Waulter Haddon did excel in the knowledge of the ciuile law â–ª we did not in so saying geaue him authoritie to expounde the holie Scriptures wherein he is altogether ignorant I woulde now demaunde of you what matter was S. Peter about when he said that the king was the more excellent personage Was he about the gouernment of Churches or thinges apperteining to religioÌ„ No doubtles but abowte ciuile gouernement the which he would not haue to be disordered by anie sedition What goeth S. Paul about when he commaundeth vs to submit our selues to all powers The selfe same thing that S. Peter doth And to confirme that he sheweth that all power is ordeined and appointed by God And to teache vs that this is our bownden dewtie by the law of God he saieth Geaue therfore to al men their dewe Tribute to whome you owne tribute custume to whom you owe custume feare to whome feare is dewe and honour to whom honour apperteineth It liketh not the Apostles to haue anie sedition or broile in the coÌ„mon weale or anie thing that maie distourbe the peace and good order And therfore although Princes were at that time verie ill affected towardes the moste holie ordinauÌ„ces of Christ yet in matters apperteining to the ciuile gouernment they coÌ„maund al Christian men not only to obey their Princes but also to make their huÌ„ble praiers vnto God for their good estate S. Peter therfore gaue not vnto the king in calling him more excellent the supreme authoritie in the Church neither did anie man euer dreame of â–ª that besides you but he graunted vnto him the supreme power in the ciuile gouernment Tel me I praie you who helde the kingdome at that time when S. Peter wrote these thinges either it was Caius or Claudius or Nero. For Tiberius which was also a naughtie and vniust man as we maie coniecture was dead before Is this your iudgement then M. Haddon that Peter and Paul did commaunde that the President of the Churche shoulde doe nothing but by order of Caius or Claudius or Nero that he should reteine such Priestes onlie as they wuld haue and put away the rest if it liked the emperour that he should if there chaunced any difficultie or hard question in the Church referre it to Cesar or that to be short he should minister all the ceremonies and sacramentes of our religion according to Nero his pleasure If these thinges be voied of al wit and reason then is that your opinion whervpon these thinges doe necessaliy folowe suche that if you would studie for it you can not deuise anie thing more foolish and vnreasonable But you will saie that this sentence of S. Peter perteineth not to suche Princes as are enemies to the faith of Christ but only to Christian Princes If you saie so then are you of this mind that S. Peter gaue this coÌ„maundement to the Christians that so long as such men reigned as were not well affected towardes the name of Christ they shoulde not acknowledge their authority they should not regard their officers and magistrates they shoulde despise their lawes they shoulde like rebelles disorder the peace and tranquillitie of the common weale The which it were a verie great madnes to speake For then to what pourpose should S. Peter bring in this sentence afterward That you maie saieth he by well doing â–ª put the ignorance of foolish men to sileÌ„ce Doutlesse if they had not obeied vngodlie Princes no man would haue ben put to silence by them but euerie man would haue set vpon them and that for their desert as vpon peace breakers and enemies to al good order If then neither the signification of the word requireth it neither wil reason beare it neither the comely diuision of the orders ecclesiasticall and temporal by anie meanes in the world suffer it that kinges should beare anie swaie in the Church what a straunge kind of flatterie was this in you to yeld vnto kinges a full power and supreme authoritie in Churches But what a shameles part is that in you to affirme by the authoritie of S. Peter and Paul that the authoritie of kinges is aboue al other authorities I graunt you that kinges are by the authoritie of S. Peter set ouer al rulers and gouerners in the ciuile gouernemeÌ„t but not ouer things apperteining to religioÌ„ not ouer the holi ordinaÌ„ces of the church not ouer the sacramentes and seruice made to appease the wrath of God And whereas you saie that we doe abuse th' authority of S. Peter and Paul to set vp the kingdome of the sea of Rome it is false For we leane to the wordes of Christ when we defend the authoritie of the bishop of Rome and who so euer doth violently wrest the most plaine woordes of Christe we iudge him to be a presumptuous felow we take him for an vnreasonable naughtie and wicked persone But before I procede vnto other matters I thinke it expedient briefely to signifie these thinges vnto you Dathan and Abiron for vsing violence towardes the Priestes of God were with a terrible noise and sodeine earthquake deuowred with all the coÌ„panie of their wicked complices Core in like manner with the rest of his conspiracie for taking vpoÌ„ them impudeÌ„tly and wickedly the office of Priestes were coÌ„sumed with sodeine fier Oza by cause he presumed a litle to staie vp with his haÌ„d the Ark of promise being like to fall was sodeinly stryken dead Ozias the king by cause he wold haue vsurped the office of a Priest was dissigured with the lepry Balsesar the king of BabiloÌ„ bicause he tooke the vessels that were appointed to holie vses and did vse them to riot aÌ„d baÌ„ket in lost in one night his kingdome his riches and his life But you neither doe you feare the euerlasting goulfe of hell neither doe you tremble at the thunder and fier of Gods wrath neither are you afraied of any punishment dewe vnto your rash presumpteousnes neither do you regard the leprie of perpetual infamie neither doe you take anie care lest ye be robbed and spoiled of the riches of the euerlasting kingdome together with the losse of your wordlie dignitie and temporal life But all these thinges not withstanding you leaue not to raile at the Popes dignitie What a mischiefe hatred is this towardes the Pope so crewell and so bitter that you repete one thing so often You say thus But you contend not only for the Popes scâ—ptre but also for his holy ordinaunces and Decrees â–ª as you esteeme them by the decaie whereof you thinke that all feare is vanished awaie out of mens heartes This is true For being once agreed that the authoritie of the Pope is good and godly it foloweth that we must obey his ordinaunces and lawes For as Kinges to whome God hath coÌ„mitted the ciuile gouernement in the common weale not contenting them selues with the holie scriptures suche as concerne the state of the coÌ„mon weale for
by the faith of holie men shoulde be discredited by reason of a new gospel deuised bi the wit of a sort of filthy varlets Is it not a consequent as we now see it fal out euery where that there arise a nomber of religions of diuersse â—ortes all vngodlye and naught yea and iarring within them selues That they arise one against an other That euerie one of them disprooue the folie of others That neuer a one of them being able to mainteine it selfe by grownded reason and stroÌ„g argument they come all at the length to be despised and set at naught By these steppes or degrees are meÌ„ come to that point at the length that manie a one raiseth vp the damned sprites of Arius Sabellius and other most detestable heretikes from holl â–ª and reneweth their errours whiche were before buried some others thinke that there is no Religion true it all and perswade them selues that the worlde is not gouerned by God This fruicte haue the brochers of your newly deuised and fresh tapped gospel brought into common weales that â—uerie man maie professe him selfe â–ª to â—e a setter vp of a newe Religion and â—ake vp the sweard against all other â—hat are deuisers of the like pestilent â—ectes whereby it is like at the length â—hat al order of ReligioÌ„ maie be taken quite awaie O what bountifull and â—rofitable felowes are these whiche â—aue so woorthely prepared a waie to â—l mischiefe and vngodlines And yet you asked me what came â—to my head to affirme that these â—ectes are daungerous and hurtful vnto Princes Tel me sir I praie you such as â—aue presumed to doe so great villaâ—iâ— as to ouerthrowe the wonderful example of chast and cleane life to deface al monumentes of religioÌ„ and holines to burne the holie CanoÌ„s or rules of the Church openly at a sermon to rase the state of the church with their weapons where they might be suffred to doe it to bring the people to hate the lawe and so to plaie outragious and mad partes to despise all lawfull authoritie to set God and al godlie order at naught to fil the Churches and chapples of religious men with bloud to egge and allure the simple people through the hope of to much libertie to take vp armour think you not that these felowes when so euer they shal finde occasion will tourne the selfe same furie and rage vpâ—n the Princes them selues Is it not wel knowen as it is saâ—ed before what they haue wrought and practised against the emperour in Germanie against the estate and life of King Henrie in Fraunce against Edward whome they made awaie with poison and afterwarde against Quene Marie in England Is it not knowen how traiterously and furiously they bent them selues against the maiestie of these Princes What shal I here saie of the King of ScotlaÌ„d whome the worlde knoweth to haue ben most crewelly murdered What Haue they not wrought the like treason against many other Princes also I leaue out a number of examples of this barbarous villanie whiche I could here recite And although there were none suche yet woulde I not dowbt to saie so much as I haue saied For it is not the part of a wise man â–ª when he seeth the cawse to dowbt of the euent whiche foloweth necessarily of the cawse For when I see the common people void of feare vnrulie and fearce through a pretensed name of libertie outragiousely following their owne vnbridled wil and plesure haughtely flingyng