation or anguish or persecution either hunger either nakednesse either perill either swoord God forbid for in the same they are more thē vanquished by him which hath loued them Wherefore those are to much deceiued which doe thinck by some meanes whatsoeuer it bée to put out and quench in vs that lyght knowledg of Christ and celestiall veritie and doe not consider that sure loue is mightie as the death and gelousie as the hell her coales are of fire and a very flame of the Lord so that many waters are not able to quench loue neither may the streames drowne it Héere some will saye vnto me that the dooing of the religion ought to mainteine it selfe not by force of armes but by patience and méekenesse who haue moued and stirred vp those of the reformed religion to put themselues with force armes against the tyrannie of their enimies I doe aunswere that as it was lawefull by the olde lawe for the people of God to take weapons against the Philistians Moabites Madianites and other nations contrarie vnto the people of the Iewes then for that they were forced and constrained of them in their religion personnes or goodes Also it hath not bene lesse lawfull vnto those of the reformed religion hauing expresse commaundement of the king to kéepe defend by weapons that which hath bene concluded and determined so holily by the priuie counsayle for the dooing of the religion and the ecclesiasticall pollicie Inasmuch as all was confirmable and agreeing to gods lawe and expresse commaundement of the king who dyd aduowe them to doe the same by many letters and writings Euen as Dauid did take the weapons against Goliath forcing and troubling the people of God. And Gedeon did rise vp against the Madianites for to deliuer his people Iudith against Holophernes willing altogether to destroy and exterminate the Iewes Furthermore if the warre bée lawefull as it appeareth that the LORD did alowe so many warres of the Israelites And our LORD Iesus Christ dyd not despise the estate of the souldiers and of the Centurian In the Gospell chiefly and principally in two thinges weapons may be lawefull As king Alphonsus doth very well declare that is to say for the lawe and for the flocke I doe meane for the religion and the tuition of his person and of hys subiectes and for that the consciences the bodyes and the goodes haue bene forced and compelled euery where and that there was no more redyer helpe for to remedy that disease then to take weapons Not without cause then wée following the expresse commaundement of the king the aduise of the best reformed Churches together wyth the counsell of the most learned straungers of the realme haue taken the weapons for to withstand such iniuries and violences pretending none other thinge but the honoure of GOD the aduauncement of his kingdome and the health of his with the preseruation of the scepter of our king Which if the Painim or Heathen man hath wrytten that men ought to take weapons to the ende that without wrong they maye liue in peace In such sorte that the intente of those whyche doe carie them is none other thing but to séeke peace Who shall bée so shamelesse or madde that dare say that it is euill done to haue vpholden and mainteined by weapons the assaultes and force of our enimies for to liue in rest both of our goodes and of our consciences Furthermore if those children of the Machabeans are praised to haue constantly suffred death for to mainteine the lawes of their countrey shal it be compted vnto vs dishonoure shame to haue bestowed our life and our goodes for to mainteine the lawefull christian lawes of the king Without the
A Prayer LOrde God heauenly father and altogether mightie which hast drawen away and saued thy faithfull seruants Lot and Daniel from the flaming fire Moyses from the middest of the waters one Ioas from amonge them that were slaine and hast reserued in the persecution of Achab and of Iesabel so many thousand men which haue not bowed their knées vnto Baal yea hast lefte alwayes vnto thy people some prophets and true ministers of thy law in the captiuitie of Babilon Giue vnto vs thy grace in this ciuill warre and persecution of our owne countrey men yea our domesticall seruantes to acknowledge that thy hande is not so shortned that it cannot saue or helpe neither is thine eare so stopped that it cannot heare But that our iniquites haue made the diuision betwéene thée and vs and that our sinnes haue hid thy face frō vs To the end that we staying on thy mercy may not be altogether desolate Giue O Lord such feare vnto our enimies that they may haue cause to inuocate and call vpon thy name in such sort that we all with one spirite and will may confesse that thou art the ayde of the humble and little ones the helper of the weake and féeble the protectour of them that are forsaken the sauiour of the abiectes yea thou art the Lord of hoastes which doest reserue alwaies for vs a fewe aliue to the ende that we shoulde not be made like vnto Sodome and like vnto Gomorra and not to fal in dispaire with the vnbeléeuing And therefore wée praye thée in the fauoure or for the loue of him which hath cried with a loude voice that the Foxes haue holes and the byrdes of the ayre haue neastes but the sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head he I say which deliuered himselfe vnto death for to assure vs of our dwelling in the heauenly kingdome our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer Amen ¶ THAT THE CHRISTIAN Religion cannot be tied or bound to any limittes and bounds Cap. 3. 