manifestation and glory and for th'aduauncement of the spirituall kingdome We haue a captaine that cannot be put to the worse if he lets the enemie approach it is not to the hazard of being vanquished and we with him it is for to trie the valour of his soldiers to discerne the faithfull from others Let vs not doubt if we belong to him he wil neuer lose vs. Notwithstanding it is good for euery one to trie and sound him selfe and as he feeleth in his heart th' assurance and motion of Gods spirit so to go forwarde to the medley If the Apostles Bishops and Ministers of the Church had bene so delicate and tender as we would be both Afrik and Europ had not yet bene washed from the steine of Arianisme we had neuer heard the souÌ„d of the Gospel we should not haue bene so nigh as we are to th' accomplishment of our Sauiours Prophecie Mar. 13. that all nations must heare the noise of his voice there should be no Christen Church neither should any haue bene for all these things could not haue come to passe without communicating with Pagans and Insidels as hath bene saide Phisitions do visite the sicke so should they that are able succor persons spiritually diseased howbeit discreetly wisely according to the doctrine of S. Paul to haunt them for their soule-health for th' aduancement of Christ his kingdome measuring their haunt according to th'assuraÌ„ce knowledge ability that God hath geuen them lomtly there is no occasion to dispaire of the recouerse and conuersion of them of this time for God hath rescued and healed soules more desperatly sicke than they Finally let vs ponder how Popes in this doctrine haue bene contrarie to theÌ„selues which maketh vs doubt that sometimes they applie their doctrines to their passions and to their commoditie as soone as to the veritie Councels Popes Emperours Kings of Fraunce and the greater part of other Kings Lords of Europe haue permitted the Iewes to dwell in Cities of Christendome to erect them Sinagogues and exercise their religion there are of them moreouer at Rome where the Pope holdeth his See they haue bene receiued and comprised within Christen Common-wealths they haue bene admitted to the power and part-taking of generall and particular policies the Emperours by their lawes and ordinances approoued of the Pope haue called them to publike charges honors and dignities with Christians and ouer them Furthermore Popes haue not only receiued into Christendome the enemies of the Gospel but haue also licensed Christians to seeke them dwell and traffike with them and for that ende to trauerse all the compasse of the world to aduenture al the dangers of th' earth the sea the aire of men and of beastes So the Portugals with th' allowance of Pope Alexander the sixt traffikt with the Affricans the Sauadges and the IndiaÌ„s built dwelling towers forts among them Away then with your opinion it gainsayeth the letter and sence of the holy Scripture it gainestandeth the actions of our Lord of his Prophetes Apostles and of th' olde Church it is contrary to the power of the Church it is impossible to be performed in this world it is contrarie to it selfe and is condemned by their contrary actes that were th'auctors Admit that it were best most profitable for the Church if the nuÌ„ber were fulfilled if it delayed not hir glory that she were quite separated froÌ„ infidels and heretikes yet sith this fulnes of contentment and triumph is kept in store for another world we must acknowledge that where we are commaunded to separate our selues froÌ„ them it is chiefly meant of Ecclesiasticall separation to th' end they may haue the mark of enemies and not the separation ciuile politik Lo here againe how the Lord instructeth vs wherein to communicat with them and wherein to deuide our selues from them Loue saith he your enemies Mat. 5. that ye may be the children of your father which is in heauen for he maketh his sunne to arise vpon th' euill and the good sendeth rayne on the iust and vniust Then as the Lord denies them not thinges common to all men the ayre th' earth the light and the water but denyeth them his holy spirit which he reserueth for his chosen so let vs not reiect those their societies that concerne but this world and are necessary to all men as they are men though not as the elect of God specially considering that we can not commodiously and without putting the Church in perill of ruine driue them wholy out from vs. God hath left them to the world tarying for their conuersion let vs leaue them by the Church tarying for their repentance and Gods grace to bring them in Meane while let vs with spirituall weapons with watchings and labours hinder th'executioÌ„ of their attempts Let vs make a rampar round about the Church of holines of life ioyned with earnest prayers and godly exhortations CHAP. IIII. Whether the order established in successions and namely of the Crowne ought to be broken bycause of Religion I Know that there yet remaineth dissension in your soule and that yee are not resolute Lo here your doubt well say yee be it that we must liue nigh heretikes and infidels seing otherwise it may not be and that it seemeth necessarie for th' aduancement of the kingdome of Christ yet must we trauaile as Saint Paul appointeth and do the worke of Euangelists to let them from plucking downe the building of the Church yea to let them from building in the house of God if it were possible Perhaps it is tolerable to liue with them vnder one politike gouernement prouided that we haue at the least equall power with them but it is intolerable to be commaunded by them by cause that seemeth preiudiciall to th' aduancement of the soueraigne auctoritie of Gods word For the most part of men conforme themselues to the manâ—r and Religion of their Princes By common obseruation all peoples require in their Emperours Kings gouernours not to vary froÌ„ them in ReligioÌ„ Th'Ægyptians approued not their king till he had learned and assented to the Religion of their Priestes likewise the Persians Indians and euery nation welnigh Ye alledge surther that the bond of Religion betweene kings and their subiects being rent in sunder and taken away there is nothing but confusion there is no more will and consent it is nought els saue force and tyranny that Religion aboue all things doth perswade and conteine subiects in obedience as appeareth by most Empires Monarchies and common wealthes begun enlarged and mainteined rather by Religion then by iustice and armes that in consideration hereof kings submitted them selues to the heads and Princes of their Religion or els were intitled them selues Princes of Priests and Sacrificers So did the Spartan and Romain kings call themselues soueraigne sacrificers Mahumet his successors the Caliphes Sultans the Sophies of Persia the kings of Calicut and of AEthiopia called
