before So sayth Demosthenes this King Philip vnder pretence of friendship seeking his owne benefite would haue you to deliuer vp your Orators which from time to time call vpon you and giue you warning of his subtile and craftie deuises to the ende that when you haue so done ere you bee ware he may bring you and your citie vnder his tyrannie And this saying of Demosthenes proued after verie true indeede Euen so good Christians the subtile serpent Sathan prince of darkenesse seeking to bring the Church of England vnder his kingdome againe from which by the mightie hand of God it hath beene deliuered indeuoureth cunningly to perswade the shepheardes that is the chiefe Gouernours of this realme to put away their barking dogges that is to put downe the state of Bishops and other chiefe of the Cleargie to take away their landes and liuings and set them to their pensions the sooner by that meanes to worke his purpose And heere in he turneth himselfe into an Angel of light and pretendeth great holines and the authoritie of Gods word and the holy Scriptures For such a subtile Protheus he is that he can turne himselfe into all maner of shapes to bring forward his deuise The craftie enemie of the Church of GOD doeth well knowe the frailetie and corruption of mennes nature that they will not of them-selues easily bende to that is good vnlesse they bee allured vnto it by the hope of benefite Hee vnderstandeth that Honos alit artes and if he shall by any cunning bee able to pull away the reward of learning hee right well seeth that hee shall haue farre fewer dogges to barke at him and almost none that shall haue teeth to bite those hell houndes that hee will sende to deuoure and destroy the flocke of Christ Happily there may bee some young Spanielles that will quest lauishly ynough but hee will not feare them because hee knoweth they will haue no teeth to bite If the state of the Cleargie shall bee made contemptible and the best reward of learning a meane pension hee foreseeth that neither yong flourishing wittes will easily incline them-selues to godly learning neither wil their parents and friendes suffer them to make that the ende of their trauaile To bring this to passe hee worketh his deuises by sundry kindes of men first by such as be Papists in heart and yet can clap their handes and set forwarde this purpose because they see it the next way either to ouerthrowe the course of the Gospell or by great and needelesse alteration to hazard and indanger the state of the common weale The second sort are certaine worldly godlesse Epicures which can pretend religion and yet passe not which end thereof goe forwarde so they may bee partakers of that spoyle which in this alteration is hoped for The thirde sorte in some respect the best but of all other most dangerous because they giue the opportunity and countenance to the residue and make their indeuours seeme zealous and godly These bee such which in doctrine agree with the present state and shewe themselues to haue a desire of a perfection in all things and in some respect in deede haue no euill meaning but through inordinate zeale are so caried that they see not howe great dangers by such deuises they drawe into the Church and state of this Realme Howe great perils euen small mutations haue brought to Common-weales the knowledge of Histories and the obseruation of times will easily teach vs. Obiection But in this place mee thinketh I heare some crie out with earnest affection against me and say that I shew my selfe to bee a carnall man and in this matter of the Church vse carnall and fleshly reasons out of humaine policie and doe not stay my conscience vpon Gods word the holy Scriptures where unto only in the gouernment of the Church wee shoulde cleaue though all reason and policie seeme contrary Answere If I doe stay my selfe and grounde my conscience vpon humane policie in any matter of faith and religion I must needes confesse my selfe to be worthie great blame But if in some things perteining to the externall fourme of gouernement or the outwarde state of the Church I haue respect to Christian policie not contrary to Gods word I see no iust cause why I shoulde be misliked if in consideration of the corrupt affection of mans nature I wish the state of a Christian Church common weale to bee such that yong and towardly wittes not yet mortified by Gods spirit may bee allured with the hope of benefite to the studie of learning and principally of the holy Scriptures leauing the secret direction of their minde to God I trust no man can with good reason reprooue this my desire and in the course of my writing no man shall iustly say that either I doe staye mine owne conscience or will other men to grounde theirs vpon reason and policie onely without the word of God For neither will the feare of God suffer mee so to deale in matter of such weight neither doe I see that by such meanes I can further the cause that I write of Many Pamphlets haue bene of late yeres partly written and partly printed against the whole gouernment of the Church by Bishops and those in sundrie sortes according to the nature and disposition of the Authors but in all great protestation of euident and strong proofe out of the Scriptures and other writers But especially there is one which I haue seene the writer whereof maketh this solemne protestation following That as he looketh to be acceptable to the Lorde at the iudgemēt of the immaculate lambe in his accusation that he maketh against the Clergie of this Realme hee will not cleaue to his owne iudgement nor will followe his owne braine nor wil of himself inuent ought nor vntruly blame ought but will faithfully and vntruly sincerely and incorruptly rehearse the holy Scriptures and the sentences actes and deedes of other learned men which determine and agree vpon those things that he layeth downe against them You may well vnderstand therefore that such an accusation will not bee answered and shifted away with humane reason onely The matter must haue more pith and substance in it But howsoeuer that accusation will bee answered I woulde the authour had perfourmed his protestation as faithfully as to carry some credite and fauour he layde it out solemnely Then shoulde not his writing containe so manie vncharitable and contemptuous speeches so many slaunderous vntruethes so many wrested Scriptures so many false conclusions so many impertinent allegations as he doth vse The purpose to perswade so great and dangerous a mutation in a common weale should haue carryed with it not onely more trueth and comlinesse of speech but also more weight of matter sound substance of proofe But such is the libertie of this time and such is the manner of them that to slaunder and deface other passe not what they speake or write I will
his lippes that they speake no guile The mouth of a malicious man saith Ambrose is a deepe or bottomlesse pit The innocent that is too easie of credit doth quickly fall but he riseth againe But the backebiting railer is by his owne craft cast downe headlong to confusion in such sort as he shall neuer recouer himselfe againe And Bernard Let not my soule be in companie of backebiting tongues because God doth hate them when the Apostle saith Backbiters are odious to God Euery one that backbiteth sheweth himselfe voyd of charitie Moreouer what other thing seeketh hee by deprauing but that he whome he backebiteth may come in hatred and contempt with them among whom he is depraued Wherefore the backebiter woundeth charitie in all that heare him and somuch as in him lyeth doth vtterly destroy him whome he striketh with his tongue As for the reproch of want of learning he will not striue much with them The Bishop hath not vsed God bee thanked to vaunt himselfe of great learning Neither doth he disdaine to be accounted vnlearned of these men which many yeeres since contemned Bishoppe Iewell as a man of no deepe learning and euen of late dayes coulde say that Erasmus was no Diuine His prayer is that the small measure of knowledge which it pleased God to giue him in the continuance of fiftie yeeres studie may be imployed to the glorie of God and the benefite of his Countrey It is knowen fiue and fourtie yeres since that he was Master of Art and Student of Diuinitie and disputed in that facultie since which time hee was neuer drawen from that exercise of good learning This is his greatest comfort that since he was a yong man in Magdalene Colledge in Oxford he hath bene brought vp in the loue of the Gospel and was reasonablie able to confirme his conscience to represse the aduersary not only by the holy scriptures but also by the writings of the anciēt Fathers and the best authours of this age since the renewing of the Gospell as hee hath many honest and learned men witnesses yet aliue M. Trauers whome they prefere before him he knoweth not what he is He neuer sawe him to his remembrance but once and that was at my Lord of Canterburies in the presence of some honourable persons at which time the man shewed no great learning Doctor Sparke is so well knowen to the Bishoppe of Winchester and the Bishoppe to him that hee cannot be perswaded that Doctor Sparke will affirme that he did put the Bishop at that time or any other as they terme it to a non plus But vvhatsoeuer hee vvill doe if the one or the other or they both doe make any bragge of a victorie then gotten as I haue before sayde surely they doe greatly forget themselues and declare that Ladie Philautie did bleare their eyes and made that they coulde not see the right rules of modestie especially considering what the witnesses were and what report they haue made thereof to the best of this Lande which hath not bene made vnknowen to the worlde It is true that Gregorie saith Superbia lumen intelligentiae abscondit Pride daseleth the eyes of a mans vnderstanding And againe Superbi c. Proud men when they thinke them selues despised fall by and by to railing Cyprian that reuerend and learned father sayth notably An high and swelling heart arrogant and proude bragging is not of Christ that teacheth humilitie but springeth of the spirit of Antichrist I pray GOD these men may remember these lessons AS touching the Gouernment of the Church of England now defended by the bishops this I say When God restored the doctrine of the Gospel more sincerely and more aboundantly then euer before vnder that good yong Prince King Edward 6. at vvhich time not the gouernours onely of this Realme vnder him but a number of other Noblemen Gentlemen were well knovven to be zealous in the fauor of the trueth by consent of all the States of this Land this maner of gouernment that now is vsed was by law confirmed as good and godly The bishops other of the clergy that gaue their aduise and consent to the same vvere learned zealous bishop Cranmer Ridley Latimer and many other vvhich after sealed their doctrine vvith their blood all learned graue and vvise in comparison of these yong Sectaries which greatly please themselues M. Couerdale M. Hooper neuer thought to be superstitious or inclining to Antichristian corruption were contented to vse the office authority and iurisdiction of bishops the one at Exeter the other at Glocester Peter Martyr Bucer and Iohn de Alasco graue men and of great knovvledge and godlinesse did liue in that state vnder the Archbishops and bishops that then vvere and vvrote to them most reuerendly not refusing to giue them those Titles that novv bee accompted Antichristian The like they did to other of late time Reade the Preface of Peter Martyr set before his Dialogues against Vbiquity see what honourable testimonie hee giueth to bishop Iewell and what titles he affoordeth him To condemne all these as Reprobate and Pety Antichrists were great rashnesse and such impudencie as ought not in any Christian Church or common weale to bee borne without punishment When God had marueilously preserued for vs our gracious soueraigne Queene Elizabeth set her in her Fathers seat being brought vp from her tender yeres in the instruction of Gods trueth shee tooke aduise of her most honourable Counsell Nobles and learned of the Realme and especially such as were most forward in religion and with consent of all the States of this Realme by law receiued confirmed and established the manner of Gouernment and other orders of the Church now obserued The learned men that yeelded their aduise and consent to the same were those reuerend godly persons that came lately out of banishment from the schoole of affliction could not so soone forget their Lorde God and the zeale of his trueth namely Master Cox Grindall Sands Horne Pilkington Iewell Parkhurst and a number of other vvho vvere after chosen to be bishops and executed those offices without grudging or repining of any vntill about the tenth yeere of her Maiesties raigne the curious deuises beganne to be more common Since vvhich time by the countenauncing of some they haue greatly increased in strange assertions now be come almost to the highest The reproches therefore that are giuen to this State by these Libellers touch not onely the Bishoppes but the Prince the Counsell and the honorable woishipfull wise and learned of the Realme As for this question of Church-gouernment I meane not at this time to stand much on it For let them say what they lust for any thing that hath beene written hitherto touching it it is sufficiently answered Onely this I desire That they will lay downe out of the worde of God some iust proofes and a direct commandement that there shoulde be in all ages
