yet they say Christians sinne mortally if they heare not Masse euery Sunday and holiday Of grace they speake as men deuoid of grace and knowledge for by grace by which we are saued and made acceptable to God they vnderstand nothing else but either charity or a habit not distinct from Charity so that albeit they exclude not grace from the worke of our saluation yet making grace a habit or vertue they ouerthrow grace and ascribe the merit of our saluation not to Gods mercie through Christ nor to the merit of his Passion but properly to our owne workes and merites diuers of them saie that men are predestinated for their merites foreseene and all hold that men were reprobated for their sinnes foreseene before they say further that the vnregenerat hath freewill as well as the regenerat and that not onely in matters of this life but also to doe workes of piety and other supernaturall effectes The doctrine of faith they haue also much corrupted for they make Charity the forme of faith as if faith were without forme or life of it selfe and as if the iust man did not liue by faith to this purpose they say that not onlie wicked and reprobat men but also the diuels of hell maie haue true and iustifying faith they hold further that by faith we are not onely to hold whatsoeuer is conteined in holy scriptures but also whatsoeuer is deliuered by tradition or determined by the Pope and lastly that no man is to beleeue that he shall assuredly be saued but rather to hold that he that is truly iustified may be damned Concerning the law of God they teach both contrary to reason and law for first they cut out the 2. commandement in their offices of our Lady and their primers because it cannot well stand with the Popish worship of images secondly they teach that concupiscence without our consent is not sinne albeit the law say non concupisces thirdly they say that it is sinne as well to transgresse the Popes decrees as Gods lawes fourthly they beleeue that the Pope is able either to dissolue the law as for example where he absolueth subiectes from their obedience to princes and children from their duty to parents or at the least to dispense with the transgressors of the law as for example with periured persons adulterers Sodomites murtherers assassinors theeues sacrilegious persons and such like fiftly they beleeue that a man is able perfectly to fulfill the law of which it followeth that man is able to liue without all sinne which as Augustine sheweth lib. 4. de bono perseuerat c. 2. 5 and Hierome aduers Pelag. is flat Pelagianisme In their doctrine of praiers they offend much yet is the practise of Papists farre worse than their doctrine in this point our Sauiour teacheth vs to goe to his father in his name they go to God by the intercession of Saints nay oftentimes they run to Saints Angels and the blessed Virgin without once thinking of God especially if they thinke no more than they vtter in their praiers they pray in a tongue which they vnderstand not which is rather prating than praying they pray for remission of sinnes for the dead not knowing whether they bee damned or no. they pray before stockes and stones nay they put their trust in them for if this were not so why should they hope for better successe at the image of our Lady of Loreto or Monserat than at any other image or forme of our Lady They beleeue that almes satisfie for sinnes and that those are best bestowed that are giuen to Monkes and Friers and such idle vagabonds and plagues of states whereas the first ouerthroweth Christs merits and satisfaction the second is an occasion of all the mischiefes brewed by these mothes of religion and blemishes of state They teach that it is mortall sinne not to fast on Saints vigiles embre daies and other times appointed by the Pope and that fasting standeth in eating fish and abstaining from our suppers and such obseruances and finally that such fasts doe not only satisfie for sinnes but also merit heauen Conscience they know not for they make no conscience to cut Christian mens throats for not yeelding to all their abhominations and thinke it conscience to obey the Popes decrees though very vnlawfull Neither can they well auoid sinne that know not what sinne is The virgin Mary by most of them is acquited from originall sinne and they define sinne to bee not onely the transgression of the law of God but also euery transgression of the law of the Pope nay euery breach of the law of man which vtterly taketh away the difference betwixt the lawes of God and man Of the state of soules departed they seeme to know little truly although some say they know too much for they do not say as we doe that there are two waies after this life the one of the faithfull to eternall life the other of the wicked to eternall death but they say that some go into purgatorie and others into limbus puerorum and out of purgatory they say soules are deliuered partly by masses and partly by indulgences All these points of erroneous false doctrine and all others which either contrarie or beside the word of God the Pope and his complices haue inuented and brought into the church of Rome we call Popery and this is the subiect of this discourse and the doctrine against which we dispute let no man therefore thinke because the Papists maintaine many points of Christian religion that either we reprehend that truth which they and we defend or that they can defend the errors of Popery because they hold some trueth but either let them iustifie their errors or else they shall bee forced to confesse that the proper doctrine of Popery is wicked and erroneous CHAP. II. Of the grounds and foundations of Popish religion AS Popery is diuers from Christian religion so hath the same other foundations than Christian religion The doctors of Trent in the fourth session of that synode hauing pronounced them anathema that shall not receiue all the bookes of the Bible as they are found in the old Latin vulgar translation and read in the church of Rome for holy and canonicall or that shall wittinglie contemne the traditions of that church doe signifie that this is the foundation of the confession of faith which they meant to publish so it appeareth they ground their faith beside canonicall scriptures vpon apocryphall writings of Tobiah Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees and diuers fragments of books not found in the Hebrew text of the Bible and vpon traditions not written but deliuered from hand to hand from the Apostles as they say and so come to their hands but where they speake of scriptures it is to be obserued that they doe not simply allow them but as they are contained in the old vulgar translation and as they are expounded by the Church of Rome those which vnder any
