like to vs in all things sinne onely except if he were not borne like to vs They beleeue also and teach that Christ his body did passe through the graue stone when he rose from death and through the doore when he entred the house where his Disciples were assembled after his resurrection The Fathers hold saith Bellarmine lib. 3 de Eucharist cap. 16. that Christs true body came out of the sepulcher being shut Quod per clausum sepulchrum verum corpus exiuerit And his meaning is that his true body passed through the stone at the graues mouth as may wel be gathered by the drift of his discourse where he refuteth the opinion of those that held that the graue stone yeelded and gaue place to Christs body Likewise in the same place speaking of Christs comming to his Disciples the doores being shut he affirmeth that Christ passed his solide body through another solide body Quod Dominus corpus suum solidum per aliud solidum introduxerit In the sacrament they say that Christ his true body is really and by consequent confesse that the same is in as many diuers places at once as is the sacrament They hold also that the same body is there neither felt nor seene and that he is not extended according to the nature of an humane body nor occupieth any place being in the sacrament But these are matters direct contrary to the doctrine of the Apostles and fathers they also repugne against reason and imply notorious contradictions They brought him to Ierusalem sayth Luke c. 2. to present him to the Lord as it is written in the law euery male child that first openeth the wombe shall be called holy to the Lord. Matris vulua sayth Origen hom 14. in Luc. 〈◊〉 tempore reserata est quo partus editus The mothers wombe was then opened when her child was brought forth Tertullian lib. de resurr carnis speaking likewise of Christs birth Who sayth he was truly holy but the sonne of God Who did properly open the wombe but he which opened it being shut The same sayth Ambrose lib. 2. in Luc. c. 7. Neither is this any blemish to the blessed virgins perpetuall virginitie For that is not lost nor perished by ouerture of the matrix which may diuersly happen but by the carnall knowledge of man Further we reade Heb. 2. that Christ tooke mans nature and not of Angels and that it behoued him in all things to be like to his brethrē In Luke the soure and twentith chapter when our Sauior Christ would proue himselfe to be man not a spirit he sayd Palpate videte c. that is Feele and see a spirit hath neither flesh nor bones as you see me to haue We do also professe in the Athanafian Creed that as he is perfect God so he is perfect man Ignatius Epist. ad Polycarp Ambrose in Luc. 24. Theodoret dial 2. and diuers other fathers acknowledge that Christ his body is to be felt and seene and that he hath flesh blood and bones like vnto vs. But if our Sauiour Christ did no otherwise passe out of his mothers wombe then as light through glasse then was he no perfect man nor fleshly 〈◊〉 The same may 〈◊〉 be concluded if his body did 〈◊〉 through stones or 〈◊〉 of doores For neuer did any man passe through stones or boordes in that sort nor did euer any man come out of his mother as light from glasse Further this sauoreth much of the heresie of the Marcionites that supposed that Christ had no naturall flesh nor true body and destroyeth the article of Christs incarnation and natiuitie If he haue a body that can neither be felt nor seene then hath he no true body Which also followeth if his body may be in infinite places at once and yet fill no place For neuer yet had any man such a body that could be in many places at once and yet fil no place Furthermore nothing could more repugne against reason then that a mans body should passe through stones and boords or be as subtile as the beames of the sunne or that a man should subsist without the natural properties of mans nature as weight height depth bredth colour grosnesse and such like And as well may a body be in all places as in euery altar For a body cannot be in two extreame termes but the same must be in the 〈◊〉 Furthermore if all the world may be turned into bread and bread into Christs body then may Christs body fill the whole world as Bellarmine lib. de incarnat c. 11. confesseth He doeth also confesse that the vbiquity of Christs body is repugnant to the articles of our Creede concerning Christs conception natiuitie death buriall descension to hell ascension to heauen and comming to iudgement If then he be not able to defend the vbiquitie of Christs bodie in euery conserated hoast without yéelding simply to the vbiquitaries then it followeth that the reall presence of Christes body as it is taught by the Papistes doeth ouerthrow diuers articles of our Christian 〈◊〉 by the very confession of the aduersaries The same also may otherwise be proued if they should not confesse so much For how is Christ ascended if his body be hanging ouer euery altar How is it credible that he shall come from heauen to iudge quicke and dead if he be lurking in euery consecrate 〈◊〉 How was he conceiued and borne of the virgine and suffered death on the crosse if he had a body of such a simple nature that it was like light in glasse and might be in many places at once without filling any Finally it implyeth a notorious contradictiō for Christs body to be in heauen visible and here inuisible to be there palpable and here impalpable to be continued and not continued eaten here and not eaten in heauen here without filling of a place there filling a place here in the priests hands and there not Absurdly also do the Papists talke of Christ his most holy sacrifice Christ sayth the Apostle Heb. c. 9. was once offered that he might take away the sinnes of many And Hebr. 10. Christ hauing offered one sacrifice for sinnes doth perpetually sit at the right hand of God And againe With one oblation he hath for euer sanctified those that are sanctified But the Papists say that our Sauior offered him selfe twise once at his last supper and the second time vpō the crosse They teach also that the priest in euery Masse doth offer vp the body and blood of Christ really for a sacrifice for quicke and dead The which is not only contrary to Scriptures but derogateth much from the perfection and vnitie of Christs sacrifice For how is Christs sacrifice perfect if the same be so often reiterated How is Christ his sacrifice one and the same if euery pelting priest do offer vp this sacrifice The same is contrary to the doctrine of the Fathers which teach that the sacrifices of Christians are spiritual and no
of the Sentences rehearsing the seuē sacraments for the Lords supper putteth Panis benedictionem that is the blessing of the bread excluding the cup either from the Lords supper or from the number of sacraments He doth also differ from the rest in describing the vertue of the 〈◊〉 Alia 〈◊〉 contra peccatum praebent saith he gratiam adiutricem conferunt vt baptismus alia in remedium tantùm sunt vt coniugium 〈◊〉 gratia virtute 〈◊〉 fulciunt vt 〈◊〉 ordo That is some of the sacraments yeeld vs a remedy against sin and withall bestow on vs helpfull grace others are onely for remedy as mariage others do strengthen vs with grace and vertue as the eucharist and holy orders But Bellarmine lib. 2. de sacrament c. 〈◊〉 doth shew that the common currant opinion now is otherwise and that all these sacraments do iustifie ex opere operato that is by vertue of the worke wrought As if all maried men and priests of Baal were iustified or as if iustification and grace came by greasing scraping crossing and such other ceremonies But neither are they able to iustifie this doctrine nor to shew either institution or promise of confirmation or extreme 〈◊〉 or certaine signe of mariage or repentance or order or the other two new deuised sacraments Furthermore mariage repentance and priesthood were as well vsed in the time of the law as in the Gospell Now then can these 〈◊〉 sacraments of the Gospell They haue also altered corrupted and mangled Christ his institution concerning the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords supper In baptime they salt and coniure the water in which the party baptized is to be dipped They put salt into his mouth and touch his eares and nosthrils with spittle which is oft times very noisom They annoint him also on the head and giue him a candle in his hand and embroyle Christ his institution with diuers other ceremonies Finally to make water more effectuall they poure oyle into the 〈◊〉 In the sacrament of the Lords supper instituted in bread and wine they leaue neither the substance of bread nor wine but say that the same is transsubstantiated into Christs body and blood and that either his body and blood or the accidents of bread and wine subsisting without their substance make the sacrament Secondly they hold that Christs body and bloud are conioyned without any distance to the accidents of bread and wine albeit they are not there either felt or seene Thirdly they haue turned the sacrament of our communion with 〈◊〉 and of our mutuall coniunction one with another into a priuate action of one Priest that eateth and drinketh all alone vncharitably and very directly contrary to Christ his institution who ioyntly said Accipite manducate hoc est corpus meum and bibite ex hoc omnes Take eate this is my body and drinke ye all of this contrary to the practise of the auncient Church that neuer solemnized this action without distribution of the sacrament and contrary to the vse and reason of the sacrament For why should not the faithfull be made partakers of that sacrament which is a signe of their vnion both with Christ and among themselues Fourthly Christ and his Apostles administred the cup to as many as receiued the holy eucharist But they by a solemne decrée of priests at Constance take away the cup from all saue the priests that say Masse Fiftly Christ ordained that the sacrament of his body and bloud should be distributed and receiued in that action these fellowes kéepe the sacrament in a boxe and cary it about in solemne processions Sixthly they worship the sacrament and call it their Lord and God contrary to all rules of Christianity Seuenthly Christ appointed a holy sacrament and gaue not his body and bloud to be offered continually in the Masse as a sacrifice auaileable for quicke and dead as these good fellowes do beléeue Finally the Apostle sheweth that as oft as we celebrate this holy action we shew forth the Lords death vntill his comming againe But the Papists forbid this action to be celebrated in a vulgar tong which is commonly vnderstood of the people as much as in them lyeth hindring them from shewing forth the Lords death they hold also that he is already come and present in the sacrament But the Church of England doth religiously obserue Christ his institution and that doctrine which the Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs. The same admitteth no sacramēts but two that is Baptisme and the Lords supper In Baptisme we refuse the idle and 〈◊〉 ceremonies brought in lately by Papists That which the Apostle had receiued of Christ Iesus and deliuered to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 that we diligently obserue renouncing their nouelties heresies and blasphemies concerning the grosse carnal and corporall presence and eating and drinking of Christs body and bloud in the sacrament the late deuised transsubstantiation the blasphemous idole of the Masse the diuine worship of consecrated hostes the mangled communion vnder the forme of bread their celebration in a tongue not vnderstood of the communicants and all the rest of their abuses which without either authoritie of scriptures or allowance of the most auncient and 〈◊〉 fathers they haue brought into the Church The sacraments therefore of the new Iestament being pledges of Gods loue and seales of Gods graces whereby he worketh in vs we are not lightly to prize the true and 〈◊〉 administration of them according to Christs holy institution nor to esteeme this a small benefite that the doctrine concerning the holy sacraments being reformed according to the canon of Gods word both the superstitious ceremonies in Baptisme and the idolatrous Masse with al abuses depending thereon were abrogated and remoued out of the Church and the celebration of Christs holy sacraments conformed according to the prime institution Many godly Emperors and Kings haue deserued praise in going about to reforme abuses crept into the administration of sacraments before their time but none more then our late most gracious Quéene that from extreme abuses brought all to a most excellent order CHAP. IIII. Of the true worship of God established in the Church of England HOw the worship of God was corrupted among the Papists before the late reformation wrought by her Maiesties authoritie in the Church of Englánd it wil hardly be of posteritie beléeued but that there are monuments of like corruptions yet remaining in diuers other countries and good records and memorials yet remaining of their notorious abuses in this countrie The faithfull 〈◊〉 nisters that were yet remaining vpon the comming in of Quéene Marie wept to sée the desolation of the Church as the people of God caried into captiuitie when they sate by the waters of Babylon and remembred Sion They that now liue wonder at the grossenesse of popish errors For first they erred in the rule of Gods worship In vaine sayth our Sauiour Mat. 15. do they worship me teaching for
