mindinge by that meanes to cutt for euer the knot of the frendship that might haue ensued betwixte England and Scotland by that godlie coniunction What the papistes feared is manifest For then Christe Iesus being more purely preached in England then at any tyme before would shortly haue suppressed their pride and vaine glorie and therefore they raged that he should not reigne aboue them also But what is like to apprehend you for because ye did not betymes withstaÌ„d their most wicked couÌ„sils wise men do coÌ„sider How heauie and vnpleasant shall the burthen and yock of a Frenchman be to your shoulders aÌ„d necks God graunt that experience do not teach you But to returne to my former purpose by all those means rehersed by his messeÌ„gers by the blood of his saincts shed amoÌ„gest you by fauours aÌ„d frendship by warre and the sword yea by famin aÌ„d pestileÌ„ce aÌ„d all other meaÌ„s hath God your mercifull father called you to labour in his vineyard but to this day alas we heare not of your huÌ„ble obedience but stil ye say with stubburn faces we will not labour we will not be bouÌ„de to such thraldome to abide the burthens of the vineyard Ye think perchaÌ„ce I am to sharpe and that I accuse you more then you deserue For amoÌ„gest you many do know the will of your father and many make profession of his Ghospel but coÌ„sider BrethreÌ„ that it is not enoug he to know the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t and to ê“fesse the same in mouthe but it is necessarie that ye refuse your selues your owne pleasures appetites and your owne wisdome if ye shall be iudged faithfull labourers in the Lordes vineyard aÌ„d that ye beare the burthens togiter with your brethren and suffre heate and sweate before ye taste the frutes with them God will not stand content that ye loke ouer the hedge and beholde the labours of your brethreÌ„ but he requireth that ye put your haÌ„des also to your labours that ye trauail continually to pluck vpp all vnprofitable wedes albeit in so doing the thornes pricke you to the hard bones that ye assist your brethreÌ„ in theyr labours thoghe it be with the icopardie of your lifes the losse of your substance and displeasure of the hole earthe Except that thus ye be minded to labour the Lord of the vineyarde wil not acknolledge you for his faith full seruantes And because this matter is of weight and greate importance I will speake soÌ„what more plainely for your instruction It is bruted to the greate comfort of all godlie that heare it that somme of you deare Brethren of Scotland do desire Christ Iesus to be faithfully preached amoÌ„gest you which thing if froÌ„ the heart you desyre and with godlie wisdome and stowt courrage folow your purpose and enterprise ye shall be blessed of the Lord for euer But in the begynnyng ye must beware that ye folow not the exaÌ„ple of your brethreÌ„ of EnglaÌ„d in whose handes albeit the worke of the Lord appeared to prosper for a time yet because the eye was not single we see to our grief the ouer throw of the same They began to plante Christ Iesus in the heartes of the people aÌ„d to baÌ„nish that Romish Antichrist they did driue owt the fylthie swyne froÌ„ theyr dennes and holes I mean the monkes and other such papisticall vermin from their cloisters aÌ„d abbayes This was a good be ginning but alas in the one and the other there was great faulte For the banishiÌ„g of that Romish Antichrist was rather by the feare of the lawes pronouÌ„ced against him by actes of parlameÌ„t theÌ„ by the liuelie preachiÌ„g of Christ Iesus aÌ„d by the discoueriÌ„g of his abominatioÌ„s And the suppressioÌ„ of the abbaies did rather smell of auarice theÌ„ of true religioÌ„ Those venemous locustes which before were holdeÌ„ within their cloisters were then set abrode to destroy all good aÌ„d grene herbes For superstitious freers ignoraÌ„t moÌ„ks aÌ„d idle abots were made archbishoppes bishoppes persons vicars aÌ„d such as oght to fede the soules of men â–ª who thus set at libertie did coÌ„tinually wrootup the Lords vineyard And one crafty Gardener whose name was Stephen hauiÌ„g wolflik coÌ„ditioÌ„s did maiÌ„taiÌ„ many a wolfe did sow wicked seed in the gardeÌ„ aÌ„d cherished many weedes to deface the vineyard And his maid Marie who after was his mastres now maried to Philip waÌ„tiÌ„g no wil to wickednes wheÌ„ she was at the weakest norsto make to do euill when she gatt the mastrie did cherishe many weedes Those two I say haue so broken the hedges of the same vineyarde God so punishing the sinnes of those that oght to haue made better prouision for the same that the husbandmen are hanged vp the diggars dressours and planters are banished prisoned and burned Such hauock is made that al wilde beastes haue power to pollute the sanctuarie of the Lorde O heauens beholde her crueltie o earthe cry for vengeance o seas and deserte mountains witnesses of her wickednes break furthe against this monster of England But whether do I runne by the bitternes of my grefe I must nedes leaue the o Scotland after that I haue aduertised the of this that thou folow not the example as I