decretales and Romish traditions CHAP. III. Of the wicked doctrine of Papistes concerning the law of God and the performance thereof LOng it were to relate all the wicked and false doctrines of Popery in euery point of Christian faith beside that the same is performed largely by diuers learned men in diuers ample volumes we will therefore heere speake onely of some principall points of religion and shew how they haue beene by our aduersaties most notoriously abused and corrupted and so proceed to intreat of the beginnings proceedings impieties falsities contradictions and other abuses and defects that are generally found in Popery First then wee finde that they haue not only taught impiously of Gods law but also reiected the same for their owne traditions generallie they hold that the Popes lawes bind in conscience and that it is sinne to transgresse them but if this were so then were not the knowledge of sinne by the law as the Apostle teacheth vs neither were the law of God perfect nor a certaine rule of Christian life nor were God the onely lawgiuer that could saue and destroy Bellarmine lib. 1. de stat peccat c. 3. saith that there are certaine sinnes or transgressions of the law so light and little that they deserue not eternall death but this doth frustrate the sanction or vigour of the law that pronounceth them accursed which continue not in all things which are written in the booke of the law to do them as we read Galat. 3. The Scotists and most Papists now hold that the Virgin Mary was neither conceiued in sinne nor euer committed sinne but the Apostle Rom. 5 saith that by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne went ouer all and Galat. 3. he sheweth how the scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne All of them hold that in the regenerate concupiscence is no sinne yet can they not deny but that concupiscence is forbidden by the law of God and thereupon the Iebusites in their censure of Colein denie all to bee sinne that is repugnant to the law of God Let Christians therefore imagine whether they will follow the Apostle that sheweth sin to bee knowen by the law and that concupiscence is sinne or the Iebusites denying the same The Iebusites of Collein fol. 194. affirm that what the law commandeth concerning the loue of God with our whole hart mind soule pertaineth not to vs in this life as if God had giuen a law to soules in the life to come and not to men in this life this error our Sauiour confuteth Matth. 22. where he assoileth the Scribes question concerning the greatest commandement in the law The same fellowes fol. 48. affirme that a regenerate man is able to performe the law of God perfectly but if this be so then they are deepe plunged in the heresie of the Pelagians who were condemned for holding that Christians are able to liue without all sinne The Papists teach that we are to bee iustified and saued by the workes of the law but the Apostle 2. Cor. 3. teacheth contrarie that the law is the minister of death The law of God forbiddeth vs the hauing of other gods beside him in which commandement wee are also forbidden to giue the honour of God to creatures but Papists beside God in heauen haue a God on earth as appeareth euidently by the chap. satis dist 96. and diuers glosses of canonists and glosing flatteries of Papistes they worship the sacrament also as God and Bellarmine lib. de monachis c. 14. doth call Saints Gods by participation the honour of God they giue to Saints and Angels yea to the images of Christ of the Crosse and of the Trinity in the honour of Angels and Saints they say masses and offices they erect churches altars and images and burne incense vnto them they call vpon them sweare by them make vowes and confesse their sinnes vnto them The second law of the first table prohibiteth the making of grauen images to the intent to bow vnto them and to worship them but Papistes do both make them and praie and crouch before them they do also offer gifts and burne incense vnto them as the heathen did to their idols nay which the heathen did neuer they giue the same honour to a picture of Christ or of the Crosse or of the Trinity which they giue to God himselfe praying to the Crosse they say ô Crosse of Christ protect me ô Crosse of Christ defend mee from all euill The third law forbid deth periury the vaine vse of swearing and all abuses of Gods holy name and word but little is the same regarded by the Pope and his complices for they do not onely breake their oathes but also lightly dispense with periured persons Gregory the seuenth as in his life appeareth forswore the papacy and yet regarded not his oath the like we find related of Pope Formosus commonly they loose and assoile subiects from the bond of their oath to Princes absoluit Gregorius 7. omnes a iuramento quos fidei tenuit obligatio saith he that wrote the life of Henry the fourth Paschal the second hauing solemnly sworne to the Emperour presently brake his oath as we may see in Otho Frisingensis and diuers other historiographers Gregory the twelsth as Theodoric à Niem testifieth tract vnion 6. c. 29. was publickely accounted a periured person periurus publicus Charles the French King as Theodoric à Niem tract vnion 6. c. 14. testifieth chargerh Gregory the twelfth and Peter de luna with periury violauerunt sidem fregerunt votum promissum non tenuerunt and againe ô magnum scelestum facinus saith hee speaking of their periuries Innocent the seuenth hauing vowed and sworne to vnite the papacy would not doe it notwithstanding his oath as wee read tract vnion 6. c. 39. quam vouit iurauit facere noluit vnionem in the conuenticle of Constance it was decreed by this wicked synagogue that oathes and promises were not to be holden being made to heretickes the periury of Ladislaus which Eugenius the fourth induced him vnto cost the losse of many mens liues Gulcciardine histor lib. 8. doth testifie that the Pope decreed that it should be lawfull to recall all couenants and promises made by the Popes predecessors that impious fellow Pius the 5. in his Bul against Queene Elizabeth of pious memory did excommunicate such as would not take armes against her and yet her subiects were sworne to obey her all Papists commonly are great swearers and forswearers in the Roman Catechisme in 2. mandat they complaine that their people were giuen to swearing and cursing Quis non videat say they omnia iureiurando assirmari omnia imprecationibus execrationibus referta esse they sweare by saints bread salt and other creatures infringing Gods commandement Deut. 6. that requireth men to sweare by his name Finally the Popes and their complices most shamefully wrest and turne scriptures making them serue to their humours and pleasures The fourth
