A second admonition to the parliament

❧ A SECOND Admonition to the Parliament.

Then spake the Priests / and the Prophets / unto the Princes / & to all the people / saying: this man is worthy to dye: for he hath prophesied against this City / as ye have heard with your ears. Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes / and to the people / saying: The Lord hath sent me to prophesy against this house / and against this City / all the things that ye have heard. Therefore now amend your ways and works / and hear the voice of the Lord your God / that the Lord may repent him of the plague that he hath pronounced against you. As for me / behold / I am in your hands: do with me as you think good and right. But know ye for certain / that if you put me to death / ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon your selves / and upon this City / and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you / to speak all these words in your cares.

Then spake the Priestes / and the Prophets / vnto the Princes / & to all ye people / saying: thys man is worthye to dye: for he hathe prophesyed agaynst this Citie / as yee haue heard with your eares. Then spake Ieremiah vnto all the princes / and to the people / saying: The Lorde hathe sent me to prophesie against this house / and againste this Citie / all the things that yee haue heard. Therfore nowe amend your wayes and workes / and heare the voyce of the Lorde your God / that the Lorde maye repent hym of the plague that he hathe pronounced agaynste you. As for me / beholde / I am in your handes: doe wyth me as you thinke good and ryghte. But knowe yee for certaine / that if you putte mee to deathe / yee shall surely bring innocent bloud vpon your selues / and vpon thys Citie / and vpon the inhabitants therof: for of a truthe the Lorde hath sent me vnto you / to speake all these words in your cares.

To the godly readers

Grace and peace from God. &c.

The treatise ensuing (Christian Reader) being in deed purposely meant / as the title pretendeth / to be a second Admonition to the Parliament / as yet not being not dissolved / cannot choose I am sure / but be read of divers / that are not of that honourable assembly at this time / so that though the treatise is principally directed to them / yet the knowledge of the matters / as it must needs pass further / so are they¹ necessary to be further known / and they are the liker to take good effect / by means of the general consent of those that like them / and especially by means of the faithful prayers / which many good men shall pour forth to God for his gracious good blessing therein: wherefore some thing was to be said in a Preface / as me thought / which might be directed to thee (christian reader) whosoever thou art / that lightest upon this book to read it. And world to God many moe might read this book then are like / because much worse will be said against it / by them which shall speak of it by hear say / then could / or would be said / ²if all read it that will speak of it: whereof we have had too much experience in the former Admonition. But we have cast our accounts which do bend ourselves to deal in these matters / not only to abide hard words / but hard and sharp dealings also for our labour / and yet shall we think our labour w•ll bestowed / it by God his grace / we attain but to thus much / to give some light of that reformation of religion which is grounded upon Gods book / and³ somewhat to have opened the deformities of our English reformation / which highly displeaseth our eternal God. Nevertheless / if it might be / we would be sorry to offend any / but especially any good Christian man / for our purpose is not / if we may choose / to purchase more hatred / or get us more enemies / for ⟨image 2⟩undeserved we have of that / and them far too much⁴ already / and to offend the godly man / is far from our meaning / for God knoweth we altogether so•ke to do such good. But what is there in our books that should offend any that be / or would seem to be godly?