haue said of EnglaÌ„d but in the bowels of Christ Iesus I exhorte the that if thou preteÌ„dest any reformatioÌ„ in religion which is the chefe labour of the vineyarde that thou do it at the first with a single eye and all simplicitie that from yeare to yeare thou be not compelled to change as was England but let thy reformation be full and plaine according to goddes holie will and worde without addition Let all the plaÌ„tes which thy heauenly father hath not planted be rooted owt at once let not auarice blind the neither yet wordlie wisdome discourage thy hearte let none beare the name of a teacher that is knowen to be a fosterer of superstitioÌ„ or any kynde of wickednes And thou so doing shalt moue God of his greate mercie to send vnto the faithfull worke men in abundaÌ„ce to blesse the worke that thou preteÌ„dest in the vineyarde aÌ„d to preserue the to the glorie of his own name and to thy euerlasting comforte Thus must thou Scotland repent thy former inobedience if that thou wilt be approued of the Lord. And now do I return to the O EnglaÌ„d I do liken the to the secoÌ„de sonne in the parable which answered his father with flattering wordes saying I go father but yet he went not at all For sence the time that I had any remembrance our heaueÌ„lie father of his great mercies hath not ceased to call the in to his vineyard and to these late daies thou hast said alwayes that thou woldest enter and be obedient In the tyme of king Henrie the eght when by Tyndale Frith Bylnay and other his faithfull seruantes God called EnglaÌ„d to dresse his vineyard many promised full faire whome I could name But what frute folowed nothing but bitter grapes yea breeres and brambles the wormewood of auarice the
Prophetes with the sayinges of Dauid or of this holy sainct of God Iohn the Baptist but with our sauiour Christs two most swete parables of the two sonnes and of the tilme to whome he set his vineyard I will labour to set before your eyes your rebellion hypocrisie and crueltie if so I caÌ„ bring any of you to repentance Our sauiour Christe putteth furth this parable A certaine man had two sonnes aÌ„d he came to the first and said soÌ„ne go aÌ„d worke to day in my vineyard Who answered I will not but afterward repeÌ„ted and went Then came he to the second and said likewise and he answered I will syr but went not Wherein a wonderful comforte first is to be coÌ„sidered how the Lord our God maker of heaueÌ„ aÌ„d earth doth huÌ„ble him selfe not only to be called a maÌ„ a husbaÌ„d man a housholder aÌ„d such like but he abaseth hiÌ„selfe of mercie to vs vile earth and asshes that his sonne becometh maÌ„ to make mankynd glorious in his sight to make all those that do not refuse his grace offred of the slaues of Satan his sonnes by adoption You are his sonnes you are his vineyard you are as dear vnto hym as the apple of his eye as Moses speaketh if you can beleue it he sweareth that you shall be his inheritaÌ„ce and he will be yours if ye will only receiue his grace and beleue hym when he sweareth Will ye call his trueth into doubt his glorie into shame by your misbelefe Better it were that all creatures should perish heauen man and angels then that God should not haue credit or that his glorie in the least iote should be diminished He hath called you by his worde now many a tyme to worke in his vineyard I aske what you haue answered your conscience can witnesse and all the world seeth it SoÌ„me of you haue said plaine lyke rebellious childreÌ„ that ye would not do it that ye would not worke in your fathers vineyarde Shall I applie this part to Scotland I may right well do it and also to a greate parte in England But Scotland in dede called most plainely and euidently through the mercies of God both by their own faithfull countrie men and also by earnest trauail of our English nation to comme to the Lords vineyard in the tyme of king Edward hath to the domage of both coÌ„tinually refused as the coÌ„science of many this day beareth witnesse That tyme as ye know the vineyarde in EnglaÌ„d by the children of God was not all togither neglected and theÌ„ most earnestly were ye O Brethren of Scotland required to ioyne haÌ„des with vs iÌ„ the Lords worke but Satan alas would not suffer it His old fostred malice and Antichrist his sonne could not abyde that Christ should grow so strong by ioynynge that ile togither in perfect religioÌ„ whome God hath so many waies coupled aÌ„d streÌ„gthended by his worke in nature the papistes practised all theyr fyne craftes in England Scotland and in France that the Ghospellers should not with so strong walles be defensed lest this one iland should becoÌ„me a safe sanctuarie as it began to be to all the persecuted in all places They moue sturdie stomackes they dispens with periuries they worke by theyr craftie coÌ„fessions they raise vp warre in the end whereby ye deare Brethren of Scotland were sore plaged Of all these traiterouse sleghtes ye can not be ignorant For yet it is not passed the memorie of man that your king made promisse to haue mett king HeÌ„rie the eght att Yorke â–ª whose purpose