The Plea of the Innocent, Chapter 7
Cap. 7.
Wherein is proued, that the Miniſters ſeeking reformation, falſly called Puritanes, are not in any ſorte to be compared to Papiſts in euill: much leſſe to be equalized with traiterous ſeminarie prieſts or Ieſuites. 1. By their contradictorie doctrine. 2. By their contrarie actes and doings.
ONe part of the ſufferinges of our bleſſed Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, was this, that hee was counted with the the tranſgreſſors, Eſai. 53.12.& therefore, as Saint Marke ſaieth, He was crucified betweene two theeues. Wee are not then to think it ſtrange to be matched,Mare. 15.27.28. with Anabaptiſts, Donatiſtes, Papiſts, rebels, and I can not tell what: For the ſeruant is not greater then the Maiſter. Ioh. 15.20.And I hope that if wee ſuffer with him in righteouſnes, we ſhall reioyce with him in glorie. Let vsus then examine this calumniation. If we be like or worſe then Papiſtes in euill to the Church of England: it is eyther in our doctrine or in our doeings. Firſt I will prooue not in our doctrine,We hold all the doctrine of faith with the Church of England: the Papiſtes deny it. & that by two arguments the former is this: we hold, beleeue and teache all the articles of the Chriſtian faith according to the holy Scriptures, euen as the Church of Englande doth; a thing ſo apparant as the Sun at noon daies. And the Papiſtes are heerein directly contrarie, to the faith and doctrine of the Church of Englande & to the word of God approouing the ſame. Therefore if ſound doctrine and faith, be the chief mark to know a good man and that the doctrine and faith of England be good & true: and that the doctrine of the papiſts, be nought, wicked and abhominable: then are vve, vvho follovv the good and true doctrine of the Church of England, not to be compared to the Papiſtes in euill, vvho are deadly enemies to the ſame. Secondlie that part of doctrine, vvherein we ſeem to differ from the reuerend Fathers of our Church: being ſuch (as is before declared) as agreeth to the principall Canon of our Church in generall, & in particulars vvith the vſage of the Apoſtles, and vvith the lawes, iniunctions, Canons, and apologeticall vvritinges of our Church: againſt all vvhichwhich, the Papiſtes moſt conſtantly doe warre & cauill: therefore in this alſo vve be not to be compared vntounto them. My latter argument touching our doctrine,We holde the Queenes ſupremacie & the Papiſtes deny it. is concerning the ciuill Magiſtrate. We the Miniſters a foreſaid, deſiring the aboliſhing of all Popiſh remnants, doe hold, beleeue & confeſſe, that all obedience is to bee performed to the ciuill Magiſtrate although they vvere euill and infidels, as the Scripture teacheth. And that no Biſhop,Rom. 13.1. 1. Pet. 2.13. Prieſt or Miniſter can depriue a King or diſcharge the ſubiects of the oath of allegeance. And that our Queene Elizabeth (God bleſſe her) is ſupreame gouernour ouer all perſons, borne in her dominions, whether they bee Eccleſiaſticall or ciuill; & that no forren Potentate, as namelye the Pope of Rome, hath any iuriſdiction vvithin her dominions and countries, but is a vvicked vſurper ouer Kings, & Princes. But all Papiſts, if they be true catholikes (as they terme themſelues) & namelie all Prieſts, ſecular, Seminarie and Ieſuite, doe holde cleane contradictorie, euen manifeſt treaſon and rebellion againſte the ciuill power ordained of God. Therefore there is no compariſon to bee made in regarde of doctrine, betweene vsus & the Papiſtes. And that you may perceaue,This ſlaunder is laid vponupon all Proteſtantes. that this concerneth all Proteſtantes, as well as the Miniſters falſlie called Puritanes: doe but conſider theſe words of Briſtow: Of Catholikes thorowlie diſcharged of their fealtie, yet for common humanity, for their accuſtomed vſe, Motiue. 40.for their cōtinual, &, as it were, natural inſtitution, the Prince is better obeyed & ſerued, thē of Proteſtants, which in hart ar in a maner all Puritanes. Note heere (that I may vſe M. D. Fulks words) that Papistes profeſſe them ſelues to be ſubiectes, Ren….of curteouſie & not of duetie, of cuſtome & not of conſcience, of naturall institution, and not of the law of God. O Lord and Sauiour, ſende her M. few ſuch ſubiectes & ſeruants. The curriſh obedience of Papiſtes.Now this curteous or rather curriſh obedience is expounded, vvhat it is, by that beaſtly bull of Pius the fifth, againſt our noble Soueraigne, vvith the facultie granted to Campion & Perſons, Read. D. Fulk Aunſ. to P. Frarin de: clam. pag. 35.by which the Pope licenſeth the Papiſtes to diſſemble their obedience vntill publicke execution of that Bull may be had: that is, to be priuie traytours, till with hope of ſucceſſe, they may be open rebels.
We are obedient & quiet the Papiſtes ſeditious and rebellious.2 Now for our doings, vvhichwhich it hath bene, euer ſince our troubles, vve need not to be aſhamed to confes: & vve referre our ſelues to all men. If vve hauehave committed any indignitie againſt her M. perſon, Crowne, or Soueraignty, or had intelligence vvith anie of her enemies, or gone about to drawe away the people frō their obedience, or any ſuch like. But vve hauehave done (in the knowledge of al men) altogether cleane con trarie, both by worde and deede, in our preaching openly, & exhortations and example priuately. And in our troubles vve hauehave willingly & patiently ſubmitted our ſelues to the puniſhmentes which hauehave bene inflicted vponupon vsus: only crauing fauour & eaſe, ſo farre as agreeth to holy ſcripture & the peace of the church: and in al that we hauehave gone about, vve hauehave labored for the good, for the beautie and perfection of our Church: that it might increaſe and floriſh more & more, to the glory of God & to the honour & comfort of her M. Theſe mē the papiſts hauehave done cleane contrarie, eſpecially ſince the 10. yeare of her M. happie raigne: neuer being without one cruell treaſon or another; ſometime by deſperate bluddie murderers: ſometime by open rebelliō, forraineinuaſion and procuring of Bulles from Rome: ſometime by Prieſts, ſometime by Ieſuites, & ſometime by other meanes, as is plainly ſet foorth in the book called the execution of iuſtice, in the writings of Sir Frauncis Haſtings, D. Sutliefe, D. Fulke, and diuers others. The things on both ſides are ſo not oriouſlie knowne, that I need not heere to repeate them in particular. I pray God that for our ſinnes, hee doe not giuegive vsus ouer to blindnes, that in ſuch palpable & manifeſt experiēce of the traiterous hartes of Papiſtes, vvee ſuffer not our ſelues to be taken by their wylie flatteries, and forſaking our truſtie & faithfull friendes, vvee yeelde ourſelues to the bloodie ſlaughter of enemies.