Magistrate and tooke the reproche thereof vnto himselfe And therefore caused the earth to swallow vp the cheefe ring leaders of that mischeefe and destroyed of the residue 14700. Hereby they maye learne what is due vnto them and what wil come vpon them which not onlye in their harts secretly but openly in their assemblies wheÌ„ they dare murmure at our gracious Gouernour whome God hath appointed to deliuer vs out of Aegipt and by the Gospell of his sonne Christe to bring vs into the Lande of promise and cause their patrones and defenders in their flaunderous Libels and bookes openly published like traitoures to disgrace her magestie with titles of an Vsurper a scismatike a feducer of the people from the Churche of God and they that be at home giue oute the same thinges in their secrete speeches And all as truely and iustly as Dathan and Abyram charged Moyses with vsurping authoritie ouer them and with leading of the people purposely to destroy them in the Wildernesse But I doubt not the God of truth wist as hither to be hath done take vpon him the defence and preseruatioÌ„ of his lawfull Magistrate and Gouernour agaynst these traiterous murmurers and mutterers and in the end vnlesse they repente will sende them their iust reward In the meane time we oughte in our prayers earnestly to call vpon God that hee will holde his mercifull hande ouer vs and that hee will mooue the mindes of oure Prince and Counsaile to haue a more careful eye to these murmurers which openly shewe themselues by forbearing oure communion in Prayers Sacramentes and in the meane time with greedy mynds lust long for that â—ay in which they may poure out their traiterous malice toward God their Prince Moreouer it is written in Esay That euen in the time of that good king Ezechias who had cast out superstition and idolatrie and very exactly reformed Gods true Religion accordyng to his law yet that the â—â—uell Tyranâ—â— Sennacherib the Assyrians entred Jewrie spoyled the countrey destroyed all their great Cities beseeged the Citie Hâ—â—â—â—â—alem the king himself in it then which calamitie the people of God had scantly at any time felt a greater or more greeuous And what I pray you might be the cause hereof vndoubtedly because the people did vnthankefully receaue y â— godly happie reformation of ReligioÌ„ Some murmured at it kept their monuments of idolatrie for a day some receaued it holowly coldly either to please the Prince to haue some benefite or countenaunce by it or else to keepe themselues from the penaltie daunger of the Lawe The most that did soundlye embrace it did not conforme themselues in life accordingly but w t little or no amendmeÌ„t continued their old corruption Some notable faultes were also in y t king himselfe though otherwise a blessed Prince Therefore God vsed that sharpe scourge as well instly to punishe the obstinate as also to bring the repentaunt home to hys mercy reformation of life By this we are taught that â—lbâ—it it hath pleased God by our Prince to cast out superstition and idolatrie to driue awaye the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome to restore true religion the right vse of the Sacraments by lawe and authoritie to confirme y â— same yet we may not herein flatter our selues as though we were safe from Gods displeasure or greatly in his fauour For if we doe not thankefully receaue this his vnestimable benefit in lyfe and godly conuersation conforme our selues vnto it that his name may be glorified in vs we must assure our selues that this wil fal to our great iudgement that in the time of our Ezechia he wil plague vs as he did the Jewes by Sennacherib in time of their good king Thus haue I noted vnto you three or foure examples that by them you may know how to apply the resâ—ue Now least by rashnesse and ignoraunce men vncharitably condemne the 〈…〉 and good man because hee seeth him touched with affliction and trouble I must let you vnderstand that beside the iust punishment of the open and notorious 〈…〉 whereof hitherto I haue spoken there is also an other cause wherewith God is moued to seâ—â—â— among men myselfe trouble affliction and griefes of this worlde that is to trie and proue suche as bee good and godlye that theyr vertues maye more shyne among men to the honour and glorye of God The fornace sayth Jesus Syrache tryeth the Potters vessell and affliction tryeth the iust and godly And Salomon As â—iluer and Golde is tryed by fire so doth God proue and trie the heartes of men Your Fathers sayeth Judith were tempted that they myght bee tryed and prooued whether they truely from their hearte worshipped God In this maâ—â—â—r GOD tempted and prooued his faythfull seruantes Abraham Ioseph and Iob that by the tryall of their constancie theyr fayth myght hee the more notable and famous and both themselues more in faythe confyrmed and GOD as I haue sayde by them more glorifyed When God cast vppon Iob all those myseries which the Scriptures mention hys vnnaturall wyfe and vnkynde friendes with rashe and vncharitable iudgement woulde needes perswade hym that it was the anger of GOD and iust punishment for hys sinnes that brought all those thinges vppon hym But he stayed vppon the testimonie of a good conscience and the constancie of hys fayth assured hymselfe of the good wyll and fauour of GOD and therefore hee tooke all patiently saying The Lorde gaue it and the Lorde hath taken it awaye euen as the Lord will so be it In which wordes wee haue to learne the exceedyng comforte which the godly take in the myddest of their troubles by the doctrine of the prouidence of God whereof I spake before For because nothyng is done wythout hym by hys onely sufferaunce Tyrauntes persetute they spoyle men of theyr goods they cast them into banishment into prison bondes they kyll them