and vanities If it be true that a fire is in Purgatorie and soules must passe through the same tarying therein a certaine time to suffer the torments of spirituall frying for satisfaction of their sinnes it should then follow that there is no Sauiour or els the satisfaction of our Sauiour God man is imperfect and of no power Now so it is that we learne in the Scripture how Iesus is the Sauiour that the father gaue his sonne to be Sauiour of the world this is the subiect this is the marke whereat the Prophets aymed this is the Gospell this haue the Apostles witnessed by wordes writings miracles and sufferings how that we are ransomed by his death and passion that the purging and remission of our sinnes is made by his bloud that the satisfaction he hath made for vs is whole perfect Meb 7. yea ouer-abounding and exceeding the debt he is able perfectly to saue them saith S. Paul that come vnto God by him for it pleased the father that in him should all fulnes dwell Col. 1. and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world If he be the reconciliation for the sinnes of all the world with greater reason is he the reconciliation for the sinnes of his chosen for many are called but few are chosen On the other side seeing Iesus Christ is God we may not doubt of the perfection of his deedes and thereupon we know the satisfaction he made for vs is complete and performed Furthermore the holy Scripture to remoue all imagination of the paines and torments of purgatorie after this life warranteth vs that there is no accuser against the faithfull nor any accusation iudgement nor condemnation against the chosen Isay 50. He is neere that iustifieth me who will contend with me the Lord God will help me who is he that can condemne me Apoc. 12. saith Isay Th'accuser of our brethren which accused them before our God day and night is cast downe saith S. Iohn And S. Paul asketh Row 8. who shall bring any accusation against Gods chosen it is God that iustifieth who shal condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs is it possible to heare or reade a word more comfortable and more expresse to deliuer vs from the feare of Purgatory But marke yet further how the Lord himself by othe assureth vs that after this life there is no paine of Purgatorie verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that hath sent me Iohn 5. hath life euerlasting and shall not come to condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life and other where he that beleeueth in me is not condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned alredy If there be no accuser no accusation nor condemnation against them that are in Christ and if we passe immediatly from death to life why do we imagine the paines and torments of Purgatorie fire Dauid assuring himselfe that the Lord iudgeth not his elect prayeth ordinarily that he enter not into iudgement with him and so pray woe dayly that hee graunt vs his peace and that he enter not into iudgement with vs as it is written Col. 1. that the good pleasure of God was to reconcile all things to him by the bloud of Iesus Christ pacifying by himselfe the things that are aswell in earth as in heauen that being iustified by faith we haue peace with God by our Lord Iesus Christ and in another place Rom. 5. God setteth out his loue towardes vs seeing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs much more then being now iustified by his bloud we shal be saued from wrath through him If God is reconciled and pacified if we haue peace with him if he is not prouoked against vs why feare we the condemnation of Purgatorie Rom. 10. He that beleeueth in Christ shall not be confounded the Lord redeemeth the soules of all his seruants all such as hope in him Psal 32. shall not be confounded Sith there is no more cōfusion for them that beleeue in God why will we beleeue dread the condēnation of Purgatorie where no cōfusion is no condēnation by iustice can be S. Paul assureth vs Rom. 5. that by the iustifying of one he meaneth Christ the benefite abounded toward all men to the iustificatiō of life but after iustification followeth no condēnation Againe he saith that forgeuenes of sins is purchased for vs by the bloud of Iesus Christ that where forgeuenes is there is no more oblatiō for sinne if there is no more oblation for sinne it followeth that sin is imputed no more els we should be for euer in sinne so for euer excluded out of our masters ioy out of his paradise seing no oblation for sin should remaine which vtterly cōtrarieth the purpose of th'Apostle but if sinne is imputed no more as the scripture in this text many mo teacheth most euidētly why should the Lord cōdēne vs in any penalty satisfactiō In the gospel is declared that the soules of the dāned incōtinent after their departure frō this world do passe into hell as the soules of the iustified in Christ are incontinent borne into Paradise Euen so Luke 16. the Euangelist rehearseth how the soule of the wicked Richman was cast headlong into hell by and by after his death and that of poore Lazarus caried vp to Paradise into Abrahams bosome Luk. 23. And so said our Lord to the theefe that hung on the Crosse by him I tell thee verily this day shalt thou be with me in Paradisetifthere be a Purgatory indeed out of this world through which all soules must passe perferce for satisfaction of sinnes the likelihood is great that this Theefe of euill life condemned to die for his sinnes who had not beleeued in the Lord but for a moment afore he gaue vp the ghost ought to haue passed and tarried there for a while and yet the selfe same day was receyued into Paradise It behoueth vs heedfully to consider wherefore the Lord saith Mar. 13. Luke 12. Math. 24. watch and pray while ye are in this world wayting for the masters comming the comming of the Lord he shall come as a theefe in the night the houre of his comming is vncertaine Math. 25. ye know not when the Bride-grome should come haue alwaies your lamps in a readinesse for when the Bride-grome is passed by and gone into his chamber ye may enter in by no meane All these words are spoken to instruct vs not onely touching the maner of the second comming of our Lord but principally that repentance after departure out of this life is all too late and because the houre is vncertaine we must alway keepe vs in readinesse and verely this our
