Acts and Monuments Volume 1

*The first Question.

FIrst, forsomuch as Mount Zion (which God calleth by the Prophet Iesai, the hill of his holiness) beareth in the scripture an undoubted type of the spiritual church of Christ: & for so much as the said Iesai. ca. 11. & 65. prophesying of the said Mount Zion, saith in these words: Non nocebunt ne{que} affligent in omni monte sancto meo, dicit Dominus. &c. 1. They shall not kill nor hurt, in all my holy hill, saith the Lord. &c. And again in the same chap. thus we read: Habitabit Lupus cum agno, & Pardus cū haedo accubabit: Vitulus, & Leo & ouis vna commorabuntur, & puellus paruulus ducet eos. &c. i. The wolf shall dwell with the Lamb, & the Leopard with the Kid: the Calf, the Lion & the sheep shall feed together, & a young child shall rule thē. The Cow also & the Bear shall abide together w ^t their young ones, & the Lion shall eat chaff & fodder like y ^e Ox. &c.

Upon these premises now followeth my question, how the church of Rome can be answerable to this hill of Siō: seeing in the said church of Rome is, and hath been now so many years such killing and slaying, such cruelty and tyranny shown, such burning & spoiling of christen blood, such malice & mischief wrought, as in reading these histories may to all the world appear.

To this if they answer, & expound these words of the Prophet, as pertaining to the church triumphant thereunto I reply again: that by the words in the same place & in the same sentence expressed that sense cannot stand, for as much as the Prophet in the very same place, where he prophesieth of this peaceable dwelling in God's holy mountain without hurting or killing, meaneth plainly of the earth, & showeth also the cause of that godly peace. Because (saith he) the earth is replenished with knowledge & science of the Lord. &c. ibid. And furthermore the Prophet speaking of the same day when this shall be, addeth saying: In that day the root of Jesse shall stand for a sign to the people, for the Gentiles to be converted, and to seek unto him▪ &c. Which day in no wise can be applied to the church in heaven triumphant, but only here militant in earth.

Touching which place of Iesai, further here is to be noted by the way, that by this peaceable Moūt Zion (which comprehendeth both the states, as well ecclesiastical as temporal) is not restrained the public penalty of good laws needful to be executed upon public malefactors, but here is restrained the fierceness, revenge, cruelty, & violence of men's affections. To which affections men being commonly subject by nature, through grace & working of the gospel are altered, reformed, & changed to another disposition: frō stoutness to softness: frō violence to sufferance: from fierceness to forbearing: frō pride to humility, frō cruelty to compassion, from wilynes to simplicity, frō solemn singularity to humanity and meekness. Which virtues, if they had been in the church of Rome (according to the rule of S. Paul, which willeth men that be stronger, to bear with the infirmities of the weaker, and that in the spirit of meekness. &c. Rom. 15. Gal. 6.) I should not have needed now at this time to write such a long history as this of the suffering of so many Martyrs.

The second Question.

MY second question is this: to demand of you catholic professors of the popes sect, which so deadly malign and persecute the protestants professing the gospel of Christ, what just or reasonable cause have you to allege for this your extreme hatred ye bear unto the, y ^• neither you yourselves can abide to live w ^t them, nor yet will suffer y ^e other to live amongst you? If they were Jews, Turks or Infidels, or in their doctrine were any Idolatrous impitie or detestable iniquity in their lives: if they went about any deadly destruction, or privy conspiracies to oppress your lives, or by fraudulent dealing to circūuent you, then had you some cause to cōplain, and also to revenge. Now seeing in their doctrine ye have neither blasphemy, idolatry, superstition nor misbelief to object unto them: seeing they are baptized in the same belief, and believe the same articles of the Crede, as ye do: having the same God, y ^e same Christ & savior, the same baptism, & and are ready • s con • err with you in all kind of Christian doctrine, neither do refuse to be tried by any place of the scripture, how then riseth this mortal malice of you against them? If you think them to be her • tickes, then bring forth if ye can, any one sentence which they arrogantly hold, contrary to the mind of holy scripture: expounded by the censure of most ancient Doctors? Or what is there in all y ^• scripture to be required, but they acknowledge & confess the same? See & try the order of their lives & doings, what great fault find you. They serve God, they walk under his fear, they obey his law, as men may do: and though they be transgressors toward him, as other men are, yet toward you what have they done, what have they committed or deserved why you should be so bitter against them?

What offended the poor habitants of Merindal & Cabriers when the bishop of Aix, the Cardinal of Turon, and other Bishops of France wrasting from Francis the French king a commission, sent Men • rius w ^t his Captayne John de Gay to destroy their country, an. 1530. who driving y ^e poor people there into a barn full of straw, set y ^e barn on fire, & burned up men, women, and children: And likewise in a church, exercised the like cruelty upon them, where were murdered the same time to the number of a thousand young and old, women, children, and young infants, besides vii. whole towns, with the most part of the dwellers thering, being murdered & burnt in y ^e said country of Provēce.

Also before that, what offended the Citizens of Toulouse and Avigno when Pope Gregory the ix. set Louis the French king to war against them and against Raymundus their Earl, without cause, where also the said king died at the siege.

Or to speak of later years, what hurt or harm did the poor Protestants in the town of Uassy, who peaceably being at a Sermon, were miserably slain and cut▪ men, women, and children, by the Duke of Guyes and his armed soldiers? besides other infinite examples almost not to be numbered of like cruelty, in Calabria, Apulia, Bohemia, France, and now of late in Flaunders, and in other countries moe.