vs. If of ceremonies it is not necessary that al churches shold agrée in all points Furthermore if the aduersaries had not calmniously layed diuers imputations of heresies vpon them which they neuer held the variation wold not haue séemed so great as they pretend Wherfore if Robert Parsons séeke no better it is not like that he wil find a Cardinals hat which as his friends charge him he hath long sought This is the 〈◊〉 of that which is materiall in Robert Parsons his treatise of thrée conuersions The rest is nothing else but froth of the mans fury and foolery and containeth only certaine idle inuectiues against M. Fox that good man against M. Bale other honest Christians together with certaine fond tales of king Alphreds dreames S. Cutberts apparitions such like woodden popish stuffe drawne out of lying legends He forgot not also to raile against our noble Quéene lately deceased and to call her old persecutor and to lay an aspersion of slaunder vpon the State as if the same did persecute Papists for religion a matter of which the secular Masse-priests are ashamed and sticke not to cleare those whom this conuertible Proteus most vniustly chargeth Finally his fardle of wast papers containeth diuers corruptions and deprauations of holy Scriptures miss-allegations of Fathers weake collections grosse errors rebellious positions notorious lies and calumiations which in a large treatise herafter are to be discouered K. Kellisons Suruey if any man list to suruey and peruse a certaine slaunderous and railing companions libell entituled Caluinoturcismus and with hatred more then Turkish to christian religiō set out by Gifford of Lile wil be found to be wholy stolne out frō thence albeit he yéeldeth no thanks to those from whence he borowed or rather stole his inuention This Plagiary therefore néedeth no other answer then that which is already made to Giffords Turky worke called Caluinoturcismus It séemeth y t man is at a stand For albeit Gifford hate religion like a Turk yet he answereth no more then if by vertue of Parsons his thrée conuersions he were turned into a mute Turbot This K. also of his owne hath added a glozing and flattering Epistle to the King a certaine preface concerning inanimate and vnreasonable creatures percase like the Arcadian beasts of Doway and certaine fragments old ends of diuers stale declamations made as it seemeth at the drinking out of a pot of Kenish wine His schollers I heare gape and wonder at his horrible eloquence But yet the wisest of thē see that they haue no affinitie with his purpose and onely serue to fringe his chapters like as mustie ends of mockado serue to stitch his lacket of perpetuana All the whole amounteth to nothing saue to declare the man to be a perpetuall railer and a most sottish declaimer The idle fellow in all his scuruy collection which he like a surueyor without commission hath made to lttle purpose doth neither shew wisedome nor modestie nor learning If the fellow had bene wise he would not haue touched any matter of noueltie or absurditie For therein he giueth his aduersaries iust occasion not onely to iustifie their religion to be most ancient and consonant to holy scriptures but also to declare his popish religion refused by vs to be a packe of nouelties and a masse of grosse absurdities For who knoweth not that the Komish Church consisting of a triple-crowned and crosse-slippard Pope with his guard of Suizzers a consistory of purple Cardinals that hath neare affinitie to the purple whore of Babylon a rabble of rakehellike masse-priests filthy monkes friars and nunnes with a people worshipping idols and beléeuing the decretaliue doctrine of Popes and the decrées of Trent is new and neuer séene before vntill of late Who doeth not vnderstand that both the grounds of popery the doctrine thereon built is new For neither can R. shew that the auncient Church was founded vpon the Pope and his decretals or vpon traditions allowed by the Church of Rome or that the Church was tied to such senses of scriptures as the Romish Church alloweth or bound to follow the old Latine translation of the Bible Neither can he proue either out of fathers or ancient writers that Christs true body is both in heauen and earth and in euery pixe at one and the same time or that his body is inuisible or impalpable or that there are iust seuen sacraments and neither more nor lesse and that Christians receiue Christs flesh with their téeth and mouth or that the Pope is the head and spouse of the Church or that he hath two swords or that any images are to be worshipped with latria or that diuels torment soules in purgatory or that the Popes indulgences deliuer soules frō those torments or such like points of popery Now what I pray you is more absurd then to beléeue that a man can eate himself as the Masse-priests say Christ did at his last Supper nay that a dogge or a hogge can eate Christs body or that a spider can be drowned in his bloud which saueth all destroyeth none that can receiue it Againe what is more senselesse then to adore crosses and dumbe images which neither see nor heare nor moue and whose honor is not séene or knowne of those saints to whō they belong for ought we know Thirdly what is more inconuenient then to make a blind Pope that is ignorant of all matters of religion for the most part supreme iudge of controuersies of religion Can blind men iudge of colours or ignorant atheists of religion Fourthly what is more blasphemous then to teach that the Scriptures to vs are not authenticall vnlesse the Pope consigne them vnto vs Shall not truth be truth vnlesse it please the Pope to say it Finally seeing faith ought to be most certaine and built vpon grounds most certaine the popish religion must néedes be an absurd faith and a false religion that is built vpon traditions as well as Scriptures of which traditions the papists can yéeld no certaine proofe but are driuen to alleage either lying legends or old motheaten missals or vncertain customes It were an easie thing to alleage infinite such like absurdities of which this surueying K. hath very foolishly offered vs occasion to discourse at large He doeth also very simply talke of the sacrifice of the Masse Suruey li. 4. c. 2. For if Papists say truly that Christs body and blood is really offered in the Masse and that euery externall sacrifice requireth a reall destruction then it followeth that these masse-mongers 〈◊〉 really destroy Christs body and blood Bellarmine lib. 1. de missa c. 2. sayth that an externall sacrifice doth require a reall destruction Requirit realem destructionem Was then this fellow wise trow you to talke of this braue sacrifice Further do we thinke him wise that in a booke offered to the king doth rayle on the kings religion saying That it leadeth vnto atheisme Finally it is a note of
Out of his reading of the fathers he neuer learned that Christ had a body vnlike to ours Fol. 16. he compareth Christs body to God that is in diuers places A matter that tendeth to the destruction of the article of Christs incarnatiō and much repugnant to scriptures and fathers Unto these words of Hilary lib. 8. de Trin. Of the truth of the flesh and blood of Christ there is no place of 〈◊〉 left he addeth diuers words falsifying them in this sort Of the true presence of the flesh and bloud of Christ in the blessed sacrament there is no place of doubting left Belike his great and exact study of diuinity and particular care in reading will beare him out in it Yet Hilary talketh of Christs true incarnatiō and not of the presence of Christs body and bloud in the sacrament Fol. 31. he sayth That our bodies are nourished with the body and blood of Christ. But the holy fathers teach vs that Christs body and blood is food for the soule and not for the body Cyprian De Coena Domini sayth We sharpe not our teeth to bite And Augustine tractat 26. in Ioan. sayth We are not to prepare our teeth viz. when we receiue this holy sacrament Here therefore this 〈◊〉 followed his fathers the Capernaites and not the fathers of the Church Fol. 174. he distinguisheth Peter Martyr from Vermilio whereas this is Peter Martyrs surname He telleth vs also that Flauianus taught that God was the author of all sinne But if he produce not his author it will be an easie matter to shew that he belyeth Flauianus and mistaketh one for another through pitifull ignorance To bely falsify the fathers with this bastardly Iebusit is but a peccadillio Fol. 18. he auoucheth boldly that Gregory speaketh not of satisfying for the guilt but for temporal paine But y e words of Gregory do plainly cōuince him of this falshood For in him these termes subtilties are not to be foūd Fol. 23. he is very bold with Lactantius maketh him to assigne thrée notes by which heretikes may be discerned from true Christians But this is more then euer Lactantius spoke or thought He doth also giue suspition by his corrupt translation as if Lactantius had spoken of popish auricular 〈◊〉 and penance theron enioyned which was neuer the authors meaning Fol. 25. he writeth y e Cyprian demonstrated Peter to be the head root of the church Which if Walpool had had a true tong in his head he wold neuer haue affirmed Beside that what a ridiculous toy is it to trāslate Peters prerogatiue to the Pope that is liker to y e Calipha of Babylon then to Peter Fol. 27. 31. 34. he corrupteth Irenaeus most grosly making him in the first place to speak of those traditions of which he neuer thought in the 2. to maintaine the vniuersal power of the Pope which he neuer knew In the third place where Irenaeus hath imaginibus he blotteth out y e word putteth in y e word magia least he might seeme to speak against images Neither doth he onely bely the fathers but his aduersaries also Fol. 114. he sayth that Aurifaber Snepfius Heshusius Vergerius Beza Musculus Socinus and other ministers in this agree that the auncient fathers are against them and for the Papists A matter neither agreed vppon by all nor in these termes confessed by any As for Socinus he was an Italian heretike cast out and condemned by our church Why then is he ranked with honest men Doth this ranke fellow in this multiforme lie think it reason to range together men of such disformitie In another place he affirmeth boldly that Luther Caluine Peter Martyr and Melancthon make God the author of sinne not considering as it séemeth what a sinfull act it is to calumniate and bely honest men That they are desperatly belied their words and writings where they professe and declare the contrary of this which Walpoole affirmeth do manifestly demonstrate But this monster hath filed his tongue to speake vntruth Fol. 157. speaking of popish 〈◊〉 and limbus patrum he sayth they were taught by all antiquitie Alie most notorious and which shal make him famous to all posteritie For neither is this word Limbus patrum nor the popish distinction of the parts of hell nor the popish doctrine concerning Limbus patrum and purgatory held by any one much lesse by all the ancient fathers And thereon I ioyne issue with this disioynted companion requiring him to answer that which I haue written De Purgatorio and contra limbum patrum papisticum to this purpose Of his great skil in Latin his words fol. 〈◊〉 b. wil giue testimony For there he hath Vnae 〈◊〉 sole for Vno ecclesiae sole as Hierome hath or at least Vnius ecclesiae sole if hee would haue spoken in any congruity Of his skil in the Gréeke we find good proofe fol. 54. b. where in two words he maketh thrée faults First he deuideth this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and maketh it two words Next he writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thirdly he putteth an accent of aspiration in the midst of a word If he had bene put to vse much Greeke we should haue had good stuffe that find him so faulty in this only one Gréeke word To conclude with our partie for this time neither in 〈◊〉 against his aduersary nor in defending himselfe his consorts his cause doth he acquite himself in any tolerable sort Unto me he obiecteth that I vnderstād not the state of the question A matter ridiculous For he himself cannot deny but I report the aduersaries meaning and words truly He chargeth me also with vntruths Yet is it no vntruth that I say that Stapleton denieth the scriptures to be the foundatiō of religion For I cite his words truly And euery man that readeth his booke entitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal find that scriptures are excluded out of the number of Principia doctrinalia With the like facility I shal cleare all the rest of his 〈◊〉 obiections Where I bring many arguments all concluding that papists are no true Catholikes as maintaining rather particular then catholike doctrine this wise confuter or rather confounder of himself 〈◊〉 out like a wild 〈◊〉 into a long discourse of the name of Catholike and the causes of the 〈◊〉 of the Church matters 〈◊〉 questioned betwixt vs. He doth also lode vs with sacks of authorities of the Fathers concerning the 〈◊〉 of the Church which are not to the purpose But in all this discourse he doth not once attempt to answer any thing said by vs. Likewise in the Challenge wherein Papists are declared 〈◊〉 to be the true Church he flieth al encounter like a foolish combatant fighting with his owne shadow And this we do not doubt but to declare shortly in a larger answer most fully In the meane while thou maist easily perceiue the 〈◊〉 falshood forgery and insufficient dealing of our
