thought conceiue nor his wordes include any such matter But what doeth not malice enuie and spite vtter against the most innocent person that is The bishop of Winchester hath openly more impugned the vices of this age heere in the Church of Englande then the vvhole broode of them that are of the Anabaptisticall Conuenticles and the residue of these Libellers Woe bee to them saith Esay the Prophet that speake euil of good and good of euill and put light for darkenesse and darkenesse for light sweete for sowre and sowre for sweete Dauid had great cause to crie domine libera animam meam à labijs iniquis à lingua dolosa And Salomon cogitatio stulti peccatum est abominatio hominum Detractor The deuise of a foole is sinne and all men abhorre the backbiter or Slaunderer If any man vvill reprooue the Assertion before written God vvilling he shall be ansvvered so that he rayle not This may be a sufficient answere to the vntrueth fathered vpon the B. of Winchesters words that hee is not for the same iustly tearmed Monstrous and flattering hypocrite speaking against his owne conscience But I see in these wordes the reproch not only of the bishop but much more amalicious spite against this Church of England and that so deepely setled in their hearts that their eares cannot without griefe he are any good spoken of it Therefore I thinke my selfe in Christian dutie bound somevvhat farther to follovve this matter and with some signification of thankefulnesse to acknowledge and confesse those excellēt blessings which it hath pleased God of his great mercies to bestowe vpon the same as vvell in King Edward the sixts dayes as much more in her Maiesties reigne that now is and first to beginne with that which is the principall that is the sinceritie of doctrine and all branches of true religion receiued professed taught and established in this Realme In which point I thinke it very superfluous needles for me to recite the particular branches and to make a nevv catechisme or to pen a new confession of the Church of England seeing they both are so sufficiently performed that vvithout enuy be it spoken there is none better in any refourmed Church in Europe For a Catechisme I refer them to that which was made by the learned and godly man Master Nowel Deane of Paules receiued and allovved by the Church of England and very fully grounded and established vpon the vvorde of God There may you see all the parts of true Religion receiued the difficulties expounded the trueth declared the corruptions of the Church of Rome reiected But this I like not in our Church that it is lawful to euery man to set foorth a nevve Catechisme at his pleasure I read that in the Primitiue Church that thing did great harme and corrupted the mindes of many simple persons with soule errours and heresies I see the like at this day for thereby many honest meaning hearts are caried avvay to the misliking of our manner of prayer and administration of Sacraments and other orders vvhereby it is made a principall instrument to maintaine and increase discorde and dissention in the Church For a sound and true confession acknowledged by this our church I refer them to that notable Apologie of the English Church written not many yeeres since by that Iewel of England late Bishop of Sarifburie Wherein they shal finde all parts of Christian religion confessed proued both by the testimony of the canonicall scriptures and also by the consent of all learned and godly antiquitie for the space of certain hundred yeres after Christ For the integrity and soundnes for the learning and eloquence shewed in the same Apologie they that contemne that notable learned man because hee was a Bishoppe may haue very good testimonie in a litle Epistle vvritten by Peter Martir vnto the said bishop and nowe printed and in the latter edition set before the same Apologie where they shall finde that hee speaketh not for himselfe onely but for many other learned men of the church of Tygure and other places Nowe as this learned Bishop doeth acknowledge and confesse for this Church all trueth of doctrine so doeth hee reprooue condemne and detest all corruptions brought into the same either by the church of Rome or by any other ancient or newe heretikes whome he there particularly nameth yea and to the great comfort of all them that are members of the same church and acknowledge the same confession hee prooueth and euidently sheweth that the testimonies of the Scriptures whereon that confession is grounded for the true interpretation of them haue the witnesse consent of all the learned antiquitie as I haue saide for certaine hundred yeeres Which I take to bee a very good comfort and confirmation to all honest consciences in these captious and quarelling dayes That which I meane I will declare by some particulars What is more euident certaine and firme for the article of the person of Christ in his Godhead manhood then those things that the ancient Fathers decreed out of the canonicall scriptures in the Councels of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon some others against Arius Samosatenus Apollinaris Nestorius Eutiches and those heretikes that were termed Monotholetes c Therefore whosoeuer do teach contrary to the determination of those councels as some do in these dayes they do not iustly hold that principal article and foundation of Christian religion Moreouer as touching the grace and benefite of Christ the beginning whereof riseth from the eternall loue of God toward vs and from the free election to redemption and eternall saluation and proceedeth to our vse and benefite by the dispensation of Christ once offred vpon the Crosse by effectual calling wrought by the holy Ghost in preaching of the Gospell by our iustification sanctification and the gift of perseuerance and continuance in the faith thereby in the end to obtaine resurrection and eternall life touching I say this free grace of God another principall ground of Christian religion what coulde be or can bee more certainly or abundantly layde downe out of the holy Scriptures then was determined in the Councels of Carthage Mileuitane Aurasicane c. against the Pelagians and other enemies of the free grace of God in Christ Iesu our Sauiour Especially if you adde the writings of August and other ancient Fathers for defence of the same As to that which is necessarie to be knowen touching the true Catholique Church a matter of great importaunce euen at this day vvhat can be more copiously or with more perspicuitie declared then is by that learned father Augustine as well in other places as principally in his bookes against the Donatists Likewise for the matter of the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper if simple trueth coulde content men what is more euident then that doctrine which hath bene laid downe by the ancient Fathers Iustine Irenaeus Tertullian Cyprian Augustine Theodorete and a number
