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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13158	A briefe examination, of a certaine peremptorie menacing and disleal petition presented, as is pretended, to the Kings most excellent Maiestie, by certaine laye papistes, calling themselues, the lay Catholikes of England, and now lately printed, and diuulged by a busie compagnion, called Iohn Lecey	Sutcliffe, Matthew, 1550?-1629.	1606 (1606)	STC 23452; ESTC S117870	127,037	159

in Augustine de haeres c. 39. Epiphanius haeres 38. doth condēn the Casās for inuocating both good and bad angels Tertullian also in his book de prascript aduers haeret condemneth them that serue angelt doe the papists then think it catholike religion to worship and serue Angels and to call vpon them 19 As the papists doe proue their religion by forged miracles and lyes so did the Seuerians which therfore were ranged among heretickes by Saiut Augustine de haeresib c. 24. 20 The Papists c. proposuists dist 82. call mariage fleshlie pollutions and say that maried folkes liue in the flesh and and cannot please god But for the like doctrine the Tatians and Encratites were adiudged hereticks 21 As the Manicheys cōdēned mariage in their priests caled electi absteined frō the cup in the Eucharist gaue to christ a body extended to diuers places and not solide so do papists 22 Montanus first broughte in lawes of fasting and extolled vnwritten traditions and was author of oblations for the dead The firste is prooued by the testimony of Apollonius in Eusebius his history The last two poynts are made euident by Tertullian following Montanus his heresy and deriuing them from his Paracletus in his booke de corona militis Why then shoulde not papists offending in the same poynts be reputed Montanists 23 Further I haue shewed in my late suruey of Popery chap. 8. that as the pepuzians honored Pepuza so the Papists honor Rome that with the Catharists they hold that a man may performe the law perfectly and bragge of their purity perfection that with the I acobites and Armeniās they make the images of God the father and the holy ghost that with the Staurolatrians Chazinzarians they worship the crosse that with the Collyridians they worship the virgin Mary and offer consecrated hostes in her honor that with the Circumcellions they murder such as are opposite to their faction that which the Priscillianists they periure themselues and teach aequiuocating periurie that with the Eutychianistes they giue Christ a body without iust dimensions or circumscription that with the Pelagians they extol the force of free will and diminish the praise of gods grace that with the here ticks mentioned by Jrenaeus they accuse scriptures and to make short that they haue embraced many other old condemned herefies As for the master of Sētences Innocent the third Thomas Aquinas Scotus Albert Durand Steuchus Harding Stapleton Allē Bellarmine Baronius and other particuler agents of the Romish Church we are able to charge them with infinite hereticall opinions But because our's duersaries doe not take themselues bounde to defend euery priuate mans doctrines and opinions J will reserue the proofe hereof to some other place Finally if all doctrins brought into the church since the Apostles tymes sauor of heresies as Tertullian affirmeth thē we need not to doubt but that al those popish doctrins cōcerning vnwritten traditions apocryphall scriptures the reading of scriptures in tongus not vnderstood the being of Christs body within the accidents of bread and wine in the Eucharist trāsubstantiatiō the sacrifice of the masse half cōmunions the adoration of the sacrament the popes vniuersall monarchy the popish worship of saintes reliques and images the 7. sacramentes the merits of workes and such like nouelties as are broughte into the Church by the pope and his complices are mere heresyes Chapter 9. That popish religion is new and not as the Papists call it the old religion ANtiquity in matter of religion cartieth no small weight with it in the reputation of Christiās Saint Iohn 1. epist 1. saith he declareth vnto vs that which was from the beginning and Ephes 2. we reade that the church is founded vpon the prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone Jf then popish religion was not frō the beginning nor can be iustified to haue proceeded from christ or his apostles or the holy prophets then is it for the noueltie thereof to bee reiected But that is so apparant as hee that will deny it muste needes speake againste his owne conscience and knowledge if he haue either conscience or learning 1. The masse is a principall matter which papists contend for Yet is the same a playne corruption of Christs institution of the Eucharist and wholy repugnant to the apostles doctrine Christ taking bread said this is my body but the masse priests deny that any breade remaineth in the sacrament after the words of the institution spoken He said