of his diuelish practises to worke rebellion treasons among vs we may well thinke hee dealeth the like with other places when he draweth them to serue his turne Hunc vnum super omnes gentes principem constituit qui euellat destruat c. He hath appointed him onely Peter and his Successour the Byshop of Rome Prince ouer all nations to plucke vp and to destroy to roote out and throw downe to build plant No doubt this cōmissiō is large There can be no greater authority giuen in matters of the world But this authority hath no man God kéepeth it to himselfe By me Kings raigne and Princes decree iustice They beare my name they drawe my sword they are my Ministers to take vengeance on him that doth euill their hearts are in my hands I turne them whether soeuer it pleaseth me I take the praiers supplications and intercession for Kinges and for all that are in authoritie that men may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines and honestie Daniel telleth King Nabuchodonosor that the most high beareth rule ouer the kingdomes of men and giueth it to whomsoeuer hee will Wherefore doth hée not giue this glorie vnto God Wherefore saith he I will goe vp and be like vnto the highest I wil exalt my selfe and shew my selfe that I am God I haue saith he a déede of gifte The wordes set downe by the Prophet Hieremie are my warrant to place and depose whom I will And he doth not onely say thus but as if it were too small and base a title to set the name of God or of our Sauiour Christ before the wordes of his priuiledge he kéepeth his feete from y e ground and raiseth alofte and ietteth in the ayre aboue as though he were one of the spirituall wickednesses which are in the hie places and saith Regnans in excelsis cui data est omnis in caelo in terra potestas c. Hee that ruleth in the heights to whom al power is giuen both in heauen in earth c. Let him not deceiue you with vaine wordes You shall witnesse against him that hée taketh the name of the Lorde his God in vaine For if any worde in that péece of Scripture be spoken either of Prince or remouing of Princes if y e whole sense of those words cary any greater authoritie to the Pope than to the Bishop of any other place or to the simplest Minister in the world let me be no more credited Marke therefore sée howe boldly and fondly Pope Pius séeketh to mocke the worlde First he sayth Deus constituit me vnum Principem super gentes God hath appoynted me alone to be Prince ouer the nations Here is a shamelesse falsifying of Gods words The Prophet saith I haue set thee ouer the nations The Pope thrusteth in thrée words more Me alone and Prince that so he and none but he may reuel and rule in all places Reade the place of the Prophet if you haue your bookes The wordes are I set thee ouer the nations They say nothing neither of the Pope nor of Peters Successour nor of one alone nor of Prince All these the Pope hath péeced of his owne deuise But Salomon warneth him Put nothing to his words least he reproue thee and thou be founde a lyar Also S. Iohn telleth him If any man shall adde vnto these thinges GOD shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this Booke Whose wordes or what euidence will hée not corrupt which dareth in such presumption to handle the worde of GOD deceitfullye and without shame sende it foorth so into the worlde As for Hieremie the Prophete vnto whom God spake the wordes which the Pope sendeth vs will Pius say that hée was a Prince and had auctoritie ouer nations and kingdomes will hee saye that Hieremie depriued Princes and thrust them from their royall seates Hieremie did no such thing But al contrarie he suffered persecution not onely of the Princes but of the wicked people Pashur smote him and put him in the stockes Hee was in derision dayly euery one mocked him Hée hearde the rayling of many and feare came on him on euery side All his familiars laye in waite for him y e so they might preuaile against him and execute their vengeance vpon him Hee moneth his case before God saying howe is it that I came forth of the wombe to see labour and sorowe that my dayes should be consumed with shame And in the sixe and twentith Chapter all the people were gathered against Hieremie in the house of y ◠Lord then the Priestes and the Prophets and all the people tooke him and saide thou shalt die the death Was al this done vnto him by rebellion as against their Prince was it because he had vsed him selfe proudely or cruelly in matters of temporal gouernement was it not rather because he stoode in the Courte of the Lords house where the Lorde had sent him to Prophecie and saide to all the people the wordes of the Lorde of Hostes. Was it not because hee prophecied in the name of the Lorde Woulde Pope Pius be thus set ouer nations add kingdomes would he bée smitten and put into the stockes rayled at woulde he haue his dayes consumed in shame woulde he be let downe with cords into the dungeon where was no water but mire and so sticke fast in the mire woulde he haue his friendes mone his case to the King and tell what euill hath bene done to him in that they haue cast him into the dungeon say he dyeth for hunger in the place where hée is would he I say thus be set ouer nations and kingdomes or wil he say that Hieremie suffering these reproches of the Rulers and the Priests and the people did enioy an earthly peace and possesse a worldly kingdome or will hee say that God mocked his Prophet whē he saide vnto him This day I set thee ouer nations The words therefore must néeds haue an other meaning and what that meaning is who is better able to declare than Hieremie him selfe The Lord stretched out his hād touched my mouth and the Lorde saide vnto me beholde I haue put my words in thy mouth I haue ordained thee to be a Prophet vnto the nations Thou shalt go to all that I shall sende thee and what soeuer I command thee thou shalt speake Be not afraide of their faces For I this daye haue made thee a defensed Citie and an iron piller and walles of brasse against the whole lande against the Kinges of Iuda and against the Princes thereof against the Priestes thereof and against the people of the lande For they shall fight against thee but shall not preuaile against thee For I am with thee sayeth the Lorde Such auctoritie had he ouer the nations to be their Prophet to speake what the Lorde commaunded to reproue them without feare In like auctoritie
exercise himselfe daye and night The Lawe of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimonie of the Lorde is sure and giueth wisedome vnto the simple This is the rule of our faith without this our faith is but a fantasie and no faith for faith is by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Therefore Christe saith Search the Scriptures they are they that testifie of me There shall ye finde testimonie of my doctrine there shal ye know what is the wil of my heauenlye Father and there shall you receiue the comforte for euerlasting life Againe He that followeth mee shall not walke in darkenesse but shall haue the light of life If a man keepe my word he shal know the truth hee shall neuer see death Therefore Baruch saith O Israel wee are blessed for the things that are acceptable vnto God are declared vnto vs. This is thy blessednesse herein hath God shewed his fauour vnto thée he hathe reuealed the secreats of hys will vnto thée and hath put his worde in thy mouth He sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgements vnto Israell hee hathe not dealte so with euerie nation neyther haue they knowen hys Iudgementes Therefore the Prophet Dauid teacheth vs to pray vnto God for the knowledge of his worde Shewe mee thy wayes O Lord and teache me thy pathes Take not thy holie spirite from mee and incline my hearte vnto thy testimonies Giue mee vnderstanding that I maye learne thy commaundementes open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Lawe And Lighten mine eies that I sleepe not in death that I maye discerne betwéene safetie and daunger that I may knowe truth to be the truth and error to be error Thus I haue declared parte of that profite which groweth to vs by the word of God but it doeth not onelye directe our iudgement in the triall of truth but dothe also graffe in vs a boldenesse and constancie in the defence of the truth Salomon saieth A foole chaungeth as the Moone He is alwayes vnstable and inconstant he knoweth not neither what to do nor what to beleue he is somtimes ful sometimes emptie turneth and changeth as the Moone He buildeth and layeth his foundation vppon the sande therfore his house falleth to the ground He halteth on both sides somtimes worshippeth God and sometimes worshippeth Baal he is neither hotte nor colde he ebbeth and floweth like the waues of the sea he doubteth and staggereth resteth in nothing He knoweth not the truth he knoweth not that the scripturs are the word of God so he wandereth in the darke and knoweth not the way in which he walketh He hath no féeling no hart no vnderstāding He is vnfaithful towards God and kepeth no faith towards man he is wauering in all hys wayes And why because he knoweth not the wil of God nor hath the light of his word to guide his féete But a wise man is one and stedfast as the sunne He buildeth his house vppon a rocke and that rocke is Iesus Christe the sonne of God Therefore his house is neuer shaken downe Be the storme or tempest neuer so rough yet it shall stand faste like Mount Sion because his truste is in the name of the Lord. He knoweth that his name is written in the Booke of Life he knoweth that he belongeth to the Lords Shéepefolde and that no man can take him away out of the Lordes hand In this boldenesse Dauid sayeth Thoughe I shoulde walke thorough the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no euill for thou arte wyth mee thy rodde and thy staffe they comforte mee And againe the Lord is my light and my saluation whome shall I feare And againe Except thy lawes had bene my delight I should now haue perished in mine affliction when Ezechias heard y ◠proud message of Sennacherib sent to him his people by Rahshaketh that they should not obey Ezech. nor trust to him when he said The Lord wil deliuer you and let not thy GOD deceiue thee in whom thou trustest hee wente vp into the house of the Lord and prayed vnto the Lorde to saue hym and hys people out of their handes that al the kingdomes of the earth might know that hee is GOD alone Euen so the Apostle Whether wee liue or die wee are the Lordes And in this boldenesse our sauiour Christe setled himselfe to beare their reproches and to carry his Crosse Father if thou wilte take away this cup frō me neuerthelesse not my wil but thine bee done Thus they that are taught by the word of God to put their trust in the Lorde and are thereby rooted and setled in him can not be remoued by any practise of Sathan but stand fast and continue for euer Which shal more plainely appeare if we looke backe into the times of persecution and beholde the boldenesse of constancie of the Sainctes of God They were brought before Magistrates caste into prisōs spoiled of their goods cruelly murthered Some were hanged vppon gibbets some run through with swords some torn with wild horses some drowned in the water and some burnt in the fire They were hated of all men for the name of Christ. They were despised as the filth of the worlde and dung of the earth Yet continued they faithfull and constant They armed their heartes with the comforte of Gods worde therby wer they able to resist in the euil day They were faithfull vntil death therefore GOD gaue them a Crowne of glorie When they were called before Kings and Princes and others of auctoritie and commaunded to forsake the trueth they had learned and the comfort which they tooke in the truth they aunswered in this manner O my gratious Lorde I would faine do your commandement I am your subiect I haue done faithfull seruice with my body with my goods but I cannot serue you against God He is King of Kings Lord of Lords He is my Lord before whom I stande I haue put my life in his handes He hathe forbidden me to doe this thing whiche you commaunde I cannot therefore doe it Iudge vprightly whether it be méete to obey you rather than God My liuing my wife my children and my life are deare vnto me I am a man like others and haue mine affections Yet neither liuing nor wife nor children nor my life is so deare vnto me as the glorie of God I am but a pore worme yet am I the worke of his handes God hathe putte his worde in my mouth I may not deny it I may not beare false witnesse against the Lord. My life is not deare vnto me in respect of the trueth I knowe if I shoulde deny him to saue my life I shoulde lose it and if I lose my life for his sake I shall finde it That which your auctoritie shal lay vpon me is not done without his will All the haires of my head are
