at this day we shall finde more straunge that vnder colour of some ordinarie tribute they doe suffer vnpunished the Iewes with the Christians the common harlots with the married women the Temples consecrated vnto strange vnknowen Gods amōg the middest of the Christian Churches But for all that it followeth not that they ought to chase driue vs out of the realme to depriue vs from our goods to exile and banishe vs from our landes to conclude to force vs in our bodies and consciences except that it be first decided and determined by the word of GOD that the Romishe Churche is the true Churche on the contrarie side that they doe knowe by the same Iudgement that ours is contrarie vnto the true Christian Churche For as the Lorde doth sende vs by his Prophet vnto the lawe and to the witnesse not vnto the deade So doth he commaunde vs by his welbeloued sonne to search diligently the Scriptures because that they are those which do beare witnesse of our saluation And euen as I say that it was but a small thing that the Iewes did reproch Iesus that he was a Samaritane and had the deuill And that they did call his Apostles deceiuours and sowers of newe doctrin To conclude that amōg the Romain Emperours they no more estéemed the Christian religion then of a new superstition or dangerous profession Also it shall not muche serue to crie dayly that they ought to kill vs banish and exile vs from our landes except that they doe declare vnto vs by the worde of God wherein we do swarue from the Christian church For it doth not followe that our religion is false because that it is contrarie vnto the Romish Church no mor then we must say that the doctrine of Iesus Christ was euil because that it was contrarie to the traditions of the Scribes and Pharises And it shall yet lesse serue in that matter to alledge vnto vs the prescription of the time in asmuch as the gospel doth rule vs or the greatnesse and magnificence of the Romish Church in regarde of ours forasmuch as they doe knowe that thorowe force and hypocrisie the ministers of the same haue vsurped such power aucthoritie and greatnesse For in those foundations the scepter reigne of Antichrist is shored vp mainteined And such are the markes of all false religion doctrine as doth witnesse vnto vs besides that which is said in the scripture of the sonne of perdition the good Cosba which did reigne in the time of Hely Adrian Emperour of the Romains him which doth call himselfe at this day the great Lord. For the true Christian religion doth not consist and lie in weapon or strength but in weeping and in bewailing no more then the brightnesse and clerenesse of the same in the force and strength of handes but in the patiēce and hope of men To conclude the perfection of our law doth not consist in visible outwarde thinges but in the most déepest places of mens hartes and imaginacions That is then without any purpose to conclude that we must be exiled from our countrie bicause they cannot suffer two religions except that the subporters mainteiners of the Romish church doe confesse by the same meanes that the truth is odious vnto them Euen so the people of Athens dyd chase and driue from their Citie and did put to death him in Cyprus which hath established the lawes Euen so Licurgus was banished of those whom he instructed in all good dysciplyne and ordinances Euen so Aristides was exiled and banished his countrye although they could rebuke him of none other thing but that he was too iuste The tyme will not serue mée to speake of the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles it suffiseth me to send or apply the rest vnto that which the Apostle speaketh off vnto the Hebrewes the xj Chapter To conclude the confession of so many martyres of our religion ioyned with the worde of God doth giue most sure witnesse that wée are not the disciples of the God of the Gentiles for to deceiue men through ambiguitie and obscuritie of matters nor of an Idol Dagon God of the Philistians for to make vs afrayde in the presence of the Arke of the Lorde The humblenesse and obedience of ours and the despising that they haue of worldly goodes doe euidently declare howe abhominable the pride of Babilon the mother of fornication is vnto them Finally their bloodshed in all places doth sufficiently teach our enimies what fayth and hope they haue vnto the promises of the Lorde and to the merite of Iesus Christ and what defiaunce and distrust they haue of the power and might of creatures I will not héere compare the pollicie and rule of our Church vnto that of the Apostles and yet lesse the manners of ours to the life of them I doe leaue off to speake to them which with right conscience doe bring some meane knowledge to the holy scripture what difference there is betwéene the church of Iesus Christ that of Rome what deformitie they doe finde of ours to that of the Apostles I doe meane for the regard and respect of the doctrine and pollicie assuring my selfe in that matter that if they doe consider it throughly rightly and without affection they shal be more attentiue to correct and amende their owne vices then enclyned to condempne so lightly ours Furthermore it is easy to iudge that our religion is neither double neither fayned in that chiefly wée do holde nothing lesse then of the superstitions of the Gentiles nor of the ceremonies of the Hebrewes knowing that they were a shadowe of thinges nowe come No more then of so many traditions of the scribes and Pharises but that the simplicitie and plainnes of the holy scripture doth please vs or for to speake better the playne and simple veritie of the same making our selues agréeable to the worde of hym which hath sayde that GOD woulde bée worshipped in spirite and truth our LORD Iesus Chryst vnto whom be glorie for euer Amen Ieremie 2. c. My people hath done two euils They haue forsaken mee the wel of the water of life and digged them pittes yea vile and broken pittes that holde no water A Prayer O Lord which art full of compassion and mercy shed out thy mercy and fatherly goodnesse vpon that mad and furious people which doe gather themselues daily against thée for to abolish thy glorious name and to deface from the earth the remembraunce of thy sonne Christ Regard with pittie all those which go about by all meanes to obscure and darken thy lawe for to establish their traditions and do enforce themselues daily to chase and dryue away him whō thou hast sent in thi name for to receiue him which of longe tyme hath vsurped the seate of thy sonne in his owne name yea which are not ashamed to presente vnto the Chrystyan people in steede of a Iesus
Chryst a seditious Barrabas of a true Byshoppe and dyspensatour of thy holy will an ambitious and couetous hipocrite To conclude for a Mathias a Symon Magus yea to driue from their Cities and common wealthes the true religion for to admitte and bryng in all idolatrie and superstition Giue them Lorde such repentaunce and contrition as thou diddest of late vnto the king Manasses béeing all bloodie with the blood of the prophets vnto one Saul afterwards called Paule altogether inflamed wyth threateninges and killing agaynst the Disciples of Iesus Christ vnto a poore Publican whom thou hast afterwardes chosen for to declare the Gospell of thy grace in the fauoure and merite of him which béeing on the Crosse for our demerities and transgressions hath taught vs to praye for our enymies our Lorde Iesus Chryst vnto whom be glorie for euer Amen ¶ A BRIEFE ADVERTISment vnto those which do blame the true Christian religion for the poorenesse and littlenesse of the same or doe slaunder it for the euill conuersation and abuse of those which doe professe it Cap. 5. Esaie 41. ◠Be not afraide thou little worme Iacob and thou despised Israel for I will helpe thee saith the Lord and the holy one of Israel thine auenger IN the lawe of nature man béeing created vnto a dignitie and singuler perfection sodeinely did forsake the ordinaunce and commaundement of God and within a little while after the chyldren of Adam did ryse vp for to builde a Tower called Babell In the lawe that is written the people did erre and goe astray from the way that GOD commaunded them they made a Calfe of molten mettall and bowed themselues before it and delited in the woorkes of their owne hands In the booke of Nombers they murmured so much against Moses that Moses cryed vnto the Lord saying I am not able to beare all this people alone for it is to heauy for me kil me I pray thée if I haue found fauour in thy sight and let me not sée my wretchednesse In the booke of the kings so many false prophets did cōspire against Elias that he desired to die bicause that the children of Israel haue forsaken the couenaunt of the Lorde and haue broken downe hys Alters and slaine his prophets with the sworde The which we doe reade of Ieremy when of a meruaylous zeale that hée did beare vnto the house of God more thē through impatience of sorowe he did exclaime and crie out saying Cursed be the day wherein I was borne vnhappie bée the day wherein my mother brought mée foorth Cursed be the man that brought my father the tidings to make him glad saying thou hast gotten a sonne In the lawe euangelicall so many of the scribes pharises did conspire against Iesus Christ and his word that he himselfe did reproch and checke them that he was come in the name of his father and they receiued him not if an other do come in his owne name they do receiue him and therefore the same Lord doth admonish and warne his that they should beware of false prophets which come vnto them in shéeps clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues In the time of the Apostles so many of the Emperours enimies of the christian law As Nero Domitian Herode and others So many false prophets as Simon Magus Iudas Galileus Therdas after the Apostles so many people corrupt in the lawe and manners that S. Paule did exhort his for to beware of things to come saying Take héede therfore vnto your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerséers to rule the congregation of God which hée hath purchased with his bloode For I am sure of this that after my departing shal gréeuous wolues enter in among you which will not spare the flocke The same doth not learne or teach vs therefore to blame the religion of the LORD for the lawe of the Lorde is a perfect lawe it quickeneth the soule The Testimonie of the LORDE is true and giueth wisdome euē vnto babes but to acknowledge the mallice of men and the presumption of those which do rise vp against god And besides it teacheth vs not to beléeue to lightly euery spirite but to proue the spirites whether they are of God or not Furthermore not to way or measure the true Christian religion to the opinion of men but to the rule and word of the Lord according as it is sayde in Moses Thou shalt doe that which is right and good in the sight of the Lorde not all that which thou doest thincke to bée good And not to slaūder vs in the mallice of some Apostates for through the incredulitie vnbeléeuing of some which haue not beleued the promise of God is not abolyshed or without effect bicause that God is true all men are lyers Furthermore to acknowledge our imperfection and weakenesse after the example of those which haue despised the giftes graces and liberalities of the Lorde and to praye without ceasing and intermission that he doe increase in vs the fayth to the ende we doe not vary from his lawe either to the right hand nor to the left Finally to suffer patiently the wicked vntill the day of the later resurrection which is the time of the restoring of all things and to iudge nothing before the time vntill such time as the LORD doth come which will lighten things that are hyd in darkenesse and open the counsailes of the heartes and then shall euery man haue praise of God. Euen so Aaron suffered the people rising vp against him and did consent that they should make and worshippe an Idoll Euen so Moses suffered so many thousande persons which did murmure against him Euen so Dauyd did suffer patiently the manners of Saul his persecutor and deadly enimie and did acknowledge him for king and auenged his death Euen so Samuel did discemble and cloke the manners of the children of Ely. Euen so Esaie did beare the rebellion and contumacie of his people Euē so Ieremy those of whom he suffered so many wronges and iniuries and all that to the ende to kéepe the vnitie of the spirite in the bonde of peace As also Iesus Christ did suffer and abide in his company one Iudas a théefe and a betrayer of his bloode and did permitte and suffer him amongest good men to take our price Finally euen so did the Apostles suffer the false Apostles and those which did séeke the thinges which were their owne not those of Iesus Christ Not without cause saint Augustine saith that the church béeing established in the myddest of chaffe and darnell doth suffer many things yet notwithstanding the things which are against the faith or the good life she doth not allow them she doth not hide them she doth them not And truely those doe abuse themselues greatly which of the same do thinck to make a citie platonical I do meane which are an
