alleadgeth the Doctours most is most praysed of the audience as you vvell know which is a pittifull thing in thē and ridiculous in the Preacher vvho cannot but know if he haue read any of them himselfe that the Fathers detest vtterly that Doctrine which hee wresteth them to confirme and in the meane time the pore audience thinketh that they were of this new Religion vvhose simplicitie therein is most pittifullie abused by the Preacher THE XI REASON Triall of Trueth IT is manifest by the Holye Scriptures that it appertaineth to the Church to try to discerne spirits as also to determine to decide doubts And agreeably therunto shee hath in all ages mastered ouer-ruled captiuated the vnderstanding of euerye one were hee neuer so wise neuer so learned or had he neuer so extraordinary giftes except he obstinatly defended an errour which if he did hee was condemned for an heretike so came to nothing The Chatholike Church I saye directed by the Holye Ghost hath euer separated from the trueth all moales all singular opinions al errours and corruptions in euerie mans workes and writings in such sorte as that easilie and securelye euerie one maie knowe the trueth And certainelie the Protestantes although they saye that they giue no credite to the CHVRCH but so farre forth as they finde in their Scriptures doe can not otherwise but receaue the same Scriptures vppon the Catholike Romane Churches credit also the three Creedes of the Apostles of Athanasius and of Nice and some Articles of beleefe as the Holy Ghost to proceed from both the Father the Sonne yet as from one beginning and many tearmes as Person Trinitie Consubstantiall Sacraments c. which none coulde euer haue inuented but onely the Catholike Church Neyther is it possible for any man to know whether this Bible which is vsed amongest Christians be the true word of God indeede or some fained thing but onely vppon the Catholike Romane Churches credit And Saint Augustine confesseth plainely that he would not beleeue the Ghospell but that the authoritie of the Catholike Church moued him thereunto Con. Epist Manich. c. 5. lib. 2. de doct Chr. cap. 8. And by the same Churches authoritie hee was mooued to beleeue the bookes of Tobie Iudith Canticles Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Machabees c. as he himself sincerelie affirmeth And surely it is wōderfull to see how the Church of God receauing the Olde Testament from the Iewes and manifesting to the world the Canon of the Holy bookes of the new Testamēt hath in al times in so many alterations and chaunges kept from the destruction corruption of Heretikes Iewes and Panims the whole authenticall corps of Holy Scripture in such maner as no Heretike in the world can charge her with adding or diminishing the least iote thereof Iudge you here whether the madnes of these new fellowes be worthie to be wondred at or no who doe credit and beleeue the Church in this point and will not doe the same in others Why should they rather trust the Church in this thē in other things And I would euery man would here consider the wonderfull integritie of the Catholike Romane Church in keeping the Holy Bible so entire and vncorrupted these fifteene hundred yeares together at the least and the atheisticall treacherie of these of the the new Religion who occupying no Bible nor hauing to doe with the holy scriptures for a thousand yeares togeather as they themselues confesse haue after the vniust vvresting it out of the handes of the iust possessors thereof robbed the Church of so many whole bookes besides of so manie partes and particles of the same What these fellowes would bring the Holy Bible vnto in time if they shuld hold on they may easily gesse vvho know their manifold corruption therof in so few yeares And yet forsooth they vvill haue all controuersies to be tried by only scriptures which if they were not by them corrupted falselie translated yet could theye neuer finde out any secure truth by them only for that none of them alloweth anie other mans exposition but his owne and in so dealing they can but haue a gesse or an opinion or fantasie but no faith at all Which thing to declare more plainely I aske the Protestant how he relying vpon only scripture can shew mee certainely vvhich bookes be Scripture and which not And if hee be vnlearned how knoweth hee that the translation which hee vseth is truely made out of Hebrew Greeke Latine And then how is hee sure of the sence exposition And if he be neuer so learned haue neuer so many helps all that hee can search and finde out is but a priuate mans opinion and consequentlie his Faith which hee seemeth to haue is grounded vpon his owne particular iudgement and so indeed is no faith at all but an opinion onely as I said before for faith must haue Gods expresse authoritie for her foundation Here you may consider the miserable state and condition of your newe Ghospellers in that forsaking the Catholike and vniuersall faith of Christendome deliuered to thē by the vniuersal Church as founded vppon Scripture vvhich Church