vnder his Father and Grand-father and for their affections declining to Idolatrie and not truly esteeming the blessings in Iosiah their king powred vpon them the Lord threatneth to bring euill vpon that place and the Inhabitants thereof Which he did by suffering Iosiah to be slaine by the souldiours of the king of Egypt and within few yeares after his death selling his owne people into the hands of the idolatrous Babilonians For as darknesse naturally followeth light and night the day so do great punishments accompanie rare blessings when they are not duely esteemed as they ought Blessed was Ierusalem by the testimonie of the Lords owne mouth when he said My beloued had a Vineyard in a very fruitfull hill and he hedged it gathered out the stones of it and he planted it with the best plants and built a Tower in the middest thereof and made a wine-presse therein But when he looked for grapes and it brought forth wild-grapes the Lord threatned from the height of this blessed estate to cast them into the gulfe of miserie to take away the hedge from his Vineyard that it might be eaten vp and breake downe the wall thereof that it might be troden downe c. The Lord hath not therefore been lesse beneficiall to vs in placing so gracious an head vpon the bodie of this Realme because you and some such as your selfe are doe yet remaine to God ingrate and to your Prince and Countrey vnnaturall Onely I beseech God that whereas by his appointment the Oliue is yet ouer vs with her fatnes and the Figge with her sweetnes and the Vine with her fruitfulries that amongst many other sinnes of our land for our vngratefull contempt of so great a blessing a Bramble be not set ouer vs which is good for nothing but to burne and consume vs and so much concerning my supposed contradiction Now Sir N. D. it is your pleasure to heare my manner of speech in these words If I should take vpon me to enter into the enumeration of all the benefits and blessings that from the Almightie haue beene powred vpon this little Iland of England c. And hauing thus vnperfectly repeated them you passe the ouer with this sleight exception saying That in mentioning our little Iland I must take Scotland with me else I erre in Cosmographie as though England were not deuided in gouernment from Scotland though both rest vpon one continent and as though your selfe did not tearme this Realme an Iland euen where you do distinguish it from Scotland Therefore Nodum in scirpo quaeris and to this shift you are put very often for want of matter But if seemeth that Scotland was named here by you chiefly to make way for your purpose to giue a glaunce at battels murders destruction of Countries Prouinces Townes Cities Houses and particular men that haue beene in Scotland within these fortie yeares as though Scotland had neuer tasted these or any of these before and then you come in with Ireland wherein you seeme to bewaile the death of the noble Desmons whose treasons yet liue by succession in one of the same name who it is said wrote â— treason full letter stuffed with most intolerable opprobries and slaunders against her Maiestie and the state to the King of Spaine And this I hope is no great proofe of your sonâ—dnes to Queen or State France and Flaunders follow to fill vp the number But had you any respect of truth or care of modestie you would neuer haue made the true Religion wee professe the cause of murders tumults and garboyles which teacheth dutifull obedience and condemneth all mutinies seditions and rebellions You should do well to haue told vs who murdered the King the Lord Iames the Lord Russell in Scotland In France who murdered the Prince of Conde after he was taken prisoner which I thinke the law of Armes will not well beare Likewise who they were that laidâ— bloudy hands vpon the Admiral Chattilion being first shot in with a Pistoll with three bullets in the streetes and afterwards slaine in his chamber And so of Marlâ—ret slaine in his garden and of the famous learned man Ramus who hauing paid monie to ransome his life was beyond all humanitâ—e most cruelly quelled And generally who were the Authors not onely of the bloudie massacre in Paris but also of the like vprores in other Cities and quarters of the Realme principally at Lyons Orleans Roan Tolouse in which Cities within the space of one moneth there are numbred at the least thirtie thousand godly Protestants to be slaine your holy father at Rome to shew with what spirit he is led and with what meanes he sticketh to maintaine his Religion which otherwise would fall to the ground so soone as he heard of this bloudie tragedie maketh great ioy with his Cardinals with their procession with their gunshot and singing Te Deum Yea in honour of that Act proclayming a Iubile with great indulgence and solemnitie For Flaunders tell vs who murdered the noble Prince of Orange against whom it was proclaimed that who soeuer could bring him aliue or dead or slaie him should haue fiue and twentie thousand crownes You shall finde that such a Catholike-faith as yours is hath still sought to maintaine it selfe by such Catholike means as these are treasons tumults seditions secret murders and such like As for our true Christian Religion it is so cause of tumults garboyles and murders as Christes birth was of the murther of the poore infants in which neither Christ nor the infants ought offended the madnes was in Herod and all Ierusalem to be for this cause in an vprore In a word it is Herods Religion which seeketh to murther Christ and the Christes and annoynted of the Lord. I proceed to your aduertisement for a better direction to mens iudgements that all blessings of a Common-wealth may be reduced to two heades the one spirituall belonging to the soule and conscience the other temporall concerning the bodie and weale publike and that the Lord hath richly blessed this land since her Maiesties Raigne I doubt not to proue to all that haue iudgement and indifferency following your owne methode And first there hath beene in England since this happie alteration change from popish superstition to Christian veritie One God worshipped in spirit and truth one faith one belief one forme of seruice in praier and praises to God one number of Sacraments which are onely two by the word of God one head of the Church which is Christ the Lord as the holy Ghost testifieth by the Apostle Him hath God appointed to be the head of the Church And his substitute annointed appointed ouer vs is our Soueraigne and Queene who is to commaund and be obeyed in Christ and for Christ in all causes aswell ecclesiasticall as ciuill and not your proud vsurping Priest at Rome and if you can like to looke vpon the harmonie of confessions you shall find all the
