townes and dominions prouided that ye renounce your idolatrie receiue our law the law of the Lord if not we will continually pursue by armes your end and destruction how many Proselits thinke you had they made what encrease had they brought to the Church They know it that doo know what power hath feare conceipt and perill ouer worldly men that know what multitudes haue by th' armes of th' Arabians Tartars Persians Mamalukes and Turkes bin ranged to Mahomets religion We can not say that th'Israelites wanted affection to the glory of God and auauncement of his kingdome for in other matters they sufficiently witnessed their deuotion Againe we can not say that they wanted force for God fought for them almost visibly there were men so valiant among them that their matches were neuer found nor fained otherwhere an hundred of theirs could discōfite ten thousand others 4. Reg. 6. one of them alone by praier did confound an infinit army of Syrians their warres were wonders But they knew that feare and force were not workemen of the house of God We can not doubt of the power of our Lord Iesus Christ he is God we can not doubt of his tender loue towards vs and th'edification of his Church he humbled himselfe infinitely being God he tooke vpon him humane nature and submitted himselfe to the miseries of the flesh except sinne suffering reproches torments and death euen the curse of God his father for our saluation he praied preached and wrought miracles for th'edification of the Church with one twinkling of an eye with one onely word he might haue compelled or confounded all men he might haue fought with twelue legions of Angels if it had bene his pleasure he might haue done to all as he did to S. Paul he did it not He forbad them that meant to vse force he lifted not vp his hand he handled no sword nor warlike weapon his will was not that armes should intermeddle in the kingdome of the word Thus we may not bring men to the house of God but by means allowed by Iesus Christ for none can go to God but by him he is the doore of the house of God The Apostles also haue witnessed to vs their earnest desire in that they abandoned the world themselues for our example and to winne vs bare with our infirmities obiected themselues to all daungers drad not th' assaults of the deuill the hate of the world the rigor of Magistrats the stormes of the sea the paine ignominie and terror of punishments no not the horrour of Hell for to edisie the house of God they prayed preached and interpreted they wrote they suffred and all to builde the Church as for carnall weapons they refused for so had their maister Christ inioyned when hee sent them to the conquest of peoples he commaunded them to goe alone without sundry garments without money without bread with a staffe onely in their hand and not with the feare and force of armes Euen so did the Lord rebuke his Apostles that craued leaue of him to pray for fire to fall downe from heauen on such as would not receiue them yee know not quoth he of what spirit ye are for the sonne of man came not to destroy soules but to saue them Prayers therefore preachings prophecies interpretations writinges miracles and sufferinges were the tooles wherewith th'Apostles built the house of God Yours are of a farre other sort they humbled themselues yee exalt your selues they prayed yee curse and commaund they preached expounded and writ yee say not a word yee shut yee hide the booke yee write with the sword they suffered yee make others suffer they were murthered yee are massacrers Thus haue ye forsaken the way of our Sauiour his Disciples Take heed that it be not told you that you folow in this behalf the way of Mahumet Mahumet said he was the greatest Prophet sent of God to constraine by violence of armes all those that would not submit themselues vnder the power of God by the preaching of his word to that purpose God had sent him three keyes of Iustice of Prophecie and of Victory Great is the appearance that this noueltie of forcing mens consciences is come out of Sathans shop For besides the noueltie thereof and slat repugnance against the doctrine and histories of the Bible it carieth th'infallible marke of Sathan th'executiō belyeth the promise Ye promise your selues to compell mens consciences and so bring them to God which can not be It is notorious that the materiall sword hath no power ouer the soule Ye may constraine the body to be present at the Masse to bow it self before your inuentions your images and relikes but ye can not enforce the conscience to consent to these bowings and seruices It is as if ye would weigh the firie flame The more ye assay to compell and enthrall the conscience the more free it remaines The Martyrs that were violently forced to stand by the sacrifices of Idols were not Pagans therefore So they that by compulsion become Christians are nothing lesse then Christians But admit ye could force mens consciences suppose ye by this meane to bring them to God Ye whose might and knowledge can not reach so farre as to the will of man yet do not accept a frend fayned or forced ye make no accompt in your houses and Lordships of submissions or homages founded on dissimuled pretence or fearefull cōstraint God that will principally reigne ouer our wils and full well knoweth them that deserueth and demaundeth to be loued of vs with all our heart with all our will with all our strength with all our soule with all our vnderstanding will he receiue these forced soules which ye bring him Christian Religion consisteth in faith nothing is more cōtrary to faith then force ye may compell mē to do or to speake but to make them to beleeue ye are neuer able Whoso beleeueth not can not be a Christian 1. Pet. 5. For which cause S. Peter commaundeth saying feed the flock not as hauing dominion ouer the Lords inheritance Let vs beleeue then that this is not the maner whereby God draweth receiueth men into his house whereby he enlargeth the limits of his empire The force that he employeth is spiritual sweet agreable and healthfull First he possesseth the will after he contenteth th'vnderstanding he ruleth the reason and so by degrees he becomes maister of such as he will and such as will him Th' empire of the consciences is gouerned by meanes of the word this is the scepter whereby Iesus Christ reigneth whereby he destroyeth the powers fortresses counsels and all highnesse that lifteth it selfe against the knowledge of God by the same all vnderstanding is enthralled to his obedience God by his Prophets hath so promised foretold My word saith he in Isay shall not returne to me in vaine Isa 11.55 2. Cor. 10. it shall do what I haue willed I will smite the
are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread He saith not that the bread and wine are the body and bloud but that they are the communion of the body and bloud these wordes can none otherwise be interpreted but that the bread and wine signifie the communion of the body and bloud seing that the bread wine can not be the communion for the communion is a thing spirituall hath no being but in the spirite and consideration of man which can not agree with the bread Againe if we must ground this doctrine on the letter the wine is not the communion of the bloud that which is the bloud as you say is the chalice The same Apostle saith in another place I haue receiued of the Lord that which I also haue deliuered to you to wit that the Lord Iesus in the same night that he was betrayed tooke bread whē he had giuen thanks he brake it said take eat this is my body which is broken for you this doo ye in remembrance of me After the same maner also he tooke the cup when he had supped saying this cup is the new Testament in my bloud this do as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me for as often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shew the Lords death til he come Wherefore whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily shal be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup for he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because he discerneth not the Lords body See