doubt of their consciences which neuer doubted before Many strange Assertions either plainly false or as Paradoxes true in some rare and extraordinarie sense haue beene by sundry persons and some of them well learned vttered and taught to the troubling of many mens mindes and specially such as were not able to reach to the depth of them As for example that it is a grieuous offence to kneele at the receiuing of the Communion A gentleman of good countenaunce hath affirmed to my selfe that hee woulde rather hazard all the land hee had then bee drawen to kneele at the Communion An heauie burthen to lay vpon a mans conscience for an externall gesture The doctrine of the Lords Supper hath bene so slenderly taught by some that a number haue cōceiued with themselues that they receiue nothing but the externall elements in remembrance that Christ died for them And these their cogitatiōs haue they vttered to other to their great misliking Priuat baptism yea publike also if it be ministred by one that is no preacher hath bin so impugned as if it were no sacrament at all whereby questiōs haue bin raised by sundry persons what is become of them that were neuer baptized otherwise Or whether it were not necessary that all such persons as are certainly knovven not to haue receiued any other baptisme thē that was priuatly done ought not to bee baptised againe because the other is esteemed as no Sacrament The article of the common Creed touching Christes descension into hell contrary to the sense of all ancient writers hath bin strangely interpreted and by some with vnreuerent speeches flatly reiected These and a number of such other haue vndoubtedly bred great offence and wounded the hearts of an infinite number causing them partly to reuolt to Papistry partly to Atheisme and neglecting of all Religion as is seene by the liues of many to the exceeding griefe of all them that feare God and loue his trueth As I haue talked with many Recusants so did I neuer confer with any that would vse any speech but that he hath alleadged some of these offences to bee cause of his reuolting And some haue affirmed flatly vnto me that in seeking to presse thē to come to our Church and seruice we do against our owne consciences seeing our most zealous preachers as they be taken openly speake and vvrite that as well our seruice as the administration of the sacraments are contrary to the word of God I beseech Almightie God of his great mercie that he vvill open the eyes of them vvhich thus eagerly haue striuen against the present state of this Church to see vvhat hurt and hinderance hath come to the profession of the Gospell by these vncharitable and needelesse contentions And vndoubtedly if God moue not the heartes of the chiefe Rulers and Gouernours to seeke some ende of this Schisme and faction vvhich nowe renteth in pieces this Church of England it cannot bee but in short time for one Recusant that now is wee shall haue three if the increase of that number which I mention be not greater For I doe heare and see those things that it grieueth my heart to consider What hurt and trouble Satan hath at all times raised in the Church of God by occasion of dissention and discorde mooued not only by heretikes false teachers but also by them vvhich othervvise haue bene good and godly Christians the Ecclesiasticall Histories doe euidently declare What should I recite the Schisme between the East and West Churches for the obseruation of the feast of Easter vvhich continued a great number of yeeres and grevv to such bitternesse that the one excommunicated the other What shal I say of the Schismes and grieuous contentions in the East Church and especially at Antiochia and Alexandria betweene Paulinus and Flauianus Lucifer and Eusebius the Meletians and Eustathians all at the beginning good Christians and imbracing true doctrine And yet did they vvith great troubles eschevve one the others communion as you may reade in Epiphanius lib. 2. Theodor. lib. 1. cap 8. c. Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 23. Sozom lib. 2. cap. 18. for the space of 80. yeres and aboue I omit the great strife betweene Chrysost of the one part and Theophilus Cyrill and Epiphanius on the other for the burning of Origens bookes They vvere all good and learned bishops and vve doe worthily reuerence their memory yet fel this matter so foule among them that because Chrysost vvould not consent to the burning of Origens bookes Theophilus and Cyrill vvould scantly euer acknovvledge him to be a lavvfull Bishop I mention not a great number of other like factiōs vvhich grew in the same age to the trouble and hinderance of true Christianitie as many godly and learned men did then complaine And sundry graue authours vvhich haue written in this our time and before iudge that these wayward contentions in the East Church vvere the chiefe causes that brought vpon them afterward the heauie wrath of God that tooke his Gospel from them and cast them into the tyrannie of Saracens Turkes as we haue seene novv these many yeeres A notable example to vs good Christian Readers to take heede in time and earnestly to pray vnto God that he will so blesse vs with his holy Spirite that wee may be all like minded hauing the selfe same loue being of one minde and of one iudgement that nothing bee done among vs through strife and vaine glory but that in humblenesse of minde euery one will thinke of other better then of himselfe that vve may growe together in one heart and minde against the common aduersarie to the glory of God and the promoting of his Gospel the safetie of our gracious Prince naturall countrey Of such discord in the church S. Basile grieuously cōplaineth When I was growen saith he into mans age often going into strange Countries fel into troubles I obserued and found that in other Artes there was great concord agreement betweene them that were the chiefe of those Artes and Sciences Onely in the Church of God for which Christ died and vpon which he had plentifully powred downe his holy spirit I saw great vehement discord aswell among themselues particularly as in things contrarie to the holie Scriptures And that which is most horrible I sawe them that are the chiefe of the Church so drawen asunder in diuersitie and contrarietie of opinions that without all pitie they did most cruelly teare in pieces the flocke of Christ so that if euer nowe it is verified that the Apostle speaketh From among your selues shall rise men speaking peruerse things that they may drawe Disciples to followe them The third cause and the principall of all other is that the ramping roaring Lion that goeth about seeking whome he may deuoure and watching all occasions to doe mischiefe in the Church of God hath taken the opportunitie of this Schisme diuision among our selues And therefore euer since that began he
vs and calleth vs to his knowledge as hee did his chosen by other in the Primitiue Church And howsoeuer by the libertie of this time it pleaseth men in the heate of their spirite to boyle out with reprochfull choler against them yet I am sure they are not able to vse more bitter and vncourteous speech then the like affection vttered against the Prophets against Christ himself and his Apostles as after more euidently shall appeare I knowe they being but fraile and sinfull men in comparison of those blessed Saintes of God beforetime may giue more iust cause of reproche and minister more matter to euill tongues then they did And yet I doubt not but the tenth part of that euil that vnthankefull mindes vtter against them shall neuer be found to be true They that haue the feare of God will not rashly iudge of other and christian charitie will hide the blemishes and faultes of their brethren and specially of the preachers of the gospell sincerely teaching Gods trueth Charitie woulde consider that the times are dangerous and that wee are lighted into these corrupt and perillous last daies whereof Christ prophecied in the Euangelists and therfore may thinke our selues thrise happy if wee haue tollerable Ministers though they bee farre from that rule that Christian perfection requireth These dayes bee like the times Nazianzen writeth of When they heare any thing spoken of a Minister or Priest they by and by conceiue that of all which is reported of one And wee are become a Theater not to Angels and men as that Champion Saint Paul saith But wee are become a Stage to the most vile and abiect men at all times and in all places in the Streetes in Shoppes at Tables at feasts at Councels euen to the very playing scaffoldes which I speake with teares and are scoffed at euen of the vile and contemptible players c. The time was saith Caluine when no man durst open his mouth against the Ministers or Preachers of the worde But nowe there is no speech more plausible None of these base persons would speake a word if they did not see themselues backed by men of great authoritie and receiue reward for so dealing Such vntrueths woulde soone vanish and bee forgotten vnlesse they were nourished by them for whose pleasure they were deuised It may be hardly thought that the true zeale of God and loue of his Gospell is in that heart that can easily breake out to the discrediting of the ministers and teachers therof They woulde rather sigh in their hearts and groane in their consciences and pray vnto God in the spirit of mildenes to take away such blemishes from the face of his Church and to amende the faults thereof if not all at once yet by little and little as to his gratious prouidence might seem best For surely where hatred and contempt of the ministers is there all goodnes must needes growe to confusion And that maketh mee to feare that to our great euil the ruine of the gospell is at hand among vs. For where God is loued and feared there his word is imbraced and his ministers reuerenced This is the cause of all euil sayth Chrysostome that the authoritie of spirituall gouernours is decayed no reuerēce no honor no feare is vsed toward them Obey your gouernours saith Paul and be subiect to them But now al things are ouerthrowen cleane confounded Neither speake I this for the gouernours sake but for your owne And a little after He that honoureth the Priest honoureth God and hee that despiseth the Priest by little and little falleth to this also that he will vse reproch against God himself He that receiueth you sayth Christ receiueth me And in another place sayth the Scripture Haue his Priestes in honour Hence commeth it sayth Cyprian that the bonde of the Lordes peace is broken Hence is it that brotherly loue is violated Of this cause is it that trueth is corrupted vnitie is broken that men leane to Schismes because Priestes are slaundered Bishops are enuied and euery man either complaineth that hee is not ordeined rather then another or else disdaineth to haue another aboue him c. The Iewes were esteemed to despise God because they made so small account of his seruant Moses And to Samuel saith the Lord They haue not despised thee but me Yea if it be an euill Minister sayth Chrysostome yet God marketh that for his sake thou doest reuerence and obey him that is not worthie honour of himselfe and therefore will he pay thee thy rewarde If he that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet receiue the rewarde of a Prophet it cannot be that he that reuerenceth and obeyeth his ordinarie Minister shall want his reward Christians should remember that Bishops and Preachers are the Angels of God the Ambassadours of Christ the Ministers of our saluation and therefore that they can not be slaundered or abused but the reproche must touch God himselfe Esay sheweth when the vnthankeful disobedient Iewes did mocke the Prophets did put out their lips and lell out their tongues in disdaine of them that God was dishonoured with the reproch there of Happily it will be doubted whether our Bishops Preachers bee the ministers and messengers of God or no. Yea some dare affirme boldly that indeede they be not But good Christians beware of such cogitations as displeasant and misliking affections may raise in you If they be not the ministers and messengers of God if they bee not sent of him then it is not the message of God that they haue brought vs it is not his worde that they haue taught vs they be not Gods Sacramentes that they deliuered vnto vs and so doe a great nomber of vs remaine as no Christians Though they were such vnworthy persons as the vnthankfull mindes of many doe imagine them or as the vncharitable tongues and pennes of some of late time haue blazed them yet bringing nothing vnto you but Gods will out of his holy Scriptures for in deede they haue not done otherwise howsoeuer their doctrine be defaced you shoulde assuredly bee perswaded that they are the instruments of Gods blessing vnto you Although they that be superiours saieth Chrysostome and Gouernours were euill and spotted with manye faultes yet shoulde not the Disciples withdrawe them from their instruction For if Christ speaking of the Doctours of the Iewes that because they sate in Moyses Chaire they were worthie to bee hearde of their Disciples although their woorkes were not commendable what fauour are they woorthie of which contemne and trample vnder foote as it were the Prelates of the Churche which by Gods goodnesse liue moderately If it bee a foule matter for one to iudge an other howe much more is it vnlawful to iudge their Maisters and instructers Baalam was a couetous prophet and yet by him GOD blessed his people Nowe surely if you haue receiued at their handes the blessing of Gods trueth