albeit in other things I do not alow him in that case was most godlie and praise worthie For it was to make an end of that vngodlie warre and cruell murther which loÌ„ge had coÌ„tinued betwixt the two realms Your king I say made promisse to mete him the breche whereof as it was the occasion of much trouble so is it euidently knowen that your Cardinal and his clergie laboured and procured the same For it is not vnknowen to somme amongest you how many thousand crownes the churchmen did promisse for maintenance of the warre which king Henrie did denouÌ„ce by the reason of that breche Superfluous it were to me to recite all the causes mouing your pestilent preestes to solicitat your king to that infidelitie But this is moste euident that they feared nothing but the fall of their glorie and the trouble of their kingdome which then in England beganne to be shaken by suppressing of the abbaies This moued your preestes ernestly to labour that your kinge should falsly breake his promisse But what affliction ye sustained by that and other their practises your selues can witnesse For your borderrs were destroyed your nobilitie for the most parte were takeÌ„ prisoners and your king for sorowe sodenly died But these your miseries did nothing moue your preestes to repentance but rather did inflame them against God and against the ê“pfit of their natiue realme For when againe after the death of your kiÌ„ge your freÌ„dship and fauours were soght first by king HeÌ„rie and after his death by king Edward his sonne aÌ„d by him who theÌ„ was chosen Protectour how craftely I say did theÌ„ your preestes vndermine all ye are not ignoraÌ„t When your Gouernoure with the consent of the most part of the nobilitie had soleÌ„nely sworne iÌ„ the abbay of Haliroode house syr Raphe Sadler theÌ„ being embassadour for EnglaÌ„d to perfurm the mariage coÌ„tracted betwixt king Edward and your yonge quene and faithfully to stand to euerie point coÌ„cluded and agreed 〈◊〉 perfurmaÌ„ce of that vnioÌ„ when seales were interchanged and the embassadour dimissed what sturr tumult and sedition raised your Cardinal in that your realme it is not vnknowen To witt how that by his craft and malice the realme was deuided the Gouernour compelled to seke his fauour to violate his oth and so to becomme iÌ„famous for euer And finally by the pride of the papistes was that leage broken But what did thereof ensue Edinburgh Leith DuÌ„die yea the most part of the realme did fele Your shippes were stayed your gooddes were lost your chefe townes were burned and at the end the beautie of your real me did fall in the edge of the sworde the hand of God manifestly feghting against you because against your solemne oth ye did feght against them who soght your fauours by that godlie coÌ„iunction which before was promised But still proceaded your ennemies the clergie and theire adhereÌ„tes in theyr purposed malice WoÌ„der not that I terme them your ennemies For albeit they be your countrie men yet because they seke nothing more then the maiÌ„tainaÌ„ce of their owne kiÌ„gdome which is the power of darckns aÌ„d the king dome of Antichrist they are becomme coÌ„iured ennemies to euerie citie nation or man that labour to comme to the knolledge of the trueth That pestilent generation I say did not cease till they obteined their purpose by deliueringe your yonge quene to the handes of the French king assuredly
EnglaÌ„d vnto such a noÌ„bre I say it is Laufull to punish the idolatours with death if by anie meanes God geue them the power For so did Iosua and Israel determine to haue done against the childreÌ„ of RubeÌ„ Gad aÌ„d Manasses for their suspected apostasie aÌ„d defectioÌ„ from God And the hole tribes did in verie dede execute that sharpe iudgemeÌ„t agaiÌ„st the tribe of BeÌ„iamin for a lesse offeÌ„ce then for idolatrie And the same oght to be done whersoeuer Christ Iesus aÌ„d his EuaÌ„gill is so receaued iÌ„ any realme ê“uince or citie that the Magistrates aÌ„d people haue solemnely auowed aÌ„d promised to defeÌ„d the same as vnder king Edward of late dayes was done in EnglaÌ„d In such places I say it is not only lawful to punish to the death such as labour to subuert the true religioÌ„ but the magistrates aÌ„d people are bouÌ„d so to do onles they wil prouoke the wrath of God agaiÌ„st theÌ„ selues And therfor I fear not to affirm that it had bene the duetie of the nobilitie iudges rulers aÌ„d people of EnglaÌ„d not only to haue resisted and againstanded Marie that Iesabel whome they call their quene but also to haue punished her to the death with all the sort of her idolatrous Preestes together with all such as should haue assisted her what tyme that shee and they openly began to suppresse Christes Euangil to shedd the blood of the saiÌ„cts of God ad to erect that most diuellish idolatrie the papistical abominatioÌ„s aÌ„d his vsurped tyrannie which ones most iustly by coÌ„mune oth was banished from that realme But becaus I caÌ„ not at this present discusse this argument as it appertaineth I am coÌ„pelled to omitt it to better opportunitie and so returning to your Honours