here againe how the Lord commaundeth by th'Apostle that the holy supper be made in remembrance of him likewise he saith not wine he saith the cup. See here also how the cup or the wine is not the bloud but the new Testament in the bloud of the Lord. Further the bread and the cup are there named still the bread and the cup before and after the blessing distributing eating and drinking which sheweth vs that albeit the bread and wine signifie the body and bloud of our Sauiour they remayn notwithstanding in their true and natural substance they remaine bread and wine halowed neuertheles for the vse sake but no way varied altred for the substance Had they bene transubstātiated into the body bloud th'Apostle after the celebration after the participating had not said as often as ye shal eate this bread drink this cup whosoeuer shall eate this bread drink this cup he would haue said as oftē as ye shall eat this body drink this bloud whosoeuer shal eat this body and drinke this bloud True it is that he saith he that shall eat and drinke vnworthily shal be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord but that is to shew how this eating and drinking is holy and sacred representing to vs the death and passion of the Lord th' oblation and suffering of the body the sheading of the bloud of Iesus Christ the nourishment of the soule This teacheth vs our dutie to take this bread and this wine with an holy and religious reuerence for the question in this sacrament standeth vpon the body and bloud of our Sauiour and not so much on bread wine which are not but signes And here behold why the holy Ghost saith freely that bread and wine are the body and bloud of the Lord. But now commeth a place very notable and vnanswereable a most expresse and pregnant place to them which are acquainted with the Lords voyce In S. Iohn ye may read Iohn 6. how Iesus Christ preching in the synagogue at Capernaū hauing said I am the liuing bread the bread that I wil giue is my flesh then the Iewes stroue amōgst thēselues saying how can this mā giue vs his flesh to eate then Iesus sayd vnto thē except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you whosoeuer eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting and I will raise him vp at the last day for my flesh is meat indeed my bloud is drinke indeed many therefore of his disciples when they heard this said this is an hard saying who can heare it But Iesus knowing within himselfe that his disciples murmured at this said vnto thē doth this offend you what if ye shall see the Sonne of man ascend where he was afore it is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the wordes that I speake to you are spirit and life but there are some among you which beleeue not Thus we can not doubt but that this manner of speaking to eat and drinke the body and bloud of the Lord is spirituall seeing the Lord doeth ascertaine it by name Ye are astonished saieth he at this saying of mine ye must eat and drinke my body and my bloud ye will find these wordes much more strange when I shall ascend into heauen with my body for then will it seeme to you a great deale harder to eat my body being so farre distant from you Ye must not conceiue my words so it is not my body that ye must eat it is the merit of the death and passion of my body it is my iustifying grace that ye must eat and receyue by faith and spiritually Iohn 6. wherewith ye must be quickened My words are spirit and life it is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing We may moreouer out of this place draw many other arguments to establish our beliefe that the words of eating and drinking the body and bloud of Iesus Christ ought not to be taken but spiritually were it needfull to confirme that which himselfe hath so cleerely expounded he saith if ye eate not the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye shal haue no life in you now to stay on the letter of these termes not take them spiritually would cause a great blasphemy to ensue for how many men are there in the world which neuer eat the body of Iesus Christ and yet haue life in them but our Sauiour in plaine termes saith they haue no life chuse then either to giue him the lye which were blasphemous or els confesse that he speaketh spiritually and that by life he meaneth spirituall life Which being so why do we not also acknowledge that these wordes of eating and drinking the body and bloud of the Lord are spirituall and ought to be vnderstood of th'eating and drinking which the soule doeth by faith specially seing he interpreteth himselfe both for th' one and th' other according to this sense for after he had spoken simplie of life he addeth he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting likewise after he had said fimplie that wee must eat and drinke his flesh and his
doth all things the good th'euil but those things that we call euill and are euill in vs are good in him All actions considered in God are most iust and most good they come from on high most pure and most cleane they corrupt and defile themselues here below vnder the Sun amid the malice of men of Satan According to this Isay 10. after God in Isay had said that Senacherib should serue him to chastise his Church he addeth but he thinketh not so neither doth his heart esteeme it so but he imagineth to destroy and cut of not a few nations for he saith are not my Princes altogether kings and a few lines after shall not I as I haue done to Samaria and to the idols thereof so do to Ierusalem and to the idols thereof but when the Lord hath accomplished all his worke vpon mount Sion and Ierusalem I will visit the fruict of the proud heart of the king of Assur and his glorious and proud lookes Likewise though th'actions of Cyrus were euill considering he made warre for his owne ambitions sake spoiled nations of that whereto he had no right yet were those actions good in God For those peoples had well deserued this punishment through their wicked life and aboue all their Idolatry and namely the Medes who had entreated his people so roughly and therefore he deliuered them out of captiuity by such actions of Cyrus which is another reason of the goodnes in them Isay 45. I haue raised him vp saith the Lord in righteousnesse The actions of Pharao in that he rebelled so often against the ordinance of God were most euill but if we consider them as comming from God they are most good most iust profitable to th'edifying of the Church Exod. 9.10.11 For by these means the Lord plagued Pharao for the wrongfull oppression done to his people he multiplied his wonders in the land of Aegypt he shewed his power to his Church and his loue towardes the same he made his power knowen in Pharao that his name might bee declared throughout the worlde In like sort Rom. 9. Gen. 27. Ioseph was sold by his brethren prouoked thereto with enuy they bare him but God by this their sinne brought Ioseph into Aegypt preserued Iacob and his whole Church from the dearth Gen. 45. saued their liues by an excellent deliuerance This deede was most lewd in the brethren of Ioseph but most good in God profitable and necessarie to his Church this is that which Ioseph faith to his brethren when ye purposed euill against me God disposed it to good The euils and miseries which God sendeth to his Church to his Elect being considered in the will and intention of the persecutors are actions most euill but if we weigh them by the iustice and bounty of God they are iust and profitable For by the same are th'Elect admonished of their faults and instructed that they can not stand without Gods grace and that th' effect of their hopes is reserued them in an other world in the meane while they are by those afflictiōs stayed in th' obedience of God their feare is renewed and their loue and deuotion made more earnest then afore The children of God do marke and espie in all the sinnes and imperfections of men as it were through the clouds certaine beames of iustice and bountic comming from God which make them affirme that all commeth from God 2. Cor. 12. So S. Paul saith that God had giuen him a prick in