forbad men to direct their prayers to them to fall on their knees before them Furthermore the Scripture in expresse termes inioyneth vs not to call on any other name then that of the Lord nor to seeke any mediator but Christ Feare not Isay 43. saith the Lord in Isay to his people for I haue redemed thee I haue called thee by my name thou art mine and in the same chapter I euen I am the Lord and beside me there is no Sauiour I haue declared and I haue saued and I haue showed and a litle after I am and there is none that can deliuer out of my hands I will doe it and who shall let it Marke here how the Lord rebuketh their fond feare that durst not call on him but went to others how he cheareth them to come boldly to him and seeke none others And S. Peter saith Acts. 4. there is no saluation in any other for among men there is giue none other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued but that of Iesus Christ S. Paul saith Col. 3. whatsoeuer ye shall doe in word or deede doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus geuing thanks to God euē the father by him again I will that ye know 1. Cor. 11. that Christ is the head of euery man Ephes 2. Col. 1. againe through him we both haue an entrace vnto the father by one Spirit elswhere it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell and through peace by that bloud of that his Crosse to reconcile to himselfe through him through him I say all things both which are in earth and which are in heauen and in another place for there is one God and one Mediator betweene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus Finally S. Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 2. if any man sinne we haue an Aduocat to the father Christ Iesus the iust he is the recōciliatiō for our sinnes not for our sinnes onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Why should we linger or be loth to repaire to Iesus Christ at our first entrance to prayer seing th'Apostles teach vs that we must call on none other name but his that he is our true mediatour that besides him there is none other Mat. 11. Iohn 14.10 Moreouer Iesus Christ himselfe calleth vs and saith that none other sauing himselfe can make intercession for vs to God his father No man saith he knoweth the father but the sonne and he to whom the sonne will reuele him Come vnto me all ye that are wery and laden and I will ease you also I am that way that truth and that life no man commeth vnto the Father but by me againe I am that doore by me if any man enter in he shal be saued seing he is the doore seing he calleth vs we ought to seeke none other that might bring vs into his presence to speake to him he that findeth the maister at the gate bidding him to declare his suite yet will looke for a more cōmodious meane might be deemed a very simple body Let vs take heed of despising him that looketh for vs Heb. 12.7 that biddeth vs speake boldly let vs not despise the mediatour of the new Testament that speaketh for vs saith S. Paul it is written 1. Iohn ◠that he liueth euer making intercession for vs that he is our Aduocat so that the difference betweene mediatour and intercessor imagined by your Maisters and Doctours is vayne There is no colour of truth to make vs beleeue that he who came downe from heauen for our sakes tooke vpon him our flesh yelding to the miseries thereof sinne except who honored vs with his familiar conuersation and suffred death and the curse of God his father for the loue of vs who vndertooke the office of Mediatour and intercessor according to his kindnesse to vs ward we can not beleeue I say that now he should disdaine to heare vs to receiue our prayers and supplications and to offer them vp to God his father sith himselfe saith that it is his office sith himselfe biddeth vs come sith himselfe abideth for vs in the gate thus to resort to any other is to do iniury to him to suppose th'exercise of his estate needlesse to haue him in contempt to assigne others part of the honour due to him alone no no he is ielous of his honour he will haue all or none he cad abide no partener Let vs know with S. Paul that none but the Lord Iesus can execute this charge of mediatorship betweene God and men 1. Tim. 2. for there is one God one mediatour betweene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus againe he is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him Heb. 7. seing he euer liueth to make intercession for them and in Esdras 4. Esd 13. he by himselfe will deliuer his creature Behold here one mediatour and no mo who euer maketh intercession and neuer needeth a sollicitor who also perfectly saueth and by him selfe deliuereth his creature Let vs therefore be assured on the word of the Prophets Apostles and of Iesus Christ and goe boldly to him and say our father let vs not lose this familiaritie and libertie which he hath giuen vs by his grace let vs pray in the name of Iesus Christ seing there is none other name giuen to men let vs practise towardes the world the maners ciuilities and courtesies of the world but let vs doe to God his seruices according to his commaundements it is not against manners to be an importunate suiter to God as appeareth by the parable of the vniust iudge nor against manners to presse vnto him at all times and in all places without the mediation of any except his sonne we haue no cause to doubt that such a mediator should forget our suites as knoweth our thoughts as for Angels and Sainctes let vs esteeme them most blessed by the grace of God but yet let vs beware as themselues haue warned that we impart not to them of the honor that onely belongeth to God The Pope enioyneth vs to beleeue that there is a Purgatorie Whether there is any Purgatorie after or out of this life and concerning the deceased a place full of fire where the soules of the deceased are condemned to abide in great torment some for so many ages others for so many yeeres according to the number and qualitie of the sinnes they committed in this world that praiers almes pilgrimages and other deuotions that are made and geuen for those soules doth greatly comfort and refresh them Moreouer he chalengeth to himselfe power to take soules out of Purgatorie at his pleasure the iudgements decrees of God notwithstanding the mouth of his preachers and their bookes are stuft with fables feyned to prooue this fiction But these things are come to passe to fulfil the prophesie that Antichrist should take heede to fables