were more principall then others being sent with ioynt and equall commission ouer all the world and others by them ordained ouer particular congregations we gladlie yeeld but then were they all Archprelates in comparison of those whose calling was not Apostolik but Pastorlike and limited to a certaine congregation Peter onely was not as ye would haue him an Arch-prelate ouer the rest of the Apostles but they all were equall with him which thing Saint Ciprian plainely testifieth Hoc vtique erant coeteri Apostoli quod erat Petrus pari consortio praediti honoris potestatis the rest of the Apostles out of doubt were the same that Peter was endewed with the same fellowship both of honour and power But Sir why seeke you to shrowde your Popes Archprelacie vnder that of the Apostles for it is manifest that Christ gaue no such supremacie to anie one Apostle aboue the rest nay he forbad it saying That the Kings of the Gentiles raigne ouer them c. but ye shall not be so And whereas the promise of this Vniuersall iurisdiction seemeth to be made to Peter in these words To thee will I giue the Keyes of the kingdome of heauen c. it is plaine that where this promise is performed Iohn 20. Peter hath no more authoritie giuen him then the rest of the Apostles and the keyes to open and shut heauen to loose and bind sinnes is a like giuen to them all neither did that most humble seruant of Christ the blessed Apostle euer chalenge anie such preemineÌ„t authority for as he entituleth himself an elder which is a title of dignitie so he calleth himselfe a fellow elder which importeth an equalitie with not a superioritie aboue the rest And when they of the circumcision contended with Peter about his preaching to the Gentiles vsing as it might seeme rough tearmes Thou wentest into men vncircumcised and hast eaten with them he answered not as his intruding successor that he is to iudge all men and to be iudged of no man but made a iust Apologie for himselfe and yeelded a sufficient reason for his fact As for that councell spoken of in the Actes the primacie of place to be as it were moderator seemeth to be giuen at that time not to Peter but to Iames as one of your owne side confesseth Postquam Peâ—rus dixisseâ— c. After that Peter had spoken Iames by his Bishoplike authoritie gaue the definitiue sentence The rest of the Apostles did not acknowledge in him anie such preeminence of iurisdiction they shewed themselues to haue power to dispose of Peter as of anie other for the good of the Church and therefore when they heard that Samaria had receiued the word of God they sent vnto them Peter and Iohn Yea one Apostle Saint Paule publikelie reproued and withstood Peter to his face because he was to be blamed and to take away all occasion of stumbling from those that doe not wilfully blinde their eyes the same Apostle without tainte of pride saith of himselfe that he was nothing inferiour to the chiefest amongst the Apostles If then neither Christ granted nor Peter chalenged nor the rest of the Apostles acknowledged any singular Primacie of authoritie in Peter aboue them wee may safely subscribe to Cyprians conclusion before alleadged and the Popes vsurped Archprelacie shall remaine as it is indeede not a title of dignitie but a touch of intolerable insolencie The spirituall supremacie wherewith you infeofe your Archprelat as it is not grounded on Saint Peter who had no such if he had it yet the Pope shall neuer be able to proue himself Peters heire more then all other Bishoppes so began it long after Christ to be challenged and wanteth the testimonie of antiquitie The Councell of Nice which not the Bishop of Rome but the Emperour Constantine assembled in which himselfe was present and at his right hand sate the Bishop of Antioch which is called the chiefe or president of that Councell mentioneth foure Patriarches of Alexandria of Rome of Antioche of Ierusalem and appoynteth equall priuiledges to each of them Now where there is an equalitie of foure there is not an vniuersalitie of one aboue all The Councell of Chalcedon standeth for the dignitie of the Bishop of Constantinople and because that was now the Emperours seate and was called new Rome defined that it should haue equall priuiledges with olde Rome and in Ecclesiasticall matters bee of equall power with it By which it is apparant that to Rome and afterwardes to Constantinople some respect of honor was giuen in regarde of the Emperours seate but neither had primacie of power ouer all Iohn Bishop of Constantinople first challenged this vniuersall spirituall Supremacie about 600. yeares after Christ against whome Gregorie of Rome did mightilie oppose himselfe expostulating with him in an epistle Quid tu Christo c. What answere wilt thou make to Christ the head of the vniuersall Church in the account of the last iudgement that thus goest about by the name of vniuersall Bishop to make all his members subiect to thee But that which Constantinople sought Rome shortly after obtained and whereas Constantinople in seeking it did shew himselfe to be the forerunner of Antichrist as Gregorie of Rome then professed Rome in getting and maintaining it sheweth that Antichrist hath there setled his seate But this is not the highest Arch to which this your Archprelate of Rome mounteth he claimeth a ciuill Monarchie and authoritie ouer all Kings and Kingdomes vnder this title of Supremacie saying that Princes hold not their Crownes immediately of God but of him and that he hath power to set vp and pull downe Princes and to giue away their Kingdomes at his pleasure So one of his Chaplaines saith that the authoritie of Christ is principallie in the Pope and that the Pope doth call the Emperour to be coadiutor to him in temporall things By which we may see that vnlesse it had pleased the Pope there should haue been no King nor Emperour yea of that counterfeit Donation of Constantine they saie imagining it to be true that he gaue therein nothing to the Pope but restored his owne sith the Pope is Christes Vicar whose is the earth and the fulnes therof And Boniface the viij in the yeere 1300. one day came forth arraied in his pontificalibus like a Pope the next daie in Imperiall Robes with a naked sword carried before him causing it to be proclaimed that he was both Pope and Emperour and had the Empyre both of heauen and earth Wee haue onely taken a short scantling of the Popes Archprelacie which is so farre from being grounded vpon Peter that his spirituall Supremacie was not knowne till aboue 600. yeeres after Christ and his temporall ouer Kings and Kingdomes to depose and alter them hath not been acknowledged of anie Christian Prince to this daie Philip King of France writeth to the same Boniface the viij claiming both
as children nourisheth vs with the knowledge of the Rudiments and principles of Religion the foode of the soule which doth farther strengthen vs with increase of deeper knowledge is no longer as of late times like a sealed booke which being deliuered to one that can reade and he willed to reade it he answereth he cannot because it is sealed but we haue it in our owne mother language permitted vnto vs that euery one may priuately exercise himselfe in the reading thereof and for the confirmation of his faith in the points that he is taught publikely by the mouth of the Preacher may with the men of Berrhea daily search the Scriptures to see whether those things be so or not which triall the doctrine of Rome will hardly submit it selfe to And this dutie of searching the Scriptures at home priuatly Chrisostome requireth at the hands of his Auditors Idque semper hortor c. and this I alwaies exhort and will not cease to exhort that you be not onely attentiue here to those things which are taught but that when you are at home you daily intend the reading of the holy Scriptures and so I take it that Saint Iohn setteth down three steps or degrees whereby we are to climbe vp to blessednes first priuat reading secondly publike hearing thirdly fruitfull practising of those things which by reading and hearing we learne Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this prophesie and keepeth those things that are written therein Thirdly this is also a great blessing that we haue our publike prayers in the Church in our owne tongue that the people may vnderstand what the Minister prayeth and keeping silence while he is speaking may still haue