of God and that he saith Let no soule be subiect to the higher powers let euery soule resist the Prince let him withstand the ordinance of God be not obedient neither for wrath nor for conscience giue no custome nor tribute nor feare nor honour vnto hir Remember if thou obey thy Prince as God hath commaunded thée thou art accursed by the Pope or if thou disobey the Prince as the Pope requireth thée thou art condemned by the iudgemēt of God Remember that the Pope hath conferēce with traitours in all countries that he raiseth Subiectes against their Princes that he causeth Princes to plague their Subiectes that he hath no regard of the stranger and the fatherlesse that hée suffereth Iewes and Harlots to liue in wealth and peace with him at Rome yet will not suffer a Christian and lawfull Prince to liue in y ◠peace of hir own Countrie at home that he is the procurer of theft and murder of rebellion and dissention in the land that he hath sent in a Bul◠to shewe his meaning and to worke our disquiet so bold and vaine impudent a Bul and so full fraught with blasphemie and vntruth as neuer before him did any Let these thinges neuer bée forgotten Let your children remember them for euer Let vs your children with vs pray God saue Queene Elizabeth and confound all those which rise vp against hir Let vs at the length take knowledge of the Pope of his enterprise boldnes He his Predecessours haue deceiued y ◠worlde our Fathers before vs. Let vs bee no more children in vnderstanding God hath giuen vs the light of his word we haue by it espied wherein they robbed vs let vs be no more deceiued I say vnto you againe I beséech you let vs at the length take knowledge of the Pope and of his enterprise and boldnesse Hée and his Predecessours haue deceiued the worlde our Fathers before vs. Let vs be no more children in vnderstanding God hath giuen vs the light of his word we haue by it espied wherein they robbed vs. Let vs be no more deceiued And thou O most merciful Father bée our defence in these daungerous times The Lyon rangeth and séeketh whome he may deuour Looke downe from thy heauens vpon vs. Giue thy grace vnto Elizabeth thy seruant Thou hast placed hir in the seate of hir fathers thou hast made hir to be a comfort vnto thy people thou hast endewed hir with manifold gifts shadow hir vnder the wings of thy mercifull protection confound and bring to nothing the counsell of hir enemies direct the worke of thine owne hands establish that O God which thou hast wrought in vs so we which bée thy people and the shéepe of thy pasture shal giue thée honour and praise for euer and euer Amen ¶ A Treatise of the holy Scriptures gathered out of certaine Sermons which the reuerend Father in God Bishoppe Iewel preached at Salisburie Anno. Domini 1570. AMONG al his creatures in heauen or earth God hath not made any like vnto the Sunne in the firmament the beames where of are beautifull and pleasaunte and doe giue comforte in all places to all things It reioyceth the whole and relieueth the sicke it causeth birds to sing fishes to play cattel to stirre wormes to créepe grasse to grow and trées to bring fruit it reneweth the face of the whole earth Yet a blind man hath no pleasure in the beauty therof because he is blind and cannot sée it Yet a deade man hath no warmth by the heate thereof because he is dead and féeleth it not Adam was placed in Paradise in perfect estate and in the companie of Gods Angles God walked and did talke with him He heard the voice and behelde the presence of God The riuers yéelded waters aboundantly the trées brought him foode of life He had plentie without trauel he had pleasures ioy and his hearts desire But Adam was vnthankfull he knew not God the worker of his happinesse he knewe not the place in whic◠he was he knew not his owne state and blessednesse therefore the wrath of the Lord grewe against him he fell into the snares of the Deuil he became mortall and returned to dust What nation in all the Worlde so happy as Israel they were deliuered by a mightie hand out of Aegipt from the tyrannie of Pharao from seruage and vilanie Their children were no more slaine before their faces They passed through the bottome of the Sea as vpon drie land When they were hungrie there went forth a wind from the Lord and brought them Quailes from the sea and Manna was giuen them from Heauen to eate when they thirsted the rocks opened and powred oute water that they and theyr beastes might drinke In battaile they were mightie and strong no power was able to stande against them The Lord wente before them by daye in a pillar of a cloude to leade them the waye and by night in a pillar of fire to giue them lighte When they called vpon the Lord he heard them When they trusted in him they were not confounded But they grewe vnmindfull of all these mercies and murmured agaynste the Lorde and againste his seruauntes