feede vs with contentious Sillogismes Pascuntur Sillogismo sicut Boues foeno as Oxen are fed vpon haye O you who call your selfe a Christian Pastor how doe you forget that precept of Saint Paul Vt orationes fiant postulationes gratiarum actiones pro omnibus hominibus That prayers supplications and thankes giuing may bee made for ◅ll men in generall how doe you not remember that he hath commanded your corrections and admonitions to be brotherly Noniactantiae studio nec contumeliosa obiurgatio sed in spiritu lenitat is Not in ostentation or cōtumelious reproach but in the spirit of lenity there is no other reason for this but because Confregitis Iugum rupistis vincula you haue broken the bonds of Christian fraternitie and loue This fire of charitie in the soule of a good man is like to the abundance of heat in the stomacke of a strong body which draweth good nourishment out of grosse and euill matters the want whereof againe doth turne the most delicate substance into phlegme and noysome humours if you had abundance of this loue you would doe through the heat thereof as the Apostle commaunds you Alter alterius onera portare you would digest the ignorance and weakenesse of your brethren by seeking their reformation by all brotherly meanes and the want of this againe vndoubtedly maketh you to distaste and loath euen the good things which be among them The want of it makes you to detest the name of a pacificatour to fly the voyce of peace to cry Crucifige to carrie one against an other murthering tongues poysoned pennes and vehement spirits of destruction spirits contrary to God Inspiritu vehementi conteres naues Tharsus saith Dauid in a vehement spirit shalt thou breake the ships of Tharsus Wee read in the second of the Kings while Eliab was commanded to attend the comming of God vpon the Mountaine the holy Spirit saith Behold there was a winde which did rent the rockes but the Lord was not therein therewas a great commotion and earthquake but neither was he there and thereafter a huge fire but he was not yet in it In the end there came Sibilus aura tenuis the whispering of a sweet and temperate ayre and therein was the Lord Euen so the Christian Clergie who goe into the mountaine of God to vnderstand the secrets of his will so long as they thunder out such tempestuous windes of mutuall despight God will neuer be there to pitty our Christian distractions So long as they raise such vehement commotions and fearefull earth-quakes to rent the states and liues of Christian Princes God will not be there neither to restore Ierusalem and to purge his holy Sanctuarie of the Catholike Church so long as you burne your selues with fire of mutuall acerbity and wrath you shall not yet see the Lord there to pitty our Christian discordes that our Christian Religion bee no longer a reproach to the dangerous multitudes of infidell nations who watch their opportunitie to assault vs because as the holy spirit doth testifie in that same place Non in commotione Dominus the Lord in his mercy cannot be in a commotion but if you should whisper out this Sibulus aurae tennis ibi Dominus this gentle and soft ayre of meeknesse and brotherly admonition there possibly you might finde the Lord. Now to the effect that this briefe exhortation to dispose our selues to Christian peace should not bee mistaken and neglected as an indigested phantasie of my braine I send you all to read that treatise called Eirenicon sine de pace Ecclesiae of the peace of the Church done by that famous Iunius one of the chiefest lights of the Church while he liued In which treatise he doth call all these of your humour wicked and seditious Tribunes and of which he did vpon his death-bed protest as I was informed of those who were present to haue more comfort hauing written it immediately before Tanquam cantum Cygneum as the spirituall song of his farewell then of all the religious exercises of his life time which were many and most laborious So that to imitate for Reformation the practise of our architype Ierusalem this is the first point which we must obserue with Daniel to make generall confession of our transgressions as well Pope and Iesuite as Puritan and againe to make orations and suppications for all which as it is a thing wee ought to doe so it is strange how wee should refuse to doe it while Daniel hath said Lord to vs belongeth open shame our Kings our people our selues T is strange of the Papist that you should affirme thy Pope and thy Priests are holy and cannot erre that they haue no need of generall Councells nor of generall Reformation as if God had taken corruption mutabilitie from the earth and granted vs heere a generall beatitude for the sake of Rome In Gods name let it please you to esteeme your Pope no more holy then Daniel was and if you wish him to be cleansed from his Idolatry and vniust vsurpations to be restored againe to the vnity of the Catholike faith and that dignity which he did once lawfully brooke to be a chiefe Bishop of the occidentall Church Then must you cry with Daniel O God to our Pope our Cardinalls and Priests and to vs belongeth open shame because we haue transgressed against thy seruant Moses euen our great Moses Iesus Christ who redeemed vs from the bondage of that fearfull Pharaoh Satan Wee haue turned his faith and all Religion to superstitious worship wee haue turned his spirituall gouernment into a Tyranous Monarchy and we haue turned the piety of Christian manners into iniquity and abhominion This must be the voyce of thy confession And thou protestant if thou wilt wish the increase and restitution of Christs Church thou must pray for Rome as Daniel did for Ierusalem Lord be mercifull vnto the holy City where thy name was once so truely worshipped thou must teach and admonish them preach and write to them as the Prophets did to the Israelites in captiuity Brethren as it came in your minde to depart from the Lord your God so wee beseech you to indeuour your selues tenne times more to turne to him againe If you will deny that Rome is your mother Church that is nothing either it is lerusalem Antioch Alexandria Rome or some other you cannot deny that shee is your sister Church who once had a concord and vnity of faith with you and that by her defection the Catholike Church is greatly weakned You cannot deny that whiles shee is fornicatrix the Lord doth beget in her sonnes and daughters who daily turne vnto him as he did in Ierusalem when hee said to his Prophet Hosea Goe yet and loue a woman that was an harlot according to the loue of God toward Ierusalem for she looked after strange Gods and I bought her with siluer c. You cannot deny but those who did possesse the chiefest functions
of his Church and a conspicuous marke of his extraordinarie grace vouchsafed vpon this great Kingdome I say extraordinarie for if the Papall Bishops while they doe impugne the truth of Gods word forbidding marriage to authorise the doctrine of their coelibat they do not the lesse contaminate the same with lewd and open pollutions and your Grace all in contrarie while you doe stand for the Euangelicall libertie of Matrimanie you doe in the meane time by the puritie of your life practise the perfection of the cloysterrall Caelibat taking vnto you that religious word of the more innocent and vertuous ages Si placet licet I thinke it is a cleere mirrour wherein the world may see that it is the good spirit of God who doeth freely distribute his extraordinarie giftes to such faithfull Prelates as worship him according to the trueth of his word and that no vsurped authoritie of Popish or humane traditions can doe so much And since there is no better meanes to make your GRACES Excellent and spirituall partes tanquam Thus redolens in Templo Domini as was said of that worthie Priest Symon Onia to smell as a sweete perfume in the LORDS house then by continuing your delight to cherish the studie of vertue where it is found in the most remote partes of the land which is indeede a sauorie presage of that perfect vnitie which God doeth dispose to bee in the whole Church of the same Therefore let it please your GRACE to receiue these first and tender Seedes of my publike Seruice to God to my most Sacred Soueraigne PRINCE and to this Common-wealth whereof you are the first vitall member and so to nourish them by the kindly ayre of your vertuous spirit that they may bee found to produce a happie fruite that is to say a fruite which hath not aborted nor hurt his bearer by vntimely partting with it but comming to maturitie prooueth wholesome to all those who taste it and leaueth the Tree in full vigour and reputation Your Graces humble and affectionate sermant P. Hay TO THE CHRISTIAN READER CHristian and curteous Reader this Treatise which I haue framed for the glory of God the comfort of his Church and the seruice of this common-weale wherein wee liue why it is Intituled A vision of Balaams Asse you may perceiue in the entry thereof It containeth in speciall these three First the cause of my voluntary recantation of Popery Secondly a cleere discouery of the tyranny of Rome mounted in our time to her Meridian or Altitude And of the treacherous trade and doctrine of the Iesuite who doth falsly maintaine the Papall Soueraigntie tending to the ouerthrow of Christian Princes and states Thirdly a discourse of the apparant approach of her reformation or downefall and of the probable meanes whereby the Lord God doth dispose the restitution of Christian people from the spirituall captiuity of this Babel with a sincere exhortation to you to honour aswell the meanes as the instruments whom God doth pointforth for the aduancement of this great worke as you haue them here set downe in particular In the which exhortation if any thing be that vpon the suddaine seemeth distastfull to you I do entreate you that you will not for that rashly reiect it but do taste it againe and againe remembring how oftentimes disgusts do grow rather by the distemper of our sence then by any fault which is in our meats As a diseased person must for the sake of his health controle his naturall appetite and as nature in generall who seldome doth erre by offering violence vnto her particular members for her common benefite doth proue a good Physitian to her selfe So if wee cannot straine our priuate humours for a publike weale wee are senselesse and cauterized members of the commonweale and our diseases when they come they shall be desperate and deadly It was a worthy saying of him who spake so Omnis magna lex habet aliquid iniquitatis that euery great law had something of iniquitie in it not that any expresse iniustice was in the law but because when so many liue within their own Spheares onely to themselues without respect to the commonwealth it is impossible to establish any great law which shall not bring displeasure to those particular members whose actions are not ruled by common equity common reason or common good If we doe grudge against our lawes or our lawgiuers because they are not pleasant to our peculiar taste we be farre inferiour in true vertue to the Ethnicks who thought it the chiefest mark of their vertuous mind and their greatest glory to remit proper losses proper grudges and proper opinions to the common wealth The precise Cato Vticensis who might haue brooked the first dignities vnder Iulius Caesar because it was not to his mind he chose rather to die then to liue distracted in opinion from the state That vpright Philosopher Socrates hauing in his choice to be banished or to die he embraced death saying that a man cast off from his common wealth was no more a man Is it not strange then amongst vs in whom that obscure light of nature which onely did guide them is made celestiall by the diuine splendor of Gods reuealed word to see that a Christian Pastor before he will quit singularitie of opinion and singularity of name to our common wealth spirituall to the peace and credit of our Church conforming himselfe to orthodoxall lawes established by the authoritie of a most Christian Prince a setled Church and well gouerned state he will first choose either to liue at home a seditious tribune In perpetuo obstrepitâ—… or a trasfuga exiled from his natiue countrey Certainely where there is no perfect vnitie there can be no perfect peace nor perfect loue and consequently no Church because these are the whole scope of the Euangell and of all true Religion Vnanimitie is the bond which maketh the Church strong Ecce circumdedi te vinculis saith God in Ezechiel Behold I haue hedged you about with bands It is the knot and sinnewes which tye the members of Christ together in one body and therfore is so diligently recommended by him to his Apostles and so oftentimes figured to vs in the old Testament by tipes By the vestiment of the high Priest wherof euery thing was tied to another all being but one piece By the Tabernacle wherof euery thing was iointed in an other the whole standing in coniunction for wee bee so called in the Apocal. Ecce tabernaculum Dei cum heminibus habitabit cuâ—…ijs The Tabernacle of God which dwelleth among men By the vessels whereof so many as were not closed together but were open in diuers pieces they were said by the spirit of God to bee vncleane as we see in the Booke of Numbers We are the vessels who be made by the hand of our heauenly Potter of whom Saint Paul saith Alia quidem in honorem alio verò vasa in contumeliam If we be