their minds and vnderstandings accompanie the voice of the Minister and in the end may ioyntly answere Amen Euen as not a Clerke alone for the people as New Rome hath taught but the whole people for themselues were accustomed in Saint Ieromes time as he witnesseth Tota Ecclesia instar tonitrui reboat Amen The whole Church like a mightie thunder doth sound out Amen This also Augustine acknowledged to be a great blessing Beatus populus qui intelligit Iubilationem c. Blessed is the people that vnderstandeth the ioyfull song let vs runne to this blessednes let vs vnderstand the song let vs not sing it without vnderstanding Of this the Apostle most diuinely treateth in the 1. Cor. 14. which though the Rhemists doe miserablie striue to shake off as Master Whitakers learnedly sheweth yet Cardinall Caietan ouercome with the euidence of truth plainely confesseth as in the end of that Controuersie Doctor Whitakers alleageth him Exhac Pauli doctrina c. By this doctrine of the Apostle we haue to vnderstand that it is better for the edification of the Church that the publike praiers which are made in the hearing of the people should be vttered in a tongue common both to the Clerkes and people then to be vttered in Latine Hence it followeth that we learne to exercise our selues in workes of true pietie such as by the word of God we are assured are acceptable with him not putting holines in workes of mens deuising as superstitious obseruation of daies with like difference of meates in gadding on pilgrimage and such like of which may be said that which the Lord spake in Esay Who hath required these things at your hands Whence it hath come to passe that many liuely members of Christ Iesus being colde naked and hungrie haue been neglected while it was thought an holier worke to shrine in gold and siluer the bones of dead men as Erasmus in his Colloquie or dialogue of peregrination for Religion sake doth note That the golden shrine of Thomas Becket was beset with Diamonds Carbuncles with pearles and rare precious stones Vilissima pars erat aurum the basest part was gold But we blessed be God haue learned to make the will of God reuealed in his word the Rule and Squire of our obedience studying to walke in his waies and to keepe his commaundements both of the first and second table according to that of our Sauiour If you know these things happie are ye if you doe them wherein we are taught to striue against two extremities First proud presumption before God that we put no opinion of merit in our workes but referre them partly to the glorifying of our good God according to that Let your light so shine before men c. partly to the assuring our selues of our election by the fruits thereof as Peter exhorteth Make your election sure by good works acknowledging that of Bernard Bona opera sunt via regni non causa regnandi Good workes are the way wherein we must walke to the kingdom of Heauen but not the cause wherefore we shall obtaine the kingdome Secondly before men we must auoide hypocriticall ostentation that we vaunt not of our vertues as the Pharisee O God I thanke thee I am not as other men extortioners vniust or euen as this Publican c. But according to the rule of the Apostle in meekenes of minde euery man to esteeme other better then himselfe we must turne our eyes inward looking vpon and censuring our owne imperfections and indeuoring to practise that good lesson Nosceteipsum For very true it is that Chrisostome hath speaking of Christian humility Esto multum adifices habeas elecmosynas preces ieiunia c. Be it you build much you vse almes fasting and prayer and all other vertues without this foundation of humilitie they are all in vaine yea adde continence virginitie contempt of riches Omnia prophana sunt impura abominabilia absque humilitate They are all prophane impure and abominable without humilitie Father the entrance of our peaceable Salome to the Crowne what Halcyon daies hath it brought to the poore afflicted Church of Christ â— The little barke of Christ Iesus before tossed with the waues and stormes of furious and bloodie persecution hath now found some repose and rest vnder her gracious and benigne protection so mercifully hath Christ rebuked the stormes and windes when the shippe was in danger of drowning and there is followed a great calme Not onely they that were openly knowne to abhor the Romish Idolatrie refusing to bowe the knee to their blocke-almightie as some then called them and to honor a peece of a Cake as their Creator were by heapes brought to the fire but so violent was the furie of that Wooluish Sinagogue against the poore Lambes of Christs fold that through inforcement and by vertue of their oath were compelled to accuse against the law of nature the wife the husband one brother another c. as in a table of persecution vnder Bishop Longland of Lincolne doth appeare the bloody rage of this persecution sparing neither man woman nor child wife nor maide lame blinde nor creeple But of this what should I say more of which
nothing can be said sufficiently but as a paineful compiler of the ecclesiasticall Historie thinketh all places considered where the Romish Phalaris hath intermedled France Flanders Italy Spayne and whersoeuer the gripes of this greedie griffin as Chaucer compareth him could râ—ach it would be hard to say whether the Romane heathen Emperors in the prime-daies of the Church or the Romish Bishops in the latter had caused more Christian bloud to be spilt And whereas this Encounterer wringeth out a malediction from hence pretending by this chaunge of Religion the torturing hanging and racking of so many learned Priests c. he shall neuer be able to proue so farre as euer I could learne that any one either Priest or Lay-man learned or vnlearned hath in this land these fortie yeares beene put to death onely for being a Recusant and of a contrarie Religion as the libertie and home-dwelling of so many Recufants without dread of any such daunger may proue sufficiently The Wolfe persecuteth the Lamb not the Lambe the Wolfe As for those fewe which haue suffered in these fortie yeares not comparable to the number of those which were martyred in Queene Maries fiue yeares I am so farre off from reioycing at their death that with all my heart I wish they had neuer sucked the poyson of treason from your Iesuites breastes that so they might haue preuented the due and iust shedding of their owne bloods To these may be added other corporall blessings in a short view among which this is not the least that the establishment of true Religion hath quite remoued from our neckes the yoke of popish bondageâ— How miserablie this poore land was oppressed and impouerished by the Popes dispensations exactions contributions besides his continuall subsidie of Peter-pence nothing being able to satisfie his greedie appetite and insatiable auarice our stories in sundry places make lamentable mention Now he must haue the tenth of all the moueables in England Wales and Ireland then foure markes of euerie able Church and where one was not able to reach there the other poore Churches must ioyne to make vp the money shortly by a new Mandat all beneficed men must pay the first part of their reuenues then prouision of English benefices for boyes of Rome 300. at a clappe and what not Poore England was continually pilled and polled and almost suckt drie whereof to vse one example for many the Nobles ioyntly with the Commons complain in the Raigne of Henrie the third in which their complaint hauing made mention of the continuall subsidie of Peter-pence