the maintenance of Gods true religion Ghospell In so much as beside all other times and occasions vvhen now a little before the last Paliamēt the pert bragging of popish recusants their fauourers here and there straglinglie scattered thorowe the lande did somewhat amase and trouble the mindes of infinite her Maiesties moste godlie louing obedient faithfull subiectes we yet se by firme experience the holie constancie of her Maiesties vnchangeable faith and the honorable cariadge of their wisedomes to the confusion of such vaine persones in their vndutifull wicked hope and to the exceeding ioy and contentation of millions of godlie Christians who depend vpon her Maiesties most gracious present gouernement and whose life is not deere vnto them so as they may se her in helth ioy comfort and honour being readie to bestow the best blood in their heartes to doe her true and faithfull seruice and euerie day night hower to aduenture all they haue for her safetie and to curbe beate downe all wicked Priestes Papistes treasonable persons what so euer The vnchangeable loue of Queene Elizabeth and her godly subiectes And this I thank God I may to the honour and ioy of her Maiestie boast and glorie with an humble gratefull minde reuerence to the diuine magnificent bountie of oureternall Father that neuer Prince King nor Queene since the foundation of the world had more faithfull loue obedience and chearfull duetie of their subiectes then all the Protestantes of England haue most gladly constantlie and vnchangeablie performed and continued to their most louing and kind-mother Queene Elizabeth and that so manie yeares with so little discontentment and disturbance and her loue and holie affection and constancie in religion hath bounde them most neerlie vnto her And therefore I am verely perswaded that if euer any Prince might esteeme the loue of their subiectes a strong wall and bulwark and garde to their person then certes Queene Elizabeth both may 〈…〉 mak high account of the Protestant in England as the most faithfull and loyall people which will not suffer her Maiestie to haue the least indignity if it lye in them by spending verie many thousands of their liues to doe her good And that shall the Papists Priests Seminaries wel know if euer they goe about to put in executiō their hoped butchery bloody obediēce to the Popes cruel buls And this is not all that bindes vs to their honors The Lords of the counsell a great stay to godly Ministers for in our priuate troubles about the ceremonies and subscription wee the poore and faithfull Ministers of Christ when so euer we haue opened our cause and humbled our selues vnto them we haue found great iustice and equitie and diuers times great reliefe and ease from our troubles No doubt they seing our innocencie that of meere conscience without anye the least inclination to disloyaltie to our Soueraigne we did forbeare to doe those thinges they haue tendered our cause and louingly effected that we might not be to to much ouerburdened Yea my L. G. of Cantur himself though he seeme to be the greatest opposite to our cause by wise experience finding the same thing hath many times and vnto divers men whereof I must confesse my self to be one moderated the extremitie which by other men was hotly and vncharitablie persued God bee thanked And I humblie praye almighty God euermore to blesse them that they may be alwaies the faithful eyes eares and hands of her Maiestie to the continuall safetie of her sacred person the vnchangeable vpholding of religion and the ioy of all faithfull and dutifull subiectes the terror and keeping vnder of all wickednes superstition and idolatry to the saluation of their own soules the bright shining glory of God in this land for euer and euer The ciuil and politike state of this land verie good 4. Now if any man vnderstand by the state the constitution of the common lawes and statutes of this land now presently in force whereby vve are combined into one bodie of a ciuill politike common wealth vnder one head and Monarchicall gouernment in all priuileges duties offices and works of Prince and people and of the whole and repulse and repressing of all domesticall and priuate euill in the whole or any member and for defence against all forren power or Potentate whatsoeuer who shall claime any title iurisdictiō or interest within these her Maiesties Dominions of Englande or Irelande or ells make inuasion against our Noble countrie or Soueraigne or offer violence or anie wrong to her Maiesties person Crowne or dignitie In all these thinges wee the Ministers and people aforesaide doe professe ourselues as happie people as anie vnder the Sunne to be vnder so iust equall and free lawes gouernement and iurisdiction right ordered common wealth And we protest before God that we and all we are bounde both by the law of God and of nature to spend our goods strength life and all we haue for the maintenance preseruation and quiet proceeding execution and florishing prosperitie of the same common wealth and