the apple but will giue him leaue to take away the worme before he eate the apple euen so now the Catholickes doe inuite vs to eate of the fruict of their Catholicke Religion wherein lyeth a worme which is the Popish superstitiō yea euen the Papacie it selfe let them then take out the worme or suffer vs to take it out and then we will not refuse to eate of that fruict that is offered Moreouer the Reformed Religion is no other but the auncient Catholicke such as it was from the time of the Apostles vnto the Nicene Councell and differeth not frō the Catholicke at this day but in thinges contrary to Gods word brought in since the said Councell as is the Popes domination repugnant to the doctrine of the Gospell taught by the mouth of Iesus Christ and S. Peter which forbid the vsurping of dominatiō ouer the Lordes inheritaunce and of other the consequences of the Papacie as are the superstitions which haue borne sway since the said Councell and were brought in immediatly after the same and since haue bene augmented and vpholden vnder the Papacie I say that if his Maiestie would so greatly benefite his Realme equitie would require that it might be done by the consent of the Reformed plaintifs being called and freely heard This one question will I propound why our Lord among his Apostles would not haue one greater then an other also wherefore he hath expressely forbidden them to vsurpe dominion whereto I aunswere that his intent was they should be subiect to Ciuill dominiō as the Priesthood of Aaron was subiect to the Iudiciall seate of Moses And wherefore We know that somtime there fall out superstitiōs which are to be Reformed in the Church as was that of the brasen serpent in the time of Ezechias and Idolatries in the dayes of Iosias and such if the kinges doe suffer the Lord will call them to accompt for them and making them accomptable it is also reason he should giue them power to correct and that this power should not be in subiection to the Bishops So did Ezechias and Iosias bring into the Church of Israell such a Reformation as we craue in Fraunce neither therein depended they vpon the high Priests but as hauing dominion commaundeth the high Priestes to breake the Idols and to purge the Temple neither needed they to call any Councell for the determining of those matters but did with all speede set hand to that businesse to the end to take away the euill so soone as they knew of it But at this day the Kings and Princes of Europe in stead of mainteining their authoritie which God hath giuen them doe referre them selues to the Pope and the Pope to the Councell of Trent which hath rather empaired then amēded their affaires Thus do they as it were seeke Phisicke after a man is dead And the contempt of the Priuiledges which God hath giuen them hath brought their Realmes and dominions into trouble namely Fraunce where as had the king mainteined the authoritie which Iesus Christ attributeth to kings and following the example of Ezechias had Reformed the superstitions of the Church his kingdome had bene in peace yea had he employed the forces which the League hath employed against him selfe in the recouerie of those countries which his predecessours haue lost he might haue recouered them or obteined a new crowne Thus much more will I also say that in case his Maiestie would vndertake the cōpassing of that which we propound he should not neede to feare the threates of the League which how loude so euer it speake should soone be glad to say litle yea and those that now dare face his Maiestie should scarse find dēnes enough wherein to hide thē selues There is nothing to hinder the king following the course of this aduise from atchieuing by reason that which if he labour to cōquere by the sword he will with great difficultie bring to passe And surely he hath but bad counsell that will put him selfe into bondage whē he may go free Iesus Christ freeth our kings from the Popes yoke submitteth thē to him selfe onely they will not be tributaries to the Emperour yet stoope to his creature Such as are in bondage seeke to purchase libertie but our kings buy bōdage yea and that very dearely some with great treasures that are transported to Rome other with much bloudshed of their subiectes destruction of their countreis trouble of their estates for the Popes haue troubled many Kinges and Emperours against whom they haue bent themselues euen to the treading vpon their throates and vttering contumelious speaches comparing them to Dragons Aspics and Basillickes others they molest by stirring vp their neighbours against them and others haue bought their bondage with the price of their scepters and crownes whom the Popes haue shut vp into Cloisters and deposed from their thrones neither haue the kinges onely but also all France bought this bondage very deare and with much bloudshed O France thou art named France of thy freedome but thou shalt neuer befree vntill thou freest thy selfe from the yoke of the sclaue of sclaues who keepeth thee bound in the bondage of conscience and perpetuall