But to let other countries pass, let us turn now to the peaceable government in this realm of England, under this our so mild & gracious Queen now presently reigning. Under whom you see howe gently you are suffered, what mercy is shown unto you: how quietly ye live. What lack you, that you would have, having almost the best rooms and offices in all the realm, not only without any loss of life▪ but also without any fear of death. And though a few of your Arch • lerkes be in custody: yet in that custody so shrewdly are they hurt, that many a good Protestant in the realm would be glad with all their hearts to change rooms and diet with them if they might. And albeit some other for their pleasure have slipped over the seas, if their courage to see countries abroad did so allure them, who could let them, yet this is certain, no dread there was of death that drave them. For what papist have you seen in all this land to lose either life or limb for papistry during all these xii. years hitherto since this Queens reign? And yet all this notwithstanding, having no cause to complain, so many causes to give God thanks ye are not yet content, ye fret and fume, ye grudge and mutter, and are not pleased with peace, nor satisfied with safety but hope for a day, and fain would have a change. And to prevent your desired day, ye have conspired, and rise up in open rebellion against your Prince, whom the Lord hath set up to be your governor.

And as you have since that, now of late disturbed the quiet and peaceable state of Scotland, in murdering most traitorously the gentle and godly Regent of Scotland (who in sparing the Queens life there when he had her in his hands, hath now therefore lost his own) so with like fury, as by your rebellion appeareth, would disturb the golden quiet and tranquility of this Realm of England, if ye might have your willes▪ Which the merciful grace of almighty, for Christ his sons sake our Lord, forfend and utterly disapoynt. Amen.

Wherefore these premises considered, my question is to ask of you & know, what just or reasonable cause ye have of these your unreasonable doings, of this your so mortal and deadly hatred, fury and malice you bear against these your euenchristened, of these your tumults, coniurations, gaping and hoping, rebellions, mutteringes, & murders, wherewith you trouble and disquiet the whole world. Of all which mischiefs, if the true cause were well known, the truth would be found doubtless to be none other but only the private cause of the Bishop of Rome, that he is not received, and the dignity of his Church exalted.

Touching which cause how unreasonable and unjust it is, more shall be said (the Lord willing) in reply, according as I shall see their answer, if it shall so please thē, or any of thē to answer this question. In the mean time this for a brief note shall suffice: that it standeth not with the scripture, but contrary to the scripture that the Bishop of Rome should so revenge his own private cause. If his title & plantatiō be good & of God, why doth he not refer it unto god? And no doubt, but if it be so, God will maintain it, though the whole world said no. If it be otherwise, it will fall & be rooted out, though all the world said yea, yea the greatest argument to prove this plantation of the Popes supremacy not to be of God, is, that the Pope fighting in his own private cause, by outward & worldly force seeketh his own glory▪ Christ our savior being here refused himself, yet neither revenged his cause, nor sought his own glory, but only the glory & will of his father, thus speaking of himself: Si ego glorifico meipsū, gloria mea nihil est, pater meus est, qui glorificat me▪ &c. John. 8. i. If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing, my father is he that glorifyeth me. &c. Even so I say with scripture, that if the Popes proc • edings were planted of God, he would not so wrestle for his glory, as • e doth. But forsomuch as he seeketh by such cruelty and bloodshed to exalt himself, we may well argue his proceedings not to be of God, and that he shall be brought low. &c. Luke. 18.

The third Question.

MY third question I take of the 13. chap. of the book of Revelation. Which book as it containeth a Prophetical history of the Church: so likewise it requireth by histories to be opened. In this chapter mention is made first of a certain beast coming out of the Sea, having vii. heads & x. horns, with x. diademes of blasphemy. Unto y ^e which beast the dragon, the devil, gave his strength, and great power to fight against the Saints▪ & to overcome them, & to make xlij. months: of the which beast, one of his heads was wounded at length to death, &c.

After this immediately in the same chap. mentiō followeth of another beast, rising out of the land, having 2. horns like a lamb, & spake like a dragon, & did all the power of the former beast before his face, and caused all dwellers of the earth to worship the beast: whose head was wounded, and lived. Who also had power to give spirit & life to the said former beast, to make the Image of the beast to speak, & to cause all men frō the highest to the lowest, to take the mark of the beast in their hands and foreheads, & whosoever worshipped not the Image of the beast should be killed. &c.

Upon this description of these two beasts riseth my question, wherein I desire all papists, from the highest to the lowest, either to answer or to consider with thenselves, what the spirit of the prophesy meaneth by the said 2. beasts. Neither is the mistery of this prophesy so obscure, but being historical, by histories it may be explained & easily expounded. Writing therefore to the Papists, as men expert in histories, my question is this: that seeing the prophesy of these 2. beasts must needs prefigure some people or dominiō in the world, of some high estate & power: they will now declare unto us, what people or domination this should be. Which if they will do plainly and truly, according to the marks & properties of the said ii. beasts here set forth, they must needs be driven of force inevitable to grant and confess, the same only to agree to the City & Empire of Rome, & to no other: Which by these reasons following of necessity must needs be concluded.

First, the beast wich came out of the sea, having the strength, the seat, and power of the great Dragon (the Devil, called the Prince of this world, committed to him, who also had power givē over all tribes, nations, languages, people and countries in the earth) must needs be an Empire or Monarchy of great force, passing all other Monarchies in the world besides, and this must needs argue the Empire of Rome and none other.

Secondly, in that the best had vii. heads & x. horns, with x. diademes full of blasphemy vpō thē: those vii. heads being expounded in the said book, cap. 17. for vii. hills, notoriously importeth the City of Rome, wherein were 7. hills contained. The like also may be thought of y ^e x. horns being there expounded for x. kings (signifying belike y ^e x. Prouincies or Kingdoms of the world subdued to the Roman Empire) with x. crowns of blasphemy upon their heads: all which conveniently agree to the City of Rome.

