The Plea of the Innocent, Chapter 9
Cap. 9.
Wherein is plainly ſhewed 1. That it is moſt profitable to the preſent ſtate and gouernement, and greatlye for her Maieſties ſafetie, to heare the petitions of the godly Miniſters, and to tolerate them in their miniſtrie. 2. That to harken vntounto Papiſtes and to tolerate them, is moſt exceeding dangerous and pernitious.
A Miniſter being ſuſpended for omitting a ceremonie, made ſute to a learned Arch-deacon, to ſpeake for him to the Biſhop of the dioceſſe, that he might be releaſed and tolerated: alleadging for himſelfe that their godly wiſdome, (hee hoped) would conſider, that the thing in their opinion being but a trifle (although to him it were a grieuous burden) they would not for it ſilence or diſplace a Miniſter of the Ghoſpell; which might doe greater good in the Church, then the obſeruing of a trifling ceremonie: but if I be (ſaid he) a diſhoneſt man, and liue not as becommeth a Miniſter of Chriſt, if I preach not ſounde doctrine, if I doe not boeth in worde and example, teach the people obedience to God and her Maieſtie, & maintaine all peace and quietnes in the place where I hauehave: then I craue no fauour. It was anſwered by the ſame learned Archdeacon, you may be bonus vir, but not bonus ciuis, that is, a good man, but not a good cietizen. It was replied againe by ye Miniſter, that if he could not proue he were a good Cietizen, thē he was not to open his mouth in his owne cauſe, therefore he ſaid he would refer the matter to that iſſue. And thus hee pleaded for himſelf. Some lawes & ſtatutes of the cittie, are ſuch as concerne the ſtate,All ſtatutes not a like neceſſarie. ſafetie & benefite of the common wealth, and preſerue the peace & welfare thereof: who ſo euer breaketh ſuch lawes and will not bee reformed, may be ſaid to be an euill Cittizen; becauſe of the hurt which commeth to the cietie by his deede. But there are ſome things which are enacted in a cittie for the profitte or pleaſure of ſome priuate men, and ſome thinges which are but dependances, as for ornament or outward ſhew: which being taken away or broken, the common wealth receaueth no damage: as if we ſhoulde make an acte touching cappes, or for preſeruing of pheſants or partriges. If a man doe obſerue the former order of lawes, which concerne the ſafetie and good of the common wealth, & breake the latter, ſhall he by & by, be an euill cietizen? then verilie there bee fewe Archdeacons or Biſhoppes, which can be reputed good cietizens; who admitt vnpreaching Miniſters into orders and cures; when as their ordination is that they ſhould preach. If euerie one, that breaketh a penall ſtatute; ſhould by & by, be a rebell, and an euil ſubiect, then I pray you, whome would not the ſtatute for fiſh and the ſtatutes for apparell, conuince to be wicked ſubiects and rebells to her Maieſtie. And diuers other ſtatutes there be, as the act for artillerie & matters of great importance, that might touch men of good place, if they were preſſed vponupon as we Miniſters be: yet they are not at all reputed for euill ſubiectes. What ſhould be the reaſon then, that ſeeing we breake not the law in any poynt domegable, eyther to the Church or cōmon wealth, we ſhuld be ſo heynouſlie proſecuted and impeached,we breake the lawe in no point hurtfull to Church or common wealth. as rebelles and troublers of the ſtate, more then other men? What good can the ſurplice, the croſſe in baptiſme, the reading of erroneous bookes, the giuing of ſymbolicall ſignification to Matrimonie or confirmation, or anye ſuch like, doe to the Church or common vvealth? or vvhat harme if they were taken away? ſurelie none at all; But cleane contrarye. For the nearer we approach in our actions, to the rule of holy Scripture, the more vve pleaſe God: & the further vve depart from euill or the appearance of euill, the more bleſſed is our eſtate vnderunder the promiſed, & aſſured fauour & grace of almightie God. Therefore for as much as we breake the law, onelyonly in that which can doe no good, but hurt to the Church or common wealth, if we doe them: which if they were altogether takē away, would be more acceptable to God, and ſo more likelie of a further encreaſe of Gods mercies (for being contrariant to Gods word, they muſt needs offend God, & hinder manie good things from vsus) we can not be rightlye deemed euill citizens for not doeing of them. And ſeeing it is apparant that theſe things are an offence (& that iuſtlie) to manye of her Ma. good,To diſcourage wiſe & faithfull ſubiectes, dangerous, & therefore good to take away the offence. wiſe and faithfull ſubiects; and that it is verie hurtfull, to diſcontent & diſcourage the good and godly citizens: and that in long experience theſe thinges hauehave beene a great block of ſtumbling & matter of offence, how