preferred to Aaron that the one commaunded and the other did obey who dar esteme that the ciuile power is now becomed so prophane in Gods eyes that it is sequestred from all intromission with the matters of religion The holie ghost in diuers places declarethe the contrarie For one of the chefe praecepts commaunded to the king when that he should be placed in his throne was to write the example of the boke of the Lordes law that it should be with hym that he might read in it all the daies of his life that he might learn to fear the Lord his God and to kepe all the wordes of his law and his statutes to do them This praecept requireth not onlye that the king should hym selfe fear God kepe his Law and statutes but that also he as the chefe ruler should prouide that goddes true religion should be kept inuiolated of the people and flock which by God was committed to his charge And this did not onlie Dauid and Salomon perfectly vnderstād but also somme godlie kinges in Iuda after the apostasie and idolatrie that infected Israel by the meanes of Ieroboam did practise theyre vnderstanding and execute theyre power in somme notable reformations For Asa and Iosaphat kinges in Iuda fynding the religion altogither corrupt did applie theyre hearts saieth the holie ghost to serue the Lord and to walk in his waies and thereafter doth witnes that Asa remoued from honours his mother somme say grādmother because shee had committed and laboured to mentaine horrible idolatrie And Iosaphat did not only refuse strange goddes hym selfe but also distroying the chefe monuments of idolatrie did send furth the. Leuites to instruct the people whereof it is playne that the one and the other did vnderstand suche reformations to appertaine to theire dueties But the factes of Ezechias and of Iosias do more clerely proue the power and duetie of the ciuile Magistrate in the reformation of religion Before the reign of Ezechias so corrupt was the religion that the dores of the house of the Lord were shut vpp the lampes were extinguished no sacrifice was orderly made but in the first yeare of his reigne the first moneth of the same did the king open the dores of the temple bring in the Preestes and Leuites and assembling them togither did speak vnto them as folloeth Hear me o yce Leuites and be sanctified now and sanctifie also the house of the Lord God of your fathers and carie furth from the sanctuarie all filthynes he meaneth all monumēts and vesselles of idolatrie for our fathers haue transgressed and haue committed wickednes in thee eyes of the eternall our God they haue left hym and haue turned theyre faces from the tabernacle of the Lord ▪ and therefore is the wrath of the Lord cōmed vpon Iuda and Ierusalem Behold our fathers haue fallen by the sworde our sonnes daughters ād wifes are led in captiuitie but now haue I purposed in my heart to make a couenante with the Lord God of Israel that he may turne the wrath of his furie from vs. And therefore my sonnes he swetely exhorteth be not faint for the Lord hath chosen you to stand in his presence and to serue hym Such as be not more then blynd clerely may perceaue that the king dothe aknolledge that it appertained to his charge to reforme the religion to appoint the Leuites to theyre charges and to admonish thē of theyre duetie and office which thing he more euidently declareth writing his lettres to all Israel to Ephrtaim an Manasses and sent the same by the handes of messingers hauing this tenour You sonnes of Israel return to the Lord God of Abraham Isaac ād Israel and he shall return to the residue that resteth from the handes of Assur Be not as your fathers and as your brethren were who haue trāsgressed against the Lord God of theyre fathers who hath made them desolate as you see Holde not your heart therefore but giue your hand vnto the Lord return vnto his sanctuarie serue hym and he shall shew mercie vnto you to your sonnes and doughters that be in bondage for he is pitifull and easie to be intreated Thus far did Ezechias by lettres and messingers prouoke the people declined from God to repentance not only in Iuda where he reigned laufull king but also in Israel subiect then to an other king And albeit that by somme wicked men his messingers were mocked yet as they lacked not theyre iust punishmēt for within sixe yeares after Samaria was destroyed and Israel led captiue by Salmanazar so did not the zelous king Ezechias desist to prosecute his duetie in restoring the religion to Gods perfecte ordenance remouing all abominations The same is to be red of Iosias who did not only restore the religion but did further distroy all monumentes of idolatrie which of lōg tyme had remained For it is written of him that after that the boke of the law was found and that he had asked counsil at the prophetesse Hulda he sente ād gathered all the elders of iuda and Ierusalem and standing in the temple of the Lord he made a conuenant that all the people frō the great to the small should walk after the Lord should obserue his law statutes and testimonies with all theyre heart and all theyre soule and that they should ratifie and confirme what soeuer was written in the boke of God He further cōmaunded Helkias the hic preest and the preestes of the inferiour order that they should carie furth of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made to Baal which he burnt and did carie theire pouder to Bethel He did further distroy all monuments of idolatrie yea euen those that had remained frō the dayes of Salomō He did burn them stampe them to powder whereof one part he scattered in the broke Kidron and the other vpon the sepulcres and graues of the idolaters whose bones he did burn vpō the altars where before they made sacrifice not only in Iuda but also in Bethel where Ieroboam had erected his idolatrie yea he further proceded and did kyll the preestes of the hie places who were idolaters and had deceaued the people he did kyll them I say and did burn theyre bones vpon theyre owne altars and so returned to Ierusalem This reformatiō made Iosias and for the same obtained this testimonie of the holie Ghost that neither before hym neither after hym was there any suche kīg who returned to God with his hole soule and with all his strengthe according to all the law of Moses Of which histories it is euident that the reformation of religion in all points togither with the punishement of false teachers doth appertaine to the power of the ciuile Magistrate For what God required of them his iustice must require of others hauing the like charge and auctoritie what he did approue in them he can not but approue in all others who with like zeale and