therefore God raught forth his hand against them He sware in his wrath that they shoulde not enter into his reste Hee sent his Angel and destroied them in the wildernesse Euen so fareth it with all suche whiche regarde not the worde of their saluation because they haue eares and heare not nor will vnderstande with their harts the furie of the Lord shal be kindled against them The Prophet saith in the name of God to Israell I haue sent vnto them al my seruants the Prophets yet would they not heare mee nor encline their eare And Behold I sowe my law in you that it may bring foorth fruit in you But our fathers which receiued the lawe kept it not neither obserued thine ordinaunces neyther did the fruite of thy lawe appeare For they that receyued it perished bicause they kepte not the thing that was sowen in them Samuell telleth Saul Thou haste caste away the word of the Lord and the Lord hathe caste awaye thee Againe Ieremie sayeth How do yee saye wee are wise and the Lawe of the Lorde is with vs they haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in them Againe Vnto whom shal I speake and admonish that they may heare Behold their eares are vncircumcised and they cannot hearken beholde the worde of the Lord is vnto them as a reproche they haue no delight in it I wil cause a plague to come vpon this people euen the fruite of theyr owne imaginations because they haue not taken heede vnto my wordes nor to my lawe but cast it off After this sorte dothe God shewe the cause why his word taketh not place in vs bicause we are wilfull and will not heare it nor receiue it nor take delight in it nor let
numbred I owe you obedience I will not resiste your power for if I shoulde resiste I shoulde resiste the ordinaunce of God I am subiect to you for conscience sake I will forsake my countrey my goods my children and my selfe at your commaundement I will say to mine owne fleshe I knowe thée not onely I can not forsake my Lorde God Deare sir you fight â—ot against me Alas what am I What can I doe You fight against God against the moste holy against him which can commaunde your life to goe out of your body it is a hard thing for you to kicke againste the spur It is no hard matter for you to kill me for so mightie a Prince to kill so wretched a worme But this I declare to you that my bloud which you shed is innoceÌ„t shal be required at your haÌ„ds It maye please God to giue vnto you repentance and the knowledge of the truth If my bloud may be a mean therto if my bloud may open your eies if my bloud may soften your heart it coulde neuer be spent in a better cause Blessed be the name of God whiche hathe made me his instrument for youre so happye conuersion thys is the onelye thing wherein I can not yéelde The Lorde hath spoken vnto me I haue heard his voice my hart hath felt it my conscience knoweth it I can not denye it No sworde can cutte me from it no water can drowne it no fire can burne the loue I beare vnto it there is no creature in heauen or earth that can carrie me from that blessed hope I haue conceiued by his word So constant is he that hathe learned the worde of God hath set his delighte vppon it and is through it assured of the wil of God Heauen shal shake the earth shall tremble but the man of God shall stande vpright His foote shall not faile his heart shall not faint he shall not bée moued Such a ground such a foundation suche a rocke is the worde of God Blessed is the man whose hope is in the name of the Lorde He shal builde vppon a sure place he layeth his foundation vpon the corner stone He néedeth no armie to make him strong he néedeth no friendes to comforte him in aduersitie His strength is within the gates of hel shal not preuaile againste him His comfort is inwardly within his hearte He speaketh to God and God vnto hym His eyes beholde the kingdome and power and glorie of God But what say we of the Fathers Augustine Ambrose Hierom Cyprian c. What shall we thinke of them or what accompt may we make of them They be Interpretors of the worde of God They were learned men and learned Fathers the instruments of the mercie of God vesselles full of grace We despise them not we reade them we reuerence them and giue thankes vnto God for them They were witnesses vnto the truth they were worthie pillars and ornamentes in the Churche of God Yet may they not be coÌ„pared with the word of God We may not build vpon them we may not make them the foundation and warrant of our conscience we may not put our trust in them Our trust is in the name of the Lorde And thus are we taught to estéeme of the learned Fathers of the Churche by their owne iudgement by that whiche they haue written either for the credite of their owne doings or of the auctoritie whych they haue thought due to the writings of others S. Augustine said of the Doctours and Fathers in his time Neque quorumlibet aâ—sputationes