A Christian discourse vpon certaine poynts of religion Presented vnto the most high & puissant Lorde, the Prince of Conde. Translated out of French into English by Iohn Brooke of Ashe next Sandwich. 1578.

A BRIEFE DEMONSTRATION, vnto those which doe make it no consci∣ence to shed the innocent bloode, vnder pretēce, I know not of what foolish zeale, Wherein is shewed by examples of the scripture how odious before God, such cruelties are. Cap. 11.

Genes. 9. a. ¶ He which sheddeth mannes blould shal haue his bloude shed by man againe: For God made man after his owne likenesse.

1. Samuel. 15. g. ¶ Samuel said vnto king Agag as thy swoord hath made women childlesse, so shall thy mother be child∣lesse among other women.

SAlomon doth witnesse in his prouerbes that ther be sixe things which the Lord hateth, and the seuenth he vtterly abhorreth: A proud loke, a dissembling tongue, handes that shed innocent bloud, an heart that goeth about with wicked immagina∣tions, féete that be swift in running to doe

mischiefe, a false witnes y^t bringeth vp lies, and such one as soweth discord amonge bretheren. That is the cause wherefore Dauyd prayed the Lord that he will not destroy his soule with the sinners, nor his lyfe with the bloude thirstie. Where that good Prophet speaking vnto GOD, doth crie, thou (O God) shalt cast them downe into the pitte of destruction: For y^e bloud thirstie and deceiptfull man shal not liue out halfe their daies. The Lord trieth the righteous, but his heart hateth y^e wick∣ed and him that loueth violence. The which is sufficiently declared vnto vs by examples of the scripture: yea, who will begin from the creation of the world. For frō the lawe of nature, Cain killed his brother Abel: for that cause the Lord said vnto Cain: What hast thou done? The voice of thy brothers bloud cried vnto me out of the earth. And nowe cursed be thou as perteining to the earth, for when thou tillest the ground, she shall hence foorth not giue hir power vnto thée: a vagabund and a runnagate shalt thou be vpon the earth.

In the lawe that is written Pharao, king of Aegypt went about by all meanes to afflyct the people of GOD, vntill that

he caused to be killed al y^e men children of the Hebrewes: But in a little while after all the first borne in the lande of Aegypt were killed, Pharao and all the Aegiptians were drowned in the seas.

In the time of the Iudges, Abimelech desiring to reigne ouer Israel, caused to bée killed all the children of Gedeon, except Ioatham, insomuch that Abimelech was made king in Sichem. But within a little while after, this vengeaunce happened vn∣to him: For Abimelech hauing besi∣ged the Citie of Thebes and taken it: and going to take a tower wherein the people were gotten together, a woman did caste a peace of a milstone from the wall vp∣pon his head, and all to brake his brayne panne▪ So (as sayth the Scripture) all the wickednesse of Abimelech which hée did vnto his father in sleying his thre score and ten bretheren, God did bring vpon his head.

The Quéene Iezabel caused Naboth to bée killed for to haue his vineyard: But the Scripture doth teach vs that the Lord spake against Iezabel, saying: that the dogges shal eate Iezabel vnder the walles of Iezrael, the which came to passe: For

Iehu caused Iezabel to be throwne downe out of a windowe, and Iezabel was eaten vp with dogges, according to the woord of Hely.

At the same time Athaliah the mother of Ochoziah, séeing that hir son was dead, rose vp, and slew al y^e séede of the kingdome, except Ioas the sonne of Ochoziah, whom Iehosaba the daughter of king Iehoram did steale from amonge the middest of the kinges sonnes that were slaine, and hid him from Athaliah, y^t he was not slayne: But within a little while after, Athaliah is caried out of the Temple, & when she was come to y^e gate where the kings hor∣ses went out, they killed her there.