I doe present vnto him with the right Epigramma ad Regem CVI decus immortale triplex cuique aurea cingit Gloria conspicuum Rex Iacobe caput Prima tibi antiquae fidei quum cura tuendae Proxima sit populi paxque salusque tui Procur at quod vtrumque lubens quod promouet vltro Quid tibi Seruitio gratius esse queat Tale ministerium libro hoc tibi praestat offert Hayus ab antiquis nobile germen auis Quemque suo Regem populo caput caput vnum Dum Christum omnigenis gentibus esse probat Parendum his Solum invictis rationibus vrget Quas monumenta Patrum sacraque scripta ferunt Et fugienda Lupae Babilonis pocula suadet Et quae seditio turbida monstra parit Palantesque reducit oues ad ouile Rebelles Et populos Regum flectit ad obsequium Dignum opus ingenio Domini quo munere verum Christigenam ciuem se probat esse bonum Dignum opus aeterno Genio quoque quem dabit O Rex Aspirans sacri Numinis aura tui Haec M. E. D. ⧠The Contents of the seuerall Chapters wherein this Treatise is diuided CHAP. I. Folio 1. COntaineth the occasion of the Treatise Some clâ—…ere testimonies of the perfection and plainenesse of the Scripture The Apologie of the Asse to shew the reason of the Title CHAP. II. fol. 17. Containeth two infallible grounds set downe for the better triall of idolatrous worship and preuarication in Gods seruice The first is the force of our naturall light and diuine instict of our conscience The second is a true definition of Idolatry CHAP. III. 37. Containeth a faithfull relation of the lewd open superstitions and of the ridiculous Iests of pretended Miracles which the authour did contemplate in the Church of Rome CHAP. IV. 51. Containeth a rehearsall of the impiety of Papall Indulgences that is to say Pardons and dispensasitions Of the auowed pollution of the celibate and monasticke life and of other capitall vices which be pregnant in the Court in the Cloysters and in the city of Rome to the manifest discredit of all Christian doctrine and profession CHAP. V. 65. Containeth a perfect discourse of the Orthodoxall authoritie of Christian Princes ouer the state Ecclesiasticall in the primatiue Church Of the pernicious Doctrine of the Iesuites which doe impugne the same contrary to the opinion of the French Church and of that famous Palladium of the Sorbon A discouery of the ambitious designe of this wicked and treacherous Cleargie CHAP. VI. 114. Containeth the particular means whereby it pleased God to reclaime the Authour from that idolatrous religion together with his Counsell against superstitious and popish obduration CHAP. VII 124. Containeth a paralell or comparison betwixt Ierusalem and Rome that as Rome fell away with Ierusalem so must shee bee with her subiect to reformation and restitution The order and meanes of Christian Reformation after the Example of Ierusalem Aiust expostulation against the desperat paroxisme and implacable contentions of the religious Cleargie on both sides with a most Christian admonition to them to carrie simple and vpright mindes of pacification The occasion of the euill carriage which hath beâ—…e in Christian reformations The reformation of the Church of England most perfect and most happy CHAP. VIII 148. Containeth a limitation of the Primitiue Church whereunto and to no other all Christian People are to appeale for true reformation The infallible auctority thereof The iudgement aswell of the ancients as of our Archi-reformatours touching the retaining in reformed Churches of the Primitiue and Catholike policy of Episcopall gouernment and of in different Ceremonies receiued from antiquity not contrary to Gods word CHAP. IX 159. Containeth a search of the best and surest policies which be in nature in the ciuill state in Oëconomy in morality shewing that the Monarchicall authority is most agreeable with Gods will expressed in Nature CHAP. X. 171. Containeth a discourse in fauor of Episcopall Iurisdiction by some chiefe and ingenuous Reasons which do approue the same CHAP. XI 191. Containeth the opinion of all the famous reformatours who haue beene since Luther hitherto of the Church Policy an excellent and necessary point for our information some graue and pithy speeches touching the waight of Episcopall function CHAP. XII 205. Containeth the reasons why wee should receiue againe into the Church Organs and Musicke for honour of antiquity for our domestick vnion with our more then halfe arch the Church of England and for the holy and deuote importance which is shewn to be in Musicke together with the like discourse for reception of the clerical garments which be in the same Church CHAP. XIII 233. Containeth briefly a suruey of the Princes and States which are Catholike Romans out of that a consideration of the possibilities to practise an vniuersall Reformation of Christendom CHAP. XIV 259. In the last chapter from the present condition of this Kingdome of Great Britaine is drawen a principall argument of the falling of Babel and of the approach of the Iubile of Catholike reformation the contemplation whereof is heere set downe in sundry waightie circumstances and worthy of consideration to rectifie the iudgement of euery well disposed subiect that they may truely vnderstand the mystery of this time the rare blessings of God so long reserued for our age and rightly discouer the clandestine and pretended grudges of those who carry seditious and distractedmindes from the State A VISION OF BALAAMS ASSE VVherein he did perfectly see the present estate of the Church of ROME CHAP. I. The occasion of the Treatise The perfection and plainenesse of holy Scripture The Apologie of the Asse and reason of the Title MY very NOBLE LORD it is certain that Christian faith and Christian virtue goe inseparable together that is the tree and these are the fruit and where wee see not plenty of these it is an argument of the Tree decaying So that our greatest happines in this world consists in our constant action of Christian workes howsoeuer our eternall felicitie is chiefely contemplation yet our contemplatiue life here vpon earth euen where it is most syncere doth but resemble Alpestre and mountanous grounds which be stately but barren compared with the fruitfull Valleyes of the virtuous actiue life properly obserued by that famous Doctor Greg. Mag in his Allegorie vpon the double wiues of Iacob Rachael videns pulchra sed sterilis Lea lippa sed faecunda Among vertues it hath euer carried a great reputation to trauell abroad for increase of knowledge to enter vpon the chiefest stages of the world to see aboue the vulgar reach and as the good Merchants ship to bring precious wares from farre Countries or like the industrious Bee to sucke the hony of true wisdome from the rarest herbes of experience the varieties whereof are best found in Trauelling As the Scripture saith in Eccles. He who would apply his minde to the meditation of Gods Law
manifestly published to the world in Mount Caluerie as if that great and matchlesse Citie were not long agoe abandoned of God ruined accursed and prostrate to the prophane yoke of godlesse Turcisme As if Rome it selfe were not become like to the Cities of the Plaine smoaking in the abhominable pollutions of Sodom as if Scotland had not beene Christian perhaps as soone as Rome as Tertullian writeth in his seuenth booke contra Iudâ—…os Britannorum loca Romanis inaccessa Christo subdit fuere which diuers others learned Authors haue affirmed and as if the Northern parts were not now become the seat of the Candlesticke purged from their fornications while as Rome it selfe lyeth try fling in Types and Pharisaicall Ceremonies in place of true Religion defiled with her owne blood refusing to be clensed abhorring the voice of reformation crying with the blinded Iewes Templum Domini Templum Domini And that I did so long lie in this ignorance what shall I say Spiritus spirat vbi vult quando vult yet this farre must I say for my selfe it was not neither strange in me who since my youth had beene possessed with false opinions for certainely there bee so many specious vailes which couer from a mans eies the truth of things to wit the grauity of their subtill Prelates the exterior zeale and deuotion of the people the splendor and the richnes of their Temples the maiesty and reuerence of their Seruices the glorie of the precessions their exorbitant workes of superstitious Charitie multitudes of Hospitals and conuentuall houses rented by voluntarie Contributions the stoicall and stupid austeritie of the Proselites the voluntary miserie of the Capuchins the profound Preachers of the Dominicall and Iacobin Orders the admirable policy of the Iesuitical trade withal their proud perillous vaunting of Antiquity Succession and Vniuersality these are sufficient at the first to surprise a iudicious minde and to astonish a man as if hee looked on Medusas head who drinketh of Mandragora hee is in danger of a long sleepe but who tasteth the cup of Superstition he is in danger of deadly sleepe That old Circe knoweth all the secrets of inchantment and albeit she hath amazed Kithing mountaines of dead mens bones yet of those who arriue in her Island and come within the hearing of her voice they be few who escape her incantations fewe who with Vlisses can tye themselues vnto the maine Mastes to the ende they bee not rauished with her Syrens songes which can keepe fast the sacred Anker of the pure word of God Many through ignorance and naturall inclination to superstition many againe through auarice and ambition are contented to be tranformed into beasts by the charmes of Circe This euill of superstition among spiriruall dangers it is the great rocke of our common shipwrack it is dangerous first and especially because of the feareful iudgement which God doth inflict against it For what is superstition but a false worship of God Of all the plagues and punishments vnder heauen most fearefull is that which followeth superstition the Prophet hath pronounced it against the obstinate follies of the Iewes Audite audientes nolite intelligere videte visioneÌ„ nolite cogitare nec cognoscere occoeca cor populi huius oculos 〈◊〉 claude aggraua aures eius ne fortevideat oculis auribus audiat corde intellgat coÌ„uertatur saneÌ„ euÌ„ which is to be giuen ouer by God absolutly