hee hath shewed mercy to his Sion he hath raised her out of the dust he hath anoynted her with oyle and furnished her table euen in the fight of all her enimies And nowe that the Lorde hath giuen her enimies into her power to require at their hand al the bloud of her deare children which they haue shed so many yeares and to recompence them double for all that she hath receyued of them yet hetherto she hath patiently wayted if the Lord may giue them repentance and forborne to vse any like extremitie towardes them Therefore all these former poynts well considered whether he compare the persons or vsage it will be founde in deede there is no comparison but for this reason because the numbers of such of ours as haue suffered haue bene a thousand to one of theirs the persons of greater state both for birth and calling the vsage so farre diuers both in the time of imprisonment and in the execution that we in our most iust lawful punishmēt of thē haue contayned our selues within the bondes of Christian lenitie and mekenes nay I may truly say that in some obstinate and buysie seducers wee haue beene short of duty But they in their most wrōg ful and tyrannical persecution of vs haue matched if not exceeded the most sauage cruelties that euer were heard off amōgst the Barbarians and the Heathen And thus much for answere to the comparison wherein I doubt not but it easily appeareth to all indifferent readers howe farre vnlike their doings are to ours It followeth now to examine whether of vs can render better reason of such our proceedinge This Aduocate iustifieth theirs by two speciall arguments wherof the first is the authoritie whereby they proceeded against vs which he saith was an ancient generall law meaning thereby the lawe of putting Heretikes to death wheras we haue only new nationall statuts as hee saith to punish them by For the lawe of putting heretikes to death I graunt it to haue beene a generall and ancient law amongst Gods people when the Magistrates haue béene of the faith of the Church And as it is auncient and generall so hath it good warrant of the word of God For the Magistrate beareth not the sworde in vaine but is the Minister of Gods iustice and vengeance vpon all offendors according to the qualitie of their offence Further also heretikes aboue all other offenders most grieuously transgresse both against God whose holy seruice and honour they prophane and also against men whom they by poysoning of the heauenly doctrine doe destroy with death euerlasting Both which being so cleare as they need no further proofe it must needes followe that the Magistrate ought to put an Heritike to death And thus was it expresly commaunded in the lawe of Moses Deut. 13.5 2. reg 23.20 2. Chro. 15.13 and executed by Asa Iosia the noble and zealous Kings of Iuda Against which iudgmēnt in vaine do some alledge the parable of Tares to be suffered to growe till the latter day For the tares there are not onely Heretikes but as our Sauiour there doth expound it all the wicked who are called children of the deuil the seruantes not Magistrates but Angels the pulling vp not the execution of perticuler euill doers by temporall death but the destruction of all the wicked children of the deuil vnto death euerlasting Which points are so plaine to any that will consider the parable with iudgment as they can not be denied No stronger are the rest of the proofes that are by the fauorers of this cause brought in out of Celsus a principall writer for the maintenance of it Mat. 13 40.4◠nor which this new aduocate for heretickes would insinuate for this purpose though for the authority of the cannon law to the cōtrary he dare not plainly discouer this to be his opinion saying faith is the gift of god For this cōcludeth not that no man by compulsion correctiō may so profite that he maye be occasioned to vse such meanes whereby after he may beleeue Nor that such as are obstinate heretickes ought not to be executed by death For by like reasō no malefactors should dy for feare of destroying them euerlastingly repentance being the gifte of God aswell as faith Of this therefore wee are agreed but who is to be iudged an hereticke is all the question betweene vs. They by their Cannon law iudge al heretickes that hold not the faith which at this day is professed in the church of Roome But we deny their Cannon lawe to be any competent iudge of heresie a great part of which law is the sinke of all error and abhomination or any other cannons decrees and authorities of men whatsoeuer and affirme the onely worde of God left written in the bookes of the holy and canonicall scriptures to bee able to iudge of these matters as partly was declared in the beginning of this answere Further we affirme and that agréeably to the same holy scripture whereunto we referre our selues for tryall that the faith now taught receyued by the Church of Roome in such poynts as it differeth from vs to be nothing but a new and late superstition and heresie The cause then falling out thus betwen vs that their doctrine differing from ours is error heresie ours wherin it differeth frō them as in al the other parts therof is the pure word of god Psal 1◠swéet as the swéet bread of the Passouer without any leauen fine as the siluer tryed refyned seauen times in the furnace we are certainelie assured by the same worde whereby wee shall bee iudged in that day when the truth shall shine as the Sunne and they shall see it which doe not repent of this their contradiction of Core to their euerlasting confusion that the auncient generall lawe whereof he speaketh can make nothing at all with them or against vs. Of the other parte whereas he would shew vs to haue small or no authoritie to proceede against them as wee doe as hauing in his opinion onely certaine national statuts wherby our proceedings are warranted hee is to vnderstand that vpon such reasons as hath bene shewed of their doctrine and ours the same auncient and generall lawe which chargeth Magistrates with the keeping of al things written in the law and with the ciuill punishment of al offenders Deut. 17.19 Rom. 13. is a most sufficiēt warrant for the authority which God hath now set ouer vs to compel all the subiectes within this Dominion to serue the Lorde our God according to that right order of his seruice which he himselfe hath appoynted and to correct their errours and obstinacie which shall be disobedient as the qualitie of their offence shall deserue Vpon the warrant of this auncient lawe Iosia in his time constrayned all Israell to serue the Lord their God which can not otherwise be vnderstood then of compelling them thereunto by new national statutes the seueritie whereof enforced
make the Temporall Prince heade of all whiche is oftentymes a child and maie easely bee driuen as the windes shall blowe hym Wherein he doeth vs as greate wrōg as in the former For as he vniustly charged vs there with not obeiyng any Pastour not receiuyng the expositions of the Fathers nor determinations of Councels who teache obedience to all lawfull Pastors and bothe receiue and vse all other good meanes to the vnderstandyng of the holie Scriptures as farre as thei maie so helpe vs and especially of the lawful Councelles and learned Fathers though wee giue no Pastour the place of Christ nor any Councel or Father that which is due onely to the word of God So likewise he doeth in this place chargyng vs to giue to Caesar that whiche is due to GOD. True it is we acknowledge the lawfull Kinges Queenes of this land in respect of any earthly power to be next and immediatly vnder God and our Sauiour Christ ouer all persons and in al causes as well Ecclesiasticall as ciuill supreme heads and gouernours that by their authoritie all the will and cōmaundements of GOD maie bee executed and obeyed Wherein nothyng lesse is ment then to derogate from our Sauiour Christ any parte of the hye honour and prerogatiue that appertaineth to the Kyng of Heauen whiche is to subdue our spirituall enemies vnder our feete to animate and quicken the whole body with his most holy Spirite giuyng life and strength to euery parte and member of the bodie to doe that worke for which it is placed in it or to rule it otherwise then he hath appointed But the meanyng is to acknowledge in them that iust and lawfull authoritie whiche the Churche of Roome taketh from them