against Licinius Emperour of the East and by consequence their Emperour and souerargne Magistrate so farre forth that Licinius was put to flight which is an history that locketh their lips who boast so much of this maxime that whole prouinces may not stand in defence of their religion against their Prince For Licinius was lawfull Emperour of th' East without all controuersie euen when Constantine made warre on him to cause him to surcease his persecutions against his Christian subiects and Constantine was not Emperour then but of Italie Afrike France Spaine Moreouer most certaine it is that Licinius was Emperour of th' East long before Constantine was declared Emperour of the West neuerthelesse he vndertooke this warre against Licinius at th'instance of th' East Churches and was blessed of God We read againe to this same purpose how the Christians of Persia oppressed with intollerable afflictions by their king had recourse to the Romains crauing succour of them and praying thē to pitie their extreme necessity the Bishop of Constantinople laboured so to Theodosius th'Emperour that he vndertook their protection Theodosius made warre on the king of Persia obtayned many miraculous victories and in fine compelled him to entreat his Christen subiects more gently The Reformed pretend to haue at this day as good reason to appeale to the king of Nauarre th'Almains and other their neighbors for protection and defence And although hitherto ye haue surmounted them in number of victories yet that iustifieth your quarell neuer the more Apoc. 13. For it is written of Antichrist that for a time he shall haue th'vpperhand ouer th'elect But rather mark the successe if ye haue got some victories they haue had victories also they are come neerer their end and purpose then you The right of the cause is not alwaies auowed by the victorie The Beniamites mainteining a most vnrighteous quarrell remained in two battailes maisters of the field Iud. 20. in the third they were quite defeicted Th'Israelits ouercame and were ouercomen Heb. 11. the Scripture teacheth they ouercame through the iustice of their quarell assisted with faith and assurance of Gods fauour againe they were ouercome more often through the desert of their sinnes making them vnworthy of Gods fauour then th'iniustice of their cause How know we whether th'enterchaunged course of our victories and mishap of the Reformed haue not come to passe rather by reason of their sinnes then by any vnrighteous quarell they mainteined in this warre CHAP. III. Whether it be lawfull with good conscience to liue with heretikes or nigh them PEraduenture ye will tell me that my counsaile is a snare of sinne bicause ye gather by my discourse that a man may conuerse with heretikes which is prohibited in many places of the Gospell My children if yee will yeeld as much to reason as ye doe to your passions yee will vpon this doubt stand contented with those arguments examples by me already proposed when I proued that we might lawfully graunt and keepe faith to heretikes there I haue sufficiently taught that in France it is impossible to sequester the Reformed from the Catholikes without destruction of France there also haue I recited the reasons for which we haue determined sometimes to liue in peace with them and wherefore likewise all our neighbours haue taken the selfe same resolution and continue still therein and do find it better for them to keepe it then we to haue left it Neuthereles to make it plaine that I am no lesse earnest to desire and seeke your conuersion and safetie then your selues are earnest to reteine and recall the causes of your confusion and wrack and also to make good that my substantiall reasons do in number and weight exceede those emptie shadowes that make a great muster in your passionat conceipts I am content for your sakes to handle againe more particularly this question to wit whether we may with good conscience conuerse with heretikes or nigh them I reknowledge that it is written Take heed least any men seduce you go not be not partakers with them take heed that none ouertake you auoyd an heretike after the first and second admonition who so disobeyeth the Church let him be to thee as an Heathen person Publican Mat. 24. Ephes 5. Col. 2. Tit. 3. Mat. 18. This is in summe the whole doctrine of the Gospell in this behalfe Now so it is that by these wordes we are commaunded onely to beware of seducers of their philosophie and humane reasons of their traditions and fables not to be astonished and ouercome at their false miracles not to consent nor partake with them in their doctrine and ceremonies and not to admit them into our more priuate familiar communications conference and alliances howbeit these places import no prohibition wherby Christians are forbidden to dwell or soiourne with infidels heretiks or schismatikes in the same realme in the same common-wealth in the same countrie in the same towne otherwise we must also affirme that the Church of God hath continually disobeyed this prohibition and that our Lord and his Apostles liued not consormably to their doctrine which were blasphemy to thinke much more to say Abel liued with Cain the reprobate Seth and Enos men of God dwelt confusedly among other children of Adam that liued in a maner all without reason law religion as there appetite lead them like bruit beastes made gyddy with the stroke of Gods curse Noe dwelt with continually preached to the old world whose execrable impieties opened the windowes of heauen and abhominable transgressions brought the seas to transgresse their boundes the riuers their bankes the fountaines their brinkes conspiring against nature to ouerwhelme their cursed carcasses with an vniuersall sloud Ahraham the father of the chosen of the Lord out of many as one grape of the cluster and a plant out of great people 4 Esd 9. did liue frequent conuerse and traffik with many misbeleeuing nations Isaac did eat make and sweare alliance with th' infidell Abimelek Iacob abode with the idolater Laban serued him maried his daughters he visited his brother Esau reiected by God he gratified him with offers and presents he called him his Lord. The Israelits dwelt and liued among th'Aegyptiens Canaanits Syrians Assirians Medes Persians they concluded leagues with the Greekes Romains they I say that were forbidden more expresly then we they erected Synagogues in all regions they were not able to withstand the manifold changes in their Religion euen within their principall Citie within the shadow of their temple they were defiled with idolatries heresies and schismes they saw themselues sundred into many sectes of Pharisies Saduces and Essens The Prophets haunted the Palaces of the kings of Iuda and Israell though they had cleane forsaken the Lordes way Samuel conuersed with Saul Ahias and other Prophetes frequented Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat and patron of Idolatrie reuolt and ingratitude against God and his soueraigne he that