to follow lies falshood in place of veritie at the Apostle saith vt credant mâ—…ndacio qui non crediderunt vâ—…ritati great is the honour which is bestowed on vs while we stand in Gods true worship A certaine great Deuine hath made this the difference betwixt God and good men Deus homo coelestis homo autem Deus terrestris but when we be spoiled with wicked idolatrie it maketh the Lord to say of vs homo cum in honore esset non intellexit comparatus est inmentis insipientibus factus est similis illis and was not indeed that mightie Nabuchodonozor for his wrong opinion of God changed into a beast our other sinnes for the greatest part proceed of humane weakenesse but this of wicked presumption and therefore it is commonly punished with desperate obâ—…uration Secondly idolatry is dangerous because it is ordinary and quotidian in the world as euery body hath his owne shadow so there was neuer Religion which had not his owne superstition And as the shadow is longer then the body except when the Sunne approcheth neere the Zenith and sendeth his beames downe either perpendiculer or toward a direct aspect vpon the earth as we say Euen so when the light of the Euangell makes not a direct reflexion vpon our soules and mindes to certifie our knowledge but comes vpon vs by obliquity not in puritie but mixed with humane traditions then growes superstition to be long An extraordinarie and impious excesse of Religion dissoluing the true order of Gods worship into numbers of forbidden and pharifaicall ceremonies it is the companion of true Religion for truth and falsehood are twins borne almost both in one day God spake to day in Paradise the Serpent spake next morrow Simon Peter in the Euangell spake to day and Simon Magus spake to morrow There was neuer Church free from corruption to the end chiefly from idolatrous worship Adam who was the first man created by God himself in whose person was the whole Church of God he fell away to beleeue the Deuill Aaron who was the first Priest ordained by God himselfe by a legal warrant he fell away to idolatrie Solomon who was the first king and first man commanded by God to build him a Temple for his seruice he also fell away to idolatry These no doubt be great arguments of the force of superstition Thirdly idolatry is dangerous because it is a popular disease and so is the more contagious The Israelites were once become so vniuersally Baalists that the Prophet cryed there was not one who had not bowed his knee to Baal The Ecclesiasticall histories doe record that the Catholike Church was so once generally infected with Arianisme that there was not a sincere Pastor who durst minister the sacraments of Baptisme in a publike Temple Such is the disposition of our corrupt natures to heresie and preuarication in Gods worship Nature is moued and led by the sense and in idolatrie there be so many gratious and pleasant shewes of piety as doe bewitch the senses Lastly superstition is dangerous because the multitude who are chiefely giuen vnto it can hardly discouer it they be but pecora campi as the wiseman saith in the Scripture I lookt out vpon the earth and I saw many beasts but few men Superstition while it is masked it is a most plausible thing Satan hath giuen to it a faire face and oftentimes fairer then that of true Religion after the sort of impudent whores who be more curiously deckt then the chast Ladies
not onely the soules of men but their bodies and goods yea the sacred D◅adems of annoynted Kings Was there euer a pride equall to this that a Priest shall thinke it his due that Kings and Monarks shall kisse his foote that he shall say to himselfe Sup◅ basiliscum ◅labo conoulc◅◅nem that hee shall arrogate power to sell the Kingdome of heauen and count himselfe God vpon the earth saying with Augustus Diuisum imperium cum Ioue Caesan habet stil following Gentiselime striuing as the Ethnicke Emperors did tomake it again Roma caput Mundi Such perpetual toyle busines doth that Consistory keep about this my stery that it may be said of thē as Lucianus mocking the plurality idlenes of the Poeticall gods said of Iupiter while som other god one day would haue talk't with him it was told him that he was busie quid facit parturit said one hee is a trauayling of the birth of Minerua whom the Poets faine to be bred in the braine of Iupiter Sowee may affirme of them Quod semper parturiant they bee euer bringing foorth their birth but what birth is it Minerua counsels bookes or precepts of wisedome no they doe not imitate Iupiter to bring foorth Minerua true wisedome of pietie and peace they imitate that Goddesse of wrath Nemesis who did send through the world with her Pandora the bookes of curiositie contention malignitie and dissention the bookes of vengeance and endlesse discord witnesse their Archipandora Bellarmine in his Treatise of the Papall Supremacie whereof I shall speake hereafter witnesse their Pandora Mariana the Iesuite heere you shall see what is the birth of their trauailing murther of Princes rebellion of Subiects bloud of legions desolation of Countries setting on fire the whole world for building againe that Tower of Babell which doth keepe Christian people in such desperate pacoxisme and diuision of tongues that alas wee are neuer like to speake one language so hath the Lord punished their pride their vnspeakable pride which is like vnto the pride of him who said Ascendam super altudinem nubium super moxtes Aquilonis fimilie ero altissimo They be in effect Cloudes high with proud ambition moyst and humide with letcherie bright and shining with glorious ostentation thundring with arrogance and tumults which they contriue Hi sunt nubes sine aqua quae a ventis circumferuntur saith Thaddeus this is that fatall Tower builded by that mighty Nimrod the Diuell whereof God hath concluded Tollatur in altum vt lapsu grauiore cadat It must bee mounted to great heigth that it may also haue a great fall it may be iustly called fatall the very Church doth not escape this blot but euen her first plants haue beene annoyed with these pernicious weedes of pride and ambition Aaron and Miriam grudged against Moses and did striue for authoritie The first sacred Colledge of our Christian Religion the twelue Apostles were not free of this contagion Iames and Iohn called of Saint Paul the Arch-pillers which did sustaine Christs Church they contended for the right hand of Christ. It is strange that Diuines and Prelates should not learne the wisedome of humilitie from the very stile of the Spirit of God speaking in these particulars When this Tower of Babel vnto the which I compare the pride of Rome was builded in the Land of Senair which is interpreted to stinke as is said by the posteritie of Noe the text sayes they parted from the Orient which is interpreted Christ as Zachary testifies Ecce vir Oriens nomen eius subter eum orietur lux And Luke Perviscera misericordiae Dei nostri in quibus visitauit nos Oriens ex alto they were the sonnes of Noe who went from this Orient to Sanair but from that forward the holy Spirit doeth no more call them the Sonnes of Noah but the Sonnes of Adam Descendit Dominus vidit vrbem quam edificanerunt filij Adam Euen so speaking of this pride of Iames Iohn he doth not vouchsafe them the names of Apostles nor their owne names but the sonnes of Zebedoeus Accessit ad Iesum mater filiorum Zebedei which is a notable Art of the Spirit of God to reproch pride O you blinde Prelates of Rome you sonnes of Adam and not of Noe you sonnes of Zebedeus and not Apostles why haue ye through your pride lost your names and parted from your Orient if your Tower were firmely established as that of Dauid vpon Sion no tempest were able to shake it it is but of stones taken out of the slime of the earth forged out of earthly auarice and ambition That of Dauid was founded vpon a sure rocke fundata super firmam Petram as it is said in the Gospell Ipso summo angulari Lapide Christo hauing Christ himselfe for the chiefe corner Stone therefore shall that of yours fall to the ground after the example of him who was the first author of such fabricks While I did behold at leisure in Rome this fulnesse and ouerflowing of concupiscence in mens manners one may easily gesse that it was to mee like vnto the second appearing of the Angell of God to the Asse of Balaam In that Towne which was one of the first Mother Churches where pouertie contempt miserie and glorious martyrdome had beene indured for plantation of the faith where Pastors were meerely spirituall without regard to the world after the commaundement of their Master where so many Cloystorall and Monasticall deserts of true solitude and holinesse were to bee seene of olde that now adaies no vestigium doth remaine no marke of that sanctitie yea not a cloke sufficient to couer their nakednesse nothing but an Ocean of abuses the Rulers swelling in pride and riches polluted with filthinesse and lust defiled with Idolatrie seeking the world and dominion ouer Princes contrarie to the doctrine of the Apostles Non quaerimus quae vestra sunt sed vos Contrarie to the doctrine of the Prophets mittam vobis venatores multos qui venabuntur vos saith Ieremie Vos non vestra contrarie the doctrine of Christ himselfe faciam vos piscatores hominum he saith not piscium nor yet pecuniarum The people tyed to superstition religion turned to pharisaicall ceremonies the Euangel neglected the law became Mosaicall daylie impietie of all sortes daylie sacrifices and pardons for all abominatiōs the holy deserts opened again to the world and defiled with pride and vilanons lecherie the Towne smoking in the stincke of Sodom that if those faithfull fathers their first foundatours might againe looke vpon their Successores they would cry nec nos Patres nec vos fily The first Bishops of Rome who sustained Martyrdome being in number two and thirtie before Constantine the great what would they say to the Pope who walketh vpon the neckes of Monarkes while they succeeded onlie to Christ his Crosse what would that austere Saint Francis say vnto these Idle Bellies who haue abused his simple