and whiche GOD hath giuen vnto them and all the noble Kynges of Israell and Iuda did with good right and interest exercise and inioye Wee are farre frō perswadyng our Princes to take the holy Censures into their handes a presumption for whiche Vzza the Kyng was striken with Leaprosie by the hande of God But yet wee acknowledge as wee ought notwithstanding thei doe not exercise nor maie not exercise the office of the Ministerie in their owne persones yet are thei the Lieutenauntes of God to see hym worshipped and obeyed by all persones as thei ought to obeye hym and by punishment to force the Transgressours to the doyng of suche duttie as belongeth vnto their places and callyng And thus we read that Dauid and Sulomon Ezekia Iosius and other worthie Kynges did Who reformyng the state of Religion whiche had been polluted and defiled before with shamefull Idolatries appoincted the Priestes and Leuites euery one to doe his office accordyng to his function and charge Agreeably whereunto the Apostle teacheth that euery soule ought to bee subiect to the hyer powers Whereby it is manifest that he comprehendeth the Ministers of what name soeuer thei bee as well as others And our Sauiour Christ submittyng hymself vnto them what professour is it that should not obeye them but suche a Seruaunt as will be better then his Lorde and suche a Scholler as will bee aboue his Maister Herein therefore we giue nothyng vnto them but theirs whiche God the Lorde of all hath bestowed vpon them And therefore if a Childe as Iosias was be Kyng wee acknowledge and reuerence the authoritie in hym aswell as in Dauid or Salomon Wherein wee yeelding our obedience to God and to that authoritie which GOD hath sett ouer vs can giue hereby no cause of innouations as he blameth vs or daungerous hazardes to a Common-wealth nor hinder any good meanes of keepyng the Churche in a holie vnitie But monsterous in deede is the heade whiche thei make appoinctyng one man sometymes who often were vnfitte for any little charge to bee heade and gouernour of all the worlde and that in all causes bothe Temporall and Spirituall A thyng without all comparison more vnfitt and absurde then if a Sculler should bee taken from the Thames to be made Admirall of all the Ocean Sea Nay a thyng vtterly impossible for the infinite varietie of tongues and of causes and the great distaunce of places And what power doe thei attribute to this monstrous head of the worlde surely that which thei can not giue without beyng giltie of blasphemie and high Treason against our Sauiour Christe in makyng common his regalities and honors of giuyng Lawes to the Church ruling the conscience and sittyng in the middest of the Temple of God with the Vicar of Rome whiche maie not be attributed neither to any man of what giftes soeuer nor to any Angell or creature in the worlde Moreouer thei offende also against the state of worldlie Princes withdrawyng their alleagiaunce from thē as a nomber of them doe now from her Maiestie to giue it to this head and raising for it many Insurrections Rebellions and Treasons in the state and many quarrelles contentions and Scismes in the Churche Wherefore seyng that the true causes of all holie vnitie and agreement are with vs and not with them that is the obediēce to God and his holy word and a desire of free Christian and lawful cōferences Sinodes and Councelles and that the promises of blessyng are giuen to the precious faith we holde and not to their wicked false worshippe I conclude that these his general reasons are vtterly insufficient to proue that benefite by meanes of vnitie to bee in their Romishe faith for a Commonwealth whiche he pretendeth or to disproue it to be in the Gospell of our Sauiour Christe which through his grace we professe Now he proceedeth to particuler commodities of a Chistian state Particuler commondities alleadged to growe to a Common wealth by Poperie which he saith their Religion bryngeth vnto it and ours the contrary inconueniences makyng the comparison in our owne Countrey Which if I graunted all yet were not his generall position true that their Religion doeth make a Commonwealth to prosper and ours doth hinder it sufficiently proued For Idolatrie and Paganisme maie in some respect bryng a commoditie whiche true Religion will not yeelde Shall wee then esteeme Religion by that whiche in some one regarde is best for our ease profite and peace Ieroboam perswaded the tenne Tribes by suche a like reason to leaue the true Religion whiche GOD had deliuered vnto them by Moses and the Prophetes and to receiue the worshippe of the Idolles whiche he had errected because his Idolatrous Religion brought them this particuler commoditie that thei might tarie at home in their houses and auoyde greate charge cost and expenses in goyng from Dan or Bethel the vttermost partes of the lande of Israell to worshippe in Ierusalem whereas the other required of them at certaine tymes in the yeare to leaue all they had with greate perrill and daunger of beyng spoyled of all in their absence as he would haue had them to think and to take a greate and costly iourney to their so greate expenses and trauaile Yet
the Subiecte from their othe and obedience to their lawfull Prince and filled their Countries with insurrection and rebellions againste them I neede not to vouche many authors for their so notorious actes whiche cannot bee forgotten whiles the famous memorie of the Henries and Frederickes Emperours and also sundrie Kynges bothe in Fraunce and in this noble lande so dishonoured and iniuried by theim shall continue But if all monumentes of tymes past were forgotten this present age doeth furnishe so many examples of their vnfaithful disobedience to Princes both in other partes and here at home as I can want no euidence againste hym in this matter For their continual practises of rebellion their procuryng of Bulles from Roome against her Maiestie their writyng of Libells and infamous bookes to the dishonour of her highnesse renowned Father and many other suche dealynges of theirs maie sufficiently beare witnesse hereof Therefore it is to late now for them to plaie the Hypocrites and pretende to aduaunce the honour and state of Princes whereas their Religion hath so intreated other Princes abroade as hath beene declared and so offended their owne naturall Prince at home as her Maiestie hath beene constrained to make straight lawes for her moste necessarie and iust defence against them They should now cūningly perswade they sought to aduaunce the ciuill authoritie of Princes whereas Kinges and Emperours haue had almost continuall warres with thē to keepe thetr own For through their ambition thei neuer contented themselues with their own place but would affect bothe the swordes seekyng and bearyng the honourable charges of the ciuill estate their Consistories vsurpyng the lawfull iurisdiction of Princes so as the Kynges of this lande haue been constrained to prouide for their authoritie by lawes of Premunire and suche like to bridle their intollerable and ambicious vsurpation Therefore of all other he might best haue left out this Article For it is manifest thei were neuer longer freendes to Princes thē thei might abuse them as their vassalles to bee the Ministers of their wickednesse And so muche for aunswere to this point Of sinnes veniall and mortall and of concupiscence The nineth Article is the differences of sinne and of concupiscences whiche he saith is of no smal importaunce to a Christian cōmonwealth whose ende saieth he is to kepe men within the limites of vertue and honestie All this I graunt with this addition that the duetie of the Magistrate is not onely to regard that the life of his subiectes bee ciuill and honest but also that it be religious and godly Therfore we are taught to praie for theim that wee maie liue vnder theim a peaceable life not onely in all honestie but also in all godlinesse or true worshippe of GOD as the woorde vsed by the Apostle doeth signifie And to the Roma the Magistrate is declared to be the Minister of God for the praise and punishement of those that doe well and ill without restraint Whereby the Apostle sheweth it to be the duetie of the Magistrate to protecte and incourage not onely quiet and ciuill men but also and that chiefly those whiche most endeuour to liue in the feare of God in his true worshipp