Thirdly, where the said beast had power to make 42. months and to fight against the Saints, and to overcome them, &c. thereby most manifestly is declared the Empire of Rome, with the heathen persecuting Emperors, which had power givē the space of so many months, (that is, from Tiberius to Licinius. 294. years) to persecute Christ's Church as in the Table of the primitive Church hereafter following is discoursed more at large.

Fourthly, where the prophet speaketh of the one of the heads of the beast to be wounded to the death, & the wound afterward to be cured again, by that ye have to understand the decay and subversion of the City of Rome & of Italy, which being one of the heads of the Roman Monarchy, was subdued by the Gottes, Uandals, & Lombards, and the City of Rome, thrice sacked and taken between the reign of Honorius Emperor of Rome, and the time of Justinian Emperor of Constantinople, & so remained this head of Rome wounded a long time under the dominion of y ^e Lombards, till at length this wound was cured again, as the sequel of this prophesy declareth: For so it followeth in the foresaid chap. of the Revelation: And after this I saw (saith he) another beast rising out of the land, having two horns like the lamb, and spake like the Dragon. Who practi • ed all the power of the first beast before his face, and caused all the inhabitants of the earth to worship the first beast whose head was wounded and cured again &c. And to him it was given to give life to the Image of the beast, and to make it speak: and also to make all them that will not worship the image of the beast, to be slain, and caused all from the most to the least, both rich and poor, free men and bondmen, to take the mark of the beast in their right hand and in their foreheads, so that none should buy and sell unless he had the beasts mark about him▪ &c.

The description of this second beast being well viewed: it cannot be avoided, but needs must be applied to y ^e bishop of Rome and to none other: as by the history and order of times is evident to be proved. For who else representeth y ^e horns of the lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world, but only he? who speaketh with y ^e voice of y ^e Dragon so proudly, as he? The voice of the Dragon spake once to Christ: That all the glory of the world was his to give to whom he would, & that he would give it. &c. And doth not this fall • e horned lamb speaking in the same voice of the Dragon, say by the mouth of Pope Gregory 7. that all the kingdoms of the earth were his, and that he had power in earth to loose, and take away Empyres, Kingdoms, Dukedoms, and what else soever mortal men may have, and to give them where he would? &c. Ex platina in Vit. Gregorij. 7.

Furthermore, at what time the declining state of Rome began to decay, and Italy was brought under subjection of y ^e Lombardes, then the Pope stirred up Pipinus and Carol • s Magnus, to take his part against the Lombardes, and to restore again, the old glory of y ^e Monarchy to his former state. And therefore who cured the wounded head of this beast again, but only he? who gave life and speech to the Image of the beast but he? who after that by help of the French kings, had subdued those Lombardes with other aliens, and had gotten the possession of Rome, into his own hands, he so repared & aduaunsed the fame and name of Rome, that since that time all persons from the hyest, to the lowest, both rich & poor have been glad to send & seek to Rome, yea Kings, Emperors, Queens, & Dukes have been glad to kiss the Bishops feet▪ and to lead his horse by the bridle: So that the Majesty of Rome in the old heathē Emperors days was never more terrible, nor glorious, nor never had more power to persecute & overcome gods Saints thē these lambelyke Bishops of Rome have had, and have exercised these 500. years in Christendom. And therefore who else in all the world hath so much power to do the works of the first beast, before his face, as he? or who but he alone? which forceth both high and low, rich and poor, free and bond to receive the seal, and to become loyal to the City and sea of Rome: so that whoseuer hath not the mark whereby to be known to hold of the Church of Rome, shall have no place, to buy and sell nor to occupy in all Christendom.

Now if any Papist whatsoever, in answering to this my questiō can apply this prophetical mistery of these 2. beasts otherwise then thus, I would heartily desire him, to take so much pains to satisfy this doubt at his good pleasure & laysure. In the mean season let this stand for a Corolarium, that the bishop of Rome by this description must be that second beast prophesied to come in the latter time of the Church under a false pretensed lamb, to restore again the old persecutions of Rome, and to disturb the whole Church of Christ, as this day to truly is come to pass.

The fourth Question.

AS touching my fourth question, although I could urge you w ^t another like prophetical place of scripture no less evident against the bishop of Rome, taken out of the second Epistle of S. Paul to the The • la. where mention is made of the son of perdition, sitting in the Temple of God, as god, & aduaūcing himself above all that is called god &c. which place ye can by no reasonable euasiō avoid: yet notwithstanding to let this pass, I turn my questiō to ask this of you, whether the religion of Christ be mere spiritual, or else corporal. If ye affirm it to be corporal as was the old religiō of the Jews consisting in outward rites, sacrifices, ceremonies of the law: thē show if ye can, what any one outward actiō or obseruatiō is required in Christian religiō by the scripture, as necessary in a christen man, for remissiō of sins & salvation, save only the two Sacramental ceremonies of outward Baptism, & of the Lord's Supper? Howbeit neither these also as they are corporal, that is to say neither the outward action of the one, nor of the other cōferreth remissiō of sins, nor salvation, but only are visible shows of invisible & spiritual benefits. And furthermore if our god, whō we serve, be spiritual, how can his religiō & service be corporal as we are taught by the mouth of our savior, saying: God is a spirit and therefore they that worship him, must worship in spirit & verity. &c. John. 4.

