Against Popery, Treatise · Conclusion
THE CONCLƲSION, WITH the vſe of the treatiſe.
1SIth therefore that poperie is not wrought in men by the word of God, but by traditions of men: ſith it is vpheld and maintained chiefly by wicked and vnlawfull meanes: ſith the proper ſubſtance and matter thereof is not onelyonly diuers from the written word of God, but alſo directly contrarie thereunto: ſith the forme of Gods worſhip in poperie is not that which god hath preſcribed, but that which men hauehave deuiſed and forged: ſith the principall ende of poperie whereunto it referreth all things, is not the glorie of God, but the glorie of Saints, of images, of Pope, and generally of man himſelfe: ſith the fruites of poperie are ſuch as God hath expreſſely condemned in the decalogue and tenne commandements giuen to all nations, and for all times euen vntounto the ende of the world: ſith there is no ſound ioy and comfort growing vponupon the tree of poperie, but double feare and deſperation: ſith poperie is a fooliſh and abſurd religion: ſith poperie agreeable, ſutable, and well pleaſing to the naturall man, which ſauoureth not the things which are of God: ſith the gifts of God his ſpirit (promiſed to the Church in the latter age thereof, are beſtowed vponupon the church whilſt it ſwarued not from the pure doctrine of the goſpell, deliuered by Chriſt and his Apoſtles,), were at an ebbe and dead low water when poperie was full ſea: ſith God hath inflicted from time to time, manifeſt and ſtraunge iudgements and puniſhments vponupon Papiſts, and ſuch eſpecially as hauehave moſt maligned our religion and the profeſſours thereof: ſith God hath not regarded the ſacrifices of the Pope and popiſh church, neither hath made their curſes effectuall againſt them whome they hauehave curſed, neither hath giuen any good ſucceſſe to thē for whome they hauehave made many praiers, but hauehave turned his curſes into bleſſings, & his bleſſings into curſes: therefore I doe conclude that poperie is not of God, neither acceptable vntounto God. Againe, ſith our religion is wrought by the preaching of that word of God, which is contained in the ſcriptures: ſith it ſtandeth without all vnlawfull meanes to vphold and maintaine it: ſith the matter thereof is altogether conſonant with the written word: ſith the forme of God his worſhip therein touching the eſſence thereof is the ſame that god himſelfe hath preſcribed: ſith it referreth all things onelyonly to the glorie of God: ſith the fruits that it alloweth and beareth, are ſuch as God hath commāded in the decalogue and morall law: ſith it alwaies beare the ſound and moſt ſweete ioy and comfort: ſith in wiſdome it well beſeemeth the wiſdome of God: ſith it is altogether vnſauorie and vnpleaſant vntounto the naturall man: ſith from the breaking thereof through the Sodomiticall and Egyptiacall darkneſſe of poperie, it hath moſt brightly ſhined in thoſe gifts of God his ſpirit, which were vniuerſally and almoſt wholly eclipſed when poperie was ſpread ouer the face of the earth: ſith God hath auenged the hatred thereof vponupon the heads of the Papiſts that eſpecially hated it: ſith God hath mightily vpheld, bleſſed, and proſpered ſuch perſons and places, as hauehave moſt boldly and conſtantly profeſſed and embraced it: finally ſince God hath openly pleaded the cauſe thereof againſt ſuch as hauehave oppugned it, miraculouſly preſeruing the profeſſours thereof, ſo oppugned by their aduerſaries; & fearefully confounding the aduerſaries, I doe therefore againe conclude in behalfe of our religion, that it is of God and acceptable vntounto him. The generall arguments vſed by the Papiſts for defence of poperie, drawne from antiquitie, vniuerſalitie, and vnitie, are now ſtale, yea battered in peeces by thoſe that hauehave often ſubſtantially and plentifully confuted them. Therefore I meane not to encreaſe this treatiſe, and ſo to make further worke for the reader, by ſetting downe any anſwer vntounto them.
THE FIRST VSE CONCERning generally all of our religion, both weake and ſtrong.
THeſe things now written, and whereby I hauehave prooued the falſhood of poperie, and likewiſe ſhewed the truth of our religion, I wiſh profitable vntounto all: both to thoſe that profeſſe themſelues of our religion, and alſo to thoſe that neither are, nor profeſſe themſelues to be. Of thoſe that profeſſe themſelues to be of our religion, ſome are faint, weake, and wauering: others are ſtrong, and well grounded, or at the leaſt ſuch as hauehave neuer doubted our religion to be of God. The firſt ſort I doe now wiſh to be as the ſecond, that is, by theſe things that now I hauehave written, ſo confirmed and eſtabliſhed in the louelove, liking, and conſtant profeſſion of our religion, ſo keeping (as it were by force againſt all force whereby they ſhall be aſſaulted) this profeſſion of their hope, Hebr. 10. 23. without wauering, that hereafter they be neuer carried about with diuers and ſtrange doctrines, Hebr. 13. 9. yea both theſe ſorts of profeſſours of our religion, I wiſh to be much ſtronger in this profeſſion, aſſuring themſelues that ſo long as this religion abideth in them, ſo long they themſelues ſhall continue in the ſonne, and in the father, Hebr. 2. 24. and ſo long as they walke according to this religion, ſo long they walke with God as Enoch did, Gen. 5. 22. But foraſmuch as our religion is of God and acceptable vntounto him, therefore they that fall away from it, doe alſo depart from the liuing God, and fall away from the grace of the ſame God, Hebr. 3. 12. and 12. 15. and then doth there remaine no more ſacrifice for ſinnes, but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire, which ſhall deuoure the aduerſaries, Heb. 10. 26, 27. Let no man therefore that hath giuen his name to our religion deceiue himſelfe, neither ſuffer himſelfe to be deceiued by any other, either Papiſt or Atheiſt, or of any other ſect or hereſie: for ſurely it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God, Heb. 10. 31. it had beene better for ſuch neuer to hauehave knowne the way of righteouſnes, then after they hauehave knowne it to turne from the holy commādements giuen vntounto them, 2. Pet. 2. 21. for the ende of ſuch men ſhall be worſe then the beginning.