trouble of thine estate Pope Gregorie sought to make his Papacie famous by the correction of the Kalēder wherein he forgat that which should be the principall in a Kalender which is to make it begin with an Equinoctiall or a Solstice but admit he did very well yet was this correction a matter of small importance in respect of the correction of such superstitions as trouble the whole state of Christendome at this day whereupon I say that the king might make a farre more famous and necessarie correction videl by correcting the superstitiōs that are repugnant both to the conscience estate so celebrate the memory of his kingdome with a farre more excellēt Character then Pope Gregory hath done yea and that after the imitation of those that haue bene better qualified in Gods word then euer was Pope Gregorie namely Ezechias and Iosias who were the Reformers of the Church Manasses also though first a deformer yet after also Reformer likewise S. Paule in the beginning a persecuter and destroyer of the Church yet after a builder of the same and still it lyeth in Gods power to raise vp such The League weeneth to haue brought the king to that stay as to set foote vpon his throat by laying of snares for him at Paris and driuing his faithfullest seruaunts from about him They thinke to make their accompt to doe all that they may say all that they dare and imagine all that they lust but all are not out of hart that doe dissemble The League purposed to muffle vp the French with the Spanish Inquisition but the Frenchmens neckes are not fit for such a yoke The French naturally and for the most part hath his harte at his tongues and that is to say is open free and without colour not
subiectes and to other Princes and people about you by ministring vnto them such vvicked impressions by their secret sclaunders It is a goodly matter to knovv vvhom to trust and vvhom to take heede of neither vvonder I but at one thing vvhich is that the Sorbonistes hauing afore time denounced a Pope an hereticke that the Clergie haue not as yet declared this a schismaticke for raising so great a schisme in Europe but especially for stirring vp the subiectes against their king in Fraunce I vvill not any further dilate vpon these matters vvhich are sufficiently knovven to your Maiestie and Kinges loue breuitie I haue no more to say but to pray vnto the Lord to blesse and prosper your Crovvne and to make your scepter to sprout florishe and bring forth fruict as he did those of Ezechias and Iosias From London this 12. of December 1588. Your Maiesties most humble obedient and faithfull subiect Iohn Fregeuille of Gaut AN APOLOGIE FOR THE GENERAL CAVSE OF REFORMATION AGAINST THE SCLANDERS OF THE POPE AND THE LEAGVE THE I. TREATISE POore is that garden wherin there groweth but one hearbe and wretched is that orchard that yeldeth but one kinde of fruict But the excellencie of that orchard which God him selfe planted in the beginning of the world hath he declared in causing it to bring forth all kinde of fruicts euen the tree of knowledge of good and euill and the tree of life albeit our selues now haue God be praysed a more excellent orchard then that which yeldeth such fruict as is more pretious rich pleasant and in excellencie without comparison This our orchard is planted in the garden plot of new Ierusalem and yet we neede not to clime the heauens to dresse it or to eate the fruicts thereof For this Ierusalem is discended out of heauen so that we may vpon earth be conuersant therein but with a spirituall and heauenly conuersation This our orchard is the orchard of Gods word wherein among all other fruicts which with infinite diuersitie do grow therein we may also finde the tree of good and euill which is the law and the tree of life For the law is a tree of knowledge of good euill because thereby we may discerne the good from the bad as S. Paule sheweth where he saith that by the law we haue the knowledge of sinne And as for the the Gospell who can denie it to be the tree of life euen of life euerlasting and our selues do know that in sundry parts of this new Citie is planted that tree of life which beareth twelue fruicts according to the twelue seasons of the yeare whose leaues do serue for the health of the Gentiles Now when a gardener or any other that enioyeth the fruicts of a garden purposeth to feast his frendes he presenteth them not with one onely sorte of fruict albeit he iudge it to be the best but offereth them sundry kindes so to pleasure them with the choise knowing that there is as great diuersitie in the tastes as in the kindes and that it is recreation to iudge of varietie of tastes because varietie delighteth But they which purpose to entertaine the guestes at the mariage of the lambe must likewise out of the Lordes gardens chose sundry fruicts wherewith to content the bridegromes friendes and to satisfie the diuersitie of their tastes or iudgements according to which rule haue we out of this heauenly orchard gathered fruicts admonitorie instructiue Deuine and Politicke which are sundry