Councell No verily Let matter with matter saith he cause with cause Reason with reason pleade by the authorities of the scriptures not proper witnesses of euery bodie but common to both c. This am I the bolder with the Reader to set downe that we may see your skill and trust in citing the fathers If one should followe all he should make great volumes which I doubt whether for your pleasures it bee necessarie For the diuels talke with Christ how I pray you did our 〈◊〉 confute him was it not by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afore I sayde Augustine did the heretike Yes yes still and all by the scriptures so necessary and profitable 〈◊〉 are they say or thinke you what you will Though we finde not for that which followeth the wordes in Hierome where ye sende vs to seeke them yet because it may be the fault of the Printer I presse it not you shoulde haue prooued and shewed vs to be heretikes before ye should haue applied that to our seruice supposition is a bare proofe and serueth not The strange howling as of wolues and bellowing noyse of mad Bullockes that in your Synagogues you make by your piping and singing in a strange tongue in that you call your diuine seruice seemeth to bee liuely expressed by Hierome both in this sentence and elsewhere also when vppon these wordes of the Prophet Amos Take from me the confused noyse of thy Hymnes I will not heare the musicke of thy Organes that worde doeth Hierome set downe according to the Septuagints translation The Prayer sayth he of the Iewes and the Psalmes whiche they sing in their Synagogues and the heretikes curious and set hymne or prayer as one would say artificially done with descant and quauering is a trouble vnto the Lord that I may so speake it is the grunting of a hog and the braying of Asses c And in the new Testament vpon these wordes of the Apostle Singing and making melodie vnto the Lord Let them heare saith Hierome whose office it is to sing in the Church that God is to bee sung to not with voice but with heart and that their throate and iawes are not to be annointed and cleered with oyntmēts like players that measure and stagelike noise and songues maye by hearde in the Churche but in feare in deede in knowledge of the scriptures although there be some man as they are wonte to speake of an euell brest or voyce If hee haue good woorkes hee is a sweete singer with God Let the seruant of Christ so sing that not the voyce of the singer but the wordes that are read may delight and please c. Thus much out of Hierome whome ye cite vpon occasion of wolues howling and the bellowing noise of mad bullockes that the reader may see whether the same and the like agree better with your curious pricksong and descant in your latin seruice or with our moderate and plain singing of Dauid his Psalines in the mother tongue Hee that is desirous to see more how fitly your wanton and fleshly melodie or roring rather in your Popish Churches is represented by Hierom. Let him looke vpon Cornelius Agrippa Erasmus Polidore Virgil and such like who euen in our time so great plained of y t vnreasonable brutishe disorder in your popish Churches and namely heere in England for that is by expresse wordes noted of Erasmus Yee cite Augustin here twise together and still of the Donatist Heretikes it was the first place ye cited in the entrance of your discourse how litle to purpose we there examined wee tel you againe again we are neither donatists nor other heretikes that shoulde you haue bent your selfe first to haue prooued that these testimonies might haue seemed to haue beene 〈◊〉 applied as that vnprooued and so is like to remaine they iustly maye nowe bee applyed to you Betweene your two places here alleadged out of Augustine the same Augustine vpon the words of Dauid I cryed vnto the Lorde sayeth well and that to the Donatiste Crye you to the Lorde not to Donatus So say we to you popishe Heretikes Crye to the Lorde not to this Patrone and that which you haue made to your selues not to this canonized Saint of your Popes nor to that whereof some like ynough are farre from heauen and so from helping of you Take the lustie prelate of Englande Your S. Thomas Becket for example if ye will or some such like Saint of your making wee say as Augustine sayde in his dayes according to the perpetual doctrine of the sacred scriptures Crie vnto the Lorde not to any creature wee adde furder with him euen in this place Let no man be thy Lorde for the Lorde hee meaneth in steade of the true Lorde of heauen which vnder the Lorde woulde not bee thy fellowe seruaunt Whether it bee in heauen Let God in prayer be 〈◊〉 per se A as they say Or vppon earth to shut out your Lorde god the Pope and to bring him to bee but a fellowe seruaunt with other Let that God of heauen keep his prerogatiue or else bee you in exalting and setting vp that man of sinne Heretikes with the Donatistes Briefly to shut vp this place finde no fault with our seruice for that it hath the scriptures and put a difference between the Iewes Heretiks and the diuelishe peruerting and abusing the same and the right vse thereof with reuerence to our instruction and learning that through pacience and comfort we may haue hope which is an ende the Apostles setteth vs down the same to be written for Let it in all things be A lanterne to our feete and a light to our path as holy Dauid speaketh For which causes also the same is nowe published and made common vnto vs by her Maiestie and the State Marke the great benefite the Churche of God here hath reaped thereby and still doth and yee shall shewe your selfe besides your impietie to Gods worde very vncharitable and enuious to grudge vs the Scriptures or to reproche the same vnto vs. Nowe whether wee be Heretikes that sticke to the scriptures and to the sincere plaine and sure interpretation therof by themselues that one place may sufficiently expounde another that wee neede not run to men to haue the true sense but to let the holy 〈◊〉 euer expounde himselfe Or you that cannot nor will not bee content with this but call for this doctours exposition that doctours sense and so foorth rouing and running at randon if the worlde may not be iudge yet I pray you let your owne Cannon Lawe be iudge betweene vs Wee must take the sense and meaning of the Truth out of the scriptures themselues sayth Gratian out of Pope Clement And yet furder out of Hierome Whosoeuer otherwise vnderstandeth the scripture then the sense and meaning of the holy Ghost by whom it was written requireth Although he be not departed
