her brother had redeemed it Ninthly And from this act of Q. Maries did proceed another equally euill or worse whereby she hath got a name of blood and crueltie and whereby she hath run her selfe into the highest degree of euill and this was the persecution of holy and faithfull men slaughtering Gods Saints with such fury and heathenish heate as may well declare the Religion and Faith of the persecutors For there is no profession of Christian Religion in all the world except the Papisticall that thinke to merit by murder blood and persecution neither is there any that haue made their names so odious by the effusion of Christian blood as they whereby they haue made themselues the friends or Antichrist but enemies to God and to the truth of his holy Gospell God hauing commanded his seruants to suffer and not to inflict afflictions for a Christians profession is to beare the Crosse and not to make it and in euery euill worke holy men must suffer and wicked men doe for such was the condition of Christ the Lord of Christians bearing the rebukes of all men applying his sacred hands to heale the infirmities of men and not to wound and destroy them and as in the Nature of God his mercie doth reioyce ouer all his workes so all the sonnes of Grace delight in the workes of mercie and abhorre the deeds of miserie and desire to preserue and not to destroy the Images of God nor the Temples of his holy Spirit for such were these holy Martyrs who in this time of Queene Mary witnessed the truth of their Christian profession in the burning flames of persecution and cruell torture Tenthly So great was the persecution in these times as that no Sex no age nor any condition of men were spared the blind the aged and the Infant sleeping in the holy death of Martyrdome And if wee may beleeue the remembrance of those miseries as they are recorded then children new borne at the stake did perish at the stake little but holy Martyrs giuing their liues as soone as they had them for the witnesse of their Lord Christ Iesus and his truth an example of strange and incomparable crueltie yet did the enuie of these times reach further to the Sepultures of holy men deceassed where the persecutions euen there also would triumph raking vp the bones and ashes of good men and after with great Ceremonie and acclamation burne them a reuenge very admirable and such as onely the mallice of the diuel could deuise For the Graue is euery mans Sanctuarie from which no man nor no offence can take him without the breach of the Lawes of Nature and humanitie and to persecute and burne mens bones the life hauing long before left them is a Iudgement most mercilesse for the doome of Nature will haue one man to die but once neither ought reuenge to reach the graues of our greatest enemies it being enough for any that his enemy is dead but more then crueltie to reuiue his death and to make him die againe And therefore as Iob did blame his vncomfortable friend because they did persecute him as God and were not content with his flesh So wee may lawfully condemne this Popish persecution because they reuenge like Diuels and are not content with the Death of them they loue not but will then persecute the body when they cannot the soule God hauing taken that into his bosome of mercie and into the saftie of his protection Eleuenthly And if we truly consider the bloody persecution of Queene Maries time and with what vehemency it was moued it will appeare to be of like crueltie with them of the heathen Emperours in the Primitiue Church not for the number though very many but for the manner and cruell circumstance Twelfthly Againe the Queene in marrying with King Philip of Spaine may bee said to haue offended the Catholike Faith because by that meanes shee tooke away all hope to be reclaimed from the stiffe defence of Popish superstition the King of Spaine being in most neare confederacie with the Pope And this how preiudiciall it was to the profession of the Catholike Faith may be easily considered hee being chosen to assist the Queene in her defence of faith by whom the enemies of faith were principally to be supported and one so nearely bound to the Popes fauour in respect of State practise the Pope and the Spanish King being one anothers Ladder whereby they haue ascended the steps of reputation and worldly greatnesse 13. Againe if wee regard the care of State the Queenes marriage with the Spanish King was not for the prosperitie and honour of the English Nation but rather a meanes to depresse the glory thereof For howsoeuer the Queene and the State did articulate with King Philip thinking thereby they had secured the souereigntie of England by binding him to certaine Limitations yet was that no assurance but onely a false colour to blinde and satisfie the grosse vnderstandings of the vulgar lest by Rebellion and tumult they should oppose themselues against that purpose for it is not to be thought that any obligation can binde such men as aspire soueraigntie neither is it in the practise of great States to binde themselues but onely for aduantage and then to cast off their bonds when their practise is ripe and when they dare discouer their true intentions For bonds to him that hath power to breake them rather offend then profit and in great Spirits the remembrance to bee tyed to any Conditions doth beget in them a desire of Libertie and provokes them to breake that faith whereunto they are obliged And from this marriage of Queene Marie what could be hoped but either ciuill strife in disposing the Succession which by this meanes might haue had many Competitors or else that this Kingdome and the dominions thereof belonging should haue bene vnited to the Soueraigntie of Spaine which already like Hydra is become monstrous in largenesse hauing vnited to that one body many heads many large dominions And if this had succeeded which no doubt was the expectation of Spaine then had the glory of this Isle euen then perished and our condition had bene alike miserable as is now that heretofore famous Kingdome of Portingale and other great States by him obtained And this kingdome which heretofore hath benee the supporter of that should then haue stood at discretion loosing the soueraigatie and fortunate honour which worthily had made it very famous the ambition of that State rising by the fall of ours the misery of this raysing the glory of that and we of Conquerors should haue bene seruants and slaues to that people whom before we had conquered and they by our oppression should haue wanted a power to haue restrained them from the generall Conquest of Christendome the which by vs hath principally
