Harmonie of our confessions is this That subiectes are bounde to be subiect vnto all lawfull Magistrates hye or lowe good or euill and that not onely for angre that is for feare of the punishement whiche the Magistrate maie punishe the Rebellious with but also for conscience sake Whiche woordes of the Apostle for conscience sake we thus vnderstande Magistrates are ministers of God appoincted and ordeined by hym for defence and praise of the good and for iuste punishement and execution of the wicked Therefore he that shall resiste the Magistrate shal bee giltie in conscience of makyng resistance againste God Further also God in his moste holy Lawe of the ten Commaundementes vnder the precept of honoryng our Parentes doeth commaūde vs as to do to other all suche duties whiche for any perticuler respect we owe vnto thē as the Apostle expoundeth it in the same place so chiefly to yeeld vnto Magistrates all dueties belōgyng vnto them emongest whiche subiection and obedience is the principall By whiche commaundment as by all the preceptes of the Morall Lawe of God our conscience standeth bound before hym to giue to Magistrates whiche are the Ministers of his Iustice in punishmentes or rewarders properly cōcernyng this life suche duetie as by the right of their place ministerie and seruice vnder hym doeth appertaine vnto theim Of whiche sorte are subiection obedience loue honor paimentes seruice praiers and suche like declared by the worde of God to belong to their hye and honourable callyng And all suche we affirme Subiectes ought not against their willes and for feare but hartely and chearfully to giue vnto them for conscience sake as knowyng theim to bee appoincted of GOD and for conscience of Gods Commaundement whiche bindeth vs vnto it For God because he is our creatour and reedemer bothe of our soules and bodies hath iuste aucthoritie to giue lawes whiche should binde them bothe and as he hath right to commaund our soules and bodies so is he able to punishe bothe for the breache and transgression of his lawe Therefore worthely Saincte Iames saieth that there is one Lawgiuer who cā saue and destroye that is euerlastyngly and that but one onely For this conscience of the Commaundement of God all the Prophetes and Apostles yea our Sauior hym self was subiecte vnto Magistrates and so taught al men to giue to Cesar that which is his By whose doctrine and example we must willyngly euen for conscience of the ordinaunce and commaundement of God of what callyng soeuer we be that professe the Gospell submit our selues in all humilitie and reuerence vnto them and their lawes whatsoeuer not repugnaunte to the Commaundementes of almightie GOD. We seke not by any maner of pretēce to exēpt our selues from their Courtes and aucthoritie nor from bearing the burden and charges whiche thei lawfully laye vpō all their Subiectes for the necessarie seruice of the Commonwealthe We hold Princes notwithstandyng any censure of the Churche to remaine our lawfull Princes still in the possession and right of their Croune state and dignities as before and the subiectes bounde in conscience of the ordenance and commaundement of God to obeie them as their lawfull Princes yea though thei bee Heathen men and to performe al the good dueties of Subiectes vnto them bothe in their goodes and bodies And this by the grace of GOD is bothe our doctrine and practise well and soundly grounded vpon the holie worde of God contrary to which no churche professing the Gospell no good writer neither Caluine whom he noteth nor any other haue taught or mainteined any doctrine Now let vs compare the doctrine and practise of the pretended Catholikes with ours Their Cleargie howsoeuer as this man goeth about thei would binde heauie burdens like the Pharisies vpon other mennes shoulders yet would thei not touche theim with one of their fingers Thei would in deede haue other men beleue thei ought to haue a conscience not onely of the Lawe of God but of humaine Lawes whiche muste holde onely till the Pope doe discharge theim for then thei teache thei maie depose euen the highest from their places and that by force of Armes But their Cleargie that binde other men thus exempte theim selues from the Courtes of ciuill Magistrates from paiementes and other seruices due vnto them and giue all suche dueties to a forrain Ecclesiastical Court and to the Popes chamber Thei content not theim selues with suche Priuiledges as their lawfull Prince and Countrie shall see cause to bestowe vpon theim but challenge of right and dutie freedome from all Ciuill burdens by vertue of their Cleargie Thei compound with the Popes Chamber for suche thynges as thei paie and in all respectes carrie theim selues as subiectes to the Pope and to none other And thus thei vse the Ciuill Magistrate euen whē thei deale best with them and whiles thei are ministers of their superstition and crueltie But if thei once displease theim a little and that the Pope begin to Thunder and Excommunicate then thei depose kynges and Emperours from their Regall seates and Imperiall thrones thei holde theim no more for lawfull Princes thei absolue and sette free all their Subiectes from their othe and obedience due vnto them thei Excomunicate and curse all suche as shall obeye any their lawes or by any acte yeelde the duetie of a subiect vnto them Finally thei cōmaunde the subiectes to take Armes against suche their Princes and by force and violence to take their Crounes from their heddes and sette them vpon some other And thus as other heretofore haue dealte with the twoo Henries and Frederickes Emperours with Philip le Bell and other the Frenche kynges and with sondrie kinges of this noble lande So also he that of late did sitt and he that now sitteth in the chaire of Pestilence haue dealte with our Soueraigne Ladie and Queene Elizabeth This then being their doctrine and practise and ours so contrarie to it