the flesh the messenger of Sathan to buffet him and that it was to th' end he should not glorifie himselfe aboue measure and that the power of Christ might be made perfect in his infirmitie Rom. 11. Whereunto that hath relation which he saith that the Lord hath enclosed all in vnbeliese to th' end he might haue mercy vpon all So the stubbernesse of the Iewes in them is most bad in God it is good and necessary for vs being Gentils By the fall of the Iewes saith S. Paul saluation commeth vnto the Gentils This is saith he a great secret that partly blindnesse of heart is come to Israel vntil the fulnesse of the Gentils be come in So the condemnation and passion of Christ is our iustification and soule-health Antichrist and his doctors by their seducings commit most detestable sinnes and yet do such seducings serue to the glory of God 2. Thess 2. S. Paul writeth that God will send a strong power of delusion to the doctrine of Antichrist that all might be damned which beleeued not the trueth Then let vs acknowledge with the Scripture that whatsocuer is done God doeth it and that both the good and the euill are done for his iustice This is that great secrete of the Apostle Paul which hath not bene communicated to the Pope This is that which Dauid speaketh of Psal 76. that the rage of mā shal turne to the praise of God But albeit cuill actions doo turne to Gods iustice let vs not for all that be the lesse carefull to eschew them For men cease not to be culpable of the euil in their actions seeing that in the deede doing they are not moued thereto by the true zele of Gods iustice but by the deuill by sin by their concupiscences wicked desires They serue God not thinking of his seruice at al as hath bene noted of Senacherib for our selues let vs serue him in deede and in will of set purpose and not at auenture and as though we thought not of it let vs betake our hearts and hands to the mouing and guyding of his holy spirit let vs obey his word and we shall doe well Iud. 1. Whether mā may do that which is good and how let vs serue him as Iuda and not as Adonibezec The Pope teacheth vs that man of himselfe may doe that which is good Thus it sufficed him not impiouslie to abridge the power of God by the former partition he proceedeth yet to another abridgement thereof by this doctrine Whereas he affirmed before that all good actions come from God now he learneth vs that man may also doo them of himselfe But the holy Scripture teacheth vs quite contrarie that man neither can nor doeth bring any good thing to passe that he is the seruant of sinne that it is God which worketh the good that is in vs and that commeth from vs that by the sinne of Adam we haue bene made subiect to sinne that sinne and Gods curse haue so corrupted our nature that it neither knoweth nor can nor doeth any thing cls saue sinne but that God by his grace by his holy spirite geueth vnto those that are his a certaine light of vnderstanding which striueth against sinne howbeit sinne most often ouercommeth this light that God will haue it so to the end his power may be perfected in our infirmitie and that we glorifie our selues in him and his grace and not in our selues
our owne workes The Lord saith Ioh. 15. Iac. 1. we cannot beare good fruite of our selues S. Iames warneth erre not my deare brethren euery good geuing euery perfect gift is from aboue S. Paul sayth Rom. 8. Col. 1. Rom. 6. that to sinne is to walke after the maner of men that he doeth not the good thing which hee would but the euill which hee would not that it is sinne which dwelleth in him that in his flesh dwelleth no goodnes that they which are carnall or in the flesh cannot please God that they are in the flesh which haue not the spirit of Christ that we know not our selues what we ought to pray for that the concupiscence of the flesh is enmitie against God that we are seruants of sinne Dauid saith Psalm 14.40.18 that none doth good no not one that what men doe in the presumption of their heart and in their counsels is sinne Thus we may not attribute any good deedes to our owne nature but it is God that worketh in vs that which is good Math. 14. If the Lord had not taken S. Peter by the hand he had perished in the Sea in like fort if God vpholdeth vs not we should sinke into the bottomlesse sea of our concupiscences into the sea of our sinnes into the sea of our froward and defiled nature if God should not call vs as he did Adam we should flie from him and doe nothing els but depart from him so farre as we could I am the light of the world Ioh. 8.15 saith our Sauiour he that followeth me walketh not in darknes if ye bide not in me as the branches in the vine-stock ye can bring foorth no fruite 2. Cor. 3. S. Paul saith that euery good thought is of God that the holy spirit prayeth for vs because we know not what we ought to pray for Rom. 8. that without this spirite we are enemies to God in thought and in euill workes that with this spirit he fighteth against the law of his mēbers Col. 1. this is that vnderstanding which maketh the inwarde man Rom. 7. wherwith he serueth God that God geueth the will the performance that he it is which geueth the holy spirit worketh his vertues in vs that whatsoeuer he did was done by the grace of God Iac. 4. And S. Iames biddeth vs limit all our affaires euen the most cōmon with this cōdition if the Lord will And this doth the Hebrewes ordinarily admonish by the parable of a Bridegroome who said absolutely I will sleepe with my spouse this night and when one of their wisemen aduised him to say if God will he wilfully replyed that is in my will and power will he or will he not it shal be done but they were scarce in bed together when they both died from whence they haue this Prouerbe among them the Bridegroome gets himselfe to bed and wots not what may him bestead Moreouer they teach how the duetie of him that prayeth is to referre the issue of his request expresly to the will of God and neuer to make his prayer peremptory without exception which is to be vnderstood when it is not euident that the holy Ghost hath endited our prayer but hereby appeareth their opiniō that man knoweth not what he ought to craue and therefore is bound to referre not his actions alone Psalon 51. Psal 119. but his petitions also and wishes to the will of God So Dauid craueth of God a cleane hart and to haue a right spirit renewed within him he craueth his holy spirit that he may prayse the Lord and that his praier may be acceptable to him The faithfull haue euermore confessed that all their good came from God the same is most common in the Scripture Psal 118. it is the voice of the righteous saith Dauid Vertuous and holy men haue alway in the Church bene named men of God specially among the Hebrues who called them likewise men of mercy as if they would haue sayd God bestowed on them more grace and mercy than on others contrariwise it is the voice of Antichrist to glorifie the flesh to glorifie man as saith S. Peter as it is the voice of true Christians 2 Pet. 2. that our good commeth from aboue it is not in vs it is not of vs it is none of ours Finally we learne in the Scripture that the Lords will is not to grant vs full and perfect victory ouer sinne in this world least we should proudly brag of the merit of workes He giueth vs his holy spirite and sometimes also true victorie ouer sinne to encourage vs against despaire in our continuall battaile but the principall end is that hauing felt our owne feebleforce and acknowledged our want of power we might with our whole hart repaire to him and finding how vaine it is to repose trust in any els we should of necessitie be driuen to confesse that we can not be saued but by him which would lead vs with S. Paul to this depth of contemplation Rom. 7. who shall deliuer vs from the bodie of this death For so S. Paul confessed that although he was endued with the holy spirit neuerthelesse for the most part he did not that which he would and whereas he imputeth the same to sinne that dwelt in him he confesseth himselfe a sinner So doeth the Scripture report to vs the sinnes of holy persons Prophets and Apostles enriched with the holy spirit And S. Paul saith that God gaue him a prick in the flesh 2. Cor. 1. the messenger of Sathan to buffet him because he should not be exalted out of measure and therefore was his prayer excluded which he made for his deliuerance vnto God thus I be sought the Lord thrise that it might depart from me and he said vnto me my grace is sufficiēt for thee for my power is made perfect through weaknesse and therfore the Apostle became resolute to reioice in his infirmities Let vs come to S. Iohn who writeth if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs we make God a lier his word is not in vs. 1. Cor. 1. It is writtē also that the Lord hath chosen the weak vile things of this world to th' end that he which glorifieth himselfe should glorifie himselfe to the Lord. Rom. 8. 