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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19267	An admonition to the people of England vvherein are ansvvered, not onely the slaunderous vntruethes, reprochfully vttered by Martin the libeller, but also many other crimes by some of his broode, obiected generally against all bishops, and the chiefe of the cleargie, purposely to deface and discredite the present state of the Church. Seene and allowed by authoritie.	Cooper, Thomas, 1517?-1594.	1589 (1589)	STC 5682; ESTC S118522	145,211	254

in heauen he was borne vnder bondage and payed tribute to Caesar that hee might deliuer vs from the tyrannie of Hel he was debased euen to the company of bruite beasts that he might bring vs to the glorious company of Angels he lay in hay in a Crib that he might procure euerlasting foode for our soules finally he was accused of sin put to most cruel death that we being iustified by his merite might appeare innocent in the sight of God These be the sweet comfortable cogitations that good christians should conceiue vpon the consideration of Christs poore base state in this life For pouerty in Christ was not so much for exāple of life as to satisfie a punishment due to sinne Riches is the good blessing and gift of God but pouertie came in at the same doore that death did that is by the disobedience of our first father Wee may not therefore thinke with Monks Friers that pouerty in it self is a more holy state of liuing then wealth riches is But of that more hereafter Novv let vs cōsider what maner of pouerty this was in Christ Christ vvas in himself exceeding rich both as the sonne of God as the sonne of man As God he had all things common with his father All thinges that my father hath saith he are mine And againe All thine are mine and mine are thine As touching his humanitie he is likewise of great possessions For his Father saith vnto him Desire of me I shal giue thee the heathen for thine inheritance the vttermost parts of the earth for thy possessiō How hapned it then that Christ being in right Lord of so great possessions became in the time of his dispensation almost in the state of a beggar certainly quia ipse voluit because he would himself For he that filleth heauen earth was borne in an Oxe stall in Bethleem he that had al power in the vvhole vvorld vvas a banished person for a certaine time in Egypt he that feedeth with sustenance man beast foule fish partly by labor gat his liuing partly was fed with the liberalitie of other He that prouideth apparel foral things hung naked vpō the Crosse he that sitteth in heauen as his throne hath the earth for his footestoole at an other mans charge was buried and layd in a strange Sepulchre Christs pouertie therfore was vvilling not of any necessitie of holinesse as I haue said but to beare that vvhich for sinne was due to vs. Now I pray you mark y e strength of the former reason Christ to sustaine the punishment due to our sinnes liued in great pouerty humility in this world therfore bishops ministers of the Church of necessitie must liue in pouertie and not haue any wealthy liuings by lands or otherwise I trust they that haue care of their consciences will not easily be led to any perswasion by such reasons They will say Christ did this also for our example I graunt in some respect he did so By his example he teacheth vs humblenesse and modestie that we may not be loath to doe those things that he did for the benefite commoditie of our Christian brother If we so swell with pride that in respect of our Noblenesse or birth or great estate in the worlde wee disdaine other and thinke our poore neighbour doeth vs iniurie if he in respect of Christian brotherhood require of vs a benefit for his better reliefe then is it time for vs to behold the Sonne of God lying poorly in a cribbe or manger betweene beastes who although he were God eternall with his Father and by his mother borne of the most noble family of many Kings and Prophets yet for our sake he did so humble debase himself that he came in so poore and vile condition before men Furthermore Christ by his example hath as it were consecrated pouertie trouble miserie and affliction that they may not be accompted tokens of the wrath of God or such things as do hinder true pietie holinesse or let the saluation of our soules For as mans nature doeth abhorre all afflictions so chiefly do men thinke pouertie and neede to be not onely one of the greatest miseries that can happen to man but also hatefull to God himselfe Thus we see men cōmonly to thinke of such as are any way fallen into pouerty misery Let Iob hereof be an example In this cause also it is expedient for vs to looke vpō our poore Christ and to set him before our eyes that wee may both more patiently beare these things vvhen for Gods cause they light vpon vs and more charitably iudge of other whom God therewith toucheth yea it is good to teach vs to pul downe our brissles when we waxe proude of those gifts of plenty and riches that God hath giuen vs. Thus you see what profit the example of Christes pouertie bringeth but I pray you to whom is Christ an example to bishops and Ministers only did he liue in poore miserable state for Ministers only did he die for their sinnes only God forbid He was borne he liued he died for all mankinde and all faithfull haue the fruite of this his birth his life and his death Therefore the example of