images knéeling vnto them kissing them and burning incense vnto them saying to the crosse O crux aue spes vnica auge pijs iustitiane reisque dona veniam All haile ô Crosse my only hope increase iustice in the godly and grant pardon to sinners And crying to the Crucifixe Thou hast redeemed vs thou hast reconciled vs to thy Father and calling a blocke mother of mercie and saying before stockes and stones Our Father and Aue Maria and knocking their breasts and whipping themselues before Images as the idolatrous Priests did before their idols The Apostle when he laid before the Corinthians the miserable state they stood in while they were yet Gentils he vseth no other tearmes then these Ye know that ye were Gentiles and were caried away vnto dumbe Idols as ye were led Which is as much as if he should say You were miserable and blind when ye were caried away vnto dumbe Idols Why then may we not say the same to Papists They may percase deny the case to be like But in my challenge I haue by many arguments proued them to be grosse Idolaters haue clearely shewed that they haue no better excuse for their worship of Images then the idolatrous Gentiles had for their worship of idoles Are they not then likewise blind and miserable Thinking to thrust others out of their societie which they call the Church they haue flatly excluded themselues from the societie and communion of the Catholike Church For if their Church be a companie of men professing the same faith and participating the same Sacraments vnder the rule of lawfull pastors and especially of the Pope as Bellarmine saith lib. 2. de Eccl. milit cap. 2. then are they not the catholike Church For that Church was long before either Pope or Bishop of Rome Beside that false it is that either the 〈◊〉 or whole Apostolike Church was subiect to the Bishop of Rome or that Iohn the Euangelist that 〈◊〉 long after Peter was subiect to Linus Cletus or Clement in whose 〈◊〉 he liued Finally false it is that God appointed the church to be gouerned by the Bishops of Rome there is nothing thereof in Scriptures The Fathers shew that the chiefe authoritie in externall matters was in generall Councels and Emperors And Bellarmines idle disputes concerning his Pope are long since ouerthrowne That they are not the true Church it appeareth also for that they heare not the voice of Christ but follow a stranger for that they haue receiued diuers heresies and deuised new Sacraments relinquishing Christ his institution in the celebration of the Lords supper for that they haue other foundations of their religion then were laid by Christ or his Apostles for that they persecute true Christians murther them and massacre them and by all meanes persecute them and for diuers other reasons laid downe in mine answer to Bellarmines 〈◊〉 De Eccles. militante If then it be not possible to be saued without the Church in what case are they that running after the Pope which is that Antichrist of which the Apostle speaketh 2. Thess. 2. are run out of the Church And whither are they runne forsooth into the confusion of Babylon where the Pope Cardinals Masse-priests 〈◊〉 make merchandize of mens soules Bellarmine saith that neither faith hope nor charitie nor other internall vertue is required that a man absolutely may be said to be a part of the Church but onely an externall profession of the faith and communion of the Sacraments Who then will not leaue that societie which for ought that we know may be a packe of Turkes and 〈◊〉 without all vertue religion and honestie especially if they professe the Romish 〈◊〉 externally Further as they haue excluded themselues from the Church so they haue put themselues vnder the subiection of Antichrist that is the head of the malignant Church and to his Cardinals Masse-priests and Friars which rabblement are 〈◊〉 resembled to the maister Cooke of hell his scalders the blacke-guard and all the scullerie of Satan Whatsoeuer the Pope decreeth that they receiue Agatho the Pope hath told them in good earnest that all sanctions of the Apostolike see are to be receiued as if they were confirmed by the diuine voice of Peter Be the Pope neuer so vnlearned or foolish or peruerse yet if he say the word sitting on his close chaire it must stand His voice they take to be infallible his sentence is honoured like a diuine Oracle Likewise his Cardinals Masse priests and Friars albeit they be the false Prophets spoken of by S. Peter 2. Pet. 2. and diuersly detected by S. Iohn in his Reuelation to be limbs of Antichrist yet are they followed These leade and their simple hearers follow them the way that leadeth to destruction Their teachers bring to themselues swift damnation as the Apostle S. Peter saith and they cannot escape beléeuing their damnable 〈◊〉 and running after them in their wicked wayes Pius Quintus that helhound that first barked against Queene Elizabeth our late Soueraign saith that Christ committed his Church to Peter alone vni soli But that is most false The Apostle Ephes. 4. saith He gaue some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors and teachers Likewise Mat. 28. he said to all the Apostles Go and teach Beside that what doth the authoritie of Peter belong to the Pope S. Peter had neither such rubie Cardinals nor such a parti-coloured guard of Switzers nor such a hellish rabble of Masse-priests and Friars as the Pope hath Contrariwise he preached and suffered as the Pope doth not Others say that Masse-priests and Friars are the Apostles successors But we find them to be the locustes that as S. Iohn forefold came out of the bottomelesse pit mentioned Apocalyps 9. If they were the Apostles successors then would they teach the Apostles doctrine and not the Popes decretals scholasticall inuentions philosophicall subtilties and such fooleries Againe they would not lead their miserable disciples from Christ to Antichrist They haue also declined from the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles concerning the Sacraments Our Sauiour onely instituted two that properly deserue the name of Sacraments to wit Baptisme and the Eucharist as the writings of the Apostles beare witnesse The Fathers also confirme vnto vs two onely Sacraments of the new Testament Cyprian lib. 2. Epist. 1. Tunc demum 〈◊〉 sanctificari esse silij Dei possunt si 〈◊〉 Sacramento nascantur Then may they be sanctified and made the sonnes of God saith he if they be regenerate by both the Sacraments Augustine de symb ad Catechum saith Hac sunt Ecclesioe gemina Sacramenta these are the two Sacraments of the Church Neither doth any Father name more Sacraments then two where he speaketh properly as may be proued by the testimonie of Iustines second Apologie of Tertullian lib. 1. 4. contr Marcion Of Clement recognit lib. 1. Of Ambrose lib. de Sacrament Of Cyril of Ierusalem in his carechisticall Sermons