take and eat The Massepriests say to the people gape and gaze and in the mean while eat and drinke all themselues He said do this in remembrance of me they offer vp Christ in honour of saints He commanded all to drinke that receiued the other kind They exclude all but the Priest from the cup. He ordeined the sacrament to be receiued of the communicātes they receiue it not but oftentimes hang it vp cary it about and adore it The Apostle 1. Cor. 11. sheweth that the sacrament was instituted to declare the Lords death but these celebrate the masse in tongues not vnderstood insomuch that few papists vnderstand what is doon in the celebration of the masse 2. Christ certes neuer instituted the Popes monarchie Nay where the Apostle Ephes 4. speaketh of the ministers of the church this great monarch is not once named True it is that Christ said to Peter feede mysheepe and promised that to him he would giue the keys But what is that to the Pope that is no Apostle nor in any thing like to Peter further Peter had no monarchicall power giuen by these words For equally were the Apostles called and authorized Much lesse therefore are we to imagin that any bishop had this vniuersal monarchy bestowed on him 3. Further it is mere madnesse to affirme that either Christ or his Apostles taught the worship of the Crosse or of images or of Saints or their reliques or that they deliuered to their disciples and folowers the popish doctrine of the 7. sacramentes or of Purgatory and indulgences or of the merites of congruitie or of the foundations and other pointes of Popishe Religion 4. In our suruey of Popery we haue shewed that those poynts of popery which the Church of England refuseth are repugnant both to auncient councells and the auncient fathers of the Church The auncient fathers of the Church and Bishoppes of Rome neuer thought that any one bishop had authority aboue a generall councell The sift canon of Nice forbiddeth to receiue any that were excommunicated by other Bishops The 6. Canon of that councel equalleth other Bishops to the bishop of Rome in that councell it was decreed that Priests should not be separated from their wiues The councell of Eliberis condemneth the superstitious lighting of candles in churchyards and pictures in churches The councell of Gangra taxeth such as disprayse mariage or despise the oblation of maried priests or refuse to eate flesh or condemn such as weare common

coloure of traditions they thrust vpon the Church not onelie diuers Fables and superstitious toyes but also a greate part of the errors of the church of Rome Finally they talke of Apostolicall and Ecclesiastical traditions and yet can not certainely deriue them eyther from the Apostles or from the Ancient catholike Church These foundations therefore are ruinous and rather serue to prooue the erroncous doctrine of Antichrist then the faith of Christe Iesus Canus in his booke de locis theolog among his principall groundes and proofes of christian religion reckoneth not only the acts of Councels and writings of the fathers but also the authority of schoolemen and canonists of profane writers and of humane reason yea of the popes and moderne church of Rome Now what I beseech you is more vncertaine then to rely vpon the vncertaine actes of councels and connterfact writings set out vnder the name of fathers Againe what is is more vnreasonable then to bring forth the pope his complices for witnesses or iudges in their owne cause Lex dei saith Athanasius Apolog 2. inimicum ne que testē ne que iudicem esse vult the lawe of God admitteth not our enemies to bee either iudges or witnesses Finally naturall reason is blind in the cause of true religion profane men write profanely These groundes therfore as they are faultie cannot serue for immoueable groundes of the christian fayth Cōmonly all papists doe build their faith not so much vpon holie scriptures as vpon vnwritten traditions popish decretals lying miracles feyned visions the Romish churches Practise But theire miracles and reuelations haue for the moste parte no better authoritie then from the forged and lying legendes of saintes the falshhood of their Decretalls and traditions is declared by the writings of auncient fathers the practise of the moderne Church is contrary to the apostolike and catholike church of old time For in that Church we neither finde any vniuersal pope with triple crown guard of Swizzars nor any Romish masse nor popish indulgences or purgatory or such like trash Vpon these false and erroneous grounds it is no maruell if they haue framed to themselues a most false and erroneous religion as may appeare by these particulars Concerning scriptures they teache that they are no perfect canon of our fayth and next that they are not authenticall to vs vnlesse they be consigned and deliuered to vs by the Pope and his adherents Thirdly they say that the Latin translation is authenticall which they doo not affirme of the originall books