or peruert the matters of the Church and bryng thinges into the Church which Gods word hath not allowed and fill all thinges with mens traditions Furthermore we haue notable examples of those Emperours and Princes which accordyng to the Prophesies came into Christes Church and renownced their heathenishnesse and shewed themselues faithfull fosterfathers ouerséers and defenders of the Church Among the first in account is Constantine who for his noble actes and manifold vertewes was surnamed the great This man closed vp the temples of idols and abolished all heathenish sacrifisings In Nice a citie of Bithynia he called a Counsell the greatest of all Counsels and of most authoritie And there he rebuked the Byshops sharply and layd his commaundement vpon them set order in the matters of the Church Eusebius in the life of Cōstantine is not afrayd to terme this Prince a Byshop bycause he did most diligently looke to the matters of the Church If any man require the authors wordes thus they be Cōstantine sayth he imployed his care vpon the Church of god And bycause many were at oddes among themselues in diuers places he beyng ordeined a common Byshop by God sommoned a Dyet of Gods Ministers Neither disdained he to be at it himself to sit amōg them to become a felow of theirs to dispose to all of them the thynges that made for the peace of god Thus much sayth he Behold here is a Councell called not by the Pope but by the Emperour Wherupon when one Ruffinus obiected a certein Councell agaynst Ierome he aunswered saying shew thou me what Emperour commaunded it to be assembled Moreouer the strife of the Byshops had burst further out if this Emperour had not bridled them and brought them to order This Prince by his intermedlyng in matters of Religion of the Church dyd within a while not onely salue them but also greatly further them Which thing the Emperours Valentine Gratian and Theodosius did in likewise as it appeareth in the beginnyng of Iustinians Code And the Emperour Theodosius in Nouellis tit 2 concerning Iewes Samaritanes c. confesseth to Florentius that the searchyng out of Religion is the chief charge and greatest care that belonges to the Maiestie of an Emperour Also the Emperours Leo and Anthemius in L. omnes C. concernyng Byshops and Clerkes haue set downe by name that Ciuill Magistrates were and ought to be iudges of the Byshops And before the reigne of these Archadius and Honorius in L. Quicunque C. concernyng Byshops and Clerkes denounce a Byshop that breakes the common peace to be vnworthy the name of a Bishop and depose him from his Bishoprike and finally will that he shal be banished The Emperour Iustinian about the yeare of our Lord 550 made many lawes openly settyng order in matters of the Church appointyng Byshops Clerkes what they should do And in Nouellis Constit. 123. he commaūdeth the Presidentes of Prouinces that if the Byshops forslow to kéepe conuocations then they should do it and execute the lawes and mainteyne the ordinaunces of the Church Furthermore Charles the great kyng of Fraunce and Emperour and his sonne Lewis the milde published many Ecclesiasticall lawes concernyng the holy doctrine the ministration of the sacramentes and the Ministers them selues Abbot Ansegisus compyled their lawes into foure bookes But it would be too tedious to rehearse and of these lawes therby to shew and proue that which is otherwise sufficiently proued already namely that the charge of Religion and of Church matters perteineth also to Kynges and Quéenes and that it is no monstruousenesse at all though the ciuill Magistrate determine of matters of Religion vnles those so many so mightie and so holy Kynges Princes and Emperours whose examples I haue hitherto alledged were all monsters But no such thyng can sinck in godly mens mindes who doutlesse do rather beleue that Pope of Rome the author of this rayling Bull is a monster both most hideous and most vgly as hath ben sayd also héertofore Which thinges beyng vndoutedly so the vertuous Quéene of England hath done nothing amisse but rather she hath done her dewtie and deserued eternall prayse for succoryng the persecuted and forwéeryed state of the English Church and for takyng vpon her the case of Religion which she hath vertuously disposed hetherto accordyng as she began at the first deposing from their estate and office the bishops that were sworne to the pope which preached the pope and papistry and not Christ our Lorde and his pure Gospell and preferring to their roomes men sworne to Christ our Lorde and to the Quéenes Maiestie which preache Christes Gospell sincerelye through the whole Realme without any corruption of popery The slaunderous Bull rayling vppon these Ministers of Christ lawfully ordeyned by the Quéene termeth them in way of disdaine and reproch lewd preachers and ministers of wickednes But it is well for them for Christ our Lord sayth Blessed are ye when men reuile you and speak all euill against you béelying you for my sake Furthermore the Apostle was not ashamed to name him self a publisher