Now if ye grant (as ye must needs) this our christen religion to be spiritual, & not a corporal religiō, thē show if ye can, any one point of all these things which ye strive for so much with us, to be spiritual, but altogether corporal, & externe matters & ceremonial observations, nothing cōducing to any spiritual purpose, as your outward successiō of bishops, garments, vestures, gestures, co • lors, choice of meats, difference of days, times & places, hearing, seeing, saying, touching, tasting, numbering of beads, gilding & worshipping Images, building monasteries, rising at midnight, silence in cloisters, abstaining from flesh & white meat, fasting in Lent, keeping Imberdayes hearing mass & divine service, seeing & adoring the body in form of bread, receiving holy water, & holy bread, creeping to the cross, carrying palms, taking ashes, bearing candles, pilgrimage going, sensing, kneeling, knocking, aultars, superaltars, candlesticks, pardons: In orders crossing, anointing, shaving, forswering marriage: In baptism, crossing, salting, spatling, exorcising, washing of hands: At Easter ear • confession, penance doing, satisfaction: And in receiving with beardes new shaven, to imagine a body, where they see nobody: & though he were there present to be seen, yet the outward seeing & touching of him, of it self, without faith, conduceth no more, thē it did to the Jews. At Rogatiō days, to carry banners, to follow the cross, to walk about the fields. After Pentecost, to go about with Corpus Christi play. At halowmas to watch in the church, to say a dirige & commendations, & to ring for all souls to pay tithes truly, to give to the high alter. And if a man will be a Priest, to say Mass & Matins, to serve the Saint of that day, and to lift well over his head. &c. In sickness to be aneled, to take his rites, after his death to have funerals, & obites said for him, and to be rong for at his funeral, month mind, and yearemind. &c. Add moreover to these the outward sacrifi •• of the Mass, with opus operatum sine bono motu vtentis. &c.

All which things above recited, as they contain the whole summary & effect of all the popes catholic religion: so are they all corporal exercises, consisting in the externe operation of man. Which if they can make a perfect right catholic Christian, then it may be said, that men may be made perfect Christians by flesh and blood, without any inward working of faith, or of the holy ghost. For what is in all these, but the flesh & blood, of his strength is able to accomplish, though no inward strength or motion of the holy Ghost did work.

But now the order of our religion, & way of salvation consisteth not in such corporal or outward things as these, but in other more higher & more spiritual gifts, which far exceed the capacity of flesh & blood: of the which gifts the chiefest & only mean cause that saveth man, & remitteth sins, is his faith in Christ. Which faith I thus define, for a man to believe by the bloodshedding of Jesus y ^e son of god, his sins to be forgiven, God's wrath to be pacified, & himself to be justified perfectly from all accusations that can be laid unto him. &c. And though the Papists make a light matter of this, to believe in Christ, and when they hear us say, that faith only justifieth, they object to us again and make it a small matter to be saved, if faith only justify us. Yet notwithstanding, this faith, if it be well examined, is such a thing that flesh and blood is not able to attain thereto, unless God's holy spirit frō above do draw him.

Moreover besides this faith, many other things are incident also to the doctrine of our salvation. Albeit as no causes thereof, but either as Sacraments and seals of faith, or as declarations thereof, or else as fruits, & effects following the same. So Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord be as testimonies and profess: that by our faith only in Christ we are justified, that as our bodies are washed by water, and our life nourished by bread and wine: so by the blood of Christ, our sins be purged, and the hunger of our souls releued by the death of his body.

Upon the same faith riseth also outward profession by mouth, as a declaration thereof. Other things also as fruits and effects do follow after faith, as peace of conscience, joy in the holy Ghost, invocation, patience, charity, mercy, judgment, & sanctification. For God for our faith in Christ his son, therefore giveth into our hearts his holy spirit of comfort, of peace, and sanctification, whereby man's heart is moved to a godly disposition to fear God, to seek him, to call upon him, to trust unto him, to stick to him in all adversities and persecutions, to love him: & for his sake also to love our brethren, to have mercy and compassion upon them, to visit them if they be in prison, to break bread to them, if they be hungry: and if they be burdened, to ease them: to clothe them if they be naked, and to harbor them if they be houseles. Mat. 25. with such other spiritual exercises of piety and sanctification as these. which therefore I call spiritual, because they proceed of the holy spirit and law of God which is spiritual.

And thus have ye a Catholic Christian defined, first after the rules of Rome, and also after the rule of the Gospel. Now confer these Antitheses together, and see whether of these is the truer Christian, the ceremonial man after the Church of Rome, or the spiritual man with his faith and other spiritual fruits of piety following after y ^e same. And if ye say that ye mixed them both together, spiritual things with your corporal ceremonies, to that I answer again, that as touching the end of remission of sins, and salvation, they ought in no case to be joined together, because the mean cause of all our salvation and remission, is only spiritual, and consisteth in faith, and in no other.

And therefore upon the same cause I come to my question again, as I began, to ask whether the Religion of Christ be a mere spiritual religion: and whether in the Religion of Rome: as it is now, is anything but only mere corporal things required, to make a catholic man. And thus I leave you to your answer.

IN turning over the first leaf of this book, which is pag. 2. col. 1. and in the latter end of the same colume, thou shalt find gentle Reader, the argument of Pighius & Hosius, wherein thus they argue: That forsomuch as Christ must needs have a catholic Church ever continuing here in earth, which all men may see & whereunto all men ought to resort: and seeing no other church hath endured continually from the Apostles, visible here in earth, but only y ^e church of Rome: they conclude therefore the Church only of Rome to be the right Catholic Church of Christ. &c.