and other contributions they adde these words And now see wee beseech you which is lamentable to behold what iniuries we sustaine by you and your predecessors who not considering those our subsidies and contributions before remembred doe suffer also your Italians and forrayners which be out of number to be possessed of our Churches and benefices in England c. And immediatly which forrayners neither defending the said religious persons neither hauing the language whereby they might instruct the flocke take no regard of their soules but vtterly leaue them of wilde beastes to be deuoured Wherefore it may truly be said of them that they are no good shepheards for that neither they doe know their sheepe nor the sheepe doe know the voice of their shepheards neither doe they keepe any hospitalitie but onely take vp the rents of those benefices carrying them out of the Realme wherewith our brethren our nephewes and our kinsfolkes might be sustained who could and would dwell vpon them and employ such exercises of mercy and hospitality as their dutie required whereof a number for meere necessitie now are lay-men and faine to flie out of the Realme And now to the intent more fully to certifie you of the truth you shall vnderstand that the said Italians and strangers receiuing of yeerely rents out of England not so little as threescore thousand markes by yeare besides other auailes and exises deducted do reape in the said our kingdome of England more emoluments of meere Rents then doth the King himselfe being both Tutour of the Church and Gouernour of the land c. they further proceeded in their complaint which for breuity sake I omit The conclusion is miserably was this land oppressed vnder the Romish Pharaoh not onely the skinne flayed from the flesh but the flesh in a manner rent from the bones from which by this happy chaunge of Religion wee are deliuered the Lords name be praised therefore The name of peace is sweete and the thing it selfe both pleasant and profitable with which blessing the Lord hath also greatly blessed this land these fortie yeeres that in this respect her Maiesties raigne hath beene as the raigne of Asa of whom it is written that he had no warre in those daies for the Lord his God had sent him peace round about For as for the late tumults and stirres of Ireland it is euident to whom they are to be ascribed by the sending thither of Saunders and of Italian bandes by the Pope who is the common Trumpeter of Sedition in all Christian Common-weales which seeke to shake off the yoke of his tyrannie There kindled vpon the like occasion the flame of Rebellion in the North but bessed be God it vanished quickly like a smoke Spayne likewise attempted an inuasion but with such successe as neither hath he cause to boast of his winnings nor wee to complaine of our losses for as the starres fought in their course for Israel against Sisera so did the windes for England against Spayne other warres to speake of we haue had none but such as we haue voluntarily vnder-taken for the reliefe and support of those that were oppressed And this it selfe is no small blessing that England in the raigne of a Woman hath beene the common refuge to all Christian nations eyther rent asunder with ciuill warres or oppressed with forraine forces so that a Queene hath sit as Arbitrer of peace and warre amongst Christian Kings France is witnesse hereof What should I speake of Suethland c. what of Flaunders being receiued into our tuition and societie yea the Turke himselfe who happily before the renowmed raigne of her Maiestie had neuer heard the name of this little Island moued with the Maiestie of her name hath laid armes aside and through her intercession hath granted peace to the Polonians being almost brought to extremitie To these I might adde the blessing of riches plentie and aboundance such as hath not lightly beene knowne in this land before which God hath aboundantly sent vnto vs. Whereby we haue beene enabled to minister to the necessities of so many oppressed and to sustaine such voluntarie warres as honourable respects haue moued her Maiesty to vndertake for the needfull succour of others which who so seeth not is blind and who so acknowledgeth not is verie ingrate I may also adde the multitude of people increased mightily since her Maiesties first enterance
to the Crowne a great blessing of God powred vpon this land which God at the least hath seuen-fold increased to the number that at her enterance she found And if the Encounterer in his affected shew of politicke wisedome shall scorne this blessing and say as he doth that I descend to very poore ones yet I will rather subscribe to the wisedome of Gods spirit noting it a great blessing vpon Ierusalem and the contrarie a great curse How doth the Citie remaine solitarie that was full of people her blessing was fulnesse of people her plague solitarines as also to the wisedome of wise Salomon who thus plainly auoucheth In the multitude of people is the honour of a King and for the want of people commeth the destruction of a Prince I cease because I desire breuitie to stand vpon the enumeration of any more only I wish we may dulie esteeme the Lords mercies vouchsafed to vs and bring forth the fruites of true thankfulnesse as the princely Prophet teacheth vs. Oâ— that men would therefore praise the Lord for his louing kindnesâ— and declare his wonderfull workes amongst the children of men As for your building of Castles in the ayre by supposall of blessings that might probably haue ensued if Religion had not beene altered because I meane not to take the paines to follow you in your extrauagant discourses and because they are indeed nothing but the imaginations of an idle braine I leaue them to Master Moores fictio Vtopicâ— Resistance to the second Encounter about some absurd Principles of the Papists HAuing proposed to my selfe a resolute determination not to follow this fellow in mine answere in his vaine of Rayling against me it shal suffice that such as be wise honourable and honest shall iudge betweene vs whose satisfaction I desire and doubt not of and to such I appeale to iudge of the scantling he hath taken as he termeth it of my follie and flatterie wherein he glorieth so much and I rest assured he shall find that it falleth out too sâ—ant inproofe against me in their iudgements so as his rayling tearmes of folly and flatterie must returne to his owne custodie againe But now must follow a fuller view of my cogging and lying which are bitter termes I confesse yet shall they nothing trouble me because I know mine owne freedome and I will take occasion hereby to indeuour to make such vse thereof as is taught me by an ancient Father Permittitur detractiâ— vs caueatur elatio God suffereth slaunders to assault vs that pride may not surprize vs. And therefore take your pleasure Sir N.D. follow your rayling humour and spare not I like better to beare your hard tearmes then that you should loose your occupation Onely let me tell you that if I were disposed to play at Tennise with you and bande backe the balles that you deliuer I could so returne this charge of lying vpon your trades-men that all the skill you haue could not saue them from a fault Walsingham an ancient Chronicler writeth of Friers in Richard the seconds time that they were of long time so infamous for lying that it was counted a good argument holding both in matter and forme This is a Frier ergo a lier And it should seeme the Romanistes keepe still their olde wont by that famous lye that of late they haue sent vs ouer not onely