contrary this doctrin is to al christian states and common wealths whatsoeuer whose end ought to be cheefly that their subiects liue in al true religion and honesty But how vnfit soeuer it be for christian K. and estates I confes it was a very pollitique point of doctrine for the popes kingdome For hereby he receiued a double commodity First that casting by this means his feare vpon the simple and ignorant he enioyed more quietly the possession of his tiranny ouer the Church al men standing in neede of his fatherhood and fearing to prouoke him that had suche a power to keepe them in purgatory stil or to release them Another that by his pardons and indulgences deliuering men frō this prison which he had painted in their heds he filled his coffers with treasure Where by he enioyed the more easely al the contentmentes that he desired and was the better able to maintaine his proud Antichristiā kingdome against al power that should rise against it And thus in respect of the maintenaunce of their owne kingdome I thinke there was neuer so politicke a supersticion and false worship in the world as this of the Ro. faith which whosoeuer try fro point to point shal easelie discern to be most true To the further consideration wherof leauing the discreet Reader I will procéed to the other point which remayneth which is of the reward of good and euill in the worlde to come Wherof our doctrine is sayth he that all the paynes of hell are equall and that the most wicked man that euer was shal endure no greater torment then he that is the least offender which his report of our doctrine is vtterly vntrue Wherefore let him eyther iustifie this to be true out of the confession of the faith of our Church which he ought to doe if he chalenge vs for doctrine and not to charge vs with euery thing which hath beene written by any that professe the gospell or by any wryter of ours of credite in the church or let him feare with out repentance satisfaction for it by confessing his ignorance or malice in thus slaundering the church of God the iust condemnation of lyars false witnesses whose porcion is with hypocrites He saith we teach further also that the glory of al the redeemed elect of God shal be equal that euery one shal be in as great glory as Peter Paule which is not the general doctrine of our Church Wee acknowledge that they which otherwise shal be beautifull as the firmament and they which iustifie manye shall shine is Daniel teacheth like the starres of heauē Our sauiour denied not that there should be a place at his right hande and at his left in his kingdome in the worlde to come but in this worlde tolde his Disciples that the pompe of earthly states shold not be seene in him nor in his ministers He promised vnto the Apostles seates to sit vpon to iudge the 12. Tribes of Israell And the Apostle reioyced in the hope hee had that the Thesalonians shoulde bee his Crowne in the daye of the Lorde Whereby it appeareth that as all the members are partakers of the power of the soul and haue their place and honour in the body yet they receiue not all power to doe the same worke nor are of like honour so in the misticall bodye of Christ al shal be as members of him partakers of his spirit and be filled with it for the full worke and honour of that part which they shal be in the body but not al inabled for the same worke nor of like honour But they wil say how can this be except heauen be a rewarde due vnto the worke I aunswere that according to the same grace that god giueth a diuerse measure of faith according to the diuerse measure of it the fruits thereof many or few in this life so also he disposeth of the degrees of glory in the life to come wherby it appeareth that as we truely deny all men Therefore looke what profite a Christian Common wealthe maie receiue of the doctrine of the diffrence of glory and pain in the worlde to come it receiueth it of the doctrine whiche wee teache Drawyng towardes an ende our aucthour beginneth confusedlie to heape vp many thynges together by whiche order one point might haue serued hym as well as the whole dosen For in this tenth he hath dealt with the doctrines of Repentaunce Confession Satisfaction Purgatorie of Heauen and Helle. In the eleuenth whiche followeth Of workes merite freewill and predestination he intreateth of Workes Merite Frewill and Predestination Concernyng the doctrine of Predestination wee teache saieth he In the Churche of Rome that all the Sainctes of God are Predestinate before the foundations of the worlde were laied And I saie we teache the same Therefore our doctrine herein beyng the same it must needes be no lesse profitable to any state then theirs and so no cause of this cōparison Of Freewill we teache saieth he That a man hath libertie and freedome of his will whereby beeyng preuented and assisted by Grace he maie at his pleasure doe any good Workes or refuse to doe them This doctrine in deede is neither ours nor the doctrine of Christe and his Apostles For accordyng to the truthe wee haue receiued of theim we teache that the Nature of man through the sinne of Adam is so wholy corrupted that there is no good thyng in it that of it self it cannot thinke a good thought that it is solde vnder sinne Phil. 3. Rom. 7.8 Ephes 2. and that it is enemy against God is not subiect to the lawe of GOD nor in deede can be made subiect finally that we are borne dead in our sinnes Whervpon it followeth that the will of manne beeyng a principal power of his soule it is subiect to the corruption of the whole and therefore hath no will to do that whiche is good willeth not of it self any good is seruaunt vnto sinne willeth nothyng but sinne and ennemitie with God willeth not that whiche the Law cōmaundeth but is dead in sinne Whereof it must needes followe that wee are not free in our will to will that whiche is good for our will is seruaunte to synne and therefore can not dooe the woorke of righteousnesse Our will is deade in sinne and therfore can not be a liue to righteousnesse For as a deade man can not dooe the actions of a man that liueth no more can the man that is deade in synne doe any action of will or any other that he doeth that liueth to God I meane not that our will is dead altogether no more thē that a man deade in his synnes should not liue the life of a naturall man and of this worlde but that whatsoeuer naturall power it hath it is dead as touchyng the doyng or willyng of any thyng that God hath commaunded in suche sorte as the lawe requireth There remaineth still notwithstandyng the punishement of