Christs life must stretch further then to Bishops and Ministers It is a farre truer argument to say Christ liued a simple and poore life while hee was here on earth therefore all Christians ought to liue in the same maner that he did then to apply the same onely to Ministers and Ecclesiasticall persons Therefore I will all Christians to beware of this hereticall and Anbaptisticall assertion Whosoeuer seeketh Christ in other state and sort then hee gaue example of seeketh not Christ but Antichrist and the pompe of the world For if this sentence be applied to the example of the poore state of Christ it is the very ground of Anabaptisticall communitie and that none can be saued but such as renounce al their goods possessions Albeit the example of Christ in this place be applied to Ministers onely yet in trueth it appertaineth to all other faithfull as well to them And if the Argument shalbe counted good now hereafter with as good liklihood and farre truer interpretation it may be vsed against al that shal truely professe Christ As touching that Christ chose so simple Apostles and of so poore estate Saint Paul sheweth the reason and cause thereof Brethren saith hee you see your calling how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mightie not many Noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things to confound the wise and the weake things to confounde the mightie and vnnoble things of the world and things that are despised God hath chosen and things which are not to bring to nought things that are that no flesh shoulde glorie in his presence If Christ in the entrance of his Kingdome going about to subdue the

The dispensing with Banes for money pag. 100. The Sale of Christian libertie in Marriages pag. 103. That they make lewde and vnlearned Ministers for money pag. 108. That they maintaine an vnlearned Ministery therby be occasion of Reuoltings many other mischiefs to the Prince and the Common weale But it is declared that there is no such vnlearned Ministery as they pretend and therefore can not bee an occasion of Reuolting or any other like mischiefes but that there bee other true and right causes to redresse of which it behoueth them that God hath set in place in time to haue speciall regarde for feare lest those mischiefes that be pretended doe increase pag. 109. c. The Crime of mainteyning Pilling and powling Courts pag. 135. The Crime of abusing Ecclesiasticall discipline pag. 141. The Crime of ambition and griedie seeking after Liuings and promotion pag. 144. That Bishops are carnally disposed which they shewe by hoarding vp great summes of money by purchasing Landes for their wiues and children by furnishing their tables with plate and guilded Cups by filling their purses with vnreasonable Fines and Incomes pag. 148. That the Prince ought to take away their great Lands and Liuings and set them to meane Pensions that in pouertie they may be answerable to the Apostles pag. 157. which they take vpon them to prooue by the whole course of the Scriptures pag. 162. The Lawe pag. 166. The Prophets pag. 177. The example of Christ pag. 190. and the doctrine of his Apostles pag. 221. Answere to the prescription of the old Lawe vvith the true meaning thereof pag. 166. Ansvvere to the Allegations out of the Prophets noting hovve absurdly and affectionately they be abused pag. 177. c. Answere to the example of Christ and the true doctrine that is to be taken of the same pag. 191. c. Answere to the doctrine of the Apostles declating hovv the same is rightly to be vnderstanded pag. 221. A Declaration how Ministers haue bene maintained from the beginning wherein is shevved that they haue had both Lands Houses Rents and Reuenues pag. 231. c. A Declaration that the wealthie state of the Church vvas not y e chiefe cause of setting vp Antichrist in his Throne as it is pretended but that the Histories of that time do declare other causes of more importance which also beginne to growe among vs and therefore good heede to be taken in time pag. 238. c. ¶ AN ADMONITION to the Church and people of England to take heede of the contempt of those Bishops and Preachers which God hath sent to them as messengers to bring vnto them the doctrine of their saluation WHen I call to my remembrance the loathsome contempt hatred and disdaine that the most part of men in these dayes beare and in the face of the vvorld declare tovvarde the Ministers of the Church of God asvvel Bishops as other among vs here in Englande my heart can not but greatly feare tremble at the consideration thereof It hath pleased God novv a long time most plentifully to povvre dovvne vpon vs his manifold great benefits of vvealth riches peace and quietnesse euen in the middest of the flames of discord dissention and miserie round about vs yea and that more is by the space of these thirtie yeeres by the continual preaching of the Gospel hath called vs vnto him as before time he called his chosē people of the Ievves by his Prophets and yet do vve not only not shevv any sound token either of our returning to him that called vs or of our thankefull receiuing his worde which he hath sent vs or of conforming our liues thereunto as hee willeth vs but also euidently to the eyes and eares of all men shew our hatred and misliking of those reuerend persons whome it hath pleased God to vse as his messengers to call vs vnto him and as his instruments to bring vnto vs the glad tidings