the Gospel in those parts Namely we haue had B. Cranmer Ridley Latimer Couerdale Hooper diuers other vvhich were no Bishops as M. Bradford M. Sanders M. Rogers M. Philpot D. Haddon c. Most of vvhich as they haue left good proofe of their learning in vvriting so did they confirme the same vvith their blood in the ende The like I may iustly say of them vvhome God hath sent to restore his Trueth since the beginning of her Maiesties reigne hovvsoeuer it pleaseth the Broode of the Martinists to deface them as Bishoppe Coxe Pilkington Grindall Sands Horne Iewell c. vvhich haue good testimonie of their learning giuen them by as graue learned and zealous men as any haue liued in this age among vvhome for certaine yeeres they liued A nomber of other haue proceeded out of both our Vniuersities vvhich though Martin Momus will say the contrary deserue singular commēdation for their learning and haue declared the same to the vvorlde in ansvvering and confuting the opprobrious writings of the common Aduersaries In vvhich their ansvveres without enuie and displeasure be it spoken there appeareth as sufficient learning as doeth in the most workes at this time published by the vvriters of forreine Countreies If Englishmen at this time so greatly dispraysed vvere giuen vvith like paynes to set foorth the exercises of their studie and learning as in other places they doe they vvoulde dravve as good commendation of learning to their Countrey as most other Churches doe To vvhich nomber of ours I adde also some of thē vvhom certaine occasions haue caried away to the misliking of the present state of this Church vvhich I knowe haue receiued of God singular good giftes which I pray earnestly they may vse to his glory and the procuring the vnity peace of the Church vvhich our Hastie Diuines of M. M. his brood seeke to breake and disturbe This testimonie I thought my selfe bounde in conscience to yeelde to that Church of my naturall Countrey in vvhich and by vvhich through the mercie of our gracious God I am that I am The godly I trust vvill interprete all to the best the residue I looke not to please The B. of Winchester is further charged in this maner He said that men might find fault if they were disposed to quarrell aswel with the Scriptures as with the booke of common prayer Who could heare this comparison without trembling Let the Libellers whatsoeuer they are remēber Os quodmentitur occidit animam At that time in S. Mary Oueries church in a large discourse he did answere the obiections that many make at this day against the booke of common praier towarde the end vttered these words If it could be without blasphemie they might picke as many as great quarrels against the holy scriptures thēselues For euen the best writings are subiect to the slanderous malice of wicked men This assertion was found fault with all by a Iesuite or Massing priest at that time in the Marshalsey therfore the B. the next Sunday following expounded his meaning and at large shevved that that might be done which beforetime was done by a great number and that he was not so far beside himselfe as to compare the booke of common prayer vvith the holy scriptures in dignity trueth or maiestie He leaueth such blasphemous dealing to the Papists the Family of Loue some other Sectaries but he compared them in this as it is before saide that the Scriptures themselues vvere subiect also to slaunderous and deprauing tongues and yet not therfore to be reiected wherof he recited sundry examples Celsus that heathenish Epicure against whom Origen writeth in his booke called Verax doth powre out many railing slaunderous reproches not onely against the holy Scriptures but also against the course of Christian Religion as that they receiued their religion doctrine of the barbarous Iewes that is out of the bookes of Moses and the Prophets The like did Porphyrius an other Philosopher and in his bookes reprooued the Scriptures in many places for hee wrote thirtie bookes against Christian religion That scoffing sophister Libanius and his scholler Iulian the Apostata vsed the like blasphemies against the Christian faith and the Scriptures out of which it was prooued as appeareth in sundrie auncient Writers Who knoweth not that some Heretikes reiected the most part of the olde Testament as false and fabulous The Valentiniane Heretike sayeth Tertullian Quaedam legis Prophetarum improbat quaedam probat id est Omnia improbat dum quaedam reprobat The Marcionists receiue onely the Gospell of Matthewe the other they reiect And likewise they admitte but two Epistles of Saint Paul that is to Timothie and Titus and as Hierome sayeth to Philemon Tatian also depraueth the Scriptures reiecteth the Actes of the Apostles and picketh sundrie other quarrels against them There was neuer any Heretike but that to giue countenance to his opinion hee would seeme to ground it vpon the Scriptures And what is that but wickedly to father lies vpon the Scriptures And for this cause you know the Papists thinke it no sure ground to rest vpon the scriptures onely affirming blasphemously that the Scriptures are darke vnperfect and doubtfull because they may bee wrested cuery way like a nose of waxe or like a leaden Rule Wherefore Christian charitie and modestie woulde not thus maliciously and slanderously wrest and wring the words of the Bishop tending to a good and godly meaning Of like trueth it is that he burtheneth the Bishop of Winchester to affirme that it was heresie to say The preaching of the worde was the onely ordinarie way to saluation which he neuer thought or spake either thē or at any other time of his life But in handling of that controuersie Penrie spake things so strangely obscurely that he seemed to attribute that effect to the preaching of the word only not otherwise vsed by reading And being vrged with that question by occasion of reading the Scriptures in Churches his answere was such as hee euidently shewed himselfe to meane that that effect of saluatiō could not be wrought by hearing the worde of God read with some other wordes giuing suspition of worse matter And then indeede the B. rose not out of his place as these honest men doe carpe nor spake in such cholerike maner as they pretend but quietly said My Lord this is not farre from heresie What were the words that Penry vsed especially moued the B. to speake hee doeth not at this time remember but sure he is they were as far from that which is laide downe in the Libel as falshoode can be from truth I wonder that mē which professe God yea or that beleeue there is a God can with open mouth so boldely powre foorth such heapes of vntrueths Detractor abominabilis est Deo The counsell of the Prophet is good He that would gladly see good dayes let him refraine his tongue from euill and
comparison of that perfect rule of a Minister that S. Paul requireth It is wel knowen as it is before recited that there be a number of parishes in this Realme the liuings vvhere of are so small that no man sufficiently learned will content himselfe vvith them In some one meane shire there bee aboue foure score Chappels to be serued onely by Curates with very small stipends To place able men in them is vnpossible For neither sufficient number of learned men can be had nor if there coulde woulde they be contented to bee to such places appoynted And to leaue those parishes and places vnserued of common prayer and administration of the Sacraments were an inconuenience as great on the other part For it bringeth men to an heathenish forgetfulnesse of God To ease this matter by combinations and ioyning of many parishes together as some deuise besides other inconueniences the thing is not in the Bishops authoritie nor possible for him to doe Euery parish hath a sundrie patrone which wil neuer bee brough to agree to that purpose and to forgoe their patrimonie and heritage Nowe to attempt the matter by making a law for that purpose woulde be occasion of so great troubles and alterations as would draw with them more inconneniences then would stand with the safe state of this common weale as the wiser sort doe see and were easie for me to declare if it were pertinent to this matter here to lay them downe in writing The only remedie that necessitie beareth is to tollerate some of the meaner sort of Ministers hauing carefull consideration so much as diligence can doe that the same may be of life behauiour honest and godly and such at the least as may bee able to instruct the parish in the Catechisme And surely I hope by the care of the Bishops that they haue alreadie vndertaken this thing will be either altogether or in a good part brought to effect ere long time passe Obiection But some will say that all this is but a cloake of colourable reason to hide an vnexcusable fault For that no necessitie can excuse a man to breake the law of God and Gods holy commandement is vttered by Saint Paul that among other properties a Minister shoulde bee Aptus ad docendum that is able to teach and therefore no Bishop can bee borne with in making an vnlearned Minister For he may not doe euill that good may come thereof Answere For answere hereunto it cannot bee denyed but the rule which Saint Paul giueth is an exact rule and such an absolute description of a Minister as is according to Christian perfection and therefore that all Ministers ought to bee correspondent to the same And so much as they want thereof they lacke of their perfect state Yea and ecclesiasticall gouernours shoulde carefully see so much as humane frailtie and the miserable state of this worlde will suffer that al Ministers of the Church of God be such And when they doe faile heerein they offend and goe from that perfection that the worde of God requireth But yet I doubt not but God of his great mercie in Christ our Sauiour will gratiously consider that he hath to doe with flesh and blood and that euen his best children liue not here in an heauenly state but in a miserable and wretched world and specially when hee seeth that they offend not of negligence or malicious wickednesse but are carried with the necessitie of this earthly frailtie For if GOD shoulde measure all things done in his Church by the perfect rule of his word who should be able to stand before him We may not therefore either condemne other or esteeme our selues condemned before God if through the frailtie of the worlde we be not able to frame all things in his Church to such perfectnesse as his holy word appoynteth As the description of a Minister deliuered by Saint Paul to Timothie and Titus is perfect so doth it containe many branches properties to the number of I thinke twentie or aboue As that he must bee vnreproueable the husband of one wife watching temperat modest not froward not angrie one