A PANEGYRIQVE OF CONGRATV­LATION FOR THE CON­CORD OF THE REALMES OF GREAT BRITAINE IN VNI­TIE OF RELIGION, AND VN­DER ONE KING.

TO THE MOST HIGH, most puissant and magnanimous, Iames King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland.

Written in French by Iohn Gordon Scot­tish-man, Lord of Long-Orme, and one of the Gen­tlemen of the French Kings Chamber.

Translated into English by E. G.

Imprinted at London by R. R. for Geffrey Chorlton at the great North-doore of Paules. 1603.

A Panegyrique of Congratula­tion for the concord of the realmes of great Brittaine, in vnitie of religion vnder one King.

AN auncient writer saith, that the ground and main­tenance of all Monar­chies and Empires is con­cord, their ruine and sub­uersion is discorde. The Histories of things past for sixteene hundred yeeres, since the eternall Sonne of God and Monarke of all Monarkes, became man to redeeme such as should beleeue in him, shew vs many fayre and admirable blessings which God hath powred vp­pon the Ilands of great Brittaine, and the plan­ting of Christian truth in them, the which I will represent vnto your Maiestie, to shew plainly that the cōcord & vnion of the people, & nations ouer [Page 2] whom God hath made you King, is the accom­plishment and perfection of all the precedent benefites which his diuine bountie hath bestow­ed vppon the people vnder your most happie go­uernment.

The Apostle Saint Peter in his first Catholike Epistle the second Chapter, sayeth that Chri­stians are; a chosen race, a royall Priesthoode, a holy nation, a people purchased to God as his owne. The which is very fitly applied to the people vnder your commaunde, seeing that God hath first vnited them vnder this royal­tie and Priesthoode of Christian veritie, and afterwardes hath vsed this vnion of their soules, as a Mother to bring foorth the vnion of three Realmes vnder your Maiestie in one royaltie. The sayde Apostle in the same place doth teach vs to what ende God hath placed vs in this hap­pie concorde, That is: To the ende (sayeth he) that you shoulde declare his vertues, who hath called you out of darkenesse to his admirable light. The which should mooue vs to preferre the wonderfull workes of God, before all world­ly things, who hauing freede and redeemed vs from darkenesse, from inuocation and adoration of deade men, and from Pagan Idolatrie, where­in our predecessours haue beene so long abu­sed (worshipping Images, and the visible formes of Creatures, as the Creator himselfe and the [Page 3] creature insteade of the Creator) hath since and in this latter age, called and inspired vs to worshippe him the onely Creator of all things.

Moreouer the Apostle in the same place doeth shewe vs what man was before, that is, Before you were no people, and now you are the people of God: you had not obtayned mercie, but now you haue obteyned mercie. The people (SIRE) of the Ilands of great Brittaine, were not vnited in re­ligion, in peace, in concorde, in like affections and will vnder one King, but they haue beene long banded one agaynst an other, in a Sea of discordes, discentions, and cruell warres, against the decree and lawe of God, for that they were out of Christian charitie, hauing no other obiect in their soules but hatred and malice, with a desire of reuenge, and so by consequence they were not Gods people, but cast-awayes, by reason of their Idolatrie and spirituall fornication wherewith they were po­luted, and so vnworthy to obtayne mercie. But now that the light of the Gospell, the true worshippe of one God hath taken liuely and sure roote in their hartes vnder the fortunate raygne of the deceased Queene, and vnder your happy and lawefull succession in these Realmes, they are become of one heart, of one affecti­on, and finally beeing made the true people [Page 4] of God, they haue obtained blessing, grace and mercie.

The comicall Poet sayth. A King is the image of the liuing God. Christian diuinity teacheth vs that in God, there be three persōs vnited in one deytie essence and power. Saint Augustine compares the Trinity to the three partes of a mans soule, which are distinguished in opperations and functions vnited in one and the same essence. I beseech God (SIRE) so to worke in the hartes of your subiects, and in the three realmes vnited vnder the power, and commaund of your royall Maiesty, that beeing bound togeather, they may repre­sent the three persons of the Trinitye in one deity, and that agreeing in one will vnder your Monarchy, they may be made the true image of the heauenly, that all may bee one in Christ as Christ is one with his father.

It was neuer seene in any age, that the nations of the Ilands of Brittanie, were vnited in hart and affection vnder one King, as the admirable power of God hath lately brought them vnder your maiesty: whereof the true and onely cause is the purity and truth of Christian religion: the which God of his especial grace hath miraculous­ly planted in your realmes, and sence continued in you, causing you to be borne the lawfull and vn­doubted heire of these three▪ auncient Imperiall Crowns of the west, to raigne Christianly, peace­ably [Page 5] and happily as vndoubtedly you shall, seeing that God hath indued and beautified you with learning in aboundance, and so great wisdome, as I may iustly say these vertues surpasse the great­nes of your royall maiesty.

If we examine the order of Histories, we shall obserue, that this most happy vnion of English and Scottish vnder one King, hath beene long be­fore foreseene by the diuine prouidence, to be fi­nally effected in our age by the establishment of the ancient Christian religion in your Ilands, and the abolishion of the new religion of Arrius, Nestorius, and Eutichius brought in by the Stra­tagems of the olde serpent, the spirite of errour and darkenesse through the ministry of Popes, who since sixe hundred yeeres, vnder the name of Christianity, haue built vp againe this pagan idolatry, hauing changed the Bishops and pastors of the Church into worldly power, vsurping vp­on the Kings of the Westerne Empire, in whose soules (through superstition and ignorance of the Christian truth) they haue planted a more in­supportable tyrannye, then that which aun­cient Rome had conquered by force of armes.

The great God of armies hath (in your Maie­sties person) begun this happy vnion and concord betwixt two nations, which had for so many ages beene in cruell and bloudy warres, that [Page 6] you might imploye the valour of their armes for the deliuery of his church, from the bar­barous tyranny wherewith shee hath beene long oppressed by Popes. And as Constantine the great, the protector and restorer of the auncient Christian Church, was borne in great Brittaine, and there beganne his Empire, obtayning af­terwardes admirable victories against fowre Ro­maine Tyrantes persecutors of the Church of God, by meanes whereof he did abolish Gen­tilisme, and planted Christian Religion at Rome and throughout the Empire. In like sorte the same God hath raised your Maiestie to the height of greatnesse, to be successor vnto Constantine in the saide Realmes, and to chase out of the same Rome the idolatry and abhomination of the Gentiles, the which Sathan hath sence brought in vnder the name of Christ, which is the true meanes to purchase you the iust title of pro­tector and defender of the faith and restorer of Christianitie. And as God by that marriage of Henrie the seauenth with Elizabeth his wife made the Vnion of the houses of Lancaster and Yorke, who had a long time beene in bloudye warres, and by the marriage of Iames the fourth King of Scotland with Marguerite the eldest daughter of the sayde Henrie the seauenth your great graundfather, the coniunction of the crownes of England and Scotland within these [Page 7] hundred yeares: So wee hope that the same God will imploye this admirable Vnion vnder your commaunde to vnite the Christian and v­niuersall Church vnder one spirituall royalty, which is the worship of one God, and to abolish idolatry, which hath in a maner swallowed vp and deuoured the true Church.