fruite of them selues of the earth and of their cattell and that they should enlarge their dominion from sea to sea and from one floud to an other Of the other parte Deu. 28. if they did not kéepe the law of the Lorde their God his iudgements and his statutes which he had commaunded them then the Lord threatned to bring vpon them the plagues of Egipt to cursse them in all that they should deale withall to cast them out of the land which he had caused their Fathers to possesse and making wast their citties yea their sanctuaries and their countrye to bring vppon them famine and hunger nakednesse and pouertie dissolution and captiuitie These and such like sayinges of the lawe so vehemently vttered vnto al Israell with taking heauen and earth to witnesse Deu. 30.19 that thus they shoulde finde it in the ende doe plainely testifie that such religion must néedes be good for the establishing and prospering a common weale which the Lorde him selfe hath left vnto vs with promise of blessinge to those that kéepe it and contrarywise that no false seruice of him can bée good for any state but that it continually prouoketh the curse indignation of God against it Therefore was the K. commaunded to take a copye of the lawe to haue it by him and to reade in it all the dayes of hys lyfe that he might learne to feare the Lord his God to obserue all his wordes and statutes by dooing of theÌ„ that his mind might not be lift vp aboue his brethren nor he departe froÌ„ it to the right hande or to the left that he might prolonge his dayes in his kingdome and hys Sonnes in the middest of Israell Deu. 17.18 19.20 Iosua 1.8 To lyke effecte was it sayde vnto Iosua lette not the booke of thys Lawe departe out of thy mouthe but meditate in it night day that thou mayest diligentlye obserue as it is written in it For then thou shalte prosper in thy wayes and haue successe in thy affayres Whereby lykewise it is euident that the blessyng of Kynges and Princes dependeth hereupon so that they onely which worshyppe the Lorde aryght accordynge to hys woorde Psal 2.10 11.12 haue promise of blessynge for it bothe of thys lyfe and of the life to come For this cause the Prophet exhorteth Kynges to bée wyse and Counsellers to bée well aduysed that they worshyppe GOD and hys annointed denouncyng vnto the Ennemies the almightye power of Christe to the confusion of all that sette themselues agaynste hym whereby hée shoulde bee able as easelye to breake them as a Manne wyth a barre of Yron dooth dashe in peeces a Potte of earth To thys purpose notable is the speeche of Asaria the Prophet 2. Chro. 15 vnto Kynge Asa and to all Iuda and Beniamin when the Lorde hadde miraculouslye foyled the innumerable multitude of theyr ennemyes The LORDE sayeth hée hath beene wyth you while yee haue béene wyth hym 1 Sam 2 30 and yf yee wyll yett seeke hym hée wyll bée readye for you but yf yée forsake him hée will forsake you Accordynge to that whych the Manne of God had sayde hereof before 1. Sam. 15 23 26.28 Psal â—8 2. Sam. 22 I wyll honour those which honour mée and dispise those which dispise me Thys was sealed in the castinge away of Saule and the choosing and prosperous successe of Dauid as he often acknowledgeth Lykewise in Salomon the moste wise and Politique Prynce that euer sat in the seate of Dauid 1. Reg. 10 or ruled anye people in the woorlde who because hée fullye established the seruice of GOD accordynge to all that hadde bene commaunded by the Prophets The Lorde also established his seate increased his glory aboue all the kinges of the earth till hee beganne to decline from the Lord his God and broughte the abhominable Idoles of the straunge women whom hée looued into his owne kingdome houses and worshipped theÌ„ for then the Lorde raysed vppe hys seruaunte against him who also in the dayes of hys Sonne so rente awaye tenne Tribes of Israell from the house of Dauid 2. Chr. 12 5 that they neuer returned vnto it agayne Thys was the spéeche of the Prophet Shemaiah to Roboam hys counsellers and the people of Iudah thus sayeth the Lorde you haue forsaken mée therefore wyll I also abandon you and giue you into the hande of Senacherib which was perfourmed but in mercye vppon their repentaunce 2 Chr. 13 Abiah obiected againste Jeroboam that he coulde not prosper because hée hadde erected Idoles in hys kingdome and had made hym Priestes contrarye to the lawe and assureth hym selfe of Gods assistaunce agaynste hym for thys reason because they had the Lorde for theyr God who was theyr Captayne and his lawfull Priestes the sonnes of Aaron sounding the Lordes Trumpettes in the fielde before them Therefore sayeth hée yée chyldren of Israell fighte not agaynst the Lorde the God of your Fathers for ye can not prosper And accordinglye it is added that the Isralites were ouerthrowne hauinge 50000. chosen men of warre slayne and the Iewes were strengthned because as sayth the storye they rested vpon the Lorde God of their Fathers Diuerse was the estate of the affayres of Asa accordinge as hee walked with God prosperinge when hee trusted in God and decayinge when hee followed the vayne dyscourse of fleshe and bloode and soughte to the Asserians for helpe The same is alwayes dylygentlye noted in the lyues of the reste of the Kinges Amazia Azaria Ioas Ezechia Iehosophat Manasses and the reste euen to the deportation and caryinge awaye into captiuitie of bothe the houses of Israell and Iuda wyth theyr Kynges for false worshyppe 2. Reg. 17 2. Chr. 36 and dysobedyence vnto the woorde of the Lorde theyr GOD as it is notablye declared in manye places of the holye storye and of the Prophets These and infinite suche lyke examples which are in the Bookes of Kynges For which woulde to God all Chrystian Princes and they re Counsellers dyd dyligentlye reade them and cause them to bee reade and expounded vnto them do declare true pyetye to bée the verye base and foundatyon of all sounde Wysedome and Pollicye and Impyetye what shewe soeuer it haue of outwarde profitte and commoditye for a season yett indeede and in the ende to bée the verye cause of ruine and ouerthrowe to all estates and kingdomes The reason whereof is manifeste because all Kynges and Princes hold theyr Crownes and Scepters at the wyll and pleasure of GOD who is Kynge of Kynges and Lorde of Lords as it is wrytten by mée Kynges doo raigne Pro. 8 15. Dan. 4.32 and as Nebuchadnezer by proofe and the iuste chastisement of hys pryde in beeinge caste oute seauen yeares from hys kyngdome to lyue wyth the Beastes of the fielde confesseth that GOD dysposeth of the Crownes and Kyngdomes of the world gyuynge and takynge them to and from when it pleaseth him As therefore the
