Spaine as may be well perceiued by these late tempests amongst them And the great Duke of Tuscan who although first hee be next neighbour to the Pope and secondly that he be the first of these who haue growen fat vpon the reuersions of S. Peters Trencher his whole estate being contriued by Popes or Cardinals of his house and thirdly although he be lately allied with the house of Austria yet for all these this open and shamelesse insolence of Rome vrged notlong since against the Segniory of Venice hath made him Suegliato to stirre and rouse vp his eares so far that against and in spight of this Iesuiticall insidiation which threatneth Christian Potentates hee hath made a Law that no lands rents nor mooueables aboue a beggerly portion should be legacied to any Church person Iesuite or other without his approbation added thereunto It followeth to speake of Spaine which although it hath for many yeeres past beene the principall arch of the papall pride yet when wee consider how farre that great King hath beene frustrated of the ends propounded to him by these who haue beene the chiefetiers of him to the Seate of Rome I doe also presume that for good respects he may haue disposition to fall away from the Idoll of her dangerous ambition Because the Iesuite as is sayd hauing a chiefe Maxime that Religion must shoote out and flourish with a growing state and finding Spaine most enclined to Monarchy as he doth imagine hath deuoted himselfe to the seruice of that Crowne that by the encrease thereof his society may likewise grow and beare authority throughout the world and from this scope hath hee beene and still studieth to bee the authour and broacher of many Christian calamities and euer so vnfortunate for the Spaniard whom hee pretendeth to aduance that in place of strengthning his dominions the Iesuite hath beene a cankering worme to rippe the bowels of the same and to plague them with consuming feauers of ambitious aspiring By the Iesuiticall documents were the braue seauenteene Prouinces of the Netherlands so entreated of his Deputies that as one taken with S. Authonies fire hee hath beene constrained to cut them off being one of his most noble members after he had sent from his treasures of Spaine about one hundred million of gold to cure the same By the Iesuiticall infusion was likewise moulded in fauours of their monarchicall proiects that holy league which stoode him so deare in France and whereof hee hath seene the like vnfortunate Issue for they hauing spent a world of money about the surprize of that Kingdome so did God despise the iniquity of these masked designes that he did make the restauration of that Land a miracle of this Age being once in such broken weakenesse and in so short a time â—…rme like a Diamond and terrible to their Enemies But with the most maigre and poore fortune of all did they embarke their ambition for the conquest of England where he did not onely lose his Instar monâ—… quum that inuincible called Armada but in place to conquer the same they doe finde themselues now counterpoysed on this hand by a mighty Monarch who like to armed Pallas carrieth for his owne defence a sword in the one â—…d and a pen in the other Summarily that puissant King hath beene redacted to spoile his treasures and spend his time by the craft of those Archicharlatans the Iesuites who like deceiptfull Alcumists consuming euery thing vnder a vaine hope to make golde haue extenuated the body of his estate with the poysonable smoake of their Mercury so farre that if it had not beene the Christian candor and sincerity of our most gracious Soueraigne to establish his peace first with England and next with Holland there is no doubt but before now his late domesticke conspiracies of his nouos Christianos or Mâ—…roscos in Ualentia conioyned to his exteriour diseases had sufficed to render him a neighbour pray That all these Sincops haue beene bred to him by the pride of Rome and by the Iesuiticall arts it is cleerly seen of those who going through the world haue known the remonstrances inuectiues Apologies and other politicall insinuations which haue beene published for strengthening of factions chiefely who hath seene that Platonick iest of Doctor Parsons an English Ies. his treatise directed with the foresayd Armada prescribing the order of the new state of England and the Lawes of the first Parliament to be holden after their landing so mightily was he possessed with that fancie which did euer after make him a fugitiue from Spaine and abhorred as an abuser and treacherous Alchumist and for these causes it would seeme That of all Princes the Spaniard hath greatest reason to beware of the follies and falshoode of Rome the maintenance whereof hath so endangered his Kingdomes while in the meane time the Pope and his Cardinals pigliano buon tempo make merry daies sitting in the calme of their Consistory giuing order to the Legions abroad as Nero and other voluptuous Emperours who succeeding Augustus were for a while heires to his dominions but not to his vertue Furthermore the Pope draweth more deniers foorth of the states of Spaine