to his Religion yet not long after they pronounced iudgment of death vpon him But King Francis fell extremely sicke and in his sicknesse made a solemne vow to all Saints in Pieardie that if it pleased them to help him he wold wholy purge his Realme of meaning Protestants all those heretikes And thus all Protestants were freed then from this designe the Saints of Piccardie belike were of your mind Protestants are no heretikes The second Instance of The moderate Answerer They raised such rebellions and civill warres against Charles the ninth wherein the King of Nauarre and Duke Nyuers with others were slaine The Reply I reade the storie in our foresaid Historicall collection of memorable accidents in France and others and I can find onely this thing memorable concerning this point that The King was then in his minoritie and the Queene Mother was regent who yeelded too much vnto the Guizes faction who persecuted the Prince of Condie and sought the destruction of all the bloud royall at length Duke Nyuers with King Nauarre in the warre against his brother at the siege of Roane are wounded and slaine See the cause of the Prince of Condie his defence In lan 1â— anno 1562 was made an Edict whereby permission was granted to them of the Religion to assemble without the townes and order was taken that either part Protestants and Catholikes might liue in quietnesse and peace with each other But a while after the Constable did deface all places of their assemblies and those of the Religion were cruelly handled This was the first beginning of the horrible troubles in France But were Protestants after this rebellious In those of Languidoch the King did pardon whatsoeuer they had done in their iust defence holding them for good subiects What was then the cause why the Prince of Condie and the Admirall did beare armes They vnderstanding that 6000. Switzers were now entred into France with intent to execute violence vpon them of the Religion they betake themselues vnto the King from whom they receiued no fauourable answer therefore they did flie for defence against those Switzers not suffering their throates to be cut by theeues After this was there concluded a peace the Prince of Condie doth lay downe his armes his aduersaries were contented onely to promise to do the like alledging that there is no faith to be held with heretikes Shewing themselues herein false and not onely faithlesse for you know Protestants are no heretikes The third Instance of The moderate Answerer The Duke of Guize was trecherously murdered by Pultrotus for that fact suborned by Beza and the Protestant Admirall The Reply The storie is that The Duke of Guize had appointed a day to take Orleance wherein he would not spare any man woman or child whomsoeuer and after he had kept his Shrouetide there he would spoile and destroy the towne Pultrot riding vpon a Spanish Ginnet shot the Duke with a Pistoll and slue him after was taken and tormented with hot tongs to make him confesse and then torne in peeces by force of horses Let vs leaue him if you will iustly executed by them come to the other vniustly slaundered by you for It was euidently knowne at his execution that Pultrot did it of his owne motion and particular intent thereby to free France and especially Orleance froÌ„ the violence of the Duke of Guize To this first Historian agreeth the second The King after he had examined the Admiral to â—ether with his Councel did acquit him of suspision and imposed perpetuall silence to all not to speake of it You therefore though no subiect might haue bene taught silence especially seeing that the confederates of the Religion among whom was Theodore Beza did condemne this fact of Pulirot as rash and directly contrary to the commaundement of God who will herein condemning all such desperate examples inspired onely with a diuellish motion that euery crime and offence shal receiue punishment according to the institution politike and forme of gouernment established in euery state at the discretion of the Magistrate The moderate Answerer Such were the miserable murders and calamities which they brought to that distressed kingdome that in the two first ciâ—… wars and rebellions aboue an hundred thousand were slaine as Gaspar Collen witnesseth The Reply It is not vnlikely but an hundred thousand were slaine but it is as probable that a thousand for an hundred of them were Protestants persecuted for their Religion who alwayes lay open to Popish trecheries as is plaine by the barbarous massacre wherein as testifieth your owne author there was slaine twentie thousand Protestants in lesse then one moneth by the furie of the Catholikes What could there be in the Protestant was it rebellion No but only constancy in Religion then persecuted by the malignant But what kind of motion might this be in those Catholikes which egged them on to this