Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	catholic_a	church_n	faith_n	6,104	5	5.7683	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A18700	An exhortation to all menne to take hede and beware of rebellion wherein are set forth the causes, that commonlye moue men to rebellion, and that no cause is there, that ought to moue any man there vnto. With a discourse of the miserable effectes, that ensue thereof, and of the wretched ende, that all rebelles comme to, moste necessary to be redde in this seditiouse [and] troublesome tyme, made by Iohn Christoferson. At the ende whereof are ioyned two godlye prayers, one for the Quenes highnes, verye conuenient to be sayd dayly of all her louing and faythfull subiectes, and an other for the good [and] quiete estate of the whole realme. Read the whole, and then iudge.	Christopherson, John, d. 1558.	1554 (1554)	STC 5207; ESTC S117507	113,228	472

god thankeful to her grace and very profitable for our selfes to Nowe then moste deare louing contrye men seing that we are wel assured that our most gratiouse lady the Quene by reason of her godlye vertue wherin she excelleth and for the greate feruēt loue that she beareth to eueri one of vs she wil throughly performe these thinges we haue great cause to gyue god most hartely thankes ▪ y ● sente her vnto vs hath so gratiously delte with vs for her sake For it semeth that as God sayd to the children of Israell in Kynge Dauids tyme I wyll by the hande of my seruaunt Dauid saue my people of Israell from the handes of the Philistians and all their enemyes so sayeth he nowe to I wyll by the hande of myne humble handemayde Marye saue my people of Englande from the assaultes of their enemyes If we were oppressed by her if we were spoyled throughe her meanes or yf we were cruellye handled at her hand then might men haue somthing to say But no suche matter is there For her grace is so gentle so buxome so merciful so liberal of so god lye conuersation excellente vertue y t if she were amonge Turkes Saracenes or Iewes she woulde vndoubtedly winne their harts cause thē both hartly to loue her also to be ready to defēd her How vngentle then maye we be thought y t can not loue such a gratious lady with gladde hartes be obedient to her But the very matter of al our grudge is as we were tolde a lytle before her catholike religion Whych howe good and godly it is we may easely perceaue yf we compare it with that that hathe bene nowe of late yeares amonge vs. It is grounded vpon the consent of al christes catholike church which is the sure foūdation of truth Thother is grounded only vpon the consent of a few in corners and yet neuer one of thē agreeth with another The religion y t the Queenes grace maynteyneth is fiftenne hūdreth yeare olde thys new religion is scarcelye twoo hundreth yeares olde The catholike religion is and hath bene vniuersallye receaued througheoute the whole world This of theyrs hath bene receaued but here and there in a few places and of all the worlde besyde condemned And Vincentius a good holy writer thinketh that these be the speciall poyntes to trye religion that is to say the auncientnes of tyme the vniuersall receauinge of it and the whole consent of the churche For thus he writeth In the catholike church we muste take diligent hede that we stycke to that which is in euery place alwaies and of all men beleued For this in dede is catholike ▪ as the worde it selfe dothe playnely declare which verely conteyneth al vniuersally But this shall we do if we folowe the vniuersall faythe and beleue the auncientnesse of tyme and the whole consent of Christes churche And nowe for the vniuersall beleue that shal we folowe after this sorte If we thynke that fayth to be true whyche all Christes Churche throughout the worlde dothe confesse As for auncientnesse of time that shall we folowe if we in no wyse go from the senses interpretations of scripture that we manifestli know to haue bene commonlye vsed and allowed of the holye and aunciente fathers The whole consent of Christes Churche shall we folowe yf we submit our selfes to the auncient determinations and sentences eyther of all bisshops priestes and doctours or elles at the lest of al most al. And the same writer a litle after teacheth vs how to know a true christen Catholike man thus He is a true catholike man in dede whiche loueth goddes truth his churche and the bodye of Christe which also preferreth nothing that is to say ▪ nether any one mans authoritie nor loue ▪ nor witte nor eloquence nor knowledge of philosophy before godly religion and the fayth catholike but dispising all these and stickinge sted fastly and surely to his fayth thinketh that he is bounden to hold and beleue only that y e he knoweth the catholike church of olde vniuersallye to haue holden and maynteyned And let hym suppose surely that what new and straunge doctrine or order soeuer is couertly and craftly brought in by any one man eyther beside the mindes of al holy and godly men or els vtterly cōtrary to them is brought in not for to encrease