My intention is to represent in briefe vnto your Maiesty and to all Christians desirous of eternall health, the infinite graces & benifits which God hath powred vpon your Ilands, in the planting & maintaining the preaching of his Gospell, that it may plainely appeare, that neither the deceased Queene Elizabeth of happy memory, nor your Maiesty haue established any new religion in your Ilands, but banished the new, being polluted and defiled with errours and false worshippes of the Gentiles, Arians, Nestorians, and Eutichians, & that the Religion which dooth now flourish in your Realmes, is the same which soone after the death of our Sauiour was preached and receaued by the Kings your predecessours, and by the people of your Realmes.

Theodoret a Greeke bishop and one of the most ancient of the Church in his bookes de curatione Grecarum affectionum, sermon 9. de legibus, makes a goodly comparison betwixt the power of the Romaine Empire, and their Lawes, & the Empire of Iesus Christ, and of his Lawe receiued [Page 8] throughout the worlde. He saieth, the Romaines could neuer make the Persians and Parthians of the East subiect to their lawes, nor towardes the North, the Cimbrians, Danes, nor the people of Brittaine. But the power of Iesus Christ hath beene greater, for (saieth he) our fisherman that is Saint Peter, and our maker of tents, which is Saint Paul, haue made the Brittish people subiect to the lawes of Christ, the which would not o­bey the Romaine lawes, so as antiquitie doth te­stifie that the Apostles haue preached in our I­lands. Metaphrastes (cited by the Cardinall Bare­nius) sayeth that Saint Peter came thether. Ioseph Baleus ex Gilda et a­ [...]ijs script. Anglis. Ni­ceph. l. 2. c 4 of Arimathie, and Simon Zelotes came likewise, as Histories do teach vs. This seede of the Gospell in your Ilands tooke such increase, as King Lucius and all his subiects, about the yeere 180. did pub­likely receiue the Christian religion.

And indeede the Chronographers haue noted that about the yeare of our Lord 180 Brittaine was the first part of the world which did publiquelyPlat. in vit. The: lesph. receiue the fayth of Christ, for Lucius King of Brittaine did in those dayes depose the Priests of the Gentiles, and did substitute in their places Bishoppes and Christian pastors; hee banished Gentilisme out of his countrie, which hapned not in any part of the worlde, vntill the time of Constantine the great. Tertulian, and Origen who liued about the same time testifie, that the coun­tries [Page 9] of Brittaine beeing inaccessible for the Re­mains were subiect vnto Christ. The Bishops of this Iland were at the councell of Nice, held vnder Constantine the great, three hundred yeares after Christ, which is the first period of Christianisme, during the which the Christians did suffer twelue most cruell persecutions vnder the ty­rannie of Paganisme and the Idolatrie of olde Rome.

We well wot that during the three first Periods of Christianitie, whereof eyther conteynes three hundred yeares, the true and onely worshippe of one God, which hath beene planted since the A­postles time in your Ilands, hath beene continu­ed there during the said time, and yet the Chri­stians, which liued in those ages (no not the Ro­maines) did euer allowe (in the publique vse of the seruice of the Church,) of the worship of the host in the Romish masse, nor of the pre­tended woode of the very crosse, nor of the Ima­ges of Iesus Christ, or his sepulcher seated neare to Mount Caluarie, all which are worshiped in the new Romish Church as God himselfe, which worships are abhominations of the Gentils, Arriens & Nestoriens, which bring with it the shipwracke of eternall health.

The Christians vvhich liued during the first Period of the three hundred yeares of Christia­nitie, did inuiolably keepe the first commaunde­ment▪ [Page 10] Thou shalt haue no other Gods against my face, or before mee, which the Thargum of the Caldeans hath interpreted, besides mee, or any other then mee. The Greeke translation saith, other Gods Athanas. Oret. cont. gentes. tom. 1. pag. 34. besides me. Athanasius interpreting this commaun­dement sayth, Hee hath not forbidden them to haue other Gods, for that there were other Gods, but least any one falling from the true God, should make him a God of that which is not, like to those Gods which the Poets and writers make mention of, which haue but the name of God and not the effect. And the same Authour sayeth, If reason and the esteeme we houlde of God doth make vs beleeue that hee may bee in all places, and that nothing of all that which God hath vnder him is God, and that all things are vnder his power, why doe not they which make a crea­ture God, see, that it is out of the definition attribu­ted vnto God.

Theodoret vppon the same commaundement saith, that the Arrians offend against it, and the true Christians obserue it. They doe not allowe any thing to be held or worshiped for God, but the deuine nature: but those which follow the error of Arrius and Eunomius, sinne directly against the deuine law, for they confesse the onely Sonne of God, but they maintaine that he was created and is deuided from the deuine substance. God ha­uing sayde, Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me, doubtlesse these men bring in another God.

[Page 11]By these authorities we do inferre, that the Ro­mains which worship the host in the Masse, breake this commaundement, for they agree, that it is no part of the deuine nature, but of the substance and nature of Iesus Christs humanitie, who is wor­shiped according to his diuinitie, and not after his humanitie, according to the auncient simboles of the Church. The Christian faith then hath for a firme and onely foundation the worship of one God, according to this first commaundement, and the worship of any thing created by God, which is vnder him, ought not to be receiued in the Chri­stian religion, but the onely deuine nature of the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost, ought to be wor­shiped and called on in Triple vnitie, without the which nothing ought to be worshiped, without manifest impietie and idolatrie.

The same Theodorei interpreting this comman­dement, saieth, Serm. 2. God the maker of all things in the beginning of the law which he gaue vnto Moses cōmaunded him to worship one God. I am (saith he) the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, & whē he hath put Moses in mind of his late benefits, he exhorts him to persist in the seruice of god, not to deuide his worship but to cleaue onely vnto God, Thou shalt not (saith he) haue any other Gods but me. The which doth teach vs that those of the Romish corruptiō haue brought in strange Gods, for that they haue deuided the [Page 12] adoration and veneration betwixt God and his creatures, making three degrees. The first they call Latria, which they attribute to God and to the Host in the Masse equally. The second Hy­perdeulia, which they yeelde to the blessed vir­gin. And the third Dulia, attributed to their other Saints and to their images and reliques, a­busing with too grosse an ignorance the signi­fication of these Greeke wordes, for Deulia signi­fies a greater seruice then Latria. And we learne that in this place Theodoret calles the seruice and adoration of God, by the name of Deulia, and so doe Athanasius and Chrisostome. And Saint Au­gustine who hath brought in this distinction, at­tributes both vnto God onely. In his 84. Question [...] vpon Exod.

Iustin Martir who liued vnder Antonius Pi­us in the second age of this period of Christi­anity, shewes plainely that the Christians did not alow of the worship of any thing inferiour to the Deity▪ and saieth that Iesus Christ had so taught them; for speaking to the Emperour in his Apologie for the Christians of his time, hee writes thus. That God onely is to be worshipped, for so Christ doth [...]each the greatest commande­ment is, thou shalt worshippe the Lorde thy God, and him onely shalt thou honour with all thy heart and all thy strength, the Lorde God which hath created thee. And a little after he saith, we worship [Page 13] God onely, in other things we willingly serue you, for that we do acknowledge you for Kings and Princes of men, and we pray vnto God that he will giue you wisedome equall to your royall power. So as the Christians in matters of religion did not yeeld any worship to things created, nei­ther did they deuide the worship betwixt God & his creatures, as the Romish Church doth.