them vvil not vse the old pulpits but haue nevv made they wil not accept a collect or praier be it neuer so agreeable to the vvord of God I maruaile that they vse the Churches them selues then which nothing hath bin more prophaned with superstition and idolatrie They should do that Optatus Mileuitanus writeth that the Donatists were wōt to do that is when they obteyned a Church vvhich before had bene vsed by Catholikes they vvoulde scrape the walles therof and breake the Communion tables cups But it may appeare that the learned father August vvas not of that opinion For in his epistle vvritten to Publicola a question was mooued vnto him whether in destroying the idoles temples or their groues a Christian might vse any part of the wood or water or any other thing that did apperteine vnto them His answere was that men might not take those things to their priuate vse least they run into suspicion to haue destroyed such places for couetousnes but that the same things might be imploied in pios necessarios vsus But I recite not this to defend that law whereby mariage for a time is forbidden For I thinke it not a matter of such necessitie neither is it so greatly pressed as they pretend I thinke there is no lawe remaining that is so little executed as that is The other law of forbearing flesh on Fridayes in Lent and other dayes for the state of our countrey I thinke very conuenient and most necessarie to be vsed in Christian policie I woulde to God those men that make so small accompt of this lawe had heard the reasons of the grauest wisest and most expert men of this realme not only for the maintenance of this Lawe but also for some addition to be made vnto it How God hath placed this land there is no reasonable man but seeth The Sea are our walles and if on these walles we haue not some reasonable furniture of ships we shal tempt God in leauing open our countrey to the enemy and not vsing those instrumēts which God hath appointed There is no state of men that doeth so much furnish this realme with sufficient numbers of mariners for our nauie as fishers doe And how shall fishers be maintained if they haue not sufficient vtterance for those things for which they trauell And howe can they haue vtterance if euery daintie mouthed man without infirmitie sickenesse shall eate flesh at his pleasure They cannot pretend religion or restraint of Christian libertie seeing open protestation is made by the lawe that it is not for conscience sake but for the defence and safetie of the realme Therefore this crying out against this lawe is not onely needelesse but also vndiscreete and factious Obiection But there bee other matters that more nighlie touch the quicke and if they be true can receiue no face of defence They make lewde and vnlearned Ministers for gaine they maintaine pouling and pilling courtes they abuse the Churches discipline c. Answere As touching the first if they make lewde Ministers it is one great fault if they doe it wittingly it is farre a more heinous offence if they do it for gaine it is of all other most wicked and horrible and indeede shoulde directly proue deuilish simonie to be in them That some lewde and vnlearned ministers haue bene made it is manifest I will not seeme to defend it I woulde they had had more care herein that the offence of the godly might haue bene lesse And yet I knowe all their faults in this are not alike and some haue smally offended herein And in them all I see a certaine care and determination so much as in them lyeth to amend the inconuenience that hath risen by it Which thing with professours of the Gospell shoulde cause their fault to bee the more charitably borne least they seeme not so much to haue misliking of the offence as of the persons themselues for some other purpose then they will bee openly knowen of But if they shoulde doe as they be I trust vniustly reported of that is to make lewde and vnlearned Ministers for lucre and gaine truly no punishment coulde be too grieuous for them Which way that should be gainefull to Bishops I see not The Clarke or Register I knowe hath his fee allowed for the writing of letters of Orders but that euer Bishop did take any thing in that respect I neuer heard neither thinke I that their greatest enemies be able to proue it vpon many of them Therefore this may goe with the residue of vncharitable slanders Or if there hath bene any one such euil disposed person that hath so vtterly forgot his duetie and calling that eyther this way or any such like in making of Ministers hath sought his owne gaine and commoditie it is hard dealing with the reproch thereof to defame the innocent together with the guiltie and to distaine the honestie of them that neuer deserued it There is no Magistrate in this land so sincere and vpright in his doings but that by this meanes his honesty and good name may be defaced Obiection It will bee sayde that all this is but a glose or colour to hide and turne from you those great crimes that you are iustly charged withall For the worlde seeth and all men crie out against you that you to the great hurt and hinderance of the Church vpholde and maintaine an vnlearned ministerie and wil not suffer any redresse or reformation to be made therein Hereby commeth it to passe that the people of God bee not taught their duetie eyther to God or to their Prince but by their ignoraunce are layde foorth as a pray to Sathan For by that occasion they bee ledde away to euill with euery light perswasion that is put into their heads either against God or their prince so that it may bee iustly thought that all those mischiefes that of late haue fallen foorth haue sprung out of this onely roote aswell in them that haue slidde backe and reuolted from religion as in those that haue conceiued attempted the wicked murthering of our gratious Prince and bringing in of a stranger to sit in her royall seate You are therefore the principall causes of all these mischiefes Answere This is surely a grieuous accusation but God I trust will iudge more vprightly and regard the innocencie of our hearts in these horrible crimes laid to our charge These accusers to satisfie their misliking affection towarde our state not onely suffer themselues to bee deceiued with false and captious reasons but dangerously also seeke to seduce other Logicians among other deceitfull arguments note one principally A non causa vt causa that is when men either to praise or dispraise doe attribute the effects of either part to some things or persons as causes therof which indeed are not the true causes Which false reasoning hath done great harme at all times both in the Church of God and in common weales After the