butcherie whether was it zeale or fury Christian iustice or Antichristian malice The Catholikes not content saith your Author to liue alwayes assured hauing the autoritie of the State for them aspired with a burning desire to bring to passe that which they had a long time plotted against their enemies But let vs leaue this Gâ—lgotha for so you made France by your monstrous massacres as then a place of dead mens sculs Whither shal your next voyage be CHAP. VII The Instances of the moderate Answerer in Heluetia The first The moderate Answerer LEt vs come to Heluetia and especially Geneua the Mother-Church of the Reformed M. Caluine the supreme head of thereformed there hath told vs before that Princes not agreeing with vs in Religion are to be spitted vpon rather then obeyed they are not to be numbred among men they are to be bereaued of all authoritie The Reply What absolutely depriued of all authoritie Proue this and I will as absolutely denie all his doctrinall authoritie whom by reading of your most learned Iesuites as Maldonate Ribera Pererius Salmeron Tollet and such others and conferring their expositions with Caluins I dare boldly affirme him to be of that excelleÌ„t iudgment that these your greatest Rabbies for their best expositions light their candles at Caluins to arch But to the point Caluin doth consider in the person of a wicked King two situations one as he sitteth vnder God the other when he exalteth himselfe to sit aboue God when he commandeth as a substitute and subordinate God hath commanded vs to obey man but when he commandeth contra Deum against God saith * Caluine he vsurpeth Gods throne and herein he looseth his royaltie which is to be obeyed A matter so reasonable that in the behalf of God the A postles in like case are content to appeale herein to the iudgement of his aduersary man Whether it be better to obey God or man iudge you To explane this by example If a Iustice of peace shall command
doe not resist although our number be great S. Nazianzene Not though the people be prone to resist you S. Ambrose Not when the people are present and offer a defence S. Augustine yeelding the cause Because Christian subiection is to be performed in loue and not in feare or by constraint A doctrine for those times namely the first 600. yeares in generall vse saith your Bellarmine And continued after Christ the space of 1000 yeares saith your Beâ—â—laâ—â—s neuer changed till the yeare 1060. saith your Tolossanus Friburgens Espencaeus and others And shall we dare to remooue The ancient Land-markes of our forefathers CHAP. XVII Other Proofs of Protestants from Antiquity in two most Christian and potent Nations England and France THat this soueraignity of his Maiesty whereunto notwithstanding all Papall iurisdiction we doe willingly subscribe may be knowen to be as anciently as earnestly challenged I will only point at some few heads of examples of our ancient Christian Kings which Sir Edward Cooke his Maiesties Attorney generall in his alwaies reportable and memorable Reports hath lately published In the raigne of K. Edward the first a Subiect brought in a Bull of excommunication against another Subiect of this realme and published it But it was answered that this was then according to the ancient lawes of England Treason against the King the Offendor had beene drawen and hanged but that by the mercy of the Prince he was only abiured the Realme Compare this Bull which did only push at a Subiect against his benefice with that Bull which more mankeen goareth Kings to giue them their mortall wound At the same time The Pope by his Bull had by way of prouision bestowed a benefice vpon one within the prouince of Yorke the King presented another the Arch-bishop refuseth the Kings presentation and yeelded to the Popes prouision This Arch-bishop then by the common law of the land was depriued of the lands of his whole Bishoprick during life In the raigne of King Edward the third the King presented to a Benefice and his Presentee was disturbed by one who had obtained Buls from Rome for the which cause he was condemned to perpetuall imprisonment Compare this Bull of disturbing onely the Present of Kings with that which doth ordinarily violate the Kings person In the raigne of Richard the second it was declared in the Parliament R. 2. cap. 2. that England had alwaies beene fâ—ce and in subiection to no Realme but immediatly subiect to God and to none other and that the same ought not in any thing touching the regality of the crowne to be submitted to the Bishop of Rome nor the lawes of their Realme by him frustrated at his pleasure Compare this English King immediately not subiect to the Pope and the aboue mentioned Iesuâ—ticall principle All Kings are indirectly subiect to Popes In the raigne of King Henry the fourth it was confirmed that Excommunication made by the Pope is of no