the hole citie to mitigate the Lord so serued Darius geuing in the power of Daniel the idol to be broken and his ennemies to be cast to the lions so serued Nabucadnezer by a terrible law forbidding all that were in his realme to blaspheme God Herein therefore do kinges serue the Lord in so far as they are kings when they do those things to serue hym which none except kings be able to do He further procedeth and coÌ„cludeth that as when wicked kings do reign impietie can not be brideled by lawes but rather is tyrannie exercised vnder the title of the same so is it a thing without all reason that kinges professing the knolledge and honour of God should not regard nor care who did defend nor who did oppugne the Church of God in theyr dominions By these wordes of this auncieÌ„t and godlie writer your Honours may perceaue what I require of you to wit to represse the tyrannie of your Byshoppes and to defend the innocents professing the trueth He did require of the Emperour and kings of his daies professing Christ and manifestly concludeth that they can not serue Christ except that so they do Let not your Byshoppes thinke that Augustine speaketh for them because he nameth the Church Let them read and vnderstand that Augustine writeth for that Church which professeth the trueth and doth suffer persecution for the defeÌ„ce of the same which your byshoppes do not but rather with the Donatistes and Arrians do cruelly persecute all such as boldly speak Christes eternall veritie to manifest theyre impietie and abomination But thus much we haue of Augustine that it appertaineth to the obedience and seruice which kinges owe to God aswel now in the tyme of the Gospell as before vnder the Law to defende the afflicted for matters of religion and to represse the furie of the persecuters by the rigour and seueritie of godlie lawes For which cause no doubt doth Esaie the prophete say that kinges should be norishers to the Church of God that they should abbase their heades and louingly embrase the children of God And thus I say your Honours may euidently see that the same obedience doth God require of rulers and princes in the tyme of the Gospell that he required in the tyme of the Law Yf you do think that the reformation of religion and defence of the afflicted doth not appertaine to you because you are no kings but nobils aÌ„d estates of a real me in two thinges you are deceaued former in that you do not aduert that Dauid requireth aswell that the princes and iudges of the earth be learned and that they serue and fear God as that he requireth that the kings repent Yf you therefore be iudges and princes as no man can deny you to be then by the playn words of Dauid you are charged to be learned to serue and fear God which ye can not do if you despise the reformation of his religion And thys is your fyrst errour The secoÌ„d is that ye neither know your duetie which ye owe to God neither yet your auctoritie which of hym ye haue receaued yf ye for pleasure or fear of any earthlie man despise goddes true religion and conteÌ„ne your brethreÌ„ that in his name cal for your support Your dutie is to hear the voyce of the Eternal your God and unfainedly to studie to folow his preceptes who as is before said of especiall mercie hath promoted you to honours and dignitie His chefe and principall precept is that with reuerence ye receaue and embrace his onlie beloued sonne Iesus that ye promote to the vttermost of your powers his true religion aÌ„d that ye defend your brethren and subiectes whome he hath putt vnder your charge aÌ„d care Now if your king be a man ignoraÌ„t of God ennemie to his true religion blinded by superstition and a persecuter of Christes membres shall yee be excused if with silence yee passe ouer his iniquitie Be not deceaued my Lordes ye are placed in auctoritie for an other purpose then to flatter your king in his folie and blind rage to witt that as with your bodies strength riches and wisdome ye are bound to assist and defend him in all things which by your aduise he shall take in hand for Gods glorie and for the preseruation of his commune wealth and subiectes so by your grauities counsil and admonition yee are bound to correct and represse whatsoeuer ye know him to attempt expressedly repugning to Goddes word honour and glorie or what ye shall espie him to do be it by ignorance or be it by malice against his subiectes great or small Of which last part of your obedieÌ„ce yf ye defraud your king ye coÌ„mit against him no lesse treason then yf ye did extract froÌ„ him your due and ê“mised support what time by his ennemies iniustly he wer pursued But this part of their duetie I fear do a small nomber of the nobilitie of this age rightly consider neither yet will they vnderstand that for that purpose hath God ê“moted them For now the coÌ„mune song of al men is We must obey our kinges be they good or be they bad for God hath so coÌ„maunded But horrible shall the vengeance be that shalbe powred furth vpon such blasphemers of God his holie name and ordinaunce For it is no lesse blasphemie to say that God hath commaunded kinges to be obeyed when they coÌ„maund impietie then to say that God by his precept is auctour aÌ„d mentainer of all iniquitie True it is God hath coÌ„maunded kinges to be obeyed but like true it is that in things which they coÌ„mit against his glorie or when cruelly without cause they rage agaiÌ„st theire brethreÌ„ the members of Christes body he hath coÌ„maunded no obedieÌ„ce but rather he hath approued yea and greatlie rewarded such as haue opponed them selues to theyre vngodly commaundementes and blind rage as in the exampls of the three children of Daniel and Abdemelech it is euident The three children wold nether bowe nor stoupe before the golden image at the coÌ„maundement of the great king Nabuchadnezar Daniel did opeÌ„ly pray his windoes being open against the established law of Darius and of his counsil and Abdemelech feared not to enter in before the presence of Zedechias aÌ„d boldly to defeÌ„d the cause aÌ„d innoceÌ„tie of Ieremie the prophet whome the king and his counsil had coÌ„demned to deth Euerie one of these factes should this day be iudged foolishe by such as will not vnderstaÌ„d what coÌ„fession God doth require of his children when his veritie is oppugned or his glorie called in doubt suche men I say as prefer man to God and thinges present to the heauenlie inheritaunce should haue iudged euerie one of these factes stubburn inobedience foolishe presumption and singularitie or elles bold coÌ„trolinge of the king and his wise counsil But how acceptable in Gods presence was this resistance to the vngodlie commaundementes and determinations of theyr king the eÌ„d did witnes For
gall of crueltie the poisoÌ„ of filthie fornicatioÌ„ flowing from head to foote the contempt of God and open defense of the Cake Idol by opeÌ„ proclamatioÌ„ to be red in the Churches in the stead of goddes scriptures Thus was there no reformation but a deformation in the tyme of that tyrant and lecherous moÌ„ster The bore I graÌ„te was busie wrooting aÌ„d digging in the earth aÌ„d all his pigges that folowed hym But they soght only for the pleasaÌ„t frutes that they winded with their longe snowtes And for their own bellies sake they wrooted vp many weeds but they turned the grouÌ„de so miÌ„gling good aÌ„d badd togither swete and so wre medecine aÌ„d poyson they made Isay such coÌ„fusioÌ„ of religioÌ„ and lawes that no good thing could grow but by great miracle vnder such Gardners And no meruail if it be rightly coÌ„sidered for this bore raged against God against Deuill against Christ and against Antichrist as the fome that he cast owt against Luther the racing furth of the name of the Pope and yet alowiÌ„g his laws aÌ„d his murther of many Christian souldiours and of many papistes do clearly aÌ„d euideÌ„tly testifie vnto vs. Especially the burniÌ„g of Barnes Ierome aÌ„d Garrat three faithful preachers of the trueth haÌ„giÌ„g the same day for maintainaÌ„ce of the Pope Powel Abel and Fetherstone doth clearly paynt his beastlynes that he cared for no maner of religioÌ„ This moÌ„strous bore for al this must nedes be called the head of the Churche in paine of treason displacing Christ our onlie head who oght alone to haue this title Wherefore in this pointe o England ye were no better then the Romishe Antichrist who by the same title maketh hym selfe a God sitteth in meÌ„nes coÌ„sciences baÌ„nysheth the worde of God as did your king