quamuis Catholicorum laudatorum hominum velut Scripturas Canonicas habere debemus vt nobis non liceat salua honorificentia quae illis debetur aliquid in eorum scriptis improbare aut respuere si fortè inuenerimus quod aliter senserint quà e veritas habet Talis sum ego in scriptis aliorum tales esse volo intellectores meorum Neither weigh we the writings of all meÌ„ be they neuer so worthy and catholique as wee weigh the canonical Scriptures but that sauing the reuerence that is due vnto them we may mislike and refuse somewhat in their writings if wee finde that they haue thought otherwise than the truth may beare Suche am I in the writings of others and such would I wishe others to be in mine Some things I beléeue some things which they write I can not beléeue I weigh them not as the holy Canonicall Scriptures Cyprian was a Doctor of the Church yet he was deceiued Hierome was a Doctor of the Church yet he was deceiued Augustine was a Doctor of y e Church yet he wrote a Booke of Retractations he acknowledged that he was deceiued God did therfore giue to his Church many Doctors many learned men whych all shoulde search the truth and one reforme an other wherein they thought him deceyued S. Augustine saieth Auferantur de medio chartae nostrae procaedat in medium codex Dei audi Christum dicentem audi veritatem loquetem Take away from amongest vs any our owne Bookes lette the Booke of God come amongest vs heare what Christe saieth hearken what the truth speaketh He is the wisedome of his father he can not deceiue vs. Againe he saith Audi dicit dominus non dicit Donatus aut Rogatus aut Vincentius aut Hilarius aut Ambrosius aut Augustinus Heare this the Lorde saieth heare not this Donatus saith or Rogatus or Vincentius or Hilarius or Ambrose or Augustine saith Al these were learned most of them were holy yet saith Augustine we may not yéelde to that which is saide by learned men but we must yéelde our ful consente and beliefe to the worde of God Origen saith Necesse nobis est in testimonium vocare sanctas Scripturas Sensus quippe c. Wee muste needes call to witnesse the holy Scriptures for oure iudgementes and expositions without those witnesses carry no credite Marke wel our words and expositions constructions vnlesse they be warranted by the Scriptures are not ynough they cary not credite Augustine saith Nos nullam Cipriano facimus iniuriam cùm eius quaslibet literas c. Wee offer no wrong to S. Cyprian when wee seuer anye his Letters or Writings from the Canonical auctoritie of the holy Scriptures Thus speaketh Aug. a Doctor of the Church of Cyprian another Doctor also of y e Churche Cyprian was a bishop a lerned Father a holy man a Martire of Christe yet saith Augustine his worde is not the Gospell his worde is not the worde of God there is no wronge done to him though his writings cary not like credit as the holy Scripture I could shewe many the like spéeches of the auncient Fathers wherein they reuerence the holy Scriptures as to which onely they giue consent without gainsaying which can neither deceiue nor be deceiued In this sort did Origen and Augustine and other Doctours of the Church speake of themselues and of
the Apostles He saith Christe hathe giuen charge ouer his Church to Peter alone But Ciprian saith Parem tribuit Apostolis omnibus auctoritatem hoc vtique erant caeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari consortio praediti honoris potestatis The Lord gaue vnto his Apostles like power the reste of the Apostles were euen the same that Peter was endewed with like felowship both of honour and of power And Hierome saith Ex aequo super omnes Apostolos Ecclesiae fortitudo solidatur The strength of the Church is foūded equally vpon al the Apostles He addeth further Petrique successori Romano pontifici And to the Bishoppe of Rome Peters Successour This is another vntruth and the cause of al this stir this is it wherefore Peter is set so farre before his fellowes The Pope maketh Peter a rocke the other Apostles small péeplestones to be builte vpon him Peter a Shéepheard y e other Apostles shéep Peter a Schoolemaister the other Apostles his schollers Peter a Giant the other Apostles little Babes And al thys he doth to enfeoff the Pope with that fulnesse of power whervnto he entitleth Peter To proofe whereof M. Harding sayth Nowe wee are not bounde to obey Peter and Paule but him that sitteth in their Chaire This is their Doctrine thus they teache so boldly dare they sette out their blasphemies against God The whole Churche saieth Pope Pius is committed to the Pope alone by the commaundement and worde of God What Apostle or Euangelist euer wrote so where didde Christe at anye time speake of the Pope or of Peters successour or of the Byshoppe of Rome What auntient Counsell what olde Doctor what Father Augustine Ambrose Hierome Chrysostome Basil euer saide that the whole