whereby according to the right due vnto Princes from God wee honour and obeye them and thei to the hye offence of God and men dishonor and depose euen at their pleasure How can any man touche vs in any respecte as wantyng duetie in this behalfe or excuse these Catholique Traitors and Heritickes from beeyng giltie of hye Treason against the Croune and dignitie of all lawful Princes as thei are also against the honour of God and his sonne Christ Iesus But this Author chargeth vs that Caluin saieth No law of man can binde the conscience Whereof saith he it must needes followe that the obedience wee yeeld is onely for pollicie and feare For aunswere whereunto I denie the consequent and affirme the first not to proue or inferre the second For the first if bothe Caluin and we saie that there is but one Lawgiuer Saint Iames hath taught it before vs and giueth an euident reason of it whiche is that there is but one who euerlastyngly is able to saue and to destroye For his law onely can binde the soule
disobedience Some of them haue beene executed according to the auncient lawes of this land without any extraordinary extremitie nay rather with fauor in case of high treasō And yet of this sort the epistle of the persecution in England Whervnto he referreth him selfe For proofe wherof he mentioneth only pretended Catholiques that haue been so executed In deed since some more vpon like reason their cause being first iudicially heard at the K. bench and orderly proceeded in according to the course of law and iustice in such case beeing found guilty of hie treason receiued like execution And this is the greatest extremety which they can complaine of to this day But he denieth that any one act word or thought was founde in them of treason wherin he is conuicted of manifest truth both by so many as were officers of her maiesties iustice vpon them and by their owne confessions as well of other matter as also of reconciling of diuers her highnesse subiects to the pope as it appeareth by that hath bin published hereof by authoritie Whereby they acknowledge the Popes most vniust sentēce against her H. as lawfull draw her Ma. subiects from her obedience which the law of this land hath declared to bee high treason againste her Highnes royall crowne and dignitie Nether is it heere inough to say that they do it in conscience of their religion for in many good consciences they can not do it the B. of Rome by the worde of God hauing no more to do in England then any minister in Englād hath to do in Rome And if without the word of God they will be caried in such a course as cannot stand in any truth of religion or sound pollicie with the safetie of the state and securitie of oure moste lawfull Soueraigne oure whole common Wealth and Countrie should they cry out as if extreame cruelty were executed vpon them if their excuse of a pretensed conscience be not taken for a sufficient aunswer These cries complaints might worthely haue bene made by the poore faithful people of Merindall of the valley of Anagrogne the rest when the Popes executioners wasted destroied 7. townes of theirs Also by our brethren in Q. Maries daies which were burnt by dosens together in a fire Likewise by our brethren cruelly without any forme or processe of iustice murdred and slain in the late butcheries and massacres of France Then was it time to haue shewed compassion but the bowels of Christ were not in them Then was a time to haue shewd pitty but their merciles harts were void of grace mercye They were filled with gal and bitternes no fire was hot inough for them no sworde was sharp ynough The honourable and the common was all one to them the learned and vnlearned the reuerēd age and the comly youth the man and the woman the father and the sonne the mother and the babe borne out of time and murdered as soone as hee was born by their sauage and barbarous crueltie These cry yet behinde the altar against them O Lord when wilt thou reuenge our bloud and the Lord will not refuse to hear them and reuenge their cause vpon their bloudy enemies in the day of his wrath Another reason is alleaged of the fauour they find in the Indies and vnder the Turke which I haue aunswered before and answere here again that neither do they suffer that doctrine and practise of their religion which they holde in these parts neither if they did are Christian P. to rule their Subiectes by the examples of Turks and heathen but by the law of God Who hath giuen to them this commandement to be obserued in all their dominion that neither anye man nor his children nor seruaunts that neyther home borne or strangers be suffered to prophane his Sabboth and to pollute his holy seruice leest the rest of the people of the lande learne of them and so the wrath of God come suddenly vpon vs for being accessaries to Idolatrie As for the tolleration of the Iews whosoeuer they be that suffer the exercise of their religion with the blasphemies they commonly vse against Christ make themselues giltie of al their wickednes which the Lord keepe this lande from as well as from the abhomination of the masse But they maye remember that their Holye Father can tollerate the Blasphemye of the Iews and the filthinesse of all the Curtesains and Stewes and take a yeerely rent of them for it and for no respect will allowe the exercise of our most holy religion eyther in his own dominions or wheresoeuer he may preuaile againste vs but by all meanes seeke to burne all the professors of it to ashes and to shed their bloude as water to runne downe the Streetes Further if no protestāt Prince elswhere haue executed any of these Catholiks for religiō as he cōfesseth no more hath any for the cause bin put to death with vs as I haue shewed alredy which being so that neuer any professyng the Gospell put any of them to death for meere matter of their conscience let the Lorde iudge the wicked seruaunt by his own mouth Now for the