The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women, Preface
THE FIRST BLAST OF THE TRUMPET AGAINST THE MONSTRVOVS regiment of women.
Veritas temporis filia.
M. D. LVIII.
THE KINGDOME APPERTEINETH TO OVR God.
VVonder it is, that amongest so many pregnant wittes as the Ile of greate Britanny hath ꝓduced, so many godlie and zelous preachers as England did somtime norishe, and amongest so many learned and men of graue iudgement, as this day by Iesabel are exiled, none is found so stowte of courage, so faithfull to God, nor louing to their natiue countrie, that they dare admonishe the inhabitantes of that Ile how abominable before God, is the Empire or Rule of a wicked woman, yea of a traiteresse and bastard. And what may a people or nation left destitute of a lawfull head, do by the authoritie of Goddes worde in electing and appointing common rulers and magistrates. That Ile (alas) for the contempt and horrible abuse of Goddes mercies offred, and for the shamefull reuolting to Satan frome Christ Iesus, and frome his Gospell ones professed, doth iustlie merite to be left in the handes of their own counsel, and so to come to cō fusion and bondage of strangiers. But yet I feare that this vniuersall negligēce of such as somtimes were estemed watchemen,Negligence of watchemen. shall rather aggrauate our former ingratitude, then excuse this our vniuersall and vngodlie silence, in so weightie a mater. We se our countrie set furthe for a pray to foreine nations, we heare the blood of our brethren, the mēbres of Christ Iesus most cruellie to be shed, and the monstruous empire of a cruell woman (the secrete counsel of God excepted) we knowe to be the onlie occasion of all these miseries: and yet with silence we passe the time as thogh the mater did nothinge appertein to vsus. But the cōtrarie examples of the auncient prophetes moue meThe diligēce of the olde prophetes of God. to doubte of this our fact. For Israel did vniuersalie decline frome God by embrasing idolatrie vnderunder Ieroboam. In whiche they did continue1.Reg.12 euen vntounto the destruction of their common welthe. And Iuda withe Ierusalem did followe the vile superstition and open iniquitie of Samaria. ButEzech.16. yet ceased not the prophetes of God to admonishe the one and the other: Yea euen after that God had poured furthe his plagues vponupon them. For Ieremie Ierem. 29did write to the captiues in Babylon, and did correct their errors, plainlie instructing them, who did remaine in the middest of that idolatrouse nation. EzechielEzech. 7,8,9. frome the middest of his brethren prisoners in Chaldea, did write his vision to those that were in Ierusalem, and sharplie rebukinge their vices, assured them that they shuld not escape the vengeance of GodGod alway had his people amongest the wicked, who neuer lacked their prophetes and teachers. by reason of their abominations committed.
The same prophetes for comfort of the afflicted and chosen saintes of God, who did lie hyd amongest the reprobate of that age (as cōmonlie doth the corne amongest the chasse) did prophecie and before speake the changes Isaie 13. Ierem. 46 Ezech. 36of kingdomes, the punishmentes of tyrannes, and the vengeance whiche God wold execute vponupon the oppressors of his people. The same did Daniel and the rest of the prophetes euerie one in their season. By whose examples and by the plaine precept, which is geuen to Ezechiel, commanding him that he Examples what teachers oght to do in this time.shall say to the wicked: Thou shalt die the death. We in this our miserable age are bounde to admonishe the world ād the tyrānes therof, of their sodeine destruction, to assure them, and to crie vntounto them, whether they list to heare or Ezech.2. Apoca. 6.not. That the blood of the saintes, which by them is shed, cōtinuallie crieth and craueth vengeance in the presence of the Lorde of hostes. And further it is our dutie to open the truthe reueled vntounto vsus, vntounto the ignorant and blind world, vnlest that to our owne cō demnation we list to wrap vp and hyde the talent committed to our charge. I am assured that God hath reueled to some in this our age, that it is more then a mōstre in nature, that a woman shall reigne ād hauehave empire aboue man. And yet with vsus all, there is suche silence, as if God there with were nothing offended. The naturall man, ennemy to God shall fynd, I knowe, many causes why no suche doctrine oght to be published in these our dangerous dayes.Thre chef reasons, that do stay man from speaking the truthe. First, for that it may seme to tend to sedition: secondarilie, it shal be dangerous not onlie to the writer or publisher, but also to all such as shall reade the writinges, or fauor this truth spoken: and last it shall not amend the chief offenders, partlie because it shall neuer come to their eares, and partlie because they will not be admonished in such cases. I answer, yf any of these be a sufficient reason that a truth knowen shalbe cōceled, then were the auncient prophetes of God very fooles, who did not better prouide for their owne quietnes, then to hasard their liues for rebuking