in the Clergie law that one excommunicated person cā not excommunicate an other whereby the Pope can not excōmunicate the Reformed Princes because him selfe by the law of God testimonie of holy Scripture standeth excommunicate he that is rightly excommunicated is more excommunicated then he that is so but by acte Moreouer the Pope is a schismaticke in that he hath made a deuision in the state of Fraunce a conspirator because he hath procured the League to conspire against the King that is the subiects against their Lord and Soueraigne And a Church robber for he hath caused the sale of the demaines of the Clergie Here we see what a Iudge he is that hath pronounced the sentence of heresie against the Reformed Princes an hereticke a false teacher an Apostata one that is excōmunicable one that cleaueth to the doctrines of deuils a schismaticke a conspirator and a Church robber who hypocritically speaketh leasings Surely the Popes staffe of excommunication which he neuer vseth but in his conspiracies against Princes is a daungerous staffe howbeit he ought to know that he hath no power but what is subiect to the obedience of kings well may the Pastors propound vnto Kinges Gods commandementes and admonish them to obey thesame giuing thē warning of Gods threats and iudgements in case they do not obey him yea and vpon their transgressions thereof to reproue them albeit no further then Gods word doth warrant yea and all this must they do with great modestie moderation discretion circumspection watching time conuenient not to handle them rigorously but seeking to vse them with reason and modestie following the example of Nathan when he reproued Dauid True it is that Elias spake boldly vnto Dauid but his example is rather to be admired then imitated for all kings are not Achabs neither all men Eliasses The Popes excommunications are Ostracismes which he vouchsafeth to none but Kings and Princes In olde time the Apostles counted it an honor to be scourged by the Scribes Pharisies but now it is an honor to be whipped with the Popes excommunications As concerning the French nation albeit one part of them do know what the truth is yet dare they not say what they thinke neuerthelesse I know that if occasion should serue to atchieue libertie the more they haue bene constrained the more desirous will they be to shake off the yoke of those that haue oppressed them Some againe do referre them selues to their Curats care who many times doe take but small care In deede I graunt a man should honor his Curate but when it concerneth his saluation that is a matter to be better looked vnto then by a debitie If a Marchant be in lawe about a Ciuill cause he will be glad to haue the opinions of sundry Atturneys because him selfe is no lawyer but his owne iudgement must be it that shall teach him of two Atturneyes of contrary opinions which he must follow yea sometime it may so fall out that hauing the aduise of many he shall resolue him selfe vpon one gathered out of all the others by the helpe of his owne iudgement which shal be better then the aduice of any one seuerally taken Euen so when in matters of conscience they shall bring a good iudgement not before entangled they may finde out those things that are fit and healthfull for them peraduenture better then their Doctors could haue taught them Who taught the Canaanite to answer our Lord so wisely in a matter that she had neuer before heard of was it her Doctors no but the spirit of God The same is he also which is able to teach you the same things which your Doctors vnderstand not We knowe that Iesus Christ is the light of the world as the Gospell witnesseth and that this light illuminateth the blind and blindeth or dazeleth the eyes of the wise as the Gospel teacheth For a man must not say I will not go to the light because I am blind for albeit thou art blind yet mayest thou be fit to be illuminated by the light of the Gospell that is to say he that is ignorant may notwithstanding be fitte to learne Gods mysteries in case he be not maliciously ignorant A man at controuersie with his neighbour will instruct his Atturney in his right albeit his Atturney be a lawyer and him selfe but a paisant or a clowne euen so may you shewe your preachers what you haue seene and knowen concerning the truth thereby to induce them with mildnesse to seeke your saluation yea ye may require it euen of your King sith it concerneth the saluation of your soules then which there is nothing of greater importance Besides you can not enioy any assured peace but by making atonement with God of whom do depend both peace and warre and the meane to growe to atonement with him is to take away that which offendeth him that is superstitions as images with the worship thereupon depending Is it not better to renounce them then to languish in perpetuall miserie to be entangled in a perpetuall warre or to haue such a peace as is but a renuing of warre either to enioy a demie peace as it were a sunne betweene two cloudes in lieu of an assured peace that may be