barbarous crueltie and most sauage immanitie vsed by them against vs we haue shewed againe that pacience towardes thē hitherto as we haue not touched the life of any one of them But if the Catholiques had practised Rebellions and Treasons in the Dominions of other Princes professyng the Gospel as thei haue doen here with vs no doubt but thei should haue found the same reward of their wickednesse that thei haue doen here For our doctrine it is vtterly vntrue that any of the churches professyng the Gospell or this of England vnder persecution did euer thinke it vnlawfull to put to deathe a Rebell and a Traytour Naie it hath beene alwaies taught in all the reformed Churches that bothe thei and also obstinate Heretickes amongest whom thei haue alwaies accounted and doe still account all obstinate and wilfull spreadors of the Romishe faithe sett doune by the Councell of Trent are moste worthie of death that as it is in the Lawe the false Prophett and the seducyng Idolater maie bee taken from amongest vs that all Israell maie heere and feare and not dare to committ the like Wee acknowledge in deede faithe to be the gift of God whiche commeth by the preachyng of the Gospell by Ministers sent by the commaundement of God but we do not therefore think it vnlawfull for the Magistrate to execute the Lordes iust vengeaunce vppon the obstinate Heretickes and seducyng Idolaters Repentaunce and holinesse of life is also the gift of GOD and commeth by the same meanes and yet the Magistrate not onely in a good conscience maie but in duetie to God ought as he will answere it to him that shal iudge the quicke and the dead drawe out the Lordes sworde of execution of iustice and of vengeaunce against all ill doers to wounde and to kill accordyng to the qualities of the
so much more if they shall also declare themselues vnnaturall Romaine both in allegeance and religion there is no cause by the word of God why in respect thereof they should not be dealt with by the lawfull Magistrat ordained of God for the punishment of all offenders according to the lawe prouided in this behalfe And thus much for the persons Now for the end He denyeth your LL. shall euer attaine to that you pretende 2 Reasons answered by this punishment that is to bring such Catholiques to conformitie in matters of religion but rather be further off The reason whereof he addeth that such constrainte to do against their conscience and iudgement whereby he saith they must be tryed at the latter day is the losse of their soules the memorie of which iniurie can not but breede a deepe greefe and detestation of the thing they may haue beene so forced vnto But his reason shall be after considered First let vs weigh that he determineth no good will to be done vpon them by any punishment Experience in deed hath declared it to bee too true in some yet no man can iustly say therefore that there is no vse of punishmēt For both many others hereby are kept in duety that they do not in like sorte fall away and who can tell what it may please God to worke euen in them hereafter by this meanes which haue not yet profited by it Sure I am it hath done good to many in times past who by this meanes haue beene recouered from their vnduetiful disobedience vnto a godly reformation And the authoritie amongst vs doing like duety vpon the same commandement of God to punish the obstinat Heritike and Idolater what reason is there why we should not hope of like effect and fruit of it now that hath come of it at other times To let former times passe vnder the K. of Iuda and Israell Austen acknowledgeth often and plainely that the Discipline of the Magistrate had bene profitable to many of the Donatistes And if saith he it haue not profited some Ep. 48. is the medicine to be neglected bicause the pestilent contagion of certaine is incurable So likewise some amongst vs thorow the goodnes of God haue receyued profit by this meanes But if other some for the obstinat hardnes of their heart that can not repent will neuer be reclaimed is the meanes therefore to be neglected which may be profitable to many As for the reason he addeth that to be constrayned to doe against their conscience doth make them further off and more detest that which they haue so cōmitted can not hold in such as receaue profit by the correction of their offence For they will thinke themselues most bounde to your H. all the dayes of their life whose meanes herein God hath vsed to bring thē out of the horrible darkenes and shadowe of death wherein they sate before into the Gospels most glorious and marueylous light To the rest if it be not profitable yet haue your H. done the worthie duetie of Christian Magistrates wherein you may quyetly rest and with great comfort For the Lord requireth nothing but obedience of vs and reserueth the blessing of all good meanes to him selfe to bestow in such measure as seemeth best to his heauenly will Thus I would leaue this reason but that there is a worde yet to be added to a speach of conscience which this Authour hath boldly set down here that is that at the latter day a man shall be tryed by his conscience and iudgement which he referreth to this end to obstinat such as haue apprehended a liking of the pretēded catholike faith and a dislike of ours as if they offended not by this recusance hauing their consciēce so perswaded the verie grounde of all libertinisme that authority should not compell them to do that which is against their conscience for feare of condēning their soules abusing to this end the places of the Apost in the 2. 