the blessing of God be sufficiently prouided to attende their studies for the seruice of the people in the ministerie of the gospel it is a most necessarie dutie which the people owe to them againe to see that they suche as depēd vpon them may sufficiently honestly liue in theyr seruice as may be seemly for the good credit of the worthie calling which God hath called them vnto The contrary whereof as I haue said wee haue from thē who by impropriating the liuings of the Ministers from the places where vnto they appertein haue left the ministery so marueylously vnprouided as that in some places there are to be found many parishes together whereof all the liuings that now remaine to thē for such vse are not sufficiēt for the compitent maintenance of one man his family which lamentable estate of our ministery must needs be an infinite hinderance to the Gospel both in the iustice of GOD who will punishe so great a contempt of his worde and so carelesse a negligence of the saluation of the people and also in the nature of the thing it selfe For by this occasion such as are in some acceptable measure able to doe good seruice in the ministery withdrawe themselues from it For perceyuyng it to bee suche a calling as besides the manifolde burdens lying vpon all faithfull ministers dooing their duties is subiect to beggerie also and the discredit and other inconueniences that followe it they bestowe them selues in some other lawefull calling wherein doeing their dueties they may be able to liue both in wealth and credite by which meanes this insufficient and vnlearned ministerie whiche nowe so pestereth the land is entred into the possession of the Churche to the infinite hinderance of the Gospel and the losse of thousandes of the soules whiche Christ Iesu hath redeemed with his precious blood Which spoyle of the Church notwithstanding it to be so sore a wound as yet since the beginning of the restoring of the gospel amongest vs could not bee healed yet our hope and most humble prayer to God is that her maiestie by your HH mediation vnto her highnesse may so relieue it with her precious balme so binde it vp with her gracious handes as in time it may bee cured healed againe I am bolde to speake of your H H. mediation in this cause as in other places of such like because the dutie I owe to Almightie God and to the Lorde Iesu his only begotten sonne whom I am called to serue doth necessarily inforce me to it But it doth greatly comfort incourage mee in the performance of so necessary a duetye that I doubt not but your godly wisedomes doe consider the seruice of GOD to bee the right ende and vse of the high and honourable seates wherein hys owne right hande hath placed you Which the Lord ingrauing in your noble and Christian mindes surely hauing of God this honorable fauour to be so neere her highnesse your HH will godly and faithfully aduise her grace both of the necessary cause of the redresse of suche other matters and namely of this that all the people vnder her H. Dominions may haue the meanes by a godly sufficient learned ministerie planted amongest them to come to the knowledge and faith whereby they may the better obey God and her Ma. and saue their soules for euer to euerlasting life Whiche so necessarie seruice of Almightie GOD of her Excellente Maiestie and of the Churche of Christe amongest vs as it is nowe attended and looked for of your HH into whose handes not next vnder her Highnes God hath committed the managing guiding of this noble state and kingdome so no doubt but in that day it will be required when the Lord shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead Wherefore my good LL. as before in the behalfe of the whole Church professing the Gospel so now agayne for the Churche within her Ma. moste noble dominions of Eng. and Irel. I moste humbly vpon my knees beseech your HH to take so to hart this estate of the Church and ministery amongest vs that all abuses beyng remoued good order established all duetifull subiects may besides all other blessinges whiche nowe they enioy by your LL. meanes haue this so woorthy a cause also to prayse GOD for hauing sette so Godlye and H. Gouernours ouer them It hath a promyse to breake the Bread vnto the hungrye and to make the thrysty drinke and not to turne away the eare from him that cryeth for reliefe in his necessity Nowe so it is that this Churche in manye of her children cryeth for bread euen for the bread of life and there is no man that breaketh it vnto thē the tongues of many cleaue to their roofe for thirst whiche they are in daunger to perish in and no man giueth them the pure water of life to quicken their soules And as our Churche heretofore by other meanes hath cryed oftentimes euen till shee haue almost lost her voyce so now agayne she cryeth by this most humble supplication to your Honours to regarde her necessitie if wealth peace wisdome authoritie or any other thing be needeful for this worke the Lorde hath bountifully furnished the lād with al that needeth Some reasonable way without the iniurie of any might by your wisdomes be found whereby euery parishe might recouer againe their own to the maintenaunce of a worthy ministerie amongste them Alas that for anye cause so manye soules of the people committed to your charge should perishe Wherfore my good Lords turne your eares I beseech you to heare the humble suite of this Church that the Lord your redeemer may turn his eares vnto you in the day when you shall call vppon him So shall the saued soules of thousandes prayse God for you so shall the Lord blesse you and your noble posteritie and so both all this and suche other slaunderous mouthes shall be stopped which are now so wide open against vs. To the aunswering to whome I returne againe for my moste humble request relying vpō the godly zeale and wisdomes of your Honours 6. of raysing of rents The sixt Article is of raysing rentes which hee saieth their religion prohibiteth except vpon some great cause and with great moderation euen to the solemne cursing of them and woulde insinuate that ours alloweth it The cōmoditie of which not raysing of rentes aboue measure and to the extreame vsing of the Tenauntes he saieth is manifest to bee great in a common wealth For the commoditie that commeth of it I graunt but for the doctrine I affirm that ours doeth in no sorte more fauour any extreame raysing of rents then theirs A moderate rysing of them in the raysing of the pryces of all other thinges wee allowe as they doe when it is necessarye and moderate for otherwise it shoulde bee better with the Tenante then with the Lord. And them selues when they let their farmes of the old rent were wont to binde