their authoritie by the Popes incrochments How contrarie this is to the doctrine of the Apostles and ancient fathers we néede not here dispute S. Peter teacheth Christians to honour the King and Paule exhorteth 〈◊〉 soule to be subiect to the higher powers Now what greater dishonour can be offered to a King then to take away his authoritie And how are they subiect that pay the King nothing and claime exemption from his gouernement Our Sauiour willeth all to giue to Caesar that which is due to Caesar and Peter payed tribute to Caesar. But his false successors pay no tribute to Caesar but take tribute of Caesar and challenge it as due to them selues Nay they haue against all right vsurped his imperiall citie of Rome and released all clerkes from temporall Princes obedience Tertullian saith Christians honored the Emperour as the next man in honour to God and onely inferiour to God Colimus Imperatorem saith he sic quomodo nobis licet ipsi expedit vt hominem a Deo secundum quicquid est à Deo consequutum solo Deo minorem Chrysostome sheweth that the Apostles wordes Rom. 13. concerne clerkes and religious men as well as lay men The same is also contrarie to the practise of the Church vnder the Law and vnder the Gospell and derogatorie to the Kings authoritie For both vnder the Law and when Emperors began to professe Christian religion they made lawes for the Church and reformed Ecclesiasticall abuses as both Scriptures and the lawes of the Code and Nouelles testifie Thirdly this authoritie is plainly vsurped by the Pope and his followers For vntill Gregorie the seuenth his time who by force and armes preuailed more then by reason we find that the clergie and Church waâ— gouerned by Christian princes and their lawes Finally the same is disgracefull to Kings and burdensome to subiects and most vnreasonable Disgracefull it is to Kings to loose their royalties and to be made subiect to forreiners Burdensome it is to good subiects vpon whom the whole burden is laid and they exempted which are best able to beare The Germaines in their grieuances Grauam 28. shew that the charge of the warre against the Turke is laid wholy on lay-mens shoulders Finally it is no reason that those should liue vnder the Kings protection that neither pay him tribute nor acknowledge his authoritie But of the vnreasonablenesse of these incrochments we shall haue occasion to dispute elswhere Here it is sufficient to shew that the Popes vsurpations exactions â—â— who le authoritie is preiudiciall to Kings vntollerable to their subiectes Be wise therefore O ye Kings of the earth and serue Christ Iesus but beware that in stead of Christ ye serue not Antichrist And you that are fréed by the preaching of the Gospell from the bondage of the Popes traditions and exactions take héed that you suffer not your selues to be entangled againe in his snares brought againe into bondage The Popes agents tell you of many goodly actions of the Pope and set out the beautie of traditions with faire words But they séeke nothing but to bring you into a snare and to make merchandise of your soules and to blind you so that you shall not be able to sée the miserie of those that liue vnder him or the trash of his false doctrine and traditions God graunt you therfore the spirit of wisedome and discretion that you may stand fast in the liberty of 〈◊〉 Christians and neuer be entangled againe with the yoke of Popish bondage The third Booke of the answer to Robert Parsons his supernodical Warn-word containing a list of his lies falsities fooleries impieties and other enormous faults and abuses therein and elsewhere by him committed The Preface to the third Booke THus hauing ended our defence of Queene Elizabeths godly reformation and noted the miserable estate of Papists liuing vnder the Popes tyrannie and deformation it will be no hard matter for vs to dispatch the rest of the Warne-word being nothing else but a bundle of patcheries and fooleries patched together with a number of idle and vaine words scarce worth the reading or ruÌ„ning ouer Wherin notwithstaÌ„ding that I may proceed with more perspicuity I wil first examine the qualities of the author of this 〈◊〉 word and that so much the rather that you may forbeare to wonder at this warning peece or peeced Warne-word considering the qualitie of the warme fellow that made vs this braue peece of fire-worke Next I shall enter vpon the title and front of the booke and let you see how neither the portall corespondeth with the rest of his building nor the worke with the inscription and that the same doth well resemble a clome portall set beside a straw thatched house or 2 pig-stie set before Robert Parsons his putatiues fathers forge Thirdly his personall accusations and slaundrous imputations both against my selfe and others shall be answered The fourth place is due to his impieties which require a sharpe censure After that his ridiculous errors impudent falsifications vaine allegations grosse lies saucie rayling termes and clamorous outcries poore shifts and sottish answers lamentable begging of things in controuersie insolent brags and such like fooleries shall seuerally be scanned and reproued A man would percase wonder that a man in so idle a worke should runne into so many inconueniences and absurdities But this our aduersary is a beast and a grosse pecoran and no man How should we looke for other stuffe out of such a malicious heart Do men gather figs of thornes or grapes of briars As Hierome saith of Heluidius so I may say of Parsons Loquacitatem facundiam existimat maledicere omnibus bonae conscientiae signum arbitratur He supposeth babling to be eloquence and that railing vpon all men is a signe of a good conscience Let him therfore haue patience to haue his owne coxcombe pared and let him bark still like a helhound if he take pleasure in barking I doubt not but we shall so breake his dogs teeth that he shall hurt none by his biting But to cut off all preambles let vs now see if we can bring the iade Parsons from his gallop to his ambles CHAP. I. A legend of No saint but of Robert Parsons his life calculated in fauour of that swarme of traitors which euery yeare he sendeth out of his seditious Seminaries BEfore I enter into this discourse I do protest that I was drawne into it more then halfe against my will by the importunitie of Robert Parsons who first began this course and albeit without commission went about to make enquiry what I am what I did at Caliz what in Ireland and what in other places and to obiect whatsoeuer he thought might moue either suspicion of crime or occasion of ieast But séeing I am forced to defend my self I professe and proclaime it openly that I will spare neither Iebusite nor Masse priest nor Archpricst nor prouinciall Iebusite nor Pope nor Cardinall that shall