2. TIM 2. b. The worde of God is not bounde IF it be written that the king being sette vpon the seate of his kingdome shal write the Law and shall reade therin al the daies of his life that he may learne to feare the Lord his God and for to kéepe all the woordes of his lawe and his ordinaunces for to doe them and the same LORD doth promise vnto his Church that kings shal be her noursing Fathers and Quéenes shal be her norishing mothers It is certeine that as righteousnesse and truth are the estabishing of the throne or feate of the Lord so doth he preserue and keepe the kinges and doth mainteine their scepter by godlinesse and trueth I doe saie further if the Egiptians haue in such recommendation and praise the practise of their religion aboue all things as saith Plato that they will not create and make a king except that he were promoted and consecrated a priest yea greatly occupied or exercised in the dooings of the priestes And the Persians will not alowe or admitte for their prince but him which hath the knowledge of the science and discipline of the magiciens which doth conteine the true vse of their religiō Insomuch as vnto the young Princes of the countrey were ordeined foure schole maisters of whō the first did teach them the magicke of Orcastrus the sonne of Oroniasus which did conteine the dooings of the religion Truely we ought not to doubt but that the estate duetie of a christian Prince is first of al to establish mainteine the dooing of the religion and to acknowledge that he is the minister of God for the health of al men to the ende that the goods which the Lord hath giuē vnto him he should kéepe part of thē distribute part of thē that he do manifest delare him self by works as Aristotle doth write vnto Alexander that the kingdome is giuen vnto him to the end to doo wel vnto man kinde To the end also that vnder his obedience the good may be defended from iniuries and oppressions of the wicked leading a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie loking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the mightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Forasmuch then as it is nothing to professe to knowe God and with the déedes to denie him to haue a similitude of godly liuing but haue denied the power thereof that is not also much to mainteine a religion for certeine and true and in the meane time do depriue themselues from the exercise of the same for as the woorks do declare our faith so the exercise of the religion doth assure vs that we be no more as children wauering and caried with euery winde of doctrine but that we following trueth with loue we may growe and increase altogether in him which is the head that is to say Iesus Christ To conclude that the Lorde would be knowen chiefly in the assembly of the true christians as Dauyd sayth I will praise thée in the great congregation and performe my vowes in the sight of all them that feare thée and in another place he sayth Sing vnto the Lorde a newe songe let the congregation of the Sainctes prayse him and in an other place he sayth giue thanckes O Israel vnto God the LORD in the congregations from the grounde of the heart And Iesus Chryst hath promised his that where there shall bée two or thrée gathered together in his name that he will be in the midst of them Furthermore if the Prophet Dauid hath written that the woorde of God is a lanterne vnto our féete and a light vnto our pathes Iesus Christ would not that that lyght shoulde bée hid vnder a bushell but that it be set vpon a candlesticke that it may gyue light vnto all them that are in the house Therefore he woulde that our lyght should so shine before men that they may sée our good workes and glorifie our heauenly father which is in heauen Otherwise he that would limit and bind the dooing and exercise of the true christian religion in a certeine place as did of late certeine of the Iewes at the temple of Ierusalem and the other at the Mountaine of Garizen that should be to giue occasion of sclaunder not onely vnto the Christians estraungers and others but also vnto the auncient enymies of our Relygion to blame the name of the LORD For as the LORD hath no regarde vnto the appearaunce of men But in all people hée that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him So his worde ought not to be limitted in certeine places or persons inasmuch as by his word wée haue knowledge of him for vnto the end he hath sent vs by his welbeloued disciple saying search the scriptures for in them ye thincke ye haue