Puritās will finde grace with you We once make but one religiō of those y t you cal protestāts Puritās meaning yet such stil that yee abuse not your self I say others as ioine godly knowledge with their zeale except we may do y e like with you whot cold Catholikes as ye cal them wee are troubled with so many sorts of you false Catholikes already that wee are lothe to make any more except yee needes will your selues Housholders of loue as better agreeing with your religiō thā with Christs Gospel we cast to your heape as we doe al other false religions which we condēne acknowledge no other than that I haue 〈◊〉 described you Summe The true religiō or the religion of Christ heere professed is but one your religion is not only one but many distinct religions saith euen your Angelical Doctor Talke no more therefore of foure religions in this Realme when but one is auowed heere there bee moe then foure or fiue either diuers religions and distinct in name 〈◊〉 c. not in a Realine but in one Citie Towne with you this is your glorie I trust you wil not charge y t religiō I haue shortly described to be a sect nor the professors therof to be Sectaries I am sure 〈◊〉 ye can not considering that neither it nor they holde of men nor of names by them deuised or by you put vppon them That hath been hitherto proper to you them of your religion If you impugne this Religion Take what name you will yee shal shewe your selues to bee neither true Christians nor good subiects Take heede vnto it it lyeth vppon you And let not that moue you because in the day and cleere light of the Gospel when you M. Howlet are gone Heresies appeare and bee espted that for the most parte were sowen in your tyme before in the night that is in the tyme of Ignorance and darkenesse It is the nature and propertie of the light to disclose and shewe things that otherwise lie hidde It is a blessing of God Againe you knowe where G O D hath a Churche the Deuill will haue a Chappell harde by And tares in the night are sowen in the same field euen among the good seede Heresies also must be euen among you saith the Scripture c. You say Of these foure sorts of men the Catholikes are the first the auncientest the more in number the most beneficiall to al the rest whome you accompt Heretiques Sectaries hauing begottē bred vp the other and deliuered to them this Realme conserued by Catholike religion these thousand yeres and more c. Here haue I to aske you who then be the fathers to all those supposed Sectaries and men of diuers religions that you say are at this day in this Realme Who but you Catholikes y t haue begotten them Whose children be they of whose bringing vp that are accompted to be of so diuers naughty religions whose but yours y t will be Catholikes who haue begotten and bred them vp Howe come these yee accompt Sectaries here and by this Realme howe you Catholikes deliuered it them if al the sortes of men yee recken vp were such Sectaries and naughty men in deede as yee accompt them to be they might wel bee accompted your broode but first syr wee must desire you to take out of your heape those that you cal Protestants and Puritans They wil call no man their father I tell you vpon earth as they be taught by their onely Maister Christe for there is but one father which is in heauen for the rest the more we looke vpon thē the better wee knowe them by the face and confesse them to bee the Ghostly children of you false Catholikes they bee so like you you bee the first yee say and the auncientest But the great Dragon syr that old Serpent called the Deuil and Satan as the holie Ghost speaketh is elder and before you againe You bee the more in number The serpents seede is greatly multiplyed but the womās seede I doubte not shal matche you wel ynough not shee that is the woman herself as your 〈◊〉 translation to commonly corrupt lewdly translateth the wordes and so ouerthrowes the true sense Of the battaile victorie and this whole matter reade the Reuelation of S. Iohn namely the 12. and 13. Chap. c. In Catholikes and Sectaries wee see the Ghostly fathers and their children Goe no higher to Grandsire and great Grandsire stay your wisedome I aduise you for opening your Pedegrue to much Onely as you Catholikes haue begotten bred vp Sectaries so I pray you at this time tell vs of whome ye begate them That is let vs learne who was their mother nurse whose breasts they suckt and vnder whome so vntoward impes were brought vp To saue your honesties and to make all alike father mother children Babylon or Rome in one word I thinke will serue all if not helpe me and teach me better I speake as your Doctours teach mee Howe beneficiall you Catholikes are to Protestantes or Gospellers amongest others your hot burning charitie where they stande to your curtesie sheweth and the bloodie daies here in Christes Martyres c. did sufficientlie expresse The more beneficiall you are to all the rest that are Sectaries the worse yee deserue of this Churche You plaine in another place of lawlesse proceeding and