witnesse of his conscience yet did take it and therefore Stephen by dissembling saued his life which the other by plaine expressing himselfe lost So that both these though they conspire one end yet in themselues are they very diuerse the one with a manly resolution and with the witnes of his blood profest himselfe and his resolution the other by swearing and for swearing to banne and disclaime that which in his purpose was the marke whereto hee shot himselfe and his euill pollicies the one ending all opposition in his owne voluntary death the other by subtilty continuing his euill life that life being the death of many the deare Children of God 13. Another highly in the Kings fauour and most worthy of high fauour was the Lord Cromwell a man so resolute in the worke he had begunne as neuer any did pursue a holy businesse with better Spirit who notwithstanding the greatnesse of his enemies who after the fashion of all Courts enuie such most vnto whom the Prince is most gratious and then most when the degrees of honour are deriued vpon any of meane beginning yet so could this man rule the prosperity of his fortunes as neither in generall opinion was he thought proudly to delight them nor yet not to vnderstand what those honours were which the Kings fauour had giuen him So aduised was he in the passage of his honourable life as that use which seeth the least aduantage could neuer finde iust occasion though occasions were sought to scandalize his reputation in the generall opinion of good men And howsoeuer God did suffer the euill of his enemies to preuaile ouer his life yet neuer to the death of his honourable remembrance to whose Godly care all the louers of Religion in Christendome are beholding especially the English Nation he being a principall instrument whereby the King was moued to reforme Religion 14. In this mans time the Religious then liuing had great hope of prosperity in their holy cause aswell in respect of his diligence to that end directed as also of the Kings inclinable nature which did seeme to consent with the honourable desires of the Lord Cromwell intertaining him in all fauourable regard giuing him names and places of high honour whereby his godly cares went the better forward hauing the strength of the Kings authority which he applyed to no other end but that God might receiue honour in restoring the truth of his seruice and that the king might not receiue dishonour in abādoning the protection of faith whereof God by the sentence of his enemie had made him defēdor And this good cause did this good man prosecute with the best strēgth of his indeauor not regarding his life more then God that gaue it nor the honours of his life more then the honors of his king from whose boūty his honors were deriued 15. Thus we see the diuersity in the king whereby he grew remisse in following this holy care which was because of the diuersitie of opinions in those men whom the king most trusted in the state he suffering himself to be driuen against the currant of his owne streames by the violence of other mens perswasions 16. And here is offered a large consideration of the Kings Nature who notwithstanding his great spirit and his many other honourable deseruings he had this infirmitie That he would be induced to doe those things which were much disagreeing in themselues and to goe forward and backward in one course and suffer himselfe to be moued whether the violence of other mens affections would carrie him sometime for sometimes against Religion and by this he gaue an open demonstration of the weakenesse of his nature For there is no alteration in a State that is not dangerous and then is the danger most when the greate ones great in authority and neere in the fauour of the Prince deuide themselues For difference if it be not compounded by the awfull Maiesty of the Prince it will growe to faction by consequence to open breach And though the Prince so gouerne that they dare not come to open difference yet will they worke by conspiracie and secret practise the confusion of each other For where faction is there can be no assurance men wil seek to assure themselues though it be by the fall of others And this euill is best preuented by the prouidence of the Prince who when hee seeth deformity in the body of the State and that of necessity there must bee alteration to make such choice of instruments as best loue the cure least otherwise in steade of physicke they administer poyson and so not cure but destroy the body diseased 17. And this was the Kings error who though his purpose to reforme was good yet the course he tooke was not good making ill choice of particulers to whose trust he commended that businesse some of them being Protestants some Papists so that the King may bee said to build with one hand and to cast downe with another to reforme Religion and to deforme it againe And therefore this aduice I dare giue the best Prince in the world Let those you loue best and trust most be one in themselues and one with their Soueraigne and worke not vpon the foundation Truth by contrarie meanes for hee that so buildeth buildeth Babel that is confusion and not the walles of Ierusalem Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST to intertaine and beginne a Religious worke is both an honourable and a holy attempt but to finish it is more because it is possible that vnworthy men may vndertake and retire But Pietie is not Pietie if not constant For no vertue is rewarded but perseuerance Secondly To faint in the prosecution of a Religious cause is of all cowherdice the most shamefull and recreant because in all such quarrells God is our Generall and doth arme his souldiers in compleate security Thirdly A Prince that hath many about his person cannot but must haue much difference in their quallities his pollitique parte is to obserue and iudge the difference and to distinguish them to such seruice in the State as may make them emulous to exceede and not enuious to extirpe the prosperities of one another Fourthly It hath beene thought good Pollicie that in a Senate or Counsell of State it were good to haue men of opposite Iudgement because it doth prouoke both factions from exact declaration of their best indeauours This in a state meerely pollitique may haue pretence but in a Religious State it hath none because it is impossible to goe to one God in one truth by contrarie steppes Fifthly It were dishonourable and dangerous for a Prince that hath his state free and in quiet to dissemble or to deuide himselfe to contrarieties because hee that doth not declare himselfe certaine to one doth remaine suspected of all and doth giue a generall hope to generall varieties Sixthly The errour and vice is greater in