in daunger to bee turned into coldnesse of zeale Psal 6 and feare to professe the truth which God had made knowne vnto him Luther was to him as the Aungel was to the Prophet Esay Es 6. which by the burning coales of the Lordes Altar kindled and inflamed his zeale For by his noble spirit of magnanimitie he strengthned and fortifyed the other against the feare of flesh and bloud Such was the comfort and benefit which they receyued of their mutuall giftes to the great edification of the Church And this is the golden payre of two of the worthiest Ministers of the Gospel that Germany hath brought forth in any age Out of whose large volumes the pretended differences obiected vnto vs are taken and gathered The third is Iohn Caluin one of the soundest Diuines and of deepest iudgement in matters of religion both of doctrine and of discipline that God gaue to his Church this thousand yeares whose good name is in déed as the wise man saith a most sweete and excellent oyntment Eccle. 7.3 For howsoeuer Bolsec and the slaunderous defender of the late Censure haue rayled in the spirit of Semei against him and sought to their power to spoyle and marre this pretious oyntment yet all that are of the Church in these partes of Europe smell the sauour of it as the Apostles did the narde of Marie Iohn 2.3 which she powred vpon the heade of our Sauiour Christ and as they that were in the Temple did the sweete and fragrant odor of the holy oyntment when it was powred out vpon Aarons heade Ex. 30.23.24 25.30 Psal 133.2 and trickled downe to the hemme of his garment This worthie man of God like a goodly Starre rising first in Fraunce and after ascending to Geneua where also it went downe so shined in his time in the middes of the Church as if all the Firmament thereof had beene but one Starre and as if in all the Cope of Heauen there had shined none other And these three worthies of all the Lordes hoste at once this weake Authour hath specially chosen to encounter and to deface with contrarietie to themselues and one with another putting his trust as it seemeth in this that his surmysed contrarieties should neuer come to be examined The poyntes wherein hee chargeth them with contrarietie are of the Sacramentes and first in generall of the number of them whereof hee affirmeth that Luther acknowledged but one Caluin two Melancton three or foure For Caluin I confesse hee saith there are but two and in deede there are neyther more nor lesse For a Sacrament being a seale of our Communion with Christ Rom. 4.11 it can not bee shewed that our Sauiour Christ appoynted any more or lesse Seales of the righteousnesse that is by faith and our coniunction with him then onely two namely Baptisme and the Supper of the Lorde Which without any manner of question or difference is manifestly declared to bee the generall iudgement of the Churches professing the Gospell by the booke of the harmony of the confessions of their faith Which hauing beene long agoe exhibited to the seuerall Princes of the Countries states and kingdomes where these Churches are are nowe of late very profitably published to the iust conuiction of all such as slaunder the reformed Churches to be variably distracted rent in sonder with infinit differences of faith For it appeareth by that most profitable labor that the Lorde hath knit and vnited them together with a holy vnitie both sweete as the oyntment of Aaron and also profitable and rich as the due of Sion Psal 133. and of Hermon By which pleasant hermony of the confessions both of this Church and many others it appeareth that the generall iudgement and faith of our Churches acknowledgeth onely two Sacraments Wherein the Churches of God agreeing so well together the diuers opinion of a particular man or two if it were so culd not preiudice their holy vnitie in the faith But how vntrue it is that is here obiected to Luther Melancton will plainly be discouered For Luther that hee euer helde or taught that there should bee but one Sacrament as the Authour chargeth I say is an vniust slaunderous accusatiō In the places hee alleadgeth for his proofe in the beginning of his booke of the Babilonicall captiuitie after the denying of the seauen Sacraments and graunting of three which he there expresly nameth Baptisme the Lords Supper and Penance His wordes are these Although saith hee if I would speake after the vse of the scripture I should haue but one Sacrament and three Sacramentall signes whereof more largely in his time By which wordes it is euident that Luther ment nothing lesse then to teach but one Sacrament in that sense wee here speake of a Sacrament which conteyneth in it both the signe of the Sacrament or holy thing signifyed by it and also the Sacrament or holy thing it selfe for such hee playnely confesseth three Baptisme the Lords Supper and Penance But by one Sacracrament vnderstandeth the matter and substance of the sacramentall signs which is in deede but one namely our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ Which manifestly discouereth the simplicitie of this Authour if not hauing redde nor eonsidered the place himselfe he vouched it vpon confidence of the collection of some other or his verie euill conscience if knowing this to bee Luthers meaning hee haue so wrongfully and vniustly slaundered him Thus for one Sacrament hee hath his answere Nowe to that hee obiecteth of three or foure For foure hee cyteth Melanctons common places where Melancton hauing named three Baptisme the Lords Supper and Penance hee addeth after these wordes It liketh mee most that ordinacion also bee added whereunto he annexeth this reason that it is commaunded of God and that great promise is made to the ministry and preaching of the word For answere whereunto it is to be noted that first in the place alledged hee nameth onely three then after adioyneth this that he could like also the ordinance of the ministeries for the commaundement of God to ordayne Ministers and the promise of God to assist and blesse the Ministery of such as are lawfully called were also named a Sacrament Which importeth as if hee had said that in some sense ordination also may be called a Sacrament Further the confession of Ausb and the Apologie of it as he truly alledgeth both endyted by Melancton maketh mention onely of three Whereby it appeareth that Melancton taught not simply foure but onely three and that the name of a Sacrament in some sense might bee attributed to the fourth and for teaching sake as he speaketh in his Apologie in the title of the number vse of Sacraments Where handling this matter expresly hee vseth these words wee doe not thinke it any great matter although some for teaching doe otherwise number so that they duely keepe the things which are deliuered in the Scriptures neyther did the auncient Fathers number