worlde but for a fewe The heauen was made but for a fewe The mercie and loue of God was but for a fewe But the mercie of God is ouer al and vpon al and for all Al haue right to heare the word of God al haue néede to know the word of God Al haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God Therefore Christe calleth all Venite ad me omnes c. Come vnto mee all yee that bee wearie and laden Yong men and olde men men and women rich and poore come to mée God is no accepter of persons It is not the wil of your Father which is in Heauen saith Christ that one of these little ones shold perish Who wil that al men shall be saued come to the knowledge of truth God wil loke to him that is pore of a contrite spirite and trembleth at hys wordes God wil regard such a one and make him a fitte vessell to receiue hys truth Upon him that is suche a one shall the spirite of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of God reste Not only vppon the rich the wise and the learned but vpon him that is pore and of a contrite heart and trembleth at his words Upon hym that humbleth himselfe vnder the mightie hand of God He is the temple and the Tabernacle of the holy Ghoste He that is humble in heart shall be saued God resisteth the proud but giueth grace to the lowly Therefore Christe saide I giue thee thankes O father Lorde of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstaÌ„ding and hast opened them vnto babes Euen to suche as haue no learning whych reioice in nothing but in thée The wise and learned of the worlde can not heare them can not sée them but they to whome it pleased thée to giue vnderstanding It is thy mercie Flesh and bloud cannot reach the knowledge of thy will The spirite of the Father hath reuealed it Christe saith My sheepe heare my voice and I knowe them and they followe mee They will not follow a stranger My people are simple as shéepe they are rude and knowe not what they doe Yet they knowe my voice and followe me they knowe their Shéepheard from a théefe they followe not the call and voice of a straunger So we sée that God chaceth no maÌ„ away from hearing his worde he loatheth not the pore because of his pouertie he refuseth him not for he is the God of the pore they be his creatures S Augustine saith Deus in Scripturis quasi amicus familiaris loquitur ad cor doctorum indoctorum Almightie God in the Scriptures speaketh as a familiar friend without dissimulation vnto the hearts both of the learned and of the vnlearned He abaseth hymselfe and speaketh to their capacitie for his will is that all shoulde come to the knowledge of the truth and be saued Nowe let vs consider with what fearâ— and reuerence we oughte to come to the hearing or reading of the worde of God The Aungel of the Lord appeared vnto Moses in a flame of fire out of the middest of a bushe When Moses turned aside to sée God said vnto him Come not hither Put thy shoes off thy feete for the place whereon thou standest is holye ground Againe when God had appointed to speak vnto the people from Mount Sion he said to Moses Go vnto the people and sanctifie them to day and to morow and let them wash their clothes let them be readie on the. 3. day for the. 3. daye the Lorde will come downe in the sight of al the people vpon mount Sinai The worde of the Lorde is the Bush out of which issueth a flame of fire The Scriptures of God are the mount from which the Lord of Hostes doth shew him selfe In them God speaketh to vs. In them we heare the words of euerlasting life We muste be sanctified and washe out garmentes and be readie to heare the Lorde We muste strippe off all our affections we must fal do 〈…〉 with fear we must 〈…〉 speaketh Euen God 〈…〉 and Earth God 〈…〉 Lord Iesus Christe God 〈…〉 iudge the quicke and the dead 〈…〉 whome al flesh shal appeare His worde is holie Let vs take 〈◊〉 into what hearts we bestow it 〈◊〉 euer abuseth it shall be founde guilti 〈◊〉 high trespas against the Lord. We may not receiue it to blow vp our harts and waxe proude with our knowledge We may not use it to maintaine debate and coÌ„tentioÌ„ we may not vse it to vaunt our selues or to make shew of our cunning The word of God teacheth lowlinesse of minde it teacheth vs to knowe oure selues If we learne not humilitie wée learne nothing Although we séeme to knowe somewhat yet knowe we not in such sorte as we ought to know The Scriptures are the mysteries of God let vs not be curious lette vs not séeke to knowe more than God hath reuealed by theÌ„ They are y e sea of God let vs take 〈…〉 drowned in the. They 〈…〉 let vs take comfort by 〈…〉 take héed they burne 〈…〉 gaze ouer hardly vpon 〈…〉 blemish in their eye sight 〈…〉 the people of Israel sawe the 〈…〉 in the desart they said Man Hu◠〈…〉 this so they reasoned of it wheÌ„ 〈…〉 it vp in their handes and behelde it They asked one an other what good it woulde do The Scriptures are Mannaâ— giuen to vs from Heauen to séede vs in the desart of this worlde Let vs take them and behold them and reason of them and learne one of an other what profit may come to vs by theÌ„ lette vs knowe that they are written for our sake and for our learning that through patience comfort of the Scriptures we may haue hope They are giuen vs to instruct vs in faith to strength vs in hope to open our eies and to direct our going If we withholde the trueth in vnrighteousnesse if we know our Masters wil do it not if the name of God be ill-spoken of through vs the word of God shal be taken away from 〈…〉 nation which shal 〈…〉 thereof God shall send 〈…〉 on that we shall beléeue 〈…〉 heart shal condemne vs an 〈…〉 beaten with many stripes Therefore we ought 〈…〉 giue héede to those thinges 〈…〉 heare we must coÌ„sider of them 〈…〉 chew the cudde Euerie beast that 〈…〉 not the cudde is vncleane and noâ—â— for sacrifice Let vs be poore in spirit 〈◊〉 méeke in heart let vs be gentle as be commeth the Lambes of Christ and as his shéepe let vs heare his voyce and followe him Let vs be of a contrite spirit tremble at the words of God let vs when we know God glorifie him as God So shall God looke vpon vs so shal the spirit of wisdome vnderstanding and of couÌ„sel of knowledge and of the feare of God rest vpon vs so shall we be
and goodes to our priuate vse and so maintaining the good estate of our neighbours For paying our rents to Landlordes and custome and tribute where tribute and custome are due Let not any obey these lawes saieth the Pope Lette no man dare obey hir or hir will or commaundements or lawes Estéeme not hir law as a law take not hir to be your Quéene Is not this fatherly Counsel Are they not happy which follow it What godly creature euer gaue the like What Patriarke or Prophet or Euangelist or Apostle euer sent the like commissions into the worlde Pius wil be called the Uicar of Christ. Did Christe euer sette vp himselfe against the Prince did hée so teach his Disciples was it any parte of that doctrine he hath left vs Pius telleth vs he is Successour to Peter and Paule that he is inuested in their auctoritie and enthronized in their chaire Let vs conferre the doctrine of Peter Paule with that whiche is written vy their Successour Pius sayeth of our Soueraigne Let no man be subiect to hir or obey hir But Peter saith Submitte your selues to all maner ordinance of man for the Lordes sake whether it be vnto the King as vnto the Superiour or vnto Gouernours as vnto them whiche are sente of him for the punishment of euil doers and for the praise of them that doe well for o iâ— the will of God And againe he saith Feare God honour the King Peter sayeth it is the will of God that you obey your Prince Pius gainesayth Obey not your Prince my wil is that you obey not Paule hath left words for our obedieÌ„cs Let euerie soule be subiect to the higher powers for ther is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God and they that resiste receiue vnto them selues iudgement For hee is the Minister of God for thy wealth But if thou doe euill feare for he beareth not the sworde in vaine Wherefore yée must be subiect not bicause of wrath onelye but also for conscience sake Giue therefore tribute to whome you owe tribute custome to whom custome feare to whom feare honour to whome you owe honour Nowe sayeth Pius Let no soule be subiect to the higher powers resiste power resiste the ordinaunce of God bee not Subiecte neyther for wrath nor for conscience Yeelde youre Prince no tribute no custome no feare and no honour Howe agréeth this with the Apostle Whether it be right in the sight of God that you be lead by Peter Paul the Apostles of Christ or by Pope Pius iudge yée And for what Prince doth Paul require this of the Romanes for Nero an enemie vnto God and godlinesse and al that liued godly who destroied and burned their citie who slewe his mother ripped that bellie which brought him to life a Monster in nature and the most wicked ruler that euer raigned And yet doeth Paule require them to obey him bicause he is the Minister of God c. Who was like to Nabuchodonosor King of Babylon he was the rod of the Lords wrath he oppressed the people of God fired and razed their Citie sacked their Sanctuary and spoyled their TeÌ„ple yet are the people commaunded to praye for the life of Nabuchodonosor King of Babylon and for the life of Baltazar his sonne that their daies may bee vpon earth as the dayes of heauen And againe God speaketh by the Prophet Hieremie I haue caused you to be caried away Captiues from Ierusalem vnto Babylon Seeke the prosperitie of the citie whether I haue sent you away Captiues and pray vnto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall you haue peace If the Apostle withdrewe not the Romanes from the subiection of Nero if the Prophets willed the children of Israel to praye for Nabuchodonosor who were wicked Princes will Pope Pius tell the Subiectes vnto a godly and vertuous