An epistle of comfort to the reuerend priestes, & to the honorable, worshipful, & other of the laye sort restrayned in durance for the Catholicke fayth.

Cap. 15.

COnsider now O you that persecute vs, what harme you doe vs: yea to what tytles and glory you preferre vs, by putting vs to death. You see, howe when you condemne vs; you crown vs: when you kill vs; you increase vs: when you spoyle vs; you inryche vs. Plures

efficimur, quoties metimur a vobis, semen est sanguis Christianorum. Our number in∣creaseth so often as you reape vs, and seed is the blood of Christiās. The more the children of Israell were oppressed, the more they were increased, and so is it in Catholikes as S. Augustine sayeth Resurrectio immortalitatis pullulabat faecun∣dius, cum in martirum sanguiue sereretur. The resurrectiō of immortallity sprong more fertillye when it was sowne in the bloode of Martyrs. Oure Palmes with wayght growe hygher, our flame with suppressinge waxeth the whotter, and oure spyce by poundinge yeldeth the better sente. When you persecute vs, you till and manure the ground of the Church: & thincking to roote out her corne, you doe but sowe seed that will spring with a more plentifull haruest. You thinke it is the Seminarye prieste that enlargeth the Catholike Faythe: wheras indeede youre selues make the chiefe Seminarye, of which Catholikes doe growe, accordinge to that sayinge of S. Hierome: Sanguis martyrum seminari∣um ecclesiarum. The Pope & his Bishops make them Priestes, but you are they

that make them Seminaries. Thoughe theyre voyce doe somewhat, yett a∣las in comparisone it dothe but litle. Vox sanguinis fratrum vestrorum clamat de terra. The voyce of the bloode of youre murthered brethren cryeth out of the earth, against you: And this voyce is it that so forciblye worketh. They saye that which bookes can teache them, but as Tertullian sayeth non tantos inueni∣unt verba discipulos; quantos Christiani, fac∣tis docendo. Theyre wordes fynde not so manye disciples, as Christians do tea∣chinge by theyre deedes. Oure con∣stancye forceth men to looke more in∣to our cause, and then by seeking they fynde, by fynding they beleeue, & be∣leeuing are as readye to dye as we our selues. Our prisons preach, our punish∣mentes conuerte, our deade quarters and bones confounde youre heresye: You haue laboured to suppresse vs this 29. yeares: and yet of our ashes spring others, and our deade bones, as Eze∣chiell prophesied, are come to be exerci∣tus grādis a huge army. With your thun¦deringe bothe the cloude of erroure is disolued, the enclosed lyghte of trueth

displayed, and the earth watered with profytable showers to the rypening of Gods corne. Newe slyppes are euer en∣grafted when the olde bow is cutt of, and the vertue of the roote that the bough leaseth the slypp enioyeth. You cut open our fruite and shed the cornel on the earthe, where for one that you spoyle, many will springe vpp of it. We are the wheate of Christe as S. Ignatus sayde: and are readye if you will to be ground with the teeth of wilde beasts, or if you wil not offer that, with the mil¦stones of your heauye persecution, that we may become pure and cleane bread in the syghte of Chryste. The Crosse is our inherytance, as S. Ambrose saythe, and there-fore if you bringe vs to the Crosse, or which is all one in effecte to the gallowes; we maye saye with S. An∣drew. O bona crux, accipe me ab homini∣bus, et redde me magistro meo, vt per te me re¦cipiat, qui per te me redemit. O good Cross take me from men and restore me to my maister, that by thee he may receiue me, who by thee hathe redeemed me. For in this quarrell, non maledictus, not accursed, but benedictus homo qui pependit