2 Neither would I hauehave this to be vnderſtood onelyonly of the ſoundnes and conſtancie of iudgement in our religion, but alſo of the continuall abounding in the workes of the Lord, 1. Cor. 15. 58. and the prouoking of our ſelues more and more to all louelove and good workes, Heb. 10. 24. ſuch as our religion commendeth: the deſpiſing whereof is the deſpiſing of God his commandements, and the doing whereof is obedience, not vntounto man, but vntounto God himſelfe. Further I wiſh this that I hauehave written againſt poperie and for our religion, may ſo confirme and ſtrengthen all profeſſours of our religion therein, that if any of them hauehave wife or other friends yet remaining Papiſts, they would praie more often and earneſtly, and eueryevery other way, by themſelues and by other (perhaps better able then themſelues) labour more diligently the conuerſion of them, then euer they hauehave done. How doe all louing husbands and friends labour the health of their wiues or other friends beeing but bodily ſicke, the daunger whereof is nothing but this preſent death? O then howe much more ought ſuch husbands and friends to labour the recouerie of their wiues or other friends out of poperie, a moſt grieuous ſicknes of the ſoule, the daunger whereof is eternall condemnation both of bodie and ſoule? The like may be ſaid touching thoſe that are ſicke of any errours or hereſies, contrarie or not agreeing to our religion; as likewiſe of Atheiſts, and ſuch as are of no religion.
THE SECOND VSE CONCERning all great perſons of our religion.
AS I wiſh this good generally to all of our religion, ſo more eſpecially ſuch as are in any ſpeciall place of honour and authoritie in church or common weale, & by ſuch ſpecial place are able to doe ſome ſpeciall good for the aduancemēt of our religion, and the helping and countenancing the profeſſours thereof, as alſo for the weakning and repreſſing of poperie, atheiſme, and ſuch like: ſuch, I ſay, as are in any ſuch ſpecial place, I wiſh, yea (as it were) vpō my knees moſt humbly beſeech, and yet alſo boldly exhort in the name of this God, whoſe religion I hauehave iuſtified vntounto them, all ſuch (I ſay againe) I doe beſeech and exhort to be of all Chriſtian courage and boldnes, for ſpeaking and doing whatſoeuer lieth in them, whereby to promote this religion, and comfort and countenance the profeſſours thereof. To omit the famous and moſt worthie examples of many moſt zealous kings of Iuda, of Eſter a Queene by marriage, yet as touching authoritie, but (as it were) a ladie of honour, of Iehoida likewiſe and I…hoſhua high prieſts, of Ezra a ſcribe or inferiour prieſt: to omit (I ſay) theſe and many other the like examples of zeale, let them onelyonly conſider how boldly Ioſeph an honourable counſeller of Arimathea went vntounto Pilate (but an heathen deputie of an heathen Emperour) and begged the bodie of Chriſt beeing dead, that he might honourably burie the ſame, Mark. 15. 43. If he were ſo bold for the honouring of Chriſt, as to goe to an heathen man, how much more boldly ought men to goe to Chriſtian Princes, in cauſes wherby Chriſt Ieſus and his goſpel may hauehave any honour? If he feared nothing, wherein all likelihoode much was to be feared, what ſhal be ſaid of them that feare where there is no feare? If he made no bones to ſpeake for Chriſt, to one that had before condemned Chriſt, why ſhould any ſticke at ſpeaking likewiſe for Chriſt to ſuch Princes, as hauehave done and doe daily ſpeake and doe ſo much for Chriſt in his goſpel and in his members, that they giuegive great incouragement to all perſons of place fitte to hauehave acceſſe vntounto them, without feare to put them in continuall remembrance of further honouring of Chriſt? If he were ſo bold for Chriſt Ieſus beeing deade, how much bolder ought all men to be for Chriſt Ieſus raiſed vp from the dead? yea verily he is twiſe riſen againe: once touching his bodie out of the ſepulchre, into which the ſame Ioſeph did honourably lay him: and againe touching his goſpel out of the graue of poperie, wherein it had lien twiſe ſo many hundred yeares (at the leaſt) as his bodie had lien daies and nights in the former ſepulchre. How zealous therefore ought men to be for the honouring of the goſpel of Chriſt Ieſus with true honour, wherein Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe thus raiſed vp and glorified cannot but be likewiſe honoured? As ſuch men ought to be thus zealous, in ſpeaking for Chriſt and his goſpel at all times, ſo eſpecially then ought they to be moſt zealous, when any ſpeciall occaſion requireth the ſame, or when any ſpeciall opportunitie is offered thereunto. Salomon ſaith, How good is a word spoken in due ſeaſon? Prov. 5. 25. He ſpeaketh this by queſtion and admiration, and thereby teacheth, that he himſelfe, the wiſeſt that euer was (Chriſt onelyonly excepted) could not well expreſſe, how good a word was ſpoken in due ſeaſon. Therefore he ſaith againe, A word ſpoken in his place, is like apples of gold, with pictures of ſiluer, Prov. 25. 11. Such therefore as the Lord hath aduaunced to ſuch place either in Church or in commonwealth, as wherein at any time by word or deede, they may further this religion in this booke thus cō mended, I wiſh to watch all opportunitie of doing further good, and any beeing offered, not to neglect the ſame, but wiſely to take and follow it to the vtmoſt of their power. Where any noble, honourable, or other great perſon, ſeeth any conuenient time where his word may doe good to further religion, & thereby to aduance God his glorie, let him thinke with himſelfe as Mordecaie ſpake vntounto Eſter, Eſter 4. 14. who knoweth whither the Lord hath thus aduanced me for this time?