14. to the Rom. for the 2. the Apostle there doth not affirme that a man shall be iudged in the daye by an erroneous conscience iudgement but by a conscience witnessing either to clearing or condēning agréeably to the law of God Which appeareth both by his word in that he calleth it the law of God written in their hart by the whole purpose of that place which is to shew al both Iewes Gentiles to stand condemned by the Lawe of God the Iewes by the law written in tables of stone the Gentiles euen wtout that by the same law written in their harts Wherfore it is vtterly vntrue to affirme that any man shal be iudged by his conscience or iudgement whatsoeuer it be True it is that whatsoeuer a man doth he ought to do it of an vndoubted faith grounded vpon the word of God that such his doing is pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ and whatsoeuer he doth otherwise is sinne because it is not of faith nor this true perswasion of doing wel which is the plaine meaning of the other place in the 14. But hereof followeth not that he that is mis-led by an erroneous conscience shal be iudged and cleared according to it or that the Christian Magistrate ought not to require any lawfull duetie of the subiect what conscience soeuer he haue of it that the doing of such a thing is good or euill For it is not the erroneous or good conscience whereby we shall be iudged otherwise then by all our deedes both good and euill but it is the lawe of God against which if any man transgres either ignorantly or wilfully he is made guilty of sin and subiect to the sentence of condemnatiō by the lawe Which lawe our recusantes are conuicted gréeuously to offend because they breake it in not giuing to God the honour which belongeth vnto him in refusing his holy worde and Sacramentes and with them Christ Iesus and his redemption offred thereby vnto them not keeping the Lordes Sabaothes and disobeyinge the good commaundement of authoritie requyring the performance of so many holy dueties of thē Which sins though they ignorantly commit as not knowing that they sinne in such recusance but rather being perswaded that their so doing is a high seruice of God acceptable vnto him yet shall not their ignorance excuse them for the Lord wil surely beat euery seruant that doth not his Masters will Luk. 12.18 yea though he know it not because his ignorance is not of the creation of God but of his owne corruption originally drawne from Adam Neyther shall this good entent excuse them any more then the Iewe which ignorantly crucifying Christ and persecuting the Apostles were perswaded they did God great seruice For it is obedience that the Lord requireth which who soeuer yealdeth not vpon what cause or pretence soeuer is giltie by the Law On the other parte if retayninge still that wicked perswasion that to ioyne with vs in the seruice of
haue enough to do to prouide for themselues and their children as many times for all their care they are so little able to do as they leaue a nūber of poore orphanes behynd thē at the charge of the parish Touching thē I graunt it in part to be true that he saith of their hospitality offals buyldings but I deny their single life to haue bin the only cause or any greate cause of it For if they had contented themselues with such conuenient maintenance as had beene fit for their calling notwithstanding their single life they should neuer haue bin able to haue kept the houses he speaketh of haue builded churches with the surplussage of their liuings But this it was that made thē rich they woorshipped him that promised our sauiour Christ vpō like conditiō to giue him al the K. glory of the worlde They were neuer satisfied like the graue but heaped liuing vpon liuing office vppon office and that with the iniury and wrong of all the worlde They impropriated benefices and annexed them to their Abbeyes monasteries other places to their prelacies dignities a thing vtterly vnlawfull For how should it be lawful when the poore parish as he saith giueth the tithe of al they haue to the end they may haue a mā of God amongest them who may teache them the right way to serue and honour God and to saue their soules that this tithe should be taken from them and giuen to an idle cloyster of Friers or other that doe no duetie for it and leaue the poore people spoyled of their goodes and vnfurnished of one that should be their guide to euerlasting life By which prophane couetousnesse they made them selues guiltie not onely of their robbery of the goodes of the people which they enioyed without any iust title but also of the destruction of their soules in taking from them the meanes wherby they might be taught vnto saluation And shall wee then esteeme it a great liberalitie that if anie of the poore parishe had occasion to trauell by them that way to make him drinke or to giue him a meales meate Euen as one that had robbed a man shoulde giue him a pennie when hee mette him in the high way These are the cuppes and dishes for whiche our Sauiour Christ thundereth in the Gospell Yee Scribes Pharisies and Hypocrites you make cleane the outside of the cups and dishes but within they are full of robbery and wrong for indeede those theyr cuppes and dishes so filled were full of spoyle nay of bloud and that of the soules of menne whiche is one of the commodities they occupie as it is in the Reuelation Apoc. 18.3 with like impietie they annexed benefices vnto their Abbeyes and other houses and dignities by Popish dispensations of commendamus non residences Pluralities tot quots other more the like abhominations And not content herewith they had a thousande other cunning shiftes howe to drawe the riches of the people yea the wealth of all the lande into their handes as it well appeared at the putting of them downe in the late raigne of the renowmed K. Henry the eight It was signified to the King in a supplication how those iolly idle beggers as they are called there had robbed all the poore of the lande al the hospitalles and other almes houses and that they had drawn more then the third part of the whole lande into their possession With this manie times the common Wealth founde it selfe agreeued and prouided diuers and sundrie good lawes as of mortmayne mortuaries and sundry others against