I say that if ye confesse your selues baptised in the Lord Iesus of necessitie ye must confesse that the care of his religion doth appertaine to your charge And if ye know that in your haÌ„des God hath put the sworde for the causes aboue expressed theÌ„ caÌ„ ye not denie but that the punishement of obstinate and malepert idolatours such as all your bishoppes be doth appertaine to your office yf after admonition they coÌ„tinew obstinat I am not ignoraÌ„t what be the vaine defeÌ„ses of your proude prelates They claime first a prerogatiue and priuiledge that they are exempted and that by consent of Councils and Emperours from all iurisdiction of the temporaltie And secoÌ„darely when they are coÌ„uicted of manifest impieties abuses and enormities aswell in their maners as in religion neither fear nor shame they to affirme that thinges so longe established can not suddenly be reformed althogh they be corrupted but with processe of tyme they promisse to take order But in few wordes I answer that no priuiledge graunted against the ordenance and statutes of God is to be obserued althogh all Councils and men in the earth haue appointed the same But against goddes ordenance it is that idolatours murtherours fals teachers and blasphemers shall be exeÌ„pted from punishement as before is declared and therefore in vaine it is that they claym for priuiledge when that God sayeth The murtherer shalt thou riue from my alter that he may die the death And as to the order and reformatioÌ„ which they promisse that is to be loked or hoped for when Satan whose children and slaues they are can chaÌ„ge his nature This answer I doubt not shall suffice the sober aÌ„d godlie reader But yet to the end that they may further see their own confusion and that your Honours may better vnderstaÌ„d what ye oght to do in so manifest a corruption and defectioÌ„ from God I aske of them selues what assurance they haue for this their immunitie exemption or priuiledge who is the auctour of it and what frute it hath produced And fyrst I say that of God they haue no assurance neither yet can he be proued to be auctour of anie suche priuiledge But the contrarie is easie to be seen For God in establishing his orders in Israel did so subiect Aaron in his preesthode being the figure of Christ to Moses that he feared not to call him in iudgement and to constrain hym to giue accomptes of his wicked dede in consenting to idolatrie as the historie doth plainely witnesse For thus it is written Then Moses toke the calf which they had made and burned it with fier and did grind it to powder and scattering it in the water gaue it to drink to the children of Israel â–ª declaring herebie the vanitie of their idol and the abomination of the same and thereafter Moses said to Aaron what hath this people done to the that thou shouldest bring vpon it so great a syn Thus I say doth Moses call and accuse Aaron of the destruction of the hole people and yet he perfectly vnderstode that God had appointed hym to be the high Preest that he should bear vpon his shoulders aÌ„d vpoÌ„ his breast the names of the 12. tribes of Israel for whome he was appointed to make sacrifice praiers aÌ„d supplications He knew his dignitie was so great that only he might entre within the most holie place but neither could his office nor dignitie exempt hym from iudgemeÌ„t when he had offended Yf any obiect Aaron at that tyme was not anointed aÌ„d therefore was he subiect to Moses I haue answered that Moses being taught by the mouth of God did perfectly vnderstaÌ„d to what dignitie AaroÌ„ was appointed and yet he feared not to call hym in iudgement and to coÌ„pell hym to make answer for his wicked fact But if this answer doth not suffice yet shall the holie Ghost witnesse further in the matter SalomoÌ„ remoued from honour Abiathar being the high preeste and coÌ„maunded him to cease from all function and to liue as a priuate man Now if the vnction did exempt the preest from Iurisdiction of the ciuile Magistrate Salomon did offend and iniured Abiathar For he was anoynted and had caried the ark before Dauid But God doth not reproue the fact of Salomon neither yet doth Abiathar claime anie prerogatiue by the reason of his office but rather doth the holie Ghost approue the fact of Salomon sayinge SalomoÌ„ eiected furth Abiathar that he should not be the Preest of the Lord that the word of the Lord might be perfurmed which he spake vpon the house of Eli. And Abiathar did think that he obtained great fauour in that he did escape the present death which by his conspiracie he had deserued Yf anie yet reason that Abiathar was no otherwise subiect to the iudgement of the king but as he was appointed to be the executour of that sentence which God before had pronounced as I will not greatly denie that reason so require I that euerie man consider that the same God who pronounced sentence against Eli and his house hath pronounced also that idolaters hooremongers murtherers and blasphemers shall neither haue portion in the kingdome of God neither oght to be
