The Diſciples were dealt withal much like to their Maſter,Acts. as is to bee ſeene partly in the Actes of the Apoſtles,Eccleſiaſticall hiſtories. and partly in the hiſtories of thoſe times, wherein Nero, Domitian, Diocleſian, and other tirants of the like diſpoſition liued: But yet no time ſo bloudie, as ſince the child of perdition was borne, and hath vſurped tyranicall iuriſdiction. For the Church could conuey it ſelfe into no corner of the wildernes, but this bloudhound hath found it out to purſue and perſecute it: what bloud by him hath been ſhed, and what murders committed in theſe latter dayes, France and Flanders, England and Scotland, can ſufficiently recorde. And this is the way wherein the whole Church truly Apoſtolike being in this world, Corint. 6.5. Heb. 11.38. Apo. 12.14. as waifarers and wanderers hither and thither, muſt walke; the ſame being foretold vnto the laſt day.Churches preſeruation. Yet behold the conquering lambe Chriſt Ieſus ſtanding on mount Sion, is more mightie to defend, then the prince of darkenes to deſtroy: the Lord of Hoſts cannot forſake his tabernacle; Pſal. 84. and though the little barke of his Church be toſſed to and fro amids 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 the ſeas of this troubleſome world, yet he which holds the ſterne is able to commaund both winde and ſea: wherefore although from time to time it hath been hoyſed to and fro with winde and waues, yet the Lord hath been continually aſſiſtant to the ſame; ſo as it hath neuer been ouerwhelmed, neither can bee. For proofe whereof, ſee how the creator in the perſon of him who after was made our redeemer, and deliuerer, in perſon did runne after thoſe two forlorne children Adam and Eue, after they had fallen away from him through infidelitie; applying vnto that deadly wound ſo ſoone as it was made a remedie of immortalitie, farre more excellent then that whereof they had depriued themſelues and all their poſteritie. Looke further and behold Abraham, Geneſis. Iſaac and Iacob, mightely preſerued, notwithſtanding the infinit and daungerous by-wayes wherein they walked,Exodus. for the ſpace of foure hundred yeares amidſt moſt prophane people, multiplied vnto the number of ſixe hundred thouſand perſons, beſide women and children. Looke againe and behold the indauntable inſolencie of proud Pharao vanquiſhed by frogs, by flyes, by lice, at the ſhaking of the rod of one of the ſeruants of the Lord of Hoſts. Behold afterward the Church purſued on drie land by an huge multitude of the Egyptians, ſwallowed vp of the red ſea, which was as a wall on either ſide of the people of Iſraell. Behold what memorable and maruellous things did hee for his people in the wildernes, how hee ſent bread from heauen, how with the ſtroke of a ſmall rodde the moſt hard rocks cleaue to water, almoſt fortie yeeres long, this whole multitude. See and conſider how it arriued at the riuer Iordane, paſſing the riuer on drie ground, Ioſua. 3.6. making the high walles of Ierichoe to fall downe before it, battering downe, daſhing in peeces, trampling vnder feete thirtie Kings beyond Iordan, how victoriouſly they were placed in the land of Canaan, how they beate down their enemies ſometime with an oxe goade, Iudg. 3.31. Iudg. 7.20. Iudg. 15.15. 1. Sam. 5.4. as did Samgar the ſonne of Anath, ſometimes with pitchers as Gedeon, ſometime with the iawe bone of an aſſe as Sampſon. God ſuffered the arke to be taken priſoner, but it was to th • ouerthrow of the Philiſtians Dagon: vnder the raigne of King Saul the Church did abide many a cold blaſt; but he raiſed vp his ſeruant Dauid a King & prophet to refreſh the ſame, who left hi • ſucceſſor King Salomon, a figure of the true Salomon King of peace and eternall ſonne of Dauid.

Now to paſſe beyond Salomon, we • ſhall finde the Lord no leſſe aſſiſtant t • his Church then before; yea euen vnt • the conſummation of this world we • ſhall finde the nearer the time, an • tearme appointed of God approchet • for the execution of his promiſes, th • more ardent affection will he ſhew to his Church; who although many time • he ſcourgeth and afflicteth the ſame,Why the Church is afflicted. he dealeth but euen as the husbandma • doth with his corne, which the oftene • it is winnowed and ſifted, ſo much the more purer it is. Neither doth he ſet hi • enemies on worke to ruinate and deſtroy his Church, but as it were to vnthaw his people waxen ſtiffe, and be nummed through ouermuch eaſe, and to vnburden his Church of a grea • number of villanous prophane perſons •• ept into the ſame. For when the Chal •• ans laid Iury waſte, led the people captiue vnto Babilon, inſomuch as the Church ſeemed vtterly raſed; yet how captiue and priſonerlike ſoeuer they were, behould the Lord preſent with his Church, behould the royall edicts for the worſhipping of the God of Daniel, behould the tirant Nabuchadnezzar, not being content to be the chiefeſt amongſt men, made the vileſt amongſt beaſtes; behould Babilon it ſelfe captiue, Iſraell reſtored and reeſtabliſhed with great priuiledges, and reſtitution of their holy veſſels. And thus if wee proceed, we ſhall euidently ſee how the Lord hath bin preſent with his Church in the ſpirit of comfort, aſſiſtance and deliuerance; how hee hath beaten downe that great mount of the Romane monarchie, and daylie bloweth to ruine the beaſt moulded vpon this patterne, and ſeated in the temple of God vpon the verie ſame ſeuen hilles. The declaration whereof one Chapter cannot afford, nay the life of one man after an other can hardly performe it. 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 But to let paſſe forren lands, and to ſpeake of the great loue that the Lord hath ſhewed towards the Church and common wealth of England:Gods great mercies to England. I may truly ſay, happie are we, if we continue happie; and bleſſed are we aboue al • other people, if we be ſtill bleſſed of the Lord; who, if inſurrection hath been moued, hath ſuppreſſed it; if conſpiracie hath been intended, reueiled it; 〈◊〉 treaſon hath been attempted, confounded it; if war by forrain foes threatned, hath deliuered vs from it: wee dwel • ſtill in ſaftie, though threatned by Spaniſh tiranny; we triumph in garlands o • oliues, though threatned to weare the wreaths of Cypres; we ſing te deum with cheareful hearts, though forren cruelty haue threatned a mournfull miſerere. O thē let vs neuer forget the good things that hee hath done for vs! the great kindnes that hee hath ſhewed to let his Church. Tell it to your children; and them tell it to their poſteritie, from one generation to another, euen the good things that the Lord hath don for England vnder the regiment of a gratious princeſſe: yea tel it how by his annoynted Debora he hath repelled the rage of •• in, how by his Heſter he hath hanged vp Haman, which ſought to bring vs and our poſteritie into perpetuall ſlauerie • ; and how by Iael a woman he hath ſtriken a nayle into the head of Siſera, euen then when his mother and his wiſe ladies had thought he had been deuiding the ſpoyle. Bleſſed be that people whoſe God is the eternall, bleſſed be the Lord God which hath thus bleſſed Egnland, and greeted his children with ſo manifold conſolations, Amen.

THe enemies of the Churc • of God are of two ſortes either open and known perſecutours, of whome it this place I purpoſe not to entreate; theſe in holy ſcriptures ar • called by the names of Tigres, and Lions: or elſe they are couert and priui •• enemies; Cantic. 2. Math. 7. Reuel. 20. and theſe are called Foxes Wolues in ſheepes clothings, falſe ho • ned lambs. Of the firſt kind were th • Edomits, the Moabits, the Ammonits the Chaldeans, and Babilonians againſ • Iſrael; the Iewes, Arabians, Saracines Turkes and Tartarians,No ſtrange newes to finde Foxes in the Church. Numbers 16. againſt th • Chriſtian Church. Of the ſecond ſo •• were in the time of Moſes, Chore, D • than and Abiram, who, as it is written being in the midſt of the vineyard, •• ught to vndermine the ſame: ſuch were the wicked prieſts and falſe prophets, Ezech. 22.28. which promiſed peace when there was no peace, ſmoothered the ſinnes of the wicked dawbed with vntempered morter, conſpiring againſt the law, prophaning the temple, maintayning the iniquitie of the princes, oppoſing themſelues againſt the true prophets,2. King. 22. Ierem. 18. Math. 21.41. as did thoſe miſcreants Zedechiah againſt Micheas, and Hananias againſt Ieremie: ſuch were the Scribes and Phariſees, Eſſenians and Herodians, who ſtily ventured to entrap the Lord of the vineyard, who in the perſon of a redeemer came to take order for the ſame. And afterwards, although the principall hunters of theſe Foxes trauailed painfully to dreſſe and trimme the vineyard, the branches whereof were ſpred from Eaſt to Weſt, and had prouided it of labourers to husband it;Foxes moſt troubleſome to the Church. notwithſtanding, (as their hiſtories doe witnes) they had alwayes more to doe i • the hunting of theſe Foxes, then againſt other open enemies whatſoeuer, •• her within, or without the Church. If you looke into the infancie of the Church apoſtolike,Church apoſtolike anoyed with Foxes. Acts 15. ſuch Foxes ſhal you finde, ſuch namely which would match Ieſus Chriſt and Moſes together; ſuch Foxes, falſe Apoſtles, and falſe brethren were at Corinth,1. Cor. 15. teaching that there was no reſurrection at all, or elſe that it was alreadie paſt, as did Himeneus and Philetus; Coloſſ. 2. ſuch were ſome at Coloſſa, which were of opinion that the traditions of men were neceſſarie to be obſerued, that the ſuperſtitious afflicting of the bodie, was a religious ſeruing of God, that difference ſhould be betwix • meate and drinke and dayes, according to the Iewiſh cuſtome;2. Tim. 2.17. ſuch were in Aſia and in Crete, which mingled the truth with vaine fables and genealogies, who thought how ſuch as beleeued might liue licentiouſly, which imps of Sathan are by the epiſtle of Iude worthely confuted.Iude verſe 4. After theſe ſucceeded whole armies of Foxes,Armies of Foxes. heretikes of al ſorts, ſome aſſaulting the diuinitie of the ſonne of God, as Cerinthus, Ebion, & Arrius; ſome his humanity, as Eunomius which taught that Chriſt had a body without a ſoule, and Apollinaris which taught that hee had a ſoule without ſenſe. Others confeſſing both the one and the other, but diuiding Ieſus into twaine, as Neſtorius who taught that as Chriſt had two natures, ſo he had not one but two perſons. Others making a monſter of him, which ſhould be neither God nor man, as did that dogge Seruetus, who ſaid that Chriſt was but a figure of the ſonne of God, and that his bodie was compounded of three vncreated elements, and ſo confounded both natures. Others degrading him from his office: others mingling the pure word with a million of errors: what ſhuld I ſay vtterly falſe, yea altogether monſtrous.

But aboue all other, there is an olde gray Foxe,The old gray Foxe. which vnder the colour of the Church of Rome, and becauſe the grace of God did ſometime ſhine foorth there, doth ſeeke continually to ſupplant the vineyard of the Lord, whoſe crueltie, and ſubtiltie the ſilly lambes of Ieſus Chriſt haue taſted of from time to time. This olde biting dog-foxe hauing hatched vp his cubs, and taught them their leſſon, that is, to transforme Chriſtian religion into policie, and policie into trecherie; then fall they from contemplation to practiſe, and are readie to trudge from one countrie to another, like vagrant rogues, to what place ſoeuer it ſhall pleaſe the olde Foxe to ſend them. And as amongſt the Scythians he was reputed the braueſt gentleman that ſpilt moſt bloud: ſo is he canonized for the worthieſt Catholicke, that can bring moſt ſoules to confuſion. So that neuer were the fennes of Lerna ſo daungerous, neuer was that monſter Hidra ſo pernicious to the neere inhabitants, as are theſe Foxe-cubs to the ſafty of the church, that is to wit, popiſh ſchoolemaſters, Ieſuits in profeſſion, Iſchariots in condition, ſeminaries of falſehood, ſtragling extrauagants, roguiſh pedlars of whoriſh merchandice;The drift of prieſts and Ieſuits. whoſe drift is nothing elſe, but to reconcile ſimple people to the obedience of the Pope, to powre into their harts peſtilent opinions againſt her Maieſtie, and the lawes of this Realme, to ſound the ſecrets of inward intentions, to ſet diſcontented harts on fire with the flames of rebellion, to feede fooliſh humors with vaine hope of alteration: in the meane while, teaching rebelles to practiſe popular behauiour and to carry countenances frendly to conformitie (howſoeuer their eyes dazell with looking for that which comes not yet; nay, better their eyes were out of their heads, and their heads from their ſhoulders, then euer it ſhuld come:A poſie ſent from Rainard to his Foxe-cubs.) els to what ende ſerueth that poſie ſent from ould Rainard to his curſed cubs, da mihi cor tuum & ſufficit. Giue me thy hart and it ſufficeth. O cunning olde Foxe! thou knoweſt full well that the hart will carrie the hand when oportunitie ſerueth; and what thy Foxlike wilines did foreſee, that experience hath taught this kingdome; namely that thy cubs as they repine at the princeſſe ſaftie: ſo are they and ſtill will be, the firſt that will ſet foote in traiterous attempts.

God preſerue the prince, her nobles, and the true ſubiects from wofull experience: nay, God giue them wiſdome and courage to tie thy cubbes ſhorter; elſe I can tell, it is an infallible maxima, Note well a Maxima. that yong cubs in time will proue old Foxes, and old Foxes if time ſerue, will proue cruell Tygres.

But is it true, can the Foxe ſtrip himſelfe out of the lambs skin, and play the Lion in his kinde? cā ſubiects hands acquaint themſelues with tempering Italian phyſicke, and Engliſh breſts giu • harbor vnto Spaniſh hearts? Yea it i • too true; and if time ſhould turne, w • ſhould finde the Wolues would put of their ſheepes coates, and play ye Wolue in their right kind, and ſhow their rauenous nature by their cruell deedes; a heretofore they did when reuerent ag • was not reſpected,Queene Maries daies. when flouriſhing youth was cropt in the prime, whē womens weaknes was not ſpared: (but more then barbarous crueltie!) whe • the tender babe ſpringing out of th • mothers wombe was caſt into the fire What ſhuld I range into ſo large a field there yet liueth many one, whoſe father, mother, brother, ſiſter, kinſman o • frend, was through antichriſtian crueltie abridged of the natural date of the • dayes. Such was the calamitie of forme • times, and ſuch are the times that theſ • Foxes gape after, to quench their thir • with the bloud of the lambs.