do they talke of vulgar languages nor seeke to exclude the people from vnderstanding of the tongue wherein God is serued Gregory and Chrysostome haue nothing to this purpose Fol. 66. a. citing Hieromes words he leaueth out these words vacua idolorum templa quatiuntur out of the midst of the sentence least the Reader should surmise he spoke against the temples of the Papists where euery corner is full of idols In his second encounter chap. 3. he corrupteth a place of 〈◊〉 lib. 1. hist. Angl. c. 1. by his wicked translation making him to say that the Latine tongue was then made common to English Britons Scots Picts and Latins when his meaning is that the knowledge of religion is made common to them by meditation of Scriptures in diuers tongs His words are these Haec in praesenti iuxta numerum librorum quibus lex diuina scripta est quinque gentium linguis vnam eandemque summae veritatis verae sublimitatis scientiam scrutatur 〈◊〉 Anglorum viz. Britonum Scotorum Pictorum Latinorum quae in meditatione scripturarum ceter is omnibus est 〈◊〉 commmunis He referreth the relatiue quae to the word Latinorum or to linguis which cannot be and not to summae veritatis and verae sublimitatis which both Latin construction and the sense wil admit The other cannot stand For we may not think that all the English Britons Picts and Scots vnderstood Latine Neither doth that make for the Romanists which in publike seruice continue the vse of the Latin tongue being now not vnderstood In his second encounter chap. 6. he doth produce not only counterfet homilies of Basil in 40. martyres and Chrysostome in adorat venerab caten S. Apostolorum principis Petri but also doth alledge them most falsly Basill prayeth not to the 40. martyrs nor Ambrose in c. 22. Luc. to Peter nor Hierome to Paula nor Augustine to Cyprian lib. 7. de baptism contra Donat. c. 1. as impudently Parsons auoweth Nor are the rhetorical spéeches of Nazianzen or Hierom or Chrysostome or others such blasphemous prayers as the Papists vse in their Missals and Breuiaries 2. encontr c. 6. he sayth that Ireney doth call Philip that baptised the Eunuch Act. 8. an Apostle But it is no Apostolicall practise to bely Ireney He must therefore either bring proofe or confesse that Ireney is wronged In the same place he would make vs beléeue that Tertullian lib. de praescript aduers. haeret would exclude heretikes from triall by scriptures But he 〈◊〉 the meaning of that father that dealeth against heretickes which neither allowed all scripture nor wold be tried by other scriptures then such as they had counterfeited themselues Ista haeresis sayth he non recipit quasdam scripturas siquas recipit adiectionibus detractionibus ad dispositionē instituti sui interuertit sirecipit non recipit integras Séeing therfore Parsons like vnto these 〈◊〉 either corrupteth scriptures by 〈◊〉 senses or else 〈◊〉 alleageth auncient authors who will not henceforth detect him as a notorious falsary False expositions are as well repugnant to truth as the corrupting stile as saith 〈◊〉 de praescript cōtra haeret Tantum veritati obstrepit adulter sensus quantum corruptor stilus It is a tricke of heretikes to vse matters of faith like to physitiōs that attemper themselues according to the diuersitie of mens affections altering them for their owne best commoditie Verbis fidei more medicorum sayth Basil epist. 73. speaking of heretikes vtuntur pro 〈◊〉 aliter atque aliter sese ad affectionum rationem ac varietatem attemperantes And as sayth Irenaeus lib. 1. aduers. haeret c. 1. They go about to fit the word of God to their idle fables Aptare volunt fabulis suis eloquia Dei What Parsons hath done herein the particulars aboue mentioned do testifie CHAP. VIII That Parsons his testimonies and allegations make for the most part against himselfe AS it is a grosse fault in an Orator to vse such an exordium as may also be vsed by his aduersary or turned backe vpon himselfe so it is a fault to begin with a sentence that may as well fit our aduersaries as our selues But Robert Parsons litle regardeth this obseruation who fronteth his booke with this sentence of the Apostle Tit. 3. Flie an heretical man after one or two warnings knowing that such a one is subuerted and sinneth damnably against his own iudgement A testimonie that may fitly be applied to him For he is an hereticall man and hath bene often warned of his faults albeit we sée no amendment in him He sinneth also as may be guessed against his owne conscience allowing that which being in England somtimes he condemned and is vtterly subuerted and damned if God do not in his great mercie recall him If he denie himselfe to be an heretike let him shew how he can hold all the heresies of Papists which in auncient time haue bene condemned and yet be no heretike To vs he cannot apply these words seeing we hold nothing against the scriptures by which we are to iudge most certainely of the faith of the Catholike Church Neither doth Parsons alleage this place against vs impertinently but also falsly The words of the Apostle are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which emport thus much And sinneth being condemned by himselfe and not as Parsons translateth viz. And sinneth damnably against his owne iudgement Where this word damnably and iudgement is added to the Apostles sentence most falsly For euery heretike after once or twise admonition doth not sinne damnably against his owne iudgement as may appeare by the Popes their Cardinals and others that think they do well percase albeit noble and notorious heretikes But rather euery heretike doth by his leud opinions which he will not reforme seuer and diuide himselfe from the Church and as the Apostle saith sinneth being condemned by his owne act or by him selfe Likewise do the rest of his testimonies and authorities serue fitly against himselfe In the beginning of his answere fol. 1. he aymeth at the Apostles words 2. Tim. 2. Where he forbiddeth vs to contend about words which profit nothing but to peruert the hearers Robert Parsons turneth the Apostles words so as if he should say that contention of words tendeth to nothing but the subuersion of the hearers But the Apostle talketh of contention about words and not of contention of words and of the effect and not of tending to an end But to omit his error in translation I say that nothing could be more fitly spoken against Robert Parsons then this which the Apostle here vttereth For what with his Wardword and his Warneword and his idle contention about words he hath abused and subuerted his simple and credulous followers that looked for better things at his hands And therefore leauing as much as we can his brabling words we answere that which is most materiall of his discourse In the same leafe he addeth another text out of