set vp Antichrist aloft in his throne and wrought him the dominion of the church which I pray God may be more carefully looked vnto amoÌ„g vs then yet I perceiue that they haue bene especially if we meane so earnestly to keepe away from vs the returne of his corruption as many now would seeme to do The first cause that aduaunced Antichrist was Schisme and here sie in the Church for the space of 200. yeres and more together with the barbarous irruptions which before I spake of The secoÌ„d cause was the generall decay of learning especially of the knowledge of the Scriptures and of the tongues Thirdly the vsurpation of Ecclesiasticall Discipline practised against Emperours and Princes by which hee conquered more then by all other meanes The helping causes to these principall were these two first the negligence the vnskilfulnesse the vnworthinesse of many emperors and gouernours giuen ouer rather to wantonnesse and voluptuous pleasures then to the care of their charge and secondly the superstitious deuotion of the people maintained by corrupt doctrine But the graund cause of al causes was the iust iudgement of God for the generall vnthankfulnesse of the worlde in receiuing the knowledge of his gospell which he sent among them And this cause was vniuersall in all estates and kindes of persons as well ecclesiasticall as other The bishoppes and Ministers were giuen ouer to maintaine factions and hereticall doctrines Princes looked more to their sensuall pleasure then to the godly gouernment of their subiects the people were bent wholly to superstition and wickednes of life so that a smal number only excepted none did study howe in life and godly conuersation to frame theÌ„selues to the good wholesome doctrine of the Gospel which at the hand of many godly men they at the beginning had receiued SuÌ„dry of these or the like causes haue we now also growing encreasing among vs and therfore haue we great cause to feare the like iust iudgement of God that eyther shal cast vs againe vnder the tyrannie of Antichrist or bring vpon vs some plague no lesse grieuous then that is Our ministers and Preachers breake out to Schismaticall factions and curious doctrines The people in steed of superstitious deuotion haue conceiued an heathenish contempt of Religion and a disdainfull loathing of the ministers thereof Vice and wickednesse ouerwhelmeth all states and conditioÌ„s of men None almost vnlesse it bee some that God reserueth to his secrete knowledge studie to shew themselues thankfull to God and in life to expresse that which in doctrine they will seeme to approue I pray God that by abusing this long suffering of the Lorde we heape not vp wrath for our selues against the day of wrath God hath dealt as mercifully with this land as euer hee did with any I beseech him that in time we may repent with Niniue and turne to him in sackcloth and ashes while hee may bee founde and while hee stretcheth vnto vs the hande of his gracious goodnesse least when it is too late and hee hath turned his face from vs we crie vnto him with vaine gronings and mourne with vnprofitable sighings Hee sent the light of his trueth into this Realme first in the time of King Henry the eight and brake the power of Antichrist among vs but because hee sawe neyther thankefull receyuing of the Gospell nor any thing studied for by men generally but the benefite of Abbey lands and possessions to enrich them-selues hee by and by cut off the comfortable sweetnesse of his worde with the bitter sauour of the sixe articles and sharp persecution of them that professed true religion His iustice in deede coulde no longer abide the full ripenesse of the superstition idolatrie and wicked life of the Monkes and Friers and such other swarms of Antichristian impietie but our vnthankfulnes deserued not to haue the same turned to our benefite nor the freedome of his Gospel to be continued among vs to our further comfort In the time of that gracious Prince king Edward the sixt hee gaue vs a larger taste of his word and a greater freedome of all points of sound true christian doctrine to our vnestimable benefite if wee could haue receiued it accordingly But euen then also hee perceiued that wee sought not so much the increase of his glory or to frame our liues according to our profession as wee did studie vnder countenance of religion by al meanes we could to worke againe our owne worldly benefit commoditie And therefore did hee the second time take from this realme his fatherly blessing cast vpon vs that heauie scourge of persecution which immediatly followed keeping vs vnder the rodde of his correction by the space of certaine yeeres Neuerthelesse as a mercifull Father declaring that by his chastening he sought not our confusion but our amendment euen for the glory of his names sake onely beyond all hope expectation he shewed vs againe the light of his countenance and that more fauourably bountifully then euer he did before raising for vs as it were out of the dust of death a noble Queene a gratious Prince as a nurse or protectresse of his church Vnder the shadow of whose wings although but a virgine he keepeth vs in great safetie quietnesse against al the ancient enemies both of his church of our natural countrey Notwithstanding al this our old vnthankfulnes and forgetfulnesse of our duetie stil continueth we shew our selues the same men that euer we did before And therfore beside the earnest preaching of his word calling vs continually to repeÌ„tance vvho seeeth not diuers times he hath shaken the rod of his displeasure ouer vs as in the Northren rebellion in many signes tokens from heauen thereby if it were possible to waken vs out of our sinful security wherein we sleep so confidently Yea and the more to keep vs in feare he hath made vs to nourish in our bosomes the apparant instrument of his wrath by whoÌ„ we could not choose but see that in a moment he might haue taken froÌ„ vs both the comfort of his Gospel the freedom and happinesse of our state Here must I put you in mind again of his exceeding mercies shewed toward vs eueÌ„ in these few months deliuering vs froÌ„ the bloody cruelty of our enemies But to what effect I pray you commeth all this carefull working of our mercifull God by fayre meanes and foule meanes thus labouring to drawe vs vnto him Doth it quicken in vs the care of our saluation doth it increase the feare of his displeasure doth it stir vp any more zeale and â—oue of his Gospell hath it any thing diminished our uncharitable strife contentioÌ„ doth it any thing abâ—â—e the obstinacie of the aduersary hath it any way diminished the loosenes of our liuing hath it taken from vs our pride in apparell our daintines in feeding our wastfull and pompous building hath it made lesse any euill among vs and