all fainted I except euer such as gaue witnesse with theyr blood or theyr flying that such impietie displeased them all kept silence by the which all approued iniquitie and ioyned haÌ„ds with the tyraÌ„tes and so were all arrayed and set as it had bene in one battayle against the omnipotent and against his sonne Christ Iesus For whosoeuer gathereth not with Christ in the day of his haruest is iudged to scatter And therefore of one veÌ„geaÌ„ce teÌ„poral were they all partakers Which thiÌ„g as before I haue touched oght to moue you to the depe coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of your duties in these last and most perilous tymes The iniquitie of your Byshoppes is more then manifest theyr filthie liues infect the aier the innoceÌ„t blood which they shed crieth veÌ„geaÌ„ce in the eares of our God the idolatrie and abominatioÌ„ which opeÌ„ly they coÌ„mit aÌ„d without punishmeÌ„t maiÌ„taine doth corrupt aÌ„d defyle the hole laÌ„d and none amongest you doth vnfainedly studie for any redresse of such enormities Wil God in this behalf hold you as innocentes Be not deceaued dear Brethren God hath punished not only the proude tyrantes filthie persoÌ„s and cruel murtherers but also such as with them did draw the yoke of iniquitie was it by flattering theyr offenses obeying theyr iniust coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes or in wynking at theyr manifest iniquitie All such I say hath God once punished with the chefe offeÌ„ders Be ye assured Brethren that as he is immutable of nature so will he not pardon in you that which so seuerely he hath punished in others and now the lesse because he hath plainely admonished you of the daungers to come and hath offred you his mercie before he pourefurth his wrath and displeasure vpoÌ„ the inobedieÌ„t God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ who is father of glorie and God of all consolation geue you the spirit of wisdome and open vnto you the knolledge of hym self by the meanes of his dear sonne by the which ye may attaine to the esperance and hope that after the trubles of this traÌ„sitorious life ye may be partakers of the riches of that glorious inheritance which is prepared for such as refuse them selues and feght vnder the baÌ„ner of Christ Iesus in the day of this his battaile that in depe consideration of the same ye may learn to prefer the inuisible and eternal ioyes to the vaine pleasures that are present God further graunt you his holie spirit righteously to consider what I in his name haue required of your nobilitie and of you the subiects and moue you all togither so to answer that my petition be not a testimonie of your iust condemnation when the Lord Iesus shal appear to reuenge the blood of his sainctes and the contempt of his most holie worde Amen Sleap not in syn for vengeance is prepared against all inobedieÌ„t Flie from Babylon if ye will not be partakers of her plages Be witnesse to my appellation Grace be with you From Geneua The 14. of Iuly 1558. Your brother to commaunde in godlines IOHN KNOXE AN ADMONITION TO ENGLAND AND Scotland to call them to repentance written by Antoni Gilby VVhere as many haue writteÌ„ many profitable admonitioÌ„s to you twaine O England and ScotlaÌ„d both makinge one Iland most happie if you could know your own happines somme against the regimeÌ„t of womeÌ„ wherewith ye are bothe plaged somme against vnlauful obedieÌ„ce and the admitting of strangers to be your kinges somme declaring the vile nature of the Spaniards whome thou o EnglaÌ„d to thy destructioÌ„ mainteinest somme the pryde of the Frenchmen whome thou o Scotland to thy ruine receauest and many hundrethes with penne with tonge with worde with writing with ieopardie and losse of landes goods and lyues haue admonished you bothe twaine of that caÌ„kred poyson of papistrie that ye foster and pamper to your own perdition and vtter destruction of soules and bodies of your selues aÌ„d yours for now and euer I thoght it my duetie seing your destructioÌ„ to mans iudgemeÌ„t to draw so neare how much or litle so euer they haue preuailed yet once againe to admonishe you both to giue testimonie to that trueth which my brethren haue writteÌ„ aÌ„d specially to stirre your hearts to repentance or at the least to offre my selfe a witnesse against you for the iustice of God and his righteous iudgementes which doubtles if your hearts be hardned against you both are at hand to be vttered Thus by our writiÌ„gs whome it pleaseth God to styrre vp of your nations all men that now liue and that shall comme after vs shall haue cause also to praise the mercie of God that so oft admonisheth before he do stryke and to coÌ„sider his iust punyshment when he shall pourefurth his vengeance Giue eare therefore betymes O Britanie for of that name both reioyseth whiles the Lord calleth exhorteth aÌ„d admonisheth that is the acceptable tyme when he will be founde Yf ye refuse the tyme offred ye can not haue it afterward thogh with teares as did Esau ye do seme to seke it Yet once againe in goddes behalfe I do offre you the verie meanes which if God of his mercies graunte you grace to folow I doubt nothing