crie out of Riot heere you say you deliuered the Realme to them that 〈◊〉 it They tooke it not then by violence nor against your willes they did you no wrong Howe this Realme hath been conserued by Catholike religion 〈◊〉 thousand yeeres and more that should you haue shewed made plaine your wordes carry an ambiguitie Poperie once and your religion as it is professed and exercised at this day is not wee tell you so olde Againe Christians as wee professe our selues to bee holding of Christe and builte vpon the Prophets and Apostles c. Fetch the antiquitie of their religion not from a thousand yeeres agoe as you pretende to doe but from a very long tune before your 1000. yeeres and so may iustlier then yours hee called the olde religion This Realme hath from time to time been conserued by Gods mercifull and fatherly prouidence and blessing by wise and vertuous Princes and their good and wholesome lawes not by your blinde superstition rather then religion Gods Churche and true Christians sometime moe sometime fewer not in this Realme but throughout the whole worlde haue receiued and conserued Christes religion heere now professed and by mee more shortly described these fifteene hundred yeeres and more that I may goe somewhat aboue your thousande yeeres euen since the Ascension of the Lorde Iesus though after a diuers manner sometime and most commonly shrouded vnder the crosse sometime otherwise according to the dispensation and wisdome of the immortal God It is wisedome safetie for you not to goe
Pope in his wicked Bulls hath at this day most wickedlie published and set abroade contayning a most diuelish Doctrine of Disobedience and a lyke practise what euer you nowe tel in faire wordes to flatter withall in opinion you agree with these woordes of D. Thom. and apply all to and against our noble Queene and this State as your practises too much prooue The wise man saieth Hee that hateth wil counterfaict with his lippes but in his heart he layeth vppe deceite Though hee speake fauourably beleeue him not for there are seuen abhominations in his heart Hatred may bee couered by deceit but the malice thereof shalbee discouered in the Congregation And that this that I tell you of is true among you hot Catholikes as you wil be called I wil at this tyme wade no farther in your S. Thomases summe nor in your Popes Decrees and other wryters of your side in former times But let me be bold as you doe obiect vnto vs the doctrine of one or two of our men so for all to set you downe y e words at least of one of your cōpaniōs or great pillers doctors rather of your present Popishe church that is fled from his Countrey Prince vs here to Rome and abroade there thence like a Popish Priest by practises wrytings seeking to stirre vp among other seditious rebellions and treasons against her Maiestie and this State which partly by wryting partly by posting betweene is according to Commission and trust performed by him so farre as hee may to the vttermost Saunders trauaile more laborious and 〈◊〉 then sounde Godly or wise in his huge peece of woorke of the visible Monarchy of the Church is against the present state of this Churche and Realme of Englande there needeth no other applier of the whole then himselfe I suppose all you hot Romaine Catholikes agree and bee all of one minde in this behalfe in the name of you all he speaketh for the rest especially seing their voices being asked they disagree not any I know for but 〈◊〉 y e same rather in their wryting In Saunders Epistle therefore To the most vnreuerend Cardinals Iohn Moron and twoo other before his visible Monarchie not only Iyingly and slaunderously chargeth he the godly lawes of this Realme with impietie tyrannie and that this I 〈◊〉 almost alone at this day in all Christendome plentifully yeeldeth foorth Martyrs so hee calleth the Traytours that haue been and a litle before the wryting heere of were executed heere for their trayterous attempts and other English Romaine Catholikes whereof in 〈◊〉 beaderoll hee reckeneth vs vp a rable But furthermore also 〈◊〉 stirreth vp the saide Cardinals as though it were very earnestly from hence sued for vnto them to trauaile by such meanes as they can to deliuer the people heere hee meaneth such as himselfe is from this so great and cruel tyrannie so hee calleth the most moderate and peaceable gouernement of her Maiestie whereunto also after congratulation and commendation for his former late dealing with this Realme her Maiestie and the State hee exciteth the vnholinesse of the Pope in his Epistle Dedicatory to him cōforting himself feeding other and namely his Pope with vaine hope this was about ten yeeres since that very shortly after the runnegate Catholikes and their fellowes shoulde bee restored to their Religion and places heere againe hee dreamed of a drie sommer Wee may easily gather howe and whence all the stirres here since arise and growe and what the drifte of al is If this bee not seditious doctrine and demeneanor rebellious and trayterous what is I pray you God lōg blesse and keepe her Maiestie among vs. Proceeding furder in his visible Monarchie thus mryteth he amōg other things It belongeth vetily to the Bishoppes especially both to pronounce the king himselfe an Heretike or an Apostata and also to declare that his subiects are afterward free from geuing him any obedience and that they ought to doe their endeuour that another bee out of hande put in his place Nowe if the subiects doe not looke to their office in this behalfe it longeth to the Pastors to prouide by any meanes they can that he that sitteth in the chaire of Pestilence raigne not in the Church of God this is the true obedience your Catholike Churche teacheth her children to yeelde to their Princes for conscience sake Is not saith Saunders