AN ADMONITION TO THE PEOPLE OF ENGLAND VVHEREIN ARE ANSVVERED NOT ONELY THE slaunderous vntruethes reprochfully vttered by Martin the Libeller but also many other Crimes by some of his broode obiected generally against all Bishops and the chiefe of the Cleargie purposely to deface and discredite the present state of the Church Detractor libens auditor vterque Diabolum portat in lingua Seene and allowed by authoritie Imprinted at London by the Deputies of Christopher Barker Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie 1589. TO THE READER I Am not ignoraunt Gentle Reader what daunger I drawe vpon my selfe by this attempt to answere the quarrels and slaunders of late time published in certaine Libelles against the Bishops and other chiefe of the Clergy of the Church of England We see the eagernesse boldenesse of their spirit that bee the authors of them we taste alreadie the bitternes of their tongues and pennes The raging furie of their reuenge vpon all which they mislike themselues dissemble not but lay it downe in words of great threatnings I must needs therfore looke for any hurt that venemous scoffing and vnbridled tongues can worke toward me And how should I hope to escape that when the Saints of God in Heauen doe feele it In the course of their whole Libell when they speake of Peter Paul or the Blessed Virgin Marie c whome other iustly call Saintes their phrase in derision is Sir Peter Sir Paule Sir Marie Surely it had becommed right well the same vnmodest Spirite to haue saide also Sir Christ and so throughly to haue bewrayed himself Seeing they haue sharpned their tongues and heartes against heauen we poore creatures on earth must bee content in our weaknesse to beare them The dartes I confesse of deceitefull and slaunderous tongues are verye sharpe and the burning of the woundes made by them will as hardly in the hearts of many bee quenched as the coales of Iuniper But I thanke God I feare them not though they bring mee greater harme eyther in credite liuing or life then I trust that God that seeth knoweth and defendeth the trueth will suffer them Ambrose beeing in case somewhat like sayeth thus Non tanti est vnius vita quanti est dignitas omnium Sacerdotum If I therefore shoulde hazarde the one for the defence of the other I trust the godlye woulde iudge that I did that duetie which I owe to the Church of God and to my brethren of the same function and calling What is the cause why wee bee with such spight and malice discredited Surely because as the duty of faythfull Subiectes dooth binde vs liuing in the state of a Church refourmed we doo indeuour to preserue those Lawes which her Maiesties authoritie and the whole state of the Realme hath allowed and established and doe not admitte a newe platforme of gouernment deuised I knowe not by whome The reasons that mooue vs so to doe are these two First wee see no proofe brought out of the word of God that of necessitie such forme of Gouernement ought to be Secondly that by the placing of the same it woulde bring so many alterations and inconueniences as in our opinion woulde bee dangerous to the Prince and to the Realme Some of those inconueniences I haue in this treatise laid downe and leaue them to the consideration of them whom God hath set in place of gouernment It may be some will iudge that I am wordly affected because I shewe my selfe so much grieued with losse of our credite and hinderance of good name among the people In trueth although a godly Minister shoulde haue no wordly thing so deere vnto him as his credite yet if the hurt went no further then to our selues wee should make lesse account of it But seeing by our reproche and infamie the doctrine which wee teache is greatly hindered we ought by all lawfull meanes to defend it Christ himselfe in this respect answered such reproches as the enemies obiected against him As that hee vvas a friende vnto Publicanes and sinners That hee vvrought his miracles by the power of Beelsebub That hee broke the Sabbaoth day That hee was a Samaritane That hee had a deuill c. Saint Paul also to the Corinthians against his Aduersaries sheweth that hee was not a vaine Promiser That hee was not light and vnconstant and a wauering Teacher That hee did not teache craftily or corruptly dispensing the worde of God That hee did not teach ambitiously as seeking his owne glorie c. The like did a nomber of learned Fathers of the Primitiue Church at large answering those vile and reprochefull Slaunders raysed against the Christians in those dayes Augustine in a whole woorke answered Assertions falsly fathered vpon him and so did many other Wee seeke not therein our owne prayse and commendation If I doe insert particular prayses and commendations I must say vnto the Libellers as S. Paul sayde to the Corinthians Si insipiens fui in laudando vos me coegistis If I haue bene foolish in ouermuch praising your immodest reproches vntrueths and slaunders do driue me to it In this mine answere I seeke not to fatisfie all kinde of men but onely the moderate and godly For the malicious Back-biter Rayler will neuer be satisfied but the more he is answered the worse he will be If my defence may take moderate place with the better sort I shall be glad if not I may not be excessiuely grieued with sorowe but I must say with Paul Gloria nostra haec est testimonium conscientiae nostrae And with Iob Ecce in caelis testis meus This witnesse in heauen and the witnesse of our owne heart and conscience is sufficient to comfort vs. And for our further helpe we must pray with Dauid who was lamentably beaten and bitten with viperous tongues Leade vs O Lorde in thy righteousnesse because of our enemies make thy way plaine before vs. This God I trust will deliuer vs from the daunger of euill tongues and open their eyes and hearts that they may see and vnderstande what hinderance they bring to the Gospel of Christ which they will seeme to professe so earnestly Amen T. C. The Contents of this Treatise AN Admonition to beware of the contempt of the Bishops and other Preachers Page 1. The ende which the enemy of the Church of God respecteth in woorking their discredite pag. 23. Answeres to the vntrucths and slaunders vttered in Martins late Libell pag. 33. Against my Lord of Canterburie pag. 37. Against my Lord of London pag. 51. Against the Bishop of Rochester Lincolne and Winchester pag. 62. 63. c. The causes why the Bishops desire to maintaine the present state of the gouernment of the Church and what inconucniences they feare vpon the alteration thereof will come to the state of the Realme pag. 79. c. Answeres to certaine generall Crimes obiected to all the Bishops without exception as first The Crime of Simonie and Couetousnesse pag. 66.