Many Christians of the same time, were so ex­act obseruers of the onely worshippe of God, as they would not reuerence the Roman Emperors, as the souldiers did in ciuil causes, for Theophilus to Apostolicus the sixt Bishop of Antioche, who liued in the yeare of our Lord 173. when as Luci­us was King of great Brittaine; saith I shall honor the Emperour more in praying for him, then in worshipping him, for it is not lawfull to worship any but God onely.

The Christians of these three first ages, had no Alters, no Images, nor any materiall crosses of golde, siluer, wood, or stone, for Clemens Alexan­drinus who was neere the Apostles time saith. Wee Christians are expreslye forbidden to vseIn Parenc­tico. any arte of deceite (for so hee calleth painting and making of Images) Thou shalt not (saith the Prophet Moses) make the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue, or on the earth beneath. And the same author Strom. Lib. 5. Pythagoras (saith he) forbids the wearing of rings, nor to ingraue [Page 14] in them the images and figures of Gods, as Mo­ses had long before forbidden, and that we must not make any Image, be it grauen, molten, coun­terfeite or painted, that wee should not bee car­ryed away with sensible things, but should passe vnto those thinges which are comprehended by vnderstanding, And soone after he saith; To ho­nour the essence by the knowledge of a materi­all thing, is to contemne it.

The Doctrine of the Romish Church do [...]th heerein directly oppugne the Doctrine of Chri­stian antiquitye, making a new God of the host of the new Masse, giuing it the name of God, worshipping it as God, and yet their doctors con­fesse that it is made and created by the wordes of consecration.

It is therefore euident that they haue brought into the Church a God created, which is not contayned in the definition of God, before mentioned by Saint Athanasius, for the hoast of the Masse is not euerye where, which is the property of God onelye, neither dooth it con­taine all things vnder his power: but contra­rywise the Counsell of Trent saith in ex­presse wordes, that Iesus Christ God and man is contained vnder the visibie signes of Breade, of Wine, which is quite contrarye to the di­uine nature, which contaynes all things in it, [Page 15] and is not contained in anye thing. The God therefore of the Romish Masse, is a God created which hath a beginning and ending, and is contained in the visible forme of Breade and Wine, and containes not in it all things crea­ted; so as the worshippers of this God of the Masse, doe worshippe a newe and strange God, contrarye to the first commaunde­ment.

If the Arrians (as Theodoret saith) haue bro­ken this first commaundement, for that they taught that Iesus Christ according to his deity was a creature, and yet he was God, with grea­ter reason the Romaines transgresse the same commaundement, confessing that the preten­ded deitie of the hoast of the Masse, is a deitie purchased by the consecration, and not by the eternall deity, without beginning and without ending. And the same Theodoret writing against the Greekes in the foresaide passage, teacheth vs, that by the commaundement which saith. Thou shalt haue no other Gods but mee, that Moses forbiddes to make anye deuision of the de­uine worshippe, but to giue all to God one­lye. The Romaines who haue made three de­grees of worshipping, cannot denie but they haue broken this first commaundement, and brought in a multitude of Gods, making as manye Gods as they saye Masses: So as [Page 16] their pluralitie of Gods becomes infinite, and surpasseth the multitude of the Paynims Gods. Minutius Foelix, Tertulian, Origen, and A [...]nobius, vvho liued in the third age of this first Periode of Christianisme, testifie that the Gentiles accused the Christians, for that they had neither Temples, Altars, Images, nor visible or Materiall Sacrifices, and that they did hide from sight, that which they did worshippe. Cecilius a Pagan Oratour, dispu­ting against Octauius a Christian, as Minutius doth reporte, obiected to the Christians. Why haue they no Alters, no Temples, no knowne Ima­ges. They did blazon our Christians in the vvor­shiping of the Crosse, vvhich they sayd they de­serued, taking the Crosse for a punishment. To whom Octauius aunsweres for the Christians. We neither worshippe nor desire Crosses, but you who haue consecrated Gods of Wood, worshiping Crosses of Wood, as peeces of your Gods. Whereby it appeares that the auncient Christians in the purenesse of Christian religion did neither worship crosses of Gold, Sil­uer, Stone or Wood, as these doe of the Romish religion. How should they I pray you worshippe them, seing they had them not? & which is more, would not haue them? But the Church of Rome doth quite contrarie, running after Gods of Gold and Siluer, made (as the Psalmet saieth) by mans hand.

Inregarde of that which the Gentiles did obiect [Page 17] vnto the Christians, that they did hide, and not shew forth what they did worship. Octauius aun­sweres for the Christians. Doe you thinke that we doe hide what we do worship, although we haue neither Temples, nor Aulters? for what Image shall I make of God? If thou hast thy right sences, thou shalt finde that man is the true Image of God. And a little after he saith: But the God whom we worship, we neither shewe nor see. If the auncient Christians had beene like vnto the Romish Christians of this age, the Gentiles could not haue obiected, that they had neither Aultars nor Images: for in truth they haue more Aulters and Images then the Gentiles had. Neither should they haue obiected vnto the Christiās, that they concealed what they worship­ped, for the Romains shew in the eleuation of the Host, the God which they worship, & cause the people to worship it, the which they not onely shewe in Temples, but also in the streetes, and in generall processions, and other solemnities, they shew forth what they worship, against the vse of the first Christians.

Tertulian in his booke of Idolatrie, confutes with many reasons, the making of all sortes of Images, to roote out all matter of Idolatrie; and after he had cited the second commaundement, whereby it is defended to make the likenesse of anie thing that is in heauen or earth, hee saith, It is forbidden throughout all the worlde, for the seruants [Page 18] of God to vse such making of Images, seeing that Enoch had forecoulde that the Diuell or the Angels of darkenesse should turne all the Elements into Idola­trie, and all that it conteyned in Heauen and Earth, that all these things might bee consecrated for God against God himselfe. And so mans errour doth worshippe all things except the Creator of all things. Their Images were Idols, and the consecration of I­mages is Idolatrie. And whatsoeuer Idolatrie com­mits, must necessarily be attributed to the maker of the Idol.

That which Origen speaketh vpon the Epistle to the Romaines, is to be considered, to make Chri­stians wholy to reiect Idolatrie: For after that he hath refuted the Errours of the Gentiles, in that they might know God by the visible Ellementes, yet they had fallen to the worshippe of the visible Images of Creatures, concluding thus. To the ende that in fewe wordes wee may speake the truth, wee houlde it an abhominable impietie to worshippe any thing▪ except the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost.