and exercyse all kynde of crueltie agaynst them It is his wyll also that men bee afflicted wyth sickenesse wyth pouertie wyth hunger wyth colde with sclaunder and reproche wyth losse of children and goodes and with all myseries that may fall in the lyfe of man But because the same Lorde and God which as a iust iudge sendeth all these thinges is also a most mercyfull tender and kynde father vndoubtedly hee wyll not suffer any thing to happen to vs but that shall bee profitable and a furtheraunce to our saluation Wherefore in all troubles and myseries seeme they at the beginning neuer so greenous and vntollerable the godlye receaue them and adyde in them not onely wyth patience but wyth ioye and gladnesse They are perswaded as the truth is That God chasâ—iseâ—h euerie sonne that he receaueth and therefore with cheerefull heartes They glorye in their afflictions knowing that tribulation bringeth patience patience experience experience hope and hope confoundeth not nor maketh ashamed
an vsurper or if any maÌ„ be ignoraunt thereof lette him looke into Saunders Monarchie and there beside shamefull and detestable treason towarde her Maiesties person and state he shall finde good ground of that opinyon layde and yet forsooth Protestants must be the daungerousts Subiects vnto Princes I pray you of what professioÌ„ are they that haue altered the title of al the principalities almoste in Europe of Arragon of Naâ—are of Italy of Naples of Sicyly of Fraunce of Germany of the Empyre both of the Weaste and of the Easte And what the Pope challengeth at this day for the principalitie of England Ireland euer since King Iohn his time euery man that hath read the English Chronicles knoweth Of what professyon are they that say they haue all temporall power immediatelye of God and all Princes to holde the same as feodaryes vnto them And therefore haue they exempted their annoynted Clergye from all secular power and authoritie and haue so tyed Christian Princes that they maye not drawe theire owne Sworde of Justice nor doe anye thing in theire owne Dominions but at the becke and appoyntment of the Sea of Roome and then mighte the Father drawe the Sworde againste the sonne and the sonne agaynste the Father and Brother against brother finally all subiects against their Prince Yea in all Countries they did set shackles and fetters vpon Princes to bridle them that they might do nothing but that was liking to them I meane they sette some of theire owne Court in euery region as it were to keepe vnder the Prince and to see euen into his secrete dealings such as Thomas Becket and Stephen Lancton were in this lande Which I doubt not but godly and wyse Princes and counsellers will consider and specially call to remembrance that the honorable state dignitie and Maiestie of Princes was continually troden vnder foote vntill it was within this 40. or 50. yeeres that it pleased God to restore into the world the light of his Gospel and by the Preachers therof out of his holy word did let the Princes vnderstand the right authoritie of their dignitie which before was kept from them Therefore great iniurie doe they in these dayes whosoeuer they bee that seeke to perswade Princes that the Preachers professors of the Gospell be the most daungerous subiects and the Papistes or at least the good indifferent men which passe not which way religion goeth but keepe themselues safe for all chauÌ„ges to be the best most quiet and assured faithfull subiectes But the euent wyll teach godly Princes and wyse counsellers the contrarie But whatsoeuer others shall doe I doubt not but that mightie and mercifull God that raised our gratious Soueraigne out of the dust of death and pulled hir out of the Lyons deune and out of y â— iawes of hir greedie enimies gaping for hir destruction to our vnestimable comforte and benefite set hir in the Royall throne of this lande to the ende that she might bee a noursing mother vnto the church of God and this land a noursery for the Gospell of Christ and a place of refuge for the afflicted saintes of God in these miserable dayes and for that ende and purpose hath myraculously defended preserued and maintained hir against all the deuises and pollicies of our enimyes and not onely sâ— but hath made hir being but a woman dreadfull to hir mightiest enimies and the especiall worldlye comforte that the Saintes of God and the true professors of his Gospell haue in these dayes against all the daungerous enimyes then which things greater honour could neuer be done vnto Prince And therefore I saye I doubte not but that the same God wyll also at thys time lighten hir mynde and direct and strengthen hir heart that by no colour of cunning or flattering counsell shee shall be caried away eyther to forsake hir gratious Lorde God as Salomon dyd or conceaue heauie displeasure against the Ministers of Gods trueth as vnkinde Joas dyd And that this may bee so wee haue all great cause most earnestly to desire it of God in our continuall prayers A third matter wherwith Preachers be vniustly burdened in these daies is y â— they ar charged not only with their owne sinnes and offences which god knoweth are too many but with the slacknesse wickednesse of al other For vpon vs only they lay al the whole fault of the smal fruite y â— the doctrine of the Gospell hath taken here in this land now for the space of this twentie yeares Oh saye they if we had good and zealous Bishops and godlye Preachers such as the Apostles were vndoubtly this doctrine of the Gospel would haue had better successe and more woulde haue preuayled in mens hartes For they are not zealous nor seeme themselues to be moued with the spirit of God therefore it cannot be that they shoulde moue other O dearely beloued though this reason seemeth plausible to some yet I aduertice