monarchicall gouernement and for the maintenance of her Maiesties supreame authoritie ouer all persons in these her dominions either ecclesiasticall or ciuill and in all causes what so euer next immediatelie vnder God and his holy sonne Iesus Christ the King of glorie And I haue that assurance of our vprightnes in this matter that I trust no man euer did or could neither yet at this time either will or can except it bee some popish Priest or seditious person that maligneth our happinesse in this common wealth challenge accuse charge or suspect vs or any of vs that we are not for our places as obedient faithfull glad of present state as any other English men subiectes in this land without inparagement be it spoken and with reuerence to our superiours what so euer 5 Heere vpon it seemeth to me that the question is truely and naturallie about the Ecclesiasticall state constitutions orders maner of gouernement that if it may appeare that heerein we be not enemies then are we no way to be touched of which point the 2 and 3 chapters doe in some sort intreate and doe thus farre iustifie vs that we seeming in some sorte to goe against the present gouernement for not obseruing some ceremonies and for not subscribing c. are yet verie much warranted by the same constitutions articles proceedings of the same Ecclesiasticall state But we haue many moe honest and iust reasons for the approuing of our doinges which I doubt not but that the reuerende Fathers themselues and all other Christians waying with the balance of truth and equitie will afoord to be of better acceptance then in the cōmon account of our cause many doe esteem or affirme The ecclesiasticall state What. First therfore the ecclesiasticall state is the constitution of our churches reformatiō as we are departed from the apostaticall
him selfe to be rather heaped vp to make a terrible shevv then indeede for any substance of trueth in them But these obiections I will make speciall choise of vvhich are of moste waight sounding out very loud against vs the alarum of schismatickes troublers of the Church enemies to the staie rebels traitors vvorse then Papists And these I find to be of two sorts either they are of thinges vvithout vs vvherein vve haue not had any intelligence or medling or else they are directlye ayming at our doings and the cause vve suffer for The first slander touching strangers 3. In the first they carry vs into Geneua Fraunce the Low countries Scotland and make vs to bee French-men Hollanders and Scottes that what so euer in the actions of the Protestantes or their vvritings may seeme to carry coulour of any disloyalty to their seuerall Princes or Magistrates all that is dravvnâ— vvith cartropes laid open our shoulders This stratageme you shall find in Quaerimonia eccle in the booke of Scotising and Genevatising and in these late statising counterfeit Seminarian and Iesuatising Priests which I ioyne together because the two first being vvithout their Fathers name prosecute their cause like as these latter For as the one pretending pursuite against Iesuites laboureth by the name of Puritanes to cutt the throate of all Protestantes so the other doe dravv in all Protestants vnder the name of Puritanes pretending to proue the Ministers falsly called Puritanes daungerous to the state by that wherewith they accuse other men of other countries and so bring a reproach vpon all Protestant Churches But surelie in my iudgemeÌ„t they speak as much against the state of the present gouernement as almost possible may be And therefore in this argument we haue cause to reioyce that they ioyn vs to all the Protestants godly learned Diuines of this age Our best writters defend the protestantes of other cuntries whome our reuerend Fathers writers for the maintenance of this our English Church do defend and maintaine against all maner of Popish writers and Antichristian heretikes as well men which know the bookes set forth since her Maiesties most happie raigne must needs vnderstand whereof something I will touch And first let vs heare M. Calfill who saieth Because the prouidence and mercie of our God Ans to the trear of the crosse in the preface hath frustrate their hope in their opinion to long they haue thought it best to make open warre against God and all honestie to send for their friends sommon their diet in the Low Countries Thence haue proceeded the Popish practises the smokie stirres that were blowen in Scotlande the fierie factions inflamed in Fraunce the Popish treason condemned in England the Popish conspiracie attempted in Ireland c. And the reuerend Father M. D. Bilson doth particularlie defend M. Calum Difference betweene true Christ subjection-part 3. pag. 502. 510. 