in ligno. Blessed is the man that hunge vppon a tree. And therfore Agite, boni praesides, meliores multo apud populū, si Cath∣olicos eis immolaueritis, cruciate, torquete, damnate, atterite nos, probatio est fidei nos∣trae iniquitas vestra. Goe on, you good magistrates, so much the better in the peoples eyes, if you sacrifyce vnto them Catholikes, Racke vs, torture vs, con∣demne vs, yea grinde vs: youre iniqui∣tye is a proofe of our fayth: You open vs the waye to oure desyred felycitye: You geue vs an absolute acquittance from endlesse misery; You washe a way the vncleanesse of oure iniquitye, and deliuer vs from the assaultes of oure e∣ternall enemye. You will peraduenture saye, why then cōplayne you of our per¦secution, yf you rather desyre to suffer, seeing you should loue those by whom your desyre is fulfilled? If we pleasure you; thanke vs: & if we be so beneficy∣all vnto you; we cānot doe but wel in cō¦tinuing our course. We answere you to this with our Sauiours, wordes whoe sayde: desiderio desideraui hoc pascha mādu∣care vobiscum. With desyre haue I desy∣red to eate this pasch with you. And

yet it stoode well with this sayinge, to saye also: Vae homni illi per quē tradetur, me¦lius erat illi si natus non fuisset. Wo be vnto him by whom the sonne of man shalbe betrayed, better it had bene for him if he had neuer bene borne. Beinge sol∣diers by professiō, we are glad, that we haue so iuste occasion to fyghte in de∣fence of the trueth: and yet hartelie so∣rye to see you bidd vs battayle by im∣pugninge and persecutinge the same. How-soeuer it goe with vs, we are sure of the victorye, who if we haue the vp∣per hande, we haue wonne Satan, and chased him out of his haunt to the con¦fusion of heresye: and yf we be oppres∣sed and murdered for oure faythe, then winne we a heauenlye reward to oure selues, and a confyrmation of oure re∣lygion to oure posterytye. Where-fore small is the hurte that you doe vnto vs, ye vnspeakeable the benefytt. But alas vnknowen the miserye, that you worke vnto your selues, for though you marke it not, or will not see it, you shall once feele that these wordes shalbe verifyed in all persecutors. Gladius ipsorum intret in corda eorum, lett theyre owne swordes

enter into theyr owne hartes: And the rootyng out of Catholykes frō amon∣gest you, is the onlye waye to procure your ruine. For why you plucke vp the flowers, and leaue the weedes: you cut of the fruitfull braunches, and let the withered a lone: you burne the corne, and spare the stubble: you put Noe in to the Arke: whose beinge amongest you, kepte you from the deluge. You thruste Loth out of Sodoma, that kepte the Cytye from burning vpp: you op∣presse Moyses, who should wrastle with Gods anger, and keepe it from you. And therfore puttinge Catholikes to deathe, you digge your owne graues, & cut of the shote anckers that shoulde saue you from shipwracke. It were but a follye for a Kinge that desyred peace, fyrst to abuse, disgrace, and tormente, the Embassadours and all the seruantes of a Monarch mightyer then himselfe, and then to sende them home thus cru∣ellye intreated, to vtter theyr wronges receyued, and to call vppon theyre so∣ueraigne for reuenge of theyr iniuryes. Yet is this the extreme folly of all per∣secutours, who thinke it necessarye for

theyre peace, fyrste to impouerishe, spoyle, and tormente Gods seruantes, and by barbarouslye martyring them, to sende them to heauen, there to be continuall soliciters with God for re∣uenge against theyre murderers. The effecte of whose prayers you partelye proue: and if Gods mercye be not the greater, more shall you proue hereaf∣ter. The redd hott yron being put into the water maketh a greate noyse, and seemeth to do the water greate harme. Where-as in the ende we fynd, that the fyre thereof is quenched, the force of burninge loste, and the water lytle the worse. Lyke thys bublinge is your try∣umphe ouer vs. For thoughe you em∣brue youre bloodye fystes in oure ble∣dinge woundes, and make to the eye a greate shewe of victorye: yet when it commeth to the proofe, God will shew you by a ruefull experyence, that all the noyse that you made: was but the sounde of your owne quenching, fall, and ruine, and the Martyrs estate not hurte, but abettered by your seueritye. Doe but consider euen at this presente the wonderful straites into which your

