the fruit therof appeare but reiect it and make it a reproch and cast it away from vs and therfore is it that the Lord doth cast vs away that we are vnwise that we please our selues with our own deuises and follow our owne imaginatiōs and perish because we haue not vnderstanding to heare y e instruction of the Lords word but like ignorant mē disallow it and cast it behinde the backe The consideration hereof moueth mée to say somewhat of the holy Scriptures whyche are the bright Sunne of God whiche bring light vnto our wayes and comforte to all parts of our life and saluation to our soules In whiche is made knowen vnto vs our estate and the mercie of God in Christe our Sauiour witnessed That we may the better sée the path whiche wée haue to walke in my meaning is truely and plainely and shortly to shewe you what Auctoritie and Maiestie the worde of God beareth then what Profite we maye reape by it also howe needeful it is that we be wel instructed in the holy Scriptures and what Pleasure and Delectation a Christian conscience may finde in them and lastle whether they be darke and doubtfull or plaine and easie for youre vnderstanding that when we know the Maiestie and Auctoritie of the worde and what comforte and profitte GOD giueth vs by it we depriue not our selues thereof by oure vnthankefulnesse nor close vp our eyes that we sée it not but heare it in reuerence and in feare that it may be fruitfull in vs and we receiue it not in vaine The Scriptures are the worde of God What title can ther be of greater value what may be said of them to make them of greater auctoritie thā to say The Lord hath spoken them That they came not by the wil of men but holie men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost At the worde or Proclamation of an earthly Prince we stand vppe and vaile our bonnets and giue good eare to it we are bounde so to doe it is oure duetie such honour belongeth to the powers that are placed to rule ouer vs for they are ordained of God And who soeuer resisteth them resssteth the ordinance of God If we shoulde haue a reuelation and heare an Angell speake vnto vs how carefull would we be to marke and remember and be able to declare the words of the Aungel yet is an Aungel but a glorious creature and not God And what is a King greate and mightie yet mortall and subiecte to death creature and not God And what is a King great and mightie yet mortall and subiecte to death His breath departeth and his name shal perishe Bothe he and his worde his power and his puissance shall haue an ende But the word of the Gospell is not as the worde of an earthly Prince It is of more Maiestie than the word of an Angel The Apostle sayeth If the worde spoken by Aungels was stedfaste and euerie transgression disobediēce receiued a iust recompence of rewarde how shall wee escape if wee neglecte so great saluation whiche at the firste beganne to bee preached by the Lorde and was confirmed vnto vs by them that hearde him God saith by the Prophet Esay My word shal accomplish that whiche I will and it shal prosper in the thing whereto I sent it And the same Prophet saith The worde of God shall stand for euer And It is more easie that Heauen and Earth passe awaie than that one title of the Lawe shoulde faile sayth our fauiour For it is the worde of the liuing and almightie God of the God of Hostes whyche hathe done whatsoeuer pleased him bothe in heauen and in earth By thys worde he maketh hys will knowen I haue not spoken of my selfe sayeth Christe but the Father whiche sente mee gaue mee a commaundemente what I shoulde saye and what I shoulde speake And againe If I hadde not come and spoken vnto them they shoulde not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sinne No man hath séene God at any time He is inuisible no eie can reach vnto him The onelye begotten sonne whyche is in the bosome of hys Father he hath declared him he hathe shewed vs the throne of grace that wée may seeke for mercie and finde grace in time of néede he hath disclosed vnto vs the will of his father He hath lefte vnto vs and ordained that we should heare his holy worde Thys word the Angelles and blessed spirits vsed when they came down from Heauen to speake vnto the people when they came to the blessed Uirgine and to Ioseph and to others they spake as it was written in the Prophetes and in the Scriptures of God they thought not their owne auctoritie sufficient but they tooke credite to theyr saying and auctoritie to their message oute of the worde of God This Worde the Prophetes vouched and alleadged to the people Albeit they were sanctified in their mothers wombe albeit God had endued them with his heauenly spirite