of the Gospel which before with sworde and fire was taken from vs. For who seeth not in these dayes that hee who can most bitterly inueigh against Bishops and Preachers that can most boldely blaze their discredites that can most vncharitably slaunder their liues and doings thinketh of himselfe and is esteemed of other as the most zealous earnest furtherer of the Gospel Yea they thinke it almost the best way most ready to bring themselues in credite and estimation with many A lamentable state of time it is wherein such vntemperate boldnesse is permitted without any bridle at all What man therefore that feareth God that loueth his Church that hath care of his Prince and countrey can remember this thing and not dread in his heart the sequele thereof When the Israelites derided and contemned the Prophets which God had sent among them his wrath was so kindled that hee brought the Assyrians vpon them to their confusion When the tribe of Iuda did the like to Ieremie and other messengers of God they were cast into the captiuitie of Babylon When the Iewes reprochefully vsed Christ and with vvicked slaunder persecuted his Apostles that brought to them the light of saluation their Citie and Temple vvas burned their people slaine and as Christ threatned their countrey made desolate and giuen ouer to the spoyle And shall wee thinke that God vvill not remaine the same God tovvard vs Is his minde changed is his iustice slaked is his hand shortned that either he wil not or cannot reuenge as he hath bin wont to doe No good Christians let vs neuer deceiue our selues with such vaine and godlesse cogitations God remaineth alwayes one and is not mutable His benefits to the Israelites and Iewes were neuer greater then they novv these many yeeres haue bene toward vs they were neuer more earnestly eyther by Gods blessings allured or by preaching called to repentance then vve haue bene And yet our vnthankefulnesse in some respectes is greater then theirs and our vncourteous vsing of his messengers not much inferiour yea if the willes of many were not brideled by Gods singular grace in our Prince and gouernours it is to bee feared it woulde shewe it selfe as outragious as theirs did We haue iust cause therefore to feare the like plague which they in like case sustained And surely it cannot bee but that it hasteneth fast vpon vs. Obiection But some will say I knowe That I doe great iniury to the Prophets the Apostles and other messengers of God to compare them with such wicked men such blinde guides such couetous hypocrites such antichristian Prelates such symonicall Preachers as our Cleargie men now are Answere I doe not compare them good Reader in worthines of grace and vertue but in likenesse of office and ministerie These haue brought vnto this realme the same light of the Gospell the same trueth of doctrine the same way of saluation that the Apostles brought to the people of God in their time They are the mouth of God whereby hee speaketh to

may seeme to be of great importance and such in deede as God hath had much care of in all times as before it hath beene countenanced by the Lawe and Prophets so must it nowe bee drawen also through the whole course of the nevve Testament Yea whatsoeuer is vsed eyther of Christ himselfe or of his Apostles against couetousnesse or the loue and care of this worlde and delight of this life all that either by faire meanes or foule is brought into this fort to batter and shake the lands and possessions of Bishops and other of the Cleargie And first men are willed to cal to remembrance the example of Christ our Sauiour his birth the state of his life the choise of his apostles his perpetuall doctrine exhorting to pouertie and contempt of the worlde His parents say they were poore and liued by an handie craft descended of a stocke and kinred growen altogether out of credite in the worlde in steede of a princely chamber borne in an Oxe stall wrapped in poore clothes in steede of white and fine linnen layde in a cribbe for want of a rich cradle and in place of worthie seruitours hee had the presence of an Oxe and an Asse And that hee might shewe himselfe to delight in pouertie and contempt of the world his natiuitie was first reuealed vnto poore Shepheards watching their flockes As hee was borne so was he bredde in the poore and contemptible Towne of Nazareth out of the which Nathaniel thought nothing woorthy credite coulde come in which Towne as it may bee thought by the exercise of an handie craft hee liued in obedience of Ioseph and of his Mother Such as his birth and breeding was such was the state of his liuing when the full time of his dispensation came for hee was not borne to anie Landes or possessions neyther had hee any great wealth and riches to susteine himselfe yea not so much as an house to put his heade in but was mainteyned by the almes as it were and by the charitable deuotion of certayne wealthie vvomen of Galiley and other godly persons His Apostles that he chose to follovve him and to bee the Ministers of his kingdome hee tooke not out of the state of Princes noble men or great and rich Lordes with Landes and dominions but out of the poore state and condition of fishers Tent-makers and toule-gatherers And thus may we see our Lorde and Christ altogether wrapped in pouertie and besette on euery side with the base and contemptible state of the vvorld But to what purpose is all this alleaged Forsooth that