the matter so c do not the Pastors watche for the soules as wel of kings as of those which obay kings It is their duetie therefore to omit nothing that they shall knowe to bee expedient for the soules health who seeth not that it is cleane contrarie to the soules health that hee should bee suffered to raigne ouer the Faithfull which is himself vnfaythful c Shal he then be worthie the name of a man that shal affirme that a wicked king ought not to be compelled to cleere and put himselfe out of his publique charge If at al surely hee must bee put out for Heresie How shal that controuersie be iudged without the resolution of the Doctors of the church c. Now Pastors Teachers of the churche can bee no Iudges of a king except the king be in that thing lesse and inferior vnto thē For neither hath an equal power ouer an equal nor an inferior ouer his superior We affirme therfore iustly that al Christian kings in matters appertayning to Fayth are so subiect to Bishops Priests that obstinately continuing in offending against Christian religion after one or two admonitions for the same cause they may ought by the sentence of the Bishops to be put from other tēporal gouernement which they haue ouer Christiās And yet againe after in the same chapter out of a great many I take but a fewe sentences Since therfore the wisedome of God hath not left his churche which is a Citie very well built defensed without a medicine for such a disease ne yet can any other medicine helpe than that may take away so euil a king from among the people and giue his kingdome to a better man Wee must beleeue that such power at least was graūted to the supreme pastour of the church hee commeth nowe from meaner Bishops to the Pope of Rome whome hee meaneth by that tytle in these words Feede my sheepe whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon earth shalbe bounde also in Heauen To foule and shamelesse 〈◊〉 of the holy woorde of God That the supreme Pastour may not onely excommunicate a wicked king but also free and set his subiectes at libertie frō all obedience vnto him For if so bee whatsoeuer Peter or Peters successour vppon earth loose bee also loosed in heauen then truely when rightly and orderly hee setteth faythful subiects at libertie from the obedience of a wicked king vppon earth the same subiects also are freed in heauen from the obedience of the same king Againe if whatsoeuer
peter or Peters successour binde vpon earth bee also bounde in heauen whensoeuer Peters successor of right and equitie commaunde any king eyther to leaue his Royall dignitie which hee so affected vniustly holdeth or to stoppe and hinder another king by all the meanes hee can which hindereth a faythful people from eternal life least hee perishe in doing wickedly that king is also bounde in heauen that is before God and his Angels to obay the chief Pontifical bishops decree except hee will haue his sinnes holden not forgiuen before God c. Heere is in general tearmes your Catholike doctrine truly set downe by Saūders who sent I trowe frō y e Pope tooke a long iourney into Ireland where of late it is 〈◊〉 hee was and still is to stirre vppe lyke a Capitaine and incourage the Trayterous hearts that he might meete with and to see this doctrine of Pope holines reuerently obayed and put in practise so farre as hee might against this state for the which purpose serued also your late flocking hether in sholes from beyonde Sea much about the same tyme and your more publishing of sedicious libelles than a good while before As lykewyse in the yeere 1569. Nicholas Morton an Englishe rennegate Priest the Popes Penitentiary at Rome was sent sayth Saunders by the Pope into England where hee deserued ywis to 〈◊〉 crackt a rope to stirre vp the Nobilitie against our Soueraigne to doe such other most vile offices c. Whose counsaile they that folowed in the North felt the iust rewarde smarte of rebels for their rebellion as the Romishe Irlanders did in folowing Saunders and his fellowes coūsailes of late Here the Popish obedience your Catholike Religion teacheth practiseth commeth in fitly and hath his proper place Now that this Popish merchants opiniō meaning towards her Maiestie this state in particular may be y e better knowē out of his general doctrine before deliuered Let vs heare yet furder himself in this one place only no more speake therof When the Apostolique sea sawe that Elizabeth was fallen from the Churche and that the whole Realme of England was therby become Schismatical it sent once or twise Legates into England to recal that nation backe againe to their duetie but there was not so much as a way open for those Legates to enter into the Island so farre were they of from obtayning any thing which being thus after ten yeeres amendement looked for and now almost despaired of Pius the 5. the chief bishop turning to that only medicine which could bee applyed to so great a disease In the yeere of our Lorde 1569. hee sent into England the reuerende priest Nicholas Morton an Englishe man a Doctor of Diuinitie one of his Penitentiary priests solemnely by Apostolique authoritie to declare to certaine noble and Catholike mē that Elizabeth which then gouerned was an Heretique and for that cause was by the very lawe fallen from al superioritie and power which shee then vsed ouer Catholikes and that she might lawfully be taken of them as an heathen Publican that they were not hēceforth bound to obay her lawes or commandements By which solemne declaration many noble men were brought so farre that they prouided not onely for themselues but tooke vpon thē also to deliuer their brethrē frō the tyrānie of heretikes May not we here iustlier charge M Howlets Catholike Religion his Pope his Bul. N. Morton Saunders their doctrine with teaching