2. Cor. 5. And in that regard doth the Apostle call the holy spirit giuen in this world by God to his elect the earnest penny or first fruicts of the spirit And in very truth if we were willing and able to giue assured iudgement of our selues if we were not vnwilling to bring to light things that are hidden and the counsels of our hearts we should perceiue and iudge that what resistāce by the grace of God soeuer we make we quaile and yeeld not withstanding for the most part There streameth daily amids our willes and our zele I wote
seller of purple to attend to the things which S. Paul spake They then that haue eares to heare vnderstand can not but acknowledge without doubting that faith is the mouth of the soule by which we receiue faluatiō the merit of the Lords death and passion that faith is the onely gift of God and therefore whofocuer glorifieth himself Psal 27. let him glorifie in the Lord and say with Dauid the Lord is my light and my saluation But some do argue against the word of God in these termes Faith doth not abolis◠workes Seing that grace abolisheth merit works are abolished likewise and so the Gospell abolisheth workes and the law by faith S. Paul did fore-see this obiection and aunswered thereto so carefully that none except the ignoraunt or enemies of the Gospell can make accompt thereof Neuerthelesse the Pope stands on it so stifly and esteemes it so highly that in consideration and vnder colour of it and his auarice together he hath brought in this goodly doctrine of the merite of workes contrary to the Gospell as by the premisses here-aboue appeareth Rom. 3.4 After Saint Paul had set downe this obiection he proueth more manifestly than afore that by faith we are saueck and stayeth firmely on this argument that Abraham receiued the promise of saluation by faith before the circumcision and long time yer the law was geuen so that the promise saith he belongeth to the faithfull and not to the workers of the law which law was geuen onely to the successors of Abraham after faith and the promises and so he leaueth vs to conclude that as the law was geuen to the successors of Abraham after the promises made to Abraham because of his faith euen so the faithfull ought to receiue the law not making it the cause of the promises and hand-fast of their saluation but shewing by their obedience thereto that the promises belong to them as being successors of them to whom the promises were made as being successors of Abraham yea children of the heauenly father whose voice they ought to know and vnderstand yelding them selues willingly to be guyded and gouerned by his holy spirite to the obedience of his commandements The sonne is a sonne afore he obeyeth his father but he sheweth by his obedience that he is the truesonne so the faithfull and elect afore workes afore their obedience appeareth be the children of God Works cannot bring them this title or qualitie it is the gift of God and commeth not of works saith S. Paul Ephesa but by workes they shewe themselues to be faithfull in deede and by the obedience they yeeld to God when he hath certified them of his wil they shew themselues to be the true and faithfull children of God S. Rom. 6. Paul is not content herewith but pursueth yet more euidently the ouerthrow of this obiection For hauing proued afore that wee are saued by grace and not by works it followeth what shal we say then shall we continue stil in sinne that grace may abound God forbid how shall we that are dead to sinne liue yet therein know ye not that all we which haue bene baptized into Iesus Christ haue bene baptized into his death wee are buried then with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raysed vp from the dead by the glory of the father so we also should walke in newnesse of life and in the same Chapter what then shall we sinne because we are not vnder the law but vnder grace God forbid know ye not that to whomsother ye geue your selues as seruants to obey his seruants ye are to whoth ye obey and a little after but now being freed from sinue and made seruants vnto God ye haue your fruite in holmes and th' end euerlasting life Thus yee see that faith destroyeth not workes Contrariwise the Scripture commandeth vs that we oboy God to shew foorth the glory and holines of his house to shew and confirme our owne and our neighbors faith to shew that we feare loue and honor God that we belong to him are regenerated by him are his children seruants and this ought we to seeke in works and not our saluation Workes goe not afore election they follow it they follow adoption they follow faith they follow the sure trust of saluation The commaundemēts of God are directed to them that are of his house not to strangers so that we must be of his house before we may vnderstand or do them The commaundements are not they that make the children but they are the children that doo the commandements of their father But now behold how we learne what is th' end of good works 1 Pes. 2. It is written that it is the will of God that by wel doing we may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men as free and not as hauing the libertie for a cloke of maliciousnes but as the seruants of God 2. Pet. 1. Againe geue euen all diligence thereunto ioyne more ouer vertue with your faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlines with godlines brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnes charitie Saint Iohn saith hereby we are sure that we know him if we keepe his commandements he that saith I know him and keepeth not his commaundements is a lier and the truth is not in him he that saith he remaineth in him ought euen so to walk as he hath walked 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Ioh. 5. If any man say I loue God and hate his brother he is a lyer Wee know that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe the faithfull should liue no more after the concupiscences of men 1. Pet. 2. but according to the will of God They must haue their conuersation honest that they which speake euill of them as of euill doers may by their good works which they shall see glorifie God in the day of the visitation True it is that the scripture seemeth in some places to ascribe saluation to works for the holy Ghost sometimes vseth indifferently all these termes election grace faith works and accepteth th' one for th' other expresly to shew vs that th' election grace faith and works are inseparable and as it is written that works done without faith auaile nothing so true works bring with them faith cōsequently th' election and grace purchased by the passion of our Sauiour Sometimes also the holy Ghost speaketh in this maner to rebuke them that abuse faith running after a bastard vaine and idle faith leauing the lawfull true and working faith At other times hespeaketh so applying himselfe to nouices and children in the faith For so S. Iames highly extolled workes Iac. 2. but that was vpon occasion to confound them that abused faith and thought they should continue vnprofitable and idle in faith As also S. Paul opposing himselfe against them