In answering whereunto this is to be said: that forsomuch as the medius terminus of this argument, both in the Major and Minor, consisteth only in the word (visible and unknown) if they mean by this word (visible) in the Major that Christ's Church must be seen here to all the world, that all men may resort to it, it is false: Likewise if they mean by the same word (visible in the Minor : that no other Church hath been seen and known to any, but only the Church of Rome, they are likewise deceived. For the true Church of Christ neither is so visible, that all the world can see it, but only they which have spiritual eyes: and be members thereof: nor yet so invisible again, but such as be God's elect, and members thereof, do see it and have seen it, though the worldly eyes of the most multitude cannot so do. &c. Wherof read more in the protestation above prefixed to the church of England.

*The first Question.

FIrst, forsomuch as Mount Zion (which God calleth by the Prophet Iesai, the hill of his holiness) beareth in the scripture an undoubted type of the spiritual church of Christ: & for so much as the said Iesai. ca. 11. & 65. prophesying of the said Mount Zion, saith in these words: Non nocebunt ne{que} affligent in omni monte sancto meo, dicit Dominus. &c. 1. They shall not kill nor hurt, in all my holy hill, saith the Lord. &c. And again in the same chap. thus we read: Habitabit Lupus cum agno, & Pardus cū haedo accubabit: Vitulus, & Leo & ouis vna commorabuntur, & puellus paruulus ducet eos. &c. i. The wolf shall dwell with the Lamb, & the Leopard with the Kid: the Calf, the Lion & the sheep shall feed together, & a young child shall rule thē. The Cow also & the Bear shall abide together w ^t their young ones, & the Lion shall eat chaff & fodder like y ^e Ox. &c.

Upon these premises now followeth my question, how the church of Rome can be answerable to this hill of Siō: seeing in the said church of Rome is, and hath been now so many years such killing and slaying, such cruelty and tyranny shown, such burning & spoiling of christen blood, such malice & mischief wrought, as in reading these histories may to all the world appear.

To this if they answer, & expound these words of the Prophet, as pertaining to the church triumphant thereunto I reply again: that by the words in the same place & in the same sentence expressed that sense cannot stand, for as much as the Prophet in the very same place, where he prophesieth of this peaceable dwelling in God's holy mountain without hurting or killing, meaneth plainly of the earth, & showeth also the cause of that godly peace. Because (saith he) the earth is replenished with knowledge & science of the Lord. &c. ibid. And furthermore the Prophet speaking of the same day when this shall be, addeth saying: In that day the root of Jesse shall stand for a sign to the people, for the Gentiles to be converted, and to seek unto him▪ &c. Which day in no wise can be applied to the church in heaven triumphant, but only here militant in earth.

Touching which place of Iesai, further here is to be noted by the way, that by this peaceable Moūt Zion (which comprehendeth both the states, as well ecclesiastical as temporal) is not restrained the public penalty of good laws needful to be executed upon public malefactors, but here is restrained the fierceness, revenge, cruelty, & violence of men's affections. To which affections men being commonly subject by nature, through grace & working of the gospel are altered, reformed, & changed to another disposition: frō stoutness to softness: frō violence to sufferance: from fierceness to forbearing: frō pride to humility, frō cruelty to compassion, from wilynes to simplicity, frō solemn singularity to humanity and meekness. Which virtues, if they had been in the church of Rome (according to the rule of S. Paul, which willeth men that be stronger, to bear with the infirmities of the weaker, and that in the spirit of meekness. &c. Rom. 15. Gal. 6.) I should not have needed now at this time to write such a long history as this of the suffering of so many Martyrs.

The second Question.

MY second question is this: to demand of you catholic professors of the popes sect, which so deadly malign and persecute the protestants professing the gospel of Christ, what just or reasonable cause have you to allege for this your extreme hatred ye bear unto the, y ^• neither you yourselves can abide to live w ^t them, nor yet will suffer y ^e other to live amongst you? If they were Jews, Turks or Infidels, or in their doctrine were any Idolatrous impitie or detestable iniquity in their lives: if they went about any deadly destruction, or privy conspiracies to oppress your lives, or by fraudulent dealing to circūuent you, then had you some cause to cōplain, and also to revenge. Now seeing in their doctrine ye have neither blasphemy, idolatry, superstition nor misbelief to object unto them: seeing they are baptized in the same belief, and believe the same articles of the Crede, as ye do: having the same God, y ^e same Christ & savior, the same baptism, & and are ready • s con • err with you in all kind of Christian doctrine, neither do refuse to be tried by any place of the scripture, how then riseth this mortal malice of you against them? If you think them to be her • tickes, then bring forth if ye can, any one sentence which they arrogantly hold, contrary to the mind of holy scripture: expounded by the censure of most ancient Doctors? Or what is there in all y ^• scripture to be required, but they acknowledge & confess the same? See & try the order of their lives & doings, what great fault find you. They serve God, they walk under his fear, they obey his law, as men may do: and though they be transgressors toward him, as other men are, yet toward you what have they done, what have they committed or deserved why you should be so bitter against them?

What offended the poor habitants of Merindal & Cabriers when the bishop of Aix, the Cardinal of Turon, and other Bishops of France wrasting from Francis the French king a commission, sent Men • rius w ^t his Captayne John de Gay to destroy their country, an. 1530. who driving y ^e poor people there into a barn full of straw, set y ^e barn on fire, & burned up men, women, and children: And likewise in a church, exercised the like cruelty upon them, where were murdered the same time to the number of a thousand young and old, women, children, and young infants, besides vii. whole towns, with the most part of the dwellers thering, being murdered & burnt in y ^e said country of Provēce.