Ladie that they muste not obeye hir Into what case doth he lead miserable simple men that giue him some credite Howe doth he amaze them God telleth vs we receiue to our selues iudgment if we resist his ordinance Pius saith we are accursed vnlesse we doe resist it What shal a simple maÌ„ do Which way shall hée folowe If he obey God he must forsake Pope Or if heé obey the Pope he must forsake God If hée obey the Prince as God willeth him then the Pope cursseth him Or if hée disobey the Prince as the Pope willeth him then doth God condemne him The commaundement of the one is as contrarie to the commaundement of the other as light is contrarie vnto darkenesse But thankes be to God who hath filled vs with the knowledge of his will We know Pope Pius is no God We pray for him that he may be the seruant of God Paul hath warned vs if an Angel from heauen or if any man preach vnto you otherwise than that you haue receiued let him be accursed We haue receiued of Paul and of Peter and of God him selfe that we shoulde obey yet dareth Pope Pius no Angel but a man commaund vs that no man obey no not vnder paine of his cursse Accursed is he for so commaunding we haue good warrant to say he is accursed â—mnes qui illt quomodocunque iurauerunt à 〈◊〉 amento huiusmodâ— ac omni prorsus dominâ—â—â— fidelitatis obsequij debito perpetuò absolutos declaramus We pronounce that all whosoeuer by any occasion haue taken their oathe vnto hir are for euer discharged of such their oath and also from all fealtie and seruice which was due to hir by reason of hir gouernement Doth Pope Pius knowe what an oath meaneth Doth hee knowe what it is to sweare by the name of God An oathe is a solemne promise made betwéene men wherein God who knoweth the secrets of the heart is called to witnesse of the doing As for example wée haue taken this oath I will be a true and liege Subiect to our Soueraigne Lady Queene Elizabeth I will neither in worde nor deede procure hir euill I will not conceale any treason or conspiracie against hir and this doe I promise as I hope to be saued by the bloude of Iesus Christ and I take witnesse to this of God who seeth the singlenesse of my heart beseeching him to auenge it vpon me to put my name out of the booke of the liuing and to giue mee no portion in the kingdome of Christ of God if I willingly or wittingly breake this my promise Such is the oath which we haue taken to hir highnesse This is nothing saith Pope Pius I can dispense with it I am able to dispense against the lawe of nature against the Canons of the Apostles against the newe Testament I can dispense for all thinges done contrary to the commaundements of the old and new Testament I can dispense against the lawe of God I am aboue all generall Councels my wil must be kept
we must beléeue him that he spareth no labour He commeth not into the Pulpit he preacheth not the Gospel he spareth that labor He is a Shepheard but fedeth not the Shéep féedeth not the Lambs he is a Stewarde yet disposeth not the mysteries of God this labour also hée spareth As for some other his trauailes we deny them not He sēdeth his Inquisitours Espies Agnos Dei and Buls He spreadeth rumors styrreth sedition raiseth subiects againste their Princes and forceth Princes to plague their subiects He hath conference with Traytours in Englande wyth Traytours in Irelande with Traitours in Germany with Traitours in Heluetia with Traitours in Denmarke wyth Traitours in Polelande He hath bene cause of all that spoile and waste in the noble kingdome of Fraunce He hath loosed and weakened the state of al Christendome it was neuer so weak as it is at this day And can we thinke al this coulde bée brought to passe without paine and trauel It may appeare he spareth no labour And this doeth he For the Gospels sake and That hee may saue some No but as did Caiaphas to arraigne Christe to crucifie the Lorde of glorie to cutte al those oute of the land of the liuing that their name maye be no more in memorie whose mouthes the Lorde hath opened to publishe the secret of the Gospel by whom the word of trueth is come vnto al the worlde and is fruiteful Hée is childe to them that murdered the Prophets and taketh al trauel and paines to fulfil the measure of his Fathers Sed impiorum numerus tantum potentiae inualuit vt nullus iam in orbe locus relictus sit quem illi pessimis doctrinis corrumpere non tentarint But the number of the wicked hathe encreased so muche that there is now no place in the worlde which they haue not sought to infect with corrupte doctrine Nowe at length it breaketh from thē Here is the matter of al their griefe When the Scribes and Pharisées perceiued the passage and glorie of the Gospell of Christ and could not stay it they said among themselues Perceiue ye how yee preuaile nothing Beholde the worlde goeth after hym And againe What shal wee doe if we lette him thus alone all men will beleeue in him Our credite is gone his doctrine is receiued and ours is forsaken The Priests and Saduces tooke it gréeuouslye that Peter and Iohn taught the people and when they saw the boldnesse of them they conferred among themselues saying What shal wee doe to these men let vs threaten and charge them that they speake henceforth to no man in this name So they called them and commaunded them that in no case they should speake or teache in the name of Iesus So did Annas the chiefe Priest and Caiphas and Iohn and Alexander and as manye as were of the kindred of the high Priestes gather themselues togither to resiste the trueth then so didde the Pharisées then deuise that the light of the glorious Gospel of Iesus Christe might not shine and bée knowen to the world And so doeth Pope Pius nowe for the like cause rage and storme and speake hys pleasure of vs. They are wicked sayeth hée theyr number daylye encreaseth their doctrine spreadeth farre and wide it dothe muche harme it hathe preuailed in moste places they are a wicked rable their doctrine is corrupte it hathe infected the worlde Belike his Holinesse is muche disquieted else hée woulde write more modestlye and make more aduised reports of suche wyth whome hée is not acquainted A manne woulde thinke he hathe to doe wyth Turkes and Infidelles wyth such who neither beléeue in God nor kéep his laws nor dread his Iudgementes That he hathe made out Commission againste Outlawries who rob and spoile and murder and destroy without mercie againste suche who haue no regarde of honestie but being paste shame maintaine Stewes and Harlottes euen as his Holinesse liketh well and suffereth to be done at Rome But where are they and who be they whom he calleth wicked what say they what do they wickedly it is much to bée accused and condemned of wickednesse This he speaketh and writeth of you your children whose eyes the Lord hath opened to espie his errours You are they whome he accounteth wicked euen you and al such who like as you doe know that Iesus Christe is the power of God and the wisedome of God Which confesse that he is the Lambe of God which taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde Which say with the Apostles Among men there is giuen none other name vnder Heauen whereby we must bee saued And with Paule God forbid that I shold reioice but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christe We reade the Scriptures of God we sende the people to the fountaines there we require thē to examine our doctrine we call vpon the name of the Lorde who liueth for euer we teache the people to make their prayers in a language they vnderstande we administer the Sacraments according to Christs institution we say that Christe is the onely Sacrifice for the forgiuenesse of sinnes and that God hathe appointed him ouer all things to be the head of the Churche we doe not make our prayers to dead Creatures we séeke no helpe at their handes whiche neyther heare vs nor can helpe vs. We moue the people to repentance we rebuke sinne we séeke reformation of life we make it manifeste that the Pope hath shamefully abused the whole world that the man of sinne euen the son of perdition shall be destroyed with the Sworde of the Spirite that euerys Plant which our heauenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out and that the worde of the Lord shall continue for euer This is our profession this is that doctrine which we receiue frō God and learne by the worde of trueth whiche is able to make vs wise vnto saluation thorough the Faith whiche is in Christe Iesus This doctrine the Pope calleth wicked This doctrine he saith hath done muche hurte Blessed be God For the things that are acceptable to god are declared to vs. The things which eye hath not seene neyther eare hath heard neyther came into mans hearte whiche God hath prepared for them that loue him God hathe reuealed them vnto vs by his Spirite It hathe pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue thē that beleeue The number of them whiche are cōuerted vnto God by this word encreaseth and will more and more encrease in all places It is not the counsell or worke of men for then it woulde come to noughte But it is of God the Pope cannot destroye it Christe came to putte fyre on the Earth it shall not be quenched If wée holde our peace or if we all whome the Pope thus reuileth bée taken oute of the Worlde the stones shall crye oute and gyue witnesse to thys Doctrine For GOD is able of stones to raise vppe children vnto
Abraham He is GOD alone he wyll make his name to bée knowen he will not Giue hys glorie to an other This maketh vp eighte vntruths plain and euident to be seene Unto whyche number hée layeth fiue more al togither in one line so that he maketh almost a seuerall falshoode for euery seueral word Missae sacrificium preces ieiunia ciborum delectum caelibatum aboleuit Shee Queene Elizabeth hathe cleane put awaye the Sacrifice of the Masse Prayers Fastings choice or difference of Meates and single Life I beséeche you consider this spéeche and iudge vprightly You are able to discerne truth from falshoode You haue knowledge of these thyngs be not deceyued Haue we no sacrifice no Prayers no Fastings no difference in meates are none vnmaried be al these abolished I aske you againe bée they all abolished when was this done at whose sute by what law or Statute or Proclamation or Parliamente in déede the Masse is abolished thorough the gratious working of God It was a worke of his great merey to do it away For it was a dumbe vncomforble vnprofitable thing They did tel vs that in their Masse they were able to make Christe the sonne of God and to offer him vnto God his Father for oure sinnes Oh blasphemous spéech and most iniurious to the glorious worke of our redemption Shal a vile wretch a lump of earth a sinful man take vpon him the power of God in Creation and presume to make his Creator shall he whiche is conceiued in sinne in whom there dwelleth no good who is altogither vnprofitable which neuer can recompence hys owne debte of tenne thousand Talents who is a straunger to the couenaunte of promise and hath no entrance vnto the father but through Iesus Christ make intercession to the Father that for hys sake he will looke vpon and receiue his sonne euen because he doeth offer him for a Sacrifice what is blasphemie if this be not suche kinde of Sacrifice wée haue not Christ himself is our high Priest whiche offereth vs vp