all them that haue anye sparke of Gods feare in their hartes that they take heede of it beware that they be not caryed awaye with it For I neuer read that the people of God among whome true doctrine hath â—in preached as the Lord be thanked it hath bin with vs did euer vse such allegation for their owne defence It hath bene alwayes the pretence of the reprobate and wicked to excuse and colour their owne obstinacie and contempt of Gods word when they were offered the light of the Gospell and called to repentance But that these men may not flatter nor deceaue themselues I let them vnderstand that the Scriptures doe in no place teach them that the offences and faultes of the Ministers and Preachers are alwayes the onely cause why the worde of God doth not take place in mens heartes It is more commonly and almost alwayes imputed vnto the waywardnes vnthankfulnesse and obstinacie of the people that heare it Therefore it were good for all sortes of men of what calling soeuer to looke into their owne â—oosomes and carefully to consider whether the fault thereof bee not in themselues for they knowe the Maister may be learned and diligent and yet the scholler not thriue by reason of his owne dulnesse The Phisition may be honest skilfull the obstinate patient make light of hys wholsome Counsell The seede may bee good and the seede sower a painful honest person yet the fruite not to bee aunswerable to hys trauaile because of the naughtines barrennes of y t ground This our sauiour Christ teacheth vs in the parable of the seedesower Matth. 13. The sower saith he went out to sowe the seede and some fell in the high way that is into the harts of them that were continually trampled with wicked and naughtie cogitations so y t the seede could not sinke into their harts but by those birdes of y e Diuell was caried away w tout
to pretende that cause to bee ashamed of the Gospell I woulde the time woulde nowe suffer mee to giue you a taste of that I haue nowe spoken I should then note vnto you the exceeding contention ambition and briberie that a many of them vsed about the yeere of our Lorde 900. after of whom Platina in the life of Benet 4. saith thus Vbi cum ipsis opibus lasciuire caepit Ecclesia nullo principe coercente clericorum flagitia ipsa peccāds licentia haec monstra peperit à quibus illa fedes per ambitionem largitionem occupata est i. When as the Church through riches began to waxe wanton and that no Prince then corrected the great offences of the clergie euen then did libertie to sinne bring foorthe these monsters who nowe by Ambition and Briberie doe holde that Sea And againe in the lyfe of Siluester 2. Eo tum pontificatus deuenerat vt qui largitione ambitione non dico vitae sanctitate doctrina plus possit is tantummodo bonis reiectis dignitatis gradum obtineret quem morem vtmam nostra tempora non retinerent sed hoc parum est peiorá nisi Deus auertat visuri sumus i. To that state then had the Popedome come that he which by briberie and ambition I doe not say holynesse of lyfe and sounde doctrine myght doe most He onely obtained that place of dignitie those which were good being then reiected whiche manner and custome I woulde to God that our times did not continue still Yet this is but a smal matter and worse things then this shall wee see if God turne them not awaye I shouldem oreouer describe vnto you the outragious cruelty of them that could not be contēted to Depose their aduersaries But to cut of their noses to put out their eies to take thē out of their graues thē to cut off their heads and fingers to cast them as dogges without buriall into y ◠ryuer Tyber To famishe them to death to hang them vp an whole day by the heare of their heades with such other practises more like y ◠successors of Phalaris then of Peter For testimonie of these thinges looke Platina in the lyfe of Stephane 6. Sergius 3. Iohn 14. Boniface 7. Calixte 2. And beside Platina Carsulanus Vincentius and Stella Venetus who among other of that time writeth thus Onis virtus tam in capite quam in membris ex hominum ignauia consumpta est i. All kind of vertue aswell in the head as in the other mēbers is by mens great slouthfulnesse and securitie vtterly consumed and gone I should beside this set out vnto you y ◠wicked detestable Sorcerie Nicromancie and poisoning practized about the yeere of our Lord. 1000. long after by Siluester 2. and a meany of his schollers and successors set forthe by Benno a Cardinall in the life of Hilde Brand after called Gregory 7. Which treatise he that wyll reade shall see suche horrible matter as I am sure no Prophane Historie mentioneth of any Heathen or Pagan that euer was I shoulde declare vnto you the monstrous and vnspeakeable Iniuries wrought vnto moste worthie and Noble Emperours by Gregorie the seuenth Adrian the fourth Gregorie the. 9. Clement the sixth diuers other which are so descriued and painted forth by the Abbot of Vrsperge lyuing about that tyme and by Hier. Marius as it woulde cause their owne friendes to detest them Last of all I shoulde laye open vnto you such a bottomlesse gulfe of couetousnesse and Extortion as all the wealth and treasure of Christendome could neuer to this daye satisfie and content Of which the Abbot of Vrsperge in his Chronicle sayth thus Gaude mater nostra Roma quoniam aperiuntur tibi cataracta thesaurorū in terra vt ad te confluant riui aggeres nūmorum in magna copia Jocundare super adiutrice tua discordia qua erupit de puteo infernalis Abyssi vt accumulentur tibi multa pecuniarum praemia Habes quod sitisti decanta canticum quia per malitiā hominū non per`piam religionem orbem vicisti Bee glad our mother Rome because all the Thesauries of the earthe are opened vvyde vnto thee that to the maye come streames and heapes of money in great and large aboundance