their couetousnesse because they gathered all to them as if they woulde haue dwelt alone in the lande and yet exempted themselues from the burdēs charges of the Common W. Therefore in this excesse couetousnesse and insatiable spoyle if for pollicy to keepe the more quietly the possession of so greate riches in their handes they spared some meales and offalles to the poore people or buylded Colledges and Abbayes they cannot bee esteemed to haue increased the wealth and riches of the people whom so diuersly they spoyled and impouerished It had beene as it is nowe without comparison more profitable for the common wealth that euery man had enioyed his propriety in suche a portion as the Lord by any good title shall blesse him with by tylling and manuring whereof hee might haue beene able to maynteyne the estate GOD hath called him vnto and not to stande wayting for offalles But this was indeede a politike poynt for theyr owne gayne For heereby they assured theyr estate by such benefits and pleasures and bound men the more to depende vpon them and to fauour their wicked superstition for the gayne sake Nowe if married ministers doe not the like what hinderance is this to the common wealth which hath in a great parte recouered agayne into her owne handes the landes and liuinges whereby that Hospitality was kept and these houses buylded whiche in all good reason must needes bee both more profitable and more honourable for the common wealth For that euery man sitteth at home in his owne house and eateth the fruite of his owne ground and drinketh his owne water is it not a thousand tymes more profitable and more to his iust contentation yea and more honourable then to seeke it els where and to haue it at an other mās doore Further if of that liuing they lawfully inioy the ministers prouide competently for their house childrē Doth not the lawe of God and of all nations allowe them so to doe Yea bynde them to it For he that prouideth not for his house sayeth the Apostle hath denyed the fayth and is woorse then an Infidell As for the pouertie of our ministery whereby hee obiecteth that many times they leaue a number of poore orphanes at the Parishes charges notwithstanding in the ministery a number be sufficiētly prouided Yet is it indeed to be acknowledge that our ministerie in many places is greatly vnprouided contrary to the cōmandemēt of God to the iust cause of feare of his indignation against vs for it if it bee not some way in tyme relieued But this especially ariseth of the spoile which they made by impropriating the liuing of so many particular churches to the maintenance of their cloisters nests of their superstitious corruptions for remedie wherof we are most hūmble cōtinuall suters to god the authority he hath set ouer vs as indeed it must be acknowledged that in all christiā dutie the minister ought to be mainteined For the Lord hath expresly cōmāded both in the law in the gospel that the Preachers of the Gospell should to liue of their holy labours To which duetie oftentimes the people are exhorted encouraged with promise of increase of blessing if they bee carefull that the Leuite which is amōgst thē be not forsaken And surely seeing they leaue as they ought all other trades wherein occupying thēselues they might thorow
who hath authoritie to punishe the soule for breakyng of his lawe But God onely is able to doe this as Sainct Iames here teacheth and our Sauiour Christe in the Gospell Therfore the soule and conscience can haue no other Lawgiuer but God alone Likewise his lawes onely can binde the conscience who can not erre in makyng Lawes which being the peculier honor of God his Lawes onely can binde vs in that respect Whiche if it were otherwise we should be as deepely bounde to keepe studie vnderstand and teach the Canons of the church the Statutes and Lawes of the lande as we are the Lawe of God Whiche if thei did in deede beleeue it is a maruell how euer these men that breake so ordinarily the the lawes of God and of man bothe of the Churche and commonwealth should hope to be saued by their workes and dreame of workes of superogation for the relief of others But though wee acknowledge no other bond of conscience to obserue any humaine Lawes whatsoeuer then the Lawe of the ten Commaundementes doeth laye vpō vs yet doeth it not hereof followe that our conscience is free from keepyng any Lawe of man For wee are bounde by the Lawe of God to yeeld vnto all men suche duetie as belongeth to theim and namely to suche as are in aucthoritie either in the Commonwealth or in the Churche honor loue dutie obedience subiection and suche like Therfore though the lawe of man do not binde our conscience to bee subiecte to princes their lawes yet doe we acknowledge the lawe of God doeth binde vs to all obedience whiche he hath commaunded to be giuen vnto theim For further clearyng of this matter it is to bee vnderstoode that all lawes are either simply good or euill or thei are suche in respect The lawes which are simply good are onely the tenne commaundementes of the morall lawe of God whiche binde the soule and conscience simply to obedience and so straitly without al exception that no circumstance or occasion maie make that lawfull whiche is there forbidden or vnlawfull whiche is there cōmaunded Now humaine lawes and ordinaunces of men whiche commaunde or forbidde the same whiche are commaunded or forbiddē by the lawe of God As thou shalt not murther commit whoredome steale or suche like are also simply good and binde the conscience yet not in any regard of the commaundement of men for suche reason as is before alledged but onely because thei are the same whiche were before commaunded by the liuyng God Of the other parte suche are simply euill Lawes as in commaundyng or forbiddyng are opposite and contrarie to the Lawe of the ten commaundementes And these as touching the keepyng of theim it is so farre of that