at this day we shall finde more straunge that vnder colour of some ordinarie tribute they doe suffer vnpunished the Iewes with the Christians the common harlots with the married women the Temples consecrated vnto strange vnknowen Gods amōg the middest of the Christian Churches But for all that it followeth not that they ought to chase driue vs out of the realme to depriue vs from our goods to exile and banishe vs from our landes to conclude to force vs in our bodies and consciences except that it be first decided and determined by the word of GOD that the Romishe Churche is the true Churche on the contrarie side that they doe knowe by the same Iudgement that ours is contrarie vnto the true Christian Churche For as the Lorde doth sende vs by his Prophet vnto the lawe and to the witnesse not vnto the deade So doth he commaunde vs by his welbeloued sonne to search diligently the Scriptures because that they are those which do beare witnesse of our saluation And euen as I say that it was but a small thing that the Iewes did reproch Iesus that he was a Samaritane and had the deuill And that they did call his Apostles deceiuours and sowers of newe doctrin To conclude that amōg the Romain Emperours they no more estéemed the Christian religion then of a new superstition or dangerous profession Also it shall not muche serue to crie dayly that they ought to kill vs banish and exile vs from our landes except that they doe declare vnto vs by the worde of God wherein we do swarue from the Christian church For it doth not followe that our religion is false because that it is contrarie vnto the Romish Church no mor then we must say that the doctrine of Iesus Christ was euil because that it was contrarie to the traditions of the Scribes and Pharises And it shall yet lesse serue in that matter to alledge vnto vs the prescription of the time in asmuch as the gospel doth rule vs or the greatnesse and magnificence of the Romish Church in regarde of ours forasmuch as they doe knowe that thorowe force and hypocrisie the ministers of the same haue vsurped such power aucthoritie and greatnesse For in those foundations the scepter reigne of Antichrist is shored vp mainteined And such are the markes of all false religion doctrine as doth witnesse vnto vs besides that which is said in the scripture of the sonne of perdition the good Cosba which did reigne in the time of Hely Adrian Emperour of the Romains him which doth call himselfe at this day the great Lord. For the true Christian religion doth not consist and lie in weapon or strength but in weeping and in bewailing no more then the brightnesse and clerenesse of the same in the force and strength of handes but in the patiēce and hope of men To conclude the perfection of our law doth not consist in visible outwarde thinges but in the most déepest places of mens hartes and imaginacions That is then without any purpose to conclude that we must be exiled from our countrie bicause they cannot suffer two religions except that the subporters mainteiners of the Romish church doe confesse by the same meanes that the truth is odious vnto them Euen so the people of Athens dyd chase and driue from their Citie and did put to death him in Cyprus which hath established the lawes Euen so Licurgus was banished of those whom he instructed in all good dysciplyne and ordinances Euen so Aristides was exiled and banished his countrye although they could rebuke him of none other thing but that he was too iuste The tyme will not serue mée to speake of the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles it suffiseth me to send or apply the rest vnto that which the Apostle speaketh off vnto the Hebrewes the xj Chapter To conclude the confession of so many martyres of our religion ioyned with the worde of God doth giue most sure witnesse that wée are not the disciples of the God of the Gentiles for to deceiue men through ambiguitie and obscuritie of matters nor of an Idol Dagon God of the Philistians for to make vs afrayde in the presence of the Arke of the Lorde The humblenesse and obedience of ours and the despising that they haue of worldly goodes doe euidently declare howe abhominable the pride of Babilon the mother of fornication is vnto them Finally their bloodshed in all places doth sufficiently teach our enimies what fayth and hope they haue vnto the promises of the Lorde and to the merite of Iesus Christ and what defiaunce and distrust they haue of the power and might of creatures I will not héere compare the pollicie and rule of our Church vnto that of the Apostles and yet lesse the manners of ours to the life of them I doe leaue off to speake to them which with right conscience doe bring some meane knowledge to the holy scripture what difference there is betwéene the church of Iesus Christ that of Rome what deformitie they doe finde of ours to that of the Apostles I doe meane for the regard and respect of the doctrine and pollicie assuring my selfe in that matter that if they doe consider it throughly rightly and without affection they shal be more attentiue to correct and amende their owne vices then enclyned to condempne so lightly ours Furthermore it is easy to iudge that our religion is neither double neither fayned in that chiefly wée do holde nothing lesse then of the superstitions of the Gentiles nor of the ceremonies of the Hebrewes knowing that they were a shadowe of thinges nowe come No more then of so many traditions of the scribes and Pharises but that the simplicitie and plainnes of the holy scripture doth please vs or for to speake better the playne and simple