vp and down bearing them selues vppon a false opinion of Religion maie I dowbte but that they are most spitefully bent against al authorititie wherby they thinke that their libertie which they so griedely long after maie be hindered These are the thinges M. Haddon these are the thinges that doe dishonest Religion and not those matters which you speake of For what is more comely and honest then to obey such authoritie as is ordeined by God To dread and feare the iudgemeÌ„t of God Reuerently to consider the mercie of God in them whome he first trieth by dewe punishment and so admitteth them into life euerlasting To call to mind the monumentes of iustice godlines and holines To yeld vp humble praiers vnto God in the most holie sacrifices for the good estate of the liuing and for the saluation of the dead But in the meane time while you dowbte not to saie â–ª that these most godlie orders are the thinges that doe dishonest religioÌ„ you marke not how great the dishonestie of your religioÌ„ is For that I maie saie nothing â—ls can there be anie greater dishonestie of religion then that all Sacramentes and ceremonies al decrees and ordinaunces of the Churche al priesthood and holie orders shoulde be vnder the rule and gouernement of a woman I meane not hereby to disgrace your Queene whome I desire to see so beawtified and fournished with most excellent vertues that her name maie remaine as a thing of holie remembraunce vnto all the posteritie Neither doe I so muche blame her as you whiche haue by your flatterie brought her to this inconuenience that she taketh her selfe to be gouernesse of the Churche Tel me sir if it like you where haue you readde that euer anie Prince tooke vpon him the office or charge of the high Bishoppe No rather all suche Princes as loued godlines and iustice whose name is for their noble actes set out to the posteritie for euer did reuerence the iudgemeÌ„t of Priestes refused not to be obedient vnto Bishoppes and thought like verie wise men that it would tourne to their euerlasting commendation if they were gouerned by them So did your great CoÌ„stantine the most woorthie ornameÌ„t and beawty of your IlaÌ„d so did our Theodosius so did Lewis King of Fraunce so did a number of others which with most noble victories enlarged their Empiere verie farre when they had subdewed al countreis with armour they did so obey the decrees and ordinaunces of Bishops that they seemed to glorie not so much in their Empire as in that obedieÌ„ce But you haue brought al holie thinges not only vnder a king which as I shewed before were to be esteemed as a most heinous offeÌ„ce but also vnder a quene against all right and reason against the inuiolable reuerence of most pure religion against the ordinaunces of almightie God you haue taken awaye the most holy dignity of the high bisshoprike from the lawful bishops and haue transposed it to be administred by a woman The which I say was a most wicked deede a most barbarouse acte a most detestable and cursed offence Whereby it may be gathered that mans heart can imagine no mischiefe so horrible and diuellish that these flatterers wil not take vpoÌ„ them to practise it with desperate boldnesse and impudencie Here do I passe ouer many thinges and vnto the railing words which you heape together against me I answere you nothing for in deede I regard them not Neither is it my meaning to confute your railing wordes
you and your companions I pray you what can be spoken more plainely and cleerelie then those woordes Thou arte Peter saith Christ and vpon this rocke I wil build my Churche And what so euer thou shalt bind vpoÌ„ the earth it shalbe bouÌ„d in heauen And againe I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not and thou being turned confirme thy brethren And many other places of like effect which do manifestly proue that Peter had a Prerogatiue aboue the rest of the Apostles But you wil saie for al this that these testimonies of the holy scriptures which we haue alleged are expouÌ„ded farre otherwise of the new Apostles I wil set against the authoritie of your Apostles the authoritie of S. Ambrose Augustine Hierome Basile and all other holie men that haue with their writings geuen light to the Church of Christ But now your Doctours wil answere that although it be true that the supreme authoritie was graunted to Peter yet foloweth it not that it was geuen to his successours also Why then I aske you an other question Did Christe set vp a Church to continue but for one mans life Or els minded he to establish it for euer If he appointed that his Church should stande so little time he didde not so great a thing as was to be looked for of his infinite bountie and wisedome for so muche as he bestowed so much labour and diligence yea and shedde so muche bloud about a coÌ„mon weale whose coÌ„tinuance was limited within the bounds of so short time If he minded that his church should coÌ„tinue for euer then doubtlesse he set it in such order as should in al chaunges and alterations of times be mainteined and kept If it be then euident as it is most euident and plaine that Peter had a Superioritie ouer the rest of the Apostles it must needes folowe that the same preeminence or principalitie of right apperteineth to al suche as haue succeded in Peters roome and charge Or els in the Church of Christ which is one it might seeme there was ordeined not the order of the heaueÌ„ly Monarchie but the gouernement of manie And then what knot or band of concord were there in the Churche By whose authoritie shoulde the tempestes risen in it be asswaged By whome should seditious opinions and sects be rooted out By whom should pride and stubbornes be restreined and kept vnder if there had ben no man appointed in the Church from the beginning by whose authoritie all men should be kept in order No we for so much as the church of Christ is simple and one and one it can not be vnlesse there be in it one only Prince furthermore being euidente and plaine that Christ ordeined one onely ruler in his Church whom al men should acknowledge and obeie finally being out of al doubt that this preeminence apperteineth to the Successours of Peter and that none of al the auÌ„cient Fathers endewed with the spirit and grace of God euer doubted but that the bishops of Rome were the successours of Peter as bothe their writinges and the common agreement of the vniuersall Church declareth with what sprite were your newe Apostles moued to bring in this new Gospellish doctrine to distourbe the order appointed by Christe to breake the bande of vnitie and concord to shake the very Rocke and staie of the Churche But lest some man shuld thinke that these thinges were wrought of them without any cause in the world I wil briefly declare what their deuise or rather what the fetch of SataÌ„ was in this enterprise It was vnpossible that euer the pestileÌ„t sects should gather any streÌ„gth except the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome had ben first weakned For how could the mischieuous weede haue growen any long time whereas it was a very easy matter with the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome â–ª forthwith to cut it doune so soone as it appeared aboue the grouÌ„d Take vs saith the spouse of Christ the litle foxes that destroy the Vineyardes This request of the spouse who shalbe able to fulfil if noman haue authoritie to suppresse the malice and lewdnes of heretikes before it waxe great For it is manifest that by the foxes are vnderstode heretikes And therfore S. Paul in his second epistle to the ThessaloniaÌ„s saith that Antichrist shal not come before he great reuoltiÌ„g or departure froÌ„ the catholike Church of Christ It is therefor necessari for these yong Antichrists which as S. Iohnsaieth do in figure and significatioÌ„ represent the great Antichriste to come before they can bring their purpoâ—ed mischief to passe not only to depart them selues froÌ„ the Church and from the supreme ruler of it but also to solicite and procure to the like departure all such as they mind to carie away and make their disciples and this is the cause that al heretikes whose chiefe endeuour and principal intent is to ouerthrowe the catholike Church do first of al assaile this fortresse do here plant their ordinaunce doo here make their battery do here vndermine to ouerrhrow the forte For they see that if this fortresse were once ouerthrowen and wonne they may frely sow the seades of al naughtines and to the ruine and decaie of manie flee vppe and downe through the worlde whether so euer thei list without any coÌ„trol or checke And to passe ouer the olde Heretikes this was the cause whie Husâ—e endeuoured to ouerthrow the authority of the Bishop of Rome This was also the meaning of Hierome of Prage when he went about to weaken the authority of the said bishop This was the way by the which FrierLuther thought vtterly to destroy the Catholike church This was the traine by the whiche in EnglaÌ„d a gap was vnaduisedly opened to al suche errours as sence that time haue followed Nowe the railes and barres being after this manner broken downe and the gates laid wide open it was a very casie matter for al vile and desperate felowes to rush in to mangle and teare in peeoes the vnitie of the Churche to bring in so many wicked errours suche horrible sectes suche a rable of pestilent opinions one directly against an other â–ª The Zwinglians fight against the LutheraÌ„s The Anabaptists kepe continual warre with the Zwinglians What should I here reherse the heretikes called heauenly Prophetes the Interimnists and such other names of sectaries What should I saie of the hatred malice brawling and discorde within them selues What shoulde I speake of their variety and incoÌ„stancy in opinioÌ„s Yea and such as are of one sect are not al nor alwaies of one opinion Many points of their Doctrine they correct they alter and chaunge theâ— turne in and out they blot out the old they make newe nowe they pull downe and now they set vp they can not wel agree neither with other men nor yet with them selues What saye you to this Sir Are not these thinges true Can you saie that al such as are sproÌ„g of Martine
