take all their Commandments for Gods For as they would not suffer the Holy Scriptures or Church Service to be used or had in any other Language than the Latin so were very few even of the most simple People taught the Lords Prayer the Articles of the Faith and the Ten Commandments otherwise than in Latin which they understood not by which universal ignorance all Men were ready to believe whatsoever they said and to do whatsoever they commanded For to imitate the Apostles phrase if the Emperors Subjects had known out of Gods word their Duty to their Prince they would not have suffered the Bishop of Rome to persuade them to forsake their Sovereign Lord the Emperor against their Oath and Fidelity and to Rebel against him only for that he cast Images unto the which Idolatry was committed out of the Churches which the Bishop of Rome bare them in hand to be Heresie If they had known of Gods Word but as much as the Ten Commandments they should have found that the Bishop of Rome was not only a Traitor to the Emperor his Liege Lord but to God also and an horrible Blasphemer of his Majesty in calling his holy Word and Commandment Heresie and that which the Bishop of Rome took for a just cause to rebel against his lawful Prince they might have known to be a doubling and trebling of his most heinous wickedness heaped with horrible Impiety and Blasphemy But lest the poor People should know too much he would not let them have as much of Gods Word as the Ten Commandments wholly and perfectly Henry 4. Gregor 7. Anno Dom 167. Paschal 2. Anno 19â— withdrawing from them the second Commandment that bewrayeth his Impiety by a subtil Sacriledge Had the Emperors Subjects likewise known and been of any understanding in Gods Word would they at other times have rebelled against their Sovereign Lord and by their Rebellion have holpen to depose him only for that the Bishop of Rome did bear them in hand that it was Symony and Heresie too for the Emperor to give any Ecclesiastical Dignities or promotion to his learned Chaplains or other of his learned Clergy which all Christian Emperors before him had done without controlement would they I say for that the Bishop of Rome bare them so in hand have rebelled by the space of more than forty Years together against him with so much shedding of Christian Blood and murder of so many thousands of Christians and finally have deposed their Sovereign Lord had they known and had in Gods Word any understanding at all specially had they known that they did all this to pluck from their Sovereign Lord and his Successors for ever that ancient Right of the Empire to give it unto the Romish Clergy and to the Bishop of Rome that he might for the Confirmation of one Arch-Bishop and for the Romish Rag which he calleth a Pall scarce worth Twelve pence receive many thousand Crowns of Gold and of other Bishops likewise great Sums of Mony for their Bulls which is Symony indeed Would I say Christian Men and Subjects by Rebellion have spent so much Christian Blood and have deposed their natural most noble and most valiant Prince to bring the matter finally to this pass had they known what they did or had any understanding in Gods Word at all And as these ambitious Usurpers the Bishops of Rome have over-flowed all Italy and Germany with streams of Christian Blood shed by the Rebellions of ignorant Subjects against their natural Lords and Emperors whom they have stirred thereunto by such false pretences so is there no Country in Christendom which by their like means and false pretences hath not been over-sprinkled with the Blood of Subjects by Rebellion against their natural Sovereigns stirred up by the same Bishops of Rome And to use one Example of our own Country the Bishop of Rome did pick a Quarrel to King John of England â—ing John about the Election of Stephen Langton to the Bishoprick of Canterbury wherein the King had ancient Right being used by his Progenitors all Christian Kings of England before him the Bishops of Rome having no Right but had begun then to usurp upon the Kings of England and all other Christian Kings as they had before done against their Sovereign Lords the Emperors proceeding even by the same ways and means and likewise cursing King John and discharging his Subjects of their Oath of Fidelity unto their Sovereign Lord. Now had English-men at that time known their Duty to their Prince set forth in Gods Word would a great many of Nobles and other English-men natural Subjects for this Foreign and unnatural Usurper Innocent III. his vain curse of the King and for his feigned discharging of them of their Oath and Fidelity to their natural Lord upon so slender or no ground at all have rebelled against their Sovereign Lord the King Would English Subjects have taken part against the King of England and against English-men Philip French King with the French King and French-men being incensed against this Realm by the Bishop of Rome Would they have sent for and received the Dolphin of France with a great Army of French-men into the Realm of England Lewis Dolphin of France