wee may vnderstande that it is not lawfull for such as bee guides of the Lordes flocke to liue in any other state then in that the Lorde gaue example of For vvhosoeuer seeketh Christ say they in other state and sort then hee gaue example of seeketh not Christ but Antichrist and the pompe of the vvorld So that the sense and effect of the reason is this Christ was borne bredde and liued in pouertie and chose vnto him Apostles of poore condition therefore bishoppes and Ministers of the church must haue no Landes or possessions but stay them selues in like poore state as Christ and his Apostles did I doe not frame this argument good Reader of purpose to cauill but to admonish thee of the principall state and that considering the proofe to bee naked in it selfe thou maiest the better iudge of the strength thereof Surely I will hencefoorth cease to marueile at the wrested and violent interpretations that Hermites Monkes and friers haue made vpon the scriptures to iustifie and set foorth their superstitious life of voluntary pouertie and forsaking the worlde seeing professors of the gospel to mainteine their new doctrines take vpon themselues the like liberty and boldenesse in abusing the holie Scriptures and worde of God And yet surely it doth grieue mee and make my heart bleede to see it What shall the aduersarie thinke of our dealing with the Scriptures Surely that wee doe in so earnest manner pull them from the interpretation of the Fathers of the Church to the ende that by applying them according to our owne fantasies we may set foorth and seeme to iustifie to the worlde what doctrine soeuer we shall thinke good our selues And so shall this bee an occasion to discredite all the particular doctrines of the Gospell which hitherto as well this Church of England as other churches reformed haue taught But to vnderstande the weight of this reason before vsed against the wealthie liuings of our Clergie wee must trie it by a right and iust balance that is by the true meaning of the holy Ghost First therefore let vs consider the causes of Christes pouertie and of the choyce of such Apostles which in mine opinion are two The one is the necessitie of our redemption the other is an example and iust instruction set foorth vnto Christians As touching the first when the certaine purpose of God had determined that his sonne shoulde come into the worlde to worke the redemption of mankinde and his deliuerance from sinne necessarie it was for him to satisfie the iustice of God in sustaining all those difficulties and punishmentes that were due to man for sinne that is to say affliction ignominie reproch contempt pouertie and all worldly troubles and miseries and last of all death This is that the Prophet Esay spake of long before Hee is despised and abhorred of men hee is such a man as hath good experience of sorowes and infirmities we reckned him so vile that we hidde our faces from him Howbeit hee onely hath taken our infirmities on him and borne our paines Yet wee did iudge him as though he were plagued and cast downe of God This is that humiliation and debasing of himselfe that Paul speaketh of when hee saith Hee beeing in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God but made him selfe of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruant and made in the likenesse of men and founde in figure as a man hee humbled himselfe made obedient vnto death euen to the death of the Crosse These places good Christians declare vnto vs both the pouertie and contemptible state of Christ here in earth and also the very roote and principall cause thereof that is the saluation of mankinde The sonne of God became the sonne of man that he might make vs the children of God he vvas borne a weake and tender babe that he might make vs strong men in him he was tied in swadling bands that he might loose and deliuer vs from the bondes of the fraile and sinful flesh he was wrapped in poore clowtes that with the garment of his innocencie he might hide our nake dnes he was borne liued poorly that he might make vs rich plentiful in him he was a stranger in the world had not an house to put his head in that he might purchase for vs a citie heritage

therefore saith Chrisostome As I haue sayde wine is not ill but drunkennesse is ill so say I riches are not ill but couetousnesse is ill A rich man is one thing and a couetous man is another A couetous man cannot be a rich man And to the same meaning in an other place Let vs not falsely accuse either riches or pouertie for both riches and pouertie are such as if we will our selues bring instruments of vertue Let vs therefore so frame our selues that we iudge not so as we may seeme to blame Gods giftes but the euill affections of men The same Chrysostome Riches saith he killeth not but to be a slaue to riches killeth and to loue couetousnesse And againe the rich glutton was punished not because he was rich but because he wanted mercie For it may bee that one hauing riches ioyned with mercie may attaine to all goodnesse By these testimonies of the ancient learned Fathers grounded vpon the examples and doctrine of the Scriptures you may perceiue that riches are the good gift and blessing of God that the Saintes of God haue vsed and enioyed them that welth possessions of them selues are not hinderous to pietie godlinesse but rather instruments of vertue and meanes to come to heauen that God doeth not condemne them in