although a Seraphin came vnto one of them and touched his mouth with a hote coale albeit he sawe the Lorde sitting vpon an high throne yet they woulde not speake as of themselues but onelye in the name of the Lord for thus they vsed to say The Lord hath spoken this is the worde of the Lorde Heare what the Lorde saith Sainct Paule albeit hée was taken vppe into the third Heauen and into Paradise and hearde wordes that are not lawefull for man to vtter yet he wrote not his owne words to the Churches of Rome of Corinth and Thessalonica and of other places but deliuered which had receiued and taught them according to the Scriptures This word is the true Manna it is the bread which came downe from Heauen it is the key of the kingdom of heauen it is the sauour of life vnto life it is the power of God vnto saluation In it God sheweth vnto vs hys mighte hys wisedome and his glorie By it he wil be knowen of vs. By it he will be honored of his creaturs Whatsoeuer truth is brought vnto vs contrarie to the word of God it is not truth but falsehoode and errour whatsoeuer honour done vnto God disagréeth from the honor required by his worde it is not honour vnto God but blasphemie As Christ saith In vaine they worship me teaching for doctrines mens precepts By Esay God saith Who required this at your hands And by Ieremie I spake not vnto your Fathers nor commaunded them when I brought them out of the lande of Aegipt concerning burnt offerings Sacrifices But this thing commaunded I them saying obey my voice and I will bee your God and yee shall be my people and walke yee in all the wayes whiche I haue commaunded you that it may bee well vnto you Againe What is the Chaffe to the Wheate saith the Lord What are your dreames to be weighed with the truth of God Search the
preserue from hir royall seate and teareth the Crowne from hir head it dischargeth all vs hir naturall Subiectes from all due obedience it armeth one side of vs against an other it emboldeneth vs to burne to spoile to robbe to kill and to cutte one an others throate it is much like that boxe which Pandora sente to Epimetheus full of hurtefull and vnholesome euilles Are you desirous to heare it it gréeueth me to disclose and your godlye eares will hardely abide his vnséemely spéeches Yet séeing hée hathe written them and hathe conueyed hys Copies thereof to worke the mischiefe hée hath enteÌ„ded I may the better rehearse them vnto you if withall your discreation prouide to season them with the feare of God and with due obedience vnto our dread Soueraigne vsing these two as the holesome meale of Elizeus to preserue from infection in the tasting of these wilde gourdes then shall you by this Bul espie out Antichrist euen that man of sinne the sonne of perdition who is exalted aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped The matter is long Pope Pius hathe bestowed some paines in writiting of falshod let vs take some paines to heare the truth But before I lay abroad to your sight the packet of his grosse vntruths and in the dutie of a good Subiect make a true report of that estate wherin we liue as well of religion as of ciuill policie against the slanderous Libel of this man of sinne if otherwise than my wonted manner hathe béene anye harde or sharpe spéeche passe from me or if I speake more particularly of persons liuing and matters well knowen vnto you than may séeme fit for this place I muste desire your pardon séeing the occasion is suche that it driueth me to bée plaine earnest For she is the seruaunt of GOD she is my gratious Lady and dread Soueraigne I haue sworne trueth to hir Maiestie If I knewe there were in mine hart one drop of disloyal bloude towards hir I woulde take my knife and let it out The Title is Sententia declaratoria contra Elizabeth c. A Sentence denouÌ„ced against Elizabeth our noble and renowmed Queene whom God hath mercifully apointed to rule ouer vs in place of hir noble Progenitours A Sentence is the conclusion of Iudgement and the ende of controuersies wherein manye thinges are to bée considered that the Iudge bée competent also graue and sober and wise and vpright that he call the partie and examine the cause and weigh the circumstances and haue conference with the learned that then vpoÌ„ great aduise and duâ— proofes setting all affection aside and hauing God onelye before his eyes he open his mouth and pronounce sentence Nowe if the Iudge be a partie or haue no iurisdiction ouer them whome he iudgeth and therefore bée not a competent Iudge if he sende forth no processe kéep no order nor form of iudgement if the party be not called if the matter be not duely examined if the presumption be false if there be