bloud he addeth ye shal not eate my body being the bread descended from heauen as your fathers did eat Manna that is to say ye shall not eat it with carnall teeth as your fathers did eat Manna for they did eat that carnally but ye shall eat this spiritually Moreouer to shew that this speach is spirituall and that his body and bloud should be taken spiritually and by faith he saith I am the bread of life he that commeth to me shall haue no hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall haue no thirst for there he speaketh of spirituall hunger and thirst and referreth all to faith On th' other side if we take the body and bloud of our Sauiour carnally with the mouth it should folow that S. Paul is contrary to Christ For he saith 2. Cor. 7. that by eating and drinking we profit nothing to Christ that meate maketh vs not acceptable to God if wee eate sayth hee it aduantageth vs not and if we doo not eate wee haue neuer the lesse and yet in S. Iohn Christ sayth Iohn 6. that if wee eate not his flesh wee shall not haue life euerlasting In like sort S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 11. that whosoeuer shall eate vnworthily the bread of the supper he shal be guiltie of the Lords body and yet Christ teacheth vs. that whatsoeuer entreth by the mouth Math. 15. defileth not the man We cannot agree S. Paul with Christ the holy Ghost with himselfe if we affirme not that the Lord and S. Paul doo speake in the one place to wit concerning the supper of spirituall eating and in the other of corporall eating In such wise that S. Paules doctrine remayneth true where he saith that by eating and drinking we profit nothing towarde Christ albeit that we must eate and drinke the body and bloud of our Sauiour as himselfe saith for it is spiritually that we must eate and drinke of which maner of eating drinking the Apostle purposed not to speake at all in this place the doctrine of Christ also abideth sure that whatsoeuer entreth by the mouth defileth not the soule albeit th'Apostle saith that whosoeuer receiueth the bread of the supper vnworthely maketh himselfe guilty of the Lords body for the abuse which is committed in receiuing the bread of the supper is principally considered in the soule conscience and faith Lo this speech of the holy supper is like to that of Iesus to Nicodemus Iohn 3. truely I say to thee that he which is not borne againe cannot see the kingdom of God How may a mā saith Nicodernus be born whē he is old can he enter againe into his mothers wombe be borne Iesus answereth truely truly I say vnto thee that whosoeuer is not borne of water and of the spirite he cannot enter into the kingdome of God that which is borne of flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit Maruell not at that which I haue told thee we must be borne from aboue the winde bloweth where it will and thou hearest the voice but knowest not from whence it commeth nor whither it goeth euen so is euery man that is borne of the spirit We all agree that this maner of being borne againe is spirituall for otherwise it should be against nature Now so it is that we haue many mo reasons and considerations which enforce vs to beleeue that this maner of eating and drinking the body and bloud of Iesus Christ is spirituall For besides that the holy Ghost hath declared the one and the other forme of speech to be spirituall it is altogether impossible in nature that one body should be turned into another diuers in kind by words and in a moment This cannot be in nature that a liuing body should become of the substance of any other body without death or corruption it cannot haue change from substance into substance without corruptiō without being not that which it was afore Ioh. 12. the Lord himself saith it is a thing impossible The Pope saith not that by this transubstantiation the body of Christ dieth and corrupteth that were to heape vp too many blasphemies and heresies one vpon another and were it so Christ were to die and suffer infinite times Heb. 9.10 which is flat against the scripture For it is written that he died once for all that he made one onely oblation of his body that there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne that he liueth for euer at the right hand of God His body is glorified it is no more subiect to suffering and corruption Againe we see not the bread corrupt it appeareth after the breaking and blessing as faire and vnaltred bread as afore On the other part it is impossible in nature that a body such as we ought to beleeue that of Iesus Christ hath bene and is to wit a true body can at the selfe same time be in diuers places If the body of Christ is in the bread of the supper it is in places innumerable at the same time it is in heauen it is in earth in sundry infinit parts thereof This properly is to deny Iesus Christ to become in the flesh 2. Ioh. 4. which is a marke of Antichrist as saith S. Iohn Is there any thing more contrarie to sense to reason to charitie to godlines to the feare honor loue which we by duetie must beare towards God is there any thing more impossible tha to breake chew and swalow the body of our Lord his glorified body to breake teare rend it in peeces to make him die whom the Apostles assure vs eternally doth liue at the right hād of God the curse of God hath bene yet is on them that did put him once to death think ye Ioh. 19. that put him to death euery day so much as in you lieth to escape the curse of God If Christ his body is in the bread the prophesie cited by S. Iohn ye shall not breake a bone of him is in great ieoperdie for the Priestes vndiscretly breake the bread without looking where the bones be It appeareth of old that in the law of Moses Leuis 4.5 they did not eat of the beast which was sacrificed for sinne to foreshew that the true sacrifice for sinne should be made by Iesus Christ of whose body we should not eate hereupon S. Paul Heb. 13. after the recitall of this auncient sacrifice saith we haue an altar whereof they may not eate which serue in the tabernacle Let vs consider withall that the corporall presence of Iesus Christ in the bread and wine of the holy supper here below is contrary to th'articles of the faith for we beleeue that Iesus Christ is ascended into heauen that he sitteth on the right hand of the father Act. 3. that he shall come to iudge the quick and the dead Let vs confider how S. Peter saith that the heauen must conteine Iesus Christ vntill the time
that all things be restored S. Paul saith Col. 3. seeke the things that are on high where Iesus Christ sitteth at the hand of God for himselfe had said to his Apostles Iohn 16. I go to my father and ye shall see me no more yet a litle while and ye shall see me for I go to my father and elswhere Math. 23. I say vnto you that from hence-forth ye shall not see me vntill ye say blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord Acts. 1. and in another place this Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come as ye haue seen him go into heauen if the Lord is corporally present in the bread and wine of the supper if he is here below within the Priests pixe or betweene their hands why beleeue we that he is at the right hand of the father why do we looke for his comming from heauen to iudge the quicke and dead why say th'Apostles that heauen must conteine Iesus Christ vntill the time that all things be restored why say they that he is sitting at the right hand of God if he appeareth continually why should they affirme that the second time of his appearing shal be for iudgement why doth he say himselfe yet a litle while and you shall see me no more for I go to the father when is that time among the Papistes wherein they see him not why do the Angels say this Iesus which is taken vp from you to heauen shall come euen so as ye haue seen him go vp to heauen who hath seen him come downe from heauen to shut himselfe within the bread as he was seen go vp to heauen The Pope putteth his onely trust in this aunswere the Lord saith he can make his body be in the bread ergò he is there Behold a very proper meane to proue readily all kinds of heresies phantasies and mockeries and in deed if we were sure that his will is to haue his body here below in the bread in places innumerable aboue at his fathets right hand and so