Tennaunte at wyll hath no better pollicye then to please hys Lorde of whome hee holdeth so the greateste pollicye and soundest wysedome that maye bée vsed by Kynges and Prynces is to please the Lorde oure GOD in all obedience and namelye in the zealous aduauncemente of hys true religyon and seruice Therefore wycked and deuilyshe is thys rule and not to bee patyentlye hearde of Christyan Prynces that false Relygyon or anye dysobedyence vnto GOD Idolatry Hipocrisie Tyrannye or anye such lyke canne establyshe the seate of any Kinge or bring securitie wealth and honoure to anye state or people or that true religion and godlines that iustice and equitie shoulde diminishe any of these and make the state weaker or lesse assured To longe hath this moste false and wicked doctrine abused Princes of weake iudgement to the turninge of theire golde into drosse and their honor into dishonor for what can be more vnwise vnhonorable and vnprofitable in the ende then Idolatry dissimulation Iniustice and tyrannye Or what can be more vnwise and vnhonorable then a state whose wisedome is nothinge but déepe hipocrisie periury and licence of all impietie On the other parte what canne bee more wyse or honourable then a P and state by whome true relygion is zealouslye and sincerelye aduaunced iustyce vprightlye admynistred the royall othe woorde and promise of a P inviolablye obserued vertue rewarded vice punished good lawes wiselye made ryghtly construed and duelye executed and so good a course of gouernment with all christian and noble magnanimitie maintayned and auoued For surelye these two which conteyne all the rest religion and iustice pietie and equitie are the moste precious Pearles that may annorne the crownes of Princes they are Pillers stronge as Iacin and Boos which were erected in the Temple and are named of theyr stabilitye and strengthe wherby theyr state is vpholden Salomon the royall Patron of all true state and honoure by wysedome and vnderstandynge by counsell and magnanimitye by knowledge and the feare of the Lorde as by the sixe steppes of hys regall throne which were made for that purpose ascended into that glorious seate as it was noted by the Lyons at hys féete on eyther side aboue all Kynges of the earthe and satte hym downe as a Kyng of Kyngs and Lorde of Lordes Whose glorye so sittynge was suche as he séemed to bée a newe Adam reentred into the Paradyse of God or as the sonne of God whose glorye in a sorte was represented in him In which example the Lorde hath sealed vnto vs the assuraunce of the promise hée hath made to honor Princes which honoure him and to cause the states to prosper and to flourishe which builde vpp the Temple of the Lorde and neglecte not anye thynge which hee hath commaunded for the furtheraunce and aduauncement of it And as in olde tyme these promises were confirmed in the glorious and happy kyngdome of Salomon So may wée truely acknowledge to the greate glorye of GOD a notable testimonie of the fulfillynge of them in the blessed kyngedome of our moost noble Queene whome the Lorde hath so wonderfully blest to haue as it séemeth some notable example also in these dayes to seale agayne vnto all the worlde the certayne trueth of thys doctrine That happie is the King Prince vvhose God is the Lord For howe richlye hath the Lorde blessed her highnes and her people in comparison of all the Kinges and nations rounde aboute vs wyth peace and aboundaunce accordinge to the prayer of the Psalme for Ierusalem are in all the walles and Palaces of Englande Psal 122 Such a peace and such a plentye as our Fathers neuer knewe nor our Chronicles reporte to haue beene in the dayes of anye of her Maiesties moste noble Auncestors before her Our owne Countrye yéeldeth vs aboundance of all thinges that growe at home and forreine Nations serue vs wyth plentye of all commodities abroade So that what soeuer is in the Easte or West what soeuer in a manner is vnder the Poles or betweene them wée haue it brought vnto vs. Which continuinge so manye yeares in so calme a peace must néedes haue excéedingly enriched the land with wealth and treasure The peace of it is miraculous in so greate and longe troubles of all our neighbours about vs and in so manye Plots and practises layd and vndertakē by the Church of Roome and the rebellious Children thereof for the disturbaunce of our peace Further also the Lorde hath gyuen her highnes that honoure and glorye that neuer anye of her noble progenitours attayned vnto whych is in her owne so happye estate to sitte as iudge and honourable arbitratoure of the causes and controuersies of the greatest Kynges of Europe and of all her neyghbours weyinge the Ballaunce as it pleaseth her And what is the cause of all these so calme a peace so rich a treasure and so exceedinge greate honoure Surely the cause is the same for which the noble Kynge Ezechias was blessed likewise with ritches and honor Ezechias opened the doore of the temple of the Lorde which Ahaz his Father hadde shutte vppe Hée caste out the Sirian Aulters and sette vppe agayne the Aulter of the Lorde in hys place hee purged the Temple from the Idoles and abhominations wherewith it hadde bene polluted hee caused the presence Breade to be sette vppon the presence Table before the Lorde the Lampes of the golden Candlesticke to shyne and gyue lyghte in the Temple of the Lorde hee called home againe the Priestes and Leuites whiche were scattered abroade and appointed liberall prouision and mayntenance for them 2. Chr. 31 21 Finallye in all the worke which hée beganne for the seruice of the house of GOD in séeking his God bothe in the Lawe and in the cōmaundements hée exercised him selfe with all his soule and was prospered In lyke manner it hath pleased God that her highnes shoulde caste out of hys Temple amongste vs theyr Roomishe Aulters they re Idoles of Golde and Siluer of Woode and of Stone Legendes and lyinge Fables the abhominations of the Masse and all the wycked and heriticall doctrine of the Churche of Roome seruice in straunge and vnknowne tongue wyth a thousande superstitions vsed in it In steede whereof her Maiestie hath broughte in prayers in our owne tongue the holye woorde of God to be reade and truelye expounded vnto vs. The Sacramentes which are the seales of the Gospell duely administred the pure cleane and vndefiled Water of Baptisme the Lordes Table furnished as the royall Table of a Kynge at the marryage of hys Sonne wyth the swéete breade of the finest of the Wheate and wyth Wyne of a Grape of mooste noble kynde that is wyth the precious bodye and bloode of our Sauioure Christ Iesu Her highnes hath calde backe agayne the Ministers of the Gospell sled as Elias sometime dyd into the Wildernesse so to sundrye places where they mighte finde the Lorde as hee sawe hym in the Rocke in Mounte Horeb. Further also her