511. M. Beza and the Nobles of Fraunce to haue wrought done nothinge against the ciuill Magistrates lawfull authoritie There is a speciall treatise of M. D. Fulk against the rayling declamation of Peter Frarine wherin Beza Caluin and Geneua are cleared of all wicked and disloyall actions and the Protestants of Fraunce in all their warre by the Kings edictes and many other reasons out of their true stories So for the low Countries you shall find that the States as well Papists as Protestants * Inâ—r and 2â— booke of A. E. Meteranus Hist Belgic stood for their priuiledges as well as for religion And the Guises of Fraunce the principall troublers as wel of Scotland as of Fraunce that with such pretence of religion as they did entitle their Neece the Queene of Scottes with those royall dignities and armes of England and Ireland which were are proper to our gracious Soueraign Queene Elizabeth this they did as Buchanan sayeth as soone as Queene Marie was dead Re. Scot. lib. 16. Therefore I can not tell what men should meane by wrapping within our cause al other Protestant Churches vnto whome her Maiestie vnto her immortal fame hath bene a verie great stay and as it were a nours-mother but that they haue some hidden stratageme that in the coÌ„mon slander of Puritanes either they might make ciuill warre betweene all reformed churches or else prepare a way for the Popish superstition Queene Elizabeth a nurs to strangers to her immortall fams by the dishonour and ouerthrowe of her Maiesties sacred person primacie and gouernement and of all Protestantes Estates throughout Christendome At the least they bring her Maiesties name in question and after a sort challenge all her Princelie and Christian enterprises in regard whereof all the Christian Churches of Europe as namelie Geneua Fraunce The Low Countries and Scotlande doe and ought to acknowledge themselues debtours to her highnes and for which al ages to come shall finde them selues bound to praise God and to remember her name as a most precious thing and a most singular gifte of the Highest Lord for the comfort of his elect people And that I may speak as M. Beza is forced with great ioy to confes She hath so well and faithfully purged the true worship of God In his preface before the new Testament with his large notes from the most filthie pollutions of Antichristianisme in England She hath made such peace in Scotland and so happily succoured the afflicted both there and in Fraunce and God hath so blessed her therein by her example the noble Princes oâ— Germanie that we may iustly say that God hath aduanced her aboue all the Kings of this our age so that the verie Angels out of heaueÌ„ doe seeme to giue their assent of her most noble Kinglye deeds for the protection of the Churches of Iesus Christ And verilye they doe her Maiestie great wrong to impute all these things vnto vs who aâ—as were neuer able to doe the smallest action which to her eternall praise she hath most wisely most iustly most equallie with a most constant and royal magnanimitie performed as Buchanan Meteranus other histories of our time doe most truly and deseruedly report her renowm in this respect will neuer be forgotten as long as the worlde doth stande The Priestes libellers do cunningly traduce the reuerend Fathers Seauenth Gen. quod l. Artic. 3. But there is another thing which grieueth mee not a little that these bookes seeme to insinuate that some of our reuerend Fathers should bee in some sort fauorers and abettoures of their most malitious imputations of all Protestant Churches godly writers As namely this wicked William Watson â—n his moste treacherous and childish quodlibets rehearseth the names of some of them as if they were fit persons â—o be sued vnto by Priests and Iesuites to obtaine fauor God forbid that these â—euerend Fathers should giue them the â—east shew of cause to thinke or say so wickedly of them as though
author Deut. 12.2.3 First where he saieth Ye shall vtterlie destroy all the places wherein the nations which ye shall possesse serued their Gods vpon the hie mountaines and vpon the hils and vnder euerie greene tree Also ye shall ouerthrowe their altars and breake downe their pillers and burne their groues with fire and ye shal hew downe the grauen images of their Gods and abolish their names out of that place ye shall not so doe vnto the Lorde your God According to this precept we freelie and thankfully acknowledge and praise God that her Maiestie hath abolished the verie face of idolatry verie few Kings of Iudah came so far in reformation of Religion Yet doe we intreat our reuerend Fathers we be not held for rebels and vnthankfull persons troublers of the state if finding some few things in our ministrie that we are afeard to doe for displeasing God wee humblie craue either reformation or toleration For verelie wee are enforced so to doe by this Scripture for if here we be commaunded to abolish the verie names of the idoles and not to doe so to the Lorde that is to say not to worship God insuch manner when wee finde that the surplice is part of the character of the popish Priesthood Act monumentes pag. 853. 