then of all the world besides notwithstanding the great reuenues Ecclesiastical of Spaine where the Church of Tolledo will amount to sixe hundred thousand crownes whereof more then the halfe is proper to the Arch-Bishop himselfe diuerse of the rest being not farre vnder this and all in great condition for riches neuerthelesse are the greatest part of things so absolute in the Popes will and so hardly granted to naturall Spaniards that before any of them can bee beneficed in the Church hee must attend at Rome seauen yeares at least at his owne charges and that with splendour to beautifie the Court shall not neither haue it in the end but with yerely pension giuen out of more then the third part at least to some of the Popes cozens or fauorites so that they are daily heard to affirme that scarcely in all their life time will they redeeme their losses and in the meane time that Court is neuer without thousands of those poore Pretendenti who follow Mâ—…n Seigâ—…r Illustrissgratis liuing vpon the smoake of Alchumie or vmbragious hopes Would not any man thinke that those bee reall distastes to so powerfull a Monarch for howsoeuer the late King Philip was abused by the Iesuiticall subtilties yet through a great deale of bitter experience the case is now come to a manifest discouery of intollerable inconueniencies for if that King being so mighty and full of experience was not able to beare through the Iesuiticall machinations against the late Queene of England and against a dismembred and desperate state of France how shall he who now is there so good and so deuote a Prince thinke his throne to besure to his successours against the chances of the world which we now see vnlesse he will concurre to extinguish that fire which hath blowen abroad so
serpentine insinuation that may serue to steale away our mindes from the puritie of Gods worship and from our dutifull obedience to our Soueraigne Princes Veâ—… aspidum sub labijs corum vnder their lippes is hidden the venome of Aspes De laquijs 〈◊〉 libera nos Domine Deliuervs O Lord from the snares of the Hunters Facti sunt quasi arcus dolosus They are made like a deceitfull bow Sicut deciâ—…la plena auibus it a Domus eorum Plenâ—… dolâ—… As the Fowlers Cage is full of birds so are their houses full of fraud To speake briefly of the Cabbal or secret Art of this Iesuistique trade it standeth in their constant obseruation of certaine sure and infallible policies for the exaltation of the Papall Chayre which is the mainescope of all their studies because one day they thinke to possesse it themselues as it hath already well neere fallen out to be so when in the election of the late Pope the conclaue did hang sixe dayes vpon Cardinall Bellarmine which whensoeuer it commeth to passe then they will preferre so many of their societie to the Cardinaltie that we shall bee sure neuer to see any more a Pope but Iesuistique The Maximes whereupon they doe build this fabrique bee specially these First they know that obedience and secrecie are the strongest meanes to maintaine a Sect and to compasse great plots therefore they haue sworne their obedience absolute not to the Pope nor to the Church but to their generall in omnibus per omnia tanquam Christo presenti as is said and therefore their arcana imperij the mysteries of their policies are most close and reserued from the world Secondly they know this to bee a true Maxime in gouernment that no great power can longer floorish then it doth make it selfe vseful necessary and formidable to neighbour States and finding that those things whereby the Popes were steadable and necessary to people and Countries such as their Dispensations Purgatoriall Indulgences force of excommunication Vniuersall title of Benefices ecclesiastique were become distastfull and hated of most men because of their open abuses and impieties and that wise Kings were begunne to prye into them chiefely those of England therefore the Iesuites to repayre this breach did inuent this pernitious doctrine of the Popes Supremacie ouer the temporalitie of Princes to the end that no King should finde himselfe secure but in the fauour and trust of Rome Thirdly they see that besides the aforesaide abuses two things did specially parrell the Papall Seat one was the Immundities and ignorance of the Cloyster religious men being giuen to their pleasures and not to pietie and learning which was the first occasion of the Lutherian seperation as we know another was that light and reformation did come into the Church by pastorall vigilance expressed by all meanes of most powerfull preaching disputing and writing in that age which hath followed since Luther for helpe of the first of these two the Iesuites doe professe such a puritie in their Celibate as to giue them their due is admirable Siue fuerit caste siue fuerit caute if it were not that the flames of raging ambition doe ordinarily extinguish these humide and beastiall passions in any man almost For helpe of the second wee see what a glory and pride of learning in all Sciences is in them as one said Imperâ—… um literarum est penes Iesuitas as if