Christ and his Apostles gaue thē expresse Commission to beleeue which was properly Faith founded vpon a rocke which could not faile in that forsaking I say that fortres they cast themselues into the waues of new opinions whereby they haue no certaintie at all but euery one chuseth vvhat hee liketh to himselfe vvhich choise is properly called Heresie and so the word signifieth And let anie Protestant in our Countrie of England tell mee why he doth rather beleeue his owne iudgement in points of Religion then the iudgement of Luther Caluin and Beza whome he thinketh were so excellent men for euery one that hath any learning knoweth that they taught otherwise then now is taught in England This you may plainely see the only touchstone of truth to be the Catholike Church which cannot faile and that they who cleaue to her iudgement haue most vndoubtedly the truth whereas on the other side they who ground only vpon Scriptures expounding them according to their owne fantasie and braine playing the Maisters and Pilots and Boat-swaines themselues admitting no iudge no interpreter no antiquitie nor any other manner of tryall which is the greatest madnesse and malediction that can be must needes be destitute of all certaintie and of all Religion and of all stay and of all foundation and of all rule and of all order and must needes wrangle and iangle without end and without meanes to make an end and must needes cause Nouelties without number and libertie of life without feare or force of Ecclesiasticall Discipline to restraine them and to conclude they haue no meanes to rest vntill the end in Atheisme THE XII REASON The vse and custome of the Church THE vse custome and practise of the Church hath as it vvas in the prime thereof beene alvvaies an infallible rule to
direct and order thinges by This the Apostle after manie arguments to prooue that women should not be beareheaded in Churches applyed as a Fort most stronge and inuincible to beare downe the gain-sayers thereof If any man saith hee notwithstanding mine argumentes doe seeme to be contentious 1. Cor. 11. we haue no such custome as women to pray vncouered nor the Church of God And agreeablie vnto this Saint Augustine saith If the whole Church throughout the world doe vse any thing Epist 118. cap. 5. onely to call in question wheather that thing should be so done is a point of most proude or most straunge madnesse And for this cause against the Pelagians hee argueth ordinarilie out of the Churches custome proouing Children to be borne in sinne Epist 105. because the Church doth Baptize them for Remission of sinnes And because the Church vseth to Exorcise them and to blowe vpon them therefore the Diuell hath power ouer them and that by sinne And to this saith hee the Pelagians with all theyr crafte coulde not answere for they durst not say as the Protestants say wee care not for the Churches custome wee weigh not thereof De bono perseu ca. 23. Manie such like argumentes hath the same Saint Augustne else vvhere But in few vvordes the custome of the church was a thing so vndoubted as neuer any Heretike before this our age durst aduenture to stand against the same altogether But Heresies euer consisted only in some matter of erronious iudgement and false opinion but the teachers thereof neuer went about to chaunge the face of Religion as to take away the Sacrifice of the Church as the Protestants are bold to doe And surelie in this point the malepeartnesse and desperate boldnesse of the new Ghospellers is wonderfull who durst not onely attempt to chaunge diuers pointes of the Churches vse practise which in all ages of all men was accounted so heinous an offence to doe but also made no bones to take all quite away Customes Ceremonies Orders yea and the Holie Masse it selfe placing insteede thereof in some places Chapters and Psalmes ill translated into the Vulgar tongue in some other places Ballades made of Psalmes commonlie called Geneua Psalmes vvith rayling Sermons and in other places other stuffe as best pleased the humors of the deuisers thereof And to these new inuentions forsooth must the common people be compelled to come and to forsake renounce the Seruice and Sacrifice of the Catholike Church left by God Almightie and continued euer through out all Generations as it must doe manger all Protestants heades euen vnto the worlds end THE XIII REASON Doctrine THAT Church vvhose Doctrine tendeth to Mortification and Holinesse of life must needes be the true Church and consequentlie directed by Gods holie Spirit and contrariwise that Sect or Congregation which teacheth the contrarie is most vndoubtedly false and consequentlie guided by an euill spirit This is so manifest as it needeth no proofe for euery man knoweth that the Catholike Church is called Holy because it professeth or teacheth nothing but that which is Holie Now if a man consider duelie the Doctrine of the Romane Church he shall finde it to be of the former sort and easilie he may perceaue the Doctrine of this new religion to be of the latter But I