hoode to couer their hypocrisie or what Saint Dominicke against the beastlie pride of his successors and what holie Saint Augustine against idle pretenders of his profession which was to be Flagellum hareticorum infidelitatis to plague heresie and infidelitie Now to finde among them one of the true succession of those noble Macharij Hillarij Antonij Pauli Ignatij Tertulliani Hieronimij Cyprianij Augustini or such like of that trewe christian race it is a dreame for nothing is to be seene there but those sometime sacred mountaynes and those holie solitudes of retyred sanctitie become the desertes of Iericho the darknes of Egypt the tower of Gyantes the Furnace of Babilon the shippe of Tarsus that beleeue me it did almost moue me to teares and make me to say with the Prophet Super montes assumpsi fletum lamentum super speciosa deserti Planctum Aime Domine clamabo speciosa deserti consunipsit ignis The fire alas hath consumed the beautie of the deserts those prophane fiers of Nadab and Abihu which burne at the daylie Sacrifice that destroying fire of ambition auarice and Lecherie which is neuer furnished with fuell sufficient that fire of the loue of the flesh whereat while S. Peter stood to warme him he denyed his master It doth still burne in the hal of Calphas O oursed fire which is not on ly cōtent to burne in the coūtrey in the citie in the court in the Palaces of Prelats and rulers of the Church but it hath also spoyled the holie deserts and destroyed the beauty of the Cloyster speciosa deserti consumpsit ignis making our christian religion the opprobrie and scandall of Turkish impietie as if there were no veritie in Gods word Corruit in plat◅is veritas saith the prophet Equitas non potuit ingredi facta est vdritas in obliuionem O poore and neglected veritie now are come to passe thought I the visions of leremie Quid vides Ieremia ficus bonas bonas valde quid vides Ieremia ficus malas malas valde quae comedi non possunt So to close also this point of fleshlie concupiscence or kingdome of the world I doe appeale to the diuine light of your Lordships conscience whether you doe not thinke things being as I haue related That the Pope hath holden the bargaine which our Sauiour did refuse in accepting from Satan this worldlie kingdome whether your Lo doe not thinke that the Rulers of Rome be of such as the Lord God spake of to his people Israel by his prophet Esai My people the Rulers haue corrupted the way of thy footesteps It is they who haue burnt vp my vineyard saying againe thereafter I shall enter in iudgement with you Rulers whether your Lord doe not thinke that God is entered in iudgment alreadie with them and as it was pronounced against the Scribes and Pharises auferetur a vobis Regnum Dei dabitur Genti facienti fructum Hath he not taken from them his kingdome by remoouing the candlestick which keeps the true light the Lamp which keeps the liuelie oyle the libertie of the Gospell and hath giuen them ouer to induration which of all chastisments is the most fearefull vt credant mendacio qui non crediderunt veritati as he also no question some day shall dissipat destroy their worldly kingdome according as he hath done to the Iewes if they doe not repent Now for the last of abuses whereof I will speake I go to treate of the papall Soueraignitie as it is wickedlie and iniustlie vsurped ouer temporall kingdomes CHAP. V. The Orthodoxall authority of Christian Princes in the Primatiue Church The Papall Soueraignetie The Iesuiticall trade The opinion of the French Church concerning Princely authoritie Detection of the Iesuiticall ambition THe pernitious Doctrine of this Tyrannicall Supremacie vnknowen to antiquitie lately conceiued in the bosome of the treacherous Iesuite tending to a monstrous ambition as we shal see to the ouerthrow of good Princes and people and dissolution of all Christian discipline and obedience it doth enuenome the mindes of men with diuelish errours and armeth their hearts with odious and treasonable attempts It is that wormewood whereof the Prophet of the Gospel Saint Iohn maketh mention in his visions of the Apocalips Cecidit de coelo stella magna ardens tanquam fauilla nomen stellae dicitur absinthium facta est tertia pars aquarum in absinthium plarimi mortui sunt de acquis quia amarae factae sunt saith he there fell from the heauen a great starre burning like a flame and the name of the starre was Wormewood and multitudes died by the waters because they were become bitter It was no true starre which the Prophet did see because the true starres bee fixed and doe not fall Stell◅ manentes in ordine suo cursu aduersus Siseram pugnauerunt saith the Scripture the holy Spirit in the word of God doth compare Prelates Pastors and Rulers of Gods people to starres Qui ad iustitiam erudiunt multos quasi stellae ad perpetuas aternitates saith Daniel They who instruct and teach many righteousnesse and godlinesse be like vnto starres fixed to perpetuity As for those which appeare to be falling starres as this vision of Saint Iohn they are but grosse vapours lightned by agitation of the ayre which do quickly vanish and keepe no true light So the Iesuites lately bred in the distemperate and tempestuous ayre of the Papall tyranny they appeare to be but are not true starres in Gods Church they bee but filthie vapours which shall disappeare within short time as the whole Clergie almost of the Romane Church it selfe doth hold after the example and fortune of the famous order of the Knights Templarij whose insolencie and pride was abhorred of Christian Princes and Prelates But in the meane time they haue poysoned by the wormwood of this diabolicall doctrine the puritie of our waters euen the waters of life the word of the Gospel the Lord Iesus Christ who calleth himselfe so of which poyson who would know how many millions haue died let him read the Histories of the holy League and the Histories of France and the Netherlands for these yeeres passed and because it is so pregnant and perilous an error I will insist in it at greater length to deduce it from the fountaines of sacred and primitiue veritie For your Lordships information and many others of your profession who if you will not quit this ground to beleeue as the Church of Rome doth command you cannot want a scruple in your conscience for hauing so absolutely taken the oath of obedience seeing the contrarie is strongly maintained in Rome in meeretermes of a point Doctrinall which albeit your Lo would not credit vpon my reletion after my comming from thence where I was both care eye witnes and brought with me a true transcript of the ordinance it selfe yet now all the world doth know it since the
authoritie doth make the highest iurisdiction which cannot be denyed when all the authorities on earth are conioyned there can be nothing aboue that So we reade that Constantius did determine the processe of Saint Athanasius as his father Constantine had designed to doe before for he sent his will touching it vnto the Bishops assembled in the counsell of Tyre with the gouernour Archilaus who did sit and preside in the counsell yet in the ende the Empreour would needes banish that good father into Trâ—…ues After that againe Honoratus the gouernour with some other senatours assisted the counsell conueened in the cause of Aetius and in the counsell of Calcedon the Senatours brought thither by Ualentinian the third and Marcian did coniunctlie with the fathers iudge a great number of Bishops whose requests presented to the Empreour for that effect are yet to be read in the histories and if any man will say that these were but priuate Bishopes who were censured of the Emperours let him remember that Constantius did iudge and condemne to exile Pope Liberius at least he gaue Commission to do the same vnto Bishop Ursatius that Sextus the third did vnderly a criminall iudgement of Valentinian the third assisted with numbers of Ciuill Magistrates fortie eight Priests sixe Deacons That Iustinian made the processe of Pope Siluerius and banished him and of his successor Pope Vigilius accused of treason that Theodoricke King of Gothes did erercise the same iustice against Pope Symmachus assembling a Counsell where the whole Bishops did remit themselues vnto the wisedome of the Emperour And Gregorie the great behooued he not to purge himselfe to Mauricius the Emperor of a disorder fallen out at Rome and of the death of Bishop Malcus did he not in his ordinary letters to the Emperours stile them his Signiors and Masters how like to that is it that Rome is now become Naufragium Principum the rocke vpon the which Kings make shipwracke and the bloodie stage whereupon they act their Tragedies And this touching the forme of Ecclesiasticall iudicatorie in the Primatiue Church As for the power of Conuocation that it was granted to Princes as Soueraigns in the exterior policie of the Church it is as manifest we haue the testimonie of Ruffinus vpon the first Counsell of Nice hee saith it was assembled by Constantine the great with the aduise of the Fathers And Eusebius in the life of this Emperour for calling of this Counsell he doth not so much as mention any letter of the Pope Siluester solliciting the same contenting himselfe to say this Counsell was assembled by the honourable letters of the Emperour as a puissant armie of Christ Iesus in the which he did praeside glorying to call himselfe a common Bishop among them As for the Counsell of Laâ—…dicea Sard Selâ—… Arimini Millane and Rome which were not vniuersall Socrates and Sozemen doe testifie that they were conuocate by the onely commaundement of the Emperour Constant hereticke Arrian the same Authors beare witnesse that the second Counsell of Constantinople generall was assembled by the authoritie of Theodose the great and that of Ephesus by Theodose the yonger and that of Calcedon consisting of 630. Fathers by Valentinian the third and Martian of the fift Counsell was not the honour due to Iustinian and of the sixt to Constantine Wherein were excommunicate Pope Honorio Theodore Bishop of Phare Syrus Bishop of Alexandria heretickes monothelites these two preceeding Counsels are onely comprehended in one called Quinta Sexta Synodus because their decrees were not ample and seuerally particularised Alwayes we reade that the Emperour Constantine sent his letters to Pope Donus requiring him to direct his Legates vnto this Counsell and after his death Pope Agathâ—… his successor when he sent to haue the confirmation of his pontificat from him hee promised that his Legate should come to that Counsell conuocate by the Emperour As for the sixt Counsell Oecumenicke holden at Constantinople in Trullo was it not assembled by Iustinian the second The seuenth concerning the impugnation of images was conuocate by the authoritie of Constantine the sonne of Irene and so foorth through all the rest vntill the Empire became feeble and dismembred which power those Emperours did so absolutely keepe and vse ouer the externall policie of the Church that Theodose the great had once intended to conuocate an vniuersall Counsell of all nations and all sects of Religion to purge the Church from all sorts of schismes and heresies And this is the reason why Socrates in the entrie of the fift booke of his Historie saith he is constrained to introduce the Emperors because after their being Christians they did conuocate the generall Counsels and carrie the sway of Ecclesiasticall gouernement And this is the cause why Augustine in his ninth Epistle De correctione Donatistarum saith when it begun to be fulfilled which is written Et adorabunt eum omnes Reges Terrâ—… when Emperours and Kings became Christians then saith he what man can be so absurd as to say vnto Kings haue no rule of Gods Church within your kingdomes This it is which made Pope Leo to write to Leo Augustus wishing him deepely to consider that Royall power was not onely giuen to him Ad mundi Regimen sed praecipue ad Ecclesia not onely for the rule of the world but more of the Church as Isodâ—…re saith That whither the policie or peace of the Church bee diminished or aduanced vnder Princes they are to render count unto the Lord Qui ab ijs exiget rationem Ecclesiae sua quam corum potestati tradiderat who shall demaund from them an accompt of his Church which he hath committed to their power In Nouellis Constitutionibus 124. The truth thereof is so cleerely verified in the whole practise of this Primitiue Church that the Epistles Synodals of the first Counsell of Nice those holy Bishops did write them in this stile For as much say they as by the grace of God and by the commandement of the most sacred Emperour Constantine the great this holy Counsell hath beene assembled without any mention at all of Pope Siluester his letters the same tenor is obserued in the Synodall Epistle of the Counsell of Trullo where the Fathers did prayse Iustinian the second because he had assembled them foorth of diuers nations to the imitation of Christ who sought so carefully the straying sheepe in the mountaine This authoritie Temporall ouer the Church was exercised euen by Constantine the great himselfe who was the greatest zealator of the Church of any Emperour and who called them Gods in the Church so long as they did minister the Sacraments and holy things yet when he commeth after that to speake of the subiection and duetie of euery Bishop to him in that letter which he wrote for the assemblie of the Counsell of Tyre he saith that they should conueine vnder the paine of exile and that hee should teach all disobedient Bishops to know that they must liue vnder the