and obedience Whiche duetie what Magistrate soeuer shall not performe but moste dislike with and discourage the godlie whiche shine as lights afore a wicked generation standeth giltie and aunswerable before God for the abuse of the aucthoritie he hath receiued of GOD especially for this purpose to bee a comfort to suche as moste zealously and sincerely seeke to serue him On the other part for the punishment of euil the Magistrate is boūd to punish transgressors accordyng to the qualitie of their offence not onely Theeues and Murderers and disturbers of the Common peace but also profane Atheistes contemners of all that is holy al Heretickes and obstinate recusantes to serue hym in the holie and publique excercises of true religion stubborne Idolaters whiche what Magistrate soeuer shall not do is guiltie of absoluyng the wicked whiche the Lorde will require at their hands Therefore the king was cōmaunded to take a copie of the whole lawe and not of the second Table onely that he should looke to the execution as well of the firste Table yea and that in the firste place as to the seconde Which we see in the holie Storie to haue beene executed by the zealous noble Kynges of Israell and Iuda commaunding by their authoritie the purgyng of the lande of Idolatrie the settyng vp and restoryng Gods true Religion and seruice and the iust execution of the Priestes of Baall And of Asa it is written that he made a lawe after he had restored the state of Religion that whosoeuer should not seeke the Lorde God of their fathers that is worship him in suche order as by the lawe of Moises was commaunded that he should dye for it Thus muche I haue thought necessarie by the waie to set doune touching this matter vpon occasion of the Magistrates office vnder God restrained by this author to the procuryng of a Ciuill life onely emongest their Subiectes referryng all abuses of the Churche and of the seruice of God to their supreme Pastour as thei call hym Now let vs see the diuerse doctrine of theim and vs touchyng bothe these poinctes Of sinne he saieth thei teache some are mortall and some veniall and we teach that al are mortall I graunt this to be their and our doctrine but the exposition of it and the conclusion he inferreth would bee well obserued If by mortall and veniall sinnes thei vnderstood onely that there is greate difference of sinnes and that some are more greeuous and therefore with greater seueritie to be punished then others some againe are lesse and not to bee punished with like horrible tormentes as the other we were well agreed For this appeareth to bee our doctrine by the confession of our Churches and all our good writers and that agreably to the holy scriptures For so our sauiour teacheth vs that the firste Table whiche is of dueties immediatly respectyng God is the greatest and cheefest commaundement and that the ignoraunt seruaunt is to be beaten but with fewe stripes but he that knoweth and yet doeth not his maisters will is to be beaten with many stripes Likewise of suche people and Cities as shall contemne and refuse the holie doctrine of the Gospell our sauiour saieth it shall bee easier in that daie for Tyre and Sidon for Sodom and Gomorrha then for that Citie Whereby it appeareth that there is a greate difference of sinnes Which we so acknowledge as that we graunt euery pretept to bee greater then other accordyng to the place it hath in the twoo Tables and consequently the transgression of it to bee greater then the breach of any that follow it Yet if the cōparison be made of sinnes in like degree and proportiō offendyng against both as of thought with thought acte with acte and these in their diuers kindes as
in daunger to bee turned into coldnesse of zeale Psal 6 and feare to professe the truth which God had made knowne vnto him Luther was to him as the Aungel was to the Prophet Esay Es 6. which by the burning coales of the Lordes Altar kindled and inflamed his zeale For by his noble spirit of magnanimitie he strengthned and fortifyed the other against the feare of flesh and bloud Such was the comfort and benefit which they receyued of their mutuall giftes to the great edification of the Church And this is the golden payre of two of the worthiest Ministers of the Gospel that Germany hath brought forth in any age Out of whose large volumes the pretended differences obiected vnto vs are taken and gathered The third is Iohn Caluin one of the soundest Diuines and of deepest iudgement in matters of religion both of doctrine and of discipline that God gaue to his Church this thousand yeares whose good name is in déed as the wise man saith a most sweete and excellent oyntment Eccle. 7.3 For howsoeuer Bolsec and the slaunderous defender of the late Censure haue rayled in the spirit of Semei against him and sought to their power to spoyle and marre this pretious oyntment yet all that are of the Church in these partes of Europe smell the sauour of it as the Apostles did the narde of Marie Iohn 2.3 which she powred vpon the heade of our Sauiour Christ and as they that were in the Temple did the sweete and fragrant odor of the holy oyntment when it was powred out vpon Aarons heade Ex. 30.23.24 25.30 Psal 133.2 and trickled downe to the hemme of his garment This worthie man of God like a goodly Starre rising first in Fraunce and after ascending to Geneua where also it went downe so shined in his time in the middes of the Church as if all the Firmament thereof had beene but one Starre and as if in all the Cope of Heauen there had shined none other And these three worthies of all the Lordes hoste at once this weake Authour hath specially chosen to encounter and to deface with contrarietie to themselues and one with another putting his trust as it seemeth in this that his surmysed contrarieties should neuer come to be examined The poyntes wherein hee chargeth them with contrarietie are of the Sacramentes and first in generall of the number of them whereof hee affirmeth that Luther acknowledged but one Caluin two Melancton three or foure For Caluin I confesse hee saith there are but two and in deede there are neyther more nor lesse For a Sacrament being a seale of our Communion with Christ Rom. 4.11 it can not bee shewed that our Sauiour Christ appoynted any more or lesse Seales of the righteousnesse that is by faith and our coniunction with him then onely two namely Baptisme and the Supper of the Lorde Which without any manner of question or difference is manifestly declared to bee the generall iudgement of the Churches professing the Gospell by the booke of the harmony of the confessions of their faith Which hauing beene long agoe exhibited to the seuerall Princes of the Countries states and kingdomes where these Churches are are nowe of late very profitably published to the iust conuiction of all such as slaunder the reformed Churches to be variably distracted rent in sonder with infinit differences of faith For it appeareth by that most profitable labor that the Lorde hath knit and vnited them together with a holy vnitie both sweete as the oyntment of Aaron and also profitable and rich as the due of Sion Psal 133. and of Hermon By which pleasant hermony of the confessions both of this Church and many others it appeareth that the generall iudgement and faith of our Churches acknowledgeth onely two Sacraments Wherein the Churches of God agreeing so well together the diuers opinion of a particular man or two if it were so culd not preiudice their holy vnitie in the faith But how vntrue it is that is here obiected to Luther Melancton will plainly be discouered For Luther that hee euer helde or taught that there should bee but one Sacrament as the Authour chargeth I say is an vniust slaunderous accusatiō In the places hee alleadgeth for his proofe in the beginning of his booke of the Babilonicall captiuitie after the denying of the seauen Sacraments and graunting of three which he there expresly nameth Baptisme the Lords Supper and Penance His wordes are these Although saith hee if I would speake after the vse of the scripture I should haue but one Sacrament and three Sacramentall signes whereof more largely in his time By which wordes it is euident that Luther ment nothing lesse then to teach but one Sacrament in that sense wee here speake of a Sacrament which conteyneth in it both the signe of the Sacrament