And a little after hee saith, They wrong them­selues that serue Images, and worshippe the Creature leauing the Creator: But we Christians which wor­ship and adore the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost onely, and no other Creature, as we doe not erre in the di­uine worshippe, so doe wee not offend in our actions and conuersation. It is most certaine that the Host offred [Page 19] vp in the Romaine Eyturgie, is not consubstantiall with the Father, Son, & holy Ghost, & much lesse vnited in consubstantialitie with the Trinitie, as it is well noted in the sermon de Caena Domini, inser­ted among the workes of Cyprian who liued in the third age, where it is saide. That the diuine es­sence is infused in the visible Sacrament after an vn­speakable manner, that there might bee more deuoti­on and reuerence giuen to the Sacraments, and a more holy accesse to the truth of him▪ of whose bodie they bee Sacraments, and to the participating of the spi­rite, not to the consubstantialitie of Christ, but to this brotherly and indiuisible vnitie: for the Sonne onely is consubstantiall with the Father, the sub­stance of the Trinitie may not bee deuided, our coniunction, and that of Christ doth not confounde the persons, nor vnite the substances, but doth onely consociate the affections, and binde the willes. If in the person of Iesus Christ, consisting of three natures in one person, worshiped with one one­ly worshippe: the deuine nature had beene one­ly infused in the humanitie of Iesus Christ af­ter his birth, as Nestorius did teach, and not vnited personally in the virgins wombe.

Cyrillus and the other Orthodoxes did right­ly mainetaine agaynst him, that to worshippe one Christ carrying God in him, had beene an Antropolatrie or Pagan Idolatrie. With greater reason the infusion of the Diuinitie in the [Page 20] Sacrament and in the elements of Breade and Wine, cannot attribute vnto it the dignity to bee worshipped as God himselfe, for (as that text doth teach vs) this infusion which is made in the sacra­ment is not consubstantiall with the deity of the Sonne of God, the which is onely consubstantiall with the father and the holy spirite, for that it dooth affect amost straight and mutuall coniunc­tion betwixt God and vs. Saint Iohn in his seuen­teenth Chapter speaketh of this coniunction and vnion, where our Sauiour prayes to his father for all those that shall beleeue in him. That all may be one, as thou O father art in me, and I in thee, that they may be one in vs. If this vnion should make that sacrament of the Lords supper to be worshipped, then those which are vnited in Christ, and by him in God the lather, should worship one another, for our Sauiour saith in the sixt of Saint Iohn. Hee that eates my flesh and drinks my bloud, remaines in me & I in him. That we might know (saith Cypriā) that our abiding in him is a true eating, and the drinking an incorporation, with a duty of obedience, ioyning of willes and vnitie of affections. The eating therefore is a certaine greedinesse in vs, and a desire to re­maine for euer in Christ.

We learne by these authorities, that euen as Christs abyding in vs by our eating of the sacra­ment, makes vs not capable of worship, for that by this coniunction wee are not personally vnited [Page 21] with the deity of Iesus Christ, In like sort the in­fusion of the deuine essence in the sacramentes, whereof Saint Cyprian speakes, makes not the sa­crament to be worshipped, if it were so, the said a­doration were in idolatrye like that of Nestorius, who worshipped man carrying God in him, as is said before.

We may therfore say with good reason against those that worship the creatures, and the images of Iesus Christ, his sepulcher, and the wood of the crosse, that which Origen speaketh against the Gentiles of his time. God is the vertue which go­uernes all things, and the diuinitye which filleth all things, making themselues thereby inexcusable, that whereas God hath giuen them the grace to know him yet haue they not honoured him as they ought, neither haue they giuen him due thankes, but haue sought in the vanity of their owne imaginations the images of God. As those of the Romish Church doe in the Masse, for in their hoast they make figures and images. They haue lost in themselues the I­mage of God: they which vanted to haue the spirite of wisedome, are fallen into the ob­scure darkenesse of ignorance. For what is there more abhominable thē to turne the glory of God to the corporall and corruptible image of mans nature? the which is done at this present through­out all the Romish Church as it is saide. So as they haue conuerted God the Creatour of all [Page 22] things, into a corporall and corruptible forme, whome they thought to worship vnder those vi­sible formes, wee will therefore conclude our discourse of the proofe of the true and onely a­doration of God, obserued throughout all the habitable world, during the first periode of three hundred yeares, with the testimonye of Arno­bius, writing against the Gentiles obiecting to the Christians, that they would not worshippe any but the first, and the greatest of all the Gods, and not the inferiour Gods, according to the manner in those dayes, to whome hee aunswe­reth saying. And wee may say in that which concernes the worshippe and honour of the diuinity, that it suffi­ceth vs to haue one onelye God, God I saye the father of all things, who hath created and gouerneth all things. In worshipping of him wee worshippe all that we ought to worshippe, when wee honour him, wee honour in him that which hee requires at our handes, what the duety of worshippe dooth exact, that we performe by our worshippe. For seeing wee holde the chiese of all diuinitye, of whome all diuine thinges depend, wee thinke it superfluous to seeke to priuate persons. And a little after hee saithe: As in earthlye king­domes wee are not constrained to worshippe and ho­nour euerye priuate man of the Kings house, but in the honour wee doe vnto Kings, those which be­long vnto them are sceretly honored with them. So the [Page 23] Christians of that perfect age, did not wor­shippe nor call vpon any thing vnder God, as the Romanistes of our age doe, which worship the blessed virgin, the Angelles Michael and Gabriel, Saint Iohn Baptist, the Apostles and Martyrs, their reliques, Sepulchers and Ima­ges. So as it is most apparent that the Religion planted at this present in the Ilandes of great Brittaine is the true auncient Religion, and the only worship of one God, incōmunicable to the Creatures, the which hath continued during the first periode of the three hundred yeares of Chri­stianity. So as it is a meere slander what the ad­uersaries of the trueth saye, that your Maiestye hath banished the true auncient Christian Religi­on out of your Realmes, to plant a newe Re­ligion, pretended to bee begunne by Martin Luther, Iohn Caluin, and other great Persona­ges in the puritye of the true Christian Doc­trine.

But contrarywise it is an immortall glorye which shall increase in your raigne, and conti­nue to posterity, seeing that your Maiesty is the author of the restoring of the true Christian reli­gion in your realmes, hauing restored it I saye to that beauty and sincerity, as it was in oulde time planted by Lucius your fore-runner, the first Christian King of great Brittayne, who [Page 24] became so affectionate and zealous of the ad­uancement and propagation of the trueth, and so great an enemie to Idolatrie and the worship of Creatures and visible formes, that of a King he be­came a Preacher (as some Histories say) And as during the persecutiō of the Christians vnder Di­oclesian and Maxentius which were the most blou­die of all, God vsed your Ilands and kingdomes as a refuge for the true Christians which fled from the saide persecutions; Euen so the same God hath made your most happie raigne to be a safe har­bour for the Christians of our age, who haue been forced to abandon houses, goods, and inheritan­ces, rather then to bow to the Romish worship.