of his former strength And considering also the honour the Kings of England had got by the conquest of France the strong emulation of those two Neighbour Nations being both of them enuious of one anothers reputation and greatnesse the English being euer fortunate in those French quarrells and the French most desirous to suppresse the growing reputation of the English And therefore it may seeme at this time was offered an occasion to the French to recouer their reputation in Armes and to repossesse those places which the English then held in France yet for all these occasions so fortunate was the King and his people as no mis-fortune at that time did disaduantage our Nation God protecting it against the euill and beyond the expectation of all men 19. And lastly the King sending his Embassadours to all Christian Princes to giue them satisfaction for that he had done was a care very Princely and Christian for by this he preuented the many slanderous constructions that otherwise would haue censured him he himselfe by his Embassadours declaring the true purpose of his enterprize And this was a demonstration that the king reputed such whom he desired to satisfie as his kingly Brethren and that all of them being powers immediately vnder God in their owne Christian Kingdomes it was reason he should giue them a Christian satisfaction that he proceeded not in these diffrences without the perswasion of Learned and Religious iudgement neither was it euill order in the King to haue first effected what he ment and then to satisfie opinion For if hee had sent for their aduise before hee had attempted it he had then lost the honour of the enterprise and had either tied himselfe to the pleasures of other men or else haue opposed against them all the first had bene dishonorable the other very dangerous CHAP. IX In what State King Henrie left his Kingdomes to the next Defendor of the Faith King Edward the Sixth FIRST it may seeme strange to him that shall reade this Historie to consider the state of Religion in this last time of King Henries Reigne Religion lying then as it were in equall ballance inclinable to be sweighed according as shall please the next succeding Prince to fauour it For as yet Religion was not reformed but onely a preparation made for reformation the King hauing taken from the Pope his Supremacie and his vniuersall authority but not the number of his idle ceremonies insomuch as the Pope may be said to haue his head then broken in loosing his authority but his taile yet vnperisht reteining still the number of his fabulous obseruances And if I were demanded what was the Religion then profest in England I could not giue it name being no better then a Farrago or a Religion compounded of many diuers the State being yet vnsetled and but mouing to a reformation for both that of the Papist and this of the Protestant indured like extremities Secondly And the reason was because the lawes then in force were occasioned by men diuers in opinion yet neere in the greatnesse of place either part persecuting or prosecuting according to their seuerall affections So that men zealous in any profession of Religion were in danger of Law and such onely secure that made their conscience yeeld to generall practise and opinion whereby the best and most conscionable had least fauour in the iudgement of those lawes whereby the Common-Wealth did often lose her most vsefull members to the detriment of State and against all aduice both of pollicie and pietie Thirdly For that the King was of himselfe otherwise inclined may appeare both by the testimonie of them neere his person as also by the witnesse of his owne words as in particuler to Bruno Embassadour from Iohn Fredericke Duke of Saxonie to whom imploring his aide against the Emperour hee answered that if the quarrell betweene him and the Emperor were onely for Religion he should then stand to it stoutly and hee would in that quarrell take his part Fourthly It may appeare also by the kings dislike of such men as had withheld his forwardnesse to reforme as in speciall Stephen Gardiner whom the king now found to contriue against him and to haue haled him on to those ends he most disliked And therfore the King before his death did withdraw his fauour from him And howsoeuer he forgaue him the forfeit of his life yet did hee for euer after discountenance him causing his name to bee rased out of the number of Executors to whose trust hee had commend the execution of his last will Besides the repentance and sorrow the King made for the Lord Cromwells death whom he had found so faithfull and fit for this businesse as neuer any Prince was better furnished the King finding the want of so choice an instrument would often in griefe of words say hee wanted his Cromwell in so needfull a businesse as he had vndertaken Fifthly And therefore assuredly the king had good affection to reforme the enormious abuses of the Church and to haue purged it from all Idolatrous seruice But God reseruing that for the honour of Prince Edward the next Defendor accepted of the Kings good purpose And that God who gaue him will to desire well and his sonne the honour to finish well gaue them both we trust his grace to die well to breath their soules into his hands of mercie And in these tearmes did the king leaue the state to the next Defendor his Princely Sonne a state full of storme and great businesse hauing entred so farre into an honourable passage as that the Prince who was to inherit his Fathers cares could not in the termes of honour but second the most honourable attempt of his Father Sixthly It may bee demanded now whether King Henrie according to his new stile did defend the Catholike Faith or not and in what particulars he best defended it For it may be obiected that the King not hauing reformed Religion but only in some few particulars hath not merited the honour of his stile because the Catholike Faith was not so defended in his time and in his kingdome but it indured much affliction To this I answer that howsoeuer the king did faile in the maine execution of his office yet cōsidering the greatnes of his attempt he hath wel deserued euerlasting memorie to be recorded the first Christian king Defendor of the Faith the first that with honour victory dated to oppose himself against the spiritual power of the Popes if we consider the danger of his attempt we shall finde it an act of great spirit consequence and such as may worthily compare with the deeds of antient Romanes which were of most admiration and wonder Seuenthly And in these two particulars hath he principally defended the Catholike Faith First in taking from the enemie of Faith authority