they had resolued to ouershoote our reformators in their owne bow and to bannish light out of the Church by the same armes that brought it in for this cause it iâ—… why they doe attackt themselues to the confessions of great and chiefe personages and to the education of the most Noble youth wheresoeuer they are which they doe performe with a sort of myraculous dexteritie gathering out among them vnto their owne societie the most quicke subtill and vehement Spirits by whom tanquam per maxiâ—…s damones they doe the more easily surely and secretly infect all the corners of the earth with their perstiferous traditions Fourthly they holde this maxime which is lyke enough to be true that religion must shute out and floorish with a growing state and therefore presuming that of Spaine to be most disposed to monarchie they haue deuoted them selues to the seruice of that Crowne for two respectes one that with the dilatation thereof they also may prosper and encrease as they haue already by his meanes planted themselues into the Indes an other that hauing abused him to the ouerthrow of other christian princes he may in ende be the more weke himselfe and obnoxious to their tyrranie knowing how easie it will be for so skilfull craftesmen as they are to suggest rebellion and revolt in his owne dominions which are not coniunct and vnited but mightilie dispersed so that finallie they hope to conclude in their owne persones that scripture Homo spiraualis omnia indicat ipse a nemine iudicatur In such manner that we doe now cleerly see in them that which the great politicke Matchivell said in his tyme that if the pouertie of the Capuchines and clergie of the Iesuites had not come tymously in the Church of Rome to vpholde the papall dignitie and credite they had euen then fallen to the ground thus is it no calumnie but a most true prudent obseruation of this tyme to affirme that no age hath euer seene such fearefull fyrebrandes and terrours such errant starres so malignant and contrarious to christian felicitie as is that societie of pretended Iesuites They do obtrude vpon the world that pernicious doctrine of the papall power to excoÌ„municate to depriue to warrant murthers of kings to the effect that by length of tyme Popes being cunning to quarrel with neighbour Princes and to drawe their subiects from them their states may fall into the Ocean of this ambition which doeing is so open and manifest that in the histories of Spayne we finde it acknowledged that they holde Portugall of the societie of the Iesuites in the union of Portugall printed at Genua sol 197. 214. the chiefe drist of this doctrine hath beene against the kingdome of great Britan and against the French kings these many yeere since as we haue perceaued because in their designed monarchie they find much more difficultie to passe by these two then to haue ouer passed the pillars of Hercules wherevpon doth stand that great word of their glorie plus vltra because they went with the spaineyard to the Indies Brittane and France these be the two pillars which doe limitate this Iesuistick pryde and whereon they stil doe read this contrary Mottâ—… vsque ad metas which hath beene the cause why so manie treacherous attempts haue partly beene executed against King Henry the third of France and against that most heroicall Prince Henry the fourth whom I thinke the Lord hath suffered to fall into their bloudie handes because he did contemne the monitions which wer made to him
deceiued who say that Titus or Timothie had an extraordinary vocation for they were chosen by the Apostle and were the Schollers of S. Paul Quae accepi à Domino saith hee catradidivobis The things which were taught to mee by our Master Christ these haue I teached you Yea doe we not see how in the very time of the Apostles themselues when the extraordinary spirit was giuen to many there was iealous warnings among them against extraordinarie Pretenders Audiuimus quosdam ex nobis c. we heare saith the Apostle that some haue gone out from among vs who haue troubled you bidding you to bee circumcised quibus mandat a nulla dederamus to whom no coÌ„mandement was giuen An euident Argument that no man might enter into the Church without Apostolicall ordination notwithstanding the holy Ghost was frequently giuen and extraordinarily to manie by God himselfe immediately Briefely this extraordinary Vocation hath neuer in no time beene seene but accompanied with such miraculous graces as did sufficiently warrant it from doubt or calumnie which makes mee thinke that hee who is in this Libertine and corrupted age will pretend extraordinarie calling he had neede to qualifie the same by extraordinary markes The Lord God indeede who Master of all creation of all redemption and of all Reformation and for common doth worke by naturall and ordinary meanes in all these three when he will to shew his power and glory he will worke aboue and contrary to Nature and to her order as hee made the Red Sea to diuide for Moses and the Sunne to be fixed for his successour Iosua as he suffered by way of reformation the Asmoner to be for the time both