HeÌ„rie whome ye so magnifie For in his best time nothing was hard but the kings booke aÌ„d the kings ê“cedings the kinges homelies in the Churches where goddes word should onely haue bene preached So made you your kiÌ„g a God beleuing nothiÌ„g but that the alowed But how he died I will not write for shame I will not name how he turned to his vomet I will not write your other wickednes of those times your murthers without measure adulteries and incestes of your kinge his Lordes aud coÌ„munes It greueth me to write those euils of my couÌ„trie saue onlie that I must nedes declare what frutes were fouÌ„de in the vineyarde after you promised to worke therin to moue you to repentance and to iustifie Godds iudgements how greuously so euer he shall plage you hereafter Wherefore I desire you to call to remeÌ„brance your best state vnder king Edward when all men with generall coÌ„sÌ„t promised to worke in the vineyarde and ye shall haue cause I doubte not to lameÌ„t your wickednes that so conteÌ„ned the voice of God for your owne lustes for your crueltie for your couetousnes that the name of God was by your vanities euill spoken of in other nations I will name no particulare thinges becaus I reuerence those tymes saue only the killing of both the kinges vncles and the prisonnement of Hoper for popishe garments God graunt you all repentant heartes for no order nor state did any part of his duetie in those dayes But to speak of the best whereof ye vse to boast your religion was but an English matyns patched furthe of the popes portesse many thinges were in your great booke supersticious aÌ„d foolishe all were driuen to a prescripte seruice lyke the papistes that they should thinke theyr dueties discharged if the noÌ„bre were said of psalmes and chapters Finally there could no discipline be broght into the Churche nor correction of maners I will touche no further abuses yet willing and desiering you to consider theÌ„ in your heartes that knowing your negligence ye may bring furth frutes of repentance For this I admonishe you o ye people of England wheresoeuer you be scattered or placed that onles ye do right spedely repent of your former negligence it is not the Spanyardes only that ye haue to feare as roddes of goddes wrath but all other nations France Turkie and Denmarke yea all creatures shall be armed against you for the contempt of those tymes when your heauenlie father so mercifullie called you To what contempt was goddes worde and the admonition of his prophetes comme in all estates before God did stryke somme men are not ignorant The preachers them selues for the most part could fynd no fault in religion but that the Churche was poore and lacked liuing Trueth it is that the abbay laÌ„des and other such reuenues as afore appertained to the papistical Churche were most wickedly and vngodly spent but yet many thinges would haue bene reformed before that the kitching had bene better ê“uided for to our prelates in England It was moste euideÌ„t that many of you vnder the cloke of religion serued your own bellies somme were so busie to heap benefice vpon benefice soÌ„me to labour in parlameÌ„t for purchesing of lands that the tyme was small which coulde be founde for the reformation of abuses and very litle which was spent vpon the feeding of your flockes I nede not now to examine particular crimes of preachers Only I say that the Ghospell was so lightly estemed that the most part of men thoght rather that God should bow and obey to theyr appetites then that they should be subiect to his holie commaundementes For the communes did continew in malice and rebellion in craft and subtiltie notwithstanding all lawes that could be deuised for reformation of abuses The merchants had their own soules to sell for gaines the gentlemen were becomme NeÌ„rods and Gyants and the nobilitie and couÌ„sile would suffer no rebukes of Gods messeÌ„gers thogh theyr offenses were neuer so manifest Let those that preached in the court the lent before king Edward deceased speak theyr conscience and accuse me if I lie yea let a writing written by that miserable man then duke of Northumberland to master Harlow for that time Byshoppe of Harford be broght to lighte and it shall testifie that he ashamed not to say that the libertie of the preachers tonges would cause the counsile and nobilitie to ryse vppe against them for they could not suffer so to be intreated These were the frutes euen in the tyme of haruest a litle before the winter came And of the tyme of Marie what should I write England is now so miserable that no penne can paynt it It ceaseth to be in the nomber of children because it openly dispiteth God the father It hath cast of the trueth knowen and confessed and foloweth lies and errours which once it detested It buyldeth the buylding which it once destroyed â–ª it raiseth vp the idols which once were there confounded it murthereth the sainctes it mainteineth Baals prophetes by the coÌ„maundement of Iesabel Such are the euil husbandes that now haunte the vineyard so that this is true that our Sauiour Christ saieth The Lord hym selfe hath
THE APPELLATION OF IOHN KNOXE FROM the cruell and most iniust sentence pronounced against him by the false bishoppes and clergie of Scotland with his supplication and exhortation to the nobilitie estates and cōmunaltie of the same realme Printed at GENEVA M.D.LVIII TO THE NOBILITIE AND ESTAtes of Scotlād Iohn Knoxe wisheth grace mercie and peace from God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the spirit of righteous iudgement IT is not only the loue of life temporall right honorable neither yet the fear of corporall death that moueth me at this present to expone vnto you the iniuries done against me and to craue of you as of laufull powers by God appointed redresse of the same but partly it procedeth from that reuerence whiche euerie man oweth to Godds eternal trueth and partly from a loue which I beare to your saluation and to the saluation of my brethren abused in that realme by such as haue no fear of God before their eyes It hath pleased God of his infinite mercie not onlie so to illuminate the eyes of my minde and so to tuche my dull hart that clearly I se and by his grace vnfeanedly beleue that their is no other name geuen to men vnder the heauen in whiche saluation consisteth saue the name of Iesus alone Who by that sacrifice which he did once offer vpon the crosse hath sanctified for euer those that shall enherite the kingdom promised but also it hath pleased him of his superaboundant grace to make and appointe me most wretched of many thousandes a witnes minister and preacher of the same doctrine the somme whereof I did not spare to communicate withe my brethren being with them in the realme of Scotland in the yeare 1556 because I know my selfe to be a steward and that accompts of the talēt cōmitted to my charge shalbe required by him who will admit no vaine excuse which fearfull men pretend I did therefore as God did minister during the tyme I was conuersant with them God is record and witnesse truely and syncerly according to the gift grāted vnto me deuide the worde of saluation teachinge all men to hate Syn whiche before God was and is so odious that none other sacrifice coulde satisfie his iustice except the death of his onlie sonne and to magnifie the greate mercies of our heuenlie Father who did not spare the substāce of his own glorie but did giue hym to the world to suffer the ignominious and cruell death of the crosse by that meanes to reconcile his chosen children to hym selfe teaching further