thei should binde vs that contrariwise we stand bounde by the lawe of God to doe the contrarie There remaineth the seconde kinde of humaine Lawes whiche are not good simply alwaies and to all men but in a generalitie for a time and some good respect beyonde whiche boundes the weakenesse of man can not reache For that whiche is now good for the Commonwealthe maie fall out at an other tyme and in an other respecte whiche peraduenture was not thought of to be hurtful not onely to some perticuler man but euen to the Commonwealthe it self Further though thei be neuer so good for the tyme and neuer so wisely made yet euen for that tyme that thei appeare to bee beste are thei not of the same sorte with the Lawes of GOD and suche as are simplie good in theim selues that thei should binde the conscience For though menne haue sought to make suche Lawes moste agreeable to the generall equitie of the woorde of GOD yet haue thei no assuraunce to haue attained vnto it neither in deede can haue any warraunte that thei haue erred in no circumstaunce belongyng therevnto because of the weaknesse of man bothe in iudgement and in affection but that whiche maie binde the conscience is suche as proceadeth from an other that cannot erre in commaundyng I adde further herevnto that the Ciuill and Ceremoniall Lawe of the Iewes though thei were bothe expressely commaunded of GOD who could not faile in any poincte yet did thei not simplie binde the conscience For in case of antinomie and repugnaunce with the Morall Lawe as our Sauiour argueth by the example of Dauid in eatyng of the presence bread whiche otherwise it had not been lawfull for hym to haue eaten but in case of necessitie for sauing his life commaunded in the Morall Lawe a man was not guiltie of hauyng sinned by suche breakyng of the policie of the Churche And if these lawes notwithstandyng GOD were aucthour of theim who could not erre yet did not simplie binde the conscience muche lesse can those whiche are of men either in the Churche or Commonwealthe Whereby it appeareth wee are bounde to the keepyng of those kinde of Lawes that is to obeye theim with a Ciuill obedience without conscience of synne for any breache of theim whiche is proper to the Lawe of GOD excepte wee breake theim in suche sorte as wee make our selues thereby also guiltie of transgressyng the Lawe of God doyng it with hatred resistaunce contempt or other offence against aucthoritie whiche GOD hym self hath forbidden Which plainlie sheweth our Aduersaries argument that is Excepte wee beleeue the Lawes of men to binde our conscience wee haue nothyng to hinder vs from rebellion to bee rather a slaunderous surmise of his owne then any good consequent of reason For by the grace of GOD wee are staied from suche wicked and vnlawfull attemptes whiche are proper to our pretensed Catholikes whose mouthes are full of obedience and who vtter woordes as it is in the Psalme soft as Butter and smothe as Oile but their hartes are sharpe as twoo edged swordes and their deedes moste full of Rebellion and disobedience by conscience of the Commaundement of GOD who hath expressely forbidden theim But their perpetuall Rebellious practises against Princes dooe plainly shewe that this doctrine was deuised But all stories make mention that thei haue allowed them selues any thing to the dishonor of pinces kynges and Emperors haue been abused by them as their vassalls and seruaūtes and that to as base seruices as to leade the Popes horse and to hold his Stirruppe thei haue not vouchsaufed for a long tyme to admitte theim to their presence but kepte them at their gates Thei haue troden in their neckes and taken of and put on their Crounes with their foote Further thei haue taken vpon theim to depose theim from their Regall seates and Imperiall Thrones and place in theim whom it liked them The soonne hath been stirred vp by theim against his Father and the subiect and seruaunt against his Lorde and maister to take the Empire from him Thei haue made thē after a sorte to sue out their Liuerie as if thei had been his Wardes and forced them to paie full dearely for it ere thei could obtaine it Finallie thei haue freed
the Subiecte from their othe and obedience to their lawfull Prince and filled their Countries with insurrection and rebellions againste them I neede not to vouche many authors for their so notorious actes whiche cannot bee forgotten whiles the famous memorie of the Henries and Frederickes Emperours and also sundrie Kynges bothe in Fraunce and in this noble lande so dishonoured and iniuried by theim shall continue But if all monumentes of tymes past were forgotten this present age doeth furnishe so many examples of their vnfaithful disobedience to Princes both in other partes and here at home as I can want no euidence againste hym in this matter For their continual practises of rebellion their procuryng of Bulles from Roome against her Maiestie their writyng of Libells and infamous bookes to the dishonour of her highnesse renowned Father and many other suche dealynges of theirs maie sufficiently beare witnesse hereof Therefore it is to late now for them to plaie the Hypocrites and pretende to aduaunce the honour and state of Princes whereas their Religion hath so intreated other Princes abroade as hath beene declared and so offended their owne naturall Prince at home as her Maiestie hath beene constrained to make straight lawes for her moste necessarie and iust defence against them They should now cūningly perswade they sought to aduaunce the ciuill authoritie of Princes whereas Kinges and Emperours haue had almost continuall warres with thē to keepe thetr own For through their ambition thei neuer contented themselues with their own place but would affect bothe the swordes seekyng and bearyng the honourable charges of the ciuill estate their Consistories vsurpyng the lawfull iurisdiction of Princes so as the Kynges