2 Neither let any ſuch perſon feare the loſſe of their labour touching themſelues, in ſpeaking in ſuch cauſes. God whoſe religion ours is, hath ſaide by his Prophet, 1. Sam. 2. 30. Them that honour me I will honour: and, he is faithfull that hath promiſed, Hebr. 10. 23. This is manifeſt by many of the examples before mentioned. The fruit indeede of ſuch labour, doth not alwaies appeare preſently: yet God is not vnrighteous that he ſhould forget the worke and labour of ſuch louelove towardes his name, &c. Hebr. 6. 10. but he taketh ſuch a note thereof, yea of the leaſt word ſpoken this waie, that it ſhall moſt certenly be remembred to ſuch perſons themſelues or to their poſteritie euen in this life, and touching the benefites thereof, when all the world ſhall thinke it buried, and euen (as it were) wholly conſumed to aſhes in the graue of obliuion. It was not much that Iethro the father in law of Moſes did, called alſo Keni, Iudg. 1. 16. and of whome deſcended the Kenites: it was not much (I ſay) that this Iethro or Keni did for the Iſraelites. For he did but onelyonly giuegive counſaile to Moſes his ſonne in law for the better gouernement of the Iſraelites, Exod. 18. 19. yet note what note the Lord kept of this ſmall matter. After the death of Moſes, after the death of Ioſhua, and the elders that ouerliued Ioſhua, after the death of Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Debora, Gedeon, and the reſt of the Iudges that iudged Iſrael mentioned in the whole booke of Iudges, after the death of Eli and his ſonnes, after the gouernment of Samuel reſigned into the hands of Saul: after all this, euen foure hundred yeares after the former counſell giuen by Iethro to Moſes, did the Lord thinke vponupon this kindnes, and recompenced it tenne fold to the Kenites the poſteritie of Iethro. Yea rather then it ſhould not be recompenced, he raiſed vp Saul to recompence the ſame, euen vnnaturall, vnthankfull, and moſt cruell Saul, that had ſworne the death of his owne ſonne Ionathan, 1. Sam. 14. 44. who had ſaued Iſrael, and would indeede hauehave killed him, had not the people reſcued him, that afterward did daily hunt for the life of Dauid as for a partridge in the mountaines, 1. Sam. 26. 20. (who had notwithſtanding killed the great Goliah whome all Iſrael durſt not looke in the face, 1. Sam. 17. 24. and gotten many other victories of the Philiſtims, and married Saul his owne daughter:) that alſo killed all the Lord his prieſts at once, 1. Sam, 22. 18. euen this bloodie man did the Lord raiſe vp to recompenſe the kindnes of Iethro, and to ſaue the liues of all the Kenites. Yea though this Saul were a man moſt vnmercifull vntounto them, to whome he owed much merciemercy and other louelove, yet the Lord ſo wrought his heart, for the recompencing of that that Iethro had done to Moſes and for Iſrael, that he was very earneſt with the Kenites for the withdrawing themſelues from the Amalakites, that he might not deſtroy them with the Amalakites. Therefore he ſaith not onelyonly Goe, but alſo depart, yea alſo he addeth, Get ye downe from, among the Amalakites, leaſt I deſtroy you with them. And why is he thus mercifull vntounto them? for (ſaith he) ye ſhewed mercy to all the children of Iſrael, when they came vp from Egypt, 1. Sam. 15. 6. Certenly this merciemercy whereof ſuch a ſtreame did flow from Saul towards the Kenites, was onelyonly of the Lord, not of Saul himſelfe. Saul of himſelfe (as we hauehave heard) was as the ſtonie rocke in the wildernes, which notwithſtanding the Lord made to giuegive drinke plē tifully to the Iſraelites and their cattell, Numb. 20. 8. Saul of himſelfe had neither the religion nor the manners, to conſider greater things done by thoſe that were of his owne blood, for himſelfe and for the preſent generation of the Iſraelites. Shall we then thinke that he had religion or manners to remember ſuch olde good turnes, done ſo many yeares before for the old forefathers of the Iſraelites? Nowe what doth this example teach vsus, but that the Lord is iuſt to remember the like kindnes, when all men ſhall thinke it vtterly forgotten? yea & to make ſuch to conſider the ſame, as from whome in reſpect of their contrarie diſpoſition, no ſuch matter can in reaſon be hoped for, but rather the contrarie feared?
3 But what ſhall I neede to call (as it were) ſo loud vntounto antiquitie ſo farre off, for an example whereby to iuſtifie the righteouſneſſe of God in honouring them that honour him? Is not Queene Elizabeth yet liuing (and many yeares more, O bleſſed God, may ſhee liue and raigne to thy glorie) is not, is not this our moſt noble, gracious, and Chriſtian Queene, a moſt liuely and bright example of God his righteouſnes in this behalfe? As her Maieſtie hoth honoured God in exalting, eſtabliſhing, and maintaining this religion, in comforting and countenancing the profeſſours thereof of her owne people, and in harbouring, releeuing, and ſuccouring them of other nations: ſo who ſeeth not but that God hath many waies as much honoured her aboue all her noble auncetours, as ſhee hath excelled them in zeale towards this religion?
THE THIRD VSE CONCERning the militarie Nobles that are of our religion.