temporall state is fallen. But yf this scourge seeme not enoughe: consider what rewarde hath bene geuen to such as persecuted Gods flocke, and howe heauye his hande hath bene in reuenge of his seruauntes quarrell. For as S. Cyprian sayeth Nunquam impiorum sce∣lere in nostrum nomen exurgitur, vt non sta∣tim vindicta diuinitus comitetur. Neuer dothe the impyetye of the wicked, rage against vs, but strayte Gods heauye re∣uenge doth accompanie theyr wicked∣nesse. Nero the ringeleader of youre daunce, from killing Christians, fell to be his owne butcher, and murderinge himselfe ended his lyfe with these wor∣des: Turpiter vixi, & turpius morior. Fil∣thilye haue I lyued, more filthilye doe I dye. Domitiā was stabbed to death of his owne seruauntes; Maximinus was slayne together with his children, hys murderers crying out. Ex pessimo genere ne catulum quidem relinquendum. Of so leude a race, not so muche as a whelpe ought to be lefte alyue. Decius tasted of the same cupp, seeing his children slayn and himselfe with them. Valerianus be∣ing taken at 70 yeares of age, by Sapor

Kinge of the Persians, was kepte lyke a beaste in yron grates, and in the ende being flean, miserablye ended his lyfe. Diocletian after manye diseases, in the ende consuminge a waye fell mad and killed himselfe, & his house was burnt vpp with fyre from heauen. Antiochus President vnder Aurelian, whyle S. Aga∣pitus was in martyring, cryinge that he burned within, sodaynly gaue vpp the ghost. Flaccus the Prefect after the mar∣trydome of Gregorye Byshoppe of Spoleto, stroken by an Angell did vomit out his intrailes. Dioscorus, S. Barbaraes Fa∣ther, was burnt vpp with fire from hea∣uen, for his butcherye towardes his daughter for her faythe. That nyghte wherin S. Chrisostome was exiled, the Ci∣tye of Constantinople and especiallye that parte, where the Emperours Pallace stoode, was so shaken with an earthe∣quake, that they were glad to call him backe agayne. When Valens the Arrian Emperoure would haue chased the Ca∣tholikes out of the same Citye, there fell suche a hayle of stones, that it had lyke to haue destroyed it. I omitt the horrible endes of Antiochus, Herode, &

Iulianus Apostata, of which the fyrst two were eaten vpp with vermin: the other being stroken miraculously with an ar∣rowe from heauen, the earth opened & breakinge out with fyery flames swal∣lowed him quicke into hell, as S. Grego¦rye Nazianzen writeth. Wherfore con∣sider you also that persecute Catholiks in Englande, how easye it is for God to practise the lyke punish-mentes vppon you, as the examples of some haue suf∣ficientlye already geuen you warning. Remember the sodayne and horrible deathe of one Yonge an Apostata and Pourswivaunt who pursuing a Catho∣like at Lambeth fell doune on the so∣dayne, ere he could laye handes on him that he persecuted and foming at the mouthe presentlye dyed. Remember Iustyce Bromlye whoe after he condem∣ned in Wales a Catholike Schoolmaster called Richard White, became soone after bethered and childish, and neuer sat in Iudgement synce, but remayneth still in that impotente takinge. The Iurye also that went vppon him after a while dyed eyther all or the most parte: And the clarke of the Assyse was so strooken

in his eyes that he could not reade the endytement. Consyder the deathe of Norton your rackmaister who vppon his death bed in desperat maner cryed out, that he was racked more cruellye then euer he racked any: to omitt that which to his sonne and his wyfe befell to the more apparent reuenge of hys crueltye. Consyder the accidente, that befell to Blythe a man of speciall autho¦rity in the councel of Yorke: who when a Prieste comminge to the barre made the signe of the Crosse spake in derision therof very vnreuerent wordes, & with in a fewe howers fallinge downe a large payer of stayers in the presidents house lyued not manye dayes after. Remem∣ber the iuste reuenge of God agaynste Cheeke and Hurlestone the cheefe agents in the apprehension, cōdemnation, & executiō of M. Inglebye Prieste, & noto∣rious enemyes of Catholikes; of which the fyrst suruiued not longe after; and the seconde goinge to speake with the Bishope at his house without Yorke, & hauing sente one in to aduertyse hym of his cōming when the messenger re∣turned was found dead & with so vnto¦lerable