•nd yet some man may say either there is much amiss in our books / or else we have a great deal of wrong offered us / and that by such men as would seem to be the fathers of all true godliness / for the authors of the former have been & are hardly handled¹ / to be sent close prisoners to Newgate / next door to hanging / and by some of no mean estimation it hath been said (as is reported) that it had been well for them / if they had been sent to Bedlam to save² their lives / as though they had been in peril of be[…] hanged / and another likely prelate said / if they were at his ordering / Newgate should have been³ their sure••e / and fetters their bonds. And yet now that they have had the law / and I think with the most too / y• they were close prisoners / they are found nether to have ben traitors nor rebels / and if it had bent tried by Gods law / they should not have been⁴ found to have offended against that law at all / but to have deserved praise of that law / and of the church of God / as rightly that learned man master Beza saith they deserve / which oppose themselves against such endeavours / as they do in that little book / far worse then those / which he calleth a manifest falling away from Christ. And I pray the• gentle Reader mark these words well of that great learned & godly M. Beza / and it shall answer for them to two men / principally / that have earnestly declaimed against that admonition / and the authors thereof. The one said •t was a foolish book: the other said the authors were to rash in setting it forth without a council / and I wot not what allowance before it were de[…]ed. But this learned man answereth them both with one word / that it is a commendable work / and deserveth no dispraise. And whatsoever the declaimer saith / ⟨image 3⟩they shall be circumspect enough / that shall avouch undoubted truths out of the scriptures though they wait not for the consent of a few / no nor yet of many

They have published in Print that the ministry of England is out of square / & he hath published at Pauls cross / that the bishops of England have been uncircumspect in making of ministers / and that hath he published before any council in England had determined¹ it. Would to God he had never done worse fault / nay / would he had not more offended there / which he craved pardon for / when he had done it / and yet so / as he said he cared not though they pardoned him not / for he thinketh of like / that he need not care for offending the poor members of Jesus Christ / and for as much as he spake against them two in Newgate / he shall never go to Newgate for saying the bishops were uncircumspect. I could wish such to be more circumspect what they say to offend simple / and pore members of Christ. Let such men remember the penalty threatened / better a millstone² tied about their necks / and they drowned in the depth of the sea. Now I need not ask what they have answered to that book / for they have answered³ nothing / but ye it is a foolish book. &c / but with godly wise men I trust / that will not be taken for a sufficient answer / as in deed it is not▪ They say there is an answer towards / for my part I long to⁴ see it / and yet to say truth / I should be loth / considering they cannot but betray their weakness to the papists / or else confirm them in their follies / but principally offend the church of God. And in part / ⟨image 3⟩you shall perceive their dealing / in a collection that they have made of those things which they mislike⁵ in the former Admonition / by a short treatise containing a confutation of their collection or view as they call ••. The treatise came to our hands / the author unknown / and we have thought good to unparte it to thee (Christian reader) that thou mightest see and consider. But what stand I so much in defence of y• former admonition. Some peradventure will think I had need to speak for this second more. But till I hear more / I will say little. Yet thus much I say / if some suppose it to be too particular / & to touch the quick to near / let them think withal how necessary it is to be known / and further / that these deformities

And if some doubt whether all the particulars be true that are here named / let them seek examination / and they shall find far¹ worse matter / then is here alleged. They shall find such stomach of one side against the other / that they cannot abide any thing / never so well done of the other side / and that of a stomach. I will not open an old² ulcer / or examine why the Geneva translation and notes of the Bible find so little favour / although³ to this day no translation is so good in England. I will not rip up among our prelates the simony / the treachery so particularly as is come to my knowledge. But those particulars which I have touched / the very occasion forced me to it / and such just occasion I may have / that I may be more particular hereafter. Now / whereas some very unproperly (as⁴ I think) do say that we in this do uncover our fathers privities / and would with us to forbear so to do. We are of their mind that Ham did nought / but they shall not find us like that ribald Ham / which toke delight in that nakedness / they shall find the time servers / and such as dally with the shame⁵ of nakedness in this time / they shall find them to ⟨image 4⟩take Chams trade / but for us / we would / and do⁶ what we can / to cover this shame with a right cover / that is with a right reformation / and that do we going backward / as men loth and sorry to hear of the nakedness / and desirous to cover it / that our fathers (if they will be our fathers) may no longer show their shame. Again whereas some men (& that good men to) will say these treatises be too hot for this⁷ time / I wish to know wherein? whether in the matters which we handle? or in the handling of the matters? The matters are Gods / wherein we may not mince him. And the deformities have continued long / and are manifestly intolerable / where against we are commanded to cry out. Cry out and cease not / lift up thy voice like a trumpet / & tell my people their wickedness / and the house of Jacob their since / saith the Lord to his Prophet / which saying and the verse following / doth so belong to us / that we shall hardly answer it to God / if we do the contrary / & scarce well answer it / that we have forborne so long.