that loueth goodnesse righteous holy harberous apt to teach holding fast the wholesome worde according to doctrine able to exhort with wholsome doctrine and conuince them that say against it not giuen to much wine no striker not giuen to filthie lucre gentle no quarreller not couetous one that can rule his owne house keeping his wife and children in honest obedience not a yong scholler least hee be puffed vp with selfe liking well reported of graue not double tongued holding the mysterie of the faith in a pure conscience If they will admit no Ministers as lawful but such as shall haue fully all these properties Surely they will cut from Churches the greatest part or all the Ministers that they haue Euen that one propertie which they so greatly call vpon as of all other most necessarie that is that hee shoulde be apt to teach that is as Saint Paul expoundeth himselfe to be sufficiently able to teach them that bee willing and to conuince the aduersarie If it be pressed to the extremitie and rigour thereof it comprehendeth so much as it will exclude a great many of Ministers and Preachers which in their measure doe good seruice in the Church of God The best writers that euer I did reade vpon that say That to the performance of the same a man must haue readie knowledge in the Scriptures the vnderstanding of the tongues the reading of the ancient Fathers and histories of antiquitie If a great many of them woulde looke into their owne bosomes and measure themselues by this rule of sufficiencie they woulde not iudge so rigorously of other nor be so rash to condemne them Wee see in the Scriptures that God sometime beareth with breach of his cōmandement falling by the necessitie of our fraile life God gaue in charge as before is sayde that none shoulde eate of the Shew-bread but the Priestes And yet in necessitie Dauid did eate of it though he were no Priest The Machabies fought on the Sabboth day contrary to this commandement Thou shalt keepe holy the Sabboth day and yet it is not read that God was therfore displeased with them or tooke punishment of them though the Scripture mention that one without necessitie gathering stickes on the Sabboth day was stoned to death Christ himselfe may seeme to giue the reason for their defence when he saith The Sabboth was ordeined for man and not man for the Sabboth Yea in a morall cōmandement of God touching mariage we see God to vse a maner of dispensation in respect of the frailtie of mans nature The Scripture saith precisely Quos Deus coniunxit homone separet and yet in the lawe wee finde this dispensation or qualifying thereof When a man hath taken a wife and married her if she finde no fauour in his eyes c. then let him make
may seeme to be of great importance and such in deede as God hath had much care of in all times as before it hath beene countenanced by the Lawe and Prophets so must it nowe bee drawen also through the whole course of the nevve Testament Yea whatsoeuer is vsed eyther of Christ himselfe or of his Apostles against couetousnesse or the loue and care of this worlde and delight of this life all that either by faire meanes or foule is brought into this fort to batter and shake the lands and possessions of Bishops and other of the Cleargie And first men are willed to cal to remembrance the example of Christ our Sauiour his birth the state of his life the choise of his apostles his perpetuall doctrine exhorting to pouertie and contempt of the worlde His parents say they were poore and liued by an handie craft descended of a stocke and kinred growen altogether out of credite in the worlde in steede of a princely chamber borne in an Oxe stall wrapped in poore clothes in steede of white and fine linnen layde in a cribbe for want of a rich cradle and in place of worthie seruitours hee had the presence of an Oxe and an Asse And that hee might shewe himselfe to delight in pouertie and contempt of the world his natiuitie was first reuealed vnto poore Shepheards watching their flockes As hee was borne so was he bredde in the poore and contemptible Towne of Nazareth out of the which Nathaniel thought nothing woorthy credite coulde come in which Towne as it may bee thought by the exercise of an handie craft hee liued in obedience of Ioseph and of his Mother Such as his birth and breeding was such was the state of his liuing when the full time of his dispensation came for hee was not borne to anie Landes or possessions neyther had hee any great wealth and riches to susteine himselfe yea not so much as an house to put his heade in but was mainteyned by the almes as it were and by the charitable deuotion of certayne wealthie vvomen of Galiley and other godly persons His Apostles that he chose to follovve him and to bee the Ministers of his kingdome hee tooke not out of the state of Princes noble men or great and rich Lordes with Landes and dominions but out of the poore state and condition of fishers Tent-makers and toule-gatherers And thus may we see our Lorde and Christ altogether wrapped in pouertie and besette on euery side with the base and contemptible state of the vvorld But to what purpose is all this alleaged Forsooth that wee may vnderstande that it is not lawfull for such as bee guides of the Lordes flocke to liue in any other state then in that the Lorde gaue example of For vvhosoeuer seeketh Christ say they in other state and sort then hee gaue example of seeketh not Christ but Antichrist and the pompe of the vvorld So that the sense and effect of the reason is this Christ was borne bredde and liued in pouertie and chose vnto him Apostles of poore condition therefore bishoppes and Ministers of the church must haue no Landes or possessions but stay them selues in like poore state as Christ and his Apostles did I doe not frame this argument good Reader of purpose to cauill but to admonish thee of the principall state and that considering the proofe to bee naked in it selfe thou maiest the better iudge of the strength thereof Surely I will hencefoorth cease to marueile at the wrested and violent interpretations that Hermites Monkes and friers haue made vpon the scriptures to iustifie and set foorth their superstitious life of voluntary pouertie and forsaking the worlde seeing professors of the gospel to mainteine their new doctrines take vpon themselues the like liberty and boldenesse in abusing the holie Scriptures and worde of God And yet surely it doth grieue mee and make my heart bleede to see it What shall the aduersarie thinke of our dealing with the Scriptures Surely that wee doe in so earnest manner pull them from the interpretation of the Fathers of the Church to the ende that by applying them according to our owne fantasies we may set foorth and seeme to iustifie to the worlde what doctrine soeuer we shall thinke good our selues And so shall this bee an occasion to discredite all the particular doctrines of the Gospell which hitherto as well this Church of England as other churches reformed haue taught But to vnderstande the weight of this reason before vsed against the wealthie liuings of our Clergie wee must trie it by a right and iust balance that is by the true meaning of the holy Ghost First therefore let vs consider the causes of Christes pouertie and of the choyce of such Apostles which in mine opinion are two The one is the necessitie of our redemption the other is an example and iust instruction set foorth vnto Christians As touching the first when the certaine purpose of God had determined that his sonne shoulde come into the worlde to worke the redemption of mankinde and his deliuerance from sinne necessarie it was for him to satisfie the iustice of God in sustaining all those difficulties and punishmentes that were due to man for sinne that is to say affliction ignominie reproch contempt pouertie and all worldly troubles and miseries and last of all death This is that the Prophet Esay spake of long before Hee is despised and abhorred of men hee is such a man as hath good experience of sorowes and infirmities we reckned him so vile that we hidde our faces from him Howbeit hee onely hath taken our infirmities on him and borne our paines Yet wee did iudge him as though he were plagued and cast downe of God This is that humiliation and debasing of himselfe that Paul speaketh of when hee saith Hee beeing in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God but made him selfe of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruant and made in the likenesse of men and founde in figure as a man hee humbled himselfe made obedient vnto death euen to the death of the Crosse These places good Christians declare vnto vs both the pouertie and contemptible state of Christ here in earth and also the very roote and principall cause thereof that is the saluation of mankinde The sonne of God became the sonne of man that he might make vs the children of God he vvas borne a weake and tender babe that he might make vs strong men in him he was tied in swadling bands that he might loose and deliuer vs from the bondes of the fraile and sinful flesh he was wrapped in poore clowtes that with the garment of his innocencie he might hide our nake dnes he was borne liued poorly that he might make vs rich plentiful in him he was a stranger in the world had not an house to put his head in that he might purchase for vs a citie heritage
The dispensing with Banes for money pag. 100. The Sale of Christian libertie in Marriages pag. 103. That they make lewde and vnlearned Ministers for money pag. 108. That they maintaine an vnlearned Ministery therby be occasion of Reuoltings many other mischiefs to the Prince and the Common weale But it is declared that there is no such vnlearned Ministery as they pretend and therefore can not bee an occasion of Reuolting or any other like mischiefes but that there bee other true and right causes to redresse of which it behoueth them that God hath set in place in time to haue speciall regarde for feare lest those mischiefes that be pretended doe increase pag. 109. c. The Crime of mainteyning Pilling and powling Courts pag. 135. The Crime of abusing Ecclesiasticall discipline pag. 141. The Crime of ambition and griedie seeking after Liuings and promotion pag. 144. That Bishops are carnally disposed which they shewe by hoarding vp great summes of money by purchasing Landes for their wiues and children by furnishing their tables with plate and guilded Cups by filling their purses with vnreasonable Fines and Incomes pag. 148. That the Prince ought to take away their great Lands and Liuings and set them to meane Pensions that in pouertie they may be answerable to the Apostles pag. 157. which they take vpon them to prooue by the whole course of the Scriptures pag. 162. The Lawe pag. 166. The Prophets pag. 177. The example of Christ pag. 190. and the doctrine of his Apostles pag. 221. Answere to the prescription of the old Lawe vvith the true meaning thereof pag. 166. Ansvvere to the Allegations out of the Prophets noting hovve absurdly and affectionately they be abused pag. 177. c. Answere to the example of Christ and the true doctrine that is to be taken of the same pag. 191. c. Answere to the doctrine of the Apostles declating hovv the same is rightly to be vnderstanded pag. 221. A Declaration how Ministers haue bene maintained from the beginning wherein is shevved that they haue had both Lands Houses Rents and Reuenues pag. 231. c. A Declaration that the wealthie state of the Church vvas not y e chiefe cause of setting vp Antichrist in his Throne as it is pretended but that the Histories of that time do declare other causes of more importance which also beginne to growe among vs and therefore good heede to be taken in time pag. 238. c. ¶ AN ADMONITION to the Church and people of England to take heede of the contempt of those Bishops and Preachers which God hath sent to them as messengers to bring vnto them the doctrine of their saluation WHen I call to my remembrance the loathsome contempt hatred and disdaine that the most part of men in these dayes beare and in the face of the vvorld declare tovvarde the Ministers of the Church of God asvvel Bishops as other among vs here in Englande my heart can not but greatly feare tremble at the consideration thereof It hath pleased God novv a long time most plentifully to povvre dovvne vpon vs his manifold great benefits of vvealth riches peace and quietnesse euen in the middest of the flames of discord dissention and miserie round about vs yea and that more is by the space of these thirtie yeeres by the continual preaching of the Gospel hath called vs vnto him as before time he called