God they had lawfully gotten And therefore the honourable compounding of these differences doth conclude the wisedome and faithfull seruice of such as then did gouerne the state For if the Duke had bene ambitious and had aspired the soueraigntie he would neuer haue lost the aduantage of this occasion the time then seruing best to haue attempted it the body of the Rebellious wanting onely such a head to haue led them to any desperate attempt whatsoeuer And therefore howsoeuer his enemies did brand his name with dishonourable imputations it is very vnlikely the Duke should haue any such disloyall affections neglecting as I haue said these opportune occasions and being so strong in the fauour of the people Fourthly But that which did most discontent the King and threaten the state was the variance betweene the Lord Protector and the Barrons whose high place and honourable deseruing had got him much dangerous enuie in the State which hee by too much sufferance gaue aduantage to preuaile so farre as to his owne destruction For if the Duke by his authority had cut off the first beginnings of this euill he had preuented the mischiefe which thereof insued and so he might haue done that in the opportunity of time with ease which afterwards hee would most gladly haue done but could not with all the authority he had compasse because the opportunity was past and then he could not recall occasions which then flie from vs when they are not intertained For it be hooueth him of great place that would preuent the danger of enuie not to forbeare the cause of enuie which is goodnes but to destroy the first beginnings of enuie not to giue that euill weed sufferance which in short time will grow to a strength vncontroleable and then who so offers to strike shall but wound himselfe and like a bird in a trap locke himselfe more strongly in by striuing to escape And this assuredly was the Dukes error to suffer his enemies to grow to a strength he could not command and then being in their danger he sought by strong hand to rid himselfe wherein he found he was much deceiued to the losse of his life and to the glory of his enemies now from what cause this discord had beginning is diuersly imagined neither doth our English Chronicles determine it so that many seuerall coniectures diuersly interpret it some blame the Dukes improuidence and that he did not regard his owne security so much as the danger of his place required and therefore suffered his enemies to practise against him with all aduantage Others that his euill gouerning the State did so offend the Lords as in their honourable care of the State they sought redresse and that the Duke might either surrender his authority or else reforme the disordered course of his former proceedings to the more honour of the King and the better gouernement of the Common-Wealth others thinke that hee aspired the principality and thereby runne himselfe into the highest degree of treason which opinion is all malice and no Truth For questionlesse if the Duke had bene guilty of Treason his enemies would neuer haue condemned him of Felonie Lastly it is thought the cause was nothing but a practise of enuie which his honourable life and zealous care for Religion had procured him who aduancing his indeauour with all constancie for the reforming of Religion and trauelling in the state with much prosperity and honour hee by these meanes got a double enemie his religious care procured him the hatred of the discontented persons in the State which then were many and his honourable life got him enuie in the great ones who then couet to suppresse the growing reputation of any whose merit may challenge the highest degrees of honour for men enuie not the euill but the good of others and he alwaies is most subiect to be enuied whose vertuous life shall least deserue it Sixthly And from this cause was the vnfortunate end of the good Duke the Lord Protector whom his enemies did not destroy for his euill but for his honourable and vertuous life And this howsoeuer it had the course of orderly proceeding according to the tryall of law yet was that onely a colour to giue it some reasonable pretence whereby the common mouth of the vulgar might be stopped which in such cases is most daring and prodigall and surely it is very remarkeable that a Prince of his authority and greatnesse Vnkle to the King and protector of his person and state should bee thus forced to these hard extremities and that in a Kingdome which himselfe did protect to be arrested condemned and executed for Felonie and example so rare as no time can produce the like and such as may remember the greatest how subiect they be to the fall of Fortune who foyleth them most that fall from the highest dignities Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST God doth often suffer his owne cause Religion euen in the hope and prosperity thereof to indure contrary fortunes sometimes by intrusion of Errors often by the interruption of peace For without these tryalls of opposition and aduersity there can be no distinction of good and bad neither could it merit extraordinarie praise to be a Christian. Secondly In the Iudgement of Diuinity it doth not destroy the Truth of any cause to suffer iniurie and violence because the most sacred Sonne of God did indure them in their extremities Therefore are they deceiued that make temporall prosperity a note of spirituall Truth because Truth in this life may liue in banishment Thirdly It was a wicked policie in the kings enemies but powerfull to sow Discord in his neerest blood for by that meanes it was easie for them to gaine that which otherwise had bene difficult because such disagreements are most implacable that haue had power to destroy naturall affections for there is no hate like that which is translated out of loue Fourthly It is one of the most principall respects that should be in a Prince to be able to conteine his owne secrets and in all his important affaires to vnderstand more than he shall discouer for by this meanes hee shall both delude the purpose of him that would deceiue him and by Pollitique obseruations discouer designes farre off Fifthly Particular disquiets in a Morall life are ciuill warres that would destroy a blessed peace for as euery man is a little world So the order or disorder of that world hath resemblance and fit comparison with the state of this world CHAP. XV. A Discourse of the miseries of mans life vpon occasion of the Duke of Somersets death FIRST It is true that at our birth wee begin to die our life being no better then a continuall sicknesse which by many extremities leade vs to our graue the sanctuarie and house of Rest and therefore the best men haue least desired