no proofes if he beginne where he shoulde end and declare a sentence of his owne affection without the feare of God againste God and against his anointed theÌ„ he is no Iudge his sentence is no sentence but rather a wicked Iudge a corrupt sentence These circumstances are substantiall and being wel considered will make you the better able to iudge of these rash procéedings After this his angry Title his Holinesse hath thought good to shew vs some little of his pretie imagery and maketh Peter stand on the one side with Keyes and a poesie Tibi dabo claues regni coelorum I wil giue the Keyes of the kingdome of Heauen to thee And leaste you shoulde not yet finde whiche is he he is marked Petrus clauiger Peter the Key-bearer Paule is placed on the lefte side with his Sworde his marke is Paulus â—nsifer Paule the Sword bearer and hys circumscription Paulus doctor gentium vas electionis Paule the Doctor of Gentiles and elect vessel and betwéen them both the Popes Armes the triple Myter the Crosse Keyes and sixe Gunne stones so he maketh the two Apostles supporters of his Armes setteth forth himselfe vnder their name and credite As if he should say I sit here in the seate of Peter and Paule euen as did the Pharisees sometimes We are the seede of Abraham Wee are the children of the Prophets We sit in the chaire of Moses But the Apostle warneth vs Such false Apostles are deceitfull workemen and transform themselues into the Apostles of Christ and no maruell for Satan him selfe is transfourmed into an Angell of Light What right hath he to cary Peters Keyes Chrysostome saith Clauisest scientia Scripturarum the Key is the knowledge of the Scriptures and Tertullian an other auntient Writer saith Clauis est expositio legis the Key is the exposition of the Lawe Againe what hathe he to doe wyth Paules Sworde that Sworde wherewith Paule foughte is the word of God which is liuely and mightie in operation and sharper than any two edged Sword and entreth thorough euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the ioints and the marowe and is a discerner of the thoughtes and intentes of the heart Why bringeth he forth Paule wyth his naked Sworde and why maketh hée shewe of Peters Keyes In what Pulpit didde he euer sette foote where hath he opened the Scripturs of God where hath he taught the expositioÌ„ of the law where did he euer fight with the Sword of the spirite the Sworde whiche hée vseth is the Sworde of ambition and of couetousnesse the Sworde of extortion the Sworde of crueltie and tyrannie wherewith he fighteth againste al truth al equitie al honestie It is the Sword of which the Prophet speaketh their tong is a sharp Sword y t Key whiche he beareth is the Key of Error it is the Key of the bottomlesse pit Certainly Christ will say vnto this Keykeeper wo be to thee Scribe and Pharisee hypocrite because thou shuttest vp the kingdome of Heauen before men for thou hast taken away the Key of Knowledge thou hast not entred in thy self them that came in thou forbaddest Let hym therefore leaue to deceiue the worlde any longer vnder the names and by the countenaunce of the Apostles of Christ. S. Hierome sayth it is no easie matter to stand in the place of Peter and Paule to holde the Chaire of them nowe raigning with Christ. And againe he saith Non sunt filij sanctorum qui tenent loca sanctorum they bee not euermore the childreÌ„ of holy meÌ„ which sit in the roomes of holy men Peter was a principall Apostle Paule was a vessel chosen of God to beare his name before the Gentiles and Kinges and the children of Israel Did they send such Buls into the world were they such workers of Treason did they disquiet the Lande by stirring vp ciuill warres verily
the Apostles He saith Christe hathe giuen charge ouer his Church to Peter alone But Ciprian saith Parem tribuit Apostolis omnibus auctoritatem hoc vtique erant caeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari consortio praediti honoris potestatis The Lord gaue vnto his Apostles like power the reste of the Apostles were euen the same that Peter was endewed with like felowship both of honour and of power And Hierome saith Ex aequo super omnes Apostolos Ecclesiae fortitudo solidatur The strength of the Church is foūded equally vpon al the Apostles He addeth further Petrique successori Romano pontifici And to the Bishoppe of Rome Peters Successour This is another vntruth and the cause of al this stir this is it wherefore Peter is set so farre before his fellowes The Pope maketh Peter a rocke the other Apostles small péeplestones to be builte vpon him Peter a Shéepheard y e other Apostles shéep Peter a Schoolemaister the other Apostles his schollers Peter