mennes deuotion religion but only to tempte them with all Thus by the wordes of this godly author who wrote aboue a thowsand yeares ago we may easely perceaue what sorte of religion men ought to folowe Againe the authors of the catholike religion are the apostles and their successors As Ireneus Iustinus martyr ▪ Cyprian Clemens Alexandrinus Origene S. Hierom S. Ambrose S. Augustyne S. Chrisostom Basil Gregorius Nazianzene Cyrill with infinite many mo The authors of this new sect are Wic●ffe Hus Luther Oecolampadius Zuinglius Bucer Bullinger Caluine and a greate rable beside The authours of Christes true religion were Martyrs confessors and holi sayntes all The authours of this new religion were Apostatas that is to say such as had bene monkes and frears whiche broke their vowes cast of their cootes became like lay men marryed nonnes called them wiues and so lyued in abhominable inceste The authors of the catholike religion were ●●ke gentle lowly full of vertue and godlye conuersation despicers of the worlde and the vanities thereof chast auoyde of ambition and couetousnes gyuen all to fastyng prayer and almose dedes The authours of oure newe doctrine were prowde stubborne presumptuous of smal vertue and that only in apparence louers of the world and muche delited wyth the pleasures thereof lecherous and carnal gready of honour and of gettyng of goodes slacke in praying ▪ more slacke in fastynge and altogether negligent in good dedes doynge For they thought fasting was Poperye and prayer superstition good dedes to auayle vs nothynge at all The authors of the catholike fayth and religion were careful for peace desirous of vnitie fauorers of obedience and maynteyners of all good order The authours of our late religion were causers of warre not onely bitwixt prince and prince ▪ but also bitwixte princes their subiects breakers of the vnitie of Christes catholike churche sowers of sedition workers of disobedience and bryngers in of al confusiō disorder captaynes of carnal libertie defendors of the same Of these .ii. sortes of mē whome ought we gyue more credite to trowe you Shall we better trust Wicliffe that because he could not come by the Bisshoprike of Worcester forsoke Christe his churche and became an heretike or holy Ireneus who for the mainteynaunce of Christes fayth and his churche forsoke both his Bisshoprike and hys lyfe to Or shall we better beleue Hus that was a professed frear and had vowed chastitie obedience and wilfull pouertie and after brake all became a married manne and preached heresye in Boheme Or S. Cyprian that when he was a

he hadde not sene hym nowe the space of syxe monethes he aunswered ▪ that he hadde not as yet in dede learned y t verse of y e Psalme Agayne along time after ▪ one of his familiar frendes demaunded of hym whether he had learned his verse and he sayde Now or .xix. yeares passed and truely as yet I haue scarcely learned to practise it Wherby it well appeareth that a man maye learne as much vpon one day at one sermon as he can well learne perfytly to practise in a whole yeare Wherfore I haue oftentymes muche maruayled at vs Englishe men of late that we came to the churche at the tyme of our English seruice to heare only and not to pray our selfes By meanes wherof many folkes are so inured that they can hardlye frame them selfes as yet to pray in the churche which as our sauiour sayth is the house of prayer And moste mete were it for folkes comming to the churche to pray earnestly them selfes and both to think vpon their synnes wherewith they haue offended their lorde god and to be sory for them and to desire god to forgyue them yea and beside to gyue hym harty thankes for all his benefites bestowed vpon them and to beseche hym to assiste them with his grace agaynst the assaultes of their aduersary the deuil For thus ought men to spende the holy daye and thus ought they to bestow their tyme in the churche of God when they come thyther For what dyd Anna the doughter of Phanuell who had lyued with her husbande .vij. yeares and after his death continued widowe tyll she was foure score and foure yeares old and so died is it not written of her by S. Luke that she departed not from the temple but serued God there nyght and daye in fastyng and praying The Euāgelist telleth not that there she was occupied in hearynge but that she was occupied in praying Many heare and eyther they shortly forget what they haue hearde or elles yf they remembre it ▪ yet they do not practise it and one howre spente in practisynge is more worthe to vs then twentye spent in hearynge Therefore when they come to Churche and heare the priestes who sayeth common prayer for all the whole multitude albeit they vnderstand them not yet yf they be occupied in godlye prayer them selfes it is sufficient for them And lette them not so greatly passe for vnderstandynge what the priestes saye but trauayle them selfes in feruent praying and so shal they hyghly please God Yea and experience hath playnlye taught vs that it is much better for them not to vnderstande the common