or preacher of the Gospell neyther are they lewde preachers which according to Paules saying deuyde the woord of truth rightly and honestly and endeuour to shew themselues allowable woorkmen afore God neyther are they ministers of wickednesse that do theyr seruice vnto Christ and his Church with all faythfulnesse and singular dilligence I will not say at this present how cruell those bishops whom the Quéenes Maiestie hath deposed frō their estate cast in prison were when they had the law in their owne handes agaynst the faythfull professors of Christ nor how stubbornely they sticked to idolatry and to the Romane Idoll vnto whome they had bound themselues by othe defending most pestilent and manifesterrors and continewing malicious and vnappeasable enemies of the truth of the Gospell in so much as the Quéenes Maiestie neither could vse their seruice nor ought to wink at their rebelliō traiterousnes lewd meaning if she meant to aduaūce maintain the peace of hir realme the welfare of hir people the procéeding of the Gospell Therefore if these men pyned away for sorrow and dyed miserably in prison that is nothing to the Quéenes Maiestie for they may wite it vppon theyr owne vniust stubbernesse ioyned with maliciousnes they may wite it vpon their owne most wilfull rebelliousnesse and in generall vpon their owne wickednes And as for those that be punished or put to death for their owne offences the righteous Lord God geueth sentence vpon them in his owne law saying Their bloud be vpon their owne heades Most excellent and true also is the sentence of S. Iohn Chrisostome No man is hurt but by himself Furthermore Paule in expresse wordes to the Romanes saith Princes are not a terror to them that do well but to them that do euil but wilt thou not feare power thē do the thing that is
holy Priestes and Kynges beloued of God haue not done afore for we read of Ioiada the faithful Priest in the house of the Lord that he made a couenaunt betwixt the Lord the Kyng and the people verely euen by bynding them vnto God with an othe accordyng to the law and by separatyng them from all superstition and Idolatrie Of Esdras we read thus Esdras therfore arose and compelled by othe or sweare the Princes the Priestes and all Israell that they should deale accordyng to the word Of kyng Asa we read thus They made a couenaunt to séeke the Lord God of their fathers withall their hart and withall their soule and that whosoeuer sought not the Lord God of Israell should be put to death whether he were smal or great man or woman And they sware vnto the Lord with a loud voyes and with showtyng and with soundyng of trumpets and shalmes The Scripture addeth And all the Iewes reioysed of that othe for they had sworne withall their hart and they sought God with a whole will and he was found of them and the Lord gaue them rest round about The same thynges are read of the holy kyngs Ezechias 2. Chron. 29. and of Iosias 4. of kynges 23. and 2. Chron. 34. chapters And therfore the Quéene of England hath done well in bindyng the Clergy and laitie by othe to the true Religion agaynst the false ¶ That Kynges and Magistrates ought to compell their subiectes vnto goodnesse and not suffer euery man to make his own choyse in folowing what seemeth best to him selfe THis also séemeth very vnreasonable to the Romish sort and peraduēture vnto others also that haue a mislikyng of this case that the Quéene hath laid penalties and punishmentes vpon such as disobey and hath executed the same vppon those that haue continued in obedience to the sea of Rome For some are of opinion that no man ought to be cōpelled to do good or vnto true Religion or vnto fayth but euery man ought to be left at his owne libertie to folow what soeuer séemeth best to himselfe his owne conscience that is to say that no man should be called to account of what Religiō he is nor examined at all no though he were a Papist but be let alone with his owne conscience And therfore that no man ought to be punished for breakyng the Religiō of the Gospell or for neglectyng good lawes which he himselfe estéemeth not to be good Truly as concernyng compulsion to well doyng or to faith and Religion the Donatistes heretikes taught in old tyme lyke as these afore mentioned and as the Anabaptistes do at this day that no mā ought to be compelled to faith or to goodnesse but euery man to be left to his owne conscience Agaynst those Donatistes S. Austen hath disputed aboundantly yea and that by the Scriptures and by euident reasons agréeing with the Scriptures In which respect I thinke his Record is to be beleued therfore I will now alledge certeine thinges out of him that make peculiarly for the present case In his 83. chapter of his second booke agaynst Petilian the same Petilian beyng a Donatist had sayd far from our thought be it that we should compell any man to our fayth Austen aunsweryng him sayth And shall we then procede to talke as heretikes do or shall we say that the Lord God planteth hipocrisie in his Scriptures when he driueth men to goodnesse by