or power towardes saluation it is not possible that anie thing shoulde healpe towardes saluation whiche is void of the grace and mercie of Christ But Luther denieth that the grace of Christ is procured by them Wherupō it foloweth that ther is conteined in them no sownd fruicte of iustification but onlie bare Images and tokens And therfore it is to no purpose for you to keepe them if you beleeue Luther But bicause it were tedious to make a discourse vpon all the rest of the Sacramētes I wil speake only of two which are of gret weight and importaunce towardes saluation The one is the confession of synnes wherin is conteined the sacrament of penaunce it maie please your fine and piked eloquence to beare with these termes of plaine schoolemen the other is the Sacrament of the Aulter And to speake somewhat first of Confession I saie and affirme that there is no remedie appointed in the Church so effectuall to put awaie the diseases of the sowle and to recouer the health thereof by the grace of Christ as confession is The whiche we prooue by reason and trie also by daile experience I saie nothing here how in the time of the old lawe in the sacrifices which were oftentimes offered vp for the purgation of synnes there was a certaine confession of vnclene life made vnto the Priestes Neither do I think it needefull to rehearse in this place how ernestly such ascame to the baptisme of Iohn did first confesse their sinnes Neither wil I declare as now what is writen in the Actes of the Apostles as towching cōfession of synnes which was made vnto the disciples of Christe by suche as became Christians That commaundemēt also of S. Iames concerning confession I wil passe ouer with silence Neither wil I here alleage those place in the which Christ hath most vndowbtedly committed the rule and iurisdictiō of sowles vnto the Priestes the whiche as you know verie well by the studie of the law can not be executed without the examination of the cause This one thing wil I saie that the profitte of this wholesome cōfession is so great that anie wise man maie easily coniecture without anie testimonials that it was ordeined by the prouident wil and bowntiful mercie of the holie Ghoste For first of al how muche the knowledge of euerie mans owne selfe auaileth to saluation it can not wel be expressed with wordes For euen as selfe ignorāce blindeth the mind with errours and maketh it prowd and insolent so doth the remembrance of the wekenes and miserie of man bring men to the learning of wisedome Furthermore for so much as no man can atteine the grace of God except he doe firste lowly abbase and plucke downe his minde there is nothing to be regarded with greater care studie and diligence of such as desire to get the grace of Christ then a most feruent loue and earnest desire to come vnto this vertue of humilitie in the which resteth the verie foundatiō of Christian pietie And this humilitie is caused in vs by setting before our eyes the deformitie of our synnes by shame which riseth in vs by beholding the ilfauourednes of then by dew consideratiō of the daunger into the which we ranne headlong But al these things are conteined in the confession of our wickednes and synnes For confession conteineth in it selfe a discrete examinatiō and acknowleging of our selues a learning of humilitie and modestie a bashful rehearsal of the synne committed a feare of the daunger hanging ouer our heades By this confession such as lie downe are stirred vp suche as be faint are cheered foreward such as be prowd are pulled downe such as be vnlearned are instructed wyth wholesome lessons And this is well knowen that when the time draweth nere in the which confession is to be made men are more modest and cōtinent then at other times And the harder it is to bring manie men vnto it the better it is seene that it was orderned by the prouidence of God For whereas there is naturally in al men a certaine loue of honestie and a careful desire to conceale dishonestie no man could be brought to open the deformitie of his sinnes vnto Priestes vnlesse he were driuen therevnto by order disposition power and wil of the holie Ghost Moreouer what stronger bridle can be deuised to asswage and represse the haughtinesse of men of power to restreigne and moderate their rash and wilfull presumpteousnes For we see the highest Princes when they haue caste them selues downe at the feete of the Priestes to be sore afraied of their rebukes to be restreigned by their lawes to be instructed by their aduertisementes to be reclaimed by their commaundemētes frō vnlawfull lust and libertie to good order and ciuilitie This Sacramēt causeth bashfulnes it draweth out teares yt endeth aduouteries yt restoreth money embeseled it quencheth hatred yt maketh peace yt quieteth rage it setteth in comelie order the whole conuersation of the inwarde man But now if a man not contenting him selfe to be confessed once in the yeare wil oftentimes confesse all the vncleanes of his minde wil examine his conscience diligently to the end that he maie cōfesse with the greter fruict wil keepe an earnest battaile against synne he shal see a dailie amēdemēt in him self with a more cleane chast and vpright conuersation I take Iesus Christ my Lord and my God to witnesse that by the often coming to this most wholesome confession I haue risen and escaped from a meruelous nombre of sinnes In so much that if I haue at anie time repressed the plesure of the flesh if I haue despised vncleane lustes if I haue ben earnestly bent towardes the loue of chast life if I haue ben enkēdled with anie sparcle of the loue of God I maie thanke this Sacrament of it by the whiche the holie Ghost hath imparted vnto me a great deale of his mercie and goodnes Neither haue I only receiued this so great commoditie of confession but whome so euer I do see geauen to this most holie exercise of the whiche there is a meruelouse numbre emongest vs I perceiue that they are deliuered from al worldlie pleasures that they flourish in all vertues and that they become better and better dailie to the gréat wonder of manie men And this is that that moueth me to vse moste earnest perswasions with my subiectes to induce them to resort oftentimes to confession wherof I receiue no smal profitte For manie of them haue nowe withdrawen them selues from the companie of vnchast women manie haue remoued them selues from exactinge of vsurie manie haue recōciled them selues vnto such as they did beare mortal hatred vnto And I know that emongest vs many worthie Bishops both for learning and vertue doth the like Neither are we such as can contēt our selues with the confession of synnes only but we require also the fruictes of penance the whiche we are wont to call satisfactions
of that opinion that to despise the Sacramentes is a moste heinouse trespasse when you vnderstoode that there was a man in the worlde so lewde and wicked that he woulde goe aboute to take awaie and abolish this most worthie pleadge of the loue of God this most sure staie of all Christian Religion conteming in it all the graces and benefittes of God could you I saie speake familiarly vnto him could you salute him gentelly could you shewe him anie token of loue Haue you neuer reade in S. Iohn that he that saieth good morrowe to wicked menne is become partaker of their wickednesse But you haue not onely spoken familiarly to this Martyr but also commended him aboue the skies and you haue saied that that same golden couple of olde men were brought into your Iland by the prouidence of God to shine ouer you which had alreadie the goodly brightnesse of the newe sonne risen emongest you with a muche cleeter light Are you so sottish M Haddon that you vnderstande not howe muche you haue disteined your estimation by that countenaunce and shewe of gentlenesse towardes him For what can be more infamous then to be familiare with a fraÌ„tike and naughtie felowe But if you like his Doctrine also then is it plaine that you keepe not the Sacramentes at al for so much as you haue vppon an vnsetled pange without al order wisedome or discretion taken awaie the greatest Sacrament and that that is of al other most wonderfull Whie then say you that you wonder if there be any kind of professours in diuinitie in the worlde that despiseth and setteth at naught the Sacramentes But let vs now consider the description of your Church the which you set before our eyes to behold that we may vnderstand by it that you haue had none other maister in Religion but only the holy Ghost You say thus First of all bicause faith is by hearing we sende downe into all partes of our realme teachers of the holie Scriptures to instructe the people in all pointes of godlines and to infourme them in the true woorshipping of God Out of what fountaine sprang these Doctours If they came out of the schoole of Luther Bucer or Caluin they can teach the people no godlines being them selues open enemies to all godlinesse It were therefore muche more tolerable to haue no doctours at all then to be infected with the most corrupt Doctrine of wicked menne If they sprang out of any other heade then is it manifest that there is not emongest you any one and simple Doctrine but diuerse opinions fondly iarring within them selues It followeth Then haue we a common order of praier out of the holie Scriptures confirmed by the authoritie of a Parlament for so doe they terme the consent of the estates of our Realme from the which we suffer no man to depart By what order lawe or authoritie is this done that a Councel or as you cal it a Parlament should so impudently vsurpe the office of the Catholike Churche to make orders for praiers prescribe how religion ought to be vsed and not suffer any man to depart from the order which it hath decreed For in holie thinges it is not lawfull for these menne to geaue lawes but to take lawes For otherwise they shall disturbe the common weale if they wil