seruice of the Churche then to vnderstande it because that when they heare other prayinge with a lowde voyce in the language that they vnderstand they are letted from prayer them selfe and so come they to suche a slacknes and negligence in prayinge that they at lengthe as we haue well sene of late dayes in maner pray not at al. And let thē first thynke thys for it is vndoubtedly true that the diuine seruice here in Englande hath euer bene in Latyn synce the first tyme that the fayth was among vs receaued saue onlye this .vi. or .vij. yeares laste passed And then how godly the people all that while were disposed how many vertuous and holy men women haue bene within this realme and howe God dyd in all thinges prosper vs. And reade who so lyste the godly ecclesiastical story of sayncte Bede and he shall fynde my sayinges herein moste true By whych story he shal learne besyde how the same fayth the same forme of religion the same rites and ceremonies that we now vse in the churche haue bene since kynge Lucius dayes in whose reygne the fayth was firste receaued in Englande continuallye vsed And eyther muste we graunte thys that there was neuer any godly men in thys realme neuer one sowle saued neuer any grace of God among vs neuer the assistence of the holye gooste wyth vs whych no good nor reasonable manne eyther can or wyll graunte yf thys be not the true fayth and belefe wherby mens soules shalbe saued that nowe is amonges vs. For where true belefe is not there is not God nor none of hys grace nor no parte of his holy spirite And therefore yf thys be a false fayth and belefe that we nowe haue then god both is and hath bene most vnkynde not onlye to vs but to all Christendome besyde whiche is in the same belefe that we be seyng that he hath not before these .vij. yeares laste passed reuealed opened hys trueth vnto vs but suffered bothe vs and all our progenitours and elders to yea and all Christendome euer synce Christes incarnation euen to these latter dayes to lyue in blyndnes and to let vs continue styll in daunger of damnation But God forbydde that any man myght iustly eyther thynke or saye thus For then myght we commynge before our sauiour Christ at the day of iudgement yf we shulde for our belefe be there condēned aunswere that we were not to blame nor worthie of dānatiō therfore because that hys blessed spouse the Catholike churche hadde from tyme to tyme taught vs thys belefe that he hadde promised to be with his churche to the worldes ende Whyche promyse caused vs alwaye to giue credence to hys holye Churche whiche we thought could not erre nor be deceaued in anye matter concerning our fayth Therfore no man hathe cause to iudge thys religion that we nowe haue to be noughte and so to thinke that the worshyppynge of Christes blessed body in the sacrament is Idolatrye as manye of late haue most wyckedlye both beleued and taught and by that meanes condemne all oure fathers grandfathers and the reste of oure elders whyche haue so beleued but verye good cause hath he to suspect the religion that hathe bene brought in of late yea and vtterlye to abhorre it bothe for that he seeth so playnly before his eyes y e abhominable fruytes that it hath brought forth in this realme and also that he knoweth that it was neuer receaued in thys realme before these laste .vij. yeares paste saue onelye that wycked Wyclyffe hadde in corners taught the same in kinge Edward the thirdes dayes whiche his doctrine ended in notable treason euen as this did that was latelye receaued among vs as after I shal more playnly declare But some say that they woulde haue vs beleue and lyue accordynge as menne dydde in the primitiue churche Howe was that I praye you was it as we haue bene taughte of late in beleuing ▪ that Christes blessed bodye in the sacrament is but a pece of breade to abolish the Masse to cast awaye praying and fastyng No no Heare I praye you what saynct Bede sayeth concernynge the state of the primitiue churche Whē as S. Augustyne hys felowes that were sent by saynct Gregorye hyther into Englande to preache had gotten thē a place in kent to soiourne in they folowed the

when they haue bene in great honour and be eyther throughe theyr owne demerites or otherwise depriued thereof are so sore bitten by the stomake that nothyng is there that canne contente them but they fume and frete and fare like madde men in so muche y t being weary of theyr lyues they care not what become of them and muche rather hadde they aduenture some wicked enterprise and therein to dye then longer to lyue in suche heauye miserye often repete thei with them selfes thys sentence of Cicero when a man is not as he hath bene there is no cause why he shuld desyre to lyue and then go they forward in theyr frātike folye settinge all vpon sixe seuen thinke to be reuenged by trayterouse rebellion Certayne are there that welth maketh so wanton that they wishe for warre to proue theyr valiantnesse and they counte peace to be cause of ydlenes that it maketh men hodipekes and cowardes Therefore saye they menne must haue