THe couert enemies of th • Church, becauſe they accord in condition, and a •• like them in properties, ar • therefore called Foxes Now amongſt many,The Foxe hath a foule ſmell. one propertie is that the Foxe hath a foule ſmell. Wherin the two-legged and foure-legge • Foxes agree as cubs of one kind: Men liues & religions are commonly alike neither can their conuerſation haue 〈◊〉 ſweet ſmell, whoſe religion hath a loth ſome taſte: Wherfore behold a poſi •• made firſt of popiſh doctrines; then o • their liues; by the ſmel wherof you ma • iudge of the ſoundnes of a Catholicke profeſſion. Behold I ſay an hotch-potc • and miſerable mingle-mangle, if yo • reſpect their religion, of al Sathans forgeries and diuelliſh hereſies, as the • may ſerue the old Foxe his turne,A poſie of popiſh doctrines gathered out of the deſert of hereſies. patched together like a beggars cloake made of a thouſand ſhreds: Therefore with Carpocratian hereticks he is bold to ſet vp the Image of Chriſt and other Saints, with the Anthropomorphites, to paint God the Father like an old man with a gray beard; with the Pelagian heretickes, to maintaine freewill, powre to iuſtifie our ſelues, and to fulfill the commaundements; with the Meſſalians, to mumble his mattens, pater nosters, & ſeuen pſalmes by number vpō a paire of beads; with the Tatians, Cataphrygians, Montaniſts and Eboniſts, to ſeeke ſanctification in eating and not eating, in marrying and not marrying.Whereupon the Romiſh faith is founded. To be ſhort, in manie things, he is Heatheniſh, Turkiſh and Iewiſh: ſo that whoſoeuer is hot ſtarke blind may behold, whereupon the Romane Catholiks build their faith: not vpon the doctrines of the Prophets and Apoſtles, but partly vpon the ſcriptures ſophiſticated and quinteſſenſed in a lymbecke, to ſerue for a correctiue in the poyſoned drench of the whore; partly vpon ſuch ſayings of the ancient fathers as ſerue for their turne; partly vpon the ſcum of gen • ral councels; partly vpon the Caballa the Iewiſh Rabbins; partly vpō the Tu • kiſh Alcoran, and laſtly on the pr • found diuinitie of Ouid and Ariſtot •• In this manner skipping like mucke y •• from one place to an other, they pick what may beſt ſerue for their purpo •• euen as if a man would picke rotten o • of an apple, with this prouiſo, that a R • mane Catholike hang as faſt on the fo •• dation, as a thiefe on ye gallowes, to w •• on his holy mother the Church of Rom • which can ſtumble no more then a ma • when both his eies are out. And this their inuincible Stratagema and P •• nopila, their ſtrong furniture and fig • ting weapons of warre, which they v • for the defence of their religion: whe • by it may euidently appeare, that th • bottomleſſe pit is open, and the diu •• is broke looſe, and that the Pope is th • porter of hell gates. Beware then of t •• poyſoned cup of the whore, Can. 2. Math. 7. Reuel. 20. Phil. 3. 2. Cor. 11.13. Rom. 16. and th • wiles of ſuch Foxes, Wolues in ſheep • clothing, falſe horned lambes, maski •• hypocrites, deceiptfull workeme • craftie companions, coſening knaue • 〈◊〉 by diſſembled zeale & palpable flat •• rie creepe into mens houſes, winde themſelues into mens conſciences, lead away the ſimple captiue: beware of theſe ſcorpions with ſtings in their titles, who when they looke moſt de ••• rely, pretend greateſt miſchiefe; •• ound the ſoreſt, when they ſpeake the forreſt; with ſmooth ſpeeches captiuate mēs cōſciences, when they pretēd greateſt libertie. Let not your hearts be deceiued, there is no ſuch vice as that which is hidden vnder the colour of vertue; no ſuch arrant ſtrumpet as ſhe that ſeekes to ſhrowd her ſelfe vnder the ſhew of a graue matrone; no ſuch Iudas kiſſe as with an Apoſtles face, nor fawning diuel as like an Angell of light; no ſuch enemies againſt the Church, as thoſe which vnder the name of it, ſeeke the ſupplanting of the ſame.

To leaue their religion, & to ſpeake of their liues: can there be a ſweet behauior where there is no ſound faith? certes no,Corporall and ſpirituall whoredome companions collaterall. and therfore experience wil teach thee, that corporall and ſpirituall whordome 〈◊〉 hand in hand: for who more hot in the ſeruice of Baal, then wicked Ieſabel? yet was ſhe but a painted harlot. It is needleſſe to tell you ſome ſweet parts plaid in the popedome, and to glance at the filthineſſe of thoſe chiefe chaſt fathers and maiden prieſtes, the ſmell whereof hath aſcended to heauen, and annoied the Lord of hoſts; yet to the end you may know the birds by their kinde, the colts by their dammes, and the young cubs, by the ſmell of the old Foxes: I will giue you a little taſte of the vnſauorie manners of holy Foxes, (holie fathers ſay they) whereof ſome haue been famous and renowned heretikes, ſome notorious blaſphemers of God, ſome ſhameleſſe ſcorners, ſome whore-hunters, adulterers, and ſodomiticall beaſtes, ſome wretched and rauenous helhounds, ſome coniurers and Necromancers, Anaſtaſius. 2. The old Foxes haue foule ſmels. as hiſtories doe declare. Anastaſius the ſecond conſented to the Neſtorian heretikes, which denied the humanitie of Ieſus Chriſt, and at laſt being ſtricken by the hand of God, did void his intrals, as did the heretik Arrius before him. Boniface the eight was in a generall councell holden in Paris, Boniface. 8. accuſed and found guiltie of three capital crimes, namely of hereſie, murther, and ſymonie, and for theſe cauſes was diſpoſſeſſed of the popedome: and afterwards caſt into priſon, deſperately gnawing and deuouring his hands like to a dog ended his daies, for whom the diuels did wonderfully mourne and ſhed many a ſalt teare. For on the ſame day was heard in the priſon where he died, called castrade S. Angelo, ſuch horrible thunderclaps, and terrible ſtirres, as if all the Popes, Abbots, Prelats, Canons, Prieſts, Munkes, and Friers in hell had been ſinging his requiem. Pope Iohn the foureteenth, who with an Italian tricke pickt ouer the pearch Pope Alexander the fifth, Iohn. 14. and afterwards verie featly created himſelfe Pope, was conuicted in the councell of Constance an apparant heretike, an vn godly knaue, an oppreſſor of the poore, a perſecutor of the righteous, a ſtay to the wicked, a pillar to the barterers of benefices, a glaſſe to diſhoneſtie, a veſſell full of all vice, yea a verie diuell incarnate: and therefore put beſide the cuſhion, and depoſed from his apoſticall ſeat. What ſhould I leaue Iohn the dog Foxe,Pope Ioane the bitch-foxe. and ſpake of Ioan the bitch-Foxe from whom Monks, Friers, pole-ſhorn • Prieſtes, and the Romiſh ſpiritualty ar • ſprung. This Ioane was well content t • be gotten with child by one of he Cardinals, and was deliuered in th • middeſt of the ſtreete, as ſhe was deuoutly treading in proceſſion, by th • ſame token, that at this day there dot • remaine an Image of ſtone hewen ou • of the earth, as their hiſtories do report and that the Popes in their proceſſio • neuer doe paſſe that way, leaſt that th • like might happen vnto them. Neuertheleſſe for the auoiding of ſuch a foul • chaunce the holy Church did ordain • two chaires to be hewen out of Porphy ſtone, where they vſed to feele fro • vnder, vtrum habet testiculos. But tha • cuſtome is now left, for it may well b • that they make the matter manifeſt b • the brood of their baſtards. Iohn th • thirteenth, Iohn. 13. was in propertie muc • like to Pope Ioan, who as he was deſcended of whores and knaues: ſo was h • no changeling, but did ſhew full we what ſtocke he came of, for he was ſ • vowed to incontinencie, that he maintained an open ſtewes: the Emperour •• to cauſing a councell to be gathered, •• erin he was complained vpon, & ac •• ſed of many foule things, as that he •• d committed whordome with two ſi •• rs, that he had made Biſhops of chil •• en, that he had deflowred many vir •• s, that of Saint Iohns pallace at Late •• n, he had made an opē ſtewes, that he •• d offered vp wine to the diuels, and •• playing at dice, had called for aide • his graund Captaine the prince of •• rkenes. But what can we expect at • ir hands, who are ſo neare linked and •• d with that foule fiend? For is it not • orded in their hiſtories, that many them were Necromancers, familiarly •• uainted with the diuels? Search Car • al Benno in his bookes of the life and •• ngs of Hildebrand, and he wil tel you •• t many haue obtained the pope • ne through diuelliſh arts: as Sylue •• the ſecond, Iohn the eighteenth, Iohn nineteenth, Iohn the twentith, Benet eight, Benet the ninth, Gregorie the • enth, earſt called Hildebrand; who •• pered his triacle ſo well, that as •• d as fiue or ſixe Popes by the Italian dram were broght to their bane, to ye en • he might haue a beatē path to their places. Now to ſpeake of the ſame knacks i • the popiſh cleargie deſcended from th • ſtocke of ſuch grandſires before mentioned, it would be too tedious; nay we may not imagine that thoſe maide prieſtes which daily handle a breade god, can play legerdemaine, when the ſeeme to giue abſolution.

But here the old Foxe will reply, th •• all the flowres in Priapus, that Dryad and Naiades, and Satyrus, that is, all th • flowres in hils, and dales, and many greene forreſt, haue not ſo ſweet a ſm •• as a Catholikes conuerſation. For th • old Foxe,Popiſh mortification liuely depainted. poore beaſt, abides the 〈◊〉 brunt of the weather; his poore cu • haue ſuch ſtreight rules of liues as no • haue more, ſome of them not eating • ny fleſh a great part of the yeare, ſo •• of them eating no fleſh at all, being leane as if they had lien ſeuen yea • diſeaſed in their dens of Idolatrie; • thers going woolward; others doi •• perpetuall pennance, and whippi •• themſelues a vie, who ſhall whip mo • others vtterly forſwearing the maria •• b • ed, and vowing virginitie. Thus warrant you the Foxe doth loue mor •• fication as dearly as a dog doth a cud •• ell.Auſteritie of life no true marke of the Church. And what if your Auſteritie of life • ere as you would make the world be • eue: yet come you not neare Baals • rieſtes, who cut & launced themſelues, • hom notwithſtanding the prophet • lias mocketh with full mouth; no nor • et neare the ſuperſtitious Mahome •• nes of diuerſe ſortes.

But ye worlds deceiuers, ye painted • epulchers, ye meale-mouthed coun •• rfeits, your prieſts indeed vow conti • ent liues: but O heauen! O earth! O •• ouſand millions of rapes, adulteries, •• ceſtes, fornications committed vnder • is goodly vow of virginitie! You vow • ouerty, but it is to neſtle your ſelues in •• llaces, and there to pamper your •• lues at other mens charges. You • atch in the night: but it is to ſleepe in •• e day. O what paines takes the olde •• xe to ride on mens ſhoulders, and to 〈◊〉 vp his feet to haue his pantofle kiſſed, tel ouer ſo many thouſands of crowns 〈◊〉 come tumbling in on euerie ſide! O • hat paines he takes to haue the ſpoile and bootie of ſo many millions of ſoules ſo miſerably bewitched? O what a marke of mortification is it in the reuerendiſſimies, to haue their tailes caried vp by their trainebearers, and to ride vp and down in their coaches with their concubines? Alas for pittie, thoſe religious men which merit both for themſelues, and for others, how ill be they lodged in their princely chambers? poore men alas, how are they famiſhed, when the world is together by the eares who ſhall beſtow moſt vpon them, and their hands ſo troubled with the gout, that all is fiſh that comes to net? O the ſmall warmth they haue in their Iacobine chambers! how ill be they clothed in their cold caſſockes! O what hunger abide our Engliſh popelings, and poore catholickes, in abſtaining from a peece of reſtie bacon, to feede of dainties that are fetcht out of farre countries? how pale faced are they, in drinking the ſtrongeſt wines they can come by? a • what great price do theſe Romaniſtes rate paradice at, when thus they doe worke to be ſeruiceable?

Here whileſt we giue them the challenge for ſeeking the kingdome of heauen in their drunken dotages, and ſtinking ceſterne of their owne traditions: they in the meane while moſt wickedly ſlaunder vs, that we diſioyne amendement of life from remiſſion of ſinnes. And why ſo? becauſe we ſettle the conſciences of men on him, who hath paied ſo deare a price for them. But as touching our doctrine compared with theirs, we will make him Iudge, who ſhall iudge vs all by his word. And as for our liues we acknowledge that we haue too great cauſe to humble our ſelues before the higheſt maieſtie. But as for them, their Sodom & Gomor, their plaunches and ſwineſties of all impietie, their harbours and lurking holes of idlenes, and all manner of diſſolution, yeeldeth ſuch a lothſome ſmell, as doth infect both heauen and earth.

The ſecond propertie of the Foxe is wilineſſe,The ſecond propertie of the Foxe is wilines. and this is one of his vnſeparable accidents. To find out all his deceipts is almoſt as difficult as to ſound Sathans depthes: and therefore, if in this I be too ſhort, it is no meruel, for the Foxe is full of ſubtletie. Amongſt many his properties of cunning compaſſing,The Foxe woorieth aloofe from his den. this is reckoned one, yt he dare not woorie neare his den, leaſt timely watch ſhould take him tardie: In like ſort theſe ſubtill ſeducers wander farre and wide, & cōpaſſe ſea & land, whereby to make a Catholike after their own profeſſion.

Secondly, Rainard raungeth in the night,The Foxe raungeth in the night. & keepes his den in the day: In like maner the two-legged Foxes dare not abide the day light, but ſeeke lurking holes, & wander in by-waies, marching on like maskers with ſhameleſſe frontes in ſtead of viſors, diſguiſing thē ſelues, leſt wonted attire ſhould broach their wiles, & marre their mummings.