nor other vertue but only that he professe outwardly the Romish religion and be subiect to the Pope a matter of no great difficulty If a man take vpon him the habit of a Monke or a Frier they make it a second baptisate and that state they say is a state of perfection so you see how easie a matter it is with Papists not only to be a true member of the church but also a perfect Christian for who cannot take vpon him a Friars or Monkes weede in the apologie for Herodotus it is testified that a certaine Frier taught that the only way for the Diuell to be saued was to put on Saint Francis his coule Further they teach that the Pope hath power to grant pardons for fornication adultery incest rapes murders periurie trechery sodomitrie maranismes and all vices as appeareth by the Popes penitentiary taxes and that for no great sums of money now what more easie then to obteine the Popes pardon If a man heare Masse euery Sunday holyday and confesse at shrouetide and be houseled at Easter and fast from flesh and obserue the rest of the Romish precepts and ceremonies he is taken for a good Catholike but these are matters to be performed without any great difficulty The Papists also teach that Christians are iustified by extreme vnction which is a matter to bee obteined at euery pild Priestes-hands They promise also generall indulgences to such as visit certaine churches at Rome and else where which may bee done with small labour Now for veniall sinnes they say that knocking of the brest and holy water is remedy sufficient for such matters they say Christians neede not to repent them they hold also that holy water is good to driue away diuels but in no place is there want of holy water If a man liue all his life most leudly and loosely yet if he confesse to a priest when he lieth a dying and promise satisfaction he faileth not to haue absolution and if he satisfie not in this life yet they hold that either by Masses or indulgences he may be deliuered out of Purgatory but indulgences are not deare and Masses are dogge cheape a trentall is not valued at 30. pence nor whole fardels at great sums By euery small good worke nay by eating red-herrings and saltfish on fridaies and such obseruances they hope to merit heauen so broad they make the way to heauen and so easie a matter to come thither Finally as Eunomius promised them that professed his faith reward in heauen howsoeuer they liued so likewise doe the Papists promise heauen to their followers so they professe and set forward the Popes cause whether they be murdrers of Kings or massacrers or rebels or filthie whore-mongers or Sodomites it skilleth not the Masse-priests promise not only pardon but also reward in heauen so they die in the Popes obedience and professe his religion This religion therefore that giueth such liberty to sinners and leadeth them such pleasant waies feeding the eies of people with sights their eares with pleasant soundes and satisfying all their senses with carnall pleasures cannot bee true We could also specifie the same by infinit examples and by particulars shew that papists run the broade way but that we reserue it to the next Chapter CHAP. XXX That Popish religion bringeth foorth such bitter fruits that the professors thereof haue no reason to boast of their workes GOod trees are knowen by their fruits let vs then see what fruits haue come of Popery that we may know whether the tree be good or no from whence they haue issued Bristow in his 39. Motiue imagineth that we haue nothing to say against his consorts and therefore braggeth much of workes and despiseth his aduersaries as running the broade-way to destruction but when his consorts shall see our discourse concerning the fruits effects of Poperie and their strange enormous wicked liues they will wish that for this matter we had neuer beene called in question First then wee saie that the Papistes erre in the doctrine of workes and next that their liues are so disorderly as if they did only study to excell in all wickednesse leudenesse and villanie Christians beleeue that the law of God is a perfect rule of good life but they hold that not only Gods lawes but all scriptures are imperfect and insufficient without traditions Christians beleeue that the perfection of Christian life consisteth in the Gospell but these teach that the rules of Benet Francis Dominicke and other monkes and friers doe direct vs to a further perfection then is commanded in the Gospell They doe as well beleeue that the lawes of the Pope do binde our consciences as Gods lawes and thinke that the workes done according to the Popes lawes do as well please God as the works commanded in Gods lawes They make more conscience to absteine from flesh on Friday then to murder Christians as their curiositie in keeping that forme of fast and their crueltie in murdring and massacring Christians doth declare The Masse-priests giue absolution to most haynous sinners and enioyne them penance afterward the Pope granteth indulgences to most horrible offenders They beleeue not that concupiscence is sinne or that it is better for Votaries to marry then to burne or that Veniall sinnes deserue the curse of the law or eternall death They teach that euery Christian is to satisfie for the temporall paines due to sinnes and that either in this life or in the life to come in purgatorie They beleeue that a man may be iustified by extreme vnction and other popish sacraments and by the works of the law and not by faith in Christ Iesus They suppose that euery man is able to performe the workes of the law perfectly of which it followeth that as the Pelagians taught a man may liue without sinne Finally by their workes they hope to merit eternall life which is directly contrary to the Apostles doctrine Rom. 6. who teacheth vs that eternall life is the gift of God If then the Papistes erre so grossely both in the doctrine of works and also in the rule of our works it is not like that their works are excellent Nay we finde by practise that their workes are for the most part impious and displeasing vnto God as for example the adoration of the crosse and sacrament their blasphemous praiers to the virgin Mary to Angels and Saints their sacrilegious taking of the cup of the new testament from Gods people their worship done to Antichrist their periuries and rebellions against Princes their murdring Gods saints their mainteining of publicke stewes and bankes of vsury and such like the rest cannot much please God or man as for example the begging of vagabond friers the forswearing of mariage the eating of muscles cockles and red herrings in Lent the taking of ashes on Ashwednesday the ringing and singing for dead men the shauing of priests crownes the greasing of sicke men of altars bels and such like toies and ceremonies