of vices, and for the opening of such crimes, as were not knowen to the world. And Christ Iesus did iniurie to his Apostles, commāding them to preache repentance and remission of synnes in his name to euerie realme and nation. And Paule did not vnderstand his owne libertie, when he cried, wo be to 1.Cor.9.me, if I preache not the Euangile. Yf feare, I say, of persecution, of sclander, or of any inconuenience before named might hauehave excused, ād discharged the seruantes of God, from plainlie rebuking Mat.26. Act.18, 21.the sinnes of the world, iuste cause had euerie one of them to hauehave ceased frome their office. For sodeinlie their doctrine was accused by termes of sedition, of newe learning, and of treason: persecution and vehement trouble did shortlie come vponupon the professours with the preachers: kinges, princes and worldlie rulers did conspire against Psalm.2. Act.4.God and against his anoynted Christ Iesus. But what? Did any of these moue the prophetes and Apostles to faynt in their vocation? no. But by the resistance, whiche the deuill made to them by his suppostes, were they the more inflamed to publishe the truthe reueled vntounto them and to witnesse with their blood, that greuous condemnation and Goddes heuie vengeance shuld folowe the proude contempt of graces offred. The fidelitie, bold courage, and cōstancie of those that are passed before vsus, oght to ꝓuoke vsus to folowe their footsteppes, onles we loke for an other kingdome then Christ hath ꝓmised to such as perseuere in ꝓfession of his name to the end. Yf any think that the empire of women, is not of such importance, that for the suppressing of the same, any mā is bounde to hasarde his life, I answer, that to suppresse it, is in the hād of god alone. But to vtter the impietie and abomination of the same, I say, it is the dutie of euerieIt is necessarie for euerie mā to opē the impietie, whiche he knoweth to hurt his cōmonwelth. true messager of God, to whome the truth is reueled in that behalfe. For the especiall dutie of Goddes messagers is to preache repentāce, to admonishe the offenders of their offenses, and to say to the wicked, thou shalt die the death, except thou repent. This, I trust, will no man denie to be the propre office of all Goddes messagers to preache (as I hauehave said) repentance and remission of synnes. But nether of both can be done, except the cō science of the offenders be accused and conuicted of transgression. For howe shall any man repētNo man can repēt except he knowe his synne. not knowing wherin he hath offended? And where no repentance is founde, there can be no entrie to grace. And therfore I say, that of necessitie it is, that this monstriferouse empire of women, (which amongest all enormities, that this day do abound vponupon the face of the hole earth, is most detestable and damnable) be openlie reueled and plainlie declared to the world, to the end that some may repent and be saued. And thus farre to the first sorte.
To such as thinke that it will be long before such doctrine come to the eares of the chief offenders, I answer that the veritie of God is of that nature, that at The propertie of Goddes truth.one time or at other, it will pourchace to it selfe audience. It is an odour and smell, that can not be suppressed, yea it is a trumpet that will sound in despite of the aduersarie. It will compell the verie ennemies to their own cōfusion, to testifie and beare witnesse of it. For I finde that the prophecie and preaching of Heliseus was declared in the hall of the king of Syria by the seruantes and flatterers of the same wicked king, making mētion that Heliseus declared2.Reg.6. to the king of Israel, what so euer the said king of Syria spake in his most secret chamber. And the wonderous workes of Iesus Christ were notified to Herode, not in any greate praiseMat.14. or commendation of his doctrine, but rather to signifie that Christ called that tyranne a fox, and that he did no more regarde his authoritie then did Iohn the Baptist, whom Herode before had beheaded for the libertie of his tonge. But whether the bearers of the rumors and tidinges were fauourers of Christ or flatterers of the tyranne, certein it is that the fame, as well of Christes doctrine, as of his workes came to the eares of Herod: euen so may the sounde of our weake trumpet, by the support of some wynd (blowe it from the south or blowe it from the northe it is no mater) come to the eares of the chief offenders. But whether it do or not, yet dare we not cease to blowe as God will giuegive Rom.1.strength. For we are debters to mothen to princes, to witte, to the multitude of our brethren, of whome, no doubte a greate nomber hauehave here to fore offended by errour and ignorance, The ignorant multitude hath set vp the authoritie of womē not knowinge the dāgergeuing their suffragies, consent and helpe to establishe women in their kingdomes and empires, not vnderstanding howe abominable, odious, and detestable is all such vsurped authoritie in the presence of God. And therfore must the truthe, be plainlie spoken, that the simple and rude multitude may be admonished.