force in England Compare this Of no force in England with those excommunications which in these later times haue been made against England In the raigne of King Edward the fourth the opinion of the Kings bench was that whatsoeuer spirituall man should sue another spirituall man in the Court of Rome for a matter spirituall where hee might haue remedy before his Ordinary within the Realme did incurre the danger of premunire being an hainous offence against the honour of the King his crowne and dignity Compare this with their Acts who haue made no other sute at Rome but meanes to dispossesse English Kings of their crowne and dignity Many other examples of like nature I pretermit and remit the Reader desirous to be further satisfied to the booke of Reports Habet enim ille quod det dat nemo largius The conclusion is that that challenge of Soueraigntie which was in opposition to the Popes Buls ancient right and iustice in Kings which were predecessours be not traduced now as an irreligious impiety in the successors The like might be spoken of France but I hasten to the last Argument presuming that my studious Reader perusing the French stories will ease me of that trauell CHAP. XVIII The last Argument of Protestants from Reason IT will be sufficient onely summarily to recapitulate the Arguments dispersed in this former Treatise The first Reason was long since Christened for The Apostles saith your Sanders did chuse rather to suffer euill than to reuenge wherein they were seconded by other heroicall Martyrs of Christ Who thought saith your Tolossanus their faith glorified in this that being persecuted yet they performed obedience Questionlesse they had some reason heereof One is specified by S. Cyprian Christians must be Preachers of the supernaturall vertue patience and not of vengeance Another by S. Augustine that Induring the misery of this life they may auouch their hope of a life eternall And lastly by Arnobius Heereby to make distinction of Christian obedience from that other of Pagans that whereas these yeeld onelie obedience proceeding from feare of man ours should appeare to be from Conscience towards God The second Reason is politicke which is that of your Victoria that the Clergy be members of the common-wealth Ergo they ought to be subiect vnto the state temporall I will adde another of this kind which wee borrowed from your Acosta shewing that licence of deposing Kings is an occasion of much spoiles and bloudshed The third Reason is violent inforcing you by your owne confessions to grant our conclusion your confessions be of two kinds first The Pope hath not temporall Soueraignty ouer Kings directly but onely indirectly in ordine ad bonum spirituale that is as the temporall doth necessarily helpe or aduance the spirituall good of the Church But So you may as well say saith your Carerius that a King hath not iurisdiction temporall but only indirectly because his authority doth intend a spirituall good aâ— namely preseruation of iustice in a common-wealth And he saith truely as may be confirmed by Saint Augustine A king as a man saith he doth serue God by his owne good life as a King by gouerning other mens liues to see that they doe that which is good It is his office not only to ordaine lawes for the preseruation of the politicke peace but also to establish true religion From hence I conclude that if this your distinction be good The Pope hath temporall iurisdiction ouer Kings to depose them indirectly that is as far foorth as may be behooffull for Religion then must you grant that Kings haue iurisdiction temporall onely indirectly because their Office also is ordained of God in ordine ad Deum as a minister of God for defence of his Church If your position be false then hath not your Pope that power ouer Princes no not indirectly The second Confession I take from
by your Highnesse in your admirable wisedome to be in Religion most sacrilegious and detestable in politike state most pernitious and intollerable in euery actor most banefull to the soule of man it may please your excellent Maiestie to prouide in this behalfe for your faithfull and religious Subiects that they neuer be so intoxicated with this Antichristian spirit as either to deceiue or be deceiued thereby First not to be deceiued but seeing that the authors of AequiuocatioÌ„ are by it as by a Gyges ring made in a sort inuisible vnto Protestants to plot and practise against them what when they wil and Vlysses-like make a verie Polyphemus of your most noble State that whensoeuer they be asked who is the Traitor licence themselues during life to answer till they be coÌ„uicted by that aequiuocating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that therfore against such as cannot hurt vs but by our credulitie there may be enacted the onely refuge of Tullie Lex non credendi a law of not beleeuing them CoÌ„cerning