but that of al your ennemies spedely ye shallbe deliuered Ye reioyce at this word I am sure if ye haue ani hope of the perfourmaÌ„ce TheÌ„ harkeÌ„ to the matter which I do write vnto you not furth of mennes dreames nor fables not furth of prophane histories painted with mannes wisdome vaine eloquence or subtile reasons but furth of the infallible trueth of goddes worde and by such plaine demonstrations as shall be able to conuince euerie one of your owne consciences be he neuer so obstinate I will aske no further iudges Is not this goddes curse and threatninge amongest many other pronounced against the sinfull land and disobedient people That strangers should deuoure the frute of thy laÌ„d that the stranger should clyme aboue the and thou should comme downe and be his inferiour he shall be the head and thou the taile The Lord shall bring vpon the a people farr of whose tongue thou canste not vnderstand thy strong wales wherin thou trusted shall be destroied c. And doth not Esaie reckeÌ„ this also as the extremitie of all plages for the wickednes of the people to haue womeÌ„ raised vp to rule ouer you But what saieth the same ê“phete in the begynnyng of his prophesie for a remedie against these and all other euilles Your handes are full of blood saieth he O you princes of Sodom and you people of Gomorrha but washe you make you cleane take away your wicked thoghts furth of my sight Cease to do euil learn to do well seke iudgemeÌ„t help the oppressed c. Then will I turn my hand to the and trie owt all thy drosse and take away thy tynne aÌ„d I will restore thy iudges as afore tyme and counsilours as of old And Moses said before in the place alledged That if thou wilt heare the voice
gall of crueltie the poisoÌ„ of filthie fornicatioÌ„ flowing from head to foote the contempt of God and open defense of the Cake Idol by opeÌ„ proclamatioÌ„ to be red in the Churches in the stead of goddes scriptures Thus was there no reformation but a deformation in the tyme of that tyrant and lecherous moÌ„ster The bore I graÌ„te was busie wrooting aÌ„d digging in the earth aÌ„d all his pigges that folowed hym But they soght only for the pleasaÌ„t frutes that they winded with their longe snowtes And for their own bellies sake they wrooted vp many weeds but they turned the grouÌ„de so miÌ„gling good aÌ„d badd togither swete and so wre medecine aÌ„d poyson they made Isay such coÌ„fusioÌ„ of religioÌ„ and lawes that no good thing could grow but by great miracle vnder such Gardners And no meruail if it be rightly coÌ„sidered for this bore raged against God against Deuill against Christ and against Antichrist as the fome that he cast owt against Luther the racing furth of the name of the Pope and yet alowiÌ„g his laws aÌ„d his murther of many Christian souldiours and of many papistes do clearly aÌ„d euideÌ„tly testifie vnto vs. Especially the burniÌ„g of Barnes Ierome aÌ„d Garrat three faithful preachers of the trueth haÌ„giÌ„g the same day for maintainaÌ„ce of the Pope Powel Abel and Fetherstone doth clearly paynt his beastlynes that he cared for no maner of religioÌ„ This moÌ„strous bore for al this must nedes be called the head of the Churche in paine of treason displacing Christ our onlie head who oght alone to haue this title Wherefore in this pointe o England ye were no better then the Romishe Antichrist who by the same title maketh hym selfe a God sitteth in meÌ„nes coÌ„sciences baÌ„nysheth the worde of God as did your king HeÌ„rie whome ye so magnifie For in his best time nothing was hard but the kings booke aÌ„d the kings ê“cedings the kinges homelies in the Churches where goddes word should onely haue bene preached So made you your kiÌ„g a God beleuing nothiÌ„g but that the alowed But how he died I will not write for shame I will not name how he turned to his vomet I will not write your other wickednes of those times your murthers without measure adulteries and incestes of your kinge his Lordes aud coÌ„munes It greueth me to write those euils of my couÌ„trie saue onlie that I must nedes declare what frutes were fouÌ„de in the vineyarde after you promised to worke therin to moue you to repentance and to iustifie Godds iudgements how greuously so euer he shall plage you hereafter Wherefore I desire you to call to remeÌ„brance your best state vnder king Edward when all men with generall coÌ„sÌ„t promised to worke in the vineyarde and ye shall haue cause I doubte not to lameÌ„t your wickednes that so conteÌ„ned the voice of God for your owne lustes for your crueltie for your couetousnes that the name of God was by your vanities euill spoken of in other nations I will name no particulare thinges becaus I reuerence those tymes saue only the killing of both the kinges vncles and the prisonnement of Hoper for popishe garments God graunt you all repentant heartes for no order nor state did any part of his duetie in those dayes But to speak of the best whereof ye vse to boast your religion was but an English matyns patched furthe of the popes portesse many thinges were in your great booke supersticious aÌ„d foolishe all were driuen