vnto God which maketh vs a pure a liuely and a well pleasing Sacrifice by whome also we haue accesse thoroughe Faith vnto this grace wherein we stand and reioice vnder the hope of the glorie of GOD by whom we are sanctified euen by the offering of the bodye of Iesus Christe once made who tooke away our sinnes and fastened them vpon the Crosse. It is therefore the bloud of Iesus Christe whyche clenseth vs from all sinne This is our Sacrifice this is our propitiation this is the propitiation Sacrifice for the whole world How then saieth Pope Pius we haue no Sacrifice It is the ninth vntruth Againe he saieth wée haue no Prayers He thinketh we méete togither like wild men or rather like brute beastes You knowe hée speaketh vntruely Beholde the Suffrages the Psalms the Lessons taken out of the olde and newe Testament Consider the fourme and order of our Churches We make humble confession of our sinnes we heare especiall comfortable places of Scripture whiche shewe vs howe merciful God is to them that truely and earnestly repent Wée giue thankes to God for his mercies and blessings whiche he poureth vppon vs. We pray him to continue his goodnesse towards vs and to lead vs into al truth We pray for the Queenes Maiestie for al that are in aucthoritie for al the people for those whice suffer affliction for al that either obstinately or ignorantly refuse the comfort of the Gospell To bée shorte with one minde and with one mouth we praise God euen the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe and al the people saye Amen Why should Pope Pius reporte vntruthes what meaneth he to saye we haue no Prayers Is it because we haue not his Latine Prayers The people do not vnderstāde them they are like the chirping of Birdes and the tinckling of Cimballes thankes bée to God for the Prayers which we haue and grant that we may holde them vnto the ende Againe Al Fasting is abolished So the Scribes and Phariseis saide vnto Christe Why doe thy Disciples breake the traditions of the Elders They eate and drinke they do not fast Would God we wereall more carefull than we are of kéeping the true faste the fasting whiche the Lorde hathe chosen saieth the Prophet is it that a man shoulde afflicte his soule for a daye and to bowe downe his heade as a bul rushe and to lye down in sackecloth and ashes Wilte thou cal this Fasting or an acceptable daye to the Lorde Is not this the Fasting that I haue chosen to loose the bandes of wickednesse to take off the heauy burdens to let the oppressed go frée that ye break euery yoke Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungrie and that thou bring the pore that wandreth vnto thine house When thou séest the naked that thou couer him hide not thy selfe from thine owne fleshe In like sorte the Apostle Paule hauing occasion to speake of the true Fast saith Bodily exercise profiteth litle but godlynesse is profitable to al things Whereby we learne not to estéeme the works of the body such as are watchings abstaining from meates often rehearsall of Prayers and long Prayers going barefoote and lying on the ground and such like which the bodie suffereth as an acceptable Faste but we require the crucifying of the flesh with the affections and the lustes that in the dayes of our Faste the Lorde be honored in that no manne doe hys owne wayes nor séeke hys owne will nor speake a vaine worde And herein we folow the iudgement of the holy Fathers Chrysostome saith Ib iest ieiunium si pecuniam despicis si ardeas charitate si famelicos pascas si gloriam contemnas There thou doest faste if thou despise mony if thou be feruent in loue if thou feede the hungrie and if thou forsake glorie And Origen Wilte thou that I yet shew what maner of Fast thou must keepe fast from al sinne eate none of the meate of malice eate none of the delicates of pleasure stirre not vppe lust with the wine of riotousnesse fast from doing euill abstaine from euill wordes kepe thy selfe from euil thoughts touch not the stollē bread of corrupt doctrine desire not the deceiptfull meates of Philosophie which will leade thee from the truth Such a faste pleaseth God But to abstaine from meates which God hathe created to be receiued with giuing thankes of them which beleue and know his trueth and this to do after the example of them whiche haue crucified Christe cannot be acceptable to God And again saith Chrysostome What profite commeth of thy fasting if thou eate nothing all the day long and yet playest and triflest yea ofte times takest false Oathes and blasphemest and so doest spend the day I pray you let vs not neglecte our owne saluation but let our talke rather be of spirituall things and let some one take the Booke of God
O monster in the likenesse of man He imagineth that hir Maiestie preacheth in the Pulpittes that she administreth the Sacraments that she sitteth in the Consistories and heareth all spirituall causes Whiche if she doe she dothe more than the Pope doth It were monstrous to sée the Pope in a Pulpit And it is monstrous to sée Antichriste sitte in the Temple of God to sée a Bishoppe girded with both swords to sée a Priest take vppon him the rule of Heauen and Earth the seruant of seruants aduanced aboue all the Princes of the worlde and to sette his foote vppon their neckes a wretched man to claime auctoritie ouer the Angels of God and a sinfull creature to suffer himselfe to be called by y â— name of God This is a mishapen wonder a monster in nature Let the Pope therefore looke vpon him self and know what supreme authoritie and iurisdiction and ouer whome he taketh it vpon him monstrously Queene Elizabeth doth not any thing monstrously She preacheth not she ministreth not y e Sacraments she doth neither excoÌ„municate nor absolue froÌ„ excoÌ„munication shee sitteth not to giue sentence in spirituall causes she chalengeth not the dispensation of the Keyes of the kingdome of Heauen She doth nothing but which she may lawfully do nothing but wherevnto the Lord God hath giuen hir especiall warrant Hir Maiestie is supreame Gouernour ouer hir Subiectes The Bishoppes within hir Realme are subiects to hir Shée gouerneth they yéeld obedience When occasion is offered to dispose of any thing specially appertaining to the seruice of God or to iudge of any controuersie arising in Spirituall causes She commendeth and giueth to hir learned Diuines the due consideration thereof All other pleas suites shée causeth to be ended at home suffereth no appeales to flie to Rome Which is done for the ease and quietnesse and wealth of hir good subiectes For wherein grew more extremitie against plaine dealing simple and honest pore menne Whereby were they oftener shifted off and put from the right of their suite thaÌ„ by such appeales when after they had bene haled thorough all the Courtes in theyr owne Countrey they were driuen to followe the matter 1500. miles at the Popes Courtes in Rome To be short Queene Elizabeth doth as did Moses Iosua Dauid Salomon Iosias Iehosaphat as Constantine Valentinian Gratian Theodosius Arcadius Honorius and other godly Emperors haue done God hath giueÌ„ charge to hir of both Tables In the firste she hath charge of Religion in the other of Ciuill causes By the Prophet Esay God promiseth to his Church Kings shall be thy noursing Fathers and Queenes thy Nursses And Dauid saith Be wise therfore ye Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth serue the Lord in feare Upon which place the learned father Augustine saith Quomodo ergo Reges seruiunt Domino in timore nisi â—a quae contra iussa Domini fiunt religiosa seueritate prohibendo atque plectendo aliter enim seruit quia homo est aliter quia rex est Quia homo est ei seruit viuendo fideliter quia verò etiam rex est seruit ei leges iusta praecipientes contraria prohibentes conuenienti rigore sanciendo sicut seruiuit Ezechias c. Howe then doe Kings serue the Lord in feare but in that they doe forbidde and in a religious seueritie punish suche things as are done againste the Lordes commaundementes for hee serueth after one maner as a man and after another as a Prince as a man he serueth the Lord in liuing faithfully but in that he is also a King he serueth hym by making Lawes which commaunde the thinges that are right and whiche with conuenient rigour forbid the contrarie as Ezechias serued the Lord when he destroyed the Woodes and Temples of Idolles and those highe places whiche were builte againste the commaundements of God as IOSIAS serued doing also the like as the King of Niniute serued gathering togither al his Citie to appease the wrath of the Lord as DARIVS serued giuing auctoritie to DANIEL to breake the Idol and casting his enimies into the Lions as NABVCHODONOSOR serued of whome we spake before who by a terrible Lawe forbad al within his kingdome to blaspheme God In hoâ— ergò saith he seruiunt domino Reges quando ea faciunt ad seruiendum illi quae non possunt facere nisi Reges Herein therefore do Kings serue the Lord wheÌ„ they do those things to serue him which none may do but Kings The Pope therefore writeth vnaduisedly We know not anye so moÌ„strous vnlawful doing It is hir office it is hir dutie I trust God will giue hir grace to discharge the same to his glorie Regium concilium eâ— Anglica Nobilitate conflatum diremit Shee hath remoued the Noble men of Englande from the Kings Councel The Poets had a fonde deuise of their great God IVPITER that he helde a golden Chain in his haÌ„d and tied to the ende of it both the Lande and Sea and coasts of the whole world and so might tosse and turne and sette them higher and lower at his pleasure Pope Pius bestirreth himselfe as though he were in Iupiters place and mighte by his Bulles and cursses set higher and lower place and displace appoint who shall againe who shall not be in Princes Councels Nothing may be done but by his sufferance Such a practise he hath to make himselfe King of Kings and the God of this worlde For when hée may rule the Councell he maye rule the King and being able to rule the King he maye rule the people throughout the worlde Hée saieth Queene Elizabeths Conncell is not to my liking She hathe put those from the Councel which were of the Nobilitie of Englande Thus he goeth on and increaseth hys follie He singeth by reportes and speaketh he wotteth not what Hath hir Maiestie remoued all the Nobilitie Who would thinke the Uicar of Christ wold be so vaine You which haue liued in countenaunce and haue béene at the Court and haue these many yeares knowne the state of our Countrey you knowe well that this is false The Nobilitie are all in England and in Courte and in Councel as before I doe not speake of suche as became Traitours You knowe what vnnaturall attempts were lately made Their guiltie conscience did make some to flie I speake not of one in duraunce I dispute not his case A Prince oughte to be verye carefull and iealous for hys preseruation It toucheth not himselfe onely but the welfare of his people Of these I speake nothing Yet when thys Bull was stamped at Rome all were at libertie Marke the date the fifth of the Calends of March in the yeare paste at which time they were al at libertie and of the Councell or at leaste in good fauor Since which time what hath bin wroughte by this Bull I praye you consider Remember what ensued the Sommer following The coales were kindled here but the bellowes whiche gaue