Iehoram did rise against the kingdome of his father, and when he was setled he slew all his other brethren with the swoord, and diuers of the Lordes of Israell there too: For which cause the Lord did smite him with an incurable disease in his bowelles: And in processe of time, euen aboute the ende of two yeares, his guttes fell out, by reason of his sickenesse, and so he dyed of euill diseases.

Iehoas after the death Iehoida, did for∣sake the Lord: and caused Zachariah the

Prophet to be killed in y^e court of y^e house of the Lord: And when the yeare was out the hoast of the Syrians came against him: and they came to Iuda and Hierusalem, and destroyed all the Lordes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoyle of them vnto the king of Damasco: And when they were departed from him, though they left him in great diseases: yet his owne seruauntes conspired against him, for the bloude of the children of Iehoiada the priest, and slewe him in his bedde, and so he dyed.

Manasseh shed much innocent bloud, so much that he filled Hierusalem from the one side vnto the other. But afterwardes he was taken by the Assirians and ledde captiue to Bablilon.

I wil not here forget Herod who hauing vexed certeine of the congregation, and killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword: by and by after he was smitten of the Lord, and béeing eaten of wormes, gaue vp the Ghost.

Furthermore, if we will know wherefore y^e childrē of Israel were led captiue to Babi∣lō, in y^e time of Zedekiah & Iehoachin. The scripture doth aunswere, that y^e Lord God

sent to them by his messengers, sending them betimes: for he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God & despised their wordes, and misused his Prophets, vntill the wrath of the Lord so rose against his people that it was past remedie. And so he brought vpon them the kinge of Cal∣dey and slewe their younge men with the swoorde in the holy Temple, and neyther spared young man nor maide, neither olde man, neither so much as him that stow∣ped for age: but gaue all into his hande.

The Prophet Ieremy doth giue the same reason of the later destruction of Hie∣rusalem, which was in the time of Titus and Vespasian, when hee sayth: neither the kings of the earth nor all the inha∣bitors of the wolrd, woulde haue beléeued that the enimie and aduersarie should haue come in at the gates of the Citie of Hie∣rusalem. Which neuerthelesse is come to passe for the sinnes of hir Prophets and for the wickednesse of hir priestes that haue shedde innocentes bloulde wyth∣in hir.

To that same fault the sonne of Sy∣rach did attribute the destruction, not of a

Citie and of a cōmon wealth onely: Tea∣ching that the kingdome bicause of vnrigh∣teous dealing, wrong blasphemies and di∣uers deceipts, shalbe translated from one people to an other. So our Lord Iesus Christ doth crie so often against y^e Scribes and Pharises, for the bloode of the righte∣ous, saying, Hierusalem, Hierusalem, which killest the Prophtes and stonest them which are sent to thée: How often woulde I haue gathered thy children together, as the henne gathereth hir chickens vnder hir wings, but ye wold not: Beholdy our habi∣tatiō shalbe left vnto you desolate. These are y^e same matters which that first Dea∣con of y^e church did direct vnto them, when he saith: O ye people stifnecked & of vncir∣cumcised hearts & eares: Ye haue alwaies resisted the holy ghost: As your fathers did so doe ye. Which of the prophets haue not your fathers persecuted? And they haue slaine them, which shewed before of the comming of the iust, whom ye haue nowe betrayed and murthered.

What shall I say more? the time will not serue mée, if I would speake of Nero, Domitian, Caligula, and other Empe∣rours of Rome. Who hauing exercised in

their life, more cruelties thē Barbarous or Scithian: Also in their death haue bene cruellie entreated of their owne subiectes.

For the like cause it was forbidden the children of Israel not to eate the bloude, for the life of all flesh is in the bloud. For that same cause (I say) Dauid was not suffred to build the Lordes house: bicause saith the Scripture, that he had shed much bloude and made great battailes, although that he had no warres, but against the eni∣mies of God & of his people. These things doe sufficiently declare vnto the Kinges and Princes of the earth, how odious be∣fore God all effusion of bloud and crueltie is: According as Salomon doth teach vs, that mercy and faythfulnesse preserue the king, and with louing kindnesse his seate is holden vp. And Iesus Christ doth wit∣nesse, that blessed are the meeke, for they shall inherite the earth.