threatnynges and chastisementes Dauid sayth Lord it is good for me that thou hast brought me low And Ieremy sayth Lord thou hast chastised me and I am chastised as a wild bullocke But if no mā ought to be compelled vnto good why I pray you doth Salomon the wysest man that euer was will men so often to chastise their children He that spareth the rod hateth the child sayth he Thou truly strikest hym but by the rod thou sauest hys soule from death Dayly experience the nature of thinges proueth that affections are ouer vehement in men and if they be not remedyed and bridled euē they that might haue bene saued easly and by some light chastisement cast away themselues and others to When mē be out of their wittes they mislike compulsion and chastisement But when they come to themselues againe and sée playnly from how great mischieues they are deliuered by those that compelled thē they be glad that they were chastised to their weale and prayse the rigor which they misliked afore And therefore there are among the latter writers which beyng of S. Austens opinion haue written thus who douteth that the rightuousnesse which is compelled till it become willyng is more acceptable to God then vncompelled vnrightuousenesse which waxeth dayly worse and worse till at length it grow past recouerie ▪ Also the Magistrate bridleth and restreineth heretickes least they might procede to cast away themselues and others to And truly this is both good of itselfe and also the Magistrates dutie so to do Now if they do the thyng by compulsion which they do and seduce no man any more it is a good déede But if they perseuer in their stubbornesse and wilfull offendyng truly the Magistrate hath not offended at all neither is the sinne of these men layd to his charge But we will returne to the recordes of S. Austen The same Austen in his 48. Epistle to Vincent against the Donatistes concernyng the restreinyng of heretikes by force sayth I haue bene of opinion heretofore that no man is to be compelled to the vnitie of Christ but that we must deale with them by the word fight with them by disputation and ouercome them by reason least we might make them feyned Catholikes whom we knew to be open heretikes But this opinion of mine was vanquished not by the wordes that were spoken agaynst it but by the examples that were shewed agaynst it For first there was alledged against me myne owne Citie Hippone which beyng erst whole vpon Donates side was turned to the Catholik vnitie by feare of the Emperours lawes and now we sée it so detesteth the poyson of this your stoutnesse as a mā would thinke it had neuer bene in it And so were many mo which were rehearsed to me by name that I might perceiue by the matters themselues how that euen in this case also might well be vnderstode that which is written Giue a wiseman an occasion and he wil be the wiser And again Not euery one that spareth is a frend nor euery one that beateth an enemy Better are the woundes of a frend then the frendly kisses of an enemy It is better to loue with sharpnesse then to deceiue with gentlenesse He that tyeth vp a mad man and he that waketh a sluggard is trouble some to them both and yet he loueth them both Who can loue vs more then God doth and yet he ceaseth not as well to fray vs healthfully as also to teach vs pleasātly Thinke you that no
was made in the bowels of Germanie commonly called the Protestauntes warre witnesseth For he sent an armye of Italians priuily into Germanie and set the Germanes together by the eares among themselues Which thyng the storywriters setforth at large As for the outrages of Paule the fourth they be better knowen by reason of his horrible actes yet fresh in remembrauÌ„ce then that they néede to be set forth in many wordes But all this whole declaration tendeth chiefly to this end partly that such as haue not yet learned to know the Romish Bishops and therefore do reuerence and honour them still may learne to know them euen by their abhominable sayinges and doynges bearing in minde this faithfull forewarnyng of the Lordes Ye shall know them by their frutes and therfore should also so iudge of them as their sayinges and doynges teach folke to iudge of them wherwithall be interlaced by the way here and there some iudgements of certein godly and wise men in former ages concernyng the Bishops of Rome and partly that all Realmes and all common weales which will not wittingly and willingly perishe and specially thou noble Realme of England should hereafter not onely make no account of the Popes Bulles tyrannously deposing kinges wrongfully transposing kingdomes and wickedly assoyling subiectes of their dew faithfulnesse and obedience but also cast them away and tread them vnder foote as they be worthy Ye haue heard how great calamities the Popes haue oftentymes wrought to kyngdomes and nations by such maner of Bulles And he is a wise man that can learne to beware by other mens harmes Therfore if ye be wise and loue to liue at ease kéepe your promise that ye haue made and obey the Princes whom God hath set ouer