established by the meanes propounded which if you follow not you shall languish in warre without enioying your commodities which for the most part shall remaine subiect to the souldiour and thiefe as your cattell to be driuen out of your pastures and your tillage to cease some of you to be taken and ransomed others to die of the enemies sword and so to leaue their widowes and orphanes desolate yet doth not the end of all these calamities depend vpon the sword for how long haue we hoped for it and yet can not get it For it is most certaine that when all the men in the world shal haue vndertaken what they list after they shall haue laboured in vaine Fraunce shall be forced in the ende to shut vp all her calamities by sharing the controuersie with the Reformed wherin eche must part with somewhat of his as the Reformed to graunt the Clergie all their priuileges and the Clergie to yeeld to their iust complaints by abolishing their idolatries and superstitions repugnant to Gods word and such of the people as haue any knowledge authoritie wealth or zeale to employ all in the setting forward of so great a benefit to the cōmon wealth Is not such an assured counsell which may be giuen to the benefite both of King and Clergy the peace of the people better than a bloudy aduice tending to root out of Fraunce one of the factions which hath taken so sure anker hold that it can not be destroyed without the ouerthrow of the other Some haue perswaded the French nation that Reformation hath bred all the calamities now seene in the world but in troth it is not Reformation that hath bred them but superstition and the Pope for maintaining
people in respect of the warres which the superstitiōs haue brought in which cānot be ended but with agreeing with God for Gods wrath which hath stirred vp these scourges must be appeased and then God will appease these troubles which breed our miseries There is then no hinderance but that the the Clergie may enioye their rightes and priuileges True it is that in S. Paule there be some admonitions and examples but they neither make law neither abrogate any law had S. Paule bene in the dayes of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron he would haue taken the tenthes but being in such a time as the Churches were poore he laboured with his owne hands to spare them For he was a principall mā who knew how to abound and how to want and so spared them but not vpon duetie as him self testifieth 1. Cor. 9. Likewise had Aaron or Eleazar bene in the dayes of S. Paule when the Churches were poore they would haue laboured with their owne hands or bene content with food and raiment but had they bene in the time of great Constantin whē it was lawfull to possesse the tenthes they would haue vsed them Out of all which we do gather that he which hath little must be content with a little and he that hath much must endeuour to vse it lawfully And herein consisteth the knowledge how to abound or to want when a man can be content with his want and not forget him selfe in his plenty As for Ecclesiasticall dignities we graunt them euen to the highest according to the order of Iethro which order was neuer constituted in the new Testament but was practised and in deede the new is not to ordeine matters already ordeined in the old but to put them in practise Now after the order of Iethro the chief Bishops do succeede in the high Priests roome and the Apostles are to be considered as soueraine Bishops because that next to Iesus Christ there were none in greater authoritie thē they but there were in lesse And for their partes they were in equall authoritie each with other for sith our Lord would not appoint any one to be the greatest amōg his Apostles he hath left them all in equall power neither could any man giue them any greater besides he appointed them in like degree to the end they should be chief in those prouinces whither Gods spirite sent them and so should not neede one to depend vpon the other Now that they were chief it appeareth first in that Sainct Paule likeneth him selfe vnto a master builder not a simple masson and others to massons that build aboue when he saith that him selfe laid the foundation and that the rest builded thereupon Secōdly in that both from Corinthe and other places they did write vnto S. Paule to decide the most difficult matters among them for it is the office of the chiefest to decide the most difficult causes Exod. 18. Deut. 17. S. Paule likewise charged Titus as a Bishop to ordeine Priests throughout the cōgregations Tit. 1. And Titus receaued that charge frō S. Paule as from a greater then himselfe For S. Paule vseth commandement S. Paule also 1. Cor. 11. 