a Giant the other Apostles little Babes And al thys he doth to enfeoff the Pope with that fulnesse of power whervnto he entitleth Peter To proofe whereof M. Harding sayth Nowe wee are not bounde to obey Peter and Paule but him that sitteth in their Chaire This is their Doctrine thus they teache so boldly dare they sette out their blasphemies against God The whole Churche saieth Pope Pius is committed to the Pope alone by the commaundement and worde of God What Apostle or Euangelist euer wrote so where didde Christe at anye time speake of the Pope or of Peters successour or of the Byshoppe of Rome What auntient Counsell what olde Doctor what Father Augustine Ambrose Hierome Chrysostome Basil euer saide that the whole Church was committed to the Pope alone It is not fitte the Pope should draw his owne Charter If no Euangelist nor Apostle no auntient Doctor nor olde Councel wil come in and beare him witnes it is not likely he hath giuen true euidence Yet he saith moreouer In plenitudine potestatis tradidit Christe hath giuen this commission in fulnesse of power This is a fifth vntruth It is wonderfull to sée howe muche they make of this fulnesse of power Abbot Panormitane telleth vs Plenitudo potestatis omnem superat legem positiuam sufficit quod in Papa sit pro ratione voluntas The fulnesse of power passeth all positiue lawe and it is sufficient in the Pope that will stande in steade of reason Durande doth tell vs al Bishoppes are deriued from the Pope as members from the head and all they receiue of hys fulnesse there was a Councell holden at Laterane in Rome vnder Leo the tenth where one Stephanus Patracensis gaue foorth these words In the Pope is al maner of power aboue all powers as well in Heauen as in earth They tell vs that whatsoeuer he doe no man maye presume to saye Domine cur it a facis Sir why doe you so To make an ende of their tales and vaine ambitious claime an other of hys flatterers beareth the world in hand Potest Papa quasi omnia facere quae Deus potest The Pope in a manner may do al things that God may do Nay not so onely saith an other Papa facit quicquid libet etiam illicita est plusquam Deus The Pope dothe whatsoeuer he listeth yea althoughe it be vnlawful and is more than God They saye Hee maketh right wrong and wrong to bee righte at his pleasure Hee maye commaunde Aungels Archaungels Cherubin and Seraphin This is the fulnesse of power whereof they dreame Who would thus presume but that mā of Sin and childe of Perdition let them shew where euer Peter had like fulnesse of power If he neuer hadde it with what face can they require it Ciprian tolde vs Christe gaue like auctoritie to al the Apostles The auctoritie of Peter was suche as the auctoritie of Iohn and of Iames and no otherwise Al the Apostles were the light of the world al were Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secretes of God they al had the same auctoritie and fulnesse which Peter had Extra quam Ecclesiam Roman nulla est salus Without whiche the Churche of Rome there is no saluation That is who liue not vnder the obedience of the Churche of Rome can not be saued No man can be saued without hir Buls and Pardons The Churche of Rome is the Arke of Noah whosoeuer is without it is drowned Subesse Romano Pontifici saith Pope Boniface omni humanae creaturae declaramus dicimus definimus pronuntiamus omnino esse de necessitate salutis Wee declare saye determine and pronounce that it is of the necesitie of saluation for euerie mortall creature to be subiecte to the Bishoppe of Rome If the case were so harde as it is made by hys wordes then it woulde goe amisse with al those Nations and Kingdomes and people whyche beléeue in Christe in Aethiopia India Arabia Africa Asia Graecia Moscouia of whiche some are greater than all Christendome They are not subiecte to the Pope they yéelde no obedience to the Church of Rome Are they al drowned because they bée not within that Arke are they al damned because they know not their good maner to the Bishop of Rome the kingdomes of England Scotlande Denmarke and Sweden the Dukes of Saxonie Brunswicke Wittenberge the Palsegraue of Rheine the Lantgraue of Hessia the Earles and Noble men throughe the whole Countrey of Germanie the infinite number of their people and subiectes many hundred thousandes in Spaine Italie Fraunce Hungarie and in the kingdome of Pole are wythout that Churche and liue not vnder the obedience thereof are they all therefore damned God forbidde the mercie of the Lorde is aboue al hys workes in euerie place who so euer calleth on the name of the Lorde shal bée saued who soeuer trusteth in the Lorde shal not be confounded You may wel recken this for