AS I doe wiſh zeale daily to grow in all great perſons generally, for the better vpholding and further aduancing of this religion, ſo more particularly I doe alſo wiſh all Dauids Worthies, that is, the principall captaines and men of warre of Queene Elizabeth, to fight not onelyonly the battailes of our Queene, countrey, and people, and of themſelues, their wiues and children, &c. but alſo of the Lord in defence of our religion againſt the Spanyard, or any other champion of the Pope: theſe I wiſh, by this that I hauehave written, to be the more valiant and couragious in this cauſe of our religion, againſt ſuch and other enemies. Why ſo? becauſe ye fight not for men, but God himſelfe. Excellent is that ſpeech of Ioab, and worthie to be in eueryevery enſigne that goeth againſt the Romiſh Ammonites & Moabites, &c. euen written in great letters, that eueryevery ſouldiour might ſee a farre off, read, and be encouraged thereby, Be ſtrong and let vsus be valtant for our people, and for the countries of God, and let the Lord doe that which is good in his eyes, 2. Sam. 10. 13. Excellent alſo and worthie in like ſort to be written, are the words of Iehaziel the ſonne of Zechariah, &c. vntounto Jehoſhaphat and all Iuda, for the encouragement of them againſt the mightie forces of the Ammonites and Moabites that came vp againſt them, as the Spanyards hauehave come vp and doe yet daily threaten to come vp againſt vsus, Feare ye not, neither be ye afraid for this great multitude, for the battell is not yours but Gods, 2. Chron. 20. 15. I wiſh alſo ſuch Worthies of our land, by the former experience that we hauehave had of God his mightie working and fighting for vsus, to be the better encouraged for the time, warres, and dangers to come, as we read Dauid to hauehave bin animated againſt Goliah, by the former ſucceſſe he had againſt a lyon and a beare. 1. Sam. 17. 35. Notwithſtanding as the cauſe is not their owne but the Lords, ſo I wiſh and exhort them not to ſeeke their owne praiſe and glorie, but the praiſe and glorie of him whoſe cauſe they handle, & whoſe battels they fight. Ioab in fighting againſt Rabbah a citie of the Ammonites, did more reſpect the honour of Dauid then of himſelfe: and therefore though he might hauehave taken it without Dauid, yet he would not, but ſent firſt for Dauid, that the victorie might not be attributed to himſelfe but vntounto Dauid. 2. Sam. 12. 28. If Ioab a wicked man, did ſo notwithſtanding reſpect the honour of Dauid aboue his owne honour (and yet Dauid though he were his ſoueraigne was but a mortall man, & but a type of Chriſt Ieſus) how much more ought our Chriſtian worthies and nobles to reſpect the praiſe, the honour, and the glorie of Chriſt Jeſus himſelfe, aboue their owne praiſe, honour, & glorie? Further beſides this regard of Chriſt his glorie, let them alſo goe forth not truſting in their owne forces (for after this ſort goe forth the heathen vntounto their battailes) but let them truſt in the power and helpe of the mightie Lord Chriſt Ieſus. And therefore as it hath beene chriſtianly prouided by our moſt chriſtian Prince & the gouernours of our church vnderunder her, that there ſhould be publike praiers in behalfe of ſuch expeditions againſt the common aduerſaries, ſo I wiſh alſo our noble Worthies moſt highly to eſteeme of ſuch praiers: yea themſelues alſo before their going forth, and whilſt they ſhall be forth, alwaies to commend all their enterprizes vntounto the Lord by moſt earneſt praier, yea to make alſo all the friends they can at home in like manuer to remember them priuately, as by publique authoritie they are remembred publiquely. For certenly as hitherto we are not to doubt, but that our chiefe ſucceſſe hath beene more by theſe meanes, then by any ſtrength of our owne arme, ſo alſo let them aſſure themſelues, that if they goe forth in this ſort, then the Lord will not onelyonly ſend his angel with them, as he offered to doe for the Iſraelites, Exod. 33. 2. but will alſo goe with them himſelfe as it were in proper perſon: not onelyonly to looke on how they fight for him, but alſo to teach their handes to fight and their fingers to battell: yea the Lord will be as a man of warre to goe before them, in the middes of them, behinde them, and round about them in complete harneſſe, both to couer their heads in the dai… of battell, and likewiſe to fight for them, and to deliuer his owne and their enemies into their hands, as he hath done. Now if the Lord be thus with them, who can be againſt them? But yet one thing more remaineth, concerning both ſuch Worthies themſelues, and alſo all common ſoldiers, namely that as they hauehave heard and ſeene by this that hath beene written, that all warre in behalfe of our religion is God his warre, and in his cauſe: ſo alſo they take heede, that whilſt they fight one way for our religion and for God, they fight not an other way againſt religion and againſt God himſelfe. How is this? verily by tranſgreſſing, violating, or neglecting the precepts of this religion, and that way ſinning againſt God. For he that doth ſo, fighteth more againſt religion, & againſt God, then for religion and for God. Therefore the Scripture plentifully teacheth vsus, that God hath oftentimes giuen ouer his owne people for their ſinnes, yea once alſo his Arke to captiuitie of the common enemie: yea his temple where his name was called vponupon to be deſtroied, and all the holy veſſells and other ornaments of the temple, which ſometime had ſerued for his worſhip, to be polluted and defiled by the wicked heathen. Let all ſuch Worthies therefore as before I hauehave ſpoken of, as likewiſe all common ſoldiers, which ſhall hereafter be emploied againſt the common enemie, diligently take heede and beware of all ſinne generally, and more ſpecially of ſuch ſinnes as are moſt common in warriours (what theſe are I neede not to ſpeake) becauſe otherwiſe, though their cauſe be good, and commended likewiſe in ſome ſort by praier vntounto God by themſelues and by other, yet may they feare the ſucceſſe of the battell. This is manifeſt by the double ouerthrow the other Iſraelites had before the Beniamits in a cauſe very iuſt, and commended alſo to God, and that with weeping the ſecond time: and wherein at the firſt they alſo preuailed hauing humbled themſelues in praier and faſting and true repentance before the Lord, Iudg. 20. 26. Now the ſinne of the Iſraelites, for which they receiuing ſuch a double foyle, appeareth by the text to hauehave beene, firſt too much confidence of the victorie, in regard partly of the goodnes of their cauſe, partly of their great multitude; and ſecondly that although they ſought vntounto god in that behalfe, yet they ſought not in ſuch humble and earneſt manner as they ſhould hauehave done, and alſo did at the laſt, when they had not onelyonly warrant from God to goe againe to battell, but alſo a promiſe of victorie. Now if theſe ſinnes be ſo dangerous to a good and iuſt cauſe, what may be feared of great ſinnes? Thus much ſhall ſuffice to hauehave ſpoken concerning them that are of our religion.
THE FOVRTH VSE CONCERning Atheiſts, and all thoſe that are of no religion.