Church was committed to the Pope alone It is not fitte the Pope should draw his owne Charter If no Euangelist nor Apostle no auntient Doctor nor olde Councel wil come in and beare him witnes it is not likely he hath giuen true euidence Yet he saith moreouer In plenitudine potestatis tradidit Christe hath giuen this commission in fulnesse of power This is a fifth vntruth It is wonderfull to sée howe muche they make of this fulnesse of power Abbot Panormitane telleth vs Plenitudo potestatis omnem superat legem positiuam sufficit quod in Papa sit pro ratione voluntas The fulnesse of power passeth all positiue lawe and it is sufficient in the Pope that will stande in steade of reason Durande doth tell vs al Bishoppes are deriued from the Pope as members from the head and all they receiue of hys fulnesse there was a Councell holden at Laterane in Rome vnder Leo the tenth where one Stephanus Patracensis gaue foorth these words In the Pope is al maner of power aboue all powers as well in Heauen as in earth They tell vs that whatsoeuer he doe no man maye presume to saye Domine cur it a facis Sir why doe you so To make an ende of their tales and vaine ambitious claime an other of hys flatterers beareth the world in hand Potest Papa quasi omnia facere quae Deus potest The Pope in a manner may do al things that God may do Nay not so onely saith an other Papa facit quicquid libet etiam illicita est plusquam Deus The Pope dothe whatsoeuer he listeth yea althoughe it be vnlawful and is more than God They saye Hee maketh right wrong and wrong to bee righte at his pleasure Hee maye commaunde Aungels Archaungels Cherubin and Seraphin This is the fulnesse of power whereof they dreame Who would thus presume but that mā of Sin and childe of Perdition let them shew where euer Peter had like fulnesse of power If he neuer hadde it with what face can they require it Ciprian tolde vs Christe gaue like auctoritie to al the Apostles The auctoritie of Peter was suche as the auctoritie of Iohn and of Iames and no otherwise Al the Apostles were the light of the world al were Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secretes of God they al had the same auctoritie and fulnesse which Peter had Extra quam Ecclesiam Roman nulla est salus Without whiche the Churche of Rome there is no saluation That is who liue not vnder the obedience of the Churche of Rome can not be saued No man can be saued without hir Buls and Pardons The Churche of Rome is the Arke of Noah whosoeuer is without it is drowned Subesse Romano Pontifici saith Pope Boniface omni humanae creaturae declaramus dicimus definimus pronuntiamus omnino esse de necessitate salutis Wee declare saye determine and pronounce that it is of the necesitie of saluation for euerie mortall creature to be subiecte to the Bishoppe of Rome If the case were so harde as it is made by hys wordes then it woulde goe amisse with al those Nations and Kingdomes and people whyche beléeue in Christe in Aethiopia India Arabia Africa Asia Graecia Moscouia of whiche some are greater than all Christendome They are not subiecte to the Pope they yéelde no obedience to the Church of Rome Are they al drowned because they bée not within that Arke are they al damned because they know not their good maner to the Bishop of Rome the kingdomes of England Scotlande Denmarke and Sweden the Dukes of Saxonie Brunswicke Wittenberge the Palsegraue of Rheine the Lantgraue of Hessia the Earles and Noble men throughe the whole Countrey of Germanie the infinite number of their people and subiectes many hundred thousandes in Spaine Italie Fraunce Hungarie and in the kingdome of Pole are wythout that Churche and liue not vnder the obedience thereof are they all therefore damned God forbidde the mercie of the Lorde is aboue al hys workes in euerie place who so euer calleth on the name of the Lorde shal bée saued who soeuer trusteth in the Lorde shal not be confounded You may wel recken this for the sixth vntrueth all whyche sixe are made in the compasse of sixe lines Nos nullum laborem intermittimus Wee take paynes we spare no trauell we forsake no labour Alas good man I hadde thought he would haue sayde I was often in perilles of waters in perilles among the Gentiles in perilles in the Sea in wearinesse and painfulnesse in watching often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in colde in nakednesse I hadde thought he woulde haue saide from lerusalem and rounde aboute to Illyricum I haue caused to abounde the Gospell of Christe I haue preached in season and out of season I haue done the work of an Euangelist I haue fought a good fight haue finished my course I made my selfe seruaunte to all menne that I mighte winne the more I am made al things to all menne that I mighte saue some and this doe I for the Gospelles sake He kéepeth him selfe safe ynoughe from these paines and trauelles Yet