much would it bee beneficiall to the whole ſtate, if they wer remoued, and Gods faithfull ſeruants, ſet at libertie from them? For we hauehave had ſufficient proofe from the firſt ſhining & appearing of the Ghoſpel in King Edwards dayes in this land; Queene Maries dayes in Franckford: & now in her M. raigne theſe 43. yeares, that the offence of theſe things by tract of time can not be blotted out: & that thereby manie a worthie preacher, hath beene impriſoned, ſilenſed & depriued, to the greate diſhonour of almightie God, (whoſe ſeruants they were) and to the great damage of the Church and common wealth; which in this greate ſcarſitie of good and learned Miniſters, did much want their ſeruice: & therefore it muſt needs follow, that it would hauehave bene great benefite both to the Church & common wealth if their petitions had bene hard and a remedie prouided, that ſuch neceſſarie ſeruice had not bene withholden & kept back by theſe vnneceſſarie ceremonies.
Manie benefites by the godly Miniſters.Moreouer, beſide that, it can not but offende God, to ſee his holie ſeruantes ſo lightlie regarded, and that euerie beggerlie trifle of mans deuiſe, ſhould bee preferred before his holye commaundements. Experience ſheweth, that neither learning nor religion is of ſuch eſtimatiō, as otherwiſe doubtleſſe it would hauehave bene, if theſe occaſions of euill had not bene maintained. Alſo it is well knowne, that where ſuch Miniſters hauehave or doe dwell, how many thouſands of people, hauehave bene inſtructed and made verie faithfull ſubiectes in their heartes and conſcience: what might this hauehave wrought, if by the troubles about ceremonies, ſuch fruitfull teachers had not bene remooued, diſcouraged & diſgraced. Doubtleſſe, doubtleſſe; there could not poſsiblie hauehave bene ſo great encreaſe of Papiſtes nor anie ſhew of that brauerie, which now they are growne vntounto: if the happie courſe of diligent preaching and teaching, had not beene greatlie ſtopped by troubling of theſe men. For this I can avow, that no Papiſt, Atheiſt, or wicked man, hath any ioy, to liue where there is a good teacher: but that eather they are brought home by repentance, & become notable Chriſtians, or els they ſhifte from ſuch places as men with ſoare eies doe fly the light of the bright ſhining ſunne. For if in euerie pariſh there were a faithful preacher, teaching both publikelie the true iuſtifying faith of Chriſt, & repentance towards God: and alſo did euer and anon make plaine demonſtration of the Queenes Maieſties lawfull authoritie, and of the Popes moſt wicked and abhominable vſurpatiō, without all queſtiō, the chiefeſt enemies to our peace, and to her Maieſties ſafetie, would bee ſo diminiſhed, diſperſed & put downe, that wee coulde not heare of ſo many practiſes and wicked treacheries as we doe: and in euerie corner the people woulde cry out vponupon them,Miniſters hated for doing good. bewray them, and ſcorne them. And this is the cauſe that the Papiſtes & Popiſh abetoures, doe make ſo many grieuous accuſations againſt vsus, and procure ſo many troublers; & all vnderunder colour of fauouring the Queenes proceedinges (whith they hate) that ſo the faith of Chriſt being but little hard of, and her Maieſties ſupremacie but little ſpoken of: both the glorie of Chriſt, and our Queenes honour might bee forgotten: and the deuill and Antichriſt, ſteale into the hartes of her M. poore ſeduced people. I woulde it were conſidered, how little her Maieſties authoritie and the iuſtification of Chriſt, by a greate many hath bene taught theſe 17. or 18. yeares. Therefore by iuſt & plaine experience I may boldlie ſay, that great benefit to the common wealth, & manie good things for her Maieſties ſafetie, would come to pas by fauour ſhewed vntounto theſe godly teachers, & faithfull Miniſtere of Ieſus Chriſt. But becauſe perauenture ſome will ſay, that heerein I proudlie praiſe our ſelues & like Phariſes deſpiſe others; I doe heere humblie deſire that all men would but indifferently way; What hath ben our doeings, and the labours of our miniſtrie and the fruite of the ſame: and (eſteeming vsus as baſelie as they can) doe only ſet before their eyes Gods glorie, the good of this Realme, and her Ma. happines:Diligent preaching, cauſe of verie great good. let them but conſider, that where there is diligent preaching, how wiſe, how honeſt, how iuſt the people be; how dutifull to her Maieſtie, & readie to all ſeruices, & how louing among them ſelues: then ſhall hee eaſilie conclude, that if theſe ceremonies & ſubſcription were aboliſhed, or the Miniſters not tyed to them nor troubled for them: what encreaſe there woule be of all faithfull labourers; how all godlines and vertue would floriſh among vsus: & laſtly, how happie, how quiet, how free from all danger, the eſtate would bee.