asketh not counsaile at his God whether it be concerning the dead or the lyuing If any man want light let him looke vpon the lawe and the testimonie whether they speake not after this meaning Notwithstanding then that our enimies doe glorifie and boast themselues in the outwarde appearaunce of their ceremonies and sacrifices crying with the Iewes that there is no nation or people so great that hath ordinaunces and lawes so righteous as al this lawe which they set before the people Although saye I that they doe boast themselues of their Temples and sumptuous presentes and goodly endowmentes and that they do exclayme so many times dayly This is the Temple of the Lorde despisinge the Christian and reformed Church for the poorenesse basenesse and littlenesse of the same They are not ignoraunt that Iesus Christ hath not ben as a stone to stumble at and as a rocke to fall vpon a snare a net to both the houses of Israell and shal be the fall resurrection of many in Israel and for a signe whiche shal be spoken against Insomuch that Saint Paul doth witnesse that Iesus Christ crucified is an occasion of falling vnto the Iewes and vnto the Grekes of foolishnesse and his doctrine a swéete sauour of life vnto those which were saued and of death vnto those which do perishe What is the cause that their reasons doe serue to no purpose for to abolish or change the veritie of our religion grounded vppon the word of the Lorde but rather for to condempne the malice of those whiche do abuse it as the hoggs do of the good pearles and the doggs of the childrens breade which if they doe consider well what their Romish Church is they shall finde it in nothing differing from a policie or gouernement altogether prophane and worldly hauing it subiect not vnto the worde but to their opinion and priuate will a thing asmuch contrarie vnto the Christian doctrine as Iesus Christ doth teach vs that the Lordes of the Gentiles haue domination ouer them And they that are great exercise power ouer them but it shall not be so among them That is the cause why we do not sée any other thing to reigne in the Romish Church then an excessiue ambition and inordinate desire to encrease augment their greatnes as saint Hierome doth testifie of his time that the Churche beeing augmented increased in temporall ryches was also weakened diminished in christian vertues in suche sorte that hee durst well call the Church of his time a sinke and puddle in respect and regarde that it had and did beare vnto the Churche of of Iesus Christ and of his Apostles For the Christian Church is not bound vnto titles nor vnto dignities But to the word and to the true vsage of the Sacraments ordeined of the Lord nor limitted vnto a certeine place as of late the Iewes did referre the doings of their religion vnto the Temple of Salomon the benedictions blessings of the Lord to the mount Garizim but in all people he that feareth him worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him and his welbeloued sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe is in the middes of two or thrée gathered together in his name What shall I say more the greatnesse of the Christian church doth not consist in the number of persons for as Iesus Christ saith many are called but fewe are chosen And as Esdras doth witnesse the most highest made this world for many but the world to come for fewe As when thou askest the earth it shall say vnto thée that it giueth much moulde whereof earthen vessels are made but little of it that gold commeth off euen so is it with the worke of this worlde There be many created but few shal be preserued Insomuch that the Lord doth make sometime his Church like vnto a wilde and barraine vyne in the whiche one can finde but a fewe grapes yea vnto a budde in the which one can finde but one grape And he saith doe not destroye it for it is blessednesse And therefore the Lorde called his number the little flocke and doth tell vs that straite is the gate and narrowe is the way which leadeth vnto life and fewe there be that finde it I do say moreouer that we ought not to applie or referre the christian church vnto mans commoditie and felicitie For in the lawe of nature we do sée an Abel the figure of the true christians put to death and killed by his brother a Noe despised of his owne sonne Iacob the other prophets banished and constrained to flie that people of Israel so much praysed or estéemed of God compelled by Pharao vnto a great and miserable seruitude and bondage A little while after did wander stray abrode by the wildernesses The king and his people taken captiue in Babilon the Prophets constrained to hide themselues for the crueltie and tirannie of the kings In the Christian lawe the first Herolde and Ambassadour of Iesus Christe and of his gospell Iohn Baptist put to death by king Herod Iesus Christ from his birth or assoone as he was borne fledde into Aegypt The Apostles counted as shéepe to be slaine and after the Apostles I do meane from the time of the Romaine Emperours a verie bucherie and slaughter of Christians For all the same we haue none occasion to be offended or to be angrie with our selues seing the peace of the wicked and vngodly or to withdraw vs from the Christian Church for the aduersities of the same for euen as in the time of the vniuersal floude Noe and all his family were preserued from the waters and the Arke coulde not be forced with the windes and tempests or as the people of Israel erring and wandering in the wildernesse and vnknowen places were conducted and guided by the Lorde in the night by a piller of fire and by day in a piller of a cloude Finally as that ship wherin the Apostles were being tossed vppe and downe in the sea did séeme to manasse the Apostles of drowning if it had not béene that Iesus Christ at his comming caused the windes to cease and the sea to be calme Euen so this heauenly Arke I do meane the Christian Church or congregation being builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets that corner stone which is Iesus Christ yea him which hath promised vnto his that he wil aide and helpe them euen vnto the end of the world forasmuch as he doth fortifie him in his afflictions that nowe of late the Arke of Noe did lifte vp it selfe aboue the waters stormes and tempests Wherefore it should be in vaine for to no purpose for vs here to alledge the magnificence and greatnesse of the Romishe Church for that is as if one shoulde leane vppon a stafe of a broken reade that is to say vpon mans force and strength Or for vs to
blame the poorenesse and littlenesse of our church forasmuch as it is staied vpon the worde of the Lorde which abideth for euer But we must rather accuse the malice of those which do rise vp against vs for to destroy and ruinate that principall foundation whiche is Iesus Christ in whom all the building coupled together groweth vnto an holy Temple in the Lord in whom we also are built together made the habitation of God by the spirite for as we ought not to blame Moses nor to attribute vnto his doctrine that the people of God did not multiplie and increase but vnto king Pharao which did force them vnto an extréeme and miserable seruitude and bondage euen vnto the killing of the first borne of the people neither vnto the prophet Helyas that in his time the true Prophets were no more at commaundement but rather vnto king Achab and Iesabel his wife whiche did followe and chase them vnto death No more also then we ought to blame Sainct Iohn Baptist the messenger or forerunner of the sonne of God or the Apostles of Iesus Christe because that so many people did put themselues against the Christian lawe But to accuse the ambition of the Romaine Emperours together with the priuie hatred of the Scribes and Pharises willing to deface in the earth the memorie of Christ In like manner we ought not to condempne the true Christian religion or to stay vs or tarrie vppon the default of those which do professe it but to acknowledge the rage furie of the enimies of the crosse of Christ and in the meane season to beare patiently the manners of our domesticalls teaching them with gentlenesse prouing if God at any time will giue them grace that being conuerted they may know the trueth And because that the haruest is great but the labourers are fewe let vs on our parte pray vnto the Lord of the haruest to send foorth labourers into his haruest and that for so many hired and vnprofitable shepherds he do send good shepherds into his folde looking for or beholding the cōming of the true shepherde of our soules our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto whom be glory for euer Amen 1. CORINT 1. d. VVhen the world by wisedome knewe not God in the wisedome of God it pleased god by folish preaching to saue them that beleeue A prayer O Lorde whiche hast spoken by thy Prophet I will destroy the wisedome of the wise and will cast away the vnderstanding of the prudent yea which hast chosen the foolish things of this world for to confounde the wise and the weake and féeble things for to confounde the strong and the vile and despised and those which are not for to abolish those which are to the end that no flesh doe glorifie himselfe before thée Poure out thy vengeaunce vpon those which are of a corrupt iudgement rebuke as concerning the faith Who as Iannes and Iambres withstode Moses also of a purpose doe resist the trueth of thy gospel and do count the worde of the crosse folishnesse Breake a sunder and confounde the enterprises and counsailes of all those which do eleuate themselues against thy holy Mounteine as thou hast destroyed the strength and force of all the kings and monarkes of the worlde by that little stone cut out of the rocke without any handes and hast abated the pride of the mightie through the humilitie of thy sonne to the end that all the worlde may knowe that thy kingdome is not of this worlde and that the felicitie of thine doth not lie in this present life but in the kingdome of the blessed Finally that the Christian Church is not an assemblie of proude and imperious Magistrates but of those which do humble themselues vnder thy obedience and do put themselues vnder the yoke of thy welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde And yet Lord that bicause of vs thy name is blamed not among the Christians onely but also among the straungers in so much that our sinnes demerites do giue occasion vnto our enimies of slaunder and to vs of confusion and rebuke Neuerthelesse O Lord in asmuch as thorough the incredulitie of some of ours thy lawe is no lesse veritable and true as it is written That thou mightest be iustified in thy sayings and ouercome when thou art iudged Remember not O Lord for thy fatherly goodnesse our offences and haue not in minde the wickednes of those which do polute and blame thy name but beholde the face of him which was holden and taken to be of the companie of the malefactours and hath protested before thy maiestie that the rebukes of them which rebuked thée were fallen vpō him our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer Amen ¶ THAT NONE CAN HINder or stoppe the course of the religion by fire and sword threatnings and bonds Cap. 6. 2. CORINT 13. c. ¶ VVe can do nothing against the trueth but for the trueth IF the Scripture doth teach vs in diuers places that the Gospel is none other thing but a message of peace according as Esaie saith that beautifull are the féete of him that bringeth the message from the mounteine proclaimeth peace that bringeth the good tidings precheth health saith vnto Syon thy God is the king if say I the same prophet speaking of the vocation and calling of the Gentiles and message of the gospel doth write in the persone of the Lorde that he will let peace into her like a water floud and the might of the heathen like a flowing streame and that in that same time men shall breake their swords and spears to make sythes sickles sawes thereof From that time forth shall not one people lifte vp weapon against another neither shal they learne to fight from thenceforth according to that we do reade that at the fist or new comming of the sonne of God that there was with the Angel a multitude of heauenly souldiers lauding God and saying glorie be to God in the hie heauens and peace in earth and towards men good will. As it is most euident that Iesus Christ our sauiour was borne vnder Cesar Augustus reigne a kingdome full of tranquilitie and peace truely the Ambassadour and herauld of one such message ought to obserue and kéepe a great méekenesse and gentlenesse in his charge profession For it is most certeine that Moses and Iesus Christ in that haue had a singuler prerogatiue aboue all other of Moses the scripture saith that he was a verie méeke man aboue all the men of the earth what Iesus Christ was he himselfe doth manifest and declare it when he cried with a loude voice come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will ease you Take my yoke on you and learne of me that I am méeke and lowely in heart In somuch that the Prophet speaking of his méekenesse saith he shall not be an outcrier nor