followers to haue other gods The law forbiddeth vs to make grauen images and similitudes to the intent to worship them the Pope commandeth his followers to make them and to worship them and burneth such as teach contrary The Apostle calleth concupiscence in himselfe sinne the Masse-priests of Trent denie it to bee sinne in the regenerate Our Sauiour in the fifth of Iohn commanded his followers to search the scriptures these followers of Antichrist forbid Christians to search the scriptures translated into vulgar tongues without licence At his last supper after the blessing he said take and eate but these good fellowes say gape and gaze on the Priest saying masse and eate not but rather keepe the sacrament in the pixe He said doe this in remembrance of me they doe it in remembrance of Angels and Saints and obserue not that forme which hee prescribed The Apostles of Christ did receiue and eate the sacrament the false Apostles of Antichrist commaund their schollers to heaue it to adore it and to carrie it about in procession In the conuenticle of Constance the Popes adherents establish the communion vnder one kind and where Christ said drinke yee all of this they say drinke not all of this Christ taught his Disciples to pray to his father and to say Pater noster they teach their Disciples to praie to our Lady and to say mater nostra or at least mater miscricordie God in the 50. Psalme saith inuoca me call vpon mee and the Apostle 1. Tim. 2. sheweth that there is but one onely mediator betwixt God and man they teach vs to call vpon Saints and say they are our intercessours When S. Iohn Apocalyps 22. would haue worshipped the Angell he said to him see thou doe it not these say see thou doe it The Apostle 1. Cor. 14. commandeth him that speaketh in a strange tongue or that is not vnderstood to keepe silence in the Church he addeth that praiers in a strange tongue or without vnderstanning are without fruit but the Romanists contrarie do enioine their Priests to reade scriptures and to say seruice in Latine which of the vulgar sort is not vnderstood Coster in his Enchir c. de precibus latinè recitandis saith that he that praieth in Lattin albeit he vnderstand not what he praieth receiueth fruit by his praier hune tertium fructum orationis non minus percipit saith hee qui non intellecta à se lingua precatur quà m qui verborum intelligentiam assequitur S. Paul 2. Tim. 3. teacheth vs that scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect Bellarmine lib. 4. de verbo Dei saith they are imperfect and insufficient without traditions The Apostle Hebr. 1. saith God spake by the Prophets and this is to be vnderstood when the holy Prophets deliuered scriptures to Gods people Staple ton de author eccles in diuers places denieth that God speaketh in scriptures and his meaning is that he speaketh in the Pope Both Prophets and Apostles teach that the iust shall liue by faith but the Masse-priests say faith of it selfe is dead and that the life and forme thereof is charity The Scripture saith it is better to marrie than to burne the Papists teach that it is better to burne with lust then to marrie after the vow made of single life The Apostle 1. Tim. 3. will haue a bishop chosen that is the hush and of one wise and Hebr. 13. saith that mariage is honourable among all the Papists admit no maried men liuing with their wiues to be bishops and count marriage in Priests pollution The Apostle saith the law is the ministration of death and that by the workes of the law no flesh is iustified the Masse-priests teach their followers to seeke for life in the law and by the workes thereof say that all the faithfull are to bee iustified Finally poperie in effect is nothing else but a contradiction in most things to the words of holy scripture CHAP. XXII That the founders and defenders of popery doe most wickedly abuse holy scriptures ALl which notwithstanding the Papists for proofe of their false doctrines doe alleadge scriptures but yet so as any man may see if hee be not wilfully blind that they wickedly abuse scriptures and wrest them contrarie to their true sense and meaning Auentinus lib. 7. annal Boior speaking of Gregory the seuenth saith he forced the scriptures to serue his purpose by false interpretations diuinas scripturas falsò interpretando sâ—â—e causae seruire coegit and Aeneas Syluius lib. 1. de gest concil Basil speaking of other Popes saith they expound the words of Christ not as the meaning of the holy ghost requireth but according to their owne humor verba Christi non prout sensus sancti spiritus exposcit sed suopte ingenio interpretantur so in times past false teachers as S. Peter testifieth 2. Pet. 3. peruerted scriptures to their owne destruction and I would to God that it were to their owne destruction only but helas such seducers destroy both themselues and their credulous followers Innocentius 3. c. solitae de maior obed expoundeth these words Hieremy 1. behold I haue placed thee ouer nations and kingdoms of the Pope as if the holy Ghost had appointed him ouer Nations and kingdomes and made him superior to the emperor whereas he seemeth rather to be appointed by the diuell then the holy Ghost Likewise these words Genes 1. God made two great lights in the firmament of heauen the greater to rule the day the lesser to rule the night he supposeth to be meant of the Pope and Emperor as if the Pope were the great light ruling by day and the Emperor the lesse light ruling by night In the chapter nouit de iudicijs he doth vnderstand these words Deut. 1. thou shalt iudge the great as the small neither shalt thou accept any mans person of the Pope and of kings as if by the law of God the Pope were made iudge of kings and were as well to ouerrule them as the most contemptible Masse-priest of his owne rascall retinue Againe where we read 1. cor 5 that the seruant standeth or falleth to his owne master he concludeth in the chapt nimis de iureiurando that lay-men are not to compell clerkes to take oathes before them as if all clerkes were the Popes slaues and to fall downe before him and to serue him Clement the fift c. si dominum de reliq venerat sanct out of these words praise God in his Saints concludeth that we are to keepe the feast of Corpus Christi day Boniface the 8. extr de maior obed c. vnam sanctam concludeth that the Pope is aboue all men because we read Genes 1. that in the beginning and not in the beginnings God made heauen and earth as if the Pope were the beginning mentioned in that place Likewise of these words 1. Cor. 2. the spirituall man iudgeth all and is iudged of none he concludeth very wisely that the Pope is iudge