spake Elias to Achab I haue not troubled Israel but thou and thy Fathers house in that you haue forsaken the commaundements of the Lorde and thou hast followed Baalim In like auctoritie spake Iohn the Baptist vnto Herode It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy brothers wife And the like auctoritie did God giue vnto Moses Behold I haue made thee Pharaos God Thou shalt speake all that I commaunde thee And thou shalt say vnto him the Lorde God of the Hebrewes hath sent me vnto thee As Moses was sette ouer Pharao King of Aegypt and Elias ouer Achab king of Israel and Iohn ouer King Herode so was this Prophet set ouer the nations not to remoue or pull them downe but to rebuke their errors and to direct their liues to plante the trueth to ouerthrowe the vanitie of men and to builde the feare of the Lorde In all this wée finde nothing for the Popes purpose But if it were so and that had bene the meaning of this place what had that made for him Was Hieremie his predecessour in the Bishopricke of Rome or is he the successour of Hieremie in Israel was the Prophet called the heade of the Church had he and did he exercise such iurisdiction ouer Kings and Princes as the Pope hereby chalengeth if he neuer attempted any such thinges howe doth Pope Pius maintaine his procéedings by the example of Hier. or if the wordes wil car yno such meaning why doth he so vainely alleage them one of their owne Doctours saith Hee speaketh not of the ouerthrowing of the kingdomes of the world but of the ouerthrowing of vices and of the planting of Faith and manners And so Hierome writing vpon the same place Omnis plantatio quam non plantauerit pater caelestis eradicabitur aedificatio quae super petram non habet fundamentum sed extructa est in arena sermone dei suffoditur atque destruitur Euerie plante which our Heauenly Father hath not planted is rooted vp and that building which is not founded on a Rocke but is built vpon the Sande is vndermined and ouerthrowne with the word of God Such poore Hieremies hath God giuen vnto the worlde who haue ouerthrowen and pulled vp the vanities and folies which were growne to a great heigth in the Church of God They haue planted faith and manners They haue opened and preached the trueth The Lorde hath prospered their labours as wée sée this day Hée hath rooted out those strange plantes and throwen downe the weake foundations with the breath of his mouth This is the plucking vp the rooting out the destroying and throwing downe this is the building planting whereof the Prophet speaketh as wée haue hearde it prooued by the Prophet him selfe by the interpretation of Hierome a learned Father who maketh good this saying with two seuerall places written in the newe Testament and by the confession of their owne Doctour Iohan. de Parasâ—â—s and might be further proued by sundrie others Yet all this notwithstanding it must be taken in the sense wherein Pius vseth it or else some of his predecessors Popes of Rome might likewise be worthily blamed for their doings Pope Adrian wrote somewhat roundly to the Emperour Fredericke Imperator quod habeâ— totum habet à nobis Sicut Zacharias transtulit imperium à Graecis ad Teutonicos it a not possumus illud transferre ab Alemannis ad Graecos Ecce in potestate nostra est vt demus illud cui volumus Propterea constituti sumus à Deo super gentes regna vt destruamus euellamus aedificemus plantemus What soeuer the Emperour hath he hath it of vs. As Pope Zacharie translated the Empire from the Greeks vnto the Germaines so may wee againe translate the same from the Germaines to the Greekes Behold it is in our power to bestowe the Empire vpon whome we list Therefore are we appointed by God ouer nations and kingdomes to pul downe to roote vp to build and to plant againe No mouth woulde vtter these blasphemies but the mouth of Antichrist Thus haue we tryed the Pope to bée a corrupter and a falsifier of the Scriptures He putteth in thrée words Me Alone Prince Hee applieth the place to himselfe and among all other to himselfe alone and so setteth him selfe aboue Princes Hée chaungeth the rooting out of errour to the ouerthrowing of Princes and the prea-ching of the trueth to the deposing of Kings He forgeth a sense which the spirit of God and the Prophet Hieremie neuer ment He saith Thus saieth the Lorde when the Lord neuer spake it He knew them well which said They wrest the Scriptures to maintaine their power This thou séest ô God and sufferest Hee calleth himself the Uicar of thy Christ he abuseth thy most holy word he deceiueth thy people hee maketh thée to bee a false witnesse to his folie and all this doth he to countenance his ambition and pride Nowe vpon warrant of these wordes so fondly applyed he addresseth himselfe solemnly to pronounce sentence Declaramus praedictam Elizabeth eique adherentes in praedictis anathematis sententiam incurrisse We make it knowen that Elizabeth aforesaid and as manie as stande on hir side in the matters aboue named haue runne into the daunger of our curse This is a terrible thunderbolt shot in among vs from Rome in Paper These cloudes are without raine These Gunnes will doe no harme Euen so did the Phariseis cast Christ Iesus out of theri Sinagogues and excommunicate him and accurse him So did Diothrephes excommunicate Iohn the Euangelist and did neither him selfe receiue the brethren but forbadde them that woulde and did thrust them out of the Church So was Hilarie accursed and excommunicated by the Arians Hée layeth his curse not onely vppon the Lordes annointed our blessed Queene but vppon all that followe hir godlye procéedings that is vpon euery one of you and vpon al other hir Magisties true subiects Hée knoweth you not and yet accurseth you You are children of God yet he maketh you the children of the diuel The Lorde hath shewed the light of his countenance vppon you and hath giuen you his heauenly worde whereby you haue gotten vnderstanding and are made wiser than your enemies and are taught to refraine your féete from euerie euill way and therefore the Pope cryeth out against you and doth recken you accursed But his owne wordes tell vs Nemâ—em ligare debet iniqua sententia A wrongfull sentence bindeth no man The curs shall come into his owne bosome For the Lorde our God turneth the curse vnto a blessing to vs bycause the Lorde our God loueth vs. And He will sende a curse vppon them and will curse their blessings yea he hath cursed them alreadie because they doe not consider in their harts nor giue glorie vnto his name He hath also made them to be despised vile before all the people because they haue not kepte 〈◊〉 wayes In
this case Christe saith Neâ—oice and be glad For so persecuted they the Prophets whiche were beefore you Origen sheweth howe all that be like minded vnto Pharao crie out that men are seduced and led out of theri way if Moses and Aaron that is if the spéeche of the Preachers call vpon them to be diligent in the Lawe of God and to followe hys worde And Chrysostome telleth vs this is no newe thing Ne admiremur quod spiritualibus instantes multa patiamur aduersa c. Let vs not maruell if we abide many aduersities because we follow after and desire those thinges whiche are spirituall For as the théefe diggeth not nor layeth his waite at the place where straw and chaffe and feathers are layd but there where is golde and siluer so is the Diuell moste out of quiet with those whiche take in hande spirituall businesse These things saith our Sauior haue I saide vnto you that ye should not bee offended They shall excommunicate you yea the time shall come that whosoeuer â—â—â—leth you wil think that he doth God 〈◊〉 And these things will they doe vnto you bicause they haue not knowne he Father nor me But what are the effectes and force what successe take the Popes blessings his cursses he stirred vp the K. of France to plague his subiectes to that purpose he blessed him and his folowers they their Countrie were brought to greate miserie He blessed Philip King of Spaine he hath bin wonderfully troubled by the Moeres at home and liueth in continuall turmoyle with his subiectes in other his dominions abroade He blessed the states of Venice they are still disquieted by the Turke On the other side he hath accurssed England thankes be to God it was neuer better in worldly peace in health of bodie in abundance of corne and victuals He hath accursed the Princes and states of Germanie they were neuer stronger He blesseth his own side but it decayeth and withereth He cursseth the Gospel but it preuaileth prospereth The more he cursseth the more it prospereth This is the Lordes doing it is maruellous in our eyes So doeth God turne the Popes cursse into a blessing vnto vs. And so we maye well saye with Seneca Caelestis ir a quos premit miseros facit humana nullos The anger of God maketh those meÌ„ miserable vpon whom it lighteth but so doth not the wrath of man Quin etâ—iaÌ„ ipsam pret enso regni praedicti iure necnon omni quocunque dominio dignitate priuilegioque priuatam We also make it knowen that wee haue depriued hir from that right she pretended to haue in the Kingdome aforesaid and also from al and euerie hir auctoritie dignitie and priuiledge This is the other part of the Popes sentence In this his vaine fantasie and by this childish mockerie hée thinketh to depose Queene Elizabeth from hir kingdome O vaine man as though the coastes and ends of the world were in his hands or as if no prince in y â— world might rule without his sufferaÌ„ce So haue the proude Prelates of that Sée these manye yeares troubled the states of al Christendome therby béen cause of much slaughter sheding innocent bloude And so at this present he seeketh to disquiet Elizabeth Elizabeth I say our soueraigne and moste gratious Lady a Uirgin ful of wisedome vertue grace and compassion she is vnto vs as a comfortable water in a drie place as a refuge for the teÌ„pest and as the shadowe of a greate rocke in a wearie land The greatest blessing whiche God gyueth to any people is a godly Prince to rule ouer them The greatest miserie that can fall vppon a people is to haue a godly Prince taken from them For by a godly Prince he doth so rule the people as if God himselfe were with them in visible appearaunce The Prince walketh in the wayes of the Lorde the Nobles folowe the steppes of the Prince the people fashion them selues to the example of the Nobles The face of a godly Prince shineth as the Sunne beams and bringeth ioy and comfort to his subiectes When the Lord was displeased with the people of Israell he tooke Samuell from them gaue them Saul to be theyr King Saul did wickedly without Iustice without Mercie He deuoured the people like a Lion he ouerthrew the tabernacle and slewe the Priests Then was there no Reuelation None that did Prophecie or care for the name of the Lord. But when God tooke mercie vpon the people he gaue vnto them Dauid a man after his owne heart He deliuered hym from daunger and tooke him out of the Lions mouth He crowned him and did set a crowne of pure golde vpon hys head Dauid loued the people he taught them the wayes of God he put downe Idolatrie and destroyed the Groues he set vp a Tabernacle to the God of Iacob Under him the people had great prosperitie in their houses and abroad in their Uines in their Corne and in their Cattell in time of Peace