Sport thou thy selfe with thy fellow helper discorde whiche hath broken forthe out of the bottomelesse pitte of Hell that there might bee heaped vp vnto thee many rewardes of mony Now hast thou that thou diddest thirst for sing thou out a loude for by the wickednesse of men and not by anye good Religion haste thou ouercome all the whole worlde But the time that is appoynted for mee woulde not be sufficient in this manner onely to recken vp theyr mysdoinges muche lesse at the full to set forthe the examples of them And yet forsooth it is those men and their mayntayners that at this daye doe finde so great faulte with the lyues of them that professe the Gospell and woulde for that cause haue men to be ashamed of it Muche lyke is the quarrell of them that saye the doctrine of the Gospell dothe disquiet common Weales and cause Sedition and ciuill warres This is the complaynte of them commonly that woulde incite Princes and Noble personages and Magistrates to hate the Gospell and to perfecute the Preachers of it And this theyr complaynt doe they amplifye and make lykely by the example of those stirres that haue beene of late yeeres in Germanie in Fraunce in Scotlande in Flaunders in Englande As thoughe forsoothe there had neuer beene rebellion and stirre before the late preaching of the Gospell As though common Weales had neuer bene turmoiled and troubled before thys daye But this Realme of England may be a very good example of the contrarie wherein scantly one king hath passed his raygne without rebellion made by one or other What a troublous Realme was this in the time of king Henry the second when the Wife after other trouble did set vp the Sonne against the father What horrible and grieuous rebellions were their in Henry the thirds raigne whē after the Slaughter of many thousandes the king himselfe was taken prisoner and forced to yeelde to the decrees of his subiectes What shall I say of Edward 2. when by the pride of the Spensers the Qneeue hir selfe warred against hir husband And that I may not continue altogether in examples of rebellion by Noble persons This Citie of London and the Maiors thereof can bee good witnesses what trouble there was raysed in this Realme in the tyme of Kichard the seconde by Iacke Strawe Tom Millarde Watte Tyler and such other iolly persons I passe ouer Henrie the fourthe and the pitifull raygne of Henrie the sixth And euen in the quiet time of Henrie 7. howe manye attemptes of Rebellion were there by the counterfaited Sonne of the Duke of Clarence by Perkin Warbecke and other
both of them pretended the example of the Apostles Policrates and the East church following Saint Iohn Victor Bishop of Roome and the West Church alleadging the authoritie of Sainte Peter Did not this matter fall out so bitterly that the one part did excommunicate the other What shall I say of the Scismes and greeuous contencions in the East churche betweene Paulinus and Flauianus Lucifer and Eusebius the Meletians and Eustathians all good Christians yet did they with great troubles eschew one the others Communion as you may read in Epiph. li. 2 Tom. 2. Theodo lib. 1. ca. 8. c. Soc. li. 1. cap 23. 30 Sozom. 2. ca. 18. the space of 80 yeares or aboue What shall I say of the great strife betwene Chri. on the one part Theophilus Cyrill Epipha on the other for y â— burning of Origins bookes They were al godly and learned Bishops we do worthily reuerence their names and yet fell this matter so foule out betweene them that because chrisost woulde not consente to the burning of Origines bookes Theophilus and Cyrill would scantly euer acknowledge him to be a lawfull Bishop Epiph. in bitter chiding fell out to such cholar as he said y t he hoped he shold neuer die Bishop To whom Chriso answered as angerly agayne that he trusted he should neuer returne aliue into his countrey of Cypres Which chiding words were not so bitter in sounde as after they proued true in deed For both Epiph. died before he came home to Cypres and Chrisost being put out of his Bishopricke ended hys lyfe in banishment I omit the contentious betweene August and Hierome betweene Hierome VigilaÌ„tius Ruffinus and other betweene Tertul the preists of Rome betwene Ciprian cornelius as wel for other things as for rebaptizing of Heretiks whiche things I here recite not to the discrediting of so worthy learned men as all christendome doth iustly reuerence their memorye but to declare that god oftentimes for such causes as he thinketh good doth suffer the best sort of his preachers to haue not only diuersity of iudgemeÌ„ts but also contention strife among themselues But who I pray you are they that thus find fault w t our dissention diuersity of opinirns forsooth euen they whose whole religion if it be well considered is nothing but a Chaos confuse heape of sects scismes seperations of minds iudgemeÌ„ts And God is my witnes I speake not this of stomake to aggrauate y â— matter but of very coÌ„science finding y â— thing to be so am forced to speake it as a most plain and certain truth And first for proofe of this I pray you coÌ„sider with me whether among the fautors of the sea of Rome euery countrey Citie parishe and house haue not a peculiar patrone in whom he trusteth euery man his peculiar Saint y â— especially he worshippeth euery disease a peculiar helper Mediatour to cure it England hath S. George Fraunce S. Lewes ScotlaÌ„d S. Andrew freland S. Patrike likewise of other In Roome S. Peter in Milain S. Ambrose in Vienne S. Stephane in Coline y â— iii. Kings are worshipped S. Appoline for y â— teeth S. Roche for the plague S. Swithine for the lost key is cheefely sought vnto euery person euery thing had his peculier God This sort wold go to heauen by S. Francis rule y t sort by S. Benedicts the third by S. Dominikes the fourth