59The sixth and last part of the Homily against Disobedience and Willful Rebellion.

Now whereas the injuries, oppressions, raveny, and tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, usurping as well against their natural Lords the Emperors, as against all other Christian Kings, and Kingdoms, and their continual stirring of subjects unto rebellions against their Sovereign Lords, whereof I have partly admonished you before, were intolerable: and it may seem more than marvel that any subjects would after such sort hold with unnatural foreign usurpers against their own Sovereign Lords, and natural country: It remains that I do declare the mean whereby they compassed these matters, and so to conclude this whole treaty of due obedience, and against disobedience, and willful rebellion. You shall

understand, that by ignorance of God's word, wherein they kept all men, specially the common people, they wrought and brought to pass all these things, making them believe that all that they said was true, all that they did was good and godly: and that to hold with them in all things, against father, mother, prince, country, and all men, was most meritorious. And indeed what mischief will not blind ignorance lead simple men unto?

60By ignorance the Jewish clergy induced the common people to ask the delivery of Barabbas the seditious murderer, and to sue for the cruel crucifying of our Savior Christ, for that he rebuked the ambition, superstition, and other vices of the high Priests and clergy. For as our Savior Christ testified, that those who crucified him wist not what they did: so doeth the holy Apostle Saint Paul say, If they had known, if they had not been ignorant, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory: but they knew not what they did. Our Savior Christ himself also foreshowed that it should come to pass by ignorance, that those who should persecute and murder his true Apostles and Disciples, should think they did God acceptable sacrifice, and good service: as it is also verified even at this day.

61And in this ignorance have the Bishops of Rome kept the people of God, specially the common sort, by no means so much, as by withdrawing of the word of God from them, and by keeping it under the veil of an unknown strange tongue. For as it served the ambitious humour of the Bishops of Rome, to compel all nations to use the natural language of the city of Rome, where they were Bishops, which showed a certain acknowledging of subjection unto them: so yet served it much more their crafty purpose, thereby to keep all people so blind, that they not knowing what they prayed, what they believed, what they were commanded by God, might take all their commandments for God's. For as they would not suffer the Holy Scriptures or Church service to be used or had in any other language then the Latin: so were very few, even of the most simple people taught the Lords prayer, the articles of the faith, and the ten commandments, otherwise then in Latin, which they understood not: by which universal ignorance, all men were ready to believe whatsoever they said, and to do whatsoever they commanded.

For to imitate the Apostles phrase: if the Emperors subjects had known out of God's word their duty to their prince, they would not have suffered the Bishop of Rome to persuade them to forsake their Sovereign lord the Emperor against their oath of fidelity, and to rebel against him, only for that he cast images (unto the which idolatry was

committed) out of the churches, which the Bishop of Rome bare them in hand to be heresy. If they had known of God's word but as much as the ten commandments, they should have found that the Bishop of Rome, was not only a traitor to the Emperor his liege Lord, but to God also, and an horrible blasphemer of his majesty, in calling his holy word and commandment heresy: and that which the Bishop of Rome took for a just cause to rebel against his lawful prince, they might have known to be a doubling and tripling of his most heinous wickedness, heaped with horrible impiety and blasphemy.

62But lest the poor people should know too much, he would not let them have as much of God's word, as the ten commandments wholly and perfectly, withdrawing from them the second commandment, that bewray his impiety, by a subtle sacrilege. Had the Emperors subjects likewise known, and been of any understanding in God's

word, would they at other times have rebelled against their Sovereign Lord, and by their rebellion have holpen to depose him, only for that the Bishop of Rome did bear them in hand, that it was simony and heresy to, for the Emperor to give any ecclesiastical dignities, or promotions to his learned chaplains, or other of his learned clergy, which all Christian Emperors before him had done without controlment? Would they, I say, for that the Bishop of Rome bare them so in hand, have rebelled by the space of more then forty years together against him, with so much shedding of Christian blood, and murder of so many thousands of Christians, and finally have deposed their Sovereign Lord, had they known and had in God's word any understanding at all? Specially had they known that they did all this to pluck from their Sovereign Lord, and his successors for ever, their ancient right of the Empire, to give it unto the Romish Clergy, and to the Bishop of Rome, that he might for the confirmation of one Archbishop, and for the Romish rage, which he called a Paul, scarce worth twelve pence, receive many thousand crowns of gold, and of other Bishops, likewise great sums of money for their bulls, which is simony indeed: would, I say, Christian men and subjects by rebellion have spent so much Christian blood, and have deposed their natural, most noble, and most valiant Prince, to bring the matter finally to this pass, had they known what they did, or had any understanding in God's word at all? And as these ambitious usurpers the Bishops of Rome have overflowed all Italy and Germany with streams of Christian blood, shed by the rebellions of ignorant subjects against their natural Lords and Emperors, whom they have stirred thereunto by such false pretenses: so is there no country in Christendom, which by their like means and false pretenses, hath not been over sprinkled with the blood of subjects by rebellion against their natural sovereigns stirred up by and the same Bishops of Rome.