Fourthly they say they are obscure and hurtfull Lastlie they permit them not to bee read publikely in tongues vnderstood of the multitude But the Apostle 2. Tim. 3. sayth They are able to make the man of God perfite and none but heretikes as we may read in Ireneus euer accused them of insufficiency Secondly as lawes so scriptures haue receiued theyr strength from the author of them that is from the holy ghost And those are very absurd that do beleeue the Pope speaking in his decretalls and will not beleeue God speaking in holy scriptures Thirdly all the fathers prefer the originall books of scripture before the translations Fourthly the word of god in scriptures is called light and the food of the soule Who then that is not led by the spirit of Satan can repute them obscure or hurtfull Lastly neuer was it taught or hearde in auncient times that scriptures were publikely red in tongues not vnderstood Secondly they giue to Christ in the sacrament a body neither felt nor seen nor any way like to our bodies For what man J beseech you euer had a body that was in many places at once and yet filleth no place they holde also that being in his mothers womb he was vir perfectus that is a grown man and that as man he was omniscient and knew all things His office of mediatorship they communicate vnto the virgin Marie and other saints and to Angells and somtime stick not to call saints their redeemers as Bellarmine in his first book de iudulgentijs confesseth To make a treasure of indulgences they mix the merits of Christ and his saints together as if Christs merits were insufficient Their Massepriests as they say are after the order of Melchisedech Finally they make them mediators for Christs body as these words of the Masse declare suscipe hanc oblationem c. and again supra quae propitio sereno vultu respicere digneris That is receiue this oblation viz. of Christs body and blood And again Looke vpon it with a fanourable and serene countenance Of which doctrines no one is true and diuers are blasphemous and impious Thirdly they say the Pope is saint Peters successour and Christs Vicar albeit he neither teach the gospell nor administer the Sacraments nor resemble them almost in any thing Him also they make the heade spouse and foundation of the vniuersall church albeit he can shew graunte for none of these prerogatiues They teach further that he is aboue general councels and hath power to depose kings and that his lawes bind mens consciences but such doctrines are not only erroneous but also absurd Fourthly they cast out of the catholike church all that professe not their faith although elect to life and contrarywise make reprobate persons hereticks and wiched men professing the Romish faith and communicating with the Romishe church true members of christs body they hold also that the catholike church is alwayes so visible that euery man may see it and discerne it Finally they shut the catholike church within the limits of the Romish church Matters repugnaunte to holy scriptures and no way agreeing with the nature of the true catholike and apostolike church nor very well with reason Fiftly most falsly they teache that the Pope onely hath power to confirme generall councells and that no man els ought to summon them and praeside in them They hold also that the conuenticles of Laterane Constance Florence and Trent are comparable to the fowre firste generall councells Sixtly they make their followers belieue that the moderne church of Rome differeth not from the aunciente Romane Church and that the same is guided by gods spirit and cannot erre But their erroneous doctrine different from that which S. Paul taught the Romans declareth the contrary 7. Commonly they take to themselues the name of Catholikes yet their doctrine of the masse of their half communions adoration of the sacrament merites of congruity and condignity of Popish indulgences worshippe of images and such like was neuer receiued of the Christians of all times and places 8. Parsons in his booke of 3. conuersions giueth out that Saint Peter and Eleutherus did teache the moderne Romane faith to the aunciente Britones and Austen the monke to aunciente Saxons But hee faileth in his proofes and with a harde and bare face telleth nothinge but bare and improbable lies 9. They teache their followers to worship saintes and to say