you maynteyne peace and eschew warres as well inward or Ciuill as outward or foreine And that God may voutsafe to performe these thyngs vnto you pray ye faithfully and diligeÌ„tly vnto him perseuer ye stedfast in true godlynesse and in the Gospell of the sonne of God and cast ye away all the Popish toyes superstitions and Idols all together The Prince of peace voutsafe to graunt you these thynges who at hys commyng into this worlde brought tydinges of peace to the world and at his goyng out of the world left his peace to those that be his euen our Lord Iesus Christ graunt you them to whom be glorie for euermore world without end Amen ¶ FINIS What the Popes beare men in hand concerning their infinite power An obiection The answere To feede Shepeheards Pastors or Feeders Foode Sheepe 1. Pet. 5. Harken to this ye Romish Monarkes Act. 20. What the sheepe or flocke be Teachers Doctrine The maner of the Bishop of Romes feeding Zach. 11. Luk. 22. 1. Iohn 5. The fayth of the Church of Rome neuer fayled Comparison betwene Peters fayth and the Romish fayth Christes bidding of his disciples buy theÌ„ swordes Matth. 26. 1. Cor. 11. Iohn 6. 1. Pet. 2. Esay 28. 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 3. Ephes. 2. 1. Petr. 2. Iohn 12. Iohn 16. 1. Iohn 5. Luke 11. Math. 23. Esay 22. Luke 4. Ioan. 20. Marke 16. Luke 24. 1. Cor. 11. 2. Cor. 5. Math. 28. Exod. 4. Luke 12. Iohn 6. Matth. 22. Math. 17 Luke 22. Rom. 13. Gal. 2. 1. Pet. 5. Act. 8. 2. Cor. 11. 1. Cor. 4. Exod. 23. Queene Mary Queene Elizabeth The giuyng of interteinement and refuge to banished foliâ—s â–ª The barbarousenesse and crueltie of the Romish Byshops Esay 16. The striuyng of the bishops of Rome for the supremacie What monstruousenesse is Apoc. 17. That Quenes although they be women doe reigne lawfully Rom. 13. That the care of Religion belongeth to the ciuill Magistrate Moses Iosue Dauid Salomon The kynges of Iuda Iosaphat Ezechias Ioas. Iosias God made difference of functions and will not haue them confounded Kynges of the new TestameÌ„t haue no lesse authoritie then had the kynges of the old Testament ChristiaÌ„ Princes and defenders of the Church Constantine the great Iustinian Charles the great The Queene of England hath not done amisse in taking vpon her the care of religion in deposing the popish bishops Math. 6. 2. Tim. 1. 1. Tim. 2. Rom. 13. True Christians entitle not theÌ„selues after any men 1. Cor. 1. 1. Cor. 3. The maiestie of Gods worde What order K. Edward the vi folowed in reforming the church of England â–ª What our souereigne Ladie Queene Elizabeth hath setfoorth to her whole Realme to be folowed The Queenes Maiestie hath setfoorth no bookes of heresy to hir realme The abolishing of the sacrifice of the masse Heb. 9.10 Rom. 3. 1. Iohn 2. The masse corrupteth the Lordes supper Read Austen against the epistle of Parmenian lib. 2. cap. 8. Act. 14. 1. Cor. 11. Lib. Epist. 2. Epist. 3. Not prayer but the abuse of prayer is abolished Fastyng Choyse of meates Coloss. 2. 〈◊〉 1. Single lyfe Cunturia 8. folio 665. Heb. 13. 1. Cor. 7. 1. Cor. 9. 1. Tim. 3. Titus 1. 1. Tim. 4. Catholikes rites and Ceremonies The Catholik Church The Catholik fayth and doctrine Catholikes Orthodoxi Cacodoxi Whether the Romish sorte be Catholikes or no. The Queene doth iustly forbyd her subiectes to acknowledge the Church of Rome Iere. 23. Act. 2. 1. Cor. 10. 1. Iohn 5. Apoc. 18. The Queene hath lawfully compelled her subiectes to for sweare the Pope and the Papacie 2. Reg. 11. 1. Esd. 10. 2. Chron. 15. Heretikes sayd that no man is to be compelled vnto fayth Psal. 119. Iere. 31. Augustine him selfe also was sometyme of opinion that no man was to be compelled Prouerb 9. Prouerb 27. The Lord him selfe compelled men to the faith Why the Apostles called not for the Magistrates helpe for the stablishyng of ReligioÌ„ Psal. â— How kynges serue God in feare How in what sence AusteÌ„ giueth a man free choyse or will read in hys booke of chastisemeÌ„t grace chap. 1. In hys boke of the spirit the letter to Marcellus chap. 30. in hys booke of Merites remissioÌ„ of sinnes Lib. 2 cap 8. against the second Epistle of Pelagius Lib. 4. Cap. 6. Euery man must not be suffered to folow what seemeth best to hymself in Religion 1. Samuel 15. God commauÌ„deth false Prophetes to be put to death 1. Tim. 1. Leuit. 24. Num. 19. Exod. 32. 3. Kynges 18 4. Kynges 9. 4. Kynges 11 4. Kinges 23 S. Austens opinion concerning this matter Dan. 3. Act. 5. Act. 13. Rom. 12.13 Why the sword is geuen to the Magistrate Lawes of christen princes concerning religioÌ„ * of Idolatry Measure to be vsed in punishing Here is concluded the answer to the articles of accusation The generall conclusion 2. Petr. 2. Who is an hereticke The curse of the Tarpeian Iupiter is not to be feared Iohn 16. The Queene is not cut of from the vnitie of Christes body Dan. 2. Iob. 12. 1. Samuel 9.10.12.15 1. Sam. 16. 1. Kynges 11 1. Kynges 14 1. Kynges 15 16. 2. Kinges 9.10 God vsed the