Kings and Priests in one person as nature it selfe following the same doing of God her Soueraigne Lord albeit for the ordinary she worketh to procreation and generation of things yet sometimes she workes deuouring inundations and pestilent plagues which although they seeme to destroy yet they are necessary purgers of nature for the time euen so there hath beene in the beginnings of Christian reformation extraordinary things done by good men in case of so great exigence and necessitie as was but these extrauagant interims are neuer to bee drawen in rule The tyranny of Rome hath enforced that kinde of doing the cruell martyrdome first of Sauouarola and then of Hus for their cries of Reformation their deceiuing of Caroliu 5. and two succeeding Emperors in their designs of reformation their barbarous persecution of the Protestants of France and Germany by bringing vpon their neckes the Arms of the holy league for their protestation to haue the Catholike Church reformed These mad Christian people despairing of generall reformation by ordinary means and authoritie of Princes and Prelates to attempt it with some disorder and violence wherein some haue beene better some worse accoding to the diuers mindes and meanes of Reformatours in diuers places all tollerable for the time none perfect but that which hath beene done after these Iewish reformations whereof we speake and to speake ingenuously of all these which haue been it seemeth that no worse carriage hath beene in any then in those of Scotland and France albeit mooued by godly and reuerend men yet because they were attempted against the auctoritie Royall for the time which was the reason why they fell forth as a furious Northerne tempest threatning a common otherthrow in place to reforme Policie and Prelates they did destroy both enrage the people eiect the Prince shake the whole state and make their natiue Countries a bloudy stage of domestick and forraine ambition that it may be iustly said thereof as Cicero did reproach to the vnhappy Brut us Bona inâ—…o optima causa sed mihi crede foedissimè per acta a good cause yea a most good cause but beleeue it most miscreantly gouerned A much better act was that of George Prince of Henault who being but a ciuill man did reforme the Pontificate of Meresburgh For albeit he was not ordained by Pontificiall authoritie yet as he affirmes in his Apologie for that act he did procure vnto himselfe an ordinary vocation and canonicall Election by the whole Chapter of that Cathedrall Church who had their calling in the Church of Rome and did ordaine him a pastour with power by their aduise to reforme that seat for there be diuers of the Catholike Romane Cleargie who doe not hold euerie ordination vnlawfull which is not approoued of the Pope witnesse the late controuersie betwixt him and the Venetians for the Abbey of Policena where he did ordinate his Nephew Cardinall Burghesio they one of their own Citizens who did inioy it Better yet were these Reformations of Germany performed by Wicliffe Luther Bucer Farelluâ—… Viretus and others whereof some being questioned before the Emperor were neuer demaunded vpon their calling because they had gotten order within the Church of Rome yet perfectly good were none of these Germane reformations neither because the greatest part of them were onely Presbyters and had no Episcopall authoritie to reforme But of all these Reformations which haue beene lately in the Catholike Church that of England hath beene most vpright perfect and agreeable to the Architype of Ierusalem as you shall hereafter more cleerely perceiue where Prelates and Princes doe erre and Princes and Prelates againe to whom onely the authoritie did belong did reforme both themselues and the people retaining alwayes in their Church the Primitiue Ecclesiasticke gouernement with so many of their religious Rites and Ceremonies as were agreeable with Catholike Antiquitie and not contrary to Gods word resolued to part no further from Rome then she hath parted from the veritie which was the reason why this Reformation came not as a storme into the ayre nor in a Commotion but like vnto that Sibilus aurae tenâ—…is wherein the Lord was so that amidst the fearefull thundere and coruscations of Europe it did confirme the tranquility of that kingdome in a miraculous sort and did truely procure vnto the late Queene of blessed memorie that braue word Circundita Marte quiesco So that it might haue beene said of her feminine Raigne as it was said of the gowne of that great Orator Cuius sub iure togaque Pacificas sauus tremuit Catilina secures How many forraine machinations did she illude How many intestine Catelines did she surpresse how did shee cut the crust of the Spanish ambition with such dexterity as a second Iudith cutting off the head of Olophernes Cranmer Bishop of Canterbury Primat of the English Church Latymer Bishop of Wighorne Hooper Bishop of Glocestre Rialey Bi of London these were lawfully ordinate Bishops in the Church of Rome King Henrie the eight and his Successors Edward the sixt and Queene Elizabeth were lawfull Princes to both which according to the exemplar of Ierusalem and vnto that which was due to their Predecessors in the Primatiue Church did belong the power to reforme themselues and their kingdomes and Iurisdictions to