we must beléeue him that he spareth no labour He commeth not into the Pulpit he preacheth not the Gospel he spareth that labor He is a Shepheard but fedeth not the Shéep féedeth not the Lambs he is a Stewarde yet disposeth not the mysteries of God this labour also hée spareth As for some other his trauailes we deny them not He sēdeth his Inquisitours Espies Agnos Dei and Buls He spreadeth rumors styrreth sedition raiseth subiects againste their Princes and forceth Princes to plague their subiects He hath conference with Traytours in Englande wyth Traytours in Irelande with Traitours in Germany with Traitours in Heluetia with Traitours in Denmarke wyth Traitours in Polelande He hath bene cause of all that spoile and waste in the noble kingdome of Fraunce He hath loosed and weakened the state of al Christendome it was neuer so weak as it is at this day And can we thinke al this coulde bée brought to passe without paine and trauel It may appeare he spareth no labour And this doeth he For the Gospels sake and That hee may saue some No but as did Caiaphas to arraigne Christe to crucifie the Lorde of glorie to cutte al those oute of the land of the liuing that their name maye be no more in memorie whose mouthes the Lorde hath opened to publishe the secret of the Gospel by whom the word of trueth is come vnto al the worlde and is fruiteful Hée is childe to them that murdered the Prophets and taketh al trauel and paines to fulfil the measure of his Fathers Sed impiorum numerus tantum potentiae inualuit vt nullus iam in orbe locus relictus sit quem illi pessimis doctrinis corrumpere non tentarint But the number of the wicked hathe encreased so muche that there is now no place in the worlde which they haue not sought to infect with corrupte doctrine Nowe at length it breaketh from thē Here is the matter of al their griefe When the Scribes and Pharisées perceiued the passage and glorie of the Gospell of Christ and could not stay it they said among themselues Perceiue ye how yee preuaile nothing Beholde the worlde goeth after hym And againe What shal wee doe if we lette him thus alone all men will beleeue in him Our credite is gone his doctrine is receiued and ours is forsaken The Priests and Saduces tooke it gréeuouslye that Peter and Iohn taught the people and when they saw the boldnesse of them they conferred among themselues saying What shal wee doe to these men let vs threaten and charge them that they speake henceforth to no man in this name So they called them and commaunded them that in no case they should speake or teache in the name of Iesus So did Annas the chiefe Priest and Caiphas and Iohn and Alexander and as manye as were of the kindred of the high Priestes gather themselues togither to resiste the trueth then so didde the Pharisées then deuise that the light of the glorious Gospel of Iesus Christe might not shine and bée knowen to the world And so doeth Pope Pius nowe for the like cause rage and storme and speake hys pleasure of vs. They are wicked sayeth hée theyr number daylye encreaseth their doctrine spreadeth farre and wide it dothe muche harme it hathe preuailed in moste places they are a wicked rable their doctrine is corrupte it hathe infected the worlde Belike his Holinesse is muche disquieted else hée woulde write more modestlye and make more aduised reports of suche wyth whome hée is not acquainted A manne woulde thinke he hathe to doe wyth Turkes and Infidelles wyth such who neither beléeue in God nor kéep his laws nor dread his Iudgementes That he hathe made out Commission againste Outlawries who rob and spoile and murder and destroy without mercie againste suche who haue no regarde of honestie but being paste shame maintaine Stewes and Harlottes euen as his Holinesse liketh well and suffereth to be done at Rome But where are they and who be they whom he calleth wicked what say they what do they wickedly it is much to bée accused and condemned of wickednesse This he speaketh and writeth of you your children whose eyes the Lord hath opened to espie his errours You are they whome he accounteth wicked euen you and al such who like as you doe know that Iesus Christe is the power of God and the wisedome of God Which confesse that he is the Lambe of God which taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde Which say with the Apostles Among men there is giuen none other name vnder Heauen whereby we must bee saued And with Paule God forbid that I shold reioice but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christe We reade the Scriptures of God we sende the people to the fountaines there we require thē to examine our doctrine we call vpon the name of the Lorde who liueth for euer we teache the people to make their prayers in a language they vnderstande we administer the Sacraments according to Christs institution we say that Christe is the onely Sacrifice