peace Cap. 7. Philip. I. d. Continue in one spirite and in one mynd fighting altogether through the fayth of the gospell in nothing feare your aduersaries FOrasmuch as the Scripture doth teach vs that God is not the God of confusion but of peace And that the Gospell of the Christians is called by the Prophet the message of peace And the christian church the congregatioÌ„ of saincts which doe liue in the peace of god Insomuch that the propht Esaie speaking of the church of God saith that God will let peace into her as a water floud and the might of the heathen as a flowing streame And in Baruch the god shal name his church with this name that is to say the peace of righteousnesse and the honoure of gods feare Finally forasmuch as the Church of GOD is the piller and staye of gods truth truely they maye knowe plainely howe wee ought to bee all diligent to keepe the vnitie of the spirite through the bande of peace to the ende that wée all agréeing together may after the ensample of Iesus Christ with one mouth as saith Sainct Paule praise Gâ—D which is the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ And that we hence foorth be no more as chyldren wauering and caried about with euery winde of doctrine But let vs followe the truth with loue and in all things grow vp in to him which is the head that is to say Christ On the other side we are taught to auoide as much as we may possible the debates and contentions of the lawe and the parcialities touching the dooing of the religion According as Saint Paule did exhorte the Corinthians in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ that they all speake one thing and that there be no discentions among them But that they be knit together in one minde and in one iudgement that they doe continue of all one minde al fighting of one courage by faith And also hee dyd warne and admonish the Philippians that they bée lyke minded hauing the selfe same loue béeing of one accorde and of one iudgement that nothing be done through strife or vaine glorie but that in méekenesse of minde euery man estéeme other better then himselfe On the other side he writeth vnto Titus that he do suppresse foolishe questions and genelogies and brawling and strife about the lawe as vaine and superfluous Also the same Saint Paul doth complaine to the Philippians that some there are which preach Christ of enuie and strife and not purely Also in his seconde Epistle to the Corinthians he saith that hée and Siluianus haue preached vnto you Gods sonne Iesus Christ not in double worde yea and nay but in this worde which is true that is to say yea The same Apostle doth giue vnto vs the reason of this doctrine when he saith that questions and strife of wordes do ingender enuie strife railings euil furmising vain disputations of men with corrupt mindes And saith also in an other place that if there be enuyâ—ng strife sects among vs we do declare that we are carnall and walke after the manner of men For verily he that is contentious in the church especially touching the doing of the religion he sinneth many wayes First in that hee breaketh the vnitie of the Christian Church which ought to be vnited and ioyned together not onely by naturall coniunction and amitie but also by vnitie of doctrine For as Iesus Christ saith that by this shall al men knowe that we are his disciples if we haue loue one to an other Also saint Paul doth warne vs to beware of them which cause diuision and offences contrarie to the doctrine which they haue learned and auoide them Consequently he which is contencious in the church concerning the doctrine or doing of the religion First of all he sinneth against Iesus Christ which is the head of the Christian church and prince of peace as saith the prophet inasmuch as he hath reconciled all things vnto himselfe to set at peace through the bloude of his crosse both things in earth and things in heauen Secondly he doth giue occasion vnto the simple and foolish people to erre and go astray from the christian Church in the which doth lie and rest the piller of our saluation And that the same is greatly odious and hatefull vnto God Iesus Christ doth teach and declare it when he saith Wo be vnto him through whome offences come it were better for him that a great milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were cast into the sea then that he shoulde offende one of these little ones The which his Apostle doth confirme shewing vnto the Galathians that he that troubleth them shall beare his condemnation whosoeuer he be and desireth that they that trouble them may be cut off from them Finally he doth giue occasion vnto straungers and enimies of our religion to blame the name of God. According as the prophet did rebuke the gouernours priestes of the house of Israel that they haue caused the multitude to be offended at the lawe And Sainct Paul writing vnto the Romanes saith that the name of God is euil spokeÌ„ off among the Gentiles through them And by good right a certeine auncient authour did complaine that we many wayes in the church do teare and rent Gods coate through our contentions the which the Souldiours durst not deuide in his passion the whiche did moue sometime the Iewes as Clement Alexandrinus doth witnes to swell and rise vp euen there against the Christians to say that the Christian religion was not of God but some pernicious sect and false religion Because that the Christians had debates and contentions in the church For the same occasion that great heriticke Celsus and chiefest enimy of the christians did rebuke daily the christians of their diuisions and parcialities saying that it were not expedient that they shoulde growe and increase to any more greater number Bicause that being but a fewe in number they would be of one accorde and agrée well together but assone as they did multiplie and waxe many they woulde fall into diuersities of opinions Also Samosetanus in the ecclesiastical history doth witnesse that the Emperour Constantine did suffer verie impatiently the controuersies and contentions of the christians saying that by that means they do turne many men from the christian religion Vnto whome Themistus a christian Philosopher aunswered that the differences controuersies of the christians were nothing in respect of the confusion of the sect of the Gentiles Also the same authour saith moreouer that for certeine small contentions which do chaunce and happen to the churches the church must not therefore leaue and forsake the principall foundation of the true religion nor to be the true churches but that by that means the Lorde doth trie and proue the hearts of many doth declare make plaine the
¶ A CHRISTIAN DISCOVRSE vpon certeine poynts of RELIGION Presented vnto the most high puissant Lorde the Prince of Conde Translated out of French into English by Iohn Brooke of Asâ—he next Sandwich 1578. 1. PETER 4. b. ¶ As euery man hath receaued the gift minister the same one to an other as good ministers of the manifold grace of God. ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas East the 6. daye of Iune 1578. ¶ TO THE RIGHT HONOrable and his singuler good Ladie and Mistres the Countesse of Oxenforde Iohn Brooke wisheth longe and blessed life with increase of much honoure c. WHEN first true intent of bounden dutie and entire zeale had quickened and pricked me forward to present your Ladishippe with the dedication of this smal volume Right honorable and my verie good Ladie I grewe full of doubtes in my selfe whether to proceede and go forwarde or els to surcease and reuoke my presumed enterprise And abiding sometime in this vncerteine and vndetermined conclusion one while adaunted and suppressed with the vnworthinesse of the woorke in respect of mine owne labours beeing an vnlearned translation an other while animated and encouraged by the godlinesse of the matter comprehended and included therein then pulled backe and in manner put to silence by many doubtes of presumptioÌ„ rudenesse or rashnesse eftsoones againe imboldened and harted on partly by duetie to vnfolde and shewe my willing minde partly by certeine knowledge and dayly report of your Ladiships good inclination to vertue and godlinesse wherevnto adioyned the great fame of your singuler humilitie manifolde curtesie leaning at length onely to this staffe I wounde in time out of this doubtfull Laborinth of inconstant passions and became plainely resolued in the processe and going forwarde of this mine enterprise wherevnto I was yet the rather and more easely induced for that as within the hard and vntoothsome bone is included the sweete marrowe and as the vnsauorie shell comprehendeth the pleasant kirnell so vnder the rough and vnsmothed grace of mine vnlearned stile is shrowded much wisdome vertue godlinesse and in the simplicitie and plainnesse of my translation many profitable examples and holesome lessons conteined worthy to be embraced and followed of all men It came vnto my handes right honorable in the French and is entituled A ChristiaÌ„ Discourse vpon certein points of Religion Which title draue mee first to the ouerrunning of the matter and then finding the whole summe and contentes so well agreeing with the nomination I thought if I could put him on an English â—abite I might thereby pleasure and profite diuers of my natiue countrie men studious in the Scriptures to the contentation I trust of many to the offence of no vertuous and well disposed person May it therefore please you to admit the same into your fauourable acceptance and that vnder your ensigne it may haue safe conduct to enioye publication and free passage This request beeiâ—g graunted allowed of your good Ladiship Let captious Zoilus cauill or finde fault Let hatefull hereticke with all his forcible inuectiues subtil argumeÌ„ts straunge reasons diswade and seeke to oppugne impaire or discredite the matter Let proude Papist with all his authoritie abiure curse condemne both booke author to the fire Our immunitie protection defence resteth in almightie God the high Iudge of all And for the cleernesse of this matter we referre vs vnto his most holy and pure woorde and sacred Scriptures Wherefore trusting the sinceritie and trueth of the matter shal counteruaile the plainnesse of the interpretation and that the consideâ—ation of my zeale and bounden duetie aboue rehearsed shal abanndon all suspect of arrogancie and rashnesse I leaue for this time to trouble your Ladiship beseechinge the Almightie to blesse you with longe and manie happie yaeres in this life and the reward of Vertue in the life to come Your Ladiships seruaunt all to commaunde Iohn Brooke ¶ TO HIS SAIDE LORDE the Prince of Conde the author sendeth health IF feare doth make vs vnderstand the voice and as Dauid doeth witnesse that hee did erre and go wronge before that he was afflicted and troubled what can we lesse do after so many cyuil warres and persecutions of our owne countrey men yea rather houshould seruantes but to magnifie the Lord and dayly to meditate or studie vpon the maruels of his puissance and goodnes If say I Moses and Debora being sette at libertie and enfranchised srom the tyranny of the Egyptians and Chananeans did consecrate of late vnto God so many goodlye canticles and spirituall songes what can wee lesse do in this same meane time of religion but alwayes to offer vnto him sacrifices of thankes giuing That is to say the fruite of oure lippes confessinge his name And vnto whom ought wee to direct such writings but vnto those vnto whom the Lorde hath drawen from the middest of the waters and reserued from among them that are killed for to restore the ruins and decaied places of his second temple and to reestabish and set vp againe the true vsage of the Christian religion Beholde O Christian Prince wherfore I haue dedicated vnto thee this litle worke hauing first premeditated to the honour of him from whom doth proceede euerie good and perfect gift Assuring my selfe that thou wilt receiue it in as good part as the Lord did the two mites of that poore widow mencioned in the gospell Furthermore I doe not care what opinion men haue so that it be agreable to that true Iudge which doth not iudge men according to the sight of his eyes neither doth reproue a matter at the first hearing but doeth iudge all thinges in equitie and righteousnesse Our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom be glory for euer Amen A BRIEF ADVERTISMENT wherein is shewed that we ought not to abuse the holy Scripture but to apply it to his proper vse 2. TIMOTH 2. Ch. â—5 ¶ Studie to shew thy selfe laudable vnto God a workeman that needeth not to be ashamed deuiding the word of trueth iustly FOrasmuche as the holy Scripture doth teach vs that the wordes of the Lord are pure words euen as the siluer whiche from the earth is tryed and puryfied seuen tymes in the fyre and the gospell is the puissaunce of God to the saluation and health of all that beleue therein insomuch that the Prophets speaking of the dignitie of the Herolds and Embassadours of the gospel doe crye out O howe beautifull are the féete of the Embassadour that bringeth the message from the mounteine and proclameth peace â–ª that bryngeth the good tidinges and preacheth health and sayth vnto Sion Thy God is the king The wyse suche as haue taught others shall glyster as the shining of Heauen and those that haue instructed the multitude vnto godlynes shal be as the starres world without ende Truely we may perceiue with our eyes what default it is to declare or shew forth the ordinaunces of the Lord