benefices and make money of their god of the altar and their religion which sauoureth of the heresie of Simon Magus Venalia nobis saith Mantuan Templa sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura preces coelum est venale 〈◊〉 That is churches priests altars sacraments crownes fire incense prayers yea heauen and God himselfe are set to sale among vs. Brigit in her reuelations cap. 232. saith Priestes are worse then Iudas for that he sold Christ for mony but they barter him for all commodities As the Basilidians worshipped images vsed enchantments and superstitious adiurations so do they worshipping not onely materiall images but also their fantasticall imaginations They also exorcise water and salt saying Exorcizo te creatura aquae againe exorcizo te creatura salis With the Heretickes called Staurolatrae they worship the crosse with the Angelikes they serue and worship Angels with the Armenians they make the images of God the Father and the holy Ghost As the Nazarites mingled Iewish ceremonies with christian Religion so do Papists borrowing from them their paschal lambe their Iubileys their priestly apparell their altars their Leuiticall rites and diuers other Iewish ceremonies Irenaeus lib. 1. aduers. 〈◊〉 cap. 30. saith that Marcion and Saturninus first taught abstinence from liuing creatures from whom the Papists séeme to haue borrowed their abstinence frō certaine meates as lesse holy then others Our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles as S. Augustine saith Epist. 86. ad Casulanum neuer appointed what dayes we ought to fast and what not The Papists therefore haue their fasts from others then from Christ or his Apostles From the Manicheys they borrow their communions vnder one kind as may be proued by the Chapt. relatum and comperimus dist 2. de consecrat and by Leo his fourth Sermon de quadrages The Helcesaites make Christ in heauen to differ from Christ on earth as saith Theodoret haeret fabul lib. 2. cap. de Helcesaeis his words are these Christum non vnum dicunt sed hunc quidem infernè illum verò supernè So likewise the Papists teach that Christs bodie in heauen is visible and palpable but not as it is in the Sacrament With the Pelagians they concurre in many points as I haue at large declared in my late challenge Hoc Pelagiani audent dicere saith S. Augustine lib. 2. de bono perseuerantiae c. 5. hominem iustum in hac vita nullum habere peccatum Now how can they cleare themselues from this that hold that a man is able to performe the law of God perfectly The Apostle Paul denyeth that we are iustified before God by the workes of the law The Papists haue taught quite contrarie He teacheth vs not to glorie in our works They say quite contrarie that men may glorie in their workes He sheweth that as many as receiue the sacrament of the Lords bodie are also to receiue the sacrament of his bloud They denie the cuppe to all the communicants beside the priest Our Sauiour instituting the Sacrament of his last supper said Accipite manducate that is take and eate These imagine that he offered his bodie and bloud really and corporally at his last supper and that he appointed his bodie and bloud actually to be offered in the Masse and not alwaies to be sacramentally and spiritually receiued of the communicants The Papists teach that wicked men reprobates and diuels may haue true faith But the Apostle teacheth that true faith iustifieth that they which haue it liue by faith Commonly they hold that charitie is the forme of faith Which if it were true then could not faith subsist without charitie But the Apostle teacheth vs that faith as faith doth make the iust to liue and auncient Christians were alwayes ignorant of these philosophicall fancies They hold that diuers sinnes are committed which are not forbidden by Gods law But this sheweth that the law of God as they suppose is not perfect and that the lawes of man hauing nothing in them of Gods law bind the conscience as well as the law of God Finally the very foundations of popish religion are erronious the same being founded partly vpon the decretals of Popes partly vpon the traditions of men contained partly in their Missals breuiaries 〈◊〉 other rituall books partly in their fabulous legends and partly in the chest of the Popes brest and partly vpon the old Latin translation of the Bible which the Romanists hold to be authenticall and partly vpō the interpretations of the Romish Church But since it pleased God to put into her Maiesties royall heart a resolution to reforme the church that was so much deformed by the pharisaicall and superstitious additions of y e Papists to restore religion according to y e doctrine of y e Apostles Prophets not only all former heresies errors were abolished but also the true doctrine of faith was restored The which is apparent not onely by the articles of Religion which we professe but also by our publike confessions and apologies which we haue published at diuers times And in part it may be proued by the secret confession of our aduersaries For albeit they would gladly cauill against our confessions yet they take their grounds commonly out of Luther Zuinglius Caluin Melancthon and others not often medling with our confessions Diuers of them also are wont to call vs negatiue Diuines Which argueth that so much as we hold positiuely is for the most part confessed by the aduersaries themselues and that we bring in no new faith but that which alwayes hath bene holden and maintained in the Church of Christ desiring onely that the positiue errors heresies and superstitions of Papists may be abolished Wherefore as Christians in time past extolled Constantine the great that gaue libertie to al his subiects to professe the Christian religion that assembled synods of Bishops and confirmed their decrees so ought we to celebrate the memory of our gracious 〈◊〉 that gaue libertie to all Christians to professe the truth that caused diuers assemblies of learned men and ratified the Christian faith by her authoritie CHAP. III. Of the true and sincere administration of the Sacraments of the Church restored in England OF the holy rites and sacraments of Christian religion we cannot speake without griefe of heart when we consider how shamefully they were abused mangled and corrupted by the synagogue of Antichrist Where Christ ordained onely two Sacraments to wit Baptisme where he said Teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost and the sacrament of his body and blood where he said Take eate this is my body and drinke ye all of this for this is the blood of the new testament and do this in remembrance of me that synagogue hath added fiue other sacraments giuing the same vertue to their extreme vnction and to mariage and orders concerning iustification that they giue to Baptisme the Lords supper The master
false doctrine and heresie the acts of the conuenticle of Trent of Florence and Constance compared with the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles and faith of the auncient fathers will plainely declare For as Tertullian said of old heretikes so may we say of them That their doctrine compared with the Apostolicke doctrine doth by the diuersitie and contrarietie thereof declare that it proceedeth from no Apostle or Apostolicke man Ipsa doctrina eorum cum Apostolica comparata ex diuersitate contrarietate sua pronunciabit neque Apostoli alicuius autoris esse neque Apostolici saith he The Apostle teachech vs That the Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect They say that the Scriptures are but a péece of the rule of faith and very imperfect without traditions S. Peter 2. Pet. 1. compareth the scriptures of the Prophets to a candle shining in a dark place they teach that scriptures are darke and obscure God commaundeth vs to heare his beloued Sonne Mat. 3. they commaund vs not to heare Christ speaking in scriptures to vs but to heare the Pope and his cacolike crue which they endue with the name of the Church The Apostle saith That no other foundation could be laid beside that which is alreadie layd which is Christ Iesus These fellowes say the Church is built vpon the Pope and that he is the foundation of the Church although we find plainely that there was no such Pope for many ages in the Church Christ said Reade the Scriptures these say directly to the vulgar sort reade not Scriptures in vulgar tongs without licence S. Iohn teacheth vs that sinne is whatsoeuer is contrary to the law these teach that many 〈◊〉 there are not repugnant to Gods law viz. such things as are contrary to the Popes law The Apostle Paul saith that concupiscence is sinne these affirme the contrary He saith originall sinne passed ouer al they deny it He saith no man is iustified by the workes of the law they teach flat contrary The law directly prohibiteth the making of grauen images to the end to bow down to them and to worship them These notwithstanding make the images of the holy Trinitie bow downe to them and worship them The Apostle Coloss. 