Would they have sworn Fidelity to the Dolphin of France breaking their Oath of Fidelity to their natural Lord the King of England and have stood under the Dolphins Banner displayed against the King of England Would they have expelled their Sovereign Lord the King of England out of London the chief City of England and out of the greatest part of England upon the South-side of the Trent even unto Lincoln and out of Lincoln it self also and have delivered the possession thereof unto the Dolphin of France whereof he kept the possession a great while Would they being English men have procured so great shedding of English-blood and other infinite mischiefs and miseries unto England their natural Country as did follow those cruel Wars and traiterous Rebellion the fruits of the Bishop of Romes blessings Would they have driven their natural Sovereign Lord the King of England to such extremity that he was inforced to submit himself unto that Foreign false Usurper the Bishop of Rome who compelled him to surrender up the Crown of England into the hands of his Legat who in token of possession kept it in his hands divers days and then delivered it again to King John upon that condition that the King and his Successors Kings of England should hold the Crown and Kingdom of England of the Bishop of Rome and his Successors as the Vassals of the said Bishop of Rome for ever in token whereof the Kings of England should also pay a yearly Tribute to the said Bishop of Rome as his Vassals and Liege-men Would English-men have brought their Sovereign Lord and Natural Country into this thraldom and subjection to a false Foreign Usurper had they known and had any understanding in Gods
Word at all Out of the which most lamentable case and miserable tyranny raveny and spoil of the most greedy Romish Wolves ensuing hereupon the Kings and Realm of England could not rid themselves by the space of many years after the Bishop of Rome by his Ministers continually not only spoiling the Realm and Kings of England of infinite treasure See the Acts of Parliament in King Edward the Third his days but also with the same Mony hiring and maintaining Foreign Enemies against the Realm and Kings of England to keep them in such his subjection that they should not refuse to pay whatsoever those unsatiable Wolves did greedily gape for and suffer whatsoever those most cruel Tyrants would lay upon them Would Englishmen have suffered this Would they by Rebellion have caused this trow you and all for the Bishop of Romes causless curse had they in those days known and understood that God doth curse the Blessings and bless the Cursings of such wicked usurping Bishops and Tyrants As it appeared afterward in King Henry the Eighth his days and King Edward the Sixth and in our gracious Sovereigns days that now is where neither the Popes curses Malac. 2. nor Gods manifold blessings are wanting But in King Johns time the Bishop of Rome understanding the brute blindness ignorance of Gods Word and superstition of English-men and how much they were inclined to worship the Babylonical Beast of Rome and to fear all his threatnings and causless curses he abused them thus and by their Rebellion brought this noble Realm and Kings of England under his most cruel Tyranny and to be a spoil of his most vile and unsatiable covetousness and raveny for a long and a great deal too long a time And to joyn unto the reports of Histories matters of later Memory could the Bishop of Rome have raised the Rebellions in the North and West-Countries in the times of King Henry and King Edward but by abusing of the ignorant People Or is it not most evident that the Bishop of Rome hath of late attempted by his Irish Patriarchs and Bishops sent from Rome with his Bulls whereof some were apprehended to break down the Bars and Hedges of the public Peace in Ireland only upon confidence easily to abuse the ignorance of the wild Irish-men Or who seeth not that upon like confidence yet more lately he hath likewise procured the breach of the public Peace in England with the long and blessed continuance whereof he is sore grieved by the Ministry of his disguised Chaplains creeping in Lay-mens Apparel into the Houses and whispering in the ears of certain Northern borderers being then most ignorant of their duty to God and to their Prince of all People of the Realm whom therefore as most meet and ready to execute his intended purpose he hath by the said ignorant Mass Priests as blind guides leading the blind brought those silly blind Subjects into the deep ditch of Horror and Rebellion damnable to themselves and very dangerous to the State of the Realm had not God of his mercy miraculously calmed that raging Tempest not only without any Shipwrack of the Common-wealth but almost without any shedding of Christian and English Blood at all And it is yet much more to be lamented that not only common People but some other youthful or unskilful Princes also suffer themselves to be abused by the Bishop of Rome his Cardinals and Bishops to oppressing of Christian Men their faithful