Thirdly, the craft of the Foxe appeareth in this,The Foxe faſteneth on the yong lambs. that he loueth to faſten and feede vpon the yoong ones, the poore lambes of little force to eſcape his crueltie: of like condition are the ſpirituall Foxes, they faſten vpon ſuch as are poore in knowledge, and weake in faith, that they may more eaſily peruert and draw them to errour. For ſuruey bona fide the dealings of prieſtes, Ieſuites, Seminaries, or other ſeducers; ſee and conſider whether they reade not in the ſteps of the old ſerpent:The dāgerous practiſes of Foxe-prieſtes and Ieſuites. ſeeke they not to ſeduce poore ſimple women, that they may intiſe • heir husbands, as Eua did Adam? Ma • ame muſt be recuſant, and Mounſire a monthly church-hant. The meane gen • lewoman or yeomans wife forſweares • he Church,Practiſe of papiſtes. and faceth out the force of • ur lawes; the good man of the houſe • eepes into the Church for feare of a • ine, ſetting more by his dames pater no • ter in her cloſet, then any Chriſtian exerciſe in the congregation: as if our • awes were made to rule men, and not women, husbands, and not wiues. This ſhuffling would be ſuſpected; for thus •• ngender Foxe-cubs, who threaten fu • ure danger.

If ſimple men be recuſants,Marke this. and re • ounce our felowſhip, many not great • y regard it; becauſe either they want • uthoritie, or their purſes be not well • ined: but be not deceiued, for ſuch lit • le ſparkes may ſerue the Popes turne, • y being kindled to a flame, and that is wilines is a ware of. The Iuie cree • ing along the ground, beginning at • he firſt to compaſſe the loweſt part of the oke, at the laſt, by getting ground, ouerpeereth ye higheſt branch, pierceth ſtill the pith, ſucketh the ſap, to the ruine of the whole trunke: ſo theſe ſubtill Foxes by inſinuation, and ſugred ſpeeches ſeeke firſt to enter into the cō ſciences of perſons inferiour; hoping by daily addition, of newe addicted fooles to the fleſhpots of Egypt, to fortifie their faction: but indeed the marke that they leuell at, is to raſe vp the foundation of our peace, and to ouerpeare the head of her royall perſon.

Fourthly, the ſubtiltie of the Foxe is herein diſcerned, becauſe perſwading men vnto vertue, and reuoking them from vice,The Foxe is a counſeller for his owne aduantage. he doth it for his owne aduantage, and then eſpecially ſeeketh the ſpoile of the Church. So that fitlie they may be reſembled vnto theeues, trauelling by the hie way, and lighting into true meaning cōpanie, can talke of ſimple dealing, of ſober liuing, of the reward of the vertuous, of the puniſhmēt of the vitious, to the intēt yt vnſuſpected they may take their bootyat vnawares; or to the craftie gameſter, who ſuffereth the ſimple man to winne for a while, that afterward being greedy of play, he may lurch him as he liſteth: Euen ſo theſe deceiptful workmen ſpeake ſome good things, but they intermeddle euill things; they ſpeak the truth but to ſcatter lies, & to root thē in mens harts, as Sinen in Virgil mingled falſhood with truth, that he might more eaſily entrap ye Troians; they ſpeake peace with their mouths, but haue conceiued miſchief in their harts; they can ſay ſalue frater with Ioab, & aue Rabbi with Iudas, when their purpoſe is to ſtab with the one, and to betraie with the other. To conclude, they are deceiptfull merchants, which vtter euill wares, and ſet them out with lying words to make them ſaileable. Wherefore as Paul commaunded the diuel to ſilence, although he ſpoke truth, leaſt that his vttering of truth might aduantage his lying, and gaine credit to his kingdome; and as Ieſus Chriſt ſharpely rebuked the diuel, ſaying vnto him, we know who thou art, teaching vs not to giue eare vnto the diuell although he tell the troth: ſo let the rulers which regard the honour of the higheſt, labour earneſtly to hinder the courſe of theſe ſeducing ſpirits which are ſcattered in our land, and to put the diuel to ſilence in them, that his people be not beguiled and drawne away to ſtraunge worſhip.

The Foxe craftily diſſwades from religion and loialtie.Another of their wiles is in their manner of perſwaſion, firſt, againſt religion; & ſecondly, againſt loialty. Againſt religiō by whiſpering into ye eares of the ſeduced, Church agreement, councels cōſent, fathers harmony, teachers credit, vniuerſality, antiquitie, vnity, apoſtolical traditiōs, all which an alblaſted Moter hath trict trimly in colours, hauing put as it were an new coat vpon an old deformed bodie; as if, where the aſſe had put vpon him the Lions skin, the world could not diſcerne him by the length of his eares: but the name of God be magnified, he is diſcouered, and his new verniſhed leaden dagger ſtabd in the intrals of his holy mother. My purpoſe in this pamphlet is rather to diſcouer the wickednes of Engliſh Italionates, then to diſpute againſt the wilfull obſtinacie of any Catholike champion: yet becauſe this is the duſt that Maſter Allablaster, with others more, caſt in the eies of our countrimen to put them quite out; or at leaſtwiſe, to bleare them: I will briefely ſcatter it, and ſo proceed in my former courſe.

DEare ſonnes, before I take my leaue and laſt farewell, I cannot chooſe but reuiue the remembrance of my auncient loue, not that by recounting my abundant fauours which from time to time you haue taſted, I meane vpbrayd, but rather to recomfort my ſelfe, whoſe loue towards you, by nature or forwardneſſe to fit you to further ſeruice, is ſo well recompenced with diligence, to execute what I ſhall giue you in charge. You know ſonnes, how I haue erected ſeminaries, and to what end, (which mine enemies doe call bad conuenticles, no better then cockatrices to hatch treaſon) in theſe I neuer thought any coſt too dear,Not cauſeleſly. whereby either to make your bodies fit for trauaile, or to helpe your natures inclination with fallacious art, for the accompliſhment of our purpoſe. And now my ſonnes, it is hie time that you fall from contemplation to practiſe, which is to transforme religious ſuperſtition, into policie;Popiſh practike diuinitie. and policie into treaſon, wherein let none of you ſcorne your old fathers direction; for though your yonger yeares be riper in art, yet my experience may teach you in treaſons to bee acted. Engliſh you are, and to England muſt I ſend you, whoſe Albion clifts ſeeme to me a farre off like rockes of pure Diamond, where ſome right dearely loue me your olde father,Too many. and from the depth of their entire affection, ſhall embrace you my deereſt children.And more ſhal, the more thou art diſcouered. But the greateſt part purſue me with deadly hate, tearming me no better then a bloudſucking Canniball, a robber of Churches,Fit titles for thy Foxe-ſhip. a patrone of hereſies, a father of falſhood, the brocher of quarrells, the head maſter of mutinies, the ſeede-man of ſedition, the infringer of liberties, the controller of Princes, the enemie of Chriſt, the monſter and aſtoniſhment of nature, enchayning Chriſtian ſoules in miſerable thraldome, and more then Aegyptian ſeruitude.

But the time may come when all this may be repaid, the hope whereof is vnto me, as it were a reſtoratiue, to reuiue my faint and languiſhing ſpirits, which hope doth depend chiefly vpon your cunning,Two reuiuing cordials for the old Foxe his heart. in compaſſing; and cunning conſiſteth in this which followeth: firſt, that you worke vpon ſuch as are fit to be added to our catholike faction; and ſecondly in the manner of the performance. Thoſe that are the likelieſt to be fitted to this frame, that is, to lend an hand when oportunitie ſtrikes alarme, (I ſpeake not ſonnes of thoſe who alreadie are deuout catholikes, earneſtly expect, and hartily pray for ſucceſſe of our cauſe,Who are likelieſt to be framed to popiſh practiſes.) either are male contents, whom enuy or inconſtancy may make deſirous of a change; or looſe profeſſours, proculſtants, who haue lent their loue to voluptuous delites or prodigalities, children, whom extreme want hath made deſperatly minded; or wanton wanderers, whom long trauail hath depriued of naturall affection.

And thus began Mahomet to ſtrengthen his ſtate,The Lion and the Foxe iumpe in the manner of ſtrengthening and enlarging their kingdomes. by ioyning himſelfe with the angrie ſouldiers of Heraclius, ſtirring vp their minds againſt the Emperour, and encouraging them in their defection: whereupon in proceſſe of time it came to paſſe, that although many could not abide him for the baſenes of his birth,Mahomet his beginning. and odiouſnes of his former life; yet growing from a thiefe to a ſeditious ſouldier, and from a ſeditious ſouldier, to be a captaine of a rebellious hoſt; his Mahometicall force began to ſubdue mightie people. Now as you muſt ſtrike with Mahomet whileſt the Iron is hot, and worke thoſe with diligence, whoſe inclination you finde pliable; ſo muſt your wiſedome appeare in the manner of this worke, wherein I would haue you to propound to your ſelues,The old Foxe ſendeth his cubbes to ſchoole to the Lion. the deceitfulnes of that damned wretch before named: I would not for all this world it were knowne my ſonnes, you followed ſo baſe a pattern of a couſening knaue, for an example of Imitation. This Mahomet not onely to gratifie his companions, but alſo the more eaſilie to allure all nations, receiued all religions, the pertinacie of Arrius, the errour of Neſtorius, The religion of Mahomet. the vaine inuention of the Thalmudiſts: therfore from the Iewes he receiued circumciſion, from the chriſtiās ſundry waſhings as it were Baptiſme, & with Sergius, denied Chriſt his diuinitie.

Secondly, to enlarge his kingdome, he made ſuch lawes as were fit to win,The manner how Mahomet enlarged his kingdome. and allure the vileſt, as to his Arabians, baſe wretches accuſtomed to liue vpon the ſpoile, he alloweth theft, and ſetteth a law of reuengment: Hurt him, which hurt you, he that killeth his enemie, or is killed by him, entreth into Paradiſe: he permits hauing of many wiues, diuorcement for trifling cauſes, promiſeth Paradiſe to them that giue liberally, and fight for his ſake.

Thirdly, miſtruſting his fall, with many bulwarkes hath he fenced his law,Three bulwarkes of laws mahometane. that no way be open to ſubuert it. Firſt, by commaunding to kill them which ſpeake againſt the Alcoran. Secondly, by forbidding men to conferre with a contrary ſect: And thirdly, by prohibiting credit to bee giuen to any of a contrarie religion. Now ſirs, why ſhould not we preuaile as well as this deceiuer, whom for example I haue mentioned to you my children?Mahomet an example of imitation to the Pope. haue we not as wany motiues, as plauſible Rhetoricians to perwade? for firſt as he; to allure all nations receiued all religions, ſo I your old father, haue found out ſuch a religion as is compounded of all ſorts, that all might be pleaſed: and therefore our enemies haue called it the truſſe and budget of hereſies. Secondly,Why mans corrupted nature doth ſo eaſely incline to poperie. our doctrines are as mightie to preuaile as euer were the lawes of Mahomet. If their old men be couetous, their yong mē voluptuous, their nobles ambitious, and the common ſort ceremonious,The Catholickes faith fit for a couetous heart. we haue ſuch allurements as are able to winne them. To the ritch couetouſnes with craft and crueltie, & the reſt of her factours: we haue coyned a purgatorie the fire of our gaine.For the voluptuous. For diſſolute and idle to no-things. To feed the voluptuous, our religion admits ſimple fornication, and our practiſe hath erected a ſtewes. To draw on the riotous, the diſſolute & idle do-nothings: we haue ordained many odde holy daies, halfe holy daies, at Rogation to carry banners, after Pentecoſt to go about with Corpus Christi play, to ring at All hallowes, &c.

For ſuch as would not ſee their ſinnes.To keepe men from the ſight of their ſinnes, we haue taught them to mince it, and that the firſt motions are no ſins, vnleſſe they goe with conſent, that ſome are venial, & need but an aſperges of holy water, or a biſhops bleſſing. To win ambitious heads that faine would be aloft,For aſpiring heads. you muſt teach that my power is to giue kingdomes to ſuch as can conquer them, to free ſubiectes from loyaltie, and to giue immortalitie to ſuch as can plucke the crowne from the princes head.

For wilfully ignorant.If the people will know nothing, to fit their humours, we teach that Ignorance is the mother of deuotion, that Images are bookes for lay men, that knowledge of the ſcriptures makes heretickes, & that it is ſufficient for them, that their faith be foulded vp in our Romiſh Church beliefe, without vnderſtanding or knowing what it is.

Laſtly, leaſt ſimplicitie either in Church-ſeruice,Outward painted ſeruice of the popiſh Church meere pollicy to ſteale mens hearts. or adminiſtration of ſacraments ſhould breed contempt, we haue added many petite matters to make them more-commendable, and our followers more deuout: as in our Churches, gilded Images, altars, ſuper-altars, candleſtickes and ſuch like: In our maſſings and Church ſeruice, golden garments, coſtly colours, ſtraunge geſtures. Traſh, warbling, numbering of beads, &c. in our prieſtes, ſquare caps, bald crownes, great hoods; in our orders, croſſing, annointing, ſhauing, forſwearing wedlocke, &c. In our baptiſme, waſhing of hands, ſalting, ſpatling, exorciſing, croſſing. In receiuing, to come with beards new ſhauē, & an imaginatiō of a body where none is.

And laſtly,Foure bulwarkes of papiſme. leaſt this our iugling ſhould be eſpied, we haue made as ſtrong fences for papiſme, as euer did that wicked beaſt for Mahometiſme: for firſt, we haue buried the ſcriptures, leaſt, by that light, our darkenes ſhould be diſcouered.

Secondly, Church-ſeruice we haue thruſt vpon ſeely people in a ſtraunge language: Sonnes you know well why for Simon Magus was neuer detected before Chriſt was preached in Samaria.

Thirdly, we haue forbidden our followers to conferre with the Hugenotes, for they are alwaies ſtriking at vs with the ſcepter of the word, and ſtill crie, to the law and the teſtimonie, &c.

