prison these many yeeres? It is the woorde of God, that hath depriued so many menne, some of their
liuinges, some of theire countries, whose life ye can not blame? Is it the woorde of God, that by
crueltie of imprisonmente of late yeeres gaue moste certaine occasion of death to those holy, learned,
and worshipful menne, who for their singular vertue beinge wel knowen, neede not here to be na∣med?
Is it the woorde of God, that made so mutche adoo in youre late parlament for establishinge of
youre bloudy lawe, whereby ye woulde haue power to put menne to death for the Faithe of Chri∣stendome?
The Turkes and Saracenes haue alwaies suffered them to liue in their dominions, but our
Gospellers by their woorde of God are taught to kil them. Blessed be God, who hath geuen to our noble
and moste clement Queene Elizabeth a better spirite to vnderstande his woorde in this point. then
these Gospellers haue yet attained vnto.
If any of you doo saie, that the newe Superintendentes doo not keepe the olde Bishoppes and
leanred Clergie in prison, but the Lawe of the Realme: I answere, firste, that the Lawe is a crabbe
of your owne stocke: next that neither the Bishoppes before time burnt Heretiques, but the Lawe of
the Realme, the lawe of the Prince, the lawe of al Christendome. Neither was the same made by
Papistes of late yeres, as ye woulde youre deceiued disciples to beleue, but of olde time thought ne∣cessarie
by Princes to be enacted, for the better maintenance of quiet in their dominions.
The B. of Sarisburie.
It is no newe practise, ye saie, to kille Heretiques. I graunte you. Neither is
it a newe practise, to condemne godly menne by the name of Heretiques. Youre
Fathers sommetime cried out againste Christe the Sonne of God, Wee haue a
Lawe: and by the Lawe he ought to die. And Christe him selfe saide sommetime
to Hierusalem the Cittie of bloude, O Hierusalem, Hierusalem, that killest the
Prophetes, and stoanest them to death, that he sent vnto thee. But S. Augustine saithe,
Nullis bonis in Catholica hoc placet, si vs{que} ad Mortem in quenquam, licet Haereticum,
saeuiatur: It seemeth good vnto no good man in the Catholique Churche, that crueltie vnto
death be shewed vnto any man, no though he be an Heretique.
Notwithstanding, it agreeth wel with youre Religion, M. Hardinge, though
your mouthes now be mousled, yet to rampe, and gape stil after bloude. Fulfil ye
the measure of youre Fathers. Let it not greeue you, to heare, what Salomon
saithe, Viscera impiorum crudelia: The very bowelles of the wicked are ful of cruel∣tie.
When youre Fables, and folies be espied, then ye flee to Swerde, and Fire.
Whiche beeinge once wreasted from you, youre whole Religion muste needes
comme to grounde. S. Hierome saithe of other youre peeres, Pugnant Epichere∣matis
ex carnificum officinis: They fighte with Argumentes taken from the Bouchers
shoppes.
Ye haue wreakte youre angre longe yenough vpon innocente bloude. Beginne
once to knowe the hande of God. It is harde for you, to kike stil against the pricke.
Wee maie truely saie vnto you with S. Cyprian, Sacerdos Dei Euangelium tenens,
& Christi Praecepta custodiens, Occidi potest, Vinci non potest. The Prieste of God,
holding the Gospel, and keeping the Commoundementes of Christe, maie wel be killed: But
conquered he cannot be. Wee maie saie with Tertullian, Crudelitas vestra, Gloria no∣stra
est: Plures efficimur, quoties metimur à vobis: Youre Crueltie is oure Glorie. When
ye comme to recken vs ye finde vs moe, and moe. Truethe aboue al thinges vvil pre∣uaile.
There is no Counsel againste the Lorde.
As for oure parts, wee were neuer yet guilty to one droppe of youre bloude.
Wee seeke no aide at Fire, or Swerde. Wee wil rather saie with S. Hierome,
Vtiuam filios Haereucorum, & omnium qui decepti sunt, interficiamus Sagittis Spiritua∣libus,
id est, Testimonijs Scripturarum. Woulde God wee maie rather kille the Children of
Heretiques, and of al them, that be deceiued, with Spiritual Arrowes, that is to saie, with the
Testimonies of the Scriptures: And with S. Augustine, O fi occidas eos de gladio bis