God the protector of his true Church hath con­tinued his admirable graces ouer your Ilands in the second Period of Christianisme, the which begun with the most happie Empire of Constanti­us Euseb. in vita Con­stan. Chlorus: for during the last persecution, God raysed vp this wise and warlike Emperour in the westerne parts of Europe, in the which England, Scotland, and Ireland, are conteyned, where the saide Emperor tooke to wife Hellen, borne in your said realmes, who receiued into his protection all the Christians which fled from other prouinces to auoyde the cruell persecution which was made against them by his other associates in the Empire. SIRE, we must here obserue a notable pollicie of this wise Emperour, to trie the fidelitie of his [Page 25] seruants and ministers in the gouernment of his Empire, which will much auaile for the preserua­tion of your royall estate. He did publish a fayned edict, commaunding all the subiects of his Em­pire to sacrifice to the false Gods, and whosoeuer should refuse so to doe, to departe out of his ar­mies and Empire. This proclamation beeing made a great number of Christians, did sacrifice vnto the false Gods, to preserue their estates, dig­nities, and goods: but the true Christians desired rather to leaue all, then to serue them, where­vpon the Emperour discouered himselfe present­ly, and discharged all such as had worshiped these false Gods: saying, How can they be faithful vnto the Idem in Constant. Emperour, that are faithlesse vnto God? And as for the true Christians which had left all, hee called them home and made them guardiens both of his person and estate, as Eusebius saith. I desire not your Maiestie should make such counterfeite pro­clamations, but that the same God which hath made you successor to Constantius Chlorus, will giue you the grace to make such an election of your subiects, as in your most important affaires you admit not any but such as are knowne to be well grounded in the true Christian religion. For euen as a modest woman ought not onely to be chast, but free from all suspition, euen so those which are imployed in the affaires of true Christian Princes, (as your Maiestie is) should be [Page 26] free from all suspition of false religion. The said Constantius died at Yorke in England, after that hee had instituted Constantine the great his sonne. the which was an other especiall grace which God hath poured vppon your realmes. And euen as vnder King Lucius, It was the first part of the world, which did banish the Pagan Idolatrie, euen so God hath raised out of the same Iland, the said Constantine the great, who expelled the same Ro­mish Idolatry out of all the other Prouinces of the habitable world, whereof your Maiestie hath a fa­miliar example to imitate in this restorer of the Christian religion.

This great Constantine your predecessor and countrieman, in the beginning of his Empire, Hee studied what God he should choose, as the same Eusebi­us saith, that his Father had condemned the Error of I­dolatrie, and al his life had worshiped one onely God, the protector & guardien of the Empire, the free giuer of all good.

Vppon this resolution he made choise of the true God to serue, beleeuing that the onely cause of Kings and Emperours felicitie, procee­ded from him alone, as the same Authour saith. He worshiped the same God that is aboue all things. And in his ordinarie praiers, beeing alone he spake to God alone.

Whereby it appeareth that the religion which your Maiestie hath established in your realmes, is [Page 27] conformable to that of your predecessour Constan­tine, who worshiped (as I haue saide) but one onely God, the Creator of all things, and not the Crosse and Images of Iesus Christ. In his ordi­narie praiers hee did not call vppon the blessed Virgin, Saint Peter, Saint Paul, nor the other Apo­stles and Martires, neyther haue we read that he did consecrate his Empire to Saint Andrew or Saint George, as some of your predecessors in the time of Error and blindenesse. But did dedicate Euseb. ibid. his house and familie to one King that is God onely. God was his onely patron, who recompensed him with all good things, and made him Lord and Con­querour ouer all other Princes. He commaunded all his armie to call vppon one God, as the giuer of victories, he appointed that in their praiers, they should lift vp their handes to heauen, and the eyes of their vnderstanding to the most high king of Heauen: Hee also taught them the forme of praying to God as followeth. Wee confesse thee to be the one­ly God, wee acknowledge thee to be the onely King, wee call vppon thee to aide vs (they did not in­uoke the virgin Marie) by thee wee obtayne victorie ouer our enemies, wee giue thee thankes for the bene­fites wee receiue in this present life, hoping for future things by thy meanes: wee crye vnto thee with all humilitie that it would please thee to make our Emperour Constantine victorious, and preserue his Godly Children in long life and happie health. [Page 28] They did not call vpon the Angelles Michael and Gabriel to giue them victory.

Hereby we see that it is a false and slaundrous thing, which the aduersaries of the trueth im­pute to your Maiesty to haue left the auncient profession of your predecessors, and to haue plan­ted a new religion, begunne by Martin Luther, Iohn Caluin and other most learned men, whom God hath stirred vp in our age to abolish the false Romish worshippe, as hath beene suffici­ently prooued to your Maiesty in the discour­ces of the first periode of the first three hundred yeeres. And to shew that the onelye worshippe of the Creatour, without mingling the adoration of the Creatures, continued vnto this' second periode of three hundred yeares in your Iland, I will content my selfe with the saying of Sedu­lius Scotus Hibernensis, who lyued in the fift age, in these wordes which hee hath drawne out of Origen which I haue before cited. It is a sinne of impietye to worshippe anye other but the Father Sedulius in cap. 1. epist ad Rom. Sonne and holye Ghost. Whereunto Saint Au­gustine speakes very fitly saying. Know that the Christians, (whereof there is a Church in your Towne) Worshippe not anye dead thing, neyther Aug. epist. 45. ad Max grammat. tom. 2. anye thing that hath beene made by God, but God onelye is worshipped, who hath made and created all things.

Our aduersaries dare not affirme that the hoast [Page 29] in the Masse is one of the three parsons of the Tri­nity, as we haue saide, which were a greater here­fie then that of Arrius, who sayde that the Sonne of God was a Creature, hauing a begin­ning, beeing not the Sonne of God from all eternitye. All their Doctors teach that it is made and created by the pronountiation of the wordes of Iesus Christ, taking his beginning by the consecration; whereby we inferre that they are worshippers of visible formes, and therfore I­dolaters in worshipping it, seeing it is no eternall creature, nor consubstantiall with God the Fa­ther: For Athanasius, Theodoret, Cyrillus and all the ancient Fathers, booth Greeke and Latine of the second periode of three hundred yeares of Christianity, teach, that if the Sonne of God had beene created or had had any beginning, that he had not beene worshipped; for that the Crea­ture dooth not worshippe the Creature, God onely Athā. cont. Arr. orat. 3 et epist. ad Ephes. is to be worshipped; if the Sonne had beene a creature he had not beene worshipped, God forbidde we should wor­shippe the Creature, this madnesse fittes best with the Pagans, and Arrians. And in another place hee saithe, that the Christians worshippe not the body of Iesus Christ deuided from the dei­ty. Neither when wee worshippe the worde (saith hee) doe we seperate the worde from the flesh, but knowing that the worde hath beene made flesh, acknowledge that which is in the [Page 30] flesh, to bee God. And a little after speaking of the Leaper he saith. Hee worshipped the Lord in his body, and did acknowledge him for God. And the same Athanasins teacheth vs, that the bodye of our Lorde is not consubstantiall with the Father, and therefore not to bee worshipped a­lone: with greater reason the hoast, which can­not bee saide consubstantiall with the Father, is not to bee worshipped. For if the deitye of Iesus Christ had not beene consubstantiall with the Father, and without beginning as the Fa­ther is, it had not beene lawfull to worshippe him. And this SIRE hath beene represen­ted vnto you in the first periode, the which I repeate heere to shew the continuance of the worship of one onely God.