TOuching them that are not of our religion, they are eſpecially either Atheiſts and ſuch as are of no religion, or Papiſts. By Atheiſts, I meane not onelyonly ſuch as in deede and openly profeſſe thēſelues to be ſuch, not fearing plainly to denie God and all religion (of which ſort we hauee too many euen in our lande) but alſo ſuch as doe beare men in hand that they are of our religion, but in truth are not. For albeit they will goe to Church, and performe other outward duties that our religion requireth, yea & will alſo ſometime ſpeake and doe ſomething for our religion; yet all is but in pollicie: they practiſe onelyonly the precepts of curſed Machiuel, and therfore if any change ſhould come (which the God of heauen keepe from vsus) they are as readie for any religion as for this. To this ſort of Atheiſts, I doe alſo referre many ciuill men that neuer knew or heard of Machiuel himſelfe, neither of his precepts, which come alſo to Church, &c. and liue likewiſe vprightly as touching ciuill righteouſnes and outward equitie amongſt their neighbours, which will alſo ſometimes talke of religion both ours and poperie, and yet in truth alſo are of no religion at all, neither Proteſtants nor Papiſts. Moreouer hitherto belongeth a great multitude of poore ſoules in this land, that for want of inſtruction are ſo ignorant, that they know not what religion is, or any point of religion, and which therefore make no difference betwixt our religion and poperie. All theſe I wiſh ſeriouſly to conſider of my former arguments, and thereby to prouoke themſelues to make more account of religion generally, and ſecondly of our religion onelyonly, then euer they hauehave done. As they hauehave heard our religion to be of God and acceptable vntounto him, ſo let them know, that they cannot pleaſe God in any other waie but onelyonly in our religion. How miſerable therefore, wretched, and fearefull is their eſtate and condition? Let all ſuch therefore lament this their miſerie, heartily thanking God that they vnderſtood it before their ende, and whilſt it is called to daie let them not harden their hearts, but heare the voice of God yet calling them to his true religion, and knocking at the dore of their conſciences to be entertained with his truth. Let them ſeeke the Lord whilſt he may be found, and call vponupon him whilſt he is neare, Eſa. 55. 6. leaſt neglecting his grace offered vntounto them, the Lord remooue his kingdome, and depart himſelfe (as it were) out of their hearing, and ſo withdraw his mercies from them, and poure out his iudgements vponupon them, that they ſtretch out their hands, and the Lord hide his eyes: they make many praiers, and the Lord heare not, Eſa. 1. 15. they ſeeke and there be none to be found to helpe them, Ioh. 7. 34. yea leaſt notwithſtanding their ſeeking they die for all that in their ſinnes, Ioh. 8. 21. Let ſuch as now laugh at, and make (as it were) a Maiegame of all religion and the profeſſours thereof, weepe & mourne in time for their ſuch laughing, leaſt the Lord alſo doe laugh them to ſcorne in their miſerie, Pſal. 73. 13. and doe mocke thē when their feare commeth, Prov. 1. 26. bringing ſuch heauines vponupon them, that they cannot laugh though they would; yea and in the ende caſting them into the place of vtter darknes, feare, & horrour, where is nothing but weeping and g…aſhing of teeth, Math. 8. 12. that is, in hel fire that neuer ſhall be quenched, where their worme dieth not, and their fire neuer goeth out, Mark. 9. 43, 44. Thoſe alſo that hitherto hauehave beene ſecure and careles regarding no religion, let them likewiſe in time better regard ſuch meanes, as whereby they may be drawne to our religion.
THE FIFTH ƲSE CONCERning weake and ignorant Papiſts.
TO Papiſts alſo I ſaie the ſame, eſpecially to ſuch as are Papiſts in a kind of conſcience, that is, to ſuch as are not of that religion of any obſtinate and wilfull minde, but becauſe in ignorance they are perſwaded their religion to be the right waie, and ours to be a wrong or bywaie. I doubt not but that there are many ſuch in the land. Yea I hope that many Papiſts are ſuch. This I doe hope of ſuch Papiſts, as bring not forth thoſe fruits that poperie approoueth of, whereof I hauehave ſpoken in my ſixt argument before, which are alſo mercifull and readie to doe good, not to them onelyonly of their owne religion, but alſo to other. Theſe I hope to be rather ignorant then wilfull Papiſts: therefore I hauehave alſo ſome good hope of their conuerſion in time, eſpecially if it might pleaſe God to mooue their hearts, to hauehave regard of the perfect law of god which conuerteth the ſoule, Pſal. 19. 7. And truly in the Chriſtian louelove that I beare vntounto theſe, and in the pittie and compaſſion I hauehave of their ſoules (as I ſee them full of pittie and compaſſion towards the bodies of other, and likewiſe to hauehave many other excellent & commendable things in them) I hauehave the rather ſet penne to paper for the writing of this treatiſe, to trie if it might pleaſe my good God to bleſſe my labour vntounto their good, euen to the winning of them to our religion. For I proteſt vntounto them (and God knoweth I ſpeake the truth of my heart, and lie not neither diſſemble) that I ſo deſire their ſaluation, that I would be gladder thereof then of all worldly wealth and good whatſoeuer. In the meane time me thinketh, that howſoeuer they be commended for many excellent things indeede not very common, yet all their commendation is very defectiue and lame, for want of commendation touching true religion. Yea certenly when a man hath ſaide all that he can in commending ſuch perſons, and then ſaith that theſe were excellent men, or worthie women, were it not for one thing, that is, for their religion, this one thing wanting is more then all they hauehave. For this one thing concerneth God, & all the other for which Papiſts are commonly cōmended, concerne but men. And our Sauiour ſaith, that the great and firſt or chiefeſt commandement, is to louelove the Lord our God, &c. Math. 22. 38. yea this is ſo great, that the other without this concerning men, not being grounded vponupon this, are not onelyonly litle, but in truth touching themſelues, nothing at all. For Chriſt calleth this not onelyonly the greater, but alſo the firſt commandement. Now where there is no firſt, there can be no ſecond. Notwithſtanding I hoping this want of true religion in them, to be (as I ſaide) eſpecially of ignorance, doe therefore the better hope of their more eaſie conuerſion, and doe the more heartily wiſh the ſame, that there may be no ſuch defect in their commendation as there is, but that it may be more full and perfect. Such therefore hauing vouchſafed to reade my former arguments, I doe alſo moſt heartily deſire according to right to iudge of them. Some I hauehave heard to hauehave renounced poperie, vponupon the ſight of the great ouerthrow of the great Spaniſh Navie in our narrow ſeas, anno 1588. by the mightie power of God in our behalfe: as Rahab hearing of the great and mightie works of God for the Iſraelites, renounced her owne people, and was incorporated into the bodie of Iſrael, Ioſ. 2. 11. If that one argument before more largely handled in this treatiſe, did ſo greatly preuaile to the conuerſion of ſome, howe much duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page more ought all the arguments before applied to this purpoſe, preuaile with other in like ſort? Let none therefore ſo lightly regard all ſuch things, as whereby our religion is ſo commended, and poperie ſo euidently euicted.