or holy thing signifyed by it and also the Sacrament or holy thing it selfe for such hee playnely confesseth three Baptisme the Lords Supper and Penance But by one Sacracrament vnderstandeth the matter and substance of the sacramentall signs which is in deede but one namely our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ Which manifestly discouereth the simplicitie of this Authour if not hauing redde nor eonsidered the place himselfe he vouched it vpon confidence of the collection of some other or his verie euill conscience if knowing this to bee Luthers meaning hee haue so wrongfully and vniustly slaundered him Thus for one Sacrament hee hath his answere Nowe to that hee obiecteth of three or foure For foure hee cyteth Melanctons common places where Melancton hauing named three Baptisme the Lords Supper and Penance hee addeth after these wordes It liketh mee most that ordinacion also bee added whereunto he annexeth this reason that it is commaunded of God and that great promise is made to the ministry and preaching of the word For answere whereunto it is to be noted that first in the place alledged hee nameth onely three then after adioyneth this that he could like also the ordinance of the ministeries for the commaundement of God to ordayne Ministers and the promise of God to assist and blesse the Ministery of such as are lawfully called were also named a Sacrament Which importeth as if hee had said that in some sense ordination also may be called a Sacrament Further the confession of Ausb and the Apologie of it as he truly alledgeth both endyted by Melancton maketh mention onely of three Whereby it appeareth that Melancton taught not simply foure but onely three and that the name of a Sacrament in some sense might bee attributed to the fourth and for teaching sake as he speaketh in his Apologie in the title of the number vse of Sacraments Where handling this matter expresly hee vseth these words wee doe not thinke it any great matter although some for teaching doe otherwise number so that they duely keepe the things which are deliuered in the Scriptures neyther did the auncient Fathers number
alwayes the same By which place it appeareth that Melancton so that the holy things which are left by the scripture to bee vsed by vs bee obserued esteemed it not greatly materiall for the name of a Sacrament to how many or how fewe of these things it were attributed wherein hee leaneth vpon the iudgment of the ancient Fathers who all agreed not of the certaine number of those things which shoulde bee called by this name It appeareth then that Melancton in this place did not properly call Ordination of the Ministers a Sacrament but in this freedome and libertie whereof hee speaketh not binding himselfe straightly to the sense of the worde but vsing it as hee thought good for more plainenesse of teaching that which hee would haue vnderstood But yet hee will say it remayneth that there are three by Luther and Melancton To this I answere that it is true that this is the ordinarie speach of them both when they speake of the number of sacraments to reakon three namely Baptisme Luth. de cap. Boh. the Lords Supper and Penance but in such sense as being well considered it shal appeare they swerue nothing at all from the generall iudgement of the faith of all our Churches This I shewe by a place of Luther in the ende of his booke of the Captiuitie Where hauing saide before of Babilon that in some sense there are many things which may be called Sacramēts he addeth these words yet properly it hath bene thought good to call those only Sacramentes which haue promises with signes annexed vnto them The rest bicause they are not tyed vnto signes are naked promises Whereby it commeth to passe that if wee will speake exactly there are onely two Sacramentes in the Church of God Baptisme and the Bread Seeing that in these onely wee see both the Signes ordeyned of God and the promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes for the Sacrament of Penance which I haue reakoned with these two wanteth a Signe visible and instituted of God and so goeth forward to proue against the Scoolemen by their owne difinition of a Sacrament which requireth such a visible signe that Penance can bee no Sacrament Whereby it appeareth that when Luther and Melancton name any more then two they speake it in a more generall and improper signification of the worde But when they teach exactly and attribute the name to no more then the true difinition of a Sacrament doth agree vnto that then they hold and teach onely two that is Baptisme and the Lords Supper as Caluin doth as all the reformed Churches doe holde and beleeue Which may suffise for an answere to his cauell of difference in our Churches and amongst these learned writers concerning the number of the Sacraments The second obiection of difference is of certaine Sacraments in perticuler and that of two of Penance and of orders Concerning which two that Luther and Melancton sometime call thē Sacraments and sometimes not hee hath his answere alreadie that it is in such sense as they differ not from the vniuersall iudgement and faith of the Church or one of them from another which may be his sufficient answere to all the places which to his purpose hee alledgeth out of them As for Caluin 4.14.18.19.20 that hee should call orders an vnordinarie Sacrament it is so farre off to proue that he pretendeth that it confirmeth my answere For Caluin speaking of Sacraments sheweth that in a generall signification this name may comprehend all manner of Signes giuen of God for better assurance of his promise of which sort he nameth the Rainebowe the Fleece of Gedeon and such like but saith hee I speake here onely of those which are the ordinarie Sacraments of the whole church And a litle after the Sacraments of the Iewes being abolished two Sacraments are instituted in the Church namely Baptisme and the Lords Supper I speake saith hee of those which are appoynted for the vse of the whole Church For as for laying on of handes whereby the Ministers are ordayned as I doe not vnwillingly suffer it to bee called a Sacrament so doe I not number it among the ordinarie Sacraments Wherin it is manifest that Melancton and Caluin agree betweene themselues and both of them with the faith of the Church Thus all men may see that we are not as sheepe broken out of the fold scattered vpon the Mountaines and wandering euery one a seuerall way in our opinions nor giddy as it liketh this writer slaunderously to terme vs but wee are in the Folde kept carefully vnder one sheepeheard vnited in one God one Lorde one faith one Baptisme and the same hope of life euerlasting For further proofe whereof I beseech the learned reader that would be satisfyed to reade the Hermony of the Confessions of all the Churches which this day make profession of the Gospell in Europe And thus much for the vnitie amongst vs and their bitter yea and bloudy dissention contrary to that hee boasteth of themselues and slaundereth vs. Now remayneth the second argument of this sorte and the last of all his proofes of the good policie that is in Popery Which though it bee so much more largely laide out then any of the other as it seemeth to be the principall and the rest to haue serued but to make the way before it and to helpe him to vtter this his falsly named wisedome and pollicie yet hee will fondly seeme to fall into it by occasion of hauing named policie once a litle before But in deed his true reason is that if it were possible hee may deceaue your HH with a name of pollicie and wisedome because your HH being wise haue a speciall eye and as hee speaketh perticuler regard vnto pollicie But the graue and deepe iudgement that God hath giuen your HH wil easily discouer his pretended policie to be but a vaine fancy cause your wisdoms to abide stil immouable in the loue of the true lawfull holy wisedome which your HH most worthely regard For who can better prise and esteeme so exceeding gifts more then your LL. who by the vse thereof all this happie time of her Ma. raigne haue found it to bee a most necessarie and profitable gift for the maintenance of a Christian Commonwealth Which as this Authour his friends haue found to their smal reioycing so the duetiful subiects acknowledge it to the glory of God to the worthy prayse of your HH to al posteritie and to our singular comfort For except the Lorde had saued vs and made your HH carefull wise to preuent and disapoynt their wicked malicious practises against vs this State and Church may iustly say with the Church of Israell that now long agoe they had deuoured and swallowed vs vp quicke Therefore as wee haue tasted the sweet fruit of this principall spirit of gouernement wherewith the Lorde hath furnished you from aboue so our dayly prayers to God for all your HH are that hee may dayly more and