a sauour, that the verye ground where he laye as it is crediblye repor∣ted retayned the stench, and they were fayne to drawe him awaye with longe ropes at a boates tayle in the riuer, not being able to indure him in the boate for the extreme bad sent that came frō him. I omitt Iudge Alephe who sitting to keepe the place when the other Iud∣ges retyred, while the Iurye consulted a¦boute the condemnation of Father Campian and his companye, pullinge of his gloue founde all his hande and hys seale of Armes bloodye without anye token of range pricking or hurte: and being dismayed therwith because with wipinge it went not a waye but still re∣turned, he shewed it to the Gentle men that sat before him, who can be witnes∣ses of it till this daye, and haue some of them vppon theyr faythes and credites auouched it to be true: Yea and he him selfe soone after by deathe was cutt of frō so bloodilie occupying that roome anye longer. I omitt the straunge and sodayne deathes of the chiefe knightes & gentlemen in Deuon shiere, who pre∣sently vpon their cruell & vniuste han∣delinge

& producing certayne Catho∣like straūgers by Gods Iustice soone dy¦ed & to the terrour of others were ap∣payed with theyre due reuenge. I omit the wonderful stay and standing of the Thames the same day that Father Cam∣pian and his companye were martyred to the great maruayle of the Cittizens and maryners. I omit the lyke staye of the ryuer Trente about the same tyme. Which accidents though some will im∣pute to other causes yet happening at such speciall times when so open & vn∣naturall iniustice was dōne they cānot be but interpreted as tokens of Gods indignation. For doe not thincke but that he hath as much care of his seruan¦tes nowe as in former Ages he had, he is as much enemy to wickednesse now, as then he was: and no lesse able to re∣uenge that whiche he mislyketh, then heretofore he hath bene, as the rehear∣sed exāples maye geue you proofe. We speake not this in waye of daring; For as Tertullian sayde to Scapula, non vos ter∣remus, qui nec timemus, sed velimus vt om∣nes saluos facere possimus, monendo mi theoma chin. We fright you not, for we feare you

not. But our desire is to helpe all to sal¦uation, and to warne them not to bid God battayle. The Priestes and Catho∣lickes whome you persecute, are stones that God throweth at you to make you by theyre example and exhortation, to leaue feedinge vppon the carryon of sinne and heresye. But you like enraged houndes breake your teeth vppon the stone, not considering the hande that threw it. But as for vs, our countes are caste, and oure reckoninge knowne, & this only I speake to warne you of your erroure. If God suffer you while you breake your owne teeth to worow also vs, & to butcher our bodyes: we know he dothe it not for our harme. But S. Chrisostome well sayeth that as the cun∣ning artificer to abetter an image doth first melte and disolue it; to cast it after¦warde in a more perfecte moulde: So God permitteth oure fleshe by you to be mangled, to make it more glorious in the seconde casting. And as a cun∣ninge imbroderer hauinge a peece of torne or fretted veluet for his ground, so contryueth and draweth his worke, that the fretted places being wroughte

ouer with curious knottes or flowers, they farr excel in shew the other whole partes of the veluet: So God being to worke vpon the groūde of our bodyes, by you so rente & dismembred, will co¦uer the ruptures, breaches, & wounds, which you haue made, with so vnspeak¦able glory, that the whole partes which you lefte shalbe highlye beautifyed by them. And as the paperer of olde rottē shreddes, often times gathered out of vncleane dunghils, by his industrie ma∣keth so fyne, white, and cleane paper, that it is apte to receyue anye curious drawinge, paynting, or limminge: so oure scattered partes by you cast in to dunghils, he will restore to suche puri∣tye & perfection, that they shalbe more capable of his glorious ornamentes, then they were before. And this is that which Saint Paule sayd: Reformabit corpus humilitatis nostrae configuratum corpori clari tatis suae: He shall reforme the body of our humility confygured vnto the bo∣dye of his brightnesse. Whiche phrase of speache argueth, that the more the body for him is humbled in torments, the more shall yt be partaker of hys