veritie of the same making our selues agréeable to the worde of hym which hath sayde that GOD woulde bée worshipped in spirite and truth our LORD Iesus Chryst vnto whom be glorie for euer Amen Ieremie 2. c. My people hath done two euils They haue forsaken mee the wel of the water of life and digged them pittes yea vile and broken pittes that holde no water A Prayer O Lord which art full of compassion and mercy shed out thy mercy and fatherly goodnesse vpon that mad and furious people which doe gather themselues daily against thée for to abolish thy glorious name and to deface from the earth the remembraunce of thy sonne Christ Regard with pittie all those which go about by all meanes to obscure and darken thy lawe for to establish their traditions and do enforce themselues daily to chase and dryue away him whō thou hast sent in thi name for to receiue him which of longe tyme hath vsurped the seate of thy sonne in his owne name yea which are not ashamed to presente vnto the Chrystyan people in steede of a Iesus
peace Cap. 7. Philip. I. d. Continue in one spirite and in one mynd fighting altogether through the fayth of the gospell in nothing feare your aduersaries FOrasmuch as the Scripture doth teach vs that God is not the God of confusion but of peace And that the Gospell of the Christians is called by the Prophet the message of peace And the christian church the congregatioÌ„ of saincts which doe liue in the peace of god Insomuch that the propht Esaie speaking of the church of God saith that God will let peace into her as a water floud and the might of the heathen as a flowing streame And in Baruch the god shal name his church with this name that is to say the peace of righteousnesse and the honoure of gods feare Finally forasmuch as the Church of GOD is the piller and staye of gods truth truely they maye knowe plainely howe wee ought to bee all diligent to keepe the vnitie of the spirite through the bande of peace to the ende that wée all agréeing together may after the ensample of Iesus Christ with one mouth as saith Sainct Paule praise Gâ—D which is the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ And that we hence foorth be no more as chyldren wauering and caried about with euery winde of doctrine But let vs followe the truth with loue and in all things grow vp in to him which is the head that is to say Christ On the other side we are taught to auoide as much as we may possible the debates and contentions of the lawe and the parcialities touching the dooing of the religion According as Saint Paule did exhorte the Corinthians in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ that they all speake one thing and that there be no discentions among them But that they be knit together in one minde and in one iudgement that they doe continue of all one minde al fighting of one courage by faith And also hee dyd warne and admonish the Philippians that they bée lyke minded hauing the selfe same loue béeing of one accorde and of one iudgement that nothing be done through strife or vaine glorie but that in méekenesse of minde euery man estéeme other better then himselfe On the other side he writeth vnto Titus that he do suppresse foolishe questions and genelogies and brawling and strife about the lawe as vaine and superfluous Also the same Saint Paul doth complaine to the Philippians that some there are which preach Christ of enuie and strife and not purely Also in his seconde Epistle to the Corinthians he saith that hée and Siluianus haue preached vnto you Gods sonne Iesus Christ not in double worde yea and nay but in this worde which is true that is to say yea The same Apostle doth giue vnto vs the reason of this doctrine when he saith that questions and strife of wordes do ingender enuie strife railings euil furmising vain disputations of men with corrupt mindes And saith also in an other place that if there be enuyâ—ng strife sects among vs we do declare that we are carnall and walke after the manner of men For verily he that is contentious in the church especially touching the doing of the religion he sinneth many wayes First in that hee breaketh the vnitie of the Christian Church which ought to be vnited and ioyned together not onely by naturall coniunction and amitie but also by vnitie of doctrine For as Iesus Christ saith that by this shall al men knowe that we are his disciples if we haue loue one to an other Also saint Paul doth warne vs to beware of them which cause diuision and offences contrarie to the doctrine which they haue learned and auoide them Consequently he which is contencious in the church concerning the doctrine or doing of the religion First of all he sinneth against Iesus Christ which is the head of the Christian church and prince of peace as saith the prophet inasmuch as he hath reconciled all things vnto himselfe to set at peace through the bloude of his crosse both things in earth and things in heauen Secondly he doth giue occasion vnto the simple and foolish people to erre and go astray from the christian Church in the which doth lie and rest the piller of our saluation And that the same is greatly odious and hatefull vnto God Iesus Christ doth teach and declare it when he saith Wo be