Contraryvvise you proue nought against vs and yet force vs to embrace your vvicked opinions Doctrine we receiue heresie These are points first to be decided and determined amongst Deuines and learned men of both parts and therefore that Magistrates should proceede against vs as men conuicted of those crimes before our cause be heard and determined by them that are by God 7 They vvill onely haue the pope to be iudge appointed to handle those high and important points of diuinity we hope your Maiesties clemency and piety will not permit But iudgement 8 Neuer vvith you in any lavvfull generall councell being past on our side already in so many generall Councells abroad and 9 Proue your popes mitre and massing sacrifice by conuocations and Parliaments if you can conuocations and Parliaments at home commending and approuing the faith we professe what reason can giue life to that lawe that doth reuerse a sentence so authentically giuen without the full form of iustice and processe therein required Chapter 4. The reasons vvhy vve are so resolute in our Religion Reasons of Religion THE first reason that we giue of our faith and Religion Sacred Soueraigne and why we ought not to suffer therefore as delinquents is that neither 1 The Turks and any other heretikes are able to say so much as these do albeit they proue nothing obstinate pride nor presumptuous pertinacy The 1. reason nor dislike of order or Discipline nor contempt of authority nor curiosity affectation of nouelty or discontentment in our priuate humors maketh vs so constant and resolute in the profession thereof but our consciences meerly so informed and inforced in maner by the 2 Proue this grace and exhibit this holy vvord and then you say somthing instinct of Gods grace and reuelation of his holy word and will but our vnderstanding captiuated in obsequium fidei by most euident (a) In no Religion but the Catholike only do all these Testimonîes concur Testimony of holy Write of Vnity Vniuersality Succession Antiquity and 3 Fevv lay papistes vnderstand scripturs in strange tongues and in vulgar tongues they may not read them Hovv then come they to knovv that scriptures make for them do they beleeue the pope and his emissaries that giueth them black for vvhite authority of Scriptures 4 VVith vhose vvorks you are but little acquainted Fathers Saints Doctors Councells Parliaments Virgins and Martyrs which all concur onely and jointly in the 5 VVhat is that to those that professe the popes particular doctrine Catholike Religion and in no other profession whatsoeuer which considerations accompanied with the feare of Gods judgements the danger of 6 You feare purgatory fire Hell fire you feare not that runn vvith your holy father headlong into hell and vvith rebells into treason Hell fire and the desire of eternall Saluation command vs by the rules of reason in the practise and profession of that Religion to obey the law of God 7 VVhy then doo you prefer the popes lavves before the letter of gods lavves before the lawe of Man It is an instance and maxime that suffereth no exception that neuer any generall or vniuersall 8 VVhat is that to vs innouation The 2 reason or alteration in matters of Faith or Religion from bad to better hath been heard of either in the whole world or in any particular nation be it either from Iudaisme Gentilisme Paganism Atheisme or Idolatry but that the commission and vocation of the messengers haue been authorised Domino cooperante sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis Mar. 16. our Lord working with all and confirming the word with signes that followed which sithence our new messengers and reformers as yet haue not duly nor clearely shewed pretending as they do to purge Christendome of superstition and idolatry how can they in reason craue at our hands credit or conformity to the new lawes made on that behalfe God is ipsa vita lux veritas God that is the life light The 3. reason and truth it selfe cannot giue commission credit and authority to death darknes and falshood but it is most euident and cannot be doubted of or denied that the first Apostles and Conuertors of this our nations of England Scotland Ireland France and Germany were sent from the Church of Rome deliuered vs the same Romane faith we 10 That is the question We proue the contrary by particular instances and euident demonstrations now professe 9 All vvas not of your religion The Greek church at this day renounceth your erros the same Masse and the same Sacraments and preached the selfe same Doctrine Domino cooperante sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis our Lord working with all and confirming the worde with signes that followed Reason then concludeth thus that either God in this case hath giuen testimony to falshood or else the doctrin confirmed by the testimony of God is true and auowable and not to be forsaken for feare of any humane lawes till we haue like testimony from Heauen to the contrary and when our aduersaries shall duely reproue ours herein and make their own 1 VVe haue proued it clearly But the caniball masse priests stick alvvaies in this brake mission as manifest by the word of God then if we do not conforme our selues to the new lawes imposed vpon vs worthily we are to endure these late inflicted penalties for matter of recusancy To conuince vs then that either we haue not the true Scriptures The 4. reason or interpret them not as wee ought or that we dishonor God in honouring his Saints or erre in the number or nature of our Sacraments as that our doctrine is false and defectiue