63And to use one example of our own country: The Bishop of Rome did pick a quarrel to King John of England, about the election of Steven Langton to the Bishopric of Canterbury, wherein the King had ancient right, being used by his progenitors, all Christian Kings of England before him, the Bishops of Rome having no right, but had begun

then to usurp upon the Kings of England, and all other Christian Kings, as they had before done against their sovereign Lords the Emperors: proceeding even by the same ways and means, and likewise cursing King John, and discharging his subjects of their oath of fidelity unto their Sovereign Lord. Now had Englishmen at that time known their duty to their prince set forth in God's word, would a great many of nobles, and other Englishmen natural subjects, for this foreign and unnatural usurper his vain curse of the King, and for his

feigned discharging of them of their oath and fidelity to their natural Lord, upon so slender or no ground at all, have rebelled against their Sovereign Lord the King? Would English subjects have taken part against the King of England, and against Englishmen, with the French King and Frenchmen, being incensed against this realm by the Bishop of Rome? Would they have sent for, and received the Dauphin of France with a great army of Frenchmen into the realm of England?

Would they have sworn fidelity to the Dauphin of France, breaking their oath of fidelity to their natural Lord the King of England, and have stood under the Dolphins banner displayed against the King of England? Would they have expelled their Sovereign Lord the King of England out of London, the chief city of England, and out of the greatest part of England, upon the Southside of Trent, even unto Lincoln, and out of Lincoln itself also, and have delivered the possession thereof unto the Dolphin of France, whereof he kept and the possession a great while? Would they being Englishmen have procured so great shedding of English blood, and other infinite mischief and misery unto England their natural countries, as did follow those cruel wars and traitorous rebellion, the fruits of the Bishop of Rome's blessings? Would they have driven their natural Sovereign Lord the King of England to such extremity, that he was enforced to submit himself unto that foreign false usurper the Bishop of Rome, who compelled him to surrender up the crown of England into the hands of his Legate, who in token of possession kept it in his hands diverse days, and then delivered it again to King John, upon that condition that the King and his successors, Kings of England, should hold the crown, and Kingdom of England of the Bishop of Rome and his successors, as the vassals of the said Bishops of Rome for ever: in token whereof, the Kings of England should also pay a yearly tribute to the said Bishop of Rome as his vassals and liege men? Would Englishmen have brought their Sovereign lord, and natural country into this thralldom and subjection to a false foreign usurper, had they known and had any understanding in God's word at all? Out of the which most lamentable case, and miserable tyranny, raveny, and spoil of the most greedy Romish wolves ensuing hereupon, the Kings and realm of England could not rid themselves by the space of

many years after: the Bishop of Rome by his ministers continually not only spoiling the realm and Kings of England of infinite treasure, but also with the same money hiring and maintaining foreign enemies against the realm and Kings of England, to keep them in such his subjection, that they should not refuse to pay whatsoever those insatiable wolves did greedily gape for, and suffer whatsoever those most cruel tyrants would lay upon them. Would Englishmen have suffered this? Would they by rebellion have caused this trow you, and all for the Bishop of Rome's causeless curse, had they in those days known and understood, that God doeth curse the blessings, and bless the cursing of such wicked usurping Bishops and tyrants? As it appeared afterward in King Henry the eighth his days, and King Edward the sixth, and in our gracious Sovereigns days that now is, where neither the

Popes curses, nor God's manifold blessings are wanting. But in King John's time, the Bishop of Rome understanding the bruit blindness, ignorance of God's word, and superstition of Englishmen, and how much they were inclined to worship the Babylonical beast of Rome, and to fear all his threatening, and causeless curses, he abused them thus, and by their rebellion brought this noble realm, and Kings of England under his most cruel tyranny, and to be a spoil of his most vile and insatiable covetousness and raveny, for a long and a great deal too long a time. And to join unto the reports of histories, matters of later memory, could the Bishop of Rome have raised the late rebellions in the North and West countries in the times of King Henry, and King Edward, our gracious Sovereigns father and brother, but by abusing of the ignorant people? Or is it not most evident that the Bishop of Rome hath of late attempted by his Irish Patriarchs and Bishops, sent from Rome with his Bulls, (whereof some were apprehend) to break down the bars and hedges of the public peace in Ireland, only upon confidence easily to abuse the ignorance of the wild Irish men? Or who sees not that upon like confidence, yet more lately he hath likewise procured the breach of the public peace in England, (with the long and blessed continuance whereof he is sore grieved) by the ministry of his disguised chaplains, creeping in lay men's apparel into the houses, and whispering in the ears of certain Northern borderers, being then most ignorant of their duty to God and to their Prince of all people of the realm, whom therefore as most meet and ready to execute his intended purpose, he hath by the said ignorant mass priests, as blind guides leading the blind, brought those seely blind subjects into the deep ditch of horrible rebellion, damnable to themselves, and very dangerous to the state of the realm, had not God of his mercy miraculously calmed that raging tempest, not only without any ship wrack of the common wealth, but almost without any shedding of Christian and English blood at all.

