by solemne decretals although we doubt not but to make the vanitie of them appeare partly in this discourse but farre more at large hereafter finally the same admitteth most lying legends and now and then permitteth them to be read publikely in the church as for example the legends of Catherine Clement Gregory called also Thaumaturgus Peter Martyr a dominican S. Catharine of Siena S. Christopher and diuers others in the legend of S. Catherine y In breuiaer Ro. in festâ— Catharinae they write that she was a maiden of Alexandria and so well learned that at the age of eighteene yeeres she passed the most learned and in dispute ouercame fiftie Philosophers and that also she conuerted Faustina the empresse and Porphyrius a captaine of the emperors to the faith they say also that she broke the tormenting wheele with her praiers that after her death her body was buried in mount Sinah by angels in the feast of S. Clement in the Romish breuiary we read that Clement Peters successor was by Traian sent into the wildernesse of z Let Parsons tell vs where this is Cersona and that there he saw a lambe make a well to sally out of the top of the mountaine and that he being cast into the sea with a millstone about his necke the sea fled three miles from the shore and that in the very same place a little chappell was found in the sea where his body was bestowed On the festiuall day of Gregory of Neocesaria the church of Rome a In breuiar Rom. appointeth his legend to be read where it is said that he caused the riuer of Lycus to keepe within the chanell by planting his staffe on the banke and that his staffe grew presently into a great tree in the rituall books of Sarum we read that Gregory the first deliuered Traians soule out of hell which if it were true why is it now crossed out of the new bookes if false how hapeneth it that the church of Rome so long beléeued that tale b I'n breuiar Rom. in fest Petr. Mart. Peter Martyr one of Dominickes order as they write I thinke beléeue did keepe his virginity both in body and minde and in that sort that he neuer felt himselfe defiled with any mortall sinne they tell vs also that he did fast so long that he could scarce open his mouth to eat They tell vs further many wonders of Saint Nicolas Valerian and Tiburtius Lucia Christopher and other saints in the c Historia Louâ—bard del volto santo italic legend of Ieames of the colepit for else I cannot tell how to English Iacobus de Voragne we read that a certaine picture of our sauiour did lift vp his foot and cast off his slipper to a certaine pilgrime that deuoutly stood before it and would haue offred somewhat having nothing to offer Of Saint Catherine of Siena they say that she was betrothed to our sauiour Christ all which points are very incredible and not to be found in any authenticall writing If then the church of Rome publish and teach these fables and lies then is she no mistresse of trueth but of lies if Robert Parsons will say they are no lies I would pray him to declare vs the trueth out of authenticall histories argument 13 The faith of Gods true church cannot be built vpon any vncertainty or vntrueth for faith is an argument certaine or an euidence of things not seene est fides saith the d Hebr. 11. apostle sperandarum rerum substantia argumentum non apparentium and it is built on Christ Iesus that is trueth and on a rocke that is unmouable neither neede we long profes for this point for the aduersaries themselues confesse this to be true Nihil saith Thomas Aquinas cadere potest sub fide nisi inquantum stat sub veritate prima sub qua nullum falsum stare potest and afterward he saith quod fidei non potest subesse aliquod falsum if then the faith of the church of Rome be grounded on falshood then is it no true faith and if that churches faith be no faith then is not that church the true church but that the faith of the church of Rome is built vpon diuers false positions it may easily be proued for first the same beleeueth that the traditions of the church of Rome are either descended from Christ or the apostles for the most part and namely such as concerne the canon and ceremonies of the masse fastes praiexs for the dead praiers to saints and such like secondly it beleeueth all the determinations of popes concerning faith and manners to be true and infallible as for example that it is necessary for euery christian to be subiect to the Pope that he hath power to depose kings to giue power to cutthrotes to kill kings to dispense with the vncle to marry his neece with the brother to marry his brothers wife and such like thirdly that church beléeueth what is contained in the breuiary and missale as for example the stories or rather legends of Saint Christopher Saint George Saint Catherine and such like finally the same must beléeue whatsoeuer the Pope shall determine to be de fide But among such traditions determinations and legendes there are diuers both false and ridiculous fables neither can it be denied but that the Pope hath determined and may also determine falsely and contrary to the faith and this is shewed in my bookes de Pontifice Rom. at large e Lib. 4. de pontif Rom. and cannot be denied unlesse Robert Parsons can prooue vnto vs that all the Popes decretales concerning matters of faith and maners and all the traditions of that church and all legendes are true which to him will be a matter of some difficulty argument 14 The church of Christ is bounded within the limits of the holy canonicall scriptures habet vrbes legis prophetarum euangelii saith Saint f In Mich. lib. 1. c. 1. Hierome and againe non est egressa de finibus suis id est de scripturis sanctis he g Ibidem c. 7. saith also that it is the property of heretickes to flie to mens commandements and the leauen of the pharisees S. h Lib. 19. de ciuit Dei c. 18. Augustine also concureth with him and saith that the city of God beleeueth the holy scriptures that are called canonicall but of other reports he saith she doubteth but the church of Rome will not be bounded within the limites of holy scriptures neither will she acknowledge the canonicall scriptures to be a perfect rule of faith the same also from scriptures flieth to vnwritten traditions and is much soured with the leauen of the pharisées and mixture of Popish and Iewish ceremonies deuised and established by men finally the same doth rather or at the least as soone beleeue the determination of the Pope as the letter of holy scriptures for in the Pope Stapleton placeth the chiefe authority of the church
of the virgin Mary of angels and saints and giue latriam or souereigne worship not to God onely but also to the images of God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy ghost to the images also of the holy Trinitie and of the crosse Of their Agnus Dei they b Caerem lib. 1. c. 7. say Peccatum frangit vt Christi sanguis angit and when they consecrate a crosse they pray that as the world was deliuered from the guilt of sinne by the crosse of Christ so those that offer to the new made crosse by the merit of the same may be acquited from all sinne argument 56 The true church neuer vsed the mediation of others then of our Lord and sauiour Christ Iesus the c 1. Tim. 2. apostle teacheth vs that there is but one mediator betwixt God and man the man Christ Iesus but the Romish church hath gotten to it selfe a packe of mediators and doubteth not to entitle the blessed virgin the mediatrix betwixt God and man d Hist p. 3. Tit. 23. c. 3. Antoninus writeth that on a certaine time Christ sitting at the right hand of his father rose vp in fury purposing to destroy all sinners from the earth but that he was intreated by his mother to stay vntill such time as she had sent forth Dominicke and Francis to preach in the world neither can that trite and absurd distinction of some sophisters excuse the papistes that they accknowledge one onely mediatour of redemtion and vse to pray to saintes as mediatours of intercession for first the scriptures and fathers allow no mediators but such as are mediators of redemption and not onely of intercession and therefore that title of mediator the scriptures giue onely to our Sauiour as appeareth by the words of the apostle 1. Tim. 2. and Hebr. 9. 12. where our sauiour is called the mediator of the new testamnet and Saint e Lib. 2. contra parmen c. 8. Augustine where he dissallowed the title of mediator in Parmenian doth not deny that the pastor may intercede and pray for his flocke but that he may be called a mediator and his f Ibidem reason is quia vnus verusque mediator est which excludeth all men whether aliue or dead from this title of mediator secondly the papistes in their blasphemous canon doe make priestes mediators not onely of intercession but also of redemtion where they say qui tibi offerunt hoc sacrificium landis pro se suisque omnibus pro redemptione animarum suarum thirdly they so pray to angels and saintes as if we could not come to Christ but by them but our sauior doth immediatly call men to himselfe and teacheth vs to pray to the father in his name and Saint g In Rom. 1. Ambrose saith that to obtaine Gods fauour we need no spokesman but a deuout minde Chrysostome likewise homines saith h De poenit homil 4. he vtuntur atriensibus in deo nihil tale est sine mediatore exorabilis est and in another place i De profectu enang nihil tibi patronis opus est apud deum neque enim tam facilè deus audit si alij pro nobis orent qùam si ipsi pro nobis oremus etsi pleni simus omnibus malis fourthly they so pray to angels and saintes as they giue men to understand that they are present in all places for to Saint Francis Saint Dominicke and other saintes they pray in Italy Spaine France and other countries they also signifie that they vnderstand their heartes and deuotions but this is proper to God onely to be in all places and to search mens heartes and the same belongeth to no creature vnlesse we will ascribe diuinity vnto them fiftly they in their litanies to saintes and angels haue such formes of praiers as in the ancient church of Christ was no time vsed in the masse they pray to God that by the merites and praiers of saintes in all thinges they may be protected by Gods helpe at other times they pray to saintes not onely to pray for them but to defend them and helpe them finally they call vpon such persons as we haue iust cause to doubt whether they be saintes as for example traitors executed for their offences and friers and monkes odious for their superstitions in the first ranke commeth Thomas Becket and Campion and his fellowes in the second Francis dominicke Clare Rocke Catharine of Siena and such like vnlesse therefore Robert Parsons and his consortes can proue these formes of intercession to haue bene vsed in the church of Christ it is a great hazard but he will proue himselfe and his fellowes not to be of the church argument 57 In the true church of Christ we neuer read nor heard that christians vsed to scourge themselues before crucifixes and other images publikely or in their chambers of meditations priuatly or that they cried out before their images and crucifixes but we read that the priestes of Baal cut themselues so that the blood followed and that they cried mainly vpon Baal we read also that the priestes of Cybele in honor of their goddesse were wont to cut themselues they say also that in the Indiaes there are certaine priestes that lash themselues before their idoles are not then the papistes that scourge themselues before their images and in their chambers of meditations liker to Baals priestes and ethnikes then to the children of God argument 58 In the church of Christ sinners doe penance in their owne persons in the Romish church they thinke it sufficient to scourge themselues and to doe other offices of penance by deputies argument 59 In the true church of Christ the bishops of Rome gaue forth no indulgences nor iubelies nor did take on them to dispence Christs and the saints merits by publike charters nor gaue pardons of hundreds of daies or yéeres is it not then the false church that taketh this power vnto her argument 60 The true church is a societie of faithfull people vnder lawfull pastors for as the k Ephes 4. apostle saith our Sauiour Christ hath giuen pastors and teachers for the worke of the mynistery for the aedification of his body vntill we all meet together in the vnitie of faith and acknowledging of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man l Lib. 4. epist 9 Cyprian saith that the church is a people vnited to their bishop and a flocke adhering to their pastor est ecclesia saith he plebs episcopo adunata pastori suo grex adhaerens so likewise saith m In dial aduers Luciferianos Hierome quod ecclesia non est quae non habet sacerdotes and this we are taught by reason that there ordinarily can be no church where there is no ministery to gather a church nor a family of Gods children where there are no pastoral fathers to beget sons to God But the Romish church hath long wanted true bishops priests and
grant that any is saued iumbling catholike and Romane together as appeareth by the confession of the Iebusites of Burdeaux by Canisius Catechisme translated into Spanish by Hierome Campos Bristowes 12. motiue in the margent the cardinall of Cusa epist 5. ad Bohemos Cochlaeus hist Hussit lib. 11. argument 15 The papists also to fit their new fantasies haue coined a new definition of the church h De eccles milit c. 2. Bellarmine defineth the church to be a company of men conioined in one profession of faith and communion of sacraments vnder the gouernment of lawful pastors and especially of the bishop of Rome which definition is neither to be shewed in any authenticall writer nor prooued by any good argument for neither is it sufficient to professe the faith outwardly and to communicate in sacraments and to liue in subiection vnder lawfull pastors to make a man a true member of the catholike church nor can it be shewed that all christians haue euer liued in subiection of Romish bishops not that for that most wicked persons and atheists and heretikes may make an externall profession of their faith and receiue the sacraments as did Iudas and liue in outward subiection to their pastors which notwithstanding the ancient fathers doe not acknowledge to be true members of the church not this for the Easterne and Africane churches in time past were neuer gouerned by the popes decretales If Robert Parsons thinke otherwise let him produce thrée or foure decretales of popes whereto these churches yéelded obedience argument 16 The ancient fathers beléeued that the catholike church is a communion of saints and a multitude of true beléeuers the first is proued by an article of our creed and so proued that it may appeare that the fathers accounted no licentious liuers true members of the church Non ideo putandi sunt mali saith S. i Lib. 2. contr lit petil c. vlt. Augustine esse in Christi corpore quod est ecclesia quia sacramentorum eius corporaliter participes sunt the second is proued for that faith is the life of Christans Ecclesia est domus Dei saith k In Psal 51. Hilary omnes euangelicae fidei sectatores likewise l Lib. 1. de sacrament Ambrose saith that the first thing that is required in a Christian is faith and both these points I haue at large prooued against m Lib. de eccles part uat sedec 6. 7. Bellarmine but the papists if any credit be to be giuen to n Lib. de eccles miâ—it c. 2. Bellarmine do hold that a man may be a part and true member of the true church albeit he haue neither faith nor charitie nor any inward vertue so that by his confession the Romish church may consist of infidels atheists sodomites and abominable persons argument 17 The ancient church was wont to reuerence the apostles canons but the late Romish church doth not much regard them as is apparent by the the 5.9 and 31. canons which are not now obserued Ex 84. apostolicis canonibus saith o Lib. 5. de sacror hom continent c. 105. Michael Medina quos Clemens Romanus pontifex eorundem apostolorum discipulus in vnum coegit vix sex aut octo Latina ecclesia nunc obseruat likewise Martin Perez de tradit part 3. c. de autorit can apost saith that many things are conteined in the apostles canons which through the corruptions of times are not fully obserued argument 18 The ancient church neuer vsed to confesse their sinnes to angels saints and to the virgine Mary neither were Christians inioined in time past to say Confiteor Deo omnipotenti beatae Mariae semper virgini beato Michaeli archangelo beato Ioanni Baptistae sanctis apostolis Petro Paulo omnibúsque sanctis as the papists say in euery masse nay in ancient p In missa Jacobi Marci Basilij Chrysostomi missals this forme is not found argument 19 Neither did the priests clerke in ancient time giue absolution to the priest as it is in the missale of Rome nor say Misereatur tui omnipotens Deus dimissis omnibus peccatis tuis perducat te ad vitam aeternam for that is nothing els but to giue the keies to boies and preferre the scholar before the master argument 20 The confession of faith also set out by q Bulla Pij 4. super forma profess fidei Pius the fourth wherein all that take degrées in schooles or take charge of soules professe that they beleeue and admit ecclesiasticall traditions and constitutions and the scriptures according to the Romish sense the seuen sacraments and the doctrine of the councell of Trent concerning originall sinne iustice of works the sacrifice of the masse transubstantiation and other points there established is new and no where to be prooued out of the ancient fathers of the church argument 21 In the rehersall of the tenne commandements the ancient fathers neuer vsed to leaue out that commandement that concerneth the making of grauen images like to God and the worshipping of them But the Romish church knowing it selfe guilty of the breach of this commandement in their litle catechismes put before the office of the blessed virgine and diuers other r Catechism de Hieronymode campos bookes doe leaue the same quite out argument 22 In ancient time Christians beléeued that all was sinne that was contrary to the commandements of God for so they collected of the words of the law that pronounced all accursed Å¿ Deut. 27. Galat. 3. that did not abide in all things t 1. Iohn 5. that are written in the booke of the law to doe them and Saint Iohn saith expresly that all vnrighteousnesse is sinne and if it were not so then were the law of God a most imperfect and vncertaine rule but the u Consur colon f. 46. papists of late time affirme that all that is repugnant to the law is not sinne and that concupiscence is not sinne in the regenerate and finally that it is no sinne not to loue God withall our hart and all our soule argument 23 Ancient Christians beléeued that concupiscence euen in the regenerate is sinne for that is prohibited by the law of God that saith thou shalt not couet the apostle also doth call concupiscence in himselfe being now regenerate sinne and necessarily it must be so séeing we are by the x Deut. 6. law of God bound to loue God withall our hart all our soule all our strength Saint Hierome y In Amos 1. saith that it is sinne to thinke things that are euill and Saint z Lib. 2. contr Faust Manich. c. 27. Augustine teacheth vs that whatsoeuer is desired or coueted against the law is sinne but the late conuenticle of Trent decréeth that concupiscence in the regenerate is no sinne argument 24 The apostle Iames teacheth that we doe all of vs sinne and that in diuers things and Saint Iohn saith that he
no part of my meaning but I say that the true Church cannot longe want true bishopes and teachers and that therfore the Romish Church is not the true Church hauing no bishops nor préestes at all but in name And that I proued for that they wanted true priesthood and true ordination and were ordayned and sent by antichrist by heretikes and simoniacall persons and such as had no authority to ordayne or sende forth bishops and preestes He answereth finally that I haue no reason to carpe at the Romish clergie for their bad life and lacke of learning seeing Pag. 96. our Church as he saith admitteth most base lewd vnlearned artisās this he indeuoureth to proue by M. Parries words in his preface before Vrsinus his catechisme But he lyeth like a lewde and base fellow if he suppose that such are admitted by our Church they do thrust in I confesse by the abuse of sōe on or more but the church alloweth thē not nay there are canōs made that none is to be ordained minister but bachilars of art or men otherwise well qualified and knowne to be able to teach If any doe otherwise by indirect meanes come into the ministery which abuse Master Parry noteth yet I hope they are not so rude or so lewde as masse Preests which are the scumme of all vileny for the most part as those that trauell Spayne and Italy knowe by practise and our rinegat English masse Preestes by their lewdnesse and insufficiency playnly proue Hauing answered according to his best skill and broken as he thinketh all our bonds like Dalilaes cords though some of his friends say that a certeine Dalila hath strong hold of him he goeth about to retort this argument vpon vs and saith if the true Church hath alwayes true bishops and preests that the Church of England Pag 100. is not the true Church as wanting true preestes and bishops And with this argument hee hopeth to giue vs such a drie shauing as he doubteth not but he will marre the whole beauty thereof but he sheweth himselfe to be but a simple barber and a worse drie shauer for nowe he cannot shew but that we haue true bishops hauing both lawfull ordination and our bishops exequuting the office of bishops loyally and orderly Before this reformation also our bishops had all that which our aduersaries thinke necessary in the outward calling of bishops Besides that there fayled not among our bishops and préestes at all times diuers men which detested the abominations of the Romanistes as Robert Grosted bishop of Lincolne Richard Vllerston that liued about the councell of Constance Iohn wicleffe and diuers others But saith he who layd hands on bishop Parker He séemeth also to make the like question of Luther and Zuinglius I answere that bishop Couerdale and Skory and others which were bishops in King Edwardes time layde hands vpon bishop Parker I confesse also that bishop Cranmer Luther and Zuinglius had an externall calling though corrupt in a corrupt state yet such as Owlygalsse dare not deny to be sufficient And beside that externall calling it pleased God to reuele to them his will extraordinarily and to call them out of Babylon to the knowledge of his truth our aduersary therefore of all men hath least reason to challenge them for their calling Beside that he cannot conclude because that externall calling was then thought sufficient that now the popish Church hath a calling sufficient For albeit the préestes of the Iewes that worshiped Baal had an externall calling which was not disabled when they returned to the true worship of God yet was not their Idolatrous seruice doon to Baal nor that preesthood lawful the like wee may say of masse préests They should haue serued God aright yet whē they serued at their massing alters they worshipped strange Gods But when they left their Idolatrie then their calling tooke effect they doing that for which they were principally called Furthermore he cannot say because now all Idolatry and superstition being abandoned we are the true church that the papists that reteine still their superstitiōs are the true church for the true church is tryed by true faith true worship and seruice of God not by externall rites and ceremonies and succession without Gods true worship or the true faith Owlyglasse would also gladly haue me to set down the names of those bishops that gouerned our Church euer since Christ As if all bishops that mayntained the Apostles créede and catholike faith were not our bishops If they digressed from the faith we are not to séeke for a new ranke of bishops but to acknowledge them to be true bishops that professed the true faith He talketh also of my being at Cales but it is more honesty for me to goe in the seruice of my Prince and contry against forreine enemies then for him with forreine enemies like a disloyal traytor to fight against his prince and contry and like a base slaue to serue the popes turne And this may serue to iustifie my argument against the popish préesthood It resteth now that I answere his friuolous obiections concerning some points which he supposeth to conteine matter of contradiction which he vanteth that hee will handle to the little commendation of my learning as he saith But if he would indéede haue disgraced me he should haue taken in hand the aunswere of some latine treatise which I haue published against Bellar. For therein he might haue shewed lerning whereas this discourse concerning falsifications and vntruthes is nothing but a little fardle of foolery and a vaine bable for his clients to sport themselues with all Well in the meane while let vs know his worships pleasure concerning these supposed contradictions First he chargeth me with saying that the number of seuen sacraments was not certainly established nor receiued before the late councell of Trent and this he supposeth to be contrarie to that which I affirme in another place viz. that the iust number of seuen sacraments and neither more nor lesse was first deliuered by the councell of Florence vnder Eugenius the fourth and afterward confirmed by the councell of Trent But the poore ideot doth rather bewray his owne ignorance that knew not how this doctrine of seuen sacraments crept into the Romish church and great dulnesse that could not distinguish betwixt instructions and canons talking or mentioning matters and confirming them by solemne act and decree To reforme his errour therefore I must let him vnderstand that the conuenticle of Florence did not by any solemne canon establish the iust number of seuen sacraments but certaine idle Friers or others in that conuenticle or at the least vnder the credit thereof deliuered this doctrine of seuen sacraments to the Armenians Furthermore not all Churches but the Armenians had this doctrine deliuered vnto them I speake therefore warily where I say that albeit that doctrine was talked of perhaps and deliuered to the Armenians yet it was first confirmed by solemne
had done before them and yet affirmeth also that pope Syricius was seduced by Sathan published wicked doctrine taught the flat doctrine of the divel that pope Sozimus brought in superstition and falsified the decrees of the Nicene councell so to mainteine the vsurped primacie of the Church of Rome as if M. Belles propositions might not well stand together for he saith not that all the bishops of Rome were good and godly men and taught true doctrine vntill S. Augustines time but speaketh indefinitly of the bishops of Rome without adding all which maner of speech in materia contingenti is not to be taken absolutely and vniuersally but for the most part and so no doubt saint Augustine speaking of the bishops of Rome vnderstood it knowing that Marcelline sacrificed to idoles and that Liberius was an Arrian and we may say also that the apostles of Christ were good men although Judas was a traitor and lanterne bearer to the Iewes as some popish writers say that betraied Christ and much of the nature and condition of this detectour of falsifications and detractor from honest men and a very lanterner of Antichrist and a traitour to his countrey let him therefore beware he be not taken passing through backe dores like the idolatrous priests of Bel and so for his gordian knot be taken tied in a Tyburne knot 10 I need not say much of our adversaries forme of writing or frame of sentences for it appeereth euery where that he did not know the difference of pneuma and periodus nor could distinguish betwixt colons and periodes commaes and colons his whole discouse is liker to nothing that I can imagine then to the way betweene Chard and Honiton in the west countrey that is rude and rugged vp hill and downe hill and very vnequall but to let that passe yet may I not passe in silence that a Praefat. fol. 1. speaking of the great commanders and princely pilots that sit at the sterne of the common wealth he seemeth to communicate her Maiesties souereigne authority to inferior persons and doth not once vouchsafe to acknowledge her princely power or to name her among the governors of this state and yet such disloiall traitors that acknowledge the popes supreme authoritie and deny her Maiesties power as being excommunicate by the popes scuruinesse our fellow percase would say holinesse are not sought out nor brought to such a triall as their offences deserue By this therefore it may appeare that as our aduersary hath no ability to disproue any point of religion which we hold so he hath vtterly shamed his consorts and the crew of papists that hitherto haue made great brags of this their champion of his inuincible arguments all hard knotty like the haft of a dougeon dagger he hath also vtterly shamed himself in medling with these matters being a mā not read nor any way fit to discourse or handle matter of cōtrouersy the which that it may further appere I purpose god willing not only to iustify my former chalenge which this poore menowe would nibble at but also to discharge my selfe honestly of all those vntruthes and falsifications which the detractor maliciously goeth about to charge vpon me Wherein that I may proceed more formally not onely skin this dead dog whose ouerthrow shall helpe vs nothing but handle somewhat else that may make for the aduantage of true religion and the instruction of the ignorant The order and chiefe propositions chapters of the discourse ensuing I wil God willing declare first that the church of Rome that now is and which embraceth the doctrine of the pope and conuenticle of Trent is not the true church of Christ Iesus and secondly that the doctrines and traditions of the Romish church which the church of England refuseth are meere nouelties and late deuised fancies for the most part thirdly that the papists are no true catholikes nor hold the catholike faith and that it is a great wrong offred to Christes church to call them catholikes vnlesse it be as we call dead carcases men fourthly that papists mainteine many both old new haresies and points of doctrine contrary to the word of God and to the catholike faith fifthly that they are idolaters finally that such as haue died in the popes quarrell in England were vnnaturall traitors and no true martyrs and that such priests also as come from Rome with commission and faculties from the pope are traitors and enemies to their prince and countrey and so to be reputed and taken and not otherwise All which points one or two excepted I handled in my last challenge this challenge thus iustified I shall God willing presently encountre our detractor and answer first his obiections concerning vntruthes secondly his quarrels concerning supposed falsifications thirdly his vaine childish obseruations and to shew the vanitie of our aduersaries pleading and how much the papists are to shunne all conferences and disputes concerning lies and falsifications I will also for further euidence against them set down first certeine notorious lies and forgeries committed by the popes and church of Rome and next such lies and forgeries as are committed by their principall agents and heerein first I will declare Bellarmine to be most guiltie in this point the next place shall conteine Baronius his cardinall leasinges after them I will note certeine notorious lies and forgeries conteined in the writings of other papists yea of Parsons himselfe and of this Momus in his new nothing which he calleth a detection of lies and falsifications finally to answer his obseruations I will also discourse of such things as in our aduersaries and their writings seeme woorthy to be obserued and all this to let our aduersaries know that they had more need to defend themselves then to presse vs and to take the beames out of their owne eies rather then to espie motes in our eies As for his railing words rustical vnciuil behauiour I leave to be censured by the archpriest in his next generall synod which if he doe not I will referre him over to be answered by master Kempe vpon the stage and if he desist not his railing and rusticalitie either vpon the archpriests admonition or master Kempes censure I assure him I will set a fellow to answer him that shall so currie him and his consorts the papists and that shall in such sort tippe vp their vilanies that the whole fraternitie of asses shall curse him for braying so vnciuilly I hope also that some odde priest or other out of his grammer dictates will admonish him to looke better to his grammer rules and tell him that he hath falsified a verse out of Horace and made a grosse fault in it This is the onely verse in the booke for where Horace saith quid dignum tanto feret hic pro missor hiatu our wise b Pag. 4. aduersarie hath quid dignum tanto proferet promissor hiatu both altering his authors words and
they built all vpon Christ Iesus and taught that which immediatly they receiued from God but the Pope receiueth nothing immediatly from God nor doth he now preach Christ as did saint Peter argument 2 Further the true church of Christ is built vpon a rocke most solide and vnmouable against which the gates of hell can neuer preuaile but the church of Rome is built vpon the popes and their see against which the gates of hell both haue already and may further preuaile as appeareth by the Ch. Si papa dist 40. where it is supposed that the Pope may draw with him innumerable soules into hel and m In Matth. 16. Lyra confesseth that diuers popes haue proued apostataes from the faith and that finally is proued by diuers particular examples as of Marcellinus that sacrificed to idoles of Liberius that fell into Arrianisme of Honorius condemned for a monothelite and diuers other popes that fell into diuers heresies and forsooke the true faith neither doe I thinke the papistes will denie but that some of their popes for diuers impieties and wickednesses are damned and cast downe to the nethermost hell How then can that be the true church of Christ which is built vpon a foundation against which the gates of hell haue preuailed argument 3 n Arg. 3. The true church of Christ is neuer without her head for Christ Iesus who is the head of the church was yesterday and to day and the same for euermore he is the head of the church and shall alwaies so continue and of him his church hath continuall dependance but the church of Rome is often without her head the pope and hath no such dependance on him but that she may well subsist without him as the continuall vacation of the papacy doth shew and p Lib. de auferribilitatâ— papa Gerson doth confesse the church of Rome therefore cannot be the church of Christ vnlesse we will grant that the church of God may be without a head or that the church of Rome neuer wanteth a head argument 4 q Arg. 4. The church of God also hath but one faith for as there is but one Lord r Ephes 4. so there is but one faith and one baptisme but the faith of the church of Rome is not that one faith which was professed in the apostles times and in the primitiue church as appeareth by the doctrine of faith published in the wicked conuenticles of Constance and Trent and by ihat profession which Pius the 4. decreed to be exacted of all that are promoted in schooles for neither did the first christians admit all the traditions which the church of Rome now calleth apostolicall nor the 7. sacraments and vsuall rites practised by the church of Rome in the administration of them nor the sacrifice of the masse or transubstantiation or the rest of the doctrine therein contained if any papist thinke otherwise let him shew me either any such like faith or proue me any such doctrine to haue bene in the ancient church of Rome or else we must needs beleeue that this doctrine was first published by the conuenticle of Trent and by Pius the 4. by name but a wicked man for doctrine and life and by other popes confirmed argument 5 Å¿ Arg. 5. The grounds also and foundations of the catholike christian faith are diuers from the grounds foundations of the faith of the church of Rome the t Ephes 2. apostle saith that the houshold of God and citizens of saints are built vpon the foundations of the apostles and prophets Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone neither doeth he admit any other foundation Saint u Apocal. 21. Iohn sheweth that the wall of the city of God hath twelue foundations and in them the names of the twelue apostles and this because vpon that doctrine which they deliuered the faith of the church is built for as x Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. Ireneus signifieth the canonicall scriptures which she apostles left vnto vs are the foundation of our faith neither may we thinke that Peter was more the foundation of the church then Paule or the rest of the apostles at dicis super Petrum fundatur ecclesia saith y Lib. aduers Jâ—uiâ— Hierome licèt id ipsum in alio loco super omnes apostolos cuncti claues regni coelorum accipiant ex aequo super eos ecclesia solidetur Theophylact also without giuing any prerogatiue to one saith z In Ephes 2. the church is built vpon the apostles and prophets neither doe the auncient fathers either allow or mention any foundation beside Christ Iesus and the apostles and prophets who in all their writings doe preach Christ Iesus But the faith of the Romish synagogue is now built vpon a diuers foundation for first they acknowledge vnwritten traditions to be a foundation equall to the written word of God a Sess 4. concil Trid. traditiones ipsas tum ad fidem tum ad mores pertinentes tanquam vel oretenus à Christo vel à spiritu sancto dictatas continua successione in ecclesia catholica conseruatas pari pietatis affectu ac reuerentia scilicet ac scripturas sacras suscipit ac veneratur the conuenticle of Trent maketh traditions as well concerning faith as maners to be equall to the written word of God whereof it foloweth that we must as well beléeue the fashions and ceremonies of the Romish church as the written word of God Demonstrate conabimur saith b Lib 4. de verb. dei c. 4. Bellarmine scripturas sine traditionibus nec fuisse simpliciter necessarias nec sufficientes he denieth also the scriptures to be a perfect canon or rule of our faith without traditions next they receiue the popes decretals and vpon their determinations doe they build their faith as c C. inter dist 19. c. sancta dist 15. appeareth by their decretals though counterfeit and d Jn praefat in relect princip doctr Stapleton sticketh not to affirme so much in expresse words Alij nunc à Christo missi saith he eorumue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me locum habebunt and e ibidem againe Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus ab ipsis literis euangelicis apostolicis aliud We haue saith he another foundation of Christian religion diuers from the writings of the apostles and prophets can then the Romish congregation be the church of Christ that euen in the maine foundation of religion is departed from the church of Christ argument 6 f Arg. 6. The principles likewise of the doctrine of the Romish church are diuers froÌ„ the grounds principles of Christs true church for we haue shewed in our last argument that the true church hath no canon or rule of faith or certeine principle of faith beside the canonicall scriptures but the church of Rome admitteth the books of Iudith Tobia Ecclesiasticus Wisdome of the Machabees by the