reasons of diuers sortes whereof some be admonitorie others instructiue some Deuine and others Politick as hauing respect to the diuers iudgementes of men of whom some may be led and kept in awe with simple admonition where others require somewhat of greater force for their better instructions and vnto such must be exhibited reasons instructiue Others there are likewise of Mary Magdalenes disposition such as chose the better part to whom we must propound reasons Theologicall others againe do resemble Martha whose hartes are set vpon the affaires of this world to those must we deliuer reasons of Pollicie and after the example of S. Paule giue milk to such as can not brook any other foode and stronger meat to those that haue stronger stomacke Neither are Politick reasons vtterly to be disdained sith God him selfe vouchsafed to establish a Politicke gouernement in Israell as well as to instruct the consciences And if any person be vncapable of higher matters and neuerthelesse may be brought by Politicke reasons to doe his duetie why shall we forbeare to instruct him by such reasons as he is most capable of And therefore haue we forborne nothing that we haue thought might seeme to induce men to the knowledge of the truth and the performance of their dueties yea we are perswaded that we haue brought a fruict of no small consequence to all Europe in that we shew by reasons aswell Deuine as Politick that the truth whereof we here entreat is both fit for the conscience and commodious to the state which neuerthesse is a matter contrary to the opinions of many who haue accoumpted the truth to be in deede conuenient to the conscience but hurtfull to the state and the reason that led them so to iudge was because they iudged but slenderly of matters depending vpon the truth which notwithstanding do no lesse mainteine Pollicie in the generall estate of a people then conscience in the person of euery Christian and therefore we will deuide this present Treatise into two partes whereof the one shall be discussed by reasons Theologicall the other by reasons Politicall which Treatise we do name The Reformed Politick because that in the same we doe mainteine Reformation for the most part by Politick reasons albeit we hope shortly to second it with Deuine concerning Church gouernement to the end to strengthen that part which seemeth the weaker albeit of it selfe it be strong enough Nothing in the olde serpent is more ancient then lying whereof he is the father neither is there any thing more familiar to Satan then sclander whereupon he is called the Deuill that is a sclanderer The obiect also of his sclander is no other thē God and his Church for vpō what reason should he sclander his owne so should he oppose him selfe against him selfe and worke his owne destruction so as his kingdome could not stand But he is not ashamed to sclander God and to gainesay his worde for when God said to Adam Thou shalt dye the death he feared not to contrary him saying No you shall not dye the death so that albeit this speach of Satan was not in euery respect contradictorie to Gods yet was it his intent to gainsay God For the meaning of Gods words stretched to the eternall death whereof man made him selfe guiltie the selfe same day that he transgressed Gods commandement but Satan aymed onely at the bodily death neither imagined he that God had spoken of any
equall with him selfe I say then that the Ecclesiasticall dignities haue place euen to the highest but not vniuersall which vsurpeth dominion euen ouer kinges yea so farre forth as to dispose of their scepters and crownes and I will proue my saying thus The high Priesthood of Aaron was subiect to the iudgemēt seat of Moses and the kingdome of Iuda Also in the law which God set downe there was no Priesthood aboue the kinges and that by reason of the law sith that vnder the principalitie of Moses there was a high Priesthood therfore it followeth that vnder euery Christian soueraigne principalitie there should be a chief Bishop yet not so as to acknowledge any vniuersall Bishop Sith also that Iesus Christ would not ordeine any to be greatest among the Apostles it followeth that there ought not to be the greatest among the chief And Iesus Christ forbiddeth his Apostles to vsurpe dominion the vniuersall Bishopricke is therfore no lawfull order but a cōfusion engēdred by Babell If any mā will alledge the pretended donation of Constantine the great I aunswere that many impugne it as false besides that a couenant cā not be of any force to abuse or to vse it cōtrary to good maners as the Pope striueth to vphold superstition repugnant to all good maners and true godlinesse yea the ingratitude of the receauer of the donation maketh the donation voyde but the Popes haue practised all ingratitude against the Emperors procuring their subiectes many times to rebell prescribing their Empires working their deathes betraying of them as Fredericke Barbarossa was betrayed to the Turke and treading vpon their throates with such other ingratefull insolencies Againe the