What néede is it to serch the places of the auncient fathers, inasmuch as the examples of our time, doe giue vnto vs certeine witnesse of the vengeaunce of God against those: Who according to their ambition and priuate affection had shed euery where the bloud of the iust?

which although the Lorde doe suffer ma∣ny at this time to reigne: yet let vs praise his goodnesse, and let vs acknowledge that his mercy and long taryinge shall bringe them to repentance. Let vs also feare on the other side, that through their stub∣burnnesse and heart that cannot repent, they heape vnto themselues the wrath of GOD agaynst the daye of vengeance, when shalbe opened the righteous iudge∣ment of God. Euen as Iesus Christ did menace somtime the S••••••bes and ••harises saying: Fulfill ye the measure of y•••• fa∣thers, that vpon you maye come all the righteous bloud that was shedde vppon the earth, from the bloode of righteous Abel vnto the bloude of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias, whom ye slew betwéene the tem∣ple and the Alter.

To no purpose, some do couer and cloke themselues with the zeale of Phinees which did take a speare in his hand and did thrust through Zambry, and Cosby, bicause they committed fornication together. Alledging the frée will of Hely, which killed all the priestes of Baal. Furthermore they doe propounde vnto vs the ardent affection of Iehu, which caused the lxx. sonnes of Achab

to be slayne. Also they doe shew foorth the zeale & feruentnesse of Mathathiah, which killed a Iewe, which did sacrifice vnto I∣doles in the Citie of Modin: For such men besides the expresse commaundement of the lawe (which will that the Prophet which shal presume to speake ought in my name, which I commaunded not to speake, and he that speaketh in the name of straunge Gods, the same Prophet shall dye) do holde the place and office of a magistrate, and they do it not without iust and great occa∣siō. But at this day it shall not be permitted for certein perticuler exāples, chiefly in our lawe euangelicall, for euery priuate person without leaue & authoritie of y^e magistrate or knowledge of y^e cause to cōmit such vn∣lawfull acts, for to hide thē afterwardes w^c y^e cloke of religion. The which Iesus Christ doth teach vs in rebuking Peter for draw∣ing his sword, & smiting y^e high priests ser∣uant: for to shew vnto vs y^t the vsing of the same is forbiddē vnto priuate persons & re∣serued to y^e magistrate. Of whō S. Paul saith y^t he is the minister of God for thy wealth. But & if y^u do euill thē feare. For he beareth not a sword for naught, but is y^e minister of God to take vengeaunce on thē y^t do euill.

The same sentence is repeated by Sainct Peter in these wordes: Submit your selues vnto all manner ordinaunce of man for the Lordes sake, whether it be vnto y^e king as vnto the chiefe heade: either vnto ru∣lers, as vnto them that are sent of him, for the punishment of euill dooers, but for the laud of them that doe well.

Woe then vnto you which desire the possessions, and haue spoiled them: and the houses, and haue taken them: And haue done wronge to a man and to his house, to a man and to his inheritaunce: Which haue stolen the coate and cloke from those which went by safely retourning, from the battayle: which haue thrust out women from their houses, of pleasure. And you also, marke this ye prophetes which doe seduce the people, which doe byte with the téeth and crie: peace, and if any doe gyue you nothing in the mouth, yee prepare a∣gainst him battaile. And vpon thée also, thou bloudy Citie, altogether full of lyes and of stealth, and defiled with the bloude of the iust▪ which hast not receiued disci∣pline & which hast not had confidence in y^e Lorde: and art not aproched or come nigh vnto thy God. For thy princes were in the

middest of thée as roring Lyons. And the ••••dges are as wolues in the euening which ••••aue nothing behinde them till the mo∣••owe. The handes of your Prophets are ••efiled with bloude, and their téeth with vnrighteousnesse. Their lippes speake lea∣singes, and their tongue setteth out wic∣kednesse. Their féete runne to euill, & they make hast to shedde innocent bloude, their counselles are wicked counsels, harme and destruction are in their waies.