ancient church accounted apocryphal as g In epist ad Paulin. in prolog in prouerb Hierome h In Synops Athanasius and diuers of the ancient fathers 〈◊〉 witnesse It alloweth also the old latin translation of the bible though different from the originall bookes the same also admitteth for principles of faith the sentences of popes the doctrine of the Romish church that now is the traditions of the Romish church the consent of fathers and diuers other grounds as Stapleton disputeth in his bookes De doctrinalibus principijs argument 7 i Arg. 7. Neuer certes did the church of Christ speake euill of scriptures k Lib. 3 aduersus haeres c. 2. Irenaeus saith It is the property of heretikes when they are conuinced by scriptures to fal into dislike of them and to accuse them as for the children of God they cannot either calumniate or lightly estéeme their heauenly fathers testameÌ„t or refuse to heare his voice but the scriptures conteine a declaration of the eternall testament of our heauenly father and therefore they are rightly called his testament in the scriptures also God speaketh vnto vs. and therefore if we be Christs sheepe we caÌ„not but hearken to his voice My sheepe saith our l Iohn 10. Sauiour heare my voice but the Romish church is still carping at scriptures as if they were neither sufficient nor perspicuous m Lib. 4. de verl die c. 4. Bellarmine saith they are neither necessarie nor sufficient without traditions n Praefat in reâ—act princip doctr Stapleton denieth them to be a sufficient foundation or rule of our faith the authors of the annotations vpon the Rhemish testament doe call them most blasphemously a killing letter and signifie that the reading of them is pernicious o Censur coloâ— others slander them as if they were a nose of waxe or a matter and subiect of contention argument 8 The church of God neuer called the bishop of Rome either a god on the earth or Christes vicar generall or vniuersall bishop but the church of Rome admitteth all this the canonists exalt him like a god p Epist ad Gregorium 13. ante princip doct Stapleton calleth him supremum numen in terris generally they call him vniuersall bishop and condemne all that hold contrary argument 9 The church of God doth kéepe the doctrine of the apostles and prophets q Gal. 1. without addition alteration or corruption and the apostle pronounceth him accursed r Aduers haeres c. 34. that teacheth any other Gospel than that which he taught Vincentius Lirinensis saith that this is the propertie of catholicks to kéepe the faith and doctrine of the fathers committed to them in trust and to condemne prophane nouelties CatholicoruÌ„ saith he hoc ferè proprium deposita sanctorum patrum commissa seruare damnare prophanas vocum nouitates sicut dixit iterum dixit apostolus si quis annuntiauerit praeterquam quod acceptum est anathematizare but the papists kéepe not entire the originall writings of the olde and new testament nor allow them as authenticall neither will they yéeld the canonicall scriptures to be a perfect and sufficient rule of faith nor doe they allow the law of God to be a perfect law nor doe they kéepe Christes institution in the Sacrament of the Lords supper distributing the kinds of bread and wine to the communicants but haue vnto this rule added vnwritten traditions and the determinations of popes concerning matters of faith they haue also encreased the numbers of Sacraments and added many precepts and rules not receiued in the Apostolicke church argument 10 The true Church can not endure hereticks and false apostles that teach doctrine contrary to the faith of Christ and doctrine of Christes apostles Christ Iesus speaking of his shéepe saith They will not follow a stranger but flie from him for that they know not the voice of strangers The apostles gaue vnto Christians a speciall charge concerning this point If there come any vnto you saith S. Å¿ Epist 2. Iohn and bring not this doctrine receiue him not to house neither salute him Tantum apostoli horum discipuli saith t Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 3. Irenaeus habuerunt timorem vt neque verbotenus communicarent alicui eorum qui adulterauerant veritatem Let vs separate our selues saith Cyprian as farre from them as they separate themselues from the church The true church certes can not embrace erroneous doctrine neither can any heretiks be accounted Christians Si haeretici sint saith u De praescrip aduers haeret Tertullian Christianiesse non possunt But the Papists communicate with hereticks as Liberius Felix Vigilius Honorius Iohn the 22. and 23. whom in my treatise De pontifice Rom. I declared to be heretiks they do also embrace the heresie of Angelicks in worshipping angels of the Collyridians in worshipping the blessed Virgin of Marcion Valentinus and others in denying Christes true bodie in the Sacrament to be solide and palpaple of the Pelagians in magnifying their merits and the force of frée will of the Carpocratians in burning incense and worshipping the images of Iesus and Paul and diuers others as we shall héereafter particularly declare argument 11 The true Church of Christ admitteth not the apocryphal legends of S. George Cyricus and Iulitta for these are condemned by the censure of Gelasius who testifieth that the olde Church of Rome receiued not any such legends but the latter Church of Rome and papists of our time doe admit these legends and out them they gather their traditions which they make equall to the word of God argument 12 The Church of God is the mistresse and teacher of trueth and admitteth no falshood nor vntrueth the apostle doeth call her the pillar and ground of trueth Est fons veritatis saith x Instit diuin lib. 4. c. vlt. Lactantius speaking of the church hoc est domicilium fidei that is she is the fountaine of trueth she is the house where true faith dwelleth but the church of Rome that now is is not only a receptacle of leud opinions but also the mother and mistresse of lies and vanities and so Petrarch for aboue two hundred yéeres doubted not to call her Madre d'errori e tempio d'haeresia saith he which authoritie albeit they regard not yet the same which he auoucheth is prooued first in that the church of Rome auoucheth lying traditions as for example the tradition concerning Ember fasts and fasts vpon Saints vigiles concerning the ceremonies of the masse concerning the words aeterni mysterium fidei thrust into the words of consecration of the challice and such like secondly the same approoueth lying and forged decretals as for example C. Constantinus dist 96. and c. ego Ludouicus dist 63. and c. quis nesciat dist 11. infinit more of that nature thirdly the same giueth credit to Caesar Baronius his most lying and fabulous narrations and the popes haue commended them
and last resolution for matters of faith argument 15 The Church of Christ neuer burned the scriptures no albeit there were errors in the Gréeke translation of Theodosion and Symachus and the seuentie interpreters and in all the Latin translations the vulgar and olde edition not excepted z yet did the true church neuer burne the scriptures for that was practised by Dioclesian and other persecuters of the church and by heathen men rather than by any that carried the name of Christians but the church of Rome hath caused Gods holy word to be burnt vnder pretence of false translations which notwithstanding she was neuer able to prooue to be false she doth therefore plainly declare her selfe to be the synagogue of Satan and not of Christ argument 16 The true Church did neuer prohibit the scriptures to be publikely read in such tongues as the people of God were able to vnderstand nor did she euer condemne them and burne them for hereticks that read them in vulgar tongues for our sauior commanded his apostles to teach all nations and no question but it was lawfull to teach them as well by writing as by word In Psal 86. S. Hierome saith that scriptures do not only belong to priests but also to the people Non scripserunt saith he speaking of the holy apostles paucis sed vniuerso populo and our sauiour where he commanded his auditours to search the scriptures meant that it should be lawfull for all to read them finally what is more vnreasonable séeing the scriptures conteine Gods holy lawes and his eternall testament than that the lawes of God should not be red in a knowen tongue and that it should not be lawfull for children to vnderstand their heauenly fathers testament and last will but the Romish congregation prohibiteth the scriptures to be publikely read in vulgar tongues and i Index libr. prohib à Pio 9. prohibiteth all translations but such as themselues set forth which are most wicked peruerse The bloody inquisitors haue also burned diuers poore people for reading scriptures in English as appeareth by the Registers of Lincolne and London in king Henry the eighth his daies Finally Nauarrus a braue Romish doctor teacheth that it is mortall sinne for a lay man to dispute of religion Laicus disputans de fide saith k In primum praecept c. 11. Nauarrus peccat mortaliter argument 17 Our sauior Christ l Iohn 4. teacheth vs that all true worshippers do worship God in spirit and trueth Venit hora nunc est saith our sauior quando veri adoratores adorabant patrem in spiritu veritate And God by his prophet m Isay 29. Matth. 15. Isay doth condemne his people that honored him with their lips their hearts being farre from him The apostle also Coloss 2. would not haue Christians condemned in respect of meat drinke and holy daies and reprooueth those that make decrées concerning touching and tasting and such like ceremonies he doth also vtterly n 1. Cor. 14. condemne praiers in a strange language and not vnderstood of those that vse them but the worship of God which the papists vse and most commend doth wholly consist in externall ceremonies as knocking lifting vp of the Sacrament censing lights and such like they also rather honor God with their lips then their hearts not vnderstanding what they say thinking that to gaze on the masse is to serue God finally they haue many decrées concerning meats drinks saints daies and also concerning touching and tasting and such like is it not then apparent that they are no true worshippers argument 18 The Church of o Exod. 20. Christ doth worship but one God according to this commandement Thou shalt haue no other gods but me and according to the words of p Matth. 4. Christ Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue but the papists worship the images of God as God himselfe and giue as much honor to the image as to the originall Cum Christus saith q P. 3. q. 25. art 3. Thomas Aquinas adoretur adoratione latriae consequens est quod eius imago sit adoratione latriae adoranda Séeing as Christ is honored with diuine worship saith he it followeth that his image is also to be worshipped with diuine worship and friers in their sermons speaking to the crucifix are wont to say to it Thou hast redeemed vs thou hast reconciled vs to thy father which r Bellar. de cult imag lib. 2. c. 23. Bellarmine himselfe can not deny he confesseth also that images may be worshipped with that honor that is due to the originall Admitti potest imagines posse col◠improprie vel per accidens eodem genere cultus quo exemplum ipsum colitur they also worship the Sacrament with diuine worship and fall downe before it but neither are images gods nor is the Sacrament God Finally they confesse that the worship of seruice or doulia is due to saints and this they wil not deny how then can they shew that they worship and serue one true God argument 19 The catholike church only saith ſ Instit 4. c. vlt. Lactantius doth reteine the true worship of God neither can any society be termed Gods church which reteineth not Gods true worship but the papists doe not reteine Gods true worship for first they worship God according to the doctrines and commandements of men which our Sauiour t Matth. 15. Christ condemneth secondly they giue diuine honor to creatures as we shewed in our last argument thirdly their worship consisteth principally in the sacrifice of the masse which is nothing els but a masse of many superstitions impieties and blasphemies as I haue shewed particularly and largely in my treatise of the masse against Bellarmine argument 20 The true church of Christ beléeueth that Iesus Christ is perfect God and perfect man and that Christ Iesus is ascended vp into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of his father for these two points are articles of our faith the first being in termes conteined in the créed of Athanasius the second being expressed in the apostles créed but the papists attributing to Christ in the sacrament such a body as is neither visible nor palpable and can neither sée nor féele nor helpe himselfe nor others being oftentimes deuoured by mise and other brute beasts cannot shew how these qualities can be in a perfect man neither can they shew that a perfect man is both in heauen and in earth and in many places at once or that the flesh of Christ can be properly in heauen and earth and not onely beléeued but also apprehended with mens hands and téeth u Cōtr. Eutyth lib. 4. c. 4. Vigilius saith that the flesh that is in heauen is not in earth Fulgentius writing to Thrasimundus saith that the bodie of Christ hath the properties of a true body x De resur carn Tertullian teacheth vs that the body of Christ
is in the pallace of heauen neither may we suspect that he supposed that Christs body might at the same time be in earth Saint y Lib. 10. in c. 24. Luc. Ambrose saith that we touch not Christ with corporall handling but by faith and that we are not to seeke him on the earth nor after the flesh if we will finde him finally the scriptures and fathers do teach vs that Christ is so ascended into heauen that we doe not enioy him héere on the earth according to his bodily presence as I haue declared at large in my treatise against Bellarmine concerning the reall supposed presence of his body in the sacrament argument 21 The true church beléeueth that we are iustified by faith in Christ Iesus and not by the works of the law arbitramur iustificari hominem saith the z Rom. 3. apostle per fidem sine operibus legis Rom. 4. si qui ex lege haeredes sunt exinanita est fides this is the faith likewise of the fathers a Dial. 1. contr Pelag. tunc ergo iusti sumus saith Hierome quando nos peccatores fatemur iustitia nostra non ex proprio merito sed ex dei consistit misericordia and that we are not iustified by charitie or by our works it may be prooued by the testimony of saint b Epist 29. ad Hieronymum Augustine plenissima charitas saith he quae iam non possit augeri quamdiu hîc homo viuit est in nemine quamdiu autem augeri potest profectò illud quod minus est quà m debet ex vitio est ex quo vitio non est qui faciat bonum non peccet neither may we suppose where the fathers doe speake of iustice of workes that they meane any other iustice but such as declareth vs iustified and which without remission of sinnes cannot stand before God but the papists both beléeue and teach contrary as appéereth by the c Sess 6. actes of the Trent councell and friuolous disputes of d Lib. 4. de iustific c. 10. seq Bellarmine who endeuoureth to shew that man is able to fulfill the law and that our works doe iustifie vs. whereupon it followeth that contrary to the apostles intention we are iustified by the law if he say truely argument 22 The true church also beleeueth that we are not to boast or glory of our works and that the reward of sinne is death and that eternall life 's the gift of God Si Abraham ex operibus iustificatus est saith the apostle Rom. 3. habet gloriam sed non apud deum and Rom. 6. stipendium peccati mors gratia autem dei vita aeterna in Christo Iesu domino nostro likewise the scriptures shew that when we haue done all we can we are to acknowledge our selues to be vnprofitable seruants and that our sufferings are not woorthy of the glory that is to be reuealed and this the church of Christ also beléeueth and hath from time to time beléeued tua peccata sunt saith Augustine in Psal 70. merita dei sunt supplicium tibi debetur cum praemium venerit sua dona coronabit non merita tua and Hilary in Psal 51. non illa ipsa iustitiae opera sufficenrent ad perfectae beatitudinis meritum nisi misericordia dei etiam in hac iustitiae voluntate humanarum demutationum motuum non reputet vitia but the papists hold that we may trust in our works as appeareth by Bellarmines dispute lib. 5. de iustific c. 7. and say that all sinnes doe not deserue death and that eternall life is due for our works argument 23 The true church doth acknowledge no head of the vniuersall church but Christ alone which is also the Sauiour of his body Christ saith the e Ephes 2. apostle is the head of the church he is sauior of his body neither is the title of head of the vniuersall church due to Peter Peter the apostle saith f Lib. 4. epist 38 ad Joan. Constantinop Gregory is the first member of the holy catholike church and Paul Andrew and Iohn what are they but heads of diuers parishes and yet all are members of the church vnder one head Saint g De agon Christ in Psal 9. Augustine saith that Christ Iesus that is the mediator betwixt God and man is head of the church but this title of mediatour onely belongeth to our sauiour Yet the Romish church doth acknowledge the pope to be her head and h In gloss in c. vnam de maior obed Bertrand blasphemously saith that Christ had not beene discreet if he had not left a vicar generall behind him and this doth i Praefat. in lib. de pontif Rom. lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 31. Bellarmine very well allow and prooue it to be due to the pope is that congregation then the true church that hath either two heads or a head beside Christ Iesus argument 24 The true church is not built vpon the pope for the church was before there was either pope of Rome or chiefe priest among the Iewes but the church of Rome doth acknowledge the pope to be her rocke and her foundation as appeareth by Bellarmines preface before his treatise de pontifice Rom. and doth take the pope to be her foundation k Lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 31. Bellarmine among other the popes titles doth reckon this for one that he is fundamentum aedificii ecclesiae that is the foundation of the building of the church argument 25 The true church is Christs faithfull spouse Oseae 2. God speaking to his church saith sponsabo te mihi in fide the church also being Christes spouse harkeneth to him alone and of him is most dearely beloued en dilectus meus saith the l Cantic 2. church loquitur mihi surge propera amica mea columba mea formosa mea veni Cyprian saith that the church cannot be drawne to like of an adulterer adulterari non potest saith m De vnit ecclesiae he Christi sponsa incorrupta est pudica but the n Turrecrem lib. 2. c. 28. Aquin. in 4. sent dist 38. church of Rome doth acknowledge the pope of Rome to be her spouse and o Lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 31. Bellarmine doth mainteine that the pope is iustly entituled the spouse of the church and that this is not without the allowance of the pope it may appeare by the popes owne p C. intercorporalia de translat episc c. quoniam de immunit ecclesiae wordes where he challengeth this title of spouse to be due vnto him and yet I hope he will not say of the church sponsabo te mihi in fide nor propera amica mea columba mea nor doth the true church say of the pope en dilectus meus what then resteth but that the church of Rome should be the whoore of Babylon Apocalyp
1.7 out of whose cup the nations of the earth haue drunken so many abominations and that the pope should be the louer and spouse of this adulterous and vnchaste congregation argument 26 The true church of Christ is not necessarily tied to the obedience of the church of Rome nor neuer was subiect to his decretaline lawes quae sursum est Hierusalem saith the q Galat. 4. apostle libera est quae est mater nostra so likewise are her children for it is a rule of law if the mother be frée so likewise are her children but the church of Rome is necessarily tied to the obedience of the pope r C. Vnam sanctam extr de maiorit obed Boniface the 8. determineth that it is a point necessary vnto saluation to be subiect to the pope and Å¿ Lib. de eccles milit c. 2. Bellarmine doth exclude all out of the church of Rome that liue not vnder the subiection of the pope finally it is the common opinion of all papists that such as acknowledge not the popes authority are t Ibidem c. 5. schismatikes is it not then manifest that those that liue vnder the slauery of Antichrist are not the true church argument 27 The church of Christ hath but one iudge and lawgiuer that is able to saue and destroy soules vnus est legislator index saith saint u Iacob 4. Iames qui potest perdere liberare but the church of Rome doth acknowledge the pope for a supreme iudge and lawgiuer and hold that his lawes are of power to binde the conscience as Bellarmine teacheth his disciples lib. 4. de pontif Rom. c. 16. and that is the common opinion of all casuistes and the ground-worke of those that worke on mens consciences can this then be the true church that liueth in such bondage argument 28 The true church neuer commanded christians to make publike confession of their sinnes to the virgin Mary to the archangell Michaell to saint Iohn Baptist or to the holy apoples Peter and Paul and to all the saints of heauen the confessions of saint Augustine are extant and to be séene so likewise are there diuers confessions to be found both in the writings of the fathers and publike liturgies and yet can we not finde any of this nature nay in the forme of the masse prescribed by x Ordo Rom. cap. de forma celebrat missae an ancient order of the Romish church we do not finde that forme of confession that is now vsed neither can Robert Parsons or Bellarmine or any of that faction shew that any christian was wont to say confiteor deo omnipotenti beaâ—ae Mariae semper virgini beato Michaeli archangelo beato Ioanni Baptistae sanctis apostolis Petro Paulo omnibus sanctis do they not therefore that vse this forme in al their masses shew that they are not the true church that ioine angels and saints with God and séeme to confesse that they know our sinnes and that they are our iudges and haue power to pardon our offences argument 29 Christs true church reteineth no sacraments but such as Christ first instituted and are declared in the apostles writings and that may be prooued by Iustines 2. apology directed to Antoninus by Dionysius supposed to be the Ariopagite and all ancient formes of liturgies for we doe not reade in any of them of more sacraments than two but the popish congregation hath made euangelicall sacraments of matrimony order and penance of which the first two were instituted in the olde testament and the third is an act alwaies necessarie for obteining of remission of sinnes but neuer accounted a sacrament as wanting a sacramentall signe and also â—ormall institution they haue also made sacraments of confirmation and extreme vnction and giuen them both signes forms which notwithstanding were neuer knowen in ancient time are they therefore not likely to prooue a new church that haue instituted diuers new sacraments argument 30 The ancient and true church of Christ neuer beléeued that matrimony and order conteined grace in that sort which the papists teach neither did they beléeue to obteine iustification through confirmation and extreme vnction but the popes church beléeueth that these sacraments doe conferre grace ex opere operato and that héerein they differ from the sacraments of the old law for that the new sacraments doe worke iustification and not the old the first is apparent by Bellarmines discourse de sacrament lib. 2. c. 3. sequent the second by his dispute lib. 2. de sacrament c. 12. sequent neither will any papist deny this let them then shew how men may be iustified by greasing and crossing in extreme vnction and confirmation or else they will appeare to be strangers to Christes church argument 31 The ancient catholike church did y Can. apost 10. concil antioch c. 2. excommunicate such as coÌ„ming to church departed before they receiued the communion qui non perseuerauerint in oratione vsque dum missa peragitur say the canons necsanctam communionem percipiunt velut inquietudines ecclesiae mouentes conuenit coÌ„munione priuari the Romanistes themselues also C. peracta dist 2. de consecrat doe confesse that this was the ancient practise of the church peracta consecratione saith Anacletus omnes communicent qui noluerint ecclesiasticis carere liminibus sic enim apostoli statuerunt sancta Romana tenet ecclesia the same is also confirmed by the testimony of Iustine Martyr apolog 2. of Dionysius de eccles hierarch and other ancient fathers but the church of Rome now doth take them for good cacolickes that will come to masse and looke on She doth not certes excommunicate any for not receiuing the communion doth it not then appeare that the Romish church is not the church of Christ argument 32 The church of Christ did neither vse nor thinke it lawfull to reserue the eucharist in pixes ouer euery altar nor to cary the same about with procession nor to light candles before the pixe nor to bury together with dead bodies either the sacrament of Christes body or the chalice our sauiour Christ z Matth. 26. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. said accipite comedite bibite that is take eate drinke and so forth and the apostles and first christians did receiue and not kéepe the sacrament in pixes but the church of Rome doth quite contrary argument 33 The true church neuer prohibited those that receiued the sacrament of Christes body to receiue the cuppe also neither did good catholickes abstaine from the cuppe hauing rerceiued the sacrament of Christes body a Serm. 4. de quadrages Leo saith they were Manicheyes that receiuing the sacraments tooke the body of Christ but in no wise would drinke the blood of our redemtion and this act he affirmeth to be sacrilegious Gelasius also saith that it is plaine sacrilege to diuide one and the same mystery and receiuing a portion of the sacred
testimony of Iustine Martyr apolog 2. of Dionyfius ecclesiast hierarch c. 3. of Origen lib. 8. contra Celsum of Hierome in epitaph Paulae ad Eustochium and in his 17. epistle to Marcella of Ambrose de sacramentis and Cyrill catech 5. and others doth declare but the Romish church will haue no other tongue vsed in the common liturgy of the westerne church and publike administration of the sacraments but the latin of which the vulgar people scarce vnderstand one word argument 48 The true church of Christ contenteth herselfe with the religion first taught by Christ his apostles for vpon the fouÌ„dation of their doctrine is the church built and as b Lib. 4. contra Marciâ—n Tertullian saith id verius quod prius id prius quod ab apostolis contrariwise c Aduershares c. 26. Vincentius Litinensis saith that is a tricke of heretikes not to content themselues with the ancient rule of faith but to seeke nouelties from day to day and to desire to adde to change to take away but the church of Rome first denieth the canonicall scriptures to be a perfect rule of faith secondly the same is departed from the doctrine of the apostles thirdly the same is bound to beléeue all determinations and decretales of popes concerning matters of faith finally that church hath added and changed the ancient faith argument 49 True christians neuer kissed the popes toe nor admitted his outragious dispensations or gréeuous lawes nor were tied to beléeue that the popes iudgement in matters of faith was vnfallible but the Romish church thinketh it a great fauour to kisse his pantofle and séeketh for dispensations at his hands and beareth all his burdensome lawes albeit not with out great grudging as may appeare by Peter de Alliaco his treatise de reformatione ecclesiae by Vllerstones petitions proposed in the councell of Constance and diuers complaints both of English French and Dutch finally if they doe not yéeld his iudgement to be infallible then must they confesse that the church of Rome is built rather on sand than on a rocke argument 50 The church of Christ neuer beléeued that the bishop of Rome could depose princes take their crownes from them or that they could dispense with subiects for their othes of allegeance to their liege princes nay the apostles teach obedience to princes and Peter did rather exhort to obedience then rebellion the canons that goe vnder the names of the d Can. 83. apostles doe seuerely punish such as doe speake reprochfully of princes and magistrates and certes most vnlike it was that euer king or prince would haue embraced christian religion if the same had giuen power to bishops to depose them from their regall throne and to subiects to rebell against their liege soueraignes but papists doe beléeue and e Bellar. lib. 5. de pontif Rom. c. 6. 7. 8. teach that the pope hath power to depose kings and to translate kingdomes from one to another they also do beléeue that he hath power to dispense with the othes of subiects to command them to rebel Howsoeuer the rest beléeue pope f In Bulla contra Elizabetham Pius the fift most wickedly commanded her Maiesties subiects to take armes against her vpon paine of excommunication and the like insolency did g In declarat eiusdem bullae Sixtus quintus vse against her being the Lords annointed and he being the greased and marked slaue of satan both he and Pius quintus doe wickedly raile against her and the like course did that flagitious pope h In bulla contr Henric. 8. Paule the third take against her Maiesties noble father and this is now the popes and their agents most common practise to raise sedition against christian princes and when they cannot otherwise doe hurt like helhounds to barke against them and to publish infamous libels tending to their dishonour and disgrace argument 51 The true church of Christ is also catholike and compriseth all the faithfull of all times and is not limited within any one countrey or nation for our Sauiour Christ commanded his apostles to teach all nations and in our créed we beléeue the catholike church now this catholike church as saint i In psal 56. Augustine saith is spred throughout all the world and conteineth not onely those that are present but those also that are past and are yet to come but the Romish church is not catholike neither doeth it conteine the Greekes or Africanes or men of Asia that for many ages past haue shaken off the yoke of antichrist of Rome further it doeth not reach to the people of God before Christ finally k Lib. de ecclesia milit c. 2. Bellarmine doeth define those onely to be of the church which liue vnder the obedience of the pope this church therefore differeth much from the catholike church argument 52 The true church consisteth not of fierce lyons nor of wolues nor tygers nor such like wilde and fierce beastes but of sheepe and lambes which learne of Christ and are méeke humble and gentle these did Christ commit to Peter and all godly pastors his successors to be fed and these are the members of his church and not those cruell ones that are more like to lyons then shéepe they shall not hurt nor kill saith God by his holy l Isai 11. prophet in all my holy mountaine nay the force of Christes religion is such that it maketh sauage and fierce people to become méeke and gentle the wolfe saith the m ibidem prophet shall dwell with the lambe and the pard shall lie with the kidde quis coegit barbaros gentesque alias in suis sedibus saith n Lib. de incarnat verb. Athanasius immanitatem deponere pacifica meditari nisi christi fides crucis signaculum Optatus in his second booke against Parmenian speaking of catholickes to heretickes which of vs saith he hath persecuted any man can you shew or proue that any of you hath bene persecuted by vs But the Romish church doth consist of lyons tygers wolues and inquisitors popes and friers more fierce and cruell then lyons tygers and wolues their o Extr. de haereticis per tot lawes are most cruell their executions notwithstanding passe both law and reason In the time of Charles the emperor the fift of that name it is recorded p Meteran de Belgit tumult that aboue fifty thousand persons were condemned by sentences of inquisitors and iudges and executed to death in the low countries for the profession of their faith In France as the stories of that country declare thréescore thousand christians without all order of law and contrary to solemne othes giuen them by the king for their security were most shamefully and trecherously murdered and massacred for the profession of their relion at the kings sisters mariage Circiter sexaginta hominum millia saith q Hist Nat. com lib. 23. p. 508. Natalis Comes speaking
call Rome vnder the popes false and wicked Babylon Gia Roma saith he hor ' Babylonia fals'eria his opinion is likewise confirmed by the bishop of Salzburg Auentin lib. 7. Michael Cesenas Petrus Blesensis and others and so guilty are the Romanists in their owne conscience that either they can not endure the interpretation of the Reuelation of S. Iohn or els they giue out such vaine constructions of it as neither satisfie themselues nor others argument 63 The true church of Christ did neuer worship S. Peter nor the ancient bishops of Rome nor did S. Peter suffer himselfe to be worshipped or carried on mens shoulders or to haue his pantofle kissed but the Romish church doth worship the pope and call him a god on the earth and Christes vicar and the foundation and spouse and head of the church the bishop of Modrusa in the councell of Lateran cried out to Leo the tenth te beatissime Leo saluatorem expectauimus others beare him on their shoulders others crie out to the pope to haue mercy on them others leade his palfrey others kisse his féet argument 64 The true church did alwaies reuerently thinke of the holy mysteries of Christian religion and accordingly did she vse them it is a common saying that holy things are respectiuely and reuerently to be vsed But the Romish church neither thinketh nor beléeueth reuerently nor vseth the mysteries of Christian religion so respectiuely as the holinesse and grauity of such things require one pope cast the eucharist into the fire Hildebrandus saith x In vita Gragor 7. Beno sacramentum corporis Domini responsa diuina contra imperatorem quaerens iniecit igni Pius Quintus cast one Agnus Dei into the water of Tybre y In vita de Pio 5. and another into the fire Cresciuto il Teuere saith Hierome Catena Pio vi gittò vn ' agnus Dei il fuoco appreso in vna casa piena di fieno vi si gitto vn altero All papists for the most part affirme that if a dogge or hogge or mouse eat a consecrate host he eateth the body of Christ really and properly the conspirators that were suborned by Sixtus Quartus to kill Laurence and Iulian de Medici were commanded to do it in the church and at the instant of the eleuation of the sacrament Dato signo saith z Lib. Geograph 5. Volateran cum eucharistia tolleretur When the pope rideth abroad he sendeth his corpus Domini before with the baggage and with the basest seruants of his house as Mouluc in a treatise directed to the Quéene mother of France declareth finally albeit the papists teach that the crosse is to be worshipped with latria or diuine worship yet doe the popes make crosses on their slippers to shew what base reckoning they make of their religion argument 65 The church of Christ is a society of beléeuing and faithfull people and a communion of saints this is an article of our faith that is proued by the definition and nature of the church but the Romish church requireth in her followers no more to make them her true members but that they professe the Romish faith outwardly and communicate with the church in sacraments and be subiect to the pope vt aliquis aliquo modo dici possit pars verae ecclesiae de qua scripturae loquuntur non putamus requiri vllam internam virtutem saith a De eccles milit c. 2. Bellarmine so by his account the church may consist of hereticks and most wicked persons so they make an externall profession of Christianitie and holde with the pope but such can not be parts or members of Christes church without true faith and charity argument 66 b Matth. 18. Whosoeuer heareth not the church is to be accounted as a heathen man or publican but he that heareth not the church of Rome that excommunicateth Christian princes and stirreth vp subiects to rebellion and debaseth holy scriptures and setteth vp vncerteine and false traditions and mainteineth false doctrine idolatry and heresie is neither to be accounted a publican nor a heathen man but a true Christian and follower of Christ Iesus the papists will denie perhaps the church of Rome to be guilty of this crime but the wicked excommunications of Paul the third denounced against Henry the 8. K. of England of Pius 5. Sixtus Quintus against her Maiesty and of other popes against other princes and the stirres that haue ensued of them doe prooue them to be authors of rebellion the rest we haue already touched and shall more at large proue hereafter argument 67 c Lib. de notis ecclesiae Bellarmine confesseth and all papists agree with him first that the true church of Christ is the catholicke church and maintaineth catholicke doctrine 2. that the same is most ancient sine dubio saith he vera ecclesia antiquior est qùam falsa 3. that the same shall alwaies continue ecclesia dicitur catholica non solum quia semper fuit sed etiam quia semper erit saith Bellarmine 4. that it shall be enlarged to the endes of the earth ecclesia catholica saith he non solum debet amplecti omnia tempora sed etiam omnia loca omnes nationes omnia hominum genera 5. that it hath a succession of bishops certaine and continuall 6. that it consenteth with the apostolicke church in the doctrine of faith sexta nota saith Bellar. est conspiratio in doctrina cum ecclesia antiqua 7. that it be vnited to Christ Iesus and haue the partes vnited among themselues septima nota saith he est vnio mēbrorum inter se cum capite 8. they confesse also that the doctrine of the church is holy 9. that it is effectuall 10. that the authors of the docttrine of the church are holy ecclesia enim saith Bellar. habet doctores sanctos 11. that the same is adorned with miracles prophecie 12. that the aduersaries of the church confesse the doctrine thereof to be true and finally that such as haue fauored the church haue prosperous successe and such as disfauour it euill successe and vnhappie endes but the Romish church is neither called catholicke of all nor is it catholicke in respect of place or doctrine nor is the same ancient the doctrine of popery being not established but since the councell of Lateran vnder Innocent the third the first father of transubstantiation enacted for the most part by the conuenticles of Constance Florence Trent nor hath the Romish church any assurance that it shall alwaies continue seing the same dependeth on the Pope and his determinations in neither of which is there any certainty for the pope may be taken away as saith d De auserribilit papae Gerson and his decrées doe oftentimes alter e Epist 2. ad Bohemos Nicholas of Cusia saith that the scriptures are to be fitted to the time and that they are diuersly to be vnderstood and that God doth
alter his iudgement according to the iudgement of the church we sée also that the popes are still publishing decretales of faith and that one destroieth that which another buildeth and contrariwise 4. it were plaine impudency to affirme that the doctrine of the church of Rome concerning frée will and works sacraments and the popes authority and such like points was alwaies taught and receiued of all nations and in all places and that shall appeare by diuers perticulars where wée declare that the papists are no catholickes 5. that church hath no certaine nor continuall succession of bishops for neither doe the aduersaries know who succeded Peter nor what bishops from time to time succeded one another nor haue the popes bene true bishops a long time wanting due election and ordination and relinquishing vtterly the office of bishops to rule the temporall state of Rome nor can they deny but that the succession of that sée hath bene often interrupted by long vacations distraction by schisme intrusion of Dame Ioane into the popedome 6 we shall easily proue that the doctrine of that church agréeth not with the apostles doctrine for I doe not thinke that Bellar. can shew the decretales to consent with Paules epistles or to haue bene written with the same spirit 7. the papists haue not onely ouerthrowne Christs propheticall office in teaching new doctrine but also his regall and priestly function appointing a new gouernment neuer established by him and erecting a new priesthood and sacrifice contrary to Christes doctrine furthermore that church not onely hath bene oftentimes distracted by schisme but also is much distracted by contrary opinions of schoolemen monks and friers in euery point of doctrine as to goe no further appeareth both by Dionysus Carthusianus vpon the master of sentences Iosephus Angles his Flores doctorum and Bellarmines disputations wherein he alledgeth in euery point diuers opinions 8. their decretaline doctrine is neither sound nor holy standing more on temporall iurisdiction then pointes of faith and establishing the blasphemies of the masse the idolatrous worship of saints departed and of images and the tyranny of the pope 9. the same doctrine is without effect being vpholden with lies fables fraud fire and sword and not being otherwise able to stand 10. Gregory the 9. was a most wicked ambitious man of Boniface the 8. it is said that he sought rather to rule by force then religion Clement the 5. was a notorious adulterer as f Villani Vrsperg stories write Iohn the 22. was an hereticke an ambitious man yet were these the principall authors of Romish doctrine for as for friers and monkes they might prate their pleasure but the chiefe authority to allow or disallow was in the pope 11. the reportes of Romish miracles and prophecies are nothing but lies and fables and stand onely vpon the report of their legendes 12. Bellarmine shall neuer prooue that any of vs haue confessed the doctrine of popery to be true finally it appeareth that the popes of Rome and their agents in most of their attempts haue had no good successe Charles the fift and his sonne Philip the greatest protectors of the popish cause died discontent to say no more Henry the third the principall agent in the massacre of France was killed by a frier The duke of Guise and other massacrers came to violent ends contrariwise it hath pleased God to maintaine true Christians against all the forces and ambuscadaes of their enimies by small meanes if then Bellarmine say true the Romish church will prooue no true church argument 68 The church of Rome is also conuinced not to be the true church by the confession of g Relect. doct princip contron 1. q. 5. Stapleton for if the true church began at Hierusalem and is vniuersally dispersed ouer the whole earth and hath continued in all ages and hath a true and certeine succession continued from the apostles and disagreeth not about matters of faith nor dissenteth from the head of the church and hath planted christian religion and preserued the same throughout the world and hath kept the apostolike forme of gouernment and preuailed against all heresies and temptations keeping the rule of faith sound and intiere and also sheweth the true way of saluation and keepeth the scriptures sound pure from corruption and finally holdeth the decrees of general councels as blundring h Princip doctrinal relectis Stapleton not onely confesseth but after his rude and most odious and tedious fashion with multitude of words goeth about to prooue then is not the church of Rome that now is the true church of Christ Iesus for to say that the church of Rome began at Hierusalem is as absurd as to say that Rome is Hierusalem or to affirme that Rome now is like to old Rome Robert Parsous should do vs a speciall fauour to shew vnto vs that the glory and fulnesse of power that the pope challengeth with his glorious cardinals masse priests mitred prelats idle monks lying friers and all the popes doctrine concerning the law faith sacraments ceremonies and other matters came from Hierusalem he may do well also to prooue that the latter scholastical decretaline doctrine which the church of Rome mainteineth was vniuersally receiued throughout the world nay that it was receiued in any part of the world during the apostles times or the times of the ancient fathers of the church as for the rocke of succession of popes vpon which our aduersaries build so large conclusions i Lib. de pontif Rom. de notis ecclesiae we haue shewed it to be nothing but a banke of sand for neuer shall the popes agents be able to shew the same to haue beene certeine or continued without interruptiō it is also apparent that popish doctrine is not onely diuers from Christs doctrine but also contrarie to the same and that there are infinit contradictions and contrarieties in the opinions of the chiefe patrons of popery albeit all dissent from Christ the head of the church the church of Rome hath also béene torne in pieces by diuers schismes further we shall héereafter shew that the later popes haue not planted but rather rooted out Christian religion out of diuers places and in the rest haue corrupted it with diuers nouelties and heresies finally the church of Rome hath not onely abrogated ancient canons and changed the ancient forme of church gouernment but also corrupted the rule of faith by adding of vnwritten traditions determinations of popes and their fancies to the canonicall scriptures the gates of hell therefore preuailing against the church and popes of Rome it is easily to be inferred that the same is not the true church argument 69 Héere we will also adde the testimony of Bristow a man as the aduersaries imagine well séene in motiues and markes of the church He k Bristowes motiues commendeth that for the true church that is catholike and apostolike and which abhorreth all nouelties heresies and