his chosē people of the Ievves by his Prophets and yet do vve not only not shevv any sound token either of our returning to him that called vs or of our thankefull receiuing his worde which he hath sent vs or of conforming our liues thereunto as hee willeth vs but also euidently to the eyes and eares of all men shew our hatred and misliking of those reuerend persons whome it hath pleased God to vse as his messengers to call vs vnto him and as his instruments to bring vnto vs the glad tidings of the Gospel which before with sworde and fire was taken from vs. For who seeth not in these dayes that hee who can most bitterly inueigh against Bishops and Preachers that can most boldely blaze their discredites that can most vncharitably slaunder their liues and doings thinketh of himselfe and is esteemed of other as the most zealous earnest furtherer of the Gospel Yea they thinke it almost the best way most ready to bring themselues in credite and estimation with many A lamentable state of time it is wherein such vntemperate boldnesse is permitted without any bridle at all What man therefore that feareth God that loueth his Church that hath care of his Prince and countrey can remember this thing and not dread in his heart the sequele thereof When the Israelites derided and contemned the Prophets which God had sent among them his wrath was so kindled that hee brought the Assyrians vpon them to their confusion When the tribe of Iuda did the like to Ieremie and other messengers of God they were cast into the captiuitie of Babylon When the Iewes reprochefully vsed Christ and with vvicked slaunder persecuted his Apostles that brought to them the light of saluation their Citie and Temple vvas burned their people slaine and as Christ threatned their countrey made desolate and giuen ouer to the spoyle And shall wee thinke that God vvill not remaine the same God tovvard vs Is his minde changed is his iustice slaked is his hand shortned that either he wil not or cannot reuenge as he hath bin wont to doe No good Christians let vs neuer deceiue our selues with such vaine and godlesse cogitations God remaineth alwayes one and is not mutable His benefits to the Israelites and Iewes were neuer greater then they novv these many yeeres haue bene toward vs they were neuer more earnestly eyther by Gods blessings allured or by preaching called to repentance then vve haue bene And yet our vnthankefulnesse in some respectes is greater then theirs and our vncourteous vsing of his messengers not much inferiour yea if the willes of many were not brideled by Gods singular grace in our Prince and gouernours it is to bee feared it woulde shewe it selfe as outragious as theirs did We haue iust cause therefore to feare the like plague which they in like case sustained And surely it cannot bee but that it hasteneth fast vpon vs. Obiection But some will say I knowe That I doe great iniury to the Prophets the Apostles and other messengers of God to compare them with such wicked men such blinde guides such couetous hypocrites such antichristian Prelates such symonicall Preachers as our Cleargie men now are Answere I doe not compare them good Reader in worthines of grace and vertue but in likenesse of office and ministerie These haue brought vnto this realme the same light of the Gospell the same trueth of doctrine the same way of saluation that the Apostles brought to the people of God in their time They are the mouth of God whereby hee speaketh to
to mislike Othervvise hee defieth all Martinistes in Englande and doeth appeale vnto the vvhole State of the learned and obedient Clergie for his innocencie therein Touching master Euans c. That of Euans concerning the Vicarage of Warwike is maliciously reported Hee reiected him for lacke of conformitie to the orders of the Church If hee haue done him any vvrong thereby the lavve is open hee might haue had his remedie That honourable person mentioned by the Libeller I am sure accepted of his answer And I knowe that according to his honourable disposition he thinketh himselfe greatly abused by the libeller in this point But vvhat careth such a corner-creeper what he saith of any man be he neuer so honourable The rest of that tale is vntrue not worth answering And if the relator there of durst appeare and shevv himselfe Martin could not bee long vnknovven If any of his men at any time reported that hee should say hee vvould not bee beholding to neuer a noble man in this land c. he shevveth himselfe to be of the Libellers conditions that is a common lyar For hee neuer spake the wordes to any man neither doeth hee vse that familiaritie vvith his men But the Libeller careth not vvhat he speaketh either of him or of his men so that he may fill vp his libell with vntrue slaunders That vvhich follovveth of the Archbishops words to the knight that he was the second person of the land c. is of the same kinde The knight I am sure is liuing let him be examined of that matter True it is that there was a good knight with him an old friend of his about such a sute but that he euer spake any such wordes vnto him as the Libeller vvoulde make the vvorlde beleeue is most false the Knight liueth and can testifie the same But the Libeller thinketh all men to be as proude and malapert as himselfe and other of his faction are whose pride the world seeth and it is vntolerable He was neuer D. Perns boy nor vnder him at any time but as fellow of the house where he vvas master Neither did he euer cary his or any other mans cloake bagge Although if he had so done it had bin no disgrace to him Better mens sonnes then the Libeller is haue caried cloakebags But the levvde man is not ashamed to lye in those things that are open to euery mans eyes such is his malice and impudencie How Dauisons Catechisme was allowed or how long in perusing I knovv not some paultry pamphlet belike it is like to that busie and vnlearned Scot now termed to be the author there of D. Wood is better able to iudge of such matters then either Dauison or any Martinist that dare be knovven Touching the Apocrypha c. He gaue commandement in deede meaneth to see it obserued For who euer separated this Apocrypha from the rest of the Bible from the beginning of Christianity to this day Or vvhat church in the vvorld refourmed or other doth yeat at this present And shal vve suffer this singularity in the church of England to the aduauntage of the aduersary offence of the godly contrary to al the vvorld besides I knovve there is great difference betvvene the one and the other yet all learned men haue from the beginning giuen to the Apocrypha authoritie next to the Canonicall Scriptures And therfore such giddy heads as seeke to deface them are to be bridled A foule shame it is not to be suffered that such speeches should be vttered against those bookes as by some hath bene enough to cause ignorant people to discredite the vvhole Bible Touching Doctor Sparke c. Their Honors that were thē present can wil I am sure answere for the bishops to this vntrueth They made report to diuers in publike place and some to the highest of that cōference after an other sort to another end thē the Libeller doth That seely Obiection God knoweth was soone answered in few words viz. That the trāslation read in our Churches was in that point according to the Septuagint correspondent to the Analogie of faith For if the word be vnderstood of the Israelites then is it true to say that they were not obedient to his cōmandement but if of the signes wonders that Moses and Aaron did before Pharao or of Moses and Aaron themselues then is it on the other side true that they were obedient to his commandement This might haue satisfied any learned and peaceable Diuine pacified their immoderate contention against the booke of common praier This was then and is now the answere to that friuolous obiection and this is the Nonplus that the Libeller vaunteth of More modestie might haue become both D. Sparke the reporter euen conscientia suae imbecillitatis in that conference Touching Patrike c. He neuer made Patrike Minister neither intended to make him neither was hee of his acquaintance at all in Worcester It is vvel knowen that the Archbishop hath not ordeined moe then onely tvvo Ministers since his comming to this Archbishoprike And therefore this Calumniation must be placed vvith the former Thus is this godlesse Libeller ansvvered in few words touching such matters wherewith he chargeth the most reuerend father the Archbishop of Cant. whereby the world may perceiue with what spirit he is possessed The wise man saith that destruction shall suddenly come vpon the backebiter and calumniator The Psalmist saith The Lorde will destroy lying lips and the tongue which speaketh proude things and that death shall suddenly come vpon them and hell shall receiue them S. Ambrose saith that Detractors are scarcely to bee accounted Christians And Cyprian saith Non qui audit sed qui facit conuitium miser est Not he that is railed at but he that raileth is the wretched man The wicked Iewes when they could not otherwise answere Christ called him Samaritan and said he had a deuill shortly after tooke vp stones and cast at him So the Anabaptists within our memory after slanderous and opprobrious calumniations against the godly Preachers and magistrates then liuing fell to blowes and open violence The Libeller in this booke hath perfourmed the one and threatned the other This haue I layd downe word by word as I receiued the same from my Lorde of London who desireth to haue the matter heard by indifferent Iudges and will shewe the Suggestions to be very vntrue ANd as to Martins lewde exclamation against the B. of London cōcerning the cloth thought to be stollen frō the Dyars this is the trueth of the case that vpon notice giuē to the said B. that such like cloth was wayued within his Manor of Fulham and left in a ditch there and no owner knowen hee presently hoping to take them that brought it thither or at the least to saue the same from purloyning or miscarying appoynted the same to be watched diuers nights and in the
thought conceiue nor his wordes include any such matter But what doeth not malice enuie and spite vtter against the most innocent person that is The bishop of Winchester hath openly more impugned the vices of this age heere in the Church of Englande then the vvhole broode of them that are of the Anabaptisticall Conuenticles and the residue of these Libellers Woe bee to them saith Esay the Prophet that speake euil of good and good of euill and put light for darkenesse and darkenesse for light sweete for sowre and sowre for sweete Dauid had great cause to crie domine libera animam meam à labijs iniquis à lingua dolosa And Salomon cogitatio stulti peccatum est abominatio hominum Detractor The deuise of a foole is sinne and all men abhorre the backbiter or Slaunderer If any man vvill reprooue the Assertion before written God vvilling he shall be ansvvered so that he rayle not This may be a sufficient answere to the vntrueth fathered vpon the B. of Winchesters words that hee is not for the same iustly tearmed Monstrous and flattering hypocrite speaking against his owne conscience But I see in these wordes the reproch not only of the bishop but much more amalicious spite against this Church of England and that so deepely setled in their hearts that their eares cannot without griefe he are any good spoken of it Therefore I thinke my selfe in Christian dutie bound somevvhat farther to follovve this matter and with some signification of thankefulnesse to acknowledge and confesse those excellēt blessings which it hath pleased God of his great mercies to bestowe vpon the same as vvell in King Edward the sixts dayes as much more in her Maiesties reigne that now is and first to beginne with that which is the principall that is the sinceritie of doctrine and all branches of true religion receiued professed taught and established in this Realme In which point I thinke it very superfluous needles for me to recite the particular branches and to make a nevv catechisme or to pen a new confession of the Church of England seeing they both are so sufficiently performed that vvithout enuy be it spoken there is none better in any refourmed Church in Europe For a Catechisme I refer them to that which was made by the learned and godly man Master Nowel Deane of Paules receiued and allovved by the Church of England and very fully grounded and established vpon the vvorde of God There may you see all the parts of true Religion receiued the difficulties expounded the trueth declared the corruptions of the Church of Rome reiected