Emperour hath no authoritie in Fraunce he can not then giue the Pope any there In Fraunce Constantines authoritie is vnknowen neither doth any man giue that which he hath not nor can transferre any further right then his own But if he beare him selfe vpon the authoritie of Doctors I will alledge one Doctour euen S. Gregory who saith that the first that shall take vpon him to be vniuersall Bishop shall be the forerunner of Antichrist If they alledge the Coūcels I answere that some of them haue improued the Popes authoritie albeit some others assembled by the Popes driftes and practises haue approued it And admit the Councels had without contradiction approued it yet let vs looke whether their Decrees be grounded vpō Gods word for in that case we must obey them as also if they be not contrary to Gods word But Iesus Christ expressely forbiddeth such dominion then may no Councell authorise it For S. Paule saith that he may doe nothing contrary to the truth how then shall the Councels be of force against Christes expresse prohibition Againe in Fraunce the king hath the Ciuill dominion and the Parliamentes haue no dominion but the iurisdictiō likewise in England the Queene hath the dominion and the Bishops the Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction But the authoritie which the Pope vsurpeth is a dominion which exalteth it selfe aboue kinges and therefore by Gods word expresly forbidden Thus hath the Pope no right neither any colour in Gods word neither is there any king or prince by Gods word subiect vnto him no not so much as any chief Bishop that is bound to acknowledge him But all kinges and soueraigne princes may in their kingdomes and principalities establish chief Bishops after the maner and example of England I haue before shewed that the state of the Clergie is no cause of our separation from those whom in Fraunce we call Catholickes and therefore the abuse may be thought to be the cause but it is not for there is no gouernement wherein there may not be abuse but the abuse simply it not sufficient cause of schisme We know that there was neuer any more excellent gouernement then the same which God established yet did the childrē of Hely the high Priest cōmit great abuses defiling the women appointed to watch the tabernacle against the peoples willes and contrary to the custome established in the law chusing such meates as they liked in the Priestes kettles The people cōplained hereof yet made they no schisme as in deede they ought not and now if we were to complaine of the Catholickes but for their simple abuses we should haue no cause to make any schisme well might we haue occasion to cōplaine yet not therefore to separate our selues It may be thought also that ceremonies are the cause of our separation from the Catholickes yet are they not so howbeit I make great difference betweene ceremonies and superstitions for superstition is forbidden by Gods word so are not ceremonies for there be three kindes of simple ceremonies one Legall an other Euangelicall and the third indifferent yet not contrary to the word of God The Legall are abolished as concerning the letter but doe remaine as concerning the spirite cōsidering that their truth is eternall abideth for euer as the word of God The Euangelicall as the Sacraments are necessarie And others there are which be indifferent as not forbiddē by the word of God for the which one should not condemne an other The same are such as are vsed in sundry Reformed places as in Englād Switzerland and els where In which ceremonies the Reformed faithfull ought to haue respect to modestie one to beare with an other according to the rule of S. Paul who saith Let not him that eateth not despise him that eateth and he that eateth let him not reproue him that eateth not that is to say let not one condemne an other True it is that there be foolish and trifling ceremonies as in Baptisme to put the spatle of the Priest into the childes mouth when as sometimes the Priest shall be halfe a lazare halfe rotten and haue rotten teeth or a stincking or corrupt breath which can not but be daungerous for the child and therefore vpon so villanous a custome the father may sometimes take occasion not to cleaue thereto as also there be garments which being worne vpon any signification and for distinction in callinges are ceremonies but if we attribute any vertue vnto them they be superstition The cause thē of our separation cōsisteth not in the state of the Clergie neither in the abuses nor in the ceremonies but in the superstition Superstition do I call all worshipping of false Gods false worshipping of the true God or euery worship contrary to the word of God As for the word superstition it is a Latin word and may be taken diuerslly It may be takē for that which in Latin is called Superstitum parentatio that is to say the suruiuours funerals there hence transferring it to any other false worship or rather super statutū cultum extranea prophana adiectio taking super in stead of praeter or contra which signifieth all worship that is added besides the same which God hath established The Greekes do call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the worshipping