nowe come to answere briefly some particular slanders vttered against some Bishops and other by name Against the slaunderous Libels of late published vnder a fayned and fonde name of MARTIN MARPRELATE OH my good Brethren and louing Countrey men what a lamentable thing is this that euen novv vvhen the vievve of the mightie Nauie of the Spaniards is scant passed out of our sight when the terrible sound of their shot ringeth as it were yet in our eares when the certaine purpose of most cruel and bloody conquest of this Realme is confessed by themselues and blazed before our eyes whē our sighes grones vvith our fasting and prayers in shevve of our repentance are fresh in memorie the teares not washed from the eyes of many good men vvhen the mightie vvorkes of God and his marueilous mercies in deliuering vs and in scattering and confounding our enemies is bruted ouer all the world and with humble thanks renowmed by all them that loue the Gospell when our Christian duetie requireth for ioy thankesgiuing that we should be seene yet still lifting vp our hands and hearts to heauen and with thankfull mindes setting foorth the glorie of God and vvith Moses and the Israelites singing praises vnto his Name and saying The Lorde hath triumphed gloriously the horse and the Rider the Ships and the Saylers the souldiers and their Captaines hee hath ouerthrowen in the Sea the Lorde is our strength the Lorde is become our saluation c. That euen novve I say at this present time vvee shoulde see in mens handes and bosomes commonly slaunderous Pamphlets fresh from the Presse against the best of the Church of Englande and that vvee should heare at euery table and in Sermons and Lectures at priuate Conuenticles the voyces of many not giuing prayse to God but scoffing mocking rayling and deprauing the liues and doings of Bishoppes and other of the Ministerie and contemptuously defacing the state of Gouernment of this Church begunne in the time of that godly and blessed Prince King Edwarde the sixt and confirmed and established by our most gracious Soueraigne What an vnthankfulnesse is this vvhat a forgetting of our duetie tovvarde God and tovvarde our brethren vvhat a reproche to our profession of the Gospell vvhat an euident testimonie to the Aduersarie of our hypocrisie and deepe malice layde vp in the bottome of our breastes euen in the middest of our troubles vvhen these Pamphlets vvere in penning The common report goeth and intelligence is sundry wayes giuen that the Enemies of this lande haue rather their malice increased tovvardevs then sustained a full ouerthrovve and therefore by confederacie are in making prouision for a newe inuasion more terrible in threatning then the other Which may seeme more easie to them because they now knowe their owne wants and our imperfections For which vndoubtedly they vvill prepare most carefully For the children of this worlde are wiser in their generation then the children of God What then meaneth this vntemperate vncharitable and vnchristian dealings among our selues at such an vnseasonable time but as it were to ioyne handes with the Seminaries Iesuites and Massing priestes and other Messengers of Antichrist in furthering their deuises by distracting the mindes of the Subiects and drawing them into partes and factions in increasing the nomber of Mal-contents and mislikers of the state which make no account of religion but to make their commoditie though it bee with spoyle of their owne countrey if opportunitie serue In pulling away the good and faithfull hearts of many subiects from her Maiestie because she mainteineth the state of Church-gouernment which they mislike and which is protested to them to bee prophane and Antichristian There are of late time euen within these fewe weekes three or foure odious Libels against the Bishops and other of the Clergie printed and spread abroad almost into all Countreyes of this Realme so fraught with vntrueths slaunders reproches raylings reuilings scoffings and other vntemperate speeches as I thinke the like was neuer committed to Presse or paper no not against the vilest sort of men that haue liued vpon the earth Such a preiudice this is to the honour of this State and Gouernment as neuer was offered in any age For these things bee done with such impudencie and desperate boldnesse as if they thought there were neither Prince nor Lawe nor Magistrate nor ruler that durst controll them or seeke to represse them The author of them calleth himselfe by afained name Martin Marprelate a very fit name vndoubtedly But if this outragious spirit of boldenesse be not stopped speedily I feare he wil proue himselfe to bee not onely Mar-prelate but Mar-prince Mar-state Mar-lawe Mar-magistrate and all together vntill hee bring it to an Anabaptisticall equalitie and communitie When there is seene in any Common vvealth such a loose boldnesse of speech against a setled lavve or State it is a certaine proofe of a loose boldnesse of minde For Sermo est index animi that is Such as the speech is such is the minde Ex abundantia cordis os loquitur It hath also in all Histories bene obserued that loose boldnesse of minde tovvard the Superiours is ioyned alwayes with contempt and contemptuous boldnesse is the very roote and spring of discord dissention vprores ciuill vvarres and all desperate attempts that may breede trouble and danger in the State Yea and if they be hardened vvith some continuance of time and hope of impunitie and some multitude of assistāce gathering vnto them vvhat may follovve I leaue to the vvisedome and discretion of them that God hath set in place of Gouernment These Libellers are not contented to lay downe great crimes generally as some other haue done but with very vndecent tearmes charge some particular Bishops with particular faultes with what trueth you shall nowe vnderstand They first beginne with the most reuerend the Archbishop of Canterburie which crimes and reproches because they are many and of no weight or likelihoode of trueth I take onely the chiefe and note the pages vvherein they are setting the answere after very briefly But in those that touch my Lord of London because they are by lewd tongues drawen into more common talke and his person most slanderously inueighed against and discredited I thought it necessarie the things should bee more fully and amply declared that the trueth of them might be better conceiued For as much as I haue not bene curious in all my life to examine the doings of other hauing ynough to do vvith mine owne I haue in these matters vsed the instruction of them whome no honest man may in Christian duetie suspect of vntrueth and therefore in conscience I thinke the things to be true as I haue layde them downe An answere to such things as the most Reuerend the Archbishop of Canterburie is particularly charged withall in the Libell His Grace I warrant you will carie to his graue the blowes c. God be thanked hee neuer felt blowe giuen by him or