But this I like not in our Church that it is lawful to euery man to set foorth a nevve Catechisme at his pleasure I read that in the Primitiue Church that thing did great harme and corrupted the mindes of many simple persons with soule errours and heresies I see the like at this day for thereby many honest meaning hearts are caried avvay to the misliking of our manner of prayer and administration of Sacraments and other orders vvhereby it is made a principall instrument to maintaine and increase discorde and dissention in the Church For a sound and true confession acknowledged by this our church I refer them to that notable Apologie of the English Church written not many yeeres since by that Iewel of England late Bishop of Sarifburie Wherein they shal finde all parts of Christian religion confessed proued both by the testimony of the canonicall scriptures and also by the consent of all learned and godly antiquitie for the space of certain hundred yeres after Christ For the integrity and soundnes for the learning and eloquence shewed in the same Apologie they that contemne that notable learned man because hee was a Bishoppe may haue very good testimonie in a litle Epistle vvritten by Peter Martir vnto the said bishop and nowe printed and in the latter edition set before the same Apologie where they shall finde that hee speaketh not for himselfe onely but for many other learned men of the church of Tygure and other places Nowe as this learned Bishop doeth acknowledge and confesse for this Church all trueth of doctrine so doeth hee reprooue condemne and detest all corruptions brought into the same either by the church of Rome or by any other ancient or newe heretikes whome he there particularly nameth yea and to the great comfort of all them that are members of the same church and acknowledge the same confession hee prooueth and euidently sheweth that the testimonies of the Scriptures whereon that confession is grounded for the true interpretation of them haue the witnesse consent of all the learned antiquitie as I haue saide for certaine hundred yeeres Which I take to bee a very good comfort and confirmation to all honest consciences in these captious and quarelling dayes That which I meane I will declare by some particulars What is more euident certaine and firme for the article of the person of Christ in his Godhead manhood then those things that the ancient Fathers decreed out of the canonicall scriptures in the Councels of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon some others against Arius Samosatenus Apollinaris Nestorius Eutiches and those heretikes that were termed Monotholetes c Therefore whosoeuer do teach contrary to the determination of those councels as some do in these dayes they do not iustly hold that principal article and foundation of Christian religion Moreouer as touching the grace and benefite of Christ the beginning whereof riseth from the eternall loue of God toward vs and from the free election to redemption and eternall saluation and proceedeth to our vse and benefite by the dispensation of Christ once offred vpon the Crosse by effectual calling wrought by the holy Ghost in preaching of the Gospell by our iustification sanctification and the gift of perseuerance and continuance in the faith thereby in the end to obtaine resurrection and eternall life touching I say this free grace of God another principall ground of Christian religion what coulde be or can bee more certainly or abundantly layde downe out of the holy Scriptures then was determined in the Councels of Carthage Mileuitane Aurasicane c. against the Pelagians and other enemies of the free grace of God in Christ Iesu our Sauiour Especially if you adde the writings of August and other ancient Fathers for defence of the same As to that which is necessarie to be knowen touching the true Catholique Church a matter of great importaunce euen at this day vvhat can be more copiously or with more perspicuitie declared then is by that learned father Augustine as well in other places as principally in his bookes against the Donatists Likewise for the matter of the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper if simple trueth coulde content men what is more euident then that doctrine which hath bene laid downe by the ancient Fathers Iustine Irenaeus Tertullian Cyprian Augustine Theodorete and a number
not be saued by shame might haue his saluation wrought by reproch For a great thing it is to one that hath any feare of God to haue reproch in the face of the Church And to this interpretation the most of the ancient writers agree Obiection They will reply that at that time there were manie Presidents as it were and gouernours of the Church together with the chiefe Ministers in euery Congregation Answere I grant it was so But it doth not follow thereupon that it is a commaundement that for euer in all places and times it should be so I am not of that opinion nor euer was any of the auncient Writers no more are sundry learned men of great credite at this time Quòd vna semper debet esse oeconomia Ecclesiae that is that the externall gouernement of the Church should alwayes in all places be one and specially by a college or company of Elders When Christ said Tel the Church there was as yet no Christian church established but Christ took his speech according to the state of the Iewes Church that then was as in another place he â—aith If thy brother trespasse against thee leaue thine offering before the altar If they will gather by the former speech Tell the Church that of necessity they must haue a company of Elders as then was in the Iewes church why let them make like collection of the latter that of necessitie there must be altars in the church of Christ the absurditie whereof will bee greater then any good christian man will easily receiue Obiection They will say the Apostles afterward and the Primitiue Church did practise the same Answere That is not yet proued but let theÌ„ struggle while they lust theysh al neuer find a commandement in the scriptures charging that it shuld for euer be so It were to great a bridle of christiaÌ„ liberty in things external to cast vpoÌ„ the church of Christ So loÌ„g as the church of God was in persecutioÌ„ vnder tyrants might well seeme to be the best and fittest order of Gouernment But when God blessed his Churche with Christian Princes the Scriptures doe not take away that libertie that with the consent of their godlie magistrates they may haue that outwarde forme of iurisdiction deciding of Ecclesiasticall causes as to the state of the Countrey and people shall be most conuenient And that libertie haue diuers reformed churches since the restoring of the Gospell vsed Now as when other churches in their externall order of gouernment differ froÌ„ ours we neither do nor ought to mislike with them so if ours differ froÌ„ theirs retaining still the sinceritie of the gospel and trueth of doctrine I trust they will euen as charitably thinke of vs. If any desire further aunswere in this controuersie of church gouernment I refer them to the reply of D. Bridges vntill they haue with modestie and grauitie answered his booke It is obiected also against Bishops that they abuse Ecclesiasticall Discipline I take Ecclesiasticall Discipline to consist in reprouing correcting and excommunicating such as be offendors in the Church And I thinke their meaning is here that bishops their officers abuse Excommunication in punishing therewith those persons which obstinately with contempt refuse either to appeare when they bee called to aunswere their offences or when they appeare disobey those orders and decrees by Ecclesiasticall officers appoynted Howe this part of Church Discipline was abused by the Pope it is well knowen and that hee made Excommunication an instrument to bring the neckes of Emperors and Princes ynder his girdle and to make the whole world subiect to him For this was almost the onely meane whereby he became so dreadfull to all men and got to himself so great autoritie The perpetual course of the histories euen such as were written by his owne Parasites and chiefly of this Realme of England declare this to be most true For triall hereof reade the historie of Thomas Becket But I thinke no man is so caried with the misliking of our Bishops that he wil accuse them in this sort to abuse Excommunication seeing by their preaching they haue binprincipall instruments to ouerthrow the same in the Church of Rome They cannot say that any Bishop of this church euer since the restoring of the Gospell indeuoured to excommunicate the Prince and gouernours of purpose to make them subiect to their authoritie in the Church And happily that may bee a fault yea and a great fault that is founde with them in these daies that they do not so and constraine the prince and Rulers to doe that which by perswasion they will not doe But howe expedient this maner of Excommunication is for this time I leaue to the wise and godly to consider Sure I am that some of the most zealous churches reformed haue it not nor thinke it tollerable And yet such a maner of Excommunication it is that many striue at this day to haue brought into the Church vnder the name of Discipline But how easily it would grow to abuse and what danger it might bring in this state of time I thinke there is no wise man that doth not foresee vnlesse it be such as to bring their purpose to passe and to settle their deuise in the Church thinke no danger to be shunned As for the Excommunication practised in our Ecclesiasticall Courtes for contumacie in not appearing or not satisfying the iudgement of the Court if it had pleased the Prince and them that had autoritie to make Lawes for the gouernment to haue altered the same at the beginning and set some other order of processe in place thereof I am perswaded the Bishops and Clergy of this Realme woulde haue bin very wel contented therewith Gualter a learned man of the Church of Tygure writing vpon the first to the Corinthians hauing shewed the danger of this other Excommunication speaketh of a maner of ciuile discommuning vsed in that Church Which or the like good order deuised by some godlie persons if it might bee by authoritie placed in this Churche without danger of further innouation I thinke it woulde be gladly reciued to shunne the offence that is taken at the other and yet surely vnder correction the Law of alteration woulde breede some inconuenience But the perpetuall crying of many to haue a mutation of the whole state of the Clergie and a number of other thinges in the Church beside which must needes draw with it a great alteration in the state of the Realme also maketh the Prince and other Gouernours to bee afraide of any mutation For they knowe what daunger may come in these perillous dayes by innouations And if they shoulde once beginne things are so infinite shat they can see no ende of alterations Therefore eeing wee haue a Church setled in a tollerable maner of reformation and all trueth of doctrine freely taught and allowed by the authority of this realme yea and the aduersaries of trueth by lawe