and that idolaters and heretikes should prate and talke of religion when they meane nothing but to erect idolatrie and to establish popish errors and superstition Fol. 16. speaking of me He blusheth not saith he to affirme that which all his fellowes haue denied And what is this trow you Forsooth that blasphemous and scandalous dogmatizing heretikes may be put to death But where he saith that all my fellows haue denied this he sheweth him selfe a shamelesse lying companion and the diuels fellow in forging lies For none of my fellowes euer denied that which I affirme but only wold not haue ignorant peaceable and simple heretikes that neither blaspheme nor dogmatise nor are offensiue to the State punished with death Likewise they condemne the cruell and bloody Papists that burne massacre men women and children for denying or contradicting any one point of their filthy abominable and erronious doctrine Fol. 18. he saith The Emperour in a certaine edict beginning reddentes Cod. de sum Trin. fid Cath. professeth his due 〈◊〉 and of all his empire to the church of Rome which is a notorious and an impudent ly For in that law there is no one word to be found that importeth subiection either of the Emperour or of the Empire to the Church of Rome much lesse to the Pope of Rome Nay at that time the citie of Rome belonged to the Emperour which lately the Pope hath vsurped excluding the Emperour from thence But were there any thing contained in that law which may séeme spoken in fauour of the Romane Bishop yet is the same proued counterfet in my late treatise concerning falsities of the Romish synagogue Fol. 19. a. speaking of the Emperors They professed saith he the Bishops of Rome to be the heads and chiefe leaders of this vniuersall and visible Catholicke Church as before hath bene shewed by the examples of Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius to Pope 〈◊〉 and of Arcadius Honorius and Theodosius the second and of Saint Augustine to Pope Innocentius primus and of Iustinian to Pope Iohn the first This he saith boldly But in these few words a cluster of lies is packed vp close together For neither do Gratian Valentinian and Theodsius write to Damasus as the title of the law cunctos populos Cod. de sum trinit doth shew nor 〈◊〉 they say that Damasus was head and leader of the vniuersall visible Church Nor do Arcadius Honorius and Theodosus the second talke of any such matter to be due to Innocentius the first Nor can it be proued out of Augustine or Iustinians decrée inter 〈◊〉 Cod. de sum trinit that this title was giuen to Innocentius the first or Iohn the first or second For beside that the law inter claras is counterfeit the interpreter doth corruptly translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the head of all priests the head of all Churches Nay hardly will Parsons be able to shew that any of these did speake of the vniuersall visible Church where they speake of the bishops of Romes authoritie These therefore are palpable if not visible lies And that which he saith of Iohn the first is a ridiculous lye For he was dead as Chronicles teach before Iustinians reigne He thinketh it lawfull to lie all manner of lies of Caluin And therefore boldly saith He was a priest and that he sayd masse Both which are denyed by those which wrote his life which say he departed out of France before he receiued any orders The same may be proued for that his name is found in no bishops records and for that he begunne to write his Institutions before 24. yeares of age Of which we gather that he hated the popish priesthood before he was of yeares to be made priest Fol. 〈◊〉 b. he maketh Sir Francis to say that we haue changed old religion into Protestancy not changing therein his old fashion of cogging and lying For neither doth he nor any of vs acknowledge popish religion to be auncient nor do we call our religion protestancy although his dealing giueth vs oft occasion to protest against his wicked and false dealing Fol. 23. a. he affirmeth that Sir Francis talketh of nothing but feares frights and terrors But he might doe well to cease talking if he tell nothing but lies In the place mentioned Sir Francis talketh neither of feares frights nor terrors Nor doth it follow because Parsons and his consorts are still packing vnderhand and dealing with the Spaniards that we are terrified For we haue neither cause to feare treason nor publike force vnlesse we will trust traytors and wilfully throw away our armes Neither haue Papists cause to begin to stirre vnlesse they be weary of their liues of peace of ease and of their natiue countrey Fol. 25. a. he boldly auoucheth that I count it a blessing to haue Catholike rites and seruice abolished whereas in truth I desire nothing more then that Catholike religion may be restored and speake onely against the filthy abominations of popish masse the idolatrous worship of saints and idols the tyranny of the Pope and such like which none but the slaues of Antichrist can endure and wil affirme to be Catholike That Iouinian and Vigilantius held some errors we will not deny But that Hierome called them heretikes for the same points that wee hold concerning virginitie prayers to saints and lights at martyrs tombes as Parsons fol. 27. affirmeth most falsly will not be proued For Hierome doth rather excuse those that lighted candels at noone day then condeinne those that thought contrary Neither did he euer place perfection in forced virginity or teach prayers to saints or allow those that worshipped false relikes as the papists do This therefore which Parsons sayth is to be scored vp among the relikes of his leasings In the same leafe he addeth another grosse lye saying That Iewell writing against Harding and Fulke against Allen and Bristow do often call Saint Hierome borne papist and scolding doctor For neither the one terme nor the other is found in their writings Nay we should greatly wrong Saint Hierome if we should call him either papist or borne papist séeing that in his time neither the monster of the masse nor other popish abominations were either borne or conceiued Unlesse therefore he quote B. Iewels and M. Fulkes words as he was borne a bastard so we will hold him by condition for a lying accuser and a scolding companion and a fellow borne to tell lyes Fol. 28. b. he telleth loud lies of Panormitane saying That he in the chap. licet de electione expounding these words of Hostiensis Cum idem sit Christiatque Papae consistorium quasiomnia potest facere Papa quae Christus excepto peccato sheweth the meaning to be that in matters of iurisdiction and spirituall authoritie for gouernment of his Church vpon earth Christ hath left so great power vnto his substitute Saint Peters successor as he may do thereby and in his name and vertue whatsoeuer his master