practising rebellion than he doth Luther and his doctrine Your floures of Rhetorique M. Howlet will hardly washe this geere away reade marke and iudge of the whole vprightly Now they hoped saith Saunders that al Catholikes woulde w t all their force haue assisted so godly a purpose But althogh the matter fel out otherwise than they looked for either because all Catholikes did not yet well knowe that Elizabeth was by publike Lawe declared to bee an heretike or else because God had decreed more sharply to punish so great a defection of that kingdome yet not withstanding those noble mens counsels or enterprises were to be commended which wanted not their sure and happy successe for although they coulde not bring al their brethrens soules out of the pit of Schisme yet both they thēselues did notably confesse the Catholike religiō many of them did giue their liues for their brethren But very fewe noble men by your leaue those taken rather through Gods prouidence by force than willingly yeelding themselues which is the highest degree of loue to doe as traytors the rest rid thēselues frō the bondage both of heresie sin into that libertie wherewith Christ hath freed vs y t they are become Satans sins slaues al the dayes of their life In old time S. Bernard had exhorted the Christians to goe to Ierusalem and yet was not the East Churche deliuered by that voyage but they rather which went about to deliuer their brethren from the yoke of the Saracenes died themselues a glorious death Nowe after he hath rehearsed at large a Munkishe myracle out of Godfry a Munke to shewe that that voyage to Hierusalem was approued of God Antichristes newe Gospel must and needeth to be confirmed by new myracles Thus he speaketh of the rebelles in the 〈◊〉 against her Maiestie and the State Who nowe but hee that is ignorant of Gods counselles whereof belike this good fellowe is very priuie dare say that that confession of faith proceeded not from God which certaine Noble men of Englande made in armes He meaneth the late Earles of Westmerland Northumberlande and their adherentes Surely that must needes bee counted a myracle saith hee that being almost fiue hundred of them which tooke armes for the fayth so reporteth hee of the Northren traytours which taken by the heretikes and put to death so calleth he the State and her Maiesties ministers of iustice there None of them was foūd which either forsooke the Catholike faith or accused the Authors of that warre of any fault They were very innocent and blamelesse sure vnder pretence of their popishe faith and religion to take the sword in hand against their dread soueraigne and ours they must be so supposed though this be iu deede most lewde in the highest degree And this man either was among them and verie priuie to euery one of their deathes or els which is most likely hee tooke thē report at their friendes mouthes and his at seconde or thirde hande at least But many of them being a litle before reconciled to the vnitie of the Church were well apayed and greatly reioysed in themselues that they shoulde depart this life before they shoulde with newe wickednesse defile the peace hee meaneth their reconcilement to the Romishe Church newely receiued and they wished not to liue any longer in that kingdome which nowe a good while had ceassed to liue in Christe
precessions your running to Churche to toll a bell your casting of coniured water c. to fray away spirites or than your Popishe fast consisting in superstitious choise of meates and dayes ioyned with hypocrisie opinion of merite c. It is happie ye can finde out fasting at the length in the Gospelling Churchs among those that ye call Protestantes you might haue done it sooner if it had pleased you You were wont to say wee quite ouerthrowe all fasting and prayer because we went about to correcte and take awaye the abuses that Poperie had brought into both euen as wee see our Maister Christe in his tyme to haue done the lyke And heere you say there hath beene continuall rayling against fastyng for these xxi yeeres paste Untrueth still It hath beene but against your superstition and abuse whiche wee take not I tell you still to bee Gospell wee haue commended and recommended alwaies in place true fasting wee haue practised and vsed the same according to the pure vse deliuered vs in the Scriptures and of late more vppon occasions then aforetime and more generally with doctrine adioyned from whiche doing your corruptions wherwith you had filled y e Church a long time helde vs but we hope well it shall dayly more and more be purged and such dust swept away out of Gods house heere and both this and other godly orders also grow from good to better among the faithfull people of this English Church with the furtherance good liking and delight of her Maiestie our Soueraigne we doubt not in beholding her people and subiectes to profite dayly in all godlines howe euer you 〈◊〉 and repine thereat Here ye call this godly exercise a litle fantasticall rage of fasting c. You raue and rage too But whereunto shall wee liken this generation but with our sauiour Christ to little children sitting in the marketts c. For as Iohn came neither eating nor drinking they sayde he had a diuell and the sonne of man came eating and drinking and they say de Beholde a glutton and drinker of wine a friende vnto Publicanes and Sinners Euen so doe our Pharisaicall Papistes deale and say nowe No way can please and content them neyther vsing the libertie of Gods good creatures sanctified by the worde of God and prayer as y e Apostle speaketh neyther yet absteyning therefrom But wee answere with our good Maister and Sauiour wisedome is iustified of all her children Ye talke at pleasure of speaking ten or twelue houres together with all a lye a Although the