brightnesse in glorye. Farre otherwyse will it be in the bodyes of the wicked here pampered in all kind of pryd. For as the haukes though while they are a∣lyue they are highlye prysed, deyntilye fedd, and honoured vppon greate per∣sons fistes: Yet whē they are once dead theyre bodye serueth for nothinge but to be throwen in to the dunghill; wher¦as the Partridge whose fleshe hath bene torne with the haukes talons, is not∣withstanding serued in a syluer plate to the Kinges owne table: so the wicked in this lyfe cheryshed with all kinde of solaces and set forth with great pompe after theyre deathe are onlye fytt for hell fyre: wheras the bodyes of Gods Martyrs, shall both in earth haue theyr honour often times by open myracles, and in heauē be preferred to the Kings table not to be eaten them selues; but to feede vppon the repaste of Angels. Cease therfore to abuse and contenme that God esteemeth: cease to pursue whom God defēdeth: & heare his gen¦tle warninges, leste he power vpon you more vntolerable scourges. He begin∣neth to geue a taste of his anger alredy. And

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And therfore if you loue not vs, consi∣der at the leaste youre owne welfare; if you also neglect that, at the lest haue care of the cōmon wealth, leaste the of∣fence of magistrates bring the whole na¦tion into the cōpasse of Gods heauy re∣ueng. Alas, why should you vse these ex¦tremityes against vs? why should you pyne and waste vs, with such lingering torments? we saye with S. Cyprian Ey∣ther to be a catholike is a capital crime or no. If it be, we acknowledge that this fault we haue, and will neuer forsake it. Why then doe you not forth with put vs to death for it? If it be no such fault: why do you persecute innocents, & put to death, torments, & ryson the vnde∣seruing. Tormenting is for those that acknowledge not the accusatiō: but we doe not onlye not denye or conceale our Faythe, from you; but are readye if you will to preach it in your most pub∣like assēblyes. And if that all those were to suffer for oure Fayth, that in deed beleeue it to be the best: I will not only say as Tertulliā did to Scapula of Carthage Quid passura est Carthago decimāda a te? What shall Carthage suffer beinge to be

tithed by the? But quid passura est Anglia tertianda a vobis? what shall Englande suf∣fer, being to be thirded by your cruel∣tye. Quid te, sayeth S. Cyprian to a perse∣cutour ad infirmitatem corporis vertis? quid cum tenerae carnis imbecillitate contendis? Cum animi vigore congredere, virtutem men tis infringe, fidem destrue, disputatione, si potes, vince, vince ratione. Whye doest thou turne thee to the fraylty of our bo¦dyes? why stryuest thou with the weak∣nesse of our fleshe? Encounter with the force of our minde; impugne the stout∣nesse of oure reasonable portion; dis∣proue oure faythe; ouer come vs by dis∣putation if thou canst, ouercome vs by reason. This is not the waye in christi∣an charity. You should firste sufficient∣lye enforme vs of the truth, by putting vs to silence, and conuincing of errour the learned of our syde: before you pro¦ceede to punishing of vs, for not embra¦cinge it. We haue reade your bookes, we fynde them full of wilful corrupti∣ons, bothe of Scriptures and Fathers, purposlye wrested agaynst the true mea¦ninge therof. Pryuate conference is to small purpose, for it commonly endeth