64And it is yet much more to be lamented, that not only common people, but some other youthful or unskillful Princes also, suffer themselves to be abused by the Bishop of Rome, his Cardinals and Bishops, to oppressing of Christian men their faithful subjects, either themselves, or else by procuring the force and strength of Christian men, to be conveyed out of one country, to oppress true Christians in another country, and by these means open an entry unto moors and infidels, into the possession of Christian realms countries: other Christian Princes in the mean time, by the Bishop of Rome's procuring also, being so occupied in civil wars, or troubled with rebellions, that they have neither leisure nor ability to confer their common forces, to the defense of their fellow Christians, against such invasions of the common enemies of Christendom, the infidels and miscreants. Would to God we might only read and hear out of the histories of old, and not also see and feel these new and present oppressions of Christians, rebellions of subjects, effusion of Christian blood, destruction of Christian men, decay and ruin of Christendom, increase of paganism, most lamentable and pitiful to behold, being procured in these our days, as well as in times past, by the Bishop of Rome and his ministers, abusing the ignorance of God's word, yet remaining in some Christian Princes and people. By which sorrow and bitter fruits of ignorance, all men ought to be moved to give ear and credit to God's word, showing as most truly, so most plainly how great a mischief ignorance is, and again how great and how good a gift of God knowledge in God's word is. And

to begin with the Romish Clergy, who though they do brag now, as did sometime the Jewish clergy, that they cannot lack knowledge: yet doeth God by his holy Prophets both charge them with

ignorance, and threaten them also, for that they have repelled the

knowledge of God's word and law, from themselves, and from his

people, that he will repel them, that they shall be no more his Priests. God likewise charges Princes as well as Priests, that they should endeavour themselves to get understanding and knowledge in his word, threatening his heavy wrath and destruction unto them, if they fail thereof. And the wise man saith to all men universally, Princes, priests, and people: where is no knowledge, there is no good nor health to the

soul: and that all men be vain in whom is not the knowledge of God, and his holy word: that they who walk in darkness, wrote not

whither they go: and that the people that will not learn, shall fall into

great mischief, as did the people of Israel, who for their ignorance in

God's word, were first led into captivity, and when by ignorance

afterward they would not know the time of their visitation, but crucified Christ our Savior, persecuted his holy Apostles, and were so ignorant and blind, that when they did most wickedly and cruelly, they thought

they did God good and acceptable service (as do many by ignorance

think even at this day) finally, through their ignorance and blindness, their country, towns, cities, Jerusalem itself, and the Temple of God, were all most horribly destroyed, the most chiefs part of their

people slain, and the rest led into most miserable captivity. For he

that made them, had no pity upon them, neither would spare them, and

all for their ignorance.

And the Holy Scriptures do teach, that the people that will not

see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, to learn, and to understand with their hearts, cannot be converted, and saved. And the

wicked themselves, being damned in hell, shall confess ignorance in

God's word to have brought them thereunto, saying, We have erred from the way of the truth, and the light of righteousness hath

not shined unto us, and the sun of understanding hath not risen unto

us, we have wearied ourselves in the way of wickedness and perdition, and have walked cumbrous and crooked ways: but the way

of the Lord have we not known.

And as well our Savior himself, as his Apostle Saint Paul doth teach, that the ignorance of God's word comes of the devil, is the cause of all error, and misjudging (as falls out with ignorant

subjects, who can rather espy a little mote in the eye of the Prince, or

a Counselor, then a great beam in their own) and universally it

is the cause of all evil, and finally of eternal damnation, God's

judgment being severe towards those, who when the light of Christ's

Gospel is come into the world, do delight more in darkness of

ignorance, then in the light of knowledge in God's word. For all

are commanded to read or hear, to search and study the Holy Scriptures,

and are promised understanding to be given them from God,

if they so do: all are charged not to believe either any dead man, nor if an Angel should speak from heaven, much less if the Pope do speak

from Rome against or contrary to the word of God, from the which

we may not decline, neither to the right hand nor to the left.