34. saith when I come I will determine of the rest thereby reseruing to him the ordering of such thinges as could not be performed but in the presence of the chiefest He also saith that he that giueth the blessing is greater then he that receaueth it Euen so may we also say that he that commaundeth is greater then he that obeyeth and he that sendeth then he that is sent Now S. Paule commandeth Timothie saying I commande thee in the name of God c. He required also obediēce in Philemon saying trusting in thine obedience True it is that he also vsed entreatie whereof groweth the Prouerbe a great Lordes request is as good as a commaundement S. Paule likewise willeth Timothie not to admit any accusation against the Priest or Elder without two or three witnesses so that Timothie might admit or reiect accusations against Priestes wherefore it followeth that he had iurisdiction euen ouer the Priests Sainct Paule also sent Timothie to the Corinthians He commaunded Titus to come vnto him also to send Zene a Doctour of the law and Apollo and he commaunded Timothie to come before winter and to bring Mark with him True it is that Paule sent Timothy to the Corinthians but Titus wēt not as one sent but offered himselfe and Sainct Paule sent a famous brother to the congregations and therefore in the 12. chap. of the same Epistle he saith that he desired Titus and sent a brother He also saith that he requested Apollo who would not goe adding withall that he shall go so soone as his leasure serueth him and so sheweth that he did not refuse but delay In all which it appeareth that euery thing was done in good order yet will I say that the Apostles vsurped no dominion ouer Gods elect or Lordship ouer their faith or ouer the Lordes inheritance but in deede there is differēce betweene dominion iurisdictiō They exercised no dominiō but exercised their offices as hauing iurisdictiō True it is that they exercised this iurisdictiō with charitie rather thē authoritie as also it is the duetie of euery Bishop Here might one obiect that sith the Apostles were equall in authoritie the Bishops also ought to be of equall authoritie But I deny the consequence will proue it to be no consequēce by the saying of S. Paule where he cōpareth him selfe to a wise master builder laying the foundatiō and the rest to the workemen that build thereupon For admit all architectes and master massons were equall yet followeth it not that all simple massons or workmen shall be so In deede it followeth that all chief Bishops in euery kingdome or soueraigne principalitie should haue like authoritie Moreouer the Apostles were equall among them selues but other Bishops were not equall with them as we haue already shewed I know that Paules building may be referred to the preaching but the interpretation hindereth not the applicatiō Likewise we might bring an other example and that is that albeit the Counsellers in a Parliament be equall in authoritie yet doth it not follow that the Counsellers of Presidiall seas be of equall authoritie with them Here may they also obiect that S. Paule calleth Titus his companion and saith to Philemon if thou accomptest me thy fellow whereto I aunswere that Eneas called his souldiers his fellowes and yet it followeth not that they were equall with their Captaine And a Captaine may say to his souldier I am thy fellow and it becommeth him but the souldier to say the same it were vnseemely It may also be obiected that S. Paule calleth the other Bishops his helpers and fellow labourers whereto I answere that all workemen are fellow labourers and helpers of the master masson yet not equall with him And God sometime maketh men his fellow laborers yet not
and therfore meaneth not that Lent and abstinence from mariage which were instituted long ago Hereto I aunswere that S. Iohn euen in his time said that there were many Antichristes and that thereby he knew the latter dayes then to be come so as if the time of the Apostles were by the holy Scriptures termed the latter dayes much better may the spirite of God in this place call those the latter dayes wherein both Lent and abstinence from mariage were brought in Infinite particularities which might be alledged will I omit as being content to haue touched some part of the grossest abuses and now will proceede to speake generally of our Doctors doctrine which I say can not be taxed of heresie Some thinges doe they hold common with the Catholickes and in some others doe they differ As well the one as the other haue some good thinges wherein they doe agree and in either of them may there be found some thinges disputable for all men are men Herein doe they differ that the Doctors which call them selues Catholickes I speake of those of our dayes haue their faces turned to superstition where as the Reformed Doctors haue as concerning that point satisfied them selues by departing from Popish superstitions Superstitious doctrine vpholdeth the worship of Images which is Idolatrie and it vpholdeth the prohibition from mariage and from the vse of meates which Gods spirite termeth the doctrine of deuils It is therfore found to be erronious sith the spirite of God doth say that such men cleaue to the spirites of error yea that they be euen reuolted from the faith shewing that they haue estranged them selues from the true groundes therof wherein it conuicted them of heresie In this then doe they differ videl that in the superstitious Doctors there is heresie but in the Reformed there is none Some matters there may be disputable in the authors of Reformation but no heresie that is no doctrine vtterly repugnant to the principles of faith I know there be Catholicke Doctors that some times doe skirmish against the Reformed to perswade men that there is errour in their writings doe often times propound such thinges as the others neuer spake of or if they haue spoken of any such do wrest their wordes into an other sence But admit that in some point there be some fault as all men are men we will not make our Doctors Apostles there is difference betweene a simple ouersight and an heresie but for that cause we may not taxe the Reformation of heresie seing that we accompt not our Doctors opinions as oracles or goundes of doctrine Moreouer we confesse that we drawe neare to the Lordes day and the day is so formed that the breake of the day goeth before the sunne rising and the sunne rising before noone The breake of day is neuer so cleare as the sunne rising neither is the sunne rising so light as high noone whereof we conclude that in the Reformation there is nothing so cleare but may be better lightened Againe a tree beareth fruicts that come not all vnto ripenesse but some part become vntimely fruictes which the tree letteth fall those are ordinarily soure bitter wormeaten c. and yet the rest of the fruict which groweth vntill it be ripe proueth very good Euen so this age hath brought forth many writers and infinite vayne writings neither haue we as yet seene for the most part other then vntimely fruicts of Reformation but when the ripe fruict appeareth then shall we know the excellencie thereof Hereupon is it said in the Reuelation let him that is holy sanctifie him selfe better which teacheth vs to labour for perfection by correcting the imperfections that be within vs. Moreouer I say that often times the Catholicke Doctors doe in their Pulpites striue against our Doctors and obteine all the victorie where as if they had to deale with a partie they might be forced to deuide it for he that maketh his own hands to play each against other is still sure to winne all but if he should set them to wrastle with an other is in daunger to lose But no man can say we haue done amisse in giuing ouer the Catholicke Doctours mainteiners of superstitious doctrines to the end to cleaue to others which mainteine no superstitions Superstitions then haue separated vs from the Pope not the state of the Clergie For we doe allow of the state of the Clergie as being ordeined by God so long as it cleaueth to Gods lawes which doe allow the estate thereof vpon condition that they renounce all superstitions repugnant to Gods word and exercise equitie charitie and mercy The Pope and his suppostes doe say that Reformation is a new matter and must therefore be authorised by miracles holding as a principle that euery new doctrine must be authorised by miracle Which if it be so I say their superstitions ought rather to be authorised by miracles as being more new then the religion of the Reformed For the Popes most auncient superstition is the same of the Crosse of Reliques which holy Crosse Helene the mother of Cōstantine the great found after the Councell of Nice the rest haue crept in since in processe of time as Images abstinence frō mariage Purgatorie such like those which were brought in by Helene the mother of great Cōstantin grand mother of superstition haue already cōtinued 1260. yeares which is the terme to thē prefixed in the Reuelation so as thereby we may know that they are come to their full periode I say therefore that the pure doctrine continued from the Apostles vnto the Councell of Nice that superstitions crept in since This doctrine then which was before the superstitions which were brought in by Helene and by the Popes augmented was pure and yet more auncient then superstition and is the doctrine which the Reformed doe shoot at The Religion therefore of the Reformed is more auncient then the Popes superstitions and therefore neede not to be authorised by miracles hauing already bene authorised by the same miracles which our Lord and the Apostles did worke and Popish superstition being the newer standeth in greater neede of authorising by miracles yea and thus much will I mainteine that albeit it had miracles yet might they not suffise to make it of authoritie For no miracles can authorise that doctrine which the holy Scripture declareth to be the doctrine of deuils Yea and Moses saith that albeit a Prophet or a dreamer should prophesie or dreame any such dreame as should peraduenture came to passe which were miracles sufficient to authorise any good doctrine yet if the same should preach false Gods he were not to be beleued but presently to be stoned to death Howbeit I say that in Popery they preach no false Gods but they doe thinges equiualent thereto For euery thing whereto man doth erect any worship is by that worship made a God so that as many Sainctes as they call