2 Let none oppoſe the religion of their fathers and forefathers, &c. to all other contrarie arguments. Indeede Dauid exhorteth Salomon to know the God of his father, and to ſerue him with a perfect heart, and with a willing minde, &c. 1. Chron. 28. 9. and this is an excellent inſtruction for all fathers to giuegive vntounto their children, and likewiſe for all children to learne of their fathers, when as the fathers hauehave knowne & ſerued the ſame God that Dauid had knowne and ſerued, and that according to his word, as Dauid had done: but if ſo be the fathers know not, neither ſerue that God, or not in that manner that God requireth; then it is a fooliſh and wicked inſtruction to be vrged to the children by the fathers, or to be obeied by the children, namely to know and ſerue the God of their fathers.
3 For when fathers hauehave rebelled againſt God, & not walked in his ſtatutes and ordinances, then the Lord oftentimes complaineth of the children that hauehave walked in ſuch ſteppes of their fathers, and therefore alſo threatneth the greater and heauier iudgement againſt them. In the 78. pſal. v. 57. the Prophet complaineth of the wickednes of the Iſraelites, and amplifieth the ſame by like example of their fathers, They turned backe (ſaith the Prophet) and dealt falſly like their fathers, they turned backe like a deceitfull bowe. So Chriſt alſo ſpeaketh vntounto the Iewes, as to a people paſt hope, & therefore biddeth them to fulfill alſo the meaſure of their fathers, Math. 23. 32. So likewiſe Steuen amplifieth the ſinne of the Iewes by the like example of their fathers, Ye ſtiffnecked and vncircumciſed hearts and eares, ye hauehave alwaies reſiſted the holy Ghoſt, as your fathers did, ſo doe ye, &c. Act. 7. 51. Therefore alſo the Lord many times admoniſheth the Iſraelites and Iewes not to walke in the waies, neither to doe the works of their fathers. Harden not your hearts (ſaith one Prophet) as in the daie of contention (or tentation) in the wildernes, where your fathers tempted me, &c. pſal. 59. 8. By an other Prophet God ſpeaketh thus, I ſaide vntounto their children in the wildernes, walke ye not in the ordinances of your fathers, neither obſerue their manners, neither defile your ſelues with their idolls, Ezech. 20. 18. So the meſſengers that Hezekiah ſent forth to inuite the Iſraelites to the Paſſeouer at Ieruſalem, bidde them not to be like their fathers, &c. neither ſtiffnecked like their fathers, &c. 2. Chron. 30. 7, 8. In like ſort ſpeaketh Zachariah, Be ye not like your fathers, &c. Zachar. 1. 4. Many other the like places are in the ſcriptures, whereby we ſee this argument not to be good; This was the religion of our fathers, therefore it ſhall be ours.
4 Yea certenly this is the very argument of many obſtinate Iewes, for the defence of their idolatrie, The word that thou haſt spoken vntounto vsus in the name of the Lord we will not heare it of thee, but we will doe whatſoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth, to burne incenſe vntounto the Queene of heauen, and to poure out drinke offerings vntounto her, as we hauehave done, both we & our forefathers, Ier. 44. 16, 17. Thus anſwered the wicked Iewes, and thus anſwered many Papiſts, ſaying, they will not heare the word of God, but will praie to the virgin Marie (whō they call indeed the Queene of heauen, as hath bin ſhewed before) and to other ſuch heauenly things, for no other reaſon; but becauſe they and their fathers hauehave done ſo. But ſuch Papiſts as louelove their owne ſaluation, I exhort in the Lord, not to be ſo wedded to the religion of their fathers. Will any of you ſay thus, My father was a ttaytour to his Prince, and was therefore executed, therefore I alſo will be a traytour to my Prince, that I may beheaded, drawne, hanged, and quartered, as my father was? Some it may be, will not ſticke to ſay ſo: but all that are wiſe, will take heede of ſuch words and thoughts. Therefore why alſo will you ſay, My father was a Papiſt, and idolatour, and of that religion that God hath condemned, and ſo conſequently a traytour vntounto God, therefore alſo will I be ſo? will any of you ſay, eſpecially ſuch as God hath aduanced to great honour, or worſhip, and wealth in the land, My father or grandfather was a ſadler, or butcher, or graſier, or husbandman, or of ſome other the like meane trade, therefore alſo I will be ſo? I thinke none ſo fooliſh: why then will ye ſay the like and ten times worſe in religion? will any of you ſaie, My father, or my mother, or both, had this or that bodily diſeaſe, and died thereof for want of remedie, therefore alſo I feeling the like in my ſelfe, will not be cured of it though I may? I thinke none ſo madde. Why then will ye ſay the like, touching ſuch a grieuous ſpirituall ſickneſſe of your ſoules, as poperie is? why will ye die in your ſinnes, and not be ſaued, O ye Papiſts, and many other that are not yet of our religion?