in print but in picture too namely that some for the maintenance of their Catholike Religion haue been by vs here put into Beares skinnes and so bayted to death with Mastiues A lye printed in the english Colledge at Rome 1584. with Gregories 13. priuiledge so great a lye as no place was fit to vtter but onely Rome but I let them passe and come to your charge against me And here first you except against my speech of the clouds and darknes that ouershadowed this land in Queene Maries time and in former times of Poperie cyting these my words It is not vnknowne to many yet liuing neyther can it be hid from the yonger sort that liue with them what a darke misty cloud of Ignorance which brought in popish Idolatry and all manner of superstition did ouershadow the whole land c. And againe after In these dark and cloudy daies least the sunshine of knowledge should disperse the mists of ignorance and giue light to the dimme of sight c. The which I then truly affirmed and doe againe auerre it neither fee I any cause for ought that you alleadge to retract it sith it is euident that the people neither hauing liberty to read the Scripture which is as a light shining in a darke place priuately at home neither in Churches read in a tongue that they vnderstood must needs be destitute of the light of Christian knowledge For if Babell could not be built because each one vnderstood not anothers tongue how can it be deemed that the Church of Christ can be built vp in spirituall knowledge by an outlandish tongue which was no better vnderstood of the people then if they heard a tale in Irish or Spanish tolde them As for preaching a great meanes in deede to breede knowledge though not the onely meanes I wil omit the matter of Sermons in those daies which was for the most part not Gods word but mens traditions the necessitie of auricular confession the benefit of pardons and indulgences of pilgrimages of applications of masses of giuing to religious houses of dirges trentals c. so that as Elisha led the Syrians stricken with blindnes into Samaria amiddest their enemies so the people being debarred the light which maketh all things manifest I meane the reading of the Scriptures in which they might see whether those things taught them were so or not were carried by their teachers euen to the enemies of their saluation to trust in buying of pardons gadding on pilgrimage hiring masses to be said for them after their death falling downe and praying to dumbe Idols to forged relickes with a number of lying miracles beleeued through them in steed of Christ Immortall worshipping a peece of bread yea in steede of Christs blood worshipping the blood of a Ducke for so the blood of Hales was plainely proued to be and openly shewed at Paules Crosse. So that no man neede doubt of the truth of the Prouerbe that then was vsed in those times Once Christian men had blind Churches and light hearts and now they haue blinde hearts and light Churches But this omitted the very exercise of preaching such as it was alas how sildome was it now and then a Frier trotting sometimes to one Church sometimes to another and scattering here and there a strawberrie Sermon It was no common thing for Bishops in times of Poperie to be Preachers though they tooke vpon them to be Pastores Pastorum Boner Bishop of London who burned so many of Gods Saints blessed Martyrs faithfull and painfull Preachers so long as they
wise they became fooles Arnobius sometimes an heathen afterwards a Christian saith of his former state Venerabar O caecitas nuper simulachra modò ex fornacibus prompta in incudibus Deos malleis fabricatos c. I worshipped of late O blindnes Images newly taken out of the fornace Gods forged on the Anuiles and framed with hammers so truly may it be said of the Papists they worshippe O blindnes Images newly taken out of the fornace crucifixes forged on the Anuiles and framed with hammers and to blocks and stocks without sense as if there were some power present in them they kneele they pray they craue grace of them Your vaunt of the peerles and vnmatchable learning on your side doth neither ouerthrow mine assertion if it were true and yet all men know it to be vaine and childish boasting Our ministers as you say dare not open their mouthes if they should appeare with you in schooles or matters of learning yea they scarce vnderstand the verie ordinarie termes of the learned sciences which you professe not onely our students and young men but our Doctors of Diuinitie yea our publike readers as some of you boast and crake as you can stoutly do no men better doe scarce vnderstand your course of Diuinitie what it meaneth Is it not thinke you a clowdie and Owle-like Diuinitie that is couered with such mistes of subtilties and sophistications as that professed deuines men richly furnished with deepe knowledge of tongues and artes are scarce able to vnderstand the ordinarie termes I will say more for you which in my conscience I am perswaded is true that if Peter and Paule those blessed Apostles were now aliue and should come into your schooles to heare your Lectures of scholasticall Diuinitie and the rest together with your other exercises and disputations they would maruel and be astonished at your strange Diuinity which they vnderstand not say as the Apostle speaketh of those which heare praiers preaching in an vnknown tongue that you are out of your wits surely they would neuer acknowledge it to be consonant to that diuinity which they in their diuine Epistles commend to the Church of Christ. For it is true that a learned man hath written that of two distinct good things Diuinitie and Philosophie your schoolemen haue made a third bad compound being neither sound Diuinitie nor pure Philosophie But Sir I haue granted onely by way of supposition that which in truth is not to be granted that your men are so superiour to ours in learning that a few of yours are able to hold at schoole all our sun-shine Clergie at this day as you please to terme them for terme of life and after A proud assertion without any shadow of proofe at all for reproofe whereof I will take a short view eyther of the depth of your learning or goodnes of your cause Iohn Hus commeth voluntarily to the Councell of Constance there to tender a reason of his Doctrine and to defend publikely his assertions How learnedly doe these graue Fathers refute him they clap him fast in prison load him with chaines and fetters not onely not being conuicted but not so much as heard yea though he came vnder the Emperors protection and had his safe conduct the Pope himselfe hauing likewise consented vnto it Martin Luther goeth to Wormes by disputation to defend his Doctrine aud though his friends perswaded that he should not expose himselfe to so manifest perill because the Papists had oftentimes broken their promise yet so assured he was of the goodnesse of his cause that he neither feared the learning nor might of his aduersaries though neuer so many but he answered his friends that he would enter that Citie in the name of the Lord Iesus though he knew there were as many diuels set against him as there were tiles vpon al the houses of the Citie Afterwards before the Emperor himselfe and the whole states of the Empyre he maintaineth his doctrine answereth the aduersaries and with the Emperors fauour departeth in safetie though full sore against the minds and wils of sundrie Papists Againe vnder safe conduct he goeth to Augusta there to render a reason of his assertions to Cardinall Caietan who on the Popes behalfe and at his commaundement