the sixth vntrueth all whyche sixe are made in the compasse of sixe lines Nos nullum laborem intermittimus Wee take paynes we spare no trauell we forsake no labour Alas good man I hadde thought he would haue sayde I was often in perilles of waters in perilles among the Gentiles in perilles in the Sea in wearinesse and painfulnesse in watching often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in colde in nakednesse I hadde thought he woulde haue saide from lerusalem and rounde aboute to Illyricum I haue caused to abounde the Gospell of Christe I haue preached in season and out of season I haue done the work of an Euangelist I haue fought a good fight haue finished my course I made my selfe seruaunte to all menne that I mighte winne the more I am made al things to all menne that I mighte saue some and this doe I for the Gospelles sake He kéepeth him selfe safe ynoughe from these paines and trauelles Yet
spake Elias to Achab I haue not troubled Israel but thou and thy Fathers house in that you haue forsaken the commaundements of the Lorde and thou hast followed Baalim In like auctoritie spake Iohn the Baptist vnto Herode It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy brothers wife And the like auctoritie did God giue vnto Moses Behold I haue made thee Pharaos God Thou shalt speake all that I commaunde thee And thou shalt say vnto him the Lorde God of the Hebrewes hath sent me vnto thee As Moses was sette ouer Pharao King of Aegypt and Elias ouer Achab king of Israel and Iohn ouer King Herode so was this Prophet set ouer the nations not to remoue or pull them downe but to rebuke their errors and to direct their liues to plante the trueth to ouerthrowe the vanitie of men and to builde the feare of the Lorde In all this wée finde nothing for the Popes purpose But if it were so and that had bene the meaning of this place what had that made for him Was Hieremie his predecessour in the Bishopricke of Rome or is he the successour of Hieremie in Israel was the Prophet called the heade of the Church had he and did he exercise such iurisdiction ouer Kings and Princes as the Pope hereby chalengeth if he neuer attempted any such thinges howe doth Pope Pius maintaine his procéedings by the example of Hier. or if the wordes wil car yno such meaning why doth he so vainely alleage them one of their owne Doctours saith Hee speaketh not of the ouerthrowing of the kingdomes of the world but of the ouerthrowing of vices and of the planting of Faith and manners And so Hierome writing vpon the same place Omnis plantatio quam non plantauerit pater caelestis eradicabitur aedificatio quae super petram non habet fundamentum sed extructa est in arena sermone dei suffoditur atque destruitur Euerie plante which our Heauenly Father hath not planted is rooted vp and that building which is not founded on a Rocke but is built vpon the Sande is vndermined and ouerthrowne with the word of God Such poore Hieremies hath God giuen vnto the worlde who haue ouerthrowen and pulled vp the vanities and folies which were growne to a great heigth in the Church of God They haue planted faith and manners They haue opened and preached the trueth The Lorde hath prospered their labours as wée sée this day Hée hath rooted out those strange plantes and throwen downe the weake foundations with the breath of his mouth This is the plucking vp the rooting out the destroying and throwing downe this is the building planting whereof the Prophet speaketh as wée haue hearde it prooued by the Prophet him selfe by the interpretation of Hierome a learned Father who maketh good this saying with two seuerall places written in the newe Testament and by the confession of their owne Doctour Iohan. de Parasâ—â—s and might be further proued by sundrie others Yet all this notwithstanding it must be taken in the sense wherein Pius vseth it or else some of his predecessors Popes of Rome might likewise be worthily blamed for their doings Pope Adrian wrote somewhat roundly to the Emperour Fredericke Imperator quod habeâ— totum habet à nobis Sicut Zacharias transtulit imperium à Graecis ad Teutonicos it a not possumus illud transferre ab Alemannis ad Graecos Ecce in potestate nostra est vt demus illud cui volumus Propterea constituti sumus à Deo super gentes regna vt destruamus euellamus aedificemus plantemus What soeuer the Emperour hath he hath it of vs. As Pope Zacharie translated the Empire from the Greeks vnto the Germaines so may wee againe translate the same from the Germaines to the Greekes Behold it is in our power to bestowe the Empire vpon whome we list Therefore are we appointed by God ouer nations and kingdomes to pul downe to roote vp to