what is the duetie of such as do beleue them selues purged by such a price from their former filthines To wit that they are bound to walke in the newnes of life fighting against the lustes of the fleshe and studyinge at all tymes to glorifie God by such good woorkes as he hath prepared his children to walke in In doctrine I did further affirme so taught by my master Christ Iesus that whosoeuer denieth hym yea or is ashamed of hym before this wicked generation hym shall Christ Iesus denie and of hym shall he be ashame whē he shall appeare in his maiestie And therefore I feared not to affirme that of necessitie it is that suche as hope for life euerlasting auoide all superstition vaine religion and idolatrie Vaine religion and idolatrie I call what soeuer is done in Goddes seruice or honour without the expresse commaundement of his own worde This doctrine did I beleue to be so cōformable to Goddes holie scriptures that I thoght no creature could haue bene so impudent as to haue dāned any point or article of the same Yet neuerthelesse me as an heritike and this doctrine as heriticall haue your fals bishoppes and vngodlie clergie damned pronouncing against me a sentence of death in testification wherof they haue burned a picture From which fals and cruell sentence and from all iudgement of that wicked generation I make it knowen to your honours that I appeal to a laufull and generall counsil to suche I mean as the most auncient lawes and canones do approue to be holden by suche as whose manifest impietie is not to be reformed in the same most humbly requiring of your honours that as God hath appointed you princes in that people and by reason therof requireth of your handes the defence of innocētes troubled in your dominion in the meane tyme and till the controuersies that this day be in religion be laufully decided ye receaue me and suche others as most vniustlie by those cruell beastes are persecuted in your defence and protection Your honours are not ignorāt that it is not I alone who doth sustain this cause against the pestilēt generation of Papistes but that the most part of Germanie the countrie of Heluetia the kinge of Denmarke the nobilitie of Polonia togither with many other Cities and Churches refromed appeall from the tyrannie of that Antichrist and most earnestly do call for a laufull and general coūsil wherin may all cōtrouersies in religion be decided by the auctoritie of Goddes most sacred worde And vnto this same as said is do I appeal yet once againe requirīg of your honours to hold my simple and playn appellation of no lesse value nor effect then if it had bene made with greater circunstāce solemnitie and ceremonie and that ye receaue me calinge vnto you as to the powers of God ordained in your protection and defence against the rage of tyrantes not to mentaine me in any iniquitie errour or fals opinion but to let me haue such equitie as God by his worde auncient lawes and determinations of most Godlie counsils graunte to men accused or infamed The word of God will that no man shall die except he be found criminall and worthie of death for offence committed of the whiche he must be manifestly conuicted by two or three witnesses Ancient lawes do permitt iust defences to such as be accused be their crimes neuer so horrible and godlie counsilles will that nether Byshopp nor Person ecclesiasticall whatsoeuer accused of any crime shall sit in iudgement consultation or counsil where the cause of such men as do accuse them is to be tried These thinges require I of your honours to be graunted vnto me to wit That the doctrine which our aduersaries condemn for haeresie may be tried by the simple and playn word of God that iust defenses be admitted to vs that sustain the battaile against this pestilent generation of Antichrist and that they be remoued from iudgement in our cause seinge that our accusation is not intended against any one particular persō but against that hole kingdome whiche we doubt not to proue to be a power vsurped against God against his cōmaundement and against the ordenance of Christ Iesus established in his Church by his chefe Apostles Yea we doubt not to proue the kingdome of the Pope to be the king dome and
to be a trueth infallible to wit That the soule is greater and more pretious then is the bodie then shall we easely espye how vnworthie of auctoritie be those that this day debarre theyre subiectes from the hearing of Gods worde and by fier and sworde compell them to feede vpon the verie poison of theyre soules the damnable doctrine of Antichrist And therefore in this poiÌ„t I say I can not cease to admonish your honours diligently to take heede ouer your charge which is greater then the most parte of men suppose It is not ynough that you abstaine from violeÌ„te wrong and oppression which vngodlie men exercise against theyr subiectes but ye are further bouÌ„de to witt that ye rule aboue them for theyre welth Which ye can not do if that ye either by negligence not prouiding true pastors or yet by your maintainance of such as be rauening wolues suffer theyre soules to sterue and perishe for lack of the true foode which is Christes Euangill syncerely preached It wil not excuse you in his presence who will require accompte of euerie talent committed to your charge to say that ye supposed that the charge of the soules had bene committed to your Byshoppes No no my Lordes so ye can not escape Gods iudgement For if your Byshoppes be proued to be no Byshoppes but deceauable theues and rauenyng wolues which I offer my selfe to proue by Gods word by law and couÌ„cils yea by the iudgement of all the godly learned froÌ„ the primatiue Church to this day then shall your permission and defence of them be reputed before God a participation with theyr thefte and murther For thus accused the Prophete Esaie the Princes of Ierusalem Thy priÌ„ces saieth he ar apostatats that is obstinat refusers of God and they ar companions of theues This greuous accusation was laid against them albeit that they ruled in that citie which sometyme was called holy where then were the temple rites and ordonances of God because that not onlie they were wicked them selues but chefely because they maintained wiked men theyr Preestes aÌ„d fals ê“phetes in honours and auctoritie yf they did not escape this accusatioÌ„ of the holie Ghost iÌ„ that age looke ye neither to escape the accusation nor the iudgemeÌ„t which is pronouÌ„ced against the maiÌ„tainers of whicked men to with that the one and the other shall drinck the cuppe of Gods wrathe and vengance togither and lest ye should deceaue your selues esteming your Byshoppes to be vertuous and godlie this do I affirme and offer my selfe to proue the same that more wicked men then be the hole rabble of your clergie were neuer from the begynning vniuersally knowen in any age yea Sodome and Gomorra may be iustified in theyre respect For they permitted iust Lot to dwell amongest them without any violeÌ„ce done to his bodie which that pestilent generation of your shauensort doth not but moste cruelly persecute by fier and sworde the true membres of Christes bodie for no other cause but for the true seruice aÌ„d honoring of God And therefore I fear not to affirme that which God shall one day iustifie That by your offices ye be bound not only to represse theyr tyraÌ„nie but also to punishe them as theues and murtherers as idolators and blasphemers of God aÌ„d in their roumes ye are bouÌ„de to place true preachers of Christs EuaÌ„gile for the instruction comfort and saluation of your subiectes aboue whome els