5 Neither doe I ſay theſe things, as condemning yours and my forefathers. I condemne not them, but I condemne their religion. As for themſelues I leaue them vntounto the Lord, as not knowing whither they ſecretly repented or no of their poperie before their end. If they did not repent, it is farre more better to condemne them, then to condemne the worde of God of any vntruth, and God himſelfe of any vnrighteouſneſſe. Be ye not therefore like the adder that ſtoppeth his eares, refuſing to heare the voice of the charmer, charme he neuer ſo wiſely. Be ye not vnlike vntounto the firſt world, that ſeeing how miraculouſly and contrarie to nature, the lyons, beares, woolfes, tygers, elephants, vnicomes, hares, conies, and ſuch like cruell and wilde beaſts: the ſwallows alſo, kytes, rauens, oſtriches, eagles, and many other the like wilde and rauening birdes, came willingly and gently without any outwarde force compelling them to Noah, to goe into the arke with him and with his familie, Gen. chap. 7 verſ. 7. would not yet beleeue, and therefore were drowned in the waters. Be ye not like the Egyptians, and many alſo of the Iſraelites, that ſeeing the great works of God againſt Egypt, and for the land of Zoan, would not yet beleeue, and therefore periſhed; the one in the redde ſea, the other in the wildernes. Be ye not like the Iewes, that did ſee the great and mightie workes done by our Sauiour and his Apoſtles for commending his goſpell, and yet would not beleeue, and are therefore ſcattered vponupon the face of the earth, out of their owne countrey vntounto this day; and that which is worſe, are giuē ouer alſo to hardnes of heart, & wil not yet beleeue that the Chriſt and Meſſias is come.
6 Verily God hath commended our religion (as we hauehave before ſhewed) to your eares, to your eies, to your vnderſtāding, to your inward, to your outward, to your whole man. Take heed, take heede therefore that ye harden your hearts no longer. Ye hauehave heard many arguments drawne from the word of God, ye hauehave ſeene and doe daily ſee his workes againſt your owne religion and for ours: O therefore ſtop not your eares, ſhut not your eyes. Yea, ye your ſelues, (O ye that will be called Catholiques) hauehave fared and doe fare the better for our religion in England. Ye your ſelues are partakers of the benefites, whereby the Lord hath graced it and doth grace it: ye liue in much peace for our religions ſake, ye enioy your honours and dignities by our religion: yea, ye keepe and encreaſe your liuings the better for our religion. For though ſome of you perhaps will ſay, that ye pay two hundred and fourtie pound a yeare for your religion, yet if ye were throughly examined, and would truly anſwer, ye could not denie, but that vnderunder pretenſe of this payment, ye ſaue twiſe ſo much an other waie. For this is certen, that none doe purchaſe more lands, build goodlier houſes, and hoard vp more money, then ſome of them that paie the foreſaid ſumme yearely. Thinke not that it ſhould be better with you if the Spanyard might here preuaile: ye are wiſe enough to ſee how vaine ſuch thoughts are, by his dealing in other places, where he hath wonne the goale. Doe ye alſo hope of ſome better eſtate, if poperie were againe here reuiued without the Spanyard? perhaps ye ſhould be deceiued, partly by the old greedines of the Pope, the rather beeing now like an hungerſtarued curre, that for his long want of the crummes, bones, yea and good gobbets of meat that were wont to fall from the tables of England to his ſhare, would now be inſatiable: partly and eſpecially by ſome other iudgements of God that would follow poperie. Sith therefore ye enioy ſuch benefits by vsus and our religion, as Laban fared the better for Iacob, Gen. 30, 30. and Potiphar for Ioſeph, Gen. 39. 5. be not ſo vnrighteous, as any longer to condemne that which God doth iuſtifie. Be not ſo vnthankfull, as any longer to refuſe his great merciemercy, in calling you by ſuch commendations of our religion to the embracing thereof. Now I ſay vntounto you as Paul ſaith vntounto Timothie, 2. Tim. 2. 7. Conſider what I ſay, and the Lord giuegive you vnderſtanding in all things. Yea ſuch vnderſtanding, as that I and all other that deſire your ſaluation may reioyce, that the angels in heauen may reioyce, and eſpecially that your ſelues may reioyce with ioy vnſpeakable and glorious.
THE SIXT VSE CONCERNING obſtinate and wilfull Papiſts.
TOuching thoſe that be obſtinate, whither they be Papiſts or Atheiſts, profeſſed or not profeſſed, but rather according to Machiuel his counſell (too much now eſteemed and followed) making a ſhew for the preſent time towards our religion: to ſuch, I ſaie, as will not be reclaimed and called backe from their poperie or profanenes, I giuegive this counſell, that although they will not ioyne handes with vsus in the true embracing and profeſſion of our religion, yet they take heede alwaies, that they neither ſpeak nor doe any thing againſt our religion, or the profeſſours thereof. This counſell I giuegive them in regard of themſelues, becauſe certenly the Lord will not forget the leaſt oppoſition vntounto his name, or iniurie vntounto his ſerua…s. Though many times he let thē runne their race a while, ſo as they thinke all is forgotten, yet (as I hauehave ſaid before of recompenſing any kindneſſe in word or deede ſhewed to his people) at the laſt, though it ſeeme to belong, certenly the Lord euen in this life will meete with them or theirs, for their ſinne againſt his name, and wrong againſt any of his ſeruants. In the 8. of Amos, v. 7. the Prophet telleth them that had deuoured and ſwallowed the poore, by their extreame dealing with them in ſelling their corne at an vnreaſonable price vntounto them (as too too many doe in this time of dearth amongſt vsus) that the Lord had ſworne by the excellencie of Jaacob (that is, euen by himſelfe) that he would neuer forget that crueltie. Obſerue, good reader, orrather let ſuch obſerue as of whome I ſpeake, that he ſaith not, that the Lord had ſaid onelyonly he would not forget, but that the Lord had ſworne it by himſelfe, teaching therby, that except they did ſpeedily repent, the Lord would moſt certenly puniſh that their great ſinne, becauſe eueryevery word of God is certen, much more that word the which he confirmeth by an oath. If the Lord did threaten and ſweare the puniſhment of hard dealing with the common ſort of the people, that for the moſt part are as poore in heauenly things, as in earthly, that is, whoſe wickednes is as great as their pouertie, can any man hope of immunitie and to goe free, that ſpeaketh or doth any thing directly or indirectly againſt that religion which he ſeeth to be acceptable vntounto God, or againſt thoſe perſons that profeſſe the ſame, both which are as deare vntounto God as the apple of his eye.