warre for the triall of their manhode Suche folkes when they can pike anye pretēsed quarel agaynst their Prince they thynke it but a pastyme to make sedition Some also haue there bene in the worlde that for feare of punishment for their offences committed became rebelles muche leuer had they to fight it out then to fal into the handes of those that had aucthoritie to punishe them and because they were well assured that yf they were ones taken they shuld dye some shamefull death coūted it better to take their aduenture in the open fielde rather so to dye wyth honour as they thought thē both to be pined in prison and also to suffre deathe w t shame Sometime rebellion chaunseth by reason that the prince is a person of no good qualities but is peraduenture deformed or croked or hathe lytle witte and lesse experience or is a cowardly caytife and dastarde or is corrupted with al kynde of vyce For when the subiectes playnelye perceaue these defautes in the Prince they begynne to contemne despyse hym and muche desyryng to haue a chaunge they fall to make insurrection and eyther by openforce or priuie conspiracie they seke to rydde hym oute of the waye trustynge thereby to gette them a better gouernoure for so was both Sardanapalus spynnyng amonge women slayne and Denyse the lesse also because he was a dronkarde by Dion with thaduyse of the people killed Manye tymes also ariseth sedition by meanes that men be of diuerse maners diuerse contries and diuerse sortes of religion for euery man loueth him that is lyke in conditions to himselfe and hateth the cōtrary so that faythfull frendshyp spryngeth of likelynes in maners for whosoeuer is not delited wyth suche fantasies as we be delyted with we can in no wyse hartely loue hym The same happeneth amonges suche as be of diuerse contries for it hath oftentimes bene sene that in cities where two sortes of people beyng of dyuerse nations haue dwelled because that one could not beare another they haue caused notable sedition as we reade of the Troezenians Achaeanes in a citie called Siba●is and of the Iewes and Gentyles in Hierusalem of the Catanianes and Siracusanes in Sicilie of the Scottes and Pictes in Scotlande ▪ and of the Saxones Britones here in Englande The same cometh often to passe when as menne be of diuerse opinions concernynge their fayth and religion for albeit that many other matters make one to hate another yet nothing is there that bredeth so deadly hatred as diuersitie of myndes touching religion whych thyng caused many notable and cruell cōmotions in the noble citie of Alexandria And yf it so be y t the Prince be of one fayth and manye of hys subictes of another although he be neuer so good a ruler and gouernoure otherwise yet can they by no meanes fauoure him by reason of his religion but sore grudge and repine styll at hym studye alwayes that they can to withdrawe the heartes of all men from him and at lengthe when they se occasion openly rebell agaynst hym Thus haue you heard shortlye the speciall causes y t moue men to rebellion Then let vs nowe wel weye whether any of these or anye other that a man can ymagyne oughte in anye wyse to make men aryse rebell agaynst their Prince and gouernoure If men be poore and neadye and thynke they haue wronge because they haue no more good and therfore wyll by force shyfte for them selfes and hazarde their lyues rather then they wyll lyue anye longer in suche pouertie such haue forgotten God and do not remember that our Lord as Salomon saith made both y e rich and the poore And this they must cōsider that there be degrees in euery cōmon welth whiche be necessary for the good state thereof and some be higher some be lower as it pleaseth God to appoynt them the one canne not lacke the other For lyke as in a natural body there be some mēbers of more excellencie then the rest partlye for the preseruation of it partly for y e beautifying therof So there be in euery realme and common welth ryche and poore gentlemen and simple ▪ rulers and subiectes And euerye one are placed in their degree And as necessarye is it for the poore to haue men of hygher estate to defend them from the assaultes of their enemies as it is for men of honor to haue poore men to toyle trauayle for them for we see that the hyghe trees in euery foreste do defende the vnder-woode from all stormye and violente blastes And albeit y t percace great men sometimes do not defende the poore as they shuld do from wronges but rather doe them wronge themselfes yet let the poore praye God to amende them by that meanes seke for remedye and not repyne agaynste them and so be disappoynted of all remedye Besyde thys poore men me thynke shulde be ryghte glad of their estate seyng that they be much more farther from daunger then great men be as daylye experience doth teache them Agayne yf they would wel weye wyth them selfes for what purpose menne be made poore by the hande of God that manye good folkes are pinched w t pouertie to proue their patience withall to thin tente that they maye be more perfyte and many euyll to are punished therewith for theyr synnefull lyfe to make them amende and that god alwayes dothe all for the beste and maketh men eyther riche or pore as he knoweth is mooste mete for them they wold patiently suffer their pouertie thanke God hartelye for it and of the miserye that their bodies are bewrapped with they would make a soueraygne medicine to heale their sicke and sinfull soules withall And yf they woulde learne this one lesson of saynt Augustyne practise it I doubt not but they shuld make their punyshmente medicinable The lesson is this My sonne yf thou wepe