It is therefore manyfest that the Christians of this second periode ending in the sixe hundred yeare of Christianity, did beleeue that it was a Pa­gan Idolatry to worshippe any Creature which had a beginning, restraining all adoration but to the Trinitye alone, worshipping nothing vnder­neath it, the which is comprehended by Gregorye Orat. 3. pro. pace. Nazianzene in few words, where he saith that we must worshippe nothing aboue or beneath the Trinity.

For saith hee, it is impossible to worshippe a­ny thing aboue God; and to worshippe anye thing vnderneath God is meere impietye. Let [Page 31] vs adde heereunto what Theodoret saith, (who liued in the fift age) touching the adoration of the Sacrament of the Lordes supper, for that the Ro­mains corrupting his writings, attribute vnto him the worship of the Simbols of the body & bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ, which he neuer dreampt of; for besides that which wee haue before alled­ged that hee condemned the Arrians, for that they worshipped the deity, which they sayde was created; Hee saith in the fifty fiue question vppon Genesis, that God did allowe to eate the flesh of beastes, to restraine the people from wor­shipping of them, foreseeing that men should fall into that blindenesse and superstition as they should worshippe beastes, as wee reade of the worshippe of the Golden Calfe like vnto the E­gyptians; where Theodoret concludes, that it is a meere madnesse to worshippe that which wee eate. So as according vnto Theodoret the priests should bee madde to worshippe that which they eate. Athanasius against the Arrians teacheth, that the deity is not to be eaten, and yet the Ro­maines maintaine that their hoast is God himselfe and they sinne that they eate that which is present in the hoast, which in effect is to make the deity edible.

Our Sauiour before he left this world, would leaue vnto all men that should beleeue in him a perpetual comemoration of his true incarnation [Page 32] and passion, to the end this memoriall should bee, as it were a Simbole of the presence of his hu­maine nature here on earth. He might as well af­ter the manner of the Greekes and Romaines, haue left his portraite liuely drawne, to serue for a representation and commemoration vnto such as should beleeue in him, yea they should make infi­nite numbers of pictures, like vnto the starres of heauen, to be in all assemblies of Christians, and to shewe that he had put on a bodie like vnto those pictures: but he who knewe the spirite of man commonly inclined to Idolatrie, would not leaue his representation in the figure of a man, to take from him all subiect of Idolatrie, but hee chose rather to institute the Simboles in the E­lements of bread and wine, wherewith his hu­maine nature was nourished, as ours is now, the which is nourished dayly, when there is no rea­son to worship them seeing we doe eate them, as Theodoret saith, & yet the spirit of darkenes, hauing in the olde time induced men to eate the beasts, and then to worshippe their Images, hath sinceExpositor ordin. in Rom. found meanes to pull from the Church the firme breade in the Communion, bringing in a kinde of wafer, which cannot properly bee called breade, Casand. in Litur. beeing so thinne, on the which are printed the Images of Iesus Christ, the which they haueHonor. in Gemma a­nimae. since worshiped, whereas it was instituted one­ly to be eaten in remembrance that Iesus Christ [Page 33] had a humane bodie, nourished like vnto ours, to continue betwixt him and vs the communication of this incarnation, by the Elements wherewith we are all nourished.

This onely adoration of one God, hauing con­tinued the sixe first ages after our Sauiour. Grego­rie the first Bishoppe of Rome brought in the inuocation of deade men in the beginning of the seauenth age, with many other superstitions: yet did he neuer teach that we must worshippe the I­mages of Iesus Christ, as Christ himselfe, as Tho­mas Aquinas and other Romish Doctors do teach vs, neither did he teach that we should worshippe the consecrated Host as God, but contrariwise writing to Serenus Bishoppe of Marseilles, he com­mandes him in expresse wordes, that he restraine the people from the worship of Images, and that the people should prostrate themselues with all humilitie in the worship of the onely Almightie and holy Trinitie: So as the Romish doctrine of the last ages, is di­rectly contrarie to that of the first six ages after our Sauiour.

And yet this Pope commaunded them to hold Images in their Churches, yet not to worshippe them, but to serue as a commemoration vnto the people of the Histories of the Bible onely, but to what end serued this? It was as much as if they should forbid one to be drunke who is naturally inclined thereunto, & yet command him to lodge [Page 32] [...] [Page 33] [...] [Page 34] in a Tauerne and to consorte himsele with drunk­ards, or like to him that should cōmaund a young man in the heate of his youth giuen to licentious­nesse, to abstaine from it, and yet to lodge in a bro­thell house. Mans nature is as much or more in­clined to Idolatrie, then to drunkennesse or lux­urie: & therefore the deuine prouidence know­ing this imperfection in man, would take from him all subiect of Idolatrie. Theodoret Serm. 7. de cur. Grec. affect. saith, That the wicked spirit to deceiue ignorant men, inuented the Arte of painting, gra­uing, and other workemen to forge Images and pictures to serue for matter of Idolatrie: and that they haue not onely filled the Temple with Ima­ges, but also the market places, streetes, and pub­lique places, yea euen rich mens houses: the which we see practised at this day in the Temples, markets, streets and houses of our aduersaries. Ar­nobius in the sixt booke against the Gentiles saith, that they tooke the same pretext for the vse of I­mages in their Churches. To serue the ignorant and vnruly people, whom they made to worship them▪ giuing them venerable formes, to the end saith he, they should beleeue there were some vertue in their brightnesse, which did not onely dazle their eyes, but stroke a terrour in their harts by the brightnesse of their resplendent light.

Wee are to obserue the speciall grace which God (continuing his worke) hath shewed to the [Page 35] Ilands of great Britaine, in the beginning of this seauenth age: for Gregorie the first, hauing sent Augustine the young, into the same Iland, to plant many superstitions, with the inuocation of Saints, neither he nor his doctrine were receiued, but the miserie was, that soone after the death of Gregorie, the worshipping of Images did so encrease, as it was the cause of many troubles betwixt the West and the East, as we shall shew hereafter.

In the seauenth, eight, and ninth ages, making the third Period of Christianisme, the Hebrewe, Greeke, & Latine tongues were almost rooted out in the Westerne parts of Europe, through the in­undation of Barbarians, which did teare in peeces the Romain Empire, with the true diuinity: wher­by we obserue that euen as the true religion began with the said Empire, and so encreased: euen so the Empire decaying, the sinceritie of Christian religion was almost abolished, and declined so by their deuisions in the West, that Sathan working the mistery of iniquitie in the harts of the Easterne Bishoppes, made them to haue no respect to the purity of antiquity, bringing in a new worship of the Creatures, of the Crosse, and of the Images of Iesus Christ, the Apostles and Martires, an Idola­trie meerely Pagan.

We reade in the actes of the second Councell of Nice, printed both in Greeke & Latine in Paris, that the said Councell did decree, that we must [Page 36] esteeme the image of Iesus Christ, as Iesus Christ himselfe & that as the person of Iesus Christ is di­stinguished from that of the father in hîpostasis, and vnited in substance: euen▪ so his image should differ from him in substance and be vnited in per­son, the which is an intollerable blasphemy, and as great as the herefies of Arrius and Nestorius: for that were to make a God of a materiall thing o [...] made by hand, and to worshippe it as God, as the Gentiles did worshippe the workemanshippe of man.