now him and others in the defence of the Gospell against all the learned Papists in England For the which hee was driuen into banishment and there continued for the space of fiue or sixe yeeres visiting almost all Vniuersities in Italie and Germanie hauing great conference with the most and best learned men 〈◊〉 the last being stayed at Iany an vniuersitie erected by the dukes of Saxonie and shoulde if he had not come away had the Hebrewe lecture which Snepphinus had intertained by them to reade in their sayd vniuersitie both Greeke Latin in the company and with the good loue and liking of those famous men Flaccus Illyricus Victorius Strigellus D. Snepphinus called alter Luther vvith diuers others where belike he was not dumbe And after comming home was appoynted among the famous learned men to dispute againe with the enemies of the religion the papisticall bishops and like that if the disputations had continued to shew him not ignorant in all the three tongues as he will yet if Martin Malapert prouoke him too farre not to be dumb Is he dumbe because he vvas the onely Preacher in Leicestershire for a space as the noble Earle of Huntington can vvitnesse and by their tvvo meanes that shire God be blessed was conuerted brought to that state that it is now in which in true religion is aboue any other place because they retaine the Gospell without contention which fewe other places doe And in Lincolneshire did he nothing did he not first purge the Cathedrall Church being at that time a nest of vncleane birdes and so by preaching and executing the Commission so preuailed in the countrey God blessing his labours that not one recusant was left in the countrey at his comming away to this sea of London Is this to be dumbe howe many Sermons hath he preached at Paules crosse sometime three in a yeere yea sometime two or three together being an olde man to supply some yonger mens negligence It is omitted that Episcopomastix had a fling at the Bishoppe of London for swearing by his faith wherefore he termeth him a Swag. What he meaneth by that I will not diuine but as all the rest is lewd so surely herein he hath a lewde meaning It is to be thought that the Bishop will take profite hereby being a man that hath diligently read Plutarke De vtilitate capienda ad inimico If it bee an othe as this gentleman hath censured it it is not to be doubted but that he will amend it but if it were lawful as it may be for any thing Martin can say to aske his brotherhood what Amen signifieth or whether it be an othe then in his wicked and malicious wishes for the ouerthrow of the Clergie how oft is he to be found to say Amen for in the phrase of our speech by my faith signifieth no more but in very trueth bona fide in trueth assuredly id est Amen It is to be thought that Martin misliketh to say by his faith because a railing and slanderous spirite can haue no faith for where Charitie is away the soule of all good workes there can be no faith Read that of Paul Charitas non inuidet non est suspicax c. The contraries whereof swell in Martin as venemous humours in an infectious sore Among other their reproches they affirme of the Bishop of Rochester that hee presented him selfe to a benefice I doe not thinke it to be true for that I know it can not be good in Lawe If he hath procured a benefice in way of Commendam as they call it it is by lawe allowed and hath bene done by other The bishop of Lincolne is knowen to bee learned and zealous in religion There are few men toward her Maiestie that haue preached in the court either oftner times or with more commendation or better liking as well before he was bishop as since It is therefore maruaile that none in all this time coulde espie his inclination vnto corrupt and Papisticall doctrine vntill the chickens of the scratching kite yong Martinists got wings to flee abroad cric out vntrueths against euery man that displeaseth them If the Bishoppe of Lincolne had not euen of late shevved himselfe in the Commission Court at the examination of some of them hee had now escaped this scratch of the lewde lying kite Martin Marprelate What his words were I haue forgotten yet I heard them deliuered by a learned man that vvas present For I did not then meane to deale in this cause but they were nothing soūding to that which the Libell layeth downe And the person considered at whose funerall hee preached hee could not with comelinesse speake lesse in her commendation then hee did vnlesse they vvoulde haue had him as rash and furious as themselues and to enter into Gods secrete iudgement and openly to condemne her as a reprobate God may vvorke great matters in a moment THE bishop of Winchester is charged vvith certaine vvordes vttered in two Sermons the last Lent the one in the Queenes Chappell the other at S. Marie Oueries in Southwarke The wordes of the challeng are these Like a flattering hypocrite hee protested before God and the congregation that there was not in the worlde at this day nay there had not beene since the Apostles time such a flourishing state of a Church as nowe wee haue in Englande Surely if hee had vttered these wordes for the state of the Church appoynted by lawe and order not respecting the faultes of particular persons it might in Christian duetie bee well defended But it was not vttered in this manner nor for the matter nor for the time The first part of those wordes hee doth not acknowledge at all for they are purposely inserted to stirre enuie Thus in deede it vvas deliuered As for the trueth of doctrine according to the worde of God for the right administration of the Sacramēts for the true worship of God in our prayer laide downe in the booke of seruice since the Apostles age vnto this present age of the restoring of the gospell there was neuer Church vpon the face of the earth so nigh the sinceritie of Gods trueth as the Church of England is at this day These vvords vvith Gods helpe he vvil iustifie to be true vpon the daunger not of his liuing only but of his life also against any man that vvil withstand it and yet therein shall not shew him selfe either desperate Dicke or shamelesse impudent or wainscot faced Bishop as it pleaseth the Libeller to rayle Neither doth he thinke that any learned man that fauoureth the Gospell though he mislike some things and persons novv in present vse vvill reproue it The Papists I knovv in deede doe detest the Assertion and thinke their Synagogue blasphemed by it No refourmed Church can iustly take offence at it Where the bishop is burdened by this speeche to excuse the multitude of Thieues Drunkards Murtherers Adulterers c. that bee in our Church neither did his