corruptions that your Popishe and Pharisaicall leauen hath many yeres infected fasting withall sticking fast require sometimes to purge the same before it can be well and profitably taken in hande And againe the right vse and ende thereof and of prayer humilitie fayth repentance newenesse of life liberalitie also to the poore c. to be treated of aske time that this Christian exercise of fasting may be Christianly kept among the ruder sort especially yet M. Howlet neyther bee so many houres prescribed the preacher to talke neither knowe or heard I it euer any where so vsed For time sir herein we vse it and leaue it as an indifferent thing to take more or lesse according as occasion and necessitie of matter require and in this and like circumstances say as our 〈◊〉 Christ saide of the Sabbath in his time the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath Let time serue vs and wee in time and therewith serue God Both the Sermons at Stamford forenoone afternoone too mounted not much aboue halfe the time of the least of your two numbers but I will leaue this matter and the quiting of your Puritane because I vnderstande yee heare thereof another way After this you tell her Maiestie of a weightie motiue so you set it downe in your margin The effect you note a litle before when you make Catholikes so important a stay in euery of her Maiesties countreys As though the safetie and quietnesse of the whole realme rested on you Catholikes that refuse to come to Churche heere to renounce the Pope and betake your selues as true Englishe men to God and her Maiesties gouernment c. Of which number you take your selfe M Howlet to bee one Though you for your part shoulde seeme to bee better acquainted with the barne and the rude husbandmans cotage in the countrey where your neste may also be founde then with any good Towne or Citie muche lesse with a Princes Pallace whereby you shoulde bee meete to stay vp her Maiesty and this common wealth with your shoulders But are you or your fellowe Catholikes the safetie of this whole Realme God forbidde man yet these are those that are here so commended these are those y e whole suite is for that it woulde please her Maiestie to graunt that whiche it seemeth they will haue whether shee will or no Obstinating themselues and cloking all vnder vnconscionable conscience before they make her highnesse priute of their suite and dealing A woorthie maner of suing to abase bring her Maiestie to their bende that they may altogether 〈◊〉 the roste heere Because your framed consciences be some what too weake reasons to mooue her Maiestie withall alone You bryng foorth your waightie motiue where althoughe at the first yee speake of mercie and fauour yet so soone as yee seeme to haue giuen some sope of milke by by ye throw y e whole down againe w t your heele For ye haue no sooner spoken of mercie and fauour but straightway with a commemoration as it were an vpbrayding c. yee fall a clayming the thing ye would haue in recompence of your seruice I greatly marueile not to see you deale thus with her Maiestie here vpon earth as though yee deserued that can chalenge merites at Gods handes in heauen but say and thinke what yee will for that Grace and merites can not stande together Her Maiestie of her selfe belike can not conceiue nor see what you and your felowes haue deserued and deserue at her highnes handes Yee are litle beholding to your neighbours that need thus to praise say and speake for your selues If you haue done nothing but your bounden dueties nor in deede halfe that neither as better subiectes and more duetifull doe vnfainedly acknowledge from the heart and needes must in respecte of her Maiestie and the manifolde and great benefites that wee all dayly receiue from and by her Maiesties meanes whome God long preserue among vs why then claime you recompence for your seruice What is it I pray you you haue done First forsooth you you know what catholiks you meane were most readie at the beginning to place her Highnes in her Royall Throne I leaue to speake of her Maiesties disfauour procured by you hot Catholikes in Queene Maries dayes of the straightnesse and harde vsage that her Maiestie founde among your Jaylors her highnesse keepers then Wee to our
because God is the authour of such assemblies requireth this dutie is present there and blesseth the same This if comparison bee made is proued not only by the practise and example of Gods people in all ages vnder the Lawe and the Prophets before Christes comming in the fleshe in going then to the Tabernacle the temple c. and of the Disciples and faithful after Christes Ascention as the story of the Actes of the Apostles doth witnesse according to whose direction and steppes so neere as we may heerein we professe and endeuour our selues to walke But by the expresse doctrine of our Sauiour Christe himselfe also Verily I say vnto you that if two of you shal agree in earth vpon any thing whatsoeuer they shall desire it shalbe giuen them of my father whiche is in heauen for where two or three are gathered togeather in my name there am I in the midst of them c. Now that we are bounde to honour loue obey worship God according as he appointeth vs deserue very euil in doing the contrary none I trust doubt then surely can none iustly doubt of this point of comming together to heare our dutie tolde vs out of Gods booke by preaching to make publik confessiō of our sinnes of y e christian faith to make prayers to God for our necessities others namely those of his church to giue him thanks and prayse his name in Psalmes to celebrate the Sacraments of Baptisine and the Lordes Supper c. which be the substance and principall ends of our Church meetings The next point is of the care of our saluation which none also I trust among vs