alteration of time How God doth inuite men to their Saluation Religion did liue in death The cause of scisme in Christian Religion The Practises of the French Diuine Pollitique Morall The reformation of Religion Christian Religion deuided into Protestants and Papists How Religion was reformed England the first that with victory did oppose the Pope The first occasion of the alteration of Religion Luthers Booke de Captiuitate Babyl K. Henery the Eighth against Luther The purpose of the Kings Booke The greatnes of the Pope at those times The Popes pollicie The Popes secret purpose in stiling the K. Defendour of the Faith The Popes purpose disappointed by prouidence God moueth the King against his naturall disposition Luthers bitter writing Luthers misconceiuing Luthers zeale without discretioÌ„ Diuine Politique Morall The first Act of the Kings Defence Frederick Barbarossa Henry the Second The first occasion of difference betweene King Henry and the Pope The King first made supreame Head Anno regni 26. An Argument of the Kings greatnesse The benefit of Maiestie The inconuenience of Papall authoritie Diuine Pollitique Goodness and greatnes the two ends whereto all men intend Richard the Third of England The gouernment Monarchiall the best An inconuenience of Popish Supremacie Pretend and intend The practise of many Treasâ—ns Pride the most sensible signe of Antichrist Psalme The sinne of the Diuels in the Creation Nymrods sinne Supremacie God neuer altereth his purpose Vicessitudo rerum The variety of Fortunes The regard that was giuen to the Pop Church The first cause of alteration of Religion God most iealous of his honour The King well fitted for this businesse What might moue the K. in respect of himselfe Master Fox in the Act and Monâ— The Popes strength The cause mouing the King to the subersion of the Abbeyeâ— The outrruding of Fryers c. The suppressing of Abbeyes good to the Church and Common-Wealth A doubt Answer 1. 2. Cardinall Wolsey an euill president Pollitique Morall The weakenesse of the Kings resolution The King ruled by perswasion and not by Iudgement Cardinall Wolsey Thomas Cranmer D. Cranmer Stephen Gardiner Gardiner a great Polititian The sixe Articles Sir Thomas Moore The excelleÌ„t ornaments in Nature in Sir Thomas Moore The error of such as write Historie Truth the life of all History Moore an euemie to the Protestant Religion The vnequal comparison betweene Moore and Gardiner Lord Cromwell In moderation England beholding to the labours of the Lord Cromwell In this time Religion did proceed well His constancie in one course Diuersity of opinions cause of the Kings vnconstancie The Kings infirmitie Euery alteration in a state is dangerous The Kings error Diuine Pollitique Morall The cause pretended of the sixe Articles The cause of manie grosse and sencelesse opinions The nature of the Vulgar An euil cure Sixe Articles The power of perswasion The sixe Articles what they were The euil that redounds to a State when the Counsell are diuided The care of State Gardiner the meanes to hinder the King from reformation Gardiners wit Gardiners gifts The ReligioÌ„ at this time in England was neither the ProtestaÌ„t nor the Papist Three Protestants and three Papists die at one time and in one place for their Conscience Acts and Mon pag. 1375. The Kings Counsell the one halfe Protestants the other Papists The miserie of these times Tolle vnum tolle verum 2 Sam. 7. 5. God would not that K. Henry but that King Edward should finish this reformation King Henry deserued well in doing more then was done before him by any other The King exceeded expectation God assisted the King The Kings desert Diuine Pollitique Morall The difficultie in the Kings attempt This opposition was ordered by the power of God The wisedome of pollicie is foolishnesse with God The King gaue aduantage to his enemies The Popes Curses vpon King Henry The power of the Popes censure Faction the first part of Conquest A second Reason The equall partage of Christendome to many Princes The care of those times England and France in continuall faction A pollitique regard England with Spaine France with Scotland coÌ„federates The aduantage the French had of the English by reason of this popish quarrell God and not pollicie ordered the king Considerations in respect of the Pope The Pope degraded of authority The Kings example daÌ„gerous for the Pope The Pope enuied of Christian Princes The Popes diligence The respect the Pope had to the dishonorable yealding How it did import the Pope to continue friendly intertainement with the King The Pope lost the King by his too much neglect pride Authority in an euill person ruines it selfe A saying of Byas How to iudge men God confoundeth the Popes pollicie God and the Pope vtterly disagree Papall suprepremacie gotten by state practise Charles the Great father of the Popes ambition Luther Areason of the Popes obstinacie A principall of Papistrie The fashion of antient Heretickes The pride of the Pope To know how to distinguish good and euil by their ends The Pope intituleth himselfe the seruant of Gods seruants but insulteth ouer Emperors Dissimulation commonly in The Popes greatnesse like Nebuchadnezzars Tree couered the whole Earth When great dissemblers dare discouer themselues The Kings proceedings very important The Kings orderly proceeding The bodie of Popery must needs fall when Supremacie the head was cut off The Christian Princes stood mute at the Kings businesse The French had at this time aduantage of the English by reason of the Pope England and France enuious of one anothers gloriâ— The King fortunate The Kings care to satisfie the Princes of Christendome The reason thereof A pollitique discretion Religion at this time but in reforming The Pope had his head broken Diuers law-makers diuers lawes The euill gouernement of the state at this time The King himselfe otherwise inclined D. of Saxony Master Fox Act. and Mon. pag. 1478. The Kings dislike of Gardiner The repentance sorrow the King made for the Lord Cromwell The Kings affection How the K. left the state Whether the King defended the faith or not Obiection The King the first Christian King Defendor of the Faith The King defended the Faith in two particulars A double inconuenience to a Christian state The King made way for his Sonne King Edward finished what his Father had attempted A comparison betweene King Henry and King Edward To finish a good is more then to begin it In respect of greatnes K. Henry was more excellent in respect of goodnesse King Edward King Henry did wound Idolatry but King Edward destroyed it Diuine Pollitique Morall The King the Emperor famous for their bold Attempts The Emperour against Pope Alexander the King against Pope â—lemeÌ„t They both quarrell the Pope for Soueraigntie The King intended reformation the Emperour did not The Emperour more forward least fortunate The Kings weakenesse was the weakenesse of Nature not of Courage The two Popes their enemies neerely agree They both curse but with vnequall successe