And who they be / and what the scripture thinketh of them / that require that their Preachers¹ should speak pleasing things / it is more evident then that I need to amplify that point. Again / that they which study and endeavour to please men / are not the servants of God / Pauls words are plain. Now for the handling of the matters / whereas some will say such a sentence is too hot / and such and such a word is too sharp / if they measure our zeal with the zeal of mild Moses / of Elijah / of the prophets / of John Baptist / of Paul / of the Apostles / of John the elder against Diotrephes / of Christ our saviour against the Pharisees / I trust they shall find us to keep our selves within the bounds of the examples of the scriptures. And if they mark our writings well / they shall find us to have uttered nothing but true / and necessary matter / and to have framed our words unto our matter / & not to have sought words to serve our affections. But they which speak slam derously ⟨image 4⟩of them • offend not / o• those • […] •n their doing / which call them rebels and seditious / which are faithful subjects to God & their Prince / which either wrest mens words / or falsify them / what deserve they? God forgive them that / and far worse matters / for his Christs sake / and give them better minds towards his true church & a right reformation. And yet for as much as we hear they will answer us / this I say / if they will keep them to the truth it self / the word of God / then will the² matters shortly come to a good issue / but if they draw us to other trials / there will prove craft in daubing (as they say) for that hath been the craft of the papists / to rig up all corners / and to find all the shifts they can / to have scope enough to vary a lye: to say much nothing to the proof / and yet to amaze the people with show of authorities. But if they will answer us still with cruelty & persecution / we will keep our selves out of their hands / as long as God shall give us leave / and content our selves with patience / if God suffer us to fall into their hands / and surely we shall hardly escape them / if they and their doers which be certain persecuting printers / may have their wills.

And here humbly we beseech her majesty / not to be stirred against us / by such men as¹ will endeavour to bring us more into hatred / which will not care what to lay to our charge / so they may oppress us / and suppress the truth: They will say we despise authority / and speak against her sovereignty. But O Lord what will not envy say against² truth? ill will (they say) never said well. No / no / we heartily / plainly and faithfully profess / that the chief governors in civill matters / have chief authority over all persons / in their dominions & countries³ / and are the softer fathers / and nurses of christs church. And as Jehoshaphat having chief authority / did by his authority set up / and defend not only the civill government / but also the true reformation of the church at that time / in his dominion / ⟨image 5⟩and […] ⁴to our sovereign / beseeching her Majesty / and the whole state / to proceed in it. And this is most true / that her Majesty shall not find better subjects in her land / then those that desire a right reformation / ⁵whose goods / bodies / and lives / are most assured to her Majesty / and to their Country / and which cease not to pour forth their hearty prayers unto God for her majesties long & happy reign in much prosperity / to be an ancient matron in Israel / in the church of God in England / and her dominions / to defend and maintain the same in much peace and godliness / all the days of her majesties natural life / and to be crowned after in heaven with eternal glory / which I beseech God by the working of his spirit / fully to accomplish and perform for his Christs sake: which thing also (Christian reader) I beseech thee to commend unto God continually in thy earnest prayer. And thus for this time / desiring thee to peruse this treatise with a single eye / as also I desire⁶ all those that are of the honourable assembly of the Parliament to do / for the time that the parliament continueth prorogued / that they may be well acquainted with the matters when they come together again: I do commend you and them / and continually will commend you both / in my earnest prayers unto our good / and gracious Lord god / to whom in Trinity of persons / and unity of godhead / be ascribed / and given all authority / dominion / and power for ever. So be it.

¶ A SECOND admonition to the Parliament.

¶ A SECONDE admonition to the Parliament.