2. Leauing this therefore to the conſcience of all honeſt men & good ſubiectes, who louelove God & our moſt gracious Queene: I will now enter to ſpeak a little of the great miſchiefes and manifold euills, which come by toleration or fauour ſhewed to the Papiſts. Theſe euills come vnderunder two heades, either ſuch as God afflicteth for bearing with or fauouring ſuch perſones:God will puniſh fauourers of Papiſtes. or ſuch as they them ſelues doe bringe alwayes with them. In the firſt kinde we are to conſider, whether the religion of Poperie, bee within the compaſſe of thoſe things which God hateth. I finde in Iſraell two kinds of idolatrie: one in Ahabs time, the worſhppping of Baall. 1. King. 18.23.Which beateth againſt the firſt commaundement, which ſaieth: thou ſhalt hauehave no other Gods but mee. Another brought in by Hieroboam the Sonne of Nebat, 1. King. 123wherefore he is ſaid to make Iſraell to ſinne, this was the making of images to worſhipe God by, as the two calues in Dan and Bethell, 28and this beateth againſt the ſecond commaundement, which ſaieth: thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelf any grauen images. Of the former kinde I woulde willinglie free the Papiſtes if they would not honour the Pope as God; to binde where God openeth, & to open where God ſhuteth,The Papiſta moſt groſſe idolaters. giuing power to forgiue ſins & to giuegive diſpenſation contrarie to Gods worde, dwelling in their hartes as if hee were God: if they did not worſhippe the Sacrament as verie God; and make the image of the Trinitie, turning the glorie of the incorruptible God into the image of a corruptible man: & if they did not aſcribe to the Virgin Marie, to Peter & Paule that which is proper to God alone. But the latter kind is without out all expectation one and the ſame with the Papiſtes, for they hauehave images to worſhip God by; euen as Hieroboams calues,Exoe 32. and as the children of Iſraell in the Wildernes. Now if it be the voyce of God which ſaieth: Confounded bee all they that ſerue grauen images, Pſal. 97.7.and that glorie in idoles: and againe: I am the Lord this is my name, my glorie will I not giuegive to another, neither my praiſe to grauen images. Eſai. 42.8.And if hee hauehave commaunded to put to death, euerie man that intiſeth to idolatrie, and to ſpare neither brother,Deut. 13. Son, daughter, wife, nor the deareſt friende: and if any cietie be founde guiltie of this crime to put all the inhabitantes to the ſweard, with their cattell, & vtterly to raſe the ſame, and to make it in an heape for euer. If God ſet ſuch a marke vponupon Hieroboam, that hee did not only vtterly roote out his ſeed; but alſo made his name a reproach to all generations, as the author of Iſraels ſinn. If the children of Iſraell, after they fell into this greate ſinne of worſhipping images, did neuer proſper, or be without ciuill or forren warrs, till they were vtterly made deſolate: and if all the greateſt plagues that euer Iudah had, came principallie by this ſinne: then may wiſe men quicklie iudge, howe good it will be for England to tolerate Papiſts & Poperie: which hath not only this moſt grieuous treſpaſſe, but alſo innumerable more of moſte horrible blaſphemies (moſt intolerable) both againſt God and againſt his Chriſt, and alſo derogatorie to his holy ſpirit and teſtament. And this is ſo well knowne, to all the Queenes Chriſtian ſubiectes, and eſpeciallie to the learned ſorte and holy Miniſters of the Ghoſpell, that I neede not to diſpute further of it. But if we looke vponupon that which they bring with them: what is it?Papiſts bring moſt horrible euills. Euen the direct contradictorie learning vntounto truth; ouerthrowing all the religion, faith and order of Gods worſhip; & doth abandon her Maieſties royalty & ſupreame dignitie: and ſuch as will quickly bring low the verie ſtate of the cōmon welth and ciuill power, & (as Maiſter Trauers hath verie faithfullie and plainly declared) all their religion,Anſw. to the ſupplication to the Lords of the counſ. in their ſeuerall branches, is euerie way an enemie, and a meanes to turne vp ſide downe, the whole ſtate of the Queenes Maieſties moſt happie gouernement.