Subjects either themselves or else by procuring the force and strength of Christian Men to be conveyed out of one Country to oppress true Christians in another Country and by these means open an entry unto Moors and Infidels into the possession of Christian Realms Countries other Christian Princes in the mean time by the Bishop of Romes procuring also being so occupied in Civil Wars or troubled with Rebellions that they have neither leisure nor ability to confer their common Forces to the defence of their Fellow Christians against such invasions of the common Enemies of Christendom the Infidels and Miscreants Would to God we might only read and hear out of the Histories of old and not also see and feel these new and present oppressions of Christians rebellions of Subjects effusion of Christian Blood destruction of Christian Men decay and ruin of Christendom increase of Paganism most lamentable and pitiful to behold being procured in these our days as well as in times past by the Bishop of Rome and his Ministers abusing the ignorance of Gods Word yet remaining in some Christian Princes and People Jer. 18. c. 18. By which sorrow and bitter fruits of ignorance all Men ought to be moved to give ear and credit to Gods Word shewing as most truly so most plainly how great a mischief ignorance is and again how great and how good a gift in knowledge Gods Word is And to begin with the Romish Clergy who though they do brag now as did sometime the Jewish Clergy that they cannot lack knowledge yet doth God by his holy Prophets both charge them with ignorance Ezek. 7. g. 26. Hos 4. b. 6. Ps 2. and threaten them also for that they have repelled the knowledge of Gods Word and Law from themselves and from his people that he will repel them that they shall be no more his Priests God likewise chargeth Princes as well as Priests that they should endeavor themselves to get understanding and knowledge in his Word threatning his heavy wrath and destruction unto them if they sail thereof Prov. 19. Wisd 13. Prov. 17. Ephes 4. John 12. Esay 5.13 Luke 19. g. 44 and 23. c. 34. Acts multis locis John 16. a. 2. Esay 27. Hos 4. Baruc. 3. Esay 6. c. 9. Mat. 13. b. 14.15 John 12.40 Wisd 5. Mat. 13.19 2 Cor. 4. a. And the wise Man saith to all Men universally Princes Priests and People Where is no knowledge there is no good nor health to the Soul and that all Men be vain in whom is not the knowledge of God and his holy Word that they who walk in darkness wot not whither they go and that the People that will not learn shall fall into great mischiefs as did the People of Israel who for their ignorance in Gods Word were first led into captivity and when by ignorance afterward they would not know the time of their Visitation but crucified Christ our Saviour persecuted his holy Apostles and were so ignorant and blind that when they did most wickedly and cruelly they thought they did God good and acceptable Service as do many by ignorance think even at this day Finally through their ignorance and blindness their Countries Towns Cities Jerusalem it self and the Temple of God were almost horribly destroyed the chiefest part of their People slain and the rest led into most miserable captivity For he that made them had no pity upon them neither would spare them and all for their ignorance And the Holy Scriptures do teach
Congregation of his faithful People by his grace by his favour and godly assistance according to his most assured and comfortable promises Why then ought not Christian People to build them Temples and Churches having as great promises of the presence of God as ever had Solomon for the material Temple which he did build As touching the other point that Solomon's Temple was a figure of Christ we know that now in the time of the clear light Christ Jesus the Son of God all shadows figures and significations are utterly gone all vain and unprofitable Ceremonies both Jewish and Heathenish fully abolished And therefore our Churches are not set up for figures and significations of Messias and Christ to come but for other godly and necessary purposes that is to say That like as every man hath his own House to abide in to refresh himself in to rest in with such like commodities So Almighty God will have his House and Place whither the whole Parish and Congregation shall resort which is called the Church and Temple of God for that the Church which is the company of Gods People doth there assemble and come together to serve him Not meaning hereby that the Lord whom the Heaven of heavens is not able to hold or comprise doth dwell in the Church of Lime and Stone made with mans hands as wholly and only contained there within and no where else for so he never dwelt in Solomon's Temple Moreover the Church or Temple is counted and called Holy yet not of it self but because Gods People resorting thereunto are Holy and exercise themselves in Holy and Heavenly things And to the intent ye may understand further why Churches were built among Christian People this was the greatest consideration that God might have his place and