chastitie and such like and the same will breed his destruction I confesse that Gods word admitteth Ecclesiasticall dignities eueÌ„ to the soueraignetie after the order of Iethro but it admitteth not any domination of an vniuersall Bishop neuerthelesse if there were no controuersie but the degree yea and albeit there were some abuses yet might it be borne but seing it mainteineth such superstitioÌ„s as are directly repugnant to Gods word for the same tyraÌ„niseth the faithfull it can not be borne neither can we doe better then to abandon it as the enemy to Christ and his truth yet doe I say that albeit he will renounce all superstitions yet ought not the faithfull to be bound to obey him for no man can lay vpoÌ„ the faithfull the yoke which the Lord hath not layd vpon them but I say that this degree were more tolerable then the superstitions which are the doctrines of deuils But to omit all matter of Religion and conscience and to come to the state wherefore serueth the Papacie but to trouble the state of Kings Princes It hath put the King of Spaine to great charges and made him buy a reproch very deare It hath made him to arme him selfe to take a fall and to stoope vnder a womans arme It maketh him to mainteine an Inquisition which is but a Popish tyranny and can not but breed his destruction But what good hath he done in Fraunce in causing the subiectes to enter League against their king yea and arming the king against him selfe for by destroying his Reformed subiectes what doth he destroy but him selfe And had the king employed those forces against others that he hath employed against him selfe he might with honour haue purchased an other kingdome as great as his owne and now haue bene at peace where he is still in trouble I say that the king hath seemed to fight against him selfe but not properly the king him selfe but the League For the king is a good Prince but the League hath against his will wrought matters to his hinderance Againe for what serueth the Papacie in Fraunce but to suck vp her treasures Fraunce would not be tributarie to the Emperour yet doth she pay tribute to the Empire in the Popes person who is but a creature of the Empire Vpon what reason are men to goe to Rome to decide Ecclesiasticall causes as if in France there were no man capable of such decisions If those of Rome be better why cause we them not to come into Fraunce but must still be at new charges to goe to Rome Nay why be not our Parliaments also traÌ„slated froÌ„ France to Rome peraduenture the Romaines may be more capable to decide Ciuill causes then the FrenchmeÌ„ or sith the Pope hath the honor to decide the Ecclesiastical causes we might giue the Emperour the deciding of the Ciuill but if the French be skilfull enough to decide Ciuill matters they caÌ„ wel enough shift with Ecclesiasticall if neede require But what doth the Papacie for the French Clergie but ouerthrow them by making them sell their temporalties wast their reuenues to enrich the League staruing them selues in vayne about rooting out the Reformation The Clergie warreth vpon me as a professour of Reformation but I pitie them seing how the Pope entangleth them and the League deuoureth them to the very bones How long is it since Christes Vicar became a Turke to seeke to mainteine his Religion by the sword And of all these foolish driftes the people smarteth most by encurring infinite losses and ouerthrowes vpon a foolish fansie that the Pope hath taken to ouerthrow Reformation with the sword I pray you if Reformation should haue bene ouerthrowen with the sword could one handfull of people haue stood these 28. yeares in Fraunce could they yet haue borne out if God had not holden them vp considering how oft they haue bene assaulted and as oft circumuented But who euer went about to roote out Reformation once planted in his countrie and hath not laboured in vayne Onely the Prince of Parma who thinketh to haue florished â—olily in the Low Countries but euery blossome becommeth not fruict neither will his stalke make any sheffe wherewith to enrich the garner Two thinges will ouerthrow him The one for that he hath banished Reformation the other because he hath hardly entreated the Catholickes by destroying their country boores as propounding this marke principle that better is a wast country theÌ„ a lost yet shall we see him leaue that which he hath gotten yea glad if he scape with his skinne This is a punishment that God hath inflicted vpon Spaine for persecuting the faithfull with the Inquisition that she might haue bene rich with the spoiles of the IndiaÌ„s had she not wasted them vpon the molesting of the Low Countryes If the kinges Parliaments were entangled in the Emperours handes he would employ all his power to recouer them and his Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction being snared in the Popes hand he laboureth not to recouer it the cause whereof seemeth