hath commaunded his blessinge to bée amongst them euen lyfe for euer But the meanes of this vnitie he affirmeth theyr Romaine Churche to haue and denyeth to bee in the Churches that professe the Gospell The meanes and causes of vnitie he appointeth to be these 2. vnderstanding scriptures accordinge to the expossitions of their forefathers and obeying the determination of one supreme Pastor with the generall councels of Christan Prelates which kéepeth their Church in vnitie and the contrary causes to bée amongst vs and to rend vs into infinit varitie of oppinions How it is with vs I will after shewe but first how it is with them The two meanes which he nameth in effect are but one For if there arise question of any exposition of the fathers who shall deciude the matter shall not this supreme Pastor of theirs with his generall councell determine aswell of the sence of the fathers as they referre to them th' exposition of the scriptures No doubt he meaneth as their scholemen write of the Pope to put all thinges vnder the féete of him that is supreme that he myght be little lesse then the Angels crowned with glorye and honoure Nay they make Angels also subiect vnto him that at his commaundement they should come downe from heauen to fet soules out of Purgatorie and to carrie them vp with them to heauen againe as if this supreme Pastor stoode at the toppe of Iacobs ladder one of the speciall honours and regalities of our Sauiour Christ and had the Angels of God discendinge downe and ascendinge vp vnto him and at his commaundement For the exposition of the fathers vnderstandinge by this name such as liued before the Apostasie we receiue them as farre as either the aucthoritie of the holy scriptures or of the fathers themselues will suffer vs. And further neither wée nor any other ought to receiue them To admit euery exposition made by any father for good and sound or euery point of doctrine deliuered by them for Christian and Orthodoxe I thinke the aduersarie himselfe wil be ashamed to doo it For there are not a fewe matters in them euen the verye best of them contrarie to the expresse word of God euen the Church of Roome giuing sentence And the fathers themselues retractinge in their latter yeares that they wrote afore and such as succéeded correcting and that many times iustlye that had beene written by those which were before them What vnitye may this be that should reste vppon authors not agréeing neyther with them selues nor one of them with an other It were needels here to repeate the sentences of the Fathers so often alledged on our part wherein they testifye that they profite wryting and wryte styll profiting that they woulde haue euery man to reade theyr works as they reade other mens where they agree wyth the holye Canonicall Scriptures to receiue them where they disagrée to leaue them The reason whereof is such as neither the fathers coulde take more neither wee giue more vnto them For the holy scripture as it is not of priuate inspiration but of the inspiration of the holy Ghost deliuered by holy personages qualified with lawfull calling frō God to be his authenticall witnesses of his truth vnto vs so likewise as S. Peter declareth it is not of priuate exposition 2. Pet. 1.20.21 This place I know is depraued by thē against vs as if our expositiōs were al priuate theirs only publick which are made by the Pope and his coūcel But the Apostles meaning there is plaine to oppose priuate to the inspiration of the holy ghost and to the persons of such as were qualified by a calling immediatly frō God to be the publik instruments and Ministers of it vnto vs. Which as it is plaine to be the sence of priuate in the mentiō that is made there of deliuering the scriptures so likewise is it to be vnderstood in the exposition of them Whereby appeareth that the exposition and no other is of publicke authoritie and to be receaued which proceedeth from the holy Ghost and is giuen by the Prophetes and Apostles tho it be so auowed to be but by one man and contrariwise the sense that is repugnant or not agréeing to this is a méere priuat sense tho made by as great Godly and learned a general councell as euer was which appeareth by the memorable story of Paphuntius and the most famous councell of Nice altering their determination concerning the forbidding of the mariage of ministers at his speech discouering their error and leauing it free according to the true sence of the scriptures whereof Paphuntius did admonish them Therfore I affirme the sence of the scriptures only to be receiued which may be shewed to be of the spirit of God is grounded vpon the writings of the holy cannonical scriptures Now the way to attaine to this sence is by earnest praier to God diligent study especially of the text it self and then also of al other helpes which may further to the attaining of the true vnderstanding of it Of which sort are the tongs and the arts Grammer wherby the Etimoligie and proprietie of euery seuerall word may be known and the Syntaxis that is the cōiunction and disposition of one with an other wherby the natural sence as far as the art may helpe may be vnderstood Rhetoricke to discern the tropes of seueral words which with great grace besides their first significatiō are applied to note some other thing and the figures wherewith the sentences are many times made sharpe to rebuke power ful to perswade fitly applied to bend and bow the mind to that which is intreated without the knowledge wherof many times the ful meaning of the sentence cannot be vnderstood Logicke to know how euery thing is affected to an other in a seueral regard or in the disposition of thē together to discerne of thē acording to their placing as if in a sentence of truth or vntruth of it if in profe of a thing whether it be forcible strong to proue or no or if in a longer discourse of the confusiō or the good order sute of the treatise Thus all these arts are great helpes to him that wil labor hapely with any great fruit of knowlege either in this or any other study Further also al other good sciences whatsoeuer bring a furtherāce herevnto For as when the scripture speaketh of the creatures he that hath skil in natural philosophie shal be better able to vnderstād that which is spokē then another the discriptiō of sundry places shal be better conceiued by him that hath sight in Cosmogrophie so is it of al other good sciences skils in the world the knowledge wherof doth bring his gift vnto vs to further vs in this study so furnished ought he to be that shold be an interpreter of the scriptures And as he is to vse those helpes of tongues and humane sciences so especially to labour the learned