immunitat in 6. nos iustitiam nostram saith he ecclesiae sponsae nostrae nolentes negligere argument 90 The ancient fathers neuer called the pope vniuersall bishop for n Lib. 4. ep 32. Gregory the first doeth much mislike that title and calleth it sacrilegious and profane and a certeine councell of Africa cited by Gratiam dist 99. c. primaesedis importeth that the bishop of Rome should not be called vniuersall but now euery lousie frier made pope will be called vniuersall bishop and the papists dare not deny him this title argument 91 Ancient Christians neuer called the pope god nor supremum numen in terris but the canonistes doe not sticke to call him and honor him as God as appeareth by the chapter satis dist 96. and by Augustine Steuchus in lib. de donat Constantini and Stapleton in his epistle dedicatory before his booke intituled doctrinalia principia calleth him supremum numen in terris that is the soueraigne god of the world argument 92 In ancient time the church was gouerned by the lawes of councels and Christian emperors as appeareth by the acts of councels and lawes of Iustinians Code it appeareth also that in the time of Charles the great and his sonnes the church was gouerned for externall matters by lawes of princes but now the popes exclude both emperors kings and princes and take on them the sole gouernment of the vniuersall church argument 93 In the councell of Constance it was holden that the councell was aboue the pope the same also appeareth for that diuers popes haue answered and some haue béene deposed by councels but now the papists holde contrary and say that the pope is aboue the councell neither doe they allow any councels to be authenticall but such as are called and confirmed by the pope argument 94 The apostles their successors were subiect to emperors princes and paid tribute vnto them the apostle S. Paul taught all bishops and priests to be subiect to higher powers but now they hold that the pope is aboue all princes and kings whatsoeuer Papa est dominus dominantium saith o In c. ecclesia vt lite pendente Baldus ius regis regum habet in suos subditos and p De pontific Rom. lib. 5. Bellarmine holdeth that the pope hath power to depose kings and to take their crownes from them argument 95 The apostles and their successors in ancient time exhorted subiects to obedience now the popes of late haue exhorted subiects to rebellion as appeareth by their execrable bulles against Henry the 8. king of England and his daughter Elizabeth now reigning against Henry the 3. of France and against diuers emperors argument 96 In ancient time bishops spoke reuerently of kings and princes and in the q C. 83. canons of the apostles the censure of deposition is inflicted vpon such of the clergy as vtter words of reproch against princes but now the popes raile against princes as is euident by their wicked bulles and when railing will not serue by assassins and murdrers hired and aposted they séeke to cut their throates as appeareth by the fact of Iames Clement that murdred Henry the 3. Chastell that assaulted Henry the 4. of France and diuers assassins hired to kill our noble Quéene argument 97 Before Gregory the firsts time the popes made no bishops either in England or France or Germany or Afrike or Asia but al nations and prouinces were frée from his vsurpations neither did any bishops sweare fealty to the pope but now all this is quite changed and the pope claimeth a generall power to ordeine bishops ouer the world and maketh them r C. ego N. de iurtiurando sweare fealty vnto him as to their souereigne argument 98 In S. Cyprians and Augustines time the bishops of Afrike would suffer no appeales to be made to Rome now Bellar. disputeth that it is a point of the popes right to heare appeales out of all the world argument 99 Now also the papists make the pope supreme iudge in all causes and controuersies of faith but the ancient church nâ—uer imagined that such matters could be decided without a councell argument 100 The pope now Å¿ C. vnam extr de maior obed challengeth both swords but our Sauior Christ taught that his kingdome was not of this world and the apostle Paul said that the weapons of his warfare were not carnall The ancient bishops of Rome certes neuer vsed swords nor souldiers but sincerely taught the Gospel argument 101 Vntill Boniface the ninth his time the city of Rome was either vnder the emperors or vnder her owne magistrates as Å¿ Lib. 2. de schism Theodoric à Niem testifieth is it not then strange that the emperor will suffer his imperiall state and empire to be holden from him which is so lately vsurped and by fraud intercepted by the pope argument 102 It is not long since the pope began to weare a triple crown and to be borne on mens shoulders and to tread on princes necks and to make others to kisse his pantofle Let Robert Parsons shew that this was done before Gregory the seuenth and Celestine the third argument 103 Neither is it many hundred yéeres since the pope challenged annates and tooke money of archbishops for their palles argument 104 The popes prouisions reseruations translations and other extraordinary dispensations were vnheard of in the ancient church argument 105 Finally whether we respect the foundations of popish religion or the doctrine of the Law and Gospel or the doctrine and ceremonies concerning sacraments praiers and the worship of God or the gouernment and lawes of the popes chamber chancery and consistory we may boldly say that so much as we reiect in this church is nothing els but a packe of nouelties CHAP. III. That the papists are no true catholikes nor holde the catholike faith if they beleeue the popes decretals and his schoole diuinitie IF false teachers as they secretly broch erronious doctrine so would openly manifest their malicious and wicked natures we should not néed so watchfully to looke to their procéedings nor so earnestly to exhort all Christians to beware of their deceits and entisements but séeing like wolues in shéeps clothing they come abroad with the names of catholiks and catholike religion and abuse simple people I thinke it very necessary to take this maske from their false visages and to shew that they are woluish papists and not Christes shéepe or true catholiks the which that we may with all plainnesse and sincerity performe we will first declare what is meant by the catholike church which we professe in our Creed and next what is the catholike faith which euery Christian is to embrace and with all constancy to mainteine The catholike church therefore is the vniuersall societie of Gods saints and it comprehendeth all the faithfull from the beginning vnto the end of the world This catholike church saith S. a In Psal 56. Augustine is
spred thorowout the world and conteineth not only those that now liue but those also that are past and are yet to come The catholike faith is the faith of Christ Iesus which the apostles first taught and which all true Christians both haue holden and do holde and shall holde to the worlds end In this catholike church saith b De haeres c. 3. Vincentius Lirinensis we are to hold that which alwaies hath beene beleeued of all Christians for that is truely and properly catholike he c De haeres c. 34. teacheth vs also that the property of catholiks is to keepe the doctrine committed to them and left with them by the ancient fathers and to auoid profane nouelties finally he determineth that those onely are truely and rightly called catholikes which onely beleeue and holde that which the catholike church in olde time did vniuersally holde Saint d De vera relig c. 5. Augustine doth take catholikes to be nothing els but Christians and true beleeuers which mainteine the sincere faith and follow that which is right Apud eos solos saith he quaerenda est religio qui Christiani catholici vel orthodoxi nominantur he doth also oppose catholikes against heretikes e Epist 81. ad monach palaest epist 95. Leo saith also that there is one true only perfect and inuiolable faith whereto nothing can be added and from which nothing can be taken If then the papists be hereticks and no true beléeuers then are they no catholikes if they holde a faith grounded vpon priuate opinions of men and not alwaies nor vniuersally holden then doe they not holde the catholike faith but that they holde diuers heresies and false opinions shall be shewed in the chapter following that they hold many new points altogether vnknowen in ancient time and when the Gospel began first to be preached we haue alreadie proued and demonstrated in the last discourse f That papists hold points of doctrine not catholike It resteth then now that I héere declare that the papists mainteine diuers points of doctrine neuer generally holden of all Christians nor vniuersally taught in the church of Christ and that may appeare first by the doctrine of the church of Rome concerning the foundations of Christian religion next by the doctrine of that church that cōcerneth both the law and the Gospell thirdly by the faith of the Romish church concerning the sacraments fourthly by their faith concerning praier and the whole seruice of God fiftly by their doctrine concerning repentance ordination of ministers marriage almes and fasting and finally by their doctrine concerning the church and the gouernment of it argument 1 Concerning the foundations of religion they teach first that scriptures are an g Bellar. lib. 4. de ver◠Dei c. 12. vnperfect rule of faith as hath béene declared in the chapter going before and h Bish of Eureux some of them haue not feared to write books of the insufficiency of scriptures but the i 2. Tim. 3. apostle saith they are able to make the man of God perfect and wise to saluation and true catholikes alwaies held the canonicall scriptures to be a perfect rule both for faith and maners Saint k Lib. 2. de doct Chr. c. 9. Augustine saith that all things necessarily belonging to faith or maners are conteined in plaine places of scriptures argument 2 The papists will not allow the scriptures to conteine all that word of God which we are now to follow for albeit they do not in expresse termes say so much yet it is necessarily inferred of their doctrine where they l Bellar. de verb. Dei teach that we haue one word of God written and another vnwritten and m Sess 4. concil Trid. determine that we are with equall affection to embrace vnwritten traditions and the holy scriptures but the catholike church neuer taught that after the writings of the prophets and apostles once perfected and published we had a word of God vnwritten which is to be placed in equall ranke with the holy scriptures n Aduers gent. Athanasius saith that the holy and diuine scriptures are sufficient to instruct vs in all trueth S. o In Mich. 1. Hierome calleth the scriptures the limits or bounds of the catholike church Non est egressa de finibus suis saith he id est de scripturis sanctis What saith p Regul 80. Basil is the propertie of a faithfull man forsooth to beleeue with certine fulnesse of minde whatsoeuer is conteined in scriptures and neither to reiect any part thereof nor to adde any new thing vnto them Saint q Lib. de paradis c. 13. Ambrose saith we may no more adde to Gods commandements than take from them and S. r In Ioan. tractat Augustine electa sunt quae scriberentur quae saluti credentium sufficere videbantur that is those things are chosen out and thought fit to be written which séemed to be sufficient for the saluation of the faithful and albeit the fathers mention traditions which were sometime vnwritten yet if they were necessary they signifie that now they are written Si aut in euangelio praecipitur saith * In epist ad Pompeium Cyprian aut in apostolorum epistolis aut actibus continetur obseruetur diuina haec sancta traditio he signifieth that no tradition is to be admitted vnlesse it be conteined in scriptures argument 3 The papists also teach that the pope and his Sée is the foundation of the church est Petri sedes saith ſ In praefat ante lib. de pontif Rom. Bellarmine lapis probatus angularis preciosus in fundamento fundatus these words also he applieth to the pope whom he calleth Christes vicar in another t Lib. 2. depont Rom. c. 31. place he calleth the Pope the foundation of the church and Sanders in his Rocke of the church disputeth that the pope is that rocke is not then the Romish church a weake building that in euery vacation is without foundation and relieth wholly vpon one man true Catholikes certes neuer applied the words of Isay ch 8 28. to the pope nor thought him to be an approoued stone or corner stone or a precious stone laid in the foundation of the church the u 1. Cor. 3. apostle teacheth vs that no man can lay any other foundation then that which is laid that is Christ Iesus and in another place he x Ephes 2. saith that the church and citizens of saints are built vpon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone with him also consenteth all the company of true catholikes argument 4 Stapleton in plaine tearmes denieth the scriptures to be the foundation of his religion aliud hodie saith he y In praefat ante relect princip doctrin Christianae religionis fundamentum habemus and afterward ab ipsis literis euangelicis apostolicis aliud the same z In analysi ante
argument 10 The Romanists n C. ad abolendam de haeret adiudge all to be hereticks which teach and hold otherwise of the sacraments then the church of Rome determineth and holdeth and commonly they condemne all that receiue not the popes determinations concerning faith but catholiks make the doctrine of Christ to be the squire of our faith Our o Matth. 28. Sauiour Christ gaue his apostles in charge to teach what he had commanded them the apostle likewise pronounceth him accursed that should teach otherwise than the Galatians had receiueth So it appereth that not those that taught other doctrine than the bishops of Rome but such as taught contrary to the apostles doctrine yea albeit they were bishops of Rome were condemned and accursed argument 11 The Romanists doe aswell build their faith vpon p Concâ—l Trid. sess 4. vnwritten traditions as the written word of God so the papists must aswell receiue the traditions of the legends as the holie scriptures aswell must they beléeue the wounds of S. Francis as Christ his passion and the miracles of S. Dominike and other braue Romish saints as the miracles of Christ and his apostles for these as they holde are traditions and the wounds of S. Francis are confirmed by diuers decretales of popes To this effect writeth q C. sancta dist 15. Gelasius and saith Gesta sanctorum martyrum recipimus but true catholikes haue more certeine grounds of their faith and would be much ashamed to beléeue such fables nay some of the papists haue much misliked these fabulous legends as may appeare by the testimony of Dante an Italian poet Cant. 29. and Laurence Valla in his treatise contra Donationem Constantini argument 12 The papists allow the legends of S. George S. Christopher S. Catherine Abgarus of the inuention of the crosse of S. Iohn Baptists head and diuers such like as conteining olde traditions but true catholikes will not allow any such fables to be read in the church nay Gratian himselfe vnder the name of r C. Sancta dist 15. Gelasius doth condemne the legend of George of Cyricus and Iulitta Abgarus of the inuention of the crosse and such like argument 13 Alij nunc à Christo saith Å¿ In praefat in relect princip doctrin Stapleton eorúmue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me locum habebunt that is others beside Christ together with their doctrine preaching and determination shall be accounted of me as a foundation The rest also beléeuing that the popes can not erre in their determinations concerning faith must néeds rest vpon them as the foundation of their faith but true catholiks build their saith onely vpon Christ and his doctrine deliuered by the apostles and prophets argument 14 The church of God and all true catholikes kéepe the doctrine of the apostles and holy fathers without addition and alteration and auoid all prophane nouelties The t Galat. 1. apostle pronounceth him accursed that teacheth any other Gospel than that which he had taught Catholicorum hoc ferè proprium saith u Aduers hares c. 34. Vincentius deposita sanctorum patrum commissa seruare damnare prophanas nouitates sicut dixit iterum dixit apostolus si quis annunciauerit praeterquam quod acceptum est anathematizare If then the church of Rome and papists haue altered the apostolike and ancient fathers faith and haue added diuers points of new doctrine vnto it as I haue verified in the chapter going before he doth greatly wrong the catholike faith which calleth them catholikes argument 15 True catholikes beléeue in God onely Faith saith the x Rom. 10. apostle is by hearing and hearing by the word of God y De diuin non inib. c. 7. Dionyse saith that faith hath for his obiect the most pure and euer being trueth and euery catholike rehearsing his beliefe saith he beleeueth in God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost but the papists after a sort beléeue in the virgine Mary in angels and saints and pray and confesse their sinnes vnto them for if they beléeue not in them how doe they call vpon them séeing the z Rom. 10. apostle saith how shall they call on him on whom they haue not beleeued and why doe they confesse their sinnes vnto them if they beléeue not that they do vnderstand the secrets of their hearts and know that their confession is sincere and true if they doe not beléeue in saints yet I hope they will not denie that they beléeue the determinations of the pope and of the Romish church a In oâ—usc contra errores Gracorum Thomas Aquinas saith it is a matter of faith to beleeue the determination of the pope ad fidem pertinct saith he inhaerere determinationi pontificis fummi in his quae sunt fidei imò in his quae spectaÌ„t ad bonos more 's with him also concurreth b Summa Siluest in verb. fides Siluester Prierius He saith also further that we are to beleeue whatsoeuer is taught by the church of Rome Ad fidem pertinent omnia saith he quae sunt in doctrina ecclesiae argument 16 True catholiks beléeue that Christ Iesus as he was true God so was he also true man and had a body like to ours in height bredth and thickenesse and that he filled the place where his body was as do our bodies We must beleeue saith S. c De essentia diuinitatis Augustine that the Sonne of God according to his Deitie is inuisible incorporeall and incircumscriptible but according to his humane nature that he is visible corporeall and locall d Contr. Eutychem lib. 4. c. 4. Vigilius saith that Christ is conteined in a place according to his humane nature and that this is the catholike faith Illud corpus saith e Dialog 2. Theodoret habet priorem formam figuram circumscriptionem vt semel dicam corporis substantiam so likewise saith f Ad Thrasymund lib. 2. c. 5. Fulgentius Si verum est corpus Christi loco potest vtique contineri If then the papists doe assigne to Christ such a body as is neither visible nor palpable nor circumscriptible in the sacrament nor hath the dimensions of height bredth and depth such as a mans body by nature hath nor is continued to it selfe as all bodies are but wanteth all the properties of a true bodie then are the papists neither catholikes nor Christians for how can they be either that erre in things so materiall argument 17 Euery catholike Christian beléeueth that our sauior Christs true body is ascended into heauen and that he there remaineth and shall remaine vntill his comming againe he g Iohn 16. told his disciples before his passion that he must leaue the world and goe to the father he saith also in another h Iohn 12. place that they should not alwaies haue him with them In the first of the Acts we reade that his
there hath béene some difference betwéene priuat persons about ceremonies and gouernment and that without disagréement in religion yet now all that quarrell to the great griefe of Owlyglasse and his consorts is ended and all godly christians iointly concurre to the repressing of the seditious massepriests and their adherents that by faction and heresie seeke to vndermine both the Church and state In this obseruation he goeth about also to prooue that I doe not séeme to allow the doctrine established in this church of England But as in the rest so in this Owlyglasse doth but trifle I doe holde I confesse that baptisme is not so necessarie but that diuers may and haue beene saued without it especially where there is no contempt committed in procuring it Further I doe beléeue that it is vnlawfull for women to take vpon them to administer baptisme and doe aduise in case of extremitie all christians to procure the ministers presence Thirdly I doe vtterly condemne the doctrine of the papistes concerning their limbus patrum Fourthly I doe much mislike their superstitious stationary obambulations about the limits of parishes for the blessing of new corne and their superstitious letanies and ceremonies vsed in the fame Fiftly I deny that euer the catholike church had any precepts or canons to forbid mariages on such daies and in such sort and for such respects as the Romish Church doth practise Sixtly I doe beléeue that Luthers opinion absolutely considered in it selfe is not a fundamentall point of religion especially if we giue his wordes a fauourable construction Finally I accompt none to be true christians and professours that make no conscience of sinne and liue not according to their profession But what of all this doe I therefore teach contrarie to any point of doctrine maintained by the church of England so Owlyglasse my good friend would insinuate But his proofes are simple and his assertions most false He saith Page 111. that the Church of England teacheth that baptisme is necessarie to saluation But the booke which he alleadgeth out of which he cannot bring one word to prooue his saying doth conuince him both of lying and impudencie Secondly he affirmeth that to deny womens baptisme is contrarie to religion established But it is not contrarie to his religion to lie and face out lies most impudently Thirdly to prooue that our church beléeueth limbus patrum he should haue alleadged our confession and not a certaine verset of the créede in méeter Beside that in that verset nothing is said but that Christ illuminated those that sate in darknesse which is nothing to limbus patrum a place that cannot be illuminated as papistes holde Further that verset may be rather an exposition of the words of the song of Zacharie Luke 2. of the illumination of the ignorant and of the like wordes of the Prophet Esay chap. 9. then an assertion of limbus pactum Fourthly the papists in their perambulations of parishes vse to blesse or rather to exorcise corne and to say most wicked litanyes They vse also diuers superstitious ceremonies which vnlesse Owlyglasse prooue to be allowed by our Church he will prooue himselfe a cogging compagnion Fifthly he talketh of prohibitions of the solemnizations of mariages at certaine times but he alleadgeth neither lawe nor record to prooue that our Church alloweth either the doctrine or the ceremonies of the Romish congregation in this point And there whither he sendeth vs we finde nothing but the testimonie of an Almanacke Sixtly albeit the church of England doth not holde Luthers real presence of Christes body in the sacrament yet cannot the detractor shewe but that his opinion may be reconciled with the Christian faith if a man will not vrge those points that follow of that doctrine too seuerely and further percase then at the first Luther himselfe allowed them If a man doe gather what doth followe of it then is the doctrine dangerous as I and others confesse Finally he doth not so much as go about to shewe that I haue deliuered any thing contrary to the doctrine of our Church where I affirme that good life is as well required in a true professour as true faith Why then is this point touched in this place Doth it grieue him that I touch the filthy Sodomiticall priests and friers and shut that abhominable generation out of Gods church It séemeth so and therefore to requite me he saith that this doctrine may touch me for that I haue falsified and maliciously corrupted the fathers But if I haue cleared my selfe of all those matters that he hath laide to my charge I hope the vanitie of his collection will manifestly appeare to all indifferent men But hee poore ideot appeareth not but séeing the Romish Church and diuers of her principall pillers to be charged with notorious lies and falsifications passeth away in silence and is not able to answere one worde Nay hee leaueth his clients in the briers and signifieth for ought he can doe they must pleade for themselues Wherefore to leaue off further to vrge this distressed followe that is able to say nothing for the defence of them whom he doth principally fauour I may well conclude séeing the arguments which I brought in my Challenge stand immooueable and the detectors exceptions are prooued to be vaine and friuolous first that the Romish church is not the true Church of Christ Iesus Secondly that the religion of Papists is neither auncient nor catholike Thirdly that all papists maintaining the doctrine of the Pope and his adherents are heretikes Fourthly that such as embrace popish religion are idolaters Fifthly that all the Popes adherents and agents that haue suffered for his cause in England are to be reputed no better then disloyall traytors and not as some would haue it Martyres Finally that my aduersary by his friuolous obiections hath much confirmed and strengthened our cause against which he was not able to obiect any one thing of moment and iustified my allegations being not able to take any iust exception against any thing said by me nor to obiect any thing which is not fully answered CHAP. IIII. Of diuers falsities committed by the Popes and Church of Rome IF our aduersarie had well remembred his promise he ought not onely to haue conuinced me of vntruthes corruptions contradictions and falsifications according to the title of his pamphlet but also of maliciousnesse and wilfulnesse for so he vaunteth he will I challenge the challenger saith he of many malicious vntruthes Cap. 1. pag. 8. and many palpable and wilfull falsifications But when it commeth to performance of corruptions he saith nothing contradictions he toucheth slenderly vntruthes and falsifications he can by no meanes fasten vpon me The qualitie of maliciousnes and wilfulnesse being a matter purposed and fully promised he vtterly forgot In the rest how poorely he hath demeaned himselfe by my answere to his whole dispute it will appeare But suppose I had either mistaken a report misalleadged a place yet
nothing more For there is not any one historiographer that doth mention any such matter nay histories report that Otho deposed this Iohn and caused another to be placed in his seate So farre was he from swearing fealty to him beside that not any man of credit euer wrote that the emperor held his crowne in fealty of the Pope Bellarmine albeit he wish well to the Pope yet doth he not holde or beleeue any such mattter Or at least he dare not speake or write so much Thirdly it is apparent that Otho and his successors claymed iurisdiction in Rome and the territory adioyning longe after this supposed decretale Therefore vnlike it is that the emperor should as is here pretended forswere it Finally the frame of the othe is most ridiculous and the stile most brutish the emperor calleth the pope dominum and saith tibi domino Ioanni papae ego rex Otho promittere iurare facio Which is a most absurd kind of spéech For he that sweareth himselfe taketh his oth directly and maketh not others only to swere or promise but no man can deny but that it is falsity to exhibit or vse any false instrument or to corrupt or falsifie any publike or priuat writings by any meanes whatsoeuer paulus respondit saith the law legis corneliae poenateneri L. instrumentorum ff ad L. cornel de falsie qui etiam extra testamenta cetera falsa signassent sed et ceteros qui in rationibus tabulis literis publicis aliaue qua re siue consignatione falsum fecerunt vel vt verum non appareat quid celauerunt surripuerunt subiecerunt resignauerunt falsification 25 The epistles ascribe to Clement Anacle tus Euaristus Alexander Sixtus Telesphorus Hyginus Pius Victor and other ancient bishops of Rome are nothing but méere forgeryes For first seeing they liued in times when latin was most purely spoken it is not likely but their epistles should be good latine But these supposed epistles are most barbarous and Gothical and very vnlike to the stile of Tertullian Cyprian Lactantius and other fathers Secondly it is not like that liuing in ancient time those bishops should speake as the Italians spoake about a thousand yeares after Christ Thirdly séeing there is such difference of stile in diuers writers that no two or thrée write all alike it is not like if all these epistles had béene written by the men whose names they carry that the stile of al should be like Fourthly if they were written by diuers how happeneth it that in diuers epistles diuers writers vse the same words phrase and sentences Againe what is the reason that some of them alledge the words of the scriptures according to Hieromes traslatiō that was made longe after Fifty neither Bellarmine nor Baronius dare maintaine that all these epistles are authentical 6. The Romanistes themselues doe not giue any credit to these epistles For they hold that Linus succeded Peter immediatly but Clement epistle 1. telleth contrary that he did succede Peter being ordained by Peter himselfe Finally they containe some matters disagréeing farre from the times wherein they wrote and others very impossible and sometimes contrarie to authenticall histories Clement epist 1. writeth to Iames of the death of Peter who séemeth to be dead before Peter He talketh of sending of bishops into France Germany and Italy as if he had then had men to commaund at his pleasure and could haue disposed of things then as in latter times He talketh of a forme and face of gouernment which then was not vsuall In his second epistle most arrogantly he taketh on him to instruct Iames the Apostle which had his instruction from Christ Iesus Qualiter tenere de sacramentis debemus That is of the dong of mise in the sacrament which he calleth the Lords portion saith he te ex ordine nos decet instruere And then full wisely he talketh de murium stercore inter fragmenta dominicae portionis Anacletus in his first epistle would haue all hard questions referred to the church of Rome But it is not likely that the true Anacletus would haue so written that died before Iohn the Apostle who was better able to decide controuersies of faith then Anacletus In his second epistle he saith that the Apostles appointed the 72. disciples which the gospell sheweth vs to haue béene ordained by Christ In his third epistle he saith that Abilius succeeded Marke in Alexandria whereas Anianus did follow Marke and Abilius followed Anianus He saith also that Cephas signifieth a head in gréeke The same man denieth the lesser orders vnder priests and deacons to be instituted by Christ or the Apostles Euaristus talketh idely of ordaining priestes without titles and consecrating of Churches and stone altars whereas titles and churches began not before the peace of the church and stone altars were not built for many yeares after Sixtus beginneth his epistle thus Sixtus vniuersalis apostolicae ecclesiae episcopus whereas this title was by Gregory the first and long after Sixtus his time refused It is not like that Hyginus being a Gréeke wrote to the Athenians which were Gréekes in latin which notwithstanding is signified by his epistle Beside that he affirmeth that the first epistle of Iohn was written to the Parthians Calixtus in his second epistle argueth against those that refused repentance to those that had fallen in time of persecution which was the heresie of Nouatus that rose vp some prety while after his time Pontianus in his epistle ioyneth Christ and Peter together contrary to the stile of those times Marcellinus saith non licet imperatori Epist 2. vel cuiquam pietatem custodienti aliquid contra mandata diuina praesumere whereby he signifieth that the Emperor then professed christian religion In his first epistle he disputeth against the Arrians which denied Christ to be of one substance with his Father very stoutly and yet in his time the heresie of Arrius was not knowne in the world Infinit other exceptions may be taken to these and to the rest of the decretale epistles that go vnder the name of auncient bishops of Rome But the rest being like to these of which we haue already spoken there is no question but they are all of one stampe falsification 26 Melchiades 12. q. 1. c. futuram ecclesiam telleth vs how Constantine was christened and gaue his seate and other great possessions to the church of Rome and yet Melchiades was dead before Constantine was christened or had giuen any thing to the Church This act therefore must néedes be forged and so doth the glosse confesse after a sort falsus est titulus saith the glosse in the canons set out by Gregory the 13. which sheweth that the Romish Church impudently vseth false titles falsification 27 Next to decretale epistles shall follow the falsification of Fathers Out of Augustine de doctrina christiana lib. 2. c. 8. they describe this sentence in canonicis scripturis ecclesiarum catholicarum quamplurimum diuinarum
is now an infant or that he hath communicated his gouerment with his mother Thirdly neither doth Peter nor any other Disciple of Christ teach or maintaine the Romish doctrine concerning the worshippe of our Lady and the Popes authority All these figures therefore are lying and false figures falsification 7 Sixtus quintus in his decretall epistle profired before Baronious his bookes saith that he hath faithfully and diligentlye reported the stories of the Church and deliuered the true fountaines of apostolicall traditions speaking of his booke he calleth it opus fideliter scriptuÌ„ and not only reporteth so of his bookes that already were published but of those that yet he had not séene prophesiyng belike of Caesar Baronius his future workes perfections and exploytes speaking of his diligence in describing of Romish traditions he saith that in his bookes of Annales apostolicarum traditionum purissimi fontes aperiuntur But this is a notorious and large vntruth for not only his traditioÌ„s are fabulous but his discourse most vaine and false being grounded for the most part vpon lying legendes counterfect sermons and orations set out vnder the names of fathers lewd authors and such as Simeon Metaphrastes Anastasius Gratian Iuo Theodorus Studites certein bookes that neuer yet sawe light and Baronius allowing this Epistle of Sixtus must néedes proue himselfe a lyar falsification 8 The yeare and precise time of Christs natiuity being the ground of all his worke it must néedes follow that if he faile in that then that his whole booke is nothing but a packe of lies That the whole worke is layed vpon that point himselfe confesseth haec basis quaedam ac fundamentum annalium esto saith he Apparaâ—us ad annales eclesiast But that he hath erred in that point it is very probable Epiphanius in panario haeres 51. saith that our Sauiour was borne Augustus and Siluanus being consuls Seuerus hist lib. 2. saith hee was borne when Sabinus and Ruffinus were consuls why then should we rather beléeue Cassiodorus whoÌ„e Baronius followeth then the other two But if this were not erroneous yet in the supputation of yeares continually he erreth reducing matters rather to the false tradition of the Romish Breuiaries and other rituall bookes then to the truth falsification 9 This sentence which he placeth in the front of his booke in petra exaltauit me nunc exaltauit caput meum super inimi cos meos he doth falsely apply to the Romish church contrary to the meaning of the Prophet Psal 26. For he speaketh of himselfe Beside that he saith abscondit me in tabernaculo suoâ— in die malorum protexit me in abscondito tabernaculi sui that is he hath hidden me in his tabernacle and in the dayes of my trouble hath protected me in the secret place of his tabernacle But the Romanistes will not graunt that the Church of Rome is a congregation hidden or that God doth place the same in the secret place of his tabernacle Furthermore that which the prophet speaketh of himselfe cannot by any meanes be applyed to the Pope or Romish Church for it is not God that hath aduanced the Pope to this height of pride nor doe those heresies which the Church of Rome maynteineth nor those massacres and impostures which shée worketh proceede from god Finally God shall destroy antichrist with the breath of his mouth and shall not exalt him nor suffer him long to be thus exalted falsification 10 In his epistle to Sixtus quintus he giueth the title of Vniuersal or Catholike to the Romish Church and doubteth not to affirme the traditions of the Romish Church to be holy and auncient pro sacrarum traditionum antiquitate saith he ac saÌ„ctae Romanae catholicae ecclesiae potestate but of the prophanenesse and nouelty of the Romish traditions I haue spoken already both in my challenge and in my bookes de missa and other treatises against Bellarmine and I doubt not but thereby euery man may conuince him of lying both concerning the holinesse and also the antiquitie of Romish traditions To affirme that the Romish church is catholike concerning faith vniuersally taught I haue declared in my challenge to be most false to affirme that the Romish Church is the vniuersall and catholike Church in regard of time and place is not only most false but also most absurd for were the Church of Rome the true church as it was sometime yet as wel may we call London all england as the Romish Church the catholike Church falsification 11 In the same epistle most impudently he applyeth these words of Iacob Genes 27. surge sede comede de venatione mea vt benedicat mihi anima tua to himselfe as if he had béene a hunting about Rome and brought Sixtus quintus a goate or some like venaison and as if Sixtus quintus were a prophet like to Iacob And to fitte the words to his purpose he addeth to the text the word Pater and taketh away the word sede and saith surge pater comede de venatione mea vt benedicat mihi anima tua Which is a false and leud kinde of abusing of scriptures falsification 12 Concerning the visible monarchy of the Pope he telleth if not a visible yet a very palpable lye In praefat Catholicae ecclesiae visibilem monarchiam saith he à Christo domino institutam super Petrum fundatam ac eius legitimos verosque successores romanos nimirum pontifices inuiolatè conseruatam c. demonstrabimus But if Christ had apointed any such visible monarchy it is strange that neither the Apostles nor first church of christians could euer sée it Againe it is absurd to thinke that generall councels would haue made lawes if there had béene a generall monarke apoynted ouer them Thirdly if Peter had béene a monarke yet it is absurde to say that the visible monarchy is founded vpon him For no man saith that the kingdoÌ„e is founded vpon the King neither is it probable the foundation being inuisible that the building should bée visible Finally this being a ground of his legendicall fables that the bishops of Rome succeeded Peter in the visible monarchy of the church it must néedes follow if this ground faile him the cardinall lyeth in euery page of his annales and as often as he talketh of this matter But that neither Peter was constituted monarke of the church nor the bishops of Rome haue succeeded in any such phantasticall monarchy I haue at large proued in my booke de pontifice Rom. set out against Bellarmine some fowre or or fiue yeares sence falsification 13 Out of Clement lib. strom 6. most simply and falsely he affirmeth Apparat. p. 17. Cod. Antuerp that as the Iewes knew God by the prophets so God did separat from the commoÌ„ multitude of the Gentiles the most excellent of the philosophers and made them capable of Gods beneficence He alledgeth also an apocryphal text out of Paule and seemeth to affirme that some Gentiles did knowe Christ