deceiuing by the same policie more subtle then anie Machiauellisme I would be a most humble suppliant to your gracious Highnesse not to permit anie of what condition soeuer in the cure of the diseased bodie politike as it were driuing out poyson with poyson in winding out these aequiuocators to aequinocate For this purpose the counsell of S. Augustine is most soueraigne Non minùs pernitiosè mentitur Catholicus vt haereticos capiat quà m mentitur haeretiens vt Catholicos lateat nec cuiquam persuaderi potest hominem non mentiri nè capiat qui mentitur vt capiat For it is certaine We to speake in the Apostles tenor haue not so learned Christ as the truth in Iesus by whom we are taught that the new man must crucisie the old man and therefore not to seeke by such diuellish exorcisme to driue out Satan by Satan but to mortifie ambition by humilitie intemperance by sobrietie in briefe to conquer all euill by goodnesse and therefore onely truth must catch and kill a lye Let not your Maiestie be offended with my boldnesse in exceeding the measure of an Epistle against my accustomed breuitie in all my labors it is Credidi that begetteth Ergolocutus sum Therfore speaking from the truth I could not but speake for truth and now in high detestation both of idolatrous superstition and hellish aequiuocation beseech the God of truth to make your name glorious in Christendome in the zealous defence both of the true faith of Christ and Christian faithfulnes establishing your Maiesties kingdome in peace your person in safetie your soule in grace your Queene in mutuall ioy your royall Succession in happie successe as long as the world endureth and in the end of mortalitie to crowne you all with endlesse blessednes The vnworthie Minister of Christ and your Maiesties most dutifull subiect Thomas Morton TO THE SEDVCED Brethren Grace and peace in Christ Iesus AFter that I had discouered vnto you my Brethren the hainous positions of your Priests there arose some one I thinke of that priesthood entituling himselfe A moderate answerer and me A slanderous and lying libeller And why Because the testimonies alledged saith he are falsly applied For proofe of this scarce examining one of twentie he commonly returneth this answer If this saith he be the opinion of these Authors or if these Authors write thus c. wilfully seating himselfe in the chaire of those Doctors whom the Apostle hath described They will be Doctors and yet vnderstand not what they say nor whereof they affirme To the manifold and manifest proofes I may now adde the Arguments of the same Priests for the defence of their discouered rebellious conclusions By what reason then can my Moderate Answerer charge me as slanderously misreporting that to be the doctrine of those Priests which the Priests themselues by Reasons labour to confirme Wherfore I perswade my self his intent in answering was not to answer that is to satisfie the iudicious but onely to be thought to haue answered that is to delude the too credulous like the answer which the priests of the Synagogue did prescribe for repressing the discouerie of the resurrection of Christ out of the sepulcher saying Whilest we slept his Disciples came and stole him away Common sense might haue replied How could you tell what was done when you were all asleepe But minds enthralled in the opinion of a neuer câ—â—ing Priesthood which confirmed that Answer could not possibly but erre with their Priests Such alas is the case of all them whom because they will not seeke or see the truth God in his iustce Deliueteth vp to beleeue lies as idle and fabulous as fancies and dreames of men asleepe Of which kind be many of your lying Reuelations as that of the Deliuerance of the soule of Traian out of the lowest hell Many lying priuiledges as that temporall Donation of Constantine and the other Ecclesiasticall forged Canon for Appeales to Rome Many lying Traditions as that Bodily assumption of the blessed Virgin into heauen Many lying Saints as that of Saint Christopher except in a picture neuer seene Many lying Sanctities as that of S. Francis in harboring of alouse Many lying Histories as the GoldeÌ„ Legend an abstract of a leaden braine Many lying reports as of the now Miracles among the Indians to omit many lying prophecies and reports with infinite such other which they call Piae fraudes that is godly cosinages inuented to keepe the people in deuotion and their priesthood in estimation But that which excelleth all the rest in falshood is their Aequiuocation as being not onely alying Art but also an Art of lying This is now practised as will be proued in most detestable periuries for couert of the horrible treasons of their priesthood teaching you to imitate the wisedome of the Ostrich which bird if she can but couer her head thinketh all her bodie safe Notwithstanding that Romish See like to the raging