and in tyme of Warre When it pleased God to send a blessing vpou vs he gaue vs his seruant Elizabeth to be our Queene and to be the instrument of his glory in the sight of all the worlde Who is so blind which séeth not who is so vnthankful that remembreth not what things God hath wroughte by hir who séeth not the glorious beames of the trueth who séeth not the wonderfull peace in which wee haue liued who séeth not the wise and safe guiding of the people one of those alone were a great blessing but al togither are such a blessing as our Fathers before vs neuer enioied so happily As touching religion let vs thinke of that time of ignoraunce wherein wée were before How miserable a case was it to sée suche deadlye dumbenesse in the Church of God to sée the people ledde away in the darke they knew not whether to sée the word of life taken away to sée the people fedde with fables to sée an Idol sette vppe in the place of God to sée Iesus Christe our Sauiour putte to silence In this case were we This we did sée we did féele this Out of this deadly dungeon GOD deliuered vs by the hand of our Queene By hir hée restored the trueth by hir he sente vs the light of his holy worde by hir he hathe reléeued the heartes of the people God himselfe hathe bene the worker hereof Elizabeth hath bene his instrument and the meane by whome he hath done thys worke And marke the tyme when shée attempted this Euen at the firste entrie into hir kingdome at whiche time the King of Spaine the King of Fraunce the Quéene of Scottes and many of the Nobles and the Bishoppes of thys Realme were against it She had larned First to seeke the kingdome of God she hadde learned to séeke hys glorie and not hir dwne shée had learned to saye as Dauid saide I wil not suffer mine eyes
to slepe nor mine eye liddes to slumber vntill I finde out a place for the Lorde an habitation for the mightie God of Iacob she had learned to saye If God bee on oure side who can bee againste vs So was hir gratious hearte consumed with the zeale of Gods house O who can conceiue the ioy and comfort of the people it was so great as no manne can declare They helde vp their hands to God they hadde not words to giue him they could not speake for ioye They reioiced as a Birde doth at the daye spring as Ionas reioiced when he came out of y â— Whales bellie as Daniel reioiced when he was brought safe out of the Lions denne as the children of Israel reioiced when they came out of Aegipt as the three children reioiced wheÌ„ they came forth of the burning fornace so did we reioice and said This is the daye which the Lorde hathe made lette vs reioice and bee gladde in it I néede not speake of the continuall peace which God hathe giuen vs all the time of hir gouernement He that knoweth not the price of peace and howe to esteeme it let him behold the kingdomes which border next vppon vs howe pitifully they be afflicted Let hym beholde Spaine Fraunce Denmarke Flaunders and Scotlande and consider what they haue suffred these few yeares past what houses haue bene ouerthrown what Cities haue béene burnt what bloud hath bene shed how many women haue lost their husbands how many mothers haue lost their children and how many children haue béene made fatherlesse But God euen our God gaue vs Queene Elizabeth and with hir gaue vs Peace and so long a Peace as Englande hath seldome séene before What should I speak of hir wisedom in gouernement Let vs looke vppon the state as it was before what hunger was in this lande many of our brethren dyed for lacke of foode What cruel executions were then in London there were few stréetes where was not set vp a galous or a gibbet In Oxford 52. were executed at one Sessions What diseases fell vpon vs the grauest and wisest and richest men were takeÌ„ away Calais was loste A stranger and forraine people had the rule ouer vs. Al thinges wente againste vs because God was not wyth vs. But God restored by his seruaunt our Queene those ioies againe which wée lacked He hath giuen vs ciuill peace among our selues and peace with forrain nations He hath giueÌ„ vs health of body and store of victuals discharge of debts and auoyding of strangers he hath gyuen vs mercie in iustice abandoning all crueltie We are nowe with God and al things go well with vs. They talke much of an vnbloudy Sacrifice It is not theirs to offer it Queene Elizabeth shall offer it vp vnto God euen hir vnbloudie handes and vnbloudie sworde an vnbloudie people and an vnbloudie gouernement This is an vnbloudie Sacrifice Thys Sacrifice is acceptable vnto God I say not that it is not lawfull for hir to putte to death God saith Thine eye shall not pitie the wicked nor shewe mercie but thou shalt kill him that all Israell maye heare and feare and do no more anye suche wickednesse as this among you Shée muste doe it if she woulde not yet hir laws would sée offendors punished But I speake it to shew the gratious goodnes of hir mercifull nature Oh how gratiously didde hir Maiestie commend vs hir subiects to the carefull and wise gouernement of hir Counsell and Iudges when she spake thus vnto them Haue care ouer my people You haue my place Doe you that whiche I ought to doe They are my people Euerie man oppresseth them and spoileth them without mercie They can not reuenge their quarrel nor help theÌ„selues See vnto them see vnto them for they are my charge I charge you euen as God hath charged me I care not for my selfe my life is not deare to me my care is for my people I praye God who soeuer succeede me bee as careful as I am They whiche might knowe what cares I beare woulde not thinke I tooke anye greate ioye in wearing the Crowne These eares heard when hir Maiestie spake such words I trust they wil work suche affection in your heartes whiche heare them reported as they did in me when I heard them spoken She loueth hir Subiectes and they reuerence hir She is carefull for them and they are true to hir God continue his blessing towards hir and ouer shadowe hir wyth his mercifull hande For she is the comfort and Diamond of al Christendome This is she againste whome Pope Pius rageth and stormeth and hath sente hys cursse sentence of depriuation against hir If he had bene acquainted with oure happye estate vnder hir he mighte wyth better grace haue said to hir Because thy God loueth England to establish it for euer therefore hath he made thee Queene ouer them to execute Iudgement and Iustice. He might with more and better aduisement haue saide How shal I curse where the Lorde hathe not curssed Or how shall I detest where the Lorde hath not detested He is not so wise as Balaam which would not for a house full of gold passe the commaundement of the Lorde to doe eyther good or badde of hys owne minde Praecipimus interdicimus vniuersis singulis proceribus subditis populis alijs praedictis ne illi eiusuÌ„e monitis mandatis legibus audeant obedire qui secus egerint â—os simili anathematis sententia innodamus Wee charge and forbid al and euerie the Nobles and Subiects and people and others aforesaide that they be not so hardie as to obey hir or hir wil or commandementes vppon paine of like accursse vppon them Woulde you take thys man to be the Uicar of Christe He séemeth rather to be some Maister of misrule whyche so dischargeth all manner of Subiectes from all manner obedience For what order will he leaue vs when wée maye not doe those things whyche we doe vnder hir obedience by charge of hir will or commaundementes or lawes His wordes speake verye broade I commaunde vnder paine of damnation that no seruaunt obey his Maister no wife obey hir husbande no childe obey his Parentes and that no Subiecte obey hys Prince I commaunde and forbidde that you dare not obey hir c. But what if you shewe him of oure lawes whyche Queene Elizabeth hath made and established against Burglarie and robbing by the high way and anye other kinde of theft againste murther adulterie and all fâ—lthinesse as kéeping of Concubines and Courteghians like to the vse of his City at Rome kepe them not saith the Pope vnder paine of my cursse Againe sir by hir lawes we are required to resort to our seuerall Churches there to heare the worde of God to giue thankes vnto him and to pourâ— out our prayers before him c. hée yet sayeth obey them not What shal we do then for lawes of common peace and of holding our possessions
of God and that he saith Let no soule be subiect to the higher powers let euery soule resist the Prince let him withstand the ordinance of God be not obedient neither for wrath nor for conscience giue no custome nor tribute nor feare nor honour vnto hir Remember if thou obey thy Prince as God hath commaunded thée thou art accursed by the Pope or if thou disobey the Prince as the Pope requireth thée thou art condemned by the iudgemēt of God Remember that the Pope hath conferēce with traitours in all countries that he raiseth Subiectes against their Princes that he causeth Princes to plague their Subiectes that he hath no regard of the stranger and the fatherlesse that hée suffereth Iewes and Harlots to liue in wealth and peace with him at Rome yet will not suffer a Christian and lawfull Prince to liue in y ◠peace of hir own Countrie at home that he is the procurer of theft and murder of rebellion and dissention in the land that he hath sent in a Bul◠to shewe his meaning and to worke our disquiet so bold and vaine impudent a Bul and so full fraught with blasphemie and vntruth as neuer before him did any Let these thinges neuer bée forgotten Let your children remember them for euer Let vs your children with vs pray God saue Queene Elizabeth and confound all those which rise vp against hir Let vs at the length take knowledge of the Pope of his enterprise boldnes He his Predecessours haue deceiued y ◠worlde our Fathers before vs. Let vs bee no more children in vnderstanding God hath giuen vs the light of his word we haue by it espied wherein they robbed vs let vs be no more deceiued I say vnto you againe I beséech you let vs at the length take knowledge of the Pope and of his enterprise and boldnesse Hée and his Predecessours haue deceiued the worlde our Fathers before vs. Let vs be no more children in vnderstanding God hath giuen vs the light of his word we haue by it espied wherein they robbed vs. Let vs be no more deceiued And thou O most merciful Father bée our defence in these daungerous times The Lyon rangeth and séeketh whome he may deuour Looke downe from thy heauens vpon vs. Giue thy grace vnto Elizabeth thy seruant Thou hast placed hir in the seate of hir fathers thou hast made hir to be a comfort vnto thy people thou hast endewed hir with manifold gifts shadow hir vnder the wings of thy mercifull protection confound and bring to nothing the counsell of hir enemies direct the worke of thine owne hands establish that O God which thou hast wrought in vs so we which bée thy people and the shéepe of thy pasture shal giue thée honour and praise for euer and euer Amen ¶ A Treatise of the holy Scriptures gathered out of certaine Sermons which the reuerend Father in God Bishoppe Iewel preached at Salisburie Anno. Domini 1570. AMONG al his creatures in heauen or earth God hath not made any like vnto the Sunne in the firmament the beames where of are beautifull and pleasaunte and doe giue comforte in all places to all things It reioyceth the whole and relieueth the sicke