for the forgiuenesse of sinnes and that God hathe appointed him ouer all things to be the head of the Churche we doe not make our prayers to dead Creatures we séeke no helpe at their handes whiche neyther heare vs nor can helpe vs. We moue the people to repentance we rebuke sinne we séeke reformation of life we make it manifeste that the Pope hath shamefully abused the whole world that the man of sinne euen the son of perdition shall be destroyed with the Sworde of the Spirite that euerys Plant which our heauenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out and that the worde of the Lord shall continue for euer This is our profession this is that doctrine which we receiue frō God and learne by the worde of trueth whiche is able to make vs wise vnto saluation thorough the Faith whiche is in Christe Iesus This doctrine the Pope calleth wicked This doctrine he saith hath done muche hurte Blessed be God For the things that are acceptable to god are declared to vs. The things which eye hath not seene neyther eare hath heard neyther came into mans hearte whiche God hath prepared for them that loue him God hathe reuealed them vnto vs by his Spirite It hathe pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue thē that beleeue The number of them whiche are cōuerted vnto God by this word encreaseth and will more and more encrease in all places It is not the counsell or worke of men for then it woulde come to noughte But it is of God the Pope cannot destroye it Christe came to putte fyre on the Earth it shall not be quenched If wée holde our peace or if we all whome the Pope thus reuileth bée taken oute of the Worlde the stones shall crye oute and gyue witnesse to thys Doctrine For GOD is able of stones to raise vppe children vnto
O monster in the likenesse of man He imagineth that hir Maiestie preacheth in the Pulpittes that she administreth the Sacraments that she sitteth in the Consistories and heareth all spirituall causes Whiche if she doe she dothe more than the Pope doth It were monstrous to sée the Pope in a Pulpit And it is monstrous to sée Antichriste sitte in the Temple of God to sée a Bishoppe girded with both swords to sée a Priest take vppon him the rule of Heauen and Earth the seruant of seruants aduanced aboue all the Princes of the worlde and to sette his foote vppon their neckes a wretched man to claime auctoritie ouer the Angels of God and a sinfull creature to suffer himselfe to be called by y â— name of God This is a mishapen wonder a monster in nature Let the Pope therefore looke vpon him self and know what supreme authoritie and iurisdiction and ouer whome he taketh it vpon him monstrously Queene Elizabeth doth not any thing monstrously She preacheth not she ministreth not y e Sacraments she doth neither excoÌ„municate nor absolue froÌ„ excoÌ„munication shee sitteth not to giue sentence in spirituall causes she chalengeth not the dispensation of the Keyes of the kingdome of Heauen She doth nothing but which she may lawfully do nothing but wherevnto the Lord God hath giuen hir especiall warrant Hir Maiestie is supreame Gouernour ouer hir Subiectes The Bishoppes within hir Realme are subiects to hir Shée gouerneth they yéeld obedience When occasion is offered to dispose of any thing specially appertaining to the seruice of God or to iudge of any controuersie arising in Spirituall causes She commendeth and giueth to hir learned Diuines the due consideration thereof All other pleas suites shée causeth to be ended at home suffereth no appeales to flie to Rome Which is done for the ease and quietnesse and wealth of hir good subiectes For wherein grew more extremitie against plaine dealing simple and honest pore menne Whereby were they oftener shifted off and put from the right of their suite thaÌ„ by such appeales when after they had bene haled thorough all the Courtes in theyr owne Countrey they were driuen to followe the matter 1500. miles at the Popes Courtes in Rome To be short Queene Elizabeth doth as did Moses Iosua Dauid Salomon Iosias Iehosaphat as Constantine Valentinian Gratian Theodosius Arcadius Honorius and other godly Emperors haue done God hath giueÌ„ charge to hir of both Tables In the firste she hath charge of Religion in the other of Ciuill causes By the Prophet Esay God promiseth to his Church Kings shall be thy noursing Fathers and Queenes thy Nursses And Dauid saith Be wise therfore ye Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth serue the Lord in feare Upon which place the learned father Augustine saith Quomodo ergo Reges seruiunt Domino in timore nisi â—a quae contra iussa Domini fiunt religiosa seueritate prohibendo atque plectendo aliter enim seruit quia homo est aliter quia rex est Quia homo est ei seruit viuendo fideliter quia verò etiam rex est seruit ei leges iusta praecipientes contraria prohibentes conuenienti rigore