sea when none sought to discouer it fomed out her owne shame especially in these two mischiefes which are noted as indiuiduall companions in holy writ Speaker of lies and the bloud-thirstie man Lying tongues and hands that shedde bloud Hands defiled with bloud and tongues that speake lies Such are their hands of Treason and tongues of Aequiuocation But hearken a little In the last dayes saith the Apostle shall come perillous times when men shall be voide of naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers Traitors All which we proue to be the expresse characters of your Priests O but it may be thought that the Apostle doth not describe any that do such things with any religious intent but onely desperate and profane miscreants who make no conscience of sinne not so for in the next words the Apostle describeth the colour of their cloake Hauing saith he a shew of godlinesse but denie the power thereof A prophesie plainely verified by your Priests in their godlesse practises and godly pretences Wherefore you are exhorted
the Religion of Turkes and Paganes What is this else then to dissolue all communion with Protestants CHAP. VIII The Discouerie in the second part of the Minor 1. In Neigbors NEighbors if Heretikes may lawfully be spoiled of their goods by force though it be better to be taken from them by authority 2. In Parishioners Where the question is concerning paying of Tithes it is resolued Parishioners may lawfully defraud Protestant Ministers of their Tithes 3. In Debtors and whosoeuer haue any matter of trust committed vnto them Such are not bound to restore that which they haue receiued or to satisfie their Creditors who are Heretikes They are not bound thereunto This is an ancient Decree 4. In Seruants Also keepers of forts and all other vassals and slaues are freed from the oath of subiection to their Lords 5. In Wiues Wiues are not bound to render due beneuolence to their Husbands if Heretikes 6. In Parents The father must disinherite his sonne if he will be a Protestant 7. In Children A Priest returning into England if his father be a Protestant he may denie him to be his father meaning that he is not such an one as he ought to acknowledge his father For by the heresie of the father the child is freed from obedience 8. In all Kindred Heretikes may not be termed either Children or Kindred but according to the old law Thy hand must be against them to spill their bloud 9. In Natiues If any find his natiue Citie to be most part infected with heresie he may denie it to be his Countrey Finally by Pope Gregorie his Constitutions By heresie a man is depriued of all his iurisdiction whether naturall ciuill or politike So that the tenor of the oath of the Leaguers in Fraunce is this If euer I make mariage vse trafficke yeeld ayde hold friendship giue credence vnto Heretikes or once salute them then let God confound me Shall we call this Religion which dissolueth the dutie of Seruants Subiects Debitors and strangleth the vitall spirits of humane societie and by not acknowledgement of naturall duties of Wedlocke naturall Parents natural Children naturall Countrey doth bowell vp nature as it were and depriue men of humanitie it selfe O Babylon to proue this in all particulars were needlesse one kind may satisfie Practise The Papists in France did libell against Henry the third as hereticall a manslayer so likewise against this Henry the fourth callinghim a Kitchin-dogge long-bearded Iulian most heathenish Apostate and the very excrement of Satan No lesse was the rank or of our Cardinall Poole against his Soueraigne Desirous to diuert the Emperors forces from the Pagans and to inforce them vpon Henry the 8. as vpon an enemie more pernicious then the Turke The modest Answerer Those penalties this Author alledgeth as belonging to the Excommunicate and such Heretikes as spoiling them of their goods denying Tithes I answer that these Societies of neighbors wiues and such like are not to be denied to the Protestants in England because we do not esteeme them in the case of Heretikes againe we performe these communications and respects aswell to our Country Protestants as they themselues Lastly I answer that those penalties mentioned were not of purpose ordained against Protestants but Decrees against Heretikes of those times and not now in vse in France Heluetia Sweueland Denmarke and most part of Germanie And if the penall Constitutions of the Councell of Trent are not yet after 40. yeares continuance receiued into those recited Prouinces and Kingdomes there is not so great feare that those Papall paines will euer giue to this man so much cause of so outragious exclamations The Reply If all your Sect would allow your Answer we should need no clamor for first your answer de iure Protestants are not to be demed these duties secondly de facto that You do not deny them for