2 Neither let this be vnderſtood onelyonly of religion and the profeſſours thereof generally, but alſo more particularly of eueryevery branch of religion, of eueryevery good cauſe, and of eueryevery one dealing in ſuch cauſes. The example of God his iudgements vponupon diuers malicious Papiſts before mentioned, doe teſtifie the ſame. So alſo doe many examples in the ſcriptures. Though the ſinnes generally of Ahab and Iezebel his wife were many, yet the Lord threatned ruine vntounto them both and to all their poſteritie, chiefly for their ſinne againſt righteous Naboth, 1. King. 21. 20. the which was ſo fully executed by Iehu according to the word of the Lord, that they paid moſt deerely for Naboth his vineyard, 2. King. 9. 27, 33. & 10. 6. Though Ioaſh king of Iuda committed many ſinnes after the death of good Iehoiada the high prieſt, yet his putting to death of the Prophet Zechariah the ſonne of the ſame Iehoiada, is onelyonly mentioned as the chiefe cauſe why his owne ſeruants conſpired againſt him and murthered him, 2. Chron. 24. 25. Though Haman had not fully effected his bloodie purpoſe againſt Mordecai and the other Iewes, yet we know that the ſame meaſure by the righteous iudgement of God was meaſured vntounto him, that he had onelyonly intended to hauehave meaſured vntounto Mordecai, Eſt. 7. 10.
3 Here eſpecially let vsus remember how God dealt with the Amalekites, onelyonly for withſtanding the Iſraelites as they came out of the land of Egypt, Exod. 17. 8. Firſt although the Lord did diſcomfort them before the Iſraelites at the praier of Moſes, whē they firſt came out againſt Iſrael, yet did not the Lord ſatisfie himſelfe with their ouerthrow of that daie, but preſently he ſpake further againſt them vntounto Moſes, verſ. 14. ſaying, Write for a remembrance in the booke, and rehearſe it to Ioſhua, for I will vtterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from vnderunder heauen▪ and again, v. 16. The Lord hath ſworn, that he will hauehave warre with Amalek from generation to generation. Afterward alſo the Lord opened the mouth of Balaam (whome Balak ſent for to curſe Iſrael) the Lord, I ſaie, opened his mouth with a curſe of deſtruction againſt the Amalekites. Nomb. 24. 20. Yea but perhaps theſe were but words. Words indeede they were, but yet afterward when that generation of the Amalekites which then liued, and foure other at the leaſt were dead and rotten, thoſe words were fulfilled. For as long after this, as before we heard that God remembred the kindnes of the Kenites for their good, the ſame God alſo remembred that ſinne of the Amalekites to their ouerthrow. For he ſendeth Samuel with this mandate and commiſſion to Saul againſt Amalek, 1. Sam. 15. 2. I remember what Amalek did to Iſrael, how they laide waite for them in the way, as they came vp from Egypt: now therefore goe and ſmite Amalek, and deſtroy all that pertaineth vntounto them, and hauehave no compaſſion on them, but ſtay both man and woman, both infant and ſuckling, both oxe and ſheepe, both camell and aſſe. This was foure hundred yeares after the former ſinne committed. A man therefore would hauehave thought, that God had not nowe any more thought vponupon it, for all his former note of remembrance. But the Lord remembereth when men forget, and thinke alſo all to be forgotten. Yea the Lord did ſo remember this ſinne, and doth ſo remember other the like ſinnes, as that if he forbeare the puniſhment for a time, yet at the laſt he commeth in alſo for arrearages. For in the former commiſſion giuen to Saul, we ſee with what ſeueritie the Lord will hauehave Saul to proceede againſt the Amalekites. Yea afterward in the ſame chapter, when Saul had beene too remiſſe in the execution of that commiſſion, the Lord raiſed vp Samuel to doe or ſee that to be done againſt Agag the king of Amalek, that Saul had neglected.
4 If therefore there ſhall be any ſuch Papiſts or Atheiſts, as by no meanes will be reclaimed and drawne to our religion, in this treatiſe commended and prooued to be of God and acceptable vntounto him, yet at the leaſt let them take heede and beware of ſpeaking the leaſt word, and doing the leaſt deede againſt it, or againſt any that louelove and maintaine the ſame, for louing and maintaining thereof. Let them not flatter themſelues. God is the ſame now that euer he was. And the more himſelfe hath ſpoken or done for commendation and iuſtifying this religion, the more that others raiſed vp and alſo directed by him, hauehave ſpoken, written, or done in the ſame behalfe, the greater ſhall be the iudgement in the ende of all ſuch, as ſhall not regard the ſame.
5 Now the ſucceſſe of all that I hauehave written in this cauſe, I commit to him that is onelyonly able to giuegive a bleſſing thereunto. The Lord therefore make vsus all that doe alreadie profeſſe this religion, thankfull vntounto him, for that he hath in his abundant merciemercy vouchſafed vsus the glorious light, the rich benefit, and the ſweete comfort thereof. The Lord confirme and ſtrengthen vsus to continue therein vntounto the ende. The Lord enrich vsus more and more daily, with the faith, knowledge, louelove, and feare of God, with the righteouſnes, merciemercy, and all other vertues touching God or men, that it commendeth. The Lord fill the hearts of all great perſons with more zeale to ſpeake and doe more for the aduancing it, eſpecially any ſpeciall opportunitie beeing offered. The Lord thereunto animate, incourage, and inable all his owne Worthies, to defend it againſt all aduerſaries thereunto, with all honourable ſucceſſe. The Lord preſerue, aduance, and honour them, that hauehave aduanced and honoured it. Eſpecially, O Lord, preſerue, aduance, and honour thy ſeruant our dread Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth: yea, O Lord, as thou haſt ſet her higher then all other in her kingdomes, ſo ſtil magnifie thy mercy towards this Church and other Churches (which as it were ſucke of her breaſts that neuer gaue ſuck) in making her elder then any of her owne people, eſpecially then any of thine and he… aduerſaries. The Lord open both the eyes of ſuch as hauehave not regarded our religion, to ſee the glorie of it, and alſo their hearts to embrace it. Finally touching ſuch as be incurable, the Lord reſtraine them from doing that to the hindrance thereof, which Satan by them endeauoureth, and in the ende doe with them and to them that which ſhall be right in his owne eyes.
Amen.