authoritie of a sacred Emperour declaring therby that in the poynts of externall policy he did esteeme them as men ordinary subiects whō in their spiritual functions he had counted as Gods The same authoritie was practised by Charlemaine who in his time did conuocate eight Councels and by his sonne Lewis Debonnaire who did assemble one And to shew it more plainely that this power to conuocate was Imperiall and not Episcopall we read how all the Popes of those dayes did write to Emperours for that effect Pope Innocent sent to Honorius fiue Bishops two Priests to obtaine a Councell for the restitution of Saint Iohn Chrysostome as we read in Euagrius Pope Leo doth beseech Valentine the third to obtaine of Theodose the yonger a Councell against Eutiches and in token that the Popes did not so much as pretend this power to assemble wee finde in Sozemene that Pope Iulius complaines onely that the Bishops of the Orient did not inuite him to the Councell of Antioch saying that a law of the Church prouided that no Decree should passe without the opinion asked of the Bishop of Rome And in Theoderet Pope Damasus makes the same complaint and in the same termes against the councel of Arimini in which such honour was done to the Emperour Constantius and such reuerence to his authoritie that the Fathers conuened there being detayned too long and being pressed to put downe some Decrees which were not orthodoxall they durst not for all that depart vntill they had the Emperours leaue and permission Further now will wee obserue the very internall Iurisdiction of the Church and that which is meerely spirituall to wit the sentence of Excommunication and how it was exercised we doe finde two things in that one is we shall not see that the primitiue Church did excommunicate any Emperour or King albeit there were more occasion against them nor is now contained in the great Bul of the holy Thursday which is yeerely published at Rome against Christian Kings and States Constantius and Valeus persecuting heretikes Trinitaries who would haue forced the Fathers to confessions against the Catholike faith were not excommunicate Theodose the second and Valentinian the third Eutichean heretikes were not excomunicate Basilieius enemie to the Councell of Calcedon Iustinian and of Kings Chilpericke King of France infected with Arrianisme Theodoricke King of Gothes Atalarichus Theodotus Vittiges and many others of whom none was excommunicate no not Iulian the Apostata nor Valentinian the second who fell in an heresie three seuerall times nor Iustinian who fell twise no when they had banished Popes themselues for wee read in an Epistle of Pope Siluerius that beng banished by Belizarius at the command of Iustinian his Master he assembled certaine Bishops to excommunicate Belizarius but did not so much as murmurre against Iustinian by whose direction he was persecuted Neither yet if they did kill a Bishop a◅ Valens who caused some of them to be drowned Secondly we obserue on this point of Excommunication that Bishops in the primitiue Church did excommunicate by the consent and permission Imperiall for Princes fearing that Church Rulers should abuse the spirituall sword made an ordinance repeated afterwards by Iustinian that no person should bee excommunicate vnlesse the cause of their sentence were before the Emperour cleerely prooued to be agreeable to the will and meaning of the holy Spirit which Saint Augustine doth expressely acknowledge in an Epistle to Boniface saying that the Church doth exercise her power against heretikes vnder the permission and power of Kings Some Bishops haue questioned hardly with Emperours as a Bishop did commaund Phillip the Emperour that hee should not enter into the Church but remaine without in the place of the Penitentiaries Saint Ambrose Bishop of Milane dealt right so with Theodosius the great but they did not pronounce any Excommunication maior against them for then they would not haue enioyned them penance if they had beene without the bosome of the Church As for Anastatius albeit some Churches as that and the Church of Ierusalem did excommunicate him yet he was euer in peace and vnion with numbers of Catholike Churches in the Orient which did declare that it was not magnum anathema but rather a t◅merarious Act howsoeuer this be such two or three exceptions will not serue against one ordinarie rule for then to meete these we finde in like manner three extraordinarie acts of Imperiall authoritie which caused excommunicate or eiect the Popes Xistus the third of that name suspected for adulterie was excommunicate by commaundement of Valens the third Theodoricke King of Gothes did eiect from the Church Pope Symmachus And the people of Rome vnder the Magistrates did forbid Pope Pelagius the assembly of the Church besides Saint Iohn Chrysostome deposed and expelled from his Church by Arcadius As for the excommunication of Arcadius done by Pope Gelasius it is doubted of in the Ecclesiasticall histories but I doe not speake of such extrauagant acts but of that which was ordinarily followed whereby it is still verified that the whole sway of Iurisdiction Ecclesiasticall was in the Emperors The Conuocation was due to them the processe went by their permission and consent their persons were exempted from excommunication as wee haue heard which bee three maine points of soueraigne Commandement For the fourth which is the confirmation of the Popes it was also due to the Emperours Constantius the sonne of Constantine hee banished Liberius and erected Pope Felix in his place yea farther hee recalled that good Prelate did establish him with the other Theodosius the great a great pillar of the Church by the right Emperiall he setled at Rome together with a Pope a Bishop of a diuers religion I thinke for satisfaction of a mutinous people Laeonius in his time was Bishop of Rome for the Church of the Nouatianes Honorius his son again comming into Italie while Boniface and Eulalius did contend for the Pontificat he chased them both away and after placed Boniface making lawes against such ambicious competences Iulius Nepos the tyrant ouercomming Glicerius the Emperour he made him Pope as Euagrius doth recorde for some hold that he made him onelie Bishop of Milane because he is not found in the catalogue of the Popes Odoacre king of the Horoli being master of Rome he made an ordinance at the solistation of Pope Simplicius and to the imitation of proceeding Emperours That no Pope should be exalted without the consent of Emperiall authoritie When the Emperours had recouered Rome from the Goths Iustinian did not only eiect Vigilius but made him come to Constantinople to be iudged offering to the people of Rome his Arch-deacon Pelagius whereupon they thanked the Emperour willing him to suffer Vigilius and after his death to establish whom he pleased which right did so continue with the seate imperiall that Saint Gregorie the greate durst not honour himselfe with his titles before he had receaued the imperiall confirmation of
weale and when there is cause an other chosen in his stead by the greatest part of the people but then to let you see that all that processe must depend from the Pope vpon the word Tyrannus they doe reason thus Tyrannice gubernans non potest spoliari sine publico Indicio lata vero sententia potest quisque fieri Executor potestque deponi a populo qui iurauerit ei obedientiam perpetuam He who raigns Tyrannously cannot be spoyled of his dominion vntill the publike sentence bee pronounced which once done he may be depriued by any yea by the same subiects who did sweare to him perpetuall obedience This publike sentence we must vnderstand is Excommunicatio Maior proceeding from the Pope How these Aphorismes doe agree with the doings of the Primitiue Church let the most ignorant iudge whither they bee not seasoned with their wormewood Vpon these two foundations of excommunication and depriuation doth of necessitie follow the third to wit murther of Kings first thundered next eiected thirdly slaine and doctrinall grounds set downe to authorise the same Gean Guignart in his treatise vpon the murther of Henry the third a good Prince and a catholike Romane he doth stablish two propositions one that the cruel Nero was murthered by a deliuering Clement whose heroicall act inspired by the holie spirit was to be reputed iust and lawfull yea and most laudable next that the crowne of France ought to be transposed to another Race and the Biarnois so doth he disdainfullie call the french king he ought to haue a monasticall crowne that is to say to be shauen and condemned to the cloyster albeit he was become a catholike Romane which if he would not accept they should by force of armes eiect him or depriue him of his life Ambrose Varades principall of the Iesuites Colledge at Paris was found the instigatour of Barrier against the late king immediatly after his conuersion to the Church of Rome Chastell who strooke him in the mouth confessed that he was taught by Iesuites that it was an act of extraordinarie great godlinesse to kill him because he was no lawfull king although he was conuerted vntill he was receiued by the Pope A letter was found of father Commelet a man most famous among them for prudence and grauitie bearing these words we must haue an Aeod let him be a monke a souldier or a sheepheard it is no matter we must haue an Aeod for the assassinat or slaughter of King Henrie the third so did their absynthiū vniuersallie poyson all that euen in the Serbon it was concluded in fauour of the Pope that his excommunication and murther was both lawful and wel acted William Parry confessed at his death that Benidicto Paulio Aniball Codreto Iesuites did persuade him that it was a most religious act to surprise the life of the late Queene of England a good Princesse replenished with Pietie vertue And who should heare the true relation of the state of Polonia since the entrie of the Iesuites there he should heare of more wicked secret practises during that time then for hundreths of yeeres before This is the doctrine and these are the practises of Papall pride with the Christian Kings of this age which being paralelled with these of the primitiue fathers it is easie to marke the antithesis So to ende this particular touching the Maxims of the Iesuisticke schooles it is the glorie which they doe cary as a bright starre in the front of all their renoune that they be daunters of puissant kings and it is found in their owne bookes in that treatise called Summa constitutionum imprinted at Lions Anno 1859. conteyning the gouernment of that societie it is sayd Tyrannos aggrediuntur lolium ab agro Domini euellunt They inuade tyrants and roote out the cockle and filth from the Lords feild And so invincible they be in this mischeuous doctrine that albeit they vnderstood Tanquerall was condemned to vndergoe a great punishment and hardlie did escape his life Anno. 1561. for suffering this Theame touching the authoritie of kings to be called in question of the Sorbon and to be disputed there yet so bould are they that euer since that tyme they did practise the court of parliament at Paris to fauour the same motion albeit oftentimes it was despightfully reiected vpon suspition of that which in effect was found true that they had couertly corrupted the Sorbon by sliding in among them some of their owne scolers neither is there anie thing in all this more strange then to heare Cardinall Bellarmine his answere for that holy carriage of the fathers of the primitiue Church with Emperours and Kings of their Tyme it was sayth he more necessarie in that time of the primitiue Church to admonish Christian people to obey temporal powers least otherwise the preaching of the Gospell had beene hindered The case being altered now when the Church is