confirmation of the right you inferre that These punishments were not ordained against Protestants and auouching the fact you instance in other countries where these penalties are not in vse Concerning the fact let vs admit that these are performed yet the Apostle distinguisheth of performance of dutie propter Iram propter Conscientiam one for feare of ciuill power the other for conscience sake Whether bond doth tye you to obedience the subsequents will manifest We do likewise acknowledge that some part of those penalties were more aunciently ordained against others and not against Protestants What then if they be now extended against Protestants For thus dealt the Iewes against our Lord Christ We haue a lawe and by that lawe he ought to die because he hath spoken blasphemie The law they had was Holy iust and good but the application was their owne vngodly furious and murderous we may herein compare Christs blasphemie and Protestants heresie And if your late penall Decrees of Trent be not of force in other countries you haue giuen vs a reason Quia vires desunt because they want outward force Otherwise I haue shewed that those penalties as non-payment of Tithes are by your Allane extended against Protestant Ministers of Debts by your Tolet against Protestant Creditors of due beneuolence by your Simancha against Protestant husbands of due reuerence and acknowledgement by your * Parsons against Protestant fathers of allegeance by your * Simancha against Protestant Kings and Magistrates And for further euidence CHAP. IX I adde a Supplement to your former Positions IT is cleare saith Allane that what people and person soeuer be declared to be opposite to Gods Church by what obligation soeuer either of kindred friendship loyaltie or subiection I be bound vnto them I may or rather must take armes against them and then must we take them for Heretikes when our lawfull Popes adiudge them so to be A litle after he striketh an Alarme Now therefore my Lords and deare Countrimen fight c. In the whole booke the English Clearke exhorteth now since the Councel of Trent the English gentrie to take armes against their English Soueraigne Say now moderate Answerer will your modestie giue your face leaue to blush at this doctrine of your Cardinall The like trumpet of rebellion against German Protestants after the Councell of Trent did Frier Alphonse sound alowd It is lawfull to ouercome Heretikes by force of armes As long then as we heare of such Proclamations sounding nothing but Arma virumque there may be reason giuen of our exclamations But you insist The moderate Answerer We haue not now another Queene Marie inheretrix to the Crowne to be ioyned in mariage with a potent Prince symbolizing with husband conformitie in countrie discipline to breed scruples in this behalfe The Reply This Answer giueth vs no more securitie then the Cat doth the Mouse when she seemeth but to play with it for though you haue not a Maria
Crowne The Councels answer is thus framed This is a-against the sundry Acts of Parliament remaining yet in force confirmed by the King of famous memory Henrie the eight against the letters patents of our late Soueraigne King Edward the sixt and his great seale against the consent of the most part of the noble Vniuersities of Christendome c. Wherefore you that tell vs of a statute of Legitimation as a matter euident in modestie shold not haue concealed your euidence Otherwise you know in a proposition copulatiue if but one point be true the whole is a lie Say then whereof can you accuse Cranmer Ridley and all Protestants wherein you will not make King Henrie the eight King Edward the sixt and many Parliaments guiltie I did neuer heare the whole state of any kingdome termed Traitors but by your boldnesse If you had strooke at the head of that opposition you should not haue needed to haue lopped the branches for if King Henry might haue spoken from the dead in the day of the succession of Queene Mary he would haue pleaded the cause of the opposites as Dauid did in the behalfe of his people Oues hae c. It is I these other what haue they done Notwithstanding we acknowledge her successiō iust and after the proclamation of her title shew vs what Protestant euer resisted what Minister of the Gospel in all that fierie trial did kindle the least sparke of sedition among her people Was it because they wanted hope of succession Behold there was the hand-maide of God Elizabeth their hopefull successor to the Crowne Was it for want of power why death is rightly described to be a Giant hauing a thousand hands able to giue any liuing creature his mortall wound But I abhorre to discourse of these rebellious conceits Lastly of all Protestants which were burned in Queene Maries dayes for Religion name but one that was accused of treason I require instance but in one an apparant demonstration that their Religion