Maiestie which is her speciall Honoure hath as the true daughter of Sara receyued vnder her protection such as were forced to trauaile from place to place and that for the true profession of the Gospell and gyuen succoure and comforte to the persecuted members of Christe Iesu And for these it hath pleased GOD to prosper her Maiestie and to gyue her a people hollye by profession in Religion peaceable in trāquilitie riche in Treasure stronge in forces faithfull and louyng to her Highnesse and her friendes but fearefull and terrible to her enemies And now to exalte her Throne euen as high as Salomons was exalted what remayneth to be done but that as Salomon furnished the Lordes Temple and established all the order of the house of GOD in euery point as the Lord had commaunded by the Law of Moses and by the Prophets So likewise that her Ma. woulde finish this far aduanced most holy honorable worke of the seruice of God amōgst vs. for the furtherāce wherof hir highnes renowmed father of famous memory made a statute wherby it was enacted that the Canon law being the Law of the Popes the auncient enemyes of this Land and the corrupt spring of infinit enormyties in the Churche shoulde be reuisited by a number of chosen men for the purpose and such an order set downe for the good direction and regiment of the Churche as might be most agréeable to the Commaundementes of almyghtie God and our Sauiour Christ Iesu This godly and honourable purpose was continued by hys noble Sonne the Iosiah of our tyme and no doubt but had bin perfourmed to the great seruice of God and edification of the Church yf the Lord had contynued hys happy raigne amongste vs. Thys so necessary act for the honor of God and comfort of hys people béeing after repealed hath bin reuiued agayne by her highnes Which being don so longe agoo and nothing remayninge but to appoynt fit men for the purpose the moste humble sute of all Israell of God in the land is that a seruice so holy so profitable and so necessarye may no longer be delayed For incourragemēt wherof I would to God the spéeche of Azariah worthy to be written in tables of Gold were ingrauen in the hartes of all that oughte and myght further thys holy cause that he spake vnto Kynge Asa vnto all Iuda Beniamin that is whyle ye haue bene wyth the Lord the Lorde hath bene wyth you and if ye will yet séeke hym he wyll be ready for you but if ye forsake him hee wyll forsake you as hee hath done the Isralites who of longe tyme haue bene without the true God without a teaching Priest and without the Law and the Lorde hath vexed them with al calamities accompaniyng ciuill warres and dissentions be yee therefore of good courage to procure the further aduauncement of GODS seruice and let not your handes bee feeble for there is a rewarde for your worke So Lykewise it may be truly and fytlye sayde to our moste noble Quéene Elizabeth which was sayde to Asa and to all her highnes nobilitye as to the royall seede of Iuda and to all the people as to Beniamin that surely the Lorde hath bene with you while you haue ben wyth him And no doubt but if ye shall yet goe forwardes to doe euery thing which the Lord hath commanded and seeke him wyth all your heart no doubt I say but he will yet more more enlarge him selfe towards you and encrease all your good estate excéedinglye so that al the world shal say what an honoarble and happy Nation is this whiche the Lorde tendereth so dearlye and aduaunceth aboue all the Kingdoms of the World So shall this Doctrine that I am now debating with the enemye bée made cleare and manyfest that true relygion can neuer bée daungerous to a Common Wealth but dooth alwayes cause it to prosper and to florish which the Lord our gracious God graunt may be confirmed more and more by our happye experience But the other part the Lorde turne from hir Maiestie from all the Nobles and People of the Land and teach it them by the wofull experience of their enimies which is that if you forsake the Lord you shal also be abandoned of him If Isarell bee suffered to bee without a teachinge Ministerie as it is yet in a great part of the dominiō without the ordinary preaching of the Gospell then the Lord will punish with lyke or greater punishment then Israel was punished withall Therfore the Lorde strengthen your hands that they be not féeble but that they may be strong to build vp that which remayneth for vndoubtedlye there is a rewarde for the woorke Thus returnyng to myne Aduersaryes most wicked and vngodly Paradoxe agayne I conclude that this Azaria and Shemaiah this Moses and Samuel this Dauid and Salomon with the rest of the Kinges of Israel and Iuda this also all the Prophets and Apostles teache vs that godlynesse and true Religion establisheth the seates of Princes prospereth the estate of all people whiche receiue it with that obedience they ought to doo and contrarywise impietie and false worship is the certayne ruyne and curse of the Nation which dooth imbrace it And except it were in Rome the Schoole of errour as one of their owne Poets dooth truly witnes against them and the Temple of heresie of suche as haue bene nufled and brought vp in her Seminaries of tares I think it was neuer hard of which our pretended Catho héere would presume that Catholicisme and Poperie tho it be false religion yet should be fit to make a common wealth to florishe or that the Gospell tho it bée true as it is yet should be cause of infinite hurts discommodities to the state where it is receiued But because this is so boldly auouched let vs examine the reasons of this his confident and erronious spéech His proofes are first generall and of this sort he hath two argumentes Whereof the first is the experience bothe of other Kingdomes and of our owne which haue beléeued and receiued this his Romaine Catholike Faith and haue florished by it whereunto I aunswer if it were true that he affirmeth that they had so prospered yet he faulteth much in affirming that to be the cause of their prosperitie which was no cause For that being true which I haue alreadie sufficiently confirmed that a false worship and heresie can neuer be profitable to any commō wealth and people it being no lesse true Moses and Christ himself being witnesses that this Romain faith is a false worship full of superstition and Idolatrie and full of errour and heresy thē notwithstanding it were so that Kingdomes entertaning this heresie had prospered for a time yet should it neuer follow thereof that their Idolatrie had béene the cause of their prosperitie No more then the wicked abhominations of the heathen were cause why some of them haue prospered for a season and that more for