in daunger wyllyngly to cast out some of hys goodes but that he had leuer loose some parte for sauynge of the reste then loose altogether and hym selfe to Wherfore all suche as feare punishment it is better for thē with a shorte punishmente to paye their raunsom then w t vnlawful eschewinge thereof fall in daunger of perpetual punishmēt Cause then haue they none yf they well consider to make rebellion for feare of punyshement Some there hath bene in the world that by reason they did see their prince lacke good qualities or for that he was croked or deformed or that he was a noughty vicious liuer haue rebelled because they thoughte by y ● meanes to get thē another But such litle remēbred the sayinges of Salomon Iob y t I recited before of whyche the one telleth vs that kynges and rulers be appoynted by God and the other that God oftentimes sendeth a noughtye dissemblyng Prince for the synnes of the people For yf the prince lacke good qualities it is not oure part to fynde faute with him but to desire GOD to sende him better Or yf he be deformed we blame the worke of God yf we disprayse him For he made not him selfe but god made him Or yf he lyue vitiouslye we be bounde to praye God hartely that he wil vouchesafe to amende him and to send him good counseyle that maye and wyll earnestlye admonyshe him As for to rebell agaynst him because Goddes lawe and the lawes of manne to do expresselye forbydde it we oughte euermore to auoyde But now let vs well weye the cause of those that rebell for religion sake whyche is thought to some a mooste vrgent weyghtye cause Here men wyll saye that yf they be constreyned by superiour powe●s to forsake anye parte of their fayth by which they are wel assured to be saued that then they must rather obeye God then man and put their lyues in ieoperdie rather thē they wil leaue their religion This is verye wel sayde and euerye Christen man must so do But howe shuld we obeye rather God then man or howe ought we to put our lyues in ieoperdie Must we take the sworde in oure handes and playe the part that Peter did at the takyng of oure Sauiour shall it not be sayde then vnto vs as it was sayd to S. Peter at the same time Put vp your swordes For whosoeuer taketh a sword intending to smite therwyth shall peryshe by the sworde ▪ Had not Peter think you as good cause to defend his mayster Christ as anye man hath to defende his fayth and religion Yes truelye For yf we haue any cause to defend our fayth by the sworde then as good cause had saynte Peter therewyth to defende our sauioure the author of fayth Why dyd not the holy Apostles when they were commaūded that they shulde preache no more in Christes name that they were beaten for the same defende them selfes by stronge hande and fight with their enemyes in such a good quarell Or why did they patiently suffre persecution and went their waye much reioysyng that they were thought worthye to suffre rebuke and displeasure for the name of Iesu It is not in thys warre y t menne make for their Lorde Christ as it is in the warre betwixte prince and prince For in the warre of worldly princes suche alway gette the victory as eyther by force beate downe their enemyes or by policye putte them to flyght But in Christes warre those wynne the fielde that beare awaye the strokes he that suffreth most getteth y e moste noble victory For the blessed martyr Ignatius when he was conueyed out of Syria to Rome by tenne rigorous and rough souldyars whome for theyr crueltye he calleth tenne leopardes and was miserablye torne in peaces by wylde beastes ▪ got a more excellent victorye then euer dyd eyther Scipio Africanus or Pompeius Magnus two of the mooste noble captaynes of the Romaynes And yet dyd he neuer eyther grudge at the matter or giue them euil wordes or lyfte vp hys hande to smyte eyther man or beast but most feruently desyred to be beatē buffeted to be assaulted him selfe tormented For by that meanes was he assured that he shoulde receaue at Christes hande the victorious crowne in martyrdome as it doth wel appeare by his owne wordes in an epystle that he wrote to y e Romaynes wherin he saith thus Wolde to god I had y e beastes y t are prepared to deuoure me whome shortlye to find out is mine earnest desire whome I shall flatter make muche of to thintente they may out of hand deuoure me For I wolde not they shulde so handle me as they haue done other whome for feare thei did not ones touche But if so be they be lothe to medle with me I shal prouoke