of this lande haue been constrained to prouide for their authoritie by lawes of Premunire and suche like to bridle their intollerable and ambicious vsurpation Therefore of all other he might best haue left out this Article For it is manifest thei were neuer longer freendes to Princes thē thei might abuse them as their vassalles to bee the Ministers of their wickednesse And so muche for aunswere to this point Of sinnes veniall and mortall and of concupiscence The nineth Article is the differences of sinne and of concupiscences whiche he saith is of no smal importaunce to a Christian cōmonwealth whose ende saieth he is to kepe men within the limites of vertue and honestie All this I graunt with this addition that the duetie of the Magistrate is not onely to regard that the life of his subiectes bee ciuill and honest but also that it be religious and godly Therfore we are taught to praie for theim that wee maie liue vnder theim a peaceable life not onely in all honestie but also in all godlinesse or true worshippe of GOD as the woorde vsed by the Apostle doeth signifie And to the Roma the Magistrate is declared to be the Minister of God for the praise and punishement of those that doe well and ill without restraint Whereby the Apostle sheweth it to be the duetie of the Magistrate to protecte and incourage not onely quiet and ciuill men but also and that chiefly those whiche most endeuour to liue in the feare of God in his true worshipp and obedience Whiche duetie what Magistrate soeuer shall not performe but moste dislike with and discourage the godlie whiche shine as lights afore a wicked generation standeth giltie and aunswerable before God for the abuse of the aucthoritie he hath receiued of GOD especially for this purpose to bee a comfort to suche as moste zealously and sincerely seeke to serue him On the other part for the punishment of euil the Magistrate is boūd to punish transgressors accordyng to the qualitie of their offence not onely Theeues and Murderers and disturbers of the Common peace but also profane Atheistes contemners of all that is holy al Heretickes and obstinate recusantes to serue hym in the holie and publique excercises of true religion stubborne Idolaters whiche what Magistrate soeuer shall not do is guiltie of absoluyng the wicked whiche the Lorde will require at their hands Therefore the king was cōmaunded to take a copie of the whole lawe and not of the second Table onely that he should looke to the execution as well of the firste Table yea and that in the firste place as to the seconde Which we see in the holie Storie to haue beene executed by the zealous noble Kynges of Israell and Iuda commaunding by their authoritie the purgyng of the lande of Idolatrie the settyng vp and restoryng Gods true Religion and seruice and the iust execution of the Priestes of Baall And of Asa it is written that he made a lawe after he had restored the state of Religion that whosoeuer should not seeke the Lorde God of their fathers that is worship him in suche order as by the lawe of Moises was commaunded that he should dye for it Thus muche I haue thought necessarie by the waie to set doune touching this matter vpon occasion of the Magistrates office vnder God restrained by this author to the procuryng of a Ciuill life onely emongest their Subiectes referryng all abuses of the Churche and of the seruice of God to their supreme Pastour as thei call hym Now let vs see the diuerse doctrine of theim and vs touchyng bothe these poinctes Of sinne he saieth thei teache some are mortall and some veniall and we teach that al are mortall I graunt this to be their and our doctrine but the exposition of it and the conclusion he inferreth would bee well obserued If by mortall and veniall sinnes thei vnderstood onely that there is greate difference of sinnes and that some are more greeuous and therefore with greater seueritie to be punished then others some againe are lesse and not to bee punished with like horrible tormentes as the other we were well agreed For this appeareth to bee our doctrine by the confession of our Churches and all our good writers and that agreably to the holy scriptures For so our sauiour teacheth vs that the firste Table whiche is of dueties immediatly respectyng God is the greatest and cheefest commaundement and that the ignoraunt seruaunt is to be beaten but with fewe stripes but he that knoweth and yet doeth not his maisters will is to be beaten with many stripes Likewise of suche people and Cities as shall contemne and refuse the holie doctrine of the Gospell our sauiour saieth it shall bee easier in that daie for Tyre and Sidon for Sodom and Gomorrha then for that Citie Whereby it appeareth that there is a greate difference of sinnes Which we so acknowledge as that we graunt euery pretept to bee greater then other accordyng to the place it hath in the twoo Tables and consequently the transgression of it to bee greater then the breach of any that follow it Yet if the cōparison be made of sinnes in like degree and proportiō offendyng against both as of thought with thought acte with acte and these in their diuers kindes as