vnlawfull to tollerate their abhominable prophanation of the seruice of God as appeareth by the commaundement of the Sabboth forbidding the breaking of the Sabboth day in euery Sonne and Daughter in euery Seruaunt and Mayde in Israell with out exception of any yea in euery stranger within their gates it can not in any sound reason or iudgement be borne with all euen for the very annoyaunces and hurts which it bringeth to the states which doe admit it Neither is his marginal note of the example of the great Turke and of the Byshop of Bungo sufficient to perswade the contrary For first they esteeme not the manifold dishonour where with their Romish faith dishonoreth god and our Sauioure Christe Then also I deny that eyther of both suffer that doctrine and practise of theire Religion as they teach and exercise it in these partes For is it likely that they are suffered to teach that it is of the necessity of Saluation for euerye humaine creature to bee Subiect to the Pope or that it shoulde bee in the Popes power to depose them at his pleasure Doe they suffer the Pope to challenge appeales to his Courte from them to deminishe suche multitudes of their people and to draw out the Treasure of theire Countryes No none of all this nor manye other suche like poyntes which they easily see to bee preiudiciall to theire states But beeing Heathen and prophane Princes not regarding wherein they prophane the Honour of God by theire 〈◊〉 worship It may be they permit such exercise of their superstitions to some fewe of these pretended Catholickes as are scattered amongst them as doth not in any sort indāger or hurt their kingdom But our cause beeing so farre diuerse as hath been declared there is no reason why the Turke or the Pagane king of Bungoes doing should be any president to a christian Princes making profession of the holy faith of Christ and the truth of the Gospell or why their tollerating with a few in some pointes nothing preiudiciall to their estates shoulde perswade a bearing of such pointes and practises as in the nature of thē ouerthrow the state peace authoritie strength and wealth of the kingdom that shal receiue it Therfore I conclude this point that the doctrine and practise of the Romish religion such as it is at this daie and hath beene some hundreth yeares past beeing against the Lorde God and his annoynted Sonne Christ Iesu againste his holy worde the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophetes beeing againste the good state of any nation Kingdome and P. that shall receiue it hauing infinite occasions of all wicked life taking from them their cheefest royalties and dignities oppressing the consciences soules and bodies of their people hearkning out by thousandes of intelligencers and spyes the greatest secretes of their K. diminishing by cunning practises the number of theire people and drawing oute the Treasure of the lande to theire intollerable hindraunce weakning and impouerishing of them and their Subiectes ought by the worde of God and in all sounde Wisedome reason or pollicye to bee esteemed and iudged contrarye to the honour glory of almightye God the holye and honest conuersation of Christian men contrary to the safetie assuraunce establishment honour peace strengthe and riches of euerye K. and common weale The second part of the whol epistle Thus farre this instrument of the pretended Catholikes hath mainteined their cause to bee worthye more fauoure then it findeth by the profite he would perswade vs that the K. faith woulde bring to this K. Now drawing neere to a conclusion His full heart breaketh out into scornefull patheticall speeches Wherein first he requireth a disputation and after seeketh to mooue some compassion with a pitifull complainte of imagyned tormentes suffered by his companions for theire Religion The reason of this request is pretended to be the want of the proceedinges that haue beene hitherto vsed towardes them which is noted both in the ministers and in the state To the ministers he obiecteth that they are alwayes solliciting your honors againste them and that they dare admit no lawfull tryall of the cause they moue question of vnto vs. For whom to aunswere as I am bound in the Lorde I take it to be a very surmise of his owne head that there shoulde be any neere your Honors continuallye stirring you vp to drawe out the swoord vpon them But if any eyther publiquely by preaching or priuatly beeing vouchsafed that fauour to haue speech with any of your honours do vpon iust cause put your Lordships in mynde of the greate and high calling you are called vnto that you beare the swoord of God a swoord of protection for the godly and of vengeaunce for all the wicked if they declare by the word of God that hereticks which séek to seduce the Ll. people to a false worship and to carry them from the seruice of the liuyng God to the adoration of Idolles that traitours whiche practise a withdrawyng of her Maiesties Subiectes from her obedience and reconcilyng of them to a forraine power are suche wicked Malefactors against whom this sword of iust execution is to be drawne Thei doe herein nothing vnlawfull but discharge the duetie of good and faithfull seruauntes to God and loyall subiectes to her Maiestie For thus we reade it to be written if a false Prophet arise vp amongest you saiyng let vs goe and seeke other Gods that Prophet shall bee slaine because he hath spoken to turne you awaie from the Lorde your God to thrust thee out of the waie wherein the Lord thy God commaunded thee to walke so shall you take the euill awaie forth of the middest of you Of whiche sorte thei are conuicted to bee who leade men to the worship of Images whiche is all one with other Gods and Idolles how soeuer thei labour in vaine to distinguishe them For if it were allowed them that Idolles were the Images of Heathen men and Images the conterfaites onely of Christian men whiche is nothing so for the wordes are indifferent to bothe yet is the matter one and the same in effect For whether a man giue the honour of God to the counterfect and resemblaunce of a Heathen or Christian or to the creatures them selues what soeuer it is all one The rule is generall that he is gealous and will not giue his honor vnto an other Therfore the exhortation to the iust execution of suche false Prophetes is a duetie well becomming a seruaunt of God The other the Apostle also teacheth affirmyng that those which resist the higher powers procure condemnation to them selues And doe these men thincke that thei maie compasse Sea and Lande to seduce mens soules into destruction and Subiectes from their lawfull obedience and no man should take héede to their doyng and oppose hym self to their wicked proceedynges Yes the same God who is the watchman of Israell and sleepeth not no nor slumbereth I hope will stirre vp the care of all men accordyng