shall neuer the holy Ghost acknolledge that you rule in iustice for their proffit Yf yee preteÌ„d to possesse the kingdome with Christ Iesus yee may not take exaÌ„ple neither by the ignoraÌ„t multitude of Princes neither by the vngodly aud cruell rulers of the earth of whome soÌ„me passe theyre tyme in slouth insoleÌ„tie and ryote without respect had to goddes honour or to the saluatioÌ„ of theyre brethreÌ„ and other moste cruelly oppresse with proude NiÌ„rod such as be subiect to them But your pattern and example must be the practise of those whome God hath approued by the testimonie of his worde as after shalbe declared Of the premisses it is euident that to lawfull powers is geuen the sworde for punyshement of malefactors for maintenance of innocents and for the profitt and vtilitie of theyr subiects Now let vs consider whether the reformation of religion fallen in decay and punyshement of false teachers do appertaine to the ciuile Magistrate and nobilitie of any realme I am not ignorant that Satan of old tyme for mentainance of his darknes hath obtained of the blynd world two chefe points Former he hath persuaded to Princes rulers and magistrates that the feeding of Christes flock appertaineth nothing to theyre charge but that it is reiected vpon the Byshoppes and estate ecclesiasticall and secondarelie that the reformation of religion be it neuer so corrupt and the punishement of such as be sworne souldiers in theyre king dome are exempted from all ciuile power and are reserued to them selues and to theyre own cognition But that no offender can iustly be exempted from punyshement and that the ordering and reformation of religion with the instruction of subiects doth especially appertaine to the ciuile Magistrate shall goddes perfect ordenaunce his plaine worde and the factes and examples of those that of God are highly praised moste euidently declare When God did establish his Law statutes and ceremonies in the middest of Israel he did not exempt the matters of religion from the power of Moses but as he gaue hym charge ouer the ciuile politie so he put in his mouth and in his hand That is he fyrst reuealed to hym and thereafter commaunded to put in practise whatsoeuer was to be taught or done in matters of religioÌ„ Nothing did God reueale particularely to Aaron but altogither was he commaunded to depend from the mouth of Moses Yea nothing was he permitted to do to hym self or to his children either in his or theyr inauguration and sanctification to the preesthode but all was committed to the care of Moses and therefore were these wordes so frequeÌ„tly repeted to Moses Thou shalt seperate Aaron and his sonnes from the middest of the people of Israel that they may execute the office of the Preesthode thou shalt make vnto them garments thou shalt annoynte them thou shalt wash theÌ„ thou shalt fill theyr handes with the sacrifice And so furth of euerie rite and ceremonie that was to be done vnto theÌ„ especiall commaundement was geuen vnto Moses that he should do it Now if AaroÌ„ and his sonnes were so subiect to Moses that they did nothing but at his commaundement who dar be so bold as to affirme that the ciuile Magistrate hath nothing to do in matters of religioÌ„ For seing that theÌ„ God did so straytly require that euen those who did beare the figure of Christ should receaue from the ciuile power as it were theyre sanctification and entraÌ„ce to theyr office and seing also that Moses was so far
synceritie do interprise to purge the Lordes temple and sanctuarie what God required of them it is before declared to wit that most diligently they should obserue his Law statutes and ceremonies And how acceptable were theyre factes to God doth he him selfe witnesse For to somme he gaue most notable victories without the hande of man and in theyre most desperat daungers did declare his especiall fauours towerdes them by signes supernaturall to other he so established the kingdome that theyre ennemies were compelled to stoupe vnder theyre feete And the names of all he hath regestred not only in the boke of life but also in the blessed remembrance of all posterities sence theyre daies which also shall continue till the commyng of the Lord Iesus who shall rewarde with the crowne of immortalitie not only theÌ„ but also such as vnfaynedly studie to do the will and to promote the glorie of his heuenlie father in the middest of this corrupted generation In coÌ„sideration whereof ought you my Lordes all delay set apart to prouide for the reformation of religion in your dominions and boundes which now is so corrupt that no part of Christes institution remaineth in the original puritie and therefore of necessitie it is that spedely ye prouide for reformatione or els ye declare your selues not only voyde of loue to werdes your subiectes but also to liue without care of your owne saluation yea without all feare and true reuerence of God Two thinges perchance may moue you to esteme these histories before briuely tuched to appertaine nothing to you Fyrst because you are no Iewes but Gentiles and secondarely because you are no kinges but nobiles in your realm But be not deceaued For neither of both can excuse you in goddes presence from doing your duetie for it is a thing more then certein that whatso euer God required of the ciuile Magistrate in Israel or Iuda concernyng the obseruation of true religion during the tyme of the Law the same doth he require of lawfull Magistrates professing Christ Iesus in the tyme of the Gospell as the holie Ghost hath taught vs by the mouth of Dauid saying Psal. 2. Be learned you that iudge the earth kysse the sonne lest that the Lord waxe angrie aÌ„d that yee perish from the way This admonition did not extend to the iudges vnder the law only but doth also include all such as be promoted to honours in the tyme of the Gospell when Christ Iesus doth reigne aÌ„d feight in his spirituall kyngdome whose ennemies in that psalme be fyrst most sharply taxed theyr furie expressed and vanitie mocked then are kings and iudges who think them selues free from all law and obedieÌ„ce commaunded to repent theyre former blynd rage and iudges are charged to be learned and last are all coÌ„maunded to serue the eternall in feare to reioyce before hym in tremblyng to kysse the sonne that is to geue vnto hym most humble obedience whereof it is euident that the rulers Magistrats and iudges now in Christes kingdome are no lesse bound to obedieÌ„ce vnto God theÌ„ were those vnder the Law And how is it possible that any shall be obedieÌ„t who dispise his religion in which standeth the chefe glorie that man can geue to God and is a seruice which God especially requireth of kings and rulers Which thing saint Augustine plainely did note writing to one Bonifacius a man of warr according to the same argument and purpose which I labour to persuade your Honours For after that he hath in that his epistle declared the difference betwixt the heresie of the Donatists and Arrians and hath somwhat spoken of theyr crueltie he sheweth the way how theyr furie should and oght to be repressed and that it is lawfull for the iniustly afflicted to seke support and defence at godlie Magistrates For thus he writeth Either must the veritie be kept close or els must theyr crueltie be susteaned But if the veritie should be concealed not only should none be saued nor delyuered by suchsileÌ„ce but also shoulde many be lost through theyr decept But if by preaching of the veritie theyr furie should be prouoked more to rage and by that meanes yet somme were delyuered and