trueth was in his mouth and there was no iniquitie founde in his lippes he walked with me in peace and in equitie and hee turned many from their iniquitie but yee haue gone out of the way yee haue caused many to fall by the Lawe ye haue corrupted the couenant of Leui saith the Lord of hosts therefore haue I made you despised and vile before the people These wordes of the prophet doe so touch our Bishops and clergie men if they be so euill as they are made as all sentences wherein the Prophets blame the Priests of their time doe touch euill ministers of the Church but howe they eyther specially nippe our bishoppes as it is thought or any thing pertaine to the proofe of the principall matter or reproouing of Preachers liuings by Landes I see not In deede this sentence of Malachy might bee rightly vsed against the pope his prelates which neglecting the whole dutie of Gods ministers both in preaching and liuing stayed themselues vpon the authoritie of Saint Peter and of succession as though the Spirite of God had beene bounde to their succession though they taught and liued neuer so corruptly For so indeede did these priestes whome Malachie reprooueth they neglected the true worshippe of God and yet woulde they bee accompted his good and true priestes because they were of the tribe of Leui with whom God had made his couenant that hee and his seede shoulde haue the office of the high priesthood for euer But Malachie sayth they haue broken the couenaunt on their part That our bishoppes and ministers doe not challenge to holde by succession it is most euident their whole doctrine and preaching is contrarie they vnderstād and teach that neither they nor any other can haue Gods fauour so annexed and tyed to them but that if they leaue their dueties by Gods worde prescribed they must in his sight leese the preheminence of his ministers and bee subiect to his wrath and punishment They knowe and declare to all men that the couenaunt on the behalfe of Leui that is on the behalfe of the ministers of God to be perfourmed consisteth in these three branches by preaching to teach the right way of saluation and to sette foorth the true worship of God to keepe peace and quietnesse in the Church of God and thirdly by honest life to bee example vnto others These branches of the couenant if our bishops and preachers haue corrupted and broken they haue to answere for it before God and their punishment will be exceeding grieuous As for their doctrine I am right sure and in the feare of GOD I speake it will hazard my life to trye it that all their enemies shall neuer bee able so to prooue it but that it shall bee founde sincere and true so that I doubt not but God him selfe will beare witnesse with them as hee did with Leui that Trueth is in their mouth and as touching their doctrine no iniquitie founde in their lippes For they doe both teach the trueth according to the Scriptures sincerely and confounde the errours of the Antichristian Church learnedly and truely They therfore that speake so much against them may seeme lesse to regarde this part of their obseruing the couenant of Leui then the duetie of Christians requireth But I trust our mercifull God will fauourably consider it and beare with some other their imperfections in them I pray God wee bee not lighted into that time that men haue itching eares and can like no preachers but such as clawe their affections and feede their fantasies in vanities and newe deuises The couenaunt of peace they keepe also liuing in vnitie and peace among them-selues and studying so much as they can by teaching and by good order to keepe it among other And that is no small cause of their misliking at this time because they being in some place of gouernment according to their dueties striue to represse those which by vntemperate zeale seeke to disturbe the Church and to giue cause of faction and disorder by altering things externall in a setled and refourmed state As touching their liues and conuersations according to the Lawe of God as before I haue said if I must iudge according to that I knowe I must thinke the best because I know no ill Though there bee imperfections in some things if men woulde charitablie consider in what time wee liue and whose Messengers they are and somewhat withall descend into their owne bosomes and lay their owne dueties before their eyes I thinke surely they woulde iudge of them more christianly then many doe Obiection But they will say that according to the wordes of Malachie God sheweth his iudgement against thē for their wickednesse because hee hath made them so contemptible so vile and despised before all the people for say they wee may see how all men loath and disdaine them Answere It must needes be true I confesse that Malachie spake of the Priests of his time but I doe not take it to be alwayes an vnfallible token of euil Priests and Ministers or a certaine signe of Gods displeasure towarde them when the people do hate disdaine and contemne them I see more commonly in the Scriptures that it is a token of vnthankefull stubborne and hard-hearted people which smally regarde the worde of God and therefore also mislike his ministers Elias Micheas Amos and other Prophets were smally esteemed you knowe among the Israelites Esay Ieremie Ezechiel were euen of as small credite and estimation among the lewes It may appeare so to bee seeing Esay signified that they lilled out their tongues in mocking of him and other of his time And I am sure you knowe the fauour and entertainement that the Apostles had also among the same people I trust then you will not say it was a token of naughtie and corrupt Ministers or of Gods iust iudgement against them for they were the right and true Prophetes Apostles and Messengers of God and yet were in great hatred and misliking of them that thought themselues to be the people of God It may be surely and in deede I thinke it to be very true that God hath touched our bishops Preachers with this scourge of ignominie and reproch for their slackenesse and negligence in their office And I pray God they may take this mercifull warning and shunne his greater plagues But I must say withall as Christ sayeth of the Galileans whose blood Pilate mixed with their sacrifice and of them vpon whome the Tower of Siloe fell Doe you thinke that they onely are sinners nay I say vnto you if you do not repent you shall all taste of the same sharpe iustice If God punish his Ministers he will not suffer the other vntouched Now the time is come that the iudgemēt beginneth at the house of God and if God punish those that he sent with his worde what will hee doe to them that vnthankfully receiue his worde THAT this matter of Ecclesiasticall mens liuings