to be onely because the setting them free may cost him nothing for he neede doe no more but forsake the Pope as the English Dutch haue done neither shall he be able to opeÌ„ his mouth and aske why doe you so True it is that the Popes estate is hurtfull and ruinous but it is not hurtfull to any but to those that be his partakers It is hurtfull to the king of Spaine in putting him to great charges and foolish expenses for nothing and to Fraunce in setting the whole state in trouble But what harme hath it done to England to the Reformed partes of Germanie or to Suitzerland it hath spit his venome bnt vpon his owne faction forsake him and he can hurt you no more True it is that at this time it seemeth hard to forsake the Pope because of the power of the League but giue ouer the League and let the King and Clergie abandon it and you shall soone see both League Papacy come to naught And I know though it stay a while that this will be the end of the game when all is done the League must vnleague it selfe and it will neuer vnleague it selfe but with the Popes destruction The Popes combat against the light of the Gospell witnessed by the Martirs and Reformed hath resembled the battell betweene the moth the candle which burneth first her winges and then her feete so as she can not leaue the game before she be wholy burnt So hath the Pope singed his winges in England Germanie and Suitzerland and can not but continue the game by the League vntill the whole body of the Papacie be burned you would say that the Pope and the moth are both sprong out of one double yolked egge they doe so resemble in their fight Thus much I will say that when the Martirs complained of the superstitions if the Pope had had any care to satisfie their complaintes his kingdome might haue continued But he
persecuted them and so lost his credit in the places aforenamed yea now had the remnant of his kingdome bene peaceable had he not stirred vp the League he thought by the League to cōfound Reformation and vndoubtedly it will be his destruction For the Christian kinges shall therby perceaue that he is a fisher for Eeles who seeketh to fish onely in pudle water and can not forbeare troubling the whole estate of Europe France shall know by experience that which the Reformed could neuer with all the eloquence of Demosthenes and Cicero haue perswaded that is that the Popes estate is ruinous to the people in making them in vayne to wast the money goods persons both of the Clergie people not caring for others daūgers so as he may bring his purpose to passe and this foreiudgemēt can not but at lēgth procure the Popes ouerthrow which he hath found in thinking to ouerthrow Reformation neither is there Pope Emperour or King that seeketh the destruction of the truth but destroyeth him selfe If kinges could well consider this point they would neuer make such hast with their owne harmes to bend thēselues against the truth which if euer it tooke place it is now in this periode wherein Iesus Christ will raigne and destroy euery kingdome that shall withstand him which is a song quite repugnant to the League Hitherto it hath seemed that to get dominion they neede no more but turne their backes to Christ but now the case doth alter But is not this wonderfull that so soone as Iesus Christ shewed him selfe to be the Lambe that should take away the sinnes of the world the Wolues with their gluttonous nature haue come to deuoure him and at their approch haue founde him to haue the pawes of a Lyon as being the Lyon of Iuda What may this meane if he be a Lambe how cōmeth it to passe that he hath the pawes of a Lyon or if he be a Lyon why beareth he the shape of a Lambe O my friend he is a Lambe yet armed with the Lyons pawes to rent in peeces the wolues that would deuour him Well let vs a litle more nearely consider the Popes goodly effectes he hath armed him selfe with the Councell of Trent as with a Trident or 3. tyned forke to play Neptune to commaund the waters He hath shipped his Trident in the Spanish Galiasses the South winde would not acknowledge this new Neptune but scattered his Galiasses and brake his Trident so as he hath but the handle left that would he now make a scepter wherewith to play Iupiter vpon earth in Fraunce seing he could not compasse to be a Neptune vpon the sea But his Tridents handle is no longer fit for ought but to make a hatchet steale wherewith to hew out a chariot to march in more magnificently but this chariot will proue Phactons chariot and shortly vtterly ouerthrow his holynesse The League likewise will be I say the destruction of both Pope and Papacie which I will proue by two reasons one because thereby the Kinges Clergie and Commons may to their costes learne the hurte that they take by the Popes yoke and experience teacheth those thinges which Rhetoricke was neuer able to perswade An other because the effectes of the League haue hitherto bene very vayne and vnprofitable and will be hereafter so as finally the League must breake without working any effect and it can not breake but