taught them loyall subiection The second Instance for England The moderate Answerer Sir Thomas Wyat warranted by Protestants Cleargie with diuers others in the short regiment of Queene Marie may be giuen for instance The Reply The Historie relateth the pretence of Wyat thus A Proclamation against the Queenes marriage desiring all English men to ioyne for defence of the Realme in danger to be brought into thraldome to strangers who be Spaniards The like was the Proclamation of the Duke of Suffolke Against the marriage with the Prince of Spaine Where auouching his loyaltie to the person of the Queene layed his hand on his sword saying Hee that would her any hurt I would this sword were at his heart Againe there is recorded the Oration of Queene Marie against Wyat where there is not to be found any scruple concerning the subiect of our question cause of Religion neither was there to make it more apparant any Minister of the Gospell brought in question as a commotioner in that cause Though therefore it is requisite that that which is lawfull be performed by lawfull proceedings yet if intent the subiect of this dispute might answer for Protestants accused in that name then is it plaine that it was not Religion if for Wyat and his fellowes it is as plaine it was not against the Queene or State but for both that the whole land might continue in their former subiection and that by Spanish insolencie her Highnesse preheminence and soueraignetie might not be impared Let vs heare The third Instance for England The moderate Answerer Goodman published a booke concluding it lawfull to kill Kings transgressing Gods lawes themselues and commaunding others to do the like The Reply If I should iustifie this Goodman though your examples might excuse him yet my heart shall condemne my selfe But what doe you professe to prooue All Protetestants teach Positions rebellious Prooue it Here is one Goodman who in his publike booke doeth mainetaine them I haue no other meanes to auoyde these straites which you obiect by the example of one to conclude All Protestants in England rebellious then by the example of * All the rest to answer there is but one And now let me be beholden to your moderation to remember multitudes of your Priests Iesuites Cardinals and Popes in their publike authorized bookes Bulles Decrees and now you requite mee with one But shall one dramme of drosse prooue the whole masse no golde Let vs therefore leaue this Goodman as a man who by his vnauthorized wicked and false positions hath falsified his name You proceed The fift Instance against English Protestants The moderate Answerer The English Protestants notes vpon the Bible as his Maiestie is witnesse do not disallow the killing of Princes in such case as is shewed by the booke of Conference pag. 47. The Reply It will be requisite without preiudice to the most learned and religious iudgement of his Maiestie to satisfie for two places related from that conference The first place touching the act of the midwiues of Egypt who mercifully spared the liues of the infants of the Hebrewes notwithstanding the commaundement of the King The note Their disobedience herein was lawfull but their dissembling was euill And was not this disobedience lawfull Let vs consult with the holy Ghost Heb. 11. 23. where it is written By faith Moses when he was borne was hid three moneths of his parents neither feared they the Kings commaundement The same is the case of the midwiues disobeying the commaundement of the King Now that which is noted by the Spirit of God as commendable in the parents of Moses may it be condemnable in these mercifull midwiues of the Egyptians Nay for it is also written The midwiues of Aegypt feared God and did not as the King commanded them but preserued aliue the male children and therefore God prospered them But we must discerne in this act two colours white and blacke which S. Augustine distinguisheth They did a worke of mercie in preseruing the liues of the yong babes but they did lie vnto the King for safeguard of their owne liues The first deserued prayse the other needed a Pardon Therefore this their lawfull and mercifull disobedience for preuenting the bloudie Massacre of Infants can be no president for your practises intended in malice to end in the bloud of Protestants of all sorts The other point of the note against Dissimulation doth indeed crosse your equiuocating profession but you are not to be offended with vs if we condemne that as sinfull which as S. Augustine saith needed a pardon The second place 2. Chron. 15. 16. the Text King Asa deposed Maachah his mother from her estate because she had made an Idole in a groue The note Mother or Grandmother yet herein the King shewed that he lacked zeale for she ought to haue bene burnt by the Couenant as vers 13. And by the law of God Deut. 13. but he gaue place to foolish