As for your Majesty, for that it hath pleased Almighty God in his Mercy, to make you an instrument of his Glory, as in Old times he made many other Godly, and Noble Princes, to reform his Church from that huge, and loathsome heap of filth, and rubble, that either b, violence, or by negligence had been thrown into it, therefore M. Harding even in this self same Book, under certain general threats, chargeth you with disordered presumption, by the example of Uzziah the wicked King,1 upon whom, as he untruly saith, God sent his vengeance for the like. For be the Abuses, and Errors of the Church never so many, be the falls, and dangers never so great, be the Priests, and Bishops never so blind, yet, by this Doctrine, it may never be lawful for the Prince, be he never so learned, or so wise, or so Zealous in God's cause, to attempt any manner of Reformation. And therefore thus he saith unto your Majesty, and with all his skill, and cunning, laboureth to persuade your Majesties Subjects, if any one, or other happily of simplicity will believe him, that the Godly Laws, which your Majesty hath given us to live under, are no Laws: that your Parliaments, 2are no Parliaments: that your Clergy, is no Clergy: Our Sacraments, no Sacraments: Our Faith, no Faith. The Church of England, whereof your Majesty is the most Principal, and Chief, he calleth a Malignant Church, a New Church erected by the Devil, a Babylonical Tower, a Heard of Antichrist, a Temple of Lucifer, a Synagogue, and a School of Satan, full of Robbery, Sacrilege, Schism, and Heresy. And all this he furnisheth with such liberty of other uncourteous, and unseemly talks, as if he had been purposely hired to speak dishonour of your Majesties most godly doings.
As for your Maiestie, for that it hath pleased Almighty God in his Mercie, to make you an instrumente of his Glorie, as in Olde times he made many other Godly, and Noble Princes, to refourme his Churche from that huge, and lothesome heape of filthe, and rubble, that either b, violence, or by negligence had benne throwen into it, therefore M. Hardinge euen in this selfe same Booke, vnder certaine general threates, chargeth you with disordred presumption, by the example of Ozias the wicked Kinge,1 vpon vvhom, as he vntruely saithe, God sente his vengeance for the like. For be the Abuses, and Errours of the Churche neuer so many, be the falles, and dangers neuer so greate, be the Priestes, and Bishoppes neuer so blinde, yet, by this Doctrine, it maie neuer be lawful for the Prince, be he neuer so learned, or so wise, or so Zelous in Goddes cause, to attempte any manner of Reformation. And therefore thus he saithe vnto your Maiestie, and with al his skil, and cunninge, laboureth to perswade your Maiesties Subiectes, if any one, or other happily of simplicitie wil beleeue him, that the Godly Lavves, whiche your Maiestie hathe geeuen vs to liue vnder, are no Lavves: that your Parlamentes, 2are no Parlamentes: that your Cleregie, is no Cleregie: Our Sacramentes, no Sacramentes: Our Faithe, no Faithe. The Churche of Englande, whereof your Maiestie is the moste Principal, and Chiefe, he calleth a Malignante Churche, a Newe Churche erected by the Diuel, a Babylonical Tower, a Hearde of Antichriste, a Temple of Lucifer, a Synogoge, and a Schoole of Sathan, ful of Robberie, Sacrilege, Schisme, and Heresie. And al this he furnissheth with sutche libertie of other vncourteous, and vnseemely talkes, as if he had benne purposely hired to speake dishonour of your Maiesties most godly dooinges.
- 1M. Harding. Fol. 298. a.
- 2Confuta. 277. Confut. 328. a. Confuta. 172. b. Reioind. 314. Confut. 87. a. Confut. 269. b. Reioind 42. a. Confut. 43. a. Confut a. 269. a. 323. b. 334. a. 338. a. 348. b.