with the Popes ruine But who will hereafter giue eare to the Popes Councels knowing them to be so pernitious as by this League they doe appeare In it hath he deceaued him selfe by employing his coyne vpon the purchase of his owne destruction for it is most certaine that the breaking vp of the League is the Popes ouerthrow it will not be lōg before he shall stand in neede of the peeces therof He hath also deceaued the Leaguers by procuring them to make great leuies wherewith to purchase mightie disgraces for nothing He hath deceaued the Cardinall of Bourbō by feeding him with a vayne hope of the crowne of France albeit he purposed to bestow the Crowne vpō a more factious person then he he deceaued the king in labouring him to roote out the Reformation to the end afterward with more ease and without controllmēt to lay hands vpō him selfe and send him into some Monasterie so to substitute an other at his deuotiō And he hath deceaued the Clergy by causing them to wast both demaines reuenues in vayne and finally he hath beguiled the people in bringing them into great calamities of warre promising them peace performing nothing but warre But the Reformed could he not deceaued for they trusted him not To be brief he hath deceaued but him self those that are his But who cā imagine that God will blesse the Popes cause who termeth him selfe Christes Vicare and yet fighteth with fraude and perfidie with treason and poyson to vphold superstitions against pietie falshood against truth and the doctrine which S. Paule termeth the doctrine of deuils against the pure and sound doctrine of Iesus Christ Most certaine it is that the League is a conspiracie of the Pope against the crowne and state of Fraunce also that the Popes haue still euen of old practised to be reuenged as well of the French Kinges as of the Clergie for the Pragmaticall Sanction and of long time haue cast with them selues how to subdue the Clergie to their domination as being very sorie that they can not atchieue their purpose and now are glad to make Reformation an argument or pretence whereby to bring their driftes to some issue and therefore the Pope exerciseth the king in procuring him to labour the rooting out of Reformation which is a double weakening of the king For those whō the Reformed in their defences haue slaine hath the king lost and the forces of the Reformed which might greatly strēgthē him are thereby also made vnprofitable yea euē hurtfull vnto him After all this doth the Pope cause the League to giue the king a spurne with the footein Salluce to the end that way also to exercise him and there to employ the rest of his forces that the kings side being thus weakened the strength of the League comming on on the other side they may be assured to doe with him what they list Let the King the Clergie and all Fraunce hardly thinke vpon this point it is of no small consequēce it importeth but euē the whole state of France For my part I will tell you what I thinke all shall be as others list yet am I assured that the successe of things will shewe the right of mine aduise wise men will allow thereof Vnder correctiō I say the king may herein imitate Neptune when he commandeth the windes in Virgill Quos ego sed motos praestat componere fluctus That is he may first appease all Ciuill warres among his owne and then vse his owne against straungers A great rope is
spoken of the whore of Babylon Come forth of her my people least you be made partakers of her woundes and plagues Our Ministers haue vsurped their equalitie prouisionally after the example of the first state of the Apostolicke Church not to intrude them selues to establish a gouernement in a kingdome for it was not Aaron that built the Tabernacle but Moses neither was it the high Priest that built the Temple but Salomon no it was not Aaron that ordeined the Ecclesiasticall gouernement euen in Israell but Moses neither belōgeth it to the pastors to ordeine Ecclesiasticall gouernement but to Princes The pastors duetie is to cause it to be obserued instruct the consciences and also the Princes might do well to cause that which God hath established to be obserued No mā can reproue the Recabites for their austere life in that they would not vse either wine or houses but were content to drinke water to dwell in tentes or tabernacles but had they condemned all that vse wine or houses then had them selues bene condemnable Euen so man can condemne the French Ministers for being content with their equalitie and with litle But if they should cōdemne all that vse Ecclesiasticall dignities Church goods them selues should therein be condemnable neither doe they condemne them S. Paule spared the Church and laboured with his hands yet did he not condēne those that vsed the Church goods which he spared but shewed that that which he did was vpon fauour not of duety as acknowledging the Churches to be poore euē so likewise may a man forsake a benefice offered him yea admonish others to do the like but he may not compell any Other matter doe I not require but that we may