not content them selues with their owne vocation but will thrust them selues into other mens doinges and they shal marre Religion if they will in matters apperteyninge to them onely that susteine the personne of the Churche take vppon them to meddle and transpose the dignitie of Priestes to them selues You say afterwarde Prouiding both in the one and in the other so muche as we coulde that the commaundement of the holie ghost be obeied the whiche willeth that such as speake in the Churche should vse the word of God and that there should be one common and agreable Doctrine emongest them all You doe verie wel vndowbtedly But wherehence riseth this so great debate and hourlie bourly for Religion in your Churches Wherefore are the confessions and Credes so often chopped and chaunged in places where Luther hath had a great name And we prouide saie you that the Sacramentes be ministred verie neere vnto the prescribed order of the holy scriptures and according to the example of the old Church in the whiche our Lorde Iesus Christ first ordeined them himselfe with his Apostles O valiant men worthie to be commended aboue the heauens O glorious attempte O liuelie courage of lustie blouddes the which thought yt not ynoughe to approche neere vnto the holines of the olde Church but they would presse euen at the verie hard heales of them It followeth All these thinges are set out in our owne mother tongue bicause it is a great madnes for a man to babble out before God he can not tell what and it is directely againste the most wholesome doctrine of S. Paule and all the auncient examples of the Apostolike Churches It is not you only that teache such as vnderstand not the Latine to praie in their owne tongue For we also doe not suffer such as are ignorant in the Latine speach to serue God but only in their own mother tongue and there are manie bookes of praiers and holy scriptures writen not by Parlament as you call it but by holie Priestes the whiche being firste examined by the prelates of the church are sent abroad euerie where and by them are children women and simple folkestrained in the knowledge of their dewtie towardes God And the thinges that are thus written they are not taken out of euerie mans fantasie but out of the holie Scriptures and out of the writinges and examples of holie men So that there lacketh not omongest vs anie discipline of manners nor example of vertue nor good bringing vp in true religion to al such as coulde not imploie them selues to the studie of learning We haue also manie sermoÌ„s by the whiche men are stirred vp to the loue of godlines and religion But in preaching we vse much discretion and warines that none of those questions be opened emongest women and ignorant folkes which are not verie necessarie vnto saluation and yet maie quickely intangle their mindes with verie troublesome dowbtes and scruples For as S. Gregorie of Nazianzene saieth verie wisely it is not conuenient to reason and dispute of God neither to al men neither in the presence of all men neither at all times neither of all matters neither without good discretioÌ„ For there is required to the doing of this thinge a meruâ—lous cleanes of sowl and body a veri calme and wel setled mind good time coÌ„uenient oportunitie earnest zeale much fearfulnes and exceding great moderarion For ther is no man so simple that he can not vnderstand the difficultie of euery question but there are few so witty that they caÌ„rid theÌ„ selues out of the briers when they are once fallen in And this is the cause whie
manie men are confounded in questions but few escape out of their snares Moreouer such is the arrogancie and pride of certaine ignoraÌ„t felowes that they become intolerable if they can atteine neuer so litle knowledge in any thing which they knew not before specially if it be in expownding the holy scriptures For they wil iudge so presumpteously of the highest pointes of Diuinitie the which they vnderstand not as though they were called to be of Gods priuie counsaile the which rashnes hath bred manie wicked and troublesome errours and caused much dissension But the end of the law saieth S. Paul is not the vaunting of learning but charity from a pure hart and good conscience and faith vnfained He therfore that can bring to passe that al men maie be linked the one to the other in charitie fournished with vertues established in true faith although he beate not into the heads of the vnlearned people a hundred questions towching predestination yet shal he shew him to be a very good preacher Therfore for so much as this ought to be our only intent how to plant charitie innocencie and faith in the hartes of men and that maie very well be taught without this translation of the holy scriptures what neded it to take the thinges that were coÌ„teined in the latine tongue without perill and to translate them into the English tongue with great daunger Mary sir say you it is against the most wholesome doctrine of S. Paul How so I praie you If you marke well the meaning of S. Paul you shal see that his wordes are nothing contrarie to our pourpose But first of all it is to be knowen that in S. Paules time al Christian men in a manner were endewed with such vertues and qualities as fewe men in our daies can atteine vnto by studie and faith Then it is also to be considered that there were in those daies diuers giftes and graces of the holy ghost geauen vnto such men as were inflamed with the loue of Christe Howbeit although they were taught and schooled of the holy Ghost yea and wel instructed to be humble and modest yet were they in no small dauÌ„ger of pride The which is not to be wondered at for so muche as S. Paul him selfe the maister of heaueÌ„lie wisedom the perfecte example of humilitie and modestie affirmeth that the pricke of the fleshe was a thing necessarie for him lest the knowledge of the secrets of God might puffe vp his mind Now as manie were puffed vp with those gyftes so were such as had the gyfte of tongues somewhat more insolent then other men and they would praise God in diuers tongues whiche other men vnderstoode not without any interpretour There was also an other great inconuenience which was that he that spake with vnknoweÌ„ tonges would not tarie till an other man had made an end of speaking but at one time a great many together woulde praise God in straunge tongues And these three discoÌ„modities were caused in their assembles for lacke of discretioÌ„ in those good men The first was the arrogant setting out of the gyftes of God the secoÌ„d was the disquieting of such as would teach the third was the breaking of order which of all thinges becometh the Church of Christe best But S. Paule very wisely remoueth al these thinges For to place humility he putteth al men in mind of that most wretched state in the which they had liued before when through the mocioÌ„ of the ennemie the diuell they went suppliantly afterydols that they might the more easily gather by that that those gyftes ought to be referred not to their desertes but to the infinite mercie of God He teacheth them also that other meÌ„ were not to be dispised the which although they had not receiued those gyftes yet were they not vtterly void of the gyftes of God for so much as no man can confesse our Lord Iesus from his heart but by the benefite of the holie Ghost After that he declareth how that the gyfte which euerie man hath receiued he hath receiued it not for him selfe only but for all other and that it ought therfore to be imploied to the profit of the vniuersal Church Then he sheweth how emongest al the gyftes of God charitie hath the highest roome and dignitie that they might thereby vnderstand that it skilleth not much how manie tongues a man knew or ells how great miracles he was able to worke but with how great zeale and diligence he furthered the Churche Last of al making a comparison betwene the gyfte of tongues and prophecie he despiseth not tongues but perferreth prophecying far before the tongues And these are the places by the which the Apostle brought the meÌ„ of that time froÌ„ a certaine kind of lightnes to the loue of grauity aÌ„d modesty But that disorder of talking together and hindering one an other in suche sort that the profitte of teaching was thereby lost S. Paule tooke it a waie when he saied But if any man speake with tongue let it be done by two or at the most by three and let one expounde For you maie prophecie by one and one and you maie speake by one and one And lest anie man might saie that he was violently moued by the spirite in such sorte that he could not refraine him selfe from speaking the Apostle saith that the spirit of prophetes is subiecte vnto the Prophâ—tes Wherin he teacheth them that it laie in them whiche were moued by the holy Ghost to moderate the gyfte of the holy Ghost Finally he setteth an order of the whiche he had saied much before by these wordes Endeuour your selues to prophecie and forbid no man to speke with tongues But let al things be done honestly and orderly The Apostle forbiddeth not to vse straunge tongues but yet he preferreth before tongues the gyfte of prophecie that is to saie the declaration of the wil of God and the edifying of the Church and he coÌ„mauÌ„deth that al thinges be done with verie good order Now there are two pointes to be coÌ„sidered in this place the one is that emongest many things which maie be done at one time at our pleasure indifferently looke what thinges maie be omitted without offence are to be omitted when any daunger that maie thervpon ensewe and the time so requireth And therfore although in S. Pauls time al mysteries might be communicated to al men it foloweth not that they shold in our daies when ther is no like capacity in al meÌ„ to coÌ„ceiue them be coÌ„mitted to al men indiffereÌ„tly without any respecte of personnes The other point is that the meaning of S. Paul in al that disputation was to keepe downe pride to set vp charitie and to coÌ„maund that order should be kept He therfore that geueth occasioÌ„ of pride that slaketh loue and charity that distourbeth good order although he seeme to folowe the wordes of S. Paule yet goeth he directely against the meaning of S. Paul