workes of suche good writers as haue profitably trauailed in that study Amongst whom the ancient fathers are worthely accounted who no doubt by their earnest praier to God by help of the tongs and many artes and sciences and especially study and exercise in the worde of God haue left vs great helpe and furtheraunce in many things Which age was surely a happie and golden age in respect of many excellent wits which the Lord gaue to his church in those daies much about one time in an age or two togeather For both their mutual examples greatly furthered their diligence and the daungers of many subtle and cunning heretickes with whome they were to deale for the maintenance of the truth By which and such like meanes it pleased God singularly to blesse the moste of them with greate skill and iudgement in the scriptures especially in such points as their wits were most exercised in by occasion of aduersaries For which as they shyned in their time like burning lamps in the golden candlestick and as faire and bright stars in the firmament of the Church so we both reuerence their worthy memory and read diligently their learned writings Wherin if we find that by al the meanes God gaue vnto thē they shewe vs by conference of the scriptures the true meaning of them and help to teache vs where an Apostle plainly expoundeth a Prophet or where a Prophet giueth light to vnderstand that which is obscure in an Apostle We receiue it with their iust cōmendation and praise and with thanksgiuing to God and vse it to the edification of the church But if at any time for want of leasure and diligence or for some humane affectiō or because it pleased God they shold be cōtented with such a measure of his giftes who bestoweth his spirite as pleaseth him we find any thing mistaken in some place of scripture not vnderstood or wrested from his sence some pointe of faith not agreable to the body of doctrine deliuered vnto vs by the prophets Apostles thē without their reproch with acknowledgement of the infirmitie that is in man we leaue them and rest vpon the authority of those who are fathers both to them and vs. More then this what he can giue to the fathers I doe not see if he will binde vs alwaies to their exposition thē let him shew vs to what fathers and to what points of thē séeing want hath bin found in the best of thē If to the consent then let him shew whō and how many he wil consort sufficient ground why the doctrine of religion shold be ruled by thē For our sauior Christ his Apostles neuer left vs any such rule And yet if it were lawful for vs to leaue the trial of the word to argue it by their authority we are neuer a whit the nerer for any end of our controuersies For if the writings of the holy scriptures endited thorowout by the spirit of truth euery where cōsorant to it self be subiecte to this to be diuersly expounded how much more shal the writings of mē not only by possibility subiect to erre to dissent frō them selues but which indéed haue erred forgotten them selues so far as in one place to contrary that which they haue set down in another how much more I say shal such writings be diuersly drawn into sundry expositions And thē who shal determine of the true meaning of the fathers If it might be iuged according to truth we doubt not but euen by them to proue against our aduersaries most of the things which are in questiō betweene vs he apointeth a way which is the secōd cause he assigneth of the vniō of their churh that is the determinatiō of the suprem pastor meaning that B. of R. wherby he maketh cōmon the roial stile title of christ with euery Boniface Gregory euery vnlearned monk vngodly priest which shal come to be B. of R. with the general coūcel of christiā prelats But I put the case that prelates their suprem pastor do not agrée Which is a possible case for it hath fallen out more thā once or twise thē wold I know whether the pope should be aboue the coūcel or the councel aboue that P. I see both by that generally our english papists ar more giuē to hold with the P. by this authors setting this down that the pope with thē is to bear the bel away And so the truth of God which is not to be ouer ruled by al mē shal be cōtrolled by one many times an ignorāt frier of litle learning an ambitious prelate of great presumptiō folly But if they shold agrée yet is that no sufficiēt warrant for vs. For daily is it fulfilled in the doctrine of the gospel that which once was performed in the person of our sau Christ that the Mr. builders of the house of god reiect the chiefe corner stone The hie priests the Scribes Pharises Elders the hie consistory of the whole visible church thē vpō earth cōdemned the holy one of god Mat. 26.65.66 Es 53.7 they pulled fléece frō the lamb and droue the sheepe before thē to the slaughter who opened not his mouth Likewise Annas high priest Chaiphas high priests at the cōdemnatiō of Christ with Iohn Alexander all the rest of the house stock of the high priest with Scribes Elders of the people condemned the doctrine of the gospel Acts. 4.5.6.17.18 and forbad the Apostles with straight charge comminations to preach any more in the name of Iesu These whatsoeuer our aduersaries vainely apply to this purpose which is otherwise true of the greter grace of the gospel had more lawfull calling larger promises thē their B. of Rome can pretend any yet they erred not only in a mattter of fact but of faith not as priuate men but as hie priestes and that in their iudicial sentences sitting in the midst of the consistory How much more then may he who hath no such calling of supreme iurisdiction in the church nor any more by the word of God thē any minister of the gospel tho he were lawful B. be deceiued and erre euen in matters of faith and that in his iudgements pronoūced from his seat of pride And if then he be subiect to error being the head it must needs follow that the inferior members must needs be in danger of the same For which cause this can by no means be sufficient to keep the church in the vnity of one true holy faith If it had béen so fit and necessary for this purpose surely our Sauiour Christ wold neuer haue forgotten to haue mencioned it exhorted vs to obedience vnto it Ioh 13.34.14.27 who was so careful that his disciples shold cōtinue after him in the same peace which he gaue left vnto thē and the same loue wherewith he loued thē Now the Apostle so earnestly
power to doe greater matters then this As for example the wicked Priest that confessing that infamous Iauregui As the Abbot here in Eng. did the Mōke that poysoned K. Iohn absolued him aforehande for the murther hee should haue committed in kylling the most Noble and wise Prince of Orange And if they doe this and the life bee more woorth then the goodes surely they will not doubte to take vppon them to doe the other Whereby it appeareth not onelye that their doctrine hyndereth by this meanes the restitution of goods vnlawfully gotten but also how pernitious it is in generall to al states and common wealths what an enemy it is to all holines vertue For what greater incouragement may there be to sin thē impunity what more vnassurance to a state thē that al mischief euē to the murders execrable attempts against K. and P. and may be not onely forgiuen but also encouraged with inriching and ennobling of the executioners of such desperate and dyuelish actes in this life and promise of the kyngdome of heauen for thē all their fathers house in the world to come Whereof I doubt not but your HH will haue especial regard seeing not onely this such like horrible acts haue been attempted and done by thē vpō many worthie princes round about vs neere vnto vs but also by that late discouery of like most mischiuous detestable purpose against her most excellent maiestie whom God alwayes preserue from theyr blooddy hands by a priest of theyrs for that cause arraigned endyghted adiudged and executed according to the lawe in that behalfe Besides all these what are their cloysters sāctuaries but euen dens of theeues whereunto whosoeuer flyeth though he be a bankrupt or felon a murderer a traitour or any malefactor whatsoeuer yet are they protected there so as no iustice may proceede against them The alter of the Lord could not protect Ioab for wise K. Salomō well vnderstood that god protecteth not offendours from iustice and the sworde of the magistrate Yet they arrogate this vnto the abhominable alter of their Idoll of bread yea and to their Cloysters and other such priuileged places But this may suffice to shew the doctrine or practise of the church of Rome touching goods wrongfully gotten the restitution of thē If I should speake of their simonie their pluralities and non residences and all other their practises of spoyling the people vniustly of their goods It might easily bee shewed that from the Pope to the pardoner from the B. of Rome to the begging Fryer and the soule Priest not one but is guiltie of the crime which hee woulde make vs here to beleeue they so earnestly detest One the other part our doctrine is that true repentance without which no offendor is saued doth requyre a hatred of the wickednesse committed whiche can neuer bee in him who deteineth still the vniust Mammon For if he hated it hee would as the Prophet exhorteth the Idolaters repenting to say to the garments of theyr Idols Get thee hence If they haue the repentance of Dauid in acknowledging their sinne and hauing it alwayes as a heauie spectacle before them If they heard the noyse and crie which the beames of the houses builte with