then the commauÌ„dements of God forasmuch then as God is the pure veritie yea in all things whole and perfect truely those doo greatly erre from the true way of saluation which doo offer vnto him a double heart I do meane those which haue the shewe and apperaunce of Godly liuing but haue denied the power thereof whiche doe confesse him with their mouthes and honour him with their lippes in the meane time haue their heart farre from him to be short they will serue two maisters together as to please God and men I do remember for this matter that which is written in the booke of Deuteronomium where the Lorde did commaunde that we shoulde not haue in our bagge two maner of weightes a great and a small neither diuerse measures a great a small But we must haue a perfect a iust measure As also the dissembler was cursed by the prophet whiche hauing in his flocke one that is male and when he maketh a vow offereth a spotted one vnto the lord The Lord meaning declaring thereby that we ought not to offer vnto him an vncleane and dissembling heart to giue vnto an other the honour whiche doth apperteine and belong vnto him Inasmuch then as those of the Romish Church do steale away the honour which doth belong vnto the Lorde for to giue it vnto men turning their siluer into drosse as saith Esaie and do mingle their wine with water I do meane do confounde and mingle the true Christian doctrine thorow their tâ—aditions it is most certeine that of the Christian Religion they do make a double religion As for vs the holy simplicitie of the Scripture doth please vs for al religioÌ„ and doctrine as saith Sanct Ierome Or the simple naked veritie of the same as sayth Lactancius and we will not adde vnto it or diminish froÌ„ it of our owne head bicause that the scripture giuen by inspiration of GOD is profitable to teach to improue to amende and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of GOD may bée perfect and prepared vnto all good woorkes The which ought to suffice our enimies for to know that it is too great iniurie and wrong done vnto the Lord vnto his holy Scripture that they will not make themselues captiues and obedient vnto the limittes and boundes of his commaundementes and his lawe But will adde so many vaine traditions considering that of that which is conteined in the same the man of God is made perfect and prepared vnto all good workes Furthermore that which doth make vs yet more odious and hatefull vnto the church of Rome is bicause that wee doe not acknowledge any other head of the christian church then Iesus Christ Who as saith S. Paule the Lord hath made him aboue all things the head of the Congregation which is his bodie and the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all thinges and which is the first begotten of the dead that in all things he might haue the preheminence no more also then we doe admit and allow for to be Bishoppes other then those who being called according to the christian rule by their doctrine and good conuersation geuing assured witnesse vnto the people of their vocation and election And therefore wée doe remoue from the church of God that man of sinne the sonne of perdition which doth rayse and lift vp himselfe against all that which is called God And we do not holde or take for ministers of the church so many vnprofitable hired pastors of whom Zacharie speaketh off saying O vnprofitable shepherde that leauest the flock cursed be thou And Iesus Christ in S. Iohn saith an hyred seruant which is not the shepherd flyeth bicause he is an hiered seruant careth not for the shepe It should serue for nothing here for vs to alledge the dignitie of s Peter for as saith s Cyprian the other Apostles were that the S. Peter was in lyke degrée of honour and of power But among the Apostles one is chosen to the ende the vnder one head we may auoide all occasion of scisme discention and diuision And our enimies doe deceiue themselues in the same part when thy do aledge vnto vs for a title of the seculer possession that the bishopps haue succéeded immediately the Apostles For after that the bishops haue chaunged and altred the discipline and christian Doctrine by good aucthoritie we may disauowe them as vnlawfull disciples and successours of the Lorde and of his Apostles And to haue recourse vnto the first rule of the Scripture that is to saye to the institution of ministes to the ende that from thence should spring and come foorth the reason of our dooinges as sayth Sanct Ciprian whereof the order and the originall haue taken their beginning And notwithstanding al that our enimies are not ashamed to crye aloude and clerely yea daye and night that they wyll not suffer two religions Be astonished O ye heauens be afrayde and abashed at such a thing sayth the LORD Those in the Romysh Church doe suffer in their Cities the Iewes and Mahomettes and doe permitte and suffre them with all libertie to buylde temples and to erecte and set vp Sinagogs yet haue they lesse shame to take tribute dayly of baudes and harlottes although that the Scripture doth forbid them I dare not say further and doe make it a conscience to suffer in their cities those which for all Christian rules do content themselues with that that the Lord hath prescribed vnto them by his Testament and last wil the which he hath ratified by his bloude But as then hée that was borne carnally persecuted him that was borne spiritually euen so is it nowe And as we doe reade that the Idol Dagon the God of the Azotiens or Philistians could neuer stand vp before the Arke of the Lord but Dagon did fall down groueling vpon the earth before it So this Romish church béeing builded and grounded vpon al idolatrie superstition of the Gentils seing themselues almost beaten downe and destroyed by the sworde of the woorde of God in the presence of the true and reformed Christian Churche hath chosen the remedy of tyrants and is armed with all felony and crueltie for to driue away and to banish the children of god And God willing that wil happen in the ende which is shewed by Daniel that that great and mightie Image yea grimme to beholde shal be broken by that little stone hewen out of the Rocke without mans hand and shal be established for euer the kingdome of the sonne of God. Insomuch that we will sing all with one accord great Babilon is fallen is fallen bicause that she hath made dronke so many people with the wine of hir fornication Esaie 1. â— The daughter of Sion is left alone like a cotage in a vineyard like a watch house in time of warre and like a besieged Citie
A Prayer LOrde God heauenly father and altogether mightie which hast drawen away and saued thy faithfull seruants Lot and Daniel from the flaming fire Moyses from the middest of the waters one Ioas from amonge them that were slaine and hast reserued in the persecution of Achab and of Iesabel so many thousand men which haue not bowed their knées vnto Baal yea hast lefte alwayes vnto thy people some prophets and true ministers of thy law in the captiuitie of Babilon Giue vnto vs thy grace in this ciuill warre and persecution of our owne countrey men yea our domesticall seruantes to acknowledge that thy hande is not so shortned that it cannot saue or helpe neither is thine eare so stopped that it cannot heare But that our iniquites haue made the diuision betwéene thée and vs and that our sinnes haue hid thy face frō vs To the end that we staying on thy mercy may not be altogether desolate Giue O Lord such feare vnto our enimies that they may haue cause to inuocate and call vpon thy name in such sort that we all with one spirite and will may confesse that thou art the ayde of the humble and little ones the helper of the weake and féeble the protectour of them that are forsaken the sauiour of the abiectes yea thou art the Lord of hoastes which doest reserue alwaies for vs a fewe aliue to the ende that we shoulde not be made like vnto Sodome and like vnto Gomorra and not to fal in dispaire with the vnbeléeuing And therefore wée praye thée in the fauoure or for the loue of him which hath cried with a loude voice that the Foxes haue holes and the byrdes of the ayre haue neastes but the sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head he I say which deliuered himselfe vnto death for to assure vs of our dwelling in the heauenly kingdome our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer Amen ¶ THAT THE CHRISTIAN Religion cannot be tied or bound to any limittes and bounds Cap. 3. 2. TIM 2. b. The worde of God is not bounde IF it be written that the king being sette vpon the seate of his kingdome shal write the Law and shall reade therin al the daies of his life that he may learne to feare the Lord his God and for to kéepe all the woordes of his lawe and his ordinaunces for to doe them and the same LORD doth promise vnto his Church that kings shal be her noursing Fathers and Quéenes shal be her norishing mothers It is certeine that as righteousnesse and truth are the estabishing of the throne or feate of the Lord so doth he preserue and keepe the kinges and doth mainteine their scepter by godlinesse and trueth I doe saie further if the Egiptians haue in such recommendation and praise the practise of their religion aboue all things as saith Plato that they will not create and make a king except that he were promoted and consecrated a priest yea greatly occupied or exercised in the dooings of the priestes And the Persians will not alowe or admitte for their prince but him which hath the knowledge of the science and discipline of the magiciens which doth conteine the true vse of their religiō Insomuch as vnto the young Princes of the countrey were ordeined foure schole maisters of whō the first did teach them the magicke of Orcastrus the sonne of Oroniasus which did conteine the dooings of the religion Truely we ought not to doubt but that the estate duetie of a christian Prince is first of al to establish mainteine the dooing of the religion and to acknowledge that he is the minister of God for the health of al men to the ende that the goods which the Lord hath giuē vnto him he should kéepe part of thē distribute part of thē that he do manifest delare him self by works as Aristotle doth write vnto Alexander that the kingdome is giuen vnto him to the end to doo wel vnto man kinde To the end also that vnder his obedience the good may be defended from iniuries and oppressions of the wicked leading a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie loking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the mightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Forasmuch then as it is nothing to professe to knowe God and with the déedes to denie him to haue a similitude of godly liuing but haue denied the power thereof that is not also much to mainteine a religion for certeine and true and in the meane time do depriue themselues from the exercise of the same for as the woorks do declare our faith so the exercise of the religion doth assure vs that we be no more as children wauering and caried with euery winde of doctrine but that we following trueth with loue we may growe and increase altogether in him which is the head that is to say Iesus Christ To conclude that the Lorde would be knowen chiefly in the assembly of the true christians as Dauyd sayth I will praise thée in the great congregation and performe my vowes in the sight of all them that feare thée and in another place he sayth Sing vnto the Lorde a newe songe let the congregation of the Sainctes prayse him and in an other place he sayth giue thanckes O Israel vnto God the LORD in the congregations from the grounde of the heart And Iesus Chryst hath promised his that where there shall bée two or thrée gathered together in his name that he will be in the midst of them Furthermore if the Prophet Dauid hath written that the woorde of God is a lanterne vnto our féete and a light vnto our pathes Iesus Christ would not that that lyght shoulde bée hid vnder a bushell but that it be set vpon a candlesticke that it may gyue light vnto all them that are in the house Therefore he woulde that our lyght should so shine before men that they may sée our good workes and glorifie our heauenly father which is in heauen Otherwise he that would limit and bind the dooing and exercise of the true christian religion in a certeine place as did of late certeine of the Iewes at the temple of Ierusalem and the other at the Mountaine of Garizen that should be to giue occasion of sclaunder not onely vnto the Christians estraungers and others but also vnto the auncient enymies of our Relygion to blame the name of the LORD For as the LORD hath no regarde vnto the appearaunce of men But in all people hée that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him So his worde ought not to be limitted in certeine places or persons inasmuch as by his word wée haue knowledge of him for vnto the end he hath sent vs by his welbeloued disciple saying search the scriptures for in them ye thincke ye haue