words forcing him to speake for praiers to angels which true S. Ambrose as may appeare by my answeres to his exceptions condemned falsification 12 Pag. 36. he produceth Hierome as a witnesse for prayers to saints and alledgeth his booke against Vigilantius for that purpose but vnlesse he falsifie S. Hieromes words he shall not find any thing in him that maketh for his aduantage falsification 13 Pag. 53. 54. he falsly alledgeth the 4. councell of Toledo c 1. Ignatius his epistle ad Trallianos Cyrilles cateches 4. Epiphanius haeres 46. Hierome vpon the 4. to the Ephes Gregories Morals lib. 13. c. 20. and all to prooue Limbus patrum which the papists fancy to be in hell and a receptacle of the fathers before Christ His falshood may appeare for that not one of these testimonies maketh for Limbus patrum and that if he will not beléeue me Bellarmine will teach him lib. de anima Christi c. 14. where he shall not once finde his Limbus patrum mentioned in any father falsification 14 Pag. 62. he doth falsly ascribe the defence of womens baptisme to Master Hooker of blessed memorie whosoeuer listeth to reade Master Hookers fift booke of Ecclesiast policie sect 62. shall finde that he condemneth women that presume to baptize children albeit he do not pronounce the baptisme by them administred to be of no validitie falsification 15 Pag. 80. 81. he alledgeth S. Augustine ser 243. de tempore and the councell of Neocaesarea c. 7. to prooue that the custome of not blessing second mariages is no new deuice but a practise of the primitiue church and yet neither doth the canon alledged nor the author of that sermon speake one word of blessing of second mariages Furthermore neither this sermon that he alledgeth séemeth to be S. Augustines nor are the acts of the councell of Neocaesarea authenticall Finally if this simple fellow had alledged more places more he would haue alledged falsely being not able to alledge any thing almost truely If then the Archpriest Blackewell doe happen to méet with this owle of Canke wood he may doe well to admonish him not to abuse the testimonies which he alledgeth and his readers patience which he trieth to the vttermost with such notable falsities he himselfe confesseth that it is a flagitious matter to poule and pare the sentences of venerable antiquitie There resteth therefore nothing but séeing he hath confessed his fault that the Archpriest set him to penance and afterward cause him if he haue a good voice to sing masse séeing he can say no better CHAP. XII A Note of diuers vntrueths told by Owlyglasse in his pamphlet wherein he pretendeth to charge others with vntrueths IT is a shame for any man to lie but for him that taketh vpon him to charge others with lying euery foot to lie is not only a great shame but also an argument that he is past shame let him therefore the next time looke better to himselfe and desist to raile face and slander vnlesse he stood himselfe vpon better ground and did vse more trueth in his dealing falsification 1 In his preface he saith that popish religion was planted here by Gregory the great but he telleth a great vntrueth for neither was Gregory euer here in this Island nor did either he or his agents mainteine that doctrine that is published by the conuenticle of Trent or those points which I haue declared neither to be ancient nor generally holden falsification 2 He doubteth not also to affirme that Gregory receiued that religion which now the papists professe from Peter Let him therefore shew that all those points of doctrine against which I except in my challenge were receiued from Peter or els he must receiue answere that speaking of religion he speaketh without religion reason or conscience falsification 3 He chargeth me and M. Willet with assaulting the impregnable fort of Gods church and battering that rocke against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile but if he meane the true church then doth he make a lie of vs. if he meane the present Romish congregation adhering to the pope he maketh a lie of the pope his church for we haue by many arguments declared that the Romanists and their adherents are not the true church We haue also shewed that the gates of hell haue preuailed against them and that declining from the apostolike faith they are fallen into many foule heresies falsification 4 Further speaking of his consorts he saith they repaire to the continuall tradition and practise of the church and that we reiect the same but he lieth both in the one and the other for neither doe the Romanists regard the generall practise of the apostolike church for many hundred yéeres after Christ nor doe we desire any thing more than that late customes and traditions reiected we may returne to the sound forme of apostolike faith and gouernment falsification 5 He saith they haue recourse to the consent of the ancient learned fathers and that we reiect them but the first is proued a lie by Bellarmine and other popish proctors who most lightly reiect the fathers when they make against them the second is reproued by our confessions wherein we shew that we desire nothing more than that all latter decretals called we may returne to the ancient fathers faith falsification 6 He telleth vs further that papists appeale to generall councels and that we will not admit them but after his fashion hée hudleth vp lies by couples for neither doe they admit any councels but such as pleaseth them nor do we refuse to admit any article of faith established by ancient and lawfull generall councels falsification 7 He would make men beléeue that popish religion is most seuere and yet the world knoweth that in all places papists mainteine open stewes and in Rome and diuers great cities suffer Iewes and Turks to dwell quietly Further the pope doeth set to sale all sinnes and euery polshorne paltry fellow thinketh he can giue absolution to sinners which bringeth the keyes of the church into contempt Finally no sect euer liued more loosely or leudly These things therefore vnlesse they be better answered do sufficiently conuince him of lying and his consorts of loose liuing and popish religion of lightnesse falsification 8 In the same lying preface he saith that protestants doctrine looseth the raines to all liberty that vnbrideled sensualitie will neuer put vp petition for any greater and by protestants he vnderstandeth true Christians that abhorre the abominations of Babel but if he had not giuen the raines to his vnbrideled tongue to speake all villany of honest men he would not haue vttered and if he had not béene a brutish beast that vseth not to be rained he would not haue written such impudent lies Let him therefore set downe our doctrine wherein wée seeme to let loose our sensuall affections and let him if he can shew any man of our side that alloweth publike stewes as the Iesuite
if he had not wilfully shut his eies that the case is not like and the reasons he might have vnderstood if he had not bene sencelesse they being so plainly laid downe in my refutation of his father Robert parsons his calumnious relation sent vs from Rome very wisely of matters done in France Further he might well haue remembred if he had not bene forgetfull that I offred the papists more then was demanded for I did not onely promise to deale with Parsons or any of his consortes in any priuate conference but also in publicke writing which might not onely be viewed of all men but also remaine to posterity as a testimony against those that should be conuinced either of vntrueth or forgery and which being extant in print neither we nor our aduersaries should be able to alter or deny or misreport any thing that is written as is the ordinary course of Popish Parasits in such conferences and to shew that I meant to performe as much as I promised I began to obiect certain epistles and canons forged not by such base thred-bare companions as himselfe but by the popes and church of Rome I shewed also that they had falsified the scriptures and published infinit and montrous lies in their legends read publickly in the church finally I put Robert Parsons in minde of the notorious clipping and corrupting of fathers of late practised by the papists by their rubarbatif and expurgatorie indexes but he like a wise fellow kept himselfe close and would no more heare of the matter thinking it was better as the old prouerbe teacheth in this Carian to make triall of this hard aduenture and to c The proverbe In care periculum facito teacheth that in base fellowes it is best to trie dangerous experiments thrust this asse downe headlong from the rockes knowing well that if we should ouercome him or come to the taking of him up we should finde nothing but the carcase of a dead asse wherefore then is our adversary so desirous of a conference that doubteth to trie his manhood in iustifying his friends falshood and forgery concerning matters already laid to their charge d Protrusit asinum in rupes Horat. ep againe when he seeth our readines to answer why is he so slow to obiect Finally where he thinketh to triumpth most gloriously and to leade my brother Willet and me both captiues and fast chained at the taile of his chariot there he doth most pitifully disgrace himselfe and free vs and marre all that he medleth withall For first speaking of falsifications he compareth them to Christ and such mens incredulity as will not beleeue him he compareth to the incredulity of Thomas that would not beleeue Christes resurrection before he saw and felt manifest signes of it the sentences alledged out of fathers and other authors saith c Praes fol. 5. he be so mangled and maimed c. as no protestant I am sure will beleeue vntill feeling and seeing with Saint Thomas convince his incredulity is not this a braue gallant then trow you that compareth trueth to falshood the feeling of Christ to the feeling of falsifications Secondly where the maine controuersy betwixt me and Robert Parsons in my challenge is concerning the church of Rome and where this blinde baiard might see that I haue alledged diuers strong reasons to prooue that the congregation of Romanistes under the pope and cardinalls is not the true church of Christ there all this notwithstanding my adversarie smoothly dissembleth the matter and taketh that as granted which he poore fellow can neuer prooue and saith that my brother Willet d Fol. 1. praef and I imploy our forces in assaulting the impregnable sort of gods church and battring that rocke against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile as if the congregation of the malignant and wicked rable of antichrist could be the true church of Christ or as if the gates of hell had not long since prevailed against the pope and church of Rome our aduersary therefore taking this for granted that is the controuersy if without controversy I haue not demonstrated that the church of Rome is not the true church sheweth that he is pregnant with folly of which he will not be deliuered before he die that his face is as hard as the rocke of which he talketh Thirdly he calleth popish religion Catholicke and affirmeth f Fol. 2. praef it was planted here by Gregory the great who by succession receiued it from Peter c and that it was alwaies visible since Christ bearing still saile in the tempests of all persecutions but he should doe well to shew how true religion can be visible for our saviour Christ saith g Iohn 4. that true worshipers worship God in spirit and truth but spirituall worship and true internall deuotion is not so easily seene unlesse therefore our adversary suppose popish religion to consist in the popes mitre and in coules of monkes and such like externall matters he shal hardly proue religion to be visible Againe he doth greatly wrong the popish cause if he affirme popish religion to have bene planted here in England by Gregory and be not able to answer my challenge and to demonstrate those novelties and late receiued fancies which I have mentioned either to haue beene taught by Gregory or at the least by his disciples to haue beene planted here in England Furthermore seeing in my challenge I doe prooue that popish religion is not catholike and giue for iustification of that point notable instances such as our aduersary shall not be able to answer is it not notorious impudency to take this as a matter either prooued or confessed and slily to call haeresie catholike religion finally I must entreat some plaine dealing papist to admonish this detector or rather detractor of ours not to say that Gregory receiued the popish religion that now is mainteined by the pope of Rome and was first established in the conuenticle of Trent from Peter or that all that is taught in Gregories dialogues or epistles came from Peter or that the Romish church that now is visible in the pope cardinals monkes and swarmes of friers and in Romish ceremonies hath borne saile in the tempests of all persecutions for it is the pope and his bloody inquisitors that do persecute others and are not persecuted and if this be a quâ—…ty of the church to beare saile in tempests of persecutions certes the pope and his retinue cannot be the true church that for many hundred yeeres have lived in all pompe iolitie and pleasure but if the Romish church be so well able to beare saile in tempests it were much to be wished that the pope and his cardinals would saile to the Indiaes where we might heare no more of them and that they would take our aduersary with them who percase would prooue a better swabber then a disputer Fourthly In the beginning of his Praeface he saith he will present to his
committing a fault in the verse and marring the sence His reprochfull termes omitted and his small errors pardoned there is nothing in his pamphlet which I haue not answered and I hope in that sort that he shall not be able to take iust exception against any thing I haue said or done it may be that he will be offended for that not being able to speake by letters and finding his name to be E. O. I doe name the baby somtime detector or detractor somtime ectaticall owliglasse I haue great reason to doe it for I doe perceiue that he is a desciple of Robert Parsons who in his pamphlet of reasons for not going to church calleth himselfe Iohn Howlet what then can be more consonant then that his disciple that goeth about to imitate him in his pride railing and phrase of speech though very vnhandsomly should be called Owliglasse alias Howlyglasse and ectaticall that is leapt out of his wit into a little fit of foolery if he like not this name then let him set downe his owne name and for my part he shall not heare worse then his name vnlesse his faults deserue it Both this challenge and the answere to the detractors exceptions presuming vpon thy indifferency I recommend to thy reading much I will not request at thy hands and small fauours are easily granted Examine I pray thee both my answere and my aduersaries obiections and yeeld to neither side more then is prooued compare his great brags with his poore talent of writing and his scornefull termes with his slender matters and thou shalt easily perceiue that short answeres may serue such simple arguments it may be that thou and I differ in opinion yet neuer refuse to yeeld to trueth nor resolue to defend disloialty or errour I haue as thou maiest see dealt plainly and professe openly that I will not mainteine any error whereof I can be conuinced if the aduersarie would take the same course there might be an end of this contention Rob. Parsons beganne this quarrell albeit he hath first giuen it ouer the ground of his pleading standing principally vpon the title of ancient and catholike religion and the innocency of massing priests and friers and their consorts I gaue him a short issue in my former chalenge and offered to proue that popish religion established in the conuenticle of Trent and now receiued by the church of Rome is neither ancient catholicke nor true if they cannot proue themselues to be catholicks why doe they entitle themselues catholickes if their relsgion be new why doe they bragge of antiquity if they be haeretickes why are they not ashamed to take to themselues the praerogatiues of the true church if the Iebusites and rheir consorts be combined with forrein enimies what reason haue they to challenge the fauour due to subiects Vpon occasion of an ecstaticall fellowes importunity I doe renew the same challenge againe and by all meanes prouoke Robert Parsons to answere and because percase he is busie comploting of matters against his country at Rome I addresse it also to Frier Garnet and the archpriest Blackewell that are neerer at hand and not vnaquainted with the worthy volume of exceptions lately published against me If Parsons haue not laisure let one of them answere it is a shame to begin a quarrell and to giue it ouer first for one bout they haue no reason to refuse me if they pretend want of books and laisure they know Doway is not farre off They haue begon to crie out of falsifications and untruthes let them therefore make triall how they can answere for themselues Parsons was woont to be ready to plead for others now therefore he hath no reason but to plead for himselfe In time past he and that false traitor Allen filled mens eares with their clamours contra persequutores Anglos let them therefore defend their consorts that are preditores Angliae enimies to their country no man hath greater cause to defend traitors then traitors If they refuse to answere for themselues or to satisfie others I hope for modesty sake hereafter they will neither arrogate to themselues the title of the church nor the shelter of catholicke religion neither can they with honestie vant of antiquity or accuse true men of heresie whereof themselues are most guilty finally if shame restraine not their tongues yet feare of punnishment may keepe them in temper being declared to be professed enimies to their prince and country a packe of rinegned english cōspiring with the enimies of this state combined together for the ouerthrow of religion the realme If my aduersary and his consorts shall no way be able though otherwise willing inough to cleare themselues of most malitious libelling lying and forging I trust they wil hereafter spare me a plaine fellow and one that no way standeth in need of such poore shifts for the iustification of my cause And I doubt not but with shame inough they will for euer hereafter cease to make any challenge concerning lies and falsifications hauing so euill successe in this first incounter If I haue cleared this state from all imputation of iniustice in the proceeding against Iesuites seminary priests popish rebels and their adherents neither haue the magistrates reason to suffer Robert Parsons his libels to flie abroad to the slander of the state nor any good subiect to allow of his calumniations and most wicked libels If it doe clearely appeare that Robert Parsons and his trecherous consorts are linked and combined with foraine enemies and by no meanes will submit themselues to her Maiesties lawes and authoritie those that haue the custodie and execution of her lawes committed vnto them I doubt not will haue a watchfull eie ouer the proceedings of such slippery companions and with great constancie and resolution mainteine hir Maiesties authority and execute her lawes against such as wilfully impugne it the late edict published against this vermine doth shew that the state is not onely well acquainted with their leud practises but also resolute to punish such wicked practisers and plotters as hitherto haue abused her Maiesties great clemency toward them If it appere that the Iebusites and priests teach haeresie and lies it behooveth all true christians to auoid them Saint Iohn in his second epistle doth giue vs warning not to haue any familiaritie with them or so much as once to bidde them God speed the church c Apocal. 2. of Thyatira is reprooued for permitting a wicked false prophet to teach and seduce Gods people and our sauiour d Matth. 7. Christ giueth vs warning of false prophets that come vnto vs in sheepes clothing and inwardly are rauening woolues these false masse-priests deuoure many widdowes houses and abuse the simplicity of many yoong youthes to their vtter ruine and destruction and yet that is not the woorst for they do not onely ouerthrow their worldly states but also destroy their soules and lead them headlong into hell If the popes agents vnder
pretence of religion haue intangled their folowers in diuers practises of faction and treason I hope all English albeit otherwise fauorers of popery wil better looke how they engage themselues in treason they come from forreine enemies and depend vpon them and though they talke of religion yet their intention is wholy for the pope and Spaniard and their course is irreligious and factious If popish religion founded in the conuenticle of Trent and taught by late popes and their proctors be catholike and ancient then will it be an easie matter to shew it and to answer our obiections where we prooue the contrary if our aduersaries flie triall and will not ioine with vs and directly answere then haue all papists and others reason to flie from such false teachers and heretikes and to abandon all their wicked haeresies there is no agreement betwixt Christ and Belial 2. Cor. 6. betwixt trueth and error light and darknes if they can shew themselues that they are no idolaters they will cleere themselues if not why do they seeke to erect altars of Baal in euery corner and why doe not all Christians auoid to communicate with the priests of Baal in their idolatrous masse 2. Cor. 6. there is no agreement betwixt the temple of God and idoles neither 1. Cor. 10. can any drinke the Lords cuppe that doth participate at the table of diuels or diuelish masse but what should I talke of the Lords cup when these idolatrous priests take the Lords cup from all that follow them If the aduersaries be cleare of lying and falsification then will they answer plainly and directly as I haue answered them if their lies and forgeries be made notorious to the world he is not very wise that will trust such lying and forging companions But what should I need to declare that briefely which at large is prooued in the discourse following reade onely diligently and examine carefully and iudge indifferently and so leauing thee to thy meditations and referring thee to the touch of both our aduersaries accusations and our answers I beseech God to giue thee true vnderstanding of his sauing trueth and that hee will giue thee grace if thou knowest the trueth to perseuere constant vnto the end if thou cariest a preiudicate affection towards popery then to see into the deformities impostures and abuses of popish religion and that in the end it will please him to discouer all fraudes impostures conspiracies trecheries and vilanies of the popish faction and to let thee see the damnation of the great whore and the abominations of Babylon Adieu Thine in all Christian affection MATTH SUTCLIFFE A CHALLENGE concerning the malignant church of Antichrist and false doctrine and lewd practises of Papists Directed to Rob. Parsons Frier Garnet G. Blackwell the Archpriest and all their adhaerents CHAP. I. That the Church of Rome that now is and that embraceth the doctrine of the Pope and conuenticle of Trent is not the true Church of Christ Iesus THe Church of God being a 1. Tim. 3. the house of God and b Ibidem the pillar and ground of trueth and c Galat. 4. the mother of all faithfull people as the Apostle teacheth vs it is no maruell if all congregations that professe Christian religion do also challenge to themselues the name and title of the Church d Inst lib. 4. c. vlt. Singuli quique haereticorum coetus saith Lactantius se potissimum Christianos suam esse catholicam ecclesiam putant euen the couenticles of hereticks doe imagine themselues to be true Christians and entitle their Congregations by the name of the Catholike church and that this is true the papists affoord vs most euident proofe for albeit in many points they know not the voice of Christ Iesus but follow a stranger that without all colour challengeth to himselfe to be Christs vicar yet very confidently and proudly they call themselues Christes true catholicke church and challenge to themselues all those prerogatiues that are due to his most holy spouse neither do they only challenge to themselues the title and name of the Church but also exclude all others from the same and as Leo said speaking to certeine monkes of Palestine ecclesiae nomine aduersus ecclesiam armaminï so we may well say of these blinde zelators of popery that in the name of the Church they fight against the true Church of Christ Iesus That the papists adhering to the pope of Rome and imbracing the doctrine of the conuenticle of Trent are not the true church of Christ Iesus it may be prooued by diuers inuincible reasons argument 1 for first the church of Christ is built onely vpon Christ Iesus as a principall rocke and a foundation most sure and immoouable No man saith the e 1. Cor. 3. Apostle can lay any other foundation beside that which already is laied which is Christ Iesus for he is that f Isai 28. corner stone that is placed in the foundation of Sion he is that g Matth. 16. rocke vpon which the church is built Super hanc petram quam confessus es saith S. h Serm. 13. de verb. Dom. Augustine super hanc petram quam cognouisti dicens Tues Christus filius Dei aedificabo ecclesiam meam id est super meipsum filium Dei viui aedificabo ecclesiam meam he saith the church is built vpon Christ Iesus whom Peter confessed neither doe the fathers meane otherwise where they affirme the church to be built either vpon the confession or faith of Peter or els vpon Peter himselfe for all these doe either indirectly vnderstand Christ whom Peter confessed or Peters faith concerning Christ but the Romish church that now is is built vpon the pope and vpon his Sée and doctrine Est Petri sedes saith i In praefat in lib. de pontif Rom. Bellar. lapis probatus angularis pretiosus in fundamento fundatus he k Lib. 2. de pontif Rom. saith also that the Pope is the foundation of the building of the church and goeth about to prooue it by certeine words of Hierome although that good Father neuer thought of any such matter l Sanders his rocke of the church Sanders doth endeuour to proue that the Popes of Rome are the vnmouable rocke of the church Turrian likewise because Christ said aedificabo ecclesiam meam non aedifico ecclesiam meam concludeth that the popes of future times and not onely Saint Peter were vnderstood by that rocke vpon which the church is built seeing then the church of Rome is built vpon a foundation diuers from the foundation of Christ his church and relieth vpon the pope as much or more then Christ Iesus it cannot be the true church for if the papists say that Christ is the chiefe foundation and the Pope is the next they crosse the scriptures that make Christ the sole foundation and onely attribute the name of foundation to the apostles and prophets in that
body to absteine from the cup of the sacred blood but the church of Rome doth expresly forbid all communicants beside the priest to receiue the cuppe and taketh this to be good religion The papists also are well content to be depriued of the cup of the new testament and thinke not the sacrament so mangled to be imperfect argument 34 The true catholike church neuer taught nor thought so basely of the most holy body of our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus as that a mouse a hogge or dogge or other creature eating the consecrated host did also eat the Lords body presse it with téeth and swallow it downe into the belly nor did the same imagine that the Lords body might be throwen in the mire and troden vnder féet and throwne into places vncleane and too homely to be named but the synagogue of Rome beléeueth that brute beastes may eat Christes bodie If a dogge or hogge saith b P. 4 q 45. Alexander Hales should eat a consecrated hoste I see no cause but the Lords body should go therewithall into that dogges or hogges belly some haue said as it is in the third part of Thomas Aquinas his summe of diuinity that as soone as the sacrament is taken of a mouse or a dogge straightway the body and blood of Christ cease to be there c. but that is derogatorie to the trueth of this sacrament it is also the common opinion of all papisticall doctors that the body and blood of Christ so long continue in the sacrament as the formes of bread and wine continue vncorrupt and that they goe into all places together vnlesse therefore Robert Parsons or some other doe helpe héere and shew that the true church of Christ did beléeue and teach as before is declared both he and his consorts must néeds confesse that the Romish church is not the true church argument 35 The ancient catholike church had but one sacrifice one altar one priest after the order of Melchisedech the priest after the order of Melchisedech was Christ Iesus he was also that sacrifice the altar was his crosse tu es sacerdos in aeternum saith God by his c Psal 109. Hebr. 5. prophet secundum ordinem Melchisedech he because he remaineth for euer hath an eternall priesthood as the apostle saith Hebr. 7. but the papists erect altars of stone whereupon they say they offer their sacrifices they beléeue also that their priests offer vp sacrifices and that they are according to the order of Melchisedech as if they had neither father nor mother nor certeine genealogy and were holy and impolluted doe they not then declare that they haue erected a new congregation that is diuers from the church of Christ neither is it materiall that the fathers doe call the Lords supper or eucharist a sacrifice for they doe not so call it for other cause but for that it is a memoriall of Christs sacrifice on the crosse Christ saith d Dedemonstrat Euangelic lib. 1. c. 10. Eusebius offred a most excellent sacrifice for vs all and gaue vs a memoriall or sacrament thereof in stead of a sacrifice Chrysostome writing vpon the epistle to the Hebrewes teacheth vs that our sacrifice is but a samplar or memoriall of Christs sacrifice and this Peter Lombard frankly confesseth that which is offered and consecrated by the priest is called a sacrifice and oblation saith e Sentent 4. dist 12. he because it is a memoriall and representation of the true sacrifice and holy oblation made on the altar of the crosse argument 36 The true church of Christ neuer erected more altars then one in one church nor did the same distribute the sacrament in diuers angles in one and the same church aliud altare constitu◠saith f Epist 25. pleb vniuersae Cyprian aut sacerdotium nouum fieri praeter vnum altare vnum sacerdotium non potest likewise saith g Epist ad Philadelph Ignatius quod vnus sit panis pro omnibus confractus vnus calix totius ecclesiae but the papistes haue alters in euery corner of their churches and there diuers priests sing or say diuers masses and offer sacrifices there also they consecrate and diuide the sacrament making a diuision no lesse in their congregations then in their altars chalices and sacrifices argument 37 The true church did neuer agree for trentales of masses nor for aniuersary memorialles nor sell the sacrament of Christes body but the Romish priests take mony for trentales of masses and without hire they will not make aniuersary commemorations they sticke not also to sell Christs body or at least their masses for mony deteriores sunt Iuda saith h Onus ecclesiae c. 23. one speaking of Romish priests alledging the authority of saint Brigit qui pro solis denariis me vendidit illi autem pro omni mercimonio argument 38 Our sauiour Christ and his apostles taught the church that the sacrament of his body and blood was to be receiued and eaten and drunken of which we collect that it was auaileable onely for the quicke that could receiue eat and drinke and not for the dead that could doe none of these things neither did Christs church beléeue that the Lords supper was satisfactory for paines in purgatory or good against lightning and thunder or such calamities but the Romish church doth hold that their eucharistical sacrifice is propitiatory for the dead as well as the quicke that the same is expiatory and doth worke diuers other woondrous effects hoc sacrificium saith i De valore missae parad 12. Guernerus est expiatiuum debitae poenae tam hic quam in futuro exoluendae k ibidem parad 9. he sheweth also that the same worketh miraculous effects against thunder danger of enemies and other calamities and that he that frequenteth the masse shall be directed in all things which new doctrine vnlesse Robert Parsons can prooue that it hath béene taught in the ancient church of Christ will greatly endanger the state of the Romish church argument 39 In the true church of Christ no priest euer tooke to himselfe so great presumption as to become a mediator to God for Christ Iesus for he is a mediator betwixt God and man and méere blasphemy it is for a mortall man to challenge to himselfe to be a mediator betwixt God the father and his sonne but in the Romish church the priest becommeth a mediator and intercessor for Christ for speaking of the body and blood of our Sauior he saith l In canone missae supra quae propitio acsereno vultu respicere digneris accepta habere sicut accepta habere dignatus es munera pueri tui iusti Abel sacrificium patriarchae nostri Abrahae Vpon which saith he vouchsafe to looke with a fauourable and pleasant countenance and to accept them as thou vouchsafest to accept the gifts of Abel and the sacrifice of our patriarch Abraham and afterward iube haec perferri
per manus sancti angeli tui in sublime altare tuum Command these things saith the priest speaking of the bodie and blood of Christ to be brought by the hands of the holy angell vnto thy high altar these things are blasphemous and cannot be allowed of Christ his church neither can Parsons or Bellarmine answere that these words are found in the booke of sacraments attributed to S. Ambrose lib. 4. c. 6. for there is great difference betwixt the words of the canon of the masse the words of that author and the meaning of him is cleane contrary for neuer shall it be prooued that the author of that treatise beléeued that the body and blood of Christ was vnder the formes of bread and wine in the sacrament or that he meant the body and blood of Christ where he compareth the sacrament to the sacrifices of Abel and Abraham argument 40 The true church of Christ neuer added to the words of Christ in the consecration of the cup saying noui aeterni testamenti mysterium fidei neither are these words found in the old formularies of the liturgies of the church of Rome as I haue shewed in my treatise of the masse against Bellarmine doth not then this new tricke of the latter Romish church departing from the former shew a manifest difference betwixt them argument 41 The true church did neuer offer the sacrament pro redemptione animarum suarum neither did the same vse the commemoration for the dead as it is in the Romish missal saying memento domine famulorum famularúmque qui nos praecesserunt cum signo fidei dormiunt in somno pacis nay this forme is not to be found in the olde formulary which the Romans vsed about fiue or six hundred yeeres agone but now all m In canone missae Romanists do thus say and pray if then Rob. Parsons could shew this forme or any such prayers or words in ancient authors he might doe a great pleasure to the church of Rome that otherwise is like to proue the synagogue of Antichrist argument 42 The true church of Christ did neuer consecrate incense nor say n In ordinar missae per intercessioneÌ„ beati Michaelis archangeli stantis a dextris altaris incensi omnium electorum suorum incensum istud dignetur dominus benedicere in odorem suauitatis accipere if Robert Parsons can prooue the contrary let him do it otherwise the Romish church will fall out not to be Christes true church argument 43 The true church neuer had distinct masses whereof some were ordinary others proper for the times others proper for saints others for particular mens deuotions as for example for the election of the pope for taking away schismaticall contentions for time of warre for time of sicknesse and such other occasions but the o Missale Rom. Romish church hath masses for all these causes and occasions argument 44 The true church did neuer consecrate holy water and say exorcizo te creatura salis c. and exorcizo te creatura aquae c. vt fias aqua exorcizata ad effugandam omnem potestatem inimici ipsum inimicum eradicare explantare valeas cum angelis suis apostaticis it is not the true church therefore that doth practise these exorcismes argument 45 The Christian church doth not reteine the ceremonies of the Iewes nor eat the Paschall lambe for as the p 1. Cor. 5. apostle saith Pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus but the q In fine missalis Rom. Romanists according to the rules of their missal doe consecrate and eat a Paschal lambe and pray thus Deus qui per famulum tuum Moysem in liberatione populi tui de Aegypto agnum occidi iussisti in similitudinem Domini nostri Iesu Christi vtrosque postes domorum de sanguine huius agni perungi praecepisti ita benedicere sanctificare digneris hanc creaturam carnis quam nos famuli tui ad laudem tuam sumere desideramus argument 46 The true church of God neuer formed any image of God the Father or God the Holy ghost or of Gods diuine essence neither did the same euer set vp images in churches to be worshipped with lights incense kissing crowching prayers or other such like ceremonies the second commandement directly forbiddeth the making of grauen images to be worshipped and districtly commandeth vs that we should not bow downe vnto them and that this commandement was direct against the worwip of images the first Christians did well vnderstand r Aduers gentes Arnobius saith that they had no altars nor temples nor images worshiped in open shew ne simulachra quidem veneramur saith Å¿ Contra Celsum lib. 7. Origen quippe qui Dei vt inuisibilis ita incorporei formam nullam effigiamus t Lib. 2. diuin instit c. 19. Lactantius doubteth not to affirme that there is no religion where there is an image and when images and pictures began to créepe into the churches as an outward ornament the councell of Eliberis to preuent all inconueniences forbad pictures in churches Placuit saith the u Concil Elib c. 36. councell picturas in ecclesia esse non debere ne quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus depingatur such was then the religion of Spaine Arnobius declareth that Christians were not woont to worship the crosse Cruces saith x Aduers gentes lib. 8. he nec colimus nec optamus nay y Lib. 9. epist 9. Gregory the first himselfe albeit he would not haue images broken downe yet would he not haue them adored or worshipped and Ionas Aurelianensis albeit a defender of images yet writeth thus of them Creaturam adorari eÃque aliquid diuinae seruitutis impendi proh nefas ducimus huiusque sceleris patratorem detestandum anathematizandum libera voce proclamumus saith z De cultu imaginum lib. 4. Ionas but papists fall downe before images and giue diuine worship to the crosse and crucifixe neither do they onely make the images of the Father and Holy ghost but worship them finally they burne incense knéele and pray to stocks and stones argument 47 The true church did neuer pray or administer the holy sacraments of the Lords supper and Baptisme in a strange tongue not vnderstood of the common sort Si orem lingua saith the a 1. Cor. 14. apostle spiritus meus orat mens autem mea fine fructu est he saith it is fruitlesse to pray in a tongue not vnderstood and reason teacheth vs that this is true for if God respect not the mouing of our lips vnlesse our heart accord with our tongue how can our heart accord when we vnderstand not what our tongue vttereth finally the practise of the church teacheth vs that a knowen tongue is to be vsed in publike praiers and in the administration of sacraments as the answers of the people to the priest in all ancient liturgies and the