oppression and blood doe make one to another both of them in the eares of the Lord they must needs be carefull to amend themselues to take out such a beame as may pull downe al the building And if Zachee restore again fourefold according to the law surely the same must needs be restored if it be possible or at the least there must bee a will of restitution As for not praying for thē when they are dead which he maketh a great note and boast of wee esteeme and agreeably to the Scripture that to pray for the dead is an abuse of the name of god a profanatiō of the sacred part of his holy seruice therfore do not this only for no theeues but not for the Saints of God being departed out of this life as hauing neither precept promise nor example of it The commodities he pretendeth that they reape of their practise in this behalf are 2. wherof the first is the staying of these people frō al iniustice Our practise moreouer is such as that we haue no dispensatiōs nor multitude of sanctuaries to protect the wrong doer Nowe therefore cōcerning this first point this being our doctrin practise which hath bin declared be the cōmodities of it neuer so many those states are to hope in the goodnes of god they shall inioy thē which receiue the gospel cōtrariwise the K. cōmon W. which receiueth the R. superstition with it the dispensations absolutions santuaries authorised by it cā haue no cause to expect that the like blessing shoulde bee bestowed vpon them For whereas it is due punishmente that maketh men slower to offend It appeareth that this not beeing with them they cannot reape the fruite whereof he speaketh that is to haue their people stayed from extortion theft brybery vsury simony and such like And indeed what stay there is amongst thē is manifest vnto al that either cōsider out of the story theyr deeds in former ages or take heed to their doings in this present time For wher was ther euer greater extortiō then was vsed by the pope his Dataries Nuncios Legates other ministers of his extortions And what els doth al this hierachie but extort without all reason order both of the people one vpon another the inferiour alwayes contributing to the maintenance of the pomp pryde of the superiour the greater of them according to the life of fishes as the prophet speaketh feeding thēselues with the little ones against whō they may preuaile For brybery where was euer the like corruptiō and to this day who haue fouler hands in all callings then such as receiue their R. fayth As for theyr vsury and symony the Iewes are not so great vsurers as they that professe theyr Idolatry and the chiefest amongest them Theyr Symony is notoryously knowne to be such as scarce one of an thousand of them entereth into his Benefice according to the Canons but by bargening with the patrone or some appointed for him to make the match betweene them whiche theyr wicked example hath so poysoned the world as hardly will it bee possible thorowe out to recouer the world from this detestable corruption The seconde commoditie that many by this meanes haue receiued theyr own again is that which riseth from our doctrine and practise whereof I haue knowen some memorable examples not frō theirs though possibly sometimes euen theyr most ignorant people may haue some conscience to bee no theeues Whiche in vaine doeth hee labour to prooue to bee otherwise because wee want auriculer confession For it is not that can effectually moue the conscience but the liuing word of God which is amongst vs which pearceth as
to bee agreeable to the Scriptures it appeareth by this that whatsoeuer the lawe forbiddeth is sinne for of the lawe is the knowledge of sinne but this concupiscence is forbidden by the lawe This the Aduersarie will not graunt but I proue it thus There are but two cōcupiscences forbidden one with consent and an other with out whereof that whiche is with consent is forbidden in the former commaundements Which appeareth by the expositiō of the seuenth Commaundement by our Sauiour Christ in the sixth of Matthewe who sheweth the lustyng after a Woman in harte that is with consent to be Adultery and the breache of the seuenth Commaundement Therefore it followeth the other is forbidden in the last And in deede if the same concupiscence were forbidden in the former and no other in this then should there not bee tenne Preceptes and Commaundementes but onely nine This also the Apostle teacheth who declareth how harde it was for hym to finde the height and depth the length and breadth of the corruption that is in the nature of man till he rightly vnderstood this Commaundement For thereby he plainely sheweth the moste secrete poyson of our nature to bee discouered by this Which can be no other then the very continuall springyng and wellyng vp of vnlawfull lustes euen before the harte resolutely agree vnto them Otherwise ther might bee in vs a motion and a power not standyng with the loue of GOD nor of our Neighbour without offence to GOD. Whiche can not bee the Lawe requiryng of vs that perfect holinesse of nature wherein we were created And surely if the Apostle had not esteemed this rebellion in his nature to bee sinne and mortall sinne he would neuer haue cōplained so greeuously of his estate in respect of it both in other places as he doth and especially in the seuenth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines in a greate parte of it and in the ende criyng Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death Their doctrine beyng contrarie hath no maner of grounde in the Scripture For as for the first of Iames it is plaine he speaketh of suche a sinne as sheweth it self in an open and outward act to be sinne As for S. Austine though his authoritie nor any other Fathers maie be sufficient to warrant any doctrine to be of God yet takyng hym alleadged not for any suche purpose but as a witnesse of the doctrine taught and receiued in the Churche at his tyme I graunt he so writeth of concupiscence as except his writynges be well examined and conferred together a man would thinke he were of the opinion of our Aduersarie But beyng examined it will be found that his iudgemēt is with vs namely that this concupiscence is truely sinne and that he so taught the church in his tyme as it appeareth in sondrie places What discommoditte then can it bee to a Commonwealth to haue the people truely taught to knowe the greate corruption of our nature or what benefitt can it bee that thei should not vnderstand their wretched estate Surely none but this that for wāt of this thei should bee puffed vp in a pride of their owne free will and good workes and so not to regarde the inestimable benefitt and comforte of the death of Christ The Aduersarie alleadgeth in deede that if it be so that a man sinne euen without consent that then a man is discouraged to make resistaunce for that no man saith he wil striue against that whiche he can not auoyde that is about the resistaunce of mortall sinne whiche he can not auoyde if concupiscence be sinne and euery sinne be mortall I aunswere not withstandyng bothe these be true as thei are most true that yet the courage of resistaunce is not hereby taken awaie For the Apostle that confessed and taught bothe though he founde it a tedious combate and sweate in a maner water and bloud vnder his Harnesse so as he complained sometymes that he sawe a lawe in his members leading in captiuitie the lawe of his mynde and in this regarde cried O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death desiryng hereby as it were the ende of his warfare Yet did he not therfore giue ouer the fielde and yeeld hym self to sinne Naie rather the newe or the yong man whiche God had begotten in hym by his spirite valiauntly behaued himself in the battell oftentymes puttyng his aduersarie to the flight and by faithe assuryng hymself of the victorie in Christ Iesu And euen as a worthie knight and Champiō is not discouraged with the valure of his enemie but rather reioyceth in it knowyng his victorie shall be the greater So thei that are not cowardes in this spirituall warre but valiant in Christ their noble courage is so much the more stirred vp as thei see their enemie to be great and mightie that the honor of their victorie and triumphe in Christ maie be the greater Wherby it appeareth that our doctrine can in no sorte bee any hinderaunce to vertue or