vvill not heere speake of the fruites of CATHOLIKES and Protestants although indeede there be no comparison in life for that euery one seeth and easilie confesseth the Catholikes to liue most vprightlie Saint-like but I speake of that which their religion teacheth them to doe for of that especially our Lord meant vvhen he said Math. 7. You shall know them by theyr fruites First therefore to declare this pointe if you compare the clergie of the Romane Religion vvith these new Clergie men you may see the Orders and Institutions of the one sorte to mooue them to mortification to the contempt of earthly things and the institution of the other to prick them forward to all vanitie to carnall libertie for a Priest of the Catholike Church receaueth in a most solemne manner seauen Orders whereof three are called Holie because they are about Sacred and holie thinges as the Body Blood of our Sauiour holy vessels c And euery thing which the said priest must vse is holy and therefore there is required in him the greatest puritie possiblie to be had so as he must haue and thoughts free from all carnallitie and worldly thinges and for such like causes he is restrained from marriage although it be in it selfe honorable instituted by God himselfe but yet who so is yoaked therein must needes apply himselfe to worldly affaires and so is diuided as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 7. And because he is restrained from marriage bound to liue Chaste or continent hee may not vse anye trimming or tricking vp of himselfe in amorous attyre nor vse any dalliance or fondnes with weomen but euer remembring that he is as a dead man in regarde of such thinges he must be far from such lightnesse but on the other side the Protestant Minister hauing receiued no Orders but a certaine kinde of Deaconshippe and Ministershippe of their owne inuention and hauing no Holy or Sacred thinges to deale withal but left to all liberty of winning rewinning which he cannot ordinarily doe without woing woe he cannot handsomely without hee something tricke trimme vp himselfe to allure please the eie of his sweet hart must needes goe trickly with faire starched ruffes fine mousaches trimme tuscalonians vse amorous glaunces yea that sometimes when they are reading their Chapters in the Church with a thowsand such-like fonde foolishe inconueniences which ensue thereupon Furthermore the Romane Religion teacheth Restitution of goods wrongfully taken and of all wronges whatsoeuer which brideleth and restraineth people from bribery extortion theft vsury symony from such like But the Protestants medling litle with such doctrine leaueth al at large to his folowers without restraint of any such crime The Catholike religion teacheth obseruatiō of vowes promises which must needes cause great trust fidelity in the professors therof the Protestant teacheth that they bind not in cōscience which openeth the doare to distrust and maketh the people that one wil not trust another but must haue him in bandes with suerties with all fastnes possible to be deuised The Catholike religiō teacheth abstinēce fasting which mortifieth our bodies enricheth our coūtry the Protestāt teacheth to eat flesh al kinds of meats euery day as often as the belly desireth which causeth plenty of lust in the carcase dearth scarcity in the cōmon-wealth The Catholike Religion forbiddeth Land-Lords to raise their rents except vrgēt occasion driue thē so to doe by which prohibition infinite nūbers of people be benefited holpe the Protestant teaching the Land-Lord to doe what he list with his owne ruyneth and vtterly beggereth
hath yet a far greater sway in the world then any other religion euer had or hath And worthie it is to be noted that in no land nor countrie vnder Heauen euer was or is any persecution of any moment against Papists as you terme them or against the Priests of that religion in regard that they be Papists or Priests made by authoritie from the Sea of Rome but only in England And in verie deede the vvhole world doth wonder that little England dare and is not ashamed to doe that which neuer was seene in the world before for let a Seminary priest as they cal him keepe him out of England and hee is safe enough in any region vnder heauen This I say by the way for that it greeueth me at the very hart to heare that my deare country doth persecute that religion which all the world hath ioifully embraced or at the least doth willingly tolerate as though she were wiser then all the world besides is or euer hath beene or then al her Elders Or as though Englishe Protestantes knewe and sawe more than all the whole Learned men of Christendome haue done for so many ages together And I pray you tell me if an hearbe should be presented to you to eat that al learned Physitions for a thowsand yeeres together haue iudged to bee rācke poison only some one or two of later yeeres haue begun to teache the contrary without actuall experience whether it be so or no but onlie by discourse and newe arguments of their owne braine would you