the second thing that in all humility I beseech your Maiestie to haue your eyes on remembring how as the crafty goose who flying along Mount Taurus carrieth a stone in her beake to restraine her cry that she bee not heard of the Eagles from the toppe thereof as I haue told before So hee can passe by your Maiesty with a closed mouth and masked face he creepeth into your Maiesties Kingdome as the Serpent did into Paradice to ouerturne the happinesse thereof Looke but vpon the Tragicall examples of strong neighbour Princes Remember that no Iesuite liueth who hath not that minde to your Maiesty which Cicâ—…ro had to Octauius bonuâ—… pâ—…er tâ—…llendus Let your Maiesty consider how one particular man of this great multitude Doctor Parsons a vile excrement of his country of England hath presumed himselfe sufficient to cut the line of the Royall succession to render the Estate Spanish and hath so farre proceeded in that dismall designe as to set downe out of his owne braine the lawes and policy of the new common wealth the acts of the first Parliament as I haue sayd before and hath put to the ports of England a mighty Armada to execute the same What shall we then expect from multitudes hauing the same inspiration and gaping for the Spirit of this false prophet if they bee suffered to practise your Maiesties subiects or to frequent among them Therfore Sr. consider what dangerous enchaunters they be and let your Maiesty like a wise and constant Ulysses bee well tied to your Maine Mast Christ Iesus that no Syrens song may illude your Maiesties perspicuous senses in the meane time when the subtill Cyrce doth striue to bee your Master so that your Maiestie may keepe your Kingdome vnited and firme like a Diamond and couragiously proceede to greater seruice in Gods Church to enterprize this generall Reformation whereof the world holdeth your Maiesty to be so worthy which is immensi praemium labor is the crowne and glorie of your Maiesties trauels and which is so easie for your Maiesty that when your Maiesties admonitory Epistle to Christian Princes came out against the Pope wherein your Maiestie seemeth to appeale to the first 400. yeares of the Primitiue Church for Christian pacification we know it who was then beyond Seas that if it had not beene because your Maiestie doth call the Pope Antichrist shewing by that rather to bee an open Enemie to the Roman Church then a Pacificatour as they sayd who tooke the aduantage of that word otherwise your Maiesty might haue drawen vpon your side the whole Church of France and the whole bodie of the Roman Church other then Iesuites and those who be poysoned with their absinthium that we haue heard with our eares chiefe members of the Consistorie of Rome in contemplation of that businesse expresse with vnfained sighes their reuerence of the simplicitie of these times that nothing is wanting to your Maiestie of meanes if God shall blesse your Maiestie in this Mosaicall perseuerance to negotiate to vrge to insist the present disposition of Christendom will so second your Maiesties beginnings that certainly no opposition shall bee so great which shall bee able to resist for if any should bee beside the inuincible powers of forraine Estates who bee ready to march vnder your Maiesties Colours in that cause Hath not God giuen to your Maiestie store of warlike men within the bowels of your owne Realmes Hath he not prouided for you a braue and worthy Iosua to follow you into this mountaine your Maiesties hopefull Successor to whom your Maâ—… may confidently say in the owne time Elige tibi viros fortes egressus pugna contra Amalechitas The seeds of whose most royall expectation the Lord God of his mercy bring to such maturitie that they may answer that which is vniuersally thought non Romula quâ—…ndam Ullo se tantùm tellus iactauit Alumno That the highest Occident did neuer see a more glorious Orient God of his goodnes strengthen the courage of his great Spirit with the same promise hee made to Iosua Noli timere quia tecum est Dominus Deuâ—…tuus in omnibus ad quaecunque perrexeris Feare not because the Lord God is with you in euery thing you take in hand For the next touching this one word from God Benedicamus what ought to be the true meanes of Christian concord and how neere the possibilitie is to practise them are both declared but when the Lord shall pronounce a blessing vnto it there is the mysterie And yet it is no mysterie to know the cause why he doth not euen aâ—… God was not found in the vehement tempest in the rupture of the rocke nor in the fire sed in fibilo aura tenuis but in a soft ayre as is said God cannot be found in commotion vntill the time that both sides of Christian Clergy do cast off the shooes of their malicious curiosities proud and ambitious emulation thundering contentions to walke vprightly in the mountaine of God teaching people to begge from God in humilitie and out of the gentle spirit