In God's word Princes must learn how to obey God, and to govern men: in GODS word subjects must learn obedience,

both to God and their Princes. Old men and young, rich and

poor, all men and women, all estates, sexes and ages, are taught their several duties in the word of God. For theword of God is

bright, giving light unto all men's eyes, the shining lamp directing all men's paths, and steps. Let us therefore awake from the sleep

and darkness of ignorance, and open our eyes that we may see the

light, let us rise from the works of darkness, that we may escape

eternal darkness, the due reward thereof, and let us walk in the light of God's word, whiles we have light, as become the children of light, so directing the steps of our lives in that way which leads to light and life everlasting, that we may finally obtain and enjoy the same: which God the father of lights, who dwells in light incomprehensible, and inaccessible, grant unto us, through the light of the world our Savior Jesus Christ, unto whom with the Holy Ghost, one most glorious God, be all honor, praise, and thanksgiving for ever and ever. Amen.

65Thus have you heard the sixth part of this Homily, now good people let us pray.

66The prayer as in that time it was published.

67O Most mighty God, the Lord of hosts, the Governor of all creatures, the only giver of all victories, who alone art able to strengthen the weak against the mighty, and to vanquish infinite multitudes of thine enemies with the countenance of a few of thy servants calling upon thy Name, and trusting in the: defend O Lord, thy servant and our governor under the, our Queen Elizabeth and all thy people committed to her charge, O Lord withstand the cruelty of all those which be common enemies as well to the truth of thy eternal Word, as to their own natural Prince and country, and manifestly to this crown and realm of England, which thou hast of thy divine providence assigned in these our days to the government of thy servant, our sovereign and gracious Queen. O most merciful Father, (if it be thy holy will) make soft and tender the stony hearts of all those that exalt themselves against thy Truth, and seek either to trouble the quiet of this realm of England, or to oppress the crown of the same, and convert them to the knowledge of thy Son the only Savior of the world, Jesus Christ that we and they may jointly glorify thy mercy. Lighten we beseech the their ignorant hearts, to embrace the truth of thy Word, or else so abate their cruelty (O most mighty Lord) that this our Christian realm, with others that confess thy holy Gospel, may obtain by thine aid and strength, surety from all enemies, without shedding of Christian blood, whereby all they which bee oppressed with their tyranny, may be relieved, and they which bee in fear of their cruelty, may be comforted: and finally that all Christian realms, and specially this realm of England, may by thy defense and protection continue in the truth of the Gospel, and enjoy perfect peace, quietness, and security: and that we for these thy mercy, jointly altogether with one consonant heart and voice, may thankfully render to the all laud and praise, that we knit in one godly concord and unity amongst ourselves, may continually magnify thy glorious Name, who with thy son our Savior Jesus Christ, and the holy Ghost, art one Eternal, Almighty, and most merciful God: to whom be all laud, and praise world without end, Amen.

68A Thanksgiving for the suppression of the last rebellion.

69O Heavenly and most merciful Father, the defender of those that put their trust in the, the sure fortress of all them that fly to the for succour: who of thy most just judgments for our disobedience and rebellion against thy holy word, and for our sinful and wicked living, nothing answering to our holy profession, whereby we have given an occasion that thy holy name hath been blasphemed amongst the ignorant, hast of late both sore abashed the whole realm, and people of England, with the terror and danger of rebellion, thereby to awake us out of our dead sleep of careless security: and hast yet by the miseries following the same rebellion more shapely punished part of our countrymen and Christian brethren, who have more nearly felt the same: and most dreadfully hast scourged some of the seditious persons with terrible executions, justly inflicted for their disobedience to the, and to thy servant their Sovereign, to the example of us all, and to the warning, correction and amendment of thy servants, of thine accustomed goodness, turning always the wickedness of evil men to the profit of them that fear thee: who in thy judgments remembering thy mercy, hast by thy assistance given the victory to thy servant our Queen, her true nobility, and faithful subjects, with so little, or rather no effusion of Christian blood, as also might have justly ensued, to the exceeding comfort of all sorrowful Christian hearts, and that of thy fatherly pity, and merciful goodness only, and even for thine own names sake, without any our desert at all. Wherefore we render unto the most humble and hearty thanks for these thy great mercy showed unto us, who had deserved sharper punishment, most humbly beseeching the to grant unto all us that confess thy holy Name, and profess the true and perfect religion of thy holy Gospel, thy heavenly grace to show our selves in our living according to our profession: that we truly knowing the in they blessed word, may obediently walk in thy holy commandments, and that we being warned by this thy fatherly correction, do provoke thy just wrath against us no more: but may enjoy the continuance of thy great mercy towards us, thy right hand, as in this, so in all other invasions, rebellions, and dangers, continually saving and defending our Church, our realm, our Queen, and people of England, that all our posterities ensuing, confessing thy holy Name, professing thy holy Gospel, and leading an holy life, may perpetually praise and magnify the, with thy only Son Jesus Christ our Savior and the holy Ghost, to whom be all laud, praise, glory, and Empire for ever, and ever, Amen.

LONDON Printed by John Bill, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. 1623.