501. by which and in which they worship their idols as in which they worship their maner of degrading And that the crosse in Baptisme hath ascribed vnto it by mans authority 1. Cor. 14.40 the sacramentall signification of Baptisme as the confessing of of the faith of Christ crucified c. which is more then the Church hath authoritie to doe whose limitation is set to make lawes no further then order comelines And that in reading of Apocrypha Scriptures wee should reade vntruthes and errours for instruction of maners contrariant to his holy canon We are very much afeard that we retaine the name and memoriall of idoll seruice and that we doe so to God in his worship as idolaters haue done to his dishonour vnto their idoles And therefore wee dare not do these things for displeasing of God although we desire hartely in all things to satisfie and content our superiours And heere vnto we find our selues as we verily think greatlie pressed and vrged beecause God saieth vnto vs Esay 30.22 Yee shall pollute the couering of the images of siluer and the rich ornament of thine images of golde and cast them away as a menstruous cloath thou shalt say vnto it get thee hence And againe 1. Thes 5.12 Iud. vers 23. Marc. 11.16 Math. 21. Abstaine from all appearance of euill And againe Hate euen the garment spotted by the flesh And Christ himself was so precise that he would not suffer that any man shoulde carie a vessell thorow the Temple Therfore we are touched in conscience that in our ministerie we should not do any thing resembling the idolatrous sinagogue or to haue the least fellowship or mark of their vngodly waies How be it we haue not preached nor inueighed against neither in any sort depraued the booke yea if wee had not bene to neerlie pressed vpon for the doeing of them so as our suffering and wincking at them vvould haue sufficed to declare our loue of the Churches peace I verilie thinke they would not haue come into so open question The next thing we seeme to falt in is the refusall to subscribe absolutely Of subscription to the two last articles Our innocencie before God our obedience to her Maiestie and vpright following of his holy Canon can not appeare vnlesse I open somewhat more plainlie what these two articles containe The first of the tvvo which is the second of the subscription comprehendeth the vvhole booke of common prayer and of ordering of Bishops Priests and Deacons so that we must by our hand writing auoutch that euerie rubrick clause sentence in these bookes are wholie and perfectly agreeing to holie Scripture and in no one rubrick or clause contrarie to the same and secondlie to promise to vse the forme none other Then in the third article we are bound to approue all the articles made by the Bishoppes in the cōuocation holden Anno 1562. which containe not onlie matters of doctrine but also of order and discipline wherein there be 22 homilies appointed to bee red in the Church that by our hande wee should acknowledge that these and euerie of these be agreeable to God How farre the godlie Ministers are conformable The difference betweene the reuerend Fathers and vs heerein is this First that we doe willinglie vse the booke of common prayer and no other forme vnlesse sometime vpon extraordinarie occasion by publicke authoritie some other praier be assigned vs onelie we leaue out some few things or perauenture explaine some one clause Secondly we professe our selues to enioy our ministrie by no other order but by order of that book which is the booke of ordering Bishops c. Thirdlie we subscribe willinglie to the book of Articles according to the statute 13 in that behalfe prouided namelie to those Articles which onlie concerne the confession of the true faith the doctrine of sacramentes as that statute expresly commaundeth and limiteth Now finding in examining of these bookes many things doubtfull in our consciences we dare not promise or subscribe further thē according to these words And therefore for this cause wee exhibited an humble petition to the reuerend assembly of the Cōuocation holden Anno 1585. with our reasons why we refused to subscribe in such ample maner as they required This beeing that which wee haue done and stood in it remaineth to be examined whether heerein we haue broken this holye Canon of our Church If wee subscribe wee breake the Canon of holy scripture I will therefore shew some two or three instances whereby it shall appeare that if wee had subscribed wee had done contrarie to this holie Canon of Gods written worde wherein I will bee as sparing as I can because I would by no meanes vtter any thing which might tende to the deprauing of the said bookes but onlie as necessitie constraineth to make it appeare that by this subscription we are compelled to doe that which is contrarie to the Scripture of God and which we find not to be the meaning of the Law in commanding the vse of these bookes neither of the authors of the bookes in penning of the same And first wee should subscribe that it is not contrarie to the word of God to read in the Church vnder the name of holie Scripture such bookes as namelie the Apocrypha which are not holy Scripture and such chapters as containe matter directly contrarie to the holie Scripture For in the booke of common prayer in the rubrick next after the order for the reading of the Psalmes there bee these words The order how the rest of holy Scripture beside the Psalter is appointed to bee red Which being the direction
points of doctrine necessary to saluation and touching the mysterie of our redemption or the right vse of the Sacraments and true maner of worshipping of God are purely perfectly taught by publike authoritie established in the Church of EnglaÌ„d at this day c we are so farre from beeing thankeful for the same from desiring the continuance of it by heartie prayer that by all meanes possible wee seeke rather to obscure it and deface it because in certaine accident all pointes we haue not our fancies proper deuises So that by this we are iudged to set our selues against God frowardlie disquiet the peace of the Church for external things which is schismaticall trouble the happie peace of the common wealth hazard the whole state of religion with no small reioysing of the wicked greate offence of the weake Ghospellers merueilous griefe of the Queenes Maiestie other that haue care of gouernement If this obiection were as true as it is of greate importance as fitlie applied vnto vs as it layeth vpon vs a most heauie imputation then had wee greate cause to wish our tongues to cleaue to the roofe of our mouthes our handes for euer to forget to vvrite If we haue not both by word writing publiklie priuatlie acknowledged the great mercie of God for her M. in the banishing of al heresies superstitions and namely Popery for planting the true Ghospell of faith among vs if we haue not doe not dayly pray both at Church and at home for the continuance of the same for the ioy and comfort of her M. al our godlie Gouernours and Superiours if al men that knowe vs doe not also euerie day see behold that this is our care and studie and that we doe stirre vp others both publiklie and priuatelie to doe the same then let the Lord reward euery man according to his righteousnes and faithfulnes let the wicked feele his iudgementes We can boldlie commend our selues to the testimony of al our neighbours friends and enemies whatsoeuer whom hardned malice hath not so farre ouercome and blinded that they can not vvill not say and confesse that which in the eies eares of al men appeareth plainly euen as the shining of the Sun in the firmament and the sound of many waters to them which trauell by sea by land But the force power of this accusation is in two things first they say That by all means possible we seeke rather to obscure this mercie of God to deface it 2. The reason which is made of this our so doing Because in certaine accidental points we haue not our fansies and proper deuises If in deed these two things might be proued against vs The cheefest force of this accusation then all the other branches of this surmised slaunder vvoulde shrewdlie wring vs otherwise they fall all to peeces as loose members vvithout ioyntes and ligamentes Therefore let these bee examined Firste vvhat meanes at all haue we vsed to obscure Gods mercie We haue in the knowledge of all men that know and heare vs praysed God and prayed for her M. and the state in regarde of this mercie of God vve haue in our Sermons in all our talke as occasion is offered euer defended the doctrine of faith of the Sacraments the abolishing of al heresie superstition and poperie Wee haue writteÌ„ very much for the maintenaÌ„ce therof against the papists Anabaptists familie of loue Brownists some of vs haue ben vsed in conference with other godlie learned men to dispute with the challengers and chieftaines of poperie more would haue done in that behalf if they might haue ben permitted And this to be true we referre our selues to the iudgement of all the world and we hope so well of our bretheren that write against vs that they will not denie it vnto vs what should theÌ„ be all those possible means which we haue vsed to deface or obscure Gods mercies But it may be it is meant beecause we haue not vsed som certaine ceremonies of the church nor subscribed to the bookes of orders and common prayer c. and haue made petitioÌ„ to the Parliament and after by apologetical writings defended these our doings Other things we know not and for these I hope wee neede not be ashamed First it is apparant that in all these thinges wee haue not medled against the doctrine aforsaide nor against the chiefe substance of anie the said bookes and therefore in regard of the matter it can not bee said that wee haâ—â—â—â—irectlie done anie thing tending to oâ—â—cure or deface this mercie of God Secondlie if it be said that by these thinges which I confesse wee haue indirectly vsed meanes c. I answer that in this wee haue done no otherwise then all Christian Ministers both maye and ought to doe For in not vsing the ceremonies when wee founde our selues doubtfull and troubled What could we doe lesse or better then to repaire to the reuerend Bishoppes for counsell and comfort Which for the space of ten yeares or the most part