doctrine profitable for a christian state to be receiued to shew it to be of God Other wyse without consideration of the truth of it to say how false so euer it be yet is it good for the state or how good so euer it be yet is it ill for the state and wil bring innouations troubles and pouertie this is to reason like one that hath no God And if he went to reason thus like an Atheist hee were vtterly vnworthye any aunswere and hath offered your Hh. the greatest wrong that a christian nobility could be offered once to think that the shew of his commodities to the state should carry your H. to the liking of that false worship and superstitiō that is against God his holy truth Therfore what soeuer he imagine to the contrary the question whether it bee good for a Christian common wealth and kingdome I haue answered pertinently in shewing theire doctrine first to bee false and hereticall Which ground beeing first laid I haue ioyned in that issue he desired declaring further that as by the cursse and wrath of God which must needes shake and ouerturne the seates of such mighty ones as shall dare to haue wars with the almighty in setting vp a false idolat worship which he hath forbidden So also that their doctrine it selfe and the practise of it in the very nature of them both is against all good pollicie of any Christian state and onely fit for the establshment securitie of their Antechristian kingdome For further euidence wherof I haue thought good here to gather together with some enlargement of lyke matters that hath bin touched in seueral places concerning this matter already That being to be vewed in one sight it may the better be iudged and discerned For better vnderstanding wherof it is to be considered that the good estate of a Christian K. or common welth is to be holy in religion and al duties immediately respecting God honest in all conuersation amongst men free for libertie strong for forces quyet for peace and rich for treasure All which points make a state honourable and happie But the R. doctrine and practise bringeth in a false worship of God al wickednes loosenesse of life tyrannie bondage wars trouble weaknesse and vnhabilitie to resist the enemy finally néede and pouerty all which must needes make any state vnhonourable and vnhappie That their faith is vnholy therfore maketh their people such that doth receiue it appereth by the worship of Idols of bread of wood and of stone by the ignorance of all sorts amongst them and the maintayning of it to be mother of deuotion by their iustifications thorow their owne workes and so many other bye means besids that only sweete sacrifice of Christ Iesu in a word by al their fals worship which is wholly nothing but a seruice deuised by men and not prescribed by the worde of God And as in regard of God it is an vnholy and prophane worshippe hauing no ground of his word so is it the cause of al dishonesty and wicked conuersation amongst men Which may appeare not onely in the iustice of God with whom it is righteous to giue ouer to all shame of iniquitie and abhomination those which haue not helde his honour in any due respect but haue made it common to Idols and by experience which hath made proof of all vngodly and loose behauiour to bee euen in their holiest Cloisters but also by their very doctrine and practise of it This may easely be discerned by any that shall compare with that holy discipline which is taught in the Gospel their discipline which is moste loose and desolute except it be in that which may keepe still the conscience in bōdage and captiuity of ignorance superstition and Idolatry For as the discipline of Christ is the speciall meanes next to the true preaching of the word of all godlinesse and honestie both to be preserued amongst men and also to be restored after a declination and decay so that Antichristian disorder and confusion in all the chiefe parts therof is next to their false and hereticall doctrine the greatest cause that all impietie and wickednesse both first entred into the Church and yet can not be driuen out that the ancient estate of the Church may be recouered and restored againe But I will leaue other points which were to long to enter into here note but one speciall corruption of their discipline Wherby iudgement may be giuen of the rest This is that Antichristian supremacie wherby the man of sinne in the deuilishe pride of his seat challengeth vnto himselfe fulnes of power and soueraintie of iurisdiction to doe what pleaseth him and to dispense with what he list For what greater encouragement can there be to sinne then that a man may be sure for a little mony and a very little in deed to haue a sealed pardon not onely for any wickednesse committed but also for all he shall commit al his life and many hundreth yeares after so foolishly and absurdly wicked is their doctrine and practise If a man by going a pilgrimage or saying so many times ouer his beades or fasting so many dayes or giuing so much to the priestes and seminary men If I say by these and such like meanes a man may satisfie for his sinnes who will be restrayned from any wickednes or be careful of the amending of his lyfe Thus one point of the supremacie is as a roote of wormewood and an original cause of an infinitie of trāsgressions sinns Which being thorow the iustice of God and the very nature of sinne enemy to al good pollices whose end is to represse sinne what neede we further proofe that the practise of this Romishe religion must needes be the poyson of all such states which doe receiue it But no maruaile tho so infinite a power of the Pope be so great a cause of sinne For the very authoritie of absolucion whiche euery Prieste hath is more fruitfull this way to encouragement and increase of wickednesse then that any good state or policie may beare it I speake not here of the daunger of dishonestie and vncleannesse by reason of their secreet confessions For which that worthye Nectareus abolished the vse of it out of the Churche of Constantinople but of the power that they take vpon them to absolue malefactors from sinne wherby it must needs be greatly encouraged That desperate and Deuelishe Iaureguy the Spanyarde purposed to haue done vppon the noble Prince of Oraunge For if euery Priest haue such a power to absolue from sinne any wicked limme of Sathan that shall dare in his deuilish boldnesse to attempt the executiō of mischiefs against most H. personages most noble Princes what wickednesse is there that these absoluers wil not dispence with and what security for any P. or state where such priests and absoluters may be endured likewise their doctrin of satisfactory workes must néeds be a great emboldning vnto