be voide of Then cannot they doubt likewise whether they ought to practise and vse such outward meanes as God hath appointed to bring men to saluation by Publike church assemblies were first instituted and appointed of God for our vse and for our good and the principal thinges there to be vsed are the preaching of y e Gospell and the ministering of the Sacraments to wit Baptisme and the Lordes Supper according to Christes holy institution for the 〈◊〉 and increase of our faith whereof they are seales as the cōmission giuen to the Apostles their 〈◊〉 practise and the vse of the Primitiue Church sufficiently declare And in this respect is the Gospell called not onely the worde of God but the worde of 〈◊〉 also of grace of faith of saluation c As that which is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth c. If then we will receiue the ende of our faith which is the saluation of our soules we must walke the way that leadeth thither and vse while we may those meanes that God hath appointed to bring vs thereto by contemning whereof wee shall shewe our selues to haue no care of our saluation For the benefit that redoundeth to men by this exercise remember what the Apostle writeth When the whole Churche is come togeather in one c. If all Prophesie and there come in one that beleeueth not or one vnlearned he is rebuked of al men and is iudged of all And so are the secretes of his heart made manifest and so he will fall downe on his face and worship God and say plainly that God is in you indeed And a little after Let all things be doone vnto edifiyng Wee as workers togeather beseech you with the holy Ghost that yee receiue not the grace of God in vaine and beholde nowe is the accepted time Behold nowe is the day of saluation c. The dutifull respect we ought to haue to our Soueraigne and the present State our common mother and her Maiesties godly lawes is next to bee considered which they that duly shal do besides other matter and occasion of thanksgiuing to God offered to euery one in priuate cannot besides refuse to haunt publike church assemblies That it pleaseth her Maiestie to haue care of our soules healths that are her Subiects to take paine to make lawes and set orders for the aduauncement thereof is the part of a good and blessed nurse in Gods church and a singular benefite to vs-warde It is nothing to cause Preachers and preaching of Christes Gospel to be sent abrode in al quarters of her Dominions c all must needes be in 〈◊〉 on our behalfes and so turne to our greater and more iust condemnation if we thankefully accept not and carefully vse to Gods glory and our owne profite this so great a grace of God offered and take the oportunitie Againe as dutie greatly bindeth vs to our princes soueraignes to obey their autoritie to honor them especially being godly so among other things haue wee to pray for them not in priuate onely but in publike also with other and thereby receiue we also great benefite many wayes Notable is that heauenly sentence of the blessed Apostle I exh ort therefore that first of all supplicatiōs praiers intercessions giuing of thanks be made for al men for kinges and for all that are in authoritie that we may liue a godly a quiet apeaceable life in al godlines honesty for this is good acceptable in the sight of God our Sauiour who will that all men shal bee saued and come to the knowledge of the truth c. This one sentence alone well weighed if there were no moe might suffice for the matter wee speake of They can surely be no friendes to the Queenes Maiestie and the State and so consequently not to themselues y t refuse in publike with other continually to pray for the prosperitie and good of her Highnesse and the State c. The last point is the Church of God and our christian brethren Countriemen others amongst whō we liue Unto whom I thinke there is no man doubteth but we ought to haue a charitable regard and like respect to our liuing honestly among thē Now what charitable regard is that to refuse in so holy as Church actions bee to ioyne with the Church where wee liue to 〈◊〉 from giuing publike testimonie of our faith and religion shewing our selues to the worlde in so doing to be of no religion And so by example to offende many wayes and many men the strong the weake the faithfull the vnbeleeuers c. When of dutie wee shoulde not onely auoide that but euery way 〈◊〉 all namely one another in all godlinesse and honestie vpon paine of Gods displeasure keepe entertaine and testifie by all meanes the vnitie we haue with Christes Churche which thinges are singularly perfourmed by vs in haunting Churche assemblies Let vs keepe the profession of our hope saith the Apostle without wauering for hee is faithfull that promised let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes not forsaking the fellowship that we haue among our selues as the maner of some is c. Though this be an ample matter and might very easily bee waded in at large yet