Fourthly, we haue an argument drawne, à faſciculis, which we commaund to be formed in a new moode and figure againſt ſuch as ſpeak againſt our traditions.Vaine hope, vncertaine promiſes. Abſolon a courtlike politike a patterne for popiſh prieſtes. And what can we doe more, yea what doth there elſe remain, but that you doe all diligence, feeding your fauorites with ſtrong hope and large promiſes, ſtanding at the court gates with Abſolon, the liuely image of courtly politickes, ſeeming to pittie the peoples eſtate, when his ambitious humour did greedily aſpire after his fathers kingdome: Euen ſo you my ſons, tell them that their religion is good, and their cauſe is good, & how I your father & theirs do pittie thē; and that if I had the diſpoſition of the crown, plentie ſhould follow the ſcepter, and peace ſhould follow plentie; there ſhould be no diſtruſt of ſecret treaſon, nor feare of forraine inuaſion. But aboue all, ſee that you nouriſh in them a ſtrong perſwaſion of Spaniſh loue, and an earneſt deſire of Indian gold, that euen as Philip made the Athenians beleeue, that he pretended enmitie againſt the Plotenſes, and Olynthians, when he meant to ride vpon the backe of all Grecia: ſo muſt you make them beleeue, that the purpoſe of the Spaniard,Beleeue them that liſt. is onely to reforme religion, and to paſſe no further. And thus there being a coniunction of Engliſh plots, with Spaniſh practiſe, how ſhould we but preuaile, except ſonnes, with my elder brother Baalam, we haue laboured to curſe where the Lord neuer curſed, and deteſted where the Lord neuer deteſted: and I your olde father be conſtrained in the end, to roare with Iulian the Apoſtata, ſaying, vicisti Galilaee vicisti. I ſay no more vnto you, but walke cloſely, and keepe your ſelues in tenebris: for your predeceſſors, I know not whether to aſcribe it to angrie ſtars, the influence of the heauens, neglect of oportunitie, want of ſecrecie, by too great ſecuritie haue had ſo ſiniſter ſucceſſe, that in ſtead of ſupplanting a kingdome, they haue broken their neckes at Tyburne, and in ſtead of reconciling ſowles to our Romiſh faction,Not ſo, but iuſt reward of treaſon. their heads haue been vnited to an halter: This crueltie haue they ſuſtained for my ſake, whom therfore I haue crowned with martyrdom, as your elder brother Campion & the reſt, the remembrance of whom (in whoſe endeuours I haue heretofore placed my hope, of effecting that whereunto I now imploy your ſelues) doth but increaſe my ſorrow and griefe.

FOr as much as the couert enemies againſt the Church, do moſt of all deceiue ſimple people, by ſhrowding their deformities vnder the mantle of deuotion, I haue thought it pertinent to ſet downe theſe ſemblances following, betwixt the Pope & Mahomet, the which throughly pondered of euerie Chriſtian man, are ſufficient to bring him to a full deteſtation of the Romiſh religion.

This Mahomet was an Arabian ſouldiour, and tooke wages of the Emperour Heraclius, to ſerue him in his wars. In a mutinie he was choſen to be a commaunder of a rebellious hoſt, ſo baſe a vaſſall was he, that the people of Mecha who worſhip him at this day, condemned him to death for his murders and robberies.Mahomets cō feſsion of himſelfe. Yea he confeſſeth himſelfe what he was, namely an Idolater, an adulterer, giuen to leacherie, ſubiect to women, in ſuch manner as it is a ſhame to report. This is that prophet without propheſying,The firſt ſemblance in their manners. that lawmaker without miracles, that irreligious former of religion, yt man without God, which hath by his ignorance choked the truth, and by his violence inforced falſhood. That many of ye Popes haue bin as deſperate and damnable varlets as euer was Mahomet,Some Popes as verie varlets as euer was Mahomet. the legends written by their owne ſecretaries doe beare witneſſe. Amongſt whom, that monſter Boniface the eight carieth the bell: of whom themſelues giue teſtimonie, that he entered like a Foxe, ruled like a Lion, and died like a dog. Whoſoeuer liſteth to rake in the dounghil of Popes, ſhall finde ſome of them to be ſtarke Atheiſtes, as Paul the third, ſome blaſphemers and ſodomitical knaues as Iulius ye third, ſome whoremaſters as Iohn the 12. who abuſed his fathers concubines, ſome necromancers as Syluester, who was made Pope, auxilio diaboli, by the aide of the diuell. Yea ſo holy are theſe vnerring fathers, that one being demaunded, why in their ſuffrages they praied not for Cardinals and Biſhops? that, ſaith he, is to be vnderſtood, vbi oramus pro ſchiſmaticis & haereticis, where we pray for ſchiſmatickes and heretikes.

The meanes whereby Mahomet deceiued the world, were as followeth. This new Captaine many could not abide; his manners were ſo monſtrous: beſides, he was vexed with the falling ſicknes; therefore to redeeme himſelfe from this contempt, pretended a diuinitie in his doings, faining himſelfe to conferre with God, and ſo to be rauiſhed out of himſelfe: and that he was no more a prince elected through fauour of ſouldiers, but a meſſenger of the Almightie. Hauing laid this foundation politickely, he beginneth to make a mingle-mangle of all religions: For to allure the Iewes, he exalted Moſes, and retained circumciſion; not to eſtraunge the Chriſtians, he confeſſed Chriſt to be the ſpirit, word and power of God; to pleaſe the Neſtorians, he ſaid that Chriſt was not verie God, nor the ſonne of God, but that he had indeed the ſoule of God.

The Foxe laieth a foundation for his abſurdities and blaſphemies,The ſecond ſemblance in the ground plot of enlarging theit kingdomes. much like that of the Lion: for as Mahomet cooſened the world, in making it beleeue that he entered communication with God, when he fell into his fit of the falling ſickenes: ſo the Pope whileſt he maketh thouſands beleeue that he is Gods vicar, as the other made his beleeue that he was, and is Gods meſſenger, and that he cannot erre in giuing ſentence, though he may ſlip as a priuate perſon, poiſoneth the Church with peſtilent opinions, and draweth whole cart-lodes of ſoules after him into hell fire. The groundworke once laid, that the Pope cannot erre: then like to Mahomet beginneth hee to make an hotch-potch of hereſies, as to worſhip Chriſt and other ſaints, with the Carpocratians; to worſhip the virgine Marie, with the Collyridians; to paint God like an old man, with the Anthropomorphits; to hold freewil, and a poſſibilitie to fulfill the commandements, with the Pelagians; to reſtraine meats to daies and times, with the Montaniſtes, and Manichees; to condemne mariage with the Tatians and Cataphrygians; and in many pilgrimages, praier to the dead, Iuſtification by workes, to ſhew himſelfe a right Mahometane.

The third ſemblance is in the likelihood of their blaſphemies againſt Chriſt,The third ſemblance in broaching their blaſph • mies. for Mahomet fearing I ſay, leaſt that he ſhould alienate the Chriſtians, confeſſed Chriſt to be the ſpirit, word and power of God, but not verie God, nor the ſonne of God, and himſelfe to be the ſeruant of Chriſt: but yet ſo, that in the end he preferreth himſelfe before him, and maketh himſelfe the laſt refuge, for mankind to flie vnto.

The Pope denieth not the perſon of the great ſonne of God, for then ſhould he not be Antichriſt; but yet if you marke well how he degradeth him of his dignities, you ſhall ſee that Chriſt is much alike beholden to them both, and that euerie one may vnderſtand what his flatterers giue him, and what he chalengeth. Let vs heare what is written. Christopher Marcellus ſaid to the Pope, and it pleaſed him well, Tues alter Deus in terris: Thou art an other god vpon earth. Againe, it is written of him, Dominus Deus noster Papa, Our Lord God the Pope. In the proheme of the Clementines fol. 3. Papa, id eſt, admirabilis, nec Deus nec homo, quaſi neuter es inter vtrum que . The Pope is ſo named, becauſe he is wonderfull, thou art neither God nor man, but as it were a neuter betwixt both. Againe, Excepto peccato omnia poteſt quae Deus, except ſin he can doe all that God can doe. He can make holy that which is vnholy, pardon ſins, iuſtifie the wicked, diſpenſe againſt the old and new Teſtament. Againe, Omnis potestas data eſt mihi in terra: All power is giuen to me in earth. Now I report me to all them, whoſe iudgement is not quite peruerted, whether Mahomet euer did or could ſpeake more blaſphemouſly againſt the honour of God or Ieſus Chriſt, than theſe diuelliſh Doctors.

But we muſt remember here that as Mahomet hauing renounced the perſon of the ſonne of God, yet calleth himſelfe his ſeruant: So the Pope claiming ſupreame iuriſdiction in all cauſes, and throughout all countries, yet vaileth bonnet, and ſtoopeth his ſtile, calling himſelfe ſeruum ſeruorum Dei. Of whoſe ſhameleſſe hypocriſie or diſſembled humilitie, this Diſtich hath been framed worthie remembrance, Roma tibi quondam ſuberant Domini Dominorum: Seruorum ſerui hunc tibi ſunt Domini. Time was o Rome whē Lord of Lords, Did yeeld thee fealtee: Time's paſt and ſeruants ſeruants now Thy Lords, and maſters be. The fourth ſemblance is in their laws.

For Mahomet in his Alcoran commandeth his followers to kill the infidell,The fourth ſemblance in the likelihood of their lawes. to auenge themſelues, and to take no wrong; and telleth them that whoſoeuer killeth his enemie, ſhall haue the greater ſhare in paradice: he permitteth the hauing of many wiues, & diuorcement for trifling cauſes: by which damnable waies he hath enlarged his kingdome by his ſucceſſors, and partly by fraud, partly by force hath brought a great part of the world vnder his tyrannicall ſubiection.

Now ſee whether the Foxe and the Lion agree not as wel as two heads vnder one hood. For as Mahomet commaunds to kill, and promiſeth paradice to them that kil moſt; ſo the Pope giues authoritie and power to kill the true Chriſtians, and promiſeth immortalitie to them that murther their naturall princes.

Secondly, as Mahomet commaundeth his to auenge themſelues: ſo the Popes doctrine is not farre ſhort of it, when he teacheth it to be the counſell of Chriſt not his commaundement, to loue our enemies.

Thirdly, as that damned wretch alloweth the hauing of many wiues, and diuorcement for trifling cauſes: ſo the Pope although he admitte not Polygamie, yet ſimple fornication with him is no deadly ſinne. He erecteth ſtewes and brothell houſes: yea the ſinne of Sodome hath been allowed by ſome of theſe maiden fathers,Ioan. Rauiſius Textor in his booke called officina. and gelded biſhops, as by Sixtus the fourth, who alſo gaue licence to all the generation of the Cardinall of Saint Lucie, (who was his huntſman) to vſe this ſodomiticall filthines in the three hot monthes of the yeare, namely, Iune, Iuly, and Auguſt. What ſhould I tell you, that Iohannes de Caſa an Arch-prelate, and grand-captaine, writ a booke in commendation of it?Of Catholike O ſhameleſſe harlot to magnifie that in writing, the onely thought wherof, ought to wound the heart with horrour!

Thirdly, as Mahomet permitted diuorcement for trifling cauſes: ſo is it a cleare caſe yt the Pope in this point hath alſo contradicted the doctrine of Chriſt.

Laſtly, as he promiſeth paradice to the vileſt creatures; ſo the Pope granteth his pardons de paenitētijs iniungendis, that is, to a man before he ſinne; and what is this but with Mahomet to open heauen to the baſeſt villaines in the world?

The which vntollerable beaſtlines of them, God hath raiſed vp diuers of their owne countrie to diſplaie.

FOr the better auoyding of theſe enemies ſo peſtilent and pernicious, it is furder to be conſidered, yt ſundry ſortes of them are crept into the Church, to ſupplant and vndermine it: for ſome are heretikes, either denying the perſon of the great ſonne of God, or degrading him from his offices, and infecting his word with a million of errours, of whom hath been intreated before, and more ſhall be ſpoken hereafter. Others are ſchiſmatikes, who without cauſe depart away from the communion of the Church: others are hypocrites, or counterfeit chriſtians, reformed in name, but more than deformed indeede, who by their ſcandalous manners, and wicked examples, waſte and deſtroy the vines, eſpecially the yong ones. Which ſort of Foxes are otherwiſe called ſcabd ſheepe, and are compared to leauen which ſowreth the whole lumpe, of which the Apoſtle giueth vs a rule, in the perſon of the inceſtuous ſinner, that we ſhould not companie together: If any that is called a brother be a fornicatour,1 Cor. 5.11. Hereticall Foxes recuſant papiſtes. or couetous, or an Idolater, or a railour, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with ſuch an one eate not.

Of Foxes infected with hereſie, which do eſpecially diſturbe the church of England, there be two ſorts; the one called recuſants, becauſe they haue forſaken our fellowſhip; the other churchhaunts, who with falſe hearts frequent our aſſemblies, temporizing for feare of a fine, or furder penaltie. The firſt ſort plead Baals cauſe with open mouth, deſpiſe the Lords temple in Ieruſalem, poſt from Dan to Bethel to pleaſe Ieroboam, hate our congregations, and count it damnable to tread in our aſſemblies. If theſe Foxes were as ſharply puniſhed, as they are eaſilie diſcouered, we ſhuld not haue ſo many Maſſes, neither ſo many goe to Maſſe; and yet Maſſe rated at ſo round a reckning. I need not ſtand to mark out theſe malapart merchaunts, their practiſe betraies thē, they ſhow outwardly how they are affected inwardly; old doting dames, and yoong minions, old fooliſh fathers, and yoong boyes, that cannot tell why they were borne, ſpeake bouldlie for Poperie in defiance of the Goſpel, refuſe the Church, and checke the reprouer, make a mocke of the miniſterie, and ſcorne true religion; and yet haue peace and proſperitie. If a prince be miſuſed, death is thought too ſmal a puniſhment for the offender; if a man be ſo wicked as to procure an inſurrection, or raiſe a rebellion, he muſt looſe his head for it, and good reaſon: But whereas God hath ſoueraigne dominion ouer all, a worme of the earth ſhall ſet himſelfe againſt him, deface his maieſtie, rob him of his honour, blaſpheme his bleſſed name, yet eſcapeth without ſeueritie of puniſhment, and that is no good religion. Theſe are thoſe wretched people that haue ſould themſelues to be vaſſals of iniquitie, and haue receiued the ſtamp of the beaſt in their foreheads, that are readie to lie in waite for the Lords annoynted, and haue curſed Dauid to his face. Theſe are the ſonnes of thoſe bloudie fathers, that haue murdered the prophets. Theſe are the poſteritie of Amelech, vnworthie to liue amongſt Iſraell, which haue ſerued Baal Hamon, and haue runne vnto the golden calues of Dan and Bethel. Theſe are the relikes of Iebus, and the remnants of the Hittites, that haue bin pricks and thornes in the ſides of righteous men, and will be kniues to our throats if that might come which their harts faint in waiting for: but the ſame God that hath hitherto preſerued vs, detected their diſſembled zeale, and ſheathed their ſworde in their owne intrals, ſhall ſtill continew our moſt gratious protectour, vnleſſe the ouerflowing ſtreames of our ſinnes ſtop the courſe of his mercies, and eclipſe the brightnes of his fauour, which hitherto hath ſhined vpon vs.Church papiſts.