abstaine to eate it or no Or if an action should be offered you there in England which by all old Lawyers iudgement of former times hath beene taken for high-treason Ipso facto consequently losse of life and lands though some newer lawyers were of contrary opinion that nowe it is not woulde you not looke twise before you would leape except you were out of your wittes But in this other case although all auncient Diuines and Doctours for aboue a thowsand yeres together haue taught the Catholike Romane Religion to be true indeede and only Friar Luther a loose Apostata and Sir Iohn Caluin a seare-backt Priest for Sodomy haue begun in our daies to teache the contrary for feare of beeing punished by the Magistrates of the said Catholike Religion for wicked and badde life yet will they Protestants rushe out cast at all and will hazarde Hell and all Eternity of tormentes thereon depending Who will denie this to bee headlong and hare-braine dealing Surely this vniuersal consent of Christendome against two or three so contemptible authors of nouelties are more than sufficient to induce anye man of reason to looke about him and to consider what hee doth and whether he may aduenture his soule vpon such inequality of testimonies as this is betweene two or three Nouellants and twenty millions of holy graue auncientes and no doubt in Westminster hall this difference of witnesses woulde preuaile with anye equall and discreet iudge or iurie Neither may the Protestantes nowe at length glory in their great number as some of them haue donne for that their Religion is there in England in Scotlande and some thereof in Irelande Apol. Eccles Ang. and in the Lowe-countries in some parts of Germany and a fewe of them in Fraunce for they neuer yet passed into Asia nor into Affrica nor into Greece nor into many places of Europe much lesse into the Indies But indeed if you rightly scanne their Doctrine you shall finde that your Religion Protestantine of Englande is no where in the worlde else that Englishe seruice contained in your boke of Common praier is vnknowen condemned of all other Nations and people vnder the cope of Heauen So that in very deed the doctrine of your Protestantes is taught or receaued no where but in Englande and the Puritane Doctrine of Scotlande the contrarietie thereof duelye considered is no where but in Scotlande the Lutherane Doctrine taught in Denmarke is no where but in Denmarke and in a fewe places of Germany the libertine Doctrine taught in the Low-countries is no where but in the Low-countries and the like may be said of other sectes Lastly I doe heere consider with my selfe if I should refuse the Catholike Romane Religion so vniuersallie taught receaued professed through out all the worlde so many ages together and embrace any of these newe silly sectes aduenturing my soul therupon what all my progenitours ancestours if they were here againe and sawe me doe so would say vnto me I gesse they would vse such speeches as these what doest thou condemne all our iudgementes and doings Doest thou maligne that Religion which we so highly esteemed and sought to aduaunce Doest thou sende vs al to hel and damnation Wilt thou iudge thy selfe wiser and more in Gods fauour than any of vs were And many such like speeches I thinke they would vse THE SIXT REASON Miracles True miracles were neuer wrought but by them who were of true religion for that they are donne only by the power of God Now it is so manifest that there hath beene almost an infinite number of myracles wrought by those who were of the Catholike Romane Religion and neuer any by them who were not of that Church since Christes time as he who shal deny it may be proued no lesse impudent and shamelesse than he who shal denie that euer there was any Masse saide in times past in England or that euer there were any warres betweene Turkes and Christians or that ther be any such countries as the East West Indies Which things if a man should deny would he not of all men be deemed not only impudent but madde drunken or a foole And surely the one is no lesse knowne by al approued writers and eie witnesses than the other For as in the Gospell and in the Actes the holy Scriptures witnesse that miracles were wrought by Christ and his Apostles so doe most approued authors of euery age vntil this day testifie and recorde the continuance of the working thereof in the Catholike Romane Church the which Authors for the most part were eie-witnesses of the saide miracles as for exāple In the second age were wrought those wonderful miracles by the Christian Souldiers in the armie of M. Antonius Tert. in lib ad Scap. in apol c. 5 Euseb lib. 5. hist c. 5. Oros lib. 7. hist c. 15 which Tertullian Eusebius Orosius the Emperoor himselfe haue recorded In the third age were the miracles of Gregorius Thaumaturgus witnesses S. Basil lib. de spiritu sancto Cap. 29. Gregory Nyssen in vita eius Hierom de viris illustrib Ruffinus lib. 7. hist cap. 25. In the fourth of S. Anthony Hilarion Martine Nicolas and of others In the fifte those which S. Augustine setteth downe lib. 22. de ciuit Cap. 8. In the sixt those which S. Gregory maketh mention of lib. 3. dial Cap. 2. 3. In the seauenth those