indifferent and not to iudge euil of such as did vse them Shortly after rose vp other defending that they were not thinges indifferent but distayned with Antichristian idolatrie and therefore not to bee suffered in the Church Not long after came forth an other sort affirming that those matters touching Apparell were but trifles and not worthie contention in the Church but that there were greater thinges farre of more weight and importance and indeede touching faith and religion and therefore meete to be altered in a Church rightly refourmed As the booke of Common prayer the administration of the Sacraments the gouernment of the Church the election of Ministers and a number of other like Fourthly now breake out another sort earnestly affirming and teaching that we haue no Church no Bishops no Ministers no Sacraments and therfore that all they that loue Iesus Christ ought vvith all speede to separate themselues from our congregation because our assemblies are prophane vvicked and Antichristian THis haue you heard of foure degrees prepared for the ouerthrow of this state of the Church of England Now lastly of all come in these men that make their whole direction against the liuing of bishops and other Ecclesiasticall ministers that they shoulde haue no Temporall landes or iurisdiction that they shoulde haue no stayed liuings or possession of goods but onely a reasonable Pension to finde them meate drinke and cloth and by the pouerty of their life contempt of the world to be like the Apostles For say they riches and wealth hath brought all corruption into the Church before time and so doth it now Answere Novv is the enemie of the Church of God come almost to the point of his purpose And if by discrediting of the Ministers or by coumenance of gaine and commoditie to the Prince and Nobilitie or by the colour of Religion and holinesse or by any cunning he can bring this to passe as before I haue signified hee so reseeth that learning knovvledge of good letters and studie of the tongues shall decay aswel in the Vniuersities as other wayes which haue bene the chiefe instruments to publish and defend the doctrine of the Gospell and to inlarge the kingdom of Christ And then of necessitie his kingdome of darkenesse errour and heresie must rise againe and leaue this land in worse state then euer it was before But to perswade this matter more pithily to couer the principal purpose with a cloake of holinesse it is saide and in very earnest maner auouched and that by the word of God that neither the Prince can giue it them nor suffer them to vse it without the danger of Gods wrath and displeasure nor they ought to take it but to deliuer it vp againe into the Princes hand or els they shal shew them selues Antichristian Bishops vaine glorious lucres men not ashamed professing God to continue in that drossie way and sowre lumpe of dough that corrupteth the whole Church and brought out the wicked botch of Antichrist This doctrine as it is boldely affirmed God himselfe hath vttered Christ hath taught his Apostles haue written the Primitiue church cōtinued the holy Fathers witnessed the late writers vphold as it must forsooth be prooued by the whole course of the scriptures of the old and new Testament But good Christians be not feared away with this glorious countenance and these bigge wordes of a bragging champion I trust you shall perceiue that this doctrine is neither vttered by God nor taught by Christ nor writtē by his Apostles nor witnessed by ancient writers nor vpholden by learned men of our time but that it is rather a bolde and dangerous assertion vttered by some man of very small skill countenanced with a fevv wrested Scriptures contrary to the true meaning of God the father Christ his sonne and of his holy Apostles and a little shadowed with vaine allegations of writers either of no credite or little making to the purpose And surely how great and earnest zeale how vehement loftie wordes so euer the vtterer of this assertion vseth it may be suspected that either he is not himself soundly perswaded in true religion or if he be that of simplicitie negligence or ignorance he was abused by some subtile and craftie Papist that woulde set him forth to the derision of other to thrust out into the world and openly broach this corrupt and dangerous doctrine Wherefore it were good that they which wil take vpon them to be the furtherers of such new deuises should better looke to their proofe witnesses vnlesse they wil seeme to abuse al men to thinke that they liue in so loose negligent a state that nothing shalbe examined that they speake but that al things shalbe as easily receiued as they may be boldly vttered But I trust those that haue the feare of God and care of their soules will not be afraide of vaine shadowes nor by and by beleeue all glorious brags but take heed that they be not easily led out of the way by such as wil so quickly be deceiued themselues I do not answere their vaine Arguments because I feare that any discreete or learned man wil be perswaded with them but because I mistrust that the simple and ignorant people or other that be not acquainted with the Scriptures by the very name and reuerence of the word of God will be carried away without iust examination of them To descend something to the consideration of the matter marke I pray you the Proposition that is to be proued It is not that they may be good Bishops and ministers of the Church which haue neither glebe nor temporall landes to liue on It is not that there were in the primitiue Church and nowe are in sundry places churches well gouerned which haue not lands allotted vnto them It is not that the Apostles had no lands nor any other a number of yeeres after Christ For these poynts I thinke no man will greatly stand with them But this is the Assertion Obiection No Prince or magistrate by Gods worde may lawfully assigne lands to the ministers of the church to liue on but ought to set them to pensions Nor any of the Ecclesiasticall state can by the Scriptures enioy or vse any such landes but should deliuer them vp to the Prince c. Answere Looke I pray vou vpon this Assertion and consider it well Doe you not see in it euen at the first euident absurditie Do you not see a plaine restraint of Christian liberty as bold and as vnlawfull a restraint as euer the Pope vsed any Do you not espy almost a flat heresie as dangerous as many branches of the Anabaptists errors It is no better then an heresie to say that by the word of God it is prohibited for Ministers to marry It is no better then an heresie to affirme that Christian men by the lawe of God may not eate flesh or drinke wine Saint Paul doeth consecrate these to be Doctrines of Deuils
and therefore not of the church of God and the Primitiue church doeth confirme these to bee heresies in Saturninus Marcion Tatian Montane and many other And I pray you what doth this Assertion differ from the other when it is said It is not lawful for Ecclesiasticall persons to haue temporall landes to liue vpon As mariage is the ordinance of God and left free by his word to al men As meates and drinkes are the good creatures of our God and to be vsed of al such as receiue them with thankesgiuing so are landes possessions money cattell the good giftes of God and the right vse of them not prohibited to any of his people For to their benefite he ordained them as his good blessings Christ by his death made vs free from all such legall obseruations Therefore S. Paul Colos 2. If ye be dead with Christ to the iudgements of the worlde why are you ledde with traditions Touch not Taste not Handle not which all doe perish in abusing This boldnesse to bridle Christian libertie and to make it sinne and matter of conscience to vse the creatures of God was the very foundation of al Papistical and Antichristian superstition Vpon this foundation was builded the holinesse in vsing or not vsing of this or that manner of apparell in eating or forbearing these or those kindes of meates in obseruing this or that day or time of the yeere in keeping this or that externall forme of life with 1000. like inuentions and traditions of men Neither do I thinke euer any errour did greater harme in the Church or brought more corruption of doctrine then that did Therefore I am sorie to see some in these dayes to leane so much to that dangerous stay for the helpe of their strange opinions in things externall For what doe men when they say It is not lawfull for a Christian man to weare a square Cappe to vse a Surplesse to kneele at the Communion What I say doe they but bridle Christian libertie and to the burden of consciences make sinnes vvhere GOD made none And in like maner hee that sayeth It is vvicked and not lavvfull that Bishops Preachers or Ecclesiasticall persons shoulde haue any temporall landes to liue vpon hee seemeth to finde fault with the creature of God For that Bishops may haue liuing allowed them is not denied but to liue by landes that say they is sinne and prohibited and therefore the temporall lands and glebe must be taken from Bishops and other Ministers This doctrine notwithstanding must bee proued and iustified by the Scriptures and first by the ordinance of God himselfe in the olde testament In the Numbers when God had declared to Aaron what portion he should haue to liue vpon hee addeth Thou shalt haue no inheritance in their lande neither shalt thou haue any part among them I am thy part and thy inheritance among the children of Israel Behold I haue giuen the children of Leui all the tenth of Israel to inherit for the seruice which they serue in the Tabernacle And againe after It shalbe a law for euer in your generations that among the children of Israel they possesse no inheritance And in Deut. 10. the Lorde separated the tribe of Leui c. Wherefore the Leuites haue no part nor inheritance with their Brethren but the Lorde is their inheritance as the Lord thy God hath promised them In the 14. Chapter and in the 18. and in diuers other partes of the law and in Iosua 14. Moses gaue inheritance vnto two tribes and a halfe on the other side of Iordan but vnto the Leuites hee gaue no inheritance among them Vpon these testimonies the application and conclusion is inferred in this manner Obiection Here it may bee seene what liuing God appoynted his Priestes to haue not landes and possessions but tithes and offerings Seing then God denied it to his Priestes it is not lawfull for our Priestes Whose Priestes are they If they be Gods Priests it is not there permitted If they be Antichrists priests what doe we with them Answere As this reason may haue some small shew or likelihoode to the ignorant so I am sure they that haue trauiled in the Scriptures any thing vnderstand the state of Christianity vvil marueile to see this application of the Texts and the conclusion inferred Shall the Ministers of the Church of God novve in the time of grace by necessitie be bound to those orders that vvere among the Ievves appoynted for Priestes and Leuites by Moses Will they bring the heauie yoke and burthen of the Lavve againe vpon the people of God after that Christ hath redeemed vs and set vs free from it Wil they haue Aaronicall and sacrificing Priestes againe to offer for the sinnes of the people When it is in derision asked Whose Priests ours are if they be not Gods Priests giuing signification that they be the Priestes of Antichrist it may be right vvell and truely ansvvered that they are the Priestes of Gods holy blessed and true Church and yet that they are not such sacrificing Priests of God as are mentioned in those places nor in any way bound to those things that they were the morall Lawe of God onely excepted Obiection It is obiected to our Bishoppes and Ministers that in their Landes and possessions they reteine the corruption of the Romish Church Answere But I marueile to see them vvhich so boldely controll other to builde their assertions vpon the ruinous foundations of the Synagogue of Antichrist As I noted a little before that they layde their grounde vpon the restraint of Christian libertie so nowe they settle it vpon the imitation of the legall and Aaronicall priesthood as the Church of Rome did Whence I pray you came the massing apparel and almost all the furniture of their Church in censing and singing burning of Tapers their altars their propitiatorie sacrifice their high Bishop and generall head ouer all the Church with a number of other corruptions of the Church of God but onely out of this imitation of the Aaronicall priesthood and legall obseruations Surely while they thus vphold as good the wicked foundations of the Synagogue of Sathan they shall neuer so purely builde vp the Church of Christ as they vvould bee accounted to doe They may seeme to be in a hard streight that to batter down the state of the Church of England must craue ayde of Antichrist to set vp a fort vpon his foundation The learned fathers of the primitiue Church did so much as they coulde striue to be furthest off from the imitation of the Iewes and of the Aaronicall priesthood in so much that they vvould needes alter not onely the Sabboth day but also the solemnizing of the feast of Easter And shall the Lawe of the Leuites and maner of their liuing bee layde downe to vs as a patterne of necessitie vvhich the Prince must follovve in refourming her Church or else the priestes thereof shall not be the