had the greatest liuings in this lād were most ready not onely to be banished their countrey but also to shead their blood and giue their liues to serue faithfully their Lord and master Christ and I doubt not wil doe againe if euer God giue the occasion Iudge therefore more charitably of your Ministers Preachers O ye English professours which haue seene these things with your eyes know not how soone to the sorowe of your owne hearts yee may see the same againe But they which at this day mislike the state of bishops do write or speake against them are those persons which in the time of affliction eyther were not borne or els were very yong therefore haue no sense of that temptation which that persecution did then bring As God of his goodnes graunteth vs now some Halcion dayes so I beseech him against that day to giue vs the grace of his mightie spirit so that we may haue the like constancie It is further alledged out of Christs doctrine that when he answered the Pharisees Mat. 22. he giueth a plaine commandement that landes and possesions should be at the pleasure of the Prince that Ministers of the church ought to giue them vp vnto him For this he saith Giue to Caesar that which is Caesars and to God that is Gods But say they all temporall landes are Caesars therefore they ought to giue them vnto Caesar and our Caesar is our gracious Prince and Soueraigne Truely it woulde make any Christian heart to lament in these dayes to see Gods holy word so miserably drawen racked and pulled in sunder from the true meaning thereof If the bishops and other of the Cleargy of England did grudge or murmure to haue their landes and Liuinges to bee tributarie to the Prince and subiect to all taxes and seruices that by the laws of this Realm may be either to the maintenance of her person or to the defence of our countrey Or if they did challenge such an immunitie or exemption from the authoritie of the Prince as the Pope and his Cleargie did Or if they did find them-selues grieued to bee punished by the Prince for the breach of her Lawes as the Donatists in old time did and some nowe in our age do If they were such enemies to Princes and Gouernours as they woulde exempt thē out of the state of true christianitie of the Church of God and make them onely to serue their turne in euill affaires then in deede did this place make strongly against them But I trust the Cleargie of Englande are with all good men out of the suspition of these pointes They are as willing and readie at all times to bee contributarie as any other subiectes are they claime no exemption from her authoritie they willingly submitte them-selues to her correction they humbly acknowledge their obedience in all thinges that anie Christian Prince may require and this doe they principallie for conscience sake because it is the ordinance and commandement of God but much mooued thereto also as men in consideration of their ovvnestate vvhich next vnder God dependeth of her maiestie Seeing therfore the hand of God hath more straightly bounde them vnto her then other common subiects I doubt not but shee vvillingly hath and shall haue all dueties of obedience at their handes that any Christian subiects by the word of God are bound vnto Neither are they in any feare that her Maiestie vvill presse them to any thing vvhich shall not stand vvith the glorie of God and furtherance of the Gospel But hovv these vvords of Christ before mentioned do cōmand them presently to yeeld vp into her Maiesties hands such landes possessions as by the grant of her goodnes by the law of this realm they nowe inioy indeede I see not If such a Prince shall com as I trust in my daies neuer to see that shal put them to this choise either to forgoe their lands liuings or to loose the free course of the Gospell it is before declared what their duty is to do therin And I doubt not but in the late time of persecutiō there were many of them that would haue bin glad with al the veines in their hearts by that choice to haue enioyed in this Realme the freedom of their consciences though they had bin put to as pore estate as possibly men might haue liued in But how that christiā princes are warranted either by this place of the gospell or by any part of the word of God so hardly to deale with the state of the ministery I haue not as yet learned though it be in these dayes by some boldly affirmed Amb. hath a worthy saying wherin he plainly noteth both what a christiā prince may do in these things that appertaine vnto the Church and howe a godly bishop shoulde in that case behaue himselfe When it was proposed vnto me saith he that I should deliuer the plate or vessell of the church I made this answere If there were any thing required that was my owne either land house gold or siluer being of my owne priuate right that I would willingly deliuer it but that I coulde not pull any thing from the Church of God And moreouer I sayde that in so doing I had regarde to the Emperours safetie because it was not profitable either for me to deliuer it or for him to receiue it Let him receiue the words of a free Minister of God If he will doe that is for his owne safety let him forbeare to do Christ iniury By these words ye may perceiue both that Ambrose wold not deliuer the church goods nor that he thought it safe for the Emperour to require it The mening of Christ is in those words to teach his to put a differēce between the duty that they owe to the Prince that they owe to God and to declare that vvithin their due boundes they may both stand together Therefore they that wil rightly folow Christ in this doctrine must consider in what consisteth the dutie towards a Prince or Magistrate and wherein resteth our duetie towardes God Wee owe to the Prince honour feare and obedience obedience I say in al those things that are not against the worde of God and his commandements Those things that God commandeth a Christian Prince cannot forbid Those things that God forbiddeth no Prince hath authority to command But such things as be external and by Gods word left in different the Prince by his authoritie may so by lawe dispose either in cōmanding or forbidding as in wisedome discretion he shall thinke to make most to the glorie of God and to the good and safe state of his people Among these things external I thinke lands goods and possessions to bee and therefore that the same ought to be subiect to taxe and tribute in such sort as the lawes state of the countrey requireth yea and if there shal happen in any country a magistrate which by