by S. Augustines Some would be S. clares disciples other wold be S. Bridgets And herof came their manifold swarms sects of religious persoÌ„s of which som were called FraÌ„ciscanes some Dominickes some Augustines som clemeÌ„tines some IohaÌ„nites some Iesuites some Scapucinâ—s I can not tell what so that they would bee called all things rather then Christians What other thing is this then that Christ prophecyed should come to passe in the latter dayes Loe here is christ Loe there is Christe So that al forsake him the Lord and only Christe and in euery corner and Monastery followe their own peculier Sauieur and Christ S Paule was greued with the Corinthians for that they were so distracted in factions that some would say we are Apollos schollers other we are Cephases other we are Paules WheÌ„ they call themselues Dominikes Benedictines c. mighte wee not saye to them as Paule sayd to the Cor. Is christ deuided Was Dominike crucified for you was Francis or Benet crucified for you that you chuse rather factiously to beare their names then with all other y t name of christ I will not stand to recite the Repugnancie and concrarietie â—â—t the decrees of the Bishops of Roome seeing that Platina their own historiographer writeth that their coÌ„tinal maner was that one Bishop disanulled the decrees of the other His words are these Magnafuit haec controuersia pessimi exeÌ„pli cuÌ„ pòst seÌ„per seruata sit haec consuetudo vt acta prioruÌ„ pontificuÌ„ sequentes aut infringereÌ„t aut omnino tollereÌ„t i. Great was this controuersie and vnto very ill example when as alwayes after this custome is continued that those Popes which followe doe euer eyther breake eyther vtterly disanul the deeds of their predecessours The like he writeth in the life of Romanus of the disseÌ„tioÌ„ betweene the Popes Loke Exasmus in his annotations vpon the 7 Cor. Who is able to recken vp the infinit disagreinges of the Scholemen both against y â— maister of the Sentences and among themselues and that in matter of no small wayght Do not al the scholers almost in sundrye points swerue from their maystor with this clause Hic Magister non tenetur Heare is not our Maister to be holden and maintained The maister of y â— SenteÌ„ces touching Original sin saith y e mans nature is by it so corrupted that by the power of nature they caÌ„ do no goodnes toward god coÌ„trariwise Scotâ— OccaÌ„ other aâ—â—â—rme y â— natural mans streÌ„gth is yet indifferent and may apply and prepare it selfe to Grace The Maister of the Sentences in the vse of the Sacramentes reiecteth Opus operatum i. The deede of receauing that it in it selfe shoulde haue vertue to geue grace and requireth Panitentiam fidem Faith and repentaunce to be also in the Receauer that shall haue benefite by the sacrament The other ScholemeÌ„ doe erpressely and plainely teache that the Sacramentes haue power to sanctifie Ex opere operato etiam sine bono motu vtentis i. Euen by their being receaued and that without any good inward motion of the Receauer But they doe not onely thus runne from their Maister Lomberde but are foule fallen out also betweene themselues whyle some will be called Terminales some Reales some Nominales some Formales some Thomistes some Scotistes some Occamistes and so forth a many moe This diuersitie of professions could not bee without great repugnancie in opinions If I should staye
defende strengthen and maintaine the same against all assaultes that they may to his glorie performe their worke whereto he hath appoynted them For so our Sauiour Christ willeth vs to cal vpon the Lord of the Haruest that he would send forth plentiful store of labourers to bring in his Haruest The seconde way to beware of false Prophets is a diligent and continual reading of the Scriptures of God which as I haue said before is y ◠rule of true knowledge and right doctrine Herevnto Christ exhorteth when he sayth Search the Scriptures for in them you thinke ye haue eternall lyfe And they are they that testifie of me And the Thessalonians that did heare Paule at Berrhaea dayly searched the Scriptures whether things were so as Paule preached or no. S. Augustine also doth exhort vs to the same by a very apt similitude Euen as a Prince or gouernour in time of peace maketh prouision for armour munition and all warlike furniture that when he is assaulted by his enemies he may not be foūd vnprouided so saith he is it necessary that al good Christians should diligently reade carefully hearken to the teaching of the word of God and out of that storehouse to furnish thē felues with all spirituall furniture against the assaultes of Sathan his instruments whether it be in matter of faith and Religion or behauiour of life For of all the spirituall armor y t S. Paul describeth aboue all things he warneth to haue y t Target of faith the sword of gods holy word By y t weapō only you know y t christ our sauior droue back y t Deuil whē he indeuoured to seduce him by peruerting y t scriptures of God They therefore y t forbid the people to reade y t scriptures do hearken to gods word are to be esteemed no better thā traitors y t take frō the people of God their chief defence to leaue thē open to y t daunger of their enimies Or if men be not able to reade y t scriptures themselues in any wise as they haue care of their soules let thē learne to vnderstand y t generall principles of Christian Religion in their Catechisme that is the .x. Commandemēts the articles of their beliefe y t right vse of the Sacraments the Lordes Prayer And this must they learne not as Parrets to sound the words but to vnderstand the truth of the matter And then surely w t gods assistance may they be easily able to discerne the spirites of the Preacher tollerably to iudge of his doctrine as I could by some particular examples declare vnto you if the time would serue But if men will be take themselues to the Colliars faith that beleeued generally as the Church beleeued and knewe not one word what the church did beleeue or ought to beleeue they shall by such wilfull ignoraunce lay themselues open to false teachers that shall come vnto them in sheepes clothing and seeke nothing but as rauening Wolues to deuour their soules c. ¶ The thirde Sermon vppon this part of the Texte By their fruites shall ye knovv them Mat. 7. 