the abuse of their wealth signification giuen that whatsoeuer is aboue the sufficient maintenance of their own state is due vnto the poore they also as rashly enter into iudgement condemne all rich men as couetous as griedy gatherers as thieues extortioners cruel detainers of that which by Gods law is due to others Some there be also that thinke all vse and administration of riches to be dangerous to bring no smal hinderance to the saluation of mens soules Vnto vvhich perswasion the phanaticall spirits of the Anabaptists adde more difficultie not onely taking away all possession property and allowing a Platonicall community of al things but also denying superioritie and Lordship and dominion and bringing in a general equality most dangerous to the societie of man Wherefore it behooueth me so to speake of riches and possessions that so neere as I can none of these offences may be iustly taken First therefore to begin vve may not thinke that Christ in them that be his condemneth eyther the possession or the right vse of Lordship dominion lāds riches mony such like for they are the good gifts of God wherwith he blesseth his people as the whole course of the scriptures declare The blessing of the Lord saith Salomon maketh rich and bringeth no sorowe of heart with it Blessed is the man saith Dauid that feareth the Lord c. his seede shall be mightie vpon earth the generation of the faithfull shall bee blessed riches and plenteousnesse shall bee in his house c. And againe His horne shall bee exalted with honour the vngodly shall see it and it shall grieue them Therefore we see many of the good Saints of God that haue bene indued with great riches possessions as Abraham the Father of the faithful Iob Ioseph Dauid Salomon Daniel And in the new Testament Nicodemus Ioseph of Arimathea Lazarus of Bethania Mary Magdalene Sergius Paulus Proconsul of Cypres the Centurion and many other Wee may not thinke therefore that Christ condemneth the giftes and blessings of God or the vse of them in his seruants And that the trueth taken out of the Scriptures may be of more authoritie vvith you I wil let you vnderstand it by the words of the ancient learned Fathers so shal you perceiue it is not my interpretation but theirs And first Hieroms Ioseph which both in pouertie and riches gaue triall of his vertues and was both a seruant and a master teacheth vs the freedome of the minde Was hee not next vnto Pharao adorned in royal furniture yet was he so beloued of God that aboue all the Patriarkes he was a Father of two Tribes Daniel and the three young men had such rule ouer the power and riches of Babylon that in apparell they serued Nabuchodonosor but in minde they serued God Mardocheus and Hester in the middest of their purple silke and precious iewels ouercame pride with humilitie and were of such worthinesse that they being Captiues bare rule ouer Conquerours My speech tendeth to this ende that I may declare that this yong man that I speake of had kinred of royall blood aboundance of riches and ornaments of honour and power as matter and instruments of vertue vnto him S. Augustine disputeth this question writing to Hillarius Thou writest vnto me sayeth he that some say that a rich man remaining in his wealth cannot enter into the kingdome of God vnlesse that hee sell all that he hath and that it shal not profit though in his wealth he keepe the cōmandements of God Our fathers Abraham Isaac and Iaacob vnderstood not this reasoning for they all had no small riches as the holy Scriptures witnesse c. And least that some might say that those holy men were vnder the old Testament and vnderstood not the perfect lawe that Christ giueth when he sayeth Goe sell all that thou hast and giue it vnto the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen the same Augustine addeth If they will say so they may speake with some reason but let them heare the whole let them marke the whole they may not in one part open their eares and in an other part stoppe them Hee spake that to one that asked him What shall I doe to obtaine euerlasting life and Christes answere is not If thou wilt obtaine euerlasting life sell all that thou hast but if thou wilt haue euerlasting life keepe the Commandemements c. And a little after our good Maister doeth make a distinction betweene the keeping of the Cōmandements and that other rule of perfectnesse For in the one part he sayde If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements And in the other he sayde If thou wilt bee perfect sell all thou hast and come and followe me Howe therefore can we denie that rich men although they haue not the perfection shall come into euerlasting life if they keepe the commandements and giue that it may be giuen vnto them And in the ende he concludeth his reason in this manner after hee hath spoken of the vncharitable minde of the rich glutton This pride sayeth hee wherewith this rich man did contemne the poore Lazarus lying before his gates and that trust that he did put in his riches whereby he thought himselfe a blessed man because of his purple silke and sumptuous feastes did bring him to the torments of hell and not his riches By which wordes of Augustine it may appeare it is not riches Landes and possessions that GOD condemneth in his seruantes but the euill vse of them Wherefore the same Augustine sayeth When the Lorde had sayde It is easier for a Camell to passe thorowe the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God and the Apostles maruailing thereat answered Who then can bee saued What respected they I pray you surely non facultates sed cupiditates not great substance but greedie desire of them Immediately hee sheweth that rich Abraham had preheminence in heauen before poore Lazarus Reade the Scriptures saieth he and thoushalt finde rich Abraham that thou mayest knowe it is not riches that is punished Abraham had great store of golde siluer cattell and housholde Hee was rich and yet was poore Lazarus brought into his bosome the poore man in the bosome of the rich or rather both rich before God and both poore in spirite c. Marke this that you do not commonly blame rich men or put trust in poore estate For if a man should not put his trust in riches much lesse in pouertie To the like effect speaketh Hierome Is it euill to haue riches iustly gotten so that a man giue thankes to God that gaue them No but euill it is to put a mans trust in riches For in another Psalme it is sayde Ifriches come vnto thee set not thine heart vpon them A man may haue riches for his necessitie but hee may not possesse them to delight in them Well
violence and extortion shall wrest more vnto him of the landes and substance of the people then lawe and right requireth I see no cause warranted by Gods word that the inferiour subiectes can rebell or resist the Prince therein but that they shal euidently shew thēselues to resist the ordinance of God For they haue not the sword of correction committed into their hand and oftentimes God by euill Princes correcteth the sinnes of the people Wherefore if subiects resist the hard dealings euen of euill Magistrates they doe in that respect striue against God himselfe who will not suffer it vnpunished Wherefore Ieremie willeth the Iewes to submit themselues to the obedience of Nabuchodonosor a wicked and cruell king and Baruch teacheth them to pray for the good estate of the sayd Nabuchodonosor and his nephewe Balthasar And Saint Peter and Saint Paul will Christian subiects not onely to bee obedient to the heathen tyrants vvhich vvere in their time as Nero and such other but also to make most humble and heartie prayers for them that his people might liue vnder them a quiet and peaceable life vvith all godlinesse and honestie Tertullian also shevveth the same to haue beene the practise of the primitiue Church euen towarde the enemies and cruell persecutours of the faith of Christ A Christian saith he is enemie to none and least of all to the Emperour whome he knowing to be ordeined of God must of necessitie loue reuerence and honour and wish to bee in safetie together with the whole Romaine Empire And againe We pray for all Emperours that God woulde graunt vnto them long life prosperous reigne strong armies faithfull Counsell obedient Subiects c. We may learne then by this that Christian duetie of a subiect consisteth in louing in reuerencing in obeying the Prince and Magistrate in all things that lawfully hee commandeth and in those things that he commandeth vnlawfully not by violence to resist him though the same touch our goods our lands yea and our life also As touching our duetie towarde God wee owe vnto him our selues whollie both body and soule and all things and partes to the same appertaining according to that his Lavve requireth Thou shalt loue God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy minde and with thy whole power For wee are his creatures and hee is our Lorde and maker But forasmuch as Princes Magistrates Rulers Parents Masters and all superiours haue a portion of Gods authoritie ouer vs as his officers and Lieutenants in their callings therefore God doeth permit vnto them some part also of his honour but so farre and in such things and such maner as before is declared retaining vnto himselfe our faith and religion vvith all the partes of his diuine vvorshippe consisting in Spirite and in trueth the calling vpon his blessed name the confession of his holy trueth and the obedience of his morall Lavve vvhich thinges hee doeth not make subiect to any Princes authoritie And if any Prince or Magistrate by violence and crueltie shall breake into the boundes of our duetie towardes God I saie not that priuate subiects may by violence resist it but surely they may not obey it but rather yeelde into his handes goods landes countrey and life too For so did the Prophet Daniel so did the yong men his companions so did the whole number of the martyrs of God by whome the Church of Christ increased as Augustine saieth Non resistendo sed perferendo not by resisting but by suffering And Hierome The Church of Christ was founded by suffering reproch by persecutions it increased by martyrdomes it was crowned To this ende saith Tertullian also Semen Euangelij Sanguis Martyrum This is the true doctrine of the wordes of Christ before mentioned by which wee are taught to put a difference betweene our duetie towards God and that we owe towarde the Prince yeelding to each that vvhich is his A doctrine most profitable and necessarie to all Christian Churches and common weales But who can gather of this that the Ministers of the Church of Christ liuing vnder a Christian Prince fauouring and defending the Gospel must of necessitie giue vp into the Princes hands those landes and possessions which by the graunt of the same Prince and the Lawe of the Lande is assigned vnto them For if the land be Caesars and therefore must bee deliuered to Caesar then are all goods Caesars and must be also yeelded into his hands God saue vs from Princes that will vse like violence and tyrannie towarde our Landes goods and bodies as these men vse to the worde of God I haue not as yet noted vnto you good Christians the very grounde of this corrupt interpretation of the doctrine of Christ and the mischiefe that is hid vnder it I pray you therefore consider to vvhome doth Christ speake in al those places of his doctrine before mentioned Whome doeth he teach whom doth he instruct that they shoulde not hoarde vp treasure vpon earth that they may not serue God and Mammon that they may not bee carefull what to eate and what to drinke that they must sell all that they haue and followe him that they must renounce all that they haue if they will bee his true Disciples And lastly that they must yeelde to Caesar that which is Caesars Are these things spoken to Ministers onely doeth Christs doctrine pertaine to Bishops and Ministers onely Is it his will that they onely shoulde followe his godly instructions and commaundements Then of likelihoode as hee came onely to teach Ministers and to bee example of life to them alone so hee came to saue Ministers onely But what a wicked vanitie were it so to speake or thinke Now if Christes doctrine bee generall to all the faithfull as in deede it is that beeing the true interpretation that they vvoulde haue to bee it must of necessitie followe that no true Christian can keepe landes and possessions nor abide in any wealthie or rich estate which is the very ground of the Anabaptists doctrine as all learned men do know In so much that all the famous men that in this our age haue expounded the Scriptures or written against the Anabaptistes doe note that by this interpretation of the speeches of Christ before mentioned they doe grounde their communitie and taking away of proprietie and possession of goods with sundry like other doctrines We may see therfore it is time to take heed of it how sathā vnder pretences seeketh to thrust the spirit of the Anabaptists the groūds of their learning into this church of England The inconuenience then of this kinde of reasoning is either that these sentēces of the gospel touch bishops and ministers only and all other are left free which is a very great absurditie or els that the same doctrine gathered out of these places in the same sense that they vse doth belong to al christiās which with the Anabaptists taketh away al