it causeth birds to sing fishes to play cattel to stirre wormes to créepe grasse to grow and trées to bring fruit it reneweth the face of the whole earth Yet a blind man hath no pleasure in the beauty therof because he is blind and cannot sée it Yet a deade man hath no warmth by the heate thereof because he is dead and féeleth it not Adam was placed in Paradise in perfect estate and in the companie of Gods Angles God walked and did talke with him He heard the voice and behelde the presence of God The riuers yéelded waters aboundantly the trées brought him foode of life He had plentie without trauel he had pleasures ioy and his hearts desire But Adam was vnthankfull he knew not God the worker of his happinesse he knewe not the place in whic◠he was he knew not his owne state and blessednesse therefore the wrath of the Lord grewe against him he fell into the snares of the Deuil he became mortall and returned to dust What nation in all the Worlde so happy as Israel they were deliuered by a mightie hand out of Aegipt from the tyrannie of Pharao from seruage and vilanie Their children were no more slaine before their faces They passed through the bottome of the Sea as vpon drie land When they were hungrie there went forth a wind from the Lord and brought them Quailes from the sea and Manna was giuen them from Heauen to eate when they thirsted the rocks opened and powred oute water that they and theyr beastes might drinke In battaile they were mightie and strong no power was able to stande against them The Lord wente before them by daye in a pillar of a cloude to leade them the waye and by night in a pillar of fire to giue them lighte When they called vpon the Lord he heard them When they trusted in him they were not confounded But they grewe vnmindfull of all these mercies and murmured agaynste the Lorde and againste his seruauntes therefore God raught forth his hand against them He sware in his wrath that they shoulde not enter into his reste Hee sent his Angel and destroied them in the wildernesse Euen so fareth it with all suche whiche regarde not the worde of their saluation because they haue eares and heare not nor will vnderstande with their harts the furie of the Lord shal be kindled against them The Prophet saith in the name of God to Israell I haue sent vnto them al my seruants the Prophets yet would they not heare mee nor encline their eare And Behold I sowe my law in you that it may bring foorth fruit in you But our fathers which receiued the lawe kept it not neither obserued thine ordinaunces neyther did the fruite of thy lawe appeare For they that receyued it perished bicause they kepte not the thing that was sowen in them Samuell telleth Saul Thou haste caste away the word of the Lord and the Lord hathe caste awaye thee Againe Ieremie sayeth How do yee saye wee are wise and the Lawe of the Lorde is with vs they haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in them Againe Vnto whom shal I speake and admonish that they may heare Behold their eares are vncircumcised and they cannot hearken beholde the worde of the Lord is vnto them as a reproche they haue no delight in it I wil cause a plague to come vpon this people euen the fruite of theyr owne imaginations because they haue not taken heede vnto my wordes nor to my lawe but cast it off After this sorte dothe God shewe the cause why his word taketh not place in vs bicause we are wilfull and will not heare it nor receiue it nor take delight in it nor let
numbred I owe you obedience I will not resiste your power for if I shoulde resiste I shoulde resiste the ordinaunce of God I am subiect to you for conscience sake I will forsake my countrey my goods my children and my selfe at your commaundement I will say to mine owne fleshe I knowe thée not onely I can not forsake my Lorde God Deare sir you fight â—ot against me Alas what am I What can I doe You fight against God against the moste holy against him which can commaunde your life to goe out of your body it is a hard thing for you to kicke againste the spur It is no hard matter for you to kill me for so mightie a Prince to kill so wretched a worme But this I declare to you that my bloud which you shed is innoceÌ„t shal be required at your haÌ„ds It maye please God to giue vnto you repentance and the knowledge of the truth If my bloud may be a mean therto if my bloud may open your eies if my bloud may soften your heart it coulde neuer be spent in a better cause Blessed be the name of God whiche hathe made me his instrument for youre so happye conuersion thys is the onelye thing wherein I can not yéelde The Lorde hath spoken vnto me I haue heard his voice my hart hath felt it my conscience knoweth it I can not denye it No sworde can cutte me from it no water can drowne it no fire can burne the loue I beare vnto it there is no creature in heauen or earth that can carrie me from that blessed hope I haue conceiued by his word So constant is he that hathe learned the worde of God hath set his delighte vppon it and is through it assured of the wil of God Heauen shal shake the earth shall tremble but the man of God shall stande vpright His foote shall not faile his heart shall not faint he shall not bée moued Such a ground such a foundation suche a rocke is the worde of God Blessed is the man whose hope is in the name of the Lorde He shal builde vppon a sure place he layeth his foundation vpon the corner stone He néedeth no armie to make him strong he néedeth no friendes to comforte him in aduersitie His strength is within the gates of hel shal not preuaile againste him His comfort is inwardly within his hearte He speaketh to God and God vnto hym His eyes beholde the kingdome and power and glorie of God But what say we of the Fathers Augustine Ambrose Hierom Cyprian c. What shall we thinke of them or what accompt may we make of them They be Interpretors of the worde of God They were learned men and learned Fathers the instruments of the mercie of God vesselles full of grace We despise them not we reade them we reuerence them and giue thankes vnto God for them They were witnesses vnto the truth they were worthie pillars and ornamentes in the Churche of God Yet may they not be coÌ„pared with the word of God We may not build vpon them we may not make them the foundation and warrant of our conscience we may not put our trust in them Our trust is in the name of the Lorde And thus are we taught to estéeme of the learned Fathers of the Churche by their owne iudgement by that whiche they haue written either for the credite of their owne doings or of the auctoritie whych they haue thought due to the writings of others S. Augustine said of the Doctours and Fathers in his time Neque quorumlibet aâ—sputationes quamuis Catholicorum laudatorum hominum velut Scripturas Canonicas habere debemus vt nobis non liceat salua honorificentia quae illis debetur aliquid in eorum scriptis improbare aut respuere si fortè inuenerimus quod aliter senserint quà e veritas habet Talis sum ego in scriptis aliorum tales esse volo intellectores meorum Neither weigh we the writings of all meÌ„ be they neuer so worthy and catholique as wee weigh the canonical Scriptures but that sauing the reuerence that is due vnto them we may mislike and refuse somewhat in their writings if wee finde that they haue thought otherwise than the truth may beare Suche am I in the writings of others and such would I wishe others to be in mine Some things I beléeue some things which they write I can not beléeue I weigh them not as the holy Canonicall Scriptures Cyprian was a Doctor of the Church yet he was deceiued Hierome was a Doctor of the Church yet he was deceiued Augustine was a Doctor of y e Church yet he wrote a Booke of Retractations he acknowledged that he was deceiued God did therfore giue to his Church many Doctors many learned men whych all shoulde search the truth and one reforme an other wherein they thought him deceyued S. Augustine saieth Auferantur de medio chartae nostrae procaedat in medium codex Dei audi Christum dicentem audi veritatem loquetem Take away from amongest vs any our owne Bookes lette the Booke of God come amongest vs heare what Christe saieth hearken what the truth speaketh He is the wisedome of his father he can not deceiue vs. Againe he saith Audi dicit dominus non dicit Donatus aut Rogatus aut Vincentius aut Hilarius aut Ambrosius aut Augustinus Heare this the Lorde saieth heare not this Donatus saith or Rogatus or Vincentius or Hilarius or Ambrose or Augustine saith Al these were learned most of them were holy yet saith Augustine we may not yéelde to that which is saide by learned men but we must yéelde our ful consente and beliefe to the worde of God Origen saith Necesse nobis est in testimonium vocare sanctas Scripturas Sensus quippe c. Wee muste needes call to witnesse the holy Scriptures for oure iudgementes and expositions without those witnesses carry no credite Marke wel our words and expositions constructions vnlesse they be warranted by the Scriptures are not ynough they cary not credite Augustine saith Nos nullam Cipriano facimus iniuriam cùm eius quaslibet literas c. Wee offer no wrong to S. Cyprian when wee seuer anye his Letters or Writings from the Canonical auctoritie of the holy Scriptures Thus speaketh Aug. a Doctor of the Church of Cyprian another Doctor also of y e Churche Cyprian was a bishop a lerned Father a holy man a Martire of Christe yet saith Augustine his worde is not the Gospell his worde is not the worde of God there is no wronge done to him though his writings cary not like credit as the holy Scripture I could shewe many the like spéeches of the auncient Fathers wherein they reuerence the holy Scriptures as to which onely they giue consent without gainsaying which can neither deceiue nor be deceiued In this sort did Origen and Augustine and other Doctours of the Church speake of themselues and of