to be Antichrist the catholike church to be the Synagogue and stewes of Sathan yet stayed he himselfe not so but stil plaied the Proteus euen vnto his end for at Wormes before the Emperour although he professed himself an enimy to the Church yet he maintained the sacrifice of the Masse said it stil himselfe as also prayer to Saintes for the dead Purgatory Communion vnder one kind many such like Catholike points all which 9. yeares after before the same Emperour he vtterly denied The same inconstancy was in his Disciples Melanchton Caluin Bucer and in them of Wittenberge in the Anabaptistes and in such like as also in your Protestantes there in England And I pray you vvhat a chaunging and turning in and out was there of your COMMVNION Booke For first the deuisers thereof highly commended it and affirmed it to be agreeable to Christs institution to the seruice of the Primitiue Church and a while after they vtterly misliked it and disauthorising it they set foorth another in principall pointes quite contrary to the former yet they affirmed that also to be according to Christs institution iump as the vse was in the Primitiue Church And yet how this is approued liked of your Preachers ministers you cānot but know who see behold such carping and finding fault thereat and such contempt therof as that the Minister who doth obserue duely the order thereof is accounted a temporizer or a cold Protestant I might say an Atheist for his labour And he who can most contemne it and can wed burie baptize minister the Communion and doe such like after some other new fashion of his owne inuenting is accounted a iollie fellow a man of zeale What stirre is there I pray you in euerie sheire yea almost in euerie parish about the Ministers obseruing the order of this theyr booke of COMMON PRAYER What holde and tye is there betweene the Parishioners and theyr Curate What a doe is there and hath beene from the beginning about the Communion One vvhile it must be done in cōmon leauened Bread by and by not so but in vnleauened Bread after in loafe Bread althogh your cup euer had wine in it till now of late that som do begin to take insteed therof good nappy ale the like inconstancie you might see in placing the cōmunion table for first it must be placed in the middle of the quire then in the bodie of the church after in the chācel again as the altar was one while the minister must turne his face towards the south another while towards the north and another while towards the east wherby al wise men may see that thē your religion first began and neuer was in the vvorld before for if euer it had bin before you might surely haue had some president by which you might haue ordered these things And to speake plainelie what I obserue I finde a great cause of your inconstancie in Doctrine to be aduantage and disaduantage for your religion is framed only to serue turnes times for when they were but few in number by wresting the Scriptures they taught that Christes flocke vvas but little Iewell in Apol. and therefore they gloried much in theyr small number but after that their opinions were spreade through Germanie Fraunce Englande Scotland and in other Countries they vaunted much and argued that theyr Doctrine must needs be true because it was spread so largely When it serued their turne they stoutly defended with tooth and nayle Goodman Knoxe that a woman might not lawfully gouerne a realme no not in ciuill or temporall matters but within a while after when it fitted their purpose they taught as they yet doe that a woman may rule a realme not only in temporall thinges but the Church also in spiritual causes Whē it serued their turne Luth. tom 3. Ger. Iē fol. 115. they taught that it was a horible thing to put me to death for Religion and expresly against the word of god but when they had gotten the sword they cried out in sermōs on the contrary side neuer left off vntil it was decred by publike authority that those who wer not of their religiō shuld suffer death therfore Whē it fitted their purpose Tom. 5. I◠Ger. f. 157. a f. 444. 159. 491. Tom. 1. Germ. fol. 537. Colloq Mens f 4. in fine lib. ses 3. b they taught that none ought to preach but he who was allowed and licensed by the Magistrate afterwarde vpon other occasion they wrote that a Christian man may without leaue of any person take vpō him that function One while they taught that the BIBLE was the plainest and the most easiest booke in the worlde to bee vnderstoode anotherwhile they wrote vpō aduantage that it was vnpossible for any man to vnderstande throughly any one worde in the Bible for that it was so obscure profound One while they taught that no Commentaries of SCRIPTVRES written by men Melancth in Loc. cō ann 1524. must be receiued yea that they must be shunned as a plague or pestilence anotherwhile they themselues set forth Commentaries and Postilles and obtruded them