IT is no new matter to see the faithful and profitable admonitions of God his preachers currishly rejected of them / which should gladly and thankfully hear and embrace them / which should obey them / which should to their uttermost promote them / which should employ themselves to defend them: and yet it is as old a custom as it is lamentable / to find such as should be most friends / most foes. To leave the eldest times / when *^a Abel found no worse friend then Came / his own brother / when Ismael *^b persecuted Isaac / when Esau *^c Jacob / when Joseph *^d was persecuted by his own brethren / when Moses *^e was fame to flee from Egypt because of the Jews / and so forth till the time of the Prophets / when *^f Jeremiah found least favour at the priests hands / when Ozeah saith that Gilead the *^g college of priests was a city of wicked doers / and polluted with blood / when Amos was so ill entreated by *^h Amazia the priest of Bethel / yea leaving these / and coming nearer / when our saviour Christ crieth *ⁱ woe to the Scribes and Pharisees / exact interpreters of God his law / because of their hypocrisy / who though they would fain seem holy / yet had they not the hearts to yield to the truth preached by our saviour / because their credit ⟨image 6⟩and gain (as they thought) lay another way: they therefore yielded not / but in stead thereof they slandered Christs person / and his doctrine / they bent themselves wholly against him / they persecuted him / yea the text is plain / that Pharisees and priests all of them / *

so then / to overpass the examples of the church since / as they are reported in the Ecclesiastical histories (because we have and may have ever best light by the scriptures) this is it I would say / that in these our days / the preachers find not less favour / nay they are not more slandered and persecuted / by any / then not only by the learned of the popish profession / but also by such as would seem pillars of the true religion. And surely a strange thing it is / and a marvellous case / and much to the dismay of many that it should be so / saving that in perusing the scriptures / it is found to have been commonly used. There were two little Treatises lately set forth / both tending to one end / namely to admonish the parliament / what it had to do touching religion / and tending to one end / they bear one name / that is / an Admonition to the parliament. The matters therein contained / how true so ever they be / have found small favour. The persons that are thought to have made them / are laid in no worse prison then Newgate. The men that set upon them / are no worse men the Bishops. ⟨image 6⟩The name that goeth of them / is no better then rebels / and great words there are / that their danger will yet prove greater: well / whatsoever is said / or done against them / or whosoever speak or work against them / that is not the matter: but the equity of their cause is the matter. And yet this I will say / that the state showeth not it self upright / if it suffer them so to be molested / for that which was spoken only in the way of admonition to the parliament / which / was to consider of any such admonition / and to receive it or reject it / without further matter to the Authors: except it contained some wilful maintenance of manifest rebellion / or treason / which it cannot be proved to do. Again appealing as they do to that highest Court of Parliament / from the lower of the Bishops / and Commissioners / because they find not equity at their hands / nor cannot / the Bishops / who are in their Admonition most touched / being chiefest in Commission / allege the Parliament what it will (as some say it was not in form of law / and Imprinted / and yet I trow there may be found presidents of the like / as that of Roderick Mors / the way to Common wealth / the Complaint of the beggars / and such like.)

so then / to ouerpasse the examples of the church since / as they are reported in the Ecclesiasticall histories (bicause we haue and may haue euer best lighte by the scriptures) this is it I wold say / that in these our dayes / the preachers finde not lesse fauoure / nay they are not more slaundered and persecuted / by any / then not onely by the learned of the popishe professyon / but also by suche as woulde seeme pillers of the true religion. And surely a straunge thing it is / and a maruellous case / and muche to the dismay of many that it should be so / sauing that in perusing the scriptures / it is found to haue beene commonly vsed. There were two little Treatises lately sette forthe / both tending to one ende / namely to admonishe the parliament / what it had to doe touching religion / and tending to one ende / they beare one name / that is / an Admonition to the parliament. The matters therin contained / howe true so euer they be / haue founde small fauoure. The persones that are thoughte to haue made them / are laide in no worsse prison then Newgate. The men that sette vpon them / are no worsse men the Bishops.