theirs and the writings of others that we should so read them credite them as they agréed with the worde of God Hoc genus literarum non cum credendi necessitate sed cum iudicandi libertate legendum est This kinde of writings is to bee read not with a necessitie of beleeuing them but with a libertie to iudge of thē S. Paul saith though that we or an Angel from heauen preach vnto you otherwise than that which we haue preached vnto you let him bee accursed Out of which place S. Augustine speaketh thus Siue de Christo siue de eius Ecclesia siue de re quacunque alta quae pertinet ad fidem vitamque nostram non dicam si nos sed si Angelus de caelo nobis annuntiauerit praeter quam quod in Scripturis legaltbus Euangelicis accepistis anathema sit Whether it be of Christ or of his Church or of any thing else whatsoeuer perteining either to our life or to our faith I will not say if I my selfe but if an Angel from heauen shall teach vs otherwise than ye haue receiued in the bookes of the lawe and in the Gospels hold him accursed Now to conclude this matter y e same father saith Ecclesiastici iudices vt homines plerumque falluntur The iudges or Doctours of the Church as men are often deceiued They are learned they haue preheminence in the Church they are Iudges they haue the giftes of wisedome and vnderstanding yet they are often deceiued They are our fathers but not fathers vnto God they are stars faire and beautifull and bright yet they are not the Sunne they beare witnesse of the light they are not the light Christ is the Sunne of righteousnesse Christ is the light which lighteneth euery man that commeth into this worlde His word is the word of truth He is the day-spring which hath visited vs from an high he came downe from the bosome of his father he shal guide our féete into the way of peace Of him God the father spake This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him He is the Lambe without spot out of his mouth goeth a two edged sworde This is he in whom all the endes of the world shalbe blessed heare him giue héed to his saying embrace his gospel beleue his worde Thus much touching the credite and authoritie which is to be giuen to the writings of auncient fathers S. Paul speaking of the worde of God saith The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse To teach the truth to improue falshoode to correct all vice to instruct in all vertue Again I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christe for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleueth S. Basil saith The Scripture of God is like an Apothecaries shoppe ful of medicines of sundrie sortes that euery man may there chuse a conuenient medicine for his desease There are salues and ointmentes to cure all maladies Whosoeuer can not be cured by the word of God his disease is growne desperate and past cure Many thinke the Apostles spéech is hardly true of the whole Scripture that all and euery part of the Scripture is profitable Much is spokē of genealogies and petidegrees of lepers of sacrificing goates and oxen c. these séeme to haue litle profit in them but to be vaine and idle If they shewe vaine in thine eyes yet hath not the Lord set them downe in vaine The wordes of the Lorde are pure wordes as the siluer tried in a fornace of earth fined seuen times There is no sentence no clause no worde no syllable no letter but it is written for thy instruction there is not one iote but it is sealed and signed with the bloude of the Lambe Our imaginations are idle our thoughts are vaine there is no idlenesse no vanitie in the worde of God Those Oxen and Goates which were sacrificed teach thée to kill and sacrifice the vncleannesse and filthinesse of thy hart they teach thée that thou art guiltie of death when thy life must be redéemed by the death of some beaste they leade thée to beléeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes by a more perfect sacrifice because it was not possible that the bloud of Bulles and Goates should take away sinnes That leprousie teacheth thée to know the vncleannesse leprousie of thy soule Those Genealogies and Petidegrees leade vs to the Birth of our Sauiour Christ. So that the whole worde of God is pure and holye No worde no letter no syllable no poynte or pricke thereof but is written and preserued for thy sake Art thou a King Reade the Scriptures thou shalt finde who hath stablished thyne estate and what dutie thou owest to God God there telleth thée By me Kings rule Princes decree iustice I haue giuen thée authority thou cariest my sworde I haue put a crowne vpon thy head thou art my seruant walke before me let thy heart bée perfecte in my sight Art thou a subiect Reade the Scriptures they will teach thée to knowe thy dutie There Paul biddeth thée giue tribute to whom tribute custom to whom custome feare to whome feare honour to whom honor is due Ye must be subiect not because of wrath onely but for conscience sake For he beareth not the sworde for naught for he is the Minister of God to take vengeaunce on him that doth euil Art thou a Minister Read the Scriptures they will teach thée thy duty The Prophet saith to thée Cry aloud spare not lift vp thy voice like a trumpet shew my people their trāsgressions The Apostle sayth vnto thée Preach the word be instant in season and out of season Watch in all things doe the worke of an Euangelist make thy ministerye fully knowen Thou shalt giue an acompt for the soules of the people their bloud shal bée required at thy hands Art thou a Father hast thou children Reade the Scriptures they will teach thée if thou haue sonnes instruct them Againe Hee that teacheth his sonne grieueth the enemie and before his friends he shall reioyce of him Giue him no libertie in his youth and winke not at his folie Chastise thy childe and bee diligent therein least his shame grieue thee Ely the Prophet by sparing his wanton children cast away himselfe and his children They were slaine the Arke of God was taken and olde Ely fel downe and brake his necke Art thou a Child hast thou a Father Reade the Scriptures they wil teache thée Children obey your Parents in the Lorde for this is right Honour thy father mother whiche is the first commandement with promise that it may bee wel with thee and that thou maiest lyue long on earthe And agayne Chyldren obey youre Parentes in all thinges for it is wel-pleasing vnto the Lord. The wise man
warneth thée The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the instruction of his mother let the Rauens of the valley plucke it out the yong Eagles eate it Hath God blessed thée in Wealth Art thou rich Reade the Scriptures they will teach thée Be not high minded and trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs aboundantly all things to enioy Againe Trust not in oppression and robberie be not vaine if riches increase set not your hart thereon Thou shalt depart and leaue them behinde thée they shal forsake thée Thou shalt dye thou knowest not howe soone Salomon sheweth thée Riches auayle not in the day of wrath but righteousnes deliuereth from death Art thou poore and sufferest scarsitie in this worlde Reade the Scriptures they will teache thée Say with Iob. Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne againe Learne of Salomon Better is little with righteousnes than great reuenues without equitie And againe Better is the poore that walketh in his vprightnesse than he that peruerteth his wayes though he be rich S. Paul saith Godlinesse is great gaine if a man be content with that hee hath for wee brought nothing into the world and it is certaine that we cary nothing out And againe Let him that is poore labour and worke with his hands the thing which is good that hée may haue to giue to him that néedeth Art thou a Marchant Usest thou to buye and sell Reade the Scriptures they will teach thée This is the will of God that no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter Thou shalt learne that diuers weights and diuers measures are abhomination vnto the Lorde and deceiptfull balances are not good Art thou an Vsurer thy case is harde yet heare the Scriptures they wil teach thée God commaundeth thée thus If thou lende mony to my people to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an Vsurer vnto him yee shall not oppresse him with vsurie Againe if thy brother be impouerished and fallen in decaye with thee thou shalt relieue him thou shalt take no Vsurie of him nor vantage thou shalt not lend him thy vittailes for encrease but thou shalt feare thy God that thy brother may liue with thee And Whatsoeuer yee woulde that men should do vnto you eueÌ„ so do ye to theÌ„ And He that giueth his money vnto Vsurie shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Art thou a Fornicatour liuest in adultery Reade the Scriptures they will teach thée He that committeth fornicatioÌ„ saith S. Paul sinneth against his own bodie Know you not that your bodie is the TeÌ„ple of the holy Ghost Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ Shal I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot God forbid As hee which hath called you is holy so bee â—e holy in all maner of conuersation saith S. Peter The reason is set downe by S. Paul For this is the will of God euen you holines and that you shoulde absteine from fornication that you may be holy both in bodie and in spirit And Whoremongers adulterers God will iudge They shall haue no inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God Art thou a seruant Reade the Scriptures they wil teach thée Seruants be obedient vnto theÌ„ that are your Maisters according to the flesh in all things not with eie seruice as men pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God And whatsoeuer ye do doe it hartely as vnto the Lorde and not vnto men Againe please your Maisters not aunswering againe be no pickers but shewe all good faithfulnesse that you may adorne the doctrine of God our sauiour in al things Art thou proude Reade the Scriptures they wil teach thée Be not high minded but feare What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it why reioicest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it and learne of me that I am meeke humble in hart And God resisteth the proude but giueth grace to the humble Art thou in aduersitie Read the Scriptures Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord will deliuer him out of them all And he shal call vppon me and I will heare him I will be with him in trouble I will deliuer him and glorifie him And Saint Peter telleth thée the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the righteous his eares are open to their prayers God is faithfull which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able but will giue the issue with the teÌ„tation that yee may bee able to beare it The Lorde is neare vnto all them that call vpon him yea to all that call vppon him in truth Art thou A sinner hast thou offended God reade the Scriptures they will teach thée Hate the euill and loue the good And againe flie from euill and do good and dwell for euer Rise vp and go to thy father and saie vnto him Father I haue sinned against Heauen against thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne Doest thou dispaire of the mercye of God reade the Scriptures they will teache thée Christ telleth thée I came not to cal the righteous but sinners to repentance Againe Come vnto me al ye that are wearie and laden and I will ease you At what houre soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne from the bottome of his heart I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance saith the Lord. Againe I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his waye and liue And the Lorde is good to all and his mercies are ouer al his workes Art thou going out of this life reade the Scriptures they will teach thée I am the resurrection and the life hee that beleeueth in me though he were deade yet shall hee liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in mee shall neuer dye Saye with Sainct Paule Christe is to mee bothe in life and in death aduauntage I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ. What shoulde I saye more of the Scriptures how profitable and comfortable they be in all cases and parts of our life in aduersitie in prosperitie in life and in death they are our especiall comfort If we must fight they are a sworde if we hunger they are meate if we thirst they are drinke if we haue no dwelling place they are a house if we be naked they are a garment if we be in darknesse they be light vnto our going They are comfortable to kings to subiects to old men to yong men to maÌ„ and to wife to father to childe to maister and seruant to captaine and souldiour to preacher and people to the learned to the vnlearned to the wise and