with suche great patience the vessels of reproch To shewe saith the Apostle his wrath that is to say to shewe the seueritie of his most holie iudgement and the power of his maiestie Againe I aske you to what pourpose was it to desire to declare that vnto menne To shewe saieth he the ritches of his glorie towardes the vessels of mercie the which he hath prepared to glorie For he doth al thinges for the chosens sake Now it remaineth that we doe coÌ„sider what fruict doe the chosen take by setting the iudgemente of god before their eyes Very great without doubt For first of al while the chosen see the wicked punished according to their desertes it putteth a certaine feare of Gods iustice into their hartes whiche causeth them to absteine from euil doinges For the foundation of true wisedoÌ„â—â— is laied vpon the feare of God Moreouer the vertue of the good being assaulted both by the priuy awaites as also by the forcible atteÌ„ptes of wicked personnes shineth a great deale the brighter For vertue maketh a great shew of her selfe when it is neither corrupted by the example of vicious menne neither tourned away from the exercise of godlines through naughtie counsell neither drawen from the loue of most holie Religion by threatninges or tormentes Againe when they consider by the fal of the wicked out of howe great thraldome they are delyuered by the mercie of God they embrace their parent and redeemer with a much more feruent desire and earnest loue Last of al the very holines it selfe of the euerlasting lawe and the ordre of Gods iustice being set before the eyes and sight of good menne bringeth them to a cleerer vnderstanding of God and causeth the mercy of God vsed towardes holy men to be the better knowen and so increaseth their ioye To the inteÌ„t therfore that the good might take so great and so manifold fruicts by the daÌ„nation of the wicked god would not vse any such violence towardes the wicked that they should coÌ„mit sinne as being driuen vnto it of necessitie but he suffred moste patiently their wilful frowardnes and stubborne obstinacy that he might in the end tourne altogether to the glory of his chosen If you haue not vtterly lost al sense of a sobre man you may see plainely that free wil is not by the saying of S. Paule taken away but rather verie surely established These thinges the Apostle prosecuteth afterwarde more at large and declareth at the length howe the Iewes fell from God thorough their pride arrogancie vnfaithfulnesse and obstinacie For they were so puffed vp with a vaine affiaunce of a shadowed iustice which stoode vpon the woorkes of the lawe that they despised very stubbornly and wickedlye the true iustice whiche consisteth in cleannes of life in holinesse in charitie in peace in ioye and in other the like fourniture of heauenly vertues whiche by the holie ghost are planted in the mindes of godly men Now for so much as this is the saying and meaning of S. Paul what rage was that that came into that mad maÌ„s brain the which weÌ„t about by the autority of S. Paul to persuade such an opinion as both ouerthrew good order emongest men and falsly charged God with vniustice For what right is it that wicked men should be punished for a wicked acte whiche they coÌ„mitted not willingly but being violently driuen vnto it by an euerlasting and external power Luther say you set out a Booke in the whiche he spake earnestly against the hurly burlies in Germanie What if some one of them whom he rebuked should haue said vnto him eueÌ„ then ô Luther why dost thou blame vs innoceÌ„t men whie keepest thou such a stirre whie plaiest thou the madde man we haue learned of the that it is not in vs to do any thing good or euil in so much that we are not free so much as to thinke such thinges as we would For God worketh al things in vs as you say and we are only certaine working tooles the which god thrusteth out with his hand whether so euer him listeth and wreÌ„cheth vs foreward and backeward at his pleasure These tourmoiles therfore aÌ„dseditioÌ„ for the which you blame vs God al only as you teach hath stirred vppe For so much as therfore that most mighty Lord whose power can not be hindered by any streÌ„gth of man is the mouer the deuiser yea the doer of this stirre whie blame you vs for it Whie reuile you vs Whie labour you vainly to withdraw vs from this sedition If anie man I saie of that multitude whiche Luther tooke vp with suche sharpe woordes had saied thus much vnto him I praie you what answere woulde he haue made With what honest shifte woulde he bothe maintaine his doctrine and defend the iustice of God But to let Luther passe what saie you sir Luthers aduocate which saie that he was sent from God how maie you if you approoue his doctrine and rules punish male factours If there be no freedome if mans will be tied if al power be taken awaie if the verie thoughtes be fettered if al things both greatest and least and middlemost be bownd with an euerlast necessitie if God be the authour and doer of all things both good an euyl vndowbtedly those seelie wretches which you as I take it commaunde to be had awaie to execution haue done nothing By what right doe you punish the innocent men What reason haue you to put gyltlesse persones to death who made this lawe that the doers of fellony should be acquited and the tooles or instrumentes of fellons coÌ„demned with what kind of speach are you able if you minde to maintaine this doctrine to rid that most high Iudge of the infamie of vniustice Is this no villanie Is this no madnes Is this no presumpteous part of a rash and an vnbridled mind And yet wheras Luther doth at one time both distourbe the order of mans life and lay vnto gods charg like a most shameles varlet the crime of vniustice he is not afraied to saie that he standeth in defence of Gods glorie whiche he goeth about to deface and ouerthrow You saie that I doe condemne the first fownders of this doctrine as no lesse wicked and vngodlie then if they were like vnto Protagoras or Diagoras I am not so blunt that I woulde saie so I thinke them not onlie comparable with Diagoras in wickednes but also incoÌ„parably worse then euer he was For I take it to be more tolerable to thinke that there is no God then to thinke that God is a malefactour and vniust Now as towching prouidence that I maie once coÌ„clude this matter I saie no more but this If the prouidence of God be a counsell determined by the foreknowledge of thinges if the word of election if the purpose of God that is to saie the preueÌ„ted iudgement and euerlasting decree do import a reason and meaning then doth he confesse the prouidence of God which
it was assaulted the greater and goodlier increase it yealded of godlie fruict But your doctours whiche were sent as you say from heauen into the worlde hauing the aide of great Princes being garded by the common people yealded no fruicte of honestie chastitie or meekenesse to such as folowed them I speake not of your aduersaries by whom you wil complanie peraduenture that your brethren haue benne wrongfully withstoode euen as the Martyrs were some tyme by the Decies but I speake euen of them that loue Luther Bucer Zwinglius and your Martyr that praise and reuerâ—ce them yea that esteeme them as gods I say that they them selues whiche procured to haue these wise men to be their schoolemaisters prooued neuer a whit the better whereby it is concluded that their doctrine was nothing wholesome euen to suche as did not only not disalowe it but also esteemed it very highly Now whereas you demaund of me of our Church for so you speke whether it be voide of al synne I haue alreadie lamented the synful life of our men very oft There raigneth I grauÌ„t you euen at this day emongest vs both coueteousnes and ambition in manie neither is volupteousnes grubbed vp by the rootes Why then say you the argument which I vsed may easily be tourned against our own selues How so I pray you If there should arise some great prophet emoÌ„gst vs which would take so great a charge vpon him as to purge and fine the gospel to restore the auncieÌ„t discipline to proppe vp the Churche which tendeth to ruine with heauenly doctrine to bring his disciples to liue like Apostles if we should folow hi and yet that notwithstaÌ„ding liue in vice as we did before then were this a good argument both against our prophete as also against our owne selues But the brightnesse of this so cleere light hath not yet shined vppon vs wherefore it is no wonder if we continue stil in our accustomed synnes But to you whome the sprite hath replenished with a certaine new light which might very easily haue ben instructed in heauenly thinges by suche men as were sent froÌ„ heauen for your saluation whiche are by the goodnes of God already deliuered from superstition and hypocrisie which despise al wordly thinges and wil suffer nothing to be mingled with the puritie of your Doctrine vnlesse it be drawen out of heauen to you I say it were nothing seemely to haue any daungerouse disease or cracke of vncleane vice For if you haue your doctours whome you commende aboue the skies you shame them for euer and their Doctrine you declare by your doinges to be not only vnprofitable but also hurtfull and pestilent But for so much as you desire to vnderstande the state of our Churche I will declare it vnto to you so briefly as is possible Firste of all we doe moste constantly hold and mainteyne the Gospol not of Luther Melanchthon Carolostadius Zwinglius Caluine or Bucer but of Matthew Marke Luke and Iohn and we keepe one faith not this newly deuised faith whiche is ioyned with a rash and vayne presumption but that faith which was taught by the Apostles and is not corrupted through the naughtines of outragious and mad men In lyke manner we are inclosed within one Churche whiche was sownded by Christ instructed by the Apostles fortified by the aide of the Martyrs sette out