of Christian loue this peace of Ierusalem it shall neuer be granted but by the contrarie if wee persist in our wicked contempt God shall make that vermine of the Turks which haue consumed the garden of Ierusalem and all the Orientall Churches to destroy vs also And euen as the Lord did procrastinate and defer the entry of the people into the land of Canaan vntill their rebellious murmurations were spent that of all the multitude which came from Egypt onely Caleb and Iosua did enter So shall he neuer neither blesse those cleare possibilities which are in the person of our excellent Moses to lead vs to the tryumph of that Christian vnitie vnto the time that either our murmurations or murmurers against him be finished Wherefore I exhort euery one out of the blessed spirit of peace and harmonie you who are Papists chiefly and you my LORD for whose seruice in speciall this Treatise is destinate that your Lo will be content to acknowledge that obstinate and foolish superstitions are the danger of your Soule the disgrace of your Noble Spirit the discredit of your House the extinctioÌ„ of your Honors which are proper vnto your Lo vnder your Soueraigne Prince and the nullitie of all your faculties and actiue vertues in this Common-wealth where you haue too great a place to be voyde which things besides other perills that may ensue by many and weightie inducements to reformation If your Lo cannot vpon the suddaine become enemie to the Church of Rome so dearely beloued of you and esteemed for your Mother then like a kindly child compassionate her disease helpe to couer her nakednes and concurre to see her purged from her fornications seeing it pleaseth God to offer such visible meanes to doe it and in his owne time to send a gracious Cyrus for the furtherance of her restitution do abhorre like a pest the poysoned counsells and
President in effect of the Ecclesiasticall Senate differing onely in name from a Bishop which name and authoritie both hee could haue susteyned in his person if the State had vrged him seing hee was contented himselfe to obey a reformed Bishop Beza likewise during ten or twelue yeares carried the same authoritie they did both rule ouer their brethren as a Primate ouer his Coepiscopi or a Bishop ouer his Compresbyteâ—… euen as Zanchius hath said And how many Christian Pastors of remote Nations did in all those times depend from their Oracles as Presbyters vnder Bishops If any man will say it was the merit of the men no ordination of the Church I answer if it was so it is all one to beare authoritie whether colourably or openly onely heere is the difference that lawfull authoritie is better then that which men doe arrogate without warrant and it is better to endure a lawfull Bishop then an vsurping Brother but to neither of these two doe I ascribe any disorder they were wise learned and diuine men who did comport with the policie of the time Inuita Minerua as wee say of necessitie For euen Beza finding things yet to goe farder from the Episcopall rule by the comming thither of Daâ—…aeus he did vehemently regrate it to his familiars And I say that Anthon Faâ—…us who is now Arch-Presbyter there is as wise in that kind as any of his Predecessors for I know it by experience to be so It may be indeed said that the Church of Geneua is yet in puritie without faction but who doth not see the reason of it because it is parua Respublica a small Common-wealth easily ruled where the Presbyteriall Clergie is not aboue the number of eighteen counting both Pastors and Doctors but if it were populous and grosse or if diuision should fall in that which is might it not come to passe among them as it hath done to others in the like that for want of a spirituall head the Ciuill Magistrate behooued to interpose his authoritie and perhaps ioyne him selfe to the wrong side as sundry Romane Emperours haue done in such things according as Ecclesiasticall Stories doe record And what was the doing of our owne Reformator Iohn Knox and of all those who were wise Reformators was it not like vnto the Romanes wisdome who hauing cast out their Kings did in euery case of danger clothe themselues with the absolute authoritie of Dictators Euen so did they after the expulsion of Bishops exercise the same power as Zanchius hath said vnderchanged names and euill Latine names as he calls them of Superintendents and generall Superintendents vntill by length of time as the state of Rome was neuer stayed before it fell againe into the owne naturall center of Monarchie Naturam furca expellas licet vsque recurret Euen so the Ecclesiasticall policie hath returned againe to the owne fountaine from whence it did flow All which considered I giue you my counsell who are Puritans that you be not ashamed to say with Zanchius Quis ego sum c. who are you to oppose your selues against the rule of God in nature in all her members against the rule of wisedome in the Ciuill state of Oeconomie in families of moralitie in one mans person of God in the Architype of the Iewish Church of the Apostles the Primitiue Church and all antiquitie following thereupon I giue you