2. speaketh against the worship of Angels They regard him not but in humblenesse of mind inuocate and worship Angels notwiihstanding Our Sauior instituting the holy Sacrament of his body and bloud sayd Accipite manducate take and eate and drink ye all of this They say sacrifice and worship and drink not all of this To rehearse all their contradictions to the word of God and to the Apostles doctrine were too long for this short discourse let these therefore serue for an introduction Of their heresies I haue before spoken Pius the fourth hath set forth a new forme of faith of which that may be said which Hilarie speaketh to Constantius Quicquid apud te praeter fidem vnā est perfidia non fides est Whatsoeuer this wicked Pope hath set forth beside the faith of Christ the same is perfidiousnes and not faith Of this qualitie is his doctrine of 〈◊〉 traditions of superstitious ceremonies of the blasphemous Masse of purgatorie of indulgences of the fiue new deuised sacraments and such like doctrines That the Papists are by schisme rent from the Catholike and vniuersal Church of Christ it may be proued by diuers particulars First Christs Church hath but one head that is Christ Jesus But the 〈◊〉 Church hath as many heads as Popes and heads that teach doctrine both diuers and contrary to Christ our sole head Secondly Christ his Church hath no other spouse but Christ Iesus But the adulterous Komish synagogue acknowledgeth the Pope to be her spouse and therefore must needes haue as many spouses as Popes and be not Virgo but Polygama that is one that hath many husbands or spouses Thirdly the Catholike Church is built vpon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the corner stone and hath beside this no other foundation But the Komish Church acknowledgeth the Pope to be her foundation Whereupon it followeth that she is sometime without foundation at least during the vacancie of the popedome and hath as many diuers foundations as Popes Fourthly the synagogue of Rome doth acknowledge the Pope to be her law-giuer and iudge that he hath power not onely to bind 〈◊〉 consciences but also to saue and destroy which doth fhew that she deuideth her selfe from Christes Catholicke Church which for many ages after Christs time had no such conceit Fifthly the same doth rely no lesse vpon traditions not written and vpon the Popes determinations in matters of faith then vpon the written word of God which the Catholike Church doeth not Sixthly this synagogue consisteth of a Pope and his Cardinals together with a rabble of Monkes Fryers and sacrificing priests But in the prime Catholicke Church there was no such state nor orders of men to be found Finally the members of the Komish synagogue are not onely deuided from the Catholike Church in doctrine sacraments externall gouernement and fellowship but also one frō another the Thomists differing from y e Scotists the Monkes from begging Friars the regular orders from secular Priests one Doctor from another and one Pope oft-times from another If then Schismatickes be no true members of the Church as their Doctors teach then are not the Romanists of the Church Againe if they differ from the Catholike Church and among themselues then haue they long continued in 〈◊〉 The nature and propertie of superstition doth shew the Papists to be also most superstitious For if it be the nature and propertie of superstition either to giue religious honor and worship to such things as are not capable of it or else to worship God after humane deuises and otherwise then he hath commanded then do they grossely offend in superstitiō But it is most notorious y e they grosly offend in both those points For first they inuocate Angels On the feast of Michael the Archangell they say Holy S. Michael defend vs in battell that we perish not in the fearefull iudgement They pray also to the Angell that kéepeth them whom they know not and this adoration of Angels in the 〈◊〉 Catechisme is allowed if not commaunded Secondly they worship the 〈◊〉 Maire and call her the mother of grace and port of saluation Bernardin doth call her the mediatrix betwixt God and vs and the helper of our iustification and saluation They pray vnto her for helpe per amorem vnigeniti filij tui as if Christ were a Mediator betwixt vs and our Ladie Bonauenture transforming the Psalmes which are made to be sung in praise of God to our Ladie saith Cantate Dominae canticum nouum and laudate dominam in sanctis 〈◊〉 that is Sing to our Ladie a new song and praise our Ladie in her Saints Thirdly they worship and call vpon other
where say that they offer vp Christs body and bloud really Iustin in dial cum Tryph. saith that prayers and praises of God are the onely acceptable sacrifices of Christians With him concurreth Tertullian lib. 3. contra Marcionē This visible sacrifice saith Augustine lib. 10. de ciuit Dei ca. 5. speaking of the Eucharist is a sacrament of the inuisible sacrifice that is the same is a holy signe of it Likewise Chrysostome hom 17. in epist. ad Heb. saith that our oblation is but a commemoration of Christ his death and a figure of that oblation which Christ made 〈◊〉 it is most blasphemous For in the Masse the priest taketh on him to be a mediator for Christ and prayeth that God would looke on Christ with a propitious and serene countenance accept the sacrifice of his body as he vouchsafed to accept the offerings of Abel Abraham and Melchisedech The scriptures teach vs that Christ onely is a priest after the order of Melchisedech as we may reade in the 110. psalme in the fift and seuenth chapter to the Hebrewes The Lord hath sworne and it shall not repent him saith God by his Prophet thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech The same also is proued for that he onely continueth for euer He was without father concerning his humane nature without mother concerning his diuine nature and hath neither beginning nor ending But the Masse-priests continue not for euer nor are they without father or mother nor are they without beginning or ending Are they not then presumptuous fellowes to enter vpon Christs office and to arrogate to themselues priesthood after the order of Melchisedech But were they priests after the order of Melchisedech yet did Melchisedech neuer offer the body and blood of any man nor do we reade that either he or Christ did offer for the quicke and dead at his last supper Are they not then flagitious fellowes that imagine themselues able to offer the son of God Are they not presumptuous priests that without warrant haue deuised such a sacrifice Our Sauiour Christ sayth that such do worship God in vaine which teach doctrines which are the commaundements of men But these fellowes deuise a worship of God contrary to his word crucifying Christ againe and laying violent hands vpon him according to their owne imaginations Christ hath taught vs to pray vnto the Father in his name saying Our father which art in heauen He hath also promised we shall obtaine our prayers which we shall so make If you shall aske my father any thing in my name sayth he he will giue it vnto you The Apostle doth also teach vs that as there is but one God so there is but one Mediator betwixt God man the 〈◊〉 Christ Iesus In the Epistle to the Hebrewes we reade that it behoued vs to haue an high Priest holy innocenr vndefiled separated from sinners and higher then the heauens For such a one onely was able to reconcile vs and to make intercession for vs. As for Angels Saints or saints relikes the auncient fathers did neuer vse as mediators or intercessors or spokesmen to God Ambrose in his treatise of Isac saith that Christ is our mouth by which we speake to the Father and our eye by which we see the Father and our right hand by which we offer to our Father S. Augustine writing vpon the 108. Psalme affirmeth that the prayer which is not offered by Christ is not onely not able to put away sinne but also is sinne it selfe But the blind Papists teach vs a farre different forme of prayer and flie to the mediation of our Ladie of Saints of Angels of the crosse as if these were our intercessors and mediators and as if the priesthood of Christ had bene translated to saints They say Maria mater gratiae mater misericordiae Mary mother of grace mother of mercie turning our father which art in heauē into our mother which art in heauen They say Haile Mary full of grace our Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruite of thy wōb Iesus holy Mary mother of God pray for vs sinners now in the houre of death taking vpon them presumptuously to speake those words which the Angell spoke by Gods direction to the holy virgine and corrupting the words of scripture by their additions and by iumbling the words of the Angell and of Elizabeth together In their Mattins in honor of our Ladie betweene euery verse of the Psalme Venite exultemus they put either Aue Maria or Dominus tecum corrupting and falsifying the words of scripture Bonauenture also most blasphemously hath corrupted and transformed the Psalmes into the praises of our Ladie beginning thus Beat us vir qui diligit nomen tuum virgo Maria gratia tua animam illius confortabit That is Blessed is the man that loueth thy name holy virgine Marie thy grace shall comfort his soule And Psal. 7. O Lady in thee haue I put my trust And Psal. 11. Saue me O mother of faire loue Wherein plainly he giueth the honor of God to the virgine Mary which I thinke no man can deny to be idolatrous In a booke called Hortulus animae printed at Paris anno 1565. by William Merlin in the 107. leafe she is called 〈◊〉 sanctarum animarum vera saluatrix earum mediatrix Dei hominum The praise of holy soules and true sauiour of them and the mediatrix betwixt God and man And fol. 224. we reade O veneranda 〈◊〉 Iesus Ioseph Maria O holy trinitie Iesus Ioseph and Marie Now what is blasphemie if this be not In the Rosary she is called the repairer and saluior of a desperate soule the distiller and giuer of spirituall grace Goodric a certaine holy hermit that liued in Henrie the second king of England his dayes prayed thus O holy Mary Christs mariage chamber virgin all puritie flower of thy mother put away my sinnes raigne in me leade me vnto happinesse with God In the feast of S. Catherin they pray thus Deus qui dedisti legem Moysi in summitate montis Sinai c. O God which hast giuen thy law vnto Moyses on the top of the mountain Sinai and in the same place hast by thy holy Angels placed the body of blessed Catherine a virgine and martyr grant we beseech thee that by her merites and intercession we may come to the mountaine that is Christ. And on S. Nicholas day they pray thus O God which hast adorned Nicholas thy Bishop with innumerable miracles grant we beseech thee that through his merits and prayers we may be deliuered from the flames of hell But if prayers be fruitlesse if not sinfull if they proceed not from true faith and if faith be grounded vpon vndoubted and prime truth how can these 〈◊〉 auaile vs that are grounded vpon S. Catherines and S. Nicholas his legends Againe if Christ be the mediator of saluation onely as the Papists hold
how can they hope to be saued by the merites of S. Catherine and S. Nicholas And how can they deny them to be mediators of saluation by whose merits they suppose to be saued I will not ask them what Catherine and Nicholas haue to do with them but yet they may do wel to proue that there was euer any such virgin in the world being the daughter of king Costus as they giue out Upon S. Francis his day they vse this prayer O God which by the merites of blessed S. Francis doest amplifie thy Church with the birth of new children graunt that by his imitation we may despise earthly things and alwayes reioyce being made partakers of heauenly gifts through Christ our Lord. But the Apostle exhorteth vs to be followers of Christ Jesus and of others so far as they be followers of Christ and iustly we may doubt whether Francis followed Christ or no being the author of a rule diuers from that of Christ and of diuers strange fancies We may also well make a question whether his disciples be Christs true disciples seeing the doctors of Paris affirmed they were in the state of damnation Sure we are that by Christs merits and not by his merits or imitation we are made partakers of heauenly gifts Upon S. Bathildis day according to the order of Sarum Missai they prayed that her merites might obtaine that their sacrifices oblations might be accepted seeing she offered vp her self a liuing holy and welpleasing sacrifice vnto God as if Christs body and bloud were not to be accepted but by the merits of S. Bathildis or as if by her sacrifice our sins were done away Upon Thomas of Canterbury his day they prayed that by the blood of Thomas they might ascend to heauen And on S. Lucies day they pray O Lucie spouse of Christ thou didst hate the things of the world and shinest with Angels by thine owne blood thou hast ouercome thine enemie As if men were saued by the blood of Thomas as wel as Christs blood and as if Saints by their owne blood without Christ could ouercome their enemies So wicked and blasphemous these prayers are that the most ingenious Doctors of the popish schoole haue much a do to excuse them and do very badly agree either one with another or with the truth Hosius in confess petrik ca. 58. hath these words When a man commeth to saints he doth not desire 〈◊〉 of them but onely their intercession And again We giue no more vnto them saith he when we call vpon them triumphing with Christ in heauen then to any one of our brethren militant on earth But therein he lyeth notoriously For commonly they call the virgine Mary mother of mercy and desire her to protect them and to do away their 〈◊〉 Likewise they pray to be saued by the blood of Thomas by the merites of other saints which I trow is more then they will giue to euery one of their brethren in earth Bellarmine saith that it is not lawful to ask glorie or grace or other meanes tending to blessednesse of saints as authors of Gods benefites But this is contradicted as well by the doctrine as by the practise of the Romish church Sotus in confess cath saith that saints in heauen are our coadiutors and fellow-workers in the worke of our saluation Saltzger writing vpon this argument affirmeth that we pray to saints for two benefites the first is to the end they may pray for vs the second is that either visibly or inuisibly they may bestow their helpe vpon vs. Clichtouey teacheth that saints