There is an other ſorte of Foxes in nature, not much different from the former, but yet not ſo eaſilie deſcribed, neither are they oftentimes reputed as they are.

A token ſent from the old Foxe to his yoong cubs.It is not many yeares agoe, ſince there came a token from the old gray Foxe to the cubs of his kind; wherein was printed the fiue wounds of Chriſt, with this poeſie, fili da mihi cor tuum, that is, ſonne giue me thy hart: whereby it appeareth that either Rainard was ſo well diſpoſed as to maintaine diſſimulation, or els his brood were in a wrong boxe, for they tooke his embleme in no other meaning. Therefore haue they learned to temporize, and with double hearts to halt on both ſides, hauing one for God, and another for Baal; one for the prince,Temporizing papiſts deſcribed. and an other for the Pope; one for the Maſſe, and another for the communion. The manner of theſe for the moſt part is to peepe into the Church once in a month, but preaching their queaſie ſtomakes cannot away with, eſpeciallie if Idolatrie and papiſtrie be diſcouered. I cannot more fitly compare theſe, than to cunning watermen, who looke one way, when they take their iourney an other: or to Cacus that notorions robber, of whom it is recorded, that he was wont to drag beaſts backward into his Caue by their tailes, to the intent that by contrary tracke of their feete, he might be freed from the ſuſpition of felonie: euen ſo the popular demeanour of theſe hollow minded votaries, lookes one way, when their ſecret plots and practiſes tend an other; and when they come to the Church, they doe but drag backward with Cacus, hiding their hollow hearts vnder ſhow of conformitie: yea howſoeuer theſe deepe diſſemblers in outward appearance, ſhow milde and gentle, promiſing all loyaltie to their prince, agreement to gouernment, and conſent to religion; yet truſt them not, for a Foxe will ſhow himſelfe a Foxe, when time ſerues his turne.

The poets wittily faine, that when Iupiter had made man,A poeticall fiction fitlie applied. being delited with ſuch a cunning peece of workemanſhip, he demaunded of Momus finde-fault, what he could ſpy, in ſo fine a feature and curious frame, out of ſquare and worthie iuſt reproofe: Momus commended the proportion, and comely diſpoſition of the lineaments; but one thing (ſaith he) I like not well, that thou haſt forgotten to place a window in his breſt, through which we might behold whether his heart and his tongue did accord. If a window were framed in the breſts of theſe diſcontented catholikes, that her maieſtie and the ſtate-guiding counſell, and all the true friends of this kingdome might know their ſecret intentions; or if their conſciences were as deeply ſounded, as they may be iuſtly doubted: then I know full well that many falſe hearts would be found lurking vnder painted hoodes, and cakes of foule cancred malice, vnder meale mouthed proteſtations; neither would it bee troubleſome to finde out a two-legged Foxe; or if the coles of long feſtered choler were of that condition, as that being heaped together in their malicious minds, they could bliſter their tongues, or ſcald their lippes, we ſhould neede no further ſearch to finde out a Romaine catholike. Howbeit although they haue no windowes in their breſtes, wherethrough wee may ſee into euery corner of their conſciences, how they packe and ſhuffle now; and (as it is greatly to be feared) meane to cut alſo if Poperie ſhould get the vpper hand; yea although they ſhrowd their wicked deuiſes with a vaile of obſcuritie, and contriue their cruell crafts in tenebris: yet if that foreſight and circumſpection be had, which the ſubtiltie of ſuch houſehould enemies requireth, I doubt not but it ſhal be eaſie to eſpie the Woolfe, though he wander in ſheepes clothing, by the manner of his howling; and the Aſſe, though he iet in the Lions skinne, by the length of his eares.

Before I proceede further,A linſie woolſie religion. I will here admoniſh that kinde of our goſpellers that are of a linſie woolſie religion, common pedlars and patchers of Chriſt his coate, which had no ſeame in deede: Who becauſe they are better affected to the ſtate then the former, I would be loath to tearme them Foxes; and yet hauing no warrant for a particoloured profeſſion, I may not honour them with the title of ſound Chriſtians: you ſhall know them by theſe colours. They hold it a matter of charitie to ſay God haue mercie on the ſoules of the dead: and ſhow them their errour; then they reply, what ſhall we bid the deuill goe with them? Their aue maria ſticks cloſe betwixt their teeth, though their Pater Noſter was forgot many yeeres agoe. They cannot be well perſwaded of children dieng without Baptiſme: therfore they cry out for headlong haſt to ye miniſtratiō of this ſacrament. They wil not beleeue that it is a ſinfull and ſuperſtitious thing, to ſweare by the Saints, and euery other creature; and when they are tould that it is a robbing God of his honour, they fall a woundering at the verie firſt principles of religion. Thus the Serpent gets his ground by creeping, and where Sathan cannot get an ell, he will take an ynch; hoping by little ynches of ſuperſtition, in the end, to make vp an ell of Idolatrie: and thus by little and little, Poperie hath ſtolne into the Church. Thoſe that are thus tainted, I exhort in the feare of God to reade the ſcriptures, and to heare his word, the knowledge whereof, is able to purge them from theſe filthie dregs of the Babiloniſh cup.

HAuing before declared the conditions and manners of theſe Foxes which deſtroy the vines: it followeth next in order that we ſpeake ſomething concerning the vnkenelling of theſe Romiſh Foxes, which of all other are moſt daungerous to the ſtate, both of Church and Commonwealth. The which we ſhall performe the better if we ſtill compare a Foxe with a Foxe. Now firſt of all it is well knowne to Foxe-hunters, that the Foxe holds the ſtrongeſt couerts, that he flieth from the field as a beaſt which truſteth not in the ſwiftnes of his legs,Properties of a Foxe when he is in chaſe. nor the ſtrength of his bodie, that he wheeleth about the thickets, and though he find none other helpe but a buſh, he wil flie to it for his ſafegard: ſo it is with this kind of cattell for being hunted, they runne abroad here and there, but eſpecially fly from the fields into the woods,Whither the two-legged Foxes flie being hunted. enquiring where there is one that makes no conſcience of his miniſterie, that will be content for handfuls of barley, and morſels of bread, for tyth cockes, and tyth ſheaues to cloake a Catholickes knauerie; enquiring alſo where there is an vntaught people, fit for all religions, and all princes raignes, and conſequently apt to ſwallow a bait of poiſoned perſwaſion; that is a couert for a Catholick, thither flock the Foxes, and feed without feare.

Againe, another propertie of the Foxe is,How the Foxes make their kenels. to make his denne in the ground that is hard to dig, as in galt, clay, or ſuch like earth, the paſſage into his earth being ſtreight, and going very farre in before it come to his couch, hauing alſo many holes thorow which to vnearth himſelfe: Euen ſo it is with this kind, they make their burrowes ſtrong, they haue ſo many ſtreight paſſages, ſo many muſes, ſo many winding corners, ſo many turnings, ſo many interturnings, and ſtarting holes, that it is a matter full of difficultie to find the couch of a Catholicke,Hard to vnkenell a Foxe-prieſt. eſpecially of a Prieſt or Ieſuite: In ſo much as I may iuſtly ſay of them, as Caeſar ſaid of the Scythians, difficilius est inuenire, quam ſuperare, It is harder to find them than to foile them. For experience hath taught vs, that when it hath beene a matter vndoubted that a Foxe prieſt hath beene readie to ſay maſſe, and therefore his denne hath beene compaſſed, the terriers haue winded him, and all his pretie trinkets haue been found prepared for ſo great a peece of worke: yet in the ende the Foxe would not be found. Perhaps he ſerues the hunters now and then, as the fiſh called the Cuttle ſerues the fiſherman, which when ſhe is like to be taken caſteth forth a ſlimie humor like vnto ynke, and ſo darkning the vpper part of the water, and dazeling the fiſhermans eies, marres his aime, and eſcapeth the daunger. Which ſithens it is ſo, the greater the care ought to be, that there be ſuch godly wiſedome and cunning in hunting them, ſuch toiles, ſuch nets as are fit for ſuch ſeruice, that there be ſuch miniſters as are able to handle the ſword of gods word with both, hāds, that is to ſay, be able to confirme the eſtabliſhed,Great need of good Foxe-hunters. to reclaime ye back-ſliders, to confute the aduerſarie, and if the will of God be, to transforme the Foxes into ſheepe; ſuch magiſtrates as haue a zeale to fence and hedge in the vineyard of the Lord of hoſtes, from the ſubtill inuaſions and vnderminings of theſe noyſome vermine; ſuch toyles as are able to hold both the great and little Foxes. For where blinde guides are placed in the watch towre, and the baſeſt liues are in the higheſt roomes, there Foxes indaunger the flocke, and many times finde more fauour then ſtands with the preſeruation of the ſheepe, or ſafe continuing ſtate of the beſt affected ſubiectes.

Purſiuants Parators.In this place fit occaſion is offered to ſpeake (neither may I paſſe it ouer with ſilence) of a couple of terriers appointed for the hunting and vnkenelling of theſe Foxes, whoſe true and hot hunting of them, as it is rightly to be commended where it is to be found: ſo the contrary doth breed great corruption in the Church, and is much to be lamēted.

IF the Chriſtian Church be impugned by open enemies, as Iewes, Turkes, Tartarians, and ſuch as haue opēly renounced the perſon of the great ſonne of God, and are cut off as rotten members, men not greatly regard it: But when ſuch as are bred and nouriſhed in the boſome of the Church, ſeeke to vndermine and ſupplant it; thoſe houſehold conflicts & home-bred battailes are they which trouble many in theſe daies.Houſehold conflictes trouble many weake Chriſtians. O ſay they, here is ſo much arguing and diſputing, ſuch diuiſions and diuerſities of opinions, that a man knowes not which way to turne himſelfe. To helpe ſuch, as without any good cauſe are thus put to a gaze: They muſt firſt vnderſtand that it is the will of God that his Church ſhall not be free from theſe inward offences; and ſecondarily, know the principall reaſons why he will haue it ſo.

Although our God, as he is the God of order and not of confuſion, commendeth and deliuereth vnto vs his diſcipline; yet notwithſtanding he ſuffereth the hypocrites for a time to haue their being amongſt the faithfull, vntill the full reſtoring and reforming of his kingdome in the laſt day.The Church ſhall not be free from offences. Math. 13. Which thing is taught by yt of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, where he reſembleth the kingdome of heauen to a net caſt into the ſea, and gathering all kind of fiſhes, &c. to a field, wherin whileſt the good husbandman ſoweth his wheat, the enuious came and ſcattered his teares. The Apoſtles alſo haue foretold the ſame, that the Church of God ſhall be peſtered with peſtilent enemies, and yt they ſhall come with an efficacy of errour. This know (ſaith ſaint Paul) that in the latter daies ſome ſhall depart from the faith,1. Tim. 4.1.2.3. and ſhall giue heed vnto ſpirits of error and doctrines of deuils, which ſpeake lies through hypocriſie, and haue their conſciences burned off with a hot yron, &c. But there were falſe prophets, ſaith Saint Peter, 2. Pet. 2.1.2.3. alſo among the people, euen as there ſhall bee falſe teachers among you: Which priuily ſhall bring in damnable hereſies, euen denying the Lord, that hath bought them, and bring vpon themſelues ſwift damnation.The myſterie of iniquitie began to worke in the Apoſtles time. 1. Iohn. 4.1.2. Thus the miſterie of iniquitie began to worke in the Apoſtles times, as appeareth in Col. 2. & Galath. 1. Therefore Saint Iohn exhorteth not to beleeue euerie ſpirit, but trie the ſpirits whether they are of God: for many falſe Prophets are gone out into the world. And why ſhould this trouble you ſo much? Doe you not ſee that the cockle & the corn growe both in one field, the lillie and the thorne both on one ground, the bloſſome and the blaſt both on one tree, the flowre and the weed both in one garden, the ſheepe and the goates doe feed both in one paſture? know you not, that in one arke were beaſts cleane and vncleane, and that the Apoſtle ſaith, that in one houſe be veſſels of honour, and veſſels of diſhonour? then wonder not to ſee the good, and the bad mingled together; but conſider the reaſons, giue God the glorie, and take heed to thy faith.