I doe speake vnto those which haue the knowledge, and in whose mouth men may séeke the lawe. Where is it written in the lawe, that one may put a man to death without knowing the cause and authoritie of the magistrate, vnto what matter doth Sainct Paule defende himselfe in the pre∣sence of the capitaine which ordeyned that he should be examined by the whippe, or wherefore did he aunswere the Centurian y^t it was not lawfull to scourge a Citizen of Rome, and vncondemned: except it were but for to shewe howe odious and hatefull before the Lord those are which doe shed the bloud of the righteous? For what pre∣tence did the Lord awaken and stirre vp the spirite of holie Daniel, béeing a younge

childe: but for to make knowē the innocen∣cye of that chast Susanna, condemned to death? And for to speak better, what mo ue the said prophet to returne in iudgement, and to crye with a loude voyce, O ye chil∣dren of Israel are ye such fooles that ye haue here condēned a daughter of Israel to death, and knowe not the truth wherefore? ex∣cept it were but for to teach vs, that it is better to let the wicked go vnpunished then to condemne the innocent? And ne∣uerthelesse, not onely ye consent vnto mur∣thers: but doe perswade the people (béeing set in Moses chaire (to do such cruelties and murthers. That heauenly father hath not done so, as he doth teach vs, whē he saith y^e crie of Sodome and Gomorra is great, and their sinne is excéeding gréeuous. I will go downe to see, whether they haue done altogether accordinge to the crie whiche is come vnto me or not, and if it be not so, that I may knowe. Euen so I say, hath not Iesus Christ his sōne done, which is y^e true pastor & sheaperd of our soules and chiefe pastor of the bishoppes: who being called for to iudge that poore sinneful woman, did not pronounce incontinently iudgement a∣gainst

her (as the Scribes and Pharises desired being all bloudie with the bloude of the Prophetes) but said vnto them: Let him that is amonge you without sinne, cast the first stone at hir. Admoni∣shing and warning all true christians that gentlenesse and clemēcie is more séemely or better becommeth pastors then cruel∣tie and rigorousnesse.

Furthermore, I would willingly aske, wherein the people can excuse themselues of such wickednesse, to put a man to death, of whom he knoweth nothing, and to con∣demne him as a schismaticke, heretick and imposter, when he himselfe knoweth not any thing what religion is, and belée∣ueth onely vppon the credite and sight of other.

And yet neuerthelesse in that matter, his ignoraunce shall not excuse him. By what coloure of iustice, can a iudge saue himselfe in y^e midst of such cruelties: which hath neither let the murthers, nor condem∣ned the murtherers? On the other side haue made vnrighteous lawes, and deuised things which be to hard for to kepe. Wher∣through y^e poore are orpressed on euery side, &

the innocentes of my people are therewith robbed of iudgement.

To conclude, what punishments do those deserue to haue, who béeing ordeyned for to declare the Gospell of peace, doe incite and stirre forwarde with all their pow∣er, the people to troubles and seditions? I that great lawe géeuer of the Athenians, and one of the seauen sages of Greece, na∣med Solon, hath not published any lawe a∣gaynst the Paricides: estéeming that such a shamefull crime could neuer be commit∣ted: What punishment are they worthy off, which doe put to death the fathers of our soules? if with one onely respect (as sayth Cicero) that fatherly pitie is hurted: What shall that bée of vs, if wee put to death those which daylie doe trauayle to beare vs agayne vntill Christ be fashioned in vs? Wherefore let vs not be lyke vnto brute beastes, who following their sensu∣alitie: and béeing made to be taken and de∣stroyed, speake euill of that they know not, for they shall perish through their owne destruction. But let vs iudge the things in veritie and righteousnesse, and before we condempne any man, let vs proue by the word, whether the spirites are of God or

not. In so dooing we shall bée afrayde to condempne vnto death so lightly him for whō Iesu Christ fréely hath shed his bloud: In such sort that we leauing all disordi∣nate desire of vengeaunce and carnall affection, as spirituall men, may discerne and discusse spi∣rituall thinges, Amen.