stone that is placed in the foundations of Sion Stapleton like wise in his Preface before the 〈◊〉 of his doctrinall principles affirmeth desperately that God speaketh in the Pope and that the foundation of Christian religion is necessarily placed in his authoritie teaching vs. It was much to say that he was any way the foundation of religion But to make him a necessarie foundation was a greater presumption then I find in his fellows His words are these In hac docentis hominis authoritate in qua Deum loquentem audimus religionis nostrae cognoscendae fundamentum necessariò poni cernimus Neither can any of them well deny but that the Pope is the rocks vpon which the Church is built and against which the gates of hell cannot preuaile séeing generally they proue the Popes authoritie out of Christs words to Peter Mat. 16. For if these words be not meant of the Pope but of Christ whom Peter confessed then are they fondly alleaged for iustification of the Popes authoritie In summe all their practise sheweth that the Pope to them is summa summarum and the corner stone and chiefe foundation of the popish Church For alleage Scriptures they quarrell about the interpretation and admit no sence but that which the Pope alloweth although his glosses and interpretations be neuer so contrarie to the text Againe alleage Councels they enquire if the Pope haue allowed them Alleage Fathers speaking against the Pope they reiect them But alleage the Popes determination there they stop like restie iades and will not be 〈◊〉 further So the Pope and his resolutions are the foundations nay they are all in all with Papists But this is not onely contrarie to the words of Scripture Isay 8. and 28. Mat. 16. and 1. Cor. 3. and Ephes. 2. where Christ is made the corner stone and sole foundation of the Church but also contrarie to all Fathers and good interpreters of Scriptures The same is also most absurd and contrarie to reason For first if the Pope were the foundation of the Church then should there be as many foundations as Popes Secondly the Church should be built vpon foundations diuers from Christ. Thirdly the foundations of the Church should differ one from another one Pope contradicting and crossing another Fourthly the Popes being sometimes reprobates and damned hell should preuaile against the foundation of the Church which is most absurd Fiftly the Church during the vacation should be without foundatiō and a woman being Pope the Church should be built vpon a woman Finally the Church should be built vpon men subiect to infirmities errors and mutations and not vpon Christ Iesus the vnmoueable rocke The Conuenticle of Trent talking of the bookes of the old and new Testament and of traditions as well concerning faith as manners doth receiue both with equall affection and reuerence as it were either deliuered vnto vs either by the mouth of Christ or by the holy Ghost and kept by continual succession in the Catholike church Omnes libros tam veteris quà m nouitestamenti 〈◊〉 vnus Deus sit author nec non traditiones 〈◊〉 tum ad 〈◊〉 tum ad mores pertìnentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à Christo 〈◊〉 à Spiritu Sancto dictà tas 〈◊〉 successione in Ecclesia 〈◊〉 conseruatus pari pietatis 〈◊〉 ac reuerentia 〈◊〉 ac veneratur Those likewise among the Papists that procéede Doctors or take any degrée in schooles do professe that they most firmely admit and embrace the traditions of the Apostles and the Church and other ecclesiasticall obscruances and constitutions Apostolicas ecclesiasticas traditiones reliquasque eiusdem Ecclesie obseruationes constitutiones firmissimè admitto saith euery one of them Bellarmine lib. 4. de verbo Dei cap. 1. beginning to 〈◊〉 of traditions hitherto saith he we haue disputed of the written word of God now we will begin to speake briefly of the word of God not written accompting traditions to be the word of God as well as holy scriptures Aliud hodie religionis Christiane fundament 〈◊〉 saith Stapleton habemus non quidem à Christo aliud sed ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euangelicis Apostolicis aliud That is we haue now another foundation of Christian religion not diuers from Christ but diuers from the Euangelicall and Apostolical scriptures So either he excludeth scriptures from being the ground of Christian religion or else maketh vnwritten traditions equall vnto them Afterward in his Analysis prefixed before his Doctrinall principles deliuering to his disciples the grounds of Christian religion he vouchsafeth the scriptures no place among them But 〈◊〉 if 〈◊〉 the books of the old testament they vnderstand all the bookes contained in the old latine vulgar translation of the Bible then they admit the third and fourth bookes of Esdras and all additions to the originall text to be canoniall scriptures which 〈◊〉 their owne decrées concerning the canon of Scriptures Secondly it is absurd to make vnwritten traditions equall with the holy Scriptures For these are certainly knowne to procéed from God But of vnwritten traditions the aduersaries can bring no proofe but from men Now who is so presumptuous as to match the 〈◊〉 of men with the word of God Augustine in his 48 〈◊〉 to Vincentius speaking of the fathers writings saith they are to be distinguished from the authoritie of the canon And in his eight epistle which is to 〈◊〉 he saith that vnto the Scriptures alone this prerogatiue is to be giuen that none of them containeth any errors All other authors he wold haue censured and examined by them being not 〈◊〉 from errours The holy Scriptures are alwayes consonant and agréeable to themselues But traditions do not onely contradict one another but also are repugnant to holy Scriptures Polycrates as Eusebius lib. 5. Eccles. hist. c. 23. reyorteth maintained the obseruance of the feast of Easter according to the practise of the Churches of Asia to be according to the Apostles traditions Victor and the Church of Rome thought contrary Some maintained the fast vpon the Sabbath others denied it and both held by tradition Siue hodiè Christus natus est c. whether Christ was borne or baptized as this day saith 〈◊〉 serm de nat to 3. there is a diuers opinion in the world and according to the diuersitie of traditions there are diuers iudgements The Romanists do found their communion vnder one kind and their Masses without communion and the externall propitiatory sacrifice of the Masse and the hanging vp the Sacrament in the Pixe and the diuine adoration giuen to it vpon tradition But all these obseruations are impious and contrary to Scriptures Some traditions are now abolished as the prohibition of Saterdayes fast the rite of standing when we pray betweene Easter and Whitsontide the formes of prayer in old time vsed in celebration of the sacrament of the Lords supper and diuers others whereof some are mentioned by Basil lib. de Spir. san c. 27. Bellarmine also lib. 4. de verbo