made stronge yet should feare hinder many weakliÌ„gs to folowe the veritie if theyr rage be not stayed In these fyrst wordes Augustine sheweth three reasons why the afflicted Church in those daies called for the help of the Emperour and of godlie Magistrates against the furie of the persecuters The fyrst The veritie must be spoken or ells mankind shall perish in errour The second the veritie being plainlie spoken prouoketh the aduersaries to rage And because that soÌ„me did alledge that rather we oght to suffer all iniurie then to seke support by man he addeth the third reason to witt that many weakones be not able to suffer persecution and death for the truethes sake to whome not the lesse respect oght to be had that they may be won from errour and so be brought to grater strength O that the rulers of this age should ponder and wey the reasons of this godly writer and prouid the remedie which he requyreth in these wordes foloiÌ„g Now when the Church was thus afflicted yf any think that rather they should haue sustayned all calamitie then that the helpe of God should haue bene asked by Christian Emperours he doth not well aduert that of such negligence no good coÌ„ptes or reason could be geuen For where such as would that no iust lawes should be made against theyre impietie alledge that the Apostles soght no such thiÌ„ges of the kinges of the earth they do not consider that then the tyme was other then it is now and that all thinges are done in theyr owne tyme. What Emperour then beleued in Christ that should serue hym in making lawes for godlines against impietie whill yet that saying of the ê“phet was coÌ„plete why hath nations raged and people haue imagined vanitie The kinges of the earth haue stand vp princes haue conuented together against the Lord and against his annoynted That which is after said in the same psalme was not yet comme to passe And now vnderstand o you kinges be learned you that iudge the earth serue the Lord â–ª in fear and reioyce to hym with tremlinge How do kings serue the Lord in fear but in punishing and by a godlie seueritie forbidding those thinges which are done against the commaundement of the Lord. For otherwise doth he serue in so far as he is man other wise in so far as he is king In so far as he is man he serueth hym by liuing faithfully but because he is also king he serueth establishing lawes that commaund the thinges that be iust and that with a conuenient rigour forbyd thinges contrarie As Ezechias serued distroying the groues the temples of idols and the places which were buylded against goddes commaundement So serued also Iosias doing the same so serued the king of Niniuites compelling
the three children were deliuered from the fornace of fyer and Daniel from the den of liōs to the confusion of their ennemies to the better instruction of the ignorant kinges and to the perpetuall comfort of goddes afflicted children And Abdemelech in the day of the Lordes visitation when the kinge and his counsil did drink the bitter cupp of goddes vengeance did fynde his life for a praye and did not fall in the edge of the sword when manie thousandes did perishe And this was signified vnto him by the prophet him self at the cōmaundemēt of God before that Ierusalem was destroyed The promesse and cause were recited vnto him in these wordes I will bring my wordes vpon this citie vnto euill and not vnto good but most assuredly I shal deliuer thee because thou hast trusted in me sayeth the Lord. The trust ād hope which Abdemelech had in God made him bold to oppone him selfe being but a man to the king and to his hole coūsill who had cōdemned to death the Prophet whome his cōscience did acknolledge to be innocent For this did he speak in the presence of the king sitting in the port of Beniamī My Lord the kinge saith Abdemelech these men do wickedly in all thinges that they haue done to Ieremie the Prophet Aduert and take hede my Lordes that the men who had condemned the Prophet were the king his prīces and counsill and yet did one man accuse them all of iniquitie ād did boldly speak in the defēse of hī of whose innocētie he was persuaded And the same I say is the duetie of euery man in his vocation but chefely of the nobilitie which is ioyned with theyr kinges to bridel and represse that folie and blind rage Which thing if the nobilitie do not neither yet labour to do as they are traitours to their kings so do they prouoke the wrath of God agaīst them selues and against the realme in which they abuse the auctoritie which they haue receaued of God to mentaine vertue and to represse vice For hereof I would your Honours were most certainly persuaded that God will neither excuse nobilitie nor people but the nobilitie least of al that obey ād folow theyr kinges in manifest iniquitie but with the same vengeāce will God punishe the Prince people and nobilitie conspiring togither against him and his holie ordenances as in the punishment taken vpon Pharao Israel Iuda and Babylon is euidently to be sene For Pharao was not drowned alone but his captayns charetes and greate armie drank the same cup with him The kinges of Israel and Iuda were not punished whitout cōpagny but with them were murthered the counsilers theyre Princes imprisoned and theire people ledd captiue And why because none was found so faithful to God that he durst enterprise to resist nor against and the manifest impietie of theyr Princes And therefore was Gods wrath powred furth vpon the one and the other But the more ample discource of this argument I differ to better opportunitie onely at this tyme I thoght expediēt to admonysh you that before God it shall not excuse you to alledge We are no kinges and therefore neither can we reforme religion nor yet defend such as be persecuted Consider my Lordes that yee are powers ordened by God as before is declared ād therefore doth the reformation of religion and the defense of such as iniusty are oppressed appertaine to your charge and care which thinge shall the law of God vniuersally geuen to be kept of all men most euidently declare which is my last and most assured reason why I say yee oght to remoue from honours and to punish with death such as God hath condemned by his owne mouth After that Moses had declared what was true religiō to wit to honor God as he commaunded adding nothing to his worde neither yet diminishinge any thīg from it and after also that vehemently he had exhorted the same law to be obserued he denounceth the punishment against the trāsgressours in these wordes Yf thy brother sonne doghter wife or neghbour whome thou louest as thyne own life solicitate thee secretly saying Let vs go serue other goddes whome neither thou nor thy fathers haue knowen consent not to hym hear hym not let not thyne eye spare hym shew hym no indulgentie or fauour hide him not but vtterly kill hym let thy hād be the first vpon hym that he may be slaine and after the hāde of the hole people Of these wordes of Moses are-two things apperteanīg to our purpose to be noted Former that such as solicitate only to idolatrie oght to be punished to death without fauour or respect of person For he that will not suffer mā to spare his sōne his daughter nor his wife but straitly commaundeth punishmēt to be taken vpon the idolatours haue they neuer so nie cōiunction with vs will not wink at the idolatrie of others of what estate or condition so euer they be It is not vnknowen that the prophetes had reuelations of God which were not commune to the people as Samuel had the reuelation that Eli and his posteritie should be destroyed