These banning Popeâ— like Shemei and Balam The Princes agree not in their ends The Emperors bad fortunes The indignities wherewith the Pope did vse the Emperor The Popes insulting pride The Emperors end vnfortunate The King very fortunate In respect of themselues the two Princes were equalls in respect of their fortunes they disagree The Emperours praise God the fouÌ„taine of goodnesse All men naturally euill Grace the gift of God God decreeth the good and deuiseth the meanes K. Edward K. Edward fit to finish the worke of Reformation God had the greatest part in this businesse The King beloued of God The King the best of all Christian Princes then liuing The Nation happie in K. Edward to defend the Faith The praise of King Edward The miserie of manie kingdomes Alexander of Macedon Alexander leauing his Empire to his friend diuided did sooner perish The kingdomes of France Edward the Third The title of England to the crowne of France FraÌ„ce much vexed with English warres France still in the hazard of English warres English examples Yorke and Lancaster The cause of the Eâ—glish ciuill warres was the interrupting of lawfull Succession Queene Elizabeth The danger that was feared by her want of Issue The danger of the State Gods preuention The euent did exceed expectation The subuersion of great houses The Sonnes of gouernors are best fitted for gouernement King Edward did exceed and succeed his Father Diuine Pollitique Morall The Kings praise His mercy to his enemies The particular of his deserts The King did inherit his kingdome and hâ—â— care for Religion together His first care He secondeth his Fathers attempt His first act of defence to the Faith King Edward was not tempted as was King Henry by euill counsell His holy zeale for reformation The King well fitted for this businesse The King not moued by any respect Wherein K. Edward principally defended the Faith Popery vtterly extirped by the King The consent of Parliament An vniforme order of common prayer appointed by the King Verity could not stand without vnitie Iosias of Iuda The ceremonies of Poperie like the rites of the Heathen Priests Anno 1547. The repeale of statutes concerning Religion Sixe Articles Gardiner Bonner The Kings renowne The King put out the fires of persecution The King did cure the wound his Father made The Kings furtherance The orders of the Church â—stablishâ—d by the King The King most mercifull and compassionate In mercie men resemble God His care for poore Hospitalls by him erected The workes of mercie the best witnesses of holy Faith The King deserued his Stile Diuine Pollitique Morall Contraries iudge one another Note There must be faction Prouidence The reason of this opposition of good and euill Goodnesse not confounded but confirmed by the opposition of euill The way is good if the end be happy Truth Euill men and euill practise against the King Scotland The Marriage with Q. Mary of Scotland The importance of that Marriage King Iames our Soueraigne The King euer victor RebellioÌ„ moued by perswasion and not by any proper motioÌ„ The Papists The practise of rebâ—lâ—ious Iesuits and Priests The Duke of Somerset Protector His deserts The reforming of Religion diuided the kingdome into a faction The Dukes care to compound these differences The Duke slandered The variance between the Lord Protector the Barrons Honour and desert beget dangerous enuie The Dukes error in pollicie Post est occasio Calua Note This ouersight was his death The cause of this discord The Dukes improuideÌ„ce His euill gouernement of the State Ambition This opinion is all malice no truth The true cause was a practise of enuie A double enemie The nature of great and enuious spirits Vertue most subiect to enuie The tryall of law onâ—ly a colour to satisfie reports The Dukes extremitie of hard fortune The greatest are most subiect to the fall of Fortune Diuine Pollitique Morall Life is a sicknesse The contempt of life Holy men neuer feared the Image of death Holy death setteth open the gates of life The ChildreÌ„ of Grace The sonnes of nature The iudgement of sense can iudge miserie of mans life The antient Romanes and GreciaÌ„s Against the rule of Religion A notable demonstratioÌ„ Man hath more to afflict him than all other Creatures Because of sinne The cause of the many grieuances of mans life Sickenesse Sickenesse ordained to subdue the pride of our nature A double respect First the number of sicknesses Secondly the generality All men being subiect at all times to all infirmities Rich men The poore the rich are both alike â—fflicted with sicknesse Pouertie of life Pouertie hatefull to men The false opinion of the world The honourable and the vile man do oâ—cupiâ— on the others place Want dâ—iecteth the spirits of well deseruing men The griefe of noble spirits Pouertie to a good man is like the foyle to the Diamond The desperate effects of pouertie Mutability and change The continuall trouble of mans life The graue the resting place 〈…〉 Custome is another nature Men by their naturall motions moue to euill but to goodnesse by the mouing of Grace That Roman Conquerour The Duke of Somerset A custome among the antient Romanes Variable fortune maketh men miserable Discontent Minde Discontent a dangerous disease The danger in discontenting great spirits All men haue at some times their discontents Holy men haue bene discontented Griefe is a greater torment then sickenesse The greatnesse of Discontent Death Death an enemie against whom there is no resistance Death doth controule the prosperities of our life Death is not a misery to all men Death maketh holy men immortall Good men hope for death and bad men feare it Death and the graue make all things equall No man hath pleasures but with limitation To good men there is no miserie How to vse the pleasures of this life Who are happie No man can know any part of Gods secrets vnles God reueals them God not contrarie but aboue reason The cause of false constructions In diuine matters Christians must belieue when they cannot iudge The vse that God can make of all our actions K. Edward The wonderfull effects of Gods prouidence The blood of the Martyrs was the seed of the Gospell The deaths of a few was the life of many God is mercifull in his iudgements The Kings death Great occasions of trouble in the kingdome The nobility commâ—ns disagree in the choice of their Prince King Edward euill counselled Northumberland Suffolke the cause of this great iniurie Reasons why the King did it not of his owne motion but by perswasion A doubtfull question resolued Good ends cannot be compassed by euill meanes God is the Father of truth What good men must do Diuine Pollitique Morall Iosias of Iuda and Edward of England Their age when they began their Reigne Both of these Kings conspiring one holy end Both their Kingdomes were corrupted with idolatrie Both of them yeeld their obedâ—ence to holy perswasion effect their purpose Both these