with other authors Fol. 14. b. The old Romane lawes sayth Parsons do giue generall authoritie to the body of the common wealth to punish particular offenders non è contra as Cicero signifieth in his booke De Legibus But he belyeth impudently the old Romane lawes and Cicero De Legibus For both of them do authorize particular Magistrates and officers and not the whole commonwealth to punish offenders Magistratus sayth Tully nec obedientem noxium ciuem multa vinculis 〈◊〉 coercento So likewise do old lawes as in the titles de poenis and de publicis criminibus in the Pandects we may sée Further common wealths or states do make lawes and receiue not authoritie from lawes Finally it is an absurd thing to make the common wealth iudge or executioner of lawes For if that were so then should the hangman be y e common wealth and contrariwise And by a good consequent if Parsons should play the hangman the commonwealth might ride vpon the gallowes The which is so great an inconuenience that rather then it should be granted it were better that the Iebusite were hanged vpon the gallowes 〈◊〉 Fol. 15. a. citing Augustine de ciuitate Dei lib. 18. cap. 51. and Cyprian lib. de vnit Eccles. and Hieron in c. 8. Ezechielis in c. 11. Oseae in c. 11. Zachariae in c. 8. Danielis And Augustin enarrat in Psal. 80. part 29. super lib. Iosuae cap. 27. he sayth that they out of the 13. of Deuteronomy proue that heretikes may and ought to be put to death which are the proper idolaters of the new Testament But in citing of these authors the man séemeth neither to haue eyes nor iudgement nor honestie For Augustine lib. 18. de ciuitate Dei c. 51. doth neither mention the 13. of Deuteronomie nor proue that heretikes are to be put to death The like may be answered to the testimonie of Augustine in Psal. 80. of which ridiculously he citeth the 29. part Further we find no commentaries of Augustine vpon the booke of Iosue Cyprian in his book De vnitate Ecclesiae hath no such matter as Parsons supposeth Most falsly also doth he cite the places out of Hierome In the same place he citeth Augustine super lib. Iosuae ca. 27. and de vtilitate ieiunij cap. 8. Whereas he neither wrote commentaries vpon Iosue nor any 27. chapter is to be found in that booke Beside that the booke de vtilitate ieiunij is a bastard and of the qualitie of Parsons and none of saint Augustines Fol. 17. translating the law Cunctos populos Cod. de sum Trin. fid Cath. he cutteth out the words that containe the forme of faith professed by the Emperour and that part that sheweth that the iudgement and punishment of heretikes belonged to the ciuill Magistrate The first because it giueth power to ciuill Magistrates to publish formes of Christian faith The next because he imagineth that the iudgment and condemnation of heretikes belongeth onely to the popish hereticall Clergie Fol. 25. b. he affirmeth that Tertullian lib. de praescript aduers haeret sayth That it is impossible for two heretikes to agree in all points Let him therefore quote these words or else in this point we will note him for a falsarie Mentior sayth Tertullian speaking of certaine heretikes si non etiam à regulis suis 〈◊〉 inter se dum vnusquisque proinde suo arbitrio modulatur quae accepit quemadmodum de suo arbitrio ea composuit ille qui tradidit He sayth they vary among themselues from their owne rules and that euery one at his pleasure doth modulate and temper the things he receiued as he that deliuered them composed them at his pleasure But this wanteth much of Parsons words and meaning as he wanted much of sincere dealing Fol. 29 he affirmeth desperatly that the great commission for the Popes iurisdiction is contained in the 16. of Matthew in these words I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen c. forging notoriously the Popes letters patents For neither is there any mention of the Pope or Bishop of Rome in these words nor doth our Sauiour speake of any keyes or power of binding and loosing that is not common to all Bishops which are the Apostles successors Furthermore general words wil not serue to cary halfe the Popes power Finally if we will beléeue Bellarmine lib. 〈◊〉 de Pont. Rom. c. 10. here is nothing giuen to Peter but only promised to him Fol. 38. he alledgeth Pope Nicholas his Epistle and Constantines donation both notoriously and impudently being forged and by the forgeron or blackesmiths putatiue sonne erroniously interpreted Fol. 39. speaking of certaine words of Cusanus This sayth he of the change of Gods iudgement after the iudgement of the Church of the supreme Pastor is a commō saying of the auncient fathers vpon those words of Christ Whose sinnes you loose on earth c. Anotorious lie For albeit he alleage thrée yet no one speaketh of the change of Gods iudgement or of the Pope ór affirmeth that Gods iudgement changeth with the Church Beside that it is one thing to talke of binding and loosing and another to say that as the Church altereth the institution of the sacraments so God altereth his iudgement Would not this fellow then haue a garland of peacockes feathers for his notorious cogging and for his presumption in falsly alleaging and belying the Fathers Fol. 40. in the margent he sayth that Hilary in Math. 16. hath a worthy place for the Popes authoritie Yet can he not proue that Hilary in that place speaketh one word either for the Pope or of the Pope for he speaketh onely of Peter and his authority But what is that to the Pope that neither in doctrine nor life is like to Peter For this worthy place therefore thus falsly alleaged this worthlesse fellow is worthy to haue a paper clapped to his head for a falsary Fol. 62. b. he shameth not to affirme that Augustine lib. 17. de ciuitate 〈◊〉 c. 20. sayth that Christ hath appointed his sacrifice of the Masse among Christians in place of the Iewish sacrifices whereas that father speaketh of Christs sacrifice vpon the crosse and not once mentioneth the Masse And so his words must needs be vnderstood For indeed his sacrifice vpon the crosse and not the Masse is the 〈◊〉 of the Leuiticall sacrifices as the Apostle declareth in his Epistle to the Hebrewes Fol. 63. a. he sayth that Dionysius de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 1. orig hom 5. in Num. Basilius lib. de Spiritu sancto c. 27. Chrysostome hom 24. in Matth. and Gregory lib. 4. dialog c. 56. and other fathers do teach that it is not conuenient that al things which are handled in Church seruice praesertim in sacris mysterijs shold be vnderstood by all vnlearned people in their owne vulgar tongue A shamelesse lie most impudently auouched vpon the fathers credit by this bastardly frier For neither