both draw their swords and put them vp at his command and suffer him to taxe their subiects and run to him for faculties and dispensations and finally can neither dispose of the possessions of the church nor of the persons of church-men we may boldly say that Poperie either maketh kings no kings or but halfe kings CHAP. XXXVIII That Kings liue not in any securitie of their liues where Popery is professed by their subiects DAuid the man of God would not suffer any of his followers to lay his hands vpon Saul although God had appointed him to succeed in the kingdome and reiected Saul and great respect alwaies haue Christians had to their soueraigne Lords and Princes In the canons attributed to the Apostles c. 83. euery contumelious spech against the Emperour or magistrat is iudged worthy of punishment what are we then to thinke of the Popes of Rome and their complices that not only curse and raile against princes and magistrates but also stirre vp all the world against them if they will not yeeld to their Lordly will and pleasure such certes are the children of Belial and not the seruants of God I hope therefore Christian Princes will open their eies and euery day grow more wary in their dealings with the popes of Rome and their agents which are no lesse dangerous in respect of their liues and persons then their roiall estats and kingdomes For first they hold that is lawfull for the Pope to change kingdomes and to take from one and to giue to another as Bellarmine in expresse termes determineth l. 5. de pont Rom. c. 6. And this is declared by the continuall practise of Popes who these many yeares haue gone about to take from one and to giue to another now giuing the kingdome of Sicily and Naples to the French now to the Spanish now challenging it themselues the kingdome of Nauarre is holden from the French king by no better warrant then the Popes grant by the same also the Spaniards and Portingals haue diuided the Indians betwixt them Boniface the eight by his bull made Philip and the kingdome of France subiect to Albert. Philippum ciusque regnum Alberto regi subijcit saith Platina in Bonifacio 8. but what king doth not with his sword defend his state and chooseth not rather to loose his life then his kingdome Secondly they teach that the Pope is to iudge of Kings as is defined by the extranagant vnams inctam de maiorit obed they giue the Pope also power to depose kings and to take away their crownes but it were great simplicity to thinke that any magnanimous Prince will either lose his crowne or submit himselfe to be iudged by a pole-shorne Pope without force nay sooner will he hazard his life then either loose his crowne or submit himselfe to the Popes iudgement Finally both by their doctrine and practise it appeareth that the Popes and their agents haue sought to murder empoison and destroy such kings and princes as either were excommunicat by them or else were opposite vnto them Gregory the 7. watching the Emperor that was wont to pray in the church of S. Mary as Beno testifieth hired a fellow to place great stones vpon the beames or vault of the church right ouer the place where he praied which being throwne downe might kill him his words are these imperator solitus erat frequenter ire ad oration mad ecclesiam S. Mariae quae est in mente Auentino Hildebrandus autem cum per exploratores omma eius opera solicitè inquircret locum in quo frequentius imperator velstans vel prostratus orabat notari secit quendam promissa pecunia ad hoc induxit vt supra trabes ecclesiae occultè lapides magnos collocaret ita aplaret vt de alto super caput imperatoris demitteret ipsum contereret againe the same Beno saith that the Pope went about by secret traitors to destroy the emperor eisdem diebus parauit imperatorem perdere per occultos proditores and when by secret trechery he could effect nothing by publike force and armes he sought to subdue him Innocent the second hauing raised an armie fought with Roger King of Sicilia in a pitcht field thinking to destroie him Philip the Emperour and his successor Otho were both brought to their destructioÌ„ by the practises of Innocent the 3 about this time also Iohn king of England was poisoned by a Monke of Swinsted-abby for that he was supposed to be aduerse to the Popish faction his empoisonment is particularly set downe in Caxtons chronicle Henry of Lucemburg the emperour was poisoned in the Sacrament by a Dominican frier about the yeare of our Lord 1313. quidam religiosus saith Vrspergensis porrexit imperatori intoxicatam eucharistiam the same is also testified by baptista Igantius supplementum Chronicorum Textor in officina c. veneno extincti and diuers others Sleidanus saith the Frier was moued thereunto by Clement the fifth and the reason was for that the Emperour grew too strong in Italy this act committed by a Dominican Frier was the cause of the death of manie Friers of that order slaine by the Emperors souldiers Matthew Paris in Henrico 3. testifieth that Pope Innocent the 4. was charged with the empoisonment of Fridericke the Emperor by the meanes of Peter de Vinea and that the fame of the Pope was not a little stained by this foule fact obsorduit domini Papae fama saith he per hoc non mediocriter in the end he was murdred by Mansrede as is said not without the secret practise of the Pope Ioan the Queene of Naples being taken by her enemies was murdered with the priuitie and consent of Vrbane the sixth Charles the king of Naples by the bloody councell of Clement the 4. caused Conradmus and Frederike duke of Austria to be put to death vita Conradim mors Caroli said Clement which cost that yoong Prince his life Sixtus the fourth was the principall contriuer of that treason whereby Iulian de medicâ—s was slaine and his brother Laurence hurt in the church of Reparata at Florence at the elcuation of the sacrament conscio adinuante pontifice saith Volateran Geograph lib. 5. Alexander the 6. caused Gemes the Turkes brother to bee empoisoned being hired thereto by promises and mony by the great Turke so little conscience doe Popes make of murdring princes Paul the 3. in his bull against Henry the 8. King of England exhorted the Nobles and principall men of England to oppose themselues against him with force and armes and sent Cardinall Poole to forraine princes to stirre them vp against the king giuing him and his people as a pray to his enemies and by all meanes seeking to destroy him Pius the fifth excommunicated all that would not take armes against Queene Elizabeth our late dread Soueraign and by secret practise stirred her subiects against her Sixtus Quintus anno 1588. in his declaration against the foresaide Lady exhorteth her people to lay