good and thou shalt receaue prayse of him for he is Gods minister for thy welfare but if thou do the thing that is euyll then be affrayde for he beareth not the sworde in vaine for he is the minister of God to take vengeance on them that do euyll Why then did not these men well whome the Bull bewayleth for so should they doubtlesse haue receyued both prayse reward at the Quéenes hand being a gracious and bountifull prince The Quéene hath done nothing in this behalf which God hath not commaūded to be done afore in his law yea and also which is not ordayned in the lawes of the emperors Arcadius and Honorius L. Quicunque C. concerning Bishops and clerkes as hath bene sayd heretofore Yet will I not here sing the prayses of those that are set vp in the places of them that be deposed by Gods grace do their seruice at this day to the Churches of England peaceably and healthfully Their owne vertue commendeth them sufficiently so as they haue no néed of my prayse ¶ That the Queene of England hath not chosen mens opinions for herself and hir realme to follow but Gods pure word hertofore sought out and receyued by King Edward the sixth nor yet sette foorth bookes of heresie or forced her realme to receiue them THe goodly Bull a Gods name proceedeth on still to lay together the rest of the articles of his accusation against the Quéenes Maiestie in these wordes She hath sayth he commaunded hir subiectes to obserue the wicked misteries and ordinaunces which she hir selfe hath taken vp and obserued according to Caluins setting forth Also she hath set out bookes to hir whole Realme contayning manifest heresie But the lying and slaunderous Bull shooteth wide al the féeld ouer Perchance the Romish sort measure al men by themselues and because they them selues hang wholy vpon men in so much as there be many thousandes to be found among them which both will be called haue a plesure to be called Benedictines of Benet Franciscanes of Frauncis and diuersly and sunderly after many others and will both séeme to séeme to liue and glorie to liue according to these mens ordinances rules or appointmentes therefore they imagine that we also woulde be called Lutherans of Luther Zuinglians of Zuinglius and Caluinistes of Caluine and that we hang wholy vpon these mens ordinaunces but it is not so Paule the Apostle of Christ hath forbidden any such thing to be done in the Church saying to the Corrinthians Euery of you sayth I hold of Apollo I of Cephas and I of christ Is Christ deuided was Paule crucifyed for you or were you baptized in Paules name And againe when one sayth I hold of Paule and an other I holde of Apollo are ye not fleshly Therefore the true Christians will be named but onely after christ As for the names of men be they neuer so excellent we acknowledge them not in this case neither do we regard or receyue theyr ordinances furtherfoorth then they agree in all poyntes with Gods woorde and when we receiue them we receiue thē not for their sakes but for Gods wordes sake And the Quéene of Englands Maiestie neuer receiued of Caluin or of any other excellent and well learned men any ordinaunces to follow nor neuer regarded them and yet by the way if any of them haue taught any thing out of Gods pure woord no godly man can take scorn of for the Quéene in that reformation of hirs had an eye onely to the liuely woord of God deliuered vnto vs by the holy scriptures and so she setled all matters of religion vppon the very woord of God and not vpon any men Dauid speaking of Gods woord sayth in the 119. Psalme Thy woord O Lord endureth for euer in heauen Thy woord is a lanterne to my féet and a light vnto my paths Lord thou art righteous and thy iudgement is rightfull Princes sit together and rayle vpon me because thy seruaunt talketh of thy statutes and because thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellors Princes haue persecuted me without cause but my hart standeth in awe of thy woord And Lord seing I stick to thy testimonies bring me not to shame c. That godly prince of blessed memorie and woorthy of immortall glorie King Edward the sixth folowing the examples of Iosias and Constantine the great two of the excellentest princes that euer were in the world began the reformation of the English church For like as Iosias calling a parlament or Couusell of his noble men Priestes and Commons did first cause the law of God to be read openly before them and then obediently refourmed hys whole realme woord for word according to the law that was read And like as Constantine summoned a generall counsell of the teachers and Ministers of the Churches through the whole worlde and sitting downe among them sayd The bookes of the Gospelles and the Apostles together with the oracles of the auncient Prophets do plainly entruct vs of Gods meaning and will and therefore laying aside all enemylike discord let vs take the exposition of our questions out of the sayinges of the Holie Ghost Euen so King Edward summoning a parlament at London of all the Nobilitie Bishoppes and notablest learned men through hys whole realme admitting also the famousest clarkes of other realmes being