At that same time God raised vp in the Ilane of great Brittaine; that venerable Beda, who taught the Hebrew, Caidee, Greeke, and Latine tongues▪ Diuinity and Philosophy, out of whose Schoole came Iohannes Scotus, and Alcuinus, who planted learning and the sciences in the Citty of Paris, & was afterwards spread ouer al Europe. This Iohannes Scotus was Schoolemaister to the Emperor Char­lemagne, who with stood the idolatry of the Eastern Churches, causing the second counsell of Nice to be declared hereticall and abusiue; by that ofAdo. in Chro. Frandfort as we reade in Ado viennensis. The same Emperor became so learned, as he writ a booke a­gainst the Pagan worship of images; the which is found among the learned.

Out of the same schoole came one after another Rhabanus▪ Ma [...]rus a Scotishman, as many writers doe testifie, Cla [...]dius Taurinensis & Bertr [...] a priest, [Page 37] with other lights of the Church, in the third peri­od of Christianity, which are the seauenth eight and ninth ages, which haue fought against idola­try and the grosse errors of the sacrament, as wee shall hereafter shew.

The fourth period of Christianisme, which con­taines the tenth, eleauenth, and twelfe ages, was so destitute of men adorned with true piety & lear­ning, as the seedes of the Idolatry of former ages, came to the accomplishment of the abhominati­on of dissolution, at which time Berengarius Archdeacon of Angers with his disciples, and Peter de Valdo, with the Schooles begun by him about the same periode, resisted the Romish idolatry planted in all the West.

We will likewise obserue an especiall grace, which God powred vpon your Ilands & realmes, during these ages of ignorance & idolatry, for euē as the great men of the former periode disciples to the English Beda who maintained the onely wor­ship of God went out of the Iland: euen so God during this fourth periode: preserued the same realmes, & defended them against the tyranny of Rome, for Peter of Clugny writing to Bernard, saith, that the Scotishmen in his time did celebrate, their Easter after the Greeke manner, which is a testimony they were not yet subiect to the church of Rome, which held thē heretickes that follow­wed the cerimonies of the Greekes, who in the [Page 38] time of the said Bernard had their Lyturgie and ser­uice of the Church, as they haue at this day, which is a communion like vnto that of the reformed Church of these times: neither did the Greeke Church euer allow of that heathenish worshippe of the Sacrament of the Lordes supper as in the Romish Church; which caused Marcus Ephesi­us (who was Orator for the Greekes at the coun­sell of Florence in a sermon printed at Paris in Greeke and Latine, at the ende of the volume of Lyturgies) to confute the Masse of the Latines, as directly contrary to the institution of Iesus Christ.

So as the Scottishmen who maintained the cere­monies of the Greeke Churches, had not yet receiued the new Romish Masse, nor the heathen adoration of the hoast, whereby we see that the people of your realmes were the first that made publike profession of Christ, and abolished Gen­tilisme, during the cruell persecutions of Romish Emperours, and when as the tyranny of the Bi­shops of Rome, brought into the Church about 400. yeares since the worship of the hoast, as God the Creator, the same British peopl were also the last of the West part of Europe, which recei­ued the abominable worship of things created in­steede of the Creator.

This heathenish worship began vnder Pope Honerius 3. about the yeare 1225. who comman­ded [Page 39] all Priestes and Curats to teach the people to kneele at the Eleuation of the hoast in the Masse, or when it should be carried to sicke persons; yet this idolatry was not long after receiued in the Churches of Germanie and France. For Ralfe de Riuo printed a booke at Rome. de Can. obser. propos. 22. witnessing that Nicholas. 3. about the yeare 1277. tooke the olde missalles out of all Churches of Rome bringing in a new forme of Masse in­uented by the Fryers minors, or Franciscans: At this day (saith hee) all the bookes at Rome are new after the manner of Saint Francis, and mea­ning to discribe the forme of Masse obserued in those dayes in Germany, France & other nations, hee saith. Leauing the manner of the Fryers mi­nors, let vs follow the holy Canons, the ancient Scrip­tures, and the generall customes of places, and in doubt­full things the most auncient bookes. And in the twenty three proposition he describes particular­ly all the ceremonies of the Masse, as it was vsed in his time, who liued in the beginning of the foreteenth age of Christianisme, at what time it is found that the coniuction of the Breade and Wine was obserued according to the instituti­on of our Sauiour, and that both the Priest and people did eate and drinke togeather standing, without adoration or inuocation of the Sacramentes: and in the ende of the saide proposition hee saithe. It is sacriledge [Page 40] to vse bread onely dept in wine in the Sacrament of the Communion. So as there was no difference be­twixt the Communion of the reformed Church, and the Communion of the Masse in those daies, except the signe of the Crosse, and some other ceremonies, vestaments and incense. The Masse therfore of our age, is a new fiction of Cordiliers or Franciscan Friars, & the worship of a pretended God, and the priuation of the cup is a plaine sacri­ledge: for if they abuse to vse bread steept in wine instead of following the ful institutiō of our Saui­our, was (as they said Rodolphus de Riuo writeth) cō ­demned as sacriledge, with greater reason, is it a more horrible sacriledge to haue quite taken away the vse of the wine from the people. The Romish Church of our age, cannot bee called the true Church, seeing they haue no Communion of the Cuppe, and are fallen from the true Priesthoode▪ as the Arrians and Nestorians by their errours los [...] the outward markes of Priesthoode.

During the fift Period of the ages of Christia­nisme, which contains the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth ages, the Westerne Church was de­uided into two parts: for in the time of Bernard, Peter de Valdo, a rich Bourgesse of Lions, hauing beene instructed in the onely worshippe of God by the reading of the holy Scriptures, had the Ro­mish Idolatrie in such horror, as he sould all his goods, and caused the Bible and many writings of [Page 41] the auncient fathers to be translated into French, he made assemblies at Lions, and appointed penfi­ons for religious learned men to set vp Schooles of diuinitie, who beeing since persecuted by the Popes and their adherents, the said Schooles were dispersed ouer all France, and a good part of Spaine, Germanie, and Bohemia, who haue euer since maintained the same articles of the faith, which are professed at this day in the Churches of your realmes, whereof some were called Al­bige [...]is, and others Taborites, which haue florished and raigned vnto this day, notwithstanding all the persecutions, fires, flames, and cruell tor­ments vsed against them by the supporters and fa­uourers of Rome.

Out of this Schoole also came Iohn Hus, and Ie­rosme of Prage, Wickliffe an Englishman, Paul Cra [...] a Scottish man, who maintained the true and onely worshippe of one onely God, and other articles of the faith, confessed by the reformed Churches of Europe, the which is seene by the articles recited by Aeneas Siluius, (beeing sinceAeneas Sil­uius in Hist. Boem. Pope) which shewes a notable correspondencie betwixt the first Period of Christianisme and the fift: for euen as in the first three hundred yeeres the true Christians who worshipped one onely God, without mingling the adoration of Crea­tures had beene persecuted by Pagan Rome, euen so the worshippers of this true adoration haue [Page 42] beene cruelly persecuted during the three hun­dred yeres of the fift Period, by Roome disguised with a Christian maske.