my Counsell to vnderstand the mysterie of time and the nature of reformation which is not compassed vpon the suddaine but with length of time euen as corruption growes with time We see in the old Law the Priesthood was one thing and the Priestly transgressions an other what did Manâ—…sses what did Ahas and other kings of Iudah How did Uziah the Priest and diuers others concurre with the impiety of their kings to defile the house of God with Idolatrie we may see it in the booke of the Kings and Paralyp did God therefore take away from the people the Priesthood no it was oft times prophaned but neuer abolished yea before the Lord should take it away hee did rather suffer both Priesthood and Principautie to be confounded in one person as is said before why should you then malitiously transgresse against so many examples to contemne Episcopall regiment because the Papall tyrannie hath prophaned it why doe you search argumens for diuision and not for vnity It is no Christian part out of the sixteene Archbishops of Antioch to obiect alone Paulus Samositanus who abused his authority to pride heresie would you thinke the like aduantage good against the Apostles to speake of Iudas out of multitudes of Bishops you haue chosen a few of the most insolent and wicked to be of your side marking the disorders of Theoph. Alexandrinus Valens Vrsatius Nestorius Macedon Phoc. What would you answere to these who would deale so with yourselues among hundreths of the like entercourses of your policie to obiect but two your great feast day holden at Edenburgh which made the seuenteenth of December so famous and again your caryage after the treason of Gowrie at Perth where the Lord God stood miraculously for the life of your most Gratious Prince and that for greater causes as you haue seene then were reuealed at that time and no doubt for greater ends then you doe yet see what can you answere to the bad behauiour of some brethren who durst challenge such a king his Maiesties reputation and fame and bring it in question before his people which things I mentioned heere out of my true affection to your reformation because the Physicians say Nulla medicamenta magis sunt salutifera quam ea qua dolorem pariunt There is no medicine more powerfull then that which breedeth dolor to the patient why doe you not therefore ouerpasse your malitious caption of mens faults to lookevpon the benefite which doth depend from lawfull policie why doe you not remember that the Archiepiscopall authority hath serued to represse the Arrian heresie the most mighty opposition that euer hath beene in Gods Church why do you not remember that Samositanus was more times in parting from the troth and more corrigiable thereafter as is said then Manicheus Marcion Arrius Pelagius and other Heresiarches who were but Presbyters why doe you not call to memorie the holy and reuerend names of Gregor Nazianz. Basil. Nicen. Athanas. Chrysost. Cyprian Ignat. Polycarp Iren. Ambros. August Whose persons were not so remote from this age of ours as the sincerity of their Christian and Catholike gouernement in the Church was different for the present rule of the Romane Bishops And notwithstanding of the corruption which is this day pregnant in the world and which you doe so much perill to fall in the state of Bishops by diuoluing of that charge in great noble personages more through the fauour of Princes then for their Merit as you say yet doe but looke a litle vpon the worthy Prelates which haue bin in the Church of
England stil since the reformation thereof and who be presently whom you shall see all to be ordinarily taken out of the prime men of the Vniuersities and neuer brought from the Court to that dignity doe witnesse in speciall those graue and most Reuerend diuines the Archb now of Canterbury the Bishops of London Elie and Bathe more shining lights then whom the Church of God hath not within nor without the kingdom which I in special may affirme who haue heard some of their vertuous names remembred with honor by their chiefest enemies in Christendome a cleerer marke then which cannot be of mens worth I say no more but God of his mercy grant that ourmost vpright Christian Ministers may follow their example in true pastorall vigilance and sincerity out of those mirrours let vs reuerence this beginnings which we see of our reformation that by our zeale and loue to peace and vnitie God may be moued to ouerthrow that beast of Rome and to plant againe his holy spirit in it to dissolue the Papall tyranny to reduce it to the ancient regular limits of Patriarchall degree If this Counsell be contrary to your Theologie then learne it from nature That Princes and Prelates are the Superiour Orbes that moue you and therefore that no motion must be within the peculiar Spheare of your Pastorall discharge to make you disobey their motions and if you cannot neither doe this out of a good instinct of nature like the celestiall Planets whose proper mouements doe neuer hinder them to obey and follow their Primum Mobile Then for the last make it a good and necessarie policie to imitate that Goose who knowing