proposeth three things to Luther First that he should be better aduised reuoke his errors secondly he should promise hereafter not to publish or repeate them thirdly he should abstaine from all things which might trouble the Church Luther standeth to iustifie his assertions offereth there and else where to defend them sendeth in writing a defence to the Cardinall iustifying his opinions by the Scriptures In a word the Cardinal would not heare Scripture but willeth him to come no more in his presence vnlesse he would recant yet staied he there fiue daies after expecting whether the Cardinall would call him to any further disputation whereof when he heard nothing in all that space he departed At the assemblie at Spire when Simon Grinaeus heard Faber Bishop of Vienna vtter sundrie absurd errors in his Sermon he goeth friendly to him and telleth him he was sory that a man of such learning and authoritie should openly maintaine such errours as were both contumelious against God and might be refuted by the manifest testimonies of the Scriptures and as he would further haue proceeded to the refuting of his errors Faber breaketh off his talke faineth as though he had been sent for by the King and had now no leasure to reason with him in the matter but maketh shew that he was desirous of acquaintance and longer talke with Grinaeus and to that end prayeth him the next morning to come to his Chamber Now what was the sequele of the disputation or conference appointed by this learned Bishop The Bishop complaineth to the King the Serieants were sent to apprehend Grinaeus and carrie him to prison whereof he being warned a little before by a reuerent aged man was by his friends immediatly conueyed ouer the Rhene and so escaped who if he had been taken as the Serieants were to search the house for him almost assoone as he was out of doores what would further haue ensued of this pretended conference is not hard to gesse To be short you may not forget in what a pittifull taking your Cardinall of Lorrayne was in the Colloquie of Poissy when he wished that either our side had been dumbe that day or all they deafe and these few examples either proue your vaunt of your learning to be so farre greater then our side to be but friuolous and vaine which you can hardly yeeld vnto or at the least our cause to be better then yours which we rather challenge The truth of the generall proposition concerning the darkenes of those times being thus opened I shall the lesse need to insist vpon the particular absurdities wherewith this fellow faith they are vniustly charged For
to giue ouer their olde impudent proposition That ignorance of the Scriptures is the mother of Popish deuotion For what meant the so strict forbidding to laye men the reading of the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue but that their deuotion should not growe of the knowledge but of the ignorance of the Scriptures flat contrarie to our Sauiours commandement giuen to the vnlearned multitude of the Iewes Search the Scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternall life and they are they that testifie of me where the reason annexed to the Commandement sheweth to whom the Commaundement appertaineth euen to as many as it concerneth to seeke after eternall life and to know Iesus Christ and him crucified which is the laytie no lesse then the Cleargie contrarie also to the Apostles exhortation to the Colossians being laye men Let the word of Christ dwell plenteously in you Whereupon Chrisostome noteth Audite seculares omnes comparate vobis biblia animae Pharmaca c. Heare you secular or laye men euery one get vnto you Bibles the Phisicke of your Soule if you will nothing else at the least get you Testaments the epistles of Paul the Gospels the Actes to be daily and diligent instructors to you In a word contrarie to the spirite of the same Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes who reproueth them that they were like vnto Children and vnexpert in the word of righteousnes whereas they ought to haue their wits exercised therein But ignorance of the Scriptures better pleaseth you in the people and shall leade them to such deuotion as maketh more for your aduantage Hence hath growne your deuice of fides Implicita a faith wrapped and folded vnder the obedience of the Church namely that it is sufficient though they knowe not distinctly what they ought to beleeue but obediently submit their vnderstanding to the Church beleeuing as the Church beleeueth though what the Church beleeueth they knowe not This Carbonaria fides is highly commended by Cardinall Hossius who farther teacheth the simple laye man that he should thinke it went very well with him if he could say by heart the Lords praier the Articles of beliefe and the ten Commaundements though he knew not the meaning of the words As for other knowledge if any asked him a question hee should answere that hee did beleeue the Catholike Church And this ignorance of the Scriptures as a fruitfull mother hath brought forth many a blinde daughter of gainfull deuotion to your kitchin what greater deuotion was either then esteemed to be or indeed what acte more for your aduantage then the building of Monasteries and Nunneries and the endowing them with great lands and reuenues And this deuoute daughter mother Ignorance of the Scriptures brought forth which as for the most part they were builded by Kings and great States vpon some great murder either by wane in the field or priuately committed at home so the cause was as in stories may be seene Pro remedio animae meae pro remissione redemptione peccatorum meorum c. For the reliefe of my soule for the redemption and forgiuenes of my sinnes c. Which blasphemous derogation to the death and passion of Christ Iesus the knowledge of the Scriptures would haue quicklie discouered Yea how Deuotion hath been separated from knowledge not in your laye people alone but in your Priests too whilest deuotion hath been so tyed to their daily saying of their Maâ—tins and euensong which without deadly sinne they may not leaue vnsayd whiles in the meane time they vtterly cast aside the Apostles commaundement Giue attendance to reading exhortation and doctrine in the answer of Iohn Lambert to the 25. Article to him obiected may partly appeare I will onely adde this one testimonie that by the confession of some of your owne coate which haue made any conscience of their carriageâ— may appeare how carefullie your deuoutest Fryers haue been to couple knowledge with their imagined deuotion Franciscus Sampson generall of the order of the Friers Franciscans reprouing both their ignorance and carelesnes hath these words Pratres mei dilectissimi à primordio nostrae Religionis floruit conscientia c. My beloued brethren in the beginning of our Religion there flourished conscience but our beauty by little little sliding away the first sillable was taken away and there remained Scientia science or knowledge but now our sinnes so deseruing the first sillable is againe taken away and we remaine Pura entia stipites statuae meere things which haue a being euen very stockes and blockes To adde further proofe in a case so manifest were to light a candle at noone day yet this I will adde ex abundanti If publike praier in the Church and congregation of the faithfull be a chiefe and principall part of Deuotion made you not Ignorance the mother of their Deuotion when as ye would not allow their publike praiers in a tongue that the people vnderstoode Yea your Cardinall Hossius vseth this reason to proue that the Church