in only raylinge agaynst vs. The waye of Gods churche hath alwayes in suche cases bene, to geue free lybertye to the verye heretickes, to haue publike dispu¦tation before sufficyente Iudges, and if they were there conuicted or refused to come, they haue bene subiecte and that worthelye to temporall punishmente. But hitherto could we neuer haue anye equall conditions of disputation graū∣ted. Vnlesse, it be equall for a man to be brought from the racke to dispute. And yet that very disputatiō was so litle to the aduauntage of your cause, that manye of your beleefe were since that the lesse friendes to your faythe, and o∣thers became altogether Catholikes. But if you will needes kepe on your vi∣olent course againste vs, and prolonge your iniquitye: we will saye Dominus no¦bis adiutor, non timebimus, quid faciat nobis homo. Our Lorde is our ayder, and we will not feare what man can doe vnto vs. The Martyrs in S. Cyprians tyme dis∣gested the lyke miseryes with ioyful har¦tes, sayinge: Hostes veritatis non tantum nō perhorrescimus, sed prouocamus: Inimicos Dei hoc ipso quod non cessimus, vicimus:

& nefarias contra veritatem leges, subegi∣mus: & sinōdum sanguinem nostrum fudi∣mus, sed fudisse parati sumus. We are not, onlye out of feare of the enemyes of trueth, but we chalenge them: In not yelding to Gods aduersaryes, we haue ouercome them, and mastered theyre wycked lawes agaynste the truethe: thoughe as yet we haue not shed oure bloode, but are prepared if neede re∣quire at anye tyme to shedd it. If you shew vs worldly honours, therby to en¦tyse vs vnto you: you shewe the Lyon haye, for which he careth not. If you threatē vs with torments, therby to en∣force vs: you shew the Salamandra fyre, with which she is not harmed. For ney∣ther can youre pleasures profitt vs, nor your punishmentes hurte vs, and therfore equallye we contemne them bothe. The worste you can doe vnto vs in oure beste; though temporallye you oppresse vs, you cannot hinder our spirituall aduauncement: though you spoyle vs of oure worldlye goodes, you cannot bereaue vs of oure heauenlye in heritaunce: and how heauilye soeuer you affryghte vs, you shal neuer be able

to suppresse oure religion. Though the vpper heauens violentlye turne the lo∣wer from easte to weste, yet haue they theyr peculier and proper course from weste to easte. Aud well maye you vse vyolence to oure bodyes, to remoue vs from the easte of Gods Church, where the Sunne of trueth ryseth, to the west of heresye, wher the lyght therof goeth downe: but God willing your vyolence shall neuer make vs leaue oure naturall motion, from the errour of all false doc¦trine to the easte of true religion. If God will permitt you, we refuse not to endure and stay his pleasure. If he will, he is able to healpe vs; if he will not, he will make vs able to sustayne you. If it please him the frogges, the gnattes, the flyes, the grashoppers, are armyes stronge enoughe to enforce you from molesting vs, as they dyd Pharao from molesting the people of Israel. But if he thinke it better for vs, to haue the num¦ber of oure brethren made vpp, before he reuenge oure iniuries; we will con∣tente oure selues with his diuine apoint¦mente. It were no delight to vs to see you in the miserye, that we our selues

desire to be ridd of. Your scorges could not auayle vs, we enuye not so muche youre prosperitye, as to desyre youre ouerthrow. To your hatred we render goodwill, for your punishments pray∣ers & we would willingly purchase your saluations with oure deerest bloode. But how well so euer we be affected to∣wardes you: take heede that the earth that receyueth oure bloode, crye not out againste you, agreeablye to that, The voyce of thy brothers bloode cry∣eth out of the earthe. Vppon which S. Ambrose noteh:

that God sayde not, it cryeth out of thy brothers bodye, but out of the earth. For though thy bro∣ther forgeue thee, yet the earth forge∣ueth the not. Though thy brother saye nothinge, the earth condemneth thee. That is against thee both a witnesse and a Iudge. A more earnest witnesse, that yet reeketh with the bloode of thy vn∣naturall murder. A more seuere Iudge, that was defyled with so heinous a crime, as to open the mouth & receyue thy brothers blood at thy handes.