Apostles I doe meane Policarpus Ireneus and Denis Nereus For whosoeuer will haue regarde in that matter to the number of persons he must preferre the opinion of the Scribes and Pharisies vnto that of Marie Anna Simeon Elizabeth and Zacharie Bicause that the Scribes Pharisies were more in number then those which did holde of the part of Iesus Christ And our enimies do abuse themselues greatly to thinke to stay or kéepe backe the course or passage of the gospell or to winne vs to their Romish Church hindering the exercise of our religion For if our exile losse of our goods and so much shedding of bloud thorowe out all the Realme could not force or compell euen there the true Christians to make them cleaue or sticke to the Romish religion so much lesse shal it serue to depriue vs from the exercise of the religion which hath bene permitted vs with good deliberation aduise of counsell And when we shal be driuen or chased into straunge countries yet truely fréely we shal sing the songs of Syon and the Lords songs For euen as the course of a floud being stopped stayed doth shew it selfe to be more vehemēt and of greater force so the true faithfull people being letted constrained in the doing of the religion doe giue themselus more willingly and with a better will to the true seruice of God and to the meditation and studie of the holy scriptures And to the end not to dissemble and cloke that déede what is he that will binde that that the Lorde woulde shewe foorth euen to the vttermost endes of the earth Who shall stay or let that which hee hath shed abrode as a water floude and as a mightie flowing streame for the helth and saluation of his Who shall let that which he hath set vp and established for euer Or who shall binde that which he hath ordeined for euer The Lorde hath not bounde or tied his word shall man shut it fast in a certeine place Iesus Christ hath shewed and declared it openly shall man hide it in darkenesse He which hath receiued the talent of the Lord for to gaine or winne thereby shall he hide it in the earth he I say whiche is debter both to the Greekes and to them which are no Greekes vnto the learned and also vnto the vnlearned shall not hée preach the gospel I doo speake vnto those who following the Acts more then barbarous or Scithian of one Antiochus Epiphanus not being cōtēt to haue shed hether to the bloud of the faithfull without leaue aucthoritie of the magistrate haue procéeded to so great wickednesse that they haue burned holy bookes of the Lorde I doe meane those which doe make mention of the eternall alliance of his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ thinking by that meanes more easely to establish kéep in their temples and Churches their idolles and God Marsin And yet neuerthelesse they coulde not do so much by their trauailes iourneis that the Lord hath not raised for vs of the Machabeans euen as he did vnto the Iewes from sixe yeares to seuen after the persecution of Antiochus for to giue some libertie vnto his people to repaire the ruinous places of his Temple to assure more and more the true faithfull people in their religion Vnto you O Christian Princes these matters are directed to the end that to day if you do heare the voice of the Lorde you harden not your heartes For if the father bée compted cruell whiche hauing manie children doth giue of his goods yea of those whiche GOD hath giuen him to some and not to other some which I say doth administer the corporall foode and other necessaries to some and denieth it to other some Truely the Christian prince cannot excuse him selfe of ingratitude to giue some Christian libertie and exercise of the Religion vnto some of his subiects and to denie it vnto other some Forasmuch as the materiall breade is not the proper meate of the bodie as the worde of God is the nourishing of the soule also that the princes as saith Socrates in his booke of Xenophon be towards their subiects as the shepherds are towards their flocke the fathers towardes their children that is the cause why Homere did call a prince gratious and louing shéepherd of the people And Agasicles king of the Lacedemonians being asked howe a king can commaunde without a bodie of defence and companie of people aunswered that he would commaunde his subiects as the father his children Nowe I woulde demaunde willingly what dishonour that shoulde be vnto a Christian Prince vnto whom doth apperteine to establish and to kéepe the doing of the religion to shewe him selfe so negligent and vnthankefull towards his that the little ones or young children should demaunde or aske of him the heauenly breade and there was no man that giueth it them I do meane that the young children should suffer not the hunger of breade nor the thrist of water as saith the Prophet Amos but an hunger to heare the worde of god Let vs consider in this matter what reproch Iesus Christ did make vnto the Scribes and Pharises when he said Woe be vnto you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites for ye shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men ye your selues goe not in neither suffer ye them that come to enter in the which words are applied not to the Scribes and Pharises onely but vnto all ministers ordeined of the Lord for to declare and mainteine his worde Shall I speake of those who hauing taken or snatched away that heauenly bread from the hand of the children of God deuowring also the children themselues not being content to suppresse by force and violence the exercise of the religion but doe condempne to a most slaunderous and cruell death the professours of the same they are those of whom the Lord speaketh off by his prophet Dauid which eate vp my people as it were breade I cannot here forget that which Plato doth write off that is to say that it shoulde be a thing verie gréeuous and vile to nourish doggs for for to kéepe the flocke and in the meane time thorow glouttonie impatience of hunger or any other custome the dogs do lifte themselues vp for to deuoure the flocke or for to hurt it in what sorte soeuer it be in such maner and sorte that the doggs were made like vnto the Wolues We must also as the same Author doth write take héede that they do not the like against the Citizens which are gouernours of the townes and in stéede to liue with them in amitie as familier and domesticall they do not rule ouer them in duritie and rigorousnesse I will not here blame the honour of some Magistrates or gouernours For it is written thou shalt not curse the ruler of the people Their conscience may bere them witnesse in that
matter what it is to let the true Christian religion I do meane those which are confirmable and agreable to the Christian rule and good manners On the contrarie I beséech them to remember a lawe of the Aegyptians by the which the kings of the countrie did adiure and sweare the iudges not to iudge any thing wrongfully yea when the king hath commaunded them expresly and if they do disalowe me in this matter I wil put before their eyes the exhortation which Iehosaphat made vnto the Iudges of Iuda admonishing and warning them to consider that they doe not exercise the iudgment of men but of GOD and that it shall be with them according to the thing iudged to haue the feare of the Lorde before their eyes to know that there is no vnrighteousnes in the Lord your god nor the regarding of persons nor taking of rewardes They haue written this lawe not with ynke but with the spirite of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of their heartes To the end that by their arrestes and Edictes they haue moued by that afore the people vnto a rage and furie more then barbarous and Scythian they may be also an occasion that hereafter the Christian people doe breake their swordes and speares to make sithes sickles and sawes thereof From that time foorth shall not one people lift vp weapon against another neither shall they learne to fight from thencefoorth but as the prophet Iob saith that we may all walke in the feare of the Lord let vs acknowledge also on our parte that God hath ben prouoked iustly against vs for our demerites and transgressions according as he doth menace and threaten some time his people by the Prophet that he wil take from them the Captein the Souldier the Iudge and the Prophet the wise and the aged man the worshipfull of fiftie yeare olde and the honourable the Senatours and men of vnderstanding the maisters of craftes and Oratoures and shall giue vnto them to be their Princes children and babes shall haue the rule ouer them The people shal be pilled and polled one shall euer be doing violence and wronge to an other The boye shall presume against the elder and the vile person against the honourable Bicause saith the Prophet that both their wordes and counseils are against the Lorde they prouoke the presence of his maiestie vnto anger Wherefore O Christian and faithfull people let vs consider our wayes and search them and let vs returne vnto the Lorde and bewaile vs for our sinnes Let vs lift vp our heartes with our handes vnto the Lorde that is in heauen saying We haue bene dissemblers and haue offended wilt thou therefore not be intreated thou hast conuerted vs in thy wrath and persecuted vs thou hast slaine vs without any fauour thou hast hidde thy selfe in a cloude that our prayers shoulde not goe thorowe thou hast made vs outcastes and to be dispised among the heathen All our enimies gape vppon vs feare and snare is come vpon vs yea dispite and destruction O Lorde be not so sore displeased and kéepe not our offences too long in thy remembrance but consider that we are all thy people The cities of thy Sanctuarie lie wast Syon is a wildernesse Ierusalem a desert Our holy house which is our beautie where our fathers praised thée is brent vp yea all our pleasures and commodities are wasted away remember not Lorde our offences but finish the worke which thou hast begunne in vs in this meane libertie of the religion that we may all sing in great hope and assurance with the Prophet Dauid mercie and truth are met together righteousnesse and peace kisse each other truth shal rise out of the earth and righteousnesse shall looke downe from heauen Graunt vs O Lorde that grace in the name and fauour of thy welbeloued sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe vnto whome be glorie for euer Amen ESAY 11. c. The Lord shall set vp a token among the Gentils and gather together the dispersed of Israel yea and of the outcastes of Iuda from the foure corners of the worlde A prayer O Lord which doest disperse and breake the counsells of the nations dost bring too nothing the enterprises of the people shed out the bowels of thy mercies vpon those which do fight daily against thée as their forefathers and woulde chase and driue thée from thy celestiall throne as the king of Babilon To conclude doe put and set them selues against thy sonne Christe teachers and liers as that sonne of perdition for to pull vp by the roote that which thou hast planted to destroy to ruinate that which thou hast builded to hinder and stop that which thou hast shed out euen vnto the vttermost ends of the earth yea do go about by all meanes to marre and to spill that which thou hast tried in the furnesse of the earth and purified seuen times in the fier to ad vnto that which thou hast ordeined in all integrie perfection To cōclud would suppresse abolish by force that which thou hast established for euer O Lord giue thē feare that they may acknowledg confesse him whom thou hast raised vp to set vp the kinreds of Iacob to restore the destruction of Israel and whom thou hast giuen for to lighten the Gentiles that he may be thy health vnto the end of the worlde our Lorde Iesus Christe vnto whome be glorie for euer Amen AN ADVERTISEMENT VNto these which doe crie dayly that wee must not suffer two religions Cap. 4. 1. TIMOTH 4. ¶ Therfore we labour and suffer rebuke bicause we beleeue in the liuing God which is the sauiour of all men but especially of all those that beleeue IT is most euident and knowen by the discourse of the holy scripture that as the Lord is true entire perfect so doth hée require of vs an acknowledging of him neither fained nor cloked That is the cause wherfore he did regard rather the sacrifice of Abel then of Cain did commaunde in the lawe that is written that wée must haue a perfecte and a iust measure and weightes and not to haue two manner of weightes he did rebuke Saul because that he did not wholy and fully accomplish his will and desire inasmuch as he did reserue some of the spoiles which they had gotten against the king of Amalech And in the Gospell is more praised the prayer of the Publican then that of the Pharisie To conclude in the booke of the Actes of the Apostles Ananias is punished bicause he deceiued the Apostles of the price of his possession In the same respect also we do greatly abhorre those which do mingle the sacrifice of the liuing God with that of Baal the doings of the Iewes with the fame of the Samaritans the baptisme with the circumcision the Christian lawe with that of Antichrist And yet