And as concerning the danger, which may hereof insue, I am not altogither so brutishe and insensible, but that I hauehave laid mine accōpt what the finishinge of the worke may coste me for mine own parte. First, I am not ignorāt howe difficile and dangerousA very dāgerous thing to speake against olde errors it is to speake against a cōmon error, especiallie when that the ambitious mindes of men and women are called to the obedience of goddes simple cōmandemēt. For to the most parte of men, laufull and godlie appeareth, what soeuer antiquitie hath receiued. And secondarilie, I looke to hauehave mine aduersaries not onlie of the ignorant multitude, but also of the wise, politike, and quiet spirites of this worlde, so that as well shall suche as oght to mainteine the truth and veritie of God become ennemies to me in this case, as shall the princes and ambitious persons, who to mainteine their vniust tyrannie do alwayes studie to suppresse the same. And thus I am moste certeinlie persuaded, that my labour shall not escape reprehension of many. But because I remembreAccōptes will be had of Goddes giftes. that accomptes of the talentes receiued must be made to him, who nether respecteth the multitude, nether yet approueth the wisdome, policie, peace, nor antiquitie, concluding or determining any thinge against his eternall will reueled to vsus in his moste blessed worde, I am compelled to couer myne eyes, and shut vp myne eares, that I nether se the multitude, that shall withstand me in this mater, nether that I shall heare the opprobries, nor consider the dangers, which I may incurre for vttering the same. I shalbe called foolishe, curious, despitefull, ād a sower of sedition: and one day parchance (althogh now I be nameles) I may be The cause mouing the author to write.attainted of treason. But seing that impossible it is, but that ether I shall offend God, dailie calling to my conscience, that I oght to manifest the veritie knowen, or elles that I shall displease the worlde for doing the same, I hauehave determined to obey God, not withstanding that the world shall rage therat. I knowe that the world offēded (by Goddes permission) may kill the bodie, but Goddes maiestie offended, hath power to punishe bodie and soule for euer. His maiestie is offended, when that his preceptes are cōtemned, and his threatninges estemed to be of none effect. And amongest his manifold preceptes geuen to his prophetes, and amongest his threatninges, none is more vehement, then is that, which is pronouncedEzech.33. to Ezechiel in these wordes: Sōne of man, I hauehave appointed the a watchman to the house of Israel, that thou shuldest heare from my mouthe the worde, and that thou maist admonishe them plainlie, when I shall say to the wicked man: O wicked, thou shalt assuredlie die. Then if thou shalt not speake, that thou maist plainlie admonishe him, that he may leaue his wicked way, the wicked man shall die in his iniquitie, but his blood will I requier of thy hand. But and if thou shalt plainlie admonishe the wicked man, and yet he shall not turne from his way, such a one shall die in his iniquitie, but thou hast deliuered thy soule.
This precept, I say, with the threatning ānexed, togither with the rest, that is spoken in the same chapter, not to Ezechiel onlie, but to euerie one, whom God placeth whatchman ouer his people and flocke, (and watchmen are they whose eyes he doth open, and whose cō science he pricketh to admonishe the vngodlie) compelleth me to vtter my conscience in this mater, not withstanding that the hole worlde shuld be offended with me for so doing. Yf any wonder, why I do concele my name, let him be assured, that the feare of corporall punishement is nether the onlie, nether For the Authors name.the chef cause. My purpose is thrise to blowe the trumpet in the same mater, if God so permitte:t wife I intende to do it without name, but at the last blast, to take the blame vponupon my selfe, that all others may be purged.