of one onely massacre committed anno 1572. variis in locis per illud tempus trucidata fuisse dicta sunt in Gallia and so extraordinary was the fury of the papistes that they spared neither age sex nor quality vel puberes vel impuberes saith he trucidati sunt neque vllius sexus vel aetatis vel dignitatis habita est ratio neither may we thinke that they haue shewed lesse cruelty against christians in Spaine Italy or Germany as for the realme of England it hath sufficient experience of the aduersaries extreme rage and cruelty by the short and bloody raigne of Queene Mary And can any christian man notwithstanding endure to nourish vp yong wolues and tygers within our bosomes The r Apocal. 17. Romish harlot is drunke with the blood of the saintes and hath her garments made red with the slaughter of innocentes that therefore which Optatus lib. 2. contr Parmen saith of the Donatistes may with good reason be applied to papistes Iacerati sunt viri tractatae sunt matronae in fantes necati abacti partus ecce vestra ecclesia episcopis ducibus cruentis morsibus pasta est for by the Romanistes many innocent christians haue bene tormented and murdered women haue bene abused infantes haue bene cut in péeces women haue bene forced to loose their children and they haue fedde themselues with cruelty and the popes of Rome and their agentes haue bene ringleaders in these cruell executions they are therefore professed enimies rather then members of Christes church argument 53 The catholicke church neuer shewed more fauour to Iewes and infidels then to Christians that misliked the pompe tyranny and corrupt doctrine maners of the popes or bishops of Rome for with her children the church dealeth like a kinde mother most mildely she correcteth them if they offend genly and instructteth them carefully contrariwise she auoideth those that will not heare her admonitions and conuerseth not with them Christian emperors Å¿ Hac valitura C. de Iudaeis Caellâ—olis excluded the Iewes from all gouernment and authority in the common wealth t ibidem they did also restraine their insolencies with diuers sharpe lawes the like u Cod. de paganis sacrif templ course also they tooke with pagans and infidels shutting vp their impious temples and forbidding their sacrifices and idolatries but the Romish sinagogue doth procéede by a contrary course for she massacreth and murthreth christians resembling that vnnatural whore that before Salomon would haue the childe in controuersy cutte in peeces but the Iewes and wicked atheistes she nourisheth so they meddle not with the popes scuruinesse the popes by their inquisitors and executioners torment christians and receiue tribute of Iewes that dwell quietly in Rome x Onuphr in Alexandr 6. Alexander the sixt receiued Turks and Maranes into Rome when the Spaniardes could not endure them in Spaine and all popes shew more fauour to Turks than to such Christians as come within the reach of the Spanish or popish inquisition argument 54 The true church neuer sought either by forgery and falsification of mens writings or by lying and slandering to aduance the cause of religion for trueth is sufficient and strong enough of it selfe and néedeth not to be supported with falshood and lies Among ancient Christians false witnesses and slanderers were so fare from being estéemed in the church that they were quite excluded out of the church as appeareth by the acts of the councell of Agatha c. 27. and councell of Eliberis in Spaine c. 73. 74. but the church of Rome perceiuing that she cannot preuaile by plaine trueth and honest dealing goeth now about by suppressing of trueth and forging of counterfeit canons and false writings and by all maner of vntrueths and slanders to abuse the ignorant and simple multitude the scriptures as much as she can she suppresseth in vnknowen languages and corrupteth by making the olde Latin translation authenticall she deuiseth and spreadeth abroad false traditions and setteth out falshood vnder the names of false canons and constitutions vnder the name of the apostles false canons of councels counterfeit treatises set out vnder the name of Origen Athanasius Ambrose Nazianzene Hierome Chrysostome Augustine Epiphanius and other fathers forged decretale epistles vnder the names of Clement Anacletus Euaristus and other ancient bishops of Rome that were neuer acquainted either with such matters or such a stile Of late time most audaciously the Popes agents haue taken vnto them power to put out and to put in and to change what they list in mens writings of which forgery their expurgatorie indexes do plainly conuince them Bellarmine he with all his witte wresteth scriptures and fathers to serue his cause Caesar Baronius out of Simeon Metaphrastes Iacobus de Voragine Surius and such like fabulous legends hath sent vs from Rome whole cartlodes of lies To help him Alanus Copus or rather Harpsfield Alfonsus Ciacone and diuers popish companions haue set out diuers notorious and ridiculous fables finally to disgrace the trueth by slanderous accusations of such as haue shewed themselues forward in defence of it the popish faction hath hired Sanders Robert Parsons Creswel Cope or rather Harpesfield Genebrard Surius Cochleus Stapleton Allen Ribaldineira Bolsecus Laingius and other such like sycophants to raile aswell against princes as inferiour ministers can this company then be the true church that delighteth in lying slandering railing cogging and plaine forging argument 55 That cannot be the true church that offereth sacrifice to other then the true God that made heauen and earth qui sacrificat dijs eradicabitur praeterquam domino soli saith y Exod. 22. God to Moyses S. z De ciuit Dei lib. 10. c. 4. Augustine saith that God only is to be serued with sacrifices of praises and thankesgiuing and to haue the worship of Latria done to him Iohn Apocalyp 22. fell downe vt adoraret ante pedes angeli that is that he might worship before the feet of the angel but the angel forbad him and said vide ne feceris see thou do it not and afterward Deum adora The papists also confesse that the worship of sacrifices is due to God alone Sacrificium saith a Lib. 1. de missa c. 2. Bellar. est externa oblatio facta soli Deo he addeth superfluously the word externa for if we may not offer externall sacrifices to creatures much lesse may we offer our internal deuotions and sacrifices vnto them But the Romish church doth offer the sacrifices of incense of praiers and thanksgiuing not only to God but also to angels to the virgin Mary and to other saints In their Letanies they call vpon the virgin Mary vpon the angels vpon saints they confesse their sinnes to them and yéeld them thanks for benefits receiued neither do they offer incense only to saints but to their images either planted on the altar or néere vnto it finally they confesse that they say masses in the honour
of late time haue not any that deserue to be entituled either bishops or priests where least any fond cauiller should mistake me as a certeine n A detection of vntrueths and falsifications disciple of antichrist hath done of late I doe giue them to vnderstand that my meaning is not to deny them to be the church that haue ministers or bishops faulty for life or defectiue in the execution of their office but onely those that haue bishops and priests without lawfull ordination and that doe not at all execute the office and function of a pastor or bishop and because the synagogue of Rome hath onely such priests and bishops as want lawfull ordination and vtterly cease to execute pastorall functions I saie that the same cannot be the true church of Christ I say then that Romish priests haue no lawfull ordination because they are ordeined first by heretikes by excommunicate and simoniacall persons which the canons doe prohibit to lay hands on any and disallow such as are ordeined by them that the popes of Rome and bishops ordeined by them are simonicall persons it appeareth by the practises of the conclaue in election of popes by the compacts made betwixt the pope and such as he ordeineth by the testimony of the conscience of papal creatures and publike writings o Lib. de schism Theodorick a Niem testifieth against Boniface the 9. and others and saith that Boniface sold the same benefice to diuers and when he lay a dying bought and sold and said he should doe well if he had money Vllerstone in his petitions crieth out of the simony of his time that was a cause also of the complaint of the Germaines in their grieuances venalia nobis saith Mantuan Templa sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura preces coelum est venale deúsque that they are heretikes it shall be prooued by the seuerall heresies old and new which the church of Rome holdeth Secondly they are not ordeined lawfully because they are not ordeined to teach and administer the sacraments but to offer sacrifices for the quicke and dead as appeareth by their p Machab. in lib. de missis episcop pro ordinib formularies of ordring priests q Lib. de sacra ord c. 9. Bellarmine likewise confesseth that this is the due forme of ordring priests respondeo saith he sacerdotes ordinari cum illis dicitur accipe potestatem sacrificium offerendi this ordination I prooue to be vnlawfull first because it conteineth no commission for the principall point of apostolicall or priestly function and next because it giueth them an office of sacrificing for quicke and dead which is more then belongeth to their charge or was executed by the apostles or ancient bishops of the church Thirdly they are ordeined by bishops that haue themselues no due ordination being sent abroad by antichrist rather to suppresse the trueth then to teach the trueth now euery man well vnderstandeth that no man can giue orders but such as haue receiued orders Finally they are most of them vncapable of ministeriall function and can neither teach nor administer the sacraments duly and if they were able yet doe they not teach Gods people but rather by their masses and confessions draw them to superstition and disloialty That the Romish church hath no true bishops it is to be proued both by the same and other reasons first no heretikes haue power to ordeine others but the pope is an heretike ergo the first the aduersaries will not deny the second we shall prooue by diuers arguments in his proper place secondly we haue declared and the world knoweth that the popes of Rome are simoniacall persons of which it also followeth that they haue no power to ordeine pastors thirdly Antichrist hath no power to ordeine pastors in Christes church but that the pope is Antichrist and the head of Antichrists kingdome I haue declared in my fift booke De pontifice Rom. fourthly he that is no bishop can not ordeine bishops but I haue declared that the pope is no bishop and it is euident for that r 1. Tim. 3. episcopatus is opus but the pope doth not the office of a bishop either in teaching or administring the sacraments further bishops as Cyprian diuersly declareth are the successours of the apostles but the Pope succéedeth Caesar in the gouernment of Rome rather than Peter and Paul in gouerning the church and other Romish bishops they rather kill Christes shéepe and massacre his lambs than feed them finally Romish bishops albeit they are after a sort sent to teach and administer sacraments yet most of them are vncapable of that charge and all leaue the office of teaching to a packe of loud mouthed monks and babling friers thinking that too base an office for their great and high estate But had Romish priests and bishops any mission or ordination yet is the same very defectiue and diuers from the graue forme practised in the ancient church for neither is such regard had of the capacity and ability of the persons chosen to this function but that often times boies and infamous persons are called to this charge neither are the solemnities prescribed in the canons obserued nor doe either the priests or bishops teach true doctrine and sincerely administer the sacraments nor doe they finally attend that office and execute that worke whereto they are called If therfore the Romish priests and bishops haue no due ordination or calling then are not the papists the true church if their ordination be imperfect and faultie then such is the popish church as their popish ordination of ministers is that is faulty defectiue and imperfect argument 61 The true church of Christ can not adhere to Antichrist our sauior Christ speaking of his shéepe ſ Iohn 10. saith they will not follow a stranger but will flie from him neither doth Antichrist seduce any bur such as perish as the apostle teacheth vs 2. Thess 2. but the Romish church adhereth to the pope which is declared manifestly to be Antichrist both by his doctrine by his maners by the forme circumstances of his reigne and diuers arguments which because I would not draw out this discourse into length I would desire the learned to reade in my fift booke De pontifice Rom. and our aduersaries to answere if they holde contrary Robert Parsons should also doe well to answere such arguments as I vsed in my answere to his Wardword to proue the pope to be Antichrist argument 62 As the true church of Christ was figured by the holy city of Ierusalem so the malignant church of Antichrist is figured and represented partly by Babylon Apocalyps 18. and partly by the purple whore Apocalyp 17. that rideth on a beast with seuen heads and had a cup of gold in her hand ful of all abominations and spirituall carnall filthinesse If then the state of Rome and the Romish church be represented by this purple harlot and by Babylon
idolatries and whose doctrine is confirmed by scriptures most certeine traditions councels fathers and practise of the ancient church and which teacheth the narrow way and maketh subiects obedient and is sure to continue but neither is the church of Rome catholike nor apostolike which embraceth vncerteine traditions and apocryphall scriptures with equall affection to canonicall scriptures and which receiueth all the popes decretales concerning matters of faith albeit they conteine doctrine neither apostolicall nor general secondly it will be an easie matter to shew that the Romish church abhorreth neither heresie nor idolatrie nor noueltie thirdly in diuerse discourses against Bellarmine I haue shewed that popish doctrine hath neither ground of scriptures councels nor fathers thereby also it may appeare that popish traditions are most vaine vncerteine and superstitious fourthly the way which that church teacheth is broad and easie for what is more easie than to heare masses and to eat fish and to confesse sinnes and to obserue diuers externall ceremonies and yet by these small things papists hope to be saued fiftly we finde that all the rebellions of England Ireland and France haue wholly procéeded from the church of Rome and the doctrine of the seditious Iebusites and Cananites and masse priests neither will euer rebellion be rooted out vnlesse the tyrannicall vsurpation of popes be repressed and their parasites taught to submit themselues to their liege princes sixthly what certeinty in iudgement can the papists haue that depend vpon the resolutions of blinde vnlearned and wicked popes finally we sée Antichrist to be reuealed and the city of Babylon to fall to confusion who then doth not expect and beléeue the vtter ruine and desolation of Antichrists state Further Bristow telleth vs that euery church that is risen after the first planting of religion and gone out of the catholike church and from apostolike doctrine and is not the communion of saints nor euer visible and which is not the teacher of all diuine trueth and the vndoubted mother of Christes children is not the true church But the church of Rome as it is now visible in the pope and cardinals in the officers of the popes chamber in popish prelates sacrificing priests monks friers and nunnes and their officers and adherents whose faith is built on popish decretals and mincing scholasticall distinctions as fine wouen as any spider webbe rose out of the earth long after the apostles times and first planting of religion and that the Romish church crept out by little and little out of the catholike and apostolike church for apostolicall doctrine embracing apostaticall and light fancies and traditions and for the maintenance of mens bellies and the popes authoritie is departed from Christ and hath made war vpon the saints in the same also whores are openly mainteined cutthrotes by rewards incited to kill and poison princes and a way to all periuries and vices by the popes indulgences opened how then can any call this a communion of saints finally he that expecteth trueth at the popes hands shal be gulled with fables and he that calleth Rome a mother can be content for gaine to call the whore of Babylon and mother of errours his mother argument 70 The church of Christ neuer allowed the decretals of popes or the extrauagants or rules of Chancery concerning the popes authoritie and procéeding but in these lawes the church of Rome hath diuers rules of the Romish faith and thereby gouerneth her procéedings argument 71 In the church of Christ clerks were not exempt from the subiection of princes The apostle saith Let euery soule be subiect to higher powers But in the church of Rome all clerks are quited and exempted from the princes power as Bellarmine in his booke of that argument by the popes canons and all his wit endeuoureth to proue argument 72 The true church neuer baptized belles nor held monkes coules to be equall to baptisme but the popish church as the l Grauam 51. Germanes in their grieuances declare baptizeth belles and compareth the entrance into monkish profession with baptisme argument 73 Finally neuer was Christes church or any part of Christes church within any kingdome gouerned by an archpriest and certeine seditious Iebusites masse priests and such like vermine Howsoeuer then they deny it in others yet can they not deny but that the papists of England are not members of Christes church but rather of the synagogue of Satan CHAP. II. That the doctrines and traditions of the Romish church which the church of England refuseth are mere nouelties and late deuised fancies IF when the papists doe recommend vnto vs their old religion they meant nothing els but the religion of Christ Iesus which the apostles first taught and which the apostolicall and most ancient Christians receiued and deliuered to posterity we should not much contend with thim for that is the religion which we professe not varying in any thing from the apostles créed and other créeds either set out by Athanasius or the most ancient generall councels of the church nor denying any thing that is expressed or proued out of the holy canonicall scriptures But when they talke of old religion they meane the religion of the church of Rome which was either established by later popes or taken vp by lewd custome and vncerteine tradition the which though it séeme to some ancient yet in very truth is new and no way to be compared to the religion that was first deliuered by Christ and his apostles neither doth it deserue the name of old religion for as Ignatius said a Epist ad Philadelph sometime antiquitas mea Christus est so we may say that Christ is the top of our ancestry that the apostles doctrine is both ancient most true id verius quod prius saith b Lib. 4. contra Marcion Tertullian id prius quod ab initio id ab initio quod ab apostolis if thē the papists as they bragge could prooue their religion to be deriued from the apostles then would we indéed confesse it were ancient if they cannot then we must say to them as c Epist 65. ad Pammach Ocean Hierome said to one in his time cur profers in medium saith he quod Petrus Paulus edere noluerunt why doe they produce articles of faith vnknowen to the apostles nay why doe they teach vs points of religion which in times of the ancient fathers of the church were vnheard of will they haue that accounted old which the fathers of the church which were long after the apostles neuer knew nor the ancient church euer receiued they would so d Contra. haeres c. 35. but Vincentius Lirinensis doeth call him a true catholike that doeth onely beléeue and hold whatsoeuer the ancient catholike church did vniuersally beléeue quicquid saith he vniuersaliter antiquitus ecclesiam catholicam tenuisse cognouerit id solum sibi tenendum credendumque decernit if then the papists will hold all the religion which now
they professe their religion will neuer prooue ancient nor catholike not ancient for that diuers doctrines and traditions which they hold are new and vnheard of in the ancient catholike church argument 1 First they teach vs that the holy canonicall scriptures are no perfect canon of our faith for this doctrine is gathered out of the decrée of the councell of Trent that with equall affection embraceth vnwritten traditions and canonicall scriptures e Lib. 4. de verbo Dei c. 12. Bellarmine saith that scriptures are a part of the canon or rule of faith and not a whole rule dico secundò saith he scripturam etsi non sit facta praecipuè vt sit regula fidei esse tamen regulam fidei non totalem sed partialem f De doctrin princip li. 7. c. 1. Stapleton beside scriptures frameth a new rule which he calleth the order of tradition but this doctrine is new and contrary both to scriptures and fathers The g 2. Tim. 3. apostle he teacheth vs that the scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect and furnished for euery good worke he teacheth vs also that they are able to make vs wise to saluation likewise the fathers testifie that the scriptures are a perfect canon sufficiunt sanctae ac diuinitus inspitatae scripturae saith h Lib. contr idola Athanasius ad veritatis indicationem Basil in serm de fid confess saith it is an argument of infidelity and pride either to reiect scriptures or to bring in matter not conteined in scriptures he meaneth in questions of faith cum habeamus omnium exactissimam trutinam gnomonem regulam diuinarum legum assertionem saith i In 2. ad Corinth homil 13. Chrysostome oro vos omnes vt relinquatis quid huic vel illi videatur de his à scripturis haec omnia inquirite Tertullian writing against Hermogenes saith that he adoreth the fulnesse of scriptures And saint k Lib. 2. de doctr Christian c. 9. Augustine teacheth that all things concerning faith and maners are found in scriptures clearely propounded to conclude this point most derogatory it were to Gods diuine wisedome if any man should suppose the scripture to be an imperfect canon or halfe a rule or maimed doctrine as the papistes lately haue begun to teach argument 2 They haue made the bookes of Tobia Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Machabeies and such fragments of bookes as are in the old Latin interpreter and not in Hebrew equall to the bookes of Moyses and other prophets and to the writings also of the apostles this is the determination of the councell of Trent and the common doctrine now of the Iebusites and papists but new and no way approoued by the ancient church for these bookes were neuer allowed by any prophets or by the church of God before Christs time nor did the ancient fathers allow them Gregory in his morals lib. 19. c. 16. directly affirmeth the bookes of Machabeis not to be canonicall sicut ergo Iudith Tobiae Machabaeorum libros legit quidem ecclesia saith l In Prouerb Solomon Hierome sed eos inter canonicas scripturas non recipit he saith m In praefat in lib. paralip also where controuersie is concerning Apocryphall writings we must haue recourse to the Hebrews neither doth Augustine so make them canonicall as he reputeth them equall to other scriptures as appeareth by his words lib. 18. de ciuit dei c. 36. conrra Gaudent lib. 2. c. 23. nay Sixtus Senensis albeit he make all these bookes canonicall yet doeth he not giue to all equall authoritie let vs therefore sée any ancient writer that alloweth the decrée of the councell of Trent if the papists will not haue all men sée that they haue innouated the very canon of the Christian faith argument 3 They haue also made the old Latin translation authenticall contrary not onely to reason séeing it differeth not onely from the originall bookes but also is contrary to it selfe as may appeare by the editions of Sixtus Quintus and Clement the 8. but also to antiquity which as appeareth by the testimony of Hierome and Augustine alwaies preferred the originall bookes in matter of difference before translations argument 4 Concerning the interpretation of scriptures the conuenticle of Trent n Sess 4. determineth that no man shall interpret them against that sense and meaning which the holy mother church holdeth to whome it belongeth to iudge of the true meaning and interpretation of scriptures end by the church they vnderstand the the pope and church of Rome but this act is altogether new for we do not finde that euer the easterne or African churches were forbidden to interpret scriptures as well as the church of Rome or that the fathers of the church were tied to expound scriptures after the opinions of the bishop of Rome nay we finde that no interpretations are more absurd then theirs or more contrary to the meaning of the holy ghost as for example may appeare in these two points In the law of Moyses we are expresly forbidden to make grauen images to worship them but the church of Rome interpreteth these words so galantly that men may both make grauen images and worship them our sauior Christ saith bibitē ex hoc omnes but the Romanistes turne it contrary and will haue no communicantes to drinke of the Lords cuppe but the priest onely argument 5 In time past o Dist 15. c. sancta Romana Christians were forbidden to read the legends of Quiricus Iulitta and George the 8. books of Clement the acts of Tecla and Paul the booke of the assumption of the virgine Mary and such like The acts also of Siluestre bishop of Rome and writings concerning the inuention of the holy crosse and of the head of Saint Iohn Baptist were doubted of but now these legends for the most part are the grounds of Romish traditions which the church of Rome placeth in equall ranke with holy canonicall scriptures is it not then apparent that the very grounds of Romish traditions are laid vpon fables and of late inuention argument 6 The foundation of the ancient apostolicke faith was laid vpon the scriptures as is euident for that the city and church of God is built vpon the prophets and apostles Christ Iesus being the corner stone p Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. Ieremy saith that the apostles first preached the gospell and afterward by the will of God deliuered the same in scriptures that they might be a foundation and piller of our faith but now Bellar. teachech vs that the pope is the foundation of the church and Stapleton doubteth not to q De doctr princip in praefat say that the pope is the chiefe subiect of ecclesiasticall authority and r Cancanonicis dist 19. Gratian like a shamelesse fellow vnder the name of Saint Augustine doubteth not to recken the popes decretale epistles among the canonicall scriptures argument 7 Stapleton
relect princip doctrin man intreating of the sure grounds and principles of Christian religion doeth leaue the scriptures quite out of the reckoning but Athanasius in Synopsi doth call the canonicall Scriptures the anchor and stay of our faith a Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 1. Irenaeus saith that the apostles first preached and afterward deliuered the Gospell in Scriptures that they might be a foundation and pillar of our faith the church saith b Homil. 6. in Matth. Chrysostome is Hierusalem whose foundations are placed vpon the mountaines of the scriptures and with them doe consent all true catholikes condemning the error of the papists falsely called catholikes argument 5 The papists call the scriptures a killing letter as appeareth by the Remish annotations vpon the 3. chap. of the 2. epistle to the Corinthians as if God had deliuered his will in writing to the entent to kill them that read them they c Annot. Rhemens in Ioan. c. 5. slander them also as if they were darke and hard to be vnderstood finally they disgrace them d Ibidem in c. 4. Matth. saying that the diuell and heretikes alledge scriptures others call them a nose of waxe Inken diuinitie and matter of strife and contention and condemne the reading of scriptures as pernicious and hurtfull but true catholikes had alwaies a reuerent regard of holy scriptures as the grounds of faith and directions of holy life e Lib. 3. aduers hares c 2. Irenaeus saith that it is the property of heretikes when they are conuinced by scriptures to fall into dislike of them and to accuse them the papists therefore in this point are rather heretikes then catholikes argument 6 The papists among canonicall scriptures reckon the decretales of popes inter canonicas scripturas decretales epistòlae connumerantur saith the rubrike dist 19. c. in canonicis and this Gratian goeth about to prooue by a place of saint Augustine which he there falsifieth this also séemeth by Gregory the 13. to be approoued in his edition of the canon law neither doe I thinke that any papist will deny that the popes decretales in matters of faith are to be receiued of all men but ancient catholikes neuer had the decretals in this estimation nor thought them to be canonicall scriptures or grounds of faith or infallible as the papists call them nay Thomas Aquinas albeit no catholike f 2. 2. q. 1. art 1. confesseth that the ground of Christian faith is the first trueth or God himselfe and not onely Cyprian tooke exceptions against Cornelius Ireney against Victor the councell of Carthage against Sozimus but also diuers catholikes against the decretales of diuers popes argument 7 The conuenticle of g Sess 4. Trent vnto the canon of scriptures of the olde testament hath added not onely the books of Tobias Iudith Wisdome Ecclesiasticus and of the Machabeies but also such additions as are found in the olde latine translation albeit they be not found in the originall text and these they place in equall ranke and degrée with the books of the prophets and apostles which is contrary to the faith of the catholicke church as appeareth by the testimony of Hierome in his preface to the prouerbs of Salomon in his epistle to Paulinus and in his generall prologue before the bible which he calleth prologum galeatum of Athanasius in synopsi of Epiphanius in his booke of waightes and measures of Melito of the councell of Laodicea can 59. of the canons of the apostles can 84. and diuers others neither is it materiall that Augustine lib. 2. de doctr christ c. 8. and a certaine councell of Carthage doe reckon the books of Tobias Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabeies among the canonicall scriptures for by canonicall scriptures they vnderstand such books as by order of the church were read publickely and commonly ioined together in one booke and were rather for some part a canon and rule of maners then of faith for that may be gathered out of the words of Saint Augustine and the councell that speake rather of the books as they were read then as they were authenticall Ruffine speaking of these books saith legi voluerunt in ecclesiis non tamen proferri ad authoritatem fidei ex his confirmandam Augustine also lib. de ciuit dei 18. c. 36. speaking properly of canonicall scriptures excludeth the books of the Machabeies though some churches receiue them for canonicall Athanasius in Synopsi accounteth the 3. and 4. of Esdras as canonicall as these books and Sixtus senensis doth not accounpt them equall to the rest of canonicall scriptures finally no one catholicke writer can be produced that alloweth the fragments and additions that in the olde latine interpreter are added to the originall text to be canonicall scripture are the papists then catholicks that haue no catholicke grounds of their faith argument 8 Papists allow no interpretations of scriptures against that sense which the church of Rome holdeth contra eum sensum h Concil Trid. sess 4. quem tenuit tenet sancta mater ecclesia but true catholicks neuer allowed such senses and interpretations as the church of Rome doth make as for example the church of Rome beléeueth that Christ when he said to Peter pasce oues meas gaue power to the pope to depose princes Againe where God saith to Hieremy chap. 1. ecce constitui te hodie super gentes regna Boniface the 8. concludeth that the pope hath power to iudge all earthly princes and these words ecce duo gladij hic he k C. vnam sanctam de maior obed expoundeth so as if the pope had two swords giuen to him the words deus fecit duo magna luminaria the pope interpreteth so as if the pope were meant by thy sonne and the emperor by the moone and as if the pope did so farre excell the emperor as the sonne is greater then the moone bibite ex hoc omnes they expound thus drinke not all of this and these words scrutamini scripturas they interpret as if lay men might not search the scriptures without license of the inquisitors infinit such like interpretations the church of Rome hath deuised but all contrary to the expositions of the fathers and the catholicke church argument 9 The conuenticle of Trent doth adiudge the old vulgar latin translation of the bible to be authenticall and preferreth it before the originall text but catholicks haue alwaies preferred the originall text before the latin translation Saint l In Epist ad Suniam Fretel ad Damasum Hierome saith that in the olde testament in matters of doubt concerning the translation we must haue recourse to the Hebrew as to the fountaine and in the new to the Greeke ad exemplaria Hebrea Graeca à latinis recurratur saith m Lib. 2. de doctr Chr. c. 10. Augustine Hilary also writing vpon the 118. psalme confesseth that the latin translation cannot satisfie the reader
body was taken vp into heauen the apostle Peter also Act. 3. declareth that the heauens must conteine him vntill the time that all things be restored and this the ancient fathers which the aduersaries will not denie to haue béene good catholikes doe cléerely expresse according to his diuine nature saith i Tractat. 33. in Matth. Origen he is not absent from vs but he is absent according to the dispensation of his body which he tooke Saint k Lib. 10. in Luc. 24. Ambrose saith that we are not to seeke Christ either on the earth or in the earth or after the flesh if we meane to finde him Saint l Tractat. 50. in Ioan. Augustine saith he hath caried his body into heaueÌ„ although he hath not withdrawne his maiesty from the world m Homil. 21. in euangel Gregory the first also doeth plainely affirme that Christ is not heere on earth according to the presence of his flesh the flesh of Christ saith n Lib. 4. contr Eutych Vigilius writing against Eutyches when it was on earth surely was not in heauen and now because it is in heauen certeinly it is not on earth neither did euer any catholike father teach otherwise are the papists then catholikes trow you that contrary to the catholike fathers and catholike faith teach that Christes true bodie is both in heauen and in earth and vpon euery altar at one time and doe you call them catholikes that affime that Christs true body properly may not onely be touched and receiued into mens mouthes but also deuoured of dogges and mise and other beasts that eate consecrated hostes argument 18 All true catholikes firmely beléeue that their sinnes are forgiuen them for Christes sake and that they shall obteine eternall life according to these two articles of the Créed I beleeue the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting for as the apostle saith Heb. 6. God hath promised and sworne that we should haue firme comfort and saint o 1 Iohn 5. Iohn saith these things I write vnto you that beleeue in the name of God that you may know that you haue eternall life and whosoeuer beléeueth not this as p Ibidem he testified maketh God a liar The apostle q Rom. 5. Paule saith that he that is iustified by faith hath peace with God but what peace can we haue vnlesse we beléeue that our sinnes are forgiuen and that assuredly we shall obteine eternall life the sacraments also that are deliuered to euerie Christian are seales of remission of sinnes and of the promise of eternall life for by Baptisme we put on Christ that is we are made members of his body and partakers of his merits and in the Lords supper our Sauiour teacheth vs that the cup is the new Testament in his blood and that Christs body was broken for euery one that is a woorthy receiuer this doctrine is also confirmed by the examples of Abraham and the apostle Paule of Abraham we r Rom. 4. reade that he doubted not of the promise of God and that the same was imputed to him for righteousnesse the apostle Å¿ Rom. 8. saith that he was perswaded that nothing should separate him from the loue of God and this assurance of remission of sinnes and eternall life the catholike fathers teach vs. Si iustus es fide viuis saith t Serm. 4. de mortalit Cyprian si verè in Christum credis cur non cum Christo futurus de domini pollicitatione securus amplecteris u Ibidem againe he saith that we are not to wauer or doubt for that God hath promised vs immortality Saint x Serm. 2â—… de verb. dom Augustine writing vpon these words thy sinnes are forgiuen thee saith it is faith and not pride to acknowledge what we haue receiued y Serm. 2. de annoâ—… Bernard saith that we haue no promise but by Gods fauour and that the spirit of God worketh this in vs that we beleeue remission of sinnes and this doe all true catholikes beléeue how then can the papists be catholikes that will haue men onely to hope for remission of sinnes and eternall life and that not without doubting or what are we to hope of the z Sess 6. doctors of Trent that prouounce them accursed that shall say that a man must certeinly beleeue that his sinnes are forgiuen him finally how shall we beléeue that those are true beléeuers that teach Christians not to beleeue remission of sinnes or eternall life but to doubt of both argument 19 All true catholikes beléeue that the faithfull presently vpon their departure out of this life are happy and enter into ioies that neuer shall haue end as the wicked and vnbeléeuers are presently to enter into euerlasting fire and begin to suffer endlesse paines these shall goe into euerlasting paine and the righteous shall presently possesse the kingdome of heauen prepared for them as may appeare by the sentence of our sauior Matth. 25. the a Rom. 8. apostle doth also plainly testifie that there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus the spirit of God doth likewise b Apocal. 14. pronounce them blessed that die in the Lord. and the reason is added for that they rest from their labours and this likewise is the faith of the catholicke fathers c Ecclesiast hierarch c. 7. Dionyse saith that the godly when they come to the end of their liues shall rest in Abrahams bosome and signifieth that there shall be no griefe nor sadnesse nor sighing d Quaest 75. Iustine Martyr holdeth that the soules of good men shall presently be caried into paradise both e Lib. 1. aduers haeres c. 2. Irenaeus and f Serm. de mortalit Cyprian likewise make onely two sorts of soules departed whereof the first are in blisse the second in paines and endlesse misery and that is also confirmed by the confession of our aduersaries in the canon of the masse where they pray for those that sleepe in a sleepe of peace but the papists teach that all that haue not satisfied here for temporall punishments must be plonged in the vnspeakable paines of purgatory and so after a time passe to heauen argument 20 All catholicks beléeue that Christ hath reconciled vs to his father and that he hath satisfied for our sinnes fully and perfectly the g Isay 53. prophet saith that we are healed by his stripes ipse volneratus est saith he propter iniquitates nostras attritus est propter scelera nostra disciplina pacis nostrae super eum we may therefore well accounpt them no catholicks that h Bellar. lib. 1. de purgat teach that Christians are to satisfie for the temporall punnishment of their owne sinnes either here or in purgatory the which is no where deliuered by the fathers of the church argument 21 True catholicks neuer made the image of God the father or the holy ghost nor did euer the godly
In offic beat Mariae to a woodden crosse increase in the godly righteousnesse and pardon sinners and also crux Christi protege me crux Christi defende me ab omni malo and which before the printed face which they call Volto santo pray thus Salue sancta facies impresta panniculo nos ab omni macula purga vitiorum atque nos consortio iunge beatorum argument 62 Catholikes beléeue that their sacrifices of praise are accepted through Christ but papists beléeue that Christes bodie is accepted through the mediation of the priest and of saints the priest in the canon beséecheth God to looke fauourably vpon the body and blood of Christ Supra quae saith he propitio ac sereno vultu respicere digneris and in the missal of Sarum on Batildis day they pray that God would accept their sacrifice viz. of Christes body and blood through the merits of S. Batildis vt haec munera tibi Domine accepta sint say they sanctae Batildis obtineant merita quae seipsam tibi hostiam viuam sanctam bene placentem exhibuit argument 63 Catholikes beléeue that the apostles and their successours receiued the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and power to binde and loose onely vpon earth but the papists beléeue that the pope hath receiued the keyes of the kingdome of hell and purgatory Damascen and other authors of Romish legends tell vs that Gregory the first deliuered Traians soule out of hel and euery pety pope thinketh he is abused if any tell him that he can not let out of purgatory as many as he pleaseth Commonly all papists pray for the dead that they may haue a place of rest giuen them and that their sinnes may be pardoned them as if sinnes might be forgiuen after this life argument 64 Catholikes neither worshipped saints departed nor their images nor the crosse of Christ Hierome in an epistle to Ripatius denieth that any creature is to be worshipped or adored d Lib. 22. deciuit Dei c. 10. Augustine sheweth that Christians did not worship martyrs nor erect temples in honor of them and saith that they gaue thanks and praise vnto God onely at their monuments ecclesia catholica mater Christianorum verissima saith e De morib eccles lib. 1. c. 30. he solum ipsum deum cuius adeptio vita est beatissima purissimè atque castisimè colendum praedicat nullam nobis adorandam creaturam inducens cui seruire iubeamur whereby plainly he excludeth the worship of Doulia f De obitu Theodosij Ambrose declareth that Helene finding the crosse worshipped not the crosse but Christ but the papists worship not onely the saints but dumbe images they say masses in honor of S. Francis and S. Dominicke and diuers other saints they knéele to images and burne incense vnto them finally they giue Latriam that is due by their owne confession to God only to the crosse to the crucifix and to the images of the Trinity argument 65 True catholicks neuer made the images of God the father or the holy trinity nor did thinke it lawfull to worship them with diuine worship but the papists both make such images and allow such worship to be giuen to them argument 66 True catholicks neuer had any psalter in honor of our blessed Lady nor vsed to say a hundred and 50. Auemariaes and after euery fifty Auemariaes one Creed and after euery tenne Auemaries one Pater Noster nay our sauiour expressly forbad his desciples to vse battologies and odious repetitions in their praiers But papists put great religion in our Ladies psalter and in their rosaries and often repetitions of the name of Iesu and of their Auemariaes argument 67 True catholicks neuer coniured salt nor holy water nor oile nor chrisme nor superstitiously sanctified candles crosses and images in such sort as the papists vse to doe neither did they grease stone alters or describe the Gréeke alphabet on the pauement of churches to be consecrated or abuse the scriptures as the papists doe in that act as may appeare by the formulary commonly vsed in such cases that ancient catholicks neuer vsed any such ceremonies it may appeare by the writings of the fathers and also in old rituall books for in them such formes of consecrations exorcizations and such abuses are not to be found argument 68 True g Iohn 4. catholicks worship God in spirit and trueth but the papists place most of Gods worship in externall ceremonies and vse in their worship a tong not vnderstood so that their praiers cannot procéed from the spirit nor be true nor catholicke argument 69 True catholicks neuer worshipped angels h Coloss 2. the apostle Paule doth expressly condemne the worship of them as Chrysostome Theodoret Oecumenius writing vpon the 2. and 3. chap. of the epistle to the Colossians do testifie the councell of Laodicea doth also prohibit the worship of Angels and Saint i De hares c. 39. Augustine numbreth the worshippers of Angels among hereticks Neither may we thinke that they were therefore condemned because they atrtibuted the creation of the world to angels but because they worshipped angels and as Chrysostome homil 7. in coloss 2. affirmeth thought we were to come to God by the mediation of angels and yet papists k Horae ad vsum sacrum pray to angels that they would protect them and driue diuils from them and open their sight they say also masses in their honor set vp lights to them make confession of their sinns to them and all this contrary to the practise of the ancient catholicke church argument 70 Our l Matth. 15. sauiour Christ teacheth that those worship God in uaine which worship him according to the doctrines and commandements of men and therefore all true catholicks haue had principall respect herein to the commandements and lawes of God but the Romish church doth wholy depend vppon the decretales of popes and vaine fancies of men their missals breuiaries offices and whole seruice procéedeth from no other fountaine argument 71 The m Psal 32. prophet declareth that they are blessed whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinns are couered and the apostle saith that being instified by faith we haue peace with god and this is the hope of all catholicks that Christ hath reconciled vs to his father and washed away our sinnes and paid a ransome for them on the crosse but this comfort papists doe take from vs that teach and holde that after our sinnes forgiuen we are to satisfie for temporall paines due for our sinnes either here or in purgatory and that such are there to sustaine great torments in which paines and place none but mad men can place felicity argument 72 Catholicks beléeue that through faith we are made partakers of Christs satisfaction the papists beléeue that the pope can apply them by his bulles both in purgatory and in this life according to his lawes argument 73 Catholicks beléeue that no man can satisfie for his