and to condemne vs and punish vs therefore as Heretikes and Idolaters requireth 2 As if ordinary pastors vver not to reproue errors according to the doctrine of the prophets and Apostles vvithout extraordinary authority in all reason an absolute commission from God the which when it shall be produced willingly we will obey If they alledge Scriptures the Scriptures are common to vs both The 5. reason yet more likely in reason to be ours then theirs because that if the Church of Rome had not conserued them and communicated the same vnto vs our aduersaries had been at this day 3 If Rome had sunke many yeers since yet had the scriptures been preserued Scripturelesse the very originall Bible the selfe same numer● which S. Gregory sent in with our Apostle S. Augustine being as yet 4 Where further vvhat maketh that for you reserued by Gods especiall prouidence as a Testimony (a) We receiued the Scriptures from the Church of Rome that what Scriptures we haue we had 5 As if vve had in England no Bibles but Gregories Bible or as if Gregory vver the author of the Bible them from Rome and haue nothing of our reformers but

apparell The councell of Laodicea condemneth the worshippe of angels Neyther is there any abuse in Popery that is of any antiquity but lightly the same is taxed in some ancient councel The popish worship of angells images crosses and such like halfe communions straunge and vnknown tongues and other abuses of popish religion likewise are either not knowne or generally condemned by the fathers 5. The auncient Christian religion came from Hierusalem but the popish worshippe of images and saints the doctrine of the carnall eating of Christs body transubstantiation halfe communions indulgences the popish doctrin of purgatory and the popes monarchy came neuer from thence 6 Finally we find when and where the principail points of popish doctrin which the church of England refuseth were established by the synagogue of Rome the worship of images was first receiued and established in the idolatrous second councell of Nice vnder Irene Gregory the 7. first tooke on him the vse of both swords and began with sorce to depose Emperors and to translate kingdomes from one to another Innocent the third first brought in transubstantiation and auricular confession in the councell of Lateran The conuenticle of Constance first decreed that accidents in the Eucharist subsist without a subiect and that all Christians beside the priest were to content themselues with one kind in the sacrament Eugenius the fourth in the conuenticle of Florence as is said setled the doctrin of purgatory and the popes supremacy then also was deliuered the doctrin of the 7. sacraments and established first by authority The rest of those popish doctrines concerning the sacrifice of the Masse indulgences and such like deuises which we refuse were lately confirmed in the conuenticle of Trent From thence the papists deriue the authority of the missalls breuiaries and other rituall books If any thing be taught by them more then this contrary to the sound forme of faith deliuered by the Apostles the same hath bin receiued either from olde hereticks or els from later Popes of Rome That religion therfore which papists teach ouer and aboue the christian faith is newly deuised and not to be deriued from the Apostles or prophets or ancient fathers of the church Chap. 10. That Popish religion is impious and blasphemous THE people of God vnder the law were so zealous of Gods glory that they vsed to rend their cloths if they did heare any man vtter any thing soūding like blasphemy Nay for the word that signifieth blaspheming the Hebrewes vse the worde of blessing which sheweth that all our actions shoulde tend to the prayse of god and none to his dishonor Is it not then straunge that Christians which shoulde excell all others in zeale and loue towards God should either professe or suffer popish religion that is so full of impieties and blasphemies against god This they thinke to wipe away with one impudent denial But this name of blasphemy is too deep grauen in the forehead of the whore of Babylon to be defaced with any deniall For first the Pope challengeth to himselfe the name and honour of God as is euident by the chap. satis dist 96. and c. inter corporalia de translat pral and the Canonists giue vnto him that name and honour as is to be seene in the glosse in c. cum inter extr Ioan. 22. de verb. signif and in the commentaries of Felin in c. ego N. de iureiur ando and Baldus in l. vlt. Cod. sententiae rescindendae Stapletō in his epist to Gregory the 13. before his doctrinale principles doth call the pope supremum numen in terris that is the soueraigne god of the earth 2. Secondly blasphemously the papists translate the honour of Christ to the Pope they call him the head foundation and spouse of the Church as appeareth by the disputes of Bellarmine lib. 2 de pontif Rom. c. 31. and by the glosses of the Canonists Abb as