Moreouer it will bring great occaſion of ciuill warre and bloodſhed (a thing which her M. alwaies abhorred) which being once kindled & inflamed: it will trouble the wiſeſt men in this Realme to quench ſuddainlie or haſtelie. For it is well knowne, that there is an inueterate hatred betweene theſe two religions, and the oppoſition is impoſsible to bee reconciled. How theſe two may dwell together in peace, let them iudge that dare put an adder into their boſomes, and pull not out the ſtinge, or that will place foxes among the tender vines, or woolues among ſheepe. Yf you bid me caſt mine eies vponupon Fraunce and the low Countries,Miſerable experience in Fraunce. I anſwer: that miſerable experience ſheweth in France, ſufficient to terrifie vsus from this counſell. How many thouſands hauehave periſhed by the ſweard, & by all kind of beaſtly butcherie, before they coulde hauehave any quiet, it woulde make a mans hart to bleede to read or to thinke. And if the verie we arines of ciuill warre, & ſpilling of mans blood, and the feare of rooting out their nation, and the ſpeciall prouidence of God, for the caſe of his Church, had not wrought contrarie to reaſon and the nature of thinges, it could not hauehave ſo fallen out. And how long it will hold, no man can promiſe. But if God hauehave conſtrained the idolater to tolerate his Ghoſpell: ſhall that bee a preſident to the worſhipper of God, to wincke at idolatrie, contrarie to his expres commandement. In the low Countries at the verie firſt, diuers cieties for their ſafetie (as namely Antwerpe,)Hiſt. Belgic. A.E. Meteran, lib. 10.1581. were forced to baniſh the Popiſh Prieſtes, and to ſuſpend the Maſſe, and there only to wincke at it where they could not maſter it. And being their quarrell of their priuiledges and liberties, and thereby many Papiſtes ioyning in the quarrell with them, they could not wade ſo fare as otherwiſe they woulde, till God by the preaching hath brought them to be of one religion and ſetled: as I hauehave verie credible report, that all places vnderunder the States are at this time of one profeſſed religion: But now our ſtate in England hath continued in one religion (God bee therefore highlie praiſed) full three & fortie yeares.Our ſtate hath bene long ſetled in one religion. It would make a ſhrewde breach to tolerate a thing after ſo long time: when ſo many thouſands be growne vp to be men of yeares, nouriſhed in all their life long in one religion: it will bee daintie for them, to ſee the glorye of God diſhonoured dailie before their eies. Yea I verilie thinke that many rude and idle fellowes, which neuer feared God, or cared for religion, wil be greedie to ſee ſuch a new thing, and finding it to bee ſuch apretie pageant, fit for reaſonable men to laugh and to make a game of, they will doubtleſſe bee playing with them: and theſe zealous and ſuperſtitious idolaters can abide no diſgrace, to their holie miſhapen fooleries: And what will followe, euerie ſimple man may eaſily gueſſe. But imagine it were poſsible for men becauſe of quietneſſe to winck at it a while. Mark then what muſt needes bee the fruite and effect thereof: Namelie that the Seminarie and ſecular Prieſtes,The fruite of tolerating poperie. with their fained enemies the Ieſuites (being quicklie reconciled) attending buſelie vppon their harueſt, will ſpeedelie ſounde out the depth of their ſtrength, augment it and combine it moſt ſurelie. And when they hauehave fitted their longed preparation, and ſafelie contriued their ſacred coniuration: they will eftſoones open the porte to their roaring bull, and on a ſuddaine ſurpriſe boeth Prince and people, and turne all vp ſide downe. And then tell mee (by the example of the Guiſes in Fraunce, taking into their power the Queene Mother and her ſonne,) what may be our hope, or rather how many vnfpeakeable euills & calamities, are like to ſwallow vp the peace, wealth & ioy of our land: which by & with the Ghoſpell, we hauehave thus manie yeares enioyed, vnderunder her Ma. moſt happie and godly preſent gouernement. But now perhappes (as they ſay) they hauehave learned by long experience, to reurence her Maieſtie: and that it is not their way by treaſon and rebellion, by murder & inuaſion, now they will be louing, peaceable & faithfull, if they be tolerated. Surely,No truſt in Papiſtes. ſurely who ſeeth not? that if hauing ſo manie lawes againſt them, they hauehave laboured ſo diligentlye to ſet vp the Popes kingdome: much more vvill they doe it if they hauehave libertie: and if vvhen all places vvatch ouer them, they dare venture as they hauehave done; much more vvill they preſume when they hauehave opportunitie. Did King Henrie the eight (of noble memorie) eſcape vvithout manifold traitors, though he maintained onelyonly Poperie, vvhen he did put downe no more but the Popes primacie? and did anie bridle themſelues, but only becauſe they founde them ſelues not able to make their partye good. Thinke you, that they, vvho hauehave perſecuted her royall perſon,Act. & mon. pag. 1056. & 1982. The Papiſtes enemies to her Maieſtie from her cradle. from her cradle, ſeeking in her fathers time to diſinherit her; and in her ſiſters dayes, not only impriſoned her, and toſſed her to and fro, but alſo laboured not a little to take away her life: and euer ſince ſhe came to y• Crown, hauehave neuer ceaſed one way or other, & ſo many waies as poſsible could be deuiſed, and by all kinds and ſtates of people, hauehave ſought to depriue her M. of her royall Crowne and righteous Scepter: and hauehave gone about, with all malicious & monſtrous imputations, in diuers ſortes to bring her to vtter hatred and contempte among all nations and countries: if now they ſeem to offer faire words and glorious promiſes; if now they ſeem to fall out, and one part offer them ſelues as friends to the ſtate, and enemies each to other: think you (I ſay) that theſe be not Crocodili lachryma, flaſe alarmes, and as theeues ſometyme doe fight one with another, till they may incloſe the true man and take his purſe. If an enemie after hee hath followed all hoſtile maner he can: labour by faire means to enter into friendly tearmes yt, he might hauehave more eaſilie acceſſe, where before he could not, doth euer anie ſtorie ſhewe, that they are faithfull whome meere neceſſitie conſtraineth to runne vntounto flatterie? By ſuch meanes was the building of the Temple hindered in the time of Zerubbabell, Eſra. 4. Neh. 4. and. 6& ſuch was the friendlines of Sanballat and Geſhem vntounto that worthie Prince Nehemiah. Such was the Popes Legates practiſe at Auenion, when the French Kinge had fought in vaine againſt it,Math. Pariſ, in the life of Hen 3. pag. 447. the plague and famine conſumed his hoſte, yea & his life, ſo that there was no hope by force to get it; then they pretended a parley of peace, and at length by ſwearing that he drew out the ſiege, for no cauſe but that he might ſeek the ſaluation of their ſoules: when the cittizens truſting his promiſe, vponupon condition,The popiſh fidelitier. that he ſhould come in all one with his Cleargie, and not giuegive their Towne to the French, opened the gates to let him in and his Prelates: he ſo came in that at his verie heeles the French ſoldiers ruſhed in, and contemning their oath, tooke the cittizens, bound them with bondes, ſpoiled the cittie, ſlew manie, and obtaining a ſubtill victorie, they brake down the Towers and walles,Cron. Carion. lib. 4. in the life of Hen 4. Albert Krants Saxon. lib. 5. cap. 7. & the cittie was committed to the keeping of the French. The like packing they vſed againſt the Emperour Henrie the 4. who hauing diſpleaſed the Pope for beſtovving of Biſhoprickes in his owne kingdome, being cited came to Rome; and vvhile there hee humbled him ſelf in his appointed penance, proſtrating