them to teare me Pardō me good frendes I praye you for I know wh●t is expediente for me Nowe begynne I to be Christes So surely it fareth in a cōmon welth when as the people grudge y t their heades gouernours lyue at ease and eate vp al as they thinke that they wyth muche toyle and trauayle haue gotten iudging him to be an ydle and an vnnecessarye membre therfore do they cōspire rebel agaynst him So y t therby it cometh to passe y ● with miserable spoyle cruel bloudshede y e members of all the common welthe are in short space most miserably cōsumed wasted Therfore lette no man that eyther loueth god his contry or hym selfe when as he is oppressed go aboute to seke remedy by rebellion seinge y t both his cause is very nought and that therby he shall not only prouoke Goddes wrath agaynst hym but also put his contry and hym selfe to in ieopardye of destroynge But nowe there be an other sort that are so sore inflamed with ambition desire of honor y t thei think euery howre a day and euery day a yeare vntyll they may winne their wicked purpose They be like to men that be sicke of a feruent burninge feuer whiche drinke styl and euer are drye and the more that they drink the more they desier to drink Euen so it fareth wyth ambitiouse folke whiche yf they come to anye worshippefull estate are not so contented but labour by al maner of meanes still to clyme higher when neyther by flattery nor frindshippe nor liberall rewardes they cā satisfie their wretched desier then fall they to conspiracy folow the steppes of cursed Catiline whiche made men wene that he mynded to reforme the common welthe of Rome restore y e libertie therof when he intended nothinge elles but to put downe the noble and wise rulers of y e citie and place him selfe his complices in their honorable rowines But he was shortly spied out and by the wyse policye of Cicero cleane disappoynted of hys purpose What made Caesar and Pompeye the great to make ciuil warre but

▪ at goddes hand to who wylleth vs that we offende not or hurte anye straunger And yf her grace marrye after her owne fantasye me thynke we shuld beare wyth her yf we loue her For yf she shuld constrayne anye of vs to marry one that he could not loue and lyke he would be litle contented with it Wherfore let vs content oure selfes with that that she doth in this behalfe and praye God harte lye that this her graces marriage may haue such successe as both God maye be pleased therewith and we receaue benefite thereby and her highnes take comfort therein We haue bene well pleased in time past y e her noble father shulde marrye straungers and haue ioyfully receaued them Wherfore we might me thynke be muche better contented with her graces marriage seynge that the noble Prince that she marrieth albeit he semeth to be a straunger yet because he cometh of the noble bloude of Englande as you haue learned before is in dede no straūger And agayne that oure Lord God onlye moueth her therto for her comfort as we truste and all ours to But I feare y e the matter y e we grudge at is not the marriage but her fayth religion in y e mayntenaunce where of she hath alwayes frō her tender age hither to constantly stand mindeth by gods assistence to cōtinue in the same to her lyues ende For it is not a fayth newly inuented and set forth of late dayes ▪ but begonne by Christ taught by his Apostles and their successours confirmed with the bloude of all holy martyrs established by y e consent of al good godly wryters and vniuersally receaued of the whole Catholike churche of Christ. Which earnestlye to sticke to ▪ she feareth not by whiche to be saued she doubteth not which cōstant lye to defend she ceaseth not And be we well assured y t she would not forsake it as her highnes hath oftentymes both in word and dede declared if she knewe certaynly y t she shulde loose the crowne of this realme therfore and her life to For whosoeuer they be that leseth any thing for gods cause and his true fayth they shall wyn a hundreth tymes more for it and be gladde of theyr losse for such great g●ynes And this wold her highnes neyther say nor do except she knew suerly the truth to be on her side ▪ and that god is pleased therwith Which he hathe well declared vnto her highnes in these two notable victories that of his goodnes he hath sent her of late If she had bene an aduersarye of his truth and of his holy worde as some folkes reporte her he wold neuer haue so ayded her so mightly alwayes agaynst the assaultes of her enemies defended her But thus much may her highnes say without boaste because it is not for her owne glorye whyche she nothing regardeth but onlye to declare goddes goodnes toward her y t she hath ▪ as becam the poore handmayde of God continuallye synce she was a childe from tyme to tyme embraced both our Sauiour Christes doctrine whyche is the dore vnto truthe and the catholike fayth of his church whyche is the staff● of saluation and so loued both twayne as she dyd lytle esteme worldly honor or lyfe eyther in comparison of them For whensoeuer she was eyther by gentle