to a prescripte seruice lyke the papistes that they should thinke theyr dueties discharged if the noÌ„bre were said of psalmes and chapters Finally there could no discipline be broght into the Churche nor correction of maners I will touche no further abuses yet willing and desiering you to consider theÌ„ in your heartes that knowing your negligence ye may bring furth frutes of repentance For this I admonishe you o ye people of England wheresoeuer you be scattered or placed that onles ye do right spedely repent of your former negligence it is not the Spanyardes only that ye haue to feare as roddes of goddes wrath but all other nations France Turkie and Denmarke yea all creatures shall be armed against you for the contempt of those tymes when your heauenlie father so mercifullie called you To what contempt was goddes worde and the admonition of his prophetes comme in all estates before God did stryke somme men are not ignorant The preachers them selues for the most part could fynd no fault in religion but that the Churche was poore and lacked liuing Trueth it is that the abbay laÌ„des and other such reuenues as afore appertained to the papistical Churche were most wickedly and vngodly spent but yet many thinges would haue bene reformed before that the kitching had bene better ê“uided for to our prelates in England It was moste euideÌ„t that many of you vnder the cloke of religion serued your own bellies somme were so busie to heap benefice vpon benefice soÌ„me to labour in parlameÌ„t for purchesing of lands that the tyme was small which coulde be founde for the reformation of abuses and very litle which was spent vpon the feeding of your flockes I nede not now to examine particular crimes of preachers Only I say that the Ghospell was so lightly estemed that the most part of men thoght rather that God should bow and obey to theyr appetites then that they should be subiect to his holie commaundementes For the communes did continew in malice and rebellion in craft and subtiltie notwithstanding all lawes that could be deuised for reformation of abuses The merchants had their own soules to sell for gaines the gentlemen were becomme NeÌ„rods and Gyants and the nobilitie and couÌ„sile would suffer no rebukes of Gods messeÌ„gers thogh theyr offenses were neuer so manifest Let those that preached in the court the lent before king Edward deceased speak theyr conscience and accuse me if I lie yea let a writing written by that miserable man then duke of Northumberland to master Harlow for that time Byshoppe of Harford be broght to lighte and it shall testifie that he ashamed not to say that the libertie of the preachers tonges would cause the counsile and nobilitie to ryse vppe against them for they could not suffer so to be intreated These were the frutes euen in the tyme of haruest a litle before the winter came And of the tyme of Marie what should I write England is now so miserable that no penne can paynt it It ceaseth to be in the nomber of children because it openly dispiteth God the father It hath cast of the trueth knowen and confessed and foloweth lies and errours which once it detested It buyldeth the buylding which it once destroyed â–ª it raiseth vp the idols which once were there confounded it murthereth the sainctes it mainteineth Baals prophetes by the coÌ„maundement of Iesabel Such are the euil husbandes that now haunte the vineyard so that this is true that our Sauiour Christ saieth The Lord hym selfe hath
escape the plage and punishement of God to declare hym selfe ennemie to idolatrie not only in heart hating the same but also in externall gesture declaring that he lamenteth yf he can do no more for such abominations Which thing was shewed to the ê“phete Ezechiel what tyme he gaue hym to vnderstaÌ„d why he would destroy Iuda with Israel aÌ„d that he would remoue his glorie from the temple and place that he had chosen aÌ„d so powerfurth his wrathe and indignation vpon the citie that was full of blood and apostasie which became so impudent that it durst be bold to say the Lord hath left the earth and seeth not At this tyme I say the Lord reuealed in vision to his prophete who they were that should fynd fauour in that miserable destruction To witt those that did murne and lament for all the abominations done in the citie in whose foreheades did God commaund to print and seal Tau to the end that the destroyer who was commaunded to stryke the rest without mercie should not hurt them in whome that signe was found Of these premisses I suppose it be euident that the punishment of idolatrie doth not appertaine to kinges only but also to the hole people yea to euerie membre of the same according to his possibilitie For that is a thing most assured that no man can murne lament and bewaile for those thinges which he will not remoue to the vttermost of his power Yf this be required of the hole people and of euerie man in his vocation what shall be required of you my Lordes whome God hath raised vpp to be Princes and rulers aboue your brethren whose handes he hath armed with the sword of his iustice yea whome