that Saul should first be king and thereafter that he should be reiected that Dauid should reign for him Micheas vnderstode by vision that Achab should be killed in battaile against the Sirians Elias saw that dogges should eat Iesabel ī the fortres of Iesrael Eliaesus did see hunger come vpon Israel by the space of seuen yeares Ieremie did foresee the destruction of Ierusalem and the tyme of their captiuitie and so diuerse other prophetes had diuerse reuelations of God which the people did not otherwise vnderstād but by their affirmatiō and therefore in those dayes were the prophetes named Seears because that God did opē vnto thē that which was hid from the multitude Now if anie man might haue claimed anie priuiledge from the rigour of the Law or might haue iustified his fact it should haue bene the Prophete For he might haue alledged for hym selfe his singular prerogatiue that he had aboue other men to haue goddes will reuealed vnto hym by visiō or by dream or that God had declared particularely vnto hym that his pleasure was to be honoured ī that maner in such a place ād by such meanes But all such excuses doth God remoue cōmaūdīg that the Prophete that shall solicitate the people to serue strange goddes shall die the death notwithstanding that he alledge for hym selfe dream vision or reuelation Yea althogh he promisse miracles and also that such thinges as he promiseth come to passe yet I say commaundeth God that no credit be geuen to hym but that he die the death because he teacheth apostasie ād defection frō God Hereof your Honours may easely espie that none prouoking the people to idolatrie oght to be exempted from the punishmēt of death For if neither that inseparable cōiunction which God hym selfe hath sanctified betwixt man and wife neither that vnspeakable
EnglaÌ„d vnto such a noÌ„bre I say it is Laufull to punish the idolatours with death if by anie meanes God geue them the power For so did Iosua and Israel determine to haue done against the childreÌ„ of RubeÌ„ Gad aÌ„d Manasses for their suspected apostasie aÌ„d defectioÌ„ from God And the hole tribes did in verie dede execute that sharpe iudgemeÌ„t agaiÌ„st the tribe of BeÌ„iamin for a lesse offeÌ„ce then for idolatrie And the same oght to be done whersoeuer Christ Iesus aÌ„d his EuaÌ„gill is so receaued iÌ„ any realme ê“uince or citie that the Magistrates aÌ„d people haue solemnely auowed aÌ„d promised to defeÌ„d the same as vnder king Edward of late dayes was done in EnglaÌ„d In such places I say it is not only lawful to punish to the death such as labour to subuert the true religioÌ„ but the magistrates aÌ„d people are bouÌ„d so to do onles they wil prouoke the wrath of God agaiÌ„st theÌ„ selues And therfor I fear not to affirm that it had bene the duetie of the nobilitie iudges rulers aÌ„d people of EnglaÌ„d not only to haue resisted and againstanded Marie that Iesabel whome they call their quene but also to haue punished her to the death with all the sort of her idolatrous Preestes together with all such as should haue assisted her what tyme that shee and they openly began to suppresse Christes Euangil to shedd the blood of the saiÌ„cts of God ad to erect that most diuellish idolatrie the papistical abominatioÌ„s aÌ„d his vsurped tyrannie which ones most iustly by coÌ„mune oth was banished from that realme But becaus I caÌ„ not at this present discusse this argument as it appertaineth I am coÌ„pelled to omitt it to better opportunitie and so returning to your Honours I say that if ye confesse your selues baptised in the Lord Iesus of necessitie ye must confesse that the care of his religion doth appertaine to your charge And if ye know that in your haÌ„des God hath put the sworde for the causes aboue expressed theÌ„ caÌ„ ye not denie but that the punishement of obstinate and malepert idolatours such as all your bishoppes be doth appertaine to your office yf after admonition they coÌ„tinew obstinat I am not ignoraÌ„t what be the vaine defeÌ„ses of your proude prelates They claime first a prerogatiue and priuiledge that they are exempted and that by consent of Councils and Emperours from all iurisdiction of the temporaltie And secoÌ„darely when they are coÌ„uicted of manifest impieties abuses and enormities aswell in their maners as in religion neither fear nor shame they to affirme that thinges so longe established can not suddenly be reformed althogh they be corrupted but with processe of tyme they promisse to take order But in few wordes I answer that no priuiledge graunted against the ordenance and statutes of God is to be obserued althogh all Councils and men in the earth haue appointed the same But against goddes ordenance it is that idolatours murtherours fals teachers and blasphemers shall be exeÌ„pted from punishement as before is declared and therefore in vaine it is that they claym for priuiledge when that God sayeth The murtherer shalt thou riue from my alter that he may die the death And as to the order and reformatioÌ„ which they promisse that is to be loked or hoped for when Satan whose children and slaues they are can chaÌ„ge his nature This answer I doubt not shall suffice the sober aÌ„d godlie reader But yet to the end that they may further see their own confusion and that your Honours may better vnderstaÌ„d what ye oght to do in so manifest a corruption and defectioÌ„ from God I aske of them selues what assurance they haue for this their immunitie exemption or priuiledge who is the auctour of it and what frute it hath produced And fyrst I say that of God they haue no assurance neither yet can he be proued to be auctour of anie suche priuiledge But the contrarie is easie to be seen For God in establishing his orders in Israel did so subiect Aaron in his preesthode being the figure of Christ to Moses that he feared not to call him in iudgement and to constrain hym to giue accomptes of his wicked dede in consenting to idolatrie as the historie doth plainely witnesse For thus it is written Then Moses toke the calf which they had made and burned it with fier and did grind it to powder and scattering it in the water gaue it to drink to the children of Israel â–ª declaring herebie the vanitie of their idol and the abomination of the same and thereafter Moses said to Aaron what hath this people done to the that thou shouldest bring vpon it so great a syn Thus I say doth Moses call and accuse Aaron of the destruction of the hole people and yet he perfectly vnderstode that God had appointed hym to be the high Preest that he should bear vpon his shoulders aÌ„d vpoÌ„ his breast the names of the 12. tribes of Israel for whome he was appointed to make sacrifice praiers aÌ„d supplications He knew his dignitie was so great that only he might entre within the most holie place but neither could his office nor dignitie exempt hym from iudgemeÌ„t when he had offended Yf any obiect Aaron at that tyme was not anointed aÌ„d therefore was he subiect to Moses I haue answered that Moses being taught by the mouth of God did perfectly vnderstaÌ„d to what dignitie AaroÌ„ was appointed and yet he feared not to call hym in iudgement and to coÌ„pell hym to make answer for his wicked fact But if this answer doth not suffice yet shall the holie Ghost witnesse further in the matter SalomoÌ„ remoued from honour Abiathar being the high preeste and coÌ„maunded him to cease from all function and to liue as a priuate man Now if the vnction did exempt the preest from Iurisdiction of the ciuile Magistrate Salomon did offend and iniured Abiathar For he was anoynted and had caried the ark before Dauid But God doth not reproue the fact of Salomon neither yet doth Abiathar claime anie prerogatiue by the reason of his office but rather doth the holie Ghost approue the fact of Salomon sayinge SalomoÌ„ eiected furth Abiathar that he should not be the Preest of the Lord that the word of the Lord might be perfurmed which he spake vpon the house of Eli. And Abiathar did think that he obtained great fauour in that he did escape the present death which by his conspiracie he had deserued Yf anie yet reason that Abiathar was no otherwise subiect to the iudgement of the king but as he was appointed to be the executour of that sentence which God before had pronounced as I will not greatly denie that reason so require I that euerie man consider that the same God who pronounced sentence against Eli and his house hath pronounced also that idolaters hooremongers murtherers and blasphemers shall neither haue portion in the kingdome of God neither oght to be