haue seuerall graces to bestow on them that call vpon them Alexander Hales sayth Sanctos oramus vt mediatores per quos impetramus We call vpon saints as mediators by whom we obtaine Thomas sayth we receiue benefites from God by the meanes of saints Beneficia Dei sumimus mediantibus sanctis Antoninus part 3. sum Tit. 3. sayth that Gods benefites descend downe to vs by the mediation of Angels and holy soules And againe p. 4. Tit. 15. Maria it a aduocat interpellat vt Deum patrem placet conuersos in gloriam inducat Mary is so our aduocate and intercessor that she doth pacifie the Father and bring repentant sinners into glory Bernardine in his booke of Mary sayth that no grace commeth from heauen vnto the earth but by Mary and vnlesse the same passe by the hands of Mary for that all graces do enter into Mary and from her are cōmunicated to vs and for that she is the mediatrix of saluation of coniunction of intercession of communication Commonly they pray to the virgin Mary in this 〈◊〉 Giue vs peace protect me To S. George they addresse themselues saying this saint let him saue vs from our sinnes that we may rest in heauen with blessed soules Hic nas saluet say they à peccatis vt in 〈◊〉 cum beat is possimus quiescere And if they did only intercede for vs not bestow vpon vs the things we pray for why do some beg of S. Anthony the health of their swine and of S. Winnoc the good standing of their sheepe Why do they pray to S. Luis for their horses and to S. Nicolas for good passage at the sea Why do Painters call on S. Luke and Phisitions on Cosmas and Damianus and Shoo makers on S. Crespin Finally why do they tell vs in their legends of the apparitions of diuers saints in time of warre pestilence and other 〈◊〉 and working diuers feates For if they did onely intercede for vs then one saint might serue for al purposes and then should they onely appeare as suppliants to God and not as bestowers of graces and workers of wonders Finally then should we not say helpe me heale me defend me but pray to God that I may be holpen healed and defended Are not the Papists thē in miserable state that forgetting for the most part their onely Mediator and Redéemer run to saints and Angels nay runne to such as are no saints nor euer were in the world as George that killed the Dragon Catherin the daughter of 〈◊〉 Christopher that bore Christ and such like Are they not mad to pray vnto such as they know not whether they 〈◊〉 them or not And do not some say that they are euery where present to heare our praiers Others that they heare such prayers as God reuealeth vnto them Others that they sée all things in Gods face Others that they vnderstand by relation of Angels It cannot be denied For Bellarmine confesseth it lib. 1. de 〈◊〉 sanct ca. 20. and that which he affirmeth that saints do sée all in God from the first beginning of their blessed estate is most absurd For what is séeing to hearing Againe how can things temporarie be imprinted in the essence of God or can Saints sée some things and not all if they comprehend that which is in the incomprehensible essence of the Deity Most wretchedly also they do worship dumbe
of Augustine lib. 3. de doctr Christ. cap. 9. of Gregorie cap. multi secularium 1. q. 1. who although he name Baptisme Chrisme and the bodie and bloud of our Lord yet Chrisme was nothing but an addition to Baptisme Of Paschasius and others Sunt Sacramenta Christi saith Paschasius in Ecclesia catholica Baptismus corpus quoque Domini sanguis The Sacraments of Christ in the catholike Church are Baptisme and the bodie and bloud of our Lord. And so manifest a matter it is that Bessarion writing vpon the Sacrament confesseth that there are two Sacraments onely deliuered in the Gospell But the Papists haue added other fiue Sacraments vnto these two giuing like vertue vnto confirmation mariage order penance and extreame vnction as vnto Baptisme and the Lords Supper and teaching that Sacraments containe grace and iustifie the receiuer So that if we will beleeue them as well he is iustified that is confirmed maried ordered or annoynted as he that is baptised or made partaker of the Lords body and bloud Where Christ distributed the Sacrament of his bodie and bloud and gaue both the kinds to all communicants they seldome distribute the sacrament and take the cup from all but the priest In confirmation and extreame vnction they vse other signes and formes then euer Christ ordained They teach that Christians are able to satisfie for their sinnes and that the Pope by indulgences hath power to remit satisfaction and to do away the temporall punishment of 〈◊〉 Are they not then most miserable that haue corrupted the sacraments and seales of Gods eternall testament and as it were broken the couenants betwixt God and vs and despised the pledges of his loue Of Christian faith they thinke so basely that they make it nothing but a bare assent to Gods word as well in fearing the threatnings of the law as beléeuing the promises of the Gospell teach that not only reprobate men but also the Biuels also may haue true faith Bellarmine lib. de instif 1. c. 15. speaking of the faith of wicked men and diuels sayth that both is true and right and catholike faith and comparable to S. Peters faith concerning the obiect Grace that maketh vs acceptable to God saith Bellarmine cannot really be distinguished from the habite of charitie But if this be true then may Christians be saued by their workes without the help of Gods grace working with thē which is méere Pelagianisme For if charitie as it is in vs habitually make vs beloued then it is our loue towards God and not Gods grace or loue towards vs or his grace helping vs and remitting our sins through Christ that 〈◊〉 vs properly They denie that a man is certainly to perswade himself of his owne saluation or to beléeue the same and all their confidence they put in their owne workes and merites hoping to be saued by pilgrimages indulgences eating of 〈◊〉 créeping to the crosse kissing of the Popes toe praying to saints to stockes to stones giuing of money to lazie Monkes and Friers and such like humane deuises Are they not then most wretched that neither vnderstand what is grace nor what is faith nor what is charitie nor what belongeth to good works He that beleeueth not saith our Sauior Marke 16 shall be damned The Apostle also sheweth that none is iustified but by the grace of Christ. Nay he sayth that Christ saued vs not by the workes of righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercie by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost By eating holy bread they hope to attaine health of body and soule as it is in the Romish Missall they doubt not also but that their eating of their paschall lambe tendeth to the praise of God By holy water they teach that not onely diuels are driuen away but also veniall sinnes remitted Finally there remaine but few points of religion which the Papists with their leuen partly of Iudaical and heathenish superstition and partly of hereticall doctrine haue not corrupted What then resteth but that we deplore their blindnesse which admit such erronious absurd and blasphemous points of doctrine and wilfully resist those that offer vnto them the truth out of Gods word CHAP. V. The miserable state of Papists in matters of Religion is proued further for that they are depriued of those blessings which we haue receiued by the abrogation of popish heresies and superstition I Do not thinke but that our aduersaries albeit they differ from vs in other points yet in this will ioyne with vs and confesse that it is a miserable thing to wander 〈◊〉 any certaintie in religion Parsons in the first encounter of his Wardword doth in effect say so much and albeit they should denie it yet it is a matter very euident For as the Apostle sayth Rom. 2. Those that sinne without the law shall perish also without the law If they know the law and do it not the law will accuse them and condemne them If they regard not to know the law yet shall Gods iustice lay hold vpon them for offending the law which they ought to haue knowne The Apostle Ephes. 2. when he would put them in mind of their miserable estate before their conuersion saith they liued without Christ and without God in the world As if nothing can be deuised more damnable then to liue with out certaine knowledge of God and of Christ Iesus The Gentiles as the Apostle saith Ephes. 4. walke in the vanitie of their mind hauing their vnderstanding darkned and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their heart which argueth the miserable state of Christians that liue like Gentils without the true knowledge of Christ Iesus God hath also appointed a certaine ministerie in the Church giuing some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors and teachers and among the rest one end was that henceforth we should be no more children wauering and carried about with euery wind of doctrine But the Papists for the most part as is shewed liue without the knowledge of God and the rest are caried about with the blast of euery blundering Pope wauering as the wind of his blustring bulles and decretals do carie them Upon the Scriptures they ground not themselues but must take both such scriptures and such doctrine as he shall deliuer them Secondly it is a miserable thing to be deuided from the vnitie of Christ his Church For as out of the arke of Noe all perished in the old world so all that are without the Church of Christ shall vndoubtedly perish Those 〈◊〉 that are without Christ his fold are exposed to the mercie of the wolfe and without hope of saluation How then can the Papists looke for saluation that in faith and sacraments are deuided from the Catholicke and Apostolicke Church Further by many properties they shew themselues to haue no affinitie with the true
lost halfe of that which he possessed before Purposing to make a conquest of England he was himselfe conquered and ouercome by a woman Bragging of his inuincible fleete he found himselfe and his fléete vanquished by small forces In the end he aymed at the crowne of France promised vnto him by the traiterous 〈◊〉 and their associates but his losse and scorne receiued in that countrey made an end of that old King In Hungary nothing hath succéeded of late yeares that hath bene enterprised by the Popes counsell Eugenius the fourth caused Ladislaus the King of Poland and Hungarie to breake with the Turke promising him great pardons and aides But his whole armie was defeated and himselfe slaine at the battell of Varna Francis the first that was confederate with Pope Clement the seuenth was taken prisoner at Pauia and promising to roote out religion out of France neuer prospered in any enterprise Henry his eldest sonne confederating himselfe with the Pope for the extirpation of such as forsooke the errors of poperie was slaine miserably at a tournament receiuing a wound in his eye with which he threatned to sée Anne Bourg a holy Martyr executed His sonne Francis died yong of an aposteme in his eare being iustly punished for that he refused to heare the cries of the oppressed His brother Charles the ninth the author and contriuer of the bloody massacre of France anno 1572 wherin so much innocent blood was shed died bléeding at all the conduits of his body and wallowed in his owne blood after he had shed so much of others Henry y t third was slaine by a Dominican or rather a demonicall Friar hauing bestowed great charge and labour in killing of Gods saints And so the line of Francis de Valois and his sons failed and the kingdom is translated into the house of Bourbon which they persecuted The Leaguers of France which mutined for the maintenance of poperie are now ruined and the Duke of Guise and the chiefe leaders of those rebels come all to vnhappie ends Neither had those Christians that either in the holy land or elsewhere fought vnder the Popes banners better successe for the most part Rodolphus who at the request of Gregorie the seuenth rebelled against the Emperor Henry was by him ouerthrowne and slaine in battell Neither did Mathildis the Popes paramour and her souldiers spéede much better Mathew Paris rehearseth diuers attempts by Christians set on by the Pope against the Sarracens but for the most part vnhappy Walter Sansauior that first went against thē lost his armie in Bulgaria Peter the heremit was defeated with all his forces before Nice Godescalcus a Dutch priest also would néedes leade an armie against the Turkes but he was likewise ouerthrowne with all his companie Godfray of Bullein albeit he wanne Hierusalem yet he lost diuers hundred thousands