to haue his body to be spirituall we would not doubt of his power to performe it but we can find no-where this wil of his contrari-wise he teacheth vs that his body is in heauen that in the supper we must lift vp our soules on high to the right hand of God there to eate spiritually and by faith as hath benesaid he teacheth vs that his body is a true body 2. Iohn 4. euery spirit saith S. Iohn which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God such a spirit is the spirit of Antichrist thus let vs ensue his will without enquiring of his power Furthermore if we might certeinely see the body or the'effects of the presence of the body and bloud of our Lord in the holy supper in the bread and wine thereof we would not argue at all either of his power or of his will but we see nothing saue bread like to bread both within and without in and throughout euery part in colour other qualities of nature nourishable and corruptible the host of the Masse nourisheth man nourisheth wormes as bread doth corrupteth and putrifieth as bread which we may not beleeue of our Sauiours glorified body Withall if the body of the Lord were in the bread so many miracles should daily and hourely ensue Luke 8. as would make it past doubt they that touched his garments onely felt his wonderfull vertue with farre more likelihood should they that touch his body feele it but we can see no such effects the Popes Bishops and Priests haue assayed to deriue from it oracles and miracles but still they found it nothing els saue bread they haue chafed thereat so farre-forth as to cast the host into the fire Finally I see no such necessitie for the celebration of the supper that the body should be here below really within the bread no more then in old time Christ was in the labe or at this day the bloud of Christ is in the water of baptisme The faithfull doe effectually receiue in baptisme the washing of the bloud of Christ by faith although nothing but water be administred in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost euen so the faithfull may partake in the grace iustification death passion in the body bloud of the Lord by spirituall eating through faith as well yea more cōmodiously then by the reall eating of the body For in this behalfe it behoueth the Spirit by his miraculous operatiō not onely to transubstantiate the body and make it present at the same time in places infinit but also to turne this corporall food into spirit for the spirituall sustenance of the spirit of man which is the principall end of the supper of the death passion of the Lord. It is more agreable to the order established by God in the nature of all things and more consonant to his counsels reueled in his word to lift vp our soules by faith to nourish them with his body and bloud to fill them with his grace and merite of his death and passion to notifie such inward actions by the outward signes of bread and wine then to confound the properties of both natures to make him a body euerywhere present which to be onely pertaineth to his diuinitie to abase his glorious body and subiect it to a world of phantasies profanations and iniuries to haue it broken and torne chewed and swalowed and further to change that body into spirit for the nourishment of the spirit Behold here how the Pope with too-much boldnes and no necessitie aduentureth to commit idolatrie himselfe and to make them grose idolaters which follow him in his doctrine in that he adoreth the bread of the supper euen as the body of Iesus Christ More safe it is to adore it at the right hand of God seing the Scripture assureth vs most certainely that he is there Idolatrie is a sinne too horrible that any man should so freely giue ouer himselfe to the same In such ventrous cases when there is any suspition of idolatrie feare to sinne ought aboue all to ouer-rule our worldly wisdome Away then with this doctrine of the Pope so contrary to th'articles of the Christiā beliefe and all the holy Scripture away with this doctrine that destroyeth the veritie of our Lords body and is suspected ye conuinced of Idolatrie The Pope willeth vs to haue images of Angels Whether we ought to haue images for deuotion sake Saincts and of God himselfe within our Churches vpon our altars within our chappels and priuat closets for prayer He willeth vs to honour and serue these images with such deuotion ceremonies as in effect differeth not from adoration or diuine-honour We find no iote in the Scripture conformable to this doctrine but we find there commaundements ynow most flatly forbidding vs to receiue it Leuit.
forbad men to direct their prayers to them to fall on their knees before them Furthermore the Scripture in expresse termes inioyneth vs not to call on any other name then that of the Lord nor to seeke any mediator but Christ Feare not Isay 43. saith the Lord in Isay to his people for I haue redemed thee I haue called thee by my name thou art mine and in the same chapter I euen I am the Lord and beside me there is no Sauiour I haue declared and I haue saued and I haue showed and a litle after I am and there is none that can deliuer out of my hands I will doe it and who shall let it Marke here how the Lord rebuketh their fond feare that durst not call on him but went to others how he cheareth them to come boldly to him and seeke none others And S. Peter saith Acts. 4. there is no saluation in any other for among men there is giue none other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued but that of Iesus Christ S. Paul saith Col. 3. whatsoeuer ye shall doe in word or deede doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus geuing thanks to God euē the father by him again I will that ye know 1. Cor. 11. that Christ is the head of euery man Ephes 2. Col. 1. againe through him we both haue an entrace vnto the father by one Spirit elswhere it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell and through peace by that bloud of that his Crosse to reconcile to himselfe through him through him I say all things both which are in earth and which are in heauen and in another place for there is one God and one Mediator betweene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus Finally S. Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 2. if any man sinne we haue an Aduocat to the father Christ Iesus the iust he is the recōciliatiō for our sinnes not for our sinnes onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Why should we linger or be loth to repaire to Iesus Christ at our first entrance to prayer seing th'Apostles teach vs that we must call on none other name but his that he is our true mediatour that besides him there is none other Mat. 11. Iohn 14.10 Moreouer Iesus Christ himselfe calleth vs and saith that none other sauing himselfe can make intercession for vs to God his father No man saith he knoweth the father but the sonne and he to whom the sonne will reuele him Come vnto me all ye that are wery and laden and I will ease you also I am that way that truth and that life no man commeth vnto the Father but by me againe I am that doore by me if any man enter in he shal be saued seing he is the doore seing he calleth vs we ought to seeke none other that might bring vs into his presence to speake to him he that findeth the maister at the gate bidding him to declare his suite yet will looke for a more cōmodious meane might be deemed a very simple body Let vs take heed of despising him that looketh for vs Heb. 12.7 that biddeth vs speake boldly let vs not despise the mediatour of the new Testament that speaketh for vs saith S. Paul it is written 1. Iohn ◠that he liueth euer making intercession for vs that he is our Aduocat so that the difference betweene mediatour and intercessor imagined by your Maisters and Doctours is vayne There is no colour of truth to make vs beleeue that he who came downe from heauen for our sakes tooke vpon him our flesh yelding to the miseries thereof sinne except who honored vs with his familiar conuersation and suffred death and the curse of God his father for the loue of vs who vndertooke the office of Mediatour and