vnto for your sakes Suche dishonour shal be exceedingly recompensed with a waightie Croune of glorie suche woundes are the woundes of Christ which the Apostle more boasteth of with a holie boaste then euer did soldiour of the woundes he had in the field for the defence of his Prince and Countrey and suche woundes shal be healed againe yea suche death shall be turned to a happie and euerlastyng life Therefore my humble praier to God for al your honourable Lordships is that it maie please hym to fortifie and strengthen your noble hartes to continue and proceade forwarde in this moste holie course to the aduauncyng daiely of the truthe of the Gospell and the rootyng out of Antichristianitie despisyng all the threates plattes and practises of the aduersarie with assurance that the watchman of Israll sleepeth not If his eyes bee open ouer all Israell night and daie to turne awaie all daungers from them how carefull and vigilant an eye doth he keepe ouer Ierusalem and most of all watchfull and ielous is he ouer the house and freendes of Dauid In the life to come he supposeth the Traytors worthely executed and other recusantes imprisoned shall be made equall to these who haue doen this iustice vppon theim and that then all their paines shall bee asswaged their teares wyped awaie their racked partes resetled and thei receiued to euerlastyng peace and glorie This I graunt shall in that daie be performed to those which suffer in Gods cause and for bearyng witnesse to our Sauiour and the truthe of his Gospell For so are we taught by our Sauiour himself that he that leeseth his life for him shall finde it by receiuyng in the world to come life euerlastyng Therefore I nothyng doubt but through the grace of God doe stedfastly beleeue that in that daie all our worthy fathers and brethren the noble hoste of Martirs and true Souldiers of Christ Iesu whiche haue suffered bothe in former tymes and in these latter daies els where and here in Englande in the tyme of their most cruell and bloudie raigne bothe suffered for the true profession of the Gospell of Christ and shall be raised againe in that daie to raigne with hym in glorie Then vndoubtedly though thei were burnt to ashes or slaine with the murdring sworde or howsoeuer openly or secretly destroyed the Lorde will restore their bodies vnto them againe Then the ashes whiche the bones were burnt vnto and are carefully laied vp by the Lorde in his treasurie by the power whereby he is able to doe al thinges shall be restored to their former nature and be made bones again Then according to the vision of Ezechiell euery bone shall come and ioyne it self againe to the bone wherewith it is to bee ioyned the sinewes shall come vppon the bones the fleshe shall couer the sinewes and the breath of life shal be breathed into them So they whom they thought thei had confounded for euer shall stande vppon their feete againe as a triumphant and victorious hoste ouer all their enemies With the least of which the saintes of God in whom the Lorde will be marueilous at his cōmyng not the proudest of the aduersaries of the Gospell shall be equall as he boasteth but in tremblyng and in feare shall stande before them who shall assist the great Iudge in his hye Courte accordyng as it is saied you shall iudge the Aungelles Therfore let them not boast them selues of a vaine hope for certainly there is no peace for the wicked saith the lorde To trauel and torment them as he obiecteth there is no man taketh any pleasure in it God forbidd we should feede our eyes with the miserable spectacle of their execution or our hartes in any their sufferinges We are so farre from it by the grace of God that if we enioye any thyng that is good wee wishe as good parte of it to them as to our selues Especially beeyng vouchsafed that high fauour of God to beleeue in Christe accordyng to the truth of the Gospell and thereby to liue thorow the same grace in the feare of his name seruyng hym and our brethren with all our power in a happy assuraunce of the forgiuenesse of our synnes and a blessed hope and expectation of the glorie of God to be made manifest in vs as in his sonnes at the glorious commyng of Christ with thousandes of his mightie Aungelles We wishe them the like precious faith together with vs and the same vndoubted and vnmoueable hope of the life to come Wherein as through the same gracious promise of God in Christe we are assured by the Sacred truthe of his Gospell to haue our parte of the hidden Manna and of the Tree of life whiche is in the middest of the Paradise of God so we desire with all our hartes if it bee so good in his eyes who is onely wise onely mercifull and onely holie that thei maie haue their part of that Manna that Tree of life and newe wine of a heauenly grape reioysyng the harte of God and man together with vs as the Lord speaketh in the Gospell eating and drinkyng at the heauenly table and that we maie altogether raigne with Christ in his kyngdome for euer As for the benefites of this life I would to God their offences hindered theim not to enioye theim aswell as wee If the Lorde haue giuen vs a good lande as he hath in deede plentiful of all good commodities of this life we wish thei were partakers of thē all together with vs. We take no pleasure in their banishment abroad our coūtry is their countrie our peace is their peace our libertie theirs We can wel afforde thē and that with ioy roome emongest vs yea prefermentes and places of any good and honorable seruice in the churche or cōmonwealth accordyng to their worthinesse and abilitie to deale in them Therefore as Iuda somtimes exhorted Israel so we exhort thē retourne ye children of Israell Fight not against the Lorde God of your Fathers for you can not prospere When the Prodigall sonne had wasted his fathers goods with harlots in a straunge countrey beyng in pouertie and neede longed after his fathers house again he aduised to returne to hūble himself to his father and saie father I haue sinned against heauen against thee am no more worthy to be called thy sōne make me but as one of thy hired seruants and his father receiued hym with a greate feast at his own table with noise of Musick and with all ioye So wee assure our selues vpon the merciful nature of our souerain Ladie whō God hath made to be a mother in Israel that thei should be graciously louyngly receiued if thei would know their owne miserie and did lothe their spirituall Fornications with the whore of Babilon vpon whō thei spend wast what giftes so euer God hath bestowed vpon thē Let them be ashamed of their féeding of the draffe of mens inuentiōs who may feede with their brethren at home