16. THE Churche of Rome and the writers thereof doe interprete these wordes not of the fruites of doctrine as I haue done but of the fruites of godly and honest lyfe and withall challenge to themselues a singular holynesse aboue the Preachers of the Gospell in these dayes Who as they saye discourage men from vertuous exercises of godlye lyfe and in their owne behauiour shew a dissolutenesse and loosenesse of life fo that vice and wickednesse euer since the rysing of thys newe Gospell as they call it hath increased among men And for this cause will they haue vs noted to bee the false Prophetes that Christ willeth men heere to take heede of and say that we are knowne by our euill fruits Wherefore I thinke it most necessarie at this tyme to pull thys Lambes cloathing from them that the worlde or at least such as be not too muche affectionate to them may see how lyttle helpe they haue by this colour eyther for themselues or against vs. Neither doe I thinke that there is any fitter meanes to doe this than to let men vnderstand by the course of their owne histories and other credible writers how great corruption of lyfe and how foule vices haue ben vsually practised not among common persons of the meanest sorte but among the most holy and reuerend fathers of the Churche of Rome the Popes themselues that thereby you may gheasse what state of Religion hath most preuailed wyth them For it can not bee that that place can bee the seate of true Religion and holynesse whiche hath bene alway a sinke of most horrible and foule vices And here I protest vnto you that I will not speake or alleage anye thing of stomacke to aggrauate the matter but as I finde it in trueth layde downe in verie credible histories And first to begynne with the most notable roote of the corruption Simoniacall ambition in aspiring to that exceedyng power whiche this manye yeeres they haue vsurped About the yeere of our Lord. 600. Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople because that Citie was the Royall seate of the East Empyre obtayned of Mauritius the Emperour with intollerable pride to bee vniuersall Byshoppe the head and ruler of al other Against whom Gregorie 1. at y t time Bishop of Rome did write very earnestly reproueth sharply his exceeding ambition saying y t whosoeuer doth so aspire doth shew himself to be the forerunner of Antichrist And he calleth y t name of vniuersall Bishop a new a peruerse a superstitious a prophane a foolishe a proude a wicked name a name of errour a name of singularitie a name of vanitie a name of Hypocrisie a name of blasphemie Notwithstanding Boniface 3. y ◠next Pope of Rome sauing one w t great suite obtained of y t wicked traiterous Emperour Phocas y t he his successors might haue that name Title of vniuersall Byshop and heade of the whole Church This was the first open step of their monstrous exceeding pride ambition which afterward by corruption briberie they continually followed still heaping on wicked practizes euery day more more as their owne histories do witnesse What shall I say of Constantius y t. 2. who being a lay man by exceeding ambition with great broile stirre obtained y ◠Popedome was after depriued cast in prison had his eyes pulled out What shal I say of Formosus y t. 1. which by manifest briberie came to the Bishoprick I wil come to y t time wherin their owne secretaries Platina and Stella Venetus openly cry out on them y t is about the time of Benet the. 4. 900. yeeres after Christ Of which time Stella Venetus sayth Omnis virtus tam in capite quam in membris ex hominū ignauia consumpta est i. All vertue
the tyme forsooke hym whiche was an euident token of the weakenesse of their fayth after the knowledge of his doctrine and experience of many and wonderfull Myracles Yet it pleased the great mercye of our Sauiour fauourably to accept them and to admitte them as singular instrumentes of his grace Wee may not therefore for our weakenesse and imperfection despaire and refuse the comfort of that heauenly Table c. ¶ The thirde Sermon vppon this part of the Text. 1. Cor. 10. 5. c. But with many of them God was not pleased For he ouerthrew them in the wildernesse Now these are examples to vs. c. NOw Saint Paule in these wordes vttereth the seconde proposition of hys reason agaynst the Corinthians Which was this Our forefathers the people Israell were the chosen people of God and bare hys name They had the Lawe of God among them they vsed in effect the same Sacramentes that we doâ— And yet sayth he now God had no lyking in many of them because they shewed not themselues in theyr conuersation as the people of GOD shoulde haue done Where vppon followeth Saint Paules conclusion that it was not sufficient for the Corinthians nor any other Christians to professe Christ to vse his Sacraments and seruice vnlesse by the fruites of true fayth that is godly conuersation of lyfe they ratifye and confirme their callyng and outwarde profession of Christ and his Religion For Christians may not lyâ—e as Heathens doe they are called to an holye callyng to bee the sonnes of GOD the chyldren of lyght Citizens and subiectes of the kyngdome of Christ and housholde seruauntes of the familie of God Our lyfe therefore should expresse the holynesse of our heauenlye Father the obedience to the Lawes of