seruice should be in the Latine tongue rather then the vulgar because saith he since some vsed the vulgar and knowne tongue in Church seruice Deuotion hath not onely not been increased but diminished And our Countrey man but the Popes Champion D. Stapleton in an English booke that he writeth against Bishop Iuel confidently affirmeth that Deuotion is not furthered but hindered by a tongue that is vnderstoode In a word D. Cole Deane of Paules and one chosen not onely to maintaine the Papists assertions against the Protestants in the disputation at Westminster but appointed by the Bishops and other his Colleagues to be the mouth for them all whose speech in the end they all being asked did auow to be the mind and saying of them all euen he in that honorable assemblie of the Councell and Nobles and frequent concourse of the Commons did with great vehemencie maintaine this proposition in these words I say Ignorance is the mother of Deuotion And so Sir Encounterer you must be forced to take it both for a maxime minime though minimè tibi placet to confesse a truth The second fayned position wherewith it pleaseth this deepe Clerke to charge me is because I say your Syde holdeth that it is not for lay men to meddle in matters of Religion c. And for this after your olde railing fashion you charge me with subtiltie and impudencie my subtiltie you say I shew in this word meddle which may either signifie that lay men must not determine or define of matters of Religion or else not to meddle or care for Religion at all And surely Sir though I may giue you good leaue to take it in which fence you will for in the former sence you will not deny but that euen Princes are restrained to doe any thing in causes of Religion within their own dominions without
your generall Viccars warrant which Romish conceite you shall finde learnedlie confuted by Doctor Bilson who is now Bishop of Winchester in the latter sence I need not to labour any more proofe then that before is set downe touching your breeding of Gods children in blindnes and ignorance and withholding the keye of knowledge from them and how will you haue them meddle with or care for that which they know not Though I say I may well iustifie both yet let me tell you that you doe not well distinguish the word meddle for as to meddle may signifie to be present in Councels c. in which sence you seclude the Laytie from medling with Religion so likewise it may signifie to trie and examine by the touchstone of Gods word the doctrine there taught and not to beleeue without farther discussing whatsoeuer their superiours teach them And in this sence likewise you will not haue them meddle yet the men of Berrhea are much commended for medling thus in Religion in that hauing heard the Apostle they searched the Scriptures daily to see whether those things were so as he deliuered and to this medling doth the Apostle exhort all Deerely beloued beleeue not euery spirit but trie the spirits whether they be of God or not And Chrisostome thinketh it an absurd thing that all men should not thus meddle with Religion Quomodo absurdum non est c. What an absurditie is that for money we trust not other men but count it and tell it after them but for more excellent things simplie to follow other mens sayings especially sith we haue the exactest rule and ballance of all the testimonie of the lawe of God therefore I pray and beseech you that you will leaue what this and that man thinketh and enquire all these things of the Scriptures Now how doe you permit lay men thus to meddle with matters of Religion when as ye take from them the vse of the Scriptures which as the rule or leuell serueth the Architect to direct his building by the ballance trieth the true waight of euery thing plainly sheweth what doctrine is true and to be imbraced what false and to bee reiected But no maruell that you haue forbidden them thus to meddle with matters of Religion when you haue broached such doctrines and maintained such opinions as some of your selues confesse cannot be iustified by the Scriptures It is recorded that some of the learneder sort of your Cleargie haue vsed to say amongst their friends Sic diecrem in Scholis sed tamen maneat inter nos c. I would say so in the schooles but yet let it be kept secret amongst our selues I thinke the contrarie we say so in the schooles but yet it cannot be proued out of the Scriptures c. Howsoeuer it may be you will generally be loath to confesse thus much of the Scriptures yet the Fathers you haue not onely mangled and depraued where their testimonies were pregnant against your errors as for example that plaine place of Gregorie Nissen Eam solummodo naturam quae increata est colere venerari didicimus we haue learned to adore and worship onely that nature which is vncreated where your Spanish Diuines in their Index expurgatorius set down this direction Deleatur dictio solummodo put out the word only sundry such places as both our learned men haue discouered in your Indices are to be found out But you plainly professe thinking it should haue remained secret among your selues and neuer to haue come to our knowledge that in the auncient Fathers you do very often deny very many errors meaning such sentences as make for vs against you by inuenting some comment or exposition and that you doe faine and deuise some conuenient sence when they are by the aduersaries in disputations and conferences obiected against you which things considered should stir vp the spirits of all men thus to meddle with matters of Religion and not by and by to beleeue and receiue euery doctrine because your Church teacheth it And now are we come to that high and capitall slaunder against the holy Pope-made Saint Thomas Becket whom I call a traitour at which the gall of this Popish Saint-seruer is so moued that he taketh on fretteth chafeth and as another mad Aiax Flagellifer threatneth that I shal rest with a broken head as in another place he speaketh of cudgelling with blowes and bastinadoes wherewith he supposeth to haue wrought a manly peece of worke But Sir pause a while the more rage the lesse reason and the the greater haste commonly the worse speede It were good aduise for you that threaten the breaking of other mens heads to looke warily to your own for the olde verse may happily be verified in you Saepe sagittantem didicit referire sagitta Inque virum plagae conuersarecurre re plaga The arrow oft vpon the shooter doth rebound And he receiues the blow that others thought to wound To examine a little the state of this Becket who was a traitor as I affirme not I onelie but many before me against Henrie the second but to vse the words of mine Author taken vp and shrined for a newe Saint made of an olde Rebell fiftie yeeres after his death which was in the fourth yeere of Henrie the third I doe openly professe to auoide all such carpers and quarrell-pickers as this fellow is to separate betweene his punishment and death and betwixt his cause and carriage against his Prince The first being outragious against all law and order by priuate persons not publikely authorised therto the second traiterous and meritorious of death the king hauing to that end iust matter enough if he had pleased by lawe to prosecute the cause against him which by sundrie euidences may be shewed but some fewe shall serue And first if Ciprians rule be true Non poena sed causa facit Martyrem It is not the punishment but the cause that maketh the Martyr what was the maine ground of the controuersie betwixt the King and him was it not as they terme them the liberties of the Church as this Encounterer granteth liberties not spirituall but carnall not of Christes giuing but of Antichrists deuising There were as Authors affirme in that time of Henrie the second more then a hundred murthers besides other felonies proued vpon the Clergie which when the King would haue punished according to the lawes of the land Becket opposeth himselfe and beardeth the King in this so iust an action vnder title of standing for the liberties of the Church a holy quarrell no doubt but such a Martyr such a cause From this straunge ground these proceedings ensued there was a law and constitution that neither Bishop nor Clerke should goe out of the land without the kings licence and then he should take an oth not to procure any hurt against the king or any of his notwithstanding this proude Prelate who