exhortation by fayre promyses yea or by threatenyng as sometyme she was moued to forsake the catholike fayth to leaue of the godly ordinaūces of the churche she neuer wolde relent but settynge all worldly thynges at noughte and carynge nothynge for the malice of men myn̄ded rathe● to dye for the defence of her fayth then to lyue in honoure wyth the forsakynge thereof And this hath her grace done not of her selfe onelye but by thassistence of Goddes grace who hath alwaies ayded her And mercifullye accepted her poore seruice herein and hath both fauored her therefore so will do styll and not forsake her as she feareth not and dayly she besecheth hym hartelye that he do not And not onlye her but al other that embrace the same fayth because it is y ● fayth of his blessed spouse the churche ▪ whose lippes be sweter to her husbande Christe then honye combes Whose tongue is as pleasaunte as milke and honye Therefore most dearly beloued countrye menne thys cause why we oughte speciallye to loue her grace ▪ because it is for our soules helth let it not be occasion to hate her For if we knewe surelye as she dothe ▪ what pleasure we shulde haue in it what profyt we shoulde take of it what daunger we shulde auoyde by it we wold most harteli thanke her highnesse who by goddes helpe had brought vs agayne to it But the mystes of the cloudy and cursed doctrine of Luther his adherentes haue so dimmed our sight that we can not se it some of vs there be more pitie is it that will not se it But I praye god we may shortly se it and returne vnto it and say with Dauid we will go into the howse of god which is the Catholike Churche Approche vnto it and GOD wyll approche vnto vs because he is within it And feare GOD and he wyll fauoure vs and be obediente to her grace oure lawful prince and gouernesse ▪ and then she wyll not fayle most tenderly to loue vs to labore and trauayle for our welth and commoditye And albeit that some of vs haue of late murmered agaynste her yet let the example of other that dyd so before and are plaged by goddes iust iudgemēt for their greuouse offēce be a warninge for vs to take hede And let vs obey her not for feare but for veri loue For in dede to punis●e vs is her great grefe because she wold that the leaste heere of oure heades shuld peryshe Therefore let vs not force her grace to that that her nature dothe abhorre Nor giue her occasion to saye as her noble progenitor king Henry the .v. sayde after y ● rebelliō made agaynst him by Richarde the Earle of Cambrige Henry the lorde Scrupe and Thomas Gray after this sort Consyder sayd he the rashe foly of these folkes they persecute me who night and day to thuttermost of my power enforce my selfe to profyt the common welth And to that ende I toyle and trauayle contynually and studye alwayes that I can to do good to al my subiectes and thinke my selfe borne for that purpose But I pray god that there be neuer one amonge you whose trayterouse harte I may worthely blame and say that he had rather haue me distroyed then his contrie to be in good state preserued and in honour encreased These wordes sayde Henry the .v. to his subiectes Which I truste verely hereafter we wil neuer gyue our ▪ gratiouse Queene occasion to say But contrariwise muche to commend vs to reioyce in our obedyence ▪ to take comforte in our peace and quiet behauyour Which shalbe acceptable to

furtheryng the Catholike fayth then by lytle and lytle groweth heresy and spreadeth abroade that at lengthe except menne be well ware it preuayleth and destroyeth the countrye where it reygneth It is wel compared by S. Paule to a cancre For as a cancre yf it be suffred encreaseth daylye and so crepeth forwarde that in conclusion it corrupteth the whole body so heresye whensoeuer it is entred into any commen welth it so goeth forwarde yf it be not repressed that in the ende it destroyeth the whole as the xamples before rehearsed do wel declare And truth is it that no common welthe can stande yf religion be neglected In consideration wherof all they that in olde tyme wrote of commen welthes as Plato Aristotle Cicero and many other besyde thoughte it moste necessary for the gouernours of euery commen welth chiefly to trauayle in establyshyng religion Whych done it shuld be easye to kepe the people in good ordre For the verye paynems infidels to whom they wrote hauynge a greate feare and a reuerence to the false Goddes that they worshipped were gentle meke humble and very obedient to their rulers So all Christen men withoute doubte yf they be keped in the feare of God and in the true religion of his catholike churche they wyll moste willinglye obeye their prince obserue the lawes of their countrye and quietlye behaue them selfes euery one in their vocation Ouer thys let all parentes haue a diligent eye to the bringynge vp of their children in the feare of God in his holye seruice in all godlye vertue and teache them to obeye God to obeye his Churche and their lawfull prince But yf they them selfes percase fauoure not Christes churche nor the order therof and their