sanciendo sicut seruiuit Ezechias c. Howe then doe Kings serue the Lord in feare but in that they doe forbidde and in a religious seueritie punish suche things as are done againste the Lordes commaundementes for hee serueth after one maner as a man and after another as a Prince as a man he serueth the Lord in liuing faithfully but in that he is also a King he serueth hym by making Lawes which commaunde the thinges that are right and whiche with conuenient rigour forbid the contrarie as Ezechias serued the Lord when he destroyed the Woodes and Temples of Idolles and those highe places whiche were builte againste the commaundements of God as IOSIAS serued doing also the like as the King of Niniute serued gathering togither al his Citie to appease the wrath of the Lord as DARIVS serued giuing auctoritie to DANIEL to breake the Idol and casting his enimies into the Lions as NABVCHODONOSOR serued of whome we spake before who by a terrible Lawe forbad al within his kingdome to blaspheme God In hoâ— ergò saith he seruiunt domino Reges quando ea faciunt ad seruiendum illi quae non possunt facere nisi Reges Herein therefore do Kings serue the Lord wheÌ„ they do those things to serue him which none may do but Kings The Pope therefore writeth vnaduisedly We know not anye so moÌ„strous vnlawful doing It is hir office it is hir dutie I trust God will giue hir grace to discharge the same to his glorie Regium concilium eâ— Anglica Nobilitate conflatum diremit Shee hath remoued the Noble men of Englande from the Kings Councel The Poets had a fonde deuise of their great God IVPITER that he helde a golden Chain in his haÌ„d and tied to the ende of it both the Lande and Sea and coasts of the whole world and so might tosse and turne and sette them higher and lower at his pleasure Pope Pius bestirreth himselfe as though he were in Iupiters place and mighte by his Bulles and cursses set higher and lower place and displace appoint who shall againe who shall not be in Princes Councels Nothing may be done but by his sufferance Such a practise he hath to make himselfe King of Kings and the God of this worlde For when hée may rule the Councell he maye rule the King and being able to rule the King he maye rule the people throughout the worlde Hée saieth Queene Elizabeths Conncell is not to my liking She hathe put those from the Councel which were of the Nobilitie of Englande Thus he goeth on and increaseth hys follie He singeth by reportes and speaketh he wotteth not what Hath hir Maiestie remoued all the Nobilitie Who would thinke the Uicar of Christ wold be so vaine You which haue liued in countenaunce and haue béene at the Court and haue these many yeares knowne the state of our Countrey you knowe well that this is false The Nobilitie are all in England and in Courte and in Councel as before I doe not speake of suche as became Traitours You knowe what vnnaturall attempts were lately made Their guiltie conscience did make some to flie I speake not of one in duraunce I dispute not his case A Prince oughte to be verye carefull and iealous for hys preseruation It toucheth not himselfe onely but the welfare of his people Of these I speake nothing Yet when thys Bull was stamped at Rome all were at libertie Marke the date the fifth of the Calends of March in the yeare paste at which time they were al at libertie and of the Councell or at leaste in good fauor Since which time what hath bin wroughte by this Bull I praye you consider Remember what ensued the Sommer following The coales were kindled here but the bellowes whiche gaue
worlde but for a fewe The heauen was made but for a fewe The mercie and loue of God was but for a fewe But the mercie of God is ouer al and vpon al and for all Al haue right to heare the word of God al haue néede to know the word of God Al haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God Therefore Christe calleth all Venite ad me omnes c. Come vnto mee all yee that bee wearie and laden Yong men and olde men men and women rich and poore come to mée God is no accepter of persons It is not the wil of your Father which is in Heauen saith Christ that one of these little ones shold perish Who wil that al men shall be saued come to the knowledge of truth God wil loke to him that is pore of a contrite spirite and trembleth at hys wordes God wil regard such a one and make him a fitte vessell to receiue hys truth Upon him that is suche a one shall the spirite of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of God reste Not only vppon the rich the wise and the learned but vpon him that is pore and of a contrite heart and trembleth at his words Upon hym that humbleth himselfe vnder the mightie hand of God He is the temple and the Tabernacle of the holy Ghoste He that is humble in heart shall be saued God resisteth the proud but giueth grace to the lowly Therefore Christe saide I giue thee