him ſelfe at the doores and entry of the Temple; at home, by the conſpiracie of the Pope and Saxons, they raiſed vp another Emperour in his ſtead Rodolphus Duke of Sueuia: & when this vvoulde not preuaile, they neuer ceaſe proſecuting of him, till they had made his ovvne ſonne to depriue him of all Imperiall dignitie. In vvhichwhich kind of doubling, that the Papiſtes are no changelings, it doth in theſe verie flatterers at this time appeare verie plainly.In the 8. Gen. quodlib. Arti. 8. For in anſvvering whether it be expedient in theſe daies to excommunicate Kings, and vvhether it be a godly act of thoſe vvhichwhich perſwaded Pope Pius Bulls: Truſt the papiſte ſo long as he is faſt bound.the ſumme of their anſvver is only this: that becauſe they hauehave felt the ſmart, therefore it is inconuenient in theſe vngodly and vnfortunate dayes: vvhichwhich I take it can not hauehave anie but a treaſonable meaning: namelie, that if they had Papiſts ynough at command, (as they had againſt King Iohn) & that they could make their party good, and God vvould ſuffer them: the Queene ſhould knovv that vve Papiſts were as honeſt as Ieſuites; that is to ſay, they flatter for neceſſitie, but if there vvere povver in their hand, vvee ſhall all ſee, vvhome they tooke for their Prince. And therefore William Watſon vvriting theſe godly appeales of peace,Quodlib. pag. 342.343. wiſheth himſelfe burnt, heart, head, hands and all, if in his ſwifteſt thought or vvorde falling out of his lippes, or letter of his pen, he ſhould in all his gloſing books, preiudice Saint Peters chaire, the ſea Apoſtolike, &c. By vvhichwhich & many other things, in their Popiſh Seminarian libells and traiterous factions, it is to bee ſeene as cleare as the noone daye; that their is no truſt to their words, and that the compariſon made betweene them and our godlie Miniſters (being the Queenes moſt loyall and obedient ſubiectes) is if two contrarie nations, as farre diſagreeing in nature and qualities, as light vntounto darknes, and treuth vntounto falſhoode. For vve the godly Miniſters, are tyed in doctirne and conſcience to all ſubiection and obedience, euen to euill Magiſtrates, hovv much more are vve to be faithfull to our religious,The Papiſtes profeſſe falſhood for aduantage. godly and Chriſtian Queene Elizabeth. But they (the falſe harted Papiſts) hauehave a Nonobstante, that although there be ſafe conduite made by an Emperor, it muſt not ſtand, if they miſlike it: they hauehave a maxime of the Deuills ovvne forging: Promiſe is not to bee kept with heretikes. They hauehave a Satanizing Pope, vvho can diſpenſe, and diſcharge thē at all times, of all promiſes, oathes, allegeance and duties vvhat ſo euer, that they might truſt them, which louelove their owne deſtruction. The ſmart of vvhoſe falſhoode diuers noble Emperoures, Kinges & States being Papiſts, hauehave many times felt, & that for ſmaller matters then they hauehave againſt our Queene: and thinke wee that they wilbe more fauourable vntounto her, (who hath by manye degrees exaſperated thē much more) for the ſpoile of whoſe life they hauehave laboured verie eagerlie, they hauehave fought againſt God, they hauehave toyled them ſelues many yeares, deuiſed and contriued many a plotte, ſpent verie much coſt and ſpilt exceeding much blood. Harken what God ſaieth of them & to them: Can the black More change his skinne, Hier 13.23.or the Leopard his ſpottes; then may yee alſo doe good, which are accuſtomed to doe euill? And Salomon ſaieth:Prou. 26.24. Hee that hateth will counterfeit with his lippes, but in his hearte hee layeth vp deceit, though he ſpeak fauour ablie, beleeue him not. If theſe men may bee equalized in honeſtie and truſt, to our godly and approoued Miniſters; I know not any fable ſo fooliſh, anie lie ſo notorious, anie falſhood ſo manifeſt; but that it may be eſteemed, true, iuſt and full of equitie and iuſtice.