Christes kyngdome the orders and statutes of the housholde of God Christians therefore should be such as they are to whose sâ—cretie by their calling they are ioyned They are come saith the Apostle to the Citie of the liuing God the celestiall Hierusalem to the company of innumerable Angells to the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen to God the iudge of all and the spirites of the iust and perfect men and Iesus himselfe the mediatour of the new Testament c. This so blessed and high state of calling should be of Christians duely considered that they may sâ—â—â—iâ— with aâ— godly iâ—deuour to frame themselues proportionably therevnto and to shunne al those things whereby the honourable state of Christianitie maye be blemished In these wordes of S. Paule here recited I note these two things first that outwarde profession of Christianitie and vâ—e of Sacramentes and externaâ— seruice is not sufficient And secondly when God punisheth and plagueth euill Christians for their wickednesse that it is not only done for them whom God specially toucheth but for example and instruction of all other that doe the lyke As touching the first our Sauiour Christ saith Not euery one that sayth vnto me Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my Father that is in Heauen Many shall say vnto mee in those dayes Lorde Lord haue we not prophesied in thy name and haue we not â—ast out Diuels by thy name and by thy name done great Myracles Then will I protest vnto them I neuer knewe you depart from me all you that worke wickednesse Marke these wordes I pray you and consider that Christes meaning can be no other but this that outwarde profession of his name and the vse of eâ—ternall thinges can not be sufficient to keepe the plague of Gods iust punishmâ—t from vs but that wee must alsâ— in lyfe and beede followe Christ and his holy wiâ— and the prescript rule of gods word Where are then the voyces and cogitations of them that among Christians and professors of the Gospel flatter themselues in this manner when the Preachers threaten that Gods iust plagues wil come vpon them for their unthankfulnesse in slaundering the Gospel with their wicked life Oh say they we are Baptized in y â— name of Christ we eat drinke at his holy table in the Communion we beare the name of the true Church of God We receaue the Gospell it is preached in our Churches it is read in our priuate houses it ringeth in euerie mans eares it is confirmed w t publique authoritie Will not Christ therefore knowe vs who mercifully receaueth all wyll he cast vs of make place againe for Antichrist or for the Turke c. Against this hypocrisie vaine ostentation of Christianitie nothing can be more plain theÌ„ y â— S. Iames saith Be doers of the word sayth he not hearers only deceauing your selues They deceaue them selues sayth S. Iames y â— flatter their owne phantasies wyth such outward shewes haue not the substaunce therof in their hartes nor declare it w t the proofe of their doings this he declareth by a â—erie fit sâ—nilitude He that heareth the worde doth it not is like vnto one that beholdeth his natural face in a glas forgetteth immediatly what manner of man he was But who so looketh into the perfect law of libertie and continueth therin being not a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke shal be blessed in his deed Christians must not learne to know onely or to speake but they must learne to doe y t which they know For Christianitie consisteth not in speculation only but in practize doyng in constant abiding therein And therefore saith Christ Blessed is he that heareth the word of God keepeth it This doctrine Christ confirmeth by sundry parables chiefly by this Mat. 7. Whosoeuer heareth these words doth the same I wil likeÌ„ him to a wise maÌ„ that buildeth his house on a rocke the raine fell the flouds came the wind blew beat vpon the house it fell not because it was builded vpon a rock But whosoeuer heareth my wordes doth them not shall bee likened to a foolish man that hath builded his house vpon the sandes c By which parable we are taught y â— true christians shoâ—ld lay the foundation of their professioÌ„ vpon the rock Christ Jesus not sleightly heard coldly conceaued but deepely placed settled in the bottome of their hartes then shall stand coâ—stantly against all tempeâ—ts stormes of temptation that y â— Diuel or the world can worke againsâ— them because they haue the testimonie of a good coÌ„science bearing them witnesse y t they follow Christ not in wordes onely but in iâ—â—tation of lyfe also And coâ—trariwise doth it fall out to them that be idle professors no godly doers most of all to them that beside idle and vaine shew of professions sclâ—under Gods word by their naughâ—ie and wicked lyfe and cause it among the aduersaries to be euil spoken of We must therfore carefully looke diligently studie that wee bee not in the Vineyard
Saint George they pray thus Hie nos saluet à peccatis vt in coelo cum beatis possimus qâ—iescere Let him saue vs from our sinnes that we may rest with the blessed in heauen And touching Saint Anne they say thus Deus qui beatam Annam matrem tuae genetricis fieri voluisti praesta quaesumus vt meritis vtriusque matris filiae regna caelestia consequamur O God thou which wouldest Saint Anne to become the mother of thy mother graunt we beseeche thee that by the merites of the mother and the daughter we may obtaine thy heauenly kingdome In thys you heare three Sauiours beside Christ and in like maner doe they acknowledge a thousande moe Secondly they say we haue remission of sinnes and saluation in parte by our owne Merites and good doynges For this writeth Gabriel Biel That the Passion of Christ may be the first and principall cause of attaining grace and opening the way to heauen