meant her no harme But wise men considering the maner of her death and effects of some drugs that are wont to exulcerate the mouth to gréeue the stomacke to bereue men of sence to worke a stipticity and stupidity and the concourse and whispering and preparations of the popish faction about the time of her sicknesse do much feare that she was not well dealt withall I pray God reueale the truth and grant al others by her example to beware of the Popes and Jebusits most dangerous practises which neuer cease working mischiefe if they may haue fit oportunitie CHAP. X. That kings and Princes liuing in subiection to the Pope are but halfe kings and demi-princes BUt suppose the Pope and his conspiring and working crew should neither attempt to take away the crowne nor the life from a prince that beléeueth his lawes and yéeldeth to the Pope all that authoritie which he claimeth yet doth he lose halfe his reuenues authoritie and regall soueraigntie For first the Pope shareth the Kings reuenues claiming tenths first fruites subsidies confirmation and 〈◊〉 of Ecclesiasticall liuings and infinite summes of money for pardons licences dispensations and all maner of rescripts Those which are acquainted with the Popes faculties and incrochments in former Kings dayes within this land and now in Spaine Italy and other popish countries know they are intolerable and no way inferior to the Kings reuenues Nay if a King néed a dispensation for an Ecclesiasticall matter he is forced to bargaine with the Pope and to buy it deare The absolution of King Iohn had like to haue cost him the Crowne of England Secondly not the King but the Pope is King of priests and ecclesiasticall persons Boniface the 8. in the chap. Clericis de immunit eccles in 6. doth excommunicate both Kings and others that impose taxes and subsidies vpon the Clergie He doth also lay the same censure vpon those clergie men that pay any subsidies to ciuill Magistrates which sheweth that he kept them for his owne selfe Alexander the fourth in the chap. Quia nonnulli de immunit eccles in 6. exempteth the possessions and goods of clergy men from toll and custome 〈◊〉 Bellarmine in his treatise De exemptione clericorum cap. I. setteth downe these propositions In causis Ecclesiasticis liberi sunt clericiiure diuino à secularium principum potestate That is In Ecclesiastical causes clerkes are free from the commaund of secular princes by the law of God And by ecclesiasticall causes he vnderstādeth all matters which concerne the church and which by hooke or crooke the Popes haue drawne to their owne cognition Againe he sayth Non possunt Clerici à Iudice seculariiudicari estiamsi leges ciuiles non seruent That is Clerks are not to be iudged of secular Iudges albeit they keep not his temporall lawes His third proposition is this Bona clericorum tam ecclesiastica quà m secularia libera sunt ac meritò esse debent à tributis principum secularium That is The goods of clerkes whether they belong to the Church or be temporal are free from tributes of princes and so ought to be He sayth also that secular princes in respect of clerkes are not soueraigne princes and that therefore clerkes are not bound to obey them Now how is the King absolute in his kingdome if he haue neither power ouer the persons of the clerks nor their goods Emanuel Sa in his aphorismes In verbo Clericus in his book first printed and alleaged by him that wrote the Franc discourse hath these words Clerici rebellio in regem non est crimen laesae maiestatis quia non est subditus regi The rebellion of a clerk against the King is no treason because he is not the kings subiect This is plaine dealing and sheweth that y e king is no king of the Clergie where the Popes lawes beare sway But because these words be some what too plaine 〈◊〉 in a later edition of these aphorismes set out at Venice they haue for their owne ease cut out the words albeit in effect Bellarmine and others teach so much Their practise also declareth that this is their meaning for Thomas Becket stoutly resisted Henry the second and his parliament enacting that clerkes offending against the kings lawes should answer before the kings Iustices Further he would not agree that clerkes lay = fée should come in trial before them Sixtus quartus did enterdite the state of Florence for that they had executed the Archbishop of Pisa notoriously taken in a conspiracie against the State Xistus quòd sacrato viro Archiepiscopo it a foede interfecto Cardinalem quoque captiuum fecissent Hieronymo instigante grauissimum Florentinis sacris omnibus interdictus bellū intulit saith Onuphrius That is Sixtus warred vpon the Florentines and enterdited them for that they had killed the Archbishop of Pisa being a priest and layd hands on a cardinall And yet he declareth they were actors in the conspiracie against Iulian and Laurence de Medicis that then ruled the State This was also the greatest quarrell of the Pope against Henry the third of France for that he caused the Cardinal of Guise to be killed being culpable of most enormous treasons against him Now what can Kings do against their subiects if they may not punish them offending in treason Thirdly the Popes do draw many temporall matters from the cognition of the King to themselues and their adherents Boniface the 8. c. quoniam de Immunitat Eccles. in 6. doth excommunicate all those that do hinder matters to be brought frō triall of temporall iudges to Ecclesiasticall courts and namely those that will not suffer all contracts confirmed by oathes to be tried before Ecclesiasticall iudges By which meanes almost all causes were brought before them and the Kings iurisdiction almost stopped and suspended The Kings of England therfore to restraine these incrochmēts made the law of Praemunire putting them out of his protection that wold not be tried by his lawes Is it not strange then that Christian princes should suffer such companions to vsurpe their authoritie and not onely in causes Ecclesiasticall but also in temporall to beare them selues as iudges Finally they deny that Christian Princes haue power either to make Ecclesiasticall lawes or to reforme abuses in the Church or to gouerne the Church concerning externall matters All papists do so distinguish betwixt Ecclesiastical and politicke gouernement that they exclude temporall Princes from the gouernement of the Church and make them subiect to the Pope Bellarmine lib. 1. de Pontif. Rom. c. 7. determineth that temporall Princes are no gouernours of the Church If then Christian Princes loose part of their reuenues and part of their iurisdiction and are quite excluded both from the gouernement of the Church and also disposing of the persons and goods of Ecclesiasticall persons most apparent it is that such Princes as admit the Popes authoritie are either but halfe kings or else not so much loosing more then halfe