There be two principall reaſons, why the Lord ſuffereth theſe houſhold enemies to be in the midſt of his vineyard, the firſt is for the probation and trial of his ſeruants, whether they be vnfainedly coupled vnto him, in the ſpirituall bond of faith and of loue. Deut. 13. If there ariſe amongſt you (ſaith Moſes) a Prophet, or &c. Thou ſhalt not harkē vnto ye words of that Prophet, or vnto that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God proueth you, to know whether you loue ye Lord your God with al your heart & with all your ſoule. And indeed it is necaſſarie that we be kept in continual exerciſe of faith and praier, of patience, and conſtancie: and therefore is it ſaid, that the Lord would not caſt out before his people of Iſrael any of the natiōs which Ioſua left when he died, that through them he might proue Iſraell whether they would keepe his waies to walke therein or no? And to this effect Saint Paul ſaith,1. Cor. 11. that there muſt be hereſies that they which are approued might be knowne.1. Corin. 11. Where alſo that of Auguſtine is worthie remembrance, let vs vſe heretikes (ſaith he) not to that end to approue their errours, but that by defending the Catholickes doctrine againſt their deceits, we may be more watchful and warie: becauſe it is moſt truly written, there muſt be hereſies, that ye tried & approued may be manifeſted or diſcouered from the holow harts amongſt you. Let vs vſe this benefit of Gods prouidence: for heretikes are made of ſuch as would erre or be naught, thogh they were in the Church: but being out, they profit vs exceedingly, not by teaching the truth which they know not, but by ſtirring vp the carnall in the Church, to ſeeke truth, and the ſpirituall to cleare the truth. Thus then it is apparant, that both the weaker and the ſtronger, the carnall and the ſpirituall may profit by hereſies and ſchiſmes which the Lord ſuffereth in his Church; the one by learning, the other by teaching: for they ſhall trie our faith, and our loue, whether we be counterfeits, & diſſemblers; whether we wil be ſuddainly wind-ſhaken; whether we will forſake the truth, and follow falſehood; or whether faith be grounded in our hearts or no? For like as in the time of Moſes, God ſuffered great magitians to be in Aegypt, that he might make his owne power more euident in Moſes: ſo he ſuffereth heretikes, as ſorcerers or enchanters, to be in the Church, that the power of praier, of faith, of loue, of zeale, might be more apparant. A crab oftentimes carrieth the coat of an apple, and is not well knowne but by the taſte; copper hath the colour of gold, & is not ſo well tried as by the touch: an hypocrite may lurcke vnder the ſhadow of a beleeuer, and is not throughly manifeſted vntill his faith be tried; but ye beliefe of Gods children is like vnto the glaze-worme which glittereth moſt brightly in the darkeſt night, or like ye lampe that giues moſt light in the darke. But ſome will ſay, alas we are no clearkes, and in theſe diuiſions and diſputings, here is euery one alledging ſcripture for himſelfe, what ſhall we doe, or what courſe ſhall we take that are vnlearned? For ye better helping of you in this hazard, firſt looke whether euerie one alledgeth ſcripture or no? for that goeth for ſcripture many times, with the Catholicks, which is no more to be found in the booke of the Bible thē Paradiſe in hell. Secondly, know them to be falſe teachers, which for confirmation of doctrine of faith alledge any other teſtimonies, ouer and beſides the ſcriptures: for mans writings are no further to be credited, then they bring warrant from the word of God, which containeth the whole counſell of God touching our ſaluation. If they reply, that all is not written which the Apoſtles taught, anſwere them with that which is ſaid by the Apoſtle, who requireth nothing beſides the ſcriptures to make the man of God complete: then compare their vnwritten traditions with Gods written truth, the light will ſtraight diſcouer their darknes. Thirdly, if the interpretations be repugnant, ſo as one or more of them muſt needs be erronious; then conferre ſcripture with ſcripture, and expounde, ſcripture by ſcripture, as Chriſt teacheth; and laſtly, referre the whole vnto the correſpondency of the articles of faith, the briefe abridgments of chriſtian religion: and then if thou bringeſt with thee a teachable minde, and a deſire to learne in humilitie, thou ſhalt not erre, but finde Chriſt in his owne home, that is, in his word.

The ſecond reaſon why the Lord ſuffereth his Church to be troubled with deceitfull companions, is his proportionable iuſtice againſt the vnbeleeuers: And that Saint Paul meaneth when he ſaith, that when men haue no minde to obey God and his truth,2. Theſſ. 2.10. hee ſendeth them falſe prophets euen with an efficacie and ſpeedines of errour. The beguiling of Achab ſhoweth this euidently. Who is it, ſaith God, that ſhall deceiue Achab? as if he ſhould ſay, I ſee that he will needs be drawne vnto the bottome of hell; for the wretch was defiled with his Idols, had peruerted Gods ſeruice, was full of all ſtubbornnes,2. King. 22.2. and malice againſt the prophets, would receiue no admonition. Therefore God ſeeing him a man forlorne, ſendeth a lying ſpirit to beguile him. But here marke one thing eſpecially comfortable to Gods childrē, that when God had giuen Sathan commiſſion to execute his vengeance vpō the vnbeleeuers, he not onely giueth him leaue to puniſh them with loſſe of goods, ſicknes of bodie, &c. but giues powre to leade them into errour, vtterly to deceiue them and to carrie them away with lies. This is apparant in the hiſtorie of the triall of Iob where Sathan his firſt commiſſion is to touch his goods, and the ſecond, to touch his body: but he may not meddle with his ſoule. Thus you ſee, it ſtandeth both with the manifeſtation both of the mercie and iuſtice of God, to ſend deceitfull workmen into his Church.

THere is a kinde of people, who faine would that Dauid ſhould alwaies ſing of mercie, that as it may ſeeme by exceſſiue clemencie, our Soueraigne might nouriſh a ſerpent in her owne boſome. Wherefore, although this matter hath been handled heretofore of ſuch learned and godly men, as tender the ſaftie of her Maieſtie, and the flouriſhing ſtate of her truſtie and true harted ſubiects; yet ſince the argument fits this place ſo well, I haue thought good to lend my hand to my brethren, and to proue, that no perfect papiſts can be ſound & faithfull ſubiects to their chriſtian princes. And I ſay perfect papiſts, becauſe that euerie one that is blemiſhed or holdeth any one errour or article of doctrine that the Pope holdeth, as perhappes purgatorie, or prayer for the dead, is in that article a papiſt. Yet I count not euery one that thus is taynted, within the compaſſe of falſe heartednes to the realme, or vnder the title of traiterous papiſts: for manie, otherwiſe ſound ſubiects, are not purged from all infections, wherwith the whoriſh Church hath poiſoned them: wherfore the cōſequent reaſons muſt be vnderſtood of perfit papiſts, whoſe hearts ſince they be Italianated, I thus frame my firſt reaſon to proue them rotten hearted ſubiects.

THe thing that our Catholickes chiefly doe aime at, is that her highnes, and her counſell may be deceiued, by erronius pretence of pollicie, and colour of clemencie, that they may lurke vnder the ſhadow, and be nouriſhed as a Serpent in the boſome. It is therefore heedfully to be reſpected, that the Church of the diuell be not maintained with indulgence, & multiplied with fooliſh mercie; but that it be kept vnder with ſharpnes of diſcipline and correction, that it grow not to ſuch rankeneſſe as to choake the true Church. Fooliſh mercy may marre all, and clemencie may be great crueltie, when it ouerfloweth to the hazard of Gods Children. Where ſeueritie ſaith, one goeth into looſnes, their edifying goeth into deſtruction, cuſtom goeth into corruptiō, law into contēpt, mercy is laughed, and godlineſſe goeth into hypocriſie, execution of lawes againſt Gods enemies, and the enemies of this Church and Commonwealth, is the marke that is leuelled at: and why ſhould it not be hit, ſince diuinitie and godly pollicie wil haue it ſo? Wherfore although this point hath been no doubt handled religiouſly and zealouſly of the learned both in preaching and in writing: yet ſince it fitteth this place ſo well, I purpoſe to ſpeake of it briefely and diſtinctly, and proue that both diuinitie and Chriſtian pollicie require that ſharpe execution be vſed in puniſhing the enemies of the Church.

THere be two principall hunters, which the Lord of the vineyard vſeth for the taking of theſe Foxes, Miniſters and Magiſtrates; the one by the word, the other by the ſword: By the word in reprouing their falſe doctrine, by the true; and in ſeeking to transforme them into ſheepe: by the ſword, in cutting off the putrified members, leaſt by their meanes the whole bodie be hazarded.

The firſt hunter is the Miniſter, whoſe mouth and miniſterie the Lord hath alwaies vſed to declare his will,Miniſters hunters of the ſpirituall Foxes. and therfore they are called his mouth; which for this cauſe in the holy ſcripture are diuerſly named, men of God, ſeers, prophets, planters of the Lords vineyard, builders of his houſe, watchmen ouer his Citie, husbandmen, Paſtours, Doctors, Ambaſſadours, friendes of the bridgrome dealers in the marriage betweene Ieſus Chriſt and his Church, diſpenſers of the myſteries of God: whoſe charge is vnderſtood generally by the words of watching, and feeding; ſometime more diſtinctly, by attending vnto the word and praier; Act. 6.4. 2. Tim. 3.16. ſometimes by the words of teaching, improuing, correcting, and inſtructing; ſometimes by theſe words of watering and planting. Therefore the Apoſtle calleth not this charge a dignitie,1. Cor. 3.6 1. Tim. 3.1 but a worke or buſines. And here orderly to proceed, let me beſeech you that are the chiefe fathers in our Church, preferred to your places for your wiſedome, learning and grauities, ouerſeers of the flock bought with the precious bloud of Ieſus Chriſt; Act. 20. whoſe ſecuritie in this buſines hazardeth the health of the Church: but circumſpection ſhall daunt the pride of theſe wicked ones that ſeeke to bring vs into Babilon. The wicked walke on euery ſide. The papiſts ſpeake proudly and neuer more proudly; young ymps that neuer beheld papiſtrie in her braueſt ruffe, but haue ſucked poyſon from their mothers breſts, are not afraid to vomit blaſphemies againſt the almightie: let ſuch Foxes be hunted, helpe to reforme this, for Gods glorie; and ſeeke the recouerie of him that hath troad his foote awrie: let not carefull preaching be choaked through deſire of ambitious aſpiring, nor common care of the Church made ſleepie through hungring after priuate profit: why ſhould they ſleep and take their eaſe, who ought to watch both for themſelues, and for others?

Againe, I will ſpeake to you, learned brethren, that hauing taken charge of chriſtian ſoules, properly are called hunters of the ſpirituall Wolues in ſheepes cloathing, and deceitful Foxes; ſee that you oppoſe your ſelues againſt all theeues and robbers that ſeeke the ſpoyle of the Lords flocke; againſt all tyrants that oppreſſe them; al hypocrites in ſhow godly but indeede prophane perſons, that giue offence by their deformities: So ſhall you ſhunne thoſe ſhamefull reproches, which by Gods iuſt iudgment are fallen vpon many in theſe dayes; yea ſo ſhall you ſhunne the great curſes denounced againſt them which doe the worke of the Lord negligently; and when the prince of paſtours ſhall appeare, you ſhall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glorie.

And that you may the better performe this, beware of the loue of this world: it is like Aqua fortis, if once it catch the heart roote; it will eate out all goodnes, all care, all loue, all zeale, and indignation againſt ſin. Hence groweth nonreſidencie, ſwallowing downe of ſteeples as eaſie as the hungrie doth his crummes.Loue of the world choakes care of painfull preaching. Hence inſtead of hunting the Foxe, there is hunting for promotion and preferment, hunting for the profits and pleaſures of this preſent life, hunting for honour and for hundreds, ſcratching of conſciences in beating of the buſhes for many benefices, wheeling about the thickets to ſpie the couch of a prebendary or a deanrie, &c. and therefore hath it come to paſſe that ſome which haue had ſalt in them, that is vnderſtanding, knowledge, and zeale, haue loſt it through the perſwaſion of him that ſaid; All this will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worſhip me; there being now no more reliſh in them then there is taſt in the white of an egge: And what ſhall we ſay then of them, that neuer had any ſalt at all in them, neuer any loue, any knowledge, any zeale? ſurely they be vnprofitable ſeruants, worthie to be caſt out of the temple of God as filth and dounge.

For what breedes greater contempt againſt God, or diſcredit to his Goſpel; what more reuiues a catholikes hope to returne vnto Babilon; or encourageth the traitours to the accompliſhment of their practiſes, then the blindnes, ignorance and impietie of the miniſterie? how commeth it to paſſe that fooliſh people retain their old liking to their fathers old faith, & yong imps haue the like opinion powred into them; and conſequently, as it may ſeeme, eaſie to be drawne from their dutifull loyaltie to the loue of a ſtranger; but becauſe they haue wanted ſuch as ſhould rightly enforme them? can the ineſtimable treaſurie of a mightie prince be ſeene in the beggarlines of a baſe Embaſſadour? can the aduerſarie of the Goſpell be drawne from falſehood, and errour by him that knowes not (I had almoſt ſaid beleeues not) the truth? can a papiſt be reduced from his worſhipping of idols by him, that is no better then an idoll himſelfe? can the carnall goſpeller, the wanton libertine, the prophane heart, the beaſtly Epicure be brought to continencie, modeſty and ſobriety, by ſuch which rather binde them in the cordes of iniquitie? Laſtly, if to know God, and according to that knowledge to ſerue him, be the ground-worke of all true obedience; how is it then poſſible, that they whoſe conſciences were neuer ſeaſoned with any religion, ſhould yeelde either to God or their prince any dutifull ſubiection? Saint Paul ſaith that he had begotten the Church of the Galathians; Gal. 4.9 1. Cor. 4.15. and called himſelfe the father of the Corinthians in regarde of the miniſterie, becauſe hee had begotten them by the preaching of the Goſpell. Such fathers ſuch children, ſuch as are the ſeedmen, ſuch ſeede they doe ſowe. Where olde wilie Foxes, ſuch as whoſe loue to religion may be iuſtly ſuſpected, are admitted into this great calling, there poperie is ſowne in ſtead of the Goſpel; and Foxes growe vp in ſteade of ſound chriſtians: where blinde guides are made miniſters, ſuch as haue no more knowledge then idolles of woode and ſtone, preachers as they call them, of idiots; there muſt needes bee poore knowledge of God, and ſuſpected dutifulnes to the prince. The great hurt and diſhonour that theſe bring to the Church of God, no man can with effectuall words diſplay it; nor plentie of teares lament it, all ſermons, exhortations, reprehenſions, doe rather aggrauate their condemnations, then worke any reformation.

We reade that the Emperour Commodus was ſo cunning in darting, that hauing gotten ſtones for the exerciſe of his hand, many citizens did aſſemble to ſee him throw, whoſe dexteritie was ſuch that hee neuer caſt at wilde beaſtes, and miſſed his marke, nor gaue any wound that was not deadly: It is to be wiſhed that euery one that rebuketh ſinne ſhould leuell ſo ſtraight as did this Emperour, that neuer threw but he hit, neuer hit but he wounded; ſo ſhould the reader with the Romans neither ſee one monſter twiſe galled, neither any ſin recouer the firſt wound. If darters at deformities could wound as deadlie as they aime directly, this monſtrous monſter had been vanquiſhed long ere this day: but alas it liueth, ô yet it liueth, & liueth to nouriſh papiſme, atheiſme, and epicuriſme.

If any maruaile at this, how ſuch are aduanced to houlde the helme as are ſcarce worthie to ſit in the ſincke; hoyſed into Moſes chaire, that are more meet to ſit at Gamaliels feete; called to feede with the dugge of the Goſpell, before they themſelues be well weaned; and ſent to fight the Lords battles before they haue one ſtone to ſling againſt Golias (that is one ſcripture to reſiſt the tempter withall:) let him vnderſtand that this is either, becauſe the heartes of patrones are limed with the loue of this world, which makes them not care whom they preſent; or many Biſhops haue ſuch motes in their eyes, that they cannot well ſee whom they bleſſe.