Apocalip. 6. b. ¶ I sawe vnder the alter the soules of them that were killed for the word of God and for the testimonie which they had. And they cryed with a loude voyce, say∣ing, how long tariest thou Lord holy and trewe, to iudge and to auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth.

A Prayer.

O Lord, and father of our Lorde Iesus Christ, which art meruailous in pu∣issaunce and infinite in mercy. Extende thy clemencie and fatherly goodnesse vppon those. Who of an vndiscréete zeale, and fol∣lowing the traditions of their fathers, doe

bandon thēselues against thy sonne Christ▪ and doe shed daylie the bloude of thy ser∣uauntes. Regarde their threateninges, and giue vnto those which do adore and feare thée, to declare thy word with al boldnesse, breake the force & strength of thine enimies by y^e sword of thy mouthe, y^t they acknow∣leging thy maiesty may be wise as serpēts & innocent as doues: To conclude y^t euery, one may call vpon thée and magnifie thee in the middest of the nations, séeing the chaunging of thy right hande. And as thou hast foreshewed by thy Prophet, that at the birth of thy welbeloued sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ: the people shall breake their swoordes and speares to make sithes, sickles and sawes herof, that one people lift not vp weapon against an other. But that thou wilt giue vnto them a newe heart, and a newe spirite, and that thou wilt take that stonie heart out of their bodies, for to cause them to walke in thy commaundements & to kéepe thy lawes. Giue vnto vs grace in this meane libertie of religion and exer∣cise of the same. That the wicked béeing slaine with the breath of thy mouth, the Wolfe may dwel with the Lambe, and the Leopard shall lie downe by the Goate, the

Lyon and other cattell may keepe com∣panie together, so that a little childe may driue them foorth, I doe meane that no man do any hurt vnto thy holy mountaine. But that the earth be filled with thy know∣ledge, as if the waters of the sea did co∣uer all thinges. Finally, that we may all walke in the lyght of our LORD Iesus Christ, to whom be glorie for euer, Amen.

Notes

• Pro. 6. b
• Psalm. 26. c
• Psal 55. d
• Genes. 4. b
• Exo. 1. d.
• Exo. 12. e Exo. 14. g.
• Iudg. 9. g
• 3. Reg. 21. f
• 4. Reg. 9. f
• 4. Reg. 11. ••
• 2. Cro. 21. a
• 2. Cro. 24. f
• 2. Cro. 33. e
• Act. 12. d
• 2. Cro. 36. e
• Lamen 4. c
• Rom. 2. c
• Ecclesi. 10. a
• Mat. 23. d
• Act. 7. g.
• Sueton in the lyfe of Nero.
• Leuit. 17. c
• 1. Cro. 22. a
• Pro. 20. d
• Math. 5. a
• Mat. 23. d
• Num. 25. e
• •• Reg. 18 g 4. Reg. 10. a
• 1. Math. 2. b
• Deut. 1••. d
• S. Augustin in his boke of the chri∣stiā doctrin
• Math. 26. ••
• Rom. 13. b
• ••. Peter. 2. c.
• Sopho. 3. a
• Sopho. 3. a
• Esay. 59. ••
• Malach. 2. b
• Act. 22. f
• Hystorie of Susanna g
• The lawe absence of Pocus.
• Genes. 18. e
• Iohn. 8. b
• Iohn. 8. ••
• Esay. 10. ••
• Cicero in his oration for Roscius
• Heb. 12. e
• Cicero in the sayde boke Gal. 4. e
• 2. Pet. 2. e
• Iohn. 4. a
• 1 Cor. 2. d
• Esay. 2. a
• Esay 36 f
• Esay 11. a
• Esay. 2. b