Lord might do in his Church if he were now conuersant among vs vpon earth This I say is a loudlye consisting of two or thrée branches For neither doth Panormitan expound the words of Hostiensis nor doth he affirme that which Parsons writeth in his name Nor is he so shamelesse to write that which Parsons affirmeth A second lye is also auouched by the forger of lyes Parsons where he sayth That all both diuines canonists do agree that all Christs power of gouernment is left to the Pope except onely his power of excellency according to that great commission in Saint Matthew I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen c. For neither all nor any ancient father doth agrée to this conclusion albeit we may boldly call them better diuines then the schoolemen nor do all or most of the Canouists speake of this power of excellencie nor do the words Mat. 16. belong to the Pope or conteine any such commission as is pretended And that without alleaging further proofes the Popes owne doctors will confesse For Bellarmine lib. 1. de Pontif. Rom. c. 10. sheweth that Peter had nothing granted in the 16. of Matth. but promised onely And with him also diuers others are consorted But suppose any thing had bene granted to saint Peter what maketh this to Clement the 8. and 〈◊〉 Popes that are liker to Nero and Heliogabalus then to S. Peter Likewise fol. 29. b. he sayth That Panormitan and Hostiensis vttering these words Papa potest facere quasi omnia 〈◊〉 Christus excepto peccato do explicate the comparison of Christ not as he is God but as he is man Which sheweth that Parsons taketh pleasure in lying For else why should he say that they explicate the comparison of Christ not as he is God but as he is man when they haue not one word sounding this way In the same leafe he belyeth the same man againe telling vs That Panormitan de electione c. venerabilem saith that Hostiensis founded his doctrine vpon the commission giuen to the Pope Matth. 16. Whereas Panormitan hath no such words nor doth in that place mention Christs words Matth. 16. nor hath one word of any commission giuen to the Pope by Christ. Fol. 36. b. speaking of Cromwell and bishop Cranmer The first of them sayth he was principally employed in the sayd Queenes condemnation and death as appeareth yet by publike records and the second was vsed for her defamation after her death as is extant at this day in the foresayd statute it selfe where Cranmers sentence is recorded iudicially giuen by him This saith he but so impudently and falsly as the same may conuince him of most shamelesse lying For first there is no such sentence as is here mentioned recorded in the act as any man may see that listeth to reade it Secondly what needeth a sentence of diuorce against her that was now put to death that diuorceth all marriages Thirdly no man euer grieued more at this act and at that Quéenes death then the Lord Cromwell So farre was he off from being a stickler in it Finally not onely printed statutes but the acts of the tower also do conuince this fellowes most shamelesse reports Do you then thinke that he blusheth to say any thing that is not ashamed to lye against publike acts and records Fol. 37. a. he saith Cranmer carried about with him his woman in a trunke An impudent popish fiction for the 〈◊〉 the inuenter and reporter deserueth to be cased in a clokebag The truth is that the reuerend bishop fearing the Kings displeasure about the time of the sixe articles sent his wife away into Germanie vnto her kinred But if he had bene disposed to haue kept her with him yet nothing is more ridiculous or improbable then that she should be caried about in a trunke And if Parsons were to be put in a trunk he would say it were impossible to liue in it He saith also that for gaine of liuing or fauour or quietly enioying his liuing Cranmer would say or vnsay any thing and for proofe he quoteth Sanders de schismate But lawyers may tell him that such domesticall witnesses are not worth a rush Hierome also saith That the testimonie of friends or fellowes is not to be accepted Si amicus pro te dixerit saith he non testis aut iudex sed fautor putabitur This Sanders was a railing traitor like to Parsons and both of them hired to speake shame against the professors of the truth If then a théese is not to be credited speaking for his fellow 〈◊〉 nor a traitor testifying for traitors then let vs heare no more of this renegate rascall traitor that died in action against his countrey consorting himselfe with the rebellious and théeuish Irish. Fol. 40. They are wont to say saith he that S. Bernard was no flatterer But because the man is wont to lie no man will beléeue him vnlesse he bring forth the parties that haue so said For to call the Pope Abraham théese and Christ as Bernard doth sauoureth of the flattery and darknesse of those times The fourth fifth and 〈◊〉 chapters of Parsons his first encounter are nothing else but a packe of lies either receiued frō others or deuised cogged by himself He affirmeth first that Carolstadius Oecolampadius and Zuinglius were Luthers scholers Secondly that they were opposite to Luther Thirdly that there were infinite opinions among them that denied the reall presence 4. That the Anabaptists rose out of Luthers doctrine 5. That there was a potent diuision betwixt Melancthon and Illyricus 6. That Caluin and Beza issued from Zuinglius 7. That Seruetus was Caluins collegue and that he and Valentinus Gentilis and other heretikes came from Caluin and Beza 8. That we admit no iudge of controuersies and laugh at Councels 9. That Zuinglius was condemned in a synod 10. That out of our synods at Marpurge Suabach and Smalcald we departed with lesse agreement then before as Lauater and 〈◊〉 testifie 11. That Melancthon to proue the Zuinglians to be obstinate heretikes gathered together the sentences of the ancient fathers for the reall presence 12. That Zuinglius died in rebellion against his countrey 13. That Oecolampadius was found dead in bed by his wiues side strangled by the deuill as Luther holdeth lib. de priuata missa or killed by his wife 14. That great warres arose betweene Lutherans and Zuinglians as he calleth them 15. That Luther was the first father of our Gospell which he calleth new 16. That Stankare was a protestant as he calleth him 17. That Chemnitius in a letter to the Elector of Brandeburg doth censure the Queene of England and the religion here professed 18. That there are warres and dissentions in England in most principall points of religion He doth also rehearse diuers other points which are all vtterly false and vntrue For first Oecolampadius and Zuinglius were learned men aswell as Luther and taught truth before they