Sed nunquam est totalis causa quia semper cum merito Christi concurrit aliquod meritum recipientis gratiam that is to say But it is neuer the whole cause for that euer there goeth with the merite of Christ some merite of him that receaueth grace What shall I say of Pardons of Pilgrimages of Purgatorie of holy Water and a number of other like Superstitions false errours by which not without blasphemie they matche transitorie things and vaine deuises of men with the most excellent price of our redemption the blood of Christ Iesu y e sonne of God our Sauiour exprefly contrarie to the holy ghost thus writing by Saint Peter Ye are not redeemed with transitorie things as with Golde or Siluer but with the blood of the immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus As touching the third cause of Christes IncarnatioÌ„ that he being our only high Priest according to the order of Melchizodech hath once for euer offered himself vpon the Crosse purchased for vs eternall redeÌ„ption they impugne it wyth y â— most horrible doctrine of the propiciatorie sacrifice daily offered in the Masse wherin they teach that mortall sinfull men in a state of Priesthood succeede Christ continually offer the very reall naturall body of Christ to God the father for the remission of dayly sinnes not only of theÌ„ that CoÌ„municate but of them that looke on receaue not yea and of them that be absent and procure the same to be made eyther for money or otherwise aswell for themselues as other which is directly contrarie to the doctrine of the holy Ghost in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Where at large he prooueth that neither the Priesthood of Christ can haue any successioÌ„ nor his sacrifice any repetitioÌ„ without euident note of imperfection As concerning the fourth cause of Christes Incarnation that he is the only Maister and teacher of his Church and hath reuealed vnto vs the perfecte wyll of God and true waye of Saluation so that nowe after hym wee shoulde receaue no doctrine but that is vttered by the voyce of our hygh Sheeparde in his holye worde Yes sayeth the Churche of Rome there bee many weyghtie matters of necessitie of saluation to bee beleeued which Christ in hys written worde hath not deliuered vnto vs and the same to bee receaued wyth lyke reuerence that the written worde of God is Last of all the fifte cause of Christes Incarnation that he came to be the onely Head Ruler Gouernour and Directour of his Churche the Patrones of the Churche of Rome manifestly denye saying that Christ is in deede the onely heade for saluation but not for gouernment because the Pope is the Ministeriall heade and gouernour and directour of the vniuersall Churche wherein they manifestly alter the nature of Christes kingdome For whereas the kingdome of Christ is not of this worlde but a spirituall kingdome wherein by the word of God and the power of his holy spirite hee ruleth and raygneth in the heartes of true Christians the Pope hath transferred it to an earthly kingdome and Empyre by which as the Vicar of Christ he challengeth a vniuersall gouernment not onely ouer the Ecclesiasticall state but also ouer all Princes and gouernours of the earth This opposition and contrarietie of the doctrines of the Churche of Rome to the doctrine of y â— Gospell if you diligently marke and obserue you shall euidently see in them the spirite of Antichrist althoughe not grossely and playnely yet vndirectly and colourablye denying Christ to haue come in fleshe What shall I saye that the doctrine of that Churche dothe not onely disgrace the office of Chryst in the worke of our redemption but hys person also by brynging hys humanitie and the trueth of hys bodye in doubte whyle they teache that the verye naturall bodie of Christ is really in all places or in tenne thousand places at once that is in euerye host consecrated through out the whole worlde And what Christian knoweth not that it is the propertie of of God alone and of no creature bee it neuer so holye to bee in manye places at once Finallye I adde that the Churche of Rome teacheth corruptlye as touching Originall Sinne freewill and the grace of GOD Faith and Justification good workes and the merites of them the vse of the Sacramentes and almost of all doctrines touching Christian Religion Therefore I trust you nowe perceyue both the partes of my second proposition euidently proued that is that we sincerely confesse and teache in all true sense that Christ is come in fleshe and they doe not therefore accordyng to the wordes of my Theame I say vnto you If we teach you the truth why doe you not beleeue vs If it be the onely right way of saluation why is it not fauourably receaued and embraced If it be the glad tidings of the Gospell sent by God vnto you why are the Messengers thereof disdayned and contemned People that doe feare God heare the worde of God with reuerence and not onely heare it with the eares but faithfully beleeue it in the hart and not onely beleeue it but constantly abyde in it not onely themselues to abyde in it but by all meanes they can to labour to drawe other to it and to represse all such as eyther reuolte from it themselues or seeke to disgrace or discredite it in others God is not more displeased with any thing than with the contempt of his word and Ministers Thus sayth the Lord by Ieremie in y t 6. chap. reprouing the obstinacie of his people Stand in the wayes and behold aske for the olde way which is the good way and walke therin and there you shall finde rest for your soules but they said we wil not walk therin Also I set watchmen ouer you which said take heede to the sounde of the Trumpet but they said we will not take heede But consider what God addeth immediatly Heare O earth saith he beholde I will cause a plague to come vpon