his seruants that it is not a man voyd of lands and possession but a heart voyde of couetousnesse that Christ desireth that it is not riches but the sinfull affections of men that he reproueth How then can it bee prooued by Christs doctrine that any state of his disciples or faithfull seruants and followers ought not to haue landes possessions or ample and large liuings or that they be by his word so expresly prohibited that neither Prince may suffer it vvithout danger nor faithfull Minister with good conscience inioy them Let vs somewhat better consider the particular places of this doctrine of Christ whereon this assertion is grounded Where Christ saith Hoarde not vp treasures for your selues on earth he saith not you shall haue no treasures To haue treasures and to hoarde treasures be diuerse Hee that hoardeth vp treasures sheweth that hee hath a carefull minde to keepe them but a man may possesse treasures and yet with free heart bee willing to imploy them to godly purposes like as Iob did who had his riches alwayes ready to pleasure other When Christ affirmeth that where a mans treasure is there is his heart by treasure he meaneth not the possession of riches simply but hee meaneth that wherein a man reposeth his chiefe treasure and felicitie to consist And in deede it can not bee but that hee that esteemeth his chiefe felicitie in any thing doeth set his heart also vpon it He that setteth his felicitie in honour and dignitie hath his heart possessed with ambition Hee that thinketh it to bee in worldly pleasure hath his whole minde on playing banqueting feasting and riot He that reposeth his felicitie in building giueth ouer his cogitations vnto that So hee that iudgeth his blessednes in this life to be in possession of riches lands vndoubtedly can not but haue his heart fastened vpō them And seeing that God chalengeth vnto himselfe all our whole heart and our whole soule and minde they that so do must needes offend God most grieuously make of their riches their God and so as S. Paul saith become very idolaters Therfore if either Ecclesiasticall persons or lay men do so set their minds on riches this place nighly toucheth them When Christ saieth No man can serue two masters c. and ye cannot serue God and Mammon Marke I pray you that he saith not No man can serue God get riches For godly men both haue before time now may get lands riches procured either by heritage or by gift or by any other lawfull meanes Consider the Patriarch Iacob who passed Iordane onely with a staffe in his hand in the time of his liuing in a strange Countrey gate so great riches as he returned with two great cōpanies of seruants cattel And yet vndoubtedly this Patriarch was a good Christian being saued by the same religion that his grandfather Abraham was the father of the faithfull who with reioycing sawe the day of Christ Neither doth Christ say No man can serue God and possesse riches For as it is saide before Abraham Iob and Ioseph possessed great wealth riches and yet vndoubtedly truely and sincerely serued God Riches are the blessings of God neyther may anie more rightly or with better title possesse them then the good and faithfull seruants of God What saith Christ then forsooth No man can serue two masters or No man can serue God and Mammon Getting or possessing is one thing seruing is another Seruing presupposeth a mastership or dominion in him that is serued He that serueth riches acknovvledgeth them to be his Lord and Master Seruitude or bondage hath this condition that hee wholly obey his master that night and day he doe nothing but that pleaseth his master that he shall be contented to haue the displeasure of all other so that he may haue the good vvil of his master Finally vvhatsoeuer a seruant doth what labour soeuer he taketh vvhatsoeuer by his paines he getteth he doth it to the vse behalfe of his master Whosoeuer is such a bond-slaue to riches is a traytour reuolted from God neither can it be possible for him to serue God Such a seruing of Mammon it is that Christ in this place rebuketh vvith vvhich seruice the seruice of God cannot be ioyned But it vvere great rashnesse to thinke all that possesse lands lordships and riches of necessitie to be subiect to this slauish seruice of Mammon as some men vncharitably iudge of the Bishops and Clergie of England Ioseph of Arimathea vvas a rich man and yet in time of great perill did more seruice to Christ then all his poore Apostles vvhich had so little to leese It is vvritten in the Euangelists When Euen was come there came a rich man from Arimathea named Ioseph which also himselfe was Iesus his disciple He went to Pilate and begged the body of Iesus Then Pilate commaunded the body to bee deliuered and when Ioseph had taken the body hee wrapped it in a cleane linnen cloth and layde him in a newe tombe c. Consider the circumstances of the historie vveigh the danger of the time call to remembrance how many things might haue hindered and staied Ioseph from this doing and you shall perceiue that possession of landes and riches may be ioyned with a free faithful seruice yea oftentimes more faithful then pouerty and base estate in the vvorlde Good Christians therefore may not condemne as slaues seruants to Antichrist all such as haue lands possessions Experience in England God be thanked hath taught whē a number of poore Priests Ministers reuolted frō Christ to the Mammon their Masse that many which