by frequent excommunications is growne contemptible hee complaineth also of the multitude of irregularities adde hereunto the greeuances proceeding of suspensions and interditements and then the burthen must needs seeme more greenous Fiftly such as doe not in matters of faith or Sacraments iumpe with the Romish church they pronounce heretikes as appeareth by the chap. ad abolendam de haereticis they giue them also ouer to the secular power to be put to death Sixtly they make Kings and Princes their butchers and executioners sorcing them by sentence of excommunication to cut the throat of Christes lambes whom they most wrongfully haue pronounced heretikes Seuenthly they burthen their clergy their religious orders both of men and women with a vow of single life albeit they finde themselues most vnable to performe it they force also the monkes friers and nunnes to obserue monkish rules which are oftentimes full of fooleries and stande for the most part vpon externall ceremonies Finally like to Scribes and Pharisees they haue brought into the church infinite traditions and ceremonies nay the conuenticle of Trent doth paragon and make equal vnwritten traditions to Gods written worde and yet no Papist euer yet could tell what those traditions were or in what bookes they were to be found In baptisme they vse salt spittle blowings lights and greasing in the Masse the priest turneth heaueth skippeth swingeth the chalice to and fro moppeth moweth ducketh speaketh sometimes high sometimes lowe and maketh no end of ceremonies the consecrating of salt holy-water oyle paschal lambes new houses new shippes is not done without many ceremonies in hallowing and rehallowing of churches saying of canonicall houres and offices many ceremonies passe but few to purpose the Bishop in consecrating a church walketh round about it as if there were no entrance in and in the end abusing a versicle of a psalm saith attollite portas principes vestras and entring maketh the Greeke and Latine alphabet and setteth lights before crosses made on walles and greaseth stones the yeare of Iubiley aboundeth with ceremonies the Pope knocketh first at S. Peters church dore with a golden hammer shewing that no man obteineth indulgences but he must spend gold then the Priests shew their wares and ignorant people goeth about visiting certeine churches and reliques of which we neuer read word in the Gospell or writings of the fathers The Papists therefore are intangled with a miserable yoke of bondage and are vtterly ignorant of the liberty wherewith Christ hath made vs free God open their eies that they may see and giue them grace that they may feele their burthens and shaking off the yoke of Antichrist may in the end bee partakers of the light of the Gospell and submit themselues only to Christs yoke that is easie and light CHAP. XL. That Popish religion is very grieuous in regard of the Popes and Masse-priests manifold taxes and exactions IT followeth now that we shew how the Pope and his pole-shorne crew doth aswell pole Christian mens purses as greeue their consciences wherein I neede not to vse any long discourse seeing the same is apparent not only by practise but also by confession of the Papists themselues commonly they buy the papacy in grosse and therefore no maruell if they sell it by retaile Vendit Alexander saith one of Alexander the sixt Vendere iure potest emerat ille prius But this was not his fault alone Benet the 9. sold the Papacie for 1500. pound of gold to Gregory the 6. as Beno testifieth Benedictus 9. Papatum saith he pro libris mille quingentis vendidit Gregorio 6. and no man now obtaineth that place but for great summes of mony and large promises as the discourses of diuers late conclaues testifie Therefore no maruell if they seeke mony greedily both before and after they come to sitte in the Popes chaire Brigit in her reuelations saith the Pope hath turned all Gods commandements into this one viz. giue mony conuertit decem praecepta in hoc vnum da pecuniam for mony they sell churches priest-hood altars masses crownes fire incense praiers yea heauen and God himselfe Venalia nobis saith Mantuan Templa sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura Preces caelum est venale deusque Fridericke the 2. for one absolution paied to Gregory the 9. an hundred twenty fiue thousand ounces of gold as is recorded in the pontificall or 120. thousand as Naucler epitome rerum German Iohn of Pineda and others doe recken Iosephus Angles in 4. sentent c. de indulgentijs signifieth that the King of Spaine paieth sometime to the Pope a hundred thousand duckets for one indulgence Leo the 10. gaue such a scandale by the sale of indulgences in Germanie that men beganne to examine more narowly these popish commodities and the rather for that the profit of this sale came to Magdalene the Popes honest sister Boniface the ninth as Theodoric à Niem testifieth lib. 2. de schism c. 11. sold benefices as he was hearing Masse in missarum solennijs benesicia vendidit Mitred prelates sell imposition of hands ecclesiasticall liuinges church censures and whatsoeuer is reserued to their office as the Germans complaine in their grieuances Theodoric Trudo complaineth that Christs sheepe-foldes were broken downe with hammers of siluer Malleus argenti consregit ouilia Christi The rascall Masse-priests sell Masses dirges sacraments sacramentall ceremonies and other Romish wares euerie man according to the faculties giuen him by the Pope Brigit in her reuelations bringeth in Christ complaining how Priests dealt worse in selling him then Iudas for that he sold him for monie they for euery commodity deteriores sunt Iuda qui pro solis denarijs me vendidit illi autem pro quouis mercimonio the Papists themselues know that the Masse-priests and Iebusites sent from the Pope into England liue vpon sale of their faculties Of these pillages diuers haue complained from time to time and yet we find that the Popes would neuer abide any reformation Matthew Paris in Henrico 3. speaking only of the rapines of one Popes legate saith he had extorted more then was remaining behind in England excepting the church ornaments nec remansit eadem hora saith he vt veraciter dicebatur tantum pecuniae in Anglia exceptis sanctorum vasis ornamentis ecclesiarum quantum à regno extorserat Anglicano he compareth the Kingdome at that time to a vine-yard spoiled by euery one that passed by and rooted vp by the wild bore of the wood he saith that the court of Rome like a gulfe swallowed vp euery mans reuenues quae curia instar barathri potestatem habet consuetudinem omnium reditus absorbendi Boner in his preface before Gardiners booke de vera obedientia saith that the Popes pray or spoiles in England were equall almost to the Kings reuenues the Emperor as Matth. Paris testifieth in Henrico 3. reprehended the king of England for suffering his country to be empouerished so shamefully by the Pope imperator