that God might have his time duly to be honoured and served of the whole multitude in the Parish First there to hear and learn the blessed Word and Will of the everlasting God Secondly that there the blessed Sacraments which our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus hath ordained and appointed should be duly reverently and decently ministred Thirdly that there the whole multitude of Gods People in the Parish should with one voice and heart call upon the Name of God magnifie and praise the Name of God render earnest and hearty thanks to our Heavenly Father for his heap of benefits daily and plentifully poured upon us not forgetting to bestow our Alms upon Gods Poor to the intent God may bless us the more richly Thus ye may well perceive and understand wherefore Churches were built and set up amongst Christian People and dedicated and appointed to these godly uses and wholly exempted from all filthy profane and worldly uses Wherefore all they that have little mind or devotion to repair and build Gods Temple are to be counted People of much ungodliness spurning against good Order in Christs Church despising the true honour of God with evil examples offending and hindring their Neighbours otherwise well and godlily disposed The World thinketh it but a trifle to see their Church in ruine and decay But whoso doth not lay to their helping hands they sin against God and his Holy Congregation For if it had not been sin to neglect and slightly regard the re-edifying and building up again of his Temple God would not have been so much grieved and so soon have plagued his People because they builded and decked their own Houses so gorgeously and despised the House of God their Lord. It is sin and shame to see so many Churches so ruinous and so foully decayed almost in every corner If a mans private House wherein he dwelleth be decayed he will never cease till it be restored up again Yea if his Barn where he keepeth his Corn be out of reparations what diligence useth he to make it in perfect state again If his Stable for his Horse yea the Stie for his Swine be not able to hold out Water and Wind how careful is he to do cost thereon And shall we be so mindful of our common base Houses deputed to so vile employment and be forgetful towards the House of God wherein be treated the words of our eternal Salvation wherein be ministred the Sacraments and Mysteries of our Redemption The Fountain of our Regeneration is there presented unto us the partaking of the Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ is there offered unto us And shall we not esteem the place where so Heavenly things are handled Wherefore if ye have any reverence to the service of God if ye have any common honesty if ye have any conscience in keeping of necessary and godly ordinances keep your Churches in good repair whereby ye shall not only please God and deserve his manifold Blessings but also deserve the good report of all godly People The second point which appertaineth to the maintenance of Gods House is to have it well adorned and comely and clean kept Which things may be the more easily reformed when the Church is well repaired For like as men are well refreshed and comforted when they find their Houses having all things in good Order and all corners clean and sweet so when Gods House the Church is well adorned with places convenient to sit in with the Pulpit for the Preacher with the Lords Table for the Ministration of his Holy Supper with the Font to Christen in and also is kept clean comely and sweetly the People are more desirous and the more comforted to resort thither and to tarry there the whole time appointed them With what earnestness with what vehement zeal did our Saviour Christ drive the buyers and sellers out of the Temple of God Mat. 21. and hurled down the Tables of the changers of Mony and the Seats of the Dove-sellers and could not abide any man to carry a Vessel through the Temple He told them that they had made his Fathers House a Den of Thieves partly through their Superstition Hypocrisie false Worship false Doctrine and insatiable Covetousness and partly through Contempt abusing that place with walking and talking with worldly matters without all fear of God and due reverence to that place What dens of Thieves the Churches of England have been made by the blasphemous buying and selling the most precious Body and Blood of Christ in the Mass as the World was made to believe as Diriges at Months minds at Trentals in Abbeys and Chantries besides other horrible abuses Gods Holy Name be blessed for ever which we now see and understand All these abominations they that supply the room of Christ have cleansed and purged the Churches of England of taking away all such fulsomness and filthiness as through blind Devotion and Ignorance hath crept into the Church these many hundred years Wherefore O ye good Christian People ye dearly beloved in Christ Jesus ye that glory not in worldly and vain Religion in phantastical adorning and decking but rejoyce in heart to see the glory of God truly