inful authoritie power her selfe which fiefor shame is no other then to make the word of God to be a religion of Foxes a doctrine of sophistrie a profession of Equiuocation consequentlie of P◅rle quia qui dubi◅r at his me◅itur bis peiur at as Cicero saith as if vpon these words Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo Christ would say to his Apostles and successours that they should obey Princes so long as they were vnder the Crosse and could doe no otherwise but when they should beginne to floorish and get the winde vpon them that then they should change the stile of the Euangell and teach a contrarie doctrine a doctrine not of Christ but of the ambitious schoole of Machauel to the stayne of Gods glorie who hath made no law but on for kings of Israel for kings of the primitiue Church and for all who haue followed vpon which point and vpon these words of our Sauiour Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo we may heare S. August as it were vpon the Theater of the world making a procliamation to secure all authorities from such feare Iealousie Audite saith he Iudaei gentes audi preputium audite omnia Regna terrena non i◅podis domination◅ ve◅am in hoc mundo O heere yee Iewes and gentiles yee circumcised and vncircumcised heere yee all the kingdomes of the earth Christ maketh no stoppe nor opposition to your authorities temporall and we reade S. Bernard vpon this text in the 12 of Saint Luke where one said to Christ master tel my brother vt mecum diuidat here ditatem that he may diuide our heritage he answered homo quis me constituit Di◅isorem aut Iudic◅m super vos who appointed me a iudge ouer you or diuider of your lands whereupon Saint Bernard saith stetisse lego Apostolos iudicandos sedisse iudicantes non lego I read saith hee that that the Apostles stood to be iudged but that they did sit ◅o Iudge I read not Their successors indeed the Bishops of the
before for after his person had beene inuaded and he stricken in the mouth with a knife wherevpon the high parliament of Paris did pronounce the edict of their banishment and erected a pyramide to remaine the perpetuall testimonie of their villanous perfidie he did pardon them restore them and trust them and partlie I say these attempts haue ben in the great mercie of God preuented when they haue beene plotted against the life of our most gratious Soueraign as the whole world doth know namely by that diabolioal machination of thundering massacre bred in the tempestuous ayer of these infernall spirits the Lord God by a miraculous inspiration made his maiestie to foresee that hellish cloude of powder before the fire was yet broken out The memorie whereof should make this whole kingdome to shake for feare and to cry to God that it would please him to preserue his sacred person from these cruell Hunters because he is now the principall obiect of their malignitie and that prince of all the earth whom they doe most feare hate Seeing how God who hath raysed his horne hath also iustâ—…fied his exaltation by markes more like to Moses and Solomon then vnto Cyrus he hath not onelie holden his right hand and possessed it with monarchiall state strong feareful to his enemies as he hath done to Cyrus made numbers of strange nations who did before striue to depresse him come to honour and admire his regall throne come to aske of him the peace of their people which he hath done also vnto Cyrus saying The labour of Egypt the merchandice of Ethiopia and of the Sabines shal come to thee men of stature shal come to thee and fall downe before thy face saying God is surelie in thee which we haue seene come to passe by ouerflowing of his maiesties court with forraine people with forraigne riches and forraigne presents and by the glorious Spainyard his solicitation of his maiesties wisedome to further his peace with the Netherlands But the lord also hath granted vnto his maiestie the vnderstanding of Moses to build his tabernacle to restore vnto his people the primitiue Gouernment of the Church approoued by catholike antiquytie for a prognosticat that he intendeth to make him the instrument of farther reformation in Christendome And he hath granted vnto him Solomon like knowledge and learning to mayntayne by publicke wryts the riches of his royall Soueraignitie against all those insidious grounds of the craftie Iesuite which is the reason why I must boldly affirme it that there is none of that societie in the world who doth loue his person in other tearmes then Cicero loued Octanius when he called him bonum puerum colendum To proceede there is neither Prince prelate nor priest within the Church of Rome who hath not his displeasure against this doctrine derogatiue to kings except Italians Spainiards and Iesuites be cause that Papall supremacie doth challenge to be aboue the generall counsels taking from Catholike princes that libertie to conuocate them which was due to their predecessors in the primitiue church because it doeth debarre all Cardinalles except Italians from the papall dignitie because it is onely granted to the Iesuites to go through and plant religion hauing infinite priuiledges graunted vnto them for that cause which be hurtfull to all other order of secular and cloysterall priests This is the reason why of these three Italians Spaniards Iesuites there is not on who doth not eschew as a pest the meeting of generall counsels for howsoeuer they doe pretend this quod nunquam acquiescunt heritici they must be vnnecessarie say they because heretickes will neuer rest to the voice of counsels yet this is the misterie and trueth no cardinall must presume to sit in Saint Peters chayre but an Italian no king must ouerrule the consistorie in his election but the Spanyard whom also they thinke to deuoure in the end albeit now he thinketh himselfe their Dictatour in perpetuum and no prince but he may aspire to brooke an heriticall kingdome confiscat by the fulmination of Rome by which kinde of tittles he doeth enioy the Indies and Nauar as the like hath bene graunted to his father Phillip the second by Pope Pius Quintus who did excommunicate the late Queene of England nor no orders of Religion other then the Iesuites may be negotiatours in them or knowe the secretes of this gouernment whereof this is a mayne pointe to decline generall Counsels least these abuses should bee vrged to bee reformed least the King of Great Brittaine should vrge the restitution of Patriarchall libertie for the weale of the Catholike Church least a French King vrge the residence againe of a Pope in Auignion least both should concurre to controle this vsurped fiske of Rome so leasl the fruits of this forbidden Tree of their domination should be made common to all Princes alike and to all Cardinals alike the which mysterie most clearely did appeare in the Sessions and circumstances of the Counsell of Trent for the Emperour Charles the fift being a wise and religious Prince and most studious by all meanes to pacifie the broyles of his Countreyes of Germanie mooued by the Lutheran reformation hee did by obstinate instance hardly obtaine from the Pope the Conuocation of that Counsell which as the Historie saith so soone as it was graunted him Tam citâ—… compedes Pontifici iniectos existimaâ—… he thought that hee had put the Pope into chaines hauing his whole designe to reforme the Church of Rome in matters of gouernement of manners and of grosser points of worship by aduise and concurrence of the whole Christian Embassadours and Commissioners there without respect to the Cardinals of Rome who for all that did so Italiniâ—…e and circumuent the Embassadours Tramontani as they call them making the French Embassadours to beleeue that the Emperour did vrge some secret course for himselfe with the Pope enforming as much againe to the Embassadour of the Emperour against the French they procured in priuate both their warrants in writ without knowledge the one of the other that nothing should be mooued in that Counsell but from the mouth of the Nuncio of Rome whereupon did follow that nothing was disputed there but points of meere doctrine and these most rigorously concluded while as that good Emperour had resolued to heale the Scandalized world as is well vnderstood by that conference in Germanie which is called the Emperours Interim where hee himselfe did condescend to the Matrimonie of Churchmen to the administration of the Sacrament both in bread and wine and other points which be holden hereticall in Rome and during all his life time he did mightily lament the deceit of that Counsell which is to bee verified by diuers Autographicall letters that is to say written with his owne hand and yet extant in the custodie of a Nephew of him who was French Embassadour at Trent in the foresaid Counsel called Pibracke dwelling at Paris as I take it But
the Mountaine which shall neuer disappeare so liuely seene by that Prophet of the olde Law that other of the New Ezechiel and Saint Iohn being both in one extasie whereof Saint Iohn said in his vision in the Apocolyps Sustulit me Angelus in montem altissimum c. The Angell of God tooke me vp into a high Mountaine and shewed mee the holy City of Ierusalem comming downe from heauen couered with the beauty of God and whereof Esay saith Tu vocaberis quaesita Ciuitas non derelicta Thou shalt be called a Citie sought for and not abandoned And whereof the Prophet Dauid maketh a glorious description Gloriosa dicta sunt de te Ciuitas Dei c. But speaking of places what Christian Church or Towne may compare to Ierusalem who was the Mother Citie not onely of Iewish but of Christian Religion The Law went out from Sion saith the Apostle Et non peribit lex à Sacerdote saith the Prophet She was like vnto Noah who preached vnto two Worlds as I haue said And if Rome may bragge of Gods promise aboue Ierusalem why hath Dauid said in his Psalme to the derogation not onely to the Mountaines of Rome but of all others Why bragge yee thus yee Hilles most hie And leape for pride together This Hill of Sion God doth loue And there will dwell for euer Alwaies it is enough by way of comparison for the first they did both boast of Templum Domini for the second as it was long before prophesied that Ierusalem should fall away and become an Adultresse as the Lord said to Hosea Goe take vnto thee a Wife of Fornication and Children of Fornication Quia fornicando fornicabitur terra ne eat post Iehouam Because the whole Land shall be defiled that it should not follow the Lord. So do we finde in the Euangelicall prophesies of the Apoc a prediction of the falling away of Rome cleere enough thirdly as Ierusalem now fallen in her filthinesse was sayd of the Prophets to haue a Whores forehead who would not be ashamed And againe the faithfull Citie was become a Harlot shee who was full of Iustice was now full of Murthers her siluer was become drosse her wine mixed with water her Princes companions of Theeues euen so during all this fall of the Church of Rome there hath neuer beene wanting singular men whom God did stirre vp to rebuke her for her pollution And as Ierusalem did persecute her Prophets so hath Rome long since persecuted these euen with cruell martyrdome as Ierom Sauanarola and Iohn Husse in speciall with numbers moe thereafter in diuers Countries Fourthly Rome is now in that same condition which Ierusalem was in when the Prophet Ezechiel was carryed of the Angell by the hayre from Babilon and placed in the inner part of the Church of Ierusalem where saith he I was commaunded to looke vpon the great Idoll of indignation which was in the entrie whose abhomination saith the Lord causeth me to depart from my Sanctuarie What other thing I pray your Lordship is that Idolatrous worship of Rome which I haue related then a great Idoll of Gods indignation as it is conioyned with that scandalous impietie of