Yet for our selues, we from our hartes for∣geue youre iniuryes towardes vs, and

only pitie your abuse of Gods benefits, that you sholde offende him with his owne giftes, and for his fauoures to∣wardes you persecute his flocke, & hin∣der the course of his religiō, yea ende∣uoure to abolishe the name of his Ca∣tholike Churche. Alas youre laboure is in vayne, inestimable youre offence. Adulterari non potest sponsa Christi, incor∣rupta est, & pudica, vnam domum nouit, vnius cubiculi sanctitatem casto pudore cus∣todit. The Spouse of Christ cannot play the aduoutresse, she is vndefyled and chaste, she knoweth but one house, and with vnstayned integritye, keepeth the sanctitye of one onlye chamber. And we doubte not, but that God will geue vs grace to be loyall and true children to so pure and chaste a mother, and ra∣ther to leaue if we had them manye ly∣ues, then degenerate from the profes∣sion of oure Faythe. Illius faetu nascimur, Illius lacte nutrimur, spiritu eius animamur. Haec nos deo seruat, haec filios regno quos ge∣rauit assignat. We are children of her broode, with her milke we are fostered, with her spirite we are quickned. She preserueth vs for God, & she assigneth

to a kingdome the ofspringe that she hath brought forth. She hath ben here to fore as fiercely assalted, when in one Chrismasse daye she had twentye thow∣sand of her chrldren martyred, and yet neuer ouercome. And she is as S. Au∣gustine sayeth like a dye, whiche howso∣euer you lett it fall or throwe it, it euer more lyeth on a flatt syde, and can ne∣uer fall a misse. She is a sure shipp, and wrought so conninglye by our heauen∣lye shipwrite, that, quantumlibet mare sae uiat, ventus incumbat, inter fluctus nauis ista turbetur; tantum non mergatur, & curret. How much soeuer the Sea rage, the win¦des beate vppon it, how muche soeuer this shipp be tossed emongst the waues; onlye be it kept from drowning, and it runneth on. And doubtlesse drowne it can not, hauinge him at the sterne of whome it is sayde mare & venti obediunt ei. The Sea and the windes obeye vnto him. Your Idol Dagon must needes fal before Gods Arke, and by the broken handes and feete bewraye the owne im¦potencie. Your God Baal must needes be dumme and deafe, though you ripp youre vaynes and sacrifyce your bloode

yea your soules vnto him, when he once commeth to stryue for the vpper hande with almightye God. If your Scrybes and Pharisyes seeke with slaunders & obloquyes to deface Christes doctrine: he can make the diuels to confounde theyr owne impes: And if there should wante anye to defende it, the verye sto∣nes would crye, & your owne childrens mouthes be instrumentes to perfit the praise therof. It was not with out cause that S. Iohn Baptist called your predeces∣sours genimina Viperarum, a generation of Vipers. Whose nature as Eusebius Emissenus writeth, is such, that when the female conceyueth of the male, she kil∣leth him, and when she groweth bigge with yonge, she also of her owne brood is murdered. For they refusinge to stay the ordinarye course of cominge forthe gnawe them selues passage through the sydes of the dame, and with theyr birth worke her deathe. Thus fareth it with the Persecutours of true pastours. They deliuer into you the seede of Catholike doctrine, and you moste vngratfullye murder them for theyr paynes. but for all you can doe, thys seede breedethe

younge in your owne bowels, and your verye broode will eate themselues oute of your impious wombe, and leaue in the end your aduoulterous Sinagogue deade & consumed, as hetherto it hath happened in all other heresies. Returne you therfore to the Churche, acknow∣ledge with vs youre mother whom now you aflicte. Credite & viuite & qui nos ad tempus persequimini, in aeternum gaudete no∣biscum. Beleeue you and lyue you, and though you now persecute vs here for a tyme: yet reioyce with vs for euer. But if you continewe still in this rigo∣rous course: how many thousand sou∣les haue you to aunswere for, which by youre seueritye haue no meanes ney∣ther to heare nor embrace the trueth. You haue enow in hell alreadye, that curse the day that euer you were borne through whose crueltye they fynde thē¦selues to haue fallen into those vnspeak¦able torments. O how heauily will our blood weye vpon you, you will thinke euery droppe a load of ledd. What will you answere for the spoyle of Catho∣likes whose damages if you repent not, you shall repay in eternall tormēts. Re∣member