veritie of the christian doctrin as it is said that there must be euen heresies among vs that they whiche are perfect among vs might be knowen By that meanes we will not here denie but that alwayes ther hath ben some smal contention in the doctrine as it appeared that for the same cause was the counsell of the Apostles assembled together To conclude the scripture doth declare the difference whiche was offered betwene Peter and Paul Apostles And the Christian histories doe make mention of some little controuersies concerning the doing of the religion betwéene Peter Alexandrinus and Myletus Epiphanius and Chrisostome Hierome Augustine but we do exhort the Christians not to abuse the giftes of GOD through vaine glorie or contention for to be séene and estéemed the one aboue the other On the other side to humble them selues vnder the wisedome of him which hath saide that he hath not determined with himselfe to knowe any other thing saue Iesus Christe and him crucified And in an other place of the same Epistle he saith be assured that the kindome of God is not in words but in the power of the spirit Nowe the remedie helpe in such differences as Cyprian saith is to haue recourse to the beginning of Iesus Christ and of his gospel to the tradition of the Apostles To the end that from thence may rise and come foorth the reason of our doing whereof the order hath taken his beginning For inasmuch as Iesus Christ ought to be heard aboue all we ought not to consider that which some haue done before vs But that which Iesus Christ hath done obserued which is before all Insomuch that we must cast all the counsailes opinions definitions of men vnto the holy scriptures and in the to depose put downe all hautinesse arrogancie and enuious contencion and where it shal happen that the holy scripture hath nothing concluded determined In that case they ought to follow the manner and fashion of the most auncient Churches with whom the Apostles haue bene conuersant To conclude when the tradition of the apostles do faile they must beléeue the tradition of the churches which haue bene ruled and gouerned be the disciples and successours of the Apostles or those which haue had charge of them beholde how they ought to resolue the doubtes cōtrouersies which are in the Churches rather then by vaine disputations and vnprofitable contentions which do serue to none other end but to engender strifes And it maketh me afraide howe that in these latter dayes for the ignoraunce and calamitie of the time they haue thought to declare and expounde the darke places of the scripture and the debates moued in the Churche by questions of naturall Philosophie rather then by the scripture rightly vnderstanded and applied vnto his true sense Also Sainct Paule doeth admonishe and warne vs to beware least any man come and spoile vs through Philosophie and deceitfull vanitie through the traditions of men according to the ordinaunces of the worlde not after Christ Also sithens the Apostles Tertulian an auncient authour hath called the Philosophers the patriarkes of heriticks Also Saint Hierome hath confessed that the opinions of heritickes are founde amonge the subtilties of Aristotle and of Crisippus I will content my selfe at this time with the witnesse of a certeine Philosopher whereof mention is made in the counsaile of Nyce who being wonne and brought to the christian religion yea without any kinde of disputation by a poore simple and foolish man as the texte saith and being asked how the same was happened vnto him forasmuch as before the most learned men of the counsaile could not vāquish ouercome him by disputations and naturall philosophie aunswered that as long as they did speake against him by subtiltie of reasones he knewe verie well to aunswere to the arguments of his aduersaries by the same meanes But when the vertue was manifested vnto him by the mouth of him which hath pronounced it the words could not resist vertue nor man coulde speake against God. The same doth learne vs first of all to submitte our selues vnto the auncient church and best reformed as it is saide in Sainct Iohn my shepe heare my voice Secondly not to do any thing through enuie contention or vaine glorie but to beare with a patient minde one an other in all méekenesse and humilitie Thirdly not to presume so much that they would applie and referre the christian doctrine or rule the doing of our religion to mannes philosophie but to bring it againe to the true beginning and originall of the Scripture and to the traduction of Iesus Christe and of his successours Finally to beléeue that although that the slaunders and herisies doe come and happen vnto the church as well for the aduauncement of Gods glorie as for to proue and trie the true faithful christians yet truely he which is the causer thereof shall beare the condemnation Wherfore inasmuch as the scripture doth teach vs that the multitude of them that beléeued in the primatiue church were of one heart and of one soule that from thence we haue taken the beginning of our religion and doctrine going about and endeuouringe our selues as much as in vs is possible and according to the portion and measure of the giftes and graces which we haue receiued of the Lorde to make our selues agréeable confirmable to that auncient church insomuch that we being all of one minde may liue in peace and loue in the which we are called and the God of loue and peace shal be with vs Amen GALATH. 5. c. If we doe bite and deuoure one another let vs take heed least we be consumed one off another A prayer O Lord which art not the God of confusion but of peace yea whiche hast taught vs by thy welbeloued sonne that euerie kingdome deuided within it selfe shal be desolate Giue vs grace that we all being vnited by one loue and vnitie of doctrine our enimies may knowe that not onely we are the true disciples of thy sonne But that they may witnesse by workes that the church to the which thou hast incorporated vs by one faith one baptisme one God and father of all that beléeue is the true christian church and the piller and staye of the trueth to the end that we all being ioyned together in loue in all riches of the certitude of vnderstanding may increase in thy knowledge and be ioyned altogether as liuely stones for to be made an holy temple Offering vnto thée a sacrifice of praise that is the fruit of our lippes confessing his name Through our Lord Iesus Christe to whom be glory for euer Amen THAT IT IS THE DVETIE of a chrstian prince to watch take good heede that the estate of the religion doe abide cōtinue vndefiled impoluted as well in the true seruing of God as
in the dispensation of his worde Cap. 8. IF that king Dauid be so much praised in the scripture bicause he prepared a place for the Arke of God and ordeined Leuits for to serue to make remembraunce to confesse and praise the Lorde for euer And Salomon his sonne is honoured and praised of all nations bicause he builded and consecrated vnto the Lord that proude sumpteous temple of Ierusalem To conclud if the remembrance of those good kings Ezechias and Iosias doth endure continue for euer bicause they haue forgotten nothing nor spared any thing to clense the Temple of the Lorde from all idolatrie and superstition of the Gentiles haue destroyed the aulters of the Balamites broken their images and comaunded the people to reade the booke of Gods appointment and to kéepe al the ordinaunces of god Truely the true christian princes ought to acknowledge and beléeue that their duetie is not onely to establishe the true religion but also to haue regarde and a respect that the Temple of God doe abide and continue impolluted and vndefiled from all kinde of Idolatrie and mans supersticion That is the cause wherefore the scripture doth commaunde so often the children of Israel to honour God in his temple and to abstaine and refraine themselues from the merchandise companie and societie of the vncircumcised people For as the church is the spouse for God and a pure and chaste virgine forasmuch truely as the sonne of God is deliuered vp of her So he woulde that she shoulde be kept vnto him irreprehensible holy and glorious aswel for the regarde of the true seruice which is due as for the respect that they ought to haue to his worde and vsage of the Sacraments ordeined in the Church And to that end are repeated so often in the scripture those two precepts that is to say Thou shalt haue none others Gods in my sight for I am a gelous god And this yée shall not doe euerye man that séemeth good in his owne eyes But whatsoeuer I commaund you that take héed yée doe and put nought therto nor take ought therfro declaring by those two preceptes that they ought not to mingle the seruice of God with the seruice of so many false gods or of creatures nor to ioyne compare the commaundements of God to the traditions of men For that occasion the Lord did complain of his people that they had polluted his temple by a false seruice and that their siluer was turned to drosse and their wine mixt with water And Iesus Christ did declare vnto the Scribes Pharises that they did transgresse the commaundementes through their traditions Béehold as I thinke whervnto chieflie the Christian Princes ought to endeuor themselues that is to say to purge clense the temple of God from a false seruice for to establish the true Religion to foresee prouide that the Christian doctrine be purely declared and that it be not defiled with so many of mens traditions I wil recite for this mater two examples the first shall bee of Ptolomaeus Philadelphus who caused the bookes of the Hebrewes to be translated in to the Gréeke for to aduaunce the religion of the people of God his doctrine furthermore did remit and set at libertie the Iewes which then were captiues in Egipt The second is of Constantine the Emperoure which did rise vp for the quarell of the christiaÌ„s against Licinius Cesar willing to compel and force all the world to follow the lawes of the Painyms Insomuch that Constantine hauing vanquished Licinius not only caused the state of the Religion to bee established but also the deede of Iustice which before was subuerted and marred through the tyrannie and cruelty of Dioclesian Maximinian Maximinius and Mazentius his predecessors And truely in this duety the christian princes cannot excuse themselues for if they are so diligent to foresee and prouide that theire Townes and Cities be not taken by their enimies shall not this bée their estate to bée careful diligent that Gods temple do abide and continue impoluted and vndefiled with Idolatrie and humaine superstition if that be the propertie of a vertuous Prince to watche diligentlie that his subiects be kept vnder his obedience without oppression iniurie shall not this be the true duetie of a Christian prince to kéepe that his subiectes be not hurte with the hammer of the whole world nor that they doe not drinke in that cup of gould of that great Babilon the mother of fornication and be dronke with the wine of her fornication To conclude if the Christian princes are so curious and carefull to beware that their subiectes be not giuen to wickednesse and turned from their obedience by straungers as of late was Dina the daughter of Iacob shall not they be carefull that they be not seduced and led here and there by straunge doctrines The spouse of the Lord doth crie out in the booke of the Canticles of Salomon Saying get ye Foxes yea the little Foxes that hurte the vines whilest that the vines do beare blossomes The Prophet Ezechiel doth complaine saying O Israel thy prophets are like the Foxes vppon the drie fielde And the christian princes will suffer so many false priestes which deuoure widows houses and that vnder a coulour of praying long prayâ—rs And of others whiche peruerte whole houses teaching things which they ought not bicause of filthy lucre Insomuch that those which ought to preach a gospel of peace doe preach a message of trouble and sedition amonge the Christians Those which ought to wéepe and be sorie for the sinnes of the people doe reioyce to sée euery where the bloode of the true Chrstians shead Those which doe take the qualitie of the Apostles and doe vaunce and boast themselues to be as shéepe among wolues wise I say as serpentes and innocent as doues doe deuoure the shéepe and doues of the Lord. Those vnto whom the Lorde hath not sent for a sworde but his worde doe arme themselues for to suppresse hys worde and the kingdome of his welbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Those vnto whom the Lorde commaunded to take nothing to succour them by the way neither staffe nor scrip neither bread neither money neither to haue two coates doe heape vp infinite treasures for to afflict and trouble the people of God They doo tithe the Mint Annise and Commin and leaue the weightier matters of the lawe vndone iudgment mercy and faith Bee astonished O ye heauens be afrayd and abashed at such a thing Those which doe boast and bragge themselues to be lawfull successors of those good auncient fathers doe make it a conscience to transgresse the least of the commaundements of men And doe make it no conscience vnder coloure of true religion to bringe to vtter ruine distruction the children of god And they dare not as they say to bée founde faultie in