kindlers of your choler motioners of your cōmotions I was afraide to anger you ouermuch at the beginning of my discourse I haue examined your actions as if they wholy aymed at heretiks It is time to wink no more nor to conceale my meaning the salues haue mortified the inflamation of the wound your hot cōtentious humors begin to coole and qualifie ye begin to know your malady that furie reigned in your zele among your determinations being not leueled by the word and cōmandements of God that the same zele of yours was without warrant in danger of reproose curse punishment the knowledge of your owne cuill lessening thereof should haue purchased in you an hope of recouery and extreme longing to attaine thereto by any paines what so euer Th' acknowledgement of your errors ought to haue brought withall your trust and desire of repentance and your will redie to yeeld to seuere aduertisements requisite for that end Ouerrule therefore your passionate mindes and listen to me Let vs search your wounds throughly let vs encounter your disease with medicines of true contrarietie and fight with it to the vttrance let vs proceed to the soundations of your errors and see whether they be well grounded Examine we frankly whether the Reformed be heretikes and schismatiks either one or other without pausing on formalitie or proceedings to be had against them for of such matters inough is spoken asore and therein the iudgementes of trueth are not most often found Ye mainteine that they are heretikes and schismatikes for so much as they allow not the doctrine of the Catholik Apostolik and Romane Church and will not become of the body and yeeld to the discipline of that Church They say they are of the Catholik or vniuerfall Church doe beleue in the doctrine of Iesus Christ of his Apostles and of the whole Primitiue Church and doe yeeld to the gouernment and order of the same They repute the Roman Church at this day most abhominable We will limit your controuersie and say frankly that ye suppose thē heretikes and schismatikes because they auow not the Pope and his doctrine nor will bow vnder his authoritie nor enter into his Church For it shall appeare by the conclusion of this treatise more cleerely that herein consisteth the controuersie Forbeare me a little while to discourse with you as if I were a Reformed and to declare in breefe the reasons why the Reformed will none of the Pope nor his doctrine And be not offended if now and then I vse their tearmes and manner of speech for since the question in this behalfe leadeth vs to speake for them we must speake like them The Prophesies say they were not written for nothing the holy Ghost is trueth it selfe there shall not one onely word of all that he hath endited remaine vnperformed heauen earth shall faile Mat. 24. Marke 13. Luke 21. but the words of the Lord shall not faile Now so it is that himselfe hath forewarned vs how there should happen a great oppression in the Church a seducing almost generall and an abhomination most great The same is likewise foretold by the Prophets Dan. 7. 4 Esd 11. Apo. 13.17 chiesly by Daniel Esdras and S. Iohn in his Reuelation that immediatly after the first comming of the Lord a certaine power should arise that should bruise and spoyle the Lorde Saints thinking to change the times and the law and which should reigne with great tyrannie This is that great beast which speaketh high things and blasphemies against the Lord which should maintaine battell against the faithfull and vanquish them and should seduce or misleade by words fables false miracles and fauors of this world and should with armes subdue many Nations This is that strūpet so proud in attire in precious ornaments of gold stone in painted shew in word in power full of abhomination with whō the kings dwellers vpon earth haue committed whoredome and haue made themselues drunke with the wine of her leacherous dissolutenes in her cup of abhomination Of her haue th'Apostles aduertised vs 2. Pet. 2. 2. Thes 2. 1. Iohn 2.4 Iude. chiesly S. Peter S. Paul S. Iohn and S. Iude who haue spoken so manifestly of Antichrist that they conceale nought saue the name they haue described the Apostasie or reuolt the sonne of perdition his originall the cause of his perdition his pride his power the departing his manifestation or reuealing his fal Let vs then beleeue that there hath bene and now is an Antichrist which oppresseth this long time the trueth the Church and the faithfull which hath cut of Christ and taken all from him as Daniel faith It is written by Daniel and Esdras Dan. 9.7 4. Esd 11.10 how Antichrist should spring out of the fourth Monarchie and should as it were contemne and set vp the same againe no man doubteth that the fourth Monarchie is that of Italie or Rome the dreame of Nabuchodonosor expounded by Daniel makes it vndoubted Daniel 2. The Pope was aduaunced at Rome first by Phocas the murtherer of his Prince the Emperors succeeding some of their owne will others by his cunning fetches the rest through plaine force left him Italie and the citie of Rome where he stablished his court these Emperours made themselues their Empire subiect to the Pope together withall the Kings I ords and people of Christendome he calleth himselfe neither Emperour nor King but claymeth a soueraingtie ouer Emperours and kings and this is proued by infinit histories apparant by the Bull sent from Pope Boniface to Philip the Faire as also by Pope Clements proud answere to th'Embassadours of Lewis of Bauaria the Emperour Behold the greatnes of Rome the sourth Monarchie thus renewed and replanted behold also the Prophesie Apoc. 17. that Antichrist should be set aboue kings accomplished It is written by S. Iohn and S. Peter 1. Iohn 2. 2. Pet. 2. that out of the Church Antichrist should arise that he should be a successor of th'Apostles speaking of Antichrist and his retinue they say they are gone forth from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of ours they would haue taried with vs. Verily if they after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world thorough the acknowledging of our Lord Sauior Iesus Christ are yet tangled againe therein and are ouercome their later end is worse with them than the beginning For better had it bene for them not to haue acknowledged the way of righteousnes then after they haue acknowleged it to turne from the holy commaundement giuen to them But it is come to them according to the true prouerb The dogge is returned to his owne vomit the sow that was washed to the wallowing in the myre The Pope is borne and descended of the Church and of the Apostles of the Church of Rome built by the Apostles he hath exalted himselfe in th' order and