saints to the Popes decretals and decrees and to the diuers treatises set foorth of late time in defence of their faction and heresie Against Luther they haue hired one Staphilus a rinegat Christian and Cochleus a fellow not woorth a cochle shell to speake as much shame as their malicious wits could deuise from these two Surius Laingeus Stapleton and all the kennell of curres let loose to barke against him haue borrowed the subiect of their slanders if any thing more be obiected by later libellers that proceedeth of late inuention Bellarmine de notis ecclesiae in praefat de Christo and others charge him with teaching that Christ suffered according to his diuinity he in his booke de concilijs from whence the ground of this slander is taken saith onely that he had to do with certeine Nestorians which denied that the diuinity could suffer so it appeareth these words were the Nestorians and Luther disputing against them sheweth that the person of Christ consisting of two natures could and did suffer and if he did say the diuinitie did suffer he tooke the word of the nature for the person as auncient fathers and namely Vigilius contra Eutychem haue done Vigilius saith the diuinitie of Christ was nailed with nailes consixa clauis Campian rat 8. Bellarmine in praefat in controuers de Christo charge Luther to haue said that his soule hated this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a meere slander he saith onely if he shoulde hate the worde and beleeue the thing defined in ancient councels that he should not therefore be an heretike Bellarmine lib. 4. de ecclesia militante c. 13. Cregorius de Valentia and others say that Luther learned of the diuel that the Masse was naught but Luther hath no such wordes he saith onely that the diuell went about to make him despaire hauing so long saide Masse which long before he had learned to be naught Others adde that in a certeine disputation at Lipsia Luther should say that the contention begun by him against popish abuses was neither begun for Gods honour nor would end for Gods honour but wickedly that which Luther spoke of his aduersaries that for to please the Pope tooke vp the bucklers against him they apply to Luther himselfe and his own actions Some say that he taught if the wife refuse the husband may goe in to his maide whereas he declareth onely how husbands vse to threaten their froward wiues not commending either any such act or threates His life is traduced by them commonly as if he were giuen to wine but not onely all that knew him and speake indifferently testifie the contrary but also Erasmus his aduersarie that had reason to reprooue him if there had beene cause Lutheri vita omnium consensu probatur saith Erasmus in ep ad Thomam Card. Eboracensem id non leue praeiudicium est tantam esse morum seueritatem Luthers life is approued by consent of all and that is no small preiudice that such is the sinceritie of his manners that his enemies can not sinde what to calumniate Finally they obiect that endeuouring to cast out a diuell he was euill entreated by the party possessed and that going to bed merry he died the same night but the first is refuted by Luthers doctrine who commonly taught that Christian doctrine is not now to be confirmed by miracles the second is a slander falsely deuised by such as neither were at Luthers death nor desirous to vnderstand the truth Sleidan lib. 16. reporteth that he was long sicke before and that feeling his sicknesse to grow extreme he called his friends and spending his time in praier pious exhortations quietly departed this life and this is also confirmed by Melancthon in Luthers life and was testified by al that were present at his end The principall libeller that vndertooke to raile against Caluin was Bolsec a rinegat frier who hauing either himselfe written or suffering others to publish diuers impudent slanders in his name did in a publike synod in France retract the same but his recantation they regard not his first malitious reports they wilfully embrace Campian rat 8. chargeth Caluin with saying that God is the author of sinne but his words instit lib. 1. c. 18. doe euidently discharge him flagitiorum causa extra humanam voluntatem quaerenda non est saith he Bellarmine lib. de notis eccles c. 9. telleth vs how Caluin taught that hell was nothing else but the horror of conscience but no such words could euer yet be found in Caluin he saith that the horror of conscience is a part of hellish paines but that Hell should bee nothing else he neuer saied nor thought Caluin is also charged for speaking contumeliously against Saints and calling them shadowes monsters and such like names but he is much wronged for either he spake of Christopher and Catherine and such like forged Saints or of Dominick Medard and such like superstitious fellowes who are rather for their cruelty and other vices to be hated then honored for any holinesse Posseuin lib. 3. de notis verbi dei c. 74. chargeth Caluin with atheisme for teaching that the sonne of God was God of himselfe or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Bellarmine excuseth him and dischargeth him confessing he said well if he spoke of the son in respect of his diuine essence The Rhemists in their annotations on the 5. to the Hebrews affirm that Caluin taught that Christ despaired and the same sclander was also bruted abroad by Campian Rat. 8. but neuer did any such words passe from his mouth or his penne and if the Papists will not beleeue me let them beleeue Bellarmine who lib. 4. de Christo c. 8. expresly affirmeth that Caluin saith that Christ despaired not Calumus dicit saith he Christum non desperasse Others giue out that he was conuicted of Sodomy and burned on the backe for his offence at Noyon but the notorious wickednesse of those that first deuised this slander may be refuted by diuers plaine arguments first Sodomites are not burned on the backe in France but burned at a stake secondly neuer was he conuented before any iudge either for that or other matter Lastly the sincerity of his life repugneth to such beastlinesse neither was it like that he would haue so violently pursued the Romanists for their vnnaturall abominations vnlesse he had beene cleere of all suspition in that behalfe Bellarmine lib. 4. de eccles c. 14. saith that Caluin went about to worke a miracle by compact with one Bruley but he sheweth himselfe therein miraculously impudent for in the same chapter he confesseth that Calum in the preface to his Institutions should complaine that wrong was offered christians by those that required miracles at their hand seeing they taught the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles which was confirmed by innumerable miracles further it is a shamelesse tricke to alledge the testimony of Bolsec who was hired to write what he could against Caluin