feare for feare hath painefulnesse and hee that feareth is not perfect in loue Let vs propose the example of Sainct Paul who beeing aduertised by the holy Ghost that bands and troubles abide him at Hierusalem aunswered that none of these things moued him neither is his life deare vnto himselfe so that hee might fulfill his course with ioy and the ministration whiche hee receiued of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospell of the grace of God the whiche hée did not onely of mouth but also hee accomplished it by workes Let vs remember those good women I meane Marie Magdalen and Marie the mother of Iames and Salome who were not only assistent to Iesus Christ before his afflictions But also in his crosse and after his death bought sweete oyntementes of Aromatica for to embalme him yea they folowed him long time after his death I do speake vnto those who making profession of the true Christian religion and beeing drawen from the cares of the world thorow the knowledge of our Lord and sauior Iesus Christ for a smal occasion afterwards are fallen into them againe haue beene ouercome Insomuch that that is happened vnto them according to the true prouerbe The dogge is turned to his owne vomit againe and the sow that was washed to hir wallowing in the mire Truely such people are like vnto the young man which told our Lord Iesus Christ that hee hath obserued al these coÌ„maundements from his youth but when Iesus saide vnto him that he must sell all that he had and giue it to the poore for to get a treasure in heauen hée went away mourning We must alâ—o note that there is an other regarde or â—espect to the amitie which we doe beare vnto GOD and to the amitie whih we doe beare vnto men for GOD ought â—o be loued for his regarde onely I doe meane bicause that of himselfe hée is altogether good perfect puissaunt and mercifull Man ought to bée loued for the respect that we haue vnto GOD that is to saye forasmuch as he is created to the image of GOD as wée endued with the giftes and graces of GOD aswell as wée and called to the ecclesiastical heritage as wée For he that wil consider man in himselfe he is nothing els but altogether vnrighteous ful of impietie and imperfection The Prophet Esaie shall be my witnesse when he saith we are all as an vncleane thing al our righteousnesse are as a stained cloth The which the roiall Prophet Dauyd doth speake off more at large in his verses saying The Lord looked downe froÌ„ heauen vpon the children of men to sée if ther were any that would vnderstand and séeke after god But they are all gone out of the way they are altogether become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one The like matter we do read off in Iob wheÌ„ hée confessed most cléerely that man cannot iustifie himselfe towardes god And how saith hée can hee bée cleane which is borne of a woman Behold the moone shineth nothing in comparison to him the starres are vncleane in his sight How much more then man that is but corruption and the sonne of man which is but a worme wherefore man of himselfe is not amiable but inasmuch as he is regenerate of God who through the merite of his welbeloued sonne doth couer hide wholy all those imperfections and impieties And in that respect wee haue greatly to consider the ingratitude and miscognisaunce of those which loue not the Lord but for their proper respect I do meane when the Lord doth sende them the thinges euen as they demaund and desire as great abundance of worldly goods a blessed life great prosperitie of the thinges which appertaine vnto them and also to their friendes kinsfolke and other pleasures of mans life of whom saith Dauid happie are the people that bée in such a case but when any affliction happeneth vnto them then they murmure against God and do demaund if there bée any prouidence in Heauen The whiche Salomon forbiddeth expressely when hée saith vse not thy mouth to cause thy flesh for to sinne that thou say not before the Angell my foolishnesse is in the faulte Such manner of people are like vnto those which séeke Iesus Christ not bicause they sawe his miracles but because they eate of his loaues were filled For he which is a friend as Salomon reciteth vnto vs alway loueth and in aduersitie a man shall know who is his brother Which if it bée so that loue ought to bée loued againe truely wée haue most greatest occasion to loue God and which is more wee cannot without the vice of ingratitude but that wee should loue him inasmuch as hee loued vs first And herein is loue not that wee loued God but that hee loued vs and sent his sonne to make agréement for our sinnes For God so loued the world that hee hath géeuen his onely begotten sonne that none that beeléeue in him shoulde perish but haue euerlasting life If a man demaund what is the goodnesse that hée hath done vnto vs at this present Saint Paul doth aunswer vnto the same saying that he spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall hee not with him géeue vs all things also In this matter what can wee render vntâ— the LORD which may bee equiualenâ— to the amitie that he hath borne vnto vs for the iniuries that his sonne our LORD Iesus Christe hath suffred in his flesh for the stripes that hée hath receiued on his bodie for the crosse for his death for his buriall woe bee vnto mée if I doe not saye it I dare well saye it Peter hath not rendered or restored neither Paul hath rendred or restored although he hath restored death for death but yet neuerthelesse he hath not altogether restored for he oweth a great deale Marke when he him selfe confesseth who hath giuen vnto him first and hee shall bee recompensed againe For of him and through him and for him are all things to him bee glorie for euer And although wee restore vnto him the crosse for the crosse and the graue for the graue that is to say whether wee restore vnto him that whiche wee haue receiued of him and through him no truely Wherefore the same Author concludeth let vs restore vnto him loue for loue for debte loue for the goodnesse that he hath doone vnto vs a géeuing of thanks for the price of his bloud I say moreouer that from our birth nature hath put in vs a certaine mouing and pricking forward to the end to incitate and stirre vs to loue our God. Forasmuche then as by the same saying of Plato beautie hath gained that aduauntage aboue all other things that of her selfe shée is very much amiable and for that cause wee desire verie much the faire things Yet truely the heauenly beawtie excelleth and passeth
all thinges forasmuch as it is not subiect to any filthinesse or corruption as are the other creatures Insomuch that the soule of a true Christian regenerated through grace and wounded of that heauenly loue is sicke for that true spouse which is Iesus Christ And which is more it sigheth incessantly for the deliueraunce of this body which of it selfe is subiect to corruption Euen soe Dauyd did crye out saying wo is mée that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech and to haue mine habitation amonge the Tentes of Cedar My soule is a thirst for God yea for the liuing God saying Alas when shall I come to appeare béefore the presence of God These are also the words of Sainct Paul I am saith hée compassed in on both sides desiring to be loosed and to bée with Christ The which is a great deale better for mée that if for their vertue we doe loue them whom we neuer saw as saith Cicero and if such is the force and strength of vertue which if one may behold it with the eyes it will stirre vp and imbrace in vs a meruailous desire to loue it how much more ought wee to loue God of whom as of the Nurse of al things doth descend euerie good and perfect gift To conclude if wée loue them whiche may helpe vs with all things which are necessarie for vs How much more ought wee to loue God which is all in all and with whom all pleasure dwelleth as Dauid witnesseth that fulnesse of ioy is with his countenance and at his right hand there is pleasure and ioy for euer That men shal be satisfied with the plenteousnesse of his house and hee shall giue them drink of the riuer of his pleasures for by him is the well of life and in his light shall wee see light I do say this not onelie for the eternall goodnesse which are promised vnto the blessed in the resurrection to come but also for the goodnesse whiche the Lorde giueth vnto vs in this present life Euen so the same prophete saith so is this wide and great sea also wherein are thinges créeping innumerable both small and greate beastes There goe the ships ouer and there is the Leuiathan whome thou hast made to take his pastime therin They waite all vppon thée that thou maist giue them meate in due season When thou giuest it them they gather it and when thou openest thine hande they are filled with good But when thou hidest thy face they are sorowfull And if thou takest away their breath they die and are turned againe to their dust Againe when thou lettest thy breath goe foorth they are made and so thou renuest the face of the earth And in an other place hee saith O feare the Lorde ye that be his saincts for they that feare him lacke nothing Furthermore in the that the Lorde desireth that wee shoulde loue him so perfectly we are sufficiently aduertised that those which doe giue vnto other creatures the homage and obedience which is due vnto the Lorde be they deade creatures or liuing creatures they loue not GOD perfectly forasmuch then as God hath chosen vs as a chast virgin for to be presented to his Christe according as hée hath foreshewed by the Prophet Oseas that he will marie his owne selfe vnto her in righteousnesse in equitie in louing kindenesse and mercie and in faith yet when we doe seperate the loue which we owe vnto the Lorde for to giue of that whiche apperteineth vnto him vnto other creatures truely we are vnto him vngentle Bicause he is a gelous God visiting the sinne of the fathers vpon the children vnto the thirde and fourth generation That is the cause wherfore Moses saith in the same booke Thou shalt worshippe no straunge god For the Lorde is called gelcus because he is a gelous GOD. For that same cause Sainct Peter seing that Cornelius fell downe at his féete to worshippe him he tooke him vp saying stande vppe for euen I my selfe am a man Acknowledging verie wel that Cornelius for the affecttion that he did beare vnto him did forgette the homage and obedience that he owed vnto the Lorde In like manner Barnabas and Paul séeing that the inhabiters of Listria woulde doe sacrifice vnto them they rent their clothes and ranne in among the people crying and saying O men why do ye these things We are mortall men like vnto you In like manner it is written in the Reuelation of S. Iohn that the Angel séeing that Sainct Iohn was fallen downe at his féete to worshippe him he saide vnto Sainct Iohn sée thou doe it not I am thy fellowe seruant and one of the brethen whiche haue the testimonie of Iesus worshippe god Euen so hath not Herod done for vpon a day appointed Herod being aâ—aied in royall apparell and sitting in his â—eate made an Oration vnto the people And the people gaue a shoute saying it is the voyce of a God and not of a man And immediatly the Angell of the Lorde â—mote him because he gaue not God the honour so that he was eaten of wormes Asmuche also happened vnto Alexander the greate for hauing taken the Citie of Babilon raised him selfe against the commaundement of the liuing GOD and woulde that his people shoulde worshippe him and offer vnto him Sacrifices Wherefore within a little while after he died through Gods punishement for hee being ouer drie for lacke of drinke fell into a gréeuous sicknesse of whiche hee dyed And that great personne who as the worlde thought feared not to bee ouercome of men was ouercome and vanquished of wine The same doth learne vs and sufficiently declare vnto vs that the loue the whiche wée ought to beare vnto the creatures ought to be ruled and gouerned by the worde that wee ought not to compare it to the loue which we ought to beare vnto GOD our creator I do speake this for those whiche according to their priuate affections and indiscréete zeale do beare such honour as it pleaseth them vnto the creatures and in the meane time consider not that the Lord is gelous of the loue and obedience that they owe vnto him What shall I say of those who making profession of the Christian religion do beare vnto wicked spirites the loue that they owe to their lord And in what aduersitie or affliction that they finde themselues in haue recourse As Saul vnto the Magicians and Witches not trusting themselues of the promise of the LORD Who saith Call vppon me in the time of trouble so will I heare thée that thou shalt thancke me Things truely which are verie much forbidden in the lawe of God where Moses admonished the people of Israel saying Turne not your selues to them that work with spirites neither regarde them that obserue dismall dayes that ye be not defiled by them for I am the Lord your god And in the booke of Deuterenomium