Also before that, what offended the Citizens of Toulouse and Avigno when Pope Gregory the ix. set Louis the French king to war against them and against Raymundus their Earl, without cause, where also the said king died at the siege.

Or to speak of later years, what hurt or harm did the poor Protestants in the town of Uassy, who peaceably being at a Sermon, were miserably slain and cut▪ men, women, and children, by the Duke of Guyes and his armed soldiers? besides other infinite examples almost not to be numbered of like cruelty, in Calabria, Apulia, Bohemia, France, and now of late in Flaunders, and in other countries moe.

But to let other countries pass, let us turn now to the peaceable government in this realm of England, under this our so mild & gracious Queen now presently reigning. Under whom you see howe gently you are suffered, what mercy is shown unto you: how quietly ye live. What lack you, that you would have, having almost the best rooms and offices in all the realm, not only without any loss of life▪ but also without any fear of death. And though a few of your Arch • lerkes be in custody: yet in that custody so shrewdly are they hurt, that many a good Protestant in the realm would be glad with all their hearts to change rooms and diet with them if they might. And albeit some other for their pleasure have slipped over the seas, if their courage to see countries abroad did so allure them, who could let them, yet this is certain, no dread there was of death that drave them. For what papist have you seen in all this land to lose either life or limb for papistry during all these xii. years hitherto since this Queens reign? And yet all this notwithstanding, having no cause to complain, so many causes to give God thanks ye are not yet content, ye fret and fume, ye grudge and mutter, and are not pleased with peace, nor satisfied with safety but hope for a day, and fain would have a change. And to prevent your desired day, ye have conspired, and rise up in open rebellion against your Prince, whom the Lord hath set up to be your governor.

And as you have since that, now of late disturbed the quiet and peaceable state of Scotland, in murdering most traitorously the gentle and godly Regent of Scotland (who in sparing the Queens life there when he had her in his hands, hath now therefore lost his own) so with like fury, as by your rebellion appeareth, would disturb the golden quiet and tranquility of this Realm of England, if ye might have your willes▪ Which the merciful grace of almighty, for Christ his sons sake our Lord, forfend and utterly disapoynt. Amen.

Wherefore these premises considered, my question is to ask of you & know, what just or reasonable cause ye have of these your unreasonable doings, of this your so mortal and deadly hatred, fury and malice you bear against these your euenchristened, of these your tumults, coniurations, gaping and hoping, rebellions, mutteringes, & murders, wherewith you trouble and disquiet the whole world. Of all which mischiefs, if the true cause were well known, the truth would be found doubtless to be none other but only the private cause of the Bishop of Rome, that he is not received, and the dignity of his Church exalted.

Touching which cause how unreasonable and unjust it is, more shall be said (the Lord willing) in reply, according as I shall see their answer, if it shall so please thē, or any of thē to answer this question. In the mean time this for a brief note shall suffice: that it standeth not with the scripture, but contrary to the scripture that the Bishop of Rome should so revenge his own private cause. If his title & plantatiō be good & of God, why doth he not refer it unto god? And no doubt, but if it be so, God will maintain it, though the whole world said no. If it be otherwise, it will fall & be rooted out, though all the world said yea, yea the greatest argument to prove this plantation of the Popes supremacy not to be of God, is, that the Pope fighting in his own private cause, by outward & worldly force seeketh his own glory▪ Christ our savior being here refused himself, yet neither revenged his cause, nor sought his own glory, but only the glory & will of his father, thus speaking of himself: Si ego glorifico meipsū, gloria mea nihil est, pater meus est, qui glorificat me▪ &c. John. 8. i. If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing, my father is he that glorifyeth me. &c. Even so I say with scripture, that if the Popes proc • edings were planted of God, he would not so wrestle for his glory, as • e doth. But forsomuch as he seeketh by such cruelty and bloodshed to exalt himself, we may well argue his proceedings not to be of God, and that he shall be brought low. &c. Luke. 18.

The third Question.

MY third question I take of the 13. chap. of the book of Revelation. Which book as it containeth a Prophetical history of the Church: so likewise it requireth by histories to be opened. In this chapter mention is made first of a certain beast coming out of the Sea, having vii. heads & x. horns, with x. diademes of blasphemy. Unto y ^e which beast the dragon, the devil, gave his strength, and great power to fight against the Saints▪ & to overcome them, & to make xlij. months: of the which beast, one of his heads was wounded at length to death, &c.

After this immediately in the same chap. mentiō followeth of another beast, rising out of the land, having 2. horns like a lamb, & spake like a dragon, & did all the power of the former beast before his face, and caused all dwellers of the earth to worship the beast: whose head was wounded, and lived. Who also had power to give spirit & life to the said former beast, to make the Image of the beast to speak, & to cause all men frō the highest to the lowest, to take the mark of the beast in their hands and foreheads, & whosoever worshipped not the Image of the beast should be killed. &c.

Upon this description of these two beasts riseth my question, wherein I desire all papists, from the highest to the lowest, either to answer or to consider with thenselves, what the spirit of the prophesy meaneth by the said 2. beasts. Neither is the mistery of this prophesy so obscure, but being historical, by histories it may be explained & easily expounded. Writing therefore to the Papists, as men expert in histories, my question is this: that seeing the prophesy of these 2. beasts must needs prefigure some people or dominiō in the world, of some high estate & power: they will now declare unto us, what people or domination this should be. Which if they will do plainly and truly, according to the marks & properties of the said ii. beasts here set forth, they must needs be driven of force inevitable to grant and confess, the same only to agree to the City & Empire of Rome, & to no other: Which by these reasons following of necessity must needs be concluded.