to the people To. 2. Ger. fol. 255. a f. 404. a One while they teache that all men ought to be iudges of doctrine religion another-while they teache that no man no not an Angel must iudge thereof And a thowsand such like contradictions proofes of vnconstancy and chaunge maye you find in their doctrine which here further to account would be ouer tedious I vvill therefore end with the saying of Gregorie Duke of Saxonie We doe know what these fellowes doe teach this yeare but what they will teach the next yeare we cannot gesse THE XVIII REASON False Prophets and Teachers THe Prophets Apostles Christ himselfe fore-tolde that in the latter dayes there should come false Prophets and to the end wee should take heed of them they painted them foorth in their colours whereby they might easilie be knowne Now it can not be denyed but that wee be in the latter dayes and therefore we must be verie vigilant and watchfull to discerne to know these seducers when they come And conferring the Preachers afore-saide with the manners of these Protestants we doe plainly se◠that they be the verie same vvhich were foretold and as it were pointed at by the finger of God for first they come vnsent Ierm 13. as Ieremie fore-tolde in these wordes I did not sende them and they did runne for certaine it is that they neyther haue orders as they ought to haue nor any Consecration or right calling for they were not sent by the Catholike Church as is manifest but vtterly condemned for Heretikes and when any of them is conuerted to the Romane Religion they plainely see that they haue no more to doe with any spirituall function thē other laymen haue But on the contrarie side if any Priest of
done Satisfaction for his sinnes In artic Smalcal dic in artic 3. fal paenit papist that he is therby iust before God without Christ or faith which is a lye no lesse shamefull than the other For the Catholikes teache that no Iustice is had no sinne forgiuen no good thing obtained but by the Passion of our Sauiour Christ 6. They affirme that the Papists doe worship Saints in steed of Christ doe honour them as Gods which is a grose impudent lye as euery maÌ„ knoweth Hadd cont Osorium 7. They are not ashamed to write that Religion was not changed in England but by the coÌ„sent of the Bishops that the landes goods of Abbies Religious houses were distributed to Godly vses as to Schooles Vniuersities Hospitals And that the Pope for an ordinary tribute to him yeerely paide giueth free leaue vnder his great seale to Priestes to keepe concubines openly without controlement And the like lies they lay vpon the auncient Fathers as Melancthon said of S. Austen In Apol. tit de pec orig that he taught Originall sinne to be taken awaye in Baptisme not that it was not any more but that it was not imputed Whereas S. Austen spoke not there of Originall sin but of concpiscence So they say S. Bernard recaÌ„ted monachisme at his later ende Luth. tom 5. Ien. ger fol. 457. Teleman Heshus l. 1. de vera ec p. 60. that most of auncient writers Fathers retracted reuoked before they died the Doctrine which they had written or else that they thought otherwise than they wrote spoke By this meanes to defend their newe doctrine to shift off the auncient Fathers which are altogether plainly against it they are constrained to lay two notable lies vpoÌ„ the said fathers the one that they recalled their doctrine before their death the other that they wrote spoke one thing but thought another And no maruell though they slaunder wrong in this Atheistical manner the Holy Fathers when as some of them spare not the Apostles themselues If the three Apostles Peter Paul Barnabas Tom. 3. Ien. Ger. fol. 261. saith Luther had not held their tackle about Faith without works al the multitude had failed therin Iames stuÌ„bled in it But of this kind of stuffe I wil not here alleadge any more he who desireth to hear moe of their lies slauÌ„ders may find theÌ„ aboundantly set down by diuerse sundry authors at this day but yet take with you this saying of your M. Luther He who once lieth Tom. 1. Germ. fol. 423. saith he certainly is not of God is worthily suspected in all things And as for reuiling railing I thinke that Lucifer himselfe coulde little haue exceeded the Protestants therein especially their first Apostle the saide Martine Luther who with filthy beastly scuruy opprobrious speeches so be daubeth the Catholike church the magistrats therof as euery one may see what spirite possessed his heart the same out of all doubt which delighteth in filthinesse scurrility And to the end you may haue some aime what kinde of fellowe this Arche-apostle of your protestantisme was I wil here brieflie set downe a few words of his filthie mouth Hee calleth the Archbiship of Ments being a Prince Elector descended of the Princely Electorall familie of Brandeburge Tom 3. Germ. fol. 533. a. b. f. 326. 360. col mens f. 342. 