I am loth to rake in this dounghill of buying & ſelling of benefices, ye which is a ſufficient teſtimonie (if there were no more) that men haue as much true loue to religion, as euer had Machiauell. Fiue ſorts of patrones of benefices. There are diuers ſorts that giue ſpirituall promotions in this land, ſome are our great Catholickes, whoſe care to ſend good miniſters into the Church, I durſt ſweare for them, is as great as the Foxe euer had to feede the lambes. And how can it ſtand with their blind religion to ſend good miniſters into the true Chriſtian Church? but rather to diſhonour and deface it by ſending in the baſeſt, ſuch as haue neither Vrim, nor Thummim, neither brighneſſe of knowledge, nor vprightnes of life. It is ſaid that Ieroboam made Iſrael to ſinne, that is, to contemne religion: and why? becauſe he made prieſtes of the baſeſt of the people. Therfore the diuell knowes well, that if he can get prieſtes to be made of the refuſe, he ſhal bring people to condemne preachers, and prophecying prieſts, and religion. Here let our Biſhops be circumſpect to ſift narrowly when the patrone giues the Foxe for his cogniſance.

There is a ſecond ſort of patrons open adorers of their god Mammon. Mammoniſtes patrones deſcribed. Theſe are as good to Gods Church as the former. Indeed I muſt confeſſe, that when they giue their ſpiritual promotions, all their care is to get a mā of gifts: O gifts, gifts, & nothing at all reſpected with theſe Merchants but gifts. My meaning as no myſtery, Si nihil attuleris ibis Homere foras. If you haue no gifts, the paſſage is plain & you muſt pack. Can we find, ſaith Pharao, ſuch a man as this? (meaning Ioſeph, for his excellencie) in whom is the ſpirit of God, Gen. 41.38. thou ſhalt be ouer my houſe. And can we find ſuch a man as this, ſaith a ſacrilegious patrone? meaning a Sir Iohn lacke Latin, lacke learning, lacke conſcience, whoſe friendes can pay wel, or purſe is wel lined, or wil ſo friendly part the ſtake. Pharao, cruell Pharao, heathniſh Pharao in the gouernmēt of his Kingdom preferred Ioſeph for inward grace: but theſe chriſtians (for ſo they vnworthily are called) in giuing ſpirituall promotions for the benefit of Chriſt his Church, regarde nothing elſe but outward gaine. For when the match is made, this patrone muſt haue the tyth corne, Gleabe land; and the houſe peraduenture, if it be fit for a gentleman; with tith wooll and lambe, if it be from the paſtures: And what ſhall the poore parſon haue (as they call him?) forſooth a little od money, tith calues, tith geeſe and a few egges at Eaſter. And how then? graundmercie muſt the ſeelie ſheepe ſay to the butcher, that hath cut his throat. I will ſay to theſe as Simon Peter ſaid to Simon Magus, Acts 8. thou and thy guifts periſh, which thou receiuedſt to giue ſo vnworthily, to the great diſhonour of the Church: and he and his guifts periſh, which he gaue to make a way for himſelfe to that place in the Church, whereunto by the iudgment of his owne heart there was neuer any abilitie or aptnes.

To ſhow that honour onely ought euer to accompanie vertue, the heathens built a temple to honour, and adioyned thereunto another built vnto vertue, that ſo, whoſoeuer would go vp into the temple of honour, ſhould paſſe through the temple of vertue: monſtrous it is that chriſtians in profeſſion ſhould be worſe then heathens in practiſe, they would enter into the temple of honour by vertue, wee by bribes. If you thinke this to be no ſin, heare the Lord complayning by the prophet Malachie in plaine tearmes, Mal. 3.8. that the taking away the tithes and offerings from that end they were appoynted vnto, was a robbing and ſpoyling of him, yea euen ſuch a ſpoyling, as he would viſit with a great and grieuous curſe. It is no leſſe now, ſo long as authoritie ratifieth the ſame to the maintenance of the miniſterie, and therefore vndoubtedly will haue a ſharpe reuenge.

Balthaſar eſcaped not the reuenging hand of God when he fell to feaſting and carruſing with his princes wiues, Daniel. 5. and concubines, in the veſſells of gould taken from the temple, but euen then eſpies the fingers of an hand writing vpon the wall before his face, that his kingdome God had numbred and finiſhed, and weighed him in the balance and found him too light; and therefore diuided and giuen his kingdome away to the Meedes and Perſians.Read your ſentence rob Churches. And doe you which eate the corne of the barne and drinke the bloud of chriſtian ſoules, that ſolace your ſelues with the ſpoyle of the Church, thinke to eſcape the ſentence of the almightie? It is a ſure thing (if you could ſpie it) that the Lord hath diuided, blowne vpon it, and ſcattered that which by ſuch ſiniſter means you haue gathered together; neither ſhall it proſper; but as it hath been gotten ouer the deuills backe, ſo ſhall it be ſpent vnder his dammes belly: and as it came in vpon a poſt rowling and tumbling on euerie ſide; ſo the Lord ſhall open the cage and it ſhall away againe, hauing caught winges like an eagle. But if perhappes you eſcape the ſentence writing a diuiſion here, you ſhall bee ſure without repentance of the ſentence of confuſion elſe where.

Dauid ſtanding in great diſtreſſe for water would not drinke of the water of Bethleem, becauſe it was gotten with the daunger of ſome few mens temporall liues:See your ſinne ſoule murderers. but you drinke and eate that which is gotten with apparant hazard of life eternall of hundreds and thouſands.

Can you for conſcience reply? nay the power of hell is not able to denie it. The foule cariō rauē is your cogniſance which flew out of Noahes Arke, and returned not againe; but was detained with the filthie ſtench of drowned carcaſſes: euen ſo do you which thus ſeeke the ſpoile of the Church, Dulcis odor lucri ex re qualibet, the ſauour of gaine is ſweet, if you can ſucke it out of the vileſt things, euerie baggage or garbage is good enough for you.

There is a third ſort which hauing no ſenſe nor feeling of this ſinne,Benummed and ſenceleſſe patrones. beſtow Church-liuings not as caring for the Church, or reſpecting the edifying of the flocke of Chriſt, but as they are moued by kindred, by fauour, by affection, by ſuits:Your practiſe proues you Atheiſtes. ſo they do beſtow ſufficient liuings vpon vnſufficient perſons. I ſay, not caring whether the people ſinke or ſwim, ſtand or fall, liue or die, be ſaued or damned. The Lord Ieſus ſets it downe as a note of the miniſters loue, that he feeds the flocke: In like ſort is it the patrones loue to cauſe the flocke to be fed. Contrariwiſe it is want of loue in the miniſter, if he do not feed: and what is it in the patrone, if by his careleſnes this come to paſſe? It is a fault to giue the calling to him that is vnworthie, & no fault to giue the liuing vnto him? In the ſixth of S. Markes goſpell it is ſaid of Chriſt, that going out & ſeeing a great multitude of people gathered together, he had compaſſion on them, becauſe they were like ſheep without a ſhepheard: It is a neceſſary conſequēce, that if Chriſts bowels earn to ſee his ſheep depriued of a ſhepherd, that he will make your hearts ake that are the cauſe of this horrible ſinne. I am aſhamed to rehearſe how the Church of god is abuſed by you, who in beſtowing your Church-liuings giuing them not to miniſters, as miniſters; but as to your ſons, or your ſeruants or your kinſmen, or to ſome other that by ſome by-deſert hath gained your fauours: and yet behold you would faine ſeeme friends to religiō and pretend many good motiōs. But to be plaine with you, your motions are like vnto the graſhoppers, yt no ſooner giues an hop vpward, but down he comes againe; your words may ſeeme heauenly, but your practiſe is earthly.

There is a fourth ſort of patrons which profeſſe religiō,Theſe would haue you thinke they loue the Church, and ſo they do. & yet many of thē ſmutched with this blot. Theſe go beyond the reſt, in this that they would be glad the people ſhould be fed with knowledge and vnderſtanding: but as the mammoniſt before named, cares not whom he preſentes, ſo he may reape the profit; if he cannot compaſſe it to make it plainly temporall: ſo this patronizer makes a pauſe (you muſt thinke) to find one ſufficient to take the charge:Theſe ſpin hypocriſie finely. but indeed that either an harueſt may quite his coſt he hath been at, by many ſuters; or elſe to get a good one as cheape as he can. It was once ſaid, religio peperit diuitias, ſed filia deuorauit matrem: that is, religion brought forth riches, but the daughter deuoured the mother. The times are altered, & religion mournes, becauſe her beſt ſeruants want their wages. For they neuer gaue ſo faſt as now they take away,Sublatis studiorum praemijs ipſa studiae pereunt, ſaith Cornelius Tacitus. and ſubſtraction is become a great part of patrons ſtudy. The concluſiō like to follow ſuch polling premiſſes, is the decay of learning, piety & religiō, & the bringing in of al Atheiſme, error & Barbariſme. For they which would ſtudy diuinitie aboue all, when they ſee that the Church hath ſcarce the fauour of an ordinarie ward, yea when they behold the contempt, the beggerlines, vexatiō and miſerable want of the miniſtery, are glad to fall to phiſicke, or law, or ſome other trade. Gen. 48 7 What ſhall I ſay of you? You are worſe thē Pharao, for he had a care of his prieſts howſoeuer the world went with the reſt. You are not ſo kind to miniſters of the goſpel as Ieſabel that painted harlot,1. King. 18.19. Theſe ſhall riſe in iudgement againſt you. Iud. 17. was to the prophets of ye groues, for ſhe fed foure hundred at her table: you are not half ſo religious, as Micha was ſuperſtitious, for he maintained his prieſts. You ſhew that you haue leſſe loue to religion then they papiſts haue to ſuperſtition. The kite is your cogniſance, who being greedy and rauenous, yet mounteth aloft as though he would touch the gliding clouds; but yet when he flieth a matchleſſe pitch, he hath his eies fixed below on the earth, ſpying and prying for a carrion carcaſſe: euen ſo you ſoare aloft in your contemplation, and in a certain counterfeit ſanctimony ſeeme to be raiſed and carried aboue the clouds; yet ſo long as you can find in your harts to play the part-ſtake patrons to ſpoile the Church, & to ſeeke to enrich your ſelues by ſuch robberies (they are no better) it is an infallible ſigne that you are worldlings and earthly minded, ſeeking your owne gaine and priuate profit. For Gods loue let this be reformed, that we may know you by another cogniſance. The laſt and beſt ſort of patrons are ſuch as account them worthie of double honour which rule well,The beſt ſort of patrones. 1. Tim. 5.17. that hold the labourer worthie of his hire; that no man goeth to warfare on his owne charges;1. Cor, 1, from the 5, verſe to the 15 that husbandmen ſhould eate of the fruit of ſuch vineyardes as they themſelues planted; that ſheppeheards ſhould eat of the milke of their owne flockes; that ſowers of ſpirituall things, which are the greater, are well worthy to reape carnal things which are the leſſer; that they which ſerue at the altar are worthie to liue by the altar. Theſe for their cogniſance may fitly giue ſome rare bird; I had almoſt ſaid the blacke Swan: but it ſhall be the Eagle, for ſhe mounteth on hie and falleth not on the ground, but to ſeeke her neceſſarie food, and being ſatisfied ſtraightway ſoareth aloft: euē ſo the minds of theſe are occupied in heauen, all ſuperfluous cares being caſt apart, they indeed wiſh the proſperity of Ieruſalem, & the happy floriſhing ſtate of the Church. O Lord almightie encreaſe the number of theſe; and in thy mercy conuert, or in iuſtice confound ſuch Church-robbers as ſauor nothing but their own gain, as daily indeuour to take away ye reward of knowledge & are the death of thouſand thouſands of ſouls: ſtir vp O Lord thy faithful ſeruant our dread ſoueraigne, that with Nehemiah ſhe may thruſt out all ſuch Eliaſhibs as abuſe the Church in this manner, Nehem. 13.14. and euerie Tobiah linked in affinity with them, that thy ſeruants may haue their own portions, and that thou maiſt not be mocked; ſo we thy workmanſhip and ſheep of thy paſture, for ſo great a mercy, ſhal praiſe thee fer euer. Amen.

THere be two ſorts of men, which ſay that the charge of Religion belongeth not to the office of the magiſtrate. Firſt, they which vnder pretence of their annointed cleargie, and priuiledged prieſthood cannot abide to haue their abuſes reformed. Secondly, they which eyther are infected with ſome hereſie, or elſe are willing to dally with heretikes. The firſt ſort doe onely require of the magiſtrate to maintaine and defend their degrees. The ſecond ſort holdeth, that the magiſtrate ought onely to meddle with the maintenance of publike peace, and not to regard what others beleeue or not beleeue. But the true Church teacheth that the charge of publike religion doth not in part,Charge of religion belongeth to the Magiſtrate. but principally, and moſt of all belong vnto the magiſtrate, which thing the holy ſcripture approueth. Moſes the firſt generall magiſtrate of the Iſraelites,God gaue the order of religion to Moſes not to Aaron. who did not repreſent the perſon of a prieſt, which was put vnto Aaron, but of the ſuperiour power like vnto the authoritie of a king, did giue the order of al religion vnto the people, & appointed vnto Aaron & the order of the prieſts what they ſhould do, & what they ſhould not do. Wherby it appeareth that the care of the order of religiō doth rather belong vnto ye ſuperior magiſtrat, then vnto the degree of prieſthood.

I know they will ſay, that Moſes did diſpoſe all theſe things at Gods commaundement. It is true: but I will be anſwered againe, why God gaue not the commaundement for order of religion vnto Aaron, whom he had conſecrated to be a prieſt, rather then vnto Moſes? So then this rather ſheweth that the charge of the inſtitution and gouernance belonges vnto the magiſtrate; but the inſtitution, charge and miniſtration, belongs vnto the prieſts. Againe, after the death of Moſes, the charge of religion belonged not to Eleaſar the Prieſt, but to Iehoſua the magiſtrate, who was of the tribe of Ephraim, Ioſua. 5 and not of Leui, by whoſe commaundement the children of Iſraell were the ſecond time circumciſed, ye Ark of God carried by the prieſts, the altars builded, the people ſanctified, and the reſt of the lawes fulfilled, which Moſes preſcribed. Againe, Iehoſua charged them to feare the Lord, Ioſua. 8 and to ſerue him with an vpright and faithfull heart. Iehoſua charged them to rid out of the way all ſtraunge gods, Iehoſua renewed the couenant betweene God and his people, and compiled the words of the couenant into the booke of Gods law.