First, the beast wich came out of the sea, having the strength, the seat, and power of the great Dragon (the Devil, called the Prince of this world, committed to him, who also had power givē over all tribes, nations, languages, people and countries in the earth) must needs be an Empire or Monarchy of great force, passing all other Monarchies in the world besides, and this must needs argue the Empire of Rome and none other.

Secondly, in that the best had vii. heads & x. horns, with x. diademes full of blasphemy vpō thē: those vii. heads being expounded in the said book, cap. 17. for vii. hills, notoriously importeth the City of Rome, wherein were 7. hills contained. The like also may be thought of y ^e x. horns being there expounded for x. kings (signifying belike y ^e x. Prouincies or Kingdoms of the world subdued to the Roman Empire) with x. crowns of blasphemy upon their heads: all which conveniently agree to the City of Rome.

Thirdly, where the said beast had power to make 42. months and to fight against the Saints, and to overcome them, &c. thereby most manifestly is declared the Empire of Rome, with the heathen persecuting Emperors, which had power givē the space of so many months, (that is, from Tiberius to Licinius. 294. years) to persecute Christ's Church as in the Table of the primitive Church hereafter following is discoursed more at large.

Fourthly, where the prophet speaketh of the one of the heads of the beast to be wounded to the death, & the wound afterward to be cured again, by that ye have to understand the decay and subversion of the City of Rome & of Italy, which being one of the heads of the Roman Monarchy, was subdued by the Gottes, Uandals, & Lombards, and the City of Rome, thrice sacked and taken between the reign of Honorius Emperor of Rome, and the time of Justinian Emperor of Constantinople, & so remained this head of Rome wounded a long time under the dominion of y ^e Lombards, till at length this wound was cured again, as the sequel of this prophesy declareth: For so it followeth in the foresaid chap. of the Revelation: And after this I saw (saith he) another beast rising out of the land, having two horns like the lamb, and spake like the Dragon. Who practi • ed all the power of the first beast before his face, and caused all the inhabitants of the earth to worship the first beast whose head was wounded and cured again &c. And to him it was given to give life to the Image of the beast, and to make it speak: and also to make all them that will not worship the image of the beast, to be slain, and caused all from the most to the least, both rich and poor, free men and bondmen, to take the mark of the beast in their right hand and in their foreheads, so that none should buy and sell unless he had the beasts mark about him▪ &c.

The description of this second beast being well viewed: it cannot be avoided, but needs must be applied to y ^e bishop of Rome and to none other: as by the history and order of times is evident to be proved. For who else representeth y ^e horns of the lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world, but only he? who speaketh with y ^e voice of y ^e Dragon so proudly, as he? The voice of the Dragon spake once to Christ: That all the glory of the world was his to give to whom he would, & that he would give it. &c. And doth not this fall • e horned lamb speaking in the same voice of the Dragon, say by the mouth of Pope Gregory 7. that all the kingdoms of the earth were his, and that he had power in earth to loose, and take away Empyres, Kingdoms, Dukedoms, and what else soever mortal men may have, and to give them where he would? &c. Ex platina in Vit. Gregorij. 7.

Furthermore, at what time the declining state of Rome began to decay, and Italy was brought under subjection of y ^e Lombardes, then the Pope stirred up Pipinus and Carol • s Magnus, to take his part against the Lombardes, and to restore again, the old glory of y ^e Monarchy to his former state. And therefore who cured the wounded head of this beast again, but only he? who gave life and speech to the Image of the beast but he? who after that by help of the French kings, had subdued those Lombardes with other aliens, and had gotten the possession of Rome, into his own hands, he so repared & aduaunsed the fame and name of Rome, that since that time all persons from the hyest, to the lowest, both rich & poor have been glad to send & seek to Rome, yea Kings, Emperors, Queens, & Dukes have been glad to kiss the Bishops feet▪ and to lead his horse by the bridle: So that the Majesty of Rome in the old heathē Emperors days was never more terrible, nor glorious, nor never had more power to persecute & overcome gods Saints thē these lambelyke Bishops of Rome have had, and have exercised these 500. years in Christendom. And therefore who else in all the world hath so much power to do the works of the first beast, before his face, as he? or who but he alone? which forceth both high and low, rich and poor, free and bond to receive the seal, and to become loyal to the City and sea of Rome: so that whoseuer hath not the mark whereby to be known to hold of the Church of Rome, shall have no place, to buy and sell nor to occupy in all Christendom.

Now if any Papist whatsoever, in answering to this my questiō can apply this prophetical mistery of these 2. beasts otherwise then thus, I would heartily desire him, to take so much pains to satisfy this doubt at his good pleasure & laysure. In the mean season let this stand for a Corolarium, that the bishop of Rome by this description must be that second beast prophesied to come in the latter time of the Church under a false pretensed lamb, to restore again the old persecutions of Rome, and to disturb the whole Church of Christ, as this day to truly is come to pass.

The fourth Question.

AS touching my fourth question, although I could urge you w ^t another like prophetical place of scripture no less evident against the bishop of Rome, taken out of the second Epistle of S. Paul to the The • la. where mention is made of the son of perdition, sitting in the Temple of God, as god, & aduaūcing himself above all that is called god &c. which place ye can by no reasonable euasiō avoid: yet notwithstanding to let this pass, I turn my questiō to ask this of you, whether the religion of Christ be mere spiritual, or else corporal. If ye affirm it to be corporal as was the old religiō of the Jews consisting in outward rites, sacrifices, ceremonies of the law: thē show if ye can, what any one outward actiō or obseruatiō is required in Christian religiō by the scripture, as necessary in a christen man, for remissiō of sins & salvation, save only the two Sacramental ceremonies of outward Baptism, & of the Lord's Supper? Howbeit neither these also as they are corporal, that is to say neither the outward action of the one, nor of the other cōferreth remissiō of sins, nor salvation, but only are visible shows of invisible & spiritual benefits. And furthermore if our god, whō we serve, be spiritual, how can his religiō & service be corporal as we are taught by the mouth of our savior, saying: God is a spirit and therefore they that worship him, must worship in spirit & verity. &c. John. 4.