in the aduenture and his posteritie did not long hold that which they had wonne In this seruice Lewis the ninth of France was taken prisoner first and afterward lost his life In the same did the noble Fredericke Barbarossa perish and infinite other Christians The French men blasphemed against God seeing they had no better successe in the holy land as he saith De diuina conquere bant ur ingratitudine qui labores suos deuotionis sinceritatem non respiciebat sed quasi in alienum populum tradi in manus hostiū patie batur Finally al that tooke the Popes part against the Emperors Henry the third fourth and fift Fridericke the first and second and others had euill successe Considering the promises therefore it is much to be wondred that any princes should serue the Pope that is so notoriously declared to be Antichrist and that they shold take his marke in 〈◊〉 hands and foreheades especially seeing the euill successe that others haue had in his seruice and the plagues that are threatened against these that take his marke vpon them Much also it is to be lamented that Christians should continue vnder the grieuous yoke either of the Pope or popish religion Rome in time past was mistresse of y e world the Church of Christ there most famous for pietie throughout the world But now she serueth Antichrist most basely and is infamous for her impieties Baldus speaking of Italie saith that she is of all other countries the most miserable as wanting one to redresse her wrongs Olim prouinciarum domina nunc omnium 〈◊〉 Lewis the 9. in his pragmaticall sanction confesseth that the kingdome of France was miserably impouerished by the Popes exactions Molinaeus in his booke de paruis datis calleth the Popes exactions barbarous Iolian a Cardinall in an Epistle to Eugenius the fourth who deluded the Germaines demanding reformation of certaine abuses told the Pope plainely that the ruine of the Papacie was at hand if order were not taken presently to satisfie the people Finis pro certo est saith he securis ad radicem posita est The Germaines in a certaine méeting at Nuremberg told the Popes Legate that the burdens imposed by the Pope were so grieuous that they neither could nor would beare them any longer Praedicta vrgentissima atque intolerabilia penitusq non ferenda onera diutius se nec perferre velle nec tolerare posse Among these grieuances they recken prohibitions of mariages and certaine meates at certaine times and to certaine persons contrarie to Gods law pillages by pretence of pardons vnder colour of going to warre against Turkes or building of Churches and such like reseruation of absolution in certaine case 〈◊〉 of stationarie Friars or limitors the multitude of Friars drawing causes to the Popes cognition appointing of delegate Judges and defenders of mens right as they are called exemptions reseruations and prouissons of liuings Ecclesiastical priuiledges rules of the Popes chancerie commendaes immunities of Monkes Friars and priests from payments and punishments vniust excommunications and interdicts multitude of holidayes lāds coming into mortmayne encroching vpon lay mens lands and goods pensions and charges laid vpon benefices superfluities and superstitions in honoring of Saints and such like What resteth then séeing as Christians do sée the miseries of the people that liue vnder the yoke of the Popes kingdome and his adherents but that they séeke all lawfull meanes to be fréed from this tyrannie and to shake off the yoke of this Antichristian gouernment CHAP. VIII That no king liuing vnder the Pope and receiuing his doctrine can assure himselfe of his kingdome THat the yoke of Antichristian and popish gouernment is grieuous and intolerable to all Christians we haue made it apparent by diuers particulars But could any Christian indure it yet Christian Kings and Princes haue least reason to do it For as their place is higher then others so the dishonor that is offered to 〈◊〉 and the hazard which they incurre is of farre greater consideration then if y e same should be offered to priuate persons And yet no man runneth into greater
a traitorous knaue without commission or allowance taketh to himselfe liberty to speake for notorious traitors publike enemies Thirdly it is a matter ridiculous for an enemy to accuse men of bitternesse and bloody cruelty of slanderous accusations and sedition and yet to bring neither proofe nor suspition to conuince them This therefore is rather a tricke of a scurrilous rayler then a graue accuser and such termes Tully in his oration pro Caelio calleth rather railing and scolding then accusing Fourthly he sheweth himselfe an absurd fellow to talke either of bitter and bloodie pamphlets or of odious calumniations or of bloodshed and crueltie or of Catholickes when as himselfe is a 〈◊〉 hereticke and an apostate from religion and hath spent now this twentie yéeres and vpward in rayling and libelling in laying plots of treasons in soliciting inuasions and such like practises séeking nothing else but to cut the throtes of his countreymen and to bring them into subiection vnto the Spaniards and Italians as before hath bene declared at full We are therefore to beséech his knaueship séeing he pleadeth for enemies and traitors and heretickes to giue vs leaue to speake for our countrey our Soueraigne our Religion and libertie Fiftly Catholikes are they which beleeue and hold that which the Catholicke church in old time did vniuersally hold as sayth Vincentius 〈◊〉 de haeres c. 34. But the Catholike church in old time did neuer vniuersally hold either the popish reall presence of Christs body without any distance from the accidents of bread and wine or that the accidents did subsist without their substance or that Christs true body was impalpable and inuisible and both in heauē and earth at one time or transsubstantiation or the popish Masse or communion vnder one kind or the rest of the popish sacraments or popish purgatory and indulgences or such like Nor did Catholikes euer prefer the Latin translation of the old and new testament before the originall text or place traditions in equall ranke with Scriptures Saint Augustine sheweth that catholikes and true beleeuers are all one But Papists are not Orthodoxi nor true beléeuers as I haue shewed in my challenge Sixthly when we speake against Papists we meane properly the factious adherents to the Pope and Spaniard and Parsons his crew of seditious archipresvyterial and diabolical practisers against the state against whom when we discourse our whole intention is to saue not to spill blood which they séeke to do and will if they be not speedily restrained Finally séeing Robert Parsons is so braue a disputer we must pray him to bring good arguments or else to lay aside his great bombasted Iebusiticall words of slander and calumniation He may do wel also to shew vs the difference betwéene slaunder and calumniation which he in great heate hath distinguished especially being so excellent a 〈◊〉 in calumniation as his publication of Sanders de schismate and Philopater and other 〈◊〉 do proue him to be It would finally be knowne why this fellow that neuer knew his true father and loued so well his mother should be called Andreas Philopater rather then Andreas Philiometer It is a question also why he should be called Andreas rather then Robertus Philopater But percase on his toombe he will haue this grauen Hîc iacet Andreas qui lapidauit eas Pro Andreas Philopater dic Aue Maria and Pater noster Speaking of sir Francis Hastings in his Epistle to the Reader he would gladly fasten vpon him a suspicion as if he desired some diuidend of the liuings of Papists And againe 1. encont c. 11. he chargeth him and other knights with dayly féeding vpon papisticall fellows goods In his obseruations vpon my preface fol. 11. b. he sayth I watch for scraps and that I and my hungrie crew stand by and for desire licke our lips hoping to haue some share in the deuidend Drawing metaphors from his owne and his hungry companions practise who couching like dogs at the Popes feete are still looking for scraps and bare bones gaping for diuidends and to satisfie their extreme need sometime like curres run grinning vp and downe the stréetes of Rome and cannot be satisfied Others fall together by the eares for bishoprickes and promotions in England and Ireland which they hope will be conquered daily But their ambitious desire is like a hungry mans dreame that thinketh he eateth and yet ariseth in the morning sore ahungred In his table he noteth that I am poore needy but if he had not bene a poore and needy pamphleter he would haue bene more wary then thus desperatly to lie vpon the credit of his intelligencer For it is well knowne that Sir Fr. Hastings liueth in honorable reputation without desire of any mans goods I albeit I had no preferment of the Church yet could I liue of my patrimony Neither of vs nor any knight professing the Gospell doth liue in such estate that he being a begging Friar by his profession and by birth a poore blackesmithes wiues sonne may well obiect either neede or gréedie scraping for other mens goods vnto vs. Nay we are so farre from desiring the goods of papists that we wish them as Saint Augustine epist. 50. did the Donatists that they were Catholikes and honest men and so we would not onely leaue them that is theirs but giue them also part of that is ours With vs they deale as the Donatists did with S. Augustine and we answere Parsons as he did them Quòdnobis obijciunt saith he quod res eorum concupiscamus auferamus vtinam Catholici fiant non solùm quae dicunt sua sed etiam nostra in pace nobiscum charitate possideant If this wish content them not I would wish them together with all their goods in Italie with their owne holy father Which if the Spaniards and Italians and the bloody Inquisitors would permit to men of our profession they would accompt it a great fauour But now such is the crueltie and extremitie of the papists that they torment and put to death all that professe the truth and not onely share and deuide but also take all most gréedily without respect of their poore widowes fatherlesse children or their poore kinsfolkes This hauocke the Inquisitors make in Spaine and this spoyle was made by our butcherly enemies in the dayes of Queene Mary Parsons therefore in putting this vpon vs did nothing els but put vs in mind of the rapines of papists in Quéene Maries dayes and shew what detestation we ought to 〈◊〉 of that cursed rauinous and woluish broode that dealeth with Christians in this sort He 〈◊〉 also fault with my 〈◊〉 as outragious and intemperate and 〈◊〉 scurrilitie and turpitude vnto me But if he would haue men to beléeue him he should haue conuinced me by proofes For no man I thinke that is wise will beléeue such a bankerout disputer on his bare word Againe he should haue shewed good example himselfe that requireth such respectiue