build and to plant againe No mouth woulde vtter these blasphemies but the mouth of Antichrist Thus haue we tryed the Pope to bée a corrupter and a falsifier of the Scriptures He putteth in thrée words Me Alone Prince Hee applieth the place to himselfe and among all other to himselfe alone and so setteth him selfe aboue Princes Hée chaungeth the rooting out of errour to the ouerthrowing of Princes and the prea-ching of the trueth to the deposing of Kings He forgeth a sense which the spirit of God and the Prophet Hieremie neuer ment He saith Thus saieth the Lorde when the Lord neuer spake it He knew them well which said They wrest the Scriptures to maintaine their power This thou séest ô God and sufferest Hee calleth himself the Uicar of thy Christ he abuseth thy most holy word he deceiueth thy people hee maketh thée to bee a false witnesse to his folie and all this doth he to countenance his ambition and pride Nowe vpon warrant of these wordes so fondly applyed he addresseth himselfe solemnly to pronounce sentence Declaramus praedictam Elizabeth eique adherentes in praedictis anathematis sententiam incurrisse We make it knowen that Elizabeth aforesaid and as manie as stande on hir side in the matters aboue named haue runne into the daunger of our curse This is a terrible thunderbolt shot in among vs from Rome in Paper These cloudes are without raine These Gunnes will doe no harme Euen so did the Phariseis cast Christ Iesus out of theri Sinagogues and excommunicate him and accurse him So did Diothrephes excommunicate Iohn the Euangelist and did neither him selfe receiue the brethren but forbadde them that woulde and did thrust them out of the Church So was Hilarie accursed and excommunicated by the Arians Hée layeth his curse not onely vppon the Lordes annointed our blessed Queene but vppon all that followe hir godlye procéedings that is vpon euery one of you and vpon al other hir Magisties true subiects Hée knoweth you not and yet accurseth you You are children of God yet he maketh you the children of the diuel The Lorde hath shewed the light of his countenance vppon you and hath giuen you his heauenly worde whereby you haue gotten vnderstanding and are made wiser than your enemies and are taught to refraine your féete from euerie euill way and therefore the Pope cryeth out against you and doth recken you accursed But his owne wordes tell vs Nemâ—em ligare debet iniqua sententia A wrongfull sentence bindeth no man The curs shall come into his owne bosome For the Lorde our God turneth the curse vnto a blessing to vs bycause the Lorde our God loueth vs. And He will sende a curse vppon them and will curse their blessings yea he hath cursed them alreadie because they doe not consider in their harts nor giue glorie vnto his name He hath also made them to be despised vile before all the people because they haue not kepte 〈◊〉 wayes In
this case Christe saith Neâ—oice and be glad For so persecuted they the Prophets whiche were beefore you Origen sheweth howe all that be like minded vnto Pharao crie out that men are seduced and led out of theri way if Moses and Aaron that is if the spéeche of the Preachers call vpon them to be diligent in the Lawe of God and to followe hys worde And Chrysostome telleth vs this is no newe thing Ne admiremur quod spiritualibus instantes multa patiamur aduersa c. Let vs not maruell if we abide many aduersities because we follow after and desire those thinges whiche are spirituall For as the théefe diggeth not nor layeth his waite at the place where straw and chaffe and feathers are layd but there where is golde and siluer so is the Diuell moste out of quiet with those whiche take in hande spirituall businesse These things saith our Sauior haue I saide vnto you that ye should not bee offended They shall excommunicate you yea the time shall come that whosoeuer â—â—â—leth you wil think that he doth God 〈◊〉 And these things will they doe vnto you bicause they haue not knowne he Father nor me But what are the effectes and force what successe take the Popes blessings his cursses he stirred vp the K. of France to plague his subiectes to that purpose he blessed him and his folowers they their Countrie were brought to greate miserie He blessed Philip King of Spaine he hath bin wonderfully troubled by the Moeres at home and liueth in continuall turmoyle with his subiectes in other his dominions abroade He blessed the states of Venice they are still disquieted by the Turke On the other side he hath accurssed England thankes be to God it was neuer better in worldly peace in health of bodie in abundance of corne and victuals He hath accursed the Princes and states of Germanie they were