manners Then further it was saide to Ezechiel Turne thee and thou shalt see greater abhominations enter at the gate of the inner Court and digge a hole through the wall where thou shalt behold similitudes of all abominable things and all the Idols of the house of Israel painted vpon the walles and thou shalt see the seuentie Ancients of the house of Israel standing with Censours in their hands and the vapours of their incense going vp like a Clowde and yet dost thou not see what they doe in the darke euery one in the chalmer of his images saying to himselfe The Lord hath left the earth and doth not see any more And I did see one saith the Prophet who stood mourning for Ierusalem Can any thing bee more like to the Colledge of their seuentie Cardinalls who haue their Palaces throughly adorned with idolatrous images of all sores and the Altars within them smoking with daily incense of ascending vapours and who can digge a hole through the wall that is to say who can see through the clowde of these externall shewes of pietie to behold the secret practises of their Consistorian Councell or to behold the works of darknesse which be in their secret Cabinets and sensuall solitudes hee would assuredly say that they did also thinke the Lord had left the earth and did no more see their actions But specially one shall perceiue and consider the likenesse of Ierusalem and Rome by foure points rehearsed by the Prophet in his sixteene Chapter First he doth introduce God obiecting to her the weakenesse and miserie of her youth saying O Ierusalem when thou wast borne thy nauell was not cut thou wast not washed in water to soften thee and when I saw thee polluted in thine owne blood I had pitie on thee and said thou shouldest liue I did sweare vnto thee and thou becamest mine A viue portract of the first age of the Church of Rome the first 300. yeeres of her being vnder the crosse from Christ to Constantine the great during all which time the citie of Rome did lie pitifully defiled with the blood of the Apostles Saints and Martyrs vnder the persecuting Emperours Secondly God doth obiect vnto her the Grandure and beautie whereunto hee had exalted her and made her the most conspicuous city in the world saying Ierusalem I entered a couenant with thee and thou becamest mine I washed the blood from thee I clothed thee with broydered worke I couered thee with silke I gaue vnto thee bracelets chaines and all kind of ornaments I put vpon thy head a beautifull crowne I made thee eate of fine flower hony and oyle and thou grewest vp vnto a kingdome and thy name was spread Which doth most competently figure the second age of the Church of Rome now washed from her blood and put in prosperitie from the dayes of Constantine to Pope Boniface the third who did vsurpe the vniuersall Popedome and began to erect in it a kingdome as no man can take exception against it Thirdly the Lord doth obiect against her by his Prophet her pride and declination saying Ierusalem thou didst trust in thy beauty and play the harlot because of thy renowne thou hast taken the faire Iewels of gold and siluer which I gaue thee and madest Images of them vnto thy selfe and diddest commit whoredome with them thou hast taken thy sons daughters which were borne vnto me sacrificed them to be deuoured of those thou hast not remembred the dayes of thy youth when thou wast naked and bare Thou hast builded thy high places vpon mounts and at euery corner of the way thou hast made thy beauty to be abhorred The application whereof to the present condition of Rome is so conuenient Quod etiam
the Prophet to the Israelites during their captiuitie My children as it came into your minde to goe astray from your God so endeauour your selfe ten times more to seeke him saith the Prophet We haue all here forgotten our exemplar for the Church of Rome on the one side contrary to Daniel and the Iewish reformation she cryeth that neither she nor her Prelates nor her Priests haue transgressed and that they cannot etre and therefore they haue no need of reformation Vpon the other side againe we who doe see her abominations wherewith shee hath defiled the Sanctuary and corrupted Christian Religion in place to say with Daniel Lord turne thy wrath from Ierusalem thy holy Mountaine haue pittie on thy holy Citie wherethy name was once truely called on Ierusalem is a reproach to all that are about her wee doe cry because the Church who was sometimes chaste vnto thee O Lord is now become Fornicatrix therefore destroy her because shee hath polluted the Catholike saith therefore diuorce vs from her O Lord thus lying ouer into implacable paroxisme and strife while one sayes he ought not to be reformed because hee cannot erre and his aduersaries exclaime that he is so contagious as he is not capable of reformation one cryeth for a sole and soueraigne Bishoppe to commaund both Church and State both Prelates and Princes an other cryeth that he will haue no Bishop at all ctc. There is a sort of enchaunted Papists whom the waters of the Iesuiticall absynthyum haue so venummed that they will not remit one dramme weight of the superstitious worshippe of their great Idoll if it were for the peace of the whole Sanctuarie There be againe a Sect of extrauagant and heteroclite Puritans of the late stampe I speake not of any iudicious good man who doth discharge his function in Gods feare and the obedience of his Prince to Christian education but of these Anabaptisticall Clerks Quiout labouche sans bride as the French saith who carry no bridle in their mouthes being in opinion of Gouernments whatsoeuer meerely Republicanes against the Architype and order of God not onely despising Princely authoritie with the Iesuite but vilipending all Prelates in the Church in fauours of a fantasticall Anarchie or a seditious popular tribunat forged in their owne braynes obstinately refusing to accept for doctrine for manners for policie whatsoeuer almost haue beene in the Church of Rome if it were neuer so good these be most wretched and pernicious humours of men carrying factious and vehement spirits blowne vp with the vapours of Pandoras boxe and abhorring the peace of Israel with both which I must expostulate in this place and say vnto them as the Prophet commanded to cry in the eares of the rebellious Iewes of his time Confregistis iugum rupistis vincula you haue disolued the bands of Catholike loue and vnitie you haue broken the yoke of Christian societie you are obstinate against desires of reformation you doe Iudaise but Moses did Christianize who for the sake of that Idolatrous people would haue beene rased out of the Booke of life Saint Paul did the same who would haue beene anathema for the loue of his Christian folke but all your meditations your writtes your sermons be like vnto these inuolued Rolles brought by the Angell vnto Ezechiel wherein was written nothing within nor without but lamentations mournings and woe you haue no sparke of Christian charite left without which it is impossible to please God know you not that in the Scripture this charitie is properly said to be a fire we read in Leuiticus Vt ignis in altari semper ardeat That the fire should neuer goe out vpon the Altar which is a true mysterie and type of that Christian loue which should be vnder the Euangell for now there is no Altar leftvs but the Altars of pure hearts before the Lord nor no Sacrifice bur of contrition faithfull prayers and loue The lawe Euangelicall as I said before is the perfection of the naturall and Mosaicall and loue againe as the Spirit of God doth testifie is the end of this law finis legis est charitas in which words the Apostle doth attribute as much to loue in Theologie as in Philosophie is giuen to Iustice speaking of Cardinall vertues Iustitia in se virtutes continet omnes That Iustice hath in it all vertues euen so saith the Apostle if wee haue as much faith to cause Mountaines remooue and want loue it is all nothing This loue is euer commanded de proximo of our neighbour Thou blinde Papist canst thou haue a neerer brother then the Protestant And you precise Puritans can you but esteeme them your pitifull brethren who liue in Papall ignorance Dilige pro quo mortuus est Christus saith Paul Will you follow the example of Christ did he not both pardon and pray to God for those who slew him whose ignorance was aboue all ignorance their vnbeleefe aboue all vnbeleefe and fault aboue all faults without vnitie and loue there can be no perfect Church because that is the whole scope of the Euangel as I haue saide and of all true Religion vnanimitie is the bond which maketh the Church strong Ecce circundedi te vinculis saith God in Eze. Behold I haue hedged you about with bands This loue is the knot which bindeth together the members of Christ in one body therfore is so diligently recommended by him to his Apostles that they should remaine fast and conioyned among themselues by so many types in the old Testament is figured vnto vs this Christian concord and vnitie by the vestiments of the high Priest whereof euery portion was ioyned to another the wholebeing one peece By the Tabernacle whereof euery thing was ioyned into another the whole standing in coniunction for are we not so called in the Apocalips Ecce Tabernaculum Dei cum hominibus habitat cum ijs The Tabernacle of God which dwelleth among men By the vessels whereof so many as were not closed together but were opened and in diuers pieces they were said by the spirit of God to be vncleane as we see in the Booke of Numbers we are the vessels who bee made by the hand of our heauenly potter of whom S. Paul saith Alia quidem in honorem alia vero vasa in contumeliam some be vessels of honour and some of reproach you haue your mouth open to spewe out contumelies and malignitie one against another and therefore take heed you shew not your selues vessels of dishonour you haue not this Christian fire of charitie whereof the spirit of God saith Quod operit multitudinem peccatorum That it couereth multitude of sinnes The Altars of your hearts are kindled with the prophane fires of Nadab and Abihu the fires of pride arrogancie and contradiction fires of mutuall rayling and Philippicke Inuectiues where Pastors in place to perswade Christian loue vnity and mutuall compassion after the example of our Sauiour they