by the Doctrine of holie menne defended and kepte alwaies inuincible by the power of the holy Ghoste in spite of the maliciouse and violent attemptes of all Horeâ—iques and without this Churche we beleeue assuredlyâ— that there is no hope of saluation This Church we acknwolege to be so linked in one meaning in one spirite in the agreeable confession of one faith yea to be fast glewed together with such agreemeÌ„t in religioÌ„ that no man can possibly by deuising new opinions such as may concerne the principal points of religion rend and teare it into a numbre of sectes iarring and squaring the one with the other without al reason and ordre And bicause we know by the gospel by the testimonie of Martyrs by the faithful and agreable report of holie menne by reason and common experience of thinges that it is not possible that the Churche should be one excepte it haue one supreme Gouernour the Vicar of Christe â–ª whiche may by his inuâ—olable authoritie ioyne together thinges separated knitte vppo thinges looseâ— and keepe all meâ—ne in one faith and vnifourme order we do most willinglie obeie the Bishop of Rome which as Christes deputy exerciseth this so great office in the earth and what so euer is coÌ„maunded vs by him we do it without any refusal And the very experience of thinges maketh vs to do it the more willinglie bicause we see that where so euer this authoritie is taken awaye there breaketh out by and by many pestilent and troublesome sects That this power is builded not vppon any decree of man but vpon the ordinaunce of Christe him selfe it is moste euidently proued not only by the authoritie of the holie Scripture but also by the testimonie of all the antiquitie wherein we are not ignorant We refuse not the authoritie of any lawfull power For we beleeue as S. Paul teacheth vs that al lawful power is ondeined by God so that who so euer resisteth a lawfull power is to be taken as though he didde resistâ— not men but God him selfe For this cause we beleue that not only the decrees of Popes but also the ordinances of Kings such as are not coÌ„trary to the law of God are most diligently to be obserued and kept Emongest the ordinances of meÌ„ this choise we make Al such as cause a slackenes in the keping of the law of God we reiect as the deuises of men but al such as prouoke vs to be more earnest in the obseruation thereof we iudge to haue ben ordeined not without the instinct of the holy Ghost For Christ saied He that is not against you is for you For this cause we thinke that the rules of Basile the great of Benet Bernard Brunus Frauncis Dominike and other the like singular good and holie men suche as tende to the perfection of a Christian lyfe are not to be sette at naughte For they are all written to this ende that suche as binde them selues vnto them may the more willingly keepe the chastitie of body and cleanes of heart â–ª the which two things are conteined in the counselles of the Gospell and may with a great deale more freedome and cheerelinesse sing and prayse God daie and night and so with the more facilitie folow the lyfe of Angels here in earth If we see any decaie in their manners through loosenes or negligence we thinke it expedient to prouide out of hand that it may be streightly bouÌ„d vp by the rigour of the olde discipline and not to ouerthrow the place where men may liue so godly and so wonderfull a life And bicause we can not be
weaned from the acqueintaunce of the bodie so much as it were to be wisshed we coulde bicause we vnderstande that the beginning of mans miserie procedeth of negligence and forgetfulnes what so euer thing mai bring vs to remember the bowntifulnes and mercy of God we vse it very diligētly Therfore euen as we make the signe of the Crosse vpon our forehead the which manner S. Basile referreth to a tradition of the Apostles so doe we set vp Crosses not onely in Churches but also in our howses and highwaies to the end that the remembraunce of so great a benefite should neuer depart out of our minde For if God when he deliuered the peple of Israel by the diligence of Moyses out of the weake dominion of Pharao gaue order vnto them that they shoulde alwaies haue before their eyes in their handes and in such places of their howses as were in sight some monument of that benefit how much more diligently ought we to doe it which are redeemed not by the meane of Moyses but hy the benefite of that most bountifull Lord which was offred vp for vs from euerlasting darkenes and damnation into euerlasting light libertie and glorie For the same cause were the Images of holy men set vp of olde time as it is declared before that men beholding them should be moued the oftener to bend their mindes to thinke vppon those men whiche walked more feruently in the steppes of Christ and to dispose them selues the soner to folow their godlines and vertue For in holie men we doe not so much reuerence the men them selues as the maiestie of Christe whiche dwelleth in their heartes For they are the sonnes of God the brothers of Christe the heires of the euerlasting and heauenlie kingdome the whiche state all suche haue atteined by the benefit of Christ as haue so nailed their senses vpon the Crosse that there liueth none other thing in them but only the spirit will and pleasure of Christ as S. Paule said I liue now not I but Christ liueth in me And so we honour in holy men a most excellent gift of God a verie expresse Image of God yea after a maner of spech certain Gods in the brightnes of whome we extol and praise for euermore the moste high and euerlasting benefite of God Now the faith in the which we liue is such that it doth neither minish our hope in attempting any good woorke neither wipe away quite all feare or doubt of saluation but it bringeth the wel disposed mindes in hope of godlines and vertue and it driueth withall now and then a certaine feare into all such as think vpon the rigour of Gods iudgementes For Christe which by his bloud hath drowned synne as it is writen into the deapth and hath furnished all suche as are come vnto him with a liuely and true faith with the giftes of holines puritie and iustice hath appointed euerlasting damnation to them that refuse to obeie his commaundemente For he was made the cause of euerlastinge saluation not to euerie man that boasteth of faith but to suche as obeie him as Sainct Paul◠saieth Wherefore we beleeue that the woorkes of holie menne are not disteyned with anie vncleanes of synne for that were a derogation and dishonour to Christe for so muche as they are donne by his grace and power and we knowe for certaine that suche as thinke not that the lyfe of manne is to be spente in doing holie woorkes if they continue in that lewde opinion shalbe tormēted in hel for euermore We confesse that men being destitute of the aide and grace of Christe can neither doe nor endeuour no nor thinke any thing that is auaileable to euerlasting saluation and therfore we beleeue that all hope of saluation all the meane to atteine vnto true honour all the staie of lyfe euerlasting resteth in the mercie of God And yet we beleeue this assuredlie that it lieth in vs either to refuse or els to accept thankefully this benefite when it is offered vnto vs. And as we doe not deface neither the signes of the holie Crosse neither the Images of Christe neither the monumentes of holy men so do we thinke that the reuerent ordre of al ceremonies and the religious vsage of holie Sacramentes I meane not any newefourmed ordre deuised and trimmed by the witte of fine M. Haddon but that most old and auncient vsage whiche was approoued by the ful agreement of the holy Fathers as it may easily appeare by their writinges is moste reuerently and inuiolably to be obserued and kept When we fall we thinke it expedient foorth with to haue recourse to the Churche and to the iudgement of the Priest There is made a due examination of the sinne and it is seene howe great the deformitie of it was whervpon the mind which is now ashamed of such vncleanes doth the more earnestlie hate and detest the offence cōmitted and a◠keth pardon humbly and is absolued by the sentēce of the Priest whiche representeth the personne of Christ but yet so that he must discretly submit him selfe to such order as the Priest will inioyne him He that heareth you saith our Sauiour Christ heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me After this we come with feare and trembling and with a good affiance of the mercie of God vnto that most holy and dreadful Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ in the which banket we are so refreshed and strengthened that we doe withstand the tyrannie of bodily lustes with a greater force and courage And bicause it were a daungerouse matter to leaue all this to the wil and discretiō of euery man for there are many sicke men which will not be healed and the life of the common sorte is not so well gouerned by will as by lawe and discipline it hath ben ordeined vpon great considerations that all Christian men should be constreined to laie this so soueraigne a salue to their wounds at the least once euerie yeare There are many which come vnto this Sacramente oftentimes but yet so that they examine them selues before diligently as Sainct Paule teacheth and endeuoure them selues to wassh out all the spottes of synne by the merite of Christ which they may most easilie obteine if they will confesse and forsake their foremer lyfe It is a wonder to see what a multitude of menne is fedde enerie Sonnedaie and Holie daie in the yeare with this Diuine and heauenly foode and howe by the helpe of it they are stirred more earnestlie to seeke after heauenly richesse For we see in them that are oftentimes refreshed with the moste holy bodie of Christe that the darkenes of sinne is driuen away the light of heauen riseth vertue and godlinesse are planted in them the moste goodlie fruictes of iustice are powred vpon them abundantly Bishops such as are able to preach the which hath ben litle regarded of some to the