would appeare most glorious Sixthly Againe the variable change of mans life whereby he is violently carried to many disagreeing ends sometime to the better sometime to the worse according to the seuerall power of occasions insomuch as in this respect a man is like a vessell at Sea driuen with many contrarie windes too and fro alwaies in the extremities of storme and wearie passage neither can any man ariue his peacefull port before death bring him to his graue his life being nothing but a breath of contrarie windes bearing him to indure the misery of many hard and variable fortunes And this euill is most sensible to those vnto whom Fortune hath bene most gratious who enioying the pleasures of life with full appetite and by the change of fortune forced to change that state wherin they thought themselues most happie For then is aduersity in full strength being in him whose former life hath bene most prosperous for the common induring of bitternes and misery dulleth the edge thereof and maketh it by much lesse sensible to him whome Custome hath made familiar with griefe neither are mens natures so inclineable to the good as to the bad alteration it being generall in all men to moue themselues to their owne destruction the motion to perfection not being our owne but the worke of Grace which onely hath the glorie of euery good worke Seuenthly It were needlesse to giue particular instance of this mutability of fortune euery particular man hauing instance in himselfe to witnesse it and for those of extraordinary glory and greatnesse we may remember that Romane Conquerour who passing the streets of Rome in the glorie of his Triumph had his braines beaten forth with a Tyle which by casualty fell vpon him or that of better memorie the Duke of Somerset the occasion of this discourse who from the highest degree of a Subiect fell into the ignominie of Treason and vntimely timely death And therefore the antient Romanes vnderstanding â—he miserie of variable fortune ordained that when any of their worthy Captaines should ride in triumph a slaue should ride with him in his triumphall Chariot holding fast with his slauish hand the lawrell Crowne vpon the Conquerours head who then did triumph both to moderate the vaine glory of the Conquerour and also to remember him to what condition he himselfe was subiect and therefore in respect of mutability of fortune is mans life most miserable no man being able to secure himselfe in any reasonable condition of life Eighthly But that which of all other is most burdensome is Discontent the disease of the soule and that which of all other infirmities is most dangerous and hard to cure especially in spirits of best apprehension and in them who haue aspired the reputation of high place For the spirits of great men are not moued to impatience without dangerous euents because their anger maketh them willing and their greatnes maketh them able to reuenge And therfore such men are neuer discoÌ„ntent but it prouoketh either their owne or other mens destruction neither is this euill tied to particular men onely but like a generall Plague it spreads it selfe ouer all degrees of men though not in like vehemencie For the best and the worst the basest and the most noble haue at some time their discontents whereby they are offended in themselues and wish to die and that which is more admirable those men renowned for holinesse of life haue had this loathing to liue and desired to die as Iob Elias and many other holy men which may well conclude the misery of a discontented minde and how insupportable it is in his extremity for as the soule exceedeth the body in the excellencie of their Natures So the grieuances of the soule are much more sensible to our faculties then those of our bodies because griefe is properly belonging to the soule and to the body onely by consequence or participation And if I were to define the greatest miserie on earth next to that of hell sin and damnation I should call it discontent in his extremitie because next the sorrow of sinne the liuing part of man his soule hath not any thing of like torment and affliction and as all other miseries are the seed from whence doth proceed this Monster Discontent So from discontent can be expected no better then destruction and death Ninthly The last misery of our life is Death the which at one stroake doth reuenge all the euill of mans life and this howsoeuer in it selfe it be not euill yet in mens generall vnderstanding it is thought the worst of all euills and the most fearefull of all other miseries And therefore the very name of death hath oftentimes stroake astonishment and terror in the hearts of tyrants and euill men knowing that death was an enemy against whom there was no resistaÌ„ce hauing preuailed against them of the first age though they liued many hundreds of yeares For if the honours and pleasures of this life were infinite and the enioyers of them eternall then were not the life of man so miserable a condition but hauing death to controule the most glorious among men and to depriue them of their prosperity and honours in this respect the best of mans life is no better then misery and griefe because he foreseeth the end of all his prosperity the remembrance of death sowring the greatest part of the pleasures of life euerie man hauing griefe to loose that wherein he so much delighteth Tenthly Yet Death though his power be geuerall ouer all flesh is not therefore a misery to all men but to many an end most happie and desired For though it be a curse for sin to be mortall die yet is Death most happie to them that die well God by the death of his Sonne hauing reconsiled himselfe to his seruant Man which by no other meanes could be made immortall But this condition of happinesse is not in the Nature of Man but in the fauour and grace of God And therfore is death that which good men hope and bad men feare the poore mans comfort and the rich mans terror and that which maketh the King and the Subiect the rich and the poore equall making of euery mans flesh but earth and putrifaction And therefore the life of man euen from the wombe to the Graue is nothing but misery and vexation of Sipirit no naturall man hauing the pleasures thereof but with such limitation as maketh pleasure it selfe burdensome Eleuenthly The holy and good men of the world not otherwise regarding life then as a time wherein to exercise their Christian offices and to such there is no miserie neither in life nor death happie are such to whom God shall giue Grace to dispise the vaine glorie of earth and that vse the creatures of God with christian moderation not