children folowinge their fotesteppes do the same and so continue in their foly and reioyse in the same let the children loke for as wretched an ende as euer had Helyes children and the parentes to be punyshed for bearynge wyth their childrens offences accordyng as Hely hym selfe was Therfore let al parentes take hede and chastice thei● chyldren in dewe season For yf the children throughe the parentes defaulte fall into heresye or any kynde of vice the parentes shal make aunswere for them and shall at lengthe suffre greuouse punishmente for not correctynge them For S. Paule cōmaundeth them to brynge them vp wyth due correction discipline Which yf they do they shall haue louynge and obediente children both to God and their prince and to them selfes to Let also all maysters take hede to their seruauntes and prentises that they learne to feare God learne to faste and pray and to leade a godly life and not to folowe their sensuall appetite and carnal lustes as a great sort do and thinke that they be fauorers of gods worde because they can take their libertie and counte thē selfes wittie yf they can make a merye mocke at the Masse and at the ceremonies therof and geste at priestes Goddes ministers and prate and bable agaynst the holy sacramentes of the churche and the diuine seruice done therein But for suche mockers as witnesseth Salomon Gods iudgementes are prepared and beatynge hammers for suche fooles bodies But yf al maysters woulde do their dueties in correctynge their seruauntes they woulde not thus behaue them selfes and prouoke Gods wrath agaynste them But it is to be feared that suche as the seruauntes be suche be their maysters For if their maysters were good godly they wold neuer suffer their seruaūts to be so noughty For as a man y ● as he rideth by the highe waye letteth the bridell go suffreth his horse to breake downe hedges and to destroye mens corne it is not lyke that he is vnwilling that suche harme shuld there be done euen so a mayster that letteth his seruaūt haue his owne swinge and suffreth hym to mocke geste at gods mysteries no man wil thinke but that such one is well wyllyng that he shuld so do yea glorieth to in that he hathe suche a iolye man But let him take hede howe he suffreth his seruaunte so to runne at large For it is not vnlyke that suche seruauntes besydes other greuouse enormities wyll at length fal to spoyle their maysters and so shal the maysters be iustlye punyshed here in thys lyfe for the licentiouse libertie that they gyue to them yea and moreouer both the mayster and the man shall one daye excepte GOD sende them grace to amende most earnestlye repente them and bewayle the time that euer they were borne and specially y e mayster because that hauing charge of his seruaūt and seyng him so farre oute of order wold neuer correct nor chastice him Let all maysters therefore betime take hede to their seruauntes al parentes to their children all superiour powers to them whome they haue in theyr gouernemente and cause them leaue their contentiouse reasonyng of religion and fall to stedfaste beleuynge and throughlye persuade them that in matters of our belefe our senses and reason muste alwaye gyue place to fayth For so shal God be reuerentlye serued so shall oure most gratiouse and vertuous Soueraygne be duelye obeyed so shall al rebellion be easelye auoyded so shall peace and concorde reygne amonge vs and so shall our countrye that of late hathe bene mooste miserablye spoyled waxe riche and welthye agayne and recouer the honorable and noble estate that it hath bene in in tyme paste Therefore most hartelye beloued countrye menne seynge that GOD of hys bountefull goodnesse hathe of late bene so mercyfull to vs and deliuered vs from mooste cruell tyrannye by hys dearlye beloued handmayde our most noble quene and hathe sente vs suche a maystresse and gouernesse as thys Realme hath not hadde the lyke and that she so tenderlye loueth euerye one of vs careth so muche for vs studyeth mooste earnestlye how to auaunce vs seketh nothing els but the welthe safegard and honor of oure countrye taketh so greate paynes for oure cōmoditie watcheth for vs prayeth for vs moste mercifullye dealeth with vs let vs altogether with one cōsent most humblye obeye her most tenderly loue her with our goodes oure liues most willingly defende her And because she is the very faythfull seruaunt of God as bothe almightye God by miracle hath playnly shewed and also she in her most godlye conuersation doth dayly declare lette vs in all thynges folowe her example and become lyke vnto her and beleue as she dothe feare GOD as she dothe serue God as she doth and laboure to kepe his cōmaundementes as she laboreth be merciful as she is be lowly and humble as she is be charitable as she is cast awaye malice as she doth be ready to helpe the poore as she is ready be gētle to speake to as she is gentle kepe oure cōscience cleane as she kepeth hers take hede of briberye as she dothe abhorre couetousnesse as she doth hate oppression as she hateth it hate debate as she doth loue one