Israel as it is written in Deuteronomium not to bring into the house of the Lorde in no maner of vowe the hyer of an whore On the other side we desire that he that stole let him steale no more but let him rather labour and worke with his hands the thinges which are good that he may haue to giue vnto him that néedeth For as Cicero saith many and those which are desirous of renowne and glorie doe steale from one to giue it vnto others and they thinke that they shal be estéemed gratious and liberall if by any meanes they enrich hem selues but the same is as contrarie to the true office that there is nothing more contrarie to the same We must then vse such liberalitie that it may profite one and not to offende an other Furthermore let vs here obserue that we take not this charitie simplie as the painimes doe for a mutuall amitie or affection the whiche is borne groweth of the conformitie of maners and good conuersation of life which is conioyned to a prompte and readie will to helpe and succoure the one the other of which concord amitie that great Orator of the latins Cicero speaketh off whē he said The worde of loue is verie déere whereof the name of amitie doth spring the which if we apply to our owne priuate profite not to the vtilitie profite of him whome we loue that shall not hee called amitie but rather a merchaundise Euen so doe we loue our medowes landes and our cattell because that of them wee receiue profite But the charitie and loue of men is thankeful The which is yet better confirmed by the same Aucthour by the example of Scipio saying hath Affricane to do with me no nor I with him But I hauing in admiration his vertue and hée hauing in opinion my manners hee hath loued me The great conuersation whiche we haue had together hath augmented greatly the amitie Nowe the Christian charitie hath regarde more further for she considereth a coniunction and alliance of members vnder one heade whiche is our Lorde Iesus Christe participating to one faith and one baptisme the vse of the sacraments established in the Church of Iesus Christ loking for the hope of the blessed the comming of the sonne of God of the which the Apostle sainct Paul speaketh off saying forbeare one another through loue endeuouring to kéepe the vnitie of the spirite in the bonde of peace There is but one body and one spirite euen as ye are called in one hope of your calling There is but one Lorde one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all thinges and through all things and in you all That same aliaunce is also taught vs by the sacrament of the holy supper Is not the cuppe of blessing whiche we blesse the communion of the bloude of Christ Is not the breade which we breake the communion of the body of Christ bicause that we which are many are one breade and one body inasmuch as we are al partakers of one bread And as we sée that the amitie and charitie of the panimes for euerie light or small occasion chaungeth often times to a great enmitie and hatred inasmuch as it is not founded but vppon a blinde and bryttle thing so the Christians regarding not the true vse of that loue and charitie doe norish vp among them infinite debates and greate enmities and hatreds And doe not consider that our God is not the God of confusion as the Gods of the Gentils are but is the God of peace That is the cause wherfore the panimes so oftentimes demaunde vengeaunce of their enimies and being afflicted and punished of their neighbours and kinsmen doe fall into impatience and dispaire Where as the true children of God doe take all thinges in good parte as come of Gods handes Euen so the kingly prophet Dauid being wronged and cursed of Semei woulde not take any vengeaunce although that Abisai and his seruauntes were importunate vpon him but he saide vnto them behold my son which came out of mine owne bowells séeketh my life how much more then may this son of Iemini do it suffer him therfore to curse for the Lorde hath bidden him happily the Lorde will looke on my wéeping eyes wretchednesse and do me good for his cursing this day Euen so Iob being perswaded by his wife to forsake God for the afflictions that he suffered saide vnto her thou speakest like a foolishe woman Séeing we haue receiued prosperitie at the hand of God wherefore should we not be content with aduersitie also Those holy men knew assuredly that ther commeth no plague into a citie without it be the Lordes doing and also that we ought not to be ouercome of that which is euill but we must ouercome euill with goodnesse in fuffering patiently him which woulde force and compell vs If thou demaunde of me wherein the true Christian charitie and the vse of the same doth consist I do aunswere thée that it consisteth principally and chiefly the one to helpe and cherish an other in perilous thinges According to that which Salomon dofh speak of in his prouerbes saying that he is a friend that alway loueth in aduersitie a man shall know who is his brother The which Iesus Christ witnesseth when he rebuked the wicked that he was an hongred they gaue him no meat he thirsted they gaue him no drincke was herbourlesse and they lodged him not naked and they clothed him not sicke and in prison and they visited him not By this a man may plainely sée percieue the ingratitude of those who in stéede to helpe assist the necessities of their neighbours parents and friends do rebuke and checke them in their afflictions and calamities Such people doe make mée to remember the friendes of Iob who rebuked and checked him that hée hath well deserued and merited the double of that that he doth suffer by right and that GOD hath forgotten him bicause of his sinnes The like iniuries of late the Barbarians obiected vnto Sainct Paul. For they séeing that a viper which leapt out of the fire to hange on his hande they sayd amonge themselues truely this man must néedes be a murtherer whom though he hath escaped the sea yet vengeaunce hath not suffered him to liue The like wronges they that passed by vsed to our Lord Iesus Christ as he hanged on the crosse wagging their heades and saying Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in thrée dayes saue thy selfe if thou bée the sonne of God come downe from the crosse I doe speake vnto those who doe not consider that the afflictions are common as well to the good as to the euill and are nothing ashamed to attribute them to the true Christian religion although that they know not in them whom they doe accuse any other thing then a pure and true christian
7. h Plato in the apology for Socrates Apo. 13. c. 8. Act. 4. b Heb. 1. c Iohn 17. a Iohn 1. b. c Heb. 1. a Iohn 14. â— Rom. 1. c Mat. 11. c Rom. 6. â— Rom. 12. a Titus 1. d 1. Iohn 3. d Esa. 29. d Iam. 2. b 1. Cor. 10. g Rom. 14. b Iohn 21. e Luc. 22. e Mat. 26. g Mat. â—7 a Mat. 16. 1. Iohn 4. d Act. 20. e Marc. 16. a 2. Pet. 2. d Mat. 19. e S. August in his boke of the Christian doctrine Esa. 64. b Psae 14. â— Iob. 25. b â—sal 144. c Eccles 5. â— Iohn 6. c prouerb 1â— e Iohn 4. d Iohn 3. b. Rom. 8. f S. Ambrose vpon sainte Luke Rom. 11. d S. Ambrose in the same booke Basil in his rulers ampli disputed 2. question Cant. 2. c Rom. 8. g Psa 120. â— Psal 44 a phil 1. c Ciciero in his offices after plato Iam. 1. c 2. Cor. 15. d psal 16. b psal 36. b Psa 104. d Psa 34. b Oseas 2. d Exo. 20. a. Exo. 34. b Act 10. e Act. 14. â— Apo. 19. b Act. 12. d Plutarche 1. Reg. 28. b Psa 50. â— Leuit. 19. â— Deut. 18 â— Esa. 8 d Iere. 27. b 1. Cor. 6. c Math. 6. d Iere 3. a Oseas 2. c Heb. 2. â— Esa. 59. â— 1. Cor. 6. d Rom. 6. c Iohn 8. d 2. pet 2. d Rom. 9. b 1. Iohn 2. c Iam. 2. â— Cal. 1. b Deut. 17. a Malach. 1. d Deut. 27. d Act. 5. a â–ª 1. Iohn 8 1. Thessa. 4. b Iam. 4. b Psal 103. â—â— Lameâ— 2. f Cant. 8. b 1. Iohn 4. c 1. Iohn 3. d Rom. 8. g 1. Iohn 13. b. Iohn 13. a 1. Cor. 13. â— Mat. 6. â— Mat. 25. â— 1. Pet. 4. c 2. Cor. 9. d â— Cor. 4. a 1. Cor. 12 a Cicero in his oration for Roscius Amerinus Iam. 1. c. Iohn 1. c Luc. 12. f Iere. 9. g Collo 2. a Luc. 24. g Apo. 5. b Apo. 4. â— Apo. 19. d Daniel 7. c Luc. 16. b Tob. 4. b Psa 41. a Iam. 5. d Basil in his short rules disputacion questioÌ„ 175. Exo. 32. g Rom. 9. a Phil. 3. d 2. Cor. 11. a Psa 119. g. 2. Cor. 7. c Iam. 2. e Gal. 6. a Rom. 15. a Ezech. â—4 a Luc. 10. f Saint Augustine in his boke of the christian doctrine Heb. 13. a. 2. Reg. a 4. Reg. 4. â— Deut. 24.19 Saint Ambrose lib. 3. of his offices cap. 17. plato in his â— dialogue of his laws Basil in a sermoÌ„ made of Aluies Eusebius li 9. hystorye ecclesiastical lib. 9 historie trip li. 9. cap. 26. Gal. 6. c Saint Augustin li. of his christiaÌ„ doctrine Luc. 14. d The error of plautus Lactantius li. 6. cap. â— The error of Ciciero The error of the same Author plato in his booke of Phedrus Saint Ambroâ—e li. 2. of his offices ca 37. Historie triÌ„ lib. 5. cap. 37 Mat 6. c Mat. 15. a Siâ—aâ—c 14. b Basil in his treatise of almes 1. Thessa. 4. c Pro. 3. b Siraac 34. â— Deut. 23. c Ephes 4. â— Cicero lib. 1. of his offices Cicero li. 2 of the nature of Gods. Cicero in his booke of amitie Ephe. 4. â— 1. Cor. 10. d 1. Cor. 14 f 2. Reg. 16. â— Iob. 2. b Amos. 3. b Rom. 12. d Pro. 17. c Mat. 25. d Iob. 11. a Act. 28. a Mat. 27. d Mat. 12. b Marc. 3. a Mat. 1â— c Aâ—â— â—6 â— Tob. 2. b 1. Reg. 31. d Luc. 1.2 d Psa 79. a S. Augustin of the worde of the Lorde Cicero in his boke of amitie Saluste Luc. 11. c Iohn 13. d Cant. 8. b Miche 7. a Gal. 5. c Iohn 13. d Iohn 15. b Collo 3. c 1. Iohn 4. d Iohn 3. b Gal. 6. a Rom. 12. c Mat. 6. c 2. Cor. 8. b Ephe. â— a Col. c. 3. b Siraac 3. a Rom. 1â— g 2. Timo 5. a 1. Timo. 5. â— Mat. 15. a Hierome 〈◊〉 his epistle to Gernâ—â—â—â— Siraac 3. b Saint Ambrose vpon the 8 chap. of S. Luke Xenophon in his secoÌ„d boke of the sayings doinges of Socrates plato in his 2. dialogue of his laws Plato Siraac 7. b Aulus Gellius li. 2. ca. 7. 2. Cro. â—â— â— Rom. 15. e S. Hierome in his epist to Furia Psa 45. e S. Hierome in his firste epistle to Heliodorus Mat. 10. d plato li. 4. of his lawes plutarch inâ—treateh of the loue of fathers Valerius li. 5. cap 5. Deut. 37. c Pro. 19. â— Pro. 30. c The lavve vnder the title of the paricides Plato in his 9. dialogue of his laws Cicero in his boke of his paradoxes Iustine in his histories Cicero in his oration for Roscius Amerinus Plutarch Mat. 5. c Esa. 45. b L. cogitacioons regis iuris Mat. 5. d Cicero in his oration for Rosciâ—s Amerinus Genes 42.43 Iere. 35. â— Genes 9. d S. Augustin in his boke of the city of God. â— Reg. 18. f Gal. 4. c Heb. 12. c Siraacâ— 38 â— Sapien. 16. Esa. 52. b Dan. 12. a 1. Tim. 5. c. 1. Thessa. 5. e Heb. 13. b Galat. 6. b â— Cor. 9. b Sirâ—ac 7. d. 3. Reg. 22. c 2. Cro. 16. c 4. Reg. 2. d Ciciero in his oration for Caius Rabitius Herodotus Iustine after Trogus pompeius Valerius in his first bok of vnthankfulnsse Cicero li. 5. of his Tuscan questioÌ„s Sueto n in the life of Nero. Basil in his 10. Epistle 3. Reg. 13. g 2. Mach. 4. c Ephe. 6. a Heb. 13. c Genes 8. d Heb. 12. â— Luc. 2. â— Pro. 3. a Pro. 2â— c. pro. 29. c Siraac 30. a Pro. 23 l. Siraac 7. c Siraac 26. b 42. b Deut. 2â— a Leuit. 26. a Baruc. 3. b Deut. 6. b Exo. 12. b â–ª g Iosua 4. â— Plato litheaget plato li. writen to Euphr on Iob. 28. c Timot. 3. d Rom. 15. â— Heb. 13. b Ephes 4. c Plato in his booke of vowes Homere Plato in his booke protogoras plato Plutarch iâ— his boke 〈◊〉 Nursing bringinge vp of châ—ldren Plato dialogue 2. of a legistes Ephes 4. f Ephes 5. a Gregory NaziaÌ„zenus in his oration that he made a-against Iulian the Apostate HieroÌ„ in his Epistle to Leta plato in his 5. dâ—alogue of his lavvs Plato in the same booke 1. Cor. 15. â— Siraac 13.2 Psal 26. h prouerb 1. c Gen. 34. a Numer 25. a Iudg. 21. d Iere. 50. d Apo. 17. a Hierome in his epistle to Leta Plutarch in his boke of the nurture of children Eccle. 2. e Plato in his 7. dialogue of his laâ—es Lib. 3. vvritten Theâ—gates plato li. 7. of his lawes Terencius in Adelphis Plutarch in his apotheg 1. Reg. 1.2.3 L. title patria potestate cap. de paâ—i qâ—i fit â—ist 2. Timo 2. d 1. Cor. 5. b 2. Cor. 7. e Gens 49. a Deut. 33. a 3 Re. g 2. â— Tobiaâ— 14. 2. Macha 7. Iohn 13. a. Zenephon li. pedi Cicero of his olde age Pro. 17. d. Pro. 5. â— Luc. 2. f Ephe. 6. a pro. 30. â— 1. Cor. 3. b. 6. Iob. 1. d. 20. A TABLE CONCERNING the matters contained in this booke A Briefe aduertisement wherin is shewed that we ought not to abuse the holy scripture but to applie it to his proper vse Cap. 1. fol. 1. That the Lord in the middest of afflictions doth alwaies reserue certaine places of refuge for his and certaine true Prophetes to his church yea certaine valiant men for to withstand the tyrannie of the wicked Cap. 2. fol. 10 That the christian religion can not be tied and bound to any limits or bounds Cap. 3. fol. 20. An aduertisement vnto those which doe crye dayly that we must not suffer two religions Cap. 4. fol. 30. A briefe aduertisement vnto those which doe blame the true christian religion for the poorenesse and littlenesse of the same or doe slaunder it for the euil conuersation and abuse of those which doe professe it Cap. 5. fol. 35. That none can hinder or stoppe the course of the religion by fire and sword threatenings and bonds Cap. 6. fol. 45. â— briefe aduertisement wherein is declared that the true christians ought to auoide parcialities and contencions and to kepe the vnitie of the spirit through the band of peace Cap. 7. fol. 56. That it is the dutie of a christiaÌ„ prince to watch take good heed that the estate of the religion doe abide and continue vndefiled and impoluted as wel in the true seruing of God as in the dispensation of his word Cap. 8. fol. 60. That it is the renowne of a christian prince to be beloued of his subiectes Cap. 9. fol. 96 That it is the honor renown of a prince and his subiectes to cause the lawes and politike ordinaunces of his countrie to be kept inuiolated Cap. 10. fol. 75. A briefe demonstration vnto those which doe make it no conscience to shed the innocent bloud vnder pretence I know not of what foolish zeale wherein is shewed by examples of the Scripture how odious before God such cruelties are Cap. 11. fol. 84. A briefe demonstration vnto those which of a set purpose doe tourne themselues from the knowne veritie without any force or compulsion Cap. 12. fol. 92. A briefe demonstration vnto those which haue sustained euen hitherto the doing of the reformed religioÌ„ for to confirme them more and more in their first wil. Cap. 13. fol. 98. A briefe aduertisement for to shewe that we must simplie obey the voice of the Lord without further enquiring of the commaundement and to beleeue that euen as he is iust in all his workes hee is as puissaunt for to fulfill in vs his will. Cap. 14. fâ—l 113. A briefe demonstration vnto those which do make profession of the true christian religion neuerthelesse do refuse the ecclesiasticall discipline wherin is described somwhat the vse fruit ther off Ca. 51. fol. 120. A briefe aduertisement vpon the coÌ„maundement to loue god Cap. 16. fol. 127. A christian aduertisment vpon the commaundement to loue a mans neighbour Cap. 17. fol. 144 A christian aduertismeÌ„t vpoÌ„ the comauÌ„demeÌ„t to honor our father mother Ca. 18 fol. 161. A briefe aduertisment vpon the duetie of the fathers towardes their children Ca. 19. fol. 174 FINIS