True it is that the office of magiſtracie and prieſthood both were ioyned together in the perſon of Samuel, 1. Sam. 1. but yet he being at that time the chiefe man in Iſraell, iudged and determined as a magiſtrate, taught and ſacrificed as a prieſt.

Dauid a patterne for good magiſtrats,The ordering of religion by Dauid. and vnto whom Chriſtian rulers ought to haue an eie for godlineſſe,2. Sam. 6 had the authority of diſpoſing & ſetting forth true religion,1. Chro. 16 1. Cho. 22.23.24.25 he recouered the Arke of God from contēpt receiued in ye time of Iudges, & of Saul, & placed it more comely: he appointed Prieſts, Leuites, ſingers, and doore-keepers, to miniſter in the tabernacle of the lord. He aduiſed kings to looke vnto their duties: Pſal. 2 And now ye kings vnderſtād, be learned which iudge the land, ſerue the Lord in feare, &c.

Salomon did beare the higheſt charge in religion,Salomon, Aſa and Iehoſaphat tooke charge of religion. not onely in building the Lords Temple, but alſo in conſecrating & hallowing of the ſame. What ſhould I ſpeak of Aſa, who hauing the charge of religion did rid away the Idols out of all the land of Iuda & Beniamin, 2. Chro. 6 2. Chro. 15 2. Chro. 29.30.81 &c. And of Iehoſophat, who tooke away the hil-altars and groues out of Iuda: Of Ezechias, who following the footſteps of his father Dauid in the beginning of his raign the firſt yeare and firſt moneth, opened and refurniſhed the gates of Gods houſe, commaunded the prieſtes to heare him, & to become holy, to cleanſe the Lords houſe, and to rid all filthines out of his ſanctuarie, appointed Leuits with cymbals Pſalters & harps, according to the ordinance of the king his father. The like is written of Ioſias, who vſed the ſame power & authority in the like caſe. Now then ſince it is ſo cleare, Iohn. 12.18 Rom. 13.1 that kings & princes are ye ſeruants of God eſtabliſhed in authority, & girded by him with a bawdrier to ye end, that not only honeſty of life ſhould be maintained, oppoſed to violence & diſſolution; but yt the true ſeruice of God ſhould be aduanced contrary to idolatry & ſuperſtitiō: Therfore they ought with all ye power which God hath giuen thē, to vphold ye holy miniſtery & worſhip of God, as wel in vprightnes of diſcipline, as purity of doctrine; yt both may be cōformable to the word of ye Lord teſtified by Chriſt & his Apoſtles, without adding or clipping or altering: & conſequently bridle as much as they can, & puniſh according to ye exigence of the caſe, the perturbers of ye peace of ye Church. For religiō belongs not to the left, but to ye right hād of a prince; neither is there any crown ſo curiouſly wrought or cunningly ſet with precious pearles, yt can half ſo beautifie a princes perſon, as to ſeek to promote ye glory of ye lord, and to take theſe Foxes which ſeeke to vndermine his vineyard. The ſeruants of Benhadad king of Syria,1. King. 20 Traitors make mercy the groundworke of miſchiefe. what wrong ſoeuer they had offered to Iſrael, yet fallen into the lapſe, would reuiue and recomfort themſelues with theſe words: Behold we haue heard ſay that the kings of Iſraell are mercifull kings, let vs therefore put ſackcloth about our loins, and ropes about our neckes, and go to the king of Iſraell, it may be that he will ſaue our liues. Thus ſtanding vpon what may be, and not what ought to be, what peraduenture he would, and not what they deſerued, they make mercie the ground plot of miſchiefe. But the king is reproued, and it is told him, thy life ſhall go for his life, and thy people for his people: No leſſe are thoſe runnagate ruffians to be regarded with thē which welcome and intertaine them. For as the practiſe of the one is to ſteale away the hearts of ſubiects, ſo the mark that the other aime at, is to lend them their hands againſt their countrie, if time ſhould ſerue their turne. The Almightie God preſerue her Maieſtie, and euermore increaſe all zeale in her for the puniſhment of his, & her enemies; that as Aſa commaunded all ſuch to be ſlaine as would not ſerue the God of Iſraell; as Darius deliuered Daniel, 1. King. 15 Daniel 6 Daniel. 4 2. King, 19 2. King, 23 and caſt his enemies into the den of the Lions; as Nabuchadnezzar ſerued him, who by proclamation forbad any in his Dominion to blaſpheme the true and very God; as Ezechias and Ioſias ſerued him by ouerthrowing the groues, and the places that were ſet vp contrarie to Gods commaundement: So ſhe with Dauid, hating Gods enemies with a perfect hatred, may ſeeke to root them out more and more: and as alreadie ſhe hath broken downe the lofts, that were builded to idolatrie, ouerthrowne, polluted, and defiled the altars, defaced the veſſels that were made for Baal, and for the hoſt of heauen; ſo ſhe may cut vp the verie roots of iniquitie, and expell the Cananites, that the Commonwealth of Iſraell be not troubled. O let not the glozing ſpeech of any ambitious paraſite dazle her highneſſe eies, nor boulſter vp poperie by a falſe perſwaſion to further clemencie; but let him be diſhonoured in a day that is not truly zealous for the honour of his God: and let him die the death that wiſheth not her Maieſties throne to ſtand ſteadie as the ſeat of Salomon; and you that feare the Lord, and loue his truth, ſay Amen. Furthermore as ye foreſight of her Highnes moſt honourable counſell hath appeared in ſhielding vs from forraine foes: ſo ought their chiefe circumſpection to be ſeen in ſhielding vs from domeſticall feare. Then ſhall we being free in our bowels from ſedition at home, be ſtronger to withſtand forraine power abroad.

It is not a ſafe thing to lay the bridle vpon the necke of ſuch dangerous practitioners, by whom both prince, your ſelues, our liues, our countrie, our fortunes may be hazarded in an inſtant: execution of diſcipline is a perfit mithridate againſt al dangerous conſpiracies, inſurrections, ſeditions, rebellions, and all popiſh pollicies. Correct ſaith Benſyra a wiſe man with a nod, and a foole with a club: there hath been mildneſſe and lenitie ſhewed long enough; there hath been becking and nodding, and notting long enough; but the froward will not receiue information: What remaineth then but an hammer, or an hatchet, or a club, execution I meane of Iuſtice, againſt theſe houſehold enemies? Your H. ſhall rightly propoſe to your ſelues the example of Moſes, who for the like cauſe hanged vp the princes of the people, teaching thereby all good rulers to make them examples in ſuffering, who haue been the ringleaders in offending.

Here alſo to you the graue ſages of this land may rightly a leſſon be read: I meane the Iudges placed ouer Gods people to iudge ſoundly & ſubſtantially betwixt brethren and brethren; vnto whom God hath after a ſort lent his name and his ſeat,The dutie of Iudges in hunting the Foxe. to teach you chiefly to regard and maintaine his owne honour. If it be your duties to puniſh theeues, murtherers, and ſuch like perturbers of the peace of the Commonwealth, then much more the vnderminers of the Lords vineyard, groſſe Idolaters, hollow hearted votaries, diſloyal perſons, whoſe liberties & proſperities in a Chriſtian Church what can it elfe argue, but that iuſtice is turned into iugling? and true religion, either into heatheniſh prophanenes or Romiſh ſuperſtition? You may not forget that Iuſtice is pictured with a paire of ballances in one hand, and a ſword in the other; to teach you that Iuſtice muſt returne to iudgement, whether in regarding the good, or puniſhing ye euill. Improbum hominē praeſtat non accuſaſſe quàm abſoluiſſe. It is better not to haue accuſed, then after accuſation to acquite the malefactour: but to dally with Church enemies, preſageth future daunger, and in time may proue fatall to the ſtate. Let Moſes alſo be your preſident, who puniſhed idolaters againſt God, as ſharpely as traitours againſt himſelfe. O Lord! that a traitour to the kingdome of Chriſt Ieſus ſhould find a friend in a Chriſtian Commonwealth; but of Iudges, Magiſtrates, and gouernours, it were vntollerable. Shall a poore theefe packe to Tiburne for fiue ſhillings, and one that if it were in his hand would ſtrangle or cut the throat of the Church, eſcape ſcot-free? Tully truly ſaid Magistratus indicat virum, authoritie declareth a man what he is, whether he loue equitie or briberie, iuſtice or crueltie,Authoritie trieth a man. religion or ſuperſtition. If a Lion his pawes, if a Wolfe his iawes will betraie him; if he loue the Church and religion he will draw the ſword againſt her foes; if he be an ambodexter, he careth but a little for her friends. Here therfore I require you, that as you ſerue God in feare, and loue his truth in heart; that ſo you would promote his glorie in zeale, and puniſh the offender according to the exigence of the caſe: for as it is an horrible ſinne with Pilate to iudge Chriſt guiltleſſe, and then to condemne him; with Festus to approue Pauls cauſe, and then to leaue him in priſon: in like ſort it is a wicked thing in words to ſentence the enemies of Chriſt, and indeed to turne them looſe to liue at their pleaſures like Foxes amidſt the flocke, to try what hauocke they can make of all.

I may not pretermit in this place, the great care and conſcience that ought to be in election of Magiſtrates in Cities, Burrowes, and Townes endewed with ſuch priuiledges. Iethro points out the properties of them which ſhould beare rule: Thou ſhalt chooſe out amongſt all the people men of courage, Exod. 18 fearing God, and hating couetouſnes, and them ſhalt thou make gouernours ouer the people. The Iſraelits deſired God to graunt vnto Ioſua, Ioſua. 1 being newly made their gouernour, an heart to go in and out before them. A neceſſarie praier; for what an vgly thing were it to chooſe Verres a theefe to inueigh againſt robberie; Craſſus a miſer to make his plea againſt couetouſneſſe; Gracchus a traitour to giue ſentence againſt treaſon; Nero a tyrant to declaime againſt crueltie, that is, to picke out ſuch to puniſh ſinne as are more worthie of puniſhment themſelues, like vnto the whore hunting Iudges of Samaria, mentioned by Ieremie? Ier. 5 And I would to God that ſuch were not the election in many places where officers are choſen,Vntollerable abuſes cōmitted in manie places. as if men would picke rottennes out of an apple, where election is made a matter of formalitie, where wealth not wiſedome, riches not religion, ſufficiencie to feaſt them, no abilitie to gouerne them, is the leuell of their choice. Hence grow ſuch ſwarmes of Atheiſtes, Epicures, & Papiſts in many quarters of this land, as it is lamentable to behold. For the reaſon why wicked men abound, is becauſe wicked men beare rule.

Laſtly,All good ſubiects muſt be Fox-hunters. euerie good Chriſtian that deſireth the free paſſage of the goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt, in reſpect whereof, all pompous glorie is no better then dounghill filthineſſe; and euerie good ſubiect that deſireth the proſperitie of her Royall perſon, and peace of this Realme, muſt ſhew forth the power both of religion, and loyaltie in this worke of ſetting the toyle wherewith to take theſe Foxes. And that you may do it with alacritie and cheerefulneſſe, doe but conſider how the diuell, the Pope and the Turke, haue giuen their conſentes to ſupplant and vndermine, or elſe openlie to aſſault and inuade this vineyarde of the Lorde. Let there bee a ſacrifice proclaimed to the Queene of Heauen, there will be no ſpare of coſt or trauaile: Young men will cut woode, children will gather chippes, women will fetch water, olde men afforde wheat, one will knead dough, another heat the Ouen, and all to ſacrifice (I ſay) to the Queen of heauen: Yea, there liueth many amongſt vs, whoſe hearts are full of bitterneſſe, becauſe they may not ſing ſalue regina. Theſe are they that vſe wicked conſultation in holy places, prophane our Temples by lewde conference, and make the houſe of praier a denne of theeues.Priuie markes of Romiſh Foxes. Theſe are they that conſtrue euerie accident to the aduantage of their owne purpoſe. Theſe are they that by their whiſpering tales woulde put men in feare, when there is no cauſe of feare; thinking to make men affraid of ſcarrecrowes. But the name of God be prayſed, who is vnto this land, euen a wall of Braſſe, who as he hath giuen vs religion from heauen as a crowne; ſo hath it pleaſed him to ſtrengthen this kingdome with loyaltie as a ſtrong defence: and yet more magnified be thy name O Lord our fortreſſe and deliuerer, who when diſloyall perſons haue been founde endeuouring to proſtitute our beautie to a ſtraunger, haſt diſcouered the conſpiracie, and brought deſerued deſtruction vpon the deuiſers; ſo Lord we beſeech thee ſtill to watch ouer vs. Amen.

THe gardiens and keepers of the ſpirituall vineyard (as hath been declared) ought to be in continual chaſe of theſe hurtfull beaſts, and not to leaue them vntill either they be transformed into ſheepe, or elſe driuen quite out,The word of God the firſt toile wherewith to take Foxes. that the whole flocke be not hazarded. Now the firſt meanes to effect this, is by pitching the haies and ſetting the toiles of the word of God, by the light whereof their darknes may be diſcouered; as alſo by the fire thereof, the chaffe of their lies and falſhood may be conſumed. Hereby you may ſee the neceſſitie of ſuch a miniſterie as is able to handle the ſword of the word with both hands; as is able to beget his people in the faith, to confirme the eſtabliſhed, to ſtrengthen the weake, to reclaime the back-ſliders, and to confute the aduerſarie, that the enemie may no ſooner peepe out his head, but the ſworde of the ſpirit may be readie to cut it off.

Yee famous Vniuerſities, eternized in Honours booke for deepe learning, and feruent loue to Religion; Almightie God make you ſtill fruitefull, that from you both as ſiſters endowed with like priuiledges, crowned with like honour, may proceed Foxe-hunters into euerie corner and quarter of this land. Your children hitherto haue receiued all chalenges of Romane Champions, and chaſed this noyſome vermine that haue laboured to poyſon the ſynceritie of our faith. Worthie Whitakers Whitakers. of neuer dying fame, ſmall cauſe hath Rome to vaunt her Bellarmine, or Louan to admire her Stapleton, (ours had he not been enchanted) by thee both wounded.