The historie of the defendors of the catholique faith Discoursing the state of religion in England, and the care of the politique state for religion during the reignes of King Henrry 8. Edward. 6. Queene Marie. Elizabeth. And our late souereigne, King Iames. ... With all, declaring by what means these kings & queenes haue obtained this title, defendor of the faith, and wherein they haue deserued it ... By Christopher Lever.

CHAP. XVI.

Of King Edwards Death and how hee left the State to the next Successor.

FIRST, it were foolish and vaine for any man, to desire to know the secrets of Gods will; be∣cause no man can vnderstand more of Gods secret, than he himselfe shall please to reueale: and therefore is mans knowledge limited, being able onely to iudg•• by reason, and consequence; whereas Gods diuine workes exceed the iudgement of sence, being (not contrary but) aboue the reach of reason. And from this cause is it, that men commonly offend in their false constructions, iudging of Gods worke gro∣sly, according to humane vnderstanding, and not considering his wisedome and pow∣er by whose prouidence all things are di∣rected.

For in Gods matters Christians must beleeue, when they cannot iudge, and it is sufficient argument to conclude the good∣nesse of any worke, when wee know that God is the Author: for those things which to a naturall man seeme strange, to a refor∣med iudgement appeare much otherwise; and there is nothing be it neuer so euill in mans iudgement but God can make it serue for the worke of his glory: he being able to make the euills of men respect an end be∣yond their expectations, and in that where∣in we iudge our selues, most miserable, can he make vs most happie.

Secondly, And for particular instance we may consider K. Edward, whom God elected from among many thousands for the work of his glory; hauing defended the Catholike Faith, with a resolution most zealous & con∣stant; yet notwithstanding in the growth of his prosperity, did God take him from the world, and depriue the Children of faith, of their Patron, and princely Defendor, whereby (in common iudgement) God may seeme to be offended with his owne, and to leaue his

Saints vndefended, to the stroake of persecu∣tion, from which this holy King had defen∣ded them▪ But thus to iudge of God were wicked and false; because we see the Gospell (by that interruption) did spread it self with much more generall acceptation: the blood of holy Martyrs being a holy seed, whereby the Church spread into a large generation, and who knoweth but God (to manifest to all the world, the faith and obedience of his holy Saints in the Church of England,) suffe∣red this persecution for the glory of their memorie, & for a demonstration to all men, what numbers of true Catholike Christians had flourished vnder the protection of King Edward their Patrone and princely Defendor. The Saints hereby exchanging their mortall & variable life, for eternity & perpetuall rest; their deaths begetting the liues of many ho∣ly men like them, whereby the number of Gods seruants was much augmented, to the glory of God, and prosperity of his Church. And therefore let no man condemne the worke of Gods prouidence, but yeeld his obedience to the good pleasure of God,

and let him know that God is mercifull euen in his iudgements; and that hee can make that which doth seeme to threaten vs most, to be the Ladder whereby we may as∣cend the highest of all preferments, the fa∣uour of God, and the fellowship of his holy Saints.

Thirdly, King Edward being dead, the state grew verie stormie and full of greate businesse the cause being who should suc∣ceed the King, in which controuersie the kingdome was deuided; the greatest part of the Counsell, and the Nobility, proclaiming Lady Iane Daughter to the Duke of Suffolke, whose Mother was Daughter to Mary King Henries Sister, first married to the French King, and after to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke. But the greatest part of the Com∣mons, and some of the Nobility, adhering to Lady Mary eldest Daughter to King Hen∣rie the Eighth, by his first wife Queene Ka∣therine of Spaine: and this occasion was the trouble and death of many honourable and worthy personages; For whether King Ed∣ward of his owne election, or wrought by the

perswasion of others (I know not) had by his last Will and Testament, interested the La∣die Iane, to the inheritance of his king∣domes; for this cause (as was pretended) that the State might still continue the profes∣sion of the Protestant Religion, which could not be hoped in the gouernement of Queene Mary. But howsoeuer the King did thus be∣queath his kingdomes, it is very likely hee was drawne thereto by perswasion of his no∣bles; especially of the two Dukes; Northum∣berland and Suffolke, because hereby the in∣heritance was conueyghed to their issue, to whom (in right) it did not belong, neither is it likely the King of his owne motion, would haue disinherited his owne Legiti∣mate sisters, to interest one further off. And if Religion was the cause, why was not choise rather made of Queene Elizabe••h, then Lady Iane? Shee being by much neerer in the de∣grees of blood, and altogether as assured in the Protestant Religion. And therefore cer∣tainely the King was moued by others to of∣fer this iniurie to his neerest blood