vnto him through whome offences come it were better for him that a great milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were cast into the sea then that he shoulde offende one of these little ones The which his Apostle doth confirme shewing vnto the Galathians that he that troubleth them shall beare his condemnation whosoeuer he be and desireth that they that trouble them may be cut off from them Finally he doth giue occasion vnto straungers and enimies of our religion to blame the name of God. According as the prophet did rebuke the gouernours priestes of the house of Israel that they haue caused the multitude to be offended at the lawe And Sainct Paul writing vnto the Romanes saith that the name of God is euil spokeÌ„ off among the Gentiles through them And by good right a certeine auncient authour did complaine that we many wayes in the church do teare and rent Gods coate through our contentions the which the Souldiours durst not deuide in his passion the whiche did moue sometime the Iewes as Clement Alexandrinus doth witnes to swell and rise vp euen there against the Christians to say that the Christian religion was not of God but some pernicious sect and false religion Because that the Christians had debates and contentions in the church For the same occasion that great heriticke Celsus and chiefest enimy of the christians did rebuke daily the christians of their diuisions and parcialities saying that it were not expedient that they shoulde growe and increase to any more greater number Bicause that being but a fewe in number they would be of one accorde and agrée well together but assone as they did multiplie and waxe many they woulde fall into diuersities of opinions Also Samosetanus in the ecclesiastical history doth witnesse that the Emperour Constantine did suffer verie impatiently the controuersies and contentions of the christians saying that by that means they do turne many men from the christian religion Vnto whome Themistus a christian Philosopher aunswered that the differences controuersies of the christians were nothing in respect of the confusion of the sect of the Gentiles Also the same authour saith moreouer that for certeine small contentions which do chaunce and happen to the churches the church must not therefore leaue and forsake the principall foundation of the true religion nor to be the true churches but that by that means the Lorde doth trie and proue the hearts of many doth declare make plaine the
veritie of the christian doctrin as it is said that there must be euen heresies among vs that they whiche are perfect among vs might be knowen By that meanes we will not here denie but that alwayes ther hath ben some smal contention in the doctrine as it appeared that for the same cause was the counsell of the Apostles assembled together To conclude the scripture doth declare the difference whiche was offered betwene Peter and Paul Apostles And the Christian histories doe make mention of some little controuersies concerning the doing of the religion betwéene Peter Alexandrinus and Myletus Epiphanius and Chrisostome Hierome Augustine but we do exhort the Christians not to abuse the giftes of GOD through vaine glorie or contention for to be séene and estéemed the one aboue the other On the other side to humble them selues vnder the wisedome of him which hath saide that he hath not determined with himselfe to knowe any other thing saue Iesus Christe and him crucified And in an other place of the same Epistle he saith be assured that the kindome of God is not in words but in the power of the spirit Nowe the remedie helpe in such differences as Cyprian saith is to haue recourse to the beginning of Iesus Christ and of his gospel to the tradition of the Apostles To the end that from thence may rise and come foorth the reason of our doing whereof the order hath taken his beginning For inasmuch as Iesus Christ ought to be heard aboue all we ought not to consider that which some haue done before vs But that which Iesus Christ hath done obserued which is before all Insomuch that we must cast all the counsailes opinions definitions of men vnto the holy scriptures and in the to depose put downe all hautinesse arrogancie and enuious contencion and where it shal happen that the holy scripture hath nothing concluded determined In that case they ought to follow the manner and fashion of the most auncient Churches with whom the Apostles haue bene conuersant To conclude when the tradition of the apostles do faile they must beléeue the tradition of the churches which haue bene ruled and gouerned be the disciples and successours of the Apostles or those which haue had charge of them beholde how they ought to resolue the doubtes cōtrouersies which are in the Churches rather then by vaine disputations and vnprofitable contentions which do serue to none other end but to engender strifes And it maketh me afraide howe that in these latter dayes for the ignoraunce and calamitie of the time they haue thought to declare and expounde the darke places of the scripture and the debates moued in the Churche by questions of naturall Philosophie rather then by the scripture rightly vnderstanded and applied vnto his true sense Also