was Gods pleasure to haue it so to the end they might declare themselues such as they are in deed and make vs so much the more without excuse before his justice if we embrace their opinions for they beare the mark of dissalowance in their names and actions To call the Pope otherwise the truth is that the wonderfull vertue and power of God who conuerteth th' euill of man into good and vseth it for his iustice punishing sin by sin may not be iudged by the constitutions of man namely by the aboue sayd as also that we must discerne chuse proue Christian doctrine amōg so many errors not by humane reasons but by the holy Scripture Which holy Scripture teacheth vs that God is almighty bringeth all things to passe the good euill that al actions are good in God and take the qualitie of being euill from the deuill from sin that haue enthralled the nature of man in such wise that although God maketh or doeth all good and euill things yet is he goodnes it selfe Lam. 3. there is no euill in him It is written in Ieremie Who is he that sayeth it commeth to passe and the Lord commaundeth it not out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not euill and good Amos. 3. In Amos shall any euill be in the citie which the Lord hath not brought to passe Isay 44. God faith in Isay I am the Lord that doo all things I alone spread out the heauens and stretched out the earth by my selfe I destroy the tokens of the sooth-sayers make them that coniecture fooles and turne the wisemen backward Isay 45. and make their knowledge foolishnes I am the Lord there is none other I forme the light create darknesse Iob. 12. I make peace create euill I the Lord do all these things Iob sayeth of God thus he that is deceiued and he that deceyueth are his he causeth the counsellors to go as spoyled maketh the Iudges fooles All the euils violences murders burnings sackings robberies and wastes which Cyrus king of Persia with his armies did commit vpon the Aegyptians Aethiopians Sabeans and vpon all the kings and peoples of Asia the Lord alloweth them He saith that himselfe did them in these words Isay 45. Thus saith the Lord vnto Cyrus his annointed whose right hand I haue holden to subdue nations before him therefore will I weaken the loynes of kings and open the dore before him and the gates shall not be shut I will go before thee and make the crooked waies straight I will breake the brasen dores and burst the iron barres and I will giue the treasures of darknesse and the things hid in secret places that thou mayst know that I am the Lord. And afterward in the same chapter thus sayth the Lord the labour of Aegypt and the marchandise of Aethiopia and of the Sabeans men of great stature shall come vnto thee and they shal be thine they shall follow thee and shal go in chaines and shall fall downe before thee and make supplication vnto thee Exod. 9.10 In Exodus the Lord acknowledgeth that himselfe handened the heart of Pharao and made him rebelliously withstand his commandements Againe the Lord saith Deut. 32. I will spend plagues vpon them I will bestow mine arrowes vpon them and a little after he addeth I haue sayd I would scatter them abroad I would make their remembrance to cease frō among men saue that I feared the furte of th' enemy least their aduersaries should waxe proud and least they should sny our high hand and not the Lord hath done all this Furthermore the greatest euils and sinnes in the world are done by persecutors of the Church and yet is it not the Lord that causeth all this euils that lifteth vp a signe vnto the nations a farre Isay 5. and hisseth to them from the endes of th' earth to persecute his Church that saith also ô Ashur the rod of my wrath Isay 10. and the staffe in his hand is mine indignation I will send him to a dissembling nation and I will geue him a charge against the people of my wrath he meaneth his people of Israel to take the spoile and to take the pray that gaue his Sonne to Pilate to be crucified as wee are taught by his answere to Pilate thus Iohn 14. thou couldest haue no power at all against mee except it were geuen thee from aboue 4. Esd 15. Ezech. 18. Deut. 28. It is the Lord that prouoketh straungers against his people that stirreth vp kings and peoples the kings of the North and the nations of Gog and Magog against his Church that rayseth vp enemies and geueth to them his people with victorie oppression and reproch in hunger thirst and nakednes Iudg. 2. it is God that deliuereth his Church into the handes of robbers and spoylers To be short when the holy Ghost rehearseth the euils and persecutions endured by the Church he neuer forgetteth to tell that the Lord sent and caused them Doo ye suppose your felues to be of greater counsel and vnderstanding or more ielous of Gods honor than the holy Ghost Deut. 18. It is God that smiteth with madnes blindnes and astonishment of heart he it is Rom. 1. that deliuereth the vnfaithfull to a reprobate sense that giueth vs ouer to vile affections 3. Reg. 22. and all maner of sinnes He it is that deceiueth that sendeth lying spirites into the mouth of Prophets purposely to deceiue as of Sedechias and his companions is written 1. Cor. 1. He hath besotted or made foolish the wisdome of this world he destroyeth the wisdome of the wise and casteth away the vnderstanding of the prudent saith S. Paul Rom. 2. Isay 6. He made the heart of the Iewes fat made their eares heauy and shut their eyes least they see with their eyes and heare with their eares vnderstand with their hearts and conuert and he heale them Againe he made them erre from his waies and hardened their heart from his feare Isay 63. Psal 69. saith Isay Dauid maketh his prayer to the Lord saying let their table be a snare before them and their prosperitie their ruine let their eyes be blinded that they see not and make their loynes alwaies to tremble and a little after say iniquitie vpon their iniquitie and let them not come into thy righteousnes shall we say that in this prayer is impietie It is God that before of old ordained Antichrist to damnation Iud. as S. Iude hath written It is God that hath sent to Antichrist and his partakers strong delusion that they should beleeue lies saith S. 2. Thess 2. Paul It is God that hath put into the hearts of kings to do that which should please Antichrist and to giue their kingdomes to the beast vntill that the wordes of God should be accomplished as is fore-told in the Reuelation Thus the Lord