be more more circumspect as ioyning discretion with zeale Zeale is a goodly matter and it is good to vowe the harte vnto God but all sacrifice must be seasoned with salt and this sacrifice of our hartie zeal and voluntary oblation must be seasoned with the salt of wisedome and circumspection Hetherto haue I spoken onely of simple ceremonies to shew that they are no cause of our seperation from the Pope because they be of them selues indifferent or at the least tollerable as not being forbidden by Gods word so long as we attribute no vertue of holinesse vnto them For the reasons that moued the Apostles so sore to beate downe the ceremonies of the law was because the people did ground their righteousnesse and merite of workes thereupon yet can not we condemne the Reformed that vse any ceremonies neither the French Ministers because they vse none The French Ministers doe reiect them because they will not retaine any token of the aunciēt Popish superstitiōs whereas others haue still kept some because they wil not seeme to innouate too much either part haue their diuers considerations yet neither contrary nor wicked But this I may say that in these thinges the greatest simplicitie is best but this simplicitie may be moderated hauing respect to such as we are to deale with neither doth circumspection any whit hurt at all And I commende our French Ministers for that albeit they vse none yet they teach them to be thinges tollerable For in deede they are such as no man should be bound vnto except vpō the Princes pleasure who is not to be disobeyed or striuen withall for matters of them selues tollerable for the which we ought not to condemne one an other as we proue by the Apostles wordes where he speaketh of thinges sacrificed to Idols for the which he will not that we should cōdemne but beare one with an other and with all haue a respect to the consciences of the weake For if for the foode that entreth into the body hauing bene sacrificed to heathen Idols we may moue no strife much more should we make none for apparell which concerneth onely a gowne or such like which haue bene vsurped by such as imagined by such superstitious habit to serue God and Christ Now to the Reformed against whom the whole furie of the League is bent They are to suffer yet neede they not greatly to feare for their deliueraunce is at hand And what should they feare the world it is a vanquished monster that is ouercome saith not Iesus Christ Reioyce my little flocke for I haue ouercome the world Shall they then feare least the sclaue of sclaues should ouercome the Lord of Lordes and triumph ouer the king of kinges If the Philistins assaile vs we haue in heauen a mighty and valiant Sampson that will deliuer his people yea such a one as is not subiect to the deceit of a wench Shall we then feare a wench whom we see busie about spinning of lines whereof to make a League to binde our Sāpsons hands feete with a thred of towe League well thy League thou Romish Dalila and presse downe thy knots while our Sampson sleepeth heape League vpon League and corde vpon corde that he escape not for thou must not hope to pull of the haire of our Nazarite whom thou canst not reach Make all safe while he sleepeth for if he begin to wake and so breake thy bondes and vnleague thy League thou shalt see thy Philistins take their carrier after a straunge maner But let vs looke vpon the state of the Church heretofore thereby to be taught hereafter The Israeliticall Church began by shepheards that were captiues in Egypt and came thence triumphantly hauing Princes for their Iudges and afterward Kinges that subdued their neighbours The Christian Church began by the imagined sonne of a Carpenter and grew forward by the poore Apostles of whom the best qualified were fishers who with one hand fished for fish and with the other for men The Romain Emperours their enemies persecuted them so did also the Apostates yet was the Galilean at the last faine to ouercome And the Reformed Church began by poore men whom a marchant of Lyons fed administring vnto them both bodely and spirituall food They haue bene persecuted yet haue they still encreased so as at this day there be Kinges and Princes that accompt them selues honored by this profession and we see Pharao the persecuter of Gods people perished in their deliueraunce The kingdome also of Babylon which had bene the mightiest Empire of the world of largest cōtinuance hauing persecuted the Church is come to an end vnder the deliuerie of Gods people by Cirus And euen so also the Popes kingdome who hath afflicted the faithfull shall shortly cease by the deliuerie of the Reformed True it is that the Pope is not so perswaded but imagineth the contrary because that Daniell teacheth that Antechristes kingdome must continue vntill the day of iudgement the Pope taketh this iudgement to be the end of the world But Daniell speaketh of the iudgement of Babylon which also is the iudgement of Antichrist and to that are we come which began by the bloud of the Martirs shall end by the ruine of the