Panormitanus saith that Christ the Pope haue but one consistory This honour also the Pope is content to take to him as by the Chap. quoniam de imunitate in 6. and diuers other decretales it appeareth In the booke of Ceremonies hee applieth to himselfe these words which Christ vttereth of himselfe all power is giuen to me in heauen and earth 3. Thirdly they giue the name and titles of God to creatures Biel lect 48. super can missae saith the prieste is the creatour of his owne creator the same blasphemy is also found in Innocentius de mysterijs missae and in Stella Clericorum and was vttered by Bonner to certaine Priestes in the beginning of Queen Maries dayes 4. Fourthly they confesse theyr sinnes to angells and saints as well as to God as is euidently proued by their common confession in tfieir missalls Horatius Tursellinus in his Epistle to Peter Aldobrandini before his history of our Lady of Loreto saieth that god dooth at our Ladies pleasure gouerne the earth and bestow at her becke heauenly gifts vpon men Commonly they giue the office of mediation to our Lady to saintes and angells 5. They teach that the Massepriests are constituted priests after the order of Melchisedech Nay they make the priestes mediators for christs body as it appeareth by these wordes of the masse supra quae propit to ac secreno vuliu respicere digneris c. 6. They are not ashamed to affirme that a dogge or hogge or mouse eating a consecrated hoast doth eate christes true bodie as we may see in Thomas Aquinas 3. p. q. 83. art 6. and in 4. sent dist 13 and in Biel in 4. sent dist 12. in Alexander Hales and diuers other schoolemen 7. Nicholas the 2. in the chap. Ego Berengarius dist 2. de consecrat maketh Berengarius to confesse that Christs glorified body is torue with teethe and sensibly handled by the Priest 8. Clemens the 6. in the chap. vnigenitus extr de paenit et remiss doth make Christe like to the sinfull people of the Iewes in whome as we reade Isay c 1. from the heade to the foote there was nothing sound 9. Faber in his booke against the anatomy of the masse compareth christe to drūken Silenus annon sayth he mirificus Silenus suit christus in another place he calleth him an enchanter 10. Bellarmine lib. 1. de cult sanct c. 13. alledging a place out of Iustine Martyr but most fasly placeth angels before the holy ghost and woulde haue them worshipped together with the holy trinity 11. Julius the third called for his Peacock in despight of god and nothing is more common among papists then blasphemies imprecations as is confessed by themselues in the Romish catechisme 12. In the Romish breuiary the blessed virgin is called dulcis amica dei that is the sweet friend of god the happy gate of heuē They giue vnto her also power ouer her sonne and say iure matris impera redemptori that is by thy motherly power commād the Redeemer of the world 13. Bellarmine lib. 1. de

vāts seing lay mē are little skilled in tōgs stānd prohibited to reade them in vulgar tongs with out licēce furthermore these felowes art not so far trauelled as to know what is cōteined in scriptures fathers coūcels aūcient writers concerning matters in cōtrouersy if they resolue thēselues by relatiō of the massepreests friars thēar they most simple ideots to beleeue matters vpon heresay and to found themselues vpon the reports of such lying compagnions Lastly they seeme to haue theire braynes distempred that are made to beleeue that the popish sacrifice of the masse for quick and deade their carnall eating of Christs flesh with the mouths of men nay with the mouth of bruit beasts their transubstantiation halfe communions and idolatrous worship of the sacrament the popes vniuersall and plenary power conteined in decretales their 7. sacraments and doctrine of iustification by orders mariage and extreame vnction theyr worship of saints reliques and images and all the rest of their abhominable doctrine may be proued by authority of scriptures fathers saints doctors councels Parliamentes and that the same is confirmed dy vnitie vniuersality succession and. antiquity beside the testimony of virgins and Martyrs This we may affirme of the Apostles creed and the Catholike fayth taught and published in auncient Councels but by no meanes of the fayth of the moderne sinagogue of Rome Nay in our abridgemente or suruey of Poperie we haue plainely demonstrated that the same is contrary to scriptures fathers councels auncient writers and is deuoyde of the testimonies of martyres virgins and decrees of Parliaments and all other authenticall proofes Secondly they alledge that neuer any vniversall innouation in matters of religion hath been made but that the commission and vocation of the messengers hath beene authorised by signes and wonders But this allegation as it concearneth vs nothing so it vtterly ouerthroweth the petitioners cause For we haue made no vniuersal innonatiō Nay we do not alter or abrogate-any one article of the Christian faith