Finally Bellarmine and Coster saie that Calum was eaten vp with lice and died blaspheming and calling vpon the diuell a diuelish slander refuted by Galasius Beza and the publike testimony of the city of Geneua a litle before his death say they he called his fellow ministers vnto him exhorted them with many words full of piety and affection and departed this life rather like to one falling a slepe then dying Beza is charged for affirming that Christ had two hypostases or personall subsistences but his aduersaries deale with him calumniously for he confesseth and teacheth that Christ was one person albeit the same Christ was very God and very man the two natures being vnited in one person and the soule and the body being vnited in one man Feuardentius in Iacob 3. and Stapleton in prompt hebdom 3. quadrages and others raile at Beza for his verses which he made being a yong man But Beza did first condemne those verses himselfe as being made while he was an impure Papist and yet compare them with the Italian rymes that are euery where extant and with the verses of Casa and other Italians they may seeme modest and chast in respect Finally of late time the shamelesse Iebusites of France published a pamphlet of Bezaes recantation and reconciliation to the Pope fraught with diuers lies but Beza himselfe refuced their impudent lies and now the Papists themselues selues will not deny but that this was a lying and impudent pamphlet This is also the practise of Papists from time to time to sclander and to bely the seruants of God In the 8. session of the conuenticle of Constance the Masse-priestes charge Wicklesse that he taught that God must obey the diuell a matter no where sound either in termes or in sense in his writings they said also how he taught that Princes being in mortall sinne are not to be obeied his drift was only to shew that prelates liuing loosely were vnworthy of their places albeit he did not detract from the efficacy of sacraments ministred by them the right of kings against the vsurpations of the Clergy he stoutly mainteined In the same wicked assemblie Iohn Husse was accused that he taught that there was a fourth person besides the trinity and that he called Gregory a rymer neither did it auaile him that he denied these accusations most constantly for his accusers were heard and his defences little regarded he was also most falsely charged with driuing the Germans out of the vniuersity of Prague wheras it was proued that the Germans did voluntarily depart thence for that they pretended their ancient priuiledges to be infringed Against Bucer they giue out that dying he turned Iew and blasphemed the name of Christ a matter deuised without proofe or probability and conuinced by all that were present with him at his death Grineus was present at the end of Oecolampadius and testified that he died most quietly godlie and christianlie and with him concurreth Wolfangus Capito yet are not the Papists ashamed to giue foorth that the Diuell st angled him of whom I would but aske only one question to wit who these witnesses were that saw the Diuell committing this act Our English Papists seeke matter to obiect against bishop Iewell of reuerend memory but finde none only they tell vs diuers false allegations are found in his bookes but all their accusations are answered and rest so without replie although the shamelesse aduersaries desist not to alledge matters diuers times answered they saie further that D. Stephens and William Raynolds were cōuerted to Popery by reading his bookes but the first was a simple fellow and drawne away with hope the second ranne away forced by despaire Against Bishop Granmer they haue denised diuers slanderous tales as if he were vnlearned inconstant and caried about his wise in a tronke but for the first his learned writings and disputes wil testifie that it is vntruth furthermore very vnlike it is that he should haue beene emploied in so great affaires if he had not beene singularly learned his constancy appeareth in his continuall trauailes against the Popes authority and Popish errors the last is an improbable tale deuised by some standrous Popish parasite and well deserue they to be cased in cloke-bagges that doe beleeue it for he had sent his wife away before into Germany and had he not yet this deuise is improbable if not impossible Sanders Rishton Stapleton Parsons and their pewfellows haue published diuers slanders against king Henry the eight Queene Elizabeth of blessed memory and diuers of their loyall subiects but it is not to be maruelled if fugitiues and traytors raile against their Princes and all that fauour the state The vnwritten traditions of the Synagogue of Rome are nothing but lies deuised and falsely fathered vpon the Apostles and their successors Bellarmine de verb. dei lib. 4. c. 3. esteemeth the canon of the Masse to be a tradition yet was the same denised since the Apostles times and is not found in that forme of Masse which is in the old Romish ordinall in the Apostles time certes Christians neither praied for Popes nor for Emperors nor did Cosmas and Damianus and other Saints mentioned in the canons liue in the times of the Apostles or their next successors Innocent the third c. cum Marthae de celebratione missar determineth that these words of the canon tum leuauit oculos in caelum ad patrem and mysterium sidei and such like not mentioned in the gospell are receined from Christ by tradition but of his assertion he alledgeth no proofe neither can he shew reason why Christ should omitte words now reputed so necessary The worship of Images in the second councell of Nice is called an Apostolike tradition yet neuer doe we reade that any Apostle or Apostolike man did teach it Naie the law of God doth expressely forbid the making of all Images or similitudes to the end they should be worshipped Some say that praiers and sacrifices for the dead are confirmed by Apostolike traditions yet our Sauiour sheweth that we are to worke while we haue light and appointed the eucharist to be receiued of the communicants and not to be offered for quicke and dead The kissing of the altar and blessing of incense Masse-priests doe beleeue to be commanded by tradition from the same founteine doe issue the washings of hands turnings of the Priest the swinging of the chalice here and there the adoration of the host the pompous perambulation of the host in the pixe and other ceremonies of the masse but these traditions are founded vpon lies and fables and are partly Iewish partly Heathenish and all of them mere humane inuentions and deuises nay som of them are fond and rediculous as the kissing of stones and stocks some repugnant to scriptures as the adoration of the sacrament with that honour that is due to God In the missall salt is exorcised for the saluation of such as beleeue and water is hallowed for the driuing