the Worlde is nowe amended at Rome euen as sower Alemendeth in summer view the dealings of our moderne Popes and those onely which concerne our owne State First the Pope most iniuriouslie deposed her Maiestie from her Royall Crowne dismissed her Subiects from their obedience due to her yea cursed as many as did obey her further hee sendeth Murton into England to stirre vp Rebellion against her and consequentlie as much as in him lay to fill the land with dead corpses and to make our flouds run dyed with English bloud when this succeeded not hee sent Saunders with sundrie forces to inuade Ireland not onlie to increase Rebellion there but to winne it quite from her Maiestie if hee might The bloud by this occasion shed in Ireland could not yeelde his holines an heartie draught and therefore hee setteth on and abetteth the Spanish King in the yeare 1588. to make Inuasion for a full Conquest and to the ende he might throughlie speede and not faile he lendeth him all the helpe he could but especiallie as hee that writeth the Canonization of Didacus affirmeth because by diuine helpe he thought this Conquest might quickelie be atchieued Sixtus Quintus then Pope in that fittest opportunitie of time did Canonize Didacus a Spaniard and placed him in the number of Saints in whose merites the Spanish King did so greatlie trust And that no propertie of a bloudie monster might bee wanting in him hee suborned Parrey and armed him with full remission of all his sinnes besides other promises murtherouslie to kill her Maiestie and to shed her guiltles bloud If these euidences cannot make this popish Sycophant to see and abhor the Popes bloudie humour I can yeelde no other reason in his excuse but that which a Poet of their owne setteth downe AEthiopes vna quoniam nigredine sordent Ille color nulli vitio datur omnibus idem Vultus alterius si quis reprehenderet ora Et sua damnaret c. i. Blacknes for that it dyes each AEthiops face Blacknes with them is held for no disgrace All are like faced who so doth others blame His proper visage he perforce must shame If this fellow were not an horseleach that is bloudie minded himselfe he would easilie acknowledge the bloudie humour of the Pope To shut vp this point whereas he saith that for my speech against the Pope which is both iust and true I am to be restrained and checked euen for the very honour of England it selfe and our nation I referre it to the honorable iudgement of the higher authority what checke and restraint is fit for this fellow who so stifly standeth for her Maiesties professed enemy and will not endure to haue him accused of a bloudy humour who hath pronounced her no Queene stirred rebellions in her Realme against her sent an Inuadour to conquer her and authorised bloudie traitors secretly to kill hir and that for the honour of England it selfe that it may be freed from the ignominie of breeding such vipers and of our Nation that the people of our Nation may not be so inchanted by the poysoned cup of this Cyrce as to degenerate from Christian loyaltie to Antichristian treacherie whereto the Antichrist of Rome this Encounterers halfe God doth call them Whether the Pope be that special Antichrist wherof Daniel our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles doe speake I will not stand here to dispute specially because all the notes set downe in the Scripture of Antichrist are by sundrie learned men fully prooued to concurre in the Pope and in none other and that by Babilon in the Reuelation is meant Rome not onely as it was when the heathen Emperours held it as the Papistes say but as now it is the Pope raigning in it The tenne reasons sillie ones as they be which you alleadge to proue the contrarie with three times tenne more set downe by your Captaine Saunders are by Doctor Whitakers throughly sifted and refelled as also whatsoeuer the great Iesuite Bellarmine could say for his master to free him from this imputation is by diuers notablie learned fully examined and confuted whose bookes with others of the same argument in English because they are extant and almost in euerie mans hand I refer the reader to them contenting my selfe with a cōpetencie of knowledge for the instruction of mine owne conscience and not presuming to take vpon me to be a teacher of others To conclude whereas this Romane aduocate saith that this lande ought to beare more reuerence to the sea of Rome then other Nations for that it hath receiued more singular benefits from thence namely that it was conuerted from Paganisme to Christian Religion by the speciall diligence labour and industry of the same Sea I answere first that it is apparant by sundrie testimonies that this land was conuerted to the faith long before the time by you specified and not by the Bishop of Rome Guildas testifieth that Britanie receiued the Gospell in the time of Tiberius the Emperour and that Ioseph of Arimathia was sent by Philip the Apostle from France hither where he remained till his death And Beda our countriman likewise doth testifie that in his time this land kept Easter after the manner of the East Church by which may be gathered that the first preachers came hither from the East parts of the world and not from Rome more proofes might be set downe but I spare them Secondly though it be granted that Elutherius sending hither preachers from Rome in king Lucius his time did first conuert this land to the Christian faith I say there is not now the same faith in Rome that was then there was then no Masses said the partes of it were not then found out no transubstantiation no setting vp of Images in Churches the communion was then in both kindes administred to the lay people no vniuersall Pope c. Elutherius writeth thus to King Lucius Yee haue receiued of late through Gods mercie in the Realme of Britanie the law and faith of Christ ye haue with you within the Realme both the parts of the Scriptures out of them by Gods grace with the counsaile of your Realme take ye a lawe and by that lawe through Gods sufferance rule your kingdome of Britanie for you be Gods Vicar in your kingdome according to the saying of the Prophet c. Thirdly the latter Popes haue been more beholding to this land for our money then the land for anie good receiued from them our kings haue often complained that the dropsie thirst of these late Romanists cannot be quenched The Priour of Winchester one Andrew being expulsed was faine to giue to the Pope 365. markes yeerely to be restored againe to his place this and manie such like were but slender gleanings in comparison of the mightie haruest that from this land they yeerelie gathered In a word the Apostle saith of the Thessalonians that they were examples to all that beleeue in Macedonia