Gods seruauntes commaunded them to shew by the holy scriptures what was to be followed of him and his realme in so great diuersity of opinions And they executing faythfully the charge which the King had enioyned them did the same time with one consent and according to Gods woord agrée vpon certaine articles which the King did both receiue and publish without delay wyth this title set afore them Articles agréeed vpon by the Bishops and other learned men in the Parlament holden at London in the yeare of our Lord 1552. for the taking away of the diuersitie of opinions and the stablishing of consente in the true religion published by authoritie of the Kinges maiestie Therefore by the labour and endeuor of that godly prince King Edward the English Church was refourmed according to the rule and appointment of the holy scriptures After King Edwardes decease Quéene Marie repealing the same reformation abrogated it for a time And Queene Elizabeth hauing receiued it againe by Gods grace hath eftsoones set it vp in perfect estate And therefore nothing els hath she receiued and deliuered to be kept of hir whole Realme then that hir brother of blessed memorie King Edward héertofore most godlily and wisely thought méet to be receiued and beleued of himself and to be conueighed ouer to his subiectes out of the liuely woord of God as hath bene sayd already whereby it appeareth now most manifestly that the thinges are false and forged which the lying Bull hath bruted concerning wicked misteries with spightfull interlacing the name of Caluine receyued by the Quéenes Maiestie and enioyned to the Realme of England
no equitie willeth to condemne a partie that is vnconuicted yea and vtterly giltles in the offence that he is charged with For by Gods owne iudgement he is an vniust a partiall and a wicked Iudge whosoeuer he is that condemneth a person which is vnconuicted yea and cleare to and dischargeth or acquiteth a person that is conuicted and found giltie in déed Truely by law Iudges heare the enditementes of the accusers and likewise on the other side the aunswers of them that be accused and yet he that is accused runneth not in any danger by law so long as the articles of inditemēt be not lawfully prooued but rather if he cleare himselfe of the articles of the enditement by lawfull and euident aunswer he is discharged of all domages and acquit of al fault Now forasmuch as it is certainly apparant by the thinges aforediscoursed that all the accusations wherwith the pope hath hetherto charged the Quéene of England and which he hath alleaged by hys Bull are disproued by iust open euident reasons or aunswers and therefore that her royall Maiestie is not conuicted of any of the faultes that be layd against hir It is also certaine and sure therewithall that the popes definitiue sentence against that giltles Quéene vnable to be conuicted of any of the crimes layd to hir charge is both most partiall and most vniust and that the Pope which taketh vppon him as a Iudge in thys cace is a most wicked and abhominable iudge And yet I wil not say that euen he the pope hath contrary to all right reason made himself both accuser iudge in thys case and hath bables out what so euer came at hys tounges ende and what so euer he listed but proueth not ne confirmeth not any whit of hys case ¶ That the Queene of England is not an hereticke and therefore not stricken with the popes curse nor cut of from the vnitie of Christes bodie ALthough the Bull be now sufficiently confuted and the Quéenes innocencie defended and declared and the popes outragious tyranny cruell wrong and excessiue vnindifferencie layd foorth so as his most vniust definitiue sentence may easely and by very good right be ouerpassed despised yea and laughed at yet shall it not gréeue me euen for an ouerplus to peruse it againe in sifting it by péecemeale The same hath chiefly fower points First the pope declareth and denounceth the Quéene of England to be an hereticke and a bolsterer of heretikes therfore that she is stricken with his curse and cut of from the vnitie of Christes body But it hath bene shewed in many woords already that the Quéene is a catholike and Christian princesse and not giltie of any heresie or crime Wherupon it followeth that the pope by his condemning of so giltles and rightbeleuing a Prince bewrayeth and vttereth himself what he is namly euen one of those of whome Peter hath sayd They despise higher powers presumptuous are they and stubbern and feare not to speak euill of them that be in authority c. A few yeares past the reuerend Bishops of England dyd setfoorth a godly and learned Apologie in the third chapter whereof chiefly they shew howe the Realme of Englande hath no aliance at all with heretickes or heresies In the same they plainly and stedfastly professe their fayth and openly declare themselues to be of a sound and christian religion eloquently and truely washing away all the accusations and slaunders of the papistes It is more manifest then that it néedeth to be reported with many words what the Doctors