incouragemēt to vice But theirs must needes bee a great breeder of vice and extinguisher of vertue whiche perswadeth men that that is no sinne whiche is in deede sinne For hereby thei neglect the first motions and open the first doore and entraunce freely vnto sinne which it were the best spirituall pollicie to resist in the beginnyng whereof thei must needes be carefull which know it to be sinne and the other secure and carelesse whiche take it to bee no synne Therefore not ours but their doctrine openeth a wide gate to synne whiche is yet greatly enlarged by that he addeth in the ende of this Article that no man will striue against that whiche he can not auoyde For if this be so and that it is most euident that while we liue we can not amende this rebellion of our corrupt nature to the law of God then his councell is that all mē giue ouer striuing any more against sinne seeing they cannot with all their stryuing auoyd it But we are otherwise taught that tho we can not auoyde that sinne dwell in our mortall bodies yet to striue that it doe not raigne nor exercise Dominion ouer vs but that we striue againste it euen to bloud as the Apostle sayth and euen vnto death In the tenth place 10 Of reward of good and euill works in this life in the world to come comparison is made betweene our doctrine and theirs in the punishment of sinne in this life in the world to come and the reward of holines in heauen For the first he affirmeth that we say only faith in Christ is necessary for the obtaining of the forgiuenesse of sinne and this he sayth is an easie point How easie it is may appeare in the example of Abraham who was to beleeue that of his dead body there should spring children like the starres of heauen for multitude and that he should haue a seed in whome
and dayly sute of all that feare GOD and vnderstande this matter within this lande is that it maie please God to touche your HH hartes with that zealous care of his glorie and loue of the saluation of the people that by your HH meanes to her moste excellent Maiestie order maie bee taken for the establishyng hereof In the meane season we haue to aunswere our Aduersarie in this case that the preaching of the Gospell by the blessing of God maie be of power to those in whō God shall worke by it to keepe them in his feare And for the regiment of the churche the abuses being theirs that thei of all other haue not to charge vs in this respect As for their auriculer Confession the famous storie of abolishing of it by that worthie and reuerend Bishop of Constantinople Nectarius vpon occasion of wicked companie betweene a Matrone of the Citie and one of the Churche doeth sufficiently shewe for how iust cause it is to bee abolished in a Christian state and Cōmonwealth So doth also the experience of these 300. yeares wherein it hath been so vniuersally commaūded practised which hath discouered it to haue been one of the fittest instruments of Sathan for nourishyng and maintainyng all the abhominations in these partes of the world and the very seede of all priuate contentions publique warres of open violences and secrete treasons So that when I thinke of the consequence of it I maruaile how Christian states and people could indure it so long By this meanes thei had the best intelligence of the greatest secretes of the publique states in Christendome whiche thei traiterously vsed to the troublyng of the worlde and for their owne aduauntage Thei searched and gaged by this meanes bothe publique states and priuate houses so as there was nothing in any Kyngdome Citie or Towne no nor in any house or familie but was knowne to them Which was suche a politicke point in deede for thē to keepe the world in awe of them and to holde them still in captiuitie to sett vp and put doune whom thei listed to make their freendes to subdue their foes as a stronger wall for the maintenance of this Antichristian tyrannie could not be deuised And this is his dosen of pointes whiche he thinketh to bee worthe so many millions to a Common wealthe whiche if he maie sell at his owne price wee shall buye them deare enough But I hope I haue sufficiently shewed them to be so little worthe as no man but hymself and his fellowes that esteeme their graines relique pouders and suche other pedlary as thei bryng in now into the lande for riche Marchaundrise will make any great reckenyng of thē Wherein I haue so dealt as I thincke he can not iustly complayne that I haue followed impartiment matter and left the state of his question as he wrongfully chargeth the reuerend D. Fulke whose learned writings al the sort of them will neuer be able with truth to aunswere Because hee wold be answered to his mind he is careful we should vnderstād his ful meaning which is sayth hee not whether doctrine be true or false theirs or ours but whither bee more politicke or profitable to a cōmon wealth Wherin he is to be admonished that to prooue his doctrin fitter for the establishing of a K. and state in peace wealth and honour to bring vppon it all good promises and blessinges of God his next and readiest way had bene to haue prooued the truth of it by the scriptures For this is a most certain ground the true religion hath the promises of this life the life to come which are so farre in this life bestowed vpon vs as God seeth to be most expedient and may be without the greater losse and hinderaunce of the other Therefore in leauing to prooue that hee left the way he should haue followed and hath takē a cleane contrary course which is that it bringeth greate commodities which if it were so yet could not suffice to prooue it true For the Turk and other heathen which apply their religion as may be fittest for the maintenaunce and securitie of their state they receiue no doubt by their detestable false worshippe many benefites to the assuring of their estates for a season yet is it but an execrable false seruice of God which is so commodious vnto them For whether commodities be blessings from God or no dependeth vpon this whether the people be his people and honor him as he hath appointed For to such we are sure hauing warrant of the truth of religion that all benefites are the effectes of the gracious promise of God to those which feare him and are in deed blessings proceeding from the tender loue of God vnto his people and seales of the euerlasting blessinges promised vnto vs in his kingdome But what blessing so euer is bestowed vpon any other is turned in th' end into a cursse it is but feeding of the Oxe for the slaughter a lifting of them vp that when they are cast downe they may fall with greater violence and more easely be dasht in pieces Finally it maketh them the more giltie and bringeth a heauier destruction vpon them For how should they be blessed that feare not the Lorde vpon whose fauour or displeasure dependeth the prosperity or hard estate of euery K and people Therfore to perswade that he pretended he hath taken a clean contrary way For if a man graunt him al that he affirmeth yet is it easy to aunswere that this benefit in the end must needes turne to a losse and this shew of securitie to all vnquietnesse this setled estate to captiuitie bondage For how many exāples haue we of this frō the beginning that is of K common weales that haue flourished for a season and in the end haue been broken al too pieces As the state of the K. of Tyre which is described by the prophet to haue been so exceeding prosperous that in respect thereof the King of Tyre for his glory is compared with the morning Star yea sayd to shyne as a Cherub from amōgst the stones of fire yet euen he as the same prophet threatned him is now cast down from his high seat and from all his glory And Tyre whose marchantes were as P. of the earth and her chapmen as the Nobles of the worlde is now become more like a poore fisher Towne then that olde Citie or greatly renoumed amongst the Ylands and in al the world We see the Ro. empire and the K. of Italy how notwithstanding the former honor wealth glorie of it yet now and that by the meanes of their Popedome it is dasht in a maner all in pieces cut into so many little seingnories Dukedoms L and free cities that they are as the potsherds of the earthen vessell which the lord as he threatneth in the Psalme hath burst in fitters with his barre of yron Whereby it appeareth to be the right way to prooue anye