ninth Chapter practise that hard iudgement where God did command the destroying Angell saying Incipite à sanctuario meo Goe through destroy both young and old and all sexe but begin at my sanctuary and in that same place commandement was giuen to him who was clad in linnen to marke them with the letter Tau whom hee should finde mourning for the abomination of Ierusalem Most blessed are these Pastours whose delight is with the renowmed Iunius Spirare vnitatem Ecclesiae to sing as hee hath done the sweete harmony O quam bonum quam incundum est habit are fratres vna Oh how good a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnity and blessed are those Preachers who mourne for Ierusalem with those who were saued in Ezechiel for if they mourne many shall mourne with them if they shall carry that happy letter in their front multitudes shall carry it with them Secundum iudicem populi sic populus saith Salomon as the Rulers be in heart affected to peace or distracted euen so are the people God of his mercy so grant it that they may still heare in their eares that sound of the great S. Paul Si distribuero omnes meas facultates pauperibus si corpus meum ita vt ardeam charitatem auteÌ„ non habuero nihil mihi prodest If I should saith he spend all my riches on the poore if I should burne my body for zeale and haue no charitie it doth auaile me nothing But now to follow our purpose speaking of Christian reformation a more sure president and exemplar then Luther and Bucer haue wee for the peace of the Church to follow all that which hath beene obserued by antiquitie not contrary to Gods word Let vs consider the graueiudgement of the worthy learned Zanchius chiefe planet of our own spheare as you shall read it here sincerely translated from his owne Text De vera reformandaruÌ„ Ecclesiarum ratione of the true way of the reformation of Christian Churches Whatsoeuer saith hee is in the Church of Rome it is either agreeable to the written word contrary to it or indifferent For the first that which is agreeable is to be retained or if it was reiected it s againe to be receiued For the second that which is contrary is to be refused or if it hath bin followed it is again to be forsaken For the third that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or indifferent First we must not account of it as if it did belong vnto saluation next wee must follow the rule of the Apostle that nothing be brought into the Church but that which doth tend to edification order or vnitie all indifferent ceremonies and rites therefore may be followed saith hee for one of these respects but so followed as that wee doe still preferre things more ancient to those which are more late aswell for the honour of antiquitie as because of the true saying of Tertullian Quo quid in Ecclesia antiquius eo etiam verius That which is the more ancient in the Church is the more true Whatsoeuer saith Zanchius is besides the written word either in the generall Councells in the Fathers or in the papall Decrees they bee vnder the aforesaid distinction so that albeit nothing can binde the conscience but canonicall Scripture yet to introduce nouelties in the Church or to banish any thing which from primitiue times haue beene allowed by Catholike consent to doe such things without the authoritie of generall Councells it is not lawfull for any man who feareth God saith Zanchius Seeing this profound and truly reformed Diuine who was in his time Lucidum sidus a bright starre in the Church doth so reuerence antiquity is it not wonderfull that wee I know not who wee who haue scarcely beene twise or thrise in a pulpit wee who ought to say much more then Iob did hesterni sumâ—… igâ—… that we should contemne antiquitie and mock the primitiue policy ceremonies of the Church seeing the Prophet Ieremy hath so recoÌ„mended the credit of antiquity in his time as to say State super vias antiquas videte qua sit via antiqua bona ambulate in ea inuenietis refrigerinuÌ„ animabus vestris Stand vpon the way saith he and behold and aske which is the ancient good way and walke in it and ye shall finde refreshment to your soules seeing the Prophet Esay foretelling the reformation of the Church doth altogether ground it vpon antiquity saying I will restore vnto you your Iudges as they were before and your Elders as they were anciently that then you may be called a Citie of righteousnes and a faithfull Citie And Iob a man of God full of wisdome aske saith hee the former ages and enquire diligently of their Fathers and Christ himselfe did so honour antiquity for reformation that hee did reduce them thereunto saying in the case of matrimony Non sic fuit ab initio It was not so from the beginning In that speech of Zanchius we do marke this that the reiecting of any ancient Tradition which is not contrary to Gods word it is not onely to depart from the Church of Rome which also is a fault to breake any bond of vnity where it may be kept with a good conscience but it is also a departing from the primitiue Church from the which these were deriued in the Church of Rome and I doe appeale vnto the diuine light of your conscience whither you be Papist or Puritan if you doe not thinke this ground of Zanchius to bee a most sure and Christian meanes to reforme the Church of God for certainely it is not onely at Rome nor onely at Geneua where good Christians are made nor they onely who haue had the right gouernment of Christs Church Ambition and Tyranny hath spoyled the Ecclesiasticall policy there and nakednesse and pretended puritie hath made it contemptible heere and both haue the like ends to make the world to cry Great it Diana among the Ephesians and there is none but she Alwayes this opinion of Zanchius iumpe with that of S. Augustine which I haue rehearsed and with all antiquitie for acceptation in the Church of the ancient gouernment and indifferent ceremonies tending to edification or vnitie because it doth concerne vs who be subiects of Noth-britanne not onely for the hope of Catholike or vniuersall reformation which was the thing meant by those Diuines but it concernes vs more neerly for intestine vnity and coniunction with our half-arch the Church of England whose reformation because it hath beene blessed of God and most perfect of all those of later times wee are the more specially bound to embrace it seeing our opposition thereto is not onely to bee against Gods glory by maintaining distraction within the Church but it is apparantly aschismatike alienation from the state for Religion is the soule of the ciuill state And consequently dissention in religion dissention in the state therefore out of
and that hee should minister life and light to other creatures Doeth not your courtly witted Tacitus tell you that euen the best Princes are iealous of Soueraigne points if any striue to keepe a constant eclipse vpon a Kings face that it may not shine vniuersally drawing the whole reflexe vpon himselfe hee saith it is arcanum imperij a mystery of the Maiesty It is the fault of Prothemeus to steale the sacred and royall light to participate of the Maiesty becom guilty of a Soueraigne point it is to eate of the forbidden Tree seeking to be like vnto God who as in one Vniuerse he is only one Center vnto the which the end of all motions and the glory of all actions doe returne so is a King in one state a only one Center wherin the whole weight and praise of gouernment doth rest So that you who doe abuse the diuine bounty which shineth in some rare good Princes you become as the same Tacitus saith Foedum mancipium malis artibus ambitiosum a sordide slaue of Ambition yee doe snare your selfe into the wicked arts of the same to your ignominious ouerthrow and to the eternall testimony of royall piety and iustice in him who doth punish you for it Therefore as his Maiestyâ—… our gracious Soueraigne hath beene the first happy Prince in the world by his wise and skilfull creation of those whom hee hath preferred to the chiefe dignities of his fauour witnessed by their great seruice to the State of whom many be gone and numbers yet doe liue through his Maiesties dominions so let you onely contend among your selues for that Angelicall happinesse to flye the wicked spirit of proud emulation that you on the one side may detest that vnnaturall and monstrous enuy of the brethren of Ioseph among the soones of one family and he on the other who among his brethren findeth himselfe beloued of his father doe not abuse himselfe with the dreames of Ioseph vnlesse he haue also his propheticall spirit T is a fearefull thing to consider how ingrate and rebellious people doe oftentimes constraine good Princes to offend against God and procure his iudgements both against their Princes and against themselues whereof we haue that terrible example of the punishment of Moses for the murmuration of Israel at the waters of contradiction therefore that it should not befall vnto vs as it did vnto them that the Lord doe not take from vs our great Captaine Let vs no more murmure nor grudge but seeing we see his Oracles haue hitherto been from God and that the Lord hath said to him as hee said to Moses Feare not I shall be with thee which our conscience wil confesse if we examine our selues how many times we haue seen the Lord miraculously vpon his side Let vs with Zanchius say who are we to oppose ourselues against such Lawes as he hath alredy established or may heereafter doe by the authority of a setled Church and well gouerned estate Let vs acknowledge both Papist Puritan and Protestant the reuealed mystery of this time wherein wee are and reuerence this great Instrument of God who hath opened the seale thereof and vnder whom wee are come from Egyptian bondage to be a great and mighty Nation Let vs honour this Orient light which doth arise with him after so long eclipse both in the Church and in the Common-wealth that being confirmed and strong by intestine vnion we may by the force of vnited mindes aspire to that Christian ambition to be led vnder our excellent Moses or Ioshua to that ioyfull Iubile of the Catholike harmony of Christendome and to eiect those detestable and vile Amalakites of the Turkish race that making so our way into the Land of Holinesse wee may all cry in one voyce as the Prophet foretold of latter times Venite ascendamus in montem Domini Come brethren let vs ascend together into the mount of the Lord which is the onely scope of an vpright Christian Amen Now hauing treated thus farre fot the glory of God and edification of his Church I will craue your pardon who are a discreete Reader to speake two words for the iustification of my voyage to Rome The credit wherof hath beene so miserably dilacerate by some Papists who say that I went thither expressely per fare la spia to play the spie that I receiued the Popes money and payd him backe with false measure at my returning homeward And I affirme in this foro publico contrary to these that I went to Rome out of meere zeale to the Papall Religion that I should not prooue ingrate to so great a personage as the Pope I confesse to haue beene beholding to his humane and courteous behauiour towards mee during my residence within his dominions And to the true affection of some few of his Cardinals and certaine other chiefe persons in whose manners to speake ingenuously and Christianly I did see nothing but vertuous conuersation much zealous mention of the Primitiue simplicity of the Church great remorse for her present diuisions and many hearty wishes that it would please God to make his Maiestie of Great Britain another Constantine and to blesse their daies with Christian peace and vnity But I affirme that I did neuer receiue any money nor benefit whatsoeuer of the Pope of his Cardinals Iesuites or any other persons whatsoeuer within the Romane Church except in medals beades Agnus Deies Indulgences and such childish toyes and trash whereof I made small accompt euen then much lesse now I affirme that I did neuer wrong the Pope nor any Papist whosoeuer except this be wrong Quod metui danaos dona ferentes that is to say that being Papist my selfe I was as diuers were of my Countrey men professed religious in the Romane Church beyond seas contrarious to the alluring Iesuist because I knew him to be Enemie to my Soueraigne King and Country and except by my renuntiation now of his Idolatrous religion Further I affirme that I might haue pursed the Popes money and would not And I sweare by that blessed Trinitie whose countenance I hope in the merit of my Redeemer to enioy that all these my foresayd affirmations are sincere and true And what one among a number of you who haue so prodigally and vniustly spent my Reputation is able to make the like Apologie for himselfe that hee hath neither receiued nor refused that hostile money vnlesse he will betake himselfe vnto his lessons of Aequiuocation What came to my knowledge of the deuises of those who seeke the destruction of this Kingdome whereof I am a member or of the counsels againe of such as were knowen to bee faithfull frinds and fautours of the same all that I did most sincerely relate by his Maiesties appointment vnto the first watchmen of the State vnder his Maiesties selfe all tending to this same end whereunto this present discourse is directed that is to the assuring of his Maiesties Crowne from the treacherous craft of