intercessor according to his kindnesse to vs ward we can not beleeue I say that now he should disdaine to heare vs to receiue our prayers and supplications and to offer them vp to God his father sith himselfe saith that it is his office sith himselfe biddeth vs come sith himselfe abideth for vs in the gate thus to resort to any other is to do iniury to him to suppose th'exercise of his estate needlesse to haue him in contempt to assigne others part of the honour due to him alone no no he is ielous of his honour he will haue all or none he cad abide no partener Let vs know with S. Paul that none but the Lord Iesus can execute this charge of mediatorship betweene God and men 1. Tim. 2. for there is one God one mediatour betweene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus againe he is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him Heb. 7. seing he euer liueth to make intercession for them and in Esdras 4. Esd 13. he by himselfe will deliuer his creature Behold here one mediatour and no mo who euer maketh intercession and neuer needeth a sollicitor who also perfectly saueth and by him selfe deliuereth his creature Let vs therefore be assured on the word of the Prophets Apostles and of Iesus Christ and goe boldly to him and say our father let vs not lose this familiaritie and libertie which he hath giuen vs by his grace let vs pray in the name of Iesus Christ seing there is none other name giuen to men let vs practise towardes the world the maners ciuilities and courtesies of the world but let vs doe to God his seruices according to his commaundements it is not against manners to be an importunate suiter to God as appeareth by the parable of the vniust iudge nor against manners to presse vnto him at all times and in all places without the mediation of any except his sonne we haue no cause to doubt that such a mediator should forget our suites as knoweth our thoughts as for Angels and Sainctes let vs esteeme them most blessed by the grace of God but yet let vs beware as themselues haue warned that we impart not to them of the honor that onely belongeth to God The Pope enioyneth vs to beleeue that there is a Purgatorie Whether there is any Purgatorie after or out of this life and concerning the deceased a place full of fire where the soules of the deceased are condemned to abide in great torment some for so many ages others for so many yeeres according to the number and qualitie of the sinnes they committed in this world that praiers almes pilgrimages and other deuotions that are made and geuen for those soules doth greatly comfort and refresh them Moreouer he chalengeth to himselfe power to take soules out of Purgatorie at his pleasure the iudgements decrees of God notwithstanding the mouth of his preachers and their bookes are stuft with fables feyned to prooue this fiction But these things are come to passe to fulfil the prophesie that Antichrist should take heede to fables
calling out of the world is like our Lords comming to vs Isay 8.55 and as that which Isay saith should not a people enquire of their God from the liuing to the dead and againe Seeke ye the Lord while he may be found call ye vpon him while he is neere Esd 9. and in Esdras it is plainly concluded that after this life it is too late to repent and also we are forbidden to inquire how the vngodly shal be punished Forsomuch then as our soules are iudged immediatly after our death with iudgement irreuocable and beyond appeale and are at that very time where they must be and abide for euermore then there is no fire of Purgatorie and so by the same reason we pray for the deceased in vaine Also were those prayers so good health-full and for the Deceased needfull as ye say Iesus Christ and his Apostles had not forgotten to commaund and commend them to vs. Luk. 11. when Iesus Christ was required by his Apostles to teach them how to pray he gaue them a praier conteyning whatsoeuer man may and ought to craue of God and yet we can not gather out of the same any meaning or mention of the Deceased When S. Paul instructeth Timothie concerning the forme of prayer which the Church ought to obserue 1. Tine 2. he biddeth him not to pray for the Deceased Iam. 5. S. Iames most largely declaring those things for which we are to pray to God remembreth not the Deceased 3. Reg. 8. Salomon hauing built the Temple of God maketh a generall prayer to God beseeching him to heare all the praiers which should be made to him in the same Temple he rehearseth particularly the things for which they should pray to him for the sinne of the people and of euery-one for the solemnity of othes for peace other benefits for warre famine drought barennes pestilence and other sicknesses for captiuitie in-rode and inuasion of strangers he maketh no mention of prayer for the Deceased it ought not to haue bin omitted had it bene of such importance as the Pope saith The Scripture forgetteth not to recite how Abraham mourned and wept for his Dead how all Israel mourned for Aaron Moses and many others but it saith not that Abraham and the people of Israel prayed for Sara for Aaron for Moses and the rest Dauid did bitterly solemnly weepe for Saul Ionathan Abner and Absalom the Scripture rehearseth the solemnities neuerthelesse it appeareth not at all that he prayed for them who seemed notwithstanding to haue great need thereof Conclude we therefore this matter and acknowledge we that there is no purgatorie but in the bloud of Iesus Christ and that presently after our departure out of this world our soules are condemned or iustified in Christ for euermore and therefore let vs refuse all prayers for the Deceased as vaine and vnprofitable issued from the shop of Satan from traditions of men not from God considering he maketh no mentiō of the same in the holy Scripture Let vs be charitable towards the liuing towards the poore and other miserable persons as God hath commaunded and not towards the Dead that haue no need thereof or good thereby and towards whom God hath not commaunded vs to be charitable And let vs say that seing there is no Purgatorie we need not dispute whether the Pope cā take soules out of it or no so it is that in the same he exalteth himselfe aboue God promising to deliuer soules out of the prisons hands power of God promising to make void the iudgements and condemnations to auoid or deminish the paines ordeyned by God such actions are th'actions of superiors towards their inferiors We will not stay to confute many other blasphemies beside which necessarily follow the doctrine of Purgatorie as that there is a satisfaction for sinnes elswhere then in Iesus Christ that there is saluation by another meane then by Christ that man through sufferance of torments may content the iustice of God and deserue saluation For since Purgatorie is abolished whatsoeuer dependeth thereon can not stand and so are all these blasphemies sufficiently conuinced by the arguments aforesaid our sufferings saith S. Paul are not worthy of the glory to come Rom. 8. The Pope will not haue the Bible to be translated into French our vulgar and mother tong Whether we ought to haue the Bible in the mother tóg. for that saith he the Bible is too hard it is of too high meditation to be made common to the common people but this is rather to hide the truth and publish and auctorise lyes without any gain-saying I well wot that the holy Scripture in its force and signification reacheth beyond the power of mans vnderstanding But the Pope deceiueth himselfe greatly if he supposeth men to be more or lesse capable to read receiue and vnderstand according as they are more or lesse acquainted and haue proceeded in humane learnings and worldly affaires for experience teacheth vs that the more learned the more fine-witted the more cunning and the greater ones after the world are lesse worthy lesse able to conceiue lesse called to the knowledge of the secret of Gods word The historie of the Church showeth that these are the Pharisies the Doctors Glossers of the law the Philosophers Magistrats that could not cōceiue this easie difficultie this high humilitie simplicitie of