There is an other admirable correspondencie betwixt these and the second Period, for euen as in the end of the first Period, the God of armies did raise vp that great Constantine to plant his Church by force throughout all the Romaine Empire, beeing then Pagan, abolishing Idolatrie in the worship of men, of Images, and of visible and material formes: euen so after the end of th [...] fift Period, God suffered the restoring of the [...] true auncient & Christian religion to be done by armes. We read in the Bohemian Historie of the said Aeneas Siluius, that Zisca a great Captaine assē ­bled in the yeere 1501. a mightie armie, beating downe all Idols and Images, abolishing the new Masse, or the worshiping of the Hoast. Soone af­ter many Princes did rise, and many faithfull learned men by whose ministrie and valour, the purenesse of the preaching of the Gospell was restored in the sinceritie of Christian truth, as it was at the comming of Constantine in the West of Europe.

I may therefore iustly say, that among all the Princes which haue laboured for the restoring and reformation of the auncient Church, your predecessours King Edward, and Queene Eliza­beth, (of happie memories) haue beene the first [Page 43] which haue built vpon this foundation after Con­stantine, (although long after) and now (SIRE) these blessed soules behould from heauen the full perfection of their worke which must be finished by you, whom they haue left the successour and heire of their most royall enterprises.

Your Maiestie hath a familiar example in the life of the disceased Queene, (of happie memorie) who hath bene a true mother vnto you: In whose gouernment we haue seene as in a looking glasse, that God hath accompanied her with an admira­ble and extraordinarie prosperitie, foelicitie, and happie successe in all her affaires: for hee hath drawne her from a prison to a kingdome, he hath made her to raigne fortie and fiue yeeres in great peace and tranquilitie, hauing discouered aboue twentie enterprises readie to bee put in execution against her life and state: hee indued her with all kindes of perfections and vertues, as prudence, modestie, and wisdome in all her acti­ons, beautified with a liuely and sound iudgement farre exceeding her sex. And for a fulnesse of happinesse, the same God did prolong her daies vnto threescore and ten yeares, in the which she was alwayes victorious ouer her enemies, both home-bred and strangers. What is then the cause (SIRE) I will attribute it wholy vnto God, and to the puritie of his Gospell, and to Christian religion the which she hath esta­blished [Page 44] in her kingdoms, whereof this most Chri­stian and generous Princesse made a sincere pro­fession all her life. Hauing therefore in this peace­able and Christianlike manner yeelded vp her blessed soule to her benefactor and Creatour the great God immortall; she left those realmes aboū ­ding in all riches, in great peace and admirable v­nion and concord. And moreouer to seale vp her forepassed life and death with a greater benefit, for the loue she bare vnto her subiectes which is a great proofe of the blessing of God, we haue seene the wisdome she vsed euen at the last gaspe, hauing so profitably and so effectually perswa­ded her subiects to imbrace & acknowledge your Maiesty whom she knew to be the true lawfull & vndoubted heire and successor of her goodly & flourishing Realmes of England, and Ireland, by right of consanguinity and lawfull succession. Who dooth not see the assistance of God in all this action? In that he would haue your Maiesty established in this most high degree of honour, not for any other respect, but that in raigning hap­pily and in peace, you should finish the full deli­uery and restoring of Israel, and of the Churches of your realmes: and to continue the pure prea­ching of the Gospel, so happily begun by her Ma­iesty (of blessed and happy memory) against the I­dolatry of Rome I doubt no [...] (SIRE) but Sathan and his supporters will herein imploy their stata­gems [Page 45] to counsell your Maiesty, & to induce you to ioyne with that great whore of Babilon, a whore which makes the kings & princes of the earth drūk with the cup of her spiritual fornicatiō. But I assure my selfe that your Maiesty (like vnto wary & nice Vlisses) will stop your eares against al her charmes, inchantments and allurements continuing inuio­lable, constant and resolute in your royall vertues, the which God hath bountifully planted in you, to maintaine and preserue his Church and Sacra­ments (to his honor and glory) in their purety, a­gainst the poisons & Romish inuensions of men. Most humbly beseeching your Maiesty to remem­ber that the Matth. Paris in Hist. Angl. sub. Henric. 3. pa. 660. Mat. vvest­mon in Flo▪rib. hist. sub. an. 1216. Popes pretend to be the true kings of England and Ireland houlding the Kinges of the said kingdoms for their vassals and tributaries; who now vnder colour to free you from their said pretensions, would draw you vnto them, and im­pose vpon you a most heauy and seruile yoake. If your Maiesty should so forget your selfe as to cleaue vnto them, who knoweth not that their successors are accustomed to disanull the decdes and promises of their predecessors, and which is more to hould no faith with heretickes as they call you? But (SIRE) this is nothing in respect of the hard slauery of soules, whom they torture with their censures and excommunications. So as you shal no sooner subiect your selfe vnto their lawes, but vpon the first dislike, they will absolue [Page 46] and free your subiects from their oath of obedi­ence due vnto their true and lawfull King, they will depose you at their pleasures, and giue your crownes to whom they like, wherof we haue too many late examples. But when they shall see your Maiesty to oppose constantly against their tyran­ny, they will not dare to attempt against you nor your realmes. And moreouer is not your Maiesty at this present protector of the Church of all your realmes? yea the greatest of the Soueraigne kings which professe the purenes of the Gospell? shall not these lawfull titles of honour be sufficient to diuert your Maiesty from following the counsell of such Sirens of state? They would gladly per­swade you to acknowledge this furious beast, who seekes but to deuour good Kings, & to chalenge to himselfe all power (as he saith) in heauen, earth and hell. An essentiall marke that he is the man of iniquity (mētioned in the Scriptures) which hath raised himselfe aboue all nations, and aboue all re­ligion. If this monster held you at his deuotion, (the which I with all your good subiects thinke to be impossible, how great a leuiathan soeuer he be) doubt not (SIRE) but he would make you the most vile and most abiect of al his lifetenants, trea­ding you more proudly vnder his feete, then euer he did the good Emperour Barbarosse. And then let your Maiesty consider in what misery, calami­ty and desolation of desolations both you my [Page 47] Lord the Prince (whom you loue deerely) and all your subiects who pray for you hourely, should be reduced in these your flourishing realmes.

The Almighty God which gouerneth & dispo­seth of Monarchies according to his will, which giueth victories in battailes, who is the spring and fountaine of all wisedome and knowledge, giue your Maiesty a raigne like vnto the Queene of blessed & happy memory. Increase your Ma­iesty in wisedome and knowledge, and in true pi­ety and purenesse of his seruice: giue you victory ouer all them that shall attempt against you or your estate; and finish the worke in you begun for the restoring of the true Church, banishing out of your Ilands and realmes, all tyranny, heresie and Romish Idolatry. And for a happy ende, the same eternall God giue you a full and per­fect inioying of the Crowne of glory in the happinesse of eternall life through his sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde.

FINIS.

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