Sainct Paule doeth admonishe and warne vs to beware least any man come and spoile vs through Philosophie and deceitfull vanitie through the traditions of men according to the ordinaunces of the worlde not after Christ Also sithens the Apostles Tertulian an auncient authour hath called the Philosophers the patriarkes of heriticks Also Saint Hierome hath confessed that the opinions of heritickes are founde amonge the subtilties of Aristotle and of Crisippus I will content my selfe at this time with the witnesse of a certeine Philosopher whereof mention is made in the counsaile of Nyce who being wonne and brought to the christian religion yea without any kinde of disputation by a poore simple and foolish man as the texte saith and being asked how the same was happened vnto him forasmuch as before the most learned men of the counsaile could not vāquish ouercome him by disputations and naturall philosophie aunswered that as long as they did speake against him by subtiltie of reasones he knewe verie well to aunswere to the arguments of his aduersaries by the same meanes But when the vertue was manifested vnto him by the mouth of him which hath pronounced it the words could not resist vertue nor man coulde speake against God. The same doth learne vs first of all to submitte our selues vnto the auncient church and best reformed as it is saide in Sainct Iohn my shepe heare my voice Secondly not to do any thing through enuie contention or vaine glorie but to beare with a patient minde one an other in all méekenesse and humilitie Thirdly not to presume so much that they would applie and referre the christian doctrine or rule the doing of our religion to mannes philosophie but to bring it againe to the true beginning and originall of the Scripture and to the traduction of Iesus Christe and of his successours Finally to beléeue that although that the slaunders and herisies doe come and happen vnto the church as well for the aduauncement of Gods glorie as for to proue and trie the true faithful christians yet truely he which is the causer thereof shall beare the condemnation Wherfore inasmuch as the scripture doth teach vs that the multitude of them that beléeued in the primatiue church were of one heart and of one soule that from thence we haue taken the beginning of our religion and doctrine going about and endeuouringe our selues as much as in vs is possible and according to the portion and measure of the giftes and graces which we haue receiued of the Lorde to make our selues agréeable confirmable to that auncient church insomuch that we being all of one minde may liue in peace and loue in the which we are called and the God of loue and peace shal be with vs Amen GALATH. 5. c. If we doe bite and deuoure one another let vs take heed least we be consumed one off another A prayer O Lord which art not the God of confusion but of peace yea whiche hast taught vs by thy welbeloued sonne that euerie kingdome deuided within it selfe shal be desolate Giue vs grace that we all being vnited by one loue and vnitie of doctrine our enimies may knowe that not onely we are the true disciples of thy sonne But that they may witnesse by workes that the church to the which thou hast incorporated vs by one faith one baptisme one God and father of all that beléeue is the true christian church and the piller and staye of the trueth to the end that we all being ioyned together in loue in all riches of the certitude of vnderstanding may increase in thy knowledge and be ioyned altogether as liuely stones for to be made an holy temple Offering vnto thée a sacrifice of praise that is the fruit of our lippes confessing his name Through our Lord Iesus Christe to whom be glory for euer Amen THAT IT IS THE DVETIE of a chrstian prince to watch take good heede that the estate of the religion doe abide cōtinue vndefiled impoluted as well in the true seruing of God as
one smal fault fearing to lose their prebendes dignities and prerogatiues and in the meane time doe make it no conscience to bée founde dailie with conspiracies and threatnings for to put an whole realme in a pray for to shed as water the innocent blood O time O manners the prince doth vnderstande it the Senate doth sée it And yet neuerthelesse such good Lords do liue what sayde I liue yea doe sitte in counsell which if they are so curious to marke the dooinges of their fathers for to serue them in their owne dooinges They will remember verie well the saying of Sainct Ambrose béeing printed and set in their Canons that is to say that the true munitions of Gods ministers are wéepings teares Insomuch that thys good author doth crye so often that béeing forced and constrayned he may sigh and wéepe otherwise he cannot resist In such sort that he did not determine to take for his weapons against the iniuries of the men of Gotia but his wéepings and his teares I wyll not héere referre the dooing of Moses Hely and Iehu vnto our time and of an especiall and perticuler acte to make a generall rule among the christian princes for to arme and moue them vnto some kynde of cruelnesse against so many false priests I doe accorde with them that they doe kéepe the zeale of them and leaue the déede such as it is So that according