chose his habitation amongest them and also that best knoweth what lieth within man did prouide the remedie for the one and for the other making them equal in that behalfe who in other thinges were most vnequal Yf the poore should haue founde hym selfe greued by reason of that taxe and that asmuch was imposed vpon hym as vpon the riche yet had he no small cause of ioy that God him selfe would please to cōpare hym and to make hym equal in the mentenāce of his tabernacle to the most riche and potent in Israel Yf this equalitie was commaunded by God for mentenāce of that transitorie tabernacle which was but a shadoe of a better to cōme is not the same required of vs who now hath the veritie which is Christ Iesus who being clad with our nature is made Immanuel that is God with vs. Whose natural bodie albeit it be receaued in the heauens where he must abyde till all be complete that is forespoken by the Prophetes yet hath he promised to be presēt with vs to the ēd of the world And for that purpose and for the more assurance of his promisse he hath erected amongest vs here in earthe the signes of his owne presence with vs his spiritual tabernacle the true preaching of his worde and right administration of his sacramentes To the mentenance whereof is no lesse bounde the subiect then the prince the poore then the riche For as the price which was geuē for mannes redēption is one so requireth God of all that shalbe partakers of the benefites of the same a like duetie which is a plaine confession that by Christ Iesus alone we haue receaued what soeuer was lost in Adam Of the prince doth God require that he refuse hym selfe and that he folow Christ Iesus of the subiect he requireth the same Of the kinges and iudges it is required that they kysse the sonne that is giue honour subiection and obedience to hym And from such reuerēce doth not God exempt the subiect that shalbe saued And this is that aequalitie which is betwixt the kinges and subiectes the most riche or noble and betwixt the poorest and men of lowest estate to wit that as the one is oblished to beleue in heart and with mouth to cōfesse the Lord Iesus to be the onlie sauiour of the world so also is the other Neither is there anie of goddes childrē who hath attained to the yeares of discretion so poore but that he hath thus much to bestow vpon the ornamentes and maintenance of their spiritual tabernacle when necessitie requireth neither yet is there anie so riche of whose hande God requireth any more For albeit that Dauid gathered greate substāce for the buylding of the temple that Salomon with earnest diligence and incredible expenses erected and finished the same that Ezechias and Iosias purged the religion which before was corrupted yet to them was God no further dettour in that respect then he was to the most simple of the faithfull posteritie of faithfull Abraham For theyr diligence zeal and workes gaue rather testimonie and confession before men what honour they did bear to God what loue to his worde and reuerēce to his religiō then that any worke proceading from them did either establishe or yet encrease goddes fauoure towardes thē who freely did loue thē in Christ his sonne before the foundation of the world was laied So that these forenamed by theyr notable workes gaue testimonie of theyr vnfained faith and the same doth the poorest that vnfeanedly and openly professeth Christ Iesus that doth embrase his gladtydinges offred that doth abhorre superstition and flie from idolatrie The poorest I say and most simple that this day in earth in the daies of this cruel persecution fermely beleueth in Christ and boldly doth confesse hym before this wicked generation is no lesse acceptable before God neither is iudged in his presence to haue done any lesse in promoting Christ his cause then is the king that by the sworde and power which he hath receaued of God wrooteth owt idolatrie and so aduanceth Christes glorie But to return to our former purpose it is no lesse required I say of the subiect to beleu◠in Christ and to professe his true religion then of the prince and king And therefore I affirme that in goddes presence it shall not excuse you to alledge that ye were no chefe rulers and therefore that the care and reformation of religion did not appertaine vnto you Ye dear Brethren as before is said are the creatures of God created to his owne image and similitude to whome it is commaunded to hear the voyce of your heauenlie Father to embrase his sonne Christ Iesus to flie from all doctrine and religion which he hath not approued by his own will reuealed to vs in his moste blessed worde To which preceptes and charges if ye be founde inobedient ye shall perish in your iniquitie as rebelles and stubborn seruantes that haue no pleasure to obey the good will of their soueraigne Lord who most louingly doth call for your obedience And therefore Brethren in this behalf it is your part to be carefull and diligent For the question is not of thinges temporall which allthoghe they be endaungered yet by diligēce and processe of tyme may after be redressed but it is of the dānation of your bodies and soules and of the losse of the life euerlasting which once lost can neuer be recouered And therefore I say that it behoueth you to be careful and diligēt in this so weghtie a matter lest that ye contemnyng this occasion which God now offereth fynd not the like althoghe that after with gronyng and sobbes ye lāguyshe for the same And that ye be not ignorant of what occasion I mean in few words I shall expresse it Not only I but with me also diuers other godlie and learned men do offer vnto you our labours faithfully to instruct you in the waies of the Eternal our God and in the synceritie of Christes Euangil which this day by the pestilent generatiō of Antichrist I mean by the pope and by his most vngodlie clergie are almost hyd from the eies of men We offer to ieopard our liues for the saluation of your soules and by manifest scriptures to proue that religion which amongest you is mentained by fier and sworde to be vaine fals ād diabolical We require nothing of you but that paciently ye will heare our doctrine which is not oures but is the doctrine of saluation reuealed to the world by the onlie sonne of God ād that ye will examine our reasons by the which we offer to proue the papistical religion to be abominable before God And last we require that by your power the tyrannie of those cruel beastes I mean of preests and freers may be brideled till we haue vttered our mindes in all matters this day debateable in religion Yf these thinges in the fear of God ye