the Quodlibetist being a goodly martyr in the Calendar of traitors telleth him he sheweth himselfe both witlesse and shamelesse to speake against honorable mariage and such as are knowne to be descended of worshipfull parentage Furthermore he giueth vs occasion to detest the filthie masse-priests monkes and Iebusites that abiuring lawfull marriage burne in vnlawfull lustes and are knowne to be adulterers fornicators sodomites and most beastly and swinish fellowes He shameth not also to affirme that I was forced to retire out of Ireland for certaine iniurious speeches against the Earle of Ormond and the Irish nation But what if the Earle of Ormond and the Irish nation will cleare me Is not he a busie fellow to meddle with their matters without fée Againe what if I came away with the leaue and liking both of the generall and others Wil it not appeare that he lieth like a shamelesse fellow without leaue or liking of any but himself who like 〈◊〉 monky liketh best his own deformities But he may 〈◊〉 both if he list to informe himselfe either by English or Irish that knew those matters how they passed As for those whom he stileth witnesses Omni exceptione maiores they neuer receiued any greater disgrace then in medling with me and haue since declared themselues to be men rather to be lamented for their folly then credited for their dignitie But nothing is more ridiculous then that Robert Parsons should find fault with my intemperancy of spéech séeing I do but answer his intemperate and exorbitant inuectiues that in scurrility and rayling are superlatiue But if he will néeds find fault let him bring reason least his writing séeme to want both wit and reason His last charge against me in his answer to my Epistle concerneth discontentment and complaints against the State But it is like the rest that is fond false and friuolous For neither is it likely that I should be discontent with y e present state or grieued with any ordinary charge when both in most honorable actions and in my publike writings I haue to the vttermost of my power defended the State and haue willingly put my self to extraordinary charge in all seruices for my countrey This resolution also is both in my selfe and others not onely to spend our goods but our liues also in defence of our country and of the truth against all malignant 〈◊〉 of sedition and miserable slaues of Antichrist that shall dare to assayle the Realme Finally if in any thing I haue shewed discontent it is in that I haue séene such notorious trechery as is discouered in Parsons and his leud consorts to escape vnpunished and sometimes vncontrolled Not content to accuse vs the ranging fellow runneth out in diuers places and rayleth with a wide and filthy mouth against the late noble Earle of Essex whose calamity all that knew him do much lamēt and whose blood I doubt not but God will require at all the hands of some of his consorts that sought to spill it as he hath already begun to reuenge it in some principal persons that eagerly followed the matter against him Well let us sée notwithstanding what this Blackesmiths dog hath to say against that noble lord First saith he the Earle of Essex was pitifully seduced by the puritanes But euery one that is not ignorant of the true causes of his discontentment knoweth well that his pretence was not for religion but rather for other causes It is also well knowne that sir Christopher Blunt and the popish faction was the cause of his ruine For vnderstanding his discontentment they set him forward with hope and promise of assistance in priuate quarels not doubting but either to trouble the state by his means or els to bring him into a snare whom they knew to be firme for religion It may be also that his enemies by their cunning drew him into this dangerous action by practise of traiterous companions that were about him Howsoeuer it was much it is to be lamented that refusing a pension offered him by the King of Spaine he could not also discouer this traine layed for him by the Popes agents And I cannot but much disdaine that so bastardly and base a swaine as this paltry Parsons is should insult ouer so noble and magnanimous an Earle a dog ouer a Lyon a bauling curre ouer a most famous and worthy man of warre He telleth vs further that he was stout against peace with forraine princes and that he had wrought such a troubled water vnder hand that if his streame had not bene turned against him he might chance to haue inhooked the greatest fish in England But this deuise of a great fish is nothing but a vaine surmise of a great conger-headed companion For neither did he nor could he pretend any title to the crowne And as for his stoutnesse against peace with Spaine it procéeded from the loue of his country and was occasioned vpon iust grounds for that he saw no sincere dealing on the behalfe of the Spaniard but rather a surceasing of hostility that in the meane while Masse-priests and Iebusites and their adherents might worke treason It may be also that he meant to shew the weaknesse of the Spaniard the power of the English nation which the Spaniards heretofore too much despised Neither he certes nor any man else misliketh an honorable profitable safe and durable peace Fol. 8. a. he doth againe talke vainely and telleth vs of the Essexian assault and sayth it may be presumed that it would haue abbreuiated the Queenes dayes especially in the intention of the puritanes But he is an absurd fellow to obiect that which his greatest enemies sought to proue and of which he cleared himself sufficiently at the barre And most shamelesse he sheweth himself to impute that to men of our profession which like a leud Laiolian he calleth puritanes which was continually desired of Papists and much feared of all that truly professed religion Againe fol. 13. he mentioneth the Earle of Essex his attempt and golden purposes and sayth that my Lord and young king Essex plotted her Maiesties ouerthrow vnder pretence of meeting at a puritane sermon But if all plotters of her Maiesties ouerthrow had bin rewarded according to their desert then had the crowes long ere this fed on Parsons his quarters the most notorious arch-plotter of treason that this age hath affoorded Likewise he and his consorts haue made many attempts against the State and in the destruction of their Quéen and country they hoped to haue a new world and therin placed their golden time As for the good Earle his purposes howsoeuer they were drawne to his destruction and disorderly managed yet could no man proue that he 〈◊〉 harme to the Quéene Séeing therefore this Patch obiecteth to the Earle an imaginatiō of that which the traiterous consorts of Parsons haue long desired I will here bestow on him a crowne of fox tayles and make him the King of al renegate traitors and
Ireland The diabolicall Iebusites also were the instruments to stirre the rebellious leaguers in France and haue alwayes done their best to trouble Suethland England and Ireland The angels of Satan possessing the heads of Iebusites and masse-priests wrought the massacres of France and troubles of Flanders Anno 1588. the Spaniard and Pope sent a fleete against England and not we against Spaine Finally all stories almost testifie and declare that the consistory of the Pope and his agents heads are the forges to frame mischiefe and trouble Fol. 90. and 91. he cryeth out oflyes and impudencies But for my part I say shame take him that lyeth For first it is notorious that in the Romish Church although the aduersary would deny it there is and hath bene great variety in their liturges as the missals and formularies of Toledo Seuil Sarum Paris Rome Yorke and Millan do shew Neither hath Parsons any thing to answere but that in the substance of the sacrifice they agree As if that were all or the most part of the Romish seruice or as if I had not shewed that this is most false in my bookes De Missa Secondly it is true that the Conuenticle of Trent hath abolished diuers old missals and formularies as the bull prefixed before them shew Thirdly it is true that Iustine and Dionyse describe the forme that Christians vsed in their Liturgies as Iustines second Apologie and Dionyse his bookes of 〈◊〉 hierarchie testifie Fourthly the instruction of the Armenians was no act of the Conuenticle of Florence but of some odde Masse-priest that vsed that conuenticles name It is no lie therefore notwithstanding this instructiō that the Conuenticle of Florence did not by any canon establish seuen sacraments Fifthly the Conuenticle of Lateran vnder Innocentius the third doth mention penance but giueth the name of sacrament as I sayd most truly to Baptisme and the Eucharist Finally it is most true that the popish sacrifice of the Masse was not knowne of the auncient fathers and I haue proued it in my third booke De Missa against Bellarmine Which if Robert Parsons confute I shall be content that the Pope bestow on him a Cardinals hat But if he be not able to answer and yet will néedes cry out famous falshood I will bestow on him a pointed cap with a bell and a capons feather to let all the world know that at that house dwelleth a sot Ignatius Irenaeus other fathers that he doth mention speake not of the body and bleud really offered in the Masse but of an oblation made in commemoration of that sacrifice Our writers albeit they mislike the fathers in some things yet no where do they yéeld that they speake of the popish sacrifice of the Masse offered after the damnable fashion of the synagogue of Satan Fol. 107. he calleth for two reall differences betweene papists in the points of faith And therefore I count my selfe bound to shew him not two onely but many more It may please him therefore to reade what I haue sayd before and to answere to euery point particularly and then I hope he will cease his harsh and currish bawling He must also shew that his consorts differ not in matters of moment or in any thing if he will defend their vnion Fol. 111. he crieth out and in his dogges voyce sayth If this woodcocke or any of his crew can shew any one noueltie as an article of faith in our religion c. And againe If O. E. or his mates can shew any one heresie taken for an heresie by the generall Church What then forsooth he saith He will 〈◊〉 in the rest Which I would pray him to remember For if I do not make him in this poynt a foote length of nose like a Curliew let the Pope if it be his pleasure make him king of the Canaries Nay I haue already shewed diuers both nouelties and heresies to be contained in Popish religion and no Popish woodcocke yet hath thrust out his beake to answere shewing themselues by their wits to be woodcockes and by their silence Codfish Onely one woodcocke of Rome vnder the maske of W. R. aliás Walphoole or wicked Richard flusheth forth with his long bill But his answere is such as confirmeth my challenge very much the man being not able to answere any one argument Parsons also toucheth the heresie of y e Collyridians which among many other I obiected to him and answereth that Papists differ from Collyridians manifestly But it is not inough to shew a difference vnlesse he also shew that his consorts hold no one point condemned as heresie in the Collyridians But that the congerhead cannot do For like to the Collyridians they pray to the Uirgin Mary and offer in her honour This answere therefore sheweth him to be of the lignage of woodcockes But of these matters we shall talke else where In his 2. enconter c. 2. he cryeth out ô cogging ô cousinage and all because Sir Francis reporteth that the blood of a Ducke was worshipped as the blood of Hales and that D. Bassinet confessed his ignorance and that the archbishop of Aix called the Pope God on earth and spoke foolishly But what if all this were true May not we then with more reason say O coggers O cosiners O Scogans O cods-heads But that appeareth plainly For the imposture about the duckes blood was openly detected and the rest is reported in the acts of Bassinets examination Neither is it vnlikely that vnlearned prelates should speake vnlearnedly or that schoole-doctors should be ignorant in scriptures séeing all their diuinity is grounded vpon Thomas his fardle of questions and answers But saith Parsons how 〈◊〉 a duckes blood be discerned from others blood after so many yeares As if it were not detected also by the confession of the false priests that from time to time they renewed that blood as they do other false relikes in many places Here therefore Parsons sheweth himselfe to haue a shallow capacitie and the Papists are declared to be miserably seduced by cogging and cousening priests and caried away most simply and idiotlike to the worship of idoles and false reliques Fol. 43. b. of his second encounter he cryeth out Who shall be iudge Meaning to conuey the highest authoritie in iudgement concerning matters of controuersie about the interpretation of scriptures to the Pope But that is a shamelesse and most absurd course to place a béetleheaded ignorant and impious Pope aboue al learned holy fathers and Councels Beside that the Popes sentence is alwayes vncertaine For what can one Pope do that his successor cannot 〈◊〉 Tertullian he sheweth that scriptures are to be interpreted by scriptures Si quid pars diuersa turbat c That is If the contrary part do trouble vs in any thing by pretence of figures or aenigmatical speeches those places that are more manifest ought to preuaile the certaine to prescribe against vncertaine Encontr 2. c. 8. where he should answere my obiection out