diuines ministers of the Church of Christes time haue thought to be heresie and whome they haue demed to be heretickes As for the law of Lucius the thirde concerning the suppressing of heresie which is registred by Gregory the ninth in the thirde booke of decretalles the seuenth title concerning heretickes wherby the popes deuise and shape all their iudgementes and condemnations Wise men and godly men haue alwayes déemed it tyrannicall contrary to the iudgements of holy and religious antiquitie and therfore we thincke it not woorth the naming and we estéeme all the decrées that be formed and pronounced according to the same to be tyrannicall Yet notwithstanding I can not stay my selfe but I must néedes at thys present rehearse the opinion of the auncient writer Tertullian concerning this matter In his booke of the veyling of Virgins Heresies sayth he are ouercome not so much by newnesse as by truth What so euer fauoureth otherwyse than of truth the same is heresie yea though it be euē auncient custome And againe in Prescriptions of heretikes Heresies sayth the same author are termed of the Gréeke woord as in respect of the choyce which a man vseth eyther in the mayntayning or in the receyuing of them And therefore he sayth that an heretike is condemned in himselfe because he hath chozen the thing wherein he is condemned But it is not lawfull for vs to do any thing vpon oure owne head nor to choose the thing that an other man hath brought in of hys owne head We haue the Lordes Apostles for our warrant who chose not any thing of theyr owne head to bring in but faythfully deliuered ouer to all nations the discipline that they had receyued of christ And therfore if euen an Angell from heauen should preach any otherwise vnto vs we would hold him acursed Thus far Tertullian Wherfore séeing that the Quéene hath chozen nothing of hir owne head to deliuer to hir subiectes but onely hath betaken to them propheticall and Apostolicall truth of the scriptures to be followed hir maiestie is vtterly discharged of the crime of heresy And séeing that the romish opinions and the popish rites and ceremonies differing from our opinions and ceremonies are nothing els but opinions inuented by mens owne braynes selfchozen ceremonies Let the Romanistes consider to whether of vs the crime of heresy may iustlyest be imputed and to whome it sticketh fastest Besides this the Imperiall lawes commaunde all that be vnder the Empyre to follow that religion which S. Peter deliuered to the Romanes And it addeth We pronounce that such as folow this law embrace the name of catholike Christians and that the rest are to be taken for heretiks iudging them to be mad and out of their wits But the Quéene wil haue nothing to flourish in hir realme but the Apostolike doctrine ergo she is a catholike and not an heretike neither fauoureth she heretikes nor can abide to haue heresies taught in hir realme nor cherisheth such as be stayned w the spotte of heresy but rather euen for the same cause she hath banished the romish traditions and popish ceremonies out of her whole Realme least she might be sayd to beare with any thing against the Apostolike doctrine and Christian Ceremonies And therfore the thunderclap of that Tarpeian or Romane Iupiters curse wherewith he will haue the Quéene to séeme to be striken through is but a blockish
With like vanitie lightnes and malice the Bull is not ashamed to geue foorth that the Quéene setteth foorth or enforceth to hir whole realme bookes contayning manifest heresie for the Quéene hath authorized no bookes to be set foorth to hir realme but such as hir Maiesties brother King Edward willed to be set foorth afore specially the volume of the holy Bible Now to say that this contayneth manifest heresies it is an horrible and blasphemous wickednes and the greatest treason to God that may be Howbeit by the way there be many maintayners of the Pope and his sea which make neyther shame nor conscience to put openly in writing and to teach that heresies are learned out of the Bible and that he which hath the Bible and readeth it without the interpretatiō of the church of Rome hath nothing But I will speake no more at this time of the blasphemies of these wicked men Peraduenture the Bull meaneth the booke of common prayers and ceremo nies of the church of England But so ought it also to haue bene shewed which be heresies that are contayned in that booke The soresayd parlament of London maketh honorable mention of that booke And there shall be enow that will annswer if there be heresies in that booke at least wise if the bull meane that booke shew them expresly vnlesse peraduenture according to the maner of these stately sires euery thing must beare the blame of heresy which hath not the sent and tast of the stinch of the pope or of the sea of Rome which thing deserueth no aunswering at all Truely the Quéenes Maiestie hath prohibited all vngodly bokes to be dispersed yea or read in hir realme which are hereticall indéed and repugnant to the sinceritie of our Christian religion