that all things be restored S. Paul saith Col. 3. seeke the things that are on high where Iesus Christ sitteth at the hand of God for himselfe had said to his Apostles Iohn 16. I go to my father and ye shall see me no more yet a litle while and ye shall see me for I go to my father and elswhere Math. 23. I say vnto you that from hence-forth ye shall not see me vntill ye say blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord Acts. 1. and in another place this Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come as ye haue seen him go into heauen if the Lord is corporally present in the bread and wine of the supper if he is here below within the Priests pixe or betweene their hands why beleeue we that he is at the right hand of the father why do we looke for his comming from heauen to iudge the quicke and dead why say th'Apostles that heauen must conteine Iesus Christ vntill the time that all things be restored why say they that he is sitting at the right hand of God if he appeareth continually why should they affirme that the second time of his appearing shal be for iudgement why doth he say himselfe yet a litle while and you shall see me no more for I go to the father when is that time among the Papistes wherein they see him not why do the Angels say this Iesus which is taken vp from you to heauen shall come euen so as ye haue seen him go vp to heauen who hath seen him come downe from heauen to shut himselfe within the bread as he was seen go vp to heauen The Pope putteth his onely trust in this aunswere the Lord saith he can make his body be in the bread ergò he is there Behold a very proper meane to proue readily all kinds of heresies phantasies and mockeries and in deed if we were sure that his will is to haue his body here below in the bread in places innumerable aboue at his fathets right hand and so to haue his body to be spirituall we would not doubt of his power to performe it but we can find no-where this wil of his contrari-wise he teacheth vs that his body is in heauen that in the supper we must lift vp our soules on high to the right hand of God there to eate spiritually and by faith as hath benesaid he teacheth vs that his body is a true body 2. Iohn 4. euery spirit saith S. Iohn which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God such a spirit is the spirit of Antichrist thus let vs ensue his will without enquiring of his power Furthermore if we might certeinely see the body or the'effects of the presence of the body and bloud of our Lord in the holy supper in the bread and wine thereof we would not argue at all either of his power or of his will but we see nothing saue bread like to bread both within and without in and throughout euery part in colour other qualities of nature nourishable and corruptible the host of the Masse nourisheth man nourisheth wormes as bread doth corrupteth and putrifieth as bread which we may not beleeue of our Sauiours glorified body Withall if the body of the Lord were in the bread so many miracles should daily and hourely ensue Luke 8. as would make it past doubt they that touched his garments onely felt his wonderfull vertue with farre more likelihood should they that touch his body feele it but we can see no such effects the Popes Bishops and Priests haue assayed to deriue from it oracles and miracles but still they found it nothing els saue bread they haue chafed thereat so farre-forth as to cast the host into the fire Finally I see no such necessitie for the celebration of the supper that the body should be here below really within the bread no more then in old time Christ was in the labe or at this day the bloud of Christ is in the water of baptisme The faithfull doe effectually receiue in baptisme the washing of the bloud of Christ by faith although nothing but water be administred in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost euen so the faithfull may partake in the grace iustification death passion in the body bloud of the Lord by spirituall eating through faith as well yea more cōmodiously then by the reall eating of the body For in this behalfe it behoueth the Spirit by his miraculous operatiō not onely to transubstantiate the body and make it present at the same time in places infinit but also to turne this corporall food into spirit for the spirituall sustenance of the spirit of man which is the principall end of the supper of the death passion of the Lord. It is more agreable to the order established by God in the nature of all things and more consonant to his counsels reueled in his word to lift vp our soules by faith to nourish them with his body and bloud to fill them with his grace and merite of his death and passion to notifie such inward actions by the outward signes of bread and wine then to confound the properties of both natures to make him a body euerywhere present which to be onely pertaineth to his diuinitie to abase his glorious body and subiect it to a world of phantasies profanations and iniuries to haue it broken and torne chewed and swalowed and further to change that body into spirit for the nourishment of the spirit Behold here how the Pope with too-much boldnes and no necessitie aduentureth to commit idolatrie himselfe and to make them grose idolaters which follow him in his doctrine in that he adoreth the bread of the supper euen as the body of Iesus Christ More safe it is to adore it at the right hand of God seing the Scripture assureth vs most certainely that he is there Idolatrie is a sinne too horrible that any man should so freely giue ouer himselfe to the same In such ventrous cases when there is any suspition of idolatrie feare to sinne ought aboue all to ouer-rule our worldly wisdome Away then with this doctrine of the Pope so contrary to th'articles of the Christiā beliefe and all the holy Scripture away with this doctrine that destroyeth the veritie of our Lords body and is suspected ye conuinced of Idolatrie The Pope willeth vs to haue images of Angels Whether we ought to haue images for deuotion sake Saincts and of God himselfe within our Churches vpon our altars within our chappels and priuat closets for prayer He willeth vs to honour and serue these images with such deuotion ceremonies as in effect differeth not from adoration or diuine-honour We find no iote in the Scripture conformable to this doctrine but we find there commaundements ynow most flatly forbidding vs to receiue it Leuit.