neuer stronger He blesseth his own side but it decayeth and withereth He cursseth the Gospel but it preuaileth prospereth The more he cursseth the more it prospereth This is the Lordes doing it is maruellous in our eyes So doeth God turne the Popes cursse into a blessing vnto vs. And so we maye well saye with Seneca Caelestis ir a quos premit miseros facit humana nullos The anger of God maketh those meÌ„ miserable vpon whom it lighteth but so doth not the wrath of man Quin etâ—iaÌ„ ipsam pret enso regni praedicti iure necnon omni quocunque dominio dignitate priuilegioque priuatam We also make it knowen that wee haue depriued hir from that right she pretended to haue in the Kingdome aforesaid and also from al and euerie hir auctoritie dignitie and priuiledge This is the other part of the Popes sentence In this his vaine fantasie and by this childish mockerie hée thinketh to depose Queene Elizabeth from hir kingdome O vaine man as though the coastes and ends of the world were in his hands or as if no prince in y â— world might rule without his sufferaÌ„ce So haue the proude Prelates of that Sée these manye yeares troubled the states of al Christendome therby béen cause of much slaughter sheding innocent bloude And so at this present he seeketh to disquiet Elizabeth Elizabeth I say our soueraigne and moste gratious Lady a Uirgin ful of wisedome vertue grace and compassion she is vnto vs as a comfortable water in a drie place as a refuge for the teÌ„pest and as the shadowe of a greate rocke in a wearie land The greatest blessing whiche God gyueth to any people is a godly Prince to rule ouer them The greatest miserie that can fall vppon a people is to haue a godly Prince taken from them For by a godly Prince he doth so rule the people as if God himselfe were with them in visible appearaunce The Prince walketh in the wayes of the Lorde the Nobles folowe the steppes of the Prince the people fashion them selues to the example of the Nobles The face of a godly Prince shineth as the Sunne beams and bringeth ioy and comfort to his subiectes When the Lord was displeased with the people of Israell he tooke Samuell from them gaue them Saul to be theyr King Saul did wickedly without Iustice without Mercie He deuoured the people like a Lion he ouerthrew the tabernacle and slewe the Priests Then was there no Reuelation None that did Prophecie or care for the name of the Lord. But when God tooke mercie vpon the people he gaue vnto them Dauid a man after his owne heart He deliuered hym from daunger and tooke him out of the Lions mouth He crowned him and did set a crowne of pure golde vpon hys head Dauid loued the people he taught them the wayes of God he put downe Idolatrie and destroyed the Groues he set vp a Tabernacle to the God of Iacob Under him the people had great prosperitie in their houses and abroad in their Uines in their Corne and in their Cattell in time of Peace and in tyme of Warre When it pleased God to send a blessing vpou vs he gaue vs his seruant Elizabeth to be our Queene and to be the instrument of his glory in the sight of all the worlde Who is so blind which séeth not who is so vnthankful that remembreth not what things God hath wroughte by hir who séeth not the glorious beames of the trueth who séeth not the wonderfull peace in which wee haue liued who séeth not the wise and safe guiding of the people one of those alone were a great blessing but al togither are such a blessing as our Fathers before vs neuer enioied so happily As touching religion let vs thinke of that time of ignoraunce wherein wée were before How miserable a case was it to sée suche deadlye dumbenesse in the Church of God to sée the people ledde away in the darke they knew not whether to sée the word of life taken away to sée the people fedde with fables to sée an Idol sette vppe in the place of God to sée Iesus Christe our Sauiour putte to silence In this case were we This we did sée we did féele this Out of this deadly dungeon GOD deliuered vs by the hand of our Queene By hir hée restored the trueth by hir he sente vs the light of his holy worde by hir he hathe reléeued the heartes of the people God himselfe hathe bene the worker hereof Elizabeth hath bene his instrument and the meane by whome he hath done thys worke And marke the tyme when shée attempted this Euen at the firste entrie into hir kingdome at whiche time the King of Spaine the King of Fraunce the Quéene of Scottes and many of the Nobles and the Bishoppes of thys Realme were against it She had larned First to seeke the kingdome of God she hadde learned to séeke hys glorie and not hir dwne shée had learned to saye as Dauid saide I wil not suffer mine eyes