sciret ab homine non posse fieri so likewise the papists say if we had not fréewill that then God would not command vs to doe things but he confuteth both their reasons in the words following quis hoc nesciat saith he sed ideo iubet aliqua quae non possumus vt nouerimus quid ab illo petere debeamus he saith not that we haue frée will to doe good works because God commandeth vs to doe them but rather sheweth that God commandeth vs to doe things which we are not able of our selues to doe that we may learne what to craue and begge at Gods hands we may therefore well conclude that the papists are farre declined towards Pelagianisme and that long before vs did o Lib. 1. de grat aduers Pelag. Thomas Brandwardine perceiue declare and therefore doubteth not to call the popish schoolemen Pelagians totus mundus saith he post pelagium in errorem abiit exurge deus iudica causam tuam this man wrote about 300. yeares agone but now our aduersaries are growne woorse and woorse argument 34 The Donatists as saint p De haeres c. 69. Augustine writeth beléeued that the church was onely conteined in Afrike and consisted in the obedience or part of Donatus quod ecclesia Christi saith hée in Africa Donati parte remanserit they did also rebaptize catholike Christians if this then be heresie the papists may not escape scot frée that beleeue the catholike Romane church onely and take none for Christians but such q Geronymâ— Campos catetechism Brist motiut 12. as take the popes part and liue vnder his obedience they doe also presume sometimes to rebaptize such as haue béene baptized in our churches argument 35 The Circumcellions shought it a matter meritorious to kil those that were contrary to their sect immania facinora perpetrando as S. r De haeres c. 69. Augustine saith nay that holy man himselfe did hardly escape their ambuscadoes laid for him like to them also doe papists teach that it is lawfull and meritorious to kill princes excommunicate by the pope both pope Pius the fift and Sixtus the fift vpon paine of excommunication commanded her Maiesties subiects to take armes against her Sixtus quintus that shamelesse frier did Å¿ La fulminante highly commend Iames Clement the Dominican frier that murdred his liege prince Henrie the third king of France Iohn Ghineard a Iebusite did mainteine this doctrine of murdring princes and was therefore by arrest of the parliament of Paris condemned executed by these desperate Assassines and hired murderers the papists killed the prince of Orenge and Iames the regent of Scotland and poisoned diuers others Alphonsus Diazius did most wickedly murder his owne brother and yet was protected by the pope finally by diuers meanes they haue sought to murder the Queenes Maiestie king Henry the 4. of France Graue Maurice and all that stand in their way farre passing not onely the hereticall circumcellions but also the Turkish assassins argument 36 The Audaeans or Anthropomorphites did imagine God to haue an humane shape parts like a mortall man Cogitatione carnali saith t De haeres c. 50. Augustine Deum fingebant in similitu dinem hominis corruptibilis The papists likewise cannot imagine but that God is like man when they expresse God the father in likenesse of an olde man or at the least imagine such images to be like God they doe also make the image of the incomprehensible trinity let the people be taught say the men of u Sâ—ss 25. Trent that the Godhead is not therefore figured as if it could be seene with corporeall eies or expressed wirh colours or figures it appeareth therefore they meant it should be represented though it could not be well expressed by figures argument 37 Origen beléeued that sinnes might be purged and done away after this life and therefore x Augustine de haeres c. 43. imagined that euen the damned after some long time might be saued he delighted also to draw scriptures to serue allegoricall sences if then it be heresie to say that great sinnes are to be remitted after this life why is it not heresie to holde that small sinnes may be then remitted seeing we haue but one meanes to obtaine remission of sinnes againe why should allegoricall interpretations be more allowable in papists then in Origen finally why should not other damned soules be as well saued as Traians soule and the soule of Falconilla an idolatresse at the intercession of Gregory as Damascen and the papists beléeue argument 38 Eunomius taught that so a man were of his religion it skilled not greatly what sinnes he committed asseuerabat saith y De haeres â— 54. Augustine quod nihil cuiquam obesset quorumlibet perpetratio ac perseuerantia peccatorum si huius quae ab ipso docebatur fidei particeps esset vnto which heresie the papists come very nere for the pope to all his followers promiseth heauen if they beléeue as he doth and will come to confession his canonists teach that the pope albeit he draw innumerable soules to hell and continue in all wickednesse yet he is Christes true vicar and the head of the church z Lib. de eccles milit c. 2. Bellarmine requireth no inward vertue in the true members of the church which he defineth so they professe outwardly and communicate with the pope let the world then iudge what church the papists build when they admitte Piers Lacy Tirone the white knight and such wicked rebels to be true parts and members of their society argument 39 The a 1. Tim. 4. apostle condemned them as hereticks that forbad men to marry and to abstaine from certaine meates whereupon saith b In 1. Tim. 4. Theodoret rectè posuit prohibentium contrahere matrimonium neque eum Caelibatum aut continentiam vituperat sed eos accusat qui lege lata ea sequi compellunt if then the papists by sharpe lawes forbid priests and monks to marry and to eat certaine meates are they not within the compasse of these false teachers argument 40 The hereticks called Anomi were condemned as heretiks for that they either contemned or corrupted the law of God is it not then some blemish to papists that they make the law of God to be vnperfect and c Sess 4. concil Trid. make their owne traditions equall to Gods law and is it not heresie to make a new lawgiuer as the papists doe c. translato de constitutionibus and to cut off the second commandement concerning the making of grauen images finally doe they imagine that it is no error to d Concil Trid. sess 5. say that concupisence is no sinne which is direct contrary to the apostles doctrine Rom. 7. and to the law of God argument 41 Ireneus and Tertullian doth range them among hereticks which flie from scriptures and when they are conuinced by them fall to accuse them affirming that the
obedience then to be made priest by the popes agents is argument sufficient to prooue a man to be a traitor likewise it is no treason simply to be addicted to the superstitions of the Romish church no more then it is to be Sarracen or Turke yet to bée reconciled to the Pope and to receiue absolution from his agents is treason he being a professed enemie of the state and vsing this reconciliation and colour of religion for a meanes to ouerthrow her Maiestie and this kingdome and to réestablish yet once againe his tiranny in England finally to obey good bishops cannot be euill interpreted but to submit a mans selfe to the pope that pretendeth to haue right to depose princes and to translate kingdomes from one to another at pleasure a matter repugnant to scriptures to the practise of the apostles and primitiue church and as Sigebertus Gemblacensis testifieth speaking of Gregory the seuenth his time a notarious and plaine condemned heresie cannot but preiudice the right of a prince in enmity with the pope prooue flat treason Thirdly the true martyrs of Christ suffered for defence of the trueth wronfully and therefore deserued the honour and title of martyrs and very high commendation that is thankeswoorthy saith saint c 1. Pet. 2. Peter if a man for conscience toward God endure griefe suffring wrongfully such were the martyrs of times past who suffred death because they would not deny the Lord Christ Iesus nor sacrifice to idoles but the popes martyrs suffer for practising with forren enemies and die for the Popes pleasure and desire nothing more then to set vp idolatry for conscience they cannot say they suffer vnlesse the make treason against their prince and countrey a matter of conscience and rule their conscience by the Popes will and make no conscience of idolatry or blasphemie neither can they say they are punished wrongfully being punished for their treasons rebellions and packings against the state with forren enemies whosoeuer therefore shall entitle and call these fellowes martyrs he shall greatly wrong religion and the state of martyrs and much resemble the Donatistes and other old heretikes Saint d Epist 68. Augustine saith of the Donatists viuebant vt latrones honorabantur vt martyres Alexander also an heretike of whom e Lib. 5. eccles Iust c. 17. Eusebius maketh mention liued as a thiefe and died for his deserts and yet by those of his sect was honored as a martyr such martyrs also are those of the popish sect for whatsoeuer reckoning their consorts make of them they were punished iustly for their offences and died for treason rebellion practising and packing with forren enemies Fourthly true martyrs are charitable and die in charitie for without charitie furious and Iesuiticall zeale to promote the Popes cause auaileth nothing if I giue my body to be burned saith the f 1. Cor. 13. apostle and haue not loue it profiteth me nothing now what charity thinke you had they that were emploied by publike enemies to the hurt and destruction of their liege Lady and most deare countrey Charity saith the g Ibid. apostle is patient gentle humble but these by force of armes sought to returne into their countrey and like fierce lions endeuor by conquest to subdue men to their opinions anno 1588 their common talke was of sharing of lands and liuings In Wisbich also all the stirres among the papists grew about superiority the Iesuits seeking to rule the rest refusing to be ruled by them Parsons they say hath an old prophecy how England must be ruled by certeine men in long blacke gownes and square caps that is by Iesuites and long he hath béene dreaming of a cardinals hat yet none falleth to his share in all the English colledges and seminaries the Iesuits by great stirres haue sought the gouernment h A discouery of Campian and his consorts Cottam an English Iesuite being condemned to die praid God that he would send downe fire from heauen to consume all the people that stood round about him to gaze on him and this is the gentlenesse and charitie of Iesuiticall martyrs when Sixtus quintus told the Iesuites that he wondred that none of their order were canonized for saints some of them answered that they sought honors in the church triumphant and not in the church militant such triumphant martyrs are these of the popes and Iesuits calender Fiftly true martyrs are men of a peaceable disposition and no way desirous of tumults and troubles l Lib. 3. contr parmen si supra memoratos saith Optatus videri martyres vultis probate illos amasse pacem in qua prima sunt fundamenta martyrij aut dilexisse deo placitam vnitatem aut habuisse cum fratribus vnitatem sine qua nullum vel nomine potest vel re esse martyrium his words in effect amount to this that none can be martyrs vnlesse they they be studious of peace and vnity if then the papists neither agrée with vs nor with themselues and are giuen much to contention and continually haue stirred vp warres and hurliburlies in diuers countries and haue like firebrands set most parts of Christendome on a flame as appeareth by their actions in England Scotland France Germany Flanders Suethland and other places why should such men dying rather be accounted martyrs then the contentious Donatists Sixtly the true martyrs of Christ Iesus died in time past for the true faith of Christ deliuered vnto vs in the apostles writings but the popish mastifs died for the popes excommunications for defence of his most vniust and tirannicall vsurpations according to such doctrine as they had receiued out of the popes decretales their masters dictates who then doth not maruell that any should be so bold as to call such obstinat fellowes that died out of the church for no point of faith were so much as once called in question martyrs cum deo manere non possunt saith Cyprian qui esse in ecclesia dei vnanimes noluerūt ardeant licet flammis ignibus traditi obiecti bestiis animas suas ponant nō erit illa fidei corona sed poena perfidiae occidi talis potest coronari non potest if then these good fellowes haue forsaken the church and linked themselues with enemies and traitors die they may for their treasons but crowned they shall not be as martyrs neither is it death but the cause that maketh christians dying to be estéemed martyrs Seuently no true martyr euer séemed more desirous of the applause and praise of men then of the glory of God good of Christes people fi ita martyrium fecerimus saith i In epist ad Galat. lib. 3. c. 5. Hierome vt nostras velimus ab hominibus reliquias venerari si opinionem vulgi sectantes intrepidi sanguinem fuderimus substantiam nostram vsque ad mendicitatem propriam dederimus huic operi non tam praemium quà m paena debetur perfidiae magis
tormenta sunt quà m corona victoriae his meaning is that they cannot be martyrs that séeke the applause of the multitude for vain-glory die obstinate in their opinions if then the popes agents in England sought nothing more then their owne glory praise and the applause of the pope and cardinals and the simple people adhering vnto them it were but a simple imagination to suppose them to be martyrs Christian martyrs certes sought not their owne glory nor the applause of men nor did they solicite the inuasion of their countrey and domesticall tumults that they might reigne like yoong lords Eightly it was not the fashion of martyrs in ancient time to renounce their kings and soueraigne princes to refuse to acknowledge their authority for wel they knew that the apostle had taught them obedience not rebellion nor contumacious resisting against the princes power omnis anima saith k Rom. 13. he potestatibus sublimioribus subdita sit neither did the holie martyrs of Christs church set out most slanderous libels against men in authority or allow any such course finally we doe not read that euer any godly martyr did beare armes against lawfull princes or go about to depose them or murder them vpon bishops or other mens commandement whatsoeuer Hieremy he had more authority then hath the pope constitui te hodie super gentes saith l Hierem. 1. God vnto him that is I haue appointed thee ouer nations and he had power to pull vp to destroy yet we read not that he commanded any prince to be deposed or murdred but Campian and his consorts whom the papists notwithstanding celebrate repute martyrs did disclaime her Maiesties authority and adhered to the popes declaration as appeareth by their answers yet to be séene all priests also that come from Rome in their cases of conscience which they will not deny are taught to deny her Maiestie to bee their lawfull Queene Robert Parsons Campians fellow hath since his execution prooued a notorious libeller both the pretended martyrs themselues haue set out slanderous libels against their prince and the state and haue well liked of the slandrous and lying writings of Sanders Harpsfield Ribadineira Rishton Parsons Bristow Creswell others When the army of the Pope Spaniard was ready to come for England anno 1588. then was Parsons they say very busie in printing pope Sixtus his scandalous declaration against her Maiestie and Allens railing and scurrilous letters to the nobility and people of England and Ireland A m In an answere to a libell set out by Parsons friend of his also doth charge him that his finger was both in the making and dispersing that infamous libell and yet the pretended popish martyrs would neither mislike the authors nor these wicked libels nor any thing els that might worke disgrace either to her maiesty or the state Finally the earle of Northumberland and the two Nortons and diuers priests whom Bristow in his Motiues and Sanders in his books De visibili Monarchia and diuers others do celebrate for martyrs are in the Crowne office and publike records registred for men of a far diuers qualitie Among these certes the earle of Northumberland and the Nortons were principall actors in the rebellion anno 1569. and diuers of the rest were spotted with other treasons But percase it is a matter not vnusuall for the pope to put those in the Calender of martyrs whom publike executioners register in their books for rebels and traitors in which ranke it may be that Iames Clement that murdered king Henry the third of France and Ghineard the Iesuite that allowed that murder and was therefore executed and Chastell that assaulted Henry the fourth of France now reigning shall sometime or other be entred and be reputed as good saints as the best No martyrs of Christ Iesus did euer suppose it a thing lawfull to breake their others of allegeame to their princes vpon any excommunication or other warrant of popes or bishops n In Chronic. Auentin annal 7. Sigebertus Gemblacensis saith it is a pernitious heresie to beleeue that the pope can discharge subiects from the bond of an oth and from their allegeance but the popes martyrs or rather vnnaturall and churlish masâ—ifs did not only take themselues to be discharged from their allegeance and ioyned with forren enemies but also perswaded as many as they could to take armes against their prince and countrey In ancient records of ecclesiasticall stories we do not reade that any martyr of Christ Iesus did euer denie his name qualitie kindred and prince all together nor that they vsed equiuocations and dissembled their faith nor finally that they went apparelled like spadassins and ruffians but these pretended popish martyrs doe not only all this but also are resolued by Allen and Parsons that it is lawfull so to do The o Resolut quorundam casuum nationis Anglicanae c. 1. case being put vtrum sacerdos possit habitum mutare comam nutrire nomen patriam parentes negare they answer thus potest nec videtur in ea re dubium potest enim quis veritatem tacere vel dissimulare The same good fellowes determine also quod dissimulatio est licita that is that dissimulation is lawfull and afterwards they say it is pious to vse dissimulation for that it is lawfull to lay ambuscadoes for enemies so it appeareth they take all their countreymen that fauor the state for enemies and would take them in ambuscadoes if they could and this if we looke not to it they haue fully purposed and resolued as may appeare by their resolued cases Concerning the Queene they say shee is not lawfull the more they to blame that holde them for lawfull subiects Regina haeretica say p Ibidem they non est legitimè regina and againe non gerit se vt reginam sed exercet tyrannidem Finally the disciples of these traitors are taught to renounce their countrey and to giue no respect to their parents if they be not of the Romish religion It was not the fashion of Christian martyrs in times past to vse machiauelian tricks nor to equiuocate in places of iudgment nor to forswere themselues being examined and interrogated by their superiors but the schoolemasters of our popish priests and the popes calues and designed popish mastifs doe enforme them that they may doe both without any scruple of conscience sciant say q Ibidem c. 3. cas 3. they se vti posse aequiuocationibus iurare sine peccato Now by aequiuocations they meane promises and othes made not according to common and literall meaning nor according to the vnderstanding of the iudge but according to a certaine hidden meaning of the party and by swearing they vnderstand false forswearing according to our common vnderstanding they r Ibidem teach also that a priest is no more to regard an oth to the Queenes officers then if he should sweare to pirates
and robbers are not these gallant fellowes then trow you that suppose the Queenes iustices to be like pirates and robbers and that pirates and robbers may as well spoile men by the high way as they deale with priests according to her Maiesties lawes Finally no hereticks nor miscreants can iustly be reputed martyrs albeit they die for their false conceites and opinions the Donatists died desperatly so likewise did the hereticks called Euphemitae which for the multitude of their supposed martyrs would needs be called Å¿ Epiphan haeres 80. Martyriani yet did the church of god no otherwise account of them then as of leud hereticks and not as of martyrs as appeareth by the testimony of Eusebius Epiphanius Augustine and other fathers We read also in histories that Turks Tartares Mores oftentimes die most resolutely or rather desperatly for the blasphemous opinions of Mahomet that the t Matth. Paris Assassins that were a sect of desperate cutthrotes like to the Iebusits that desperately would aduenture to dispatch whomsoeuer their generall commanded them to murder suffered death most willingly and constantly and this they accounted a speciall point of their bloody religion yet it were mere madnesse to repute such fellowes martyrs why then should the papists that haue broken their necks and died for the popes cause whom we haue clearely proued to be hereticks be accounted martyrs nay why should rebels traitors and Assassins such as Parrye who by the Cardinall of Comoes letters the popes promises was enduced to lay violent hands on her Maiestie such like wicked men be named martyrs if because they are put in the popes calender it may be easily replied that as at Rome they are put in the popes calender so at Newgate such places they are put in the hangmans calender further it is Christs trueth and not the popes faction that maketh martyrs Those therefore that died in the popes quarrell are traitors and not martyrs and that will be the case also of all their consorts if they passe that way which I would haue not onely all Iesuits and massepriests to consider but also all those that like their humors and opinions neither is it materiall that grace hath bene offered to some that haue bene executed for treason if they would haue renounced the pope his trecherous doctrine and faction for that sheweth not that the parties to whom this grace was offered were no traitors but rather her Maiesties great clemency that was willing to pardon all of whom any hope might be conceiued that they would become good subiects so likewise if a man should offer pardon to an Assassin it doth not proue that such as murder men vpon a leud conceit of wrong religion died as martyrs If then the papists be not the true church I trust all true Christians will avoid them if their doctrine be neither ancient nor catholicke I hope true catholicks will no longer suffer themselues to be abused by them if they be hereticks they will I trust for very shame forbeare to impute heresies to true Christians if massepriests be idolaters I hope religious Christians will take order with them as godly kings did with Baals priests finally if massepriests and the popes agents haue so farre engaged themselues in treason I hope all true subiects will learne to detest popery not onely in regard that it is a false religion but also because it is a packe of leud opinions borne out with all fraud vileny and treason which because it floweth from the forge of Antichristes authority and inuention let vs beséech God to reueale dayly more and more the man of sinne that such as now are abused by him may forsake him and serue God in spirit and trueth according to his holy word And thus much may serue for the declaration and iustification of my challenge it resteth now that I answere my aduersaries exceptions and cauils An answere first vnto such exceptions as by a certaine namelesse and worthlesse fellow are taken to the Challenge precedent and next vnto the same parties most idle obseruations Thereto also is added a briefe of certaine notorious falsifications and vntruthes of the Papists Chap. 1. An answere to Owlyglasses exceptions concerning thirteene vntruthes supposed to be contained in M. Sutcliffes Chaâ—lenge Sect. 1. The first supposed vntruth cleared IN 19. pages of my challenge and all direct contrary to the doctrine of Papists Owliglasse cannot find so much as any occasion of cauill In the 20. pagâ—rapiâ—… numb 10. in my former and in the latter cap. 4 numb 43. bee taketh holde of this that I say That the Papists vse exorcismes blowings salt spittle halowed water annoyntings light and diuers ceremonies neither vsed by the Apostles nor practised by the ancient Church And this sayth he is an vntruth so manifest that Caluin doth confesse it Owlyglasse talking of vntruths in others himselfe vttereth two grosse vntruths in the first charge But what if it be true and what if Master Caluin do not confesse that which I say to bee vntruth Is not Owlyglasse where he goeth about to detect me of one vntruth manifestly takeÌ„ in a tray and detected to haue vttered two vntruthes in one breath he cannot though he would denie it Well then let vs see first whether my wordes containe vntruth and next whether Caluin confesseth so much or no. Of my proposition there are two partes First I denie that the Apostles vsed these ceremonies now in question and secondly I denie that they were practised by the auncient Church of Christ Iesus Now against the first part of my wordes Owliglasse can obiect nothing neither doth hee so much as touch it But weÌ„t he about to alledge any thing yet the Hystorie of the Actes of the Apostles and Christ his institution would refute his allegations For in neither of the two are any such ceremonies to be found Agaynst the second part he alledgeth Caluins wordes Instit lib. 4. ca. 15. art 19 for exufflations halowing of water annoynting and light and for exorcismes in baptisme he produceth Nazianzen For salt hee quoteth the words of Origen For spittle he citeth the wordes of Ambrose and the name of Petrus Chrysologus But neither doth Caluin nor any of these fathers mention either the vse of the Apostles or practise of the ancient Church nor doth any father speake of all these ceremonies together nor can the practise of the Romish Church in the signes and formes of these ceremonies be iustified by fathers either to haue béene in the whole Church or in any one singular Church nor to come nearer to our aduersaries can any one concludent argument be drawne out of any of the Fathers agaynst that which I teach Caluin sayth He knoweth how ancient the ceremonies of exufflation Lib. 4. instit ca. 15 num 19 halowing of water of annoynting and lights is Which if I should confesse yet could not Owlyglasse conclude that such ceremonies were vsed in the time of the
and yet that could not resolue himselfe in this poynt Thirdly Ambrose doubted not but Valentinian was saued albeit he dyed without Baptisme De obitu Theodosâ— Fourthly our aduersaries say that there are three sortes of Baptismes viz. Of water of the holy Ghost and of bloud and Bellarmine confesseth that without Baptisme men may be saued Lib. 1. de baptismo cap. 6. martyâ—dome and the conuersion of the hart to God supplying the defect of Baptisme and it is a common saying that not the want but the contempt of Baptisme doth damne those that depart this life without Baptisme Finally the grouÌ„d of that opinion that condemneth al dying without baptisme is laid vpon these words Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua spiritu sancto Iohn 3. non potest intâ—oire in regnum Dei And yet our Sauiour doth speake these wordes of Baptisme no otherwise then he vttereth these wordes in the sixt of Iohn Vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and dâ—inke his bloud ye shall haue no life in you If then no interpreter that expoundeth these wordes of the Lordes Supper will thereupon conclude that no man can bee saued vnlesse he receiue the Lordes Supper then doe not the other words inferre necessitie of Baptisme Vnto S. Augustines wordes lib. 3. de anima cap. 9. I answere that hee speaketh of such as die in originall sinne and seeme to contemne Baptisme But diuerse may die without baptisme and yet not contemne it We say also in the administration of Baptisme that none is saued that is not regenerate But it is impious to tie Gods grace vnto Sacraments We doe also speake of the ordinarie externall meanes by which saluation is obtained But we exclude not extraordinarie courses I doe also confesse that infants dying in originall sinne are damned to hell fire But I hope no man will say that all that die before Baptisme albeit they much desired it and beleeued in Christ Iesus dyed in originall sinne But sayth Owlyglasse You say that children by Baptisme are receyued into the Arke of Christes Church psal 1â— But he was simple to conclude thereof that none is receyued into the Arke without Baptisme He sayth also that Lay men and women by the booke are permitted to Baptise but he should remember that it is shame for him to speake vntruth who taketh on him to controll others in that behalfe He concludeth finally Seeing the want of Baptisme doth send Infants to hell that Baptisme is necessarie to saluation But his consequent is weake and of no value For many die for want of knowledge and for want of small matters and not onely of Baptisme And yet God is not necessarily tyed to saue none but such as are baptized Sicke men also die for want of Physicke and yet is not physicke absolutely necessary In this place therfore the detector wandreth out of the way and yet effecteth nothing Sect. 3. That Catholikes vse not after the Popish maner to separate man wife vpon occasion of monastical vowes HIs third accusation is grounded vpoÌ„ these words They holde that by mutuall consent the maried couple may depart asunder and that it shall not be lawfull afterward to company together A matter not onely strange in the catholike church during the Apostles and their successors times for many hundred yeares but also contrary to Christes doctrine For what man can separate them whom God hath conioined but séeking to fasten an vntruth vpon me he committeth a grosse falsification himselfe for hee cutteth off my words in the beginning See the challenge pag. 20. and midst of the sentence â—umbling the rest together very ill fauoredly and marring the grace of my sentence with his lewde handling To helpe out the matter he alleadgeth other wordes of mine out of the 35. page where I say that this proceedeth from the newe forge of popish inuention But as before so in this place he maketh mee speake of one thing in the singular number where I speake of prohibition and dissoluing of marriages for spirituall kinred and dissoluing of marriages contracted and other matters in the plurall And hauing framed my wordes after his owne lewd fashion and curtalled them at his pleasure he chargeth me with a notable vntruth as he calleth it For sayth he there be testimonies and examples in the Primitiue Church of married folkes pag. 15. that with mutuall consent vowed perpetual chastity And to that purpose he alleadgeth Epiphanius Hierom the 2. councel of Arles S. Augustine But first he minceth the matter dare not say any thing directly contrary to that which I haue written For I say that married folks might not be so separated but that they might come together againe And he talketh of separation for a time Now that which I say is most true is proued first by our sauiours words Mat. 19. for as our sauior saith that which God hath ioined let not man separate Therefore marriage being instituted by God is not to be broken by the tradition of man Secondly the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 7. are direct for me To those that are coÌ„ioyned in matrimony saith he not I command but the Lord that the wife depart not from her husband And if man and wife for a time depart he willeth theÌ„ to come together againe least the diuell tempt them Thirdly the practise of the church proueth that I haue said true Scelus est saith Chrysostome homil 63. in Math. 19. in duo diuidere vnam carneÌ„ sic et muliereÌ„ a suo viro diripere iniquissimum est So likewise saith Theophylact. Siâ—ut impiuÌ„ est suaÌ„ carnem diuidere ita et coniuges diuellere He sayth It is a wicked thing to separate married folks Fourthly reason sheweth that if mariage be a knot indiuisible that maried folks cannot be vpon pleasure sundered that it is a presuÌ„ption intollerable for the Pope to dissolue mariage whose institution is from God Finally it appeareth by Bellarmines dispute de Monachis c. 37. who handling this point with more cunning then this poore swad yet is not able to proue that maried couples were separated for religion in auncient time or that this practise was conformable to Christes or his Apostles doctrine as I haue verified against Bellarmine in my treatise de Monachis As for the exaÌ„ples testimonies alledged by Owliglasse they eyther are from the purpose or make against him Neither Epiphanius nor Hierome saith that maried folks vsed not to be admitted vnto holy orders except they did promise perpetual continency froÌ„ their wiues as Owliglasse with his glassy conscience affirmeth for neyther of them hath one word of promise or vow but the contrary rather Haeres 59. Ad huc viuenteÌ„ et liberos gignentem vnius vxoris viruÌ„ saith Epiphanius non suscipit ecclesia sed eum qui se ab vna continuit He hath not one word of any promise nor doth he deny that priests may returne backe againe to company with their
the Synagogue of Rome doth not obserue the canon of this councel that would haue men to eate drie meate for massepriests eate delicate fish and licour the same well with wine Therfore Carranza falsifieth this canon of the councel In summa concil Laodic and for drie meates putteth conuenient meates fearing as it should seeme least he should lose his good fish and good Spanish secke The Councel of Carthage can 63. speaketh nothing of fasts established by lawe but rather signifieth that fasts were then vpon especiall occasion proclaimed Qui tempore indicti ieiunij saith that councel Beside that in this canon there is no mention of any set forme of fast nor doth the councel speake of other then clerkes which notwithstanding are not the onely men that should fast in Lent Finally this maketh nothing for formes of fastes on embre daies and vigils of Saints Saint Hieroms order of fasting which he speaketh of in his Epistle to Marcella against Montanus the Romanists regard not for they fast betweene Easter and Whitsontide which he did not like Besides that he speaketh of no forme of fasting nor alloweth the fasting or rather Lenten feasting of the Romanists Thirdly that which he speakeâ—h of Apostolical tradition is contrarie to S. Augustines wordes in his Epistle 86. ad Casulanum where he sheweth that the Apostles set downe no daies nor formes of fasting The sermons de tempore set out vnder Saint Augustines name are found to belong to diuers others In the 62. sermon it is said to be sinne not to fast Lent But the Romanists obserue not the order of fasting by that author prescribed for he fasted without dining and obserued not Sundaies and abstained from wine The Romanists doe all otherwise Serm. 62. In isto legitimo ac sacratissimo tempore saith he exceptis dominicis diebus nullus prandere praesumat And againe Serm. 64. de tempore speaking of Lenten fasting quid prodest saith he vinum non bibere iracundiae veneno inebriari If then the Papists will not abstaine from wine why doe they vrge vs to obserue or beleeue his formes of fastsâ— That these Sermons of fasting are not S. Augustines it is apparant for that they contradict his Epistle ad Casulanum Leo ser 2. de pentecoste c. 9. talketh of certaine fasts but that they were the Romish embre fasts Owlyglasse will not proue Neither must he thinke that we are bound to beleeue all Leoes epistles and sermons to be either written by him or authenticall If Owlyglasse vnderstand not so much I will teach him and shewe him reasons of my saying in my next Maister Willet saith Calixtus instituted the foure embre fasts But he speaketh according to the opinion of the Romanists and well knew that the Epistles that go vnder his name were counterfeit Aerius was condemned of heresie by Epiphanius haeres 75. and S. Augustine haeres 53. for that he held â—hat fails appointed by the Church were not to be obserued His error was that he held quod iâ—iunium non esset ordinatum as Epiphanius saith But this toucheth vs nothing for we know that the Romish synagogue is not the true Church and that the ancient Church neuer approued either the Romish doctrine or the Romish order concerning fasting Seeing then Owlyglasse was neither able to prooue the Romish orders of Lenten fastes or of embre daies nor brought any one author to iustifie the fasts vpon vigils of Saints what an impudent fellow was he to affirme Page 26. that in ancient times the Church of Christ enioyned Christians to fast Lent embre daies and vigils of Saints shuffling in vigils of Saints into his conclusion of which he had not brought any proofe in his premisses Secondly if he would contradict me why did he not speake of the maner of the Romish fasts Lastly what reason hath he to charge me as hauing dealt without conscience where I denied their manner of fastes to be Catholike and christian when he sheweth neither conscience witte learning nor modestie in holding the contrarie That I haue deliuered my opinion with good conscience and that he with a cauterized conscience pinned to the Popes sléeue hath contradicted my assertion it may also further appeare by the forme of Romish fasts For first the Romanistes place their fasts in abstinence from flesh and not in abstayning from meate or eating drie meats or abstinence from wine as the Easterne Churches did Secondly they eate large dinners and refraine not from them as the author of the 62. ser de tempore among S. Augustines workes thinketh they should Thirdly they beléeue that by eating flesh and redd herring and such like meate they are able to satisfie for their sinnes and to inherit the kingdome of heauen which is not only erronious but also most ridiculous Fourthly they teach that fasting in Lent was instituted by Christ and that the other fasts are apostolicall traditions Finally they burne true christians for eating of a péece of flesh vpon a fasting day The which doctrine and practise is not only contrary to the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and the fathers of the Church but also to the practise of the ancient apostolike Churches whose fashions we are farre to prefer before the practise of the late apostatical synagogue of Roome Our Sauiour he teacheth vs that we are not defiled by any meate that entreth into a mans body Quod intrat in os saith hée Matth. 15. non coinquinat hominem We may also thereout gather that it is not meate that doth satisfie vs. Secondly the Apostle doth signifie that this difference of meates procéedeth from the ceremoniall law and therefore ought now to cease If ye be dead with Christ Coloss 2. saith the Apostle from the Elements of this world why doe you yet decree saying touch not tast not handle not which all goe into destruction in vse according to the preceptes and doctrine of man Thirdly the Apostle doth also prophesie that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith forbidding to marry enioyning abstinence froÌ„ meats which God hath created Neither can this be vnderstood of auncient heretickes that thought flesh vncleane for he speaketh of the latter times and saith in nouissimis temporibus The Papistes also would not so seuerely forbid eating of flesh vnlesse they thought it a more holy matter to eate fish Fourthly Tertullian sheweth that Christians fasted vpon occasion of their owne accord and not by constrainte of lawes Indifferenter ex arbitrio non ex imperio nouae disciplinae saith he Aduers Psychicos pro temporibus et causis vniuscuiusque ieiunabant And this he speaketh of Christians he being then teinted with the heresie of Montanus Augustine in his 86. Epistle to Casulanus testifieth that he findeth no set fasts enioyned by Christ or his Apostles Quibus diebus noÌ„ oporteat ieiunare quibus oporteat saith he praecepto domini vel apostoloruÌ„ non video definitum Sixtly lent was diuersly obserued in times past