thereof they did in some good measure afoorde vnto vs till as I take it by the relation of such as were in the same broiles the Papistes had cunninglie wrested our good Fathers from vs. that they could and woulde doe no further for vs. Then yet complayning of our case and opening our doubtes vnto them we did as the lawe affoordeth that the cause shoulde bee brought before the Ordinarie in all doubtes about ceremonies of the church established by law and finding not our selues resolued by our ordinaries alas what could we doe lesse then quietly to suffer our selues with great grief bewailing our flockes to bee suspended imprisoned depriued And this hath beene the cause of all them which haue not vsed the ceremonies so fully as some other of their bretheren Secondlie for the petition or admonition to the Parliament wherein are laide open such imperfections as are found in all these bookes and for all other writtinges which haue come forth in defence of the same if it bee ment that the same is the meanes of obscuring and defacing the mercie of God We answer as partlie the admonition doth wee haue alwayes borne with that wee coulde not amend and haue vsed the booke of common praier in our ministerie so farre forth as wee might reuerencing those times and those persons in which and by whome it was first authorized But now being compelled by subscription to allowe the same and to confesse it not to bee against the worde of God in anye point we could not but shew a reason of our refusall it was meet that we shoulde tender to the Parliament our griefes as all other subiects doe in all other cases Because that is the place which by auncient custome of this Realme serueth for the redresse of all things to be reformed and the establishing of all matters in the state of this
a froward disquieter of the Church And such hath ben our maner of doeing patientlie suffering that which is imposed vpon vs. 5 The next ranke of obiections is concerning her Maiesties person Crowne and Dignitie The thirde great slander concerning her M. person Crowne and Dignitie which are no triflinge matters if we might be iustlie conuicted First touching her Royall person I hearde it obiected in a Sermon by a reuerend man who now is a Bishop that by refusing to subscribe we make the Queenes Maiestie to be an Atheist worse thē papistes namelie of no religion And first touching herrelion For faieth hee you refuse to subscribe to the booke of orders then doe you make that we haue no good ministrie you refuse to subscribe to the booke of common prayer then make you that we haue no good liturgie and seruice of God you refuse to subscribe to the booke of articles which containe the summe of our faith and doctrine then doe you make that wee haue no sounde doctrine But these be the bookes which her Maiestie by her authoritie doth set forth and by them sheweth what religion shee is of and what she holdeth maintaineth there fore if their bee no good liturgie no good doctrine no good ministrie then it followeth that you make the Queene to be of no religion God forbid say we that wee shoulde so much as thinke so wickedly of her sacred Maiestie Who hath endured so many daungers and so many yeares so constantly maintained Gods pure vnchangeable truth holy religion We therefore answer freelie in this behalfe First that we beleeue that neither that reuerend man so preaching nor any other man whatsoeuer that knoweth vs and our cause and the maner how we doe refuse subscription either doth or can so think in his conscience to determine of vs in his secret thoughtes before God takeing God to bee iudge of the simplicitie of his soule that we doe esteeme or make her Maiestie to be of no religion Secondly their colour so to reason against vs because we refuse to subscribe with a verie little breath may be blowne away For first touching the doctrine of the Church of Englande wee holde it stedfastly and haue willingly offered to subscribe to the same according to the statute for that cause prouided praysing God hartelie that the true faith by which men may be saued and the true doctrine of the Sacraments and of the pure worshipe of God is trulie taught and that by publike authoritie contained in the booke of articles so that we can not be blamed concerning that booke Secondly we doe not disallow the booke of common praier but doe vse it non other in our ministrie but if further then the statute layeth vpon vs for that booke wee be required to subscribe and we pray that our doubts might be first answered in some particulers we doe no thing against the law of the Realm nor against the said book especiallie seeing that they the saide law book so farre as we can learne doe not require our subscription to the same Thirdlie for the booke of orders wee enioye our ministrie by the same booke doe allow the preaching Ministrie ordained by the same but if with out law we be required to subscribe and that thereby some things be found questionable and doubtfull let all men iudge whether wee which medled not with that