I content me with this sūmall and short declaration thereof When marriages are to be made and celebrated children to be baptized c where and how shall this and the like be honestly and orderly perfourmed and doone if wee refuse church assemblies here It were not hard to runne ouer all this authours nine reasons to turne thē all on the aduersaries owne head As to giue example for infection and the danger thereof which they cannot be free from that abstaine from comming to Church here lying open to the enimie of our saluation and so not in danger to be infected only but by the Diuels infection and poyson vtterly consumed and destroyed also for explanation and tryall whēreof marke the nature power and propertie of the Diuell with whome wee poore wretches haue to deale Marke on the other side the nature of preaching the Gospel namely marke that our Sauiour Christe speaking to Ierusalem expresseth it to bee How often would I haue gathered thy childrē together as the henne doeth her chicken vnder her wings and yee woulde not and consider what danger of the Puttock and Kyte the little chickin bee in not being vnder the Hennes winges vpon this clucking and calling Againe marke what danger the sheepe be in of the theefe and of the woolfe if either they runne astray out of the folde or bee not dayly fedde and lookt vnto by the vigilaunt Pastour and Minister of Gods holy worde c. And it will not be harde to finde out how necessarie it is for vs dayly and often to come to the Church to heare the preaching of the gospel to receiue the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper c. And how hurtfull the abstaining therefrom is vnto vs. Ywts if Poperie and Popith religion if ignorant sir Johns had but halfe as much to alleadge out of Gods boke the holy scriptures yea but a cloke and coulor for their mumpsimus 〈◊〉 seruice and abhominable masse and for their blasphemous sacrificing priesthood as we haue for our holy assemblies the preaching ministerie of the Gospell by faythfull Pastors in the Church at this day they would brag mightily and triumph But thankes be vnto God they haue not somuch as one cleere syllable ne yet hardly any pretence We beare what our Sauiour Christ saith blessed are they that heare the word of god keep it c Tel vs you if you can what he saith for hearing masse and Popish seruice The other Reasons of offence of note to distinguish and know our religion by of schisme participation c might bee dealt in and the like sayd thereof as in the first of perill of infectiō But heere I leaue y t to the Christian Readers consideration especially seeing this argument is at large entreated of by diuerse godly learned in their writings I pray God all we his people her Maiesties subiectes referring things to the right ende may better then hitherto vse to our saluation these comfortable meanes of Church assemblies that we may reape plentifull profit by hearing the worde preached c. and not sticke in outwarde ceremonies or doing of thinges for a fashion which is but too common in the worlde and the redresse hardly compassed howbeit let vs not flatter our selues God hath dealt mercifully with vs and her maiestie hath not onely cleered her selfe herein towards vs but greatly deserued at our handes also so as al the fault is and resteth in our selues alone and the matter will be but badly answered before God another day if we looke not to it in time I am not ignorant that the enemie wil cauil herevpon but meerely cauill indeede as is easie to bee seene in the rest without all good ground So as he can hardely deceiue any but such as offer themselues willingly to be deceiued But I respect as I sayd others besides the enemie If there be any found in this Church and reformation some defect As what church is pure from all spottes liuing in this world vpon the earth yet the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of Christes Sacraments concerning the substance being kept hole and the desire and meaning not being to nourishe and maintaine any vngodlines abuse c contrary to the Scriptures but according to thmeasure of faith and knowledge geuen of God as oportunitie may serue to reforme and redresse the same There is no cause or reason why we should leaue the communion with the church or leese the benefites offered vnto vs in the same by the preaching of the Gospell and the administration of the Sacraments without neuerthelesse allowing in this our ioyning with the Church any abuses or deuises of men or their additions which through ignorance and imperfection that yet remaine euen in Gods churche too easily crepe in One of these extremities will the diuell our common enemie assay to bring vs vnto if he can And we haue great cause and neede to looke about vs and to take heede of his slightes on both sides And herein not to dissentble or to flatter with those of authoritie and publike charge as is her maiestie and those of the state here But to begin with them with al reuerence and dutifull consideration and their good accepcation I doubt not I am bolde vnder correction to say that for the training vp of vs their people in Gods true religion it is their partes in matters of Gods Kingdome and Christian Religion to looke narrowly and well to their proceeding and doing to trye and examine the same by the touch of Gods holy word as well on the parte of the churche Ministers and ministerie as the rest of Church gouernment that all to Gods glory may answer the paterne set downe in his written worde They pray I ani sure as wel as we dayly at our heauenly maisters commandements Hallowed beethy name Thy kingdome come Thy will bee done in earth as it is in heauen They haue not therfore to content themselues if the matter be wel marked with a beginning or halfe a reformation of that is amisse such as may please man but godly wisely and zealously to aduance by the worde of God and continually to set forwarde the worke begunne and not to leaue be weery geue ouer or rest in y t they haue once aduised or thought of till the whole by their Godly care and trauaile bee so purged and fined with the fire of Gods worde as is vnto his heauenly will correspondent and most agreeable At least if they cānot or do not y t same at the first at once they haue more and more daylie to contend to bring their woorke to that passe which thing is with great affection and hope longed and looked for at their hands and not only wished and desired but earnestly hartely prayed for also by al the godly Rome they are wont to say was not built in a day but howe much more iustly may y t be verified in y t spirituall building vp of G O D his