A17167:192
A confutation of the Popes bull which was published more then two years ago…A confutation of the Popes bull which was published more then two yeres agoe…
A confutation of the Popes bull which was published more then two years ago against Elizabeth the most gracious Queen of England, France, and Ireland, and against the noble realm of England together with a defence of the said true Christian Queen, and of the whole realm of England. By Henry Bullinger the Elder.A confutation of the Popes bull which was published more then two yeres agoe against Elizabeth the most gracious Queene of England, Fraunce, and Ireland, and against the noble realme of England together with a defence of the sayd true Christian Queene, and of the whole realme of England. By Henry Bullinger the Elder.
London: printed by John Day, 1572London: printed by Iohn Day, 1572
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1Again in the same Epistle, the same Austen saith: whereas they that would not have any just laws ordained against their wicked heresies, avouch that the Apostles demanded no such things of the kings of the earth: they consider not that the state of that time was other then it is now, and that all things are to be done in their times. For what Emperor believed in Christ at those days, that he might have done him service by making laws in defence of godliness against ungodliness, when as yet this prophecy was in fulfilling,2 why did the Gentiles rage, and why did the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the princes assembled together, against the Lord & against his Christ. For as yet the world was not come to that point which is spoken of anon after in the same Psalm:3 And now ye kings bethink your selves, be learned ye that judge the earth: do service unto him in fear, and rejoice with trembling. How then do kings serve God in fear, but by godly severity of prohibiting & punishing the things that are done against the commandments of the Lord? for he serveth in one sort as he is a man, & in another sort also as he is a king. In that he is a man, he serveth him by living faithfully: & in that he is also a king, he serveth by stablishing with convenient rigour, such laws as command rightful things and forbid the contrary. So served Hezekiah by beating down the groves ⟨p. 57⟩and temples of the Idols, and the high places that had been builded against Gods commandment. So served Josiah by doing the like things. So served the king of Nineveh, by compelling the whole City to pacify Gods displeasure. So served Darius by breaking the Idol, and giving it into the power of Daniel, and by casting his enemies in to the Lyons. So served Nebuchadnezzar by making a terrible law to all that were under his dominion from blaspheming God, by a terrible law. Kings therefore inasmuch as they are kings, do then serve God, when they do that thing to serve God withal, which they could not do if they were not kings. Considering then that kings served not the Lord in the time of the Apostles, but as yet imagined vain things against God and against his anointed, that the sayings of the Prophets might be fulfilled: truly ungodliness could not then be prohibited, but rather it was executed, by laws.