booke or anye of the other bookes to bewray or vtter any thing against any of the said bookes or they which by a forced subscription constraine vs there vnto be most worthie of blame Therefore seeing we are not against any of the said books but commend well of the doctrine ministrie liturgie in not subscribing haue only laboured to keepe a good conscience without any purpose to depraue any of the saide bookes I hope this obiection will returne emptie and without vse The second obiection in this rancke is That seeking to erect discipline we abridge her Maiesties authoritie Secondly touching he authoritie prerogatiue by Elders we diminish her royall prerogatiue by our Pastour and equalising Ministers we set vp a Pope in euerye Parish These things verilie haue an odious sounde but it griueth not vs to answer We doe therefore confidentlie say that in all these things we giue vnto to her Maiestie as much as she her selfe either by law or by practise so farre as I can see doth callenge Which is comprehended in two things In the Iniunctions and admonitioni to simple men 1. That she challengeth not authoritie or power of ministrie of diuine offices in the Church 2. She challengeth vnder God to haue the soueraignitie rule ouer all maner of persons borne within these her Realms Dominions Countries of what estate either Ecclesiasticall or Temporall so euer they be so as no other forraine power shall or ought to haue any superioritie ouer them And such is also the 37 article of the booke of articles All which we doe as fullie hold and beleeue preach maintaine as anye other what so euer acknowledging with all our heartes the same prerogatiue Eam tantum prerogatiuam quam in sacris Scripturis à Deo ipso c. which in the sacred Scriptures we see alwaies to haue bene giuen of God him self vnto all godly Princes So in all and euerie of these things we doe seek after as Discipline Elders and Pastour we abhorre detest that any person or persones what so euer shoulde vsurpe authoritie ouer her M. or that anye state or order committed of God to her protection whether they be ecclesiastical or ciuill should not be vnder her gouernement to bee punished by her ciuil sweard Now if wee verilie beleeue that some thing in the Ecclesiasticall discipline of our Church in the booke of common praier might bee reduced some what neerer to the Canon of holy Scriptures doe we anie whit abridge her authoritie Salomon receiued a pattern of the Temple with the thinges therein contained at the hands of his Father Dauid 1. Cron. 28.15 19. which hee saieth vvas all sent by vvriting to him by the hande of the Lord vvhich made him vnderstand al the workmanshipe of the patterne 2. Cron. 3.1 And Salomon builded it in no other place but in mount Moriah which had bene declared to Dauid his Father Did this any vvhit diminish his authoritie because he was directed by the word of the Lord. And such hath bene the gracious and Christian practise of her Maiestie in setting forth the doctrine of faith Sacraments of the vvorshipe of God c by direction of holy Scripture and in her owne person hearing the vvorde of God receauing of the Sacraments ioyning vvith the Church is prayers In vvhich most notable is that Anno 1588. she publikely came to Paules crosse and then there acknovvledged the Lords great goodnes in his protection ouer this Realme and deliuering vs out of the handes of the
the true iustifying faith of Christ repentance towards God and also did euer and anon make plaine demonstration of the Queenes Maiesties lawfull authoritie and of the Popes most wicked and abhominable vsurpatiō without all questiō the chiefest enemies to our peace and to her Maiesties safetie would bee so diminished dispersed put downe that wee coulde not heare of so many practises and wicked treacheries as we doe and in euerie corner the people woulde cry out vpon them Ministers hated for doing good bewray them and scorne them And this is the cause that the Papistes Popish abetoures doe make so many grieuous accusations against vs and procure so many troublers all vnder colour of fauouring the Queenes proceedinges whith they hate that so the faith of Christ being but little hard of and her Maiesties supremacie but little spoken of both the glorie of Christ and our Queenes honour might bee forgotten and the deuill and Antichrist steale into the hartes of her M. poore seduced people I woulde it were considered how little her Maiesties authoritie and the iustification of Christ by a greate many hath bene taught these 17. or 18. yeares Therefore by iust plaine experience I may boldlie say that great benefit to the common wealth manie good things for her Maiesties safetie would come to pas by fauour shewed vnto these godly teachers faithfull Ministere of Iesus Christ But because perauenture some will say that heerein I proudlie praise our selues like Pharises despise others I doe heere humblie desire that all men would but indifferently way What hath ben our doeings and the labours of our ministrie and the fruite of the