more then to aduance their owne fauourers and to disgrace their aduersaries This is also a great part of the argument of their lying legends to set out the prayses of Monkes Friars and such like superstitious Papists Likewise without cause doth he accuse vs for lying M. Foxe vnderstanding his error concerning the execution of Marbecke did correct the same Yet when he said Marbecke was burned at Windsor he lied not speaking that which was to him reported and like to be true considering that the partie was condemned Neither doeth M. Foxe set downe Wickleffe or others in the Calendar to the intent to make them martyrs for that passed his reach but to declare the time of their death or sufferings Parsons doth further threaten to shew out of M. Foxe and others of our writers infinite doctrinall lies But he threatneth alwayes more then he can performe In his second encounter ch 2. where he giueth out these brags himselfe lyeth notoriously For most false it is that either the rebels in king Richard the second his dayes or else the friars whom Thomas Walsingham called lyars were Wickleffes schollers albeit this shamelesse frier affirmeth both For Ball a Masse-priest was a principall ring-leader of the rebels and the friers were murtherers sodomites and traitors as the rebels said of them Let vs sayd the rebels destroy these murtherers and burne these sodomites and hang vp these traitors of the King and Realme And this they sayd of the friars But Wickleffe alwayes 〈◊〉 and spoke both against such abominations and such rebellions It is a common tricke also of Papists to proue their doctrine with lies fables To proue transsubstantiation they make a 〈◊〉 to speake these words Benè de me scripsisti Thoma Thou hast written wel of me Thomas when shal I be able to requite you for your paines To proue the real presence they make tales of bloud appearing in the sacrament and sometimes they say Christ appeared like a litle child which are toyes to mock children withall To proue purgatory they tel vs tales of S. Patrickes purgatorie of soules complaining and crying for more masses of apparitions of Angels diuels and soules The same lies they abuse also to proue prayer for the dead For the iustification of their doctrine concerning the worship of saints and their images they tell lies of images mouing talking working walking and of wonderfull apparitions and miracles done by them Our Ladies image is said to speake to Hiaciullyus Goodrike saw a boy come out of a crucifixes mouth as Mathew Paris relateth Finally the Popes and their agents without lies and notorious forgeries cannot maintaine their cause as by infinite lies of Bellarmine Baronius Parsons yea and of the Popes themselues I haue iustified Doeth 〈◊〉 not then appeare that in lying they haue set vp their rest And will not the world see the abominations of popery that cannot be maintained but by lying forgery and force God graunt that truth may once appeare and open the eyes of all Christians that they may sée that which now lieth hidden and come to the perfect knowledge of truth AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER CONCERNING FOVRE OTHER INFAMOVS Libels lately diuulged and sent into England by Parsons Kellison and Walpoole BEfore the former answer could be finished and published there came to my hands foure other bookes all penned by our malicious aduersaries and sent ouer frō Rome and other places into England to disturne simple people from the loue of the truth of which I haue thought good most Christian Reader here at the end of this work briefly to aduertise thée I hope also that the same aduertisement wil serue for present satisfactiō to those which percase expect a spéedie answer to such hastie calumniations and most wicked libels The first is set out vnder the name of T. F. aliâs Thomas Fitzherbert a man euill reported of by his owne consorts and therefore no maruell if hatefull to all men wel affected to their prince and countrey Long he hath bene a spie and pensioner of the king of Spaine But now perceiuing belike that the trade is become odious groweth out of request he is turned Masse priest and set to sing for the soules of his friends after thrée farthings a Masse And least he might forget his old art of spiery he is now set to spy for his holy father if by any good aduenture he can sée Christs true body lurking vnder the accidents of the Masse-cake his bloud by a necessary concomitance as they say being not farre off This fellow as a Masse-priest was thought a fit person to speake for the Masse and as a spie and renegate English mā to speake shame of his country and to defend traitors And yet the poore man is as fit to dispute of the massing religion and popish subtilties as an asse to play an antheme vpon a pairs of organs The true author of the booke as his stile declareth and the dealers in the edition must néeds witnes is Robert Parsons an old hackster in 〈◊〉 quarels and a great dealer in matter of conuersion of England and one that vseth at his pleasure to borrow other mens names now calling himselfe Captaine Cowbucke now Dolman now Iohn Houlet now N. D. or Noddy now T. F. or Tom Fop now Robert Parsons Under the name of Dolman he set out his traitorous seditious booke of succession in disgrace of the Kings title Under the name of Iohn Houlet he published certaine idle reasons of refusall himselfe neuer refusing to attempt any mischiefe against the State Under the title of N. D. he set out his VVardword and VVarneword stigmatizing his manship with the perpetual note of a Noddy implied by those two letters N. D. And this course he tooke in T. F. his Apologie The second is entitled A treatise of three conuersions of England and was set out by Robert Parsons also vnder the old stampe of N. D. whose signification euery child now knoweth to be Noddy But why he should write of the conuersion of his countrey to religion we can sée no reason séeing we haue knowne him alwaies more studious of the subuersion then of the conuersion of England and his consorts the Masse priests do testifie that he is a Machiauelian packing fellow voyd of religion and honesty The turnings of the Masse or turning of iackets had bene a more fit subiect for him to handle seeing he turneth skippeth so oft about the altar like an ape dauncing about a maypole and hath turned his coate so often from English to Romish from Scottish to Spanish from all to French that some of his friends feare vnlesse he turne Cardinall that he will turne Turke The third is called A Suruey of the new religion and was deuised by a renegued fugitiue Englishman who hath surueyed diuers other countries and yet neuer found any settlement in his braine or habitation Like Caine he hath bin long a vagrant fugitiue fellow Vagus profugus
desperate folly to affirme That our religion leadeth to Atheisme for want of a Pope or for want of the Popish masse or sacrifice The contrary hereof rather is to be gathered against the Popish religion wherein as we may collect out of the aduersaries owne confession in c. si Papa dist 40. the Pope may lead with him thousands of soules into hell The masse also is a masse and sinke of superstition and idolatry Neither is any thing more repugnant to Christs only sacrifice then the priesthood and sacrifice of the masse Modesty he sheweth none with a face as hard as a lopster affirming That we teach that God is the author of sin That we despoyle Christ of his diuinitie That we wrong him in his office of redemption and bereaue him of his title of lawgiuer and priest And doubt not to say that Christ dispaired Now what greater impudency can be imagined then to ascribe that to vs which we vtterly deny and disclaime Nay we pronounce him accursed whosoeuer shall hold any of these points But the Papists in some things rub very néere vpō these rocks namely where they giue to euery man power to satisfie for the temporall paine of his sins and yéeld that others beside Christ may be called redéemers and make the Pope a law-giuer able to bind mens consciences and giue power to the priest to intercede for Christs body and blood that God would be pleased to accept it as he accepted the sacrifice of Melchisedech Impudently also he belieth vs raileth vpon vs saying that we make euery priuate mans spirit supreme iudge of controuersies and that we 〈◊〉 Fathers auncient Councels and ouerthrow all religion and worship of God Neither doth he onely raile vpon vs but also vpon scriptures where he sayth that founding our selues only on scriptures we open a gate to all heretikes and heresies As if the Fathers and auncient Councels which founded their faith vpon holy scriptures only opened a gap to all heresies Or as if this could be spoken without disgrace to holy scriptures that he that relieth vpon the word of God deliuered in scriptures doth open a gate to all heresies Finally he taketh vpon him the title of the legate of the great monark of heauen being but a base fugitiue renegued companion set on by Antichrist and his supposts to raile at religion and the professors thereof and lying without rule or order His want of learning doeth euery where appeare throughout his whole Suruey The Scriptures he citeth very rarely The Fathers he mistaketh and misalleageth In Ecclesiasticall histories he is but a nouice Nay albeit he talketh much of our Religion yet he vnderstandeth not what we professe what we reiect Finally although the fellow be but a poore translator and collector of other mens slanders yet could he not well relate that which is translated out of others His principal witnesses are Staphilus Cochleus Bolser Nicol Borne Stapleton Surius and such like railing and base authors Was it then likely that he should shew learning that is wholly conuersant in these 〈◊〉 authors deuoyd either of learning or else of all religion and honestie And all this God willing shall by many particulars be verified by those who already haue vndertaken to controle his Suruey and to examine euery article of this leud libell Not that such an asses head deserueth any curious washing but because such a barking cur dog would be silenced with a sharpe censure It resteth now that I speak a word or two more of Walpool his cōfutatiō The man is a special friend of mine albeit vpō very smal acquaintance a cunning triacle seller also a 〈◊〉 a master empoisoner as before is declared This onely I forgot to tell you that his braine is full of 〈◊〉 his memory like an old leather budget his crowne like the posterior parts of an ape and his head like the knop of the handle of a gittern with two strings If you méete any such fellow in the kitchin of the Romish colledge of English boyes commend vs to him and tell him that we haue at leisure perused his 〈◊〉 all confutation and therfore now he may bestow it vpon the cook to stop his bottels The stile biteth like pepper and therfore may do some good seruice there Onely thus much I must tel him y e his words are too high for such a low subiect as he handleth Euery where he raileth like a man beside himselfe and calleth me mad man sycophant franticke fellow lunatike satanicall iugling minister dolt foole noddy foolman irreligious atheist ideot asse drowsie heretike and such like names and these are the common flowers of his dogged eloquence Yet I assure him that I am not offended with his rough stile For although he giue me very hard words and raileth like a tal fellow of his tongue yet I thanke him he is well content to passe by all my arguments in sober silence to confirme as much as I affirme by his cold deniall Now what greater argument I pray you can we bring to proue that Walpoole and his consorts are neither Catholikes nor members of the true church nor hold the ancient religiō of Christ Jesus but rather are a pack of heretikes idolaters and traitors then that our aduersary that taketh vpon him their defence hath nothing to answer in their behalfe It was not modesty certes that made him silent but méere imbecillity of his cause and want of iust defence Will it please you to take a tast of his insufficiency before we broach the whole barrell of his foolery In the preface of his booke he vanteth that he hath spent his time in exact studie of Diuinitie and with particular care read the Scriptures Councels and Fathers O happy youths that heare so exact a spender of his time in study of Diuinity O hard aduenture for vs that are to encounter this giant that hath deuoured so many Councels and Fathers But in the meane while Parsons was much too blame that put him to it thus impudently to praise himselfe We for our parts do admire his singular folly and arrogance who praiseth himselfe with such impudency His great reading to vs is inuisible his great ignorance in all maner of learning and not onely in theology is euery where apparant Fol. 2. he telleth vs how Heraclitus affirmed that the snow was blacke But vnlesse he produce his author his friends with Heraclitus may wéepe to sée his pittifull ignorance We haue heard such a thing of Anaxagoras but this of Heraclitus is ridiculously forged In the same place he writeth also how Zeno taught That it was impossible for any thing to moue A matter very stupendious But this he findeth that hath read exactly the fathers Would he name his author he will make a Stoicke to laugh Fol. 8. he sayth that Christs body hath a being in the sacrament like to a soule But our Sauiour Luke 24. sheweth a notorious difference betwixt a body and a spirit