Now if ye grant (as ye must needs) this our christen religion to be spiritual, & not a corporal religiō, thē show if ye can, any one point of all these things which ye strive for so much with us, to be spiritual, but altogether corporal, & externe matters & ceremonial observations, nothing cōducing to any spiritual purpose, as your outward successiō of bishops, garments, vestures, gestures, co • lors, choice of meats, difference of days, times & places, hearing, seeing, saying, touching, tasting, numbering of beads, gilding & worshipping Images, building monasteries, rising at midnight, silence in cloisters, abstaining from flesh & white meat, fasting in Lent, keeping Imberdayes hearing mass & divine service, seeing & adoring the body in form of bread, receiving holy water, & holy bread, creeping to the cross, carrying palms, taking ashes, bearing candles, pilgrimage going, sensing, kneeling, knocking, aultars, superaltars, candlesticks, pardons: In orders crossing, anointing, shaving, forswering marriage: In baptism, crossing, salting, spatling, exorcising, washing of hands: At Easter ear • confession, penance doing, satisfaction: And in receiving with beardes new shaven, to imagine a body, where they see nobody: & though he were there present to be seen, yet the outward seeing & touching of him, of it self, without faith, conduceth no more, thē it did to the Jews. At Rogatiō days, to carry banners, to follow the cross, to walk about the fields. After Pentecost, to go about with Corpus Christi play. At halowmas to watch in the church, to say a dirige & commendations, & to ring for all souls to pay tithes truly, to give to the high alter. And if a man will be a Priest, to say Mass & Matins, to serve the Saint of that day, and to lift well over his head. &c. In sickness to be aneled, to take his rites, after his death to have funerals, & obites said for him, and to be rong for at his funeral, month mind, and yearemind. &c. Add moreover to these the outward sacrifi •• of the Mass, with opus operatum sine bono motu vtentis. &c.

All which things above recited, as they contain the whole summary & effect of all the popes catholic religion: so are they all corporal exercises, consisting in the externe operation of man. Which if they can make a perfect right catholic Christian, then it may be said, that men may be made perfect Christians by flesh and blood, without any inward working of faith, or of the holy ghost. For what is in all these, but the flesh & blood, of his strength is able to accomplish, though no inward strength or motion of the holy Ghost did work.

But now the order of our religion, & way of salvation consisteth not in such corporal or outward things as these, but in other more higher & more spiritual gifts, which far exceed the capacity of flesh & blood: of the which gifts the chiefest & only mean cause that saveth man, & remitteth sins, is his faith in Christ. Which faith I thus define, for a man to believe by the bloodshedding of Jesus y ^e son of god, his sins to be forgiven, God's wrath to be pacified, & himself to be justified perfectly from all accusations that can be laid unto him. &c. And though the Papists make a light matter of this, to believe in Christ, and when they hear us say, that faith only justifieth, they object to us again and make it a small matter to be saved, if faith only justify us. Yet notwithstanding, this faith, if it be well examined, is such a thing that flesh and blood is not able to attain thereto, unless God's holy spirit frō above do draw him.

Moreover besides this faith, many other things are incident also to the doctrine of our salvation. Albeit as no causes thereof, but either as Sacraments and seals of faith, or as declarations thereof, or else as fruits, & effects following the same. So Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord be as testimonies and profess: that by our faith only in Christ we are justified, that as our bodies are washed by water, and our life nourished by bread and wine: so by the blood of Christ, our sins be purged, and the hunger of our souls releued by the death of his body.

Upon the same faith riseth also outward profession by mouth, as a declaration thereof. Other things also as fruits and effects do follow after faith, as peace of conscience, joy in the holy Ghost, invocation, patience, charity, mercy, judgment, & sanctification. For God for our faith in Christ his son, therefore giveth into our hearts his holy spirit of comfort, of peace, and sanctification, whereby man's heart is moved to a godly disposition to fear God, to seek him, to call upon him, to trust unto him, to stick to him in all adversities and persecutions, to love him: & for his sake also to love our brethren, to have mercy and compassion upon them, to visit them if they be in prison, to break bread to them, if they be hungry: and if they be burdened, to ease them: to clothe them if they be naked, and to harbor them if they be houseles. Mat. 25. with such other spiritual exercises of piety and sanctification as these. which therefore I call spiritual, because they proceed of the holy spirit and law of God which is spiritual.

And thus have ye a Catholic Christian defined, first after the rules of Rome, and also after the rule of the Gospel. Now confer these Antitheses together, and see whether of these is the truer Christian, the ceremonial man after the Church of Rome, or the spiritual man with his faith and other spiritual fruits of piety following after y ^e same. And if ye say that ye mixed them both together, spiritual things with your corporal ceremonies, to that I answer again, that as touching the end of remission of sins, and salvation, they ought in no case to be joined together, because the mean cause of all our salvation and remission, is only spiritual, and consisteth in faith, and in no other.

And therefore upon the same cause I come to my question again, as I began, to ask whether the Religion of Christ be a mere spiritual religion: and whether in the Religion of Rome: as it is now, is anything but only mere corporal things required, to make a catholic man. And thus I leave you to your answer.