Neither may any man spread abroad any wicked or blasphemous booke or opinion in hir realme without punishment ¶ Here be recited other articles of accusation which the Bull mentioneth concerning the Queenes abolishing of the masse and hir taking away of many other superstitions and abuses Also here is expounded what catholikenesse is and who be catholike THe Bull knitteth héerunto also other articles of accusation agaynst the Quéene She hath also sayth the bull abolished prayers fastinges choyce of meates single life catholike ceremonies As concerning the sacrifice of the masse the Quéene not vniustly but for many and most iust causes hath abolished it like as King Edward had abolished it afore In the Syuode of London whereof we haue made mention now once or twise already thus remayneth in writing concerning the masse Christes oblatiō once made for all is a ful redemption attonement and satisfaction for all the sinnes of the whole world as well originall as actuall Neither is there any other satisfaction for sinnes sauing onely that one Wherfore the sacrifices of masses wherein the priest was commonly sayd to offer Christ for release of penaltie and fault for the quicke and the dead are but forgeries and hurtfull deceites Thus much is written there But it is the dutie of kinges to abolish and banish yea and to punish noysome deceites and deceyuers Worthely therfore haue the Kinges of England abolished the masse neyther haue they trespassed at all in that behalfe against God or against their owne office Moreouer by the Masse the holy institution of the Lords supper hath bene ouerwhelmed with mans inuentions additiōs vtterly peruerted made of publike priuate also dismembred For the Lord gaue it to all his faythfull in both kindes as they terme it Also wheras the massemūger taketh vpon him in his masse as a mediator betwéene God and men he committeth such an horrible offence as is neuer able to be purged by no satisfaction For there is no mo priesthodes but the priesthode of Christ and that is according to the order of Melchisedecke and so vnremoueable as it cannot passe vnto any other by succession Againe they offred or solemnized the masse in remembraunce and honor of saintes departed which now liue in heauen But the Lord had sayd do it in remembraunce not of saintes but of me And S. Paule would in no wise haue garlands and oxen offered vnto him Who then can thinke it likely that he would haue the Sonne of God offred in honour of him in a masse Shall the Lord of Lordes being now in glory do seruice still as a seruaunt to hys owne seruaunts These are frenzies and furies of men that be out of theyr wittes I could alleage many other abhominations of the masse like vnto these but I will adde no more but onely thys to all the rest That Christ our Lord instituted his holy supper without pompe or superfluitie simple moderate without ceremonies but yet commendable for the simplicitie and honourable for the authoritie of the founder But the Masse is most ceremonious most pompous most sumptuous and set out with persian furniture which in processe of time hath so encreases with hir abuses that in some thinges it could not be abated or purged but it must néedes be taken quite away Truly the common sorte made more accoūt of their Chapleines Masses aduaunced them more then the very sacrifice of Christ which few of them either knew or estéemed as became thē And for asmuch as the Apostle Paule when the Lordes Supper began in his time to grow into abuse taught how to call it backe to reforme it accordyng to the Lordes institution Like as Christes Martyr S. Cryprian also beyng taught by the same Apostles example counselleth and commaundeth vs that in repayring or setting vp agayne the true vse of the Supper we should go to the wells head and séeke out the originall and not do any other thing in this behalfe then that which he hath done which is before all men and alonely is to be heard Seing that the Quéenes Maiestie hath done so in abolishing the Masse and setting vp the Lordes Supper agayne in the place of it Surely she hath not sinned at all but is falsly accused by the Bishop in his Bull. Most false also is this that the Bull auoucheth the Quéene to haue abolished prayer and fastyng For she hath abolilished the abuses and superstitions in them and not the good thynges themselues which God hath commended vnto vs Which thing the matter it selfe doth openly auouch It can not be denyed but prayer and fastyng are couered with abuses and superstitions yea and with Idolatries almost innumerable among the Papistes Among them prayer is not made to God alone neither beleue they that God heareth vs for the intercession of Christ alone For they call vppon innumerable creatures as well as the creatures yea and vpon them more earnestly then vpon him And they haue in such wife commended the intercession and defense of Saintes to the wretched people that they know litle or nothyng of Christes intercession to God the father which is the onely acceptable and effectuall intercession Furthermore