affecting them more then the Lord of them nor applying them to any other end then holines for which all things were created most happie are they who for the honour of their God and for the testimonie of his truth haue forsaken the pleasures of this transitory life and haue giuen themselues a sacrifice to God for so to die is to enioy immortality and perpetuall rest CHAP. XVI Of King Edwards Death and how hee left the State to the next Successor FIRST it were foolish and vaine for any man to desire to know the secrets of Gods will because no man can vnderstand more of Gods secret than he himselfe shall please to reueale and therefore is mans knowledge limited being able onely to iudgâ— by reason and consequence whereas Gods diuine workes exceed the iudgement of sence being not contrary but aboue the reach of reason And from this cause is it that men commonly offend in their false constructions iudging of Gods worke grosly according to humane vnderstanding and not considering his wisedome and power by whose prouidence all things are directed For in Gods matters Christians must beleeue when they cannot iudge and it is sufficient argument to conclude the goodnesse of any worke when wee know that God is the Author for those things which to a naturall man seeme strange to a reformed iudgement appeare much otherwise and there is nothing be it neuer so euill in mans iudgement but God can make it serue for the worke of his glory he being able to make the euills of men respect an end beyond their expectations and in that wherein we iudge our selues most miserable can he make vs most happie Secondly And for particular instance we may consider K. Edward whom God elected from among many thousands for the work of his glory hauing defended the Catholike Faith with a resolution most zealous constant yet notwithstanding in the growth of his prosperity did God take him from the world and depriue the Children of faith of their Patron and princely Defendor whereby in common iudgement God may seeme to be offended with his owne and to leaue his Saints vndefended to the stroake of persecution from which this holy King had defended them But thus to iudge of God were wicked and false because we see the Gospell by that interruption did spread it self with much more generall acceptation the blood of holy Martyrs being a holy seed whereby the Church spread into a large generation and who knoweth but God to manifest to all the world the faith and obedience of his holy Saints in the Church of England suffered this persecution for the glory of their memorie for a demonstration to all men what numbers of true Catholike Christians had flourished vnder the protection of King Edward their Patrone and princely Defendor The Saints hereby exchanging their mortall variable life for eternity perpetuall rest their deaths begetting the liues of many holy men like them whereby the number of Gods seruants was much augmented to the glory of God and prosperity of his Church And therefore let no man condemne the worke of Gods prouidence but yeeld his obedience to the good pleasure of God and let him know that God is mercifull euen in his iudgements and that hee can make that which doth seeme to threaten vs most to be the Ladder whereby we may ascend the highest of all preferments the fauour of God and the fellowship of his holy Saints Thirdly King Edward being dead the state grew verie stormie and full of greate businesse the cause being who should succeed the King in which controuersie the kingdome was deuided the greatest part of the Counsell and the Nobility proclaiming Lady Iane Daughter to the Duke of Suffolke whose Mother was Daughter to Mary King Henries Sister first married to the French King and after to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke But the greatest part of the Commons and some of the Nobility adhering to Lady Mary eldest Daughter to King Henrie the Eighth by his first wife Queene Katherine of Spaine and this occasion was the trouble and death of many honourable and worthy personages For whether King Edward of his owne election or wrought by the perswasion of others I know not had by his last Will and Testament interested the Ladie Iane to the inheritance of his kingdomes for this cause as was pretended that the State might still continue the profession of the Protestant Religion which could not be hoped in the gouernement of Queene Mary But howsoeuer the King did thus bequeath his kingdomes it is very likely hee was drawne thereto by perswasion of his nobles especially of the two Dukes Northumberland and Suffolke because hereby the inheritance was conueyghed to their issue to whom in right it did not belong neither is it likely the King of his owne motion would haue disinherited his owne Legitimate sisters to interest one further off And if Religion was the cause why was not choise rather made of Queene Elizabeâ—h then Lady Iane Shee being by much neerer in the degrees of blood and altogether as assured in the Protestant Religion And therefore certainely the King was moued by others to offer this iniurie to his neerest blood Fourthly And if the question be demanded whether in this case it was lawfull for the King to translate the inheritance of his kingdomes I answer that howsoeuer the pretence is faire and good yet was the practise euill because wrong was offered and those ends are neuer good the which are compassed by euill meanes and to translate inheritance where it ought not is to contradict Gods prouidence by whose wisedome all things are ordered And therfore no doubt this offence of those Dukes and their confederates conspiring with them this vnlawfull end was the cause that God did suffer the power of their enemies to preuaile to their destruction For God is the Father of Truth and the God of Iustice neither would he that men should attempt to alter the course of his prouidence or by any violent and euill meanes pursue an end be it neuer so Religious and holy For good men must vse onely good meanes to reach good ends And therefore this practise of these Dukes in the iudgement of Religion was not good notwithstanding in state practise it hath example and may seeme allowable Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST there is no pretence how faire soeuer can giue authority and strength to vnlawfull actions For God who is all-sufficient and who hath decreed all good things hath likewise deuised all good meanes to compasse them therefore euery good worke doth consist of lawfull matter and forme for no euill thing can bee well done neither can any good thing bee done euilly Secondly When God by death doth preuent the hopes that are had of a vertuous Prince it doth not argue against the worthinesse of the Prince