343. a fraudulent a most shamefull lyar a shifting Bishop a filthie shitten Priest an hellish Cardinall a great a notable Epicure an impudent and euill worme a damned and lost man a craftie scoffer the greatest knaue that euer was except Nero Caligula c. Hee reuileth the Princes of the Empire Tom. 5. Germ. in glossa super edictuÌ„ imperat which did meete at the Diet at Angusta Anno. 1530. calling them traitours wicked men the diuels seruantes knaues madde hogges great and grosse asses Hee calleth the Princes of Germanie fooles Tom. 3. fol. 195. b. fol. 200 190. Tom. 2. scales and bubles of the Pope Gods Isbeers and hangemen Germane beasts the diuels puppies c. Hee braggeth that he esteemed the King of England and other Catholike Princes as miserable beggers dizzards and fooles vvhich make him pastime and as new nâ—ttes which he would haue to glorie and to sing in this manner Here wee nits doe sit vpon the head of the noblest beast in the earth in his haire wee are of a base lynage lice are our Parents those great Giants which killed euen Scilla the Romane Emperour Tom. 3. IeÌ„ Ger. f. 331. f. 334 a. and many others What haue wee to doe with Luther a begger it is true you are nits but yet you are not lice And in his infamous libell against the said King of England hee hath great store of oprobrious titles and names as Henrie by the inclemencie of God King of England King of lyes c. So dealt hee vvith that moste famous Prince George Duke of Saxonie Tom. 2. Ger. fol. 206. a. Tom. 6. f. 6. calling him a Tyrant freneticall mad possessed corporally of the diuell the diuels Apostle c. And in his infamous libell entituled Wider hans worst hee calleth Henry Duke of Brunswicke a grosse asse a stocke a tronke an impudent liar a mad man lunatike damned the theefe on the left hand asse of all asses in Wolfenbutell a pudding a sausage an house-firer who stuffeth him-selfe not by drinking wine but by deuouring and drinking Diuelles a fearefull fugitiue knaue a doting eunuch Prince of cut throats a broudy dogge by a thousand such like names But against the Catholike diuines yea and against his own of-spring the SacrameÌ„taries Iesu what terms vseth he where he hath so often that malepert interiection Trotz Swinglius setting forth the said Luther in his colours bringeth him in this maner reuiling In resp a. v. a. Sweâ—mer a knaue a diuell a theefe an hypocrite Trotz Botz Plotz Plitz tonitru po pu pa plump c. And when he had put the word Sola of his own braine into the text Rom. 3. beeing admonished by some of it he braied out said Tom. 5. Germ. fol. 141. fol. 144. Doctor Martine Luther will so affirmeth that a Papist and an asse are all one I wil haue it so I commaund it so againe Luther will so saith that he is a doctor aboue all the doctors in the Papacy Yea afterward it repented him that he had not corrupted the text of the Apostle worse in putting in more of his owne head and that he had not made the Apostle to say We suppose a man to be iustified by faith only without all works of al Lawes And many moe such like outrages I could here set down of his but I hope these maye suffice to make you to knowe what a milde and modest man this reformer of the christian worlde
Heathen persecutors Iewes Turkes and Heretikes in perpetuall tormentes for persecuting and striuing against the Catholicke ROMAN CHVRCH To this Constantine the great brought peace and quietnesse In this Church there hath beene continuall succession of Bishops without any interruption All Bishopps and Pastours of particular Churches in what land or country soeuer they were in vnder the cope of heauen were mēbers of this Church As for example S. Ignatius at Antioch Peter Alexander Athanasius Theophilus at Alexandria Macharius and Cyrillus at Ierusalem Proclus at Constantinople Gregory and Basil in Cappadocia Thaumaturgus in Pontus Polycarpas at Smyrna Iustinus at Athens Dyonisius at Corinth Gregory at Nysa Methodius at Tyrus Ephreem in Syria Cyprian Optatus Austin in Africke Epiphanius in Cyprus Ambrose Paulinus Gaudentius Prosper Faustus Vigilius in Italy Irenaeus Martine Hylarius Eucherius Gregory Saluianus in Fraunce Vincentius Orotius Hildefonsus Leander Isidorus in Spayne Fugatius Damianus Iustus Melytus Beda in England were Bishoppes and Pastours of this Church In briefe whatsoeuer deedes or works signes or monuments fragments or reliques remaine yet in anie land or countrie of them who planted the Christian Faith there doe testifie the Catholike Roman Religion All Princes Kings Emperors all States and commonweales which euer were christened the Theodosians in the east the Charles in the west the Edwards in Englande the Lewesses in Fraunce the Hermigildes in Spaine the Henries in Saxony the Wenceslaes in Boeme-Lande the Leopoldes in Austria the Steeuens in Hungary the Iosophates in India professed and protected the Roman Religion they builded Churches founded religious houses erected many other Monuments of pietie not for Protestants Iwis but for the professours of the Catholike Roman Religion which Faith and Religion S. Pattricke brought first into Ireland Palladius into Scotland S. Augustine into England and other Apostles into other countries