26. It is written ye shall make you no idols nor grauen image neither reare you vp any piller neither shall ye set any image of stone in your land to bow downe to it for I am the Lord your God again thou shalt not reare thee vp an idol for the Lord hateth it In the table giuen to Moses it was written thou shalt make thee no grauen image neither any likenes of things that are in heauen aboue neither that are in the earth beneath nor that are in the water vnder the earth thou shalt not bow downe to them nor serue them For I am the Lord thy God a iealous God visiting th'iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children This commaundement doeth so sharply vrge the auctors and fauourers of images that they may in no wise excuse or colour their disobedience the Lord saith in expresse termes thou shalt not bow downe to them nor serue them to stop their mouths that bring in a distinction of adorations it is a smaller matter to bow our selfe before images and serue them then it is to solemnise and sing masses in their honour to salute them kneele before them offer them candles make prayers vowes pilgrimages and processions to them with like nay with more affection humilitie worship hope then is done to God himselfe they fast in their honour they prepare themselues before they will touch them with more deuotion and care then when they go to receyue the sacrament they come not nigh them but bare-foot and in their shirt alone The smallest lets and discommodities do turne you backe from the house of God but all the annoyances and iniuries of th'ayer and of men of cold heat wind and raine throng of people and blowes can not stay you from crouding creeping and approching to them for to enioy this blisse this contentment in your soule in your deuotions onely to touch or cause them to be touched with some thing ye haue about you and thenceforth vee thinke your deuotions more perfect and accomplished then if an Angel of heauen were come to witnesse it to you as was to Tobie Ye offer to them that which they see not ye aske them that which they vnderstand not ye looke at their handes for that which God alone can do and giue if all these humilities deuout and religious affections deserue not the name of adoration I wot not what we may call adoration When the Israelites went vp into the temple to adore the Lord they did not somuch as ye do before your images It appeareth in the Acts Reuelation Act. 10. Apoc. 19.22 that to adore is to kneele before any thing with religious deuotion Now at least if in your deed be no adoration yet is there bowing and seruice which are th'expresse termes of Gods commaundement There is another word in this commaundement throughly to be considered of vs he forbids images with bowing and seruing of them for saith he I am thy ielous God It is not for nought that he vseth this terme ielous ielousie admitteth no excuse ielousie is strong as the graue where ielousie is ye can not shew so few courtesies to others but ye shall shew too many Your fathers maisters and doctours tell you that images are permitted in your Church onely for remembraunce sake that none but the simpler sort do giue their minds to reuerence them bow before them serue them thus they condemn your actions your deuotions their owne they deeme you and them selues also idolaters for they make the greater presse they goe before they gather vp the profites of the offrings they lay the other offrings to pledge as the dolphin layeth other fishes to pledge in the whales belly they take vp the rest of the candels But were it that they with-held themselues yet cease they not to be guiltie of th' offence committed about these images Math. 18. Luc. 17. for in the Gospell a curse and wo is pronounced against him by whom offence commeth to the Church and which maketh the least of the Church to take offence that better it were for him to haue a milstone hanging at his neck and to be cast into the sea Now so it is that images bring a mightie offence to the Church causing the poore people to sinne a sinne beyond all measure sinfull and they which haue brought them in and do mainteine them still in the Church with them that set in the peoples way this stumbling stone are most wretched and guilty before God But how wil your Doctours aunswere wise Salomon Sap. 14. who foreseing their cloak and excuse of remembraunce most largely declareth how this remembraunce onely hath brought in idolatrie among men 4 Reg. 18. what will they say to the fact of Ezechias so greatly praysed who caused the brasen serpent to be destroyed hauing bene set vp by the commandement of God reteined so lōg in the Church because the people fell to idolatrie by occasion of this serpēt which is a story for this purpose very notable Th'Apostles caried no images crucifixes crosses or relikes in their sleeues as your preachers are wont the rather to perswade the people they caried not Christ but in memory mouth and exāple of lif Rom. 10. S. Paul speaking of faith saith ring hearing by the word of God he saith not by sight nor by seruice of images Deut. 17.4 Moreouer it is writtē cursed be the mā that shall make a grauen or molten image And Moses repeting the cōmandements of God to the childrē of Israell telleth them ye haue heard the voyce of his wordes haue not seen any image sauing the voyce which is a thing that cannot be painted saith Esdras take good heed to your soules therefore for ye saw no image in the day that the Lord spake to you out of the middes of the fire in Horeb that ye corrupt not your selues and make you a grauen image or representation of any figure whether it be like any male or female c. Thus the Scripture teacheth vs that it is sinne to make images onely for Religion sake without mentioning any bowing of the body or seruice but principally to graue karue or peinct th' image of God And yet are ye so rash as that ye durst peinct and make a grauen image of God who is an essence inuisible infinit incōprehēsible if the word of God had borne any sway or credit with you if ye had but knowne it the chesill and pensill had falne out of your fingers so often as ye went about to resemble him Is it possible that the words of Isay and S. Paul were not power-full enough to bring you to some sense of your sinne when Isay had discoursed to th'uttermost extēt of vnderstading whatsoeuer he could of the most glorious and incomprehēsible Maiestie of God Isay 40. he cryeth out to whom will ye liken God or what similitude will ye set vp vnto him againe to whom now will ye