the auncieÌ„t Church which was put out Be therfore as good as your word perfourme your promise discharge your debt into the whiche you are incurred Restore that puritie of mind restore that chastitie of bodie restore that feruencie of godlines restore that continencie and gentlenes that peace and concord that band of charitie and frindship bringe your countreimen againe to that state from the whiche we are al fallen that you maie by such a wonderful alteration of thinges and heauenlie example of vertue put vs to silence to whome this newfanglednes is both suspected and hateful As for vs it is no meruaile if we haue not as yet atteined this great and high perfectioÌ„ in vertue For you haue not yet set out this goodlie light to vs. I aske this question therfore of such only as take your part how holily how vprightly how religiously they liue For reason would as I saied before that we should looke for no meane matters at your handes For you haue taken vpon you a charge of so great honour magnificencie and profite to the worlde as possibly there can not be deuised a greater Wherefore vnlesse your adherentes and disciples doe so much excell in vertue and honestie al other men that are vertuous and godlie and yet be not of your schoole that they maie dymme the light of their vertue and put them out of conceite you haue not fulfilled your promise For if the selfe same degree of honestie might haue ben kept and mainteined by vs without the losse and ruine of those thinges vpon the whiche you haue laied your violent and griedie handes if the vertue of your brethren doe not verie much passe the vertue of our men shal it not appeare to the worlde that you wise men haue taken a great deale of paines in defacing of those thinges which you haue ouerthrowen to no pourpose or profite Shall it not be seene that those thinges were not the lettes or staies vnto you for the which coulde not exercise iustice and godlines What if your Disciples are not only neuer the better by defacing those thinges but rather much more disodered and outragious muche more wicked and vicious What if licentious liuing be now lesse punished if mischieuous hardines be now greater if more debate and greater broyles haue bene stirred vp sence you haue set your selues to be teachers of men What if moe robberies and shamefuller actes are now coÌ„mitted emongest you in euery parte of the realme if it be true that is reported What if there be wrought more traiterous practises against the maiestie of Princes euen by such as haue geauen them selues fully and wholly to your doctrine But I wil let your maisters goe and will vrge you M. HaddoÌ„ once againe What can you alleage What example can you bringe of that auncient vertue How can you mainteine and defend this newfanglednes And yet you will auowch that your Churche differeth nothing at al from the order and discipline of the Apostles You saie manie things in deede but no maÌ„ which is in his right wit will euer beleeue you It is not ynough to aâ—firme what so euer you list in wordes I loke for the examples of this heauenly vertue and not for vaine woordes If you see vnlawful lust set at libertie disorder flinging vppe and downe without checke the highe waies beset with theeues and murderers tumultes stirred vp coÌ„spiracies wrought and daungerous practises deuised against common weales euerie where if all these mischiefes be not only not taken away after the time that the doctrin of these felowes whom you so highly commend tooke place but rather muche more increased with what face dare you saie that this your newe doctrine differreth nothing from the doctrine of the Apostles You saie that I require a perfection which can not be had in this life It is like ynough sir that I doe speake of light offences such as continent and honest men may fal into euery houre and not of most vile filthie and infamous crimes such as haue cawsed all holie things to be wasted spoiled and coÌ„sumed with fyer without any fruict of godlines and Religion the whiche thinges these felowes promised to restore You require of me that our church as you cal it and yours maie be set together and compared that it maie appeare at the length whether of them both is more established by the authoritie and doctrine of the Apostles Your request is not reasonable For I saie not that there is no spot of vncleanes at all emongest vs. But I saie and affirme that it is verie ill done of you that those spottes are not taken awaie emongest you by the diligence of your Apostles We haue promised nothing we haue not pleadged our faith and truth that all thinges should be brought againe to the olde perfection by our diligence no man can call vs into the court and charge vs that we haue not stoode to our promise But these men who as you saie were sent from heauen haue takeÌ„ this much vpon them to restore the puritie of the Gospell to bring againe charitie holines coÌ„tinencie with that most earnest longyng after the euerlasting glorie to bring al other such vertues as ar coÌ„teined in the word ofgod to light which were before buried in darkenes and to set vp once againe a heauenly coÌ„mon weale vpoÌ„ the earth But that you maie see what courtesie and fauour I wil shew you in this conflicte I will not require of you to examine and trie your manners by the streight discipline of the Apostles and by that exacte rule of most holie and perfect religion but to compare the state of this your Church with the grauitie vertue religion and worshipful behauiour of your auncetours the which thing if I can intreat you to do you shall vnderstand that there is so great oddes betwene your gospellishe doctrine and the honorable religion of olde England as can not be expressed in wordes Why then sir what a thing is this If you were neuer able after the tyme that you gaue your selues to these newe and vngodly opinions to reach to any part of the honour of your auncetours by what meanes I praye you shall you be able to atteyne to that auncient perfection of the Churche whiche flourished in the Apostles dayes to the great wonder of the world Are you so voide of all witte and reason that you thinke it ynough to say that your Churche differreth nothing from the Apostles doctrine as though meÌ„ were bound by and by to beleeue you No sir that must be shewed and prooued not by braggyng and light behauiour not by boasting and reprochfull wordes but by wonderful examples of iustice innocencie chastitie cleanes religion and charitie by a most holy life a most vertuouse conuersation and a most feruent loue of godlinesse Yea M. Haddon I tell you once againe that it is not sufficient for them that haue promised to bring the loose manners of our tyme to that
shamefull language when he had vttered most horrible and diuelish blasphemie when he had wasted spoiled and burned all holie thinges when he had committed all these outrages and villanies then was he thought a meete man to be taken into gods pricuie counsell and a persone woorthie to whome God besides all other secretes shoulde mercifully reuele that mysterie also of the deuising of purgatorie Then did this great wise man vnderstand at the length that S. Augustine which held that we should praie vnto God in our Sacrifices for the dead that S. Cyprian which laied this most grieuous punishment vpon such as appointed Priestes in their testamēt to be tutours or gouernours to their children that there should no sacrifice be offred vp for them in the churches that S. Chrysostome whiche referred this ordinaunce to the tradition of the Apostles that S. Denise to passe ouer a numbre of others which wrote very diligently of the care that is to be had for the departed in the faith and of praiers that are to be made vnto God for their deliueraunce Luther I saie vnderstood from heauen that al these men had ben in great errour and folie Trulie the capitaine of this your faction had a great commoditie of his naughtines and folie if after the reising of such broiles and troubles in the worlde he was deliuered by the benefite of God from that errour in the which those holie Fathers most Godlie and wise men excellently wel learned in the Scriptures linked vnto Christe with a most streight band of heauenlie loue were quite drowned If no man can thus perswade him selfe vnlesse he be peeuish frantike and starke mad void not only of al godlie religion but also of common sense who doth not see that this opinion of Luther is wicked ād detestable taught and set out by none other then by the enemie the diuell But this saie you is not witten in the scripture What then The thing which the Apostles taught by word of mowth which their schollers deliuered to the posteritie whiche hath ben most constantly holden and beleeued from the primitiue Churche till our times whiche hath ben approued by the beleefe and full agreement of the whole Church for so manie hnndred yeares shall Luther a seditious mad selowe after so manie ages garishly auowch it to be a feined matter Shall men whiche take vpon them to be both Godlie and religious folow him as a God of heauen that attempteth most desperatly to assault heauen For he maketh warre against heauē which taketh vp armour against the faith of the Church No no saie you you would not thinke what manner of man he was For he I tel you woulde allowe nothing vnlesse he fownde it written in the holie scriptures Well sir I will not nowe handle that matter whiche is by the holy Fathers discussed long a goe howe the gospell consisteth not only in thinges written but also in customes and ordinaunces receiued without any writing deliuered vnto the Churche by worde of mowth and order of the Apostles how much the sure and groūded authoritie of the Church which is the piller and staie of truth is to be esteemed of howe great value and importaunce the agreement of all holy men in one minde without anie varietie ought to be all these thinges I will nowe omit and aske you one question how Luther when he saied there was a purgatorie to prooue it alleaged the testimonies of the holie scripture if there were no testimonie in