witnesses of this Religion are al Vniuersities Colledges Hospitals Monasteries Churches Chappels and innumerable other monumentes Witnesses their foundations their ordinances yea and the very buildings themselues witnesses all Reuestryes Chauncels with steppes vp Aultars Rood lofts Cross-buildings al Crosses in Church and Church-yeardes Market-places and High-waies witnesses all Bishoprickes Deaneries Arch-deaconries Prebendes Parsonages Vicariages such like ordained trow you for women children to make them gentles Witnesses all tithes and other liuely-hoods so religiously lotted out not for ministers wenches their brats but for Sacred anoynted Priests Good Lord what would the founders of all these premisses say if they might come but to see how their lands and goods which they so religiouslie bestowed to honor God withall are by Protestants employed Witnesses spirituall Courtes Visitations Conuocations Excommunications Suspensions witnesses probations of dead mens wils witnesses bidding and forbidding of banes witnesses partitions of Diocese parishes all ordeyned and instituted by Papists Witnesses auncient lawes and customes witnesses the vulgar manners of people the Election and Inauguration of Emperours the rites of annoynting crowning of kings the dubbing of knights c. witnesses coynes windows towne-gates town-houses all rules and to conclude all things in the world witnes the Catholike Roman Religion Thus haue I briefelie my deare frendes set downe some plaine reasons of the religion which I professe for the enioying of which I am content to forgoe my natiue soyle my deare Parents you my dearest friends with all the rest and all those commodities and pleasures which you account in your letter I wish you not to thinke euill of mee for so doing for it is the religion wherein I was borne baptized and confirmed it is the religion which from time to time hath bin vniuersallie receaued throughout all Christēdome it is the religion which there in our own countrie of al others is the first the auncientest the moste benificiall of all the rest the mother and begetter of the others the religion of all our Christian Predecessours and therefore beare with me I pray you in that I will not yeelde vp my title and interest of that which I haue receaued from myne Elders by lineall and lawful discent no man for these thousand yeares at the least seeking to put mee or any of my predecessors out of it Yet if any Protestant or other whatsoeuer can shew me any good euidence why I should not possesse the same I am readie to giue it vp but hitherto they promising and vaunting to shew good euidence haue brought forth nothing but words and forgerie And therefore by Gods grace I purpose to hold the same euen vntill my dying day except such euidence come against my title as is not to be shewed no not by an Angell if he should come from heauen God blesse you in the aboundance of his mercie who sende vs ioyfull meeting eyther in this world or in the next or in both A COPIE OF ANOTHER LETTER WHICH THE TWO Cittizens of London wrote to theyr friende beyond the Seas shortlie after that the other was sent DEARE AND WEL-beloued friend after that we had sent the last Letter dated the 13. of September Anno. 1599. wee consulting and weighing the contents thereof with some what more deepe considerations then before wee had done it was thought good to write vnto you this second Letter to let you vnderstand that wee will not receaue nor medle with any grounds or reasons of your faith and religion therfore you neede not to trouble your selfe with writing any for wee assure our selues that you can bring forth none but such as Papistes vse to alleadge which are now growne verie stale out of request Onlie this is the desire of vs al that you would returne without delay but yet so as you may shew your selfe obedient to her Ma. lawes in comming to the Church as other good dutiful subiects doe for surelie what Religion soeuer you professe we thinke you may with safe conscience come to heare Diuine Seruice or a Sermon beeing no further vrged but that you may thinke and pray as you list And what Scripture authority or reason can you shew or pretend for refusing so to doe For we knowe the cōmon answere which women such sillie soules are accustomed to make in saying It is against my conscience I may not with a safe conscience so doe is too foolish for you who seeme to haue more knowledge Wee supposed at the first that your refusall proceeded of a timerous ouer scrupulous conscience but now wee beginne to suspect that because you haue gone so far in that course you thinke it would be some discredite as to be deemed vnconstant and a turne-coate if you should in any sort relent and come to conformitie and therefore you minde still to be obstinate but wee friendly aduise you to beware of such peeuishnes proceeding indeede from the roote of pride we wish you to submit your selfe to your gracious Princesse her honourable Coūcell to the lawes of your natiue Country and weigh with your selfe what you are to