her owne imperfection prouides for those euils which might fall vpon her in perilous places through too much noise and so to saue her selfe from the Eagles which frequent the top of mount Taurus as she flieth along it she keepeth a lowe course and carrieth a stone in her beake to restraine her ordinarie cry Princes and Prelates tanquam aues solares are like the celestiall Eagles which goe neerest to the sunne they receiue the immediate inspiration and deputation of God to rule the inferiour world they are placed in the mountaine of gouernment so that you must take heede that you doe not concitate them by your disordered clamours Now hauing said thus farre in fauours of the Episcopall authoritie to the effect that you may see how I intend heere to serue God and not man I will also lawfully speake of that which ought to be the vpright and Christian duety of Bishops They are to remember that it is the fault of rulers which often times giueth distaste to people of lawfull authorities as the tyranny of Rome hath made the Primatiue and Orthodoxall gouernment of Christes Church to be abhorred it is the wisedome and modestie of their carriage which must cast a good smell in the nose of the multitude the Popular is like to a dead Ocean which hath no motion of it selfe but from aboue from the influence of the Moone or from the agitation of the aire Bishops are the Spheares placed aboue them to giue them influence and the Planets which should minister light vnto them So that they are to learne the temperament of their gouernment from the sunne the chiefe of Plannets which if it should still keep the altitude or summer solstice howsoeuer the glory and force thereof should be that way more perceiued yet no man nor beast could endure the vehemence of that heate in such manner that for the benefit of inferiour Creatures which be nourished by it it followes as we see an oblique temperate course betwixt the Tropicks of Cancer and Capricorne They are to learne the artes of their gouernment from God himselfe who albeit hee haue both absolute and infinite power that he could of the stones of the earth raise vp seede to Abraham and bring any thing to passe suddainely and in a moment in the generation of whatsoeuer his creatures yet for the maintenance of their order and policie he doth adioyne vnto his working the ordinarie concurrence of second and inferiour causes making things to goe on by naturall and mutuall meanes they are to follow the example of Moses in the Iewish rule of Gods people not as the Presbyterians doe following the Archi-type for the Laicke Elders and refusing it for the Prelacy they must not onely imitaâ—… the Moysaicall where it serueth to establish their power but also in that which Saint Ierome doth record of Moses Qui cum solus praeesse populo haberet in potestate who hauing in his will to be onely ouer the people yet hee did adioyne vnto him seuenty to assist him among the most ancient Canons which be Catholike this is reckoned with the formost Episcopos singulartum Genium scire oportet qui inter eos primus sit qui habeatur Caput praeter cuius Sententiam nihil agant sed nec ille praeter illorum sententiam faciat The Bishops of all Nations must vnderstand that hee who in his owne iurisdiction is head ouer the rest without whose authoritie they can doe nothing neither hee shall proceed but by their concurrence and aduise Sic enim vnanimitas erit Deus glorificabieur saith he by that meanes Vnanimitie shall be kept and God shall be glorified Ignatius the most ancient of the Fathers hath called the Presbyters Counsellours and Coasessours Cyprian followed this temperate rule Ambrose also doth teach the same For this sort of gouernment doth much ease them in their discharge and nothing derogate from their authority for who will say that a temperate Monarch who followeth his graue Counsell doeth thereby lessen his power but hee is the more aduised The excellent vertues of the Episcopall function are knowne by the excellent stiles giuen vnto it by the Spirit of GOD in the Apocalips they are called Angells and Starres Constantine did call them Gods in his time and seeing they get celestiall stiles they must also imitate the heauens to bee the chiefe Preachers of Gods glory Caeli enarrant gloriam Dei saith the Prophet Dauid These bee the properties of the heauens which also ought to be in them bodies most subtile most high most lucid most cleane most perfectly ordered most round they doe euer moue euer giue life and light vnto inferiour creatures First they must bee subtile in solide knowledge of holy scriptures Quia tu Scientiam repulistirepellam egote ne Sacerdotio fungaris 〈◊〉 saith the Lord Because thou reiectest knowledge I shall relect thee from the Priesthood They must bee high in the vertuous shew of their life Tantum gregem praecellat sanctitas presulis quantum ones superat vita Pastoris The sanctity of a Prelate should as farre excell that of his flocke as the life of a Pastor is more worth then a sheepe In the vertue specially of charitable frugality they should shine Splendidum in panibus benedicent labia multorum