the scripture that proued that there was a purgatorie Then againe when he saied that there was no Purgatorie by what testimonie of the Scripture thought he that Purgatorie might be vtterly disprooued Brought he anie one place by the whiche he might conuince that there is no Purgatorie Dowbtlesse not one Such therefore was his presumption that what so euer came into his head that woulde he constantly affirme and againe the selfe same thing if it misliked him would he vtterly denie And yet his disciples for sooth find no fault at all neither with his inconstancie neither yet with his lewd fasshions but what so euer the drowsie blowbol draueled out ouer his pottes that toke they vp so griedily as though it had ben good gospell But lest you should saie that it can not be shewed by the testimonie of the scripture that there is a purgatory although it be not necessarie yet besides those places whiche are wont to be alleaged for the proofe thereof I thinke it good to bring a fewe of the whiche that is one of S. Marke where our Lorde when he had saied that hel into the which al such shalbe throwen downe as esteeme more their bodilie pleasure then their dewtie towardes God shoulde haue this propertie that the worme of them that shall be tombled down headlong into it should neuer die and their fyer neuer be quenched he brought in foorthwith these wordes for euerie man shalbe seasoned in fyer and euery sacrifice shalbe seasoned in salt In this place there are two thinges to be noted One is that there is a worme that is to saie a vexation or torment of cōscience gnawing and molesting the minde the whiche shal haue an ende and that there is a torment of fyer also the whiche in like manner shall haue and end in some men For otherwise our Lorde woulde neuer haue brought that place out of Esaie their worme dieth not and their fyer is not quenched By the whiche place we are taught that there is one torment euerlasting and an other that lasteth but for a time For so muche therefore as this worme and fyer is a torment or vexation of minde and of tormentes there is one whiche is appointed by the iudgement of God to last but a time and the other to continew for euermore is it not euidently prooued that there is a purgatorie for so is the place of punishment called in the whiche by the sentence of God the sowles are purged within a certaine time of suche spottes of venial offences as they had gathered in this life An other thing worthy to be noted is this that no synne shal escape vnpunished For euen as in the old lawe it was not lawful to offre vp any Sacrifice without salt so is it not lawful for our soules to approch vnto the throne of Gods maiestie vnlesse their vncleanes be before clensed by salt and fyer that is to say by the rigour of Goddes iudgement and by dewe punishment that when al the spottes of vncleane affection be put out and quite consumed the faithful sowles may come to haue such a puritie and cleerenes that thei may be able to receiue the brightnes of God in them selues and be likened and confourmed to the glory of God For although by the mercy of God synne is taken quite away in such as stay them selues vppon a liuelie saith yet are they for the most parte so bounde with some knot of the law that they must needes satisfie
is no wonder For as you saie your selfe it can not be chosen but that sometimes in the good corne there will growe some weedes And if anie such abuse haue ben it is now taken quite awaie If superstition trouble mens mindes now and then it is verie easily taken awaie by the labour and diligence of Bishops The vicious and vncleane life of Priestes is verie seuerely punished And there are at this time emongest vs a great manie moe of them that liue verie continently then of such as will disteine them selues with vicious and vncleane liuing Last of all to passe ouer all other the vertuous godlie and religiouse example of this most holie Pope Pius the fifth whome neither ambition neither coueteousnes neither the fauour of the people neither yet the rashnes of men but the holie Ghoste hath placed in this roome of highe honour and dignitie bringeth to passe that all thinges waxe better and better euerie daie and that verie manie are stirred to the loue of true godlines But admitte there were no suche matter at this time as I talke of admit that al went to naught and that there were no man to refourme the church where it is decaied should it be well done by and by to euerthrow all such thinges as haue ben wisely ordeined so soone as men doe abuse them to naughtines No truly but rather to prouide as neere as we maie that holy thinges maie no more be abused For otherwise all would decaie and there wold folow a meruelous disorder and confusion of thinges in the Churche If you as you haue for the misbehauiour of a fewe monkes as you saie taken quite awaie the whole order and for the lewdnes of certain Pristes ouerthrowen the dignitie of Priesthood and authoritie of Bishopps so you woulde procede for it standeth with as good reason as the other doth and for the default of a Magistrate or Prince or King which hath not done his dewtie take awaie the orderly gouernment of the common weale together with the Kinglie honour and authoritie the worlde shoulde come againe to that confusion which as the Poetes report was before that nature was disposed and set in comelie order For what thing is so holie the whiche men maie not abuse sometimes to doe much harme and mischiefe For that we maie goe no further wedlocke it selfe which you preferre before perpetuall virginitie is it alwaies kept in such chaste godly and religious order as it ought to be Doe the housbaÌ„des neuer looke besides their wiues Doe the wiues neuer beguyle their housbandes Are there no aduowtries coÌ„mitted nowe and then emong Yeas questionles are there and manie fowle and shameful actes are done of maried men oftentimes with great rashnes and impudencie Shall we therfore for the lewd demeanour of some maried persones breake the band of man and wife and take awaie the holie state of lawfull wedlocke No truly For then woulde men and women runne vnto it without order and there woulde be no differeÌ„ce betwene them and brute beastes Wherfore although all our doinges were voide of al good order honestie and religion yet are not such thinges as haue ben for a most godlie pourpose deuised and ordeined forthwith to be disannulled but rather order woulde be taken that thinges which are amisse might be amended Neither are suche thinges as maie be cured to be cut of neither yet if the festered and corrupt partes of the body must needes be pared of is it necessarie for that to destroie the whole bodie whiche maie be recouered neither is the state of a common weale to be altered so soone as anie disorder happeneth in it but rather reason woulde that al such matters as are decaied should be brought again to that comelie order in the whiche they were at the begynning Aristotel telleth that there was a certaine man called Hippodamus of Milesium which wrote of a common weale Emongest other matters he reciteth a lawe of his by the which he decreed that a great rewarde shoulde be geauen out of the common treasure to him that coulde deuise anie lawe profitable for the commoÌ„ weale This decree Aristotel misliketh For he thinketh that there woulde be an end in making of lawes bicause the often chaunging of them is wont by litle and litle to bring them into contempt and the lawes being once despised the good estate of a common weale can not long continewe Wherefore that excellent learned man counselleth al such as make lawes to foresee that there be not more euyll in the often altering of the lawes then there is in that disorder which they goe about to refourme by the new lawe For he thinketh it more safetie to keepe indiffereÌ„t good lawes then to make others not muche better Wherein he hath good reason For whie that constant and perpetuall reuerence towardes the lawes causeth a certaine feare and bashfulnes and linketh men together within them selues with a sure and inuiolable band of equitie But this fond appetite that men haue to alter and chauÌ„ge the law without fom weighty cawse engendreth a presumpteouse boldnes and maketh a waie by subtile and wilie meanes to take the lawe quite awaie and to bring in tyrannie And although there came none other inconuenience of it yet at the least it disordereth the common weale Nowe this whiche is to be feared about the innouation of lawes is to be determined about religion so muche the more constantly the greater the perill is to offend in religion then in anie other thing This thing coÌ„sidered the fownders of common weales of olde time punished such as brought in anie new tricke of religion out of other places with death or banishmeÌ„t and decreed that the rites or fashions of the countrey shoulde be most constantly reteined Wherin although they had shaped them selues a religion after a very bad sort and liued in great errours yet was this their ordinaunce not altogether voide of good reason and consideration For if it were possible that some one religion might be more commendable then some other he that should take awaie an old religion whiche were not vngodly to set â—p an other religion that were but a litle better should do a shrewd tourne to the common weale Whie so saie you Bicause he should bring in a custome to alter Religion and by consequent to bring Religion into contempt And so it might come to passe that diuers and sundrie religions coming in one after an other being either deuised by craftie wittes or els taken out of other countreis might moue great debate about the establishing of religioÌ„ and while euery religioÌ„ should disprooue one an other the matter might by litle and litle so fall out at the length that all religion hould come to naught The which thing being true that we maie retourne to our disputation againe how is this to be taken that a religion which is most true holy and auncient approoued and confirmed by the testimony of God by the bloud of Christe