what the scripture sayth. This sayeth our Lord. You which feede in blood, and lifte vpp your eyes to your vncleanesse, & shedd innocēt blood: thynke you to possesse the lande by inheritance? Nay rather I will de∣liuer thee ouer vnto blood and blood shall per∣secute thee, & sith thou hast hated blood, euē blood shall pursue thee. And woe be vnto thē, that make vniuste lawes, and writing haue written vniustice. That they might oppresse in iudgemente the poore, and might doe vio∣lence to the cause of the humble of my people. That the widdowes might be theyre praye, and they might spoyle the orphans. Whither will you flye in the daye of visitation, and of calamitye, that cometh a farre of? To whose ayde will you make recourse, and where will you leaue your glorye, that you be not bowed down vnder the chayne, and fal not with those that are slayne? Because you spoyled the poore and tooke awaye the choysest praye from him, you shal builde houses of square stone, and shal not inhabit them. You shall plante moste plea∣sant vynyardes, and shall not drinke of the wine therof. For whye those (sayeth God) whom you haue oppressed, shall crye vnto me, and I will heare theyre cryes; And my furye shall take indignation, and I will stryke you with the sworde, and your wyues shalbe wid∣dowes,

and your children, orphans. Yea and I will meate the enemyes of my churche with theyre owne fleshe, and they shall be dronken with theyr owne bloode, as it were with newe wyne. Remember what is sayde in the booke of wisdome Condemnat iustus mor¦tuus viuos impios: One iust man dead cō∣demneth many wicked yet alyue. They shall see sayeth Salomon, the end of the wise man, and shall not vnderstande what God hath determined of him, and whye our Lord did protecte him. They shall see and shall con∣temne him, but our Lord shall laugh them to scorne. And after these thinges they shal fall without honour, & with reproch amongst the dead for euer, for he shal burste thē puffed vpp without voyce, he shall moue thē from the very foundations, & shall bring them to vtter deso¦lation. And they shall grone and theyr me∣morye shall perish. Thus hath it happened to persecutours of former tymes, who haue as is shewed, euen with theyr pos∣teritye bene rooted out for theyre cru∣elty shewed to their mother the Chur∣che. Neyther can suche stepchildren euer prosper, accordinge to that saying of Christe: Omnis plantatio, quam non plan¦tauit Pater meus, eradicabitur. And that of

Salomon: Spuria vitulamina non dabunt ra∣dices altas, nec stabile firmamentum colloca∣bunt. All planting that my Father hath not planted shalbe rooted vp. And bas∣tard slypps shal neuer take deepe roote, nor be setled in any stayed suerty. Remē¦ber that he which speaketh these things is able to {per}forme thē, & doubtlesse will doe it, if you wil not cease to deserue it.

Notes

• Tertull. apol. cap. vlt.
• Aug. 22. de ci∣••itat. c. 7.
• Gen. 4.
• Ezech. c. 3••
• Deut 21.
• Tertull. apol. ca. vl••.
• Luc. 22.
• Luc. 22
• Psa. 36
• Gen. ••
• Gen. 19
• Exod. 3••
• Ep. 2.
• Hen. de h••r. l. 6 c. 29.
• Chrisost. in id∣de dormienti∣bus nolo ve•• ig¦nerara
• Ep ad Demo∣trium.
• Psa. 117
• Moyses et Maximus Cypryano.
• Ambros. l. ••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cain & Abel c. 9.
• Cypr. de sim∣plicitat prae.
• Nic. l 7. c. ••
• Aug. q. 57. ad Orosium.
• Matt. ••
• 2. Reg. 2
• Euseb. Emiss. hom in nati∣uit. S. Stepha.
• Cypr. ad Do∣metri.
• Ezech 33
• Ibidem 35
• Isa. 10.
• Amos 8
• Exod 22
• Isa. 49
• Sap. 4
• Matt. 1••
• Sap 1