thankes O father Lorde of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstaÌ„ding and hast opened them vnto babes Euen to suche as haue no learning whych reioice in nothing but in thée The wise and learned of the worlde can not heare them can not sée them but they to whome it pleased thée to giue vnderstanding It is thy mercie Flesh and bloud cannot reach the knowledge of thy will The spirite of the Father hath reuealed it Christe saith My sheepe heare my voice and I knowe them and they followe mee They will not follow a stranger My people are simple as shéepe they are rude and knowe not what they doe Yet they knowe my voice and followe me they knowe their Shéepheard from a théefe they followe not the call and voice of a straunger So we sée that God chaceth no maÌ„ away from hearing his worde he loatheth not the pore because of his pouertie he refuseth him not for he is the God of the pore they be his creatures S Augustine saith Deus in Scripturis quasi amicus familiaris loquitur ad cor doctorum indoctorum Almightie God in the Scriptures speaketh as a familiar friend without dissimulation vnto the hearts both of the learned and of the vnlearned He abaseth hymselfe and speaketh to their capacitie for his will is that all shoulde come to the knowledge of the truth and be saued Nowe let vs consider with what fearâ— and reuerence we oughte to come to the hearing or reading of the worde of God The Aungel of the Lord appeared vnto Moses in a flame of fire out of the middest of a bushe When Moses turned aside to sée God said vnto him Come not hither Put thy shoes off thy feete for the place whereon thou standest is holye ground Againe when God had appointed to speak vnto the people from Mount Sion he said to Moses Go vnto the people and sanctifie them to day and to morow and let them wash their clothes let them be readie on the. 3. day for the. 3. daye the Lorde will come downe in the sight of al the people vpon mount Sinai The worde of the Lorde is the Bush out of which issueth a flame of fire The Scriptures of God are the mount from which the Lord of Hostes doth shew him selfe In them God speaketh to vs. In them we heare the words of euerlasting life We muste be sanctified and washe out garmentes and be readie to heare the Lorde We muste strippe off all our affections we must fal do 〈…〉 with fear we must 〈…〉 speaketh Euen God 〈…〉 and Earth God 〈…〉 Lord Iesus Christe God 〈…〉 iudge the quicke and the dead 〈…〉 whome al flesh shal appeare His worde is holie Let vs take 〈◊〉 into what hearts we bestow it 〈◊〉 euer abuseth it shall be founde guilti 〈◊〉 high trespas against the Lord. We may not receiue it to blow vp our harts and waxe proude with our knowledge We may not use it to maintaine debate and coÌ„tentioÌ„ we may not vse it to vaunt our selues or to make shew of our cunning The word of God teacheth lowlinesse of minde it teacheth vs to knowe oure selues If we learne not humilitie wée learne nothing Although we séeme to knowe somewhat yet knowe we not in such sorte as we ought to know The Scriptures are the mysteries of God let vs not be curious lette vs not séeke to knowe more than God hath reuealed by theÌ„ They are y e sea of God let vs take 〈…〉 drowned in the. They 〈…〉 let vs take comfort by 〈…〉 take héed they burne 〈…〉 gaze ouer hardly vpon 〈…〉 blemish in their eye sight 〈…〉 the people of Israel sawe the 〈…〉 in the desart they said Man Hu◠〈…〉 this so they reasoned of it wheÌ„ 〈…〉 it vp in their handes and behelde it They asked one an other what good it woulde do The Scriptures are Mannaâ— giuen to vs from Heauen to séede vs in the desart of this worlde Let vs take them and behold them and reason of them and learne one of an other what profit may come to vs by theÌ„ lette vs knowe that they are written for our sake and for our learning that through patience comfort of the Scriptures we may haue hope They are giuen vs to instruct vs in faith to strength vs in hope to open our eies and to direct our going If we withholde the trueth in vnrighteousnesse if we know our Masters wil do it not if the name of God be ill-spoken of through vs the word of God shal be taken away from 〈…〉 nation which shal 〈…〉 thereof God shall send 〈…〉 on that we shall beléeue 〈…〉 heart shal condemne vs an 〈…〉 beaten with many stripes Therefore we ought 〈…〉 giue héede to those thinges 〈…〉 heare we must coÌ„sider of them 〈…〉 chew the cudde Euerie beast that 〈…〉 not the cudde is vncleane and noâ—â— for sacrifice Let vs be poore in spirit 〈◊〉 méeke in heart let vs be gentle as be commeth the Lambes of Christ and as his shéepe let vs heare his voyce and followe him Let vs be of a contrite spirit tremble at the words of God let vs when we know God glorifie him as God So shall God looke vpon vs so shal the spirit of wisdome vnderstanding and of couÌ„sel of knowledge and of the feare of God rest vpon vs so shall we be