in England is nothing but a packe of impostures lies fables and superstitious toyes I shall haue occasion to declare at full in some other treatise But least any might thinke that I wronged the sée of Rome from whom all these abuses are deriued I would pray euerie man that hath skill and leysure with indifferencie to reade the Legends of the Romish Church the Rubtikes of the masse their rituall and ceremoniall bookes their treatises of the Popes authoritie the fabulous lies of Caesar Baronius that filthy lying Cardinall and such like testimonials as they prooue their religion by Now we will onely talke of the definition of a Romish Catholike that euery man may sée what a bare fellowe he is and how little religion and honesty he hath I say that Bellarmine teacheth that he is a good Romish Catholike and a true member of the Romish church that professeth the Romish faith and communicateth with the Romanistes in their sacraments and is obedient to the Pope yea although he haue neither inward faith nor charitie nor other inward vertue And thereupon I conclude that the Papists are like to the Eunomians that taught that so a man were of their religion it skilled not what sinnes he committed That Bellarmine so teacheth it is apparant by his words in his second chapter de ecclesia militanti Nostra sententia est saith he ecclesiam vnam esse non duas illam vnam veram coetum hominum eiusdem christianae fidei professione eorundem sacramentorum communione colligatum sub regimine legitimorum pastorum ac praecipuè vnius Christi in terris vicarij Romani pontificis And afterward he saith Non putamus requiri vllam internam virtutem sed tantum externam professionem fidei sacramentorum communionem scilicet vt aliquis aliquo modo dici possit pars verae ecclesiae de qua scripturae loquuntur If then he be a good Romane catholike of whom the true definition of a Romane catholike may be affirmed then may all wicked and damnable heretikes be true Romish catholikes if they professe the Romish faith and communicate with the Romanists in sacraments and submit themselues to the Pope But saith Owlyglasse Bellarmine saith not that such as want inward verrues are good Catholikes but onely that they are true members of the Church As if the true members of Christs church were not good catholikes or as if he were not a good citizen of whom the definition of a citizen may truly be affirmed and as if he could not be a good and true pope that is no good man Of which point our aduersarie must beware least he touch too rudely the sores of his holy father and of a pope make no pope He saith further that this obiection of Eunomianisme is rather to be charged vpon Lutherans and Caluinists for so this papal swad doth call Christians and vpon M. Willet they giuing excessiue prerogatiues to faith and such as teach that a true faith cannot be lost But albeit he take his pleasure to rayle vpon me yet should he forbeare to wrong those that are either at rest or at the least neuer wronged him And in this place hauing his hands so full of me he might well haue spared to contend with others being no match for any To his charge I answere that Eunomius his heresies touch vs nothing For neither doe we déeme them good Christians as Eunomius did that haue no inward faith nor workes nor did Eunomius talke of the faith of Christ Iesus as we doe when we say the iust shall liue by faith but of his owne new deuised faith Owlyglasse therefore hath no reason for any thing done by me to crie out that Bellarmine is abused and his words falsified nor to charge vs with Eunomius his heresie But his consorts will and iustly may thinke him an idle fellow if he can no better either cleare himselfe or conuince others especially taking vpon him to doe both Sect. XIII Of second mariages and whether the Papists dislike them or no. THe last place out of which our aduersarie goeth about to fasten an imputation of falsification vpon me is for that I say that the Papists like to the Montanists dislike second mariages and denie to blesse them accounting these mariages not so holy a sacrament as the first And this he saith is a slander for that Papists doe not mislike second mariages But here as before oftentimes he forgetteth the subiect of his discourse for he should haue conuinced me of falsifications if he had remembred what he had in hand And yet in this place he doth not so much as touch any place by me alleadged or supposed to be falsified Onely to conuince himselfe of notorious ignorance he hath quoted a marginall note belonging not to this but to the next place as he might haue perceiued by the direction if hee had not béene blinde and hath set the same ouer against my words in this place as if I had proued my sayings of the Montanistes by Damascens chapter beginning Christianocategori in his booke de haeresibus such a learned aduersarie haue we to deale withall I answere further that I doe not slander the Papists as my aduersarie chargeth me when I say that they sauour of Montanisme in disliking second mariages for their counterfeit canons doe pronounce them punishable by excommunication that marie more then once De his qui frequenter vxores ducunt say they de his quae saepius nubunt 31. q 1. de hi◠tempus quidem poenitentiae his manifestum constitutum est And afterward Cum praecipiatur say they Ibidem secundis nuptijs poenitentiam tribuere quis erit presbyter qui propter conuiuium illis consentiat nuptijs It appeareth therefore that they enioyned penance for second mariages as for a grieuous crime and forbad the priest to be present at the feast of such maried folkes Beside that they doe not allow that a Priest shall blesse the second mariage nor doe they accompt the second mariage to be so holy a sacrament as the first Finally Syricius calleth maried folkes C. Plurimos dist 82. and defenders of priests mariages followers of lustes and teachers of vices sectatores libidinum C. proposuisti Ibidem praeceptores vitiorum And Innocentius as if they were vnholy and could not please God and were in the flesh excludeth maried folkes from the ministerie of the altar Which sheweth that they sauour of Montanisme if not worse But saith Owlyglasse if it be Montanisme to denie second mariages to be so holy a sacrament as the first what then be they that denie first and second mariages to be any sacrament at all But this is a balde kinde of disputing to propose a mans argument otherwise then he frameth it We doe not say they be Montanists in denying the second mariages to be a sacrament but that they sauour of Montanisme in disliking second mariages and preferring the first before the second Of which that is
and my answeres My conscience and plaine dealing the iudge of all mens consciences doth best knowe and I hope all the course of my writings will iustifie against all the cauils of such vaine banglers My learning I acknowledge is not comparable to that which many of my brethren haue but yet I hope by the grace of God to maintaine a truth against the prowdest of the Popish faction But were it neuer so sclender yet vntill my bookes against Bellarmine be answered in that plaine and scholasticall sort that I doe answere him neither hath Owlyglasse nor any of his consorts any reason to despise it or to obiect want of learning vnto me Yet séeing hee doth vndertake to prooue that I haue no learning let vs sée whether Owlyglasse hath any better successe in this then in his former allegations concerning his supposed vntruthes and falsifications First he saith I bring such arguments to prooue the Papists to be no Catholikes and to maintaine new doctrine and heresie as touch not them but wound the Church of England But if this had béen so why doth not Owlyglasse vndertake to answere my arguments why doth he not dare to refute my discourse If they hurt the Church of England no doubt but such caterpillers as he that séeke our hurt and ruine would not haue omitted to take that aduantage His wordes therefore are but vaine bragges and néede no other refutation then his owne lewde performance in this encounter and déepe silence in the rest Next he saith he will take a scantling of my learning nothing answerable to my lookes and countenance But his scantling is very short and vnproportionable being but one onely argument Beside that it sheweth that both learning and honestie is very scant with him for where I go about to prooue that the Church of Rome is not the true church of Christ for that it wanteth true bishops and Priests the palfrey fellow onely repeateth my wordes whereby I prooue that euery true Church hath true bishops and priests but durst not set downe my wordes whereby I shewe that the Church of Rome hath neither true bishoppes nor priests And where he toucheth any reason of mine he marreth it with his lewde handling and mangleth my whole discourse omitting my thrée last reasons and not daring to set them downe I will therefore now let the ignorant ideot knowe that my reasons whereby I conclude that the Church of Rome hath no true bishops nor priestes at this time are strong and effectuall and that his cauillations against my words are vaine and friuolous First then I say that no man hath ordinarie power to ordaine bishops or priestes but he that is a bishop and a priest But the Pope of Rome is neither true bishop nor priest ergo the proposition our aduersarie denyeth not The assumption I prooue by these arguments First the Pope was ordained priest but to offer sacrifices and to say masses for quicke and dead But neither doth this ordination make a priest nor had true priests and elders euer any such ordination That this ordination doth not make a priest I prooue for that thereby the ordained neither receiue power to preach nor to administer the sacraments nor the keyes of the Church wherein priesthood consisteth If they receiue any thing it is to offer sacrifice But the Papists confesse that there is great difference betwixt the sacrament of the Eucharist and a sacrifice as appeareth by Bellarmines large disputes Lib. 1. 2. de sacrif missae Further this ordination doth not giue to priestes the right of apostolicall succession which consisteth in preaching and administring the sacraments which our Sauiour committed to his Apostles and their successours to the worldes ende as appeareth by Christs wordes Matth. 28. that priests in auncient time neuer had any such ordination it appeareth by the commission that Christ gaue to his Apostles Matth. 28. by the office of Pastors described Ephes 4. and 1. Tim. 3. and Tit. 1. where no mention is made of sacrificing for quicke and dead neither doth this clause hoc facite in any author signifie sacrifice for quicke and dead It appeareth also by monuments of antiquitie and auncient formularies In the 4. Councell of Carthage priests are ordained by imposition of hands but not to sacrifice for quicke and dead This argument our aduersarie for all his contemptuous spéeches of my arguments durst not once touch Secondly the Pope is not ordained to teach or gouerne a certaine flocke but to be the vniuersall bishop Bellar. lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 31. Prooem Clement the head of the Church the spouse of the Church the foundation of the Church and a little demy god vpon the earth with power ouer purgatorie and the keyes of heauen and hell And if he haue not this power then is he not Pope But this power is no where deliuered by any good commission to any nor doth it belong to any bishop for any thing we can yet learne for if it did then should all bishops haue that power Owlyglasse therefore may doe well to shewe vs this power out of scriptures and fathers or els his silence will teach him that the Pope is no bishop Bellarmine telleth vs of pasce oues meas and tibi dabo claues But he must finde out a better commission for the Pope or els all bishops will haue like power and the pope will prooue to haue no power vnlesse he féede and haue the keyes of the Church which by Owlyglasse I am assured will not bee proued Thirdly the Pope doth not féede the flocke by teaching or administer the sacraments or gouerne the Church as other bishops did but contrariwise taketh vpon him to be Emperour or gouernour of Rome which the auncient bishops of Rome neuer did But no man can be a King and a bishop both together nor a bishop without doing the office of a bishop For Episcopatus as the Apostle teacheth vs That is a worke and not a title oâ— honoâ— is opus and not onely hoâ—os Our aduersarie answereth that it is Donatisme to affirme that the efficacie of sacraments doth depend vpon the good or bad life of the ministers and that we are to harken to those that sit in Moyses his chaire albeit they be Pharisees and bad men otherwise And this he proueth by diuers testimonies out of S. Augustine and the harmony of our confessions being copious where no néede is and silent when he should answere But all this is no more to purpose then if he should tell vs a tale of a horse nest or of the popes mules and mulets for what is that to me or others that say not that the Pope or popish bishops are not lawfull bishops nor haue power to administer sacraments because they are Sodomites adulterers and wicked men but rather that the pope is no bishop at all because he doth not opus episcopi He will perhaps say he doth opus episcopi But then he must shewe that he féedeth the
flocke by teaching and that he doth administer the sacraments of the Lords supper and baptisme orderly and ordinarily as other bishops doe wherein I beléeue he will faile Fourthly I haue proued that the pope is Antichrist aduanced aboue all that is called God and the principall Patriarke of Antichrists kingdome But light and darkenesse shall as soone concurre as the tyrannie of Antichrist and the office of a bishop in one person I haue prooued that he is Antichrist in my fift booke de Pontifice Rom. against Bellar. which because he so aboundeth in learning and I haue none I would pray him to answere with his great learning and especially séeing it maketh so much for the credit of his father the pope that begot him on a strumpet the hore of Babylon his maships mother A braue fellow he is no doubt that is so well borne of father and mother And if his stomack wil brooke no latin let him refute my answere to Parsons wardword if not all yet so much as toucheth the Pope Finally the Pope is an heretike an apostata and a most notorious simoniacal person entring by brigues and faction and composition with the Spanish king and cardinals as is notorious to the world and appeareth in euery coÌ„claue and is not dissembled by popish writers but such by canoÌ„s albeit otherwise bishops are suspended froÌ„ ordaining bishops or coÌ„ferring orders That they are heretikes it cannot be denyed vnlesse Owlyglasse can shew that the points we haue handled in the 4. chapter of our former discourse are no heresies which if he be able to shew I doubt not but the pope for his paynes will make him cardinall That the Pops are apostatates it apeareth for that they haue declined from the ancient faith as I haue likewise declared in my former challenge That they are simoniacal creatures their buying and selling of the papacy and of all ecclesiasticall liuings of masses of sacraments of faculties doth manifestly declare and that this is a common fault of Popes it appeareth by their rules of chancerie by the Penitentiaries taxe Vid. regul Cancellar paenitent by the glosses of their canons by Albericus de Rosate in verbo Roma by Theodorica Niems treatise of schisme by baptist of Mantua and all stories that write any truth Neither is this a faulte of late crept into that see queÌ„ dabis mihi de tota maxima vrbe saith Bernard lib. 4 de consid ad Eugenium quite in papam receperit pretio seu spe pretij non interueniente He signifieth that the Pope was chosen by simony without simony certes no cardinall can sée to finde the Popes chayre By this it may also appeare that the Romish church hath no true bishops or priestes for first they are ordained by the Pope that is no bishop Secondly the Bishops neither preach nor administer the sacraments nor accompt that any parte of their episcopall function Thirdly Pope Ioane had noe power to ordeine Bishops or priestes being a woman But all that haue liued in the Church of Rome along time haue béene ordeined by none but such as were ordeined by her or by bishops that were made by her Fourthly all préests are ordeined to sacrifice for quicke dead As appeareth by Machabeus in lib. de missis episcoporum pro ordinibus conferen dis Bellarmine also saith that preistes are made by these words accipe potestatem offerendi sacrificlum that is receiue power to offer sacrifice Which is no sufficient ordination nor giueth préestes power either to preach or administer sacraments but rather a power in ancient time neuer belonging to préests as I haue proued against Bellarmine in my booke de sacrificio missae Fiftly no simoniacall persons or heretikes haue power to order others and if they doe it their ordination by canons is declared voyd they are pronounced irreguler and this I thinke Owlyglasse will not deny but he will answere percase that the Popish bishops are neither heretikes nor simonicall persons let him therefore if he will make his answere good make answere to my obiections concerning the heresies and simonyes of the Church of Rome Sixtly the popish bishops are all slaues of Antichrist as appeareth by their slauish oth c. ego N. de iureiurando If then the pope be proued Antichrist and the aduersary of Christ and his Church his adherents caÌ„not be déemed true bishops Finally albeit the Popish Church had a certaine forme of ordination and bishops and préestes so called yet nether can the ordination be accouÌ„ted lawful being contrary to canons nor can they be déemed true bishops and priests that neither preach that which Christ commanded nor obserue his commission nor administer the sacrameÌ„ts according to Christs institution Oftentimes also the Pope hath ordeined boyes ignorant persons vtterly vncapable of episcopall function bishops and preests And such being so ordeined neuer did any part of ministeriall function if then the Romish Church be like her bishops then as she hath false and defectiue bisshops so is shee a false and defectiue Church But saith Owlyglasse Pag â—2 the councell of Trent hath made such holsome decrees concerning the diligent and often teaching and preaching of bishops and preests as Master Sutcliffe can finde no iust cause of complainte But if he had let downe these wholsome decrées he would haue béene much ashamed of the decrées themselues and more of the slender exequution of them For Concil Trid. Sess 5 c. 2. they decrée that bishops shall teach by theÌ„selues or others so that by this rule women may be préests for they may teach by others this may be fulfilled if bishops neuer teach at all Beside that we doe not reade that the first bishops of Rome did preach by others or set vp louzy fryers to prate in pulpits as now is the fashion of the Romish Church Our Sauiour Christ bad his Disciples preach themselues or els he would not haue sent them And S. Peter preacheth himselfe and vsed no deputation for the matter as now the Romanistes doe furthermore now the execution of this lawe is so neglected that I doe not beléeue that Owlyglasse albeit he hath well frequented all corners of Rome hath heard the pope preach And when the old Cardinall of Lorrein offerd to preach he was derided for his labor of all his compagnioÌ„s so vnséemly a thing it séemeth for a Cardinal bishop to preach He answereth further That I would be loth that our church should continue no longer then bishops doe their duties in preaching and feeding But he doth wrong our bishops to compare them to Romish prelats that neither preach nor thinke that preaching belongeth to them and for the most parte vnlesse it be some frier or foxe inroabed with bishops apparell preach not nor speake more then stockes and images in Churches He doth also mistake me much if he thinke that I conclude that any congregation is not the true church where bishops doe not their duties For that is
that is nothing to the cause which by priuat mens errors cannot be eyther charged or preiudiced But if the Pope of Rome to whom the papists flie in all controuersies and extremities commit falsifications then is the cause of poperie quite ruined and ouerthrowne For he is the Sanders Rock Bellar. in praefat in lib. de pontif rocke and Bellar. ibid. lib 2. de pontif Rom. Stapleton doctrinal princip foundation vpon whom the papists build all their religion Againe if the Church of Rome haue practised these falsifications then is no trust to be giuen to her If both the Pope himselfe and the Church of Rome doe deliuer vnto vs lyes and fables then is the pope no vpright iudge but a lying hypocrite and the Church of Rome is not the true Church nor a mistris of truth but a mistresse of errors and lyes Let vs therefore sée whether the pope or Church of Rome may not in this poynt be more iustly charged then we and whether they be cleare of this fault or no. For that is a point farre more materiall then any thing which the aduersary can deuise against vs. Let vs also consider how Bellarmine Baronius and others the Popes agents haue acquited themselues in their narrations and allegations For so it may best appeare how vnaduisedly this detector began his quarell our aduersaries being so notorious offenders in telling vntruthes and committing most grosse and wicked forgeryes and wée so cleare and innocent at the least from all willfulnesse violence and malice if not from error L. qui testameÌ„tum ff ad leg Corneliam de falsis Whosoeuer shall conceâ—e or hide away a testament or take it from a man or shall blot it or adde by interlining or else shall forge or write a false testament or exhibite it or signe it or vse it and fraudulently reherse it is punishable as guiltie of forgery by the lawe Cornelia concerning forgery and falsitie And this is the determination of Paulus the lawyer and allowed by all men of vnderstanding and iudgement in law Qui testamentum amouerit celauerit eripuerit deleuerit interleuerit subiecerit resignauerit saith Paulus the lawyer quiue testamentum falsuÌ„ scripserit signauerit recitauerit c. legis corneliae Poena damnatur Those also are guilty and by this law punishable Ibidem quorum dolo malo id factum est by whose procurement and fraude any of the foresaid points are committed But the pope and Church of Rome many wayes offende against this lawe as is most euidente by many particulers falsification 1 First they do suppresse as much as they can the eternall testament of almightie God conteined in the bookes which we for this cause call the old and new testament For simply do they prohibit all translations of scriptures made by any of our doctors not without streite limitatioÌ„s do they permit chrâ—stiaÌ„s to haue scriptures translated into vulgar tonges by theÌ„selues publikely by no meanes will they haue scriptures red being translated into tonges vnderstood of the multitude And all these thrée points are manifestly proued by the index of prohibited bookes set out by Pius quartus and by the decrée of the councell of Trent speaking of our mens translations librorum veteris testamenti versiones viris tantum pijs doctis Index lib prohib regul 3. saith he iudicio episcopi concedi poterunt And afterwarde versiones noui testamenti c. nemini concedantur Speaking of vulgar translations of scriptures Ibid. regula 4. he saith hac in parte iudicio episcopi aut inquisitoris stetur vt cum consilio parochi vel confessarij bibliorum a catholicis authoribus versorum lectionem in vulgari lingua concedere possint So it appeareth they first absolutely forbidde al vulgar translations made by any of our doctors and Secondly with harde conditions grant licence that to very few to reade their owne vulgar translations of scriptures and Thirdly that they doe forbid all latin translations made by vs of the new testament and with conditions and limitations permit our translations of the old testament to be read and that of very few Concil Trid. Sess 22. c. 9. In publike liturgies of the Church they also signifie that scriptures are not to be read in vulgar tongues And by their practise we gather that they thinke the publike reading of scriptures in vulgar tongues to be nothing for their profit and purpose Who then seeth not that by al meanes the pope and Romish Church endeuore to suppresse Gods testament and shew themselues therein notorious falsaries falsification 2 Secondly they burne the holy scriptures vnder pretence of false translations as may be prooued by diuers witnesses and by their owne practise And I thinke they will not deny but that they haue burned scriptures traÌ„slated by our doctors wil defend it yet to corrupt or teare or spoyle a testament is the part of a falsary as these wordes declare si quis testâ—mentum deleuerit Neither could the lawe speake more playnely against Papistes vnlesse it had sayd si quis testamentum dei combusserit falsification 3 Thirdly they haue depriued the Lords people of the cup which our Sauiour Christ calleth the newe testament in his bloud hic est calix saith he nouum testamentum in sanguine meo Luc. 22. In the conuenticle of Constance they decrée vt sacramentum a laicis sub vna specie tantummodo recipiatur that is Sess 13. that lay men are to receiue the sacrament onely vnder one kinde In the conuenticle of Trent they pronounce them Anathema or accursed that shall say that the faithfull ought to receiue the sacrament vnder both kinds Sess 21. c. 1. 2. or that shal denie that they tooke away the cuppe from the communicants and ministred the communion vnder one kinde onely for iust and reasonable causes Whether then the Lords cup be the new testament or the seale of the new testament it is euident that the Pope and Church of Rome doe shew themselues to be notorious falsaryes the words of the law are cleare si quis testamentum celauerit amouerit c. that is whosoeuer doth concele or keepe a testament out of the way he is to be punished as a falsary the same also is apparant for that they goe about to breake the seale of Gods testament And although man cannot or will not punish this falsity in the Romish Church and in the masse préests yet God will assuredly punish so notorious a falsification of his eternall testament falsification 4 Fourthly the Pope and Romish Church haue added to Gods eternall testament corrupting the same by their traditions and makg ivnnwritten traditions equall to the canonicall scriptures omnes libros tam veteris quam noui testamenti Sess 4 concil Trid. say the Popes slaues assembled at Trent cum vtriusque vnus deus sit author nec non traditiones ipsas tum ad fidem tum ad mores pertinentes tanquam vel oretenus a Christo vel
fathers and auncient bishops of Rome to be forged Their owne testimony therefore doth condemne them to be falsaries if they vse these false writings and alleadge them as they do most commonly falsification 34 And least any man might doubt whether the papists are falsaries or no in their expurgatory indexes they openly professe themselues to be falsaries In epist ad Pium 5. ante bibliothec sanâ—am For what is falsity but to take away to adde to alter mens writings but this the papists doe ex professo Sixtus Senensis confesseth that Pius 5. caused all the writings of the fathers to be purged and cleansed Expurgari ernaculari curasti saith hee omnia catholicorum scriptorum ac praecipuè veterum patrum scripta haereticorum aetatis nostrae faecibus contaminata venenis infecta But vnder colour of purging and cleansing away of things noxious it appeareth the Romanists haue taken out such things out of the fathers as made against them As for other writers they alter and mangle them at their pleasures In Bertram they change visibiliter into inuisibiliter Index expurgator All that commeth betwéene the words considerandum quoque quod in panc illo and the sentence beginning sed aliud est quod exterius geritur they dash out and so they deale in the rest In the censures of Erasmus and annotations of Viues vpon S. Augustine and in the scholiaes marginall notes and indexes of Augustine Chrysostome and others they take themselues liberty to doe what they list Capnioes speculum oculare Fabres commentaries on the gospels and epistles Beatus Rhenanus his annotations on Tertullian they falsifie most impudently Likewise doe they deale with all late writers Not long since we â—…nde they haue corrupted both the glosse and sometime the text of the canon law And this is now a common practise of Iebusites according to a direction and commission giuen them of the Pope to corrupt all authors that passe their fingers Posseuima shamelesse compagnion curtalling auncient writings saith ex lib. 2. Hermetis col 16. Select bibliotheca lib. 1. c. 19. deleatur rectè audisti paulò pòst qui enim crediderunt aut credituri sunt In transitu sanctae Mariae qui falsò ascribitur B. Melitoni deleantur illa verba in solatium ferendum angugustijs quae superuenturae sunt mihi deleatur etiam à capite 8. vsque in finem tractatus ex libro Nicolai Cabasilae deleantur capita 29. 30. In quaestionibus Anastasij quaest 87. scribatur in margine haec intelligenda sunt de gloria corporis The treatise of Antonius Abbas he turneth and mangleth most impudently and practiseth the like in diuers other authours workes If then any man séeke for falsaries let him go to papists that make profession of forging and falsification and which without forgery cannot maintaine their new forged deuises as theÌ„selues by their indexes of bookes prohibited confesse and by bookes plainly falsified it manifesty appeareth Finally they are falsaries that produce or suborne false witnesses or that vse their depositions Poena legis Corneliae irrogatur ei L poena ff ad l. cornel de falsis saith Marcianus qui falsas testationes faciendas testimoniaue falsa inspicienda dolo malo coierit But the Popes produce counterfeit fathers and legends to testifie for them They haue also suborned diuers vile persons to speake shame of honest men as Bolsecus of Caluin Laingius of Buchanan and others Sanders Rishton Robert Patsons and Creswell against King Henry the eighth Quéen Elizabeth the late Lord treasurer the Earle of Leicester sir Christopher Hatton Lord chancellor sir Francis Walsingham and others The falsehood of these witnesses is conuinced by diuers publike actes and sufficient witnesses Bolsecus in a synode in France publikely recanted his slanderous booke and professed that he was hired and drawne on by the aduersaries Parsons shall heare some of his lies hereafter His conscience in the meane while hath often tolde him of his lying Wherefore vnlesse Owlyglasse can answere in these pointes the accusation of falsification doth fall on his dearest friends farre more heauily then vpon vs. CHAP. V. A briefe Catalogue of certaine notorious lies vttered and recorded by the Popes and Church of Rome TO go about to comprehend in one Chapter all the vntruthes and lies of the popes of Rome and the synagogue adhering vnto them were as possible as to measure the sand or to bring the Ocean sea within the compasse of one vessell I will therefore out of many choose some fewe that by the example of some part euery man may iudge of the rest and discerne and hate the false packing of papists and their adherents falsification 1 Innocentius the first or rather some other Pope vnder his name affirmeth that none did found Churches in Italy France Spaine Africke Sicily and Ilands lying betweene these countries but those whom Peter and his successors made Priests He denieth also that any of the Apostles taught in those countries beside S. Peter and those which he sent Cum manifestum fit saith he in omnem Italiam Gallias Hispanias C. quis nesciat dist 11. Africam atque Siciliam insulasque interiacentes nullum instituisse ecclesias nisi eos quos venerabilis apostolus Petrus aut eius successores constituerunt sacerdotes aut legant si in istis prouincijs alius apostolorum inuenitur aut legitur docuisse quod si non legunt quia nusquam inuenitur c. A lowde and large lye for we reade in the Actes of the Apostles that the Apostle Paul who was not ordained nor sent by Peter taught at Rome and other places in Italie Freculphus writeth that Philip the Apostle taught in France the French acknowledge Dionyse of Areopagus whome Paule conuerted to be their Apostle and first teacher Iereney ioyneth Paule with Peter in the foundation of the Church of Rome In the old records of our Church it is reported that Ioseph of Arimathia first planted the gospell in Britany Saint Augustine sheweth that the Gospell came into Afrike from other contryes then from Rome For he distinguisheth Rome from those countries froÌ„ whence the sound of the Gospell first passed into Afrike as appeareth by these words of his epist 162. ad Glorium Eleusium et alios Cum se videret Romanae ecclesiae in qua semper apostolicae ecclesiae viguit principatus ceteris terris vnde euangelium ad ipsam Aphricam venit per. communicatorias litteras esse coniunctum Finally so lowd was the lye that the glosse is constreined to say that the word Alius doth signifie contrarius which is quite contrary to Innocentius his purpose For if his argument stand vpon this point that therefore all the Churches in the prouinces mentioned are to obey the Church of Rome because shée was their founder then if other not contrary to Peter did founde those Churches it followeth that the same were not to harken to the pope or the Church of Rome but to their
fallen in time of persecution Ibidem or as Bellarmine saith power to reconcile men to God otherwise then by baptisme he chargeth Caluin with this heresie as if Caluin did deny reconciliation to repentant sinners or had said that the church hath no power to reconcile such as are fallen As not this therfore grosse impudency to lye so manifestly But saith he Caluin denied that there was any sacrament of repentance beside baptisme as if he that denied this must néedes say that the church hath no power to reconcile sinners to God This certes is not onely vntruth but want also of all vnderstanding and modesty falsification 20 He doth impudently affirme that Luther and Caluin denying freewill doe fall into the heresie of Manicheisme Manichaeorum est inquit Hieronymus saith Bellarmine Ibidem hominum damnare naturam liberum auferre arbitrium Augustinus de haeres c. 46. peccatorum originem inquit non tribuunt Manichaei libero arbitrio idem apertè sectarij omnes Now by sectaries he vnderstandeth all that professe the truth Afterward he doth specially name Luther and Caluin but if he had any shame he would not haue said that either Luther or Caluin doth condemne the nature of man as the Manicheyes doe or teach that man doth sinne necessarily and not by his fréewill And albeit they deny the force of mans will which is called commonly liberum arbitrium to be sufficient to vnderstand the will of God or to performe the same yet it doth not therefore follow that they sauour of Manicheisme But how the papists sauour of this heresie we haue shewed heretofore falsification 21 Ho◠tamen est magis impius Caluinus Manichaeo quod Manichaeus deo malo tribuat peccatorum originem Caluinus deo bono Herein saith Bellarmine Ibidem doth Caluin shew himselfe more wicked then the Manichey because he attributed vnto an euill god the beginning and cause of sinne and Caluin to a good God But if he passed not the Manicheyes and all other heretikes in impudent lying he would not haue thus falsly affirmed this of Caluin who in his first booke of institutions chap. 18. doth expressely prooue that God is not the author of sinne and in all places doth detest this opinion Why then did not Bellarmine alleadge his wordes if he had said any such matter In the place quoted certes he teacheth the contrary of that which Bellarmine affirmeth and belloweth out against him falsification 22 He is not ashamed also to affirme that all of vs teach that the visible church hath been lost now this many yeares Ibidem ecclesiam visibilem à multis seculis perijsse saith he nunc solum esse in septentrionalibus partibus vbi ipsi sunt docent omnes praecipuê Caluinus lib. 4. instit c. 2. § 2. But he doth belye Caluin and all the rest for we beléeue that in Italy there is a visible church now albeit the Pope sée it not and that the church at all times consisted not of spirits but of men visible albeit euery one did not know them neither doe we say that the church at any time shall faile or hath failed nor is this lying cardinall able to prooue it out of our writings falsification 23 Of Luther Melancthon and Caluin he affirmeth that they cannot deny Ibidem but that the seeds of Arianisme are sowne in their writings Which is a lye most odious and malicious for all the points of Arianisme they not only detested but haue learnedly refuted and those proofes that Bellarmine bringeth in his preface to his treatise de Christo are nothing but rayling termes and proofes of his owne malice falsification 24 He saith Iouinian taught that a man after baptisme could not sinne Ibidem especially if he were truely baptized and the same error he doth impute to Caluin But he lyeth both of the one and the other for neither did Iouinian teach so nor Caluin though by his lying reportes he doe endeuour to conioyne them in one opinion falsification 25 Hierome doth impute these heresies to Vigilantius first that he taught that the bodies of the Saints were vncleane and to be throwne out next that the prayers of the Apostles and Martyrs are not heard and lastly that the ministers of the Church ought to be married But if Bellarmine do say that in these thrée points we agrée with Vigilantius Ibidem as he doth then doth he make a thréefold lye For neither doe we allow those that would haue mens bodies thrown out to the beasts of the field and fowles of the ayre or otherwise vse the bodies of holy men departed this life vnreuerently nor doe we doubt but that God doth heare the prayers of the church triumphant nor doe we thinke any man is to be constrained either to marry or not to marry Would thē Bellarmine shew more plaine and true dealing in his disputations his readers would better like of him and his cause falsification 26 Of Pelagius he affirmeth that he taught that righteousnesse is lost by euery little sinne Ibidem and that therefore euery sinne is mortall and this saith he is confirmed by the testimony of Hierome lib. 2. contra Pelagianos But neither was this the error of Pelagius who rather as the papists suppose teach held that a regenerat man may be without all sin and that he is able to performe the law nor doth Hierome affirme any such thing of Pelagius falsification 27 Of Zuinglius he reporteth that he did simply deny original sinne to be in euery man He saith also Ibidem that Caluin and Bucer deny originall sinne to be in the children of the faithfull Matters vtterly false and which by the whole course of their writing is refuted neither doth it follow albeit the children of the faithfull be holy that therefore they are not borne in originall sinne For this holynesse they do not otherwise ascribe vnto them but in regard of spirituall regeneration and remission of sinnes But if it be Pelagianisme to teach that originall sinne is not in all men then are the papists Pelagians by Bellarmines confession which exempt the blessed virgin from this sinne falsification 28 Xenaias persa primus palam asseruit saith Bellarmine Christi sanctorum imagines non esse venerandas testis Nicephorus lib. 16. c. 27. But this lye is confuted by the law of God against the worship of images by S. Augustine that condemneth Marcellina for worshipping and burning incense to the images of Iesu Paul by Epiphanius and other fathers which I haue cited as witnesses against the idolatry of papists in my former challenge He doth also falsifie Nicephorus in adding these wordes primus palam vnto him falsification 29 In the 14. chapter de notis ecclesiae he telleth vs howe Dominick raysed three dead men to life and that he and Francis did many miracles as they are record do in the discourse of their liues He saith also that Francis de Paula did great miracles and that Xauier a Iebusite