to the example of Iesus Christ king of kinges and Lorde of Lordes they doe cast out of the christian Church so many marchaunts and hyred priestes and doe not suffer that of Gods house they doe make it a market or a denne of théeues For euen as Ely was grieuously punished for hiding and coueringe the sinnes of his children Also it is to bee feared that the lyke doe not chaunce and happen vnto those which are establyshed by the LORDE for to mainteine and keepe the estate of the religion and in the meane time doe suffer freely and vnpunished the sinnes of the pastors and teachers of the people and it is to be feared but that the Lord will send in the ende that which is spoken of in Ezechiell that is to say calamitie vpon calamitie crie vpon crie that the lawe of the priest doe not perish and the counsaile of the elders As the same Lorde did menace and threaten his people in an other place of the Prophet saying that hée wyll forbid the heauen to giue them any dew and the earth to giue them increase And will call for a drouth vppon the earth both vpon the land and vppon the mountaines vppon euery thing that the ground bringeth vpon men and vpon cattel yea and vpon al handie labour Bicause saith he that his house lyeth so wast that euery man runneth to his owne house The Lord shewing and declaring the fault and ingratitude of those which for to vnderstand the affaires and dooings of this worlde doe negligentlie passe their duetie in that which apperteineth vnto the affaires of the religion They cannot abide that any thing should bee attempted either in déede or worde against their personnes or goodes And they do not thinke it straunge to crucifie Iesus Christ for to saue a théefe and a seditious Barrabas or for to cut off the head of Iohn Baptist for to gratifie and please the desire of others Haue not haue not then O ye christian princes regarde to the brightnesse and magnificence of the Romish Church And beléeue not lightlie all lying spirites But proue the spirites whether they are of God or not for many false prophetes are gone out into the world and way not the dooing of the religion to the opinion of the common people But to the word of God according to the which the Lord would bée serued and honoured and not according to the mindes of men Forasmuch thē as such professors of the truth do goe in shéepes clothing and inwardlie are rauening wolues Also doe shew outwardly in their temples some appearaunce of religion as of late the Aegyptians did yet in the meane time vnder coloure of deuotion doe worshippe the creatures and workes of their handes And forasmuch as the Lord hy his prophet doth call you Noursses of his church chase driue away from his shéepefolde so many vnprofitable and hired shéepheardes And in their place send workemen approued workemen that néede not to be ashamed which doe deuide the word of truth iustly Cause that those which doe professe to teach doe put from them foolish and vnlearned questions that they doe nothing in declining to one side To conclude that they doe not giue heede to ieerish fables and genealogies nor to the commaundements of men for to turne them from the truth but that they doe handle the woorde purely as by God before God by Christ not through enuie contention or discorde But purely as those which are constituted for the defence of the gospell In that dooing as saith Sainct Paule of the true ministers of the church you shall saue your selues and those that doe here the word Amen 2. Paralip 29. a. Ezechias caused the Leuites and priestes to come and assembled thē together into the East streete And sayd vnto them here me ye Leuites purifie your selues halow the house of the Lord God of your fathers and bring out the filthinesse out of the holy place A Prayer O Lord in whom are the riches and honours and which reignest ouer all in whose hande are power and strength and greatnesse empire vnto all things which prouest the heartes and hast pleasure in plainnesse disposest the thoughts of the hearts of the people Giue thy iudgments and thy iustice vnto the king whom thou hast established ouer vs to the ende that he may iustly commaunde thy people to kéepe thy lawe Prepare so our heartes that wée liuing vnder his obedience in all sanctitie and righteousnesse may worship thée also with one will in spirite and trueth not dooing that that séemeth good in our owne eyes but that which is agreable vnto thee and that which thou commaundest vs To the ende that by that meanes all the world may know that the same that thou hast of late forespoken or prophesied of thy church be verified in vs that is to say the kings shal be the nursing fathers of thy people queenes shal be their noursing mothers for to norish and féede them of spirituall meat of which thy welbeloued sonne said that his meat was to doe the will of him the sent him our Lord Iesus Christ To whom be glory for euer ¶ THAT IT IS THE RENOWNE of a Christian prince to be beloued of his Subiectes Cap. 9. Siraac in his Ecclesiast 6. c. ¶ A faithfull friende is a strong defence FOrasmuch then as euerie kingdome deuided within it selfe shall bée desolate And euery house deuided within it selfe shall fall one vpon an other And experience doth teach