but as in Spaine true teachers in former tymes caused Arianisme to cease and true religion to bee receiued and as the Christians in the land of Palestine some 400. yeares sence for a time caused the impieties of Mahomet to be suppressed Christian religion to be taught and practised so do we onely abolish the corruptions false doctrines heresies and impieties of popery and reteine euery article of the Auncient christian fayth But the massepreests friars and monkes adhering to the Pope haue made an vniuersall alteration in the worship of God bringing in the idolatrous worship of saints of images of the sacrament and receiuing many old condemned heresies and new deuised schoole doctrines and decretaline deuises and yet neither shew signes nor wonders vnlesse a man list to beleeue the wondrous lyes of their legends and breuiaries Thirdly they take it as a matter most euident and that cānot be denied that the first apostles and conuerters of Englād Scotland Ireland France and Germany were sent from the Church of Rome and deliuered vs the same fayth which the Papists now professe But they take boldly and affirme impudently that which no man either giueth them or yeeldeth to bee true Parsons hath spent much idle talke in this argument and proueth nothing Coleton is as mute as if hee were turned into a Codfish and replieth nothing to that which is answered to the petition of Masseprecstes the last session of parliament and their discourse touching this poynt As for these petitioners they shewe themselues ignorant of learning that beleeue that the doctrine of Romish traditions of the Popes authority of the masse of the 7. sacramentes of Purgatory and indulgences and such like matters was known to the anciēt Bishops of Rome but suppose old Rome had sent true preachers abroade to conuert nations to the Christian fayth what is that to new Rome that sendeth out false apostles to corrupt the true fayth and assassins Cut-throates to murder such as fauour the truth this false doctrine and cut throate practise certes was neuer confirmed with true signes and wonders Fourthlie they require vs to shew a Commission from God if we meane to conuince the papists that they haue not true scriptures or interpret them not right or that they are idolaters or hereticks a deuise likely to proceed from such idle heades For neither did those fathers that conuinced the Marcionists Arrians Manichees Angelicks and other hereticks either of corrupting or misconstruing the scriptures or any other poynt of false doctrine shew a commission immediatly from god neither doe the masse preests that dispute nowe against Turks Arrians and Anabaptists shewe forth any such commission All Christians and not onelie publike teachers haue commission sufficient to descry to take heed of false Prophets that come vnto them in sheeps clothing but inwardly are rauening wolues What needeth then this extraordinary authority Fiftly they tellvs that we had our scriptures from Rome and had been scripturelesse if we had not receiued them from thence He sayth also that the same bible which Angustine brought into England is yet reserued by gods especiall prouidence But firste it is not materiall from whence Christians receiue holy scriptures The Romaines receiued them from the Iewes and yet I trow Parsons and Coletou as they are turned Romanists will not turne Iewes Secondly that the Britous receiued the scriptures from the Romanes it is not likely they being as the common report goeth conuerted by Ioseph of Arimathaea Neither doe these petitioners shew where the Bible is to be foud that was brought in by Austen the Monk nor doe they make proofe that this which they shew is the the same Bible which Austen brought in Jf it bee the old vulgar translation it is not likely that Gregory sent it For he doth not alwayes follow that translation Heere also they tell vs that we haue reiected and discanonized diuers bookes of scripture because they be expresse testimonyes againste our religion which it pleaseth them to cal new and negatiue But neither doe we reiect any booke of canonicall scripture nor can any argument be drawne from the bookes apocryphall added in the vulgarlatin translation to the old testamēt that doeth hurt vs. Furthermore if we do onely deny the heresies of the papists then doe we not frame any new religion vnto ourselues and if the papists affirme matters not known to fathers then is theire religion new positiue if not wicked in the superlatiue For the sence of scripture they tell vs that we haue onely the warrant of our priuate spirit and they the assistance of gods holy spirit promised to his Church But absurdly they talke of the interpretation of scriptures following therein the priuate sence of a sencelesse pope and neither the interpretation consonant to the meaning of gods holy spirit speaking in scriptures nor to the iudgement of fathers vpon whome they bragge most fondly Lastly they tell vs againe of parliaments and