he hath appointed to be as bridels to represse the rage and insolencie of your kinges when soeuer they pretend manifestly to transgresse goddes blessed ordenance Yf any think that this my affirmation tuchinge the punishmeÌ„t of idolaters be contrarie to the practise of the Apostles who fynding the Gentiles in idolatrie did call them to repentance requiring no such punishmeÌ„t lett the same man vnderstand that the Gentiles before the preaching of Christ liued as the Apostle speaketh without God in the world drowned in idolatrie according to the blindnes aÌ„d ignoraÌ„ce in which then they were holden as a prophane natioÌ„ whome God had neuer opeÌ„ly auowed to be his people had neuer receaued iÌ„ his houshold neither geuen vnto them lawes to be kept in religion nor politie and therefore did not his holie Ghost calling them to repentance require of them anie corporall punishment according to the rigour of the law vnto the which they were neuer subiects as they that were strangers from the commune welth of Israel But if anie think that after that the Gentiles were called from theyr vaine conuersation and by embrasing Christ Iesus were receaued iÌ„ the nombre of Abrahams children and so made one people with the Iewes beleuing yf ani think I say that then they were not bounde to the same obedience which God required of his people Israel what tyme he confirmed his leage and conuenante with them the same man appeareth to make Christ inferiour to Moses and contrarious to the law of his heauenlie father For if the contempt or transgression of Moses law was worthie of death what should we iudge the contempt of Christes ordenance to be I mean after they be once receaued And if Christ be not commed to dissolue but to fulfill the law of his heauenlie Father shall the libertie of his Gospell be an occasion that the especiall glorie of his Father be troden vnder foote and regarded of no man God forbid The especial glorie of God is that such as professe them to be his people should harken to his voice and amongest all the voices of God reuealed to the worlde tuching punishement of vices is none more euident neither more seuere then is that which is pronounced against idolatrie the teachers and mentainers of the same And therefore I fear not to affirm that the Gentiles I mean euerie citie realme prouince or nation amongest the Gentiles embrasing Christ Iesus and his true religioÌ„ be bound to the same leage and coÌ„uenant that God made with his people Israel what tyme he promised to roote owt the nations before them in these wordes Beware that thou make anie coÌ„uenante with the inhabitantes of the land to the which thou commest leste perchaÌ„ce that this comme in ruin that is be destruction to the but thou shalt destroy theyr altars break their idols and cutt doune their groues Fear no strange goddes worship them not neither yet make you sacrifice to them But the Lord who in his great power and owtstretched arme hath broght you owt of the land of Egypt shall you fear hym shall you honour hym shall you worship to hym shall you make sacrifice his statutes iudgements Lawes and commaundementes you shall kepe and obserue This is the conuenante which I haue made with you saieth the Eternall forget it not neither yet fear ye other goddes but fear you the Lord your God and he shall deliuer you froÌ„ the haÌ„des of all your ennemies To this same Law I say and coÌ„uenante are the GeÌ„tiles no lesse bounde then somtyme were the Iewes when soeuer God doth illuminate the eyes of anie multitude prouince people or citie and putteth the sworde in their own hand to remoue such enormities from amongest them as before God they know to be abominable Then I say are they no lesse bouÌ„d to purge theyr dominions â–ª cities and countries from idolatrie then were the Israelites what tyme they receaued the possession of the land of Canaan And moreouer I say if any go about to erect and set vp idolatrie or to teach defection from God after that the veritie hath bene receaued and approued that theÌ„ not only the Magistrates to whome the sword is coÌ„mittet but also the people are bouÌ„d by that oth which they haue made to God to reuenge to the vttermost of their power the iniurie done against his Maiestie In vniuersal defections and in a general reuolt such as was in Israel after Ieroboam there is a diuerse consideration For then because the hole people were togither coÌ„spired agaiÌ„st God there could none be fouÌ„d that woulde execute the punishement which God had coÌ„maunded till God raised vpp Iehu whom he had appoiÌ„ted for that purpose And the same is to be coÌ„sidered in all other general defectioÌ„s suche as this day be in the papistrie where all are blinded and all are declined from God and that of loÌ„ge coÌ„tinuance so that no ordinarie iustice caÌ„ be executed but the punishmeÌ„t must be reserued to God aÌ„d vnto such meanes as he shall appoint But I do speak of such a noÌ„bre as after they haue receaued goddes perfect religioÌ„ do boldly professe the same notwithstaÌ„diÌ„g that soÌ„me or the most part fal back as of late daies was iÌ„