the Gospell but stroue banded themselues against it with force and exceeding furie it is not the power and abilitie of man that obteineth to man the knowledge and vnderstanding of the word of God it is the spirite of God working and dwelling in him that doth it as it is written 1. Cor. 2. no man knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God Now this Spirit hath no respect nor maketh acceptance of persons he dwelleth more ordinarily within the lowly within litle-ones within them that are not puft vp with their knowledge wisdome experience and dignitie so doeth Iesus Christ thanke his Father for that he had declared his Gospell to the little ones and not to the great after the world 1. Cor. 2. so say th'Apostles that the Gospell word and wisdome of God are folishnesse and offence to the wise of the world Act. 26. and so was Paul reputed mad by Festus the gouernour We note in all the New testament that they who first heard receiued kept with more readines stedfastnes the word of Iesus Christ were the meanest of the people were womē poore folke those whom ye call clownes fishers handicraftes-men toll-takers others of like condition the Apostles all Iesus Christ his Disciples welnigh were of that degree we note likewise that the simpler sort of the people were the readiest to receiue and conceiue the words of th'Apostles the knowledge of the Gospell the mistery secret and simplicitie of the faith 1. Cor. 1. And so doth S. Paul aduertise the Corinthians
if it had bene in the Popes power to cause all the bookes of Gods word to be burned he had done it without doubt vpon the selfe same reason that moued the Senate of Rome to burne certeine Greeke books found within the tumbe of Numa Pompilius for the Senate feared least these bookes treating of true wisedome would haue disclosed th' abuses of their Religion and crakt the credit which the Romain people gaue to it and thereby shrewdly disioint their state euen so it stood the Pope in hand to feare lest the making of the holy Scripture manifest and common should pull down and bring to naught his doctrine his auctoritie and state and and this is the true cause why he can abide in no wise but striues with might and mayn against publishing of the holy Scripture Then let the bookes be lest open in our coÌ„mon language let them be written that all persons without exception may see search theÌ„ as the Prophets foretold should be in the time vnder Christ let vs vtter and show the Lords secret abroad let vs further th' accomplishment of the Prophesie of Ieremie cited by S. Paul Ierem. 31. Heb. 8. that in the time vnder Christ all shall know the Lord from the least to the greatest Isay and that of Isay saying all th' earth shal be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. Now againe Whether we ought to pray and prayse God in a tongue which we vnderstand not the Pope willeth that Priestes Chanons Munkes and other officers of the Church shall do their Church seruices in the Latin tongue shall say and sing Masse Laudes and Praiers in the Latin tongue euen in a strange tongue which most Frenchmen vnderstand not But the Scripture willeth the contrarie 1. Cor. 14. The Apostle saith that they which speake in the Church in a strange tongue and vnknowen are barbarians to them whom they speake to that they speake in the ayer that they are vnprofitable that they ought to holde their peace if the trumpet saith he geue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe to battaile So likewise you by the tongue except ye vtter words that haue signification how shall it be vnderstoode what is spoken If I pray saith th'Apostle in a strange tongue my spirite prayeth but mine vnderstanding is without fruict What is it then I will pray with the spirite but I will pray with th'understanding also els when thou blessest with the spirite how shall he that occupieth the roome of th'unlearned say Amen at thy geuing of thanks seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest for thou verily geuest thanks well but the other is not edified These words are so carefully spoken that no doubt is left but that we ought to pray and praise God in the Church onely in a tongue which all doo vnderstand We finde in Saint Marke and Saint Iames Mar. 11. that prayer without faith is vnfruictfull and sinne before God and elsewhere Iac. 1. that there can be no faith without knowledge they then that pray in Latine not vnderstanding what they pray pray without faith for they pray without knowledge Rom. 10. and thus their prayer is vnfruictfull yea it is sinnefull Let vs not vnaduisedly forgo the fruict which prayer affoordeth them that vse it as they ought let vs not marre this meane nor misuse this duety so necessary to a Christian and let vs pray and praise God in our knowen and common tongue with spirite vnderstanding and faith The Pope forbiddeth marriage to persons innumerable Whether marriage ought to be forbidden to Priests Clergymen and other religious persons men and women and to them namely that serue at the altar as also to them that enter into any religious order there is no coÌ„maundement of God so straightly kept as this countermaund of the Pope is The holy Scripture permitteth marriage to all men and womeÌ„ and namely to Sacrificers Leuites to priests and Bishops We finde it written that to marry is no sinne that marriage is honourable among all After S. 1 Cor. 7. Paul had commended virginitie to wit chastitie which ye terme Celibat Heb. 13. or single life he presently addeth 1. Cor. 7. and this I speake for your owne commoditie not to tangle you in a snare but that ye followe that which is honest In the same Chapter he biddeth all persons to marry that cannot absteine for saith he it is better to marry theÌ„ to burne And againe to take away all scruple he warranteth euery man that if he marry he sinneth not and euery virgin that if she marry she sinneth not 1 Tim. 5. And in another place he passeth further not permitting but bidding young widowes to marrie that they geue no occasion to the aduersarie to speake euil It is knowen how great cleannesse was required in Priests Leuits in the olde Testament and chiefly in the high Priest God permitted them to marry neuerthelesse and for their marriage ordeyned certaine lawes â—euit 21. The Leuites saith God shall not take to wife an whore or one polluted neither shall they marry a woman diuorced from her husband and elswhere the high Priest shall take to wife a virgine and shall not take a widow neither one diuorced neither a whore nor one polluted but hee shall take to wife a virgine of his people In the new Testament is written 1. Tim. 3. that a Bishop must be vnreproueable the husbande of one wife one that can rule his owne house honestly hauing children vnder obedience with all honestie for if any cannot rule his owne house how shall he care for the Church of God These later wordes doo plainly confute them that durst wrest the former to wit the husband of one wife as if the Apostle had meant the Bishop must be Bishop of one Church in which glosse is no colour but euidently corrupteth the text is contrary to their owne practise for the place conteyneth a rehearsall of qualities whereby a man meete to be a Bishop may be discerned from one vnmeete and among the rest this is put as principall namely his care and discretion to gouerne wel his wife family and children for saith th'Apostle if he cannot rule his owne house well how shall he care for the Church of God It is also contrary to their own practise For if it be true as their glosse importeth that a Bishop must be Bishop of one Church then are they not Apostolike Bishops that will be Bishops of many Churches much lesse the Pope that will be Bishop of all Churches better it were then for them to cast away their glose then change their practise Moreouer S. Paul admonisheth Titus his disciple to ordeine Priestes or Elders in euery Citie as he appointed him and then he addeth if any be vnreprouable the husband of one wife hauing faithfull children which are not slaundered of riot neither are disobedient for a Bishop must be vnreproueable As