same and esteeming vs as baselie as they can doe only set before their eyes Gods glorie the good of this Realme and her Ma. happines Diligent preaching cause of verie great good let them but consider that where there is diligent preaching how wise how honest how iust the people be how dutifull to her Maiestie readie to all seruices how louing among them selues then shall hee easilie conclude that if these ceremonies subscription were abolished or the Ministers not tyed to them nor troubled for them what encrease there woule be of all faithfull labourers how all godlines and vertue would florish among vs lastly how happie how quiet how free from all danger the estate would bee 2. Leauing this therefore to the conscience of all honest men good subiectes who loue God our most gracious Queene I will now enter to speak a little of the great mischiefes and manifold euills which come by toleration or fauour shewed to the Papists These euills come vnder two heades either such as God afflicteth for bearing with or fauouring such persones God will punish fauourers of Papistes or such as they them selues doe bringe alwayes with them In the first kinde we are to consider whether the religion of Poperie bee within the compasse of those things which God hateth I finde in Israell two kinds of idolatrie one in Ahabs time the worshppping of Baall 1. King 18.23 Which beateth against the first commaundement which saieth thou shalt haue no other Gods but mee Another brought in by Hieroboam the Sonne of Nebat 1. King 123 wherefore he is said to make Israell to sinne this was the making of images to worshipe God by as the two calues in Dan and Bethell 28 and this beateth against the second commaundement which saieth thou shalt not make to thy self any grauen images Of the former kinde I woulde willinglie free the Papistes if they would not honour the Pope as God to binde where God openeth to open where God shuteth The Papista most grosse idolaters giuing power to forgiue sins to giue dispensation contrarie to Gods worde dwelling in their hartes as if hee were God if they did not worshippe the Sacrament as verie God and make the image of the Trinitie turning the glorie of the incorruptible God into the image of a corruptible man if they did not ascribe to the Virgin Marie to Peter Paule that which is proper to God alone But the latter kind is without out all expectation one and the same with the Papistes for they haue images to worship God by euen as Hieroboams calues Exoe 32. and as the children of Israell in the Wildernes Now if it be the voyce of God which saieth Confounded bee all they that serue grauen images Psal 97.7 and that glorie in idoles and againe I am the Lord this is my name my glorie will I not giue to another neither my praise to grauen images Esai 42.8 And if hee haue commaunded to put to death euerie man that intiseth to idolatrie and to spare neither brother Deut. 13. Son daughter wife nor the dearest friende and if any cietie be founde guiltie of this crime to put all the inhabitantes to the sweard with their cattell vtterly to rase the same and to make it in an heape for euer If God set such a marke vpon Hieroboam that hee did not only vtterly roote out his seed but also made his name a reproach to all generations as the author of Israels sinn If the children of Israell after they fell into this greate sinne of worshipping images did neuer prosper or be without ciuill or forren warrs till they were vtterly made desolate and if all the greatest plagues that euer Iudah had came principallie by this sinne then may wise men quicklie iudge howe good it will be for England to tolerate Papists Poperie which hath not only this most grieuous trespasse but also innumerable more of moste horrible blasphemies most intolerable both against God and against his Christ and also derogatorie to his holy spirit and testament And this is so well knowne to all the Queenes Christian subiectes and especiallie to the learned sorte and holy Ministers of the Ghospell that I neede not to dispute further of it But if we looke vpon that which they bring with them what is it Papists bring most horrible euills Euen the direct contradictorie learning vnto truth ouerthrowing all the religion faith and order of Gods worship doth abandon her Maiesties royalty supreame dignitie and such as will quickly bring low the verie state of the cōmon welth and ciuill power as Maister Trauers hath verie faithfullie and plainly declared all their religion Answ to the supplication to the Lords of the couns in their seuerall branches is euerie way an enemie and a meanes to turne vp side downe the whole state of the Queenes Maiesties most happie gouernement Moreouer it will bring great occasion of ciuill warre and bloodshed a thing which her M. alwaies abhorred which being once kindled inflamed it will trouble the wisest men in this Realme to quench suddainlie or hastelie For it is well knowne that there is an inueterate hatred betweene these two religions and the opposition is impossible to bee