Sermon 8 February 1588, Part 1
D. BANCROFTS TEXT. 1. Iohn 4.1. Dearely beloued, beleeue not eueryevery ſpirite, b… …ie the ſpirites, whether they be of God: For many falſe Prophets are gone out into the world
ANSVVERE.
IT hath bene the ancient cuſtome of Sathan and his inſtruments in all ages,I anſwere not the word, but the abuſe of the word. to abuſe the holy worde, and name of God, as a ground vntounto all their vngodly proceedings againſt the Lorde and his Saints: that there by, they might hauehave ſome colour of their perſecutions, and wicked attempts againſt the truth and profeſſors thereof. That I bee not tedious in a matter too apparant, hence it is, that in all the condemnations of the holy Martyrs of Chriſt, by that Romane Tyrant: We ſee all their proceſſes to begin in the name of God, & the accuſaſions laid to the charge of the Saints to bee ſo boulſtred out with the teſtimonies of holy Scripture, as though the ſpirite of God had none to condemne of hereſie, ſciſme, ſedition and treaſon, ſaue onelyonly the members and meſſengers of Chriſt Ieſus. And therefore M. Bancroft, if you begin with Scripture, and as I may ſay, in the name of God, begin to ſpeake againſt God, againſt his bleſſed verity and people you doe but your kind, in treading the ſteppes of your predeceſſours: You hauehave your forefathers, the Scribes and Phariſes, that Antichriſtian beaſt of Rome, his Cardinals, Biſhops, Legates inquiſitors and all others, that hauehave coloured their garments, with the bloud of the Lords choſen, for your preſidents and examples. The deluſion of your courſe could not bee ſo great, if you did ſhewe your ſelfe in your colours. Your Sermon declareth that your affection ſerueth you, rather to fight againſt the truth with fire and fagot, then by ſober writing, or ſpeaking, to ſtand in the defence of your cauſe.
Well, you deale againſt falſe Prophetes, Sciſmatiques, giddy ſpirites, diſturbers of the church, enemies to her Maieſties eſtate and prerogatiue. And wee on the otherſide, that fauour reformation, doe from the bottome of our hearts entreat and beſeech the eternall God, ſpeedily to conuert and turne all ſuch, if they be his, or els with ſpeed to ouerthrowe them in his fierce wrath. And as for our ſelues in particular, if we, who in ſincerity ſeeke the reformation of the Church of England; be either falſe Prophets; Sciſmatiques, giddy ſpirits, diſturbers of the Church, enemies vntounto her Maieſties eſtate or perſon, we do without exception, entreat the Lorde in his fierie wrath and anger, euen this hower, to make vsus viſible monuments, of his great indignatiō, both in this life, and in the day of the Lord Ieſus, & roote the memory of vsus and ours, out of the Church and kingdome of England for euer: that our moſt deare Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth, may continue and end her daies, not onelyonly in the quietnes of her own conſcience, but alſo in the coniunction, quietnes, and vnion of the hearts of all her Subiects and people. And wee offer, not onelyonly to cleare our ſelues, by theſe our voluntary proteſtations, made in the name and preſence of the great God of heauen and erth, but euen by ſhewing the goodnes of our cauſe according vntounto the worde, and anſwering whatſoeuer the aduerſary bringeth againſt vsus. And what can wee doe more? Let vsus then M. Bancroft ſee what you can ſay of vsus, or our cauſe Here I omit, whatſoeuer in your whol Sermon is impertinent vntounto us, againſt whome you eſpecially deale, and come to the eight page thereof, where at the firſt meeting, you doe very brotherly ſalute vsus, by the names of falſe Prophets, though of your courteſie, your care not much if you omit the name.