did cure deafe and dumb men and those that were sicke of the palsey and restored one dead man to life But all these report◠of miracles are nothing but miraculous lyes for Ignatius doing no miracles how is it likely that Xauier should doe so many falsification 30 In the 17. chapter of the same booke he telleth how Luther died sodenly that Oecolampadius was found dead in his bed lying downe in good health that Carolstadius was killed by the diuell that Caluin died eaten of wormes as did Antiochus and Herod and others Lies deuised by men hyred to rayle vpon honest men and refuted by the histories of their life and death and by the testimony of all that were present at their endes falsification 31 In his second booke de eucharistia c. 6. he hath these words Irenaeus probat Christum esse creatorem ex eo quod panis fit corpus Christi per consecrationem But Irenaeus hath no such matter nay if he should haue vsed any such argument then must it follow that Christs body is created as oft as masse is saide Furthermore it appeareth by the place of Irenaeus lib. 4. contr haeres c. 34. that he disputeth not against those that denied Christ to be the creator but which denyed God to be the creator And that he prooueth not as saith Bellarmine because by consecration the bread is made Christs body but because heretikes offered to God bread which by consecration was made Christs body and because this sacrifice had béene vngratefull vnlesse it had consisted of Gods creatures Finally because it were long to set downe the particulars of all sorts of lyes vttered by Bellarmine this I doe giue the reader to vnderstand in generall that almost all his reports of his lying legends vnwritten traditions feyned miracles new deuised prophecies and of the fathers testimonies concerning the speciall points of the late Romish religion established in Trent are either plaine lyes or vntruly let downe by him and that shall euery man perceiue that listeth to reade my bookes de missa papistica de Pontifice Rom. de purgatorio de ecclesia de concilijs de monachis and others set out against him especially if he list diligently to compare the fathers writings with that poyson which he like a spider hath sucked out of them CHAP. VIII A Catalogue of certaine lies and falsifications of Caesar Baronius taken out of a smal part of the beginning of his first booke of Annales NOw least Bellarmine should séeme to be in lying and forging singular I will adioine vnto him his fellow Caesar Baronius a cardinall forger and lyar and one of all the authors that euer I read that most impudently abuseth and detorteth scriptures contrary to the intentiō of the holy ghost to serue his owne humour falsification 1 In the front of his booke hauing placed the image of the Romish church in forme of a woman with a heauy woodden crosse on her shoulder and the triple crowne vpon her left hand with two great keyes of the Popes sellar as it should séeme hanging downe vnder it and on the one side placing this word vicit haereses and on the other subegit gentes he doth giue vs to vnderstand that hee meaneth to tell little truth in his booke that telleth so many lies in the first front and face of it For first it is most vntrue that this Romish church that is now possessed of the triple crowne was euer subiect to the crosse of Christ Iesus For the Pope he claymeth a power aboue all Emperors and liueth in all delightes and pleasures and though he cary with him headlong into hell great multitudes of soules yet may no man say to him domine cur ita facis His cardinals also and other adherents liue like princes without all feare and danger vnlesse it be in regard they feare their panches Finally all these persecute others and are not persecuted themselues falsification 2 Secondly he lyeth impudently where he signifieth that Christ gaue the keyes to the Pope and to his adherents For he gaue them to Peter to such as should succeede him in féeding Christs lambes and that by preaching the Gospell and administring the sacraments and ruling the Church according to instructiōs giuen them by Christ and now conteined in the Apostles writinges But the Pope is now become an earthly potentate he féedeth not but rather cutteth the throates of Christs lambes his followers haue adulterated the faith and changed the institution of Christs sacraments and now doe rather handle clauas quam claues that is rather clubbes then keyes murdring as many as will not suffer the Pope and his masse préestes with their counterfect keyes to creepe into the secretes both of their consciences and their worldly estates falsification 3 False it is also that this latter Romish Church hath subdued heresies being it selfe ouercome and ouergrowne with heresies and being like to a large fielde ouercomme with wéedes And this I haue shewed at large in my former challenge in the chapter of Romish heresies falsification 4 Neither can Baronius shew in all his voluminous legends that the true Church in time paste did worship the wooden crosse as the Pope and Baronius and others doe If then hée by his wooman represent the true Church he lyeth if he re-represent the Romish church and the purple hore apocalyps 17. He saith truely For with the superstitious worship of the crosse and the Popes tyranny and false doctrine shée is much oppressed and greuously burdened Yet that is nothing to this purpose falsification 5 Furthermore all histories shewe that sence the Pope began to weare the triple crowne and to shew himselfe in that height of pride which Baronius representeth vnto vs in this figure the Saracenes Turkes Gentiles haue preuayled against the pope his followers as may appeare by diuers disastrous attempts made against them for the regayning of the land of Palestine commonly called the holy lande Baronius therefore playnly coggeth where he telleth vs how the popes haue preuayled against the Gentiles for all the victoryes they haue gotten haue rather béene to the preiudice of christian princes from whome they haue taken Rōe Italy other territories thē of Turkes and Heathen who by the popes false doctrine and turbulent gouernment haue subdued a great parte of the christian world and yet are suffered for their idolatry and heresie to preuaile against papists falsification 6 He doth also paynt the holy ghost houering ouer the popes triple crowne the blessed virgin with her son in her lappe as gouerning the world and Peter and Paule supporting the worship of our lady which doe all containe notorious lyes For we may not thinke that the holy Ghost hath any thing to do with the mayntenance of the popish triple crowne or that these men were inspired with gods spirit which leauing the preaching of the Gospell sought for triple crownes earthly kingdomes Secondly it is impious to teach that our sauiour Christ
great ostentation Now to proue this to be true Baronius is not ashamed to test a greater lye affirming that Gregorius Thaumaturgus did remoue not a house but a mountaine Which if he cold doe it were to be wished that he would remoue the 7. hils of Rome together with the Pope and this lying cardinall and place them at the foote of mount Tabor for whence Baronius beleeueth that our Ladyes house did flye ouer the Seaes into Dalmatia first and then into Italie falsification 36 Of Augustus he saith Ibidem 97 that he made lawes against such as liued single and yet honored those that kept themselues continually true virgins which containeth a notorious contradiction beâ—…de that it is absurd to proue vowes of virginity froÌ„ heathen emperous very preiudicial to the Romish church that he alloweth not fictum caelibatum nor any but those that indéede are true virgins of which he shall find very few among his fellow cardinals and not many among priestes monkes friers nunnes falsification 37 Where Pilate as Iohn chap. 19. saith wrote the title ouer the crosse in Hebrew Ibidem Pag. 103. Greeke and Latine letters and as Luke testifieth chap. 23. in Hebrew Latin and Greeke Baronius supposeth that the order is changed and that the Latin inscription ought to be first But this is nothing but to contradict the euangelistes and to respect neither the apostles nor their writings so the Church of Rome may winne any preheminence aboue other churches He alledgeth I confesse the testimony of pope Nicholas in epist ad Michaelem But it is a poynt of blasphemy to beléeue that Nicholas knew those matters better and did report them more truely then the euangelists Beside that it may well be doubted whether Nicholas wrote that epistle to Michael or some other in his name that without all truth and modesty aduanceth the priuiledges of the Romish Sée falsification 38 Where Luke doth expresly set downe that Iohn Baptiste began to preach Pag. 113. when Annas and Caiphas were highe preistes Baronius saith that only Caiphas was high preist in the soccession of Aaron And that he is forced to hold for feare least hée should ouerthrowe the monarchy of the Church of Rome Annas he saith was chéefe priest as head of his ranke and one of the principall heads of the Sanedrin But if he were not high préest why should he be named before Cayphas or why should Luke so call him if he might not be high preist as contrary to law he must vnderstand that at this time neither the law of Moyses nor the order of succession was rightly obserued falsification 39 Talking of Saint Iohn Baptist he saith hee dwelt in the wildernesse Ibidem p. 114. and keept in a denne called Sapsas And that our Sauiour Christ did visit him oftentimes in this denne And this he proueth by the testimony of Sophronius and one Iohn a monke to whome Saint Iohn appeared as he beléeueth in this hole and told him all this story matters fabulous and ridiculous For who will grant that Saint Iohn Baptist whose soule was with God kéept in this denne it is as like that he dwelt there being dead as being aliue yet this is also a Romish tradition but whether Locustes that S. Iohn Baptist did eate were liuing creatures or no as yet Baronius hath not found out any certaine tradition Isidorus of Pelusium holdeth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the gospell signified the tops of herbes and plantes falsification 40 Pag. 110 he saith that S. Iohn Baptist did lay the foundation of monasticall life and that all Catholikes confesse it to be so A lye notorious as appeareth by my answere to Bellarmines treatise de monachis Furthermore this his assertion may be conuinced first for that Iohn Baptist neither made vow nor liued after any certaine rule nor forswore mariage Secondly for that this manner of life was but for a time for after a while he left his habitation in the desert of Iudaea and came to Iorden and into cities Thirdly Iohn was ordained to be a forerunner of Christ and is commended as a singular prophet but monkes and friers are rather the forerunners stafâ—…ers of Antichrist then of Christ Neither is there any mention of them in scriptures but in generall termes Apocalyps 9. where we reade of locustes issuing out of the bottomelesse pit and such like places Prophets certes they are not vnlesse we giue the name of prophets to false teachers Fourthly if Iohn séeme in his manner of life to haue giuen any example to Eremites yet that serueth other monks and friers nothing that liue in most frequent cities and are in continuall action Finally albeit Chrysostome and Hierome say somewhat of Iohn Baptist as if he first had shewed an example of solitary life yet neither doth that serue to prooue that he was a precedent to other monkes nor doe other fathers or catholike authors affirme that he laid the first foundation of monasticall life I hope Rob. Parsons will not say that Iohn Baptist was like his father Ignatius Loyola that madde maranicall Spaniard and swaggring compagnion the first author founder and foundation of the hispaniolized Iesuites falsification 41 Pag. 117. he saith Christ was baptized the sixt of Ianuary and this he would prooue by the testimony of a letter of Eusebius ad Marinum whose fragments are in the edition of Christopher after the history of Euagrius as he writeth But séeing the holy scriptures haue concealed the exaâ—t day he sheweth not himselfe wise curiously to dispute of this point Beside that he should doe vs a fauour to shew who this Christopher was that set out Eusebius otherwise his followers will beléeue that he tooke Christopher for Christopherson Finally there is no credit to be giuen to such vaine fragments set out vnder the names of auncient writers In the historie of Eusebius we read not that he had any thing to do with this counterfeit Marinus so that this tradition séemeth to be built vpon a rotten foundation falsification 42 Gregorius Turonensis telleth how leprosie is cured by washing in water where our Sauiour Christ was baptized and Baronius beléeued he said true But yet was this Gregorie no good witnesse in this case writing nothing but by hearesay We are taught by holy scriptures that baptisme was ordained a sacrament of remission of sins and not that Iordane was made a medicine to purge lepres falsification 43 Pag. 119. he supposeth that he hath soundly confuted those that say that it was not said to Peter tu es Petra sed tu es Petrus but either must he lye or must he charge the Euangelist Matthew with vntruth which is a point blasphemous He saith also that such as translate the word Cephas and say it doth signifie a head are not to be reprehended But if he had had either head or braine hauing taken vpon him to relate histories and things done in auncient time he would haue omitted all curious disputations for the
I haue shewed that it is not onely new and false but also superstitious and hereticall Againe if Parsons can say nothing why the religion professed in England is not Catholike and apostolical then all his reasons fall to the ground and all his pretenses of feare of infection of scandale of schisme of casting away the marke of distinction of participation with vs of dissimulation of naughty seruice of the benefit of popish religion may be retorted against himselfe and his clients For neither are Christians to suffer the practise of the idolatrous masse nor the faction and packing of wicked dissembling papists nor may any magistrate or other good christian with good conscience suffer Gods true religion by schismatickes and heretickes to be scorned And these reasons are so effectuall that I doubt not but those that haue the managing of these causes will both take vp such Howlets and deliuer Christian religion from contempt of such impostors and Atheistes Secondly purposing and promising three things whereof the first was a demonstration of reasons why Papists should not goe to the Church the next contained a declaration of meanes how papists should remedy or ease themselues of their afflictions the third was an instruction how with patience to endure affliction the first he handleth most lewdly and loosely the other two parts he was not able to make out abusing both his friends and his aduersaries with his false promises Further it may be that his remedies were nothing but practises of treason and rebellion and that he meant nothing lesse then to exhort men to patience and that therefore he omitted to speake of these two points But why then did he promise doth he promise that which hee purposeth not to performe and doth he meane to kéepe no touch in any thing His directory also is a most idle and vaine discourse It should consist of thrée partes whereof the first as he saith appertaineth to resolution the second treateth of entrance the third of perseuerance but as his fashion is of thrée partes promised he kéepeth backe two and performeth the third most simply For first that which he hath written concerning resolution is very impertinent for it is a very euil signe of resolution in matters of christian religion for a man to dispute whether there be a God or no and whether christian religion be true or no as Parsons doth Againe despaire of Gods mercy temptations feare of persecution and such like impediments as Parsons alleadgeth doe rather hinder a man to leade a christian life then helpe to resolue him to doe it Secondly the greatest part of his discourse is either stollen out of Gaspar Loarti or Granatensis or Stella or such like frier like and idle discourses Thirdly it argueth that he hath a bad conceit of popish cacolikes in England for if he tooke them to be christians he would neither go about to teach them that there is a God nor that christian religion is true nor that there are rewards offered to those that doe well both in the life to come and in this life and punishments likewise for euill doers both in this life and after this life for euery childe among christians knoweth all this without his teaching Fourthly we doe not finde that this directory hath made any one christian or directed him the way to life But I doe heare many complaine that diuers simple young men haue béen directed by him to the gallowes Fifthly it should séeme that this booke hath wrought little good effect in Parsons himselfe that hauing so long stood vpon resolution is not yet come to the entrance of religion Sixthly as lawes are made to restraine common abuses so likewise divines should discourse of such matters as may make most for reformation of christian mens manners This discourse therefore of his wherein he endeuoureth to prooue that there is a God that there is one true religion that there is a heauen and a hell among christians already well perswaded is impertinent and woulde better haue béene bestowed vpon Italians and Spaniardes that scarce beleeue in God or know any of the principall points of christian religion Furthermore intreating of resolution which as himselfe declareth goeth before entrance and perseuerance yet doth he very wisely diuide the treatise of resolution into speculation and practise The first part saith he shall containe matter of discourse speculation consideration the second shall handle things appertaining to exercise vse and practise As if a man could practise that is not entered into the exercise of religion or as if resolution were not farre different from practise Finally the booke is so full fraught with idle discourses and the principall points so weakely proued that it will rather make Christians to doubt of religion then Atheistes to beleeue It doth also containe so much poyson that no physicke can make it holesome I would therefore aduise all Christians to beware of his booke of resolution by him intituled a directorie containing little truth but much superstition and hereticall poyson The same is also a disgrace to all papistes whome he presumeth as yet not to be resolued that there is a God or that christian religion is true To christians it can yeelde no instruction being a packe of stollen and bad stuffe euill trussed together Neither is the same good although it hath béene purged the whole substance being leud and full of poyson Much I wonder that any christian would sette it forth in this Church and more that christians should beleeue that any good was like to come of such a wicked writing And I doubt not but that such as are in authority will remoue both that and other such venemous treatises out of all true Christian mens handes being rather fit for Italian atheistes then the English nation To leaue the rest of his treacheries heresies and other faults which are rather to be corrected by the publike exequutioner then noted by the stile of a writer I will only in this discourse set downe certaine notorious falsifications committed by him in sundry pamphlets set out vnder diuers counterfect names and giue you a tast of his vnsauory lies of which in Parsons writinges there is great store And this so much the rather for that in his relation sent vs from Rōe concerning the conference some two yeares agone passed in France betwéene Monsieur de plessis and the pretended bishop of Eureux he séemeth earnestly to desire a triall concerning these points The man also in his preface before his reasons of refusall of going to the Church vnder the name of Iohn Houlet desireth that some indifferent triall may be had either by disputation or otherwise wherein I desire he should be satisfied falsification 1 First then I challenge the man as a notorious falsificator in that he hath set forth his owne booke concerning titles vnder the name of another preist called Dolman who was neuer acquanted with the matter Wherein albeit he hath cōmitted far more haynous faults then
Weston Iesuits in Wisbich taught that whores were in Rome with as good right as the pope and his consorts did at Wisbich some thrée or foure yéeres agone affirming that whores were in Rome cum approbatione and to trusse all short with as good right as the pope And if he dare or hope to win aduantage by it let him compare the liues of the popes cardinals and Romish clergy and people with such as truely professe our religion and examine the honesty of both and if not let him leaue his lying and railing vpon honest men falsification 9 Pag. 11. chap. 2. For spittle saith he speaking of the ceremonies of baptisme we haue the warrant of S. Ambrose lib. 1. de sacrament c. 1. but whatsoeuer he hath we haue here a notorious lie deliuered by him for S. Ambrose in that place hath not one word of spittle much lesse of spittle in baptisme for which he is alledged I woonder then if Philip Woodward haue made vp these woodden animaduersions that the other masse priests do not spit in his face and defie him and the rather for that he supposeth euery word of S. Ambrose or the authour of that counterfet treatise to be a sufficient warrant whom the papists in diuers points regard not as I haue shewed in my treatise De missa now published against Bellarmine falsification 10 In the same chapter pag. 12. he saith that for ceremonies vsed by the Romanists in baptisme viz. for exorcismes blowings salt spittle hallowed water anointings light and others for of these he speaketh he hath the testimony of antiquitie whatsoeuer I say to the cōtrary But can any man beléeue him on his bare word sure no. for taking on him to prooue these ceremonies like a simple ideot he doth not so much as bring any testimony of antiquity for light holy water and greasing in baptisme And the rest which he bringeth are farre short of his purpose so that to proue Owlyglasse a lying companion I néed no testimony but Owlyglasse himselfe his owne loose dispute doth proue Ph. Woodward to be a woodden fellow falsification 11 In the same chapter pag. 11. he writeth that I vtter an vntrueth so manifest that Caluin doth confesse it and yet Caluin was dead long before I wrote any thing Beside that he doth not confesse that to be vntruth which I affirme for he saith not that the ceremonies in question were practised by the ancient church which I denie but onely affirmeth that he knoweth how ancient they were which may be true albeit they were neither ancient nor practised by the vniuersall church but by some few superstitious persons Finally he is a simple fellow to tell vs of Caluin or to make him our iudge albeit we reuerence his memory as being a learned and godly man and an excellent instrument vsed by the Holy Ghost to set foorth the trueth of the Gospell wickedly suppressed by Antichrist falsification 12 Speaking of our Communion booke in the same booke saith Pag. 13. he lay men and women are permitted to minister baptisme but no man did permit him thus to lie and to speake without booke neither would he haue taken himselfe libertie in things not permitted vnlesse the archpriest or some false Iebusite had giuen him libertie to lie and speake vntrueth That he hath maliciously vttered vntrueth the booke will declare wherein there is not one word either of lay men or women permitted to minister baptisme falsification 13 Where he saith pag. 15. that Epiphanius and Hierome affirme that married persons vsed not to be admitted to holy orders except they did promise perpetuall continencie from their wiues he telleth a notorious vntrueth for neither did Epiphanius haeres 59. nor Hierome aduers Vigilantium speake one word of promise or vow made in that case Beside that if they should make such a promise yet were that no warrant to permit men to leaue their wiues in that sort nor can men depart or absteine from their wiues without their consent as the aduersary knoweth if he know any thing falsification 14 He saith pag. 16. that in maried couples disioined the band of mariage continueth still but the conuenticle of Trent sess 24. c. 6. and other authors In the challenge before alledged will tell him that in mariages dissolued before consummation this his assertion is vntrue falsification 15 Chap. 2. p. 17. most certeine it is that they said masses and prayers for the soules departed saith he speaking of the fathers of the primitiue church but in this point not being able to bring foorth one father that euer said masse or dirge for the dead he doeth after a close maner giue himselfe the lie and to make his lying more manifest I haue in my answere to his exceptions taken away all the colours that he with his little learning could set vpon the matter If he rest not with his losse let him in his next returne shew where any ancient father said requiem aeternam for the dead or praied thus absolue Domine animas omnium fidelium defunctorum ab omni vinculo delictorum and finally let him proue that the ancient fathers beléeued that Christes body and blood were really offered for quicke and dead in the masse If he can not do this he talketh idlely of his masse and sheweth himselfe to be a masse priest rather in a foolish intention than in certeine knowledge or true popish deuotion falsification 16 Pag. 21. chap. 2. he denieth that papists put any hope in images or that they worship them as the Gentiles did their gods or that they offer their praiers or deuotions vnto them but hée lieth falsely as his owne conscience may tell him if he haue any conscience and be not as stupide as any stocke or stone which he is wont to worship secondly the practise of the Romish church must néeds conuince him of lying for among the Romanists simple people and priests also not vnlike to heathen idolaters fall downe before stocks and stones set vp lights before them burne incense to them pray before them thirdly their vsuall formes of praiers doe shew that he hath told vntrueth and that lying is with him an vsuall forme in their rituall books they say ô crux aue spes vnica and frier Bartilmew of Siena that is now said to worke miracles hath these wordes for his deuise Christ and his crosse and Mary be my guide and keeper and to the portrait of our Sauiours face they say salue sancta facies fourthly their common doctrine is that the image is to be worshipped with that worship that is due to the originall but it is to be doubted whether the heathen were so grosse idolaters as to giue that honour to their images finally they goe on pilgrimage to their images more then euer did the heathen and doubt not but they are able to doe more then the heathen idoles as may appeare by the vowes made to the lady of Loreto and such other saints for neuer did the
heathen more superstitiously worship Diana at Ephesus then the Romanists worship the image of our lady at Loreto falsification 17 Speaking of fastes in Lent on ember daies and on the vigiles of saints he saith that antiquitie is plentifull viz. of testimonies in this case and yet the wooden fellow doeth not bring any one testimony for the fastes vpon vigiles of saints nor can he prooue the practise of the Romish church by any one testimony alledged by him precisely falsification 18 Pag. 28. chap. 2. he denieth that papists hold that Christian men may live without sinne an impudent vntrueth and wherein he contradicteth himselfe for if Christians can fulfill all the law of God as he goeth about with all his little skill to prooue and that by diuers arguments then doeth it necessarily follow that they may liue without all sinne falsification 19 Pag. 31. he affirmeth that the forme of confirmation is as ancient as the apostles a lie of great length reaching to the apostles times thereof to conuince him no man néedeth to go farther then his own confession who is not able to alledge either the testimony of the apostles or any ancient father for this forme of confirmation signo te signo crucis confirmo te Chrismate salutis falsification 20 In the same place very impudently he blusheth not to say that the forme of consecration practised by the Romanists hath alwaies beene holden and would therefore prooue it to be a constituion apostolicall but his assertion is refuted both by histories and fathers and especially by his owne silence that speaketh more in a line then he will prooue all his life falsification 21 Pag. 34. he saith papists grant that there is but one mediator of redemption but doubteth not to hold that there are many mediators of intercession but he lieth in both these points for in the masse the priest is said in plaine tearmes to offer pro redemptione animarum and sure if they offer vp Christ Iesus properly and really then are they mediators of redemption the second point I haue declared to be a notorious lie in my former discourse falsification 22 Pag. 43. he hudleth vp diuers lies vpon a heape first hée saith auricular confession was ordeined by Christ secondly that by the law of God men in mortall sinne were bound to repaire to the sacrament of auricular confession thirdly that mortall sinnes are not remitted without auricular confession the first lie is refuted by the testimony of scriptures wherein neither forme nor institution of auricular confession is to bée found The second is conuinced by the booke of Gods law wherein we finde no colour of such an ordinance the third is manifested by diuers testimonies of scripturâ—s which declare Galat. 3. that we receiue the promise of the spirit through faith that Act. 15. faith purifieth our hearts that we are washed by Christ his blood whom we put on not by outward confession but by our faith and inward conuersion to God Furthermore all these lies may be refuted also by the silence of Oulyglasse that is not able to iustifie any one of his assertions by any text of scripture beside that all papists hold that confession is a sacrament of their new law and not established vnder the law of Moyses as Oulyglasse would insinuate finally the decretale of Innocentius vpon which auricular confession dependeth being long after the times of the apostles and ancient fathers is a plaine conuiction of Oulyglasses false dealing for how can that be either instituted by Christ or authorized by the law or déemed necessary that before Innocent the thirds time was neither established nor déemed necessary falsification 23 Most impudently he affirmeth Pag. 49. that saint Iames maketh mention of the sacrament of extreme vnction but that may appeare to be a lie both for that there is no mention of a sacrament there and for that sacraments are not to be instituted by men but by God finally no ancient father did euer expound these words of popish extreme vnction falsification 24 Pag. 113. he saith that I deny that the matter of the reall presence concerneth any fundamentall point of faith but if hée cannot prooue it out of my words I hope he will not deny but that after his woonted fashion he hath told vntrueth The rest of his lies you shall finde noted in my answere to his exceptions to my challenge if then he hath begun to lie so fast what are we to looke for if he continue his course of writing and if his clients doe commend him for these lies what will they if he procéed on as he hath begun I for my part will giue my voice to haue him canonized for lying CHAP. XIII Corollaries and conclusions gathered out of the former challenge and the answeres to the exceptions taken to the same I Néed not as I suppose make any large discourse in drawing out particular conclusions out of the former challenge and answer for he is very simple that doth not perceiue whereto they both do tend Beside that I haue héeretofore touched some principall points which especially séeme to deserue consideration but séeing Robert Parsons in his relation sent vs from Rome beside the report of matters then passed began first to draw out certeine idle obseruations and perceiuing well that his woodden scholar Owlyglasse doth second him and hath likewise endeuored to make obseruations and to draw great conclusions out of his slender and misshapen premisses I haue thought it not amisse to encounter him although not in so weake maner with the very like course and for his obseruations to send him likewise other obseruations and conclusions being very loth to be behinde him in any course that may serue either to manifest the trueth or to correct the error and trechery of such leud companions observation 1 First then I doe obserue if the Iesuites and their adherents be false prophets and false teachers that then they are most diligently to be sought out and punnished the sequele is grounded vpon the law of God Deut. 13. Moyses speaking of false prophets saith propheta ille aut fictor somnioruÌ„ interficietur quia loquutus est ut auerteret vos à domino deo vestro that is that prophet or dreamer of dreames shall be slaine because he hath spoken to disturne you from the Lord your God where it is to be noted that false prophets and teachers are fitly ioined with dreamers of dreames for that he that teacheth doctrine not grounded vpon the infallable word of God is no better then a dreamer of dreames Christian kings they ought to be nurses of Gods church and haue the sword committed vnto them not onely to represse seditious persons and wicked malefactors but also such idolatrous massepriests as disturbe the peace of the church and séeke to disturne men from the trueth by their false doctrine with princes also all true Christians ought to concurre in the detecting of such wicked members If thy brother
suffered to raise against the lawes of England and this state as they haue done in their railing libels entitled Aduersus persecutores Anglos Andreas Philopater Sanders de schismate and diuers other of that nature or why should any be suffered in corners to whisper against so lawfull and godly procéedings The papists will not yéeld to vs sufficient safeconduct and libertie to dispute in Milan Paris Collen and Salamanca Why then do they bragge as if they were desirous to dispute and trie their cause in Cambridge and Oxford and what a ridiculous point is it to desire that for papists which themselues will not yéeld to vs They will not suffer any bookes of ours to be published in Rome or other places where popery is professed if they conteine matter of religion and most seuerely doe they punish such as either sell such bookes or reade them or kéepe them without licence Why then should not papists confesse that we haue great reason to take a more strict course than hitherto we haue done with all their books and pamphlets and with all that haue them especially now séeing that few of them come foorth but they are fraught with slanders against the state lies and impostures against religion and doctrine tending to sedition and corruption of maners observation 6 We may further obserue that no man euer had lesse reason to talke of conscience than Rob. Parsons and his disciple Owlyglasse and their damnable consorts deuoid of all conscience for conscience is grounded onely vpon the lawes of God and is nothing but the inward iudgement of euery man of his owne actions according to the knowledge which he hath of Gods law and his word And this is gathered out of the apostles words Rom. 1. where he saith that the Gentiles do shew the worke of the law written in their hearts their conscience bearing them witnesse and their thoughts either accusing them or excusing them S. Iames 4. Iames he also sheweth vs that we haue one lawgiuer and iudge which is able to saue and destroy S. In exposit proposit ex epist ad Rom. Augustine expounding the wordes of the apostle Rom. 1. sheweth that conscience is nothing but the iudgement of euery mans soule of his owne actions Si cor nostrum nos reprehenderit saithe he rehearsing the words of Iohn 1. epist c. 3. maior est Deus conscientia nostra But the papists ground their conscience vpon the decrées of the pope vpon the customs of the Romish church vpon the vaine opinions of euery louzy canonist vpon the wicked and treasonable conceits of Parsons and Allen in their resolutions of cases of conscience for the English nation vpon the damnable commandements of their superiors breaking their necks running headlong into hell as soone as they are commanded and that blindly wilfully for other priuat mens pleasures and this appeareth first by Martin Aspilcuetaes enchiridion of cases of conscience by the compendium of the Iesuit Alagona and all the doctrine of Casuistes which as the aduersaries cannot deny is grounded as wel vpon the popes decretales and customes and vpon the lawes traditions and customes of the Romish church and opinions of canonists as vpon the law of God nay there are farre more cases that concerne the popes law then that concerne Gods law Secondly Lib. 4. de Pontif. Rom. c. 15. seq Bellarmine teacheth that the pope hath power to make lawes that binde in conscience semper creditum est saith he episcopos in suis dioecesibus Romanum Pontificem in tota ecclesia esse veros principes ecclesiasticos qui possint sua authoritate etiam sine plebis consensu vel presbyterorum consilio leges ferre quae in conscientia obligent héereof it followeth also that all papists are bound in conscience to beléeue the popes decretales concerning faith and to obserue his rules concerning manners and that for conscience sake and I thinke no papist will deny it Thirdly Allen and Parsons in their most wicked resolutions teach their traitorous schollars first to weare long haire secondly not only to change their names but also to deny their names thirdly to deny their country parentage Resolut cas nation Anglic. cap. 1. cas 1. fourthly to deny her Maiestie to be lawfull Queene her officers to haue power ouer masse priests for that is also taught in the resolution albeit not propounded in the case Ibid. cap. 3. cas 5. finally to forsweare themselues and to dissemble and practise all maner of trechery they also shew how they may eat flesh on fasting daies and come in company with men of our religion neglect the popes lawes also in case of danger in summe their resolutions tend to no other end but to shew how masse priests with a good conscience well wrought suppled by Robert Parsons may by helpe of a good Romish conscience betray their countrey to the Spaniard and cut their countrimens throats Fourthly the Rhemistes in their expositions of the new Testament writing vpon the 23. of the Acts teach their disciples how to forsweare themselues and resolue that vpon paine of damnation they must breake their othes are these fellowes then Christians trow you that handling the most sacred word of God doe by their wicked expositions teach men to violate their othes and to abuse the holy name of God Finally the Iesuits hold that the inferior being enioined by the pope or the generall of that wicked race of Iebusiticall impostors and traitors to doe any act or to beléeue any thing is not to dispute of the matter but resolutely to execute what they are commanded and this they call obedientiam caecam If then the pope or the generall of the Iesuits command Parsons or Garnet to kill the Quéene or any principall man of England or their owne mother by this doctrine it followeth that they are bound to doe it is it not strange then that any Christian state can suffer such traitors and parricides or their adherents to liue among them observation 7 The seuenth obseruation shall be for the edification and instruction of the Romish cacolicks they call themselues catholicks and would so be called but I haue declared them to be in a grosse error by very plaine euidence to them therefore I say that if they desire to be made members of Christes true church they must come out of the Synagogue of Rome and forsake the whore of Babylon and drinke no more of her cup full of all abominations Secondly if that religion which is sprong vp of late time and long after the times of Christ and his apostles cannot be true then the Romish doctrine must néeds be false and counterfeit Thirdly if papists desire to be true catholicks then must they renounce the particular religion of Romanists that hath not either of all christians béene knowen or at all times generally béene receiued Fourthly if no hereticks deserue the name of Christians then must they forsake the hereticall opinions of the popes and their proctors if they will be accounted Christians and true beléeuers Fiftly if idolaters shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen let them beware of the notorious idolatries maintained by the doctrine and practise of popish religion finally if the Iesuits and massepriests be a faction adhering to the pope and forrein enemies then had they néed to take hede how they receiue them aide them ioine with them or haue any dealing with them observation 8 Finally I obserue that popish religion is nothing else but a packe of lies and impostures and cannot stand without falsification fraude and violence I haue already verified the same by many particulers and euery man shall hereby discerne that I haue said trueth for that neither Parsons nor any of his consorts will vndertake from point to point to answere my chalenge and to iustifie both all such allegations as I haue said to be falsified and also all such narrations as I haue challenged to be lies and false reportes I doe rather looke for such a bald ribald like railing libell as this was and such pamphlets as Parsons vseth to set forth vnder counterfect names All you therefore of the Romish religion beware of the abominations of Babylon and of the falshood and fraud of that whore which sitteth vpon the 7. hils I haue as you may perceiue touched but few particulars in comparison of those which I could haue obiected if time laisure would haue serued but if Parsons come forth againe you shall haue the rest I will also adde the notorious forgeries lies calumniations of Posseuin Gregory de Valentia Professores quinti euangelij Andreas Iurgiuits Vilnensis that denieth vs to beléeue the articles of the apostles créed and other such villenous companions not forgetting Alan Copus alias Harpesfield nor Stapleton nor any notorious stickler of that wicked crew In the meane while marke I pray you how the pope with his Italians and Spaniards laugh and enioy their ease while a number of English youthes are drawen into danger both of body and soule running headlong of a blind and furious zeale into treason and séeking how to maintain the popes tyranny and to teach his errors and heresies God for his mercy sake if it be his holy will open their eies that they may sée their owne grosse errors and forsake these pernitious courses and in the end ioine themselues with the rest of their friends kinsmen and countrimen in a firme resolution not onely for the maintenance of the honor of their prince country and nation against all forrein enemies but also for the defence of true religion against the attempts and assaults of antichrist and false doctrine of all idolaters and hereticks the onely vpholders of the kingdome of antichrist