Fourthly, And if the question be deman∣ded,

whether in this case it was lawfull for the King to translate the inheritance of his king∣domes. I answer, that howsoeuer the pre∣tence is faire and good, yet was the practise euill, because wrong was offered; and those ends are neuer good, the which are compas∣sed by euill meanes; and to translate inhe∣ritance where it ought not, is to contradict Gods prouidence, by whose wisedome all things are ordered. And therfore (no doubt) this offence of those Dukes and their confe∣derates, conspiring with them this vnlaw∣full end, was the cause that God did suffer the power of their enemies, to preuaile to their destruction. For God is the Father of Truth, and the God of Iustice; neither would he that men should attempt to alter the course of his prouidence, or (by any violent and euill meanes) pursue an end, be it neuer so Religious and holy. For good men must vse onely good meanes to reach good ends. And therefore this practise of these Dukes in the iudgement of Religion was not good, notwithstanding in state practise it hath ex∣ample, and may seeme allowable.

Obseruations

• Diuine.
• Pollitique.
• Morall.

FIRST, there is no pretence how faire soeuer, can giue authority and strength to vnlawfull actions. For God who is all-sufficient, and who hath decreed all good things, hath likewise deuised all good meanes to compasse them; therefore euery good worke doth consist of lawfull matter and forme, for no euill thing can bee well done, neither can any good thing bee done euilly.

Secondly, When God by death doth preuent the hopes that are had of a vertu∣ous Prince, it doth not argue against the worthinesse of the Prince, but it doth argue and conclude the vnworthinesse of the times, for in such a case the Prince doth in∣herit happines, but his people suffer miserie.

Thirdly, It was both foolish and wicked in the two Dukes, Northumberland and Suf∣folke to labour to erect and secure a state to

their posterity, with iniuries so apparant, and palpable. For though God many times suffer intrusions into titles, he doth neuer establish them.

Fourthly, In the discretion of State it can∣not be thought otherwise, but where there is vsurpation and false intrusion, there is a miserable affliction with feare and Iealosie, which neither the power or pollicie of any such State can auoid, so long as God shall not suffer their violence to preuaile against the liues of the true inheritors.

Fifthly, It is a Pollitique wisedome in a Prince to suspect the sincerity of al such state aduise, that hath principall reference to the aduancement of such Counsellors. For in this case it is often true, that men will not speake their iudgements but their affections.

Sixthly, To be ordered by lawfulnesse in all our actions, is not onely the iudgement of conscience but of humanity and Morall dis∣cipline; For Morall learning doth determine that there is nothing profitable, that is not lawfull.

Notes

• No man can know any part of Gods secrets vnles God reueals them.
• God not con∣trarie but a∣boue reason.
• The cause of false constru∣ctions.
• In diuine matters Christians must belieue when they cannot iudge
• The vse that God can make of all our actions.
• K. Edward.
• The wonder∣full effects of Gods pro∣uidence.
• The blood of the Mar∣tyrs was the seed of the Gospell.
• The deaths of a few, was the life of many.
• God is mer∣cifull in his iudgements.
• The Kings death.
• Great occa∣sions of trou∣ble in the kingdome.
• The nobility & comm••ns disagree in the choice of their Prince.
• King Ed∣ward euill counselled.
• Northum∣berland & Suffolke the cause of this great iniurie Reasons why the King did it not of his owne motion but by per∣swasion.
• A doubtfull question re∣solued.
• Good ends cannot be compassed by euill meanes.
• God is the Father of truth.
• What good men must do.
• Diuine.
• Pollitique.
• Morall