sent the helue after the head and found both so I hope this simple present added to the former may make a way for me vnto your Maiestie not to speake for my selfe but in the behalfe of the Church of Christ. Now because I know not whether in this kind I may euer hereafter haue occasion to speake to your Maiestie let me be bold in the feare of God to vtter my mind to your Highnesse not onely with reuerence as to a King but plainely in singlenesse of hart as to a Christian a good man and louer of Gods Church Hierome of Sicile was wont to say That none that spake freely to him did importune him or was vnseasonable much more to your Christian Maiestie free and plaine speech deliuered in dutie I trust shall not be vnpleasing First then as we all do praise God for your happie succession in the kingdome by whom we are vndoubtedly perswaded religion and peace shall be coÌ„tinued and maintained that we haue all cause to say with Israell The Lord hath done great things for vs whereof we reioyce the times fall out much better and the change more happie then was of some feared of others expected It hath not happened vnto vs as aged Leontines foretold to the Antiochians who pointing to his gray and white haires said When this snow is melted much mire will follow that is sedition and trouble But after the dissolution of the white snowie haires of our last aged Soueraigne no such trouble God be thanked hath followed the Lord hath not left vs as sheepe without a shepheard We are the same sheepe to be led foorth still to the waters of life though another sheepheard As the Church of England acknowledgeth Gods great goodnesse herein so your Christian Maiestie shall do wel to recogitate with your selfe as you do the Lords great mercies toward you who in your infancie from many perils most prouidently preserued you and in your former raigne from many dangers miraculously deliuered you and now to a most flourishing kingdome most honourably aduaunced you I doubt not but as your Highnesse hath the like occasion so with the Prophet you will vtter the same affection My soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefites as well appeareth to the great comfort of vs all by that religious weekely erected exercise in your Highnesse Court Your Maiestie well remembreth Moses counsell to the king that he should reade in the law of God all the dayes of his life that his heart be not lifted vp aboue his brethren Princes are set in slipperie places if God stay them not abundance of honor pleasure wealth may soone intangle theÌ„ This appeared in Salomon who strangely fell and declined from his integritie Alexanders example in forraine stories is notable who in iustice temperance chastitie was a mirror to all Princes before he tasted of the pleasures of Asia Dionysius for a while delighted in Plato and seemed to be studious of Philosophie but he quickely fell away therein well resembled to a booke wherein that which was before written was soone blotted out But in Christians the mutabilitie of nature is corrected by the stabilitie of grace and God with whom there is no variablenesse nor shadowing by turning shall so strengthen your royall heart as that it be neither ouer-cast with shadow nor turned by change There are two enemies to Christian constancie enuie and flatterie the one practiseth the other perswadeth that pulleth backe this letteth to go forward the last is the worst the first least to be feared Enuie followeth vertue flatterie nourisheth vice the first Themistocles well perceiued who being yet young said he had done no excellent thing because he was not enuied the other Phocion was not ignorant of to whom when the people gaue applause for his oration What saith he to his friends haue I spoken any thing amisse vnawares shewing that popular applause and flatterie doth often worke vpoÌ„ some infirmitie Many haue preuented trecherie that could not take heed of flatterie Dauid whom neither Abner and Amasaes valour nor Achitophels wit could subdue Ziba his false tale seduced and smiling ease and prosperitie corrupted Nehemiah could wel beware of Tobiah and Sanballat that were threatning aduersaries but he was most in daunger by Shemaiah and Noadiah dissembling Prophets The way for Princes to auoide such flatterers is to haue faithfull seruants and followers as Dauid saith The faithfull in the land shall dwell with me the vpright in heart shall serue me Lysippus the Caruer did worthily reproue Apelles the Painter because he had made Alexanders picture with a thunderbolt in his hand as a God the other with a speare honouring him as a valiant Prince I doubt not but they are more pleasing to your Highnesse that giue you that is due then which ascribe that you will not take Against enuie and trechery your Maiestie must oppose your Christian innocencie and carefull circumspection against flatterie your Princely humilitie As Ambrose well describeth the penitent king of Niniuie that humbled himselfe in sackcloth He forgetteth himselfe to be a king while he feareth God the king of al a straunge thing while he casteth away his purple robes and remembreth not that he is a king he beginneth to be a king of Iustice he did not lose his kingdome but chaunged it to the better God graunt that to your Princely humilitie and Christian pietie may be added diuine constancie that although archers shoot at you some with darts of enuy trechery some with the bolts of flatterie yet with Ioseph your bow may abide strong and the hands of your armes strengthened to the end Agesilaus well said I do so vse my selfe that in no chaunge I be chaunged We all trust that this speech will be more truly verified in your Christian Maiestie then in that heathen Prince which your firme and we hope vnchaungeable constancie hath manifested it selfe in your stedfast resolution for the continuance of religion in sinceritie without mixture Some haue preasâ—ed alreadie if not presumed to make request for toleration of their Masse or rather Misse-seruice for all is amisse in it but they might know that the Arke and Dagon cannot dwell together that Hezechiah will not suffer the brasen serpent to stand nor Iosias permit the Chemarims to execute their idolatrous seruice They wold seeme to condition with your Maiestie whose lands and persons are at your courtesie much like the Athenians who being forced to giue vp their citie to the Spartans desired that Samos might be left to whom one wittily answered When you are not your owne you would haue others to be yours Whereupon grew this Prouerbe He that hath not himselfe would haue Samos We haue an English by-word Beggers must be no choosers so neither must petitioners be prescribers Your Maiestie can answer such importunate vnreasonable suiters as Zerubabel answered the aduersaries of Iudah that offered
against them First for Sybils Oracles they do euidently describe the Pope of Rome calling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that should haue a manifold that is a triple crowne and his name should come neere to Ponti so is he called Pontifex that all the world should visit his foote that he should gather together huge heapes of gold and siluer be skilfull in Magick arte And afterward in the same booke Sybill speaketh of the vtter ruine and desolation of Rome Concerning the Rabbines neither do they witnes for the Romanes but did rather by the scriptures gather that they should be enemies to the Church for so they vnderstand that prophesie of Balaam that Cittim shall afflict Heber of the power of Italy and Rome so Onkelos Iarchi Ezra Sadaiah Isaac Bochai as they are cited by that learned man in his Concent whose name as I haue heard this opponent beareth but neither his wit nor learning Is not this now a braue lad that would make vs belieue that these speake for him that are vtterlie against him But whereas he challengeth beside that Mahometanes Iewes Paganes Infidels Heretikes Schismatikes Deuils damned soules soules in Purgatorie do witnesse with them We willinglie yeeld them all these they are fit Iurie men to bring in such a verdite onely I take exception against two of this empanelled enquest the soules in Purgatorie which is no where and therfore it is a vaine proofe and the damned soules who if they might vtter their complaint from hell they would cry out against their popish instructors which by their idolatrie doctrine of freewill merits pilgrimages inuocation of Saints blind traditions and by many other grosse errors and blind ignorance condemned them to hell 8 He saith further That the Queene by her new taken prerogatiue proceedeth in spirituall causes without Parliament Here are two vntruths couched together 1 Her Maiestie did while she liued exercise no authoritie in those causes which the statutes of this realme haue not yeelded vnto her and therefore without Parliament she proceeded not that authoritie in spirituall matters being restored to the Crowne by acte of Parliament 2 False also it is that this prerogatiue is new taken vp that the Prince should be the supreme gouernor ouer all persons and in all causes as well ecclesiasticall as temporall for her Maiestie did not challenge any authoritie and power of ministerie of deuine offices in the Church as the Papists do falsely slaunder the state but only she was acknowledged during her princely life and raigne to be supreame gouernor of the Church in her realme to prescribe lawes for the same by the word of God and to see them executed and no otherwise This prerogatiue is auncient neuer denied to Christian Princes Dauid Solomon Iehosaphat Hezekiah Iosias reformed religion deposed idolatrous priests made ecclesiasticall orders and lawes Eleutherius calleth King Lucius Gods vicar in his kingdome and saith it is his dutie to call his people to the faith and law of Christ. Pope Leo thus decreed Res humanae c. Humane matters can not otherwise be safe nisi quae ad diuinam confessionē pertinent regia sacerdotalis defendat dignitas vnlesse those things which belong to the deuine profession both the kinglie and priestlie authoritie defend And among other offices of the Kings of England this is one Vt regat ecclesiam That he gouerne the Church Yea the popish Clergie were the first that recognized King Henry the 8. to be the supreame head of the Church of England 9 Where he saith The definition of the Pope in such cases is impossible to be false by all morall iudgement You should haue said moriall or a fooles iudgement for it is notoriouslie knowne that diuers Popes haue been heretikes Marcellinus was a Montanist Liberius an Arrian Honorius was condemned for an Heretike Anastasius and Celestinus were Nestorians Yea it is also manifest that the Bishops of Rome haue erred in their definitions and decrees Nicolaus 1. alloweth baptisme made onely in the name of Christ Decret 1. de baptis Platina saith Post Stephanum c. After Stephen this custome was obserued Vt acta priorū pontificum sequentes aut infringerent aut omnino tollerent That the Popes which succeeded did infringe the acts of their predecessors or cleane take them away The former then or the latter must needs erre in their decrees Erasmus saith Ioannes 22. Nicolaus totis decretis intra se pugnant idque in his quae videntur ad fidei negotium pertinere Iohn 22. and Nicolas in all their decrees do fight one with another and in such things as belong vnto faith But if you waigh not the credit of this testimonie heare one of your Popes confession Quid si criminosus papa contraria fidei praedicet haereticisque dogmatib imbuat subditos What if a bad Pope do preach contrarie to the faith and corrupt his subiects with hereticall opinions It is possible then for a Pope not only to erre himselfe but to preach publish and enioyne it to others What an heape of lyes hath this fabulous Frier told vs and all within the compasse of one page I may say to him as Diogenes to Plato who requesting of him three rootes out of his garden sent him a bushell euen so saith he when you are asked you answere many things But this vnskilfull gardener vnasked hath cast vs out of his garden stinking weeds by lumps serued vs with a bushell of lyes Cyprianes saying may very well be applied to such ouer-reaching Romanists Romani cum sua mendaciorum merce nauigant quasi veritas post eos nauigare non posset The Romanists hoise vp saile to carrie their merchandise of lyes as though the truth could not saile after them so this nimble Cursitor trips away with his false footing as though no man could trace his wide footsteps and ouertake him The fourth Perswasion 1 I Defend a religion which hath confuted all aduersaries Atheists Epicures Iewes Paganes Mahumetanes Magicians Philosophers 2 Which hath conquered aboue 400. sects of internall and domesticall heretikes subdued all nations 3 Not a religion builded vpon vaine coniecture c. wherein so many heads so many religions deniers of scriptures deceitfull false translators corrupters and forgers of holie euidence deuisers of doctrines for pleasure sake c. 4 But a religion founded vpon the most certaine and infallible word of God c. The Disswasion 1 HOw well popish religion confuteth Atheists Epicures Iewes Pagans Mahometanes I haue shewed before that poperie boroweth from all these that diuers of their Popes haue been Atheists Gregor 7. Siluester 2. Paulus 3. Benedict 9. Ioann 13. Leo. 10. Alexander 6. with other Iewes and Turkes are tolerated vnder the Popes nose onely the Protestants are persecuted vnto death And for Magicians Platina sheweth that
factious crue and adulterous seede of that strumpet may in good time also bee dispatched thither to sucke their owne mothers breasts that both the bondwoman and her sonnes may be cast foorth and not be heires with Isaac And if they will with Iudas depart from the Ministers of Christ to the Pharisies we may wish vnto them Iudas end as one saith Iudas iuit ad Pharisaeos non iuit ad Apostolos iuit ad diâ—isoâ— diuisus perijt Iudas went to the Pharisies not to the Apostles he went to those which were diuided and being diuided in the midst perished And happie were it with the Church of England if it were honestly rid of such make bate companions that wee might dwell by none but good neighbours as it is said of Themistocles when hee offered his ground to sell caused it to be proclaimed that he had a good neighbour Now this aduersarie breaking off here his vncharitable accusations returneth to his former defence which how sillie and weake it is shall in the discouerie thereof appeare The fift Defence 1. WHat disloyaltie of behauiour to Commonwealths can be noted in Catholike religion doe wee not teach all dutie vnto Princes and superiours pag. 94. 2. What is there in that sacred function of Priesthood now treason by the proceedings of England that can be guiltie of so great a crime in the statute of treason in Edward 3. nothing is remembred but that which tendeth either to the betraying of King or countrie pag. 95. 3. What is in Priesthood now that was not in former times which euer in Parliament hath been reputed the most honourable calling c. the same Priesthood which was giuen to S. Peter and his Apostles the same which S. Augustine and his associates had that conuerted England pag. 96. 4. There is in that sacrament of Priesthood no renouncing or deniall of any authoritie in England no conspiracie to Prince no betraying of kingdome c. pag. 96. 5. That Priests do absolue from sinnes c. the cause is no temporall thing and yet it cannot be the cause of this treason for Deacons which haue no such authoritie are traytors by the same statute pag. 96. 6. That our Priests are consecrated in forraine countries is not the cause for in former times it hath been the greatest honour to our Clergie to be consecrated in those forraine countries and to be ordered in France to which we be friends and in England is equally treason pag. 97. 7. The Grecians and Germanes diuers in doctrine to the Church of Rome haue their Seminaries of Priests maintained by the Pope and yet they condemne not their Priests for traytors and it is as improbable that the Pope hath an intent to bring England vnder his temporall gouernment as it is vnprobable in those countries 8. How can those religious Schooles be such aduersaries c. where there is no Reader no professor no Lecture no doctrine against our English gouernment where prayer is continually made for her Maiestie The rules and gouernment there consent with the ancient foundations of Cambridge and Oxford pag. 98. 9. What disobedience can it be to denie to any temporall Prince supremacie in causes Ecclesiasticall a preeminence distinct c. which our Kings themselues euer approued in the Roman See which neuer any Turke or Goth or Vandale or Infidell challenged c. nor any temporall Prince vnlesse it be in England pag. 98. 10. The enemies to this See do not condemne it as a disobedience to appeale to Rome in spirituall cases to goe on pilgrimage to Rome to fetch any Crucifixe or picture from thence all Catholikes and Christians of the world without prohibition of their Princes haue accesse thither pag. 99. 11. Our most triumphant Kings haue performed those offices in visiting of Rome in their owne persons pag. 99. The Answere 1. DOe ye aske what disloyaltie there is in your Cacolike religion when by Popish doctrine Princes are not chiefe in their owne kingdoms ouer Ecclesiasticall causes and persons and the Pope hath authoritie by the same to excommunicate and depose Princes and absolue subiects from their oth of obedience And doe ye teach all dutie to Princes when the pestilent vipers the Iudasites doe hold that subiects ought to assist the Pope inuading a countrie by force for religion against their Prince and that they are bound to keepe secret the Popes designements to that end that they were no rebels which aided the Popes Cacolikes in Ireland against the Queene I would not so often alleage these matters but that this brablers confused tautologies can not otherwise be answered 2. There be other points in that statute beside betraying of King or countrie that are made treason as to violate the Kings wife or his eldest daughter or the wife of his eldest sonne but these matters are impertinent they serue only to shew the vntruth of his speech And euen by this statute popish Priests and Iudasites that maintaine a forren Potentate a knowne enemie to Prince and countrie are found to be traytors for they which are adherent to the Kings enemies in his realme giuing them ayde and comfort within the realme or elsewhere are by that statute iudged traytors 3. In popish Priesthood there are many things now which were not in former times as to haue power to make Christs bodie that it is a sacrament and hath an indeleble character their shauing greazing to haue dependance vpon the Bishop of Rome the vow of single life annexed to orders these things in the honorable calling of the Ministers of the Church the auncient and pure age of the Church did not acknowledge And though the popish priesthood for some hundred yeares past hath beene in great credite yet was it another manner of Ministerie which was honoured of the auncient Christian Emperors As the Bishops of the Nicene Councell whom Constantine so reuerenced that he would not sit downe till they had beckoned to him Meletius whose eyes lips and breast Theodosius kissed embraced Chrysostome whom Goinas the Goth did reuerence and caused his children to fall downe at his knees all these were Bishops of another order then the Popes creatures now are It is also a vaine boast that S. Peter had the same priesthood S. Peters presbyters were not Lords ouer Christs flocke as the Popes Clergie is 1. Pet. 5.3 Peter doth make himselfe